Karen is running in the primary for US Congress. In this race, I have endorsed Jerry Northington, one of her two opponents.
Today I shared the following with a friend, who plans to listen to Karen on WILM this morning:
Three questions for Karen
If so far this year (in the most recent financial filings) you have raised less than $3,100 in individual contributions, how do you expect to beat Mike Castle who during the same time raised over a half million dollars?
With negative $700 in the bank, how can you compete with Castle, who has over $1.5 million—that is positive $1.5 million? These figures come from http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=DE01&cycle=2008
If you are indeed committed to getting Republican Mike Castle out of office, then after losing to Dennis Spivack in the Democratic primary in 2006, 40% to 60%, why did you run as a candidate of the Independent Party of Delaware, and divert 2% of the general election vote, which would otherwise have been available to weaken Castle?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Progressive Update--08/25/2008--Obama & DE Update
Seven Weeks (and a day) To Go to the November Election
Obama Update 1—I am hosting an Obama Acceptance Speech Watching Party this Thursday at 9pm. For more information, and to RSVP, go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpl9sc
Obama Update 2—I am leading or co-leading the effort within Delaware to help Obama win in Pennsylvania—cross-border work (generally door knocking, but perhaps also phone banking). UD student Paul Ruiz and high schooler Tim McBride are organizing youth for Obama (email paulruiz87@gmail.com if you know of a student who may be interested in helping). We need lots of people who can drive (themselves and others, including youth) to PA, likely Chester County, every weekend in September and October (and the first weekend in November). I expect to have more information on this next week.
Obama Update 3—I have signed up at my.barackobama.com. In the ‘neighbor to neighbor’ (NTN) section on the left, I can click on Delaware NTN, and be presented with 50 phone calls that will help the campaign. At this point, it is generally verifying names and addresses, but shortly will be getting folks to help at events throughout the state. The provide the script, and you can do it all online, perhaps on your lunch hour.
Delaware Primary Election—September 9th.
Governor—I strongly prefer Jack Markell (http://www.markell.org/) over John Carney. Jack has brought fresh ideas and delivered in his 6 years as treasurer. I feel that Carney has been a party insider for too long, and is too beholden to the ‘good ole boys’. I agree with state senator Karen Peterson that he has failed to distance himself from current Governor Ruth Ann Minner, whose failures include healthcare in state prisons and the DE Psychiatric Center’s mismanagement. If you agree with me that the state Democratic Party has failed Democrats throughout the state in the past, and needs fresh leadership, vote for Jack Markell on the 9th.
US Congress--I am hopeful that, with Biden on the ticket, Delaware will have a chance to kick Mike Castle out of Congress. My pick for Democratic challenger is Jerry Northington (http://www.northington08.com/). My second pick is Karen Hartley Nagle. Micheal Miller is a very distant third.
State Senate—I like Michael Katz in district 4 (http://katz4senate.com/), who is running against fellow Democrat (but for less than a year) Dee Durham. I have not endorsed either candidate in district 6 (Michael Terranova and John Mackenzie)—I like both candidates.
New Castle County—I like Chris Coons much more than Tom Gordon for county executive. I am wimping out and not endorsing either candidate for county council president (Paul Clark and Bill Dunn)—both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses. I prefer Tom Scherer in council district 12, a fresh challenger to incumbent Bill Bell, who can use your help.
What can you do. First, determine which candidates you like. Next, contribute. This can be time, talent, and treasure. Most have websites (,http://elections.delaware.gov/filed.shtml), all have phones. Ask how you can help them. It could be making phone calls, it could be door knocking, it could be showing up at events, it could be writing a check, it could be putting a sign in your yard. Everything helps.
Paul S Baumbach
Obama Update 1—I am hosting an Obama Acceptance Speech Watching Party this Thursday at 9pm. For more information, and to RSVP, go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpl9sc
Obama Update 2—I am leading or co-leading the effort within Delaware to help Obama win in Pennsylvania—cross-border work (generally door knocking, but perhaps also phone banking). UD student Paul Ruiz and high schooler Tim McBride are organizing youth for Obama (email paulruiz87@gmail.com if you know of a student who may be interested in helping). We need lots of people who can drive (themselves and others, including youth) to PA, likely Chester County, every weekend in September and October (and the first weekend in November). I expect to have more information on this next week.
Obama Update 3—I have signed up at my.barackobama.com. In the ‘neighbor to neighbor’ (NTN) section on the left, I can click on Delaware NTN, and be presented with 50 phone calls that will help the campaign. At this point, it is generally verifying names and addresses, but shortly will be getting folks to help at events throughout the state. The provide the script, and you can do it all online, perhaps on your lunch hour.
Delaware Primary Election—September 9th.
Governor—I strongly prefer Jack Markell (http://www.markell.org/) over John Carney. Jack has brought fresh ideas and delivered in his 6 years as treasurer. I feel that Carney has been a party insider for too long, and is too beholden to the ‘good ole boys’. I agree with state senator Karen Peterson that he has failed to distance himself from current Governor Ruth Ann Minner, whose failures include healthcare in state prisons and the DE Psychiatric Center’s mismanagement. If you agree with me that the state Democratic Party has failed Democrats throughout the state in the past, and needs fresh leadership, vote for Jack Markell on the 9th.
US Congress--I am hopeful that, with Biden on the ticket, Delaware will have a chance to kick Mike Castle out of Congress. My pick for Democratic challenger is Jerry Northington (http://www.northington08.com/). My second pick is Karen Hartley Nagle. Micheal Miller is a very distant third.
State Senate—I like Michael Katz in district 4 (http://katz4senate.com/), who is running against fellow Democrat (but for less than a year) Dee Durham. I have not endorsed either candidate in district 6 (Michael Terranova and John Mackenzie)—I like both candidates.
New Castle County—I like Chris Coons much more than Tom Gordon for county executive. I am wimping out and not endorsing either candidate for county council president (Paul Clark and Bill Dunn)—both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses. I prefer Tom Scherer in council district 12, a fresh challenger to incumbent Bill Bell, who can use your help.
What can you do. First, determine which candidates you like. Next, contribute. This can be time, talent, and treasure. Most have websites (,http://elections.delaware.gov/filed.shtml), all have phones. Ask how you can help them. It could be making phone calls, it could be door knocking, it could be showing up at events, it could be writing a check, it could be putting a sign in your yard. Everything helps.
Paul S Baumbach
Monday, August 18, 2008
Progressive Update--08/18/2008--Obama Update & Delaware Primary Forum
Obama News—Delaware (finally) has a state director of the campaign, Marla Blunt (marlablunt@yahoo.com), who is initially working out of DelDems HQ off Basin Road. Please email her or Rob Carver (rcarver@pfracp.org) if you would like to volunteer.
Paul Ruiz (paulruiz87@gmail.com) is the ‘State Director for Delaware Students for Barack Obama' (both college and high school, where Tim McBride is helping). Paul has a very impressive gameplan, including canvassing trips into PA every weekend, starting 9/6/08. For now, I suggest that you work through him if you are interested in door knocking in PA.
The national convention starts next week in Denver. http://www.demconvention.com/typical-day has a mini-schedule. Expect the VP to be named this week, and look for a great speech by them next week, before the culmination, Barack Obama’s acceptance speech on Thursday night before 75,000 Democrats.
Earlier this summer, Democrats across the country were asked to meet in neighborhood groups (including several in Delaware) and share their top concerns for the country. This feedback was incorporated into the Democratic Party’s Platform, “Renewing America’s Promise.” The full 94 pages can be found at http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/2008%20Democratic%20Platform%20by%20Cmte%2008-13-08%20(2).pdf Thanks are due to everyone who participated in this effort. The platform will be discussed, perhaps amended, and voted upon at next week’s national convention.
Delaware Primary Election—On September 9th, the state will determine which Democrats will face which Republicans in the November election. I have shared my thoughts on many of these races in past posts. It is time for you to make up your mind.
I chair the social justice committee of my church, www.uufn.org. We are hosting a Delaware State Primary Candidate Forum, this Saturday, from 8am to 3pm. There are seven primary races represented, with fourteen or more of the sixteen candidates agreeing to participate. Please find the current flyer at http://www.uufn.org/temp/ForumFlyerHours.pdf These forums need three factors to be successful—high participation by candidates, high participation by the audience, and good moderators. We have lined up WDEL’s Allan Loudell in the morning and WILM’s John Watson in the afternoon as the moderators. What we need is YOU. Please join us! Consider printing the flyer and posting it at work, and sharing it with your friends.
Paul S Baumbach
Paul Ruiz (paulruiz87@gmail.com) is the ‘State Director for Delaware Students for Barack Obama' (both college and high school, where Tim McBride is helping). Paul has a very impressive gameplan, including canvassing trips into PA every weekend, starting 9/6/08. For now, I suggest that you work through him if you are interested in door knocking in PA.
The national convention starts next week in Denver. http://www.demconvention.com/typical-day has a mini-schedule. Expect the VP to be named this week, and look for a great speech by them next week, before the culmination, Barack Obama’s acceptance speech on Thursday night before 75,000 Democrats.
Earlier this summer, Democrats across the country were asked to meet in neighborhood groups (including several in Delaware) and share their top concerns for the country. This feedback was incorporated into the Democratic Party’s Platform, “Renewing America’s Promise.” The full 94 pages can be found at http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/2008%20Democratic%20Platform%20by%20Cmte%2008-13-08%20(2).pdf Thanks are due to everyone who participated in this effort. The platform will be discussed, perhaps amended, and voted upon at next week’s national convention.
Delaware Primary Election—On September 9th, the state will determine which Democrats will face which Republicans in the November election. I have shared my thoughts on many of these races in past posts. It is time for you to make up your mind.
