Progressive Update--07/16/2007

The Delaware legislature is out of session until January, so my attention is returning to national matters, after a few Delaware rants …

Stem Cell Research—Senate Bill 5 is designed to define how stem cell research can be done ethically in Delaware. It passed the state Senate, but Representative Deborah Hudson, one of the sponsors, goes Mr. Hyde on us, and adds House Amendment 1 to it, making it a felony to use stem cells for research purposes. In this manner, at 10pm on the last day of the six month session, Hudson eviscerated her own bill. Crazy, incompetent, or merely a liar—I truly don’t know.

Then again, in January 2006 Hudson did the exact same bait and switch, adding an amendment to Senate Bill 80 (the similar bill introduced in the prior General Assembly), and the amendment removed all references to embryonic stem cells (which was the only purpose to SB 80 in the first place). Hudson appears to be a spineless fair-weather friend to the stem cell movement, one who simply can not be counted on to stand up when faced with any objections. She is not someone I’d want on my team. She is 0 for 2—toxic for any stem cell legislation. And they called John Kerry a flip-flopper!

Before January, let your state senator and representative know that you support legislation that makes it legal to work to develop cures using stem cells. The federal Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 passed Congress (with YEA votes from all three DE legislators), but was vetoed by W last month. Welcome to W’s Dark Ages.

Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation—I joined an overflowing conference room of concerned citizens in Dover last month to testify before a Senate Committee to discuss Senate Bill 141 which would ban this discrimination. Like cockroaches who can’t stand the light of day, the three Senators who oppose this bill, Nancy Cook, Charles Copeland, and John Still, refused to stand up and explain why they support this discrimination. Nancy Cook refused to even attend, and Copeland was there for only a portion. The heartfelt testimony by so many individuals who have been directly hurt by this discrimination made clear that there is a great need for this legislation. I am ashamed of those three state Senators who refuse to grant their fellow state Senators the opportunity to vote on whether this bill should be made law. Whether Cook, Copeland, and Still support the passage of this bill, they should certainly agree that there is merit for the bill to be heard by the full Senate. I am astounded that Copeland, who has considered running for state governor, was too gutless to explain at the public committee hearing why he not only opposes the bill, but also opposes letting his Senate colleagues vote on the bill.

Carney versus Markell—I like both Lt. Governor John Carney and state Treasurer Jack Markell very, very much. I like them so much that I refuse to donate a single dollar to either of them during the primary. If the Republicans put up a challenging candidate to run against the winner of the Democratic primary (whether Carney or Markell), I will be amongst the first to contribute and help at that time. Money donated now will be spent by one wonderful Democrat against another great Democrat, and I consider this a tragic waste of precious resources. In my heart, I would have liked Jack to run against Mike Castle for US Representative. I would have liked to financially support both John and Jack, but to campaign against a Republican, not each other. This primary promises a loss to a wonderful Delaware Democrat, and the spending of a lot of Democratic money without weakening the Republican Party. Talk about fiscal irresponsibility!

Economic Development—State Representative John Kowalko wrote the attached letter to the editor to discuss legislation to establish the Delaware Interstate Job Cooperative Task Force, to help with interstate job creation, which is necessary given the Avon plant and Chrysler plan closings, and to take advantage of the opportunities that come with the Aberdeen Proving Ground expansion in Harford County, Maryland.

Common Cause—I would like to share my hope that this group, whose members have worked so hard to bring good government to Delaware can regain its form. We clearly need good government watchdogs in our state, with our atrocious exemptions from FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act, and with our desk-drawer veto power given to committee chairs in the General Assembly.

Volunteering--Go to www.volunteerdelaware.org for information on volunteer opportunities in Delaware.

National Issues—I’ll share my two cents in three areas—the presidential primaries, the Occupation of Iraq, and the rest.

Presidential Primaries—To those of us who are fairly interested in national politics, this is a very exciting time. Candidates are very accessible, and it is not difficult to play a significant role in the local efforts of your favored candidate. To those who are only slightly interested in national politics, it is still an exciting time, for the country is sick and tired of crony capitalism, and the Republican enabling of W. As such, next fall’s presidential election appears to be the Democrats to lose—it would take a Herculean effort for a Republican to win the White House.

What is your responsibility at this point? To learn more about the candidates, so that 1) you can identify which candidate you wish to support with time, talent, and/or contributions, and 2) when you friends ask you about one candidate or another, you can share the reasons why you like the one you support and also the positive points of the candidate that your friend asked about. Thus even if you support Obama, if your friend asks about Hillary, share positive points about both, for if you speak highly of Obama and criticize Hillary, you may end up hurting our ability to put a Democrat in the White House next year. The Republicans call this the 11^th Commandment—thou shalt say nothing negative about a fellow Republican. You should not hesitate to share the strong positives of your favored Democratic presidential candidate, but also share something positive about the others. United we stand …

What are the candidates’ responsibilities at this point? Again, I feel that all Democrats should follow this 11^th Commandment (applied to fellow Democrats). Pointing out differences is fine, note where you have a more concrete health care plan, or your plan to end the Occupation has a shorter timetable, different benchmarks, etc. You can do this without giving ammunition to the neocon bloggers and talking heads on Fox. Remember that the candidate that you may like to shoot down could be your running mate in twelve months.

Iraq—I hate to say it, but our country deserves another 18 months in Iraq. It elected W in 2004, and with only 1/3 of the Senate being elected every two years, we can not override a veto of the president that the country selected until we kick the Republican Party out of the White House and kick even more Republicans out of the Senate next November. The continued military and civilian deaths in Iraq are the consequences of the votes that our country’s citizens cast in November 2004. This is a priceless lesson in civics, and clearly one that this country desperately required. It tears me apart, however I am hopeful that Americans will think twice (or at least once) before voting again for a draft-dodging, silver spoon fed, fear-mongering moron with a well-funded, mud-slinging spin machine.

