Tag: Featured
The Heroes of Trumpcare’s Defeat
McCain surely deserves credit for his surprise vote. There was an audible gasp when he voted “no” and flashed the bird at McConnell. Murkowski deserves more credit. She stuck to her guns in spite of Trump’s bullying. Collins deserves even more credit. She was a “no” the whole time and that allowed Murkowshi and McCain to come along. But as Josh Marshall, the most insightful and intelligent commenter on all of this points out, the activists and non-activists who showed up at townhalls and made endless noise are the real heroes.
Open Thread For July 28, 2017
Skinny Repeal Goes Down! McCain (finally) does the right thing. Didn’t see that coming. And, yes, Trump went nuts on teh Twitter. Russia Ratchets Up Diplomatic Pressure On Sanctions. This bromance is sure going well. Will Trump veto the sanctions bill? Steve Bannon’s Off-The-Books Press Office. I guess ‘volunteers’ aren’t just for Tony DeLuca any […]
Trump – Let Obamacare (and the economy) implode
Remember…this is all about keeping his Russian crimes in the background. Completely fucking shit up isn’t an accident. It is a strategy, After the Senate’s latest effort to repeal Obamacare failed early Friday morning, President Donald Trump proposed simply letting the Affordable Care Act “implode” before working up replacement legislation. The Senate GOP’s effort to […]
Transgender Activist McBride Calls Out Trump’s 5 Vietnam Deferments
Watch the video.
SARAH MCBRIDE: Well, what’s clear is that for the roughly either 6,000 to 15,000 transgender people who are actively serving in our military right now, this policy change would have sweeping impacts on their lives,
their careers, their families. This is really a mean-spirited, unpatriotic, and dangerous attack on people who are bravely serving their country right now. And while it’s still early in terms of what the policy will actually shape up to be, what it threatens to be is an attack on as many as 15,000 active duty transgender service members, people who are bravely serving this country, something that I will remind President Trump he failed to do after five deferments to Vietnam.
Mo’ Better Democrats: Melanie George Smith, RD 5
OK, I’m cheating here a little. Melanie Smith and her husband have purchased a house outside of her RD. It is an open secret that she plans to leave the General Assembly at the end of her term. She sought a judgeship, but was rebuffed by the Nominating Committee. However, even had she chosen to […]
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.
Is Senator Chris Coons Completely Useless?
When it comes to standing up to Trump, Coons really is winning the “most spineless” derby. In a recent Slate Podcast Coons spends 15 minutes rephrasing all of Dahlia Lithwick’s questions about the beating that the Constitution is already taking, without ever answering any questions.
The closest he comes it an answer is to opine, from on high, about that fact that the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution sets up a “fascinating conflict” between originalists and people who think that the Constitution is a living document. Could there be a more entitled approach to Trump’s multiple and egregious conflicts of interest? “fascinating conflict” JESUS!
How Tom Carper’s Votes and Positions Screw People and Help Rethugs to Screw People. Volume 2
I was gonna release these at a more leisurely pace, but this one sticks in my craw. Well, they all do, but I couldn’t let this one slide any longer. When it comes to grandstanding, Tom Carper is right there with the best. With support for the military (and braggadocio about his own service) near the top of the list. When the rubber meets the road, though, that’s a different story. This one is about how Tom Carper screws the grunts in the military…
How Tom Carper’s Votes and Positions Screw People and Help Rethugs to Screw People. Volume 1
I think a lot of people view Tom Carper as an essentially well-meaning, if occasionally eccentric, public servant. That includes a lot of Democrats and plenty of liberals who I know. They are wrong.
His votes and stated positions, all a matter of public record, and easily discovered via a simple Google search, reveal that he largely ignores the needs of those who routinely vote for him. He does, however, pay fealty to those who finance his campaigns, and he also gives away votes on behalf of his search for bipartisanship. That search, like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football held by Lucy, never comes to fruition.
Carper’s desire to ‘reach across the aisle’ becomes even more dangerous in the era of Trump and Republican-controlled government. He could well end up as the key D who enables the gutting of Medicare and Social Security.
So, while it will take several pieces to flesh out his many sins of commission and omission, let’s get started.
Tom Carper and the Keystone Pipeline…..
Tom Carper and The Third Way
Delawareans can no longer afford the risk of having Tom Carper in the United States Senate. He is, in his own way, as dangerous as Donald Trump because he does not represent the people of this state, but rather represents those who control the lives of ordinary people through undue influence.
We have long referred to Carper’s corporatist leanings, but we perhaps haven’t spelled them out so that people truly understood the extent of them, and the extent of the damage he has caused and can cause.
Today we begin.
Paging 2016 MVP Nominees!
Yes, time to honor those who most contributed to the progressive cause in Delaware in 2016. It was a real tough year, but there were some distinct bright lights, including longtime stalwarts and intriguing newcomers.
While I, of course, have some ideas, I fully expect many of those on the final list, and the order, to come directly from you.
The rules are simple. Make your suggestions, and explain why they deserve mention. Keep in mind that individuals or groups are welcome as are those who aren’t progressive, but somehow contributed to the progressive cause. For example, Christine O’Donnell won this award the year she took out Mike Castle.
I’m also hoping that this may serve as a catharsis to get us all feeling more optimistic about the future and to inspire us to redouble our efforts. After all, marching isn’t just important, but it’s a great way to lose weight.
Nominate away!
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