I chair the social justice committee of my church, www.uufn.org. We are hosting a Delaware State Primary Candidate Forum, this Saturday, from 8am to 3pm. There are seven primary races represented, with fourteen or more of the sixteen candidates agreeing to participate. Please find the current flyer at http://www.uufn.org/temp/ForumFlyerHours.pdf These forums need three factors to be successful—high participation by candidates, high participation by the audience, and good moderators. We have lined up WDEL’s Allan Loudell in the morning and WILM’s John Watson in the afternoon as the moderators. What we need is YOU. Please join us! Consider printing the flyer and posting it at work, and sharing it with your friends.
Paul S Baumbach
Monday, August 04, 2008
Progressive Update--08/04/2008--State Wide Offices
There are seven Democratic candidates for the three state-wide offices up for election this year—Jack Markell and John Carney for Governor, Matt Denn and Ted Blunt (who is withdrawing) for Lieutenant Governor, and Gene Reed, Karen Weldin-Stewart, and Tom Savage for Insurance Commissioner. I have met with all but one of them (John Carney), in my role as member of the Progressive Democrats of Delaware’s Endorsement Committee.
Governor—I endorse Jack Markell for this office. Both candidates are good individuals, with good experience and character. I find that the Markell/Carney comparison is similar to the Obama/Clinton comparison. Carney has been an insider to the state Democratic party for longer, and is less likely to ‘rock the boat’. Jack Markell, in contrast, is more likely to offer fresh ideas (he has produced a 70-plus page blueprint for his plan for Delaware, if elected). In January I endorsed Markell, based on his willingness to stand up to part insiders. He called the Democratic leadership in the legislature to stop state Senator Harris McDowell’s roadblock to offshore wind power, and he called the Democratic leadership in the legislature to open the General Assembly to the public, making it subject to FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act.
One of my top reasons for backing Barack Obama is his willingness to take on tough issues, and to make waves when they need to be made (calling for higher gas mileage requirements, for instance). Jack Markell shares this admirable trait. John Carney’s waffling on Eminent Domain convinces me that Jack Markell is the best choice for Governor. Please vote for Jack on September 9th.
Please note, that as with Hillary, should John Carney win the primary election, I will be pleased to back him against the Republican candidate. However, during the primary, I prefer ‘the change candidate’, Jack Markell.
The Progressive Democrats of Delaware has endorsed Jack Markell. The state and county Democratic Party has endorsed John Carney (not necessarily a positive in my book), and is spending their warchest for misleading radio ads promoting Carney as ‘the windpower candidate’, rather than spending it to win races against Republicans.
Lieutenant Governor—This is an easy call, as the 2nd Democratic candidate is withdrawing, leaving Matt Denn as the Democratic candidate in November. The reason that I spend time on this race is two-fold: I like Matt Denn and think that he will make a good Lieutenant Governor, and second, he will be facing Charlie Copeland, a northern Wilmington Republican state Senator, and heir to the DuPont fortune. Yes, this is the same Charlie Copeland who refused to let his fellow senators vote on SB141, the bill to make it illegal in Delaware to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. He said that it would be bad for business. That’s crap, and Copeland is stuck in a Ward Cleaver time-warp. The problem is that the Copeland campaign is very well-funded, and so Matt Denn needs your help. Go to www.mattdenn.com to contribute or volunteer.
Matt has been an outstanding Insurance Commissioner, breaking the mold set by the prior Republicans, and actually having the office work on behalf of citizens, rather than on behalf of the insurance companies. He will bring the same ‘dedication to the people’ to the office of Lieutenant Governor, with your help.
The Progressive Democrats of Delaware has endorsed Matt Denn.
Insurance Commissioner—This race is a pain. There are three very nice people running for the office. All have strengths, and all have weaknesses. I would like to take pieces of each to create a perfect candidate, but I can’t. I will therefore share the positive traits of each, and will remain on the fence. I expect to support whomever wins the primary, in their run against Republican John Brady in November.
Gene Reed has worked in the IC office for more than twenty years, including time in each department, and working under both Republican and Democratic ICs. He knows the office inside and out. He also has the best-organized campaign, with plenty of volunteers and money to get the word out. If money and experience in the department matter, Gene is the most likely candidate to win the September primary.
Tom Savage is a wonderful fellow. He is a retired firefighter, with twenty years’ experience as an unpaid lobbyist working in Dover for firefighters and police. He has a laser-focus on bringing single-payer medical coverage to Delaware. He has said that he would not run for re-election if he is unsuccessful in this initiative in his first term.
Karen Weldin-Stewart is similarly focused on improving healthcare for Delawareans. Her background is varied, and has focused on state oversight of failing insurance companies (think of the role that the court plays with bankrupt individuals and companies), maximizing the benefits that can be paid out to policyholders.
Again, all three want to serve as the next Insurance Commissioner. There are enough weaknesses in each that I am not comfortable endorsing any. I plan to back whichever candidate the Democratic voters (like you) choose on September 9th.
Delaware Liberal—I have been afflicted with a disease—I am becoming addicted to www.delawareliberal.net, a blog on (primarily) local Delaware political topics, (primarily) by liberals. It is rough and tumble and raw, but like listening to Howard Stern, can be habit-forming (so I hear). I suggest that you ‘stalk’, read but don’t post, for awhile. I was lambasted in my first post, as I did not understand that ‘Dr. McDowell’ was not the writer’s attempt to describe (barely) Democratic state Senator Harris McDowell, but rather universal healthcare advocate Dr. Floyd McDowell, one of the founders of IPOD, the Independent Party of Delaware.
Help in Deciding—I am chair of the Social Justice committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark (UUFN, www.uufn.org). We are hosting an all-day forum on Saturday August 23rd starting at 9am, with candidates for primary races (Democratic governor, Republican Governor, Democratic Insurance Commissioner, Democratic US Representative, Democratic state Senate District 6, County Council President). Don’t take my word on which candidate to support in the primary—come to the forum on 8/23/08 and meet the candidates yourself! (I’ve attached a preliminary flyer. Please consider posting it around town/county/state.)
Governor—I endorse Jack Markell for this office. Both candidates are good individuals, with good experience and character. I find that the Markell/Carney comparison is similar to the Obama/Clinton comparison. Carney has been an insider to the state Democratic party for longer, and is less likely to ‘rock the boat’. Jack Markell, in contrast, is more likely to offer fresh ideas (he has produced a 70-plus page blueprint for his plan for Delaware, if elected). In January I endorsed Markell, based on his willingness to stand up to part insiders. He called the Democratic leadership in the legislature to stop state Senator Harris McDowell’s roadblock to offshore wind power, and he called the Democratic leadership in the legislature to open the General Assembly to the public, making it subject to FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act.
One of my top reasons for backing Barack Obama is his willingness to take on tough issues, and to make waves when they need to be made (calling for higher gas mileage requirements, for instance). Jack Markell shares this admirable trait. John Carney’s waffling on Eminent Domain convinces me that Jack Markell is the best choice for Governor. Please vote for Jack on September 9th.
Please note, that as with Hillary, should John Carney win the primary election, I will be pleased to back him against the Republican candidate. However, during the primary, I prefer ‘the change candidate’, Jack Markell.
The Progressive Democrats of Delaware has endorsed Jack Markell. The state and county Democratic Party has endorsed John Carney (not necessarily a positive in my book), and is spending their warchest for misleading radio ads promoting Carney as ‘the windpower candidate’, rather than spending it to win races against Republicans.
Lieutenant Governor—This is an easy call, as the 2nd Democratic candidate is withdrawing, leaving Matt Denn as the Democratic candidate in November. The reason that I spend time on this race is two-fold: I like Matt Denn and think that he will make a good Lieutenant Governor, and second, he will be facing Charlie Copeland, a northern Wilmington Republican state Senator, and heir to the DuPont fortune. Yes, this is the same Charlie Copeland who refused to let his fellow senators vote on SB141, the bill to make it illegal in Delaware to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. He said that it would be bad for business. That’s crap, and Copeland is stuck in a Ward Cleaver time-warp. The problem is that the Copeland campaign is very well-funded, and so Matt Denn needs your help. Go to www.mattdenn.com to contribute or volunteer.
Matt has been an outstanding Insurance Commissioner, breaking the mold set by the prior Republicans, and actually having the office work on behalf of citizens, rather than on behalf of the insurance companies. He will bring the same ‘dedication to the people’ to the office of Lieutenant Governor, with your help.
The Progressive Democrats of Delaware has endorsed Matt Denn.
Insurance Commissioner—This race is a pain. There are three very nice people running for the office. All have strengths, and all have weaknesses. I would like to take pieces of each to create a perfect candidate, but I can’t. I will therefore share the positive traits of each, and will remain on the fence. I expect to support whomever wins the primary, in their run against Republican John Brady in November.
Gene Reed has worked in the IC office for more than twenty years, including time in each department, and working under both Republican and Democratic ICs. He knows the office inside and out. He also has the best-organized campaign, with plenty of volunteers and money to get the word out. If money and experience in the department matter, Gene is the most likely candidate to win the September primary.
Tom Savage is a wonderful fellow. He is a retired firefighter, with twenty years’ experience as an unpaid lobbyist working in Dover for firefighters and police. He has a laser-focus on bringing single-payer medical coverage to Delaware. He has said that he would not run for re-election if he is unsuccessful in this initiative in his first term.
Karen Weldin-Stewart is similarly focused on improving healthcare for Delawareans. Her background is varied, and has focused on state oversight of failing insurance companies (think of the role that the court plays with bankrupt individuals and companies), maximizing the benefits that can be paid out to policyholders.
Again, all three want to serve as the next Insurance Commissioner. There are enough weaknesses in each that I am not comfortable endorsing any. I plan to back whichever candidate the Democratic voters (like you) choose on September 9th.
Delaware Liberal—I have been afflicted with a disease—I am becoming addicted to www.delawareliberal.net, a blog on (primarily) local Delaware political topics, (primarily) by liberals. It is rough and tumble and raw, but like listening to Howard Stern, can be habit-forming (so I hear). I suggest that you ‘stalk’, read but don’t post, for awhile. I was lambasted in my first post, as I did not understand that ‘Dr. McDowell’ was not the writer’s attempt to describe (barely) Democratic state Senator Harris McDowell, but rather universal healthcare advocate Dr. Floyd McDowell, one of the founders of IPOD, the Independent Party of Delaware.
