The Headlines:
Speaker Pete Tries To Ram Seaford Charter Change Down The Throats Of D Caucus Members–Chapter 4.
House Doesn’t Show Up For Work.
Senate R’s Signal That They Will Not Hold Up Bills For Seaford Charter Change.
In fact, the Senate R’s joined the Senate Democrats in unanimously approving the Bond Bill. Prime sponsor Jack Walsh smartly highlighted how the bill would benefit all three counties, with a special emphasis on Suxco. Bond Bill member Sen. David Wilson (!) then stood up, praised the process as being totally inclusive, and urged his colleagues to support the bill. The Bond Bill is the only bill that could have been held hostage, and it didn’t happen in the Senate. One less card for Pete to play.
Ho-kay, I’ve been trying to figure out what exactly is Speaker Pete up to. After the events of the past couple of weeks, I can only conclude that he has either lost, or is losing, his own Caucus. He sets the Agenda. He has placed the Seaford Charter Change on the agenda three previous times only to come up against the fact that it doesn’t have the votes. Which led to a complete meltdown of a caucus with yet more wounds being opened and none being healed. Pete’s response? Put the Seaford Charter Change at the top of today’s Agenda. Four bites at the LLC Apple.
In fact, he indeed just may have lost it. Has anybody forgotten his thirteen-day disappearance in the wake of KMG’s conviction? He might have been in Tibet. He might have been quaffing down testosterone-laced OJ at an FOP lodge while padding around in bermudas and flip-flops. He might have been providing succor to his Beloved Ex- Campaign Treasurer/Disgraced Auditor. Fact is, pretty much every elected official (save pantywaist Carney), including almost the entire D House caucus, had called for her removal prior to the verdict coming in. Has anybody forgotten (I haven’t) that Pete showed up ‘just to say hi’ to two ex-cop challengers to progressive D caucus members? Has anyone forgotten his pathetic campaigning for KMG at Glasgow HS on primary day? He’s proven his loyalty to McGuiness, and he’s proving that he has no loyalty to members of the Caucus he leads.
So. I watched the House session following the massive Party caucus/venting sessions on Tuesday. The tension was palpable, including between Schwartzkopf, who was plowing ahead like a bull in a china shop, and Longhurst, who nervously tried to engage the Speaker in a semi-humorous conversation, and failed. When Longhurst moved to recess for a ‘break’, she really looked worse for wear as she exited the Chamber.
Time for psychological mumbo-jumbo, El Som-style. The relationship between Pete and Val has always been one of convenience. There have been plenty of times during their 12-year run where they simply weren’t talking to each other. We’ve documented those happenings here. The problem is that neither one of them on their own had enough stroke to be Speaker. They needed each other to cobble together the votes to stay in power. You all recall Val swearing that she was challenging Pete for Speaker this term. Uh, didn’t happen. They have one thing in common–they are both pathological liars. That certain caucus members fall for it time and time again merely reinforces that, like all sociopaths, they’re really good liars. I think, though, that many caucus members are finally hip to their tricks.
Who knows whether the Seaford Charter Change will actually get worked today? Who knows whether there will be yet another marathon caucus before the House goes into session? I don’t. But I know I’ll be watching the House feed today.
Which reminds me, I watched the Senate feed during the Bond Bill discussion yesterday. The difference in body language alone was remarkable. The senators all look like they love being there. Lots of walking around, lots of laughing, lots of fist-bumping. This is all due to the difference in leadership styles where Senate leaders encourage collaboration and House leaders rule through fear.
Feel free to psychoanalyze the amateur psychoanalyst. Remember kids, I had a dual major in news communications and poli sci, never took a psychology class in my life. Which probably explains a lot.
Here’s yesterday’s Session Activity Report, admittedly truncated due to the House playing hooky.
Here is today’s Senate Agenda. Nothing particularly grabs my attention.
Today’s House Agenda is more notable, depending, of course, on how much gets done. We’ve got a real good landlord-tenant bill, sterile needle exchange, medical debt protection, and the Bond Bill, among others. The House is scheduled to be in session from 2 pm to 9 pm. It remains to be seen how much of that seven hours takes place off the floor.
I remain curious as to why we haven’t yet seen the Grants-In-Aid bill. Suffice it to say that the legislators are not leaving town until their fire companies and senior centers are taken care of…along with Jobs For Delaware Graduates and the Police Athletic League.