Author Archives: liberalgeek

Chris Coons Fumbles in His First Week

Our new Senator, Chris Coons, made his way onto a list today, and it isn’t the list of independent thinkers.  Today, in a Judiciary Committee meeting, the committee voted unanimously to approve the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA).  The act seems, at first blush, to be a good idea.  The goal is to shut down websites that contain material that infringes on copyrighted material.  However, as you dig into it a little deeper, as EFF.org has, you see that it does so much more.

EFF is deeply disappointed to report that the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the COICA Internet censorship bill this morning, despite bipartisan opposition, and countless experts pointing out how it would be ineffective, unconstitutional, bad for innovation and the tech economy, and would break the Internet.

Essentially, the bill would allow the AG to shut down entire sites by domain name if they are deemed to have infringement as their primary purpose.  EFF points out that YouTube would likely have been killed in the cradle when users uploaded copyrighted material at a rate that YouTube couldn’t police.

In addition, the whole thing would encourage wholesale migration to alternative off-shore domain name service providers.  Imagine a Firefox plugin that allows you to surf to sites that have been banned.  It would be pretty easy, but it would increase the network load on the Internet backbone by an estimated 20%.    In the process, it would probably end up moving even more jobs overseas as well.

Finally, the bill is a hammer that is being used to kill a fly.  Whole website domain names could be impacted.  Suppose there was a WordPress.com blog dedicated to finding places to download copyrighted music and films.  Could the feds come in and whack the whole domain, killing thousands of blogs full of excellent content, just to kill a sub-site that is dedicated to doing bad things.

This is exactly the kind of thing that we laugh at countries like China and Turkey for.  Turkey had, in fact, blocked WordPress because it hosted websites that talked about Turkish genocide of Armenians.  There are already ways to deal with this.  Lawsuits can be brought against the person responsible (I have been personally threatened with a lawsuit over this blog), the offending content can be deleted (as Google does now with videos, upon request).

I am very disappointed that Chris Coons’ first vote that gets coverage on DL is critical, but seriously Senator Coons, you’re better than this.

Matt Denn on Veterans Day 2010

Here is the text of the speech delivered by Matt Denn on Veterans Day 2010 at the Delaware Memorial Bridge War Memorial. Thank you veterans.

It is an honor to be with you this morning. Our Governor is overseas on a trip designed to create jobs here in Delaware. You have seen him through many Veterans Day commemorations, and you know that he would be here if he could.

Every Sunday, I take my twin five year old boys to Dunkin Donuts. We’ve been doing it for years. My boys think it is the greatest thing in the world, my wife gets some well-deserved sleep, and I get out of the whole deal for less than $10. There are many Sundays that I sit there, watching my boys laugh and eat, and think ‘I am an incredibly lucky guy.’

This past Sunday, U.S. Army Specialist Dale Kridlo from Pittston, Pennsylvania, also the father of young twins, was shot and killed by a sniper in Afghanistan. His father drove to Dover Air Force Base on Monday to claim his son’s body. Dale Kridlo was due to come home for Christmas this year. His family said that he was a Phillies fan, an Eagles fan, but most of all dedicated to his nine year old twin girls Madelyne and Zoe, who will now grow up without a father. This Veterans Day in Pittston is being marked with the flags at half mast for Dale Kridlo. Dale Kridlo sacrificed, his family has sacrificed, so that we might live and raise our families in the same great country, with the same extraordinary freedoms and opportunities, that you and I have enjoyed.

On this Veterans Day we must first and foremost give our thanks and pay our respects, to those who have served, those who have sacrificed, and the mothers, fathers, spouses, partners, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who have sacrificed along with them. For Operation Enduring Freedom alone, it has been nine years of families sacrificing, often through multiple tours, and thousands of soldiers who have given their lives or suffered life altering injuries.

So today we give thanks, and we pay our respects, and that is important and necessary. But it is not sufficient. To those of you who have served, to the families of those who served or are in harm’s way today, we owe you two things.