Help in Deciding—I am chair of the Social Justice committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark (UUFN, www.uufn.org). We are hosting an all-day forum on Saturday August 23rd starting at 9am, with candidates for primary races (Democratic governor, Republican Governor, Democratic Insurance Commissioner, Democratic US Representative, Democratic state Senate District 6, County Council President). Don’t take my word on which candidate to support in the primary—come to the forum on 8/23/08 and meet the candidates yourself! (I’ve attached a preliminary flyer. Please consider posting it around town/county/state.)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Delaware Democratic Party Gets Mean--07/24/2008
The Delaware Democratic Party is sponsoring radio ads promoting John Carney’s candidacy for Governor. On the one hand, this makes some sense, as the state (and county) party endorsed John Carney (despite support for Markell from RDs including the 23rd). However, I have two objections with the party’s actions. First, I would prefer that our party’s resources be used against Republicans (and fusion candidates) and not against faithful Democratic candidates such as Jack Markell. Second, I would prefer that their ad was factual. The ad portrays Carney as the primary force behind the BlueWater Wind deal. It brings to mind the comment about the fellow who was born on third base thinking that he hit a triple. Carney eventually provided some support for the deal—he was in no way a leader in bringing the BWW deal to fruition.
Jack Markell is hosting a press conference at his Riverfront campaign office (920 S Justison, Wilmington, DE 19801) on Friday at 11am, to present his disappointment with the actions of the Delaware Democratic Party in directing resources against Democrats rather than Republicans.
If you agree with Jack that this is a poor use of Delaware Democratic money, and/or if you agree that the fact-checking in the ad is atrocious, and a dis-service to the Delaware voters and to the DelDems Party, then try to attend the press conference.
Jack Markell is hosting a press conference at his Riverfront campaign office (920 S Justison, Wilmington, DE 19801) on Friday at 11am, to present his disappointment with the actions of the Delaware Democratic Party in directing resources against Democrats rather than Republicans.
If you agree with Jack that this is a poor use of Delaware Democratic money, and/or if you agree that the fact-checking in the ad is atrocious, and a dis-service to the Delaware voters and to the DelDems Party, then try to attend the press conference.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Progressive Update—07/21/2008—New Castle County
A meeting worth attending—This Tuesday, the 22nd, at 7pm, the New Castle County Council meets, at the City/County Building at 800 N French Street in Wilmington. You may want to be there.
Section H of the Agenda has two items of particular interest. There is a proposal for the council to pay or not pay the attorney fees incurred by Sherry Freebery. Why is this interesting? The fees are $3.7 million, and are claimed to be tied to Freebery’s defense against charges that she and Tom Gordon (more on this in a bit) ran county government ‘as a criminal enterprise and misusing county resources and personnel for their own political and personal benefit’. Several of the most serious charges were dropped against Freebery, but in the process she pleaded guilty to a felony of lying about having received a $2.3 million loan from (developer and) DuPont heir Lisa Dean Moseley.
An interesting twist in this case is whether (Republican) US Attorney Colm Connelly trumped up the charges against Sherry and Tom as part of the Justice Department witchhunt against Democrats. I have no idea about this. If true, then it seems like the US Justice Department should cover the legal fees. I don’t see why New Castle County taxpayers should have to foot the $3.7 million bill.
An attorney tasked by council to review the request has recommended against the county reimbursing the bill. Let’s hope that the council follows this recommendation.
The second item of interest is a proposal by six county council members (McClellan, Cartier, Hollins, Street, Tackett, and Tansey) that County Council President Paul Clark refrain from introducing and spearheading development legislation for the time being. Clark was criticized for sending an email out about development issues. The two criticisms on the email are that Paul sent it out with a electronic tag from his wife’s law firm (which represents developers), and that Paul sent it out to developers and did not include council members. Several council members are concerned with, if not the reality, at least with the appearance of undue pro-developer influence on Paul Clark and council.
This proposal has been criticized as political. It may be. It may instead be a good-faith attempt by council members to take a timeout and examine the system, to ensure both the reality and appearance of a level playing field between residents and developers. If you support this resolution, even if you cannot attend the meeting, please let your county council person know of your support.
I support the proposal, as a wonderful step towards good government, but not as harsh criticism of Paul Clark’s actions. I like Paul, and I feel that his heart has always been in the right place. However I am also a strong proponent of recusal—not voting on an issue where you have a conflict of interest (real or perceived). This helps strengthen the trust of your constituents. I think that council members are right to call for this timeout, to explore how to help strengthen the trust of county residents in their county government.
If you have a strong opinion on either/both of these issues, please attend the meeting (get there early), and sign up to speak on this issue.
Race #1—County Executive—Chris Coons is the current New Castle County Executive. He is running for re-election. His primary opponent is Tom Gordon (I told you I’d get back to him). Tom was the previous County Executive, who lost his bid for re-election due to the criminal indictment. Gordon eventually plea-bargained down to two misdemeanors. Gordon is a former police officer, and is popular amongst several unions. Coons has had to deal with difficult finance times. Gordon served when property values were rising and transfer taxes were rising—Coons suffered with the reverse situation. Gordon contorts the history to claim financial brilliance, when the facts are that he was at the right place at the right time, he enjoyed a stiff tailwind. Chris Coons has dealt very, very well with a stiff headwind. He has made necessary, but at times unpopular, budget cuts.
For this race, my decision is based on character. Chris Coons is someone I trust to lead the count for the next five years. Gordon is not, not even close in my book. I endorse Chris Coons for New Castle County Executive.
Race #2—County Council President—Paul Clark (yes, as discussed above) is running for re-election. This weekend we learned that local community activist Bill Dunn will be running against him in the primary. I have only recently been able to chat with Bill at length. As with several races this year, I find that both candidates have both strengths and weaknesses, and I haven’t yet selected one to endorse, I encourage you to learn about each, to choose whom you will support.
On that note, Newark’s UU church (www.uufn.org) is hosting a candidate forum on Saturday August 23rd. We are inviting every candidate in a primary in September that affects Newark (Congress, Governor, Insurance Commissioner, County Executive, County Council President, 6th Senate District). Please mark your calendars to come to the forum, and tell your community association, book club, faith community, blog, etc).
Section H of the Agenda has two items of particular interest. There is a proposal for the council to pay or not pay the attorney fees incurred by Sherry Freebery. Why is this interesting? The fees are $3.7 million, and are claimed to be tied to Freebery’s defense against charges that she and Tom Gordon (more on this in a bit) ran county government ‘as a criminal enterprise and misusing county resources and personnel for their own political and personal benefit’. Several of the most serious charges were dropped against Freebery, but in the process she pleaded guilty to a felony of lying about having received a $2.3 million loan from (developer and) DuPont heir Lisa Dean Moseley.
An interesting twist in this case is whether (Republican) US Attorney Colm Connelly trumped up the charges against Sherry and Tom as part of the Justice Department witchhunt against Democrats. I have no idea about this. If true, then it seems like the US Justice Department should cover the legal fees. I don’t see why New Castle County taxpayers should have to foot the $3.7 million bill.
An attorney tasked by council to review the request has recommended against the county reimbursing the bill. Let’s hope that the council follows this recommendation.
The second item of interest is a proposal by six county council members (McClellan, Cartier, Hollins, Street, Tackett, and Tansey) that County Council President Paul Clark refrain from introducing and spearheading development legislation for the time being. Clark was criticized for sending an email out about development issues. The two criticisms on the email are that Paul sent it out with a electronic tag from his wife’s law firm (which represents developers), and that Paul sent it out to developers and did not include council members. Several council members are concerned with, if not the reality, at least with the appearance of undue pro-developer influence on Paul Clark and council.
This proposal has been criticized as political. It may be. It may instead be a good-faith attempt by council members to take a timeout and examine the system, to ensure both the reality and appearance of a level playing field between residents and developers. If you support this resolution, even if you cannot attend the meeting, please let your county council person know of your support.
I support the proposal, as a wonderful step towards good government, but not as harsh criticism of Paul Clark’s actions. I like Paul, and I feel that his heart has always been in the right place. However I am also a strong proponent of recusal—not voting on an issue where you have a conflict of interest (real or perceived). This helps strengthen the trust of your constituents. I think that council members are right to call for this timeout, to explore how to help strengthen the trust of county residents in their county government.
If you have a strong opinion on either/both of these issues, please attend the meeting (get there early), and sign up to speak on this issue.
Race #1—County Executive—Chris Coons is the current New Castle County Executive. He is running for re-election. His primary opponent is Tom Gordon (I told you I’d get back to him). Tom was the previous County Executive, who lost his bid for re-election due to the criminal indictment. Gordon eventually plea-bargained down to two misdemeanors. Gordon is a former police officer, and is popular amongst several unions. Coons has had to deal with difficult finance times. Gordon served when property values were rising and transfer taxes were rising—Coons suffered with the reverse situation. Gordon contorts the history to claim financial brilliance, when the facts are that he was at the right place at the right time, he enjoyed a stiff tailwind. Chris Coons has dealt very, very well with a stiff headwind. He has made necessary, but at times unpopular, budget cuts.
For this race, my decision is based on character. Chris Coons is someone I trust to lead the count for the next five years. Gordon is not, not even close in my book. I endorse Chris Coons for New Castle County Executive.
Race #2—County Council President—Paul Clark (yes, as discussed above) is running for re-election. This weekend we learned that local community activist Bill Dunn will be running against him in the primary. I have only recently been able to chat with Bill at length. As with several races this year, I find that both candidates have both strengths and weaknesses, and I haven’t yet selected one to endorse, I encourage you to learn about each, to choose whom you will support.
