El Somnambulo's Latest Posts
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., April 25, 2013
The big news, as predicted here by one of the death penalty repeal opponents, is that SB 19(Peterson) did not have sufficient votes to make it out of the House Judiciary Committee. Opponents included families of victims, law enforcement, and the Attorney General. I apologize for somehow missing this during my preview yesterday. I don’t understand how I did not see that this bill was being considered, but I didn’t. Probably the most egregious (among scores of them) mistake I’ve ever made since I started doing these reports. Mea Culpa.
According to Jonathan Starkey’s coverage in the News-Journal, the bill is probably dead for this year. But this is the first year of a two-year legislative session, and things can change. This bill was a close call in the Senate, and it was destined to be close in the House as well. We’ve also learned that, in Delaware, the police get what the police want, including a lack of transparency (aka the Police ‘Bill of Rights’, which tramples on the very notion of a bill of rights), so this is to be expected. Don’t lose heart. These things often take time, so just keep working at it.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., April 24, 2013
Man, it feels great to be part of one of the preeminent political blogs in the entire country! The coverage, analysis, and response to consideration of HB 75, the Marriage Equality Bill, was crack cocaine for all of us political junkies. Thanks to Delaware Dem and everyone who added to the threads! The bill faces a less certain result in the Senate, where the votes of Cathy Cloutier, Bethany Hall-Long, and Ernesto Lopez will likely determine the result. If you are constituents of any of those senators, now is the time to contact them to encourage them to support HB 75. Be friendly, polite, and positive. Let them know that you’ll have their backs if they have yours.
For you legislative completists out there, here is yesterday’s session activity report. As expected, HB 40(Keeley), which extends the Automatic Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program and the Office of Foreclosure Prevention for four more years, unanimously passed the Senate. Due to a technical amendment, the House will hold another vote before the bill heads to the Governor, no doubt by Thursday afternoon.
Not everyday can be yesterday. But my work goes on.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., April 23, 2013
One bill dominates the upcoming legislative week. Both because of its import and because of the relative dearth of other pieces of notable legislation.
HB 75(Smith) would legalize gay marriage in Delaware. The bill is on today’s House Agenda. I believe that the votes are there for House passage. The question is whether certain wavering legislators listen to their constituents and, in most cases, to their consciences. Or will they give in to the arguments of the religious absolutists? Here are some who were wavering. Please let me know if they’ve committed to support HB 75 since I first posted this:
Charles Potter, 1st RD: He has been a strong advocate for civil liberties, there are many marriage equality supporters in his north Wilmington district, but he has not yet taken a position;
Deborah Hudson, 12th RD: She has generally been a moderate on social issues and, again, there are many marriage equality proponents in her Chateau Country district;
John Mitchell, 13th RD: He was ‘almost’ Speaker, and he could wind up there someday…if he does the right thing;
Joe Miro, 22nd RD: This Pike Creek R has lots of marriage equality proponents in his district.
And if you support HB 75, but haven’t contacted your legislator, why not? BTW, major props to Reps. Mike Ramone and James ‘J. J.’ Johnson. Both have made clear that they support HB 75 since I posted my initial list last week, and that their votes are not in question. I’m putting the over/under at 24 yes votes. Ladeez and gentlemen, place your bets.
Here is today’s House Agenda. The only other substantive bill (as opposed to technical housekeeping stuff) is HB 42(Barbieri), which ‘adds adult aunts and uncles to the list of relatives who may act as a surrogate to make health care decisions for an adult patient if the patient lacks capacity and there is no agent or guardian…’.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., April 18, 2013
For all intents and purposes, it’s a one-bill day in Dover. This bill. Can Dover legislators do what Washington legislators could or would not do? HB 35 would require criminal background checks for virtually all gun purchases in Delaware. The NRA, embodied and emboldened by its pigeon-killing mouthpiece, have whittled away at the bill, and still oppose it.
Not a single R senator is on the bill as a sponsor. Which raises the question. Will they stand with the overwhelming majority of the people of Delaware, or will they march in lockstep with the leader that they have chosen to lead the Delaware Rethuglican Party?
Exclusive Video: John Sigler Flees Questioner Regarding His Pigeon-Maiming
The Brave Man did this after rousing the faithful today at a Legislative Hall anti-gun control rally:
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., April 17, 2013
A mixed bag on voting rights and, for that matter, bipartisanship during yesterday’s session
Republicans stonewalled ‘No-Excuses’ Absentee Voting. Not a single R voted for HB 20(Jaques), and the bill failed to reach its 2/3 majority requirement by one vote. According to a press release from the House Democrats:
“Several House Republicans have expressed support for the bill. So why won’t they vote for it?” asked Rep. Longhurst, D-Bear. “It’s clear House Republican leadership is playing politics with this bill and withholding votes. Voting is not a partisan issue. Delawareans deserve fair access to voting. Republicans need to either help pass this important bill or explain their uniform opposition to the public.
That seems only fair. What do Rethugs want? Paging Dr. Freud. I mean, besides economic disaster that they can then blame on the D’s? And crippled pigeons to maim (they already have those)? If they’re looking for respect or relevance, sorry, I can’t be of help there.
Logic and comity prevailed across the building in the Senate, as HB 10(Keeley), which would restore voting rights to convicted felons who have paid in full their debt to society, passed by a 15-6 vote. R senators Cathy Cloutier and Greg Lavelle voted for the bill (thank you!) while self-proclaimed ‘moderate’ Ernesto Lopez voted no. Hmmm, sure looks like somebody sold a lot of somebodies a bill of goods. Here’s the roll call. Since this is the second leg of a constitutional amendment, HB 10 will soon be law.
