DELAWARE WATCH
Dana, seriously, if you can guarantee your political predictions, shouldn't you be playing the stock market and buying large, private islands off the coast of Seattle?
It's not a matter of making predictions. It's a matter of elementary mathematics.
With Christian in the State Senate, open government senate rules wins by one vote. With Ennis in the state senate, Thurman Adams closed government rules continue to prevail.
Well Dana, with your record of political accomplishments and successful candidates, I think we can definitely look forward to this.
Isn't that right Sen Feroce, Rep. Nixon, Attorney General Wharton...
Hey Geoff (Chaucer)...it was supposed to be SEN. Nixon! But the joke's on me nonetheless...
I wonder if Harris "Nail in the Coffin of Wind" McDowell's faithful Democratic supporters are having any buyer's remorse at this moment. Gee, aren't they all about the environment and energy "independence"?
My apologies Tyler... at least with that race, I agreed with Dana.
Plus, how did you know my first name!?
You must be one of those "readers"
You are also assuming, falsely in my estimation, that those Republicans would vote the same way if they thought it would actually pass.
People can look so courageous when they know there's no consequences for it...
Mr. Ennis has come out for Open Government. He will support Open Government if it comes up for a vote. Mr. Ennis is a man of his word. He is his own person and does not always go by the party votes. He has supported Open Government when it was introduced last Spring.
"Well Dana, with your record of political accomplishments and successful candidates, I think we can definitely look forward to this."
Perhaps if my so-called fellow liberals and progressive w/i the Democratic Party were more concerned w/ being truly progressive than establishment lickspittle dems, and were more concerned about the the public good than w/ being PERCEIVED as loyal to the party, then my record of endorsing candidates would be better.
Besides, I never said Christian would win. Find where I said it. Can you? LOL, you can't because you are distorting what I've said.
What I said and say is that if you want Thurman Adams lite, then vote for Ennis. But if you want someone closer to Karen Peterson on open & good government, then vote for Christian.
"You are also assuming, falsely in my estimation, that those Republicans would vote the same way if they thought it would actually pass."
Look, they have a RECORD of voting against the Thurman Adams closed government Senate rules. I suppose if one or two of them had a brain clot, they would change their votes.
But all the Dems in the Senate, except Peterson, would need to have their brain clots surgically removed for them to change their votes for the senate closed government rules.
I'm going w/ the clotless in this election because I more concerned about principle and the public good than I am party slavishness.
Ugh. Dana I get where you are coming from. But voting for Republicans to cure Democratic corruption is like using maggots to clean rotting flesh out of a wound - when they are done you have to wash them out.
... and your comparison of Christian to Peterson was, from the progressive point of view, over the top.
Dana,
You can believe what you want to believe, but Mr. Ennis will support open government in the senate.
Mr. Ennis will support open government in the senate
As long as Adams is in charge, Ennis can honestly promise he will vote for any open government bills that make it to the floor.
But if say Ennis will "support open government in the senate," you are asking us to believe Ennis will challenge Adams's leadership and join Petersen in voting against Adams. Nobody believes that.
The truth about the incinerator.
Allover - "truth" is a relative term to Green Delaware, you should know that.
It's not about having a brain clot, Dana. It's about political expediency and voting for something that you know will fail, so you can take the moral high ground. They voted that way because they knew it wasn't going anywhere and they wanted to make it an issue in the election.
They did and they still lost. The people behind Christian are doing it this time, and they will still lose.
Should I dare say it, but people don't give a damn about open government. Only bloggers and the WDEL callers - who are usually bloggers - and the town gadflies - also callers and bloggers....
And all 24 of you don't even live in the district so all the whining and distorting will mean nothing on Saturday...
Ennis has vowed to support open government, he is not Jim Vaughn. And all this conjecture about his relationship with Adams is frankly, bullshit, unless you talk to Ennis yourself.
At least Jason sat down with Christian - where's this citizen journalist stuff Dana? Or does the extent of your citizen journalism end with anonymous email tips and rumors fed from the GOP?
And when did Karen Peterson become this model legislator? Give me a break. She's a good one, no doubt, but about 50% of her stuff is just to piss off Ruth Ann.
"Should I dare say it, but people don't give a damn about open government."
Waltheimer -- You're only half right.
People don't care about government at all.
I can't figure you so called Liberals.
Where does the candidates stand for instance on drug reform and the death penalty?
"And when did Karen Peterson become this model legislator? Give me a break. She's a good one, no doubt, but about 50% of her stuff is just to piss off Ruth Ann.
Waltheimer | 10.30.07 | # "
So, Waltheimer, which of Peterson's legislation was designed to "piss off" Ruth Ann??? Minner has signed all but one of Peterson's bills and Peterson has co-sponsored several of Minner's bills. In fact, Peterson's vote was the one that saved Minner's budget this year (and Minner publicly thanked her for it).
So what are you talking about?
"As long as Adams is in charge, Ennis can honestly promise he will vote for any open government bills that make it to the floor.
