Delaware
Wednesday Daily Delawhere [4.8.15]
![Wednesday Daily Delawhere [4.8.15]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8732/17003317482_cc88da84e6_c.jpg "Wednesday Daily Delawhere [4.8.15]")
St. John the Baptist Holy Angels Catholic Church on Main Street in Newark. Photo by the Flying Inn on Flickr.
Baumbach’s Death with Dignity Bill is not even filed yet, and already there is opposition
….from the Medical Society of Delaware. Though that is not unexpected. The proposed legislation would likely allow assisted suicide only in cases where a patient has been told by their doctor that they have a short time to live, like six months or less. The legislation would provide that only the patient is authorized to make this decision, and a family member and the doctor would be required to witness the procedure. This, along with Marijuana Legalization, are the next big socially progressive / socially libertarian reforms to be considered by society, and by extension, the General Assembly.
Zombie Casinos, Replicating
Delaware State News reports today that there is a plan percolating in the GA to *add* three more casinos to the mix as a way to address the state’s declining revenues from the current three. Read that again — 3 casinos that are suffering from a declining market share will have 3 more casinos in state to steal their market share PLUS lose their share of out-of-state players.
Approval Rating Polls are Back.
We are going to assess our readership’s opinions concerning the job performance of our elected officials over the coming week. Today, we begin with Governor Jack Markell. Given the battles over Education, Priority Schools and the budget, I do not expect the Governor to earn a passing grade this time.
Tuesday — Governor Jack Markell (D)
Wednesday — Attorney General Matt Denn (D)
Thursday — Congressman John Carney (D)
Friday — Senator Chris Coons (D)
Monday — Senator Tom Carper (D)
Tuesday — Auditor Tom Wagner (R)
Wednesday — Treasurer Ken Simpler (R)
Thursday — Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart (D)
Friday — New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon (D)
Republicans Love Minority Protections, for themselves
Senator Simpson has filed a bill (SB 46) that proposes a state Constitutional Amendment that would require at least one member of both the Court of Chancery and the Supreme Court be residents of and been appointed from the Bars of each of the three counties. Already we have Constitutional provisions requiring that the Supreme Court have “equal” representation between the parties, which, given that is a 5 member Court, is impossible, but it means that there will be at least 2 Republicans on the Court at all times.
Now, Senator Simpson wants 2 members of the 5 member Court to be from Kent and Sussex County. Screw whether or not any potential Justice is qualified or not, or whether the Governor wants to nominate them or not. Because, the primary consideration of all citizens has to be the feelings of downstate Republicans.
But you know what, I am in a compromising mood. I would gladly support Senator Simpson’s geographical balance Amendment if he and all Republicans agree to repeal the partisan balance provisions.
Protect Us From Sharia Law, Senator Lawson!!!
Senator Dave Lawson says that he will introduce legislation designed to keep foreign laws and lawsuits from intruding on Delaware’s court system. And the legislation will naturally have a teabag Republican name, since the threat the legislation is addressing only exists in the fever dreams of teabag Republicans watching Fox News.
![Tuesday Daily Delawhere [4.7.15]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/16836882379_7fc0578d88_c.jpg "Tuesday Daily Delawhere [4.7.15]")
Punkin Chunkin Tort Reform
Republican Senator Brian Pettyjohn tried to enact a state wide $1 million damages cap for any personal injury or wrongful at a special event, otherwise known as Republican Tort Reform, under the guise of saving the Punkin Chunkin competition. The Democrats on the Senate Executive Committee weren’t having it. And good for them.
How about we try some other things first before we change the only protection a citizen has against corporate malfeasance and negligence: the civil jury system. How about having those ATV riders sign a waiver? How about you inspect the field for holes and dangerous conditions prior to the competition? How about you train these volunteers better? How about we wait to see how this pending litigation involving the ATV accident plays out? It may be that the jury finds no negligence and/or awards a much reduced amount than what the Plaintiff is asking for, thus rendering the supposed need for this legislation moot.
Vote Tracker For the Week of March 30-April 3, 2015
Last week the Delaware Senate passed again, as they did last year, the repeal of the Death Penalty. And as last year, the voting produced odd bipartisan ‘alliances,’ which demonstrates that on this issue, and perhaps only this issue, partisan considerations take a back seat to considerations of faith and conscience. Republican Senators Cloutier, Lopez and Republican Minority Leader Simpson all voted to repeal. Democratic Senators Hall-Long, Ennis, Marshall and Poore voted to keep the Death Penalty. Monsignor Lavelle, as El Som is fond of calling the Minority Whip, was absent, in today’s display of a lack of courage or conviction.
Senator Poore’s bill implementing the IEP Improvement Task Force Recommendations was rescued from the table and passed the Senate 20-1, with the sole No being Republican Gubernatorial candidate Colin Bonini.
Senator Townsend’s SB 47, which modernizes and reorganizes the Public Defendant’s Office in order to ensure that indigent people charged with crimes are well represented, passed the Senate 20-1. The sole NO vote? You guessed it. Republican Gubernatorial candidate Colin Bonini.
Rep. Lynn’s bill to require the use of helmets when bikers are riding their motorcycles on Delaware roads (HB 54) has met the anticipated opposition (wearing helmets = tyranny) and has been left in limbo in Committee. The Committee did not table it, nor did it vote it down or release it. It’s just hanging there in mid-air in suspended animation. Much like a biker is when time slows down after an accident has thrown him or her from their bike into air. It is during that moment in time that the biker realizes he or she is about to die, and probably really should have worn that helmet. Lucky for all of us, we no longer have to deal with the idiot opinions of that biker, because he or she will be dead.
![Monday Daily Delaware [4.6.15]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7597/16261155954_77d14476e5_c.jpg "Monday Daily Delaware [4.6.15]")
Sunday Daily Delawhere [4.5.15]
![Sunday Daily Delawhere [4.5.15]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/16835326278_c0e6097e53_c.jpg "Sunday Daily Delawhere [4.5.15]")
Trinity Episcopal Church, at Delaware Avenue and Adams Street in Wilmington’s Trinity Vicinity. The church was built in 1890, and is the descending congregation from Old Swedes Church. Happy Easter!
Saturday Daily Delawhere [4.4.15]
![Saturday Daily Delawhere [4.4.15]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7615/16267948643_9d96324be3_c.jpg "Saturday Daily Delawhere [4.4.15]")
An often flooded road to Prime Hook Beach in Milton, DE. Photo by Mike Mahaffie on Flickr.
The Weekly Addresses
President Obama address the Iranian Nuclear Agreement between the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Iran that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and will make our country, our allies, and our world safer.
Governor Markell explains the importance of global trade and the state’s Strategic Export Plan in his weekly message.
Here is this week’s Legislative Update features a bipartisan group of women lawmakers from the House and Senate unveiling a package of bills this week that address issues facing women across Delaware.
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