Delaware Dem's Latest Posts
Monday Daily Delawhere [6.8.15]
This Wilmington scene is from the wonderful photography of Nick McNevich. McNevich’s work was recently featured in the News Journal. McNevich is also part of the CreateInWilm Facebook community, which is a cooperative group of artists, photographers, and craftspeople dedicated to bringing change to the city of Wilmington through art and expression.
Speaker Schwartzkopf thanks the Counter-Protesters.
From the Biden Funeral Amazing Grace Protection Facebook page, Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf offered this message of thanks:
I want to thank all of you that showed up yesterday to stand up for the Biden family and all the Delawareans who came to pay their respects to Beau and his family. Your decision to peacefully stand up to protect the Biden family from the hateful words and signs that those nitwits from Westboro Church were displaying shows the class and respect that we feel should be shown when a family and state is mourning their loss. I know the Biden family is not in a position to comment on what you did yesterday but, I would like to say thank you for standing up for all of us. With the exception of the spilled coffee, you pulled off a victory over hate and ignorance. By the way, if that gentleman is found guilty I would like to pay his fine.
Sunday Open Thread [6.7.15]
![Sunday Open Thread [6.7.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/OPEN.THREAD.7-240x180.jpg "Sunday Open Thread [6.7.15]")
So Caitlyn Jenner made our debut earlier this week as a woman. But, save for Mike Huckabee, no Republican presidential candidate has made a statement. The reason?
Jenner’s watershed moment — which coincides with the Supreme Court preparing to rule on whether to allow same-sex marriage nationwide — leaves the GOP and its stable of presidential candidates grappling with how to represent conservatives who don’t wish to accept Jenner and more moderate voters who have already done so.
As with the marriage equality cases, the approach has been to say nothing or to say that the issue should be left to the states. But that doesn’t satisfy the conservative base.
Sunday Daily Delawhere [6.7.15]
This Wilmington scene is from the wonderful photography of Nick McNevich. McNevich’s work was recently featured in the News Journal. McNevich is also part of the CreateInWilm Facebook community, which is a cooperative group of artists, photographers, and craftspeople dedicated to bringing change to the city of Wilmington through art and expression.
The Full Funeral Mass for Beau Biden
For those who wanted to watch and/or could not be there. I will have to more to say tomorrow and Monday, but it was an extremely emotional service. For those who wanted to watch and/or could not be there. I will have to more to say tomorrow and Monday, but it was an extremely emotional service. The first 40 minutes are guests arriving an a beautiful cello playing, so if you want to skip ahead, that’s fine.
Saturday Open Thread [6.6.15]
![Saturday Open Thread [6.6.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/OPEN.THREAD.9-240x180.jpg "Saturday Open Thread [6.6.15]")
The percentage of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who describe themselves as both social and economic conservatives has dropped to 42%, the lowest level Gallup has measured since 2005. The second-largest group of Republicans (24%) see themselves as moderate or liberal on both social and economic issues, while 20% of all Republicans are moderate or liberal on social issues but conservative on economic ones.
So even Republicans are becoming more liberal. But they still think Iraq was a good idea, so they are still idiots.
The Weekly Addresses
In this week’s address, the President recognized Immigrant Heritage Month, an occasion that allows us to celebrate our origins as a nation of immigrants.
In his weekly message, Governor Markell remembers and honors the life of Beau Biden.
Saturday Daily Delawhere [6.6.15]
This photo is from the wonderful photography of Nick McNevich. McNevich’s work was recently featured in the News Journal. McNevich is also part of the CreateInWilm Facebook community, which is a cooperative group of artists, photographers, and craftspeople dedicated to bringing change to the city of Wilmington through art and expression.
Anti-WBC Task Force Meetup Tomorrow Morning at 8:30
Now I have been told that the perimeter surrounding St. Anthony’s will be tightly guarded tomorrow (as it should be with the President and the Vice President and lot of the Cabinet present), and that bags and signs and water bottles will not be permitted. And I have been told that it is highly unlikely that the Secret Service will allow any demonstration (pro or con) to be set up in sight of the Church, and thus, the family will not see the horror that is the Westboro Baptist Church. And it is quite likely that they will not even show up, or if they do it will be one or two lonely miscreants with a sign in each hand.
Regardless, a bipartisan group of Delawareans will be meeting at 8:30 am at the corner of Delaware Avenue and North DuPont Street by the ACME parking (across the street from the Logan House, right next to the train tracks). And we will walk up to see to the St. Anthony’s area to see if there are any WBC protesters around.
Friday Open Thread [6.5.15]
![Friday Open Thread [6.5.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/OPEN.THREAD.11-240x180.jpg "Friday Open Thread [6.5.15]")
Hillary Clinton “attacked her potential GOP rivals, by name, and with sharp language,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Mrs. Clinton typically offers more muted criticism but was animated on the subject of voting rights… She took on four of her potential rivals by name. She attacked former Texas Gov. Rick Perry for supporting a law requiring voter identification to cast ballots that allows a concealed weapons license for identification but not a student ID. She said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was wrong for cutting back early voting, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for vetoing a bill that would have extended early voting. And she said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was wrong for purging voters from Florida’s rolls ahead of the 2000 election.”
Good. Kick some ass, Hillary.
The Vote Tracker Update — Progressive Priorities
This legislative session has been all about the budget and our legislators and Governors slowly waking up to the fact that they will have to raise taxes on the wealthy in order to balance the budget. Indeed, the budget that emerges from may be the most important piece of legislation in terms of progressive priority that the General Assembly passes this year, if it adds two or more income levels and rates to the progressive tax structure.
One topic is getting little attention as lawmakers attempt to close an $83 million budget gap: raising income tax rates. And, specifically, raising taxes on Delaware’s wealthiest earners, who have seen most of the state’s wage gains in recent years.
Delaware’s personal income tax is the largest source of state revenue, generating $1.2 billion this year – enough to fund almost 32 percent of total state government operations. Delaware’s top income tax rate of 6.6 percent is charged on incomes $60,000 and above.
Some lawmakers now say adding a tax bracket for wealthier Delawareans could help solve the state’s budget problems, while more fairly spreading the state’s income tax burden.
Consider these potential scenarios, and their impact on annual state tax collections:
1. Raise rate to 7.6 percent on incomes > $125,000: $71.7 million
2. Raise rate to 7.6 percent on incomes > $250,000: $46.7 million
3. Raise rate to 7.1 percent on incomes > $125,000: $35.7 million*Source: Delaware Department of Finance
Time to lay down the gauntlet: If Delaware’s Democrats do not add more tax brackets and rates above our current highest rate of 6.6% on incomes over $60,000, they cannot be considered Democrats any further. Not just progressive Democrats. Actual Democrats. Seriously, you all might as well become Republicans right now. And that will be especially true if they go for any of Governor Markell’s Republican ideas of repealing the Estate Tax or lowering corporate or income tax rates.
Repeat after me Democrats in the General Assembly: You will add tax brackets and rates on the wealthy. You will do it.
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