Zombie Casino Alert! Part IV (Studying Our Failures Episode)

Zombie Casino Alert! Part IV (Studying Our Failures Episode)

The end of this legislative session finds Delaware taxpayers footing an $8M bill to help the local casinos pay the increased costs of their equipment providers who are apparently paid with a percentage of the casino's profits. Casinos now pay those vendors 6% of the profits for equipment and machines and expect to pay 10% after these contracts are re-upped. In addition, Epilogue language provided for a new Lottery and Gaming Study Commission
HB 88 Fails to Pass the Senate After Overwhelming House Vote

HB 88 Fails to Pass the Senate After Overwhelming House Vote

HB88 is a bill that sought to better define (so it could actually be enforced) procedures by which dangerous mentally ill persons could be restricted from firearm ownership, but also creates a path to let those restricted demonstrate that they are no longer dangerous and able to manage their gun rights. This is a great bill -- one that was worked hard by the House, to ensure that concerns of all sides were reasonably dealt with and it passed the House 40-1. A bipartisan victory by any stretch of the imagination -- and it means that the House reached a remarkable consensus on this issue. This bill was sent to the Senate, who voted it down tonite 6 - 13, with 2 not voting. One of the not voting was Bryan Townsend (D-11), which surprised a great many people. Cathy Cloutier voted NO on this, even though she is reported as telling folks she would vote YES. Michael Barbieri is the bill's primary sponsor, and I am told that he needs to get just one Senator who voted NO to bring it back to the floor. To say that this defeat is a surprise is an understatement. It's overwhelming majority in the House should have been an indication to the Senate of just how well this bill had been worked. In addition, the NRA was NEUTRAL on this bill -- as good as it gets on a gun measure. How did it get defeated? Ever hear of a group called First State Liberty? It is run by Eric Boye, who is plenty new here. And I understand that after HB88 passed in the House, a campaign of robocalling began to get people to contact Senators on this issue. As is often the case, the robocall was more about scaring people than actually informing them. This group is toxic enough that even the Delaware State Sportsmans Association has warned its membership about this group -- saying that is is a counterfeit organization that is run by persons with their own interests at heart, rather than those of gun owners

Late Night Video — Same Old Party

That's the name of this new video from the DNC -- which appeared shortly after I was wondering whether the Dems can capitalize on the GOP's failed rebranding. This is *quite* good! More like this please (and get your members to say this stuff in front of cameras) (approx. 2.25 minutes long)
Supreme Court DOMA and Prop 8 Watching Thread

Supreme Court DOMA and Prop 8 Watching Thread

DOMA is Unconsitutional:
The Supreme Court ruled 5-to-4 on Wednesday that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstituional. Roberts dissents. Scalia dissents. DOMA is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment. From the decision: “DOMA singles out a class of persons deemed by a State entitled ot recognition and protection to enhance their own liberty.”
Update on the Prop 8 case: The court does not reach the merits of this case, instead ruling that the Petitioners (the private citizens seeking to enforce Prop 8 after the State of California refuses to appeal the District Court's ruling to the 9th Circuit) lacked standing to bring their appeal. That means that the District Court's ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional is upheld, and that means same sex marriage is now once again legal in California.
It’s Amateur Hour for Wilmington City Government — Again

It’s Amateur Hour for Wilmington City Government — Again

Last Thursday, the Wilmington City Council introduced a bill to make the first amendment to the newly approved City Budget. This new amendment would restore the $300K that was eliminated from the Mayor's Contingency Fund and adds back $80K for a position in the Finance Department, and:
The amendment also would restore $89,000 to the Human Resources Department and $18,000 to the Planning Department. A $250,000 allocation for an enhanced trash and recycling program will be reappropriated, while $142,000 earmarked for small business development will be reduced to $50,000. Should the amendment pass, next year’s budget will increase by about $487,000 to $145.6 million and leave Wilmington with a surplus of $108,141.

Saturday Open Thread [6.22.13]

The NYT takes a look at What Else Could a $30 Billion ‘Border Surge’ Buy?
Regardless of where it’s going, $30 billion is a staggering figure. But Republicans want to use the money to almost double the size of an already robust Border Patrol, to 40,000 agents from 21,000. They want to add 700 miles of fencing. And for good measure, they plan to throw in some infrared ground sensors and thermal imaging cameras, along with a fleet of drones. Given that these are not exactly boom times, recent investment in other projects of major national consequence has been seriously inadequate. Infrastructure spending, for example, is now at its lowest point in 20 years. Excruciatingly expensive trains can barely make their way at anemic paces along the northeast corridor without breaking down, and we’ve all but abandoned talk of expanding to real high-speed trains. In the past month alone two bridges collapsed — in Washington State and Minnesota — and countless others desperately need repairs. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave this country’s bridges a C+ rating for 2013.
QOTW — What to Read This Summer?

QOTW — What to Read This Summer?

QOTW = Question of the Weekend. So it is officially summer and I know some folks will try to catch up on their reading while the world slows down a little. Sometimes the reading is in taking up a challenge (like the Infinite Summer group reading Infinite Jest, or last summer's OccupyGaddis group) or just moving something long intended to the top of the stack or some new summer blockbuster (there's a new Dan Brown out) or escaping to some spy or romance world. So do we have any summer readers here?

Friday Open Thread [6.21.13]

Senator Chris Coons has been appointed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. This is a big deal for Senator Coons -- the last time a Delawarean was on this committee was in 1973, when Caleb Boggs was last on the committee. We congratulate him on this appointment:
"The Appropriations Committee offers a unique opportunity to make a difference for Delawareans on an extraordinary range of issues, and to ensure that the federal government is making the wisest, most efficient investments in our future," Senator Coons said. "My priorities on Appropriations will be consistent with my work in the Senate so far — helping businesses grow and create jobs; supporting innovative research; giving law enforcement the tools to keep our communities safe; and building a circle of protection around the most vulnerable in our society. I am excited to join Chairwoman Mikulski and Vice Chairman Shelby on the committee, and grateful to Leader Reid for his confidence in my ability to make a difference here."