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FYI: Donviti’s take on Coffee with Jack this morning

March 31st, 2009 • Related • Filed Under
By Donvictimiti

I’m not sure when you all will see it, but the Coffee with Jack was a really informative discussion.  A few things I gained from it were:

Jack is willing to be a reference for me

Jack didn’t know that unemployment benefits top pay out is $325 a week

Jack remembered my wife and reads the blog.  I know this because he referred to her comment the day after he met her at the Obama Rally held at Joe’s Crabshack

Jack had a meeting with a really high profile CEO in De that was bitching about a tax increase and how it will impact him and his business.

Jack was wishy-washy on Civil Unions…sort of

Jack wants gambling in Delaware

I made a comment that if big business is complaining about something then odds are it is good for the people.  Jack took the higher road and I felt was a little too supportive of listening to the needs of big business.  I implied that big business isn’t responsible to anyone but themselves and the share holders.  I think that sort of registered, however more to Jack that some angry white guy doesn’t like corporations.

Jack has two huge body guards

Jack is ignoring the bad stuff and I guess 90% of Meconi’s resume because he is a “bulldog”.  Personally I think it is bullshit especially knowing what the guy did…or didn’t do.  I don’t see how having him on helps you and increases the credibility you need

Jack is open to (or said he was) other ideas regarding a progressive pay cut for state workers.  There is no talk of sunsetting it.j

Jack isn’t going to entertain the stupid ass idea of a sales tax

Jack is open to consolidating School Districts

Jack doesn’t like David Anderson (ok, I lied he didn’t say that.  But I’m sure he was thinking it)

There Are 93 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 10:04 am:

    Anything about transparency? (i.e. public websites for detailed budget data?)

  2. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 10:06 am:

    Yes, he is in favor of that too. But it won’t be a database type set up b/c of the cost. Will be something that has to do with “checks” or something. I think being able to see actual checks. he said it wasn’t optimum but that is all they could do right now

  3. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 10:07 am:

    Anyone there to the right of Smitty-and I don’t mean Dana Garrett…

  4. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 10:07 am:

    I have a different take on Jack’s civil union stance than Donviti.

  5. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 31 March 2009 at 10:09 am:

    What’s your take Jason?

    You guys asked my question – joy!

  6. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 10:10 am:

    Maria,

    I think it was nice of Selander to include our right-wing blog.

  7. Comment by Joanne Christian on 31 March 2009 at 10:11 am:

    Well thank you Hef for the start of “Suggestions Submitted” list, and checking it off, and now gettin’ the word out.

  8. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 10:11 am:

    I knew someone would to be honest.

  9. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 10:12 am:

    Will be something that has to do with “checks” or something. I think being able to see actual checks.

    Heh.. We’ll need to scrape it, OCR it, and turn it into a spreadsheet. That would take some time and knowhow but not a lot of money.

  10. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 10:15 am:

    Yes, Jason, he invited one blogger from it, the one who was leaving the GOP to become an Independent a few short weeks ago. Where was my invitation? How about Hube? Elbert? Burris? Anyone from WGMD? Was anyone from Sussex on the list at all? Was any conservative blogger invited?

  11. Comment by nemski on 31 March 2009 at 10:15 am:

    Anyone there to the right of Smitty-and I don’t mean Dana Garrett…

    RSmitty fails the purity test again.

  12. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 10:20 am:

    Somehow I think Smitty is laughing about that comment, maybe because he helped me write it.

  13. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 10:21 am:

    Maria may be a pitbull with lipstick (sorry, couldn’t resist), but trust me, she doesn’t give me a purity test, no matter how it appears. I will admit that I am not as tough with questions as are the others she mentioned in the comment. Personally, I’d like to see one of these for the Sussex County bloggers, too.

  14. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 10:21 am:

    Maria…who are you? Do I know you?
    :twisted:

  15. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 10:22 am:

    Maria…

    Perhaps you need to talk to Governor Markell’s staff. We here at Delaware Liberal did not organize this, or exclude anyone.

  16. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 10:23 am:

    Actually, it was my fault the invitation wasn’t extended. I reminded them that there is nothing west of Rt 1 in Sussex County and he is too busy for that.
    (I kid, I kid…)

  17. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 10:27 am:

    DD so the problem is that the Governor is unaware that there are two other counties in the state that contain bloggers and that not all bloggers are liberals or moderates?

  18. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 10:31 am:

    No, it seems the problem is you and the bloggers you mention were not invited.