There is a good debate over whether we could exit Iraq sooner if we work on a bi-partisan compromise. My view is that this is rubbish. We should have a weekly vote in the Senate to set a twelve month timetable to withdraw ALL combat troops, with zero funding for troops that W leaves in Iraq that violates this timetable. Voting against such a timetable is a vote against our soldiers and their families. There is no downside for W to keep our soldiers in harm’s way and veto a bill—W won’t lose any future election. Congress however is not a lame duck; Congress represents the will of the people, and the people spoke loud and clear in November last year. We don’t want some watered down bipartisan ‘suggestion to the President’ with no teeth, no specifics, no repercussions. But there is downside for Republicans who continue to enable W. Don’t open the door for Democrats to be Swift Boated next year, by having them vote with Republicans on a watered down ‘please W, consider slowly bringing our soldiers home’. Make the lines clear—you are either for or against ending the Occupation. Stand up to W, show some backbone, or pack your bags. If Republicans are willing to stand up to end the Occupation, then that’s great, and I’ll call that bi-partisan. But if a Republican is not willing to set a hard timetable, and cut off funds for this President’s lie-based Occupation, then get those Republicans out of the room (John McCain first)—they bring nothing positive to the table.

The Rest—There are so many issues to raise, about which to share outrage: the Supreme Court overturning its own precedents, the Libby sentence commutation, the continued state of Guantanamo, Bush’s assault on healthcare, anything involving Alberto Gonzalez, the politicization of the US Surgeon General’s office, … There is, however, hope. The polls show that the country is finally waking up to the lies issued daily by the White House. Fewer Republicans (congressmen and citizens) are willing to keep drinking W’s Koolaid. Despite some prominent defections over important items like the failure of The Surge, the Republican Party has a critical problem that they can not fix by next November—the history and the platform of the Republican Party. The Party accepted and yet abdicated one-third of the responsibility of the US government since 2000—they rubber-stamped an imperialist, constitution-breaking Executive branch for six years.

Their platform is mired in an Ozzie and Harriet regressive time-warp. Their record on civil rights, labor rights, anti-discrimination is abysmal. Their economic policies are archaic (trickle down economics has no basis in the open, global environment that they promote), and even conservatives look back favorably on the fiscal responsibility of the Clinton years. Association with W has been described as radioactive—I am expecting the same to be said for association with the Republican party by next November, AND FOR VERY GOOD REASON.

In the meantime, until next November, the Democratic Party needs to focus on the big issues, ending the Occupation of Iraq, restoring checks and balance to the three branches of the federal government, and re-opening government. The Party should lead in the area of good government. This means that they should lead on ethics, on identifying earmarks, and they should lead on putting the country before their own individual well-being. This means that even Senators from New York (serving Manhattan) should be amongst the first to stand up and say that enough is enough, and that hedge fund managers should pay ordinary income taxes on their income. The regressive changes to the tax code under W are criminal (especially when they prevent us from providing healthcare to our children, and when they force us to underfund education and infrastructure (does anyone remember New Orleans), and all Democrats must stand united on this issue, even those in districts with zillionaires. Democrats want to hold their heads high, and to do that we need to stand uniformly for higher ethics than Republicans (OK, so that bar isn’t very high).

Paul S Baumbach

Progressive Update--06/13/2007

Presidential Candidates—With eighteen months to go, we are already being flooded with news stories of the candidates—who is raising the most money, who is ahead in New Hampshire polls, etc. There are periodic debates which offer you the ability to hear several of them speak to issues that matter to you—the Occupation of Iraq, healthcare reform, restoring integrity to government. There are ‘debate parties’ where you can join with others who like your preferred candidate. Every candidate has at least one website where you can find out their positions on issues, how to contribute, and how to volunteer.

I asked my friend Matt Kerbel, professor at Villanova University, to comment on the current crop of candidates (both Democratic and Republican) and, like always, he has wonderful insight:

It's too early to say anything with authority about the individual candidates, although it's clear from any number of measures that there is real excitement and satisfaction on the Democratic side and resignation on the Republican side. In my view, the field of Republican candidates, taken collectively, is the weakest either party has assembled since the Democrats offered the "seven dwarfs" in 1988 (the Dukakis debacle). This is in line with the extreme disarray we've been seeing on the Republican side, the result of Bush doing to conservatism what he has done to Iraq. It's hard to know what conservatives stand for at this point, and that's evident when you listen to the candidates debate. I don't think there is a single president in the lot -- Fred Thompson included.

Although Hillary continues to lead national polls, perhaps the most significant inside baseball story thus far is her failure to knock out her opponents with superior fundraising. Obama almost outraised her in the first quarter, and word is he will do exactly that in the second quarter, drawing on a larger base of small contributors. Without that knock-out punch, there is room for others to compete -- Obama for sure, but don't rule out Edwards, who continues to lead in Iowa. Gore was and is the big wild card. I still wouldn't be surprised if he gets in, and if he does I think it's his to lose, because he'll command a powerful combination of grassroots and institutional support. Although I can see the appeal of Obama/Gore [PSB: I raised this with Matt earlier], he would never take the number two job again. Gore/Obama, on the other hand, has tremendous appeal.

National Issues—The ACLU is organizing a Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice, on June 26^th in Washington. For more information go to https://secure.aclu.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=june_home There are free buses leaving from Delaware.

I imagine that, like me, you are frustrated that despite the clear voice of the voters in November, and a Democratic party majority in both houses of Congress, we seem no closer to ending the Iraq Occupation. I agree with Howard Dean, that we won’t be able to end the madness until the country places a Democrat into the White House. There are too many Republicans continuing to ‘stand by their man’, the Failure in Chief, and the Democratic majority isn’t strong enough to override Bush’s vetoes. Jeff Feldman, author of FrameShopIsOpen (see next paragraph), notes that the party is rightly taking the necessary first step of reclaiming Congress’ share of the federal government’s power, power which the Republican party surrendered to Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Bush for six years, and that this step needs to be successful before and end can be found for the Occupation.

Next week, from the 18^th to the 20^th, there is a progressive conference in DC, the Take Back America 2007 conference. It has most of the Democratic candidates speaking, along with many, many liberals. I read about it at http://www.frameshopisopen.com/ where you can learn more, and register.

There are a wide range of progressive issues at the national level (the increasingly political Supreme Court reversing its own precedents to move towards re-criminalizing abortion, for instance), and I don’t mean to neglect them. My recommendation is that you 1) find the issues that matter most to you, 2) learn what you can about them, to help you frame your viewpoint, and 3) share your view with your legislators and the media. To find your legislator, go to www.votesmart.org, and enter your nine-digit zip code on the top left side panel. You get the names and contact information on your national and state elected representatives.

