DL Open Thread: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Will Trump Veto Defense Appropriations Bill? It’s heading to his desk soon as House passes it with a veto-proof majority.
Stoopid Rethuglican Voter Suppression Trix. Man, this Texas AG is dancing as fast as he can as he seeks to evade corruption charges. Texas can’t turn blue soon enough. Georgia legislators try to limit vote-by-mail. Won’t be in effect for next month’s special elections. If ever.
Fudge To HUD, Vilsack to Ag. So far, I see no picks that engender any outrage in me. I’m gratified that Biden bypassed DINO Heidi Heitkamp for Agriculture.
How Lawyer For Ukrainian Oligarch Fueled Trump’s Dream Of An Election Reversal. I vaguely was aware of Bruce Marks from Pa. politics, but I didn’t know the story. Well worth your time. Featuring a cameo appearance by Widener Law School.
Katie Porter Exposes McConnell Corruption On Covid Relief. Gov. Newsom: Appoint her to the Senate. She is the best we’ve got. I don’t give two shits about her race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nothing. Cali only sends two. Why not send your best?
Covid Deniers Shut Down Idaho Board Of Health Meeting. Banging trash cans at board members’ homes.
Poor Countries To Miss Out On Covid Vaccines. How do you feel about this?
How Big Oil Avoids Tax Bills. They launder billions through Bermuda and the Bahamas.
‘How Biden Should Investigate Trump’. Excellent think-piece by James Fallows of The Atlantic. Time for me to break down and get a subscription.
Delaware’s Vaccine Distribution Plan. Available doses are very limited.
What do you want to talk about?
Biden has chosen a sitting Dem congresswoman from Ohio for HUD, Rep. Marcia Fudge. The appointment meets the demands for diversity and checks the right demographic boxes, And on her own merits she seems like a good choice. But by putting the razor-thin House majority at risk, her appointment could prove to be a Pyrrhic victory for diversity. Fudge at HUD would hardly be consolation for the loss of the House.
Every Dem House seat lost increases the power of the worst House DINOs, which makes me speculate: is that what the Democratic center-right wants? I’ve always thought Biden. Coons, and Carper were much more comfortable in the political minority, and like it that way.
Here’s one take on Fudge’s replacement, which makes it sound a lot like the Wilmington mayoral election:
“Which brings us back to her replacement in Congress: I can predict the race is going to be a real political donnybrook: a no-holds-barred, knock-down-drag-out, free-for-all type of fight for the Congressional seat. Pursuant to Ohio law, the vacancy must be filled by a special congressional election called by the governor. Candidates must first run in a special congressional primary, then go on to a general election. We can fully expect that Larry, Curley and Mo will all throw their hats into the ring, as well as a Republican or two.”
“The primary would likely be decided by a plurality, not a 50% majority. That is, the candidate that garners the highest number of votes, even if that’s only 25 or 30% of the total votes cast, would be the winner. A field could be so crowded with black candidates that a well-funded white candidate from the district’s whiter and more affluent areas could capture the seat.”
Glad we’re back to determining how every single action by a Democrat will lead to a worse situation that the one we’re in. That’s the Democratic Party I know so well.
Senate committee assignments are up:
http://www.desenatedems.com/dec-9—151st-ga-committees.html
Pinkney to head Corrections. Evans Gay heads Elections and Sunset. McBride chairs Health and Social Services. Mantzavinos chairs Banking.
I love Pinkney heading Corrections. For too long (meaning ‘forever’), this committee has been the repository of the ‘lock ’em up brigade. Glad to see McBride and Sokola on it as well.
Having the entire cabinet piss on Jim Vaughn’s grave should be part of the installation ceremony.
That’s a story in and of itself. He had been Commissioner of Corrections. Gov. DuPont replaced him. He was elected to the Senate where, in essence, he directed the prisons (and who got imprisoned) from Leg Hall.
He was PROUD of the fact that very little interested him outside of Smyrna/Clayton. Willfully ignorant, and proud of it.
Oh, and yes, his son is now a judge on Delaware’s Supreme Court.
