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Delaware United Wants You!
If grassroots progressive politics is your thing, especially when you’re part of a group of real cool energetic volunteers, I’ve got just the opportunity for you. Delaware United is in the house! Who, you may ask, is Delaware United? I suppose I could be churlish (it’s not that much of a stretch) and merely point you […]
Carney Cashes in On Corporate Welfare
Check out who is paying for Carney’s Inaugural soiree. No foreseeable conflicts-of-interest here, nosiree: “Thank you to our Sponsors* Platinum – $10,000 AT&T The Chemours Company, FC, LLC Comcast JP Morgan Chase & Co Morris, James LLP Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, LLP Saul Ewing LLP Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor Herbert & Patrice Miller […]
Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., Jan. 10, 2017
You wouldn’t know it from today’s News-Journal, which used to be a newspaper, but the 149th Delaware General Assembly will convene today for its first session. Technically, the State Senate met post-election to consider some gubernatorial nominations, but today marks the official start to the two-year session. The first day invariably consists of ceremony. The […]
The Legislative Pipeline Is Open
19 bills have been prefiled in the House. Several of which are important bills. Here is the full list. Here are the ones that jump out at me: The Rethugs are wasting no time in trying to get rid of the Estate Tax. Looks like David Bentz might be a progressive champion. His HB 11 […]
Help John Carney To Be the Best Democratic Governor He Can Be
$350 million. That’s the projected budgetary hole that soon-to-be-installed Governor John Carney will face this year. There is more than a little irony in that. Just like Ruth Ann Minner and John Carney had kicked the fiscal can down the road, leaving successor Jack Markell to deal with a budget shortfall in 2009, Markell has […]
Coons “Encouraged” That Tillerson Doesn’t Seem as Clueless as Trump
It doesn’t take much to impress Coons. [BTW – That’s not Coons shaking Tillerson’s hand. That’s Putin, the guy Coons says Tillerson understands to be a “threat to NATO” shaking Tillerson’s hand.]
Delaware named top “state to watch” for pot legalization in 2017
“Weed News” figures Delaware is among the most likely to legalize marijuana in 2017. I don’t see it, but my ear isn’t exactly tuned to cannabis issues. I mean it seems obvious to me that the “war on drugs” and criminalization of pot use is racially and economically unjust in the extreme, but other that that (not partaking myself) I’m agnostic the question of legalization.
‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes of 2016: The Top Ten!!!
But first, here’s a helpful set of musical links for those late to the party:
Enough stalling! Come inside for the Top 10.
How John Carney Can Jump-Start His Term, Reinvigorate Democrats, and Win a Special Election–All With One Move.
So, we’re facing a Special Election for State Senate. The candidates, D Stephanie Hansen and R John Marino, have been chosen by their respective parties. The election has been necessitated due to incumbent Bethany Hall Long’s winning of the Lieutenant Governor spot. She takes office later in January. The date for the Special Election has not been set, and it’s not clear whether outgoing Gov. Markell or incoming Gov. Carney will set the date.
Barring an unexpected flip, the winner of this seat will determine which Party controls the Senate. The Republicans are motivated as they can end umpteen years of Democratic control of the State Senate. They will have no problem motivating their voters.
The Democrats? If you are a Democratic voter and aren’t necessarily plugged into the party structure, what will impel you to come out to vote? I know that some of the usual suspects on the blog are minimizing this concern, I think it’s real and I think it’s a major problem for the special. Why should D’s come out to support the D candidate other than out of some sense of duty?
Unless…now hang with me for a minute.
Announcing the 2016 MVPs (Most Valuable to the Progressive Cause in Delaware)!
2016 marks the conclusion of the public life of State Senator Karen Peterson. Karen Peterson has been the single most effective progressive official in Delaware throughout her career. She has been invaluable in pushing progressive causes–everything from open government to gun safety to equal rights for all. Not just pushing for progress, but achieving it. Over and over again. She is smart, tough and politically savvy. Oh, and relentless. Come to think of it, forget about words like ‘progressive’ or ”liberal’. To me, she defines what it once meant and still should mean to be a Democrat. Standing up for what is right and just and standing up for people who don’t have the power to purchase politicians with campaign contributions. As I look for ways to have an impact moving forward, I’ll try to take the lessons that Karen taught us and put them into action. She is, after all, the Most Valuable Progressive I have known during my time in politics in Delaware. A role model for all of us. Starting now.
OK, kids, time for the annual countdown of this year’s MVP’s…..
How Tom Carper’s Positions and Votes Screw People and Help Rethugs Screw People. Volume 4
Let’s first look at the terms of this unholiest of marriages. In exchange for being perhaps Big Pharma’s most dependable stooge (Sen. Menendez of New Jersey is also in the running), Tom Carper has received compensation from the industry commensurate with his stoogery. Big Pharma has contributed $225,010 to Tom Carper from 2011 to the present (end of year contributions not yet reported). Of that amount, $194,410 came from PACs as opposed to $30,600 from individual donors. 86.4% of all dollars from the industry in PAC dollars. Open Secrets has it all right here. If you look at Carper’s 20 Top Contributors, the following all have significant involvement in Pharma: Astra Zeneca, Ashland, Pfizer, and DuPont. In addition, the following big donors have holdings in, and/or are lobbyists for, the pharmaceutical industry (relevant links provided): Blackstone Group, Akin, Gump, et al, Skadden Arps, et al, and King and Spalding.
So, what exactly did/does Big Pharma get from Tom Carper? A lot. Carper’s obstructionism on behalf of the industry paid off handsomely during Obamacare negotiations. And, yes, people who rely on government insurance programs bore the cost.
How Tom Carper’s Positions and Votes Screw People and Help Rethugs Screw People. Volume 3
Perhaps no issue defines who Carper represents in the Senate and who he doesn’t represent in starker terms than his leadership in screwing families down on their luck in favor of the big banks and credit card operations. MBNA, to be more specific.
In Carper’s world, any feigned empathy consistently takes a back seat to the banking and financial interests who fund his campaigns. While there is so much to dislike about his record, this issue, in my opinion, is the clarion call for his replacement in 2018.
You see, Charles Cawley and MBNA had a dream. A dream that came to them almost every day and night. They dreamt of a world where down-on-their-luck folks could no longer get out from under huge credit card balances by declaring bankruptcy. No exceptions.
The dream was funded by campaign contributions. Huge sums of money dating back to the early 1990’s. One of the earliest beneficiaries of MBNA’s largesse was then-Sen. Joe Biden.
BREAKING: Charters vs Christina School District & DDOE Settlement
What’s it mean? The funds generated by the 2003 Christina School District referendum (10 cent referendum) that went to pay for 4 specific district programs will now be shared between District schools and all Charters and Choice schools that have Christina resident students attending them, it’s straight up division. Total revenue from $0.10 tax, divided by total number of Christina resident students enrolled in District, Charter, and Choice schools going forward (FY 18 and beyond).
For the current fiscal year (FY 17), Christina will take the total generated revenue from the $0.10 referendum (approximately $5.5 million according to the settlement), divide it by the total number of students and make payments to the appropriate schools by December 3oth. In addition to a one time payment in the amount of $150,000 to each of the plaintiff charter schools, which totals $2,250,000.
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