Delaware Legislation—The News Journal ran an article or two this past weekend on the Delaware state legislature’s pattern of desk drawer vetoes, the manner in which committee chairs let bills die in their committee by never letting their committee consider them, and in this manner never letting the House or Senate decide on the issue. This pattern is alive an well in Dover this year.

Open Government--Democratic-backed House Bill 70 (simple, clear, effective) is in the House House Administration Committee for the past three months (the legislature only works six months a year). Republican-backed House Bill 60 (innumerable loopholes) is in the same committee. These two bills are designed to remove the exemption that the House and Senate currently have from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Senate Bill 4 is even stronger, including caucuses, and it, too, is dieing a slow death.

Lobbying Reform--Democratic Representative John Kowalko's House Bill 68, which forbids senators and representatives from working as a lobbyist for 1 year after they end their service is in the House House Administration Committee, has been stuck in committee for three motnhs.

Equality--There are two bills designed to provide equal rights for all, and there is an event planned to support these bills. Come to Dover on Thursday May 3rd starting at 12:30pm, for Lobby Day.

Senate Bill 10, which provides healthcare and other employee benefits to domestic partners has been stuck in the Senate Finance Committee for over four months. Senate Bill 9 is not yet introduced, would make it illegal in Delaware to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation. Senate Bill 57 has passed both houses, and awaits Gov Minner’s signature. It 'would expand eligibility for Protection from Abuse orders to those in substantive dating relationships and al cohabitating couples.' House Bill 187 permits hospital patients to designation permitted visitors, including domestic partners. It came out of committee yesterday, and awaits a House vote.

Stem Cell Research--Senate Bill 5 passed the senate on March 29th, and emerged from the House Health & Human Development Committee on May 2^nd. There is much information supporting this effort at www.stemcellgo.com, which is also the site where you can donate to support this effort. The site includes an About Senate Bill 5 section, that busts many of the myths that the opponents are spreading. SB5 awaits House vote.

Prison Reform--House Bill 71, which replaces mandatory sentences for drug offenders with empowering judges to set sentences, has been stuck in a Senate committee for two months, having already passed the House. www.surj.com has more information on how this can help 'reduce the injustice, elevated incarcerated population, and excessive cost risked by one-size-fits-all mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws.'

Insurance--Senate Bill 37 is designed to empower the state Insurance Department to review health insurance premium rates just as they do for auto, homeowner, etc. It passed the Senate last week, and is now in a House committee. Senate Bill 31 would forbid insurance companies from using credit scores in setting auto insurance rates. A Senate Substitute (bill) 1 for SB 31 has been introduced, passed by the Senate, and sits in a House committee for more than a month. Senate Bill 6 will establish a statewide health insurance pool for individuals and small businesses to obtain more favorable rates, was passed by the Senate in April, and sits in a House committee. All of these bills have been introduced in the past and have been blocked by the Republican House, and all have been championed by DE Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn, who is running for Lieutenant Governor next year. House Concurrent Resolution 6 urges Congress and the President to enact a comprehensive universal health insurance act, and has been stuck in committee for over two months.

Poverty--House Concurrent Reslution 16 (by Terry Schooley) seeks to establish a Child Poverty Task Force to study and develop a plan to reduce child poverty in Delaware by 50% in the next ten years. It made it through committee, but sits in the House for over a month.

National Guard--House Joint Resolution 4 urges Congress and the President to pass Senate Bill 513 and House 869, which returns control of the Delaware National Guard for domestic purposes from the President to the Governor. It passed the House in May and the Senate in last week, and awaits Governor Minner’s signature.

Volunteering--Go to www.volunteerdelaware.org for information on volunteer opportunities in Delaware.

Paul S Baumbach

Send me an email if you would like to be removed from this email list. You can find this and all past emails at my blog site:

http://paulprogressive.blogspot.com

Countdown to Get Our Country Back

Progressive Update--04/11/2007

National Issues--Where do I begin? What a difference a party-change makes! We no longer have a Congress that rubber-stamps everything that comes out of the White House. White House cronyism and incompetence is finally being challenged (it is sad when the Justice Department is being investigated for injustice).

Election Time Is Now, Really!!--There are two seats in the Delaware House of Representatives up for grabs. Republican Wayne Smith turned from lobbyists' friend to lobbyist in the stroke of a pen. His district (the 7th, in Brandywine Hundred) has its special election THIS SATURDAY, and Democrat Bryon Short is running. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer, including on Saturday. Go to www.deldems.org for more information, and to volunteer.

Republican Representative Adkins, after flashing his Representative credentials at too many drunk-driving stops, and lying to fellow representatives and law enforcement offices one too many times, was forced to resign from the downstate 41st district. Democrat (and former Millsboro Mayor) Lynn Bullock will be running in the special election (not yet scheduled, but expected in May). Contributions and volunteers are needed.

These two elections offer the opportunity for us to narrow our gap in the House, where Republicans currently have a 5 seat advantage (18 Democrats to 23 Republicans), to only one. This can make 2008 a far easier year. Please pitch in!

The 23rd Representative District (with Democrat Terry Schooley as its rep), hosts its annual spaghetti dinner and auction next Friday (the 20th) from 6-9pm at the Unitarian church (www.uufn.org). Seeing Chris Coons emcee an auction is well worth the cost of admission, with the dinner simply a bonus. See me for the $10 tickets. Arrive on time--the live auction begins at 7pm.

Delaware Legislation--Here I run down a bunch of progressive topics and related pending legislation in Dover.

Open Government--House Bill 4 easily passed the House on its second try last month, and is currently in the Senate Executive Committee. This will bring the budget and bond bills into the open a few days before the end of June. Democratic-backed House Bill 70 (simple, clear, effective) is in the House House Administration Committee. Republican-backed House Bill 60 (innumerable loopholes) is in the same committee. These two bills are designed to remove the exemption that the House and Senate currently have from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Senate Bill 4 is even stronger, including caucuses. As such, it likely has a lower chance of passing. It has been in the Senate Executive Committee for three months, dieing a slow death.

Lobbying Reform--Democratic Representative John Kowalko's House Bill 68, which forbids senators and representatives from working as a lobbyist for 1 year after they end their service is in the House House Administration Committee. This bill needs your support--please ask your senator and representative to support this bill.

