DL Open Thread: Feb. 20, 2020
Did Trump Offer Julian Assange A Pardon In Exchange For Kremlin Krumbs? Evidence suggests that, yes, yes he did. Using the Kremlin’s favorite Kongressman, Dana Rohrabacher.
Trump Nominates Another Fox To Guard Henhouse. Yes, of course, an ‘acting appointee’, as opposed to someone requiring Senate approval. I would welcome a skeptic to be the Director Of National Intelligence, but not a ‘skeptic’ who will seek to turn the institutions into yet another part of Trump’s reelection campaign. Nobody asked me, though.
Report: Oil And Gas Companies Have Emitted 40% More Methane Than Previously Thought. Betcha the polluters knew that they were spewing more than they were letting on, though.
Stone To Be Sentenced Today(?). The only question is how swiftly will Trump pardon him?
Amazon Seeks To Extort More Money From Delaware. Alby flagged this yesterday, but it can’t go unnoticed. There is likely not an entity anywhere that needs state $$’s less than Amazon, an Evil Empire if ever there was one. However, since John Carney and his Chamber pals have privatized ‘economic development’, the General Assembly will have no say in stopping this money grab. It’s fucking disgraceful.
AG Asks For More JFC Funding. Her request makes total sense to me. Earl Jaques and David Lawson come across as idiots. As does the Governor, whose ‘budget-smoothing’ straitjacket limits essential services. When Jaques asks why the funding wasn’t in the Governor’s budget, the answer is that the Governor is nothing but a numbers guy, not a policy guy. Besides, who can afford these services when we have to bribe Amazon? Priorities, pipples.
What do you want to talk about?
That Amazon story is an outrage. “a $4.5 million state taxpayer grant”
A fucking grant?!?!
That’s handing our tax money directly over to the wealthiest person in the world. They don’t even try to disguise it as a tax abatement. HOLY SHIT!
This is fucking robbery.
Agreed, it is robbery, and if they get this so called “grant” they’ll be back for more at some point. It’s corporate welfare writ large. Reminding you of Dover Downs yet?
Just hung up with Kowalko. We’re going to the DEDA meeting Monday. Once I have the details (time/location) I’ll provide them.
We want to try to rally a group to stand in solidarity against this so tell your friends. I promise to make this a fun action.
Note. We’ll likely be taking another L, but trust me on this. It matters when you turn up. It feels a lot better going down with guns blazing and swinging.
Stay tuned.
What is DEDA?
I believe it’s that public private partnership fake economic give away board they created.
I mean I don’t know what it stands for. Doesn’t matter
https://business.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/118/2020/02/02-Public-Notice-Feb-24-2020.pdf…
It isn’t DEDA – I wasn’t sure if you were talking about something else. It does matter if you are trying to be a communicator. I do appreciate the info and will share.
It used to be DEDO.
Now I call it DEDO P3.
You should ask your BFF Matt Meyer about his BFF Alan Levin who ran DEDO for Markell. REALLY. I can come onto your show and give you a segment if you want.
I’m best friend with all my podcast guests.
I’m glad you got the acronym correct.
Delaware Economic Development Authority
According to John’s notice.
I stand corrected.
I still like DEDO P3 better.
That sounds like a new Star Wars droid.
Those Trump kids –
“Update: The Mayor of Ely, Minnesota and State Sen. Tom Bakk are organizing a racist boycott of businesses owned by Native American tribes because the tribes oppose Jared and Ivanka’s billionaire DC landlord building this Twin Metals sulfide mine.
Disgusting.”
https://twitter.com/RWPUSA/status/1230464184321806339
Keep this fixed in your mind. When the Inquirer story hit yesterday there was this in the News Journal.
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2020/02/19/tragic-journey-homeless-couple-and-people-they-embraced/4808437002/
We got people dying in the woods in tents and these people are going to just give Amazon $4.5 million? For as much as they hate socialism these DEDA folks are going to be publically owned Monday. Because as you probably know by now I say the same shit right to people’s faces that I say on here. So this should be a real hoot.
Doug Rainey’s snide –
Let the Amazon debate begin
https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2020/02/let-the-amazon-debate-begin/
Amazon has drawn fire from both the left and right for seeking what critics describe as “corporate welfare.”
The left says Amazon creates lower-wage non-union jobs with high burnout rates. Opposition in New York City led to Amazon altering plans for the H2Q project that would have brought six-figure jobs to that area. Delaware also put in a long-shot bid.
The right is not happy with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owning the Washington Post, a newspaper-website that has gotten under the skin of the current administration.
Amazon drew little opposition the last time around when it sought $3.4 million for a $90 million fulfillment center in Middletown.
But the landscape has changed since 2011 as Amazon grew into a behemoth with its tentacles reaching into everything from pills to groceries (Whole Foods) and computer services.
