Delaware Dem

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Thursday Daily Delawhere [3.6.14]

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 6, 2014 • 1 Comment

Brandywine Creek, from the Flying Inn on Flickr.

Wednesday Open Thread [3.5.14]

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 5, 2014 • 15 Comments

First Read reports on the Texas party primaries last night (which are as ridiculously early as Delaware’s are ridiculously late):

“Yet if the GOP establishment largely won the battle last night, the Tea Party has already won the war. Every Republican running for office — up and down the ballot — did so by running hard to the right and hard against President Obama (even in races that have nothing to do with the president)… And in another example of how the Tea Party has already won the war, just check out the tweet that Sen. Lindsey Graham — another establishment Republican facing a Tea Party primary field this year — fired off yesterday regarding the situation in Ukraine: ‘It started with Benghazi. When you kill Americans and nobody pays a price, you invite this type of aggression.'”

“Bottom line: Establishment Republicans have figured out how to survive (for the most part) in these primaries, but the question is whether this has been good for the party in the long run.”

Let me give you a hint: it will doom them in national elections, it will guarantee a Ted Cruz or Rand Paul nomination, and will result in a 400 electoral vote landslide by President Hillary Clinton. Now, some would say that is bad for the party. I disagree. I think Republicans love their base to be outraged so that they can be bilked. Nothing better for that than 16 years of Democratic control of the White House.

Daily Approval Rating — Results for Auditor Tom Wagner and Poll for Senator Tom Carper

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 5, 2014 • 5 Comments

Here are the results for Auditor Wagner:

Approve – 59%
Disapprove – 26%
Meh – 16%

Looks like another freep poll, but that’s ok. The Republicans have so little to be happy about in Delaware that it is good to throw them a bone once and a while. I am not sure what there is to approve of regarding the job performance of the Auditor. But doing nothing is what Republicans really like and do best.

Alright. Now have at Senator Carper.

Wednesday Daily Delawhere [3.5.14]

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 5, 2014 • 1 Comment

Tuesday Open Thread [3.4.14]

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 4, 2014 • 3 Comments

In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, McCain (R-Ariz.) said the “blatant act” by Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot stand,” even as he acknowledged that the United States does not have a realistic military option to force Russian troops to withdrawal.

And that, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with the Republican Party war hawks led by John McCain and Lindsay Graham. Their foreign policy vision essentially boils down to this formula:

TOUGH TALK AND THREATS + ? = PROFIT

Where profit can either figuratively mean policy success (i.e. regime change, or Russian withdrawal from the Crimea) or literally mean profits for defense contractors. Republicans resort first and always to military threats whenever a crisis occurs, because they truly believe it is the only way to 1) express and demonstrate the greatness of America and our strength, and 2) it is the only way to achieve American foreign policy goals.

And yet, even John McCain, the belligerent war monger that he is, admits that we cannot go to war with Russia. So what is the point in threatening a military option? If you cannot back up a threat, doesn’t that make you appear even weaker?

Barney to speak at PDD Meeting Tomorrow at 7 pm

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 4, 2014 • 22 Comments

Democratic Treasurer candidate Sean Barney will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the Progressive Democrats for Delaware tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 5 at 7 pm. The meetings are held at the Delaware Democratic Party Headquarters at 19 East Commons Boulevard in New Castle, which is off Rt. 141 next to the News Journal building, south of the I-95 interchange.

Daily Approval Rating — Results for IC K.W. Stewart and Poll for Auditor Tom Wagner

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 4, 2014 • 4 Comments

Here are the results for IC Stewart:

Disapprove: 81%
Approve: 10%
Meh: 9%

Not surprising. Conservatives dislike her because she is implementing Obamacare. Liberals dislike her because she is in the pockets of the insurance industry. Both dislike her incompetence.

Tuesday Daily Delawhere [3.4.14]

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 4, 2014 • 0 Comments

Monday Open Thread [3.3.14]

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 3, 2014 • 4 Comments

Over the weekend, I have seen it said that Putin’s invasion of the Crimea in the Ukraine makes him and Russia appear strong, and the US weak by comparison. The blithering idiot pundits on the Sunday shows agreed, and David Gregory of Meet the Press said this was the premiere test of President Obama’s foreign policy. Really? I see it completely differently, as do the others I link to below. This is a desperate and panicked move by Putin, one made from weakness not strength. It will not make Russia stronger. Indeed, if the crisis is not resolved shortly, it will destroy the Russian economy. Russia is not the Soviet Union of old, a strong empire equal to or greater than the United States and its Western allies. No, it is a second world country with nuclear weapons that is headed for demographic and political collapse. This is a chest thumping move designed to hide that fact. And it is going to backfire.

Daily Approval Rating — Results for AG Beau Biden and Poll for IC K.W. Stewart

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 3, 2014 • 11 Comments

Here are the results for AG Biden:

Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 41%
Meh: 11%

Those who approve or disapprove of Attorney General Biden do so more strongly than those who just approve or disapprove. Of those who approve, 61% do so strongly. Of those who disapprove, 63% do so strongly. So a strong polarization factor, probably has something to do with his father rather than him.

Thoughts on the News Journal Redesign

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 3, 2014 • 20 Comments

Some weeks ago, Delawareonline, the online home of the Wilmington News Journal, underwent a redesign. While I have heard some complaints, I actually like it. Very clean, organized, and crisp looking. The paper version though….