First, we owe you our honest best efforts to support our soldiers and their families during their service and after their service. I know that some of you are here every year, and you may remember that a couple of years ago I told you that we got a bill passed in Dover to make it easier for surgeons to come out of retirement to work at the VA Hospital in Elsmere, without losing their insurance. Well, I got an e-mail from Dr. David Axon a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, an orthopedic surgeon who came out of retirement under this new program. He wrote, “I started at the [Delaware] VA in September of 2008….Two years later we’ve done about 500 orthopedic procedures…and I believe we’ve made a major difference in the quality of the lives of many of these vets. We’ve also started a joint replacement program in cooperation with the Lebanon VA ….” That is five hundred surgical procedures for Delaware veterans that otherwise would have had to be done in another state, or wouldn’t have been done at all. That is a great story. Yesterday, I had the privilege of being present for the opening of Fisher House on Dover Air Force Base, a facility that will provide comfort and convenient lodging to the families who travel to the base to receive the bodies of their loved ones killed in action. The opening of Fisher House is a great story. But we should have a dozen more great stories, stories about how we helped veterans get timely answers on disability applications, how we helped veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to find jobs. I think we owe it to you on Veterans Day not just to say “thanks” but to show you our gratitude in concrete deeds.

The second thing that we owe you is a country that is worthy of the sacrifice you have made. We who have the privilege to serve the public owe you our best efforts to mold a country you can be proud of. Because we all revere our flag, but you did not fight just for the flag, and we proudly sing our national anthem but you did not fight just for a song. You fought for the freedoms and rights enshrined in our Constitution, and beyond that, the boundless spirit, energy, and common purpose that have always been America’s hallmark. So we owe you more than chants of ‘USA’ or ‘We’re Number One,” we owe you a sincere effort to work together on fixing this country’s real problems. That doesn’t mean we won’t argue; one of the rights you fought for was our right to argue, to engage in free debate. But it does mean our goal must be solutions rather than confrontation. We owe you at least that much.

Each life newly lost in the defense of our country, each tragedy like Dale Kridlo’s, brings crushing sorrow, and new recognition of the overwhelming burden borne by a select few so that we and our children might have the privilege of living in what is still the greatest nation this earth has known. During World War II, Carl Sandburg said “There are freedom shouters. There are freedom whisperers. Both may serve. Have I, have you, been too silent?” On this Veterans Day, we thank you for the sacrifice you have made, and we loudly proclaim our obligation to honor that sacrifice.

Unshiny Objects

We’ve had enough of the shiny objects that take our eyes off the ball of governing locally and statewide.  Christine O’Donnell has had a house dropped on her, Sharon Angle has run away from the press for good and Charlie Crist is cleaning out his desk.  I grant you that the Protack sockpuppetry and the general circular firing squad that is the Delaware Republican party are fun to watch, but let’s talk about real goals.

What do you want to see from the Delaware Legislature this year?  More open government?  Fix the formula for the voluntary assessment by developers?  Limit the autonomy of the Insurance Commissioner?

Let’s get some ideas out there, we know that they read the blog.  Now that we own the House, the Senate and the Governor’s mansion, what can we do to fix what ails the state?

Almost Time for the DC Trip **UPDATED**

Saturday is almost upon us.  We are currently waiting on the last minute confirmations from the bus company about the features of the specific bus that we will be using for the DC trip as well as a few details about the drop off/pick up locations in DC.  In addition, I was just informed that there may be some extra seats available if a larger bus is assigned to us. Stay tuned.

**There are not seats, unless someone is not showing up.

If the bus has an entertainment package, we may run a movie on the trip, so I’m looking for suggestions.  I would think that we want a comedy, but one that could be easily ignored while chatting with others on the bus.  Any suggestions?  The suggestions so far are Idiocracy, Harold and Kumar, The Aristocrats, Tommy (The Rock Opera), Dr. Strangelove, Religulous, Jesus Camp and Office Space.

**UPDATE**

I’m promoting this thread to the top so we can update information. The latest:

The bus leaves from the Shipyard Shops in Wilmington at 8:00 a.m. The bus is supposed to be there at 7:45 a.m. (How many bets that the bus gets lost?)

Prohibited items: No glass, No kegs, No red wine
I haven’t paid the deposit to allow alcohol yet. I’m asked to pay it so alcohol may not be allowed. I’ll update.