On that note, Newark’s UU church (www.uufn.org) is hosting a candidate forum on Saturday August 23rd. We are inviting every candidate in a primary in September that affects Newark (Congress, Governor, Insurance Commissioner, County Executive, County Council President, 6th Senate District). Please mark your calendars to come to the forum, and tell your community association, book club, faith community, blog, etc).
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Update--John Viola & Matt Denn--07/10/2008
As an update on the most recent posting, I have an update on John Viola who is running for re-election in the 26th RD. I am told that he fought against Bluewater Wind, and is pretty consistent in opposing most progressive legislation in Dover, including manufactured housing reform.
I also forgot to mention Matt Denn, who is running against Republican Charlie Copeland for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Matt has been a terrific progressive leader as Insurance Commissioner. His Democratic opponent Ted Blunt is a wonderful candidate, but has decided to end his run. I and the PDD fully endorse Matt Denn's candidacy, and this is a race that will need dollars and volunteer time (Copeland is a DuPont heir).
I also forgot to mention Matt Denn, who is running against Republican Charlie Copeland for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Matt has been a terrific progressive leader as Insurance Commissioner. His Democratic opponent Ted Blunt is a wonderful candidate, but has decided to end his run. I and the PDD fully endorse Matt Denn's candidacy, and this is a race that will need dollars and volunteer time (Copeland is a DuPont heir).
Progressive Update--07/10/2008
Obama—There are a lot of opportunities to help Senator Barack Obama become our next President. You can go to www.barackobama.com, and sign up, including for a local group (I belong to the Newark, Delaware, and the Chester County (PA) groups. The website should show you events in your area. You can reach out to Rob Carver (rcarver@pfracp.org) and ask how you can help. The national campaign is working on bringing some campaign staff into the state this month, to help out. Those of us in New Castle County may direct a bit of our attention to the Pennsylvania battleground, as we did in 2004. Stay tuned!
The Republicans have found a way around the limitations of federal campaign limits for McCain (who is taking taxpayer money for his campaign), by co-opting the Republican Governor fund, which has no donation limits. So keep sending what you can to Obama’s campaign (online works well), and look for cool fundraisers to join.
Delaware Campaigns—As with the presidential primaries, Democrats have a wealth of choices this year, and Delaware is no exception. We have many choices to make this September 9th, including for US Congress, Governor, Insurance Commissioner, and County Executive.
I serve on the endorsement committee of the PDD, Progressive Democrats of Delaware (http://www.progressivedemsdel.com/). One reason is that this election cycle I wanted to have better information to make my decisions, and to share information with you. We send out surveys to the candidates, and consider ‘how progressive’ each is. We examine their survey responses, we interview face-to-face several, and for incumbents, we examine their voting record (whether they ‘walk their talk’). Please consider donating to PDD (online is easiest), so that we can back our endorsements with checks. Money talks. PDD endorsement checks (or lack thereof) give elected officials more reason to consider taking liberal stands once in office. One sitting senator marked on her survey that she supported open government, but when asked to sign the petition to bring Senate Bill 4 to the floor she refused. PDD refused to endorse or contribute to her campaign as a result. Actions have repercussions.
I also serve on the 23rd Representative District (RD) committee. This week we sent checks totaling $4,800 to 17 candidates (Markell, Denn, Coons, Weldin-Stewart, Short, Johnson, Barbieri, Hall Long, Mackenzie, Terranova, Northington, Hartley-Nagle, Kowalko, Jacques, Viola, Boulden, and Clark), listed in decreasing order of check amounts. Thanks are due to all committee members, and to all who come to the annual spaghetti dinner, where we raise the money to make these contributions!
US Congress—There are three candidates for US Congress. I have friends who support Karen Hartley-Nagle and those who support Jerry Northington. Both have good progressive credentials. PDD and I endorse Jerry Northington. Jerry comes across initially as ‘another Michael Berg’, a single-issue (end the war) candidate. Further examination (go to http://www.northington08.com/) reveals that he is very committed to healthcare and education reform. Whomever wins the Democratic primary will have an uphill battle to unseat Mike Castle, however this is certainly the best year to unseat Republicans. If you, like me, are tired of Castle’s tired claims of being a moderate while voting for so many of Bush’s policies, including restricting the state child health insurance program (SCHIP), then you know that this race requires our help.
Governor—There are two good candidates, John Carney and Jack Markell. Both are fine people, and fine candidates. PDD and I endorse Jack Markell as the candidate best prepared to deliver needed changes to the state. Many of us feel that John Carney is too tied to the ‘old party structure’, and owes too many favors. While most candidates spend their time listing promises during the campaign, Jack has prepared a 43-page blueprint of not only his goals, but also of his methods to achieve those goals for our state. This is typical of Jack, an incredibly intelligent and principled man who is quick to roll up his sleeves to solve problems. I have witnessed first-hand his instrumental work on behalf of the Delaware Money School, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and PDD. He has earned my vote many times over.
Insurance Commissioner—There are three candidates here. Neither PDD nor I have yet endorsed. All three have strengths and all three have weaknesses. I’ll focus on strengths. Tom Savage has made a pledge—if we don’t have single-payer healthcare in Delaware at the end of his term, he will not run for re-election. That is dedication. Karen Weldin-Stewart has pledged to refuse contributions that could taint her judgment, and has worked decades in the area of insurance company receivership (overseeing firms which are in jeopardy of being unable to meet their obligations). She speaks passionately about bringing universal healthcare to Delaware. Gene Reed has served within the commission for about twenty-years, in each division. He has been working for Delaware’s consumers under both Republican and Democratic Insurance Commissioners. He has the endorsement of the state (and county) Democratic Party.
County Executive—Chris Coons is running for re-election against prior County Executive Tom Gordon. Tom lost the last election under an ethics cloud (which he plea-bargained down to a misdemeanor). In his first term, Chris has angered many county employees due to firm management. As a result, Tom Gordon has the backing of both employee unions and several unions. I join most progressives in backing Chris Coons, and hoping that Delaware rejects Tom Gordon for a second and final time. PDD has not yet endorsed a candidate in this race.
Honorable Mention—John Kowalko is running for re-election to the 25th RD. He is the most progressive Representative, and perhaps the most progressive legislator in Dover. He doesn’t yet have a Republican opponent. If he does, please pitch in. I and the PDD enthusiastically endorse John. Mike Barbieri is running for the 18th RD seat held by Republican Terry Spence. Mike is a great progressive, and came close two years ago. I and the PDD endorse Mike’s campaign. Democrats Mike Terranova and John Mackenzie are running in a primary for the 6th Senate District (SD), held by Republican Liane Sorenson. Both candidates have strengths, and neither I nor the PDD have yet endorsed either candidate. Tom Scherer is running against incumbent William Bell in the 12th County Council district. Tom is a very green candidate with a gigantic heart, running against a councilman who Tom claims has done next to nothing for his district. Consider seeking out Tom and lending a hand (and some money). State Representative Bethany Hall-Long is running for the 10th SD seat vacated by retiring Steve Amick. If the Republicans find someone to run against Bethany, she will need our help. Will someone progressive PLEASE run against 11th SD State Senator Tony DeLuca (they fellow whose claim to fame is solving the impasse which he himself created with offshore wind power)? Bryon Short is running for re-election in the 7th RD in north Wilmington, against Republican James Bowers. Short surprised Republicans last year when he captured the seat previously held by Wayne Smith, who left the House to serve as a lobbyist. Quinton Johnson is running for the 8th RD, where Bethany Hall-Long currently serves. This new candidate will need help if the Republicans put up an opponent. Democratic candidate Earl Jacques and Independent James Spencer are running against Republican Vince Lofink in the 27th RD. Earl came within 60 or so votes of victory in 2006. Earl is not the most progressive candidate, but he is shifting ‘our way’. A victory in the 27th could tilt the majority of the House to the Democratic side, which would result in the chairmanship and the majority of each committee shifting to Democrats in January.
I apologize for my Delaware-centric focus. There is only so much time in the day, and so I focus on issues closest to my home. I will later this summer point out the US Senate and House races where you can make a real difference. 2008 can bring a real change to the US Senate if we pick up enough seats. Note that the reason that the country is so dissatisfied with the Congress at this time is that, despite a resounding victory for ‘end the war’ candidates in 2006, too many Republicans in the Senate prevented the majority of Senators from being able to place a timetable and other limits on the Iraq Occupation. To help Obama be better able to push through needed reform (health care, education, foreign affairs), he needs a strongly supportive Senate and House. www.electoral-vote.com has a Hot House races and an All Senate races page with great information. Note that a friend’s college friend, Jeff Merkley, is staying ahead of Republican Gordon Smith in his race to become a US Senator from Oregon.
The Republicans have found a way around the limitations of federal campaign limits for McCain (who is taking taxpayer money for his campaign), by co-opting the Republican Governor fund, which has no donation limits. So keep sending what you can to Obama’s campaign (online works well), and look for cool fundraisers to join.
Delaware Campaigns—As with the presidential primaries, Democrats have a wealth of choices this year, and Delaware is no exception. We have many choices to make this September 9th, including for US Congress, Governor, Insurance Commissioner, and County Executive.
I serve on the endorsement committee of the PDD, Progressive Democrats of Delaware (http://www.progressivedemsdel.com/). One reason is that this election cycle I wanted to have better information to make my decisions, and to share information with you. We send out surveys to the candidates, and consider ‘how progressive’ each is. We examine their survey responses, we interview face-to-face several, and for incumbents, we examine their voting record (whether they ‘walk their talk’). Please consider donating to PDD (online is easiest), so that we can back our endorsements with checks. Money talks. PDD endorsement checks (or lack thereof) give elected officials more reason to consider taking liberal stands once in office. One sitting senator marked on her survey that she supported open government, but when asked to sign the petition to bring Senate Bill 4 to the floor she refused. PDD refused to endorse or contribute to her campaign as a result. Actions have repercussions.