Equality--There are two bills designed to provide equal rights for all, and there is an event planned to support these bills. Come to Dover on Thursday May 3rd starting at 12:30pm, for Lobby Day.

Senate Bill 10, which provides healthcare and other employee benefits to domestic partners has been stuck in the Senate Finance Committee for over two months. Senate Bill 9 is not yet introduced, would make it illegal in Delaware to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation. Senate Bill 57 has been accepted 'on its merits' by committee and is back to the Senate for a vote. It 'would expand eligibility for Protection from Abuse orders to those in substantive dating relationships and al cohabitating couples.' There is a not-yet-introduced bill to provide hospital visitation rights to domestic partners. Please come to Dover on May 3rd and be heard by your representatives. For more information, contact Drew Fennel at dfennell@acludelaware.org

Stem Cell Research--Senate Bill 5 passed the senate on March 29th, and is currently in the House Health & Human Development Committee. There is much information supporting this effort at www.stemcellgo.com, which is also the site where you can donate to support this effort.

Prison Reform--House Bill 71, which replaces mandatory sentences for drug offenders with empowering judges to set sentences, passed the House last week, and is in the Senate Judiciary Committee. www.surj.com has more information on how this can help 'reduce the injustice, elevated incarcerated population, and excessive cost risked by one-size-fits-all mandatory minimum drug sentenceing laws.'

Insurance--Senate Bill 37 is designed to empower the state Insurance Department to review health insurance premium rates just as they do for auto, homeowner, etc. It is currently before the Senate. Senate Bill 31 would forbit insurance companies from using credit scores in setting auto insurance rates. This, too, sits in the Senate. Senate Bill 6 will establish a statewide health insurance pool for individuals and small businesses to obtain more favorable rates, and was passed by the Senate last week. All of these bills have been introduced in the past and have been blocked by the Republican House. House Concurrent Resolution 6 urges Congress and the President to enact a comprehensive universal health insurance act. It is in the House Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee.

Poverty--House Concurrent Reslution 16 (by Terry Schooley) seeks to establish a Child Poverty Task Force to study and develop a plan to reduce child poverty in Delaware by 50% in the next ten years. It is in the House Health & Human Development Committee.

National Guard--House Joint Resolution 4 urges Congress and the President to pass Senate Bill 513 and House 869, which returns control of the Delaware National Guard for domestic purposes from the President to the Governor.

Earth Day is later this month, and there are several related events, including the Sierra Club Film Festival at DE State University (for info email June Satterfield at junesatterfield@juno.com

Presidential Candidates--I have friends who actively support Dennis Kucinich (www.kucinich.us) and Barack Obama (www.barackobama.com). I like some of the information that I have heard from John Edwards, too (www.johnedwards.com). Now is the time for each of us to learn more, and when we find a candidate that excites us, volunteer and contribute to their campaign.

Volunteering--Go to www.volunteerdelaware.org for information on volunteer opportunities in Delaware.

Progressive Update--03/01/2007--Time to get back to work!

You may have thought that I dropped off the face of the earth, as I haven’t issued a progressive update for almost four months. It took awhile for me to return from cloud nine. Progressives had a slew of victories last November, however it is time to get back to work.

I asked two friends to share some information on the presidential candidates that they are helping, with their reasons, and with an invitation for how you can help:

Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is the most progressive candidate campaigning for the Presidency. More important, he is the only candidate so far to respond with definitive answers to the crisis that America and the world face today. He is the only candidate with the courage to favor an American single-payer health system despite opposition from powerful special interest groups. He is the only candidate with a realistic and comprehensive plan to end the war in Iraq. He is the only candidate with a vision for a world in peace - without war, poverty and hunger - taking the first step by establishing a federal department of peace to promote human rights, social justice, humanitarian aid. All of this could be done by proposing new policies and a change in direction for America. And this is not just campaign jargon -- it is evidence-based. To learn more and why we need your help and support, please contact Dr. Philip Pollner at leadcoal@aol.com or the Kucinich campaign at info@kucinich.us

In the middle of the recent snowstorm, two dozen hardy souls gathered at the first Delaware For Obama meeting. The immediate goals of Delaware For Obama are to publicize the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama for president, to connect with the national campaign, and to begin fundraising. For more information about Senator Obama and his innovative approaches to the challenges facing our nation, visit www.barackobama.com To find out about Obama events in our area, Sign Up and join in!

There are a host of top issues in Delaware state politics. One leading one is the resignation this week of the House Majority Leader, Wayne Smith. He plans to resign on March 12^th and start work as a lobbyist on March 13^th. That’s how Republicans work in this state. There will be a special election for his Brandywine Hundred district (the 7^th RD) as soon as March 22^nd, an extremely short timeline. As such, volunteers and contributions are needed quickly and desperately. To volunteer, call the DE Democratic Party at 328-9036, email Delaware@deldems.org. Checks should be made out to New Castle County Democratic Committee, and mailed to DE Democratic Party, PO Box 2065, Wilmington, DE 19899—you know that the Republicans are shoveling money into this race. We picked up three seats in the House from the Republicans last November, and we could really use this seat to get progress on issues such as healthcare in DE. The challenge is large, as the gerrymandering makes this district Republican-heavy, so your help is necessary.

Wind Power—Protests of ‘skeptic’ state climatologist notwithstanding, Delawareans know that global climate change threatens the planet, and we can make a giant step forward, with the possibility of approving a large wind-power farm off the DE seashore rather than yet another natural gas or coal plant. A public hearing is set for 7pm on Thursday the 8^th at the Carvel office building (and also 7pm on Tuesday the 6^th at Legislative Hall) for the Public Service Commission to discuss the three proposals. The decision is in the hands of three state agencies, and this could be your last chance to be heard on the issue before the decision is made.

Open Government—As a supporter of John Kowalko, I feel the need to respond to the accusations that John opposed open government by voting against House Bill 4. Knowing John, when I heard that he voted against an open government bill, I concluded that either 1) John lost his mind, or 2) the bill is not an open government bill. Looking at the details, I was comforted that John is still on the top of his game, and that HB 4 is what Republicans call an open government bill, just as President Bush has provided Clean Air and Iraqi Freedom and an act for patriots—yeah, right. House Bill 4 does not open a single meeting to the public—it is a feel-good bill, not a do-good bill. John voted against it to maintain the pressure on the legislature to pass real open government laws. Shame on the media, and most especially shame on a few blogging progressives for falling for the Republican spin—just because Republicans call HB4 ‘open government’ doesn’t mean that it is, and recognize that if HB4 was passed in January, it would enable the Republicans to resist any true open government legislation later this year..

