El Somnambulo's Latest Posts
Delaware Political Weekly: January 21-27, 2012
Anyone expecting Sen. Mike Katz (4th) to go gently into that good night against Greg Lavelle are bound to be disappointed. Katz already has almost $200 K in the bank, much of it from Delaware’s medical community, with $73K in the form of a personal loan. Lavelle has $82K, $25K of which is in the form of a personal loan. This is one race where finances will not do the Democrat in. Meanwhile, neither Dave Sokola nor Liane Sorenson are rolling in dough. Time to toss some $$’s Sokola’s way.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 26, 2012
Wednesday’s session illuminated precisely why properly-functioning committees are essential to the legislative process. Or not, depending on the committee and/or your point of view. Here are arguments for either side: The House Education Committee tabled legislation that would raise the mandatory age of school attendance from 16 to 18 years of age. It doesn’t mean […]
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., Jan. 25, 2012
A pretty active day in Dover yesterday. The Senate passed legislation doing away with five agencies you never heard of. In addition to passing two City of Dover charter changes, the Senate also passed Colin Bonini’s annual ‘contribution’ to the legislative mix. That’s right. Recognizing Feb. 6 as ‘Ronald Reagan Day’ in Delaware. I got […]
Breaking News: It’s Official! Bryan Townsend Files to Challenge Tony DeLuca in Primary
Yes, it’s on! Bryan Townsend has filed the paperwork and paid the fees to run for the 11th Senatorial District seat currently held by President Pro-Tempore Anthony J. DeLuca.. Here you have a well-qualified enthusiastic candidate taking on the person who embodies the worst of the Delaware Way.
‘Bulo on Al’s Show Today-Tues. Jan. 24, from 10-12
Yep, 10 a.m. 1150-WDEL Newsradio on your AM dial. Al Mascitti and I will be talking Delaware politics and the goings-on in Dover. And El Somnambulo apparently has discovered a legit link between pro rasslin’ and…Rick Santorum! But he’s not talking. At least, not until 10 this morning…
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., Jan. 24, 2012
Little of interest in the Senate today. There’s a bill from the Joint Sunset Committee eliminating some state agencies, boards, or committees that no longer serve a public purpose. Or perhaps never served a public purpose. Not that they’re the only ones…
There’s more action in the House today. Should be an interesting roll call on HB 222(Jaques), which would require the Department of Labor to ‘publish the names of employers who have violated the Workplace Fraud Act, by misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor or otherwise.’ Let’s see who favors screwing the little guy by claiming that an employee really isn’t an ’employee’.
Rethug ‘Party Elders’ Search for A Winning Candidate Begins in 3…2…1…
Talk about a nomination that won’t be worth shit, that’s what the R’s are facing. Not to mention unhealable self-inflicted wounds in that party that could well bring down the House and enable the D’s to keep control of the Senate. Almost unthinkable considering the current economic straits. So, I have no doubt that search for an ‘electable’, or at least not ‘disastrous’, candidate may already surreptitiously be under way by the self-appointed ‘adults’ in the Party.
Delaware 2012 Political Weekly-Jan. 14-20
1. Wilmington Mayoral Candidates Disagree on Riverfront Hotel Deal.
The issue, of course, is whether the city should pay a $1 million ransom to the developers. As usual, I’m of two minds on this. I don’t believe that the City should have to do this. After all, if the project is this financial windfall that’s being projected, why shouldn’t the developers pay for it themselves? OTOH, government at every level in Delaware has already prostituted itself time and time again to pave the way for ‘economic development’. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t. In other words, to paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, the developers have already determined that we are whores, they’re only dickering over price. Bill Montgomery and Scott Spencer support the $1 mill guarantee. Dennis Williams, Bob Marshall and Rev. Derrick Johnson say they oppose it. Kevin Kelley is still reviewing it. Anyway, that’s not the reason I included this in my wrapup. After reading the Esteban Parra story, I was struck that there was more civility and substance in this discussion than in the entirety of the Kareening Klown Kar that is the Rethuglican presidential nominating process.
What are the other top political stories of the week? Check inside.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 19, 2012
I don’t know whether the House will get to these bills today, because the highlight of the day, and often of the legislative session, is the Governor’s Annual State of the State Address to the General Assembly. In addition to proclaiming the ’state of the state’ (“The groundhog has seen his shadow!”), the address serves as the official unveiling of the Governor’s legislative priorities. Sometimes it’s a laundry list of specifics, sometimes it’s more an articulation of the principles that the Governor believes the General Assembly should embrace, usually it’s some combination of both.
Governor Markell is by far the best orator we’ve had as governor during my time in state government. He’s at his best when he speaks, or writes, from the heart. As he did on civil unions. And as he did on the Gattis decision. However, he tends to lose that human connection when he embraces the policy wonk side of his personality. We already know, based on this story, that the Governor intends to seek ’savings’ (meaning cuts) from Medicaid. Just so there’s no mistake, Medicaid=Health Care for the Poor. Last year, the Governor proposed a $92/month cut to services to the medically-indigent. I sure hope he has learned from that kamikaze mission that that’s both horrible policy and a political non-starter.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., Jan. 18, 2012
At LAST. This year’s General Assembly session begins in earnest today. And on a committee day no less. All sorts of compelling action scheduled to take place today.
I support HB 222(Jaques), which would “require(s) that the Department of Labor publish the names of employers who have violated the Workplace Fraud Act, by misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor or otherwise”. This, of course, is just one way that the 1% take advantage of the 99%. For example, did you know that Linda & Vince McMahon’s WWE classifies its wrestlers/performers as independent contractors? Of course, they all have contracts, and the McMahons will take anyone to court for striving to be ‘independent’. Obligatory rasslin’ reference, sorry.
Now, that’s what I call a committee meeting.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., Jan. 17, 2012
Sen. Bob Marshall has introduced a two-tiered increase in the state’s minimum wage from the current $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in January of 2013 and to $8.25 an hour in January of 2014. It will be interesting to see where our Governor stands on this.
Delaware 2012 Politics Weekly-Jan. 6-13
Looks like the Rethugs will have something like a statewide ticket after all. Chad Livengood’s Sunday News-Journal piece pieces it together. The R’s are calling it something like the ‘real people ticket’, which presumably is better than the ‘just some guys’ ticket. (Bleep, Daily Kos stole my line before I could even publish this.)
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 12, 2012
The committees met on Wednesday, and the results can be seen on both today’s Senate Agenda and House Agenda. Other than the ‘bath salts’ ban, which is the only bill on the Senate agenda, very little piques my interest today.
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