  19. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 10:36 am:

    Not one Sussex blogger, DD. Not one conservative.

  20. Comment by Nancy Willing on 31 March 2009 at 10:36 am:

    The problem is Selander?

  21. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 31 March 2009 at 10:37 am:

    Does Maria think this will be the only meeting with bloggers that the governor will have, ever?

  22. Comment by Geezer on 31 March 2009 at 10:38 am:

    If there’s one thing that never changes, it’s the right wing whining about how they’ve been disenfranchised.

    Think like someone from the Gov’s office, Maria — is a left-right argument amongst bloggers really the best use of the time?

  23. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 10:38 am:

    Maria,

    Have you ever read any of the Delaware Politics contributors?

    Okay then.

  24. Comment by Brian Shields on 31 March 2009 at 10:39 am:

    Maria… then organize your own shindig. Stop trying to poop on someone else’s party cake.

    Honestly, reactions like yours are probably why you weren’t invited.

  25. Comment by liberalgeek on 31 March 2009 at 10:39 am:

    I made several suggestions to Markells staff. I didn’t suggest the Sussex County bloggers because it was an early morning meeting in Newark. Steve Newton was invited, but I suspect he had a class or something.

    I will certainly encourage the staff that the next one of these be in Dover so that the Sussex bloggers can be there.

  26. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 10:41 am:

    Thanks Brian.

    Although, I have to say that I’m not exactly sad that Maria hijacked this thread in light of Donviti’s…uhm… idiosyncratic take on the thing.

  27. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 10:42 am:

    Fuck that. NCC bloggers RULE!!!

  28. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 10:43 am:

    …and I was late. stupid.stupid.stupid.

  29. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 10:46 am:

    I nominate Frank Knotts.

  30. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 10:48 am:

    does anyone smell that?

  31. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 31 March 2009 at 10:51 am:

    Jason, will you post your take later?

    Rightwing: when all else fails, throw a hissy fit.

  32. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 11:02 am:

    UI,

    Yes. But let me make this last comment on the composition. I think we asked great tough question that will come out in other’s blog posts.

    The right-wing blogs in this state are far too radical and doctrinaire to be taken seriously.

    I’m not surprised they were not included.

  33. Comment by liberalgeek on 31 March 2009 at 11:06 am:

    Personally, I am sure that there is no connection between the political views of a blog and their invitation.

    In my email exchange with the staff, I got no indication that they wanted an easy interview. Sure Jason and Mike M are fanboys, but the rest of us have some objectivity. ;)

  34. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 11:08 am:

    What a shame, in the reverse situation I would have fought to have liberal, northern bloggers included.

  35. Comment by liberalgeek on 31 March 2009 at 11:10 am:

    Maria, you are being tiresome.

  36. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 11:14 am:

    …as they placed themselves at table, there entered an old fairy who had never been invited, because more than fifty years since she had left the king’s dominion on a tour of pleasure, and had not been heard of until this day. His majesty, much troubled, desired a cover to be placed for her, but it was of common delf, for he had ordered from his jeweller only seven gold dishes for the seven fairies aforesaid. The elderly fairy thought herself neglected, and muttered angry menaces, which were overheard by one of the younger fairies, who chanced to sit beside her. This good godmother, afraid of harm to the pretty baby, hastened to hide herself behind the tapestry in the hall. She did this, because she wished all the others to speak first–so that if any ill gift were bestowed on the child, she might be able to counteract it.

    The six now offered their good wishes–which, unlike most wishes, were sure to come true. The fortunate little princess was to grow up the fairest woman in the world; to have a temper sweet as an angel; to be perfectly graceful and gracious; to sing like a nightingale; to dance like a leaf on a tree; and to possess every accomplishment under the sun. Then the old fairy’s turn came. Shaking her head spitefully, she uttered the wish that when the baby grew up into a young lady, and learned to spin, she might prick her finger with the spindle and die of the wound.

    Sleeping Beauty In The Wood

  37. Comment by Nancy Willing on 31 March 2009 at 11:24 am:

    I am sure, or at least I’d bet, that the Governor did not expect that his staff..’(Cough Cough Selander’ )…or guests would preface this auspicious event with the rather ostentatiously partisan lead-in published by DD – http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/03/30/a-call-for-your-questions/
    that stood to alienate the rest of the DE blogosphere.
    Jack Markell ran as a person we could access. He probably doesn’t appreciate being included in this partisan slogfest.

