Markell’s Supreme Court, and a Missed Opportunity.

Markell’s Supreme Court, and a Missed Opportunity.

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Nothing explains the Delaware Way more than the recent nomination to the Supreme Court by Gov. Jack Markell (D) of corporate attorney and the son of a former Supreme Court Justice, Collins J. “C.J.” Seitz, Jr., Esquire. Seitz, when confirmed (because there is no if about it in this state), will replace retiring Justice Henry duPont Ridgely. The Judicial Nominating Commission, in addition to Seitz, also recommended to Governor Markell Superior Court Judge Calvin Scott, who would have been the first African American Supreme Court Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court; and a former Superior Court judge and now an attorney in private practice, Joseph Sleights III. I think the Delaware Supreme Court could have used a little color, and something more diverse than another corporate attorney.
Lavelle Will Not Run for Governor in 2016

Lavelle Will Not Run for Governor in 2016

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Breaking news from Jonathan Starkey at the News Journal:
Republican Sen. Greg Lavelle will not seek the governor's office next year, according to a letter the lawmaker sent to political supporters. [...] Lavelle told supporters this week he "had given a lot of thought" to a run for governor, but said personal commitments prevented him from launching a campaign. "I have decided that now is not the time for me to take on this challenge," Lavelle wrote. "At this time, the personal bandwidth just doesn't exist to create and sustain the time needed to run for Governor, while maintaining and addressing my current and varied responsibilities."
Saturday Open Thread [2.21.15]

Saturday Open Thread [2.21.15]

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Jake Miller at CBS examines how Common Core may become a primary issue for Republican presidential candidates. Eventually, I think it will become an issue in Democratic politics as well. If Kavips has his way, it already has:
Common Core federal education standards are riling the conservative base, and as the 2016 Republican presidential field takes shape, the standards -- seen by right wing activists as a federal overreach and a threat to parental rights -- are poised to play a big role in the GOP nominating process. That's doubly true in Iowa, where the kinds of Republican voters most vehemently opposed to Common Core -- evangelical Christians, home-schooling advocates, states-rights conservatives -- exert considerable influence over the state's first-in-the-nation presidential caucus.

The Weekly Addresses

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In his Weekly Address, President Obama underscored the importance of continuing to grow our economy and support good-paying jobs for our workers by opening up new markets for American goods and services. In an effort that will surely please education advocates throughout the state, Governor Markell shares his weekly message with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Boy, is Markell's legacy going to be completely destroyed by his positions on education. Here is Senator Harris McDowell on Larry Mendte's Delaware Way's program, where they discuss crime in Wilmington and the Sustainable Energy Utility Program, as well as Harris' thoughts on Beau Biden, John Carney and the Delaware's Game of Thrones.
I Really Didn’t Want To Write About 50 Shades Of Grey

I Really Didn’t Want To Write About 50 Shades Of Grey

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In May of 2012 I wrote a post about 50 Shades of Grey called 50 Shades of Agony. I admit to not finishing the book because, well, I couldn't stand it. It was, without a doubt, the worst thing I've ever read. But I was clear that if the book "worked" for you, then enjoy. That's the thing about fantasies, they're personal and usually private. I haven't seen the movie, but will probably "hate watch" it once it lands on HBO. There's simply too much talk for me not to watch it. My curiosity is probably due to the million or so articles written about movie - and I don't think that number is too far off the mark. So what prompted me to finally write about 50 Shades of Grey? It began with a post over at Delaware Politics (Yes. I know.) by David Anderson titled: 50 Shades A Failure of Modern Feminism.
50 Shades just brought to light what in form or another is normal behavior for millions. What is more interesting to me is that it tears to shreds the emasculation of relationships by modern feminism. 50 Shades is not what I would call the road map to healthy relationships, yet it is popular to near record levels not scene since (ironically) the Passion of the Christ. I found intriguing this article by frequent guest author, Jon Moseley. His premise is that 50 Shades are a perversion of the natural yearning of many women for real men. It speaks to the void in our society created in the last 70 years of the attempt to cleanse society of “a man’s strength and leadership”. He contends that it is a perversion of the healthy original filling the void left by remake of society by the left.
That's quite a leap, and one not based in reality.
Guess Who Pocketed ALL Of Delaware’s Income Growth During the Recovery?

Guess Who Pocketed ALL Of Delaware’s Income Growth During the Recovery?

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Inexplicably buried at the bottom of page A-3 of the News-Journal's dead tree edition is one of the most important stories of the year. This Jonathan Starkey story tells us the following:
Delaware's wealthiest residents hoarded all of the income gains as the state recovered from the recession, according to a study from the Economic Policy Institute that provided yet more evidence of an imbalanced economic recovery. From 2009 to 2012, the top 1 percent of Delaware earners saw income growth of 15 percent. The bottom 99 percent? Their incomes fell 1.6 percent. The study was based on Internal Revenue Service data of adjusted gross income.
Got that? Yet Jack Markell opposes a decent living wage and opposes restoring progressivity to the tax code. The policies he put into effect during the so-called 'recovery' led to more, not less, inequity in income growth. Actually, you can't call it income growth for the 99% who saw their income shrink by 1.6%. This is obscene.