Delaware

Story just broke at the News-Journal:

John Fluharty, who took the GOP director job after the last election, declared his support for marriage equality in an interview after attending a fundraiser last week for the group leading efforts to pass legislation legalizing gay marriage in the state.

Good for him. No change in the official Party position, however:

The Republican party’s national platform declares a pledge to preserve and protect traditional marriage. Delaware GOP Chairman John Sigler released a statement saying Fluharty’s views on gay marriage and his sexual orientation are totally separate from his job. "John Fluharty is a valued and capable employee of the Delaware Republican Party who works extremely hard for the party and is good at his job,” Sigler said. “What he chooses to do on his own time with his own money is his own business. He did not attend the recent event in question on behalf of the party or in his capacity as an employee of the party.”

Maybe not, but this is a brave and principled stand. Man, gay marriage really could pass this year...

We have an action item for you this morning: can you all please take some time today to email or call the members of the State House Judiciary Committee (their email addresses are below) and ask them all, whether they are a Democrat or a Republican, to support the Criminal Background Check Bill, or House Bill 35. At the last hearing on this bill, our side was severely outgunned in terms of vocal support, as the hearning room was full of NRA members and other pro-gun advocates who wrongly believe that any regulation on guns amounts to a violation of their Second Amendment rights. If these members just rely on what they heard at the Hearing two weeks ago, they would think that 90% of all Americans and Delawareans oppose this bill, when in fact it is the opposite. The vast majority of all Americans and Delawareans support this common sense regulation to make sure that guns do not get into the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. Right now, federal law requires federally licensed firearms dealers to perform criminal history background checks on prospective firearms purchasers. However, when the sale or transfer of a firearm does not involve a licensed dealer, no background check is required. This loophole is how convicted felons, those with mental illnesses, minors and other prohibited purchasers get their guns. One step we as a community and a state can take to make sure that tragedies like Newtown, Aurora, Tuscon, and Virginia Tech never happen again is to make sure that everyone who buys a gun is subjected to background checks. The plain truth of the matter is that this bill does not infringe on the liberty of responsible gun owners, hunters and anyone who is legally permitted to own a gun. It seeks only to prevent those who are legally not permitted from purchasing a gun from purchasing a gun. How any responsible citizen or gun owner can rise in opposition to that principle is beyond our understanding. Here is the contact information: Rebecca Walker 302-744-4351; Rebecca.Walker@state.de.us Melanie George Smith 302-744-4351; melanie.g.smith@state.de.us Gerald L. Brady 302-744-4351; Gerald.Brady@state.de.us James Johnson 302- 744-4351; jj.johnson@state.de.us John L. Mitchell Jr. 302-744-4351; john.l.mitchell@state.de.us W. Charles Paradee 302-744-4033; trey.paradee@state.de.us Charles Potter Jr. 302–744-4351; Charles.potter@state.de.us Darryl M. Scott 302-744-4351; Darryl.Scott@state.de.us Stephen T. Smyk 302-744-4321; Steve.Smyk@state.de.us Jeffrey N. Spiegelman 302-744-4171; jeff.spiegelman@state.de.us David L. Wilson 302-744-4150; David.L.Wilson@state.de.us There is also another hearing on this bill tomorrow at 11:30 am in the House Chamber. If you can be there, be there!

Most Irish immigrants worked at the mills lining the Brandywine River and some tributaries. Many worked at Eleutherian Mills near Henry Clay Village, where the DuPont company produced gunpowder. One of the jobs at the powder yard was to grind the saltpeter for production, which was done with this grinding wheel.

I don't know how true this is with regard to BHL being a gay marriage swing vote, but I think the more pressing question is - when did Bruce Vilanch start writing for Pray4de.org?

"Please pray for the technology of the righteous to work speedily and properly and the technology of the unrighteous to fail!!"

Really? That's a thing now?