Yesterday the House Republicans introduced House Bill 60, which rambles for four pages of legalese, and is supported by fewer than half of the House Republicans. Of course the House Democrats wrote the one-sentence House Bill 70 weeks earlier. This wonderful bill simply removes the exemption that the General Assembly has from the Freedom of Information Act. This is true open government bill, and is sponsored by two Democratic state senators and every single House Democrat, but not a single Republican. Please urge your state representative and senator to push for the passage of House Bill 70.

Lobbying Reform—The Wilmington News Journal has been reporting on the egregious state of lobbying in Delaware, with state Republicans monopolizing the wall of shame. Then just as John Kowalko introduces a House Bill 68 bill that, if passed, will bar a retiring state legislator from lobbying for one year, Republican state Representative (and Majority Leader) Wayne Smith retires and avoids the restriction. Of course John is not getting much help from fellow legislators in his efforts to restrict lobbying. At this point there are only two co-sponsors, state senators Peterson and Still. Please urge your state representative and senator to push for the passage of House Bill 68.

Equality—Senate Bill 10 would provide health and retirement benefits to domestic partners of state employees. Given that Delaware prevents committed same-sex couples from marrying, this is a necessary step towards equality. Please urge your state representative and senator to push for the passage of Senate Bill 10. Senate Bill 9 is still being worked on before its introduction. It is designed to make it unlawful to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation. It is astounding that it isn’t already illegal to fire someone in Delaware based on their orientation, and so this bill is necessary. Please urge your state representative and senator to co-sponsor, and push for the passage of Senate Bill 9.

Prison Reform—House Bill 71 today emerged from the House Judiciary Committee, and is designed to return the discretion of proper sentencing to the sentencing judge, repealing mandatory sentencing for drug law offenders. Mandatory sentencing was well-intentioned, however it has resulted in prison overcrowding, and the inability of the system to direct the best solution for each person (some need to go to prison, some to substance abuse programs, etc). For more information, go to www.surj.org. Please urge your state representative and senator to push for the passage of House Bill 71.

Holding Elected Leaders Accountable—Rebecca Young of the Progressive Democrats of Delaware shared the following. “DFA is offering another in their series of training programs, this one aimed at holding our elected officials accountable. I've taken several of these courses and I find them very worthwhile. You only need to spend an hour of your time, at home, in front of your computer. It's fun and you will learn something. So here's your invitation to Holding Elected Leaders Accountable: http://www.dfalink.com/register.php?c=e&id=&eid=18353 and the session is Tuesday the 6^th at 8:30pm.”

I’ll close with comments from Villanova professor Matt Kerbel, who offered the following comments to me after January’s State of the Union speech (he gets points for being able to watch Bush speak for so long without vomiting): Hi, Paul. Good to hear from you again! If Bush didn't have to speak last night, I'm sure he would have avoided it. He had nothing new to say about the one issue people are most concerned about and no accomplishments to flaunt. His speech, like his administration, was fundamentally dishonest. How can you talk about the state of the union in 2007 without putting Iraq front and center? Yet he waited until two-thirds of his speech was over, until he had plowed through a laundry list of domestic themes, before even mentioning the war. And when he finally got around to mentioning it he had nothing new to say, apart from acknowledging that this wasn't the war he wanted but we have no choice other than to see it through. There was no acceptance of responsibility for mistakes, no acknowledgment of the message of the last election -- that the public has given up on his war leadership. He ended by saying the state of the union is strong. An honest president would have acknowledged what people know anyway: that close to 70 percent of the country feels we are on the wrong track and that we have to change course. If people tuned in they would have immediately tuned out. But I suspect that many people stayed away, because the country has stopped listening to him.

I thought Jim Webb's response was on point. He essentially said the Republican Party has lost its bearings and if Bush doesn't change course, the Democrats will do it for him. It was a nice contrast to Bush's unrealistic statement that the state of the union is strong, and it foreshadows strong Democratic leadership in the months ahead. The new political balance of power was on display last night, and -- although we're about to enter a dangerous and difficult period -- it bodes well for a progressive future.

Progressive Update--11/09/2006--Great Job!!!

What a great week for this country. The entire country, liberals and conservatives, Dems, Republicans, Greens, Independents, etc, stood up and said that we do not accept corruption, incompetency, an imperial presidency, the status quo in Iraq, and an administration of lies.

This didn’t happen because the moon was in the right phase; this happened because of the time, talents, and treasure that we provided to many, many campaigns. Great job!!!

The campaign that I worked the most on was John Kowalko’s (www.johnkowalko.com) for the 25^th Representative District of the Delaware House of Representatives. He beat 12-year incumbent Stephanie Ulbrich, who beat him by 16% in 2004. John, who worked his tail off for two years, beat her by 4%. By the way, you can not find a more progressive candidate (now politician) than John Kowalko. His victory enables the Democratic party to come closer to reclaiming the lead in the Delaware House (we already have the majority in the state Senate).

I will finish with thoughts shared with me yesterday morning by Villanova Political Science professor and all-around nice guy Matt Kerbel, whom many of us heard provide a wonderful analysis in 2004. He frequently provides political analysis for Philly TV and radio stations. It is worth reading and savoring every word, several times:

Some sleep deprived thoughts the morning after. Our democracy works. They tried hard to break it but they couldn't. For all the resources the Republicans had, and for all their dirty tricks and lies, we won a sweeping victory with a governing majority in the House larger than anything the Republicans had during their 12 year run, and a majority of governors and state legislatures that will serve as our talent pool for a generation. When all is said and done, we're going to have the Senate too.

The House majority is large enough to be a governing majority and large enough to endure. A lot of Republicans have never experienced life in the minority. Look for more Republican retirements next cycle leading to more open seat opportunities. Combined with a favorable Senate map the next two rounds, we should be able to keep our majorities for a long time.

I believe this marks the beginning of the end of the Nixon-Reagan-Bush regime that has dominated our politics for two generations. For the first time since the Republicans briefly ran everything in the early 1950s, the governing majority in congress does not include the South. I believe we are seeing the emergence of a progressive governing coalition that will unite the coasts and upper midwest with the libertarian great plains and mountain west. It will take at least two more cycles to consolidate it. But it's starting to come together.

