General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thursday, March 10, 2022
No burying the lede here: The House will consider the legalization and regulation of recreational marijuana today. The bill requires 25 yes votes (3/5 majority). If all D’s voted yes, the bill would pass with one vote to spare. There are 17 co-sponsors, all of them D. The following D’s are not sponsors on the bill: Bolden, Dorsey Walker, Freel (although Brady was a sponsor, so I think, but don’t know, that he’ll be a yes), K. Johnson, Schwartzkopf, Cooke, Carson, Bush, and (the illegally-serving) Andria Bennett. Call ’em, text ’em do whatever you can.
I know some folks hope that maybe Ramone or Michael Smith will vote yes, but I’m quickly reaching the conclusion that all the Rethugs will simply oppose anything popular. You know, so that D’s don’t get any credit for anything. Nevertheless, call ’em, text ’em do whatever you can.
I’d be shocked if the bill passes. Hope I’m wrong.
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report. Mantzavinos’ sop to retired military and Schwartzkopf’s giveaway to certain police and fire retirees cleared committee. Classic Delaware Way shit. Pistol-Packin’ Pete has wasted no time in placing his bill on today’s House Agenda.
Today’s Senate Agenda has nothing that interests me. Each of the three Senate bills merely adjusts membership on certain commissions and/or clarifies who may serve.
Today’s House Agenda also features HB 179(K. Williams), which ‘revis(es) the eligibility criteria for the lot rental assistance program by expanding the sources of income that qualify a homeowner for the program and making a homeowner eligible after living in the community for 5 years’. Props to all the legislators and community activists who have done such great work on behalf of those living in manufactured housing communities. This bill is but the latest in a long line of legislation helping to empower and protect mobile home park residents.
See you for at least part of next week. I’m getting a hip replacement on Wednesday, but I’m working on a Very Special Replacement. Only time will tell if that comes to fruition. It’ll be fun if it does.
In the voice of Bugs Bunny: Oh Puh-Leeze!, you know damn well it will fail as long as the Killer Kop Kabal holds sway in what passes for government in this state. Hope we’re wrong but be real, only greed will save us if an adjacent state starts raking in the cold hard cash. A repeat of the casino game, is it not?
Marijuana Bill Goes Down. Done in by 3 D’s who didn’t vote for it:
Bolden
Bush
Schwartzkopf.
WTF?
https://www.wdel.com/news/marijuana-legalization-bill-fails-in-delaware-house-just-missing-required-3-5ths-vote/article_2b1f00d8-a0b7-11ec-90f5-ef0e9c4db108.html
Speaker of the House Peter Schwartzkopf was among the official “No” votes–though, after he declared the bill failed, the bill’s primary sponsor, Democrat Rep. Ed Osienski, attempted to also change his vote from “Yes” to “No.”
There’s a legit reason for that. In order to restore a bill to the calendar, meaning it would be eligible to be reconsidered, someone from the ‘prevailing’ side, in this case the no’s, would have to make the motion.
Osienski was simply trying to keep that option alive. This happens a lot on closely-contested bills.
I read on TSD that Osienski tried to change his vote to do that but was *too late* to do so? What a chucklefuck.
Sounds like Pistol Pete was quick on the gavel. What a dickwad.
BTW, this Michael Smith is one oily bastard. “I fully expected to vote for the bill. I TOLD them I would vote for the bill. But they only adopted ONE of my amendments. So I voted against the bill. It’s THEIR fault. THEY defeated legalization.”
No. You voted no when, according to you, you said you would vote yes. YOU helped to defeat this bill. Dickwad.
Please help identify a Dem to run against this a$$hat
Betcha that pot legalization has strong support in his district. He broke his word, regardless of how he’s spinning it.
Madinah has done more to legitimize him than any other legislator. She signs on to his letters and is co-starring with him at UD on “civil discourse” with republicans. Your heroes will always disappoint you.
Only if you expect them to act as heroes instead of human beings.
Why should one assume that Smith’s stated reason for voting no is his actual reason for doing so? IMO, an excuse that lame is likely to be false, and the real reason is something he won’t admit.
Very disappointing vote. How do we get rid of Pistol Pete? He’s so alienating and such a turn off. He makes my stomach turn. There must be another viable candidate.