I also serve on the 23rd Representative District (RD) committee. This week we sent checks totaling $4,800 to 17 candidates (Markell, Denn, Coons, Weldin-Stewart, Short, Johnson, Barbieri, Hall Long, Mackenzie, Terranova, Northington, Hartley-Nagle, Kowalko, Jacques, Viola, Boulden, and Clark), listed in decreasing order of check amounts. Thanks are due to all committee members, and to all who come to the annual spaghetti dinner, where we raise the money to make these contributions!
US Congress—There are three candidates for US Congress. I have friends who support Karen Hartley-Nagle and those who support Jerry Northington. Both have good progressive credentials. PDD and I endorse Jerry Northington. Jerry comes across initially as ‘another Michael Berg’, a single-issue (end the war) candidate. Further examination (go to http://www.northington08.com/) reveals that he is very committed to healthcare and education reform. Whomever wins the Democratic primary will have an uphill battle to unseat Mike Castle, however this is certainly the best year to unseat Republicans. If you, like me, are tired of Castle’s tired claims of being a moderate while voting for so many of Bush’s policies, including restricting the state child health insurance program (SCHIP), then you know that this race requires our help.
Governor—There are two good candidates, John Carney and Jack Markell. Both are fine people, and fine candidates. PDD and I endorse Jack Markell as the candidate best prepared to deliver needed changes to the state. Many of us feel that John Carney is too tied to the ‘old party structure’, and owes too many favors. While most candidates spend their time listing promises during the campaign, Jack has prepared a 43-page blueprint of not only his goals, but also of his methods to achieve those goals for our state. This is typical of Jack, an incredibly intelligent and principled man who is quick to roll up his sleeves to solve problems. I have witnessed first-hand his instrumental work on behalf of the Delaware Money School, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and PDD. He has earned my vote many times over.
Insurance Commissioner—There are three candidates here. Neither PDD nor I have yet endorsed. All three have strengths and all three have weaknesses. I’ll focus on strengths. Tom Savage has made a pledge—if we don’t have single-payer healthcare in Delaware at the end of his term, he will not run for re-election. That is dedication. Karen Weldin-Stewart has pledged to refuse contributions that could taint her judgment, and has worked decades in the area of insurance company receivership (overseeing firms which are in jeopardy of being unable to meet their obligations). She speaks passionately about bringing universal healthcare to Delaware. Gene Reed has served within the commission for about twenty-years, in each division. He has been working for Delaware’s consumers under both Republican and Democratic Insurance Commissioners. He has the endorsement of the state (and county) Democratic Party.
County Executive—Chris Coons is running for re-election against prior County Executive Tom Gordon. Tom lost the last election under an ethics cloud (which he plea-bargained down to a misdemeanor). In his first term, Chris has angered many county employees due to firm management. As a result, Tom Gordon has the backing of both employee unions and several unions. I join most progressives in backing Chris Coons, and hoping that Delaware rejects Tom Gordon for a second and final time. PDD has not yet endorsed a candidate in this race.
Honorable Mention—John Kowalko is running for re-election to the 25th RD. He is the most progressive Representative, and perhaps the most progressive legislator in Dover. He doesn’t yet have a Republican opponent. If he does, please pitch in. I and the PDD enthusiastically endorse John. Mike Barbieri is running for the 18th RD seat held by Republican Terry Spence. Mike is a great progressive, and came close two years ago. I and the PDD endorse Mike’s campaign. Democrats Mike Terranova and John Mackenzie are running in a primary for the 6th Senate District (SD), held by Republican Liane Sorenson. Both candidates have strengths, and neither I nor the PDD have yet endorsed either candidate. Tom Scherer is running against incumbent William Bell in the 12th County Council district. Tom is a very green candidate with a gigantic heart, running against a councilman who Tom claims has done next to nothing for his district. Consider seeking out Tom and lending a hand (and some money). State Representative Bethany Hall-Long is running for the 10th SD seat vacated by retiring Steve Amick. If the Republicans find someone to run against Bethany, she will need our help. Will someone progressive PLEASE run against 11th SD State Senator Tony DeLuca (they fellow whose claim to fame is solving the impasse which he himself created with offshore wind power)? Bryon Short is running for re-election in the 7th RD in north Wilmington, against Republican James Bowers. Short surprised Republicans last year when he captured the seat previously held by Wayne Smith, who left the House to serve as a lobbyist. Quinton Johnson is running for the 8th RD, where Bethany Hall-Long currently serves. This new candidate will need help if the Republicans put up an opponent. Democratic candidate Earl Jacques and Independent James Spencer are running against Republican Vince Lofink in the 27th RD. Earl came within 60 or so votes of victory in 2006. Earl is not the most progressive candidate, but he is shifting ‘our way’. A victory in the 27th could tilt the majority of the House to the Democratic side, which would result in the chairmanship and the majority of each committee shifting to Democrats in January.
I apologize for my Delaware-centric focus. There is only so much time in the day, and so I focus on issues closest to my home. I will later this summer point out the US Senate and House races where you can make a real difference. 2008 can bring a real change to the US Senate if we pick up enough seats. Note that the reason that the country is so dissatisfied with the Congress at this time is that, despite a resounding victory for ‘end the war’ candidates in 2006, too many Republicans in the Senate prevented the majority of Senators from being able to place a timetable and other limits on the Iraq Occupation. To help Obama be better able to push through needed reform (health care, education, foreign affairs), he needs a strongly supportive Senate and House. www.electoral-vote.com has a Hot House races and an All Senate races page with great information. Note that a friend’s college friend, Jeff Merkley, is staying ahead of Republican Gordon Smith in his race to become a US Senator from Oregon.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Letter to Editor--Wind Power is Here--06/26/2008
I sent this several Delaware papers this afternoon.
Job Well Done
Deep thanks are due to all of the private individuals who worked so hard to convince Delaware’s legislature to support a wind farm off Delaware’s coast. This was a major victory for ordinary citizens, and shows what people can do when we have the will and tenacity to stand up and fight for what we believe in.
We finally brought reluctant state legislators to the table to craft a solution. While many people who came late to the game may try to take credit, the real credit is due to the people who applied the pressure on our legislators early and often. I am grateful for public officials such as Jack Markell who supported the wind farm proposal very early, and who, at some risk, lent the prestige of their offices to the fight. I was especially moved by Jack’s January 3rd call for the legislature to get the process back on course.
A great leader is one who begins by looking in his heart for what is right, and disregarding the potential political fallout. In his early and steady action to bring offshore wind power to Delaware, Jack Markell has shown me that he is a great leader, and the best candidate for Delaware’s next governor.
Job Well Done
Deep thanks are due to all of the private individuals who worked so hard to convince Delaware’s legislature to support a wind farm off Delaware’s coast. This was a major victory for ordinary citizens, and shows what people can do when we have the will and tenacity to stand up and fight for what we believe in.
We finally brought reluctant state legislators to the table to craft a solution. While many people who came late to the game may try to take credit, the real credit is due to the people who applied the pressure on our legislators early and often. I am grateful for public officials such as Jack Markell who supported the wind farm proposal very early, and who, at some risk, lent the prestige of their offices to the fight. I was especially moved by Jack’s January 3rd call for the legislature to get the process back on course.
A great leader is one who begins by looking in his heart for what is right, and disregarding the potential political fallout. In his early and steady action to bring offshore wind power to Delaware, Jack Markell has shown me that he is a great leader, and the best candidate for Delaware’s next governor.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Letter to Editor--Spineless Senate--06/17/2008
GET A BACKBONE, ALREADY
What do you get when you give eleven state senators backbones? No one yet knows.
House Concurrent Resolution 38 would finally bring wind power to Delaware, ending the stall tactic that Senators DeLuca and McDowell imposed in December. HCR38 status--stuck in committee for two months.
House Bill 71 would empower our judges to properly sentence drug offenders, and ease our appalling prison situation. HB71--stuck in committee for two months.
Senate Bill 4 would bring real open government to Dover. HB4--stuck in committee for five months.
Senate Bill 141 makes it illegal to discriminate against people due to sexual orientation. Even with ten senators sponsoring it, SB141 has been stuck in committee for over a year.
Black holes are not only found in space-—they are alive and well in Dover.
By keeping these bills in committee, the committee members prevent their fellow senators from having a say on the issue. That is incredibly spineless.
Each bill has eight to ten senators sponsoring it. If each sponsoring senator, along with one to three additional senators, signs the petition, the bill can be brought up for a vote on the senate floor. Unfortunately, this requires eleven state senators to use their backbone at the same time--an event never witnessed in Dover.
If you feel that your senator has a backbone, ask them to petition HCR38, HB71, SB4, and SB141 onto the senate floor. Prove me wrong.
What do you get when you give eleven state senators backbones? No one yet knows.
House Concurrent Resolution 38 would finally bring wind power to Delaware, ending the stall tactic that Senators DeLuca and McDowell imposed in December. HCR38 status--stuck in committee for two months.
House Bill 71 would empower our judges to properly sentence drug offenders, and ease our appalling prison situation. HB71--stuck in committee for two months.
Senate Bill 4 would bring real open government to Dover. HB4--stuck in committee for five months.
Senate Bill 141 makes it illegal to discriminate against people due to sexual orientation. Even with ten senators sponsoring it, SB141 has been stuck in committee for over a year.
Black holes are not only found in space-—they are alive and well in Dover.
By keeping these bills in committee, the committee members prevent their fellow senators from having a say on the issue. That is incredibly spineless.
Each bill has eight to ten senators sponsoring it. If each sponsoring senator, along with one to three additional senators, signs the petition, the bill can be brought up for a vote on the senate floor. Unfortunately, this requires eleven state senators to use their backbone at the same time--an event never witnessed in Dover.
If you feel that your senator has a backbone, ask them to petition HCR38, HB71, SB4, and SB141 onto the senate floor. Prove me wrong.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Progressive Update--05/29/2008
Nomination Math—www.realclearpolitics.com has a good summary of the race for delegates. Obama is about 47 from victory, and it appears that he will cross the line on Tuesday with the Montana and South Dakota primaries, the last two—finally! I expect Hillary to bow out next week, perhaps on Monday, after the winning Puerto Rico primary.
