Delaware Dem

Thursday Open Thread [1.9.14]

Andrew Sullivan: “Perhaps it is no big surprise to discover that governor Chris Christie is a vindictive, petty egomaniac contemptuous of the people he serves. But it’s hard to avoid that conclusion when you’ve pored over the new tranche of emails that show how he and his staff made life miserable for a large number of New Jerseyans – and, yes, trapped unnecessarily in traffic is misery, even when you have the gorgeous scenery of the George Washington Bridge to absorb. The point was punishment of a mayor who didn’t endorse the governor, whose re-election was cruising for a landslide victory in any case.”

Christie has more than one problem here. He has been revealed as a deeply petty man, willing to sacrifice the public good to pursue narrow political vendettas – not exactly a qualification for a president. But he has also repeatedly denied all of this. Is he a bully? Or a liar? Or both?”

Andrew Sullivan is my barometer on the moderate former Republican who is a social liberal, to whom Christie was very attractive. Obama won those voters in two elections. If Christie has lost Sullivan, his campaign for the presidency is already over.

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Tuesday Open Thread [1.7.14]

Francine Kiefer quotes congressional historian Julian Zelizer of Princeton University in her column “Democrats to push income inequality as top issue of 2014. Winning tactic?”:

“A lot of Democrats feel the last two years have been consumed with health care … and the deficit,” he explains. “Until you shift the debate, you’re not going to be able to get in a position where you can push for legislation like the [higher] minimum wage. And this is the right time because the Republicans are in a moment of division” over whether to obstruct or to compromise.

Well, it looks like the Democrats have already been successful in shifting the debate. How do we know that? Because now Republicans are talking about income inequality.

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Closing Schools for Cold: The Debate

Several school districts in Delaware are closed today for the bitter cold. I personally disagreed with this decision. Until I read the former Rsmitty’s post on Facebook about it, which I am republishing here….

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Sunday Open Thread [1.5.14]

Oh, joy: Actor Steven Seagal has told a local Arizona television station that he is considering a run for governor.

“According to Seagal, the number one problem facing the U.S. is its open borders. He also came to the defense of Sheriff Arpaio, as well the prospect of extending amnesty to undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.”

Speaking of conservative sheriffs who run afoul of the law, I am told that twice-defeated-by-the-Courts Sussex County Sheriff Jeff Christopher was named Conservative Man of the Year by Delaware Politics. And that pretty much sums up the state of the Delaware Republican Party in this state.

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