Yeah, I didn’t mention him in my anti-nepotism rant at That Other Blog, which triggered Liberal Geek so badly that he spent an inordinate amount of time claiming that John Daniello’s daughter deserves her position in the party because she’s done good work, while steadfastly refusing to acknowledge that she got the chance in the first place because of nepotism.
This state is a fucking disgrace, on just about every level.
Also, did you notice in the release that the terrible, horrid, no good Scott Goss still is employed there?
I hope that changes quickly. Like, as soon as Jesse Chadderdon moves over there full-time.
I was combing through this year’s archives in research for this year’s MVP Awards.
I found proof that, every now and then, I get one right. From my first political weekly of 2020:
“1. The Mantzavinos Candidacy. As we noted earlier this week, Spiros Mantzavinos has filed to challenge Anthony Delcollo in the 7th Senatorial District. I believe that both the New Castle County Democratic Party and the State Democratic Party did everything they could to entice a candidate into this race. Spiros said yes. There could still be another possibility in this district, but you can’t beat somebody with nobody. So. Can Mantzavinos win? Yes. To the extent that this election is a referendum on Trump, pretty much any D this side of Sussex County can win. The last election was a referendum on Patti Blevins, which is why Delcollo won. Let me be clear–in years like this where the president is such a divisive figure, pretty much any D in a Democratic district can win. So let’s look at SD 7. In 2016, when Delcollo won, here were the registration figures at election time: 14,776 D; 7116 R; 8567 I. I checked ’em three times. Blevins had to have run an absolutely horrid campaign to lose in a district with those numbers. Let’s check out the current numbers in this district: 14,883 D; 6907 R; and 8634 I. I’m calling it right now: After four years of Trump, there is no way that Anthony Delcollo can win reelection against a credible D in this district. It doesn’t matter how great he’s been on constituent matters. Most people have no clue who their State Senator is. There’s no way that there will be enough crossover voters to reelect Delcollo. Unless someone else gets in as a D, I think that Mantzavinos will win. People are coming out in droves to vote against Trump in this district, the so-called ‘uninformed voters’. Delcollo will be collateral damage. Clip ‘n save.”
If we look past what Trump has done and learn nothing from it we have failed yet again. Many weaknesses in the constitution and the nation have been exposed and laid bare. We can’t just say “we are a deeply divided people”, as the truth is a cold civil war rages just under the surface here. I have no answers for you and suspect there are really none to be had, other then the passing of my failed generation the Boomers. Generational change and the force of a changing demography that does not rely on aging, angry white people can only be for the better in America.
I know the answer to the “why” question, but just putting it out there: Every committee — including the crucial ones like Education, Corrections, Health & Social Services, Finance — has five or six members. And then there’s Veterans Affairs, with 11 members.
We all know why, but you’d think that Sokola, as the new sheriff in the Senate, might have had the courage to end this folly.
No way we need half the Senate to worry about special perks for vets (I’m one) like vanity plates while smaller teams address the pressing issues in Corrections and Education.
I think you kinda answered your own question lol
Seriously, I doubt there’s more to it than veterans are a valued constituency and no one wants to be the lawmaker perceived as shutting them out in some way.
Here’s the first story on committee assignments I’ve seen https://delawarestatenews.net/government/senate-releases-committee-assignments-paradee-chairing-budget-writing-panel/
I hereby admit it, I voted for the Republican for the first time and last time ever rather then Jim Vaughn, he was a homophobic old pig. Having said that I stand ready to piss on his grave repeatedly to atone for my sins and am willing to drink beer to do so. Where’s it at? Please say Smyrna.
Here’s the obit:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newszapde/obituary.aspx?n=james-t-vaughn&pid=96045239
He’s buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in, wait for it, Smyrna.
I see snowflakes out my window so if it’s all the same to you, I’ma wait for spring.
Facebook vs. Almost Everybody:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/09/technology/facebook-antitrust-monopoly.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage
48 states and the Federal government sue the company, accusing it of monopolistic practices.
Feds Investigating Hunter Biden’s Taxes:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hunter-biden-reveals-that-the-feds-are-investigating-his-taxes