Festivus Open Thread [12.23.13]

Happy Festivus to all.

Governor Jack Markell is Kavip’s Delawarean of the Year. He did some good things, like this:

He proposed and pushed through requiring background checks for all gun sales.
He proposed and was able to get mandated reporting of lost or stolen firearms.
He signed the Gay Marriage Bill.
He signed transgender equality into law.

But he also did some inexplicable things, for a Democrat:

He tried to give away the Port of Wilmington to an oil company.
He killed Minimum Wage in 2013.
He rammed through SB51 which permanently weakens teacher education programs.
He created an Illegal Star Chamber to draw up HB 165 charter school beneficial legislation, in secret without public input.
He rammed through HG 165 which gives private for profit charter schools access to public school capital financing.
He tried to lower taxes for the top 1%. And not for anyone else.

New polling in 4 key swing Congressional districts (CA-31, CO-6, IL-13 and MI-1), as well as Speaker John Boehner’s home district, “find overwhelming bipartisan opposition to cutting off extended unemployment benefits at the end of this year. Voters say they would be inclined to punish their already vulnerable representatives at the polls next year if they vote to cut off benefits.”

“Anywhere from 63-68% of voters in the five districts support continuing unemployment benefits with only 28-34% OK with cutting them…This is a rare issue in this polarized political climate where we find agreement across party lines.”

And yet I suspect the growing economy will forestall any extension of those benefits.

Some Polling Goodness:

PENNSYLVANIA–GOVERNOR–Quinnipiac: Gov. Tom Corbett (R) has a 36% approval rating and a 53% disapproval rating. 56% say that he does not deserve reelection. Here’s how he polls against his potential challengers:

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D) with 45 to Corbett’s 37 percent;
State Treasurer Rob McCord with 42 percent to Corbett’s 39 percent;
Corbett over former State Public Utility Commissioner John Hanger 42 – 37 percent;
Former presidential advisor Katie McGinty over Corbett 44 – 37 percent;
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski with 41 percent to Corbett’s 39 percent;
Former State Auditor General Jack Wagner over Corbett 48 – 36 percent;
Former State Department of Revenue Secretary Tom Wolf over Corbett 44 – 37 percent.

MISSISSIPPI–U.S. SENATE–REPULBICAN PRIMARY–Harper Polling: Sen. Thad Cochran (R) 54, Christopher McDaniel (R) 31.

MISSISSIPPI–U.S. SENATE–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–Human Events/Gravis Marketing: Cochran (R) 40, McDaniel (R) 40.

ARKANSAS–U.S. SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Sen. Mark Pryor (D) 44, Rep. Tom Cotton (R) 44.

KENTUCKY–U.S. SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) 43, Alison Lundergran Grimes (D) 42.

McConnell’s approval rating is a dismal 31% to 61%.