El Somnambulo – Page 11 – Delaware Liberal

The 62 Project!

By El Somnambulo May 27, 20143 Comments

Yes, it still exists, although it's been in limbo for awhile. For those of you who were too young and/or didn't read this blog religiously or atheistically at the time, the 62 Project is/was designed to rank all of the legislators based on their effectiveness, accomplishments, and progressive principles. These are/were career rankings, not simply snapshots of a given period. Clearly, those with longer careers have more of a track record, for better or for worse, and are less subject to major changes in the rankings. I now realize that there's no way that I can continue to write the type of extensive profiles I've been doing, and complete this project by (my newest deadline) the September primaries. So, I will write shorter profiles that I hope capture the reason for each legislator's ranking. Let's first recap those I've already ranked.....

Breaking News: Delaware House Leadership Team A Team No More

By El Somnambulo May 22, 201435 Comments

According to literally dozens of sources, Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf and House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst are no longer allies, to put it mildly. In fact, they've had a major falling-out. Their 'breakup' is the talk of Legislative Hall, and it could impact legislative deliberations during the final month of session. You will recall that, when running for Speaker, Schwartzkopf insisted that he and Longhurst were running as a team, and that it was either both of them or neither of them. It's the only way that Longhurst could have been elected Majority Leader. By a narrow margin, it turned out to be both of them. I'll be right upfront and once again tell you that I dislike Val Longhurst intensely. She has proven that she takes delight in intimidating people and in exercising power over anyone who gets in her way. I will also tell you that she is perhaps the most universally reviled legislative leader with whom I've come in contact. Joe Petrilli, also a former House Majority Leader, albeit on the R side, was the previous champion, IMHO. She is despised by many staff people and by many of her colleagues in both the House and the Senate. While I don't know why they've finally stopped working together, I have to think that Speaker Schwartzkopf, if he wanted to remain Speaker Schwartzkopf next session, recognized the need to jettison the toxic Longhurst. I, of course, would welcome any and all inside skinny from Leg Hall.

Bulo’s Fave New Tunes: April, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 22, 20143 Comments

Quality over quantity this month, admittedly a little late: Ought: 'Habit' The Boston Boys: 'Become Like One' Rosanne Cash: 'Modern Blue' Eels: 'Mistakes of My Youth' Stone Cold Fox: 'Darling, Darling' Come inside for the music....

Delaware Political Weekly: May 10-16, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 16, 20145 Comments

Robert Keesler has filed to take on incumbent Gerald Brady (D-4th RD) this fall. While the district is more hospitable to an R than the other city-based districts (the bizarrely-gerrymandered district goes from Wilmington to Hockessin) it’s still a D-leaning district. Registration figures show 8200 D’s; 5097 R’s; and 4537 I’s. Keesler is a new name to me. He has written a couple of entries on the blogs, including our own. IMHO, Gerald Brady is a hack, but he's in a district that has elected him a few times now, and my first impression of Keesler doesn't make me think that he'll have any better luck than Tyler Nixon did vs. Brady. Colin Bonini Files... ...for reelection to his State Senate seat in the district drawn just for him by Tony DeLuca. His official listed name on the ballot is Colin RMJ Bonini. Which, of course, raises the question, what does RMJ stand for? It's contest time!

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., May 15, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 15, 20142 Comments

Today's House Agenda features HB 308(M. Smith), 'create(s) an Office of the Common Interest Community Ombudsman' to address disputes between developers and residents in communities 'created by legal documents drafted by the developer and...intended to be managed by those living in these communities. As someone who did a lot of constituent service work, I can tell you that there were a lot of issues that could have used this mechanism to resolve w/o going to court. I think this is a real good bill. Once again, excellent legislating from Melanie Smith, one of the General Assembly's best.