I’m going to the store tonight to pick up cardboard, markers and a stencil. I plan to make a do-it-yourself sign on the ride down.

We still haven’t decided a meet-up spot in D.C. Let’s finalize that.

–UI

**UPDATE #2**

You will be able to bring alcohol on the bus. Please don’t make a mess. As said above, no glass, no kegs and no red wine.

DL interviews Chris Coons: Science!

In Part 2 of our interview with Chris Coons, Unstable Isotope asks Mr. Coons to talk about how he will use his background in science to inform his decisions in the Senate.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_EoEESerAg[/youtube]

UI adds:

Not captured on video was a discussion we had about science and technology committees in the Senate (I suggested he request to be on one of those). He then related some funny anecdotes about having “only” a B.A. in chemistry (as opposed to a B.S.) and then we got into a real chemgeek discussion about Physical Chemistry (it’s the O…M…G… class in the chemistry curriculum) and about how when he was a T.A. for the p-chem lab he told his professor that thermodynamics doesn’t make sense and she told him “you’re perfect!” (Maybe this is only hilarious if you’re a chemist). Oh well, perhaps lg can weigh in on this conversation.

DL Interviews Chris Coons – Money and Politics

Unstable Isotope and I got a chance to interview Chris Coons on Thursday afternoon.  I will post these over the next day or so.

The first episode is two questions, one about the impact that the huge budget of Christine O’Donnell has had on his campaign.  The second question was about Mr. Coons’ thoughts on reforming the Senate.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLw8iNw5nDo[/youtube]

Get a Brain Moran

Well O’Donnell thug and journeyman political loser, Matt Moran is back in the news.  This time he is at the center of the O’Donnell-WDEL video lawsuit. Make sure you watch the video.  You can clearly see Christine prompting Matt to do his job as a pitbull.  It’s disgusting.

O’Donnell’s campaign manager, Matt Moran, called WDEL and demanded that the video be immediately turned over to the campaign and destroyed. Moran threatened to “crush WDEL” with a lawsuit if the station didn’t comply.

For those of you hoping to get your Matt Moran action figures, there are plenty of action poses Mr. Moran can assume, but most of them are common on elementary school playgrounds.

Here is Matt Moran blocking someone that wanted to videotape Christine O’Donnell on the National Mall.  Matt is the guy in the blue shirt.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO4E1SDY3-g[/youtube]

Matt Moran is also the staffer that got his victim on at the WDEL debate by complaining (and disrupted the debate) when he complained that Christine was getting asked first on too many questions.

He is also the punk that blocked the very intimidating Ginger Gibson from a press conference.  I can’t seem to get my hands on the video right now, but he is the creepy guy that goes out of his way to touch Ginger’s bare arm.

Matt Moran isn’t the only thug on Christine O’Donnell’s payroll, but he is the public face of her thugism.

Heathcare Warrior, Arm Thyself

Do you remember all of the breathless claims of Republicans and Tea Partiers talking about their “Canadian friend” that hates the Canadian healthcare system and came to the US for a really important surgery?  Yeah, as you may have guessed, it is probably bogus.  Last week, I heard a radio interview with the author of a blog post about anecdotal stories of Canadians seeking care in the US.  Go read it.  Here’s a taste:

1) First, they surveyed United States border facilities in Michigan, New York, and Washington.  It makes sense that Canadians crossing the border for care would favor sites close by, right?  It turns out that about 80% of such facilities saw fewer than one Canadian per month.  About 40% saw none in the prior year.  And when looking at the reasons for visits, more than 80% were emergencies or urgent visits (ie tourists who had to go to the ER).  Only about 19% of those already few visits were for elective purposes.

2) Next, they surveyed “America’s Best Hospitals”, because if Canadians were going to travel for care, they would be more likely to go to the most well-known and highest quality facilities, right?  Only one of the surveyed hospitals saw more than 60 Canadians in one year.  And, again, that included both emergencies and elective care.

3) Finally, they examined data from the 18,000 Canadians who participated in the National Population Health Survey.  In the previous year, only 90 of those 18,000 Canadians had received care in the United States; only 20 of them had done so electively.

