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Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 28, 2016.
Final three days for this General Assembly. Here’s what HAS to happen: Pass Budget Bill, Pass Bond Bill, Pass Grant-In-Aid Bill. (Actually, they don’t have to pass a grant-in-aid bill, but who wants to tell the local volunteer fire companies and senior centers that they didn’t pass the bill?)
The budget is a done deal. The bill has been introduced and has been laid on the table, aka DeLuca’d, in the Senate. It can be lifted any time via a motion. I expect the bill to reach the Governor’s desk before Thursday. The final DEFAC numbers are causing some issues with the Bond and Grant-In-Aid bills, but nothing that some kick-the-can-down-the-road fiscal legerdemain can’t solve.
Before we examine today’s agendas, let’s look at a last-minute bill that made me go ‘Hmmm’.
BREAKING NEWS: US Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas Anti-Abortion Law!
Here’s the skinny from the New York Times:
The Supreme Court on Monday struck down parts of a restrictive Texas law that could have reduced the number of abortion clinics in the state to about 10 from what was once a high of roughly 40.
One part of the law requires all clinics in the state to meet the standards for ambulatory surgical centers, including regulations concerning buildings, equipment and staffing. The other requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.
“We conclude,” Justice Breyer wrote, “that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes. Each places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, and each violates the Federal Constitution.”
Well, things are certainly looking up when it comes to the Supreme Court.
Delaware Political Weekly: June 17-23, 2016.
Dennis Williams can’t defend himself, so he won’t defend himself. He still wants to be reelected. Anyone else see the disconnect here? This News-Journal article lays it out there for all to see. In fact, city resident Erin Lee exposes the mayor better than I could:
Wilmington resident Erin Lee: “Why won’t you show up at the debates??”
Williams: “Why should I when all I will be is the punching bag. I will not get a word in because the deck is stacked against me.”
Lee: “If you don’t have a spine and can’t stand up and defend your plans and ideas for our city against a few other people, how can you say you can stand up and be a LEADER of our city?? You aren’t a leader, you’re a little boy.”
Williams then goes on to insult her. A little boy with anger management problems and a disastrous record. The article also demonstrates how Williams takes credit for stuff that happens in the City even when he has had nothing to do with it. As to the arts community he touts, the city’s involvement has gone to hell ever since he got rid of Tina Betz, who actually knew what she was doing.
The problem, though, is, he will almost certainly win reelection unless the field of challengers shrinks considerably before the primary election. I sincerely hope that there is serious polling going on, and that the projected also-rans drop out. I mean, let’s face it, Williams has been even more disastrous than Karen Weldin Stewart. And he could well be reelected the same way that she was.
Is Speaker Pete Pulling A Fast One?
By ‘fast’, I mean before June 30.
This ‘tip’ speaks for itself and raises all sorts of questions about a bill that Schwartzkopf is rushing through the General Assembly. The subject may appear to be arcane, but looks like it’s designed to enable a lot of people who are not permanent residents of Rehoboth to vote in elections there. The bill, HB 395 (M. Smith), does not specify Rehoboth. Schwartzkopf is a sponsor. The bill in question was introduced on June 2. Already passed the House, already out of a Senate committee. Interestingly, unlike every other piece of legislation on the LIS system that I’ve seen, there is no PDF link to this bill. Coincidence? You decide. Here is the tip in its entirety….
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 22, 2016
Something rare: An important bill passes and goes to the Governor. And the sponsors threaded the needle with this one. HB 325 (Osienski), which ends the ridiculous practice of automatically granting a gun permit if a criminal background check cannot be completed in three (!) days, barely passed the Senate with a Senate Amendment, and barely passed the House for a second time. It now goes to the Governor. For some reason, the bleeping legislative information system no longer enables me to provide a direct link to the roll calls. So let me point out that, in the Senate, one R voted for the bill (Cloutier) and one D voted against the bill (Ennis). In the House, not a single R voted for the bill, and the following D’s (remember their names) voted against the bill: Andria Bennett, Lumpy Carson, Mike Mulrooney, and Trey Paradee.
Oh, and yet another important bill heads to the Governor. SS1/SB 163 (Peterson) removes the requirement that those convicted of three non-violent felonies (‘Three Strikes and You’re Out’) automatically be sentenced to life in prison. Several R’s voted yes during yesterday’s House vote, and I salute them: Hensley, Miro, Ramone, D. Short, and Yearick. Only one D voted no: Lumpy Carson.
