The Weekly Addresses

In this week’s address, the President discussed his plan to give all students across the country the chance to learn computer science (CS) in school. In his weekly message, Governor Markell unveiled a Fiscal Year 2017 state budget that invests in stronger schools and workforce training, innovation and infrastructure to spur economic growth, better health and a high quality of life. This week, the House Administration Committee released House Bill 165, sponsored by Rep. Debra Heffernan, which would make full-time State of Delaware employees who have at least one year of employment eligible for 12 weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave.
Friday Open Thread [1.29.2016]

Friday Open Thread [1.29.2016]

Aaron Blake uses data from the latest WaPo/ABC poll to say that the electorate really isn’t all that angry.
Donald Trump is angry. Bernie Sanders is angry. And Americans think their neighbors are very angry, too. Except that they’re simply not — or at least, not abnormally angry. Despite the rise of two candidates who have embraced the idea of anger, our country simply isn’t unusually angry about how things are going in Washington
I think this race is going to be very boring. It is going to be a status quo election. Hillary and Trump will quickly win their nominations, and we will be "entertained" by Trump all year long, and then Hillary will win in a devastating landslide that will destroy the Republican Party for a few generations.
The Cause Endures

The Cause Endures

It is in these moments that people who are novices or who are inexperienced in the way of politics, and the long arc of history get frustrated and often walk away. For example, I saw one commenter on Facebook blame the Democrats in the General Assembly for the vote. That person is probably the same type of person who blames President Obama for Republican obstruction. And he, and those like him, need some education on how long and involved a process politics and change is. If you are getting into politics for instant gratification and neverending victories, you will be bitterly disappointed. Yesterday, the defeat of the Senate Bill 40, which would have repealed the death penalty, by an official vote of 16-23-2, was not a defeat. It was a victory when you look at change and politics from a longer view, or a higher altitude. Over the course of three years, we went from no bill for repeal even being considered, to having it be introduced, pass through the Senate, and die in the House Judiciary Committee, to having it pass the Senate again, and get debated and voted on on the House floor. Yesterday was a step forward. To be sure, the vast majority of the Democratic caucus voted for the repeal of the death penalty. Step back and think about that for a second, while looking at this vote roster (I have excluded the Republicans voting no, because they are irrelevant to this conversation, well, are irrelevant to most things really).
BREAKING: Death Penalty Repeal Fails, 16-23-2

BREAKING: Death Penalty Repeal Fails, 16-23-2

Senate Bill 40, which eliminates the Death Penalty in Delaware going forward (those already convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death will not have their sentences reduced), finds itself on the House floor today for debate and perhaps a vote. The Bill has had a long and winding road to get today. This is the second session of the General Assembly in which a death penalty bill has been considered. This time, like the last time, the Senate passed the bill by the slimmest of margins, 11-9. Last time, the bill was buried in Rebecca Walker's House Judiciary Committee. This time, the bill was actually debated in Larry Mitchell's House Judiciary Committee. But last spring, the bill failed to clear the committee. But all hope was not lost. Rep. Sean Lynn openly stated on multiple occasions that he would petition the bill out of committee so that it could be considered on the floor of the House. To do that he would need the votes of a majority of the House. But it turned out was not necessary, as House Speaker Schwartzkopf and Rep. Mitchell agreed to release the bill and place it on the agenda for debate.
Thursday Open Thread [1.28.2016]

Thursday Open Thread [1.28.2016]

Bernie Sanders met in the Oval Office with President Obama yesterday. I felt it was a little odd since I did not hear that it was scheduled. It was not announced by the Sanders campaign or the White House, at least not that I am aware of and I read all the things everywhere everyday in order to put together this Open Thread. So it felt like it was hastily scheduled, and maybe it took place due to a Sanders' complaint that he was tipping the scales for Hillary in that Glenn Thrush interview (even though Sanders said otherwise). Here is Ed Kilgore on what he thinks the Sanders-Obama meeting meant:
Sanders had to do something to counter the impression that Hillary Clinton has been avidly promoting — most overtly in the NBC News debate in South Carolina on January 17 — that she was the best-equipped candidate to protect and build on Barack Obama's legacy. This impression was undoubtedly buttressed by media interpretations of the interview Obama gave to Politico's Glenn Thrush in which the 44th president praised his secretary of State while indirectly pouring cold water on the "political revolution" Sanders is purporting to lead. So today's White House meeting, even if Sanders cannot say much about it, was intended to reestablish presidential neutrality. That's a big deal in Iowa, where (according to the last Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Iowa poll) Hillary Clinton has been running even with Sanders among people who caucused for Obama in 2008. And it's a bigger deal down the road where African-Americans begin to play a far more dominant role in Democratic primary electorates. [...] Aside from the White House meeting, he's beginning to manage expectations for Iowa, which were beginning to become so robust that a narrow defeat there might be perceived as devastating. First he expressed doubt that turnout would be anything like 2008's or that he could match Obama's margin. But, more important, he's making it clear that he does not regard an actual win in the state as necessary for his nomination.
From the polls, and the polling average, and the feel of the race right now from the actions of both campaigns, it seems clear that Hillary is going to win Iowa. The question is by how much. Sanders is trying to manage the expectations game, which is smart.
Why is Pete racking up the RD endorsements in Sussex?

Why is Pete racking up the RD endorsements in Sussex?

So recently, the 14th Representative District endorsed their incumbent State Representative, House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, for reelection. There is nothing really unusual about that, one would expect one's own RD to endorse you for reelection, except that the endorsement is quite early in the election year, and that the 14th RD abandoned their long standing policy of not endorsing before the primary election in order to make this endorsement. And now we get word that the neighboring RD, the 20th, has taken the unusual step of endorsing Pete for reelection. I don't think I've seen that happen before, where an RD endorses a candidate for election in another RD, a candidate none of the residents or members of the RD can vote for.
Minimum Wage Passes the Senate, but not without concessions.

Minimum Wage Passes the Senate, but not without concessions.

Senate Bill 39, as amended, increases the minimum wage by 50 cents a year effective June 1, for the years 2017 through 2020, when it will be $10.25. The original bill would have then tied the minimum wage increases to the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). But, by amendment, that provision was stricken, I suppose to get the final 11th vote. That would make sense, since the amendment was passed late in the afternoon yesterday, after votes on the bill had been delayed one day to figure out how to get that 11th and final vote for the majority. I would love to know which so called Democrat demanded that provision be stricken. I would like him or her to explain their thinking.
DelDOT Employees to be recognized in the State Senate today

DelDOT Employees to be recognized in the State Senate today

In the State Senate at approximately 1:30 p.m., DelDOT employees will be recognized for their tireless work and long hours during the recent blizzard in clearing our roads as soon as was possible and in keeping the public informed. Perhaps the Governor and the Legislature can do a little more than that, and finally give DelDOT and all state employees a raise.