So, about last night…

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HB 88, the bill that is aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, remains stalled. The mentally ill, representated by the protestor above, are pleased, as now they can kill as many people they want with any gun they can get their hands on. The protestors there in Dover yesterday in opposition to HB 88 suffer under paranoid delusions, highlighting the need for this bill in the first place. Meanwhile, Senator Townsend's Senate Bills on education transparency, 147 and 148, passed the House. These bills are intended to snatch a small victory from the massive thrashing jaws of defeat that was the passage of the Charter School bill. Both bills are now waiting for Governor Markell's signature. Finally, the bill to rein in the powers of state Treasurer Chip Flowers was not brought to the floor for a vote.

Love always defeats Hate.

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Picture courtesy of Erik Raser-Schramm. Come insider for the larger version. The scene is down at the City/County Building in Wilmington, where the first marriage licenses are being issued to gay couples this morning. As you can see from their colorful signs, the hate group Westboro Baptist Church is there. But they are far outnumbered by those who support equality and love.
The Everything Must Go The Budget Must Pass June 30 Last Day of the Session Thread

The Everything Must Go The Budget Must Pass June 30 Last Day of the Session Thread

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June 30. The only day on the legislative calendar, or any calendar for that matter, that lasts much longer than 24 hours. So here is your thread for following the last minute last second backroom deals. Post anything you hear here for discussion. And you can follow the twitter stream of the Delaware House Dems for more info. And if you post on Twitter or Facebook, use the hash tag #DEJune30.
Sunday Open Thread [6.30.13]

Sunday Open Thread [6.30.13]

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Lt. Governor Matt Denn:
I want to take special note of the work that newly-elected Representative Paul Baumbach did this year to get both landowners and residents to agree on a bill to set some limits on rent increases for manufactured home residents. Working with Senator Bruce Ennis, who has championed this issue for years, Paul helped do what the General Assembly had been unable to do for well over a decade. Thousands of manufactured home residents, many of them on fixed incomes, will benefit when the Governor signs the bill this afternoon. Paul was quietly effective, and even after the bill's passage has sought little attention for himself -- but he deserves it. Kudos to both him and Senator Ennis.
Indeed, Paul Baumbach hit Leg Hall running and has been a progressive champion.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: The Final Day, Night, & Day

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: The Final Day, Night, & Day

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We're gonna have drama after all!  Democrats vs. fellow Democrat Chip Flowers.  I support the Democrats not named Chip Flowers, and so should you. Here's why. Chip Flowers claims that he has the power to invest state money, money that goes to fund state pensions. He is the only treasurer in memory to make that claim. Other treasurers have recognized that the responsibility for making these determinations rests with the Cash Management Policy Board, of which the Treasurer is but one member.  Flowers wants to play cowboy in search of higher investment returns.  He's even hired some guy to look at how to increase performance. He hasn't hired anyone to warn him of imprudent risk. This is precisely the type of fiscal irresponsibility that left scores of public pension funds in shambles  throughout the country following the financial scandal. Delaware, which had invested its money prudently and conservatively, remained in strong fiscal condition, and so did state pensions. If Chip Flowers wants to gamble, let him do so at a racino or online or in the market with his own money. As a pensioner of the state, the last thing I want is for him to do is play the market with our money. The proposed bill essentially does to Flowers what earlier legislation did to the Sheriff of Nuttingham--make clear that he can't overstep his bounds and/or create new imaginary powers for himself.  For the sake of my fellow pensioners, I hope it passes.
Friday Open Thread [6.28.13]

Friday Open Thread [6.28.13]

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Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims (D) of Philadelphia introduced a Marriage Equality bill in the Pennsylvania State House after the DOMA decision, and he sought to speak to the chamber supporting his bill. Sims is openly gay, the first openly gay lawmaker in Pennsylvania. And he was not allowed to address the chamber. Why? Because a fascist theocratic bigot disguised a supposed freedom loving Republican, State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, raised the following procedural objection:
"I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God's law," Metcalfe had told WHYY of Philadelphia.
I am fracking floored. Metcalfe must be impeached. Whomever sustained the objection must be expelled from the chamber. (Yeah, today I am on a "kicking the evil GOP out of office" theme). For they both have just violated the Federal and State Constitution by endorsing a state religion and approving a religious test, both of which are explicitly forbidden by both Constitutions.
The IRS IG Must Resign. But so should every single Republican on the House Oversight Committee

The IRS IG Must Resign. But so should every single Republican on the House Oversight Committee

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Earlier this week, lost in the hub bub surrounding the Supreme Court's decisions on DOMA, Prop 8 and the Voting Rights Act, was this revelation that the IRS Inspector General’s report on the IRS was deliberately limited to only discussing Tea Party groups, and the IG says it was Congressional Republicans who ordered this limitation. We now know that the IRS targets both tea party groups and progressive groups, singling out the terms progressive and occupy in 2011 just as they singled out tea party and patriot. Thus, it would appear that the Inspector General perjured himself before the House Oversight Committee when he said the IRS targeting was limited to the conservative groups and terms. Andrew Sullivan says the IG must resign due to such perjury. He is half right. But he conveniently ignores the true scandal here.
The Treasury inspector general (IG), whose report helped drive the IRS targeting controversy, says it limited its examination to conservative groups because of a request from House Republicans. A spokesman for Russell George, Treasury's inspector general for tax administration, said they were asked by House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) "to narrowly focus on Tea Party organizations."
Darrell Issa must be arrested for obstruction of justice at once. If he had any honor he would resign, as should every single Republican on that committee. They purposefully and with malice aforethought attempted to create a scandal where none existed. And in so doing, they interfered with the investigation into what actually happened at the IRS.