These three primaries pale in importance to Saturday’s meeting of the DNC’s rules committee, which will decide on ‘what to do with Florida and Michigan’. This is Hillary’s hail mary prayer, one which will not be answered. Most expect the delegates to be split 50/50 between Obama/Clinton, or given half a vote each with a net gain to Hillary of about 20—in either case, this doesn’t change the fact that Obama will have the necessary majority of delegates by Wednesday morning.
While Hillary can stay in the race, and fight the Rules committee’s decision in Denver before the Credentials committee, this would be an all-or-nothing tactic—if she fights and loses (which is highly likely), she is toast in the party, and will have ended her career. At some point, there is a limit to her ego, and she has to care a smidgeon for the good of the party. It is the job of the 200 undeclared superdelegates to swing to Obama after he gets the majority of delegates to convince Clinton that her battle is over, and it is time to begin acting like a loyal Democrat.
To find out how to help the Obama campaign, go to www.barackobama.com. You can go to Find Events, and enter your zip code to find area events. You can go to Volunteer to sign up and learn about how you can help. There is a ‘My.BarackObama.com community’ where you can link up with area Obama supporters.
It’s Our Year—www.electoral-vote.com is currently projecting that Democrats will pick up 5 US Senate seats (Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Virginia) this fall, and there are five more that could swing our way (MN, MS, NC, OR, and TX, yes, Texas). The same site shows Obama (and Clinton) both winning enough electoral votes to beat McCain this fall. I take this with a grain of salt, as Obama will not be running against McCain, but rather Obama and his running mate will run against McCain and his running mate. Furthermore, the polls do not yet reflect the impact of Nader and, much more significantly, Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party’s nominee. Barr is a perfect compliment (in Republicans’ eyes) to McCain, a staunch conservative, and may well bleed a bunch of votes from McCain, just as Nader did to Gore in 2000.
State of the State—There are currently ten Delaware races with primaries—eight between Democrats and two with Republicans. On the Democratic side, there are three folks running for Mike Castle’s Congressional seat. For Governor, the Progressive Democrats of Delaware (PDD) and my 23rd Representative District (RD) have endorsed Jack Markell, and I concur. For Lt. Governor, Ted Blunt has stepped aside, leaving Matt Denn no longer worrying about a primary. However, he is set to run against DuPont heir (well-financed) Charlie Copeland in November, a formidable challenge. There are three Dems running for Insurance Commissioner, Reed, Savage, and Weldin-Stewart. If Reed would return the campaign contributions from insurance company executives (and spouses), I would support him, however this looks unlikely. I’m waiting to learn more about them during the PDD endorsement process.
There are two Dem candidates for New Castle County Executive: Chris Coons and Tom Gordon. My RD and the New Castle County Executive Committee (NCCEC) has endorsed Coons, and I support this. In the 6th Senate District (SD), there are two Dems running for incumbent Republican Liane Sorenson’s seat: Mike Terranova (retired police officer) and John Mackenzie (Christina School Board member). I hope to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of each at Monday’s 23rd RD meeting, and during the PDD endorsement process. In the 12th New Castle County Council district, I prefer Tom Scherer to incumbent William Bell. There are two Wilmington races with Democratic primaries, however I don’t know anything about the candidates.
At this time, the only contested non-primary race for the state legislature pits Democrat Bryon Short against James Bowers. Bryon won a special election in an upset a year ago to fill the spot vacated by Wayne Smith, the Republican who left the House to become a lobbyist the next day (typical career path for Republicans). This will be hotly contested.
Getting Involved in Delaware—Jack Markell’s campaign website is www.markell.org and includes events and volunteer opportunities. I hope to attend a Country Barbecue supporting Jack on July 19th from 5-8pm in Townsend. The cost is $25 per person (kids eat free), and you should RSVP to kennedy@markell.org
By the way, last night the NCCEC endorsed John Carney’s bid for governor, not Jack Markell’s. This isn’t too surprising, as Carney has been Governor Ruth Ann Minner’s Lt. Governor for eight years, and is ‘the establishment candidate’, the candidate supported by the old Democratic Party movers and shakers. If you want more of that, then John Carney could be your candidate. I’m looking for a real change, in Dover in addition to in Washington DC, and this is why I support Jack Markell for governor.
Furthermore, keep an eye out for the ‘negative campaigning’ in this race. As a biased supporter of Jack Markell, I am starting to see some personal attacks by Carney, while Markell’s comments are most often focused on Minner/Carney policy shortcomings and related areas of disappointment.
Chris Coons’ site is www.chriscoons.com. I hope to attend a reception ($50 per person) on June 16th from 6-8pm at Rebecca Young’s home. RSVP to Tara Quinn at 302-427-3690. There is also a beef-n-beer fundraiser ($40 per person) from 6-10pm at the Mill Creek Fire Hall on June 7th, when he kicks off his campaign.
Matt Denn’s site is www.mattdenn.com. His kickoff is Saturday June 7th, including an announcement at the New Castle Old Courthouse at 4pm. I haven’t heard about a fundraiser yet, but you can contribute on the website.
John Kowalko’s site is www.johnkowalko.com. While he doesn’t yet have a filed opponent, there is no question that Delmarva is trying hard to recruit someone. There is a fundraiser in Newark for the 25th RD (where he serves) this Saturday from 7-9pm. I have tickets ($15 for one person, $25 for a couple)—let me know if you would like a ticket.
The Progressive Democrats of Delaware’s site is http://www.progressivedemsdel.com/. You can contribute online. There is a 4th of July event planned. This group is instrumental in helping voters identify candidates who share our liberal views, helping us separate the wheat from the chaff, so we can be smarter with our political contributions of time and money. Please consider joining the PDDs!
Delaware Legislative Update—There are three pieces of legislation that I care a lot about, and all three are holed up in the Delaware state senate.
SB4—This bill will open up our legislature, which exempted itself decades ago from FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act. If you think that our state legislature should be open to the light of day, contact your senator and urge them to get Senate Bill 4, the FOIA Bill, onto the floor for a vote.
SB141—This bill would make it illegal to discrimate against someone based on their sexual orientation. Without this protection, people can be kicked out of their apartment, or fired, purely due to being (or appearing to be) a gay or lesbian. Delaware is one of the few Dark Ages states that does not currently make this illegal. Please contact your senator and ask them to work with Senator Sokola to get this bill onto the Senate floor for a vote of the full Senate.
HCR38—This is a House Concurrent Resolution to bring wind power (and jobs) to Delaware. Senator McDowell (embarrassingly a Democrat) has done everything in his power to prevent this from happening, despite the three state agencies agreeing that the Bluewater Wind contract meeting all requirements and being the best for the state. In times when fossil fuel prices are rising ten times the overall rate of inflation, you would think that everyone would be falling over themselves to get this going. Well McDowell has jammed the works for more than five months, despite overwhelming public support for this deal. Please ask your Senator to bring HCR38 onto the floor, and to vote to get Delaware moving on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels (and on the Delmarva Power monopoly).
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Progressive Update--05/08/2008--Tick, Tock
Nomination Math—On Tuesday Barack Obama fully erased the impact of Clinton’s victory in PA. She won 12 more delegates than him in PA, and 4 more in Indiana, but he won 16 more in North Carolina, and so he has the same margin of 166 more pledged-delegates than Hillary as he had in mid-March, and there are less than four weeks left of primaries.
There are six primaries left—the three big ones (more than 50 delegates each) are Oregon, where Obama should have a big win, Puerto Rico where Hillary should have a big win, and Kentucky, where Hillary should have a modest win. Of the smaller three, the largest is West Virginia where Hillary is very strong, and Montana and South Dakota, where Obama should rock. Bottom line—the pledged delegate gap is unlikely to change by more than 8 by the time the last voter has been cast on June 3rd—Barack Obama should end the primaries with 155 more pledged delegates than Hillary, or even more.
The ‘superdelegate’ math continues to work against Hillary. Months ago she had 100 more supers than Barack. Today that gap is down to 11, and that gap should completely close within a week, two at the most. After June 3rd, the remaining uncommitted supers will jump onto the Obama wagon (reinforcing the voice of the states and voters), and the party can finally move to the business of kicking McCain’s rear. The strategy of pointing out how a McCain administration will be equivalent to a 3rd term for W will likely have the most traction this fall. McCain has two impossible tasks. He feels the need to pander to the right wingers (the base) while also pitching that he is a maverick who bucks the base. The second impossible task is that he has to do this with no money (compared with the incredible grass-roots financial support that backs Barack Obama).
There are two important dates remaining in the nomination process. On May 31st, the rules committee meets and discusses the fate of delegates from Michigan and Florida. The most likely outcome is the seating of 50% to 100% of the normal number of delegates, with a split between 60/40 (Hillary/Barack) and 50/50. This may slightly narrow, but has no chance to change, the outcome. The second date is the date that Hillary concedes. We don’t know the date, but my guess is June 2nd, after a victory from Puerto Rico, but also 48 hours after the rules committee dashes her incredible dream of getting 100% of the Michigan delegates.
Hillary Clinton—Please remember that Hillary is a great Democrat, as are each of her supporters. We need Hillary, and each supporter to help our party take the White House, and gain as many seats in Congress as possible this fall. Please keep all of your statements positive—going negative only helps our foes, and could keep Hillary supporters home from the polls in November. Hillary and her supporters have waged an incredible campaign, and deserve our support on determining on their own when to call it quits. We each have our personal views, but we respect Hillary’s right to decide the timing for herself.
Helping Make it Happen—If you have some time on Saturday, you can help bring this to an end. One factor considered by superdelegates, including DE Democratic Party Chair John Daniello, is how each candidate can help their state’s candidates in November. Obama has the clear advantage in the western states, states that the old guard, including Hillary, have ceded to the Republicans, but progressives such as Howard Dean refuse to neglect. This is why Montana, Oregon, and South Dakota will go to Obama.