Oh, and one notable bill was defeated or, more accurately, didn’t achieve a 2/3 supermajority vote. SB 262 (Townsend) would have created a regulatory framework for the Uber and Lyft networks, among others. Specifically, the bill would seek ‘to ensure the safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness of rides provided by Transportation Network Company Drivers within the State of Delaware and to preserve and enhance access to these important transportation options for residents and visitors to the State.’ The bill had 13 yes (the 12 D’s plus Cloutier) and 8 no. One vote short of a 2/3 majority. Guess which side is getting those campaign contributions.
Is Trump Quitting?
I’m stealing this directly from Daily Kos.
A speech tomorrow in NYC concerning the election. That’s all that’s in the release.
Maybe the Kochs paid his ransom.
Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 21, 2016
Welcome to a Very Special Primal Scream Edition of the Pre-Game Show. Time to cue my best Howard Beale/Howard Dean…..
Delaware Political Weekly: June 10-16, 2016
aren Peterson Retires. Who Will Succeed Her?
You can’t replace her. She really has been Delaware’s Best Legislator for perhaps as long as she’s been a legislator. And let’s talk about the term ‘legislator’. To me, she was such an effective legislator because she took on the big issues, and was successful in enacting some of the most progressive legislation in recent memory. No one has meant more to equal rights for all Delawareans than Karen. She is truly an historic figure, and deserves to be recognized as such. Her combination of idealism and legislative smarts simply can’t be replaced.
Someone, however, will succeed her. If I had to bet, I’d bet on Tim Sheldon. Sheldon, you may recall was Tom Sharp’s hand-picked choice to replace Sharp, who basically was living at the beach when he left office. You may recall that Peterson had her car tires slashed during that campaign. It’s not fair to place the blame on Sheldon. But it’s pretty clear that the construction trade goons who backed him had no problem employing such intimidating tactics. Having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had pretty much a clear field going into the general election. The only other name that I’ve heard who might actually run is Val McCartan, who is Patti Blevins’ Chief Staffer. I like Val, but I don’t see her as a glad-handler who is going to go door-to-door in a tough campaign. She is a highly professional and skilled Senate staffer, but I don’t think she has the candidate gene. I mean that as a compliment.
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 14, 2016.
Today’s House Agenda leads off with a bill that increases penalties for talking or texting on a hand-held device while driving. I support the bill, although I question the assertion that ‘novice drivers’ are most likely to ignore the law. Based on my observations, virtually everybody ignores the law. The bill also adds points for a second offense and thereafter. Good.
The agenda is highlighted by two anti-discrimination bills. HB 316 (Heffernan) ‘makes it clear that an employer is expressly prohibited from taking adverse employment action against an individual based on his or her reproductive health care decisions. HB 317 (Rep. K. Williams) ‘prohibits discrimination in employment based upon an individual’s caregiving responsibilities’.
HB 400 (Baumbach) incrementally, and I mean incrementally, expands the use of marijuana oils for minors. This time, by ‘by classifying pain, anxiety, or depression, if related to a terminal illness, as a qualifying condition in the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act for patients under the age 18, who will still be restricted to using CBD and oil products.’ The only thing objectionable about this bill is that it accepts the notion that any minor who could incidentally ‘get high’ via governmental imprimatur must be prevented at all costs.
Delaware Political Weekly: June 3-9, 2016.
We’re gonna do something different this week. I’ve put together a list of candidates/incumbents who have not yet filed. It’s an interesting list, and, in some cases, provides insight onto the candidates themselves. Especially at the very beginning:
GOVERNOR: John Carney continues his rope-a-dope with Delaware voters. His non-candidacy candidacy reeks of cynicism and dismissiveness of the public. He keeps coming up with rationales for pushing back his candidacy/filing. First, it was something like a 6-month deference to Beau, then it was a hip operation (or was it, more optimistically, a brain or heart transplant?). Now it’s so as to not interfere with the work of this governor and the General Assembly. We all know the real reasons: (1) He doesn’t have to do anything as the coronation is well under way; and (2) He has no vision to share, so why dredge up just how uninspiring he was eight years ago? The Democratic Party deserves criticism for not at least trying to get him out there. By ‘out there’, I don’t mean empty glad-handing. He’s doing lots of that. No, I mean, what does he stand for? Let me give you just one example. The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce recently bestowed an award on Carney, and Carney was only too happy to show up to receive it. The State Chamber of Commerce is now on record as wanting and planning to gut Delaware’s Coastal Zone Act. How does Chamber award recipient Carney feel about that? He ain’t talkin’. Cynicism all around.