Bezos has also become a polarizing figure, given his vast wealth and the disruptive presence of Amazon in all areas of retailing.
The strategic grant is based on the principle that once you add in the economic stimulus from construction jobs and income taxes paid by employees, the payback is fairly rapid. If the company does not reach the stated goals, the grant is reduced or eliminated.
Unlike Fisker, which planned to assemble cars at Boxwood, Amazon offers minimal risks to the state. Its multistory site will occupy only a portion of Boxwood, allowing other tenants to locate to the area.
The Carney Administration will keep things low key but has little choice but to offer a package. Amazon has options and could go to New Jersey or Pennsylvania, two states that might give it an even sweeter deal.
Moreover, Delaware still needs jobs that do not require a college degree and yes Amazon does provide education options for workers.
Carney has no choice….NOT.
Carney’s hands are tied, as usual.
Delaware’s job growth has been one of the worst in the country WITH the gov giving out millions. 4.5mil would go a long way in grants to non-profits whose annual budgets are 250k. 4.5mil would go a long way to assist early childhood education.
and all of these grants have provided nothing back to the actual residents of de. maybe we can tack on a surcharge to our water bills to provide amazon incentive to lie about job creation.
Once again Delaware taxpayers can bear witness to the ugliness and venality of the so called “Delaware Way”.
Amazon, the multi-billion dollar conglomerate owned by one of the richest individuals on the planet, Jeff Bezos, is asking for $4.5 million in Delaware taxpayer money to “establish its operations in Wilmington”.
This is another “prime” example of wealthy corporations seeking “corporate welfare” from ordinary working families who struggle each day to afford basic essentials.
Throughout my entire tenure as an elected State Representative I have dedicated myself to expose these corporate extortion plots that are so readily supported and encouraged by the corporate special interests that continue to influence policies and policy makers in Delaware.
I will be attending the Delaware Economic Development Authority public hearing scheduled for this Monday, February 24, 2020 at 9 A.M. at the Buena Vista Conference Center, 661 South DuPont Highway in New Castle, Delaware 19720 to publicly register my objections to this request by Amazon.
I am imploring all of you taxpayers, citizens and people who care about fairness to join me at this public meeting. You don’t have to testify but your presence alone will send the message that such requests are an affront to the taxpayers of Delaware and should be rejected.
Representative John Kowalko
________________________________________
Subject: Council on Development Finance 2/24/20
The meeting is taking place at Buena Vista, 661 S DuPont Hwy, New Castle DE 19720 from 9am to 12pm.
The agenda included this disclaimer:
The Council reserves the right to conduct a part of the hearing in one or more executive sessions closed to the public for the purpose of discussing certain confidential commercial and financial information submitted by the applicants for assistance that is not a public record within the meaning of 29 Delaware Code §10002.
Below is a few article about the issues involving amazon regarding subsidies and taxes
https://theintercept.com/2019/12/02/amazon-warehouse-workers-safety-cyber-monday/
https://thecounter.org/amazon-snap-employees-five-states/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-taxes-1-2-percent-13-billion-2019/
https://www.theverge.com/interface/2020/2/12/21133393/amazon-jay-carney-op-ed-bernie-sanders-jobs-working-conditions
Let’s goooooo
Better get there early – none of the rooms at Buena Vista are very large.
Great! They’ll be overflow into the hallway. Come join us.
Between us, they’ve included a caveat in the agenda about special non-public secret sessions to keep financials details away from scrutiny.
My guess is they’ll use it. Then the fun begins. Guy who wrote the Inquirer story is covering it.
Buckle up. Also, consider a patronage. May need extra cash.😜
“Only question is how soon will Trump pardon Roger Stone”?
I’m not sure, in a little over 3 years Trump has pardoned and commutated sentances for about 35 people. In Obama’s 8 years the numbers were close to 2000
Remind me which president pardoned you?
Don’t get your comment
The point isn’t the number, it’s the crimes they committed. I have no problem with the pardons for the “civilians” like Eddie DeBartolo. But for his own henchmen? That makes a mockery of the system, and that’s been the case ever since Ford pardoned Nixon.
The pardon power could be curtailed with a constitutional amendment, and should be. At the very least we need to stop this practice of pardoning people for crimes committed in public office. Campaign donations should also be a disqualifying factor.
I do, however, support the chief executives, mostly governors, who have pardoned and commuted large numbers of people who got draconian sentences for non-violent drug violations.
Just for context, here’s the Wikipedia article with number of and notable pardons by every president. Pardon numbers for recent presidents: George W. Bush (189), Bill Clinton (396), Ronald Reagan (393), Jimmy Carter (534), Gerald Ford (382), Richard Nixon (863). Many come at the end of terms in office, so I wouldn’t brag yet about Trump’s low number. It might just be his short attention span.