I was very disappointed about Lamont, but let's not forget that it was his primary victory over Lieberman that got DC Democrats to recognize that, you know, people are unhappy about Iraq. Only then did they start talking about it and drawing distinctions with Bush. That nationalized the election and made yesterday possible.

My strongest hope, and my firm belief, is that we will now have the national discussion about Iraq that was denied us by Republican rule. We will have hearings where the architects of this war will be compelled to testify under oath and in public about the way intelligence was manipulated to achieve a political end so that Americans can begin to accept this was an unnecessary war of choice thrust upon us by a corrupt and dishonest leadership. Because until we have the conversation about how we got into Iraq we cannot have the conversation about how to get out. There hasn't been much honesty in government over the past four years. That's about to change.

And as I watched us win across the country last night, vindicating Dean's 50-state strategy, I thought about the doors I knocked on in New Hampshire in 2003, the meetups, and all the grassroots work so many of us have been doing for so long now. You can trace yesterday's victory directly back to the day Howard Dean got up in front of the other presidential candidates in California and asked why his party was afraid to stand up to power. This isn't the end by a long stretch, but it is a turning point.

Paul S Baumbach

http://paulprogressive.blogspot.com/

Progressive Update--11/03/2006

Only four days to go until Election Day on Tuesday the 7^th. Please find out how you can help a particular candidate’s campaign over the next few days, or help Delaware’s Democratic Party (kdwyer@deldems.org). Kristin Dwyer at HQ can provide you with contact information for whatever campaign that you would like to help with, and opportunities for work for the entire party.

John Kowalko for 25^th RD State Representative—John’s staging area for volunteers is the UAW complex at 698 Old Baltimore Pike. Since polls open at 7am on Tuesday, poll volunteers are needed at—are you ready?—6:15-6:30am. John is looking for folks, even if they can best handle a two hour shift. The 25^th RD has five polling locations. John also needs phone bank volunteers on Tuesday, to call Democrats who have not yet voted. There are shifts from 10:15a-2:30pm and 2-6pm. You can also email John at kowalkoforthe25th@verizon.net to ask for other volunteer opportunities.

John Kowalko and other candidates need ‘poll checkers’, folks inside the polling stations who keep track of voting Democrats. This enables campaigns to call Dems who have not yet voted later in the day. To do this, you will need to go through training, which is on Saturday at 6pm at Del Dems HQ at 19 E. Commons Blvd, 2nd Floor, New Castle, DE 19720, (302) 328-9036, near the News Journal building near Basin Road.

Dennis Spivack for US House of Representatives—I am certain that they need volunteers, however I did not get information from them. For such information, contact Glenn Shipley at glenn@spivackforcongress.org, 153 E Chestnut Hill Rd, Suite 104, Newark, 302-479-7748

Beau Biden for DE Attorney General—Contact Sarah Gallagher at sgallagher@bidenag.com or cell phone 302.545.4365 if you can help. There are lit drops on Saturday from 9a-1p, and 1-5pm, also on Sunday at the same times. There is door-hanger hanging on Monday at 5:30pm, and a need for volunteers for 4 hour shifts on Tuesday. Biden HQ is at 918 S Madison St, Wilmington, at the Riverfront Shipyard Shops.

MoveOn has phone volunteer opportunities that Karen, a friend of mine, says is really snazzy. Go to pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/c4c.html for more information.

Donate—It is not too late to donate to your favorite candidates. Last minute contributions can help with last minute advertisements and phone banking. In addition to supporting Delaware candidates, consider helping Tester (Montana), McCaskill (Missouri), and Webb (Virginia). In each of these US Senate races, the Democrat is currently within 3 percentage points of the Republican candidate.

Yellow Dog Democrats—I recently heard this phrase as describing folks who would vote for a yellow dog who is a Democrat over a nice person who is a Republican. I can understand how this can be intended as an insult, however I feel that six years of W has effectively turned me into a proud Yellow Dog Democrat. To those who look down their noses at such partisan hacks such as me, I would point to the White House. How many moderate Democrats up for re-election is Dictator Bush helping to campaign? W, Rove, Cheney, Frist, Hastert and other have created this extremely divisive environment. Hastert and others covered up sexual abuse of Republican Rep Mark Foley, following the past lead of the Catholic Church (see no evil, …). Rep Castle and other Republicans backed a House rules change that would permit Republican Rep Tom Delay to remain Speaker despite his indictments of campaign finance lawbreaking. Republicans have circled their wagons tightly for six years. It is time to reap what you sow.

No honest Republican can fault Yellow Dog Democrats this year. Actually many Republicans are deserting the party in droves (either as candidates who are running as Democrats, or as voters who support new and old Democrats and reject today’s corrupt Republicans), as they recognize that the current Republican party has lost all moral direction and fiscal responsibility.

Keeping Track—I re-discovered the website www.electoral-vote.com, which does a wonderful job of keeping up with the surveys and projecting results (current results is 49/49 with 2 unknown in the Senate, and a whopping 241 Dems 193 Rep’s, and 1 Tie in the House, for a unbelievable pickup of something like 38 seats in the House by the Dems. Remember that the Republicans have been gerrymandering the districts and still are losing 9% of their House seats—what a revolt! Karl, how are you going to spin this?

Paul S Baumbach

Go to my blog at paulprogressive.blogspot.com for all of my past postings. I learned this week that the ultra-conservative folks at WDEL (on the ‘right side of issues’) and in Ulbrich’s campaign are reading my blog—I am honored. Read on—you might actually learn something, such as how fed up people are with commentators and professional politicians who have no idea how government can serve people.

Progressive Update--10/30/2006--LTE Anyone?

Only one weekend and one week to go until election day on Tuesday the 7^th. Please find out how you can help a particular candidate’s campaign over the next 8 days, or simply help Delaware’s Democratic Party HQ (kdwyer@deldems.org). Kristin Dwyer at HQ can provide you with contact information for whatever campaign that you would like to help with, and opportunities for work for the entire party.