  38. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 11:44 am:

    Nancy if he’s so accessible why no Sussex Countians or conservatives? He’s certainly not looking very accessible to me right now.

  39. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 11:45 am:

    Oh for the love of God Nancy.

    Ostentatiously partisan?????? I called him a progressive! HOW DARE I.

    I thanked his staff! THE OUTRAGE!

    I congratulated him for being willing to meet with bloggers. THE HORROR!

    How in your crazed mind does that alienate the rest of the blogosphere? How in God’s name is that polarizing?

    Let me guess, Nancy. You weren’t invited either!

    Well, at least Jack Markell is bipartisan in his snubs.

  40. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 11:46 am:

    Maria..

    Call Selander and ask for downstate roundtable.

    Stop clogging this comment thread with your bitterness.

  41. Comment by pandora on 31 March 2009 at 11:49 am:

    What I took away from this meeting is that there are no easy answers and no one ideology to solve the problems facing our state.

    I was really impressed by the questions asked and the detailed responses. This was definitely a nuts and bolts meetings. It wasn’t about scoring political points.

  42. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 11:51 am:

    Sorry to upset the celebration over the Governor’s exclusive little party. I’ll try to remember in the future that Sussex County’s concerns belong on the back of the bus.

  43. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 11:53 am:

    Maria,

    I mean really the bitterness and jealousy is palpable. You have email, use it. You have a blog, leverage it. You have a phone, dial it. you have Dave Burris, follow it.

  44. Comment by pandora on 31 March 2009 at 11:53 am:

    Please, please, please, Maria, call the Governor’s office and set up a Sussex County meeting. We’ll all feel better.

  45. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 11:57 am:

    We talked about education. I’m pretty sure they have schools in entire state
    We talked about Civil Unions. I’m pretty sure that the entire state cares. Especially your wing-nut homophobe DA.

    We talked about Gambling…again entire state issue at least I think it is. Dover, last time I checked is, well in Dover.

    We talked about sales tax. I’m pretty sure Tanger is down state, NO?

    I think we talked about state pay cuts. I could be wrong, but as of 11:56 Delaware has employees in the entire state.

    Get over it.

  46. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 11:58 am:

    Pandora,

    Delaware Politics is a shrill, radical right-wing organ for amplifying GOP talking points.

    I think RSmitty and to a lesser degree Maria, have reputations as being more objective, but would not meet with the rest them.

    Not unless I was packing heat.

  47. Comment by Maria Evans on 31 March 2009 at 11:59 am:

    We have infrastructure issues, we have a County Council suing DNREC, we have a bridge over one of the most dangerous inlets on the east coast that was deemed unsafe in 1998 that we’re still using every day, we have the worst polluter in the state and cancer clusters and we have to remind the Governor that we exist? Seriously?

  48. Comment by Steve Newton on 31 March 2009 at 12:04 pm:

    Maria (and LG),
    I was invited, and at least here I am considered some sort of pseudo-conservative.

    FYI LG and others,
    I wasn’t there because Selander’s invite somehow got into my spam filter (libertarians tend to see messages from the govt as spam?) and I didn’t even see it until today.

    But you’re also right–I was teaching today and I do have this old-fashioned idea that showing up for my own classes is supposed to be priority.

    Nonetheless, I do give Markell/Selander full marks for inviting me.

  49. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 12:04 pm:

    Maria,
    So to be honest, it’s a good thing you weren’t there. Because everything we talked about affected the entire state. While you only cared about your immediate community. :) plllllfffffffftttttt

  50. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 12:05 pm:

    Maria, you are making a blatantly false assumption here. From your anger it appears that you believe this to be the one and only blogger’s roundtable that will ever be held with Governor Markell. It is assine to assume that.

    Indeed, if you had not freaked out like you have today, making wild declarations that the Governor does not care about Sussex County or its issues, and instead sent an email to Mr. Selander to ask when Sussex County would gets its turn to interview the Governor, I can almost guarantee something would have been set up.

    But I have to guess that you and probably others have fired off nastygrams, haven’t you. Irate phone calls, no doubt.

    All because you assumed the exclusion to be evidence of a bias towards Sussex County.

  51. Comment by Steve Newton on 31 March 2009 at 12:06 pm:

    dv,
    Can you elaborate on your comment about Markell on civil unions? Is he squishy because that’s the way he feels, or is he squishy because he thinks it is a political loser?

  52. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 12:10 pm:

    By the way everyone, we will be posting the discussion in full later today, so you can judge for yourself whether the Governor was squishy towards Civil Unions or not.