You can find full lists for individual presidents, and if you look them up you’ll find that 1) no administration ever says why people are being chosen for pardon or commutation, or at least none did until Trump; and 2) most of the people pardoned have long since served their sentences.
A large majority of Obama’s 1,715 commutations were drug cases with mandatory sentences, many of them based on sentencing disparities for crack vs. powdered cocaine.
Or were you just making conversation?
The point IS the numbers Trump is on pace to pardon 2.5% as many people as Obama
No, that’s not the point. Show an ability to comprehend what other people say or you’re gone again. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re gone again anyway.
So Alby, you expect the people reading this to believe you have studied each and every one of the nearly 2,000 Obama pardons and commuted sentances, compiled the data, compared that data to the data on Trump’s 35, and determined that Obama’s 2000 were more fair than Trump’s 35?
No, I haven’t looked at all of them. Have you? Have you looked up any of them, or are you the same ideologue you’ve always been?
As I explained — and you’re free to check up on it if you want — a large number of them were drug cases. Look them up yourself, you goddamn lazy bastard.
The original comment was that Trump would pardon Stone, something Trump himself has hinted at, in his usual prejudicial, unpresidential way.
Your man is a fuckstick, and so are you. You’ll be gone by morning.
Here, asshole, the NY Times has done your homework for you:
You need to put that in your rules and regulations. To participate you must show an ability to comprehend our post. Translation: If you disagree with us, you’re gone. Don’t worry, if any of the admin. (I don’t know who they are) don’t want me to comment, just say so, and I won’t comment…. or kick me off, whichever makes you feel more powerful!
Yes, you’ll be kicked off. This isn’t a forum for conservatives to pick arguments. You’re not open to persuasion, and neither are we. Conservatives aren’t welcome here at all. There are no “rules and regulations” for you to follow. Just go away.
Start your own fucking blog and spew your views on your own dime.
If Dils manages to self-ban based on his own stupidity, it will be a DL first.
you nutsack. they let me stick around and ive said im mostly here to upset people. … mostly. you’re just boring.
oh by the way, ive been commenting here for about 12 years… i remember 08 there was all this talk about Super Delegates stealing the nomination from Obama and giving it to Hillary and being really upset about that.
GOOD THING THE DNC FIXED THAT DUMB RULE.
fuck.
The democrats in this state are fortunate that the GOP can’t put forth competent candidates who aren’t mostly nutcases pandering to other nutcases.
Here’s a story for all those who said my objection to letting life-sentence prisoners kill without punishment in prison wasn’t realistic:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/20/exclusive-convicted-killer-confesses-to-murdering-two-child-molesters-in-ca-prison-says-his-warnings-to-guards-fell-on-deaf-ears/
““Being a lifer, I’m in a unique position where I sometimes have access to these people and I have so little to lose.”
This is partly due to subhuman conditions, atrocious conditions, terrible staff and zero support services in the US. Many countries in Western Europe don’t have the death penalty and also don’t have this problem.
Also, I never said it was unrealistic. I just said that state sponsored cold blooded killings are immoral and barbaric. Perfectly realistic though.
Actually it’s due to the fact that we run our prisons as if they were amateur productions of “Lord of the Flies.” My point is it happens, and there should be consequences.
Your opinion of the role of the state in society has nothing to do with the reality of crime and punishment in the U.S. Just because we use capital punishment in an arbitrary, discriminatory way does not mean that it can only be used in arbitrary, discriminatory ways.
This motherfucker just played executioner for two prisoners who were, in our mercy and lack of barbarism, given life sentences. But hey, at least it wasn’t the state that did it, right, so your conscience is clear. And that’s the important thing.
Ah, no. This is also a state killing because, like you said, it’s the way prisons are run. On us.
So I think we should change the way prisons are run. Abolish the current system. I think this is a better idea than having some assistant warden with an associate degree in criminal justice injecting human beings with a series of poisons they don’t understand.
My plan just seems better to me. Whereas your plan just accelerates the barbarity so you feel like we got revenge.
It is strange isn’t it that you frame a lot of these issue as your opponent simply wanting to signal virtue or prove a individual value (like a clear conscience) when I could make the same argument. This is one of the ways everyone comes to their own views.
You just want the felons killed so you feel like the ledger is even. I don’t think there’s a ledger.
I also think we should change the way prisons are run. But we won’t, so pretending we will is dodging the issue.
I don’t care about the ledger. I care about preventing more murders.
And I haven’t even gotten into the cases of a criminal ordering murders from behind bars.
Point being, it’s easy to claim “barbarism” of your opponents. People do it all the time, especially when they’re virtue signaling.
Also, too, I find your statement that these two lifers were actually “murdered by the state” rather ironic, as this method of murder by the state is even more capricious than the official method.
Absolutes suck. So when you say it’s never justified and always barbaric, you’re relying on an absolute. That’s never the right way to go.