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., May 14, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 14, 201413 Comments

Here we are in mid-May, and it's been weeks since we've heard anything about a gas tax for transportation funding and/or a revenue stream to clean our water. Is this a game of political chicken, or has everybody chickened out? Assuming no new revenues for transportation projects, there will be roughly $70 million less to spend next Fiscal Year on fixing our roads and bridges than has been allocated in the current Fiscal Year. This after one of the most brutal winters in recent memory. This also means $70 million less to invest in our workers and our state's economy. Is this really (not) going to happen? What a pathetic demonstration of what passes for political leadership in Dover. There's still time, but is there political will?

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., May 13, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 13, 201419 Comments

Good news/bad news: The good news: One of this session's best bills was introduced. HB 331(Kowalko) 'removes the exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and thus fully applies FOIA to the University of Delaware and Delaware State University'. Delaware may now be the only holdout when it comes to requiring academic institutions receiving state funds to open their books. The bad news: The bill has been assigned to the House Administration Committee, where Pete Schwartzkopf and Valerie Longhurst are likely to keep it buried. I also wonder why this bill wasn't introduced earlier in session. It would have given proponents the chance to push for the release of this bill. The Senate also passed SB 209(Townsend), a good first step in considering the potential impact of granting additional charters on existing schools. The bill 'requires the Department of Education to promulgate regulations to further define the meaning and process for consideration of impact in the charter school application review process, to be considered and approved by the State Board no later than its October 2014 meeting. It also clarifies the conditions that an authorizer may place on an approved application, and provides that the State Board of Education may place or modify conditions to address considerations of impact'. I think that people are finally seeing that public education is endangered by the worst elements/excesses of the charter movement. Based on the broad sponsorship here, let's hope that this can be brought under control before it's too late.

Delaware Political Weekly: May 3-9, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 9, 20147 Comments

Whoa. Now this is interesting. R Judy Travis has filed to run in the Brandywine Hundred district currently held by D Rep. Dennis E. Williams. Williams is facing a D primary challenge from Sean Matthews. It had been expected that two-time loser Robert Rhodunda would challenge for the seat again. Instead, Travis, who previously challenged, and lost to, Rep. Bryon Short in 2010, has jumped in. No she didn't move. She was redistricted in 2012, when I think all of the 7th district west of Foulk Road was moved to the 10th. Although Short defeated her by a 57%-41% margin (there were two other candidates) in 2010, she would likely be at least as formidable as Rhodunda. Short is more firmly entrenched than Dennis Williams. So, does this mean that Rhodunda is out, or that there will be an R primary? Somebody, anybody? I mean, <a href="http://www.bobrhodunda.com/">based on </a><a href="http://www.bobrhodunda.com/">this</a>, it looks like he's running. And Don Ayotte is back....

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., May 6, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 6, 201429 Comments

Ban the Box passes! HB 167( J. J. Johnson), which would 'prohibit a public employer from inquiring into or considering the criminal record, criminal history or credit history or score of an applicant before it makes a conditional offer to the applicant', passed the Senate 15-5 on Thursday. As we've previously mentioned, the bill does:

specif(y) that once a background check is conducted an employer shall only consider felonies for 10 years from the completion of sentence, and misdemeanors for 5 years from the completion of sentence. Further, employers are required to consider several enumerated factors when deciding whether to revoke a conditional offer based on the results of a background check.

HB 167 does not apply to those positions where a criminal background check is statutorily mandated (law enforcement, the courts), but it does apply to contractors with state agencies. Sens. Greg Lavelle and Ernie Lopez were the only Rs to vote yes. Credit where credit's due. The bill now heads to the Governor's desk. BTW, Rep. J. J. Johnson is one of our most effective legislators. He is low-key, doesn't call attention to himself, but he quietly gets things done. Apropos of nothing, he's also a serious jazz buff. He deserves to be better-known.