20 out of a survey of 18,000 went to the US specifically for surgery, the rest slipped on ice or choked on a pork-chop while vacationing in the US.  Granted, your mileage may vary, as the studies use scientific methods.  Many Republicans are impervious to this sort of logic.

Her Masters Voice

Celia Cohen is doing it again.

Apparently her masters, many conveniently located in the sponsorship section of her blog, are done with Chip Flowers.  So when they need a political hit-man, Celia takes the job.  Why not, she has taken out Richard Korn in the past.  Chip is just another upstart that has made some powerful enemies in his rise through Delaware politics.  And we all know that Celia doesn’t take kindly to people that make enemies with her Delaware Way friends.

Celia has gained access to sealed complaints made against Chip Flowers, presumably through her paymasters, and slathers her site with the statements made by Chip’s accusers.  Complaints that the courts found no evidence to support.  These complaints were made under oath, and in one case by a lawyer.  The lawyer said “I stand behind all the statements I made in the police report and during the trial.” But then again, she would, since she would be admitting that she was lying under oath if she changed her story.

And Chip Flowers was found Not Guilty.  So the “crimes” that Celia details were found to be not believable by the court, but suitable for Celia to salivate over.

If you had any doubt while reading it that Celia was on some sort of seek and destroy mission, check out the last sentence.

In a tempestuous love life already bared to the court system and the press, the voters might want to take it from here.

It is clear someone is trying to put the proverbial bullet in the head of Chip’s political career.  I doubt that it is Celia personally, she is just doing what her master told her to do.  In this case, using the statements of jilted lovers in a court case resolved in favor of Chip Flowers

Guest Post From Mark Brunswick: What Chris Bullock Doesn’t Say

Reverend Christopher Bullock has an interesting opinion article on African-Americans and the November elections in the News Journal today.  Here’s the link, http://www.delawareonline.com/comments/article/20101011/OPINION07/10110313/African-Americans-increasingly-disillusioned-with-political-process.  I agree with most of what he says but I think there’s more.

After many years of significant political experience based in the African-American community, I have concluded that most candidates and elected officials have a set formula for reaching our voters:

  • What churches should I be going to?
  • How much Walt’s chicken should I bring to the seniors?
  • How much time can I get on channel 28?

Wilmington is expected to be the engine of the Black vote and it’s the place where most statewide candidates will make their primary investment in black polity—street money on Election Day.  Unfortunately, despite the growing evidence of diminishing voter turnout and its influence on elections there is more interest in buying voter loyalty than cultivating the electorate.

What’s the difference?  How campaigns are staffed is one instance.  It is rare to find a senior level minority staffer on a statewide campaign.  My experience in seeking work in campaign planning and strategy is that I don’t even get the courtesy of a return phone call and I am not alone in the experience.  The preference is always for someone who can answer those three key questions.

The 2000 census documented that 90% of the African-Americans who moved into Delaware reside outside of Wilmington.  That trend continues.  The Newark-Bear belt, Dover and a Sussex County belt running from West Rehoboth to Georgetown, Seaford and Milton all contain significant pockets of minority voters.  Employing a broader strategy for the minority vote just makes sense; however, the non-sense of this election cycle is not to stimulate white anger. The lack of significant GOTV planning targeted at minority voters has been the talk among the many of the people I’ve done voter work with for many years.  African-Americans, after all, vote as a product of divination and the spirit of Martin Luther King!

African-Americans face far more critical consequences from the outcomes of the local elections.  There is the opportunity for Chip Flowers, the candidate for State Treasurer, to become the first African-American elected to a statewide office.  That could draw out the Black vote and help a host of local elections.  The popular wisdom is that State Treasurer is an office the Democrats are prepared to lose.

It’s an open secret that Wilmington will lose a city dominated State Senate seat in reapportionment next year.  The loss of that seat will not only mean the dilution of minority influence in Dover, it will also have an impact on the fortunes of Organized Labor.  Unfortunately, Organized Labor is only invested in the short- term vision of cultivating the votes of its members for Chris and John this year.  They seem satisfied with their losing influence on other races on the ballot and in Dover.

Chris and John will win next month.  They are the best bets for all of Delaware.  However, given the lax approach to the value of the African-American and minority vote in general, our communities need to re-evaluate the stakes we bring to the table.