Colin Bonini hasn’t filed either, meaning the only major party filed gubernatorial candidate is Lacey Lafferty. My theory? BFFs Carney and Bonini will file together and then hold a joint Bar-Bro-Que where Bonini can crack quips and Carney can try to muster up a smile.
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 9, 2016
Let’s start with (what I think is) the most interesting bill on today’s docket, and see what you think about it. HB 375 (Bolden) changes the date of Delaware’s primaries from September to the ‘fourth Tuesday in April’. I used to strongly support making the primaries earlier, thought September was too late, but now, I’m not so sure. I think that April is too early. The reason the April date has been chosen is because that’s the date of Delaware’s presidential primary. For now. But that date has floated around for years (remember when Delaware wanted to go head-to-head with New Hampshire?), and there is nothing to guarantee that won’t happen again. Especially since the rules of the respective parties at the national level can and generally do change every four years.
Here’s what’s even worse, IMHO. With an April primary, the filing deadline would be pushed into late February. Meaning, assuming that an incumbent files and isn’t challenged, then announces that they won’t run after the primary date has passed, the party voters would be shut out of the nomination process. It would be done by the district committee and/or county party. It would circumvent democracy, much like Rebecca Walker did in the 9th RD by delaying her announcement until after the July filing deadline. Only it would be in February.
I understand the mantra that campaigns are too long, and they are. However, this bill essentially makes campaign primaries shorter and general election campaigns longer. Except that, in many races, the primary election is the general election. Would we be better off if, say, the primary for US Congress and Mayor of Wilmington were decided in April? I think the advantage would invariably shift to the ‘established’ candidates at the expense of insurgent candidates.
While I think that June would be a desirable alternative, legislators are not gonna support that with the current legislative calendar. As written, I think that the bill protects incumbents and the parties at the expense of challengers, so I don’t support it. But, what do YOU think?
Trump and Qaddafi: Housemates and Business Partners?
If this Buzzfeed story has legs, then perhaps the Donald’s may get cut off.
Overlooking terrorism that killed Americans, including the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, Donald Trump sought investment partnerships with Muammar al-Qaddafi and the Libyan regime. He rented his Westchester estate to the dictator, tried to set up a face-to-face meeting, and took the Libyan ambassador golfing.
I can’t make this stuff up. Qaddafi was to be a house guest at one of Trump’s opulent estates. Or, more accurately, he would pitch his opulent tent on Trump’s opulent lawn. And sacrifice a lamb. Trump would get $200K. A bunch of Libyans had already moved in. All went well until helicopters recorded what was going on. Trump later claimed that he had no idea that this was going on, and that he threw Qaddafi out. As if all these Libyans were squatting on the Trump grounds w/o permission. Uh, read the story. You decide who is telling the truth.
More importantly, the story reports that Trump made every effort to strike various business deals with the Libyan dictator. Please. Read it. I’m gonna stand by my prediction from earlier this week. I don’t think Trump gets the nomination.
Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 7, 2016
It’s shaping up as a quiet June as the Joint Finance Committee has pretty much finished up their work.
Bottom line: State employees get a raise (!) but teachers don’t, other stuff gets cut, no new revenue sources added to mix, corporations extort millions, which is why other stuff gets cut.
Here’s the News-Journal story.
We discussed this last year. There appeared to be a legitimate chance then that additional revenue could be raised via corporate franchise fee increases and/or creating a couple of additional tax brackets for wealthier citizens. Instead, Pete Schwartzkopf cut his own deal with the Senate Rethugs, and gave the finger to progressive members in his own caucus. That essentially doomed any new revenue streams for this year, as the legislators/lemmings were not going to raise taxes in an election year.
However, they were more than willing, desperate even, to throw tens of millions of dollars at DuPont and Chemours, allegedly to ‘save’ jobs and Chemours’ corporate headquarters. I know it’s redundant for me to point out that the sole reason for Chemours’ existence is to enable serial world-class polluter DuPont to get out from under clean-up liabilities. The invevitable Chemours bankruptcy (‘Hey, we’d love to clean up this toxic environmental disaster, but sadly we don’t have the money to do it’) inches ever closer to reality. A sharp-eyed tipster shared this video account with us. It is must viewing. Hey, we all knew it at the time and wrote about it at the time. Doesn’t bother the Generous Assembly. This should be a crime of the highest order, but it’s likely legal thanks to a bought-and-paid-for Congress. Markell, Levin, and the General Assembly are rewarding and enabling this activity by throwing tens of millions at it. The Delaware Way, ladies and gentlemen.
But, I digress.
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