The Delaware ERA is now part of the Constitution, with the only opponents being the endangered species, aka The Angry White Guys From Lower Slower. That’s pretty much all that happened yesterday. See for yourself.
The decks have all virtually been swept clean for Gov. Carney’s State Of The State Address. With one exception. The Senate will consider the ‘mini-Bond Bill’, which reallocates resources from the Bond Bill that was passed back in June. More largesse for the Buccini/Pollin Arena, and a curious allocation through the secretive Delaware Strategic Fund. This allocation: “(A)uthorize funding from the Delaware Strategic Fund when interest earnings are not available for the New Castle County and Middletown Chamber of Commerce’s business incubators”. WTF is that? Can some legislators please introduce a bill removing the exemption from FOIA for this body that appropriates public funds? Regardless, it says all you need to know about the General Assembly that, come the end of January, Buccini/Pollin will have been the beneficiary of 2 of the 3 must-pass bills for the entire month.
We’ve already gotten a preview of some of what pass for ‘initiatives’ in Gov. Carney’s State of the State. A three-year program to provide more educational services to ‘English language learners and low income students’. It’s literally the least that Carney can do. Or thinks he can do in order to avoid the courts coming down on Delaware’s unbalanced education funding system. Me? I think the courts may well be our last best hope to force that statewide property reassessment that every elected pol has resolutely refused to even consider. Which could then lead to sufficient education funding.
We also know he’ll talk about electoral ‘reform’. Specifically, these three bills were introduced yesterday: HB 38 (Bentz), which ‘establishes in-person early voting beginning in ….2022’; HB 39 (Viola), which ‘provides for election day registration for presidential primary, primary, special, and general elections’; and HB 41 (Bolden), which ‘moves the date of primary elections for statewide office, county office, and municipal office to the fourth Tuesday in April, which is the date of the presidential primary (in presidential election years)’.
I strongly support the first two bills, but I do not support moving the primaries to April. Moving the primaries to April merely limits the ability of challengers to meet voters face to face at the doors and/or to make their cases in grassroots primaries. Cold temperatures and limited daylight are obstacles for that kind of contact in a state where door-to-door is perhaps the most important means of reaching voters. Think of how much easier it would be for incumbents like, say, Chris Coons and John Carney. I think it would be particularly damaging to grassroots campaigns that need to build from the ground up. The cost savings are minimal, especially when you weigh the cost to democratic involvement.
What will once again be on display is this governor’s paucity of vision. He’d be the perfect governor if we really were in an economic straitjacket (well, he wouldn’t be, but stick with me here). When, however, he plays the roll of the guy tightening the straps on that straitjacket, he is simply playing to his base: The Delaware Chamber Of Commerce. Wonder if he’ll even mention the corrections crisis.
I would say that I’m prepared for Carney to prove me wrong, but I’m not.
Since I’ll (mercifully) be working during the speech, I would welcome analysis from any masochists who might be listening to his oratory.
Almost forgot…the Senate Energy Committee has returned.
See you Tuesday.