  53. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 12:12 pm:

    I think he was squishy towards Squishi over the question. Squishi makes a lot of people squishy.

  54. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 12:13 pm:

    I am squishy towards the word squishy.

  55. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 12:13 pm:

    Steve,

    He gave the “corporate” line that he isn’t going to discriminate based on Sexual orientation. He said if (dang can’t remember name and #) HB 5? crap, do NOT QUOTE ME ON THE bill. But, he said if it came to his desk he would have signed it….ahhhh crap, wait for the audio to hear for your self.

  56. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 12:14 pm:

    fun to say, not fun to feel

  57. Comment by Delaware Dem on 31 March 2009 at 12:30 pm:

    He would have….?

    Well, HB5, the Anti-Discrimination bill passed the House and we are now waiting to see if it will be considered by the Senate. So it may yet come to his desk.

    SB27, the Hate Amendment that would have made marriage only be between a man and a woman did not pass the Senate.

    So are you saying Markell would have signed the Hate Amendment? Or are you saying he will sign the Anti-Discrimination Bill?

  58. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 12:39 pm:

    I think his answer was on HB5 and yes, he’d sign.

    X asked the question, he may be able to provide more detail if he checks in before the audio is posted.

  59. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 12:41 pm:

    HB5 he would have signed. That is the one.

  60. Comment by Von Cracker on 31 March 2009 at 12:49 pm:

    Any idea about decriminalization of the Jane?

    Mass. has an up-to-one ounce thing going on, so why not here?

    Think about the Sussex Country Farmers!

  61. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 12:56 pm:

    It was asked and is not a consideration…at this time. Now excuse me, I have to consult with Michael Phelps on some…um…er…water treatments. Yeah.

  62. Comment by Von Cracker on 31 March 2009 at 1:06 pm:

    Thanks Smitty!

    “No officer, it’s a bronchial aspirator!”

  63. Comment by Von Cracker on 31 March 2009 at 1:08 pm:

    Too bad though. My dream of opening a “Coffee” Shop in Trolley will have to placed on hold! I even was gonna hire DV to work the counter too!

  64. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:23 pm:

    RSmitty,

    How on earth could you have let a whinny titty ass baby like Maria talk you out of leaving the repubs? How utterly pathetic is that?

    I am thinking now that you really need to stay a repub, at least until you can get a spine.

  65. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 1:24 pm:

    BWAAAA HA HA HA!
    I don’t judge character on singular moments, A1.

    Hmmm…singular moment or (multiple) moments? Point being, the reaction today won’t be near enough for me to make a personal judgement. Having a spine would require standing up to the resistance at hand and not running away.

  66. Pingback by Do I even need to report back? — Down With Absolutes! on 31 March 2009 at 1:25 pm:

    [...] mean, really. There are those who’ve already posted on today’s blogger meet-up with Jack Markell. Then there are those who are pleased [...]

  67. Comment by pandora on 31 March 2009 at 1:32 pm:

    Smitty’s spine is just fine, kinda cute too!

  68. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:33 pm:

    I see Mike has decided to post on DL again, even if only to spam his blog.

    Are you thru being “DONE”?

  69. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 1:35 pm:

    He linked this post within his post. It’s a trackback, not a comment.

  70. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:36 pm:

    kinda cute too!

    You’re a better judge of that then I am, pandora. Maybe that’s the real reason Maria doesn’t want him to leave

  71. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 1:36 pm:

    Smitty’s spine is just fine, kinda cute too!

    Was that you scratching my back in Maria’s post, P?

  72. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 1:37 pm:

    I blind them all with my awesome (increasing) baldness, A1. Literally. It’s quite shiny, you know.

  73. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:37 pm:

    He linked this post within his post.

    Whatever. I am just trying to provoke him to return. I miss his assholery.

  74. Comment by Kilroy on 31 March 2009 at 1:42 pm:

    “Jack is open to consolidating School Districts”

    But why not start with full financial transparency of public schools and DOE that would take one executive order? Consolidation school district would cause equalization of school taxes with in the given district that are to merge. So may pay more and some less and those paying more will bitch to their local legislators.

    There is legislation on the table by Rep. Lavelle calling for school district online checkbook ledgers and the Delaware School Board Association is poised to lobby against it, they complaint of the cost factor to implement. Now tell me how many of you can go online and download your bank statement?

    How hard can this be; http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=9329

    Come on Jack!

  75. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:42 pm:

    I blind them all with my awesome (increasing) baldness, A1.