Delaware Political Weekly: April 26-May 2, 2014

By El Somnambulo May 2, 20148 Comments

I Don't Think Tom Wagner's Running. No inside info although he hasn't yet filed. But I went to his campaign site, and it doesn't look like it's been updated in years. Don't believe me? Click on 'In the News'. Latest update? 2009. Click on the photos. Latest update? 2009. I kid you not. The site's highlight is a photo of a seemingly disinterested Wagner 'being briefed on a recent special investigation'. There is no one else in the picture. Perhaps the Robo-Auditor provided the briefing. As to his future plans? I believe that his old pal Dick Cathcart has an underwater fort with Wagner's name on it. Well, the name's DuPont, but I hear that they're exiting the underwater fort business. Oh, almost forgot, for those of you new to the site and/or unaware of who or what Tom Wagner is, he is our State Auditor. He does nothing.

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., April 30, 2014

By El Somnambulo April 30, 201447 Comments

A particularly-sketchy 'redevelopment' project headlines today's House Committee meetings. HB 310(Longhurst) essentially enables the ethically-bankrupt Dick Cathcart to be at the center of what looks like a deal that will put $$'s in connected people's pockets far from the view of the public. You may remember that Cathcart awarded no-bid contracts to friends of his while 'working' as contract administrator at Delaware State University; had his clear involvement in awarding these contracts whitewashed by Republican crony pal Auditor Tom Wagner; and even had Wagner recommend him for the position of City Manager of Delaware City as the scandal-scarred Cathcart beat a hasty retreat from elective office before the voters did it for him. Under HB 310, which, by the way just happens to be in the House Administration Committee chaired by...sponsor Valerie Longhurst, this is what would happen....

Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., April 29, 2014

By El Somnambulo April 29, 20145 Comments

'Money, That's What I Want': Barrett Strong That's what the Governor wants, that's what the General Assembly wants, and that's what they will talk about. I don't know what kind of negotiations went on over the Easter break, but state government is facing a budget shortfall, largely due to revenue from 'abandoned property' (escheats) coming in lower than projected. BTW, you can't spell 'escheats' with out 'cheats'. If you think you've started to notice a pattern of how much of our budget is built on gimmickry, you are not imagining things. Especially when an alternative is to make the wealthy pay their fair share. Not to mention that we've seen no movement on either the gas tax or proposed water assessment. Unless you count the Rethugs' putting up signs reading 'No New Gas Taxes' all over the New Castle County landscape. Might I suggest perhaps a more constructive project for Rethugs with time on their hands? Maybe fix bridges or fill potholes? You know, the types of repairs that will not be done if Dover denizens do not come to their respective senses? For the umpteenth time: Governor: Stop talking about castor oil. Start talking about the jobs this would create and the projects that would get done. Then go out there and sell it. If it's not too late. Democrats (and whatever Valerie Longhurst passes for this week): Do the same bleeping thing. You do want to create jobs, don't you? If so, govern like Democrats. If you can't sell jobs and bridges that won't fall down, get outta town.

Delaware Political Weekly: April 19-25, 2014

By El Somnambulo April 25, 20143 Comments

Yesterday, Hunter Biden emerged to tell us that Beau Biden, the new presumed frontrunner for Governor in 2016, is 'doing great'. The day before, it was Pete Schwartzkopf. Assuming that they speak the truth, can someone, anyone, explain to me why the Beaudhisattva is incommunicado? Is he absorbing more enlightenment beneath the Bo Tree? I'm serious, can someone please provide a plausible scenario that would explain his refusal to come out and say, "Hi, I'm here, I'm healthy, didja miss me?" I honestly don't think I've seen anything quite like this. It defies explanation, at least to me. BTW, if you read Hunter Biden's statement carefully, he doesn't say that Beau's in great health. Come inside for the quote. As to 2016, while Matt Denn has said that he doesn't 'expect' to run for Governor then, neither has he ruled it out. He didn't expect to run for AG this year b/c he didn't expect Biden not to run. I think Matt will accomplish more in two years as AG as Beau has done in six, so he'd be well-positioned to run in 2016, especially if Beau surprises everyone again. Which, IMHO, would be no surprise at all.