Tag: El Somnambulo
Sen. Colin Bonini Diverts State Bond Funds to Private Religious Institution
We all know Colin Bonini. The Senator who votes against the Budget pretty much every year and publicly scolds the General Assembly for failing to make the ‘tough choices’. Meaning failing to shred the social safety net while cutting taxes and screwing unions. This self-same Colin Bonini sits on the Bond Bill Committee. A superb […]
Delaware Political Weekly: July 12-18, 2014
The Democratic Party endorses neither candidate for the State Treasurer primary. Kremlinologists no doubt will enjoy parsing the following sentence:
Given the Committee’s perception of quality both Democratic Treasurer candidates possess, the committee failed to reach consensus on the endorsement of either candidate.
Might I suggest that this is one endorsement that neither candidate really wanted? How could Chip run as the anti-establishment candidate if the establishment endorsed him, and how could Barney run as someone not beholden to the Carpers and Carneys of this world if he got the endorsement? My vote will ultimately come down to this: What can we least afford? A self-delusional narcissist who has had his hands effectively tied, or the next Carper or Carney?
RIP: Johnny Winter & Elaine Stritch
Two serious soulful performers gone. A guitar god who sometimes placed speed (in both ways) ahead of pitch or accuracy, and one of the most galvanizing stage performers (for whom pitch was thankfully never the point) I’ve ever seen with a particular penchant for the music of Stephen Sondheim….
Markell to Children: Drop Dead
Don’t look for gimlet-eyed Jack Markell to lift a finger to assist in the humanitarian crisis at the nation’s borders. Delaware Gov. Markell turned down a request from The US Department of Health & Social Services to even consider making any state resources available to stem the humanitarian crisis. He blames congressional ‘dithering’. As if the kids placed in the middle of this crisis can do anything to overcome congressional dithering.
From today’s News-Journal story:
Markell, who is among a number of the nation’s governors who fielded federal requests for help, said there are no state facilities available that could properly accommodate the children while they await immigration hearings. But he said some Delaware faith-based organizations might be in a position to offer assistance.
“I don’t really see the possibility of any state facilities housing these kids,” Markell said Monday. “I don’t think that exists. If private organizations choose to do so, that’ll be up to them.”
Election Filing Deadline Preview & Open Thread
The deadline for candidates to file is 12 noon Tuesday. Parties can fill slots on the ballot moving forward, and candidates can withdraw, but anyone who does not file by the deadline cannot get on the ballot w/o party support.
Questions answered:
1. Yes, the fearsome duo of Carl Smink and Rose Izzo will lead the mighty Republican ticket into battle this fall. Izzo filed on Thursday, July 3.
2. Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf will run for reelection. Not that it was ever in doubt, but he has now filed.
Unanswered Questions:
1. Will State Auditor Tom Wagner file for reelection?
‘Bulo’s Fave New Tunes: June, 2014
Great stuff last month. If you’re not at least sampling some of this, you’re missing out. Trust me, if you don’t like one, you just might like the next. No way they ALL suck, even for the narrow-minded (*cough, Jason 330, cough*)….
How The GA Passed Energy Efficiency w/o Passing HB 179
This is awesome, just the kind of stuff I love. You will no doubt recall, through the writings of Cassandra and others, that Delaware utilities currently cannot offer their customers consumer conservation programs that would save the consumer money and reduce energy usage.
You also know that a bill designed to permit utilities to offer these programs was buried in the Senate Energy Committee, where it had languished for over a year under the watchful eye of SEU founder and Senator Harris McDowell. Which brings us to last night, and, for that matter, this morning. At 3:21:05 am, to be precise.
No, Sen. McDowell did not relent, nor did he release HB 179 from committee. So, how did this get done?
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Mon., June 30, 2014
The Longest Day. Here’s what a final day is usually like. Legislators drift in, and sessions generally begin around 4 pm or so. Dinner break a couple hours later. Because of, um, unfortunate instances of overindulgence in the past, members and staff generally dine in Leg Hall. In the past, lobbyists have paid for dinner. […]
Delaware Political Weekly: June 21-27, 2014
Yes, Chris Coons has a Republican challenger. His name is <strong>Carl Smink</strong>. Here's what I know. He's filed, but hasn't announced. He's from Milton. His website is under construction. He has written a few op-eds, or maybe letters to the editor, for the Cape Gazette, none of which are readily available unless you're a subscriber. He <strong>IS, </strong>however, a "Drill, Baby, Drill" kinda guy who hates socialism. Ok.