    Just don’t confuse “baldness” with “balls” because cowtowing to the WTAB Maria shows you’re lacking them.

    (Pssst…I am trying to see if pandora will slip up and say that your balls are “just fine, kinda cute too!” and then see if she was scratching them during the meeting.)

  76. Comment by pandora on 31 March 2009 at 1:44 pm:

    You are walking a fine line with that comment, A1.

  77. Comment by anonone on 31 March 2009 at 1:46 pm:

    You are walking a fine line with that comment, A1.

    I am always in search of fine lines, pandora.

  78. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 2:10 pm:

    I was starting to wonder if my migraine this morning had erased my memory of certain things.

  79. Comment by TommyWonk on 31 March 2009 at 3:10 pm:

    By the way, the governor said that school district transparency would probably have to start with online checkbook registers, though he said that searchable databases would be better.

  80. Comment by Rod on 31 March 2009 at 3:49 pm:

    What do you mean Jack was wishy washy on Civil Unions? Does that mean he supports Gay marriage? I don’t think Doug Steele, Corey Marshall or Andy Stanton would be too thrilled to hear Jack was wishy washy on Civil Unions after all it was the progressive gay vote that put him over the top in this election.

  81. Comment by jason330 on 31 March 2009 at 4:03 pm:

    Concern Troll,

    The Governor said that he would sign the bill. Some took that for wishy-washyness. I didn’t.

  82. Comment by Rod on 31 March 2009 at 4:28 pm:

    Hey megamoron don’t carried away with yourself. If donviti said he was wishy washy then the man was wishy washy.

  83. Comment by Rod on 31 March 2009 at 4:30 pm:

    And megamoron which bill are you talking about anyway, there aren’t any bills pending on civil unions in Delaware. I bet David Anderson is one of your best friends.

  84. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 4:39 pm:

    liberalgeek: “I will certainly encourage the staff that the next one of these be in Dover so that the Sussex bloggers can be there.”

    I just have to point out that this statement, while I’m sure well-intentioned, kind of proves Maria’s broader point about how north-of-the-canal folk consistently overlook Sussex.

    Dover is in Kent County.

    Try Georgetown.

  85. Comment by liberalgeek on 31 March 2009 at 4:41 pm:

    I know where it is, idiot. Maria’s point was that Kent and Sussex weren’t included. How about Milford? Does that work for you?

  86. Comment by a. price on 31 March 2009 at 4:46 pm:

    wind farms come up?

  87. Comment by a. price on 31 March 2009 at 4:50 pm:

    there is a delaware south of the canal? huh.. news to me. i thought it was all chickens and Valero stations

  88. Comment by R Smitty on 31 March 2009 at 5:15 pm:

    It appears every summer or so.

  89. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 5:42 pm:

    Oh, give it a rest, you blue-buttocked buffoon! (We at least know how to insult people down south.)

    You sounded like you didn’t know where Dover was. Hell, you might not. I know plenty of people who think Kent and Sussex are composed of a big chicken house, a trailer park and some sand.

    For what it’s worth, I think of New Castle County as a big traffic-congested mess dotted with cookie-cutter houses and bisected by a bunch of interstates, and Wilmington as a crime-infested chaotic paint-peeling pit of a city with incredible delusions of grandeur.

  90. Comment by Donhusseinsquishviti on 31 March 2009 at 6:27 pm:

    he said he would sign the bill, then gave the corporate BS about he won’t discriminate by sexual orientation.

    He could have said he was fine with Civil Unions, instead he choose to say he “would sign it” if it came to his desk. I can see Jason’s point I guess in political speak that means he is ok with Civil Unions.

    I guess in Donviti world, he would have like to have heard. “yes, I would marry you Donviti” or better yet, “I’m fine with civil unions and don’t mind deh gays”

    either would have been cool.

  91. Comment by Nancy Willing on 31 March 2009 at 6:43 pm:

    oh jeepers DD, get over yourself. As tone-deaf as you are about the post, so you are to what I was referring to. None of what you cite above was apt, brother. It was, instead, the entirety of the last paragraph and general smarmy air of ’superiority’ that was the big turn-off.

  92. Comment by anon on 31 March 2009 at 7:04 pm:

    I really hope that Markell (sorry, I haven’t reached the inner circle of “Jack” yet) doesn’t waste his time reading this crap.

  93. Pingback by Gov. Markell Disses Kent and Sussex Bloggers « That’s Elbert With An E on 1 April 2009 at 4:07 am:

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