I have an urgent need for someone, preferably in the 25^th RD (Stephanie Ulbrich/John Kowalko’s district) to submit a letter to the editor supporting John. I have a fully developed letter, if you are interested in submitting it (and you of course are welcome to customize it to your liking). Given that the election is only 8 days away, however, I need someone to come forward today or tomorrow for this.

If you like a particular candidate, submit a letter to the editor today or tomorrow, sharing in a short/sweet way why that candidate has earned your vote. You can make a big difference in swaying fence-sitting voters in the next 8 days. http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=OPINION includes a section towards the bottom to submit a letter to the editor (LTE). I usually compose mine within a word processor (Word), until I like it, and then I go to the website and cut/paste it into their form. I would be happy to work with anyone to provide a second set of eyes for a LTE that you are working on—just send me an email.

Donate—It is not too late to donate to your favorite candidates. Last minute contributions can help with last minute advertisements and phone banking. In addition to supporting Delaware candidates that I like (and there are several), last week I contributed to Virginia candidate James Webb online in his Senate battle against George Allen. The House seems to be Blue on the 9^th, but the Senate is unknown, with four ‘too close to call’ races determining the balance.

Paul S Baumbach

Progressive Update--10/18/2006--Three Weeks and Counting

Forum—In a week, on Tuesday night from 7-9pm, our church (www.uufn.org) is hosting a forum for candidates for Delaware’s Senator, Representative, and the state Representative from the 25^th Representative District (John Kowalko versus Stephanie Ulbrich). I would really appreciate it if you are able to attend, and/or if you can spread the word. These forums work best when the audience is packed with good questions. This also provides you with a way to help your independent neighbor make their decision of who to vote for on November 7^th.

Countdown—The mid-term election is 21 days away. What will you do in the next 3 weeks to help Democrats reclaim the state House, the US House, and the US Senate? Do you have time to volunteer? Can you contribute some money to pay for signs, literature, advertisements? Do you have a yard in which to put up a sign? Times a wasting!

The New Castle Democratic Party is holding literature drops on October 19, 21, 24, 26, and 28, and phone banking on October 17, 23, and 29. For more information, contact Kristin Dwyer at kdwyer@deldems.org Kristin also has a signup sheet for many, many opportunities from November 4^th to 7^th, which I have attached. If you are able to help out, provide your interest and availability to Kristin. By the way, ‘drive time visibility’ is going to areas with high traffic during rush hour and displaying effective campaign signage (and a smile).

For information of how to help Dennis Spivack defeat Mike Castle for US Representative, contact Glenn Shipley at Glenn@spivackforcongress.org

For information on how to help Beau Biden defeat mud-slinging never-a-fresh-idea-in-his-life Ferris Wharton for Delaware Attorney General, contact Missy Owens at mowens@bidenag.com.

For information on how to help Mike Dalto defeat master-opportunist state Auditor Tom Wager, contact Mike at acrossthestreet2@juno.com

For information of how to help John Kowalko defeat lobbyists-best-friend Stephanie Ulbrich in the 25^th Representative District, contact John at kowalkoforthe25th@verizon.net

You can also contact Kristin, provide your home address, and have her let you know which county and state races directly impact you, and who to contact to help out.

Yes, I know that Democrats Tom Carper, Jack Markell, Terry Schooley, and Stephanie McClellan are running for election. I don’t consider any of them to be in danger of losing (two have no opponents), so I’d rather direct my efforts elsewhere.

Current Expectations—The New York Times current projects that the election will bring 49 Republicans in the Senate, 48 Democrats, with 3 undecided races (including New Jersey). It calls for the House to have 209 Republicans, 210 Democrats, with 16 undecided races (including two in nearby Pennsylvania (where Democrats Joe Sestak and Lois Murphy are working very hard). The ‘Iowa Electronic Markets’ makes a market in the odds for the houses of Congress changing hands. They currently project a 40% likelihood of the Republicans losing the US Senate, and a 65% likelihood of the Republicans losing the US House.

Contributions—If you haven’t yet contributed to a candidate’s campaign yet, why not? They only have three more weeks to get their message out, and this costs money. You can use the email addresses above to ask about contributing. It will be greatly appreciated. Last night I read one person explain that they voted ‘because Pat Robertson votes’. Why do I contribute to campaigns? Because Rush Limbaugh contributes to campaigns.

Films—My church (www.uufn.org) is running a film series. We will be showing TransAmerica at 7pm on Saturday 11/4, and What the Bleep Do We Know on Sunday November 19^th at noon (there is a chance that we’ll show Iraq for Sale in its place).

Global Water Needs--Troubled Waters, an hour-long documentary, will be aired nationally on ABC television beginning on October 22, 2006. It portrays some of the challenges faced by people and nations everywhere with regard to access to clean, safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The film addresses the increasing privatization of water resources around the world and raises disturbing questions about who has access to this precious resource. "Water is a gift from God and a human right," affirms executive producer Wally Ryan Kuroiwa, "not a commodity available only to those who can pay for it."

This provocative film was shot in Africa, South America, the Middle East, and the United States, and is narrated by the legendary actor Lynn Redgrave. Some of the major air times are available at http://www.troubledwatersdoc.com.

Paul S Baumbach

Progressive Update--09/05/2006

Primary Election in a Week—Please vote in Tuesday’s primary election (9/12). One critical race for progressives is the race of Dennis Spivack against Karen Hartley-Nagle for Delaware’s long US Representative office. Karen is one of those ‘fusion’ candidates who has decided that even if she loses a Democratic primary, she will find another party to put her on the November ballot (echoes of Joe Lieberman). I strongly support Dennis, and am hopeful that enough Delaware Democrats vote for Spivack on 9/12 to convince the DNC that Dennis can seriously threaten Bush-backing Mike Castle in November that the DNC will throw its full support behind him, so Delaware can get three Democrats into Congress. Please vote and urge all of your friends to turn out next Tuesday for Dennis. To find out more about Dennis, go to www.spivackforcongress.com, or …

Progressive Barbeque—Join fellow progressives on Saturday afternoon (2pm to dusk), September 16^th, at Rockford Park, for live music, guest speakers, food, fun, and games. Dennis Spivack will be present to speak and to hear from you. Bring friends and family. I’ve attached a flyer to share.

Election in three weeks—If you live in Newark’s 3^rd district, please vote for your next city council person. I serve as treasurer for Sue Eggert. Sue needs your vote on the 26^th. Find out more at www.susaneggert.net.