General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Marriage equality is on the fast track.
How fast? HB 75 (Smith) was introduced last week while the General Assembly was out of session, and will be considered in the House (House) Administration Committee this Wednesday, 2:30 pm, House Chamber. It is at least possible that the full House could consider the bill as early as this Thursday. For those of you who have not yet checked, here are the sponsors and co-sponsors of HB 75:
Prime Sponsor: M. Smith; Additional Sponsors: Rep. Schwartzkopf & Rep. Longhurst & Sen. Sokola & Sen. Blevins; Co-Sponsors: Reps. Barbieri, Baumbach, Bolden, Brady, Heffernan, Keeley, Kowalko, Mulrooney, Osienski, B. Short, Viola, D.E. Williams, K. Williams; Sens. Henry, McDowell, Peterson, Poore, Townsend.
Thanks to each and every one of you. By my count, there are sixteen House members as sponsors. 21 votes are needed for passage. I know, or at least suspect, that there are silent commits from some below the Canal. However, there are a few notable absences, and I would encourage you to contact them if you are one of their constituents:
Charles Potter, 1st RD: He has been a strong advocate for civil liberties, there are many marriage equality supporters in his north Wilmington district, but he has not yet taken a position;
Deborah Hudson, 12th RD: She has generally been a moderate on social issues and, again, there are many marriage equality proponents in her Chateau Country district;
John Mitchell, 13th RD: He was ‘almost’ Speaker, and he could wind up there someday…if he does the right thing;
James ‘J. J.’ Johnson, 16th RD: He represents part of the City of Wilmington and has an overwhelmingly D majority district;
Mike Ramone, 21st RD: It’s possible that Ramone has already announced his support, as he has increasingly cast more and more progressive votes;
Joe Miro, 22nd RD: This Pike Creek R has lots of marriage equality proponents in his district.
Keep in mind that each of these representatives could well be ‘gettable’ on this vote. When you contact them, be positive. Encourage them to support HB 75. If they commit to supporting the bill, thank them and let them know that you have their backs. With some of the potential ‘silent’ commits, HB 75 has a great chance to pass the House, perhaps with a strong mandate.
John Sigler: Lawbreaker? Probably…Creep? Certainly
What if we told you that Delaware’s (and one of the nation’s) most prominent advocates for ‘law abiding citizens’ may well be both a lawbreaker and an inhumane killer? And what if I told you that this upstanding citizen is the head of the Delaware Republican Party?
Ladies and gentlemen, Delaware’s Mr. NRA #1, John Sigler….
2013 Music I Like: Volume 3
Stuff that breaks through the white noise for me:
Frank Turner- ‘Recovery’
Come inside for more….
Why the Phils Will Suck Until Ruben Amaro Jr. Goes
Let me be clear. It’s possible, just possible, that they might have one year left. I don’t think so, though. Not with the aging and defensively-challenged additions they made this offseason: Michael Young and Delmon Young. Neither of whom are ‘Forever Young’.
But, that’s it. Why? Because Amaro insists on ignoring one of the most important tools in the GM’s toolbox: statistical analysis, aka ‘sabermetrics’.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 28, 2013
Seven, count ’em, seven amendments have already been prefiled for HB 35(Longhurst), the criminal background checks bill. And these are only the so-called friendly amendments. In the immortal words of Casey Stengel while managing the inept New York Mets in their inaugural season:
“Can’t anybody here play this game?”
This bill should be the easy one. They’ve got the votes, no fuss, no muss. But, by paying undue deference to the NRA, they have become the Senate (United States version) Democrats, turning what should be defining statement victories into, at best, marginal progress and, at worst, defeat. The issue is larger than HB 35. The House dithering has emboldened the NRA b/c they’ve learned that they can run circles around the house managers of this legislation. That will make passage of other key elements of the gun control package far more difficult than it needed to be.
Need I remind these Profiles In Courage that a massacre of school children in Connecticut was the catalyzing event for this package? After several other massacres all over this country? This kind of appeasement will only help to ensure that such a massacre occurs here. Maybe then they’ll stop listening to these uncompromising zealots. Until then, we have HB 35, on today’s House Agenda. Do us all a favor, and at least pass this one?
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., March 27, 2013
And to think that I was gonna cut back on covering the legislative beat. Whatever was I thinking? Every day, huge stories, two of ’em yesterday: 1. State Senate votes to repeal Delaware’s death penalty statute, and 2. The Obama-ization of the House Democratic Caucus appears complete. At least with respect to preemptively compromising with an enemy that will not compromise with you.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 26, 2013
Jack Markell: From clammed-up to happy-as-a-clam. The Governor who was unwilling to take a public position on a minimum wage increase effusively praised it after it had passed the Senate:
“I commend Senator Marshall for the changes he made to the bill. I assured Senator Marshall I would sign the bill as passed by the Senate because of the help it will provide to many struggling families,” Markell said in a statement.
Jack Markell has proven time and time again that he cares not for struggling families. But Markell was able to (a) get a cost-of-living provision struck from the bill, (b) get the effective date for the bill pushed back, and (c) lower the amount of the minimum wage to $7.75 an hour in 2014 and $8.25 in 2015. All this in exchange for dropping his threat to veto the bill. Ladies and gentlemen, your Democratic governor. Still, kudos to the 12 D’s who voted yes. It’s better than nothing, which is all you’re gonna get from this governor. For the record, self-professed ‘friend of labor’ Cathy Cloutier voted no. This will not be the last time that she proves to be a phony during this, or any session, of the Delaware General Assembly.
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