For several reasons, the Obama campaign is holding a National Voter Registration Project this Saturday, nationwide. If you can pitch in a few hours (generally 10am to 2pm), email Rob Carver at rcarver@pfracp.org TODAY. The New Castle County drive will have Rodney Square as its hub. Remember that our work this Saturday will help superdelegates better understand that Obama is the best candidate for President this fall, the one who can get the most voters out to help candidates ‘up and down the ballot’. Help Barack Obama get the nomination, volunteer on Saturday.
State Candidates—The Progressive Democrats of Delaware endorsed the candidacy of Jack Markell for DE Governor, Matt Denn for DE Lieutenant Governor. I sit on the endorsement committee and am proud of our process and these results. There are other important Democratic primary races, including for insurance commissioner, New Castle County executive, and US Representative.
There are also going to be several critical races in Delaware in November. I expect dynamic and well-financed Jack Markell to trounce whatever Republican wins their primary. However I worry about the race for Lieutenant Governor (in DE, it is possible to have one party win the race for governor and the other party to win the race for Lt. Gov. The Republicans have the incredibly-well-financed DuPont-heir Republican Charles Copeland running for Lt. Governor. This is going to be a very difficult to beat, and requires our strongest candidate, and for the entire party to stand behind the primary winner. I endorse Matt Denn, and will be giving time and money to his campaign to become DE’s next Lieutenant Governor.
I am also currently focused on the race for my State Senate district 6 (even split of registered Dems and Republicans) with Democrat Mike Terranova against Republican incumbent Liane Sorenson, Senate district 10 (many more registered Democrats) with Democrat Bethany Hall-Long and no Republican yet as Steve Amick is retiring, and Senate district 17 with Democrat Brian Bushweller and no Republican yet as arch-conservative John Still is retiring (YEAH!). In the state House, Democrat Rebecca Walker is running in the 9th (many more Democrats) against incumbent Republican Richard Cathcart, Democrat Michael Barbieri is running against incumbent Republican Terry Spence in the 18th (where there are loads more Democrats), and Democrat Earl Jacques is running incumbent Republican Vincent Lofink in the 27th (where there are also loads more Democrats).
2008 promises to be an incredibly great year for Democrats, at both the national and state level. The Republicans are lacking for both money and candidates, but most notably, they are lacking for votes. In Delaware, we can select a liberal, visionary Governor and Lt. Governor, which will be a breath of fresh air compared with the past eight years. We can reshape our state Senate, replacing a conservative Senator Pro Tempore, desk drawer vetoes, and closed meetings, and we can also transform the state House, getting a Democratic majority so that we can get health care reform and other important legislation passed, bills that have been held hostage for years by the Republican majority.
After depressing results in 2000 and 2004, this is the year to step up, pitch in, be heard, identify your candidates, and help them win. Get fired up!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Progressive Update--04/23/2008--Pennsylvania Results
Nomination Math—With 99% of precincts reporting, Hillary took 54.7% of the vote to Barack’s 45.3%, a 9% margin. Despite the spin, it was not a double-digit victory. She captured 6 more PA delegates than Obama, cutting his total delegate advantage to 127. Hmmm, six more delegates won by Hillary than Barack in PA. All Hillary needs to close that delegate gap are similar victories in 21 more states like PA. Oh that’s right, there aren’t another 21 states like PA left. There are only 7 states left, none with as many as PA’s 187 delegates. Actually, only one has more than 100 delegates,
I would like to mention two websites that I regularly visit: www.electoral-vote.com is wonderful, and is updated daily. Real Clear Politics has many pages-- http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_delegate_count.html presents the current Democratic delegate race. Neither site appears to favor either Democratic candidate.
In PA Obama closed the gap with
What are the superdelegates waiting for? The party needs to come together behind one candidate. The party decides its nominee by delegates, and Hillary Clinton can not close that gap. It is time for the superdelegates to confirm the primary results, the delegate math, and to pledge their votes to Barack Obama, so that we can get to the job of beating John McCain, and ending the eight year debacle of a Republican White House.
Dream Ticket?—A friend raised this issue with me this morning, of Hillary running as VP to Barack as President. I consider this much more of a nightmare ticket. For Hillary to be an asset on that ticket, she needs to stop, today, in her negative ads, and the negative words she and her surrogates aim at Obama (no problem directing them at McCain, of course). Without that drastic change, she is showing Obama and Democrats that she is putting herself above the party, and that is a trait that a VP can not have. Furthermore, she needs to really put a muzzle on Bill—perhaps she can get him to campaign for her in
And now the view of Villanova Political Science professor Matthew Kerbel on the PA primary:
Two word take: nothing changes. This is about what I expected (I predicted an 8 point win and the final numbers are going to put it close to 9). She will spin that the superdelegates are starting to wonder about Obama, and there is a serious doubt about his ability to win blue collar ethnics in the rust belt, but that's not a new concern. She will most likely net in the range of 8-15 delegates out of yesterday, which doesn't put her any closer to the nomination. And the clock is running out.
The main issue for Democratic superdelegates today, as it was before Pennsylvania, is to find a way to bring this to a close without alienating her constituencies by making it appear she is being forced out. The calendar has conspired against this happening, providing a yawning seven week gap with no contests sandwiched between a pair of states (
This is and has long been a race between two different coalitions, where outcomes have been decided by who had the most voters in a given state, not by who could change the most minds. That's why it has been shaped more by the calendar than by momentum. Obama prevailed in that race by being better organized in caucus states and campaigning hard in small states that Hillary ignored. But he can't close it out against an equally strong coalition until the calendar lets him. That, too, was the case before
Friday, April 11, 2008
04/11/2008--Windmills and Windbags
Wind Power Tug of War—Two big events occurred this week. House Concurrent Resolution 38 passed the house (go to http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS144.nsf/7712cf7cc0e9227a852568470077336f/30dcba0d779ffcee85257427007de016?OpenDocument to see how your Rep voted—Terry Schooley voted in favor of this important legislation that directs the Controller General to stop stone-walling the contract which was approved by all three state agencies that studied the bids and the contract.
With 25 Reps voting for it, and with six Senators co-sponsoring it, more than a majority of the General Assembly supports this, so why is the Controller General continuing to stall? Tom Noyes runs a great blog, with special attention to the wind power issue, at http://tommywonk.blogspot.com/
Delmarva’s marionette puppet Senator Harris McDowell’s sham hearings have, surprise, surprise, this week led to a report (seemingly penned by Delmarva) that argues for buying land-based wind power (without any price protection, and without bringing any jobs to Delaware). Anyone willing to bet that the report wasn’t written before the first sham hearing? House Bill 6 was passed two years ago to bring control to the price of power to
Discrimination Update—Senate Bill 141 (SB 141) would make it illegal to discriminate against someone in
If you live in Senator McDowell’s district (Senate District 1 in north
Spaghetti Dinner/Auction Update—Tonight is the night. Bring family and friends to tonights spaghetti dinner and auction for the
State Democratic Party Convention Update—I was not selected to go to
Presidential Primary Update—There are only 11 more days until the primary in Pennsylvania, only two more weekends to volunteer to help your candidate get more votes. Each candidate has a good website, where you can find out how you can volunteer (and donate). I continue to really enjoy going to www.electoral-vote.com daily to get updates on election issues, including polls. It notes that Obama has 130 or more delegates more than
I’m a financial planner, and a reporter asked me this week what I thought about the 3 candidates’ views on estate tax reform. John McCain wants there to be no estate taxes until a couple has $10 million, and then cut the tax rate from 45% to 15%. Both Hillary and Barack want to freeze the levels at $6 million per couple. McCain’s position is not too surprising, given that his wife is worth about $100 million. I simply don’t get how Republicans can continue to say, with a straight face, that they are fiscally responsible, and at the same time talk about drastically cutting tax revenues from families with more than $6 million. That kind of fiscal responsibility got us into the current financial mess. How can we cut taxes for zillionaires when we need money for schools, health care, and infrastructure? I just don’t get it! We need to get a Democrat into the White House in November!
Governor/Lieutenant Governor Race—I serve on the Progressive Democrats of Delaware’s (http://www.progressivedemsdel.com/) endorsement committee. We examined the candidates for
Good Government—We are asking the Newark City Council to join
If you live in the city of
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Paul's Path to Denver Ends--04/06/2008
Well, I gave it my best. I spent many, many hours in Dover today, at the state Democratic delegate convention, but was not selected to represent Barack Obama in Denver. I end this post with an article from the Wilmington News Journal on who was selected.
The good--some great delegates were selected to represent Obama, people who have worked a tremendous amount for the campaign. The Obama campaign is very pleased with the makeup of the state delegation, and this is terrific! It was good to see such a full set of great candidates. A big weakness of the Democratic Party these days is having too many good choices from which to choose!
The bad--I was amazed at the autocratic style of state party chair John Daniello. Late in the day he nominated himself to lead the delegation in Denver, from the podium, and then proceeded to run the meeting even though the order of business was his nomination. Daniello follows the style of Senate Pro Tempore Thurman Adams (who freely uses his desk drawer veto, and who obstructs the passage of Senate Bill 4, which would have the general assembly fall under FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act). Daniello appears to consider himself, also, above the rules--that the rules are made for others. Clearly we progressives have some work cut out for ourselves here in the First State, to make the Democratic Party, well, democratic.
On the topic of bad form, I didn't appreciate having to listen to well over an hour of state leaders speaking--Daniello, Minner, Carper, and Biden. There were some good messages, but not even close to worth taking up so much time of hundreds of Democratic activists. Biden admitted that even he found his own talk boring!
I'm very disappointed with not making it to Denver, but this will fade. What won't fade is my desire to help Barack Obama seal the nomination--he already leads in delegates, popular vote, and states, and there is no question, he will continue to lead in August. The next stage of the campaign is the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd.
The article >>> DOVER -- Several hundred Democrats met at the Dover Sheraton today to sort out who will represent Delaware at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.
