cassandra_m

"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm

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President Obama Speaks on Income Inequality and Economic Mobility

Filed in National by on December 7, 2013 19 Comments
President Obama Speaks on Income Inequality and Economic Mobility

This got lost in the other news this week, and once again we ask ourselves, “If the President of the United States gives a policy speech, will anyone listen?” This is a plenty solid statement of progressive principles and if no one labeled them progressive , I’d bet there is alot here most Americans would absolutely agree upon. Because middle and low income people ARE being thrown under the economic bus and have been since the Reagan presidency. The disconnect is, of course, Congress and not one of our Congressional delegation (that I can find, anyway) has chimed in to note that the President has a point and that they are working on (detailed) stuff to help ameliorate this. Getting rid of the thumb on the scale for most of their voters is a clear way to better prosperity all around, but I gather that Third Way cred is going to be more important than you OR your vote. Anyway, here is the President’s speech, about 48 minutes long.

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Late Night Video — Sun City, Artists Against Apartheid

Filed in National by on December 5, 2013 9 Comments

Wonder if anyone here remembers this:

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RIP, Madiba

Filed in International by on December 5, 2013 7 Comments
RIP, Madiba

You’ve all heard by now that Nelson Mandela died peacefully at his home this evening. His is among the most heroic political and personal stories I have ever heard, and am still informed by.

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Comment Rescue Question — How *Do* We Get Better Democrats Representing Us in Delaware?

Filed in Delaware by on December 5, 2013 17 Comments

This is from a comment made by Steve Newton last night in the John Carney thread, and it is a damn fine question. He lays out the state of the board pretty well and takes more time to ask something I’ve been asking here for awhile — if we’re a Blue State, how come we don’t have representation that represents that? Mostly the answer I get back is some testy version of needing more blogging or some such, but blogging is not voting or organizing really — the reach is much too limited.

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Call to Support the WDEL Feed A Friend Drive Now!

Filed in Delaware by on December 5, 2013 4 Comments
Call to Support the WDEL Feed A Friend Drive Now!

Today’s the day! The WDEL Feed a Friend Campaign is officially on starting at 9AM. Remember that this event raises funds for the Newark Area Welfare Committee, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, the Emmanuel Dining Room, YWCA Delaware and the St. Paul’s Church Outreach Center — all great organizations working to feed our neighbors who might need a little help. For each $11.50 you can pledge, these groups can buy a case of food — a great deal for the money. We’re encouraging all of DL’s readers and commenters to call WDEL during Al Mascitti’s show from 9 til 12 to pledge what you can to this worthy cause. If you can, please help spread the word to your Facebook friends and ask them to call in too.

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Late Night Video — United States of Ameoba

Filed in National by on December 4, 2013 2 Comments
Late Night Video — United States of Ameoba

This is from the Economist — a really outstanding infographic that shows the extent to which the two governing parties in the US have pulled apart (approx. 1 minute long).

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WDEL Feed A Friend Campaign

Filed in Delaware by on December 4, 2013 0 Comments
WDEL Feed A Friend Campaign

Every year, WDEL devotes a day of programming (at least from 9 til 4 or so) to raising funds for a number of great institutions who are trying to help feed Delawareans in need — the Newark Area Welfare Committee, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, the Emmanuel Dining Room, YWCA Delaware and the St. Paul’s Church Outreach Center. And it is a great deal too — every $11.50 pledge buys a case of food to help feed some of our neighbors in need. Tomorrow — Thursday 5 December — is this year’s Feed A Friend Day and we encourage all DL readers and commenters to call WDEL during Al Mascitti’s show from 9 til 12 to pledge what you can to this worthy cause. Why Al Mascitti’s show? Because Al has a goal of raising $10,000 tomorrow AM (he’s going to do a 10% match up to $1000.00); because his show is the only local one working at deconstructing right-wing memes; and because he takes El Som off of our hands for a few hours during the week. 😆

We’ll post the phone number to call in the morning, and remind you to call and pledge in multiples of $11.50. (They’ll take credit cards.) After you pledge, it would be really fantastic if you’d go to your Facebook page and ask your friends to call in to pledge too.

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Wilmington Breaks Its Shootings Record

Filed in Delaware by on December 4, 2013 62 Comments
Wilmington Breaks Its Shootings Record

Over the past several days, Wilmington lived through another rash of shootings resulting in a new shootings record: 147, surpassing the 2010 record of 142. On Monday, I returned home from seeing The Godfather on the big screen at Penn Cinema to multiple flashing red lights at 6th and Madison Sts — 2 women had been shot sitting on their porch earlier that evening. Earlier on Monday, the WPD reported arresting a man carrying an illegal gun not far from this spot — on the 500 block of W 5th — and credited the community with reporting this guy. On Friday, a man was shot in the 600 blk of W 6th St. Other shootings up on Lea Blvd AND at the Riverfront made this a heartbreaker of a Thanksgiving weekend for Wilmington.

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Late Night Video — A Very Cosby Thanksgiving

Filed in National by on November 27, 2013 1 Comment

Bill Cosby on Thanksgiving origins (2:23):

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at DL!

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Wednesday Open Thread [11.27.13]

Filed in Open Thread by on November 27, 2013 2 Comments
Wednesday Open Thread [11.27.13]

So how’s the last minute Thanksgiving prep going?

In keeping with the spirit of the seaon (i’m just guessing), Richard Land (a leader in the Southern Baptist church) says that single mothers should always give up their babies for adoption. I’m guessing the Land’s aren’t rushing right out to signup for some more mouths to feed — they are just in the business of making more women feel guilty and undermine the family values they only give lip service too.

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Time for Chip Flowers to Get Serious and Work with the CMPB

Filed in Delaware by on November 27, 2013 36 Comments
Time for Chip Flowers to Get Serious and Work with the CMPB

So let’s start with a serious question — if Sheriff Christopher is the Sheriff of Nuttingham, what character would we assign to Chip Flowers?

Today, the Attorney General’s office rendered an opinion based on questions that the Cash Management Policy Board asked the AG to weigh in on. Those questions are:

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Sociopaths of the Day — Walmart

Filed in National by on November 18, 2013 2 Comments
Sociopaths of the Day — Walmart

A Walmart store in Canton, OH is running a food drive for its own workers. No doubt it is good they recognize that their workers are hurting, but they are working for Walmart and not making enough money to eat! How is it possible that you are working and not able to live without charity or government support? And considering how much the Walton family is worth, they could give all of their associates the makings of a decent holiday meal and never notice the money spent.

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Late Night Video — Lacey Lafferty Shoots From the Hip, or Something

Filed in National by on November 18, 2013 68 Comments

No idea how I missed this, but h/t to a Facebook friend for putting this bit of hilarity up today — this is a campaign video from one Lacey Lafferty, who claims to be a candidate for Delaware Governor in 2016 (approx. 1 min, 20 secs and put down all liquids):

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