El Somnambulo's Latest Posts
What the General Assembly Should Do Post-Tigani
The Delaware Way has been exposed in all its inglorious penny-ante glory, thanks to the even-by-Delaware standards excesses of Chris Tigani.
Legislative Perks That I Have Known
I am struck with the genuine surprise that many WDEL listeners felt when reading the News-Journal’s articles on Tigani and his (wait for it) ilk, and were especially surprised at the, let’s say, easy relationships between lobbyists and legislators (and, yes, legislative staff) and governors (and, yes gubernatorial staff). So, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m going to lay out as many of the legislative perks that I can recall. This will not be an all-inclusive list, so I intend to add to it as my memories come back. I would invite any and all anonymous current or former legislative staffers to add to the list.
R. I. P. Gene McDaniels
Yes, this was the guy who sang ‘A Hundred Pounds of Clay’: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r30Uf_bPRpE[/youtube]. You may not know that he penned two huge hits among his many compositions. You do now: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzvlivbptXk[/youtube] Les McCann/Eddie Harris: “Compared to What” [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWzaEy_LGjQ[/youtube] Roberta Flack: “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
Markell Has Signed SB 146. Quietly. Very Quietly.
Virtually every day, we get at least one, and sometimes more, press releases from the Governor’s office, touting the signing of one piece of ‘landmark’ legislation after another. Jack Markell is not the first governor to do this, it’s a time-honored tradition of giving oneself ‘the rub’ (wrestling term for putting someone over) and giving […]
Music I Like: Latest in An Occasional Series
The great and virtually unknown Bill Callahan and his take on America: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39HT67ExukA[/youtube] Bill Callahan: “America!” Philly’s Own: [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/26117149[/vimeo] The War On Drugs: “Baby Missiles” A totally gorgeous sound wash: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KrmxavLIRM[/youtube] Bon Iver: “Calgary” There’s a reason why this is everywhere. The song of the summer: [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/19529550[/vimeo] Foster the People: “Pumped-Up Kicks” Depressed and a […]
Catch Al/El Somnambulo Podcasts Here
WDEL Newsradio-1150 AM has put up quite a few of the Al Mascitti/El Somnambulo segments on podcast, including my 10 Worst General Assembly Moments of 2011. Check ’em out here. Yesterday’s show was barrels of fun, and I know that Al will be putting up the Best and Most Ridiculous segments as well. So, listen […]
Big Doings On Al’s Show This Wednesday!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 6, I will unveil the Best, Worst, and Most Ridiculous of the recently-concluded session of the Delaware General Assembly. Top 10’s in each category announced in reverse numerical order in order to build up suspense. I had planned to post this on the blog before the show, but there are so many […]
Erik Schramm to Step Down
Erik Schramm, Chief of Staff to the House Democratic Caucus, announced that he will step down from his post in August to pursue opportunities outside the political arena. He was honored with a tribute last night during the final legislative session. He will also step down as Chair of the New Castle County Democratic Committee. […]
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 30, 2011
The final and, invariably, the worst legislative day of the year. Well, maybe not final. There could be a Special Session in the fall. But definitely the worst. Very little has to be done today. The Budget Bill is on the way to the Governor for his signature. The Grant-In-Aid Bill has already passed the […]
General AssemblyPost-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 29, 2011
Here’s what we/I learned yesterday: For the remaining two days of session, the Pre-Game Show section of my posts ain’t worth the paper it’s not printed on. Many of the key legislative developments did not show up on any agenda. Two cases in point: The House passed the Democratic redistricting plan by a 26-10 vote, […]
Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
As we move into the last week of this session, here is what absolutely must happen in the next three days: * The Budget Bill, already passed in the House, must pass in the Senate. *The Bond Bill must pass both houses *The Grant-In-Aid bill must pass both houses (a grant-in-aid bill is not legally […]
Rethugs Urge Creation of New Post to Do the State Auditor’s Job
Some things I can simply not make up. Today, a group of Rethug legislators and their gun-totin’ Party Chairman called for the creation of a brand-new ‘Office of the Inspector General’. In the release, Monsignor Greg Lavelle is quoted as saying: “If anyone previously doubted that we need a government watchdog, the last few years […]
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 23, 2011
Take a good look at how your Delaware State Senate performed yesterday. You can expect a lot more of this if the Senate redistricting plan goes through: Bully-boy Tiny Tony DeLuca kicking sand in the face of would-be opponents, regressive votes on gun bill legislation, and a pathetically timid opposition. Let’s make it real clear. […]
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