But if say Ennis will "support open government in the senate," you are asking us to believe Ennis will challenge Adams's leadership and join Petersen in voting against Adams. Nobody believes that."
Exactly. He will not challenge Adams on the Senate rules. That is completely obvious. If someone as liberal and smart as Sakola is too timid to vote against the Senate rules, you have to be intoxicated to be Ennis will do otherwise.
"Ennis can honestly promise he will vote for any open government bills that make it to the floor..."
And this is important. Ennis might vote for open governments that make it to the floor BUT NONE DO BECAUSE OF THE SENATE RULE that allows Adams to send them to committee chairs where they never see the light of day. That's why Christian's vote against the rules is needed.
"nd your comparison of Christian to Peterson was, from the progressive point of view, over the top"
And your assumption that Ennis is closer to Peterson than Christian simply because Ennis is a Dem isn't progressive at all.
"Should I dare say it, but people don't give a damn about open government. Only bloggers and the WDEL callers - who are usually bloggers - and the town gadflies - also callers and bloggers...."
Hogwash. I heard from candidates all over DE in 06 saying they got frequent questions from voters when they went door to door about open government.
But your point is irrelevant in any case. The issue about open government isn't about what interest voters. It's about what they DESERVE as citizens. If voters didn't give a damn about free speech, that wouldn't be an argument for supporting a candidate who opposed it.
That's precisely how you Ennis supporters are coming off. You apparently don't give a damn about citizens DESERVE. You apparently don't believe Delawareans deserve open government whether they say they want it or not. Well, guess what. I think they DESERVE open government. That's why I support Christian.
Also, undoubtedly many Delawareans mistakenly believe they have an open government in Delaware. That results from politcos like Ennis proclaiming he believes in "open government" w/o providing the fine print.
"At least Jason sat down with Christian - where's this citizen journalist stuff Dana? Or does the extent of your citizen journalism end with anonymous email tips and rumors fed from the GOP?"
Jason sitting down w/ her was only to cover his rear for declaring in advance that no one should vote for her because she is a Repub. He needed the interview only to re-create the facade of impartiality. And in the end he supported Ennis anyhow and why? Because she wouldn't throw Mike Castle under the bus. Talk about a phony reason for rejecting a candidate you intended to reject anyhow! It was one of Jason's worst moments.
As for my methods--well, you don't know what they are. You are only guessing. But here is one: ENNIS HAS A RECORD. That record SHOWS either opposition to open g0overnment or extreme luke-warmness about it. Christian supports open government in ways Ennis has not over the years.
Besides, how anyone who cares about people can possibly support a man who want to put trash incinerators a little more than 1/2 mile from schools, hospitals, old folks homes, and homes escapes my ability to comprehend. And it doesn't matter that he withdrew his disgusting amendment. He should have never offered it in the first place.
""And when did Karen Peterson become this model legislator? Give me a break. She's a good one, no doubt, but about 50% of her stuff is just to piss off Ruth Ann."
She's my model legislator in the Senate. I'm a huge fan of hers. I can't think of anyone better in the Senate. Also, although I doubt she writes legislation to piss off our Gov, I have no doubt that good legislation frequently pisses her off, especially legislation that requires her to work, make good appointments and interact w/ the people of DE.
People seem to forget the House is in control of the Republican Party; I haven't seen any rush to put all bills on the table there.
Wake up, this policy, wrong as it may seem to the goody two shoes, is done from the local level to the White House regardless of party.
Rep. Ennis pushed for open government when he sponsored the Municipal Election Bill that opened the doors for citizens to have open town elections.
He is a good honest person who will serve the state well; I'm sure his opponent is a good person and will represent her area well.
But bottom line the Democrats have the majority in the Senate and Ennis will have a better chance to have legislation done.
In the House he is in the minority and if you think the Dems get a break in there with their legislation then I have a bridge to sell you.
What is Ms Christian's position on the various manufactured housing bills that are out there
If the rules are changed next January, Peterson's SB4 will get a vote in the Senate and will at least have a fighting chance in the house. If the rules aren't changed, the chances of it seeing the full Senate are about nil.
As for Ennis challenging "Desk Drawer" Adams, I don't know Ennis and have no reason to doubt those who vouch for his integrity and independence. What I do know is this: When I contacted state senators last spring about voting SB4 out of committee, virtually all (those who bothered to respond) said they believed in open government, but only one Democrat (Peterson) said she would vote to petition it out. The bill has nine co-sponsors, meaning if all the sponsors voted for the petition, they would need just one more vote to get it out of committee. How did that go? Not even the co-sponsors would vote to circumvent Adams' committee. Sad, indeed. Would Bruce Ennis?
When I lived and worked in upstate New York, and when I worked in South Jersey, where open government is the norm, there was much more interest and involvement from ordinary folks. I believe the same would happen in Delaware. And I believe people do care about this issue.
By the way, Tyler, I didn't vote for McDowell in the last election and I never will. Should you challenge his lazy fat-cat ass next time, I will help you in any way I can.
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