El Somnambulo

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Lisa Blunt Rochester Tries to Trick Voters into Contributing to Her Campaign.

Filed in Delaware by on August 9, 2016 4 Comments
Lisa Blunt Rochester Tries to Trick Voters into Contributing to Her Campaign.

So. Lisa Blunt Rochester sends out the following e-mail:   Friends, This week we celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act being signed into law. It is a piece of legislation that guarantees all Americans—no matter their race—the right to vote. For the first time in half a century, we are facing an […]

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WDEL’s Amy Cherry Exposes Corruption in County Farmland Deal

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on August 3, 2016 58 Comments
WDEL’s Amy Cherry Exposes Corruption in County Farmland Deal

By far the best journalism being committed in Delaware today is being done by WDEL’s Amy Cherry. She has effectively chronicled the stink of corruption permeating the proposed farmland deal between the Gordon Administration and a couple of well-connected farmers.  Here are the links. Go ahead and read/listen to them. I’ll wait.

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‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes: July 2016

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on August 2, 2016 0 Comments
‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes: July 2016

Only six songs, with a Very Special Bonus Track (actually two bonus tracks, if you pay attention), this month. Quality over quantity.

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SevOne to Delaware: “Thanks, Suckers!”

Filed in Delaware by on August 1, 2016 40 Comments
SevOne to Delaware: “Thanks, Suckers!”

Perhaps Jack Markell’s favorite poster child for economic development has given Delaware the finger. SevOne is conducting a series of ‘brutal layoffs.’  And, of course, the Delaware Economic Development Office doesn’t know how much money the state won’t get back. Here’s the (no) money quote from the News Journal story:

“They are laying off so many people I had to wait [hours] to get my severance,” the worker said. “It’s like standing in a line for a guillotine.”

It’s not clear where Delaware will stand in this line.  Here’s what we know….

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Biden: D’s Have Stopped Talking to White Working Class Voters.

Filed in National by on July 27, 2016 22 Comments
Biden: D’s Have Stopped Talking to White Working Class Voters.

I agree. If you’re a white working class voter and you’re watching this convention, you don’t even see yourself there. Much like that virtually no minorities were seen at the Republican National Convention.  This had better change or else.

Looks like Scranton Joe to the rescue.

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BREAKING: Former NCC Councilman Chris Roberts Commits Suicide

Filed in Delaware by on July 26, 2016 8 Comments
BREAKING: Former NCC Councilman Chris Roberts Commits Suicide

This just came across the WDEL Newswire.

“Sources told WDEL that Roberts took his own life at his home on his family farm, the Roberts Farm, near Odessa, which was preserved by private non-profits in 2015.

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It Looks Like Kaine.

Filed in Featured, National by on July 22, 2016 136 Comments
It Looks Like Kaine.

According to the NY Times, Hillary Clinton is expected to name US Senator from Virginia Tim Kaine as her Vice Presidential nominee. Of all the candidates under consideration, with the possible exception of the General, she appears to have chosen the nominee with the least progressive record. Pro-TPP, pro-bank deregulation, squishy on women’s rights.

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Oopsies!

Filed in Delaware by on July 12, 2016 14 Comments

Don’t you just hate it when you’re a Democratic candidate for US Congress from Delaware, and something like this happens?:

image1

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Delaware Political Weekly: Filing Deadline Countdown Edition

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on July 11, 2016 61 Comments
Delaware Political Weekly: Filing Deadline Countdown Edition

The filing deadline is this Tuesday, July 12 at 12 noon. After Tuesday, parties may file candidates, but individuals cannot file on their own separate from the party.  The deadline for withdrawing one’s candidacy and getting one’s filing fee returned is this Friday, July 15 at 4:30 pm.  Friday is also the deadline for candidates to switch from one race to another.  I’ll likely be out campaigning for the candidate of my choice (Bryan Townsend) at the Tuesday deadline, so please keep us posted on any last minute developments.

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BREAKING: Clinton (Likely) Skates Over E-mail Issue.

Filed in National by on July 5, 2016 66 Comments

I just watched FBI Director James Comey provide excruciating detail over how the FBI conducted the FBI investigation into SOS Clinton’s e-mails,  the findings of the investigation, and what the FBI concluded. The Bottom Line: While the Secretary of State was ‘extremely careless’ in her use of e-mail, and while some of the e-mails that […]

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‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes: June 2016

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on July 1, 2016 3 Comments

An extraordinarily diverse and rich mixture of compelling music this month.  Something for (almost) everybody. Yes, you have to click on the link immediately below for the first one. It’s worth it, trust me. Astral Weeks meets Haiti: http://www.vuhaus.com/videos/lakou-mizik-wa-di-yo-world-cafe-version   This one will be in my year-end Top 10 for sure: I took my first […]

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Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 30, 2016

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on June 30, 2016 38 Comments
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 30, 2016

It looks like the General Assembly has scrounged up enough money for the Bond Bill by finding figurative money under the seat cushions. Complete, of course, with dire warnings from Chamber worry trolls:

“It tells me that they are clearly focused on short-term remedies for something that is a long-term problem,” said Robert Perkins, executive director of the Business Roundtable and a former aide to Republican Govs. Pete du Pont and Mike Castle. “This is the equivalent of looking under the cushions of your sofa to find loose change to pay your electric bill.”

The Roundtable, which represents various Delaware business owners, released a study late last year that called for legislators to find more stable sources of revenue and stop the continually growing cost of things like education, Medicaid, and employee health care costs.

“If people did not recognize last August when we released that study that there was a structural problem then, they must now,” Perkins said. “Cobbling together a state budget, which has many, many important programs that must be funded, is not a practice that is sustainable in the long-term.”

You remember that ‘study’, don’t you? Paid for by the Business Roundtable to provide pro-business talking points. Cut corporate taxes, do away with the estate tax, raise taxes on seniors.  That’s the one.  No mention of raising taxes for Delaware’s wealthiest.  And not a peep from the General Assembly this year.

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Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 29, 2016

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on June 29, 2016 11 Comments
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 29, 2016

Colin Bonini had company this year. The Annual Operating Budget passed the Senate, but only by a 15-6 vote.  All the nos were from R’s with only Cloutier, Lawson and Lopez voting for the budget.  An amendment failed that would have removed a $290,000 to the Center for Energy & Environmental Policy. The center is run by McDowell ally Dr. John Byrne. The amendment predictably failed on a straight party vote, 9 yes, 12 no.  I may have time to slog through the Epilogue Language which, as longtime legislative observers know, is often where special favors for legislators and their pet projects are buried.  However, today is not that day.

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