cassandra_m
"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm
cassandra_m's Latest Posts
Sam Wilson and the Lesbian Bible Killers
Sam Wilson is the Vice President of the Sussex County Council and is pretty het up over the defeat of the Bible Study course at Cape Henlopen School District. Het up enough to have taken to the airwaves (not sure what program this is) to tell the radio host that he was plenty disturned over the 3-3 vote. According to him, at least one of the Cape Henlopen Board members is a *gasp* — lesbian! And (according to Wilson) lesbians are “not strong on the bible”. He seems to think that said lesbian(s) had too much influence over the vote. But thank goodness there is western Sussex to hold strong on the bible and morals, because I think that eastern Sussex doesn’t have time to demand that their neighbors “Show Us Your Bibles!” — since they are too busy tending to their own lives (and getting reservations to all of the good restaurants). Take a listen (approx 4 minutes):
Sussex County As Key to Keeping Delaware Blue
This seems to be the thesis and part of the organizing motivation of Sussex County Democratic Chair, Mitch Crane. Mitch spoke to Don Flood at the Cape Gazette some days back, explaining why he thinks that focused effort now in establishing the Democratic Party and in getting more seats in local government is crucial to the long term health of the party:
Sunday Open Thread [7.28.13]
The NJ does a long piece today about the red-light camera industry here in Delaware. Most interesting is that Wilmington’s program seems most disconnected to any effort to increase traffic safety, even though safety data is available for analysis. I’m also intrigued by the fact that Wilmington operates its camera on a revenue-sharing basis with its contractors, while DelDOT does not. Revenue-sharing with an entity that is supposed to make money obviously changes the incentives for camera placement and enforcement, and is one more deal that Wilmington was willing to cut that doesn’t look like it was for the benefit of its taxpayers.
Late Night Video — What the GOP’s War on Women Might Look Like
Featuring an imagined doctor’s visit to get some basic birth control. Funny and scary. Scary because the GOP probably thinks that this is just what they want. About 4 minutes long.
Late Night Video — Get The Dough Out of Politics
Courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s and the folks at Get the Dough Out — a lesson is why corporations should not be treated as people (approx. 1 minute):
The Lottery and Gaming Study Commission = The Fix Is In to Bail Out Casinos
This study commission — created when the GA and the Governor decided to help improve the balance sheets of our local casinos who are being hurt by rising costs (who isn’t, really?) and by a failed competitive stance in a market where we are surrounded by a glut of gaming options. This Commission met for the first time on Tuesday — and tell me if you can spot why I think the fix is in:
President Obama Speaks at Knox College
President Obama is making a series of speeches on the economy — focusing on an economic vision for supporting and expanding the middle class. There will be other campaign-like speeches advertised to try to change the conversation. What I’m hoping is that these speeches serve as a launching point to start the 2014 effort to remind people that it isn’t “Washington” that is the problem — it is the GOP in Washington who have fought against middle class interests (while they aren’t completely ignoring them) every step of the way. The President rallied with the OFA folks on Monday (and who heard about this? rally that includes Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the President and where is the news coverage?), and this is what gives me (small) hope:
The Delaware GOP Is Waiting for What?
The NJ had an article in Tuesday’s paper with this misleading title: Republicans wait as O’Donnell weighs another campaign. That title gives you the impression that there is something weighty and momentous going on here — that party leadership is somehow deferring to their local wingnut welfare grifter to give her first shot at running for the U.S. Senate against Chris Coons.
Tuesday Open Thread [7.23.13]
![Tuesday Open Thread [7.23.13]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/9365610422_4db9cab889_z.jpg "Tuesday Open Thread [7.23.13]")
Michael Mann is one of the most famous and most referenced scientists on Climate Change. He is the creator of the famous Hockey Stick graph, a graph that the writers at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the National Review used to specifically denigrate by accusing Penn State (at the time wrapped up in the child-abuse coverup business) of covering up research fraud by Dr. Mann. Mann filed a defamation lawsuit against them both and…..
Late Night Video — The Anniversary of the Aurora Shooting
One year ago on 20 July 2012, 12 people were killed and 70 injured by shooter James Eagan Holmes at the Cinemark Cinema in Aurora, Colorado. The Mayors Against Illegal Guns group put together this ad that’s been airing Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. since Saturday. This is a pretty powerful way to ask why we haven’t made background checks more comprehensive. This is approx. 1 minute long.
Carper and Coons Give a Big Thumbs Up to TBTF
And a big thumbs up to letting banks put the money in deposit accounts in the same kind of risky bets that their investment accounts are in. I can’t say that I’m too surprised at this — banks do own the road here — but I’m still appalled at this position. It is a position that is ONLY good for banks — the rest of us with deposit accounts (and who pay taxes) are definitely the losers here. Because the point of a Glass-Steagall 2 is to separate the deposit accounts (the only part of the banking business explicitly guaranteed by the feds), from the investment business (which is not insured). The point of Glass-Steagall 2 is to dismantle one more part of the TBTF scheme — specifically the part where banks get to privatize their profits and get to socialize their losses. Until taxpayers get a say in the risks (and get a cut of the benefits) of the TBTF business, taxpayers should not backstop what the banks do here.
Monday Open Thread [7.22.13]
![Monday Open Thread [7.22.13]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/HelenThomasJFK-240x180.jpg "Monday Open Thread [7.22.13]")
You’ve probably heard that Nate Silver and FiveThirtyEight are leaving the NYT and going to ESPN/ABC. This deal will give him a chance to expand his franchise, it seems, but I just care about the political modeling, really. I’ll maintain a subscription to the NYT for his work, but won’t be getting cable to keep up with it, so do hope that the website is still the centerpiece of his work. TPM quotes Political (of all people) on why Nate left:
Sunday Open Thread [7.21.13]
![Sunday Open Thread [7.21.13]](http://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/969548_10152501928866393_857242721_n.png "Sunday Open Thread [7.21.13]")
Charles Blow at the NYT has been one of the best and most moving commentators on the injustice done to Trayvon Martin. Today, he talks about Barack Obama’s impromptu Friday speech on the matter:
Recent Comments