Two Kent County state reps may not even make it to November, and I must say I'm surprised. Both <strong>Harold Peterman (33rd RD) </strong>and <strong>Don Blakey (34th RD) </strong>are being challenged. Peterman's opponent is <strong>Charles Postles</strong>, who appears to be the chair of…the <strong>33rd Republican RD Committee. </strong>
Blakey's challenger is <strong>Lyndon Yearick</strong>, who doesn't fit a Tea Party profile, at least not on the surface. Active in the United Way, mentoring programs, and also the Chair of the 34th RD, Yearick looks like the kind of candidate R's looking to restore credibility to their Party would seek out. He's currently the Maryland/Delaware Campus Director for Kaplan Test Prep. He has an MBA from Penn State (OK, now <strong>that's </strong>a cult). <a href="http://www.yatedo.com/p/Lyndon+Yearick/normal/a5ff349a0ada08c4fdcb0cf7b1c61be8">By far, one of the more interesting candidate profiles I've come across. </a>
My question is this: Why would two RD chairs primary sitting state legslators? Usually, the legislators themselves have a huge say in who the RD chair is. <strong>Is it possible that Peterman and/or Blakey are retiring even though they've filed?</strong> One would think so. C'mon Kent County, help me out here.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 26, 2014
The Senate approved a new Supreme Court Justice, Karen Valihura, and David Small as DNREC Secretary. I can’t let this go without a comment about Justice Carolyn Berger‘s resignation from the Delaware Supreme Court and her seemingly ‘injudicious’ comments. I don’t know it she’s right on the specifics of Markell not taking her seriously, but she’s right on point when it comes to, well, I guess the operative word is ‘paternalism’, when it comes to women appointees to judgeships.
When I first started working in Dover, the operative word was ‘chauvinism’. I’ll leave it to others to decide whether paternalism is a step up from chauvinism. To me, it’s ‘same old wine in a brand new bottle’. From Philadelphia Business Journal:
Berger’s situation outlines a concern in some quarters in Delaware that women do not have enough of a role on the judicial branch. Berger said women have advanced on the state’s family court, superior court and court of common pleas. She is also the only female to serve on the Court of Chancery, which deals with business litigation.
“Family court is the only court ever to have a woman chief judge,” Berger said. “The court of chancery has had no women judges for the past 20 years, despite the fact that several well-qualified women have applied in the past. And I’ve been the only woman on the supreme court. Many other states have more than one woman justice, and in several jurisdictions, women justices outnumber male justices.”
Maybe it’s the same menfolk arguing that Delaware’s courts are the nation’s most prestigious who, in their own paternalistic minds, don’t want the wimmenfolk messing with that reputation. Perhaps the wimmenfolk who are assuming the leadership role in the State Senate just might have something to say about this moving forward. I hope so. But, I digress. You can as well. In the comments section.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 24, 2014
I really didn’t think this would happen, and, I must admit, I’m almost stunned that the General Assembly would choose political expediency over our deteriorating infrastructure. The Governor is not exempt from criticism. Far from it. Jack Markell (a) waited until an election year to play a game of chicken on infrastructure spending; (b) likened the need to continue our ongoing periodic road maintenance program to swallowing bitter medicine rather than pointing out the benefits to our state’s economy from having those great construction jobs; and (c) decided to (pardon the expression) muddy the waters by making this a two-fer with a proposed clean water initiative. Horrible messaging, horrible staff work.
Still, I never expected the Delaware General Assembly, by dint of deliberate inaction, to blow (at least) a $70 million hole in the annual transportation capital budget. $70 million less spent on keeping our roads and bridges drivable in FY 15 than was spent in FY 14. (Well, maybe $60 mill, should the Honorables hike weekend tolls on Rt. 1.) This is blatant dereliction of duty. From the ridiculous (Valerie Longhurst proclaiming that she simply won’t allow a gas tax increase) to the equally-ridiculous (Greengrocer Hocker claiming that, since the D’s can’t pass this by themselves, he’s not going to ‘help’ them). Never mind everybody who drives in this state who will suffer the consequences. I’ve been around a long time. This Profile in Cowardice ranks near the top of the most cynical gestures ever to emerge from Dover. When the roads become pockmarked, you know who to blame. Call them on it. And if you live in one of these idiots’ districts, and you have the chance, vote against them.
While ignoring public safety, the Honorables appear poised to provide another $10 million to help bail out the bad business decisions made by greedy racino millionaires who were literally given licenses to steal by the State. Who could possibly argue that our legislative luminaries have their priorities in order? Looks like we’re headed towards a horrible conclusion to what has generally been a good legislative session.
Delaware Political Weekly: June 14-20, 2014
Ted Kittila, a Seaford native and a Wilmington corporate attorney, announced that he would run as an R for Attorney General. He has not yet filed. Here is a background piece on Kittila from the News Journal. It also looks like Kittila will need to bring something a little stronger than his trying to contrast himself with Denn by essentially claiming that he is a lawyer while Denn is a politician. Denn’s response:
“I have practiced law in every court in the State of Delaware, representing both businesses and people with few resources or who couldn’t afford an attorney,” Denn said. “I have worked to improve the public safety system as chair of the Criminal Justice Council. I have experience protecting consumers as Insurance Commissioner, protecting children as Chair of the Child Protection Accountability Commission and getting laws passed as Insurance Commissioner and Lieutenant Governor to help families, businesses, schools and kids. I look forward to talking about my experience and ideas.”
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