It took almost a full day, but they got it done, electing 16 delegates from around the state, including nine pledged to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, six pledged to N.Y. Sen. Hillary Clinton and one unpledged delegate. They will join the state’s seven so-called “super delegates,” who have slots on the Delaware team by virtue of their elected office (governor, member of Congress, state party chairman).
Before getting down to business, delegates heard speeches from four of those super delegates -- Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and Tom Carper, and Democratic State Chairman John Daniello.
Then they elected the following delegates:
Kent County: Joe Dillon (Clinton), Elisa Vassas (Obama), Peter Couming, alternate (Obama)
New Castle County: Robin Whitaker (Obama), Bernard Pepukayi (Obama), Betsy Maron (Clinton), Ken Woods (Clinton), Saundra Ross Johnson, alternate (Obama)
Sussex County: Kay Ryan (Clinton), Tim Willard (Obama), Ardeth Savage, alternate (Clinton)
Wilmington: Stephanie Bolden (Obama), Darius Brown (Obama)
At-large: Dr. Spencer Epps (Obama), Samuel Lathem (Obama), Crystal Barnett (Clinton), Bill Skogen, alternate (Obama)
Pledged party leader and elected official delegates: Wilmington City Councilwoman Hanifa Shabazz (Obama), state Rep. Helene Keeley (Clinton)
Unpledged add-on: Rob Carver
The good--some great delegates were selected to represent Obama, people who have worked a tremendous amount for the campaign. The Obama campaign is very pleased with the makeup of the state delegation, and this is terrific! It was good to see such a full set of great candidates. A big weakness of the Democratic Party these days is having too many good choices from which to choose!
The bad--I was amazed at the autocratic style of state party chair John Daniello. Late in the day he nominated himself to lead the delegation in Denver, from the podium, and then proceeded to run the meeting even though the order of business was his nomination. Daniello follows the style of Senate Pro Tempore Thurman Adams (who freely uses his desk drawer veto, and who obstructs the passage of Senate Bill 4, which would have the general assembly fall under FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act). Daniello appears to consider himself, also, above the rules--that the rules are made for others. Clearly we progressives have some work cut out for ourselves here in the First State, to make the Democratic Party, well, democratic.
On the topic of bad form, I didn't appreciate having to listen to well over an hour of state leaders speaking--Daniello, Minner, Carper, and Biden. There were some good messages, but not even close to worth taking up so much time of hundreds of Democratic activists. Biden admitted that even he found his own talk boring!
I'm very disappointed with not making it to Denver, but this will fade. What won't fade is my desire to help Barack Obama seal the nomination--he already leads in delegates, popular vote, and states, and there is no question, he will continue to lead in August. The next stage of the campaign is the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd.
The article >>> DOVER -- Several hundred Democrats met at the Dover Sheraton today to sort out who will represent Delaware at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.
It took almost a full day, but they got it done, electing 16 delegates from around the state, including nine pledged to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, six pledged to N.Y. Sen. Hillary Clinton and one unpledged delegate. They will join the state’s seven so-called “super delegates,” who have slots on the Delaware team by virtue of their elected office (governor, member of Congress, state party chairman).
Before getting down to business, delegates heard speeches from four of those super delegates -- Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and Tom Carper, and Democratic State Chairman John Daniello.
Then they elected the following delegates:
Kent County: Joe Dillon (Clinton), Elisa Vassas (Obama), Peter Couming, alternate (Obama)
New Castle County: Robin Whitaker (Obama), Bernard Pepukayi (Obama), Betsy Maron (Clinton), Ken Woods (Clinton), Saundra Ross Johnson, alternate (Obama)
Sussex County: Kay Ryan (Clinton), Tim Willard (Obama), Ardeth Savage, alternate (Clinton)
Wilmington: Stephanie Bolden (Obama), Darius Brown (Obama)
At-large: Dr. Spencer Epps (Obama), Samuel Lathem (Obama), Crystal Barnett (Clinton), Bill Skogen, alternate (Obama)
Pledged party leader and elected official delegates: Wilmington City Councilwoman Hanifa Shabazz (Obama), state Rep. Helene Keeley (Clinton)
Unpledged add-on: Rob Carver
Monday, March 31, 2008
Who is Paul Baumbach?
Blogger—I began sending emails out to people supporting John Kerry in 2004. Initially, these were focused on how people who help Kerry win in 2004. Even though
Democrat—I joined the 23rd Representative District several years ago (2005?) and have been active on the committee. I have also been involved with the Progressive Democrats of Delaware, and currently serve on its Endorsement Committee, charged with identifying which Democratic candidates in Delaware pass an appropriate 'liberal litmus test'.
Campaigns—I worked for John Kowalko’s successful campaign against Republican incumbent Stephanie Ulbrich in 2006. For John, in addition to door-knocking, I worked on talking points, speech and forum presentation, and other strategy. I have served as the treasurer for two local campaigns. I also helped other candidates in 2006 in speech and forum presentation matters.
Barack Obama—In January I organized a fundraiser for Obama that raised $2,500. I also offered my business for evening phone-banking ahead of the Super Tuesday primary. I attended both the Michelle and Barack Obama speeches in
I have worked to be selected as a delegate to the national convention, where I plan to not only vote for Obama, but also to convince additional delegates (uncommitted, and Clinton-supporters) to vote for Obama. The country needs Barack Obama to be the nominee of the Democratic Party, and I wish to help make this happen in August in
Social Justice—I helped resurrect the Social Justice committee at my church (www.uufn.org ), which I have led for more than five years. We have a long list of accomplishments, of making the community a better world in the past several years, including:
- Candidate forums in 2004, 2006, and 2008
- Voter
- Lobbying for Anti-Discrimination Bills (currently SB 10 and SB 141)
- Code Purple Sanctuary—open our doors on cold winter nights for those without shelter
- Seminars—We held two wonderful lecture series, including one on Religions of Mankind by Professor Alan Fox
- Films—We have shown many great films with social justice angles, including An Inconvenient Truth.
- Service Trips—youth service trip to Central America and
- Partnering with Community Groups—
Professional—I am a fee-only investment advisor. In 1996 I founded Mallard Advisors (www.mallardadvisors.com), an independent financial planning firm, in
Family—I have been married to Pam since 1985, and have lived in
Hobbies—When not working and politicking, I enjoy road bicycling, tennis, jogging/walking/hiking.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Wind Power--03/07/2008
Skipping Class
One argument I hear is that the legislators who condone the delay is that they don’t know enough about the contract, since they did not attend the many public hearings in the past year and a half. This excuse doesn’t hold up. If your child misses a class, it is their responsibility to go back and get the notes—if not, they fail. The notes (minutes) from these public hearings are available, but the legislators who refuse to sponsor HCR 38 are too lazy to ‘do their make-up work’. What grade do they deserve?
Ask your representative and senator whether they support HCR 38. If not, ask them what they have done in the past two months to make up for their absences at last year’s contract hearings. If they have done nothing, in November give them a failing grade—they have earned it.
Not sent (too long for the News Journal)
This week brought the latest disgrace to this process, as Senate ‘leaders’ DeLuca and McDowell paid $35,000 of your money to bring a DC attorney as Grand Inquisitor of state employees from departments that ruled in favor of the Bluewater Wind contract, a contract that DeLuca and McDowell are fighting the public and their fellow legislators to kill. ‘Shoot the messenger’, anyone?
McDowell’s kangaroo court is a further waste of precious time and money, and the McCarthy-era grilling of our state employees is reprehensible, lobbyist-scripted politics at its very worst. This waste is largely the result of the 35 legislators’ failure to co-sponsor HCR 38 and demand the immediate end to the contract’s delay.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Progressive Update--03/06/2007
Good/Bad News—The Democratic nominee for Presidential candidate goes on. There are some benefits of this. Some Dems note that the race is news, and there is no such thing as bad media attention. Others note that the country has not decided which Democrat they want to run against McCain, and they need more time to hear more from each candidate.
The other camp sees disadvantages to the continued primary contest. Especially the
The Michigan and Florida issue is tricky—if the national committee tells you that you need to wait until Super Tuesday or later, or else your delegates won’t count, why would you go ahead and hold it in January? Well
www.electoral-vote.com notes “Lurking in the background are the delegations from
The super-delegate ‘issue’ is quite touchy—should they follow their heart, their state’s popular vote, their state’s pledge delegates, or what? I believe that they should, in the full light of day (as opposed to in a dark smoke-filled room in Denver) all shift to the campaign with the most delegates when the pledged delegate race is decided (now, after Pennsylvania, after Michigan/Florida—I don’t know when). This will accomplish the goal of ‘ending the madness’, helping the 2nd place candidate see that the gig is up (as Huckabee finally did on Tuesday night), and permitting the whole Democratic party to get behind the clear, cleanly selected nominee.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Letter to the Editor--02/19/2008--McDowell short on facts
Submitted to Wilmington News Journal, 2/19/2008 17:15
State Senator Harris McDowell wrote a Delaware Voice letter on the 19th. In it he attempted to explain the reasons that his Senate committee has called for yet further hearings on the wind power contract, hearings that the News Journal staff has rightly identified as unnecessary foot-dragging. His letter contained significant mis-information.
He claims that the four state agencies were unable to agree to approve the contract in December. Actually, there were three state agencies, which all support the contract, and the Controller General, who answers to ‘the leadership’, including Senator McDowell himself. Why did these ‘leaders’ compel the Controller General to disagree with the experts, and stall this process?
McDowell claims surprise at objections to public hearings. What he fails to mention is that there have already been a number of public hearings and staff reports. He appears to feel that hearings that he failed to attend did not occur. I am disappointed that Senator McDowell would prefer to grandstand than to take the time to read the transcripts and reports.
McDowell also misleads when he discusses how much the wind power will cost. He mentions cost estimates two to ten times what the PSC analysis concludes (again, I certainly wish he would read their reports). He intentionally confuses the cost of wind power (which is known) with the difference in cost between wind and fossil fuel (which is unknown, due to the variable, and rising, cost of fossil fuel).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
