DL Open Thread: Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Biden Running. Again. The D’s had better hope that Trump is his opponent. I mean, he’s really showing his age. His announcement is sure to galvanize the electorate. Sorry, that’s all I can muster. This depresses me. BTW, LBR has been named as a co-chair. That depresses me as well.
Trump To Be Indicted In Georgia. Seems crystal-clear from this missive by Fulton County DA Fani Willis:
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Monday said she would announce this summer whether former President Donald Trump and his allies would be charged with crimes related to alleged interference in Georgia’s 2020 election.
Willis revealed the timetable in a letter to local law enforcement in which she asked them to be ready for “heightened security and preparedness”because she predicted her announcement “may provoke a significant public reaction.”
In the letters, Willis said she willannounce possible criminal indictments between July 11 and Sept. 1, sending one of the strongest signals yet that she’s on the verge of trying to obtain an indictment against Trump and his supporters.
“Please accept this correspondence as notice to allow you sufficient time to prepare the Sheriff’s Office and coordinate with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that our law enforcement community is ready to protect the public,” Willis wrote to Fulton Sheriff Patrick Labat.
Similar letters were hand delivered to Darin Schierbaum, Atlanta’s chief of police, and Matthew Kallmyer, director of the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency.
Montana Rethugs Give Trans Legislator The Silent Treatment:
The latest high-profile example of state legislative leadership deciding who can be heard during statehouse debates is playing out in Montana where a transgender lawmaker was silenced by Republican leaders for a second day Friday.
Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who was deliberately referred to using male pronouns by conservative colleagues, says she won’t apologize for telling lawmakers they would have “blood on their hands” if they voted for a bill banning gender-affirming care. The measure has passed and is in the hands of the governor, who has indicated he will sign it.
Montana is among a wave of states passing legislation that opponents say could put transgender teens in jeopardy.
Montana’s House speaker said he won’t let Zephyr speak on the chamber floor until she apologizes.
For speaking the truth? Unlikely.
Privatized Special Education Schools. What Could Go Wrong? In Washington State, everything:
Washington lawmakers voted nearly unanimously Friday to strengthen oversight of private special education schools that serve some of the state’s most vulnerable public school students.
These schools, called nonpublic agencies, received more than $50 million in public funding last school year to serve roughly 500 public school students with complex disabilities. But an investigation by The Seattle Times and ProPublica revealed that weak state oversight had allowed serious problems to fester for years at the largest of the schools in Washington state.
Currently, these private schools are subject to few state requirements. OSPI reviews annual applications that include staff lists and certification details. But the programs do not have to provide a specific curriculum or employ more than one special education teacher.
The legislation would tighten oversight, requiring annual visits and contracts with school districts that detail education plans and curriculum. It would also require more staff training at the private schools.
Some school districts accused Northwest SOIL of billing for services it never provided, including one-on-one aides. In 2021, the school’s top administrator reported to a school district that Northwest SOIL skimped on qualified staff, curriculum and basic education tools so Fairfax Hospital’s multibillion-dollar parent company, Universal Health Services, could increase profits.
State Retirees Safe Until June Of 2024. Until then, we (hey, I’m a state retiree) need to watch Claire DeMatteis like a hawk:
The State Employee Benefits Committee officially extended state retirees’ Medicfill Supplement health plan coverage through June 30, 2024 Monday.
The committee also voted to reestablish the Financial and Health Policy & Planning subcommittees with minor modifications.
With the vote, the state is utilizing the critical need statute under Delaware Code to extend its contract with the Highmark health care company. State agencies can enact the exemption for use “by reason of conditions or contingencies that could not reasonably be foreseen or guarded against,” according to state law.
An initial six-month extension was made under the statute following Delaware Superior Court’s order to halt implementation of the state’s Medicare Advantage plan last October.
“The Deer Park & Klondike Kate’s: Inside Newark’s 32-Ounce Pitcher War”. A real headline from today’s News-Journal. No, I won’t provide a link.
What do you want to talk about?
“Inside Newark’s 32-Ounce Pitcher War”
In my college days in NYC, me and my drinking buddy tried to find bars that would serve pitchers of beer at their outdoor tables. We wanted to sit outdoors, but couldn’t afford single-drink prices, at least not for the amount we planned to drink. There were surprisingly few places, as outdoor tables weren’t as popular then, and Manhattan sidewalk space is more limited than other cities. And most establishments had a rule against serving the low-margin pitchers to the coveted outdoor tables. So there were only about five places in the whole city where you could get pitchers at outdoor tables, and we hit them all.
I did make one sole visit to CBGBs (indoors) to celebrate a friend’s birthday, which I remember mostly because there was a roach (marijuana) in the pitcher, and I was the lucky one who got it in his glass.
“Willis said she willannounce possible criminal indictments between July 11 and Sept. 1,”
Time to prep for whackos, sounds more like allowing whackos time to prep.
the gun nuts and the 2nd amendment – the definition of well regulated is literally “very controlled”
and i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, our country is a laughing stock when the 2 candidates for president are both past the normal life expectancy and both rapidly declining.
Commodity trading on Adrenachrome futures are brisk with news of another Biden v Trump showdown. Who will slur less? Which candidate will avoid the DiFi scenario?
Sounds like a real hoot
Am I happy that Biden’s running? Yes and no, a younger man (or women) would be better, but America knows Biden and for that matter Trump. And while Joe is obviously aging Trump remains a poorly spoken mental case with an obvious love for dictators. As ever the topic returns to “more and better Dems”.
This is ancient history but hear me out. After McGovern the Democratic Party became terrified whenever a candidate appeared to be one centimeter left of center. That terror lead to dumpster fires that were, Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, Gore, Kerry and Clinton. Only Obama (even though he governed as a centrist) had the guts to run as a Democratic.
Now we are similarly terrified of losing to Trump. So here we go again.
Republicans would love for Trump to run against a less politically experienced candidate who doesn’t have incumbent advantage and who hasn’t already beaten Trump.
No doubt. And I’m not opposed to Biden being the nominee. I just don’t think we need to keep putting off the discussion about what the party stands for.
I also hope he doesn’t fall down.
Can you imagine the security nightmare during Bidens second term when he returns home to Cokesbury on the weekends from washington
Yeah it does feel like drawing to an inside straight. Like RBG.
More fun with the senate! Ed Markey from Mass. has called on his lordship Clarence Thomas to resign, here’s the fun part: Will either of our career corporate ass kissers in the senate join him? NOPE! Neither will join Markey (would love to be wrong!) nor even comment about it.