Candidate Help—We hope to regain leadership in the Delaware House of Representatives by gaining six additional seats in November (six in ’06). Candidates who could use your support include whoever wins the three-way primary in the 4^th RD, Becky Walker (9^th RD), Francis Murphy (10^th), Michael Barbieri (18^th), John Kowalko (25^th), Robert Price (downstate in the 30^th), Robert Walls (33^rd), and Jeanine Kleimo (34^th RD). This is a great opportunity to find a progressive candidate in one of these close, critical elections, and pitch in and contribute to make a real difference.

I am supporting Beau Biden based on a single factor—the Florida 2000/Ohio 2004 presidential elections, when we saw what a Republican Attorney General can do to the electoral process. His run for attorney general could be close. To help, contact Missy Owens at mowens@bidenag.com.

State Volunteer Opportunities—Contact Kristin Dwyer (kdwyer@deldems.org) to find out opportunities to help in the next two months. There will be phone-banking, literature drops, events (parades, tailgates, etc) where support is critical.

Contributions—It is no surprise that Republican candidates outspend their opponents. We can help turn this by talking with our wallets, an uncommon progressive activity. Find a candidate that you believe in, and donate your time, skills, and money. It will be greatly appreciated.

Candidate Forums—My faith community (www.uufn.org) is sponsoring two candidate forums next month. On Tuesday 10/11 from 7-9pm, candidates for state Attorney General, Auditor, and Treasurer will participate in a forum. On Wednesday 10/24 from 7-9pm, candidates for State Representative (from the 23^rd and 25^th representative districts), for US House of Representatives, and US Senate will participate in our second forum. Please plan to attend and spread the word (see attached flyer).

Climate Change—Next Wednesday, 9/13, from 3-5pm Dr. Stephen Gardiner is giving a (free and open to the public) seminar at the UD Trabant Center room 010 titled A perfect moral storm: climate change, intergenerational ethics, and the problem of moral corruption. To find out more, go to www.dbi.udel.edu/ethics.html

Films—The 2^nd annual Newark Film Festival is later this week. Go to www.newarkfilm.com for more information. My faith community (www.uufn.org) is also running a film series. I’ve attached a tentative schedule.

Paul S Baumbach

paulprogressive.blogspot.com

Progressive Update--06/30/2006

A friend shared an article by Boston College political science professor Alan Wolfe in Washington Monthly, titled “Why Conservatives Can’t Govern” which can be found at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com The Cliffs Notes version notes that conservatives don’t believe in government, but worry about what government led by liberals would achieve, and so are committed to leading (and destroying) government. Wolfe cites 3 obvious examples of current conservatives’ hallmarks of breaking government: FEMA, Medicare, and Iraq. In each case it is hard to fathom how the mission could be f***ed up more than by this Administration. He notes that conservatives have been in the awkward position of leading institutions whose very existence they feel are illegitimate, and this is clearly a recipe for disaster.

Wolfe goes further to say that when liberals lead government, while they enjoy the fruits of power, they also try to use government to solve problems. Conservatives work to ‘build a political machine in which business and the Republican Party can exchange mutual favors; business will lavish cash on politicians (called campaign contributions) while politicians will throw the money back at business (called public policy).

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

On Saturday, July 29^th, we will have 100 days before the November 7^th election. I am hosting a Democrat Reunion, and I would welcome you to attend. I am hopeful that several candidates will stop by. Please RSVP at http://www.democrats.org/page/event/detail/thedemocraticreunion/4vxz7 . (If you don’t live near Newark, you can use the site to find an event near you.) I need everyone who plans to attend to RSVP, so the state Democratic Party can prepare a personalized packet for each attendee. It will include information that you can use to contact 100 households, 33 in person, 33 by phone, and 33 by mail (with the hundredth thrown in somewhere). My Reunion will be held from 1-2pm on Saturday July 29^th at Barksdale (Handloff) Park. You will be able to take your list and begin to contact voters that day and in the days ahead, going door-to-door in your own neighborhood, making calls, and writing notes. This is a national event, and it requires your help. It’s time to step up to the plate and help get the country back on track. Please sign up!

Liberals typically talk, write, read, and act freely, but give hesitantly. Campaigns require money, for mailings, signs, ads, and staffing. Please find one or more campaigns that matter to you, and give not only your time but also your money to help the campaign succeed. My last posting, from late May, included emails and websites for many Delaware races. I won’t repeat them here, however you can find them at my blog paulprogressive.blogspot.com You can of course also give to the national or state Democratic Party (or to political action committees such as MoveOn.

In the coming weeks I will obtain training and materials for letter writing to voters in Southeastern PA, to help the campaigns of two US Representatives and one US Senator candidates. When I know more I will pass it on.

I will also be looking for opportunities to go door-to-door in Chester County, again to help those same candidates. Again, when I know more I will pass it on.

If you live in Delaware, you can contact Kristin Dwyer (kdwyer@deldems.org) at the state Democratic Party headquarters, to find out how you can help Democrats in Delaware. She is very helpful

PARTING SHOTS

If you are like me, and occasionally flustered by the constant barrage of Conservative-Speak (war-on-terror, cut-and-run, etc), I encourage you to occasionally go to http://www.frameshopisopen.com which offers constructive, frames to use. I like the ‘stay and pay’ alternative to ‘cut and run’. They suggest focusing on the Waste in Iraq, an invasion which is horribly planned and executed by the Administration, and a tremendous Waste of our country’s assets (financial and human). The State Department in mid-2001 created a map of countries with active Al Quaeda activity. Guess which country wasn’t on the map—Iraq. We don’t have a War in Iraq, we have a Waste in Iraq. If the President and Congress cared about our soldiers, they would develop a strategy of intelligently deploying them.

I also like the rejection of the frame ‘war on terror’. Jeffrey Feldman (FrameShop author) celebrated Senator Russ Feingold noting that Presidents see themselves as protecting the Constitution, while Rulers see The Constitution as a challenge to their authority. That’s powerful. Yesterday the Supreme Court affirmed that the President, even in the time of a so-called-war, is not above the Constitution.

Let’s work on a simple campaign cry for November. How about: “Republicans, You Failed Us: in Iraq, with Katrina, and with Medicare—Step Aside!”

Keep the faith, and we will be able to make some strong progress this fall, with your help!