Around the Horn Sunday
National news dominated the last week, save the special election in the 37th RD won by the new Lobbyist Representative Ruth Briggs King. Please note that if a blog has no story entries this week, it is because they did not have a local Delaware political story this week. Still, I have provided a link to them because many of us had great writing this week on national events, from the President’s health care reform speech to his education speech to the horrible GOP reaction to both. And some are worth visiting just like it is worth slowing down to look at an accident on the highway. Like Delaware Politics thinking that Glenn Beck is an unstoppable force.
On Transmigration
Summer’s End? Not yet.
Delaware Business Blog
Their weekly roundup of Delaware business news.
Kilroy
On the Delaware Academy of Public Safety
On Markell and Rodel
Another Historical First for Red Clay.
Only in Delaware
Lt. Governor Matt Denn’s Blog
Remembering Chad.
Delaware Liberal
Mike Castle lets another deadline whiz by. (Psst, he ain’t running).
Pressure from DL and its readers forces the Brandywine School District to change course and show the President’s speech.
Election Results in the 37th RD
In Which the News Journal Phones it in Again.
The Cape Gazzette Endorsement of Robinson.
The Newark Film Festival
RSmitty’s Guest Post on the face of his old party, Joe Wilson.
Updates on El Som’s Rehab.
Donviti chronicles David Anderson’s EPIC FAIL against Steve Newton.
The Cancellation of the Brandywine Arts Festival
By the Numbers
The Turnout prediction in the 37th was low, but fits the pattern
Election results in the 37th special election mirror the 2002 special.
John predicts turnout to be 25% (it was 32% in the end).
Early thoughts on the 2010 reapportionment.
Delaware Politics
Election results from the 37th
Anderson pleads for voters to vote for the lobbyist.
Anderson notes that “some people” are still waiting on Castle’s decision, but he is not. He has his candidate: O’Whackjob.
Mike Musings
Mike thinks there is some hope for bipartisanship from his experiences on Election Day in the 37th yesterday.
Redwaterlily’s Ramblings
RWL calls on John Kowalko.
She has a problem with Dave Wilson taking credit for HB1.
Delaware Libertarian
Tyler Nixon and Jason Scott (our own Jason330) will be filling in for Rick Jensen this week. The quality of the discussion has improved already 200%. Jason will reveal all of Delaware Liberal’s secrets and scandals, and Tyler will review why Libertarians suck. 😉
A view from the 7th grade on the President’s education speech.
Tommywonk
Tom endorses Rob Robinson in the 37th.
Chad Tolman on Climate Change
Delaware Curmudgeon
Shirley remembers two young Delawareans lost on September 11, 2001.
The Mourning Constitution
Brian on the 37th RD Special Election.
Resolute Determination
On being environmentally conscious
Competing with Chester, PA
Urban Farming in New Castle County
Delaware is a leader in Health IT Networks, thanks to Democrats.
The Invite list at a labor picnic changes.
Kavips
The Kavips Plan for Healthcare.
Delaware Way
The new Lobbyist Representative from the 37th is compared to Dick Cheney.
I share redwaterlily’s dislike of having registered lobbyists seamlessly sliding into the General Assembly, but the GA cannot enact legislation to prohibit lobbyists from candidacy. The qualifications for election could only be changed by an amendment to the Delaware Constitution. http://delcode.delaware.gov/constitution/constitution-03.shtml#P204_26252
Legalities aside, I like a Republic where a person can lobby the General Assembly, and if frustrated by legislative inaction or bad action, can run against his or her legislator later that year. Eliminating that possibility would likely not be popular.
http://www.delawarepolitics.net/doubting-robert/ You all missed a big local write up by Maria. Great to have you back.
Generally, it’s the other way around. A past his/her prime legislator or a defeated good ol’ boy moves from legislator to lobbyist. The lure of Leg Hall is a powerful opiate for those who never got over losing that election for VP of their HS Junior class. To a large degree, the General Assembly consists of people reliving their high school experiences who hope to do better this time. Maybe this time they’ll even be lucky enough to get laid by some comely and desperate lobbyist. Or at least get a $600 contribution out of them.
Re the Special, what do you expect from that portion of Sussex County? A lobbyist representing the entrenched interests fits the district profile to a T. Robinson ran a good race. If he moves somewhere where people use their brains to think, he might have a future in politics.
I have no problem with a lobbyist running and can’t see why anyone would. A lobbyist is just someone who helps people exercise their fundamental constitutional right to seek redress of their grievances.
They are not heinous criminals who can or should be banned from seeking the votes of their citizens. The idea that the most informed people should be banned from serving is mind boggling.
Every one should be able to stand for office. The people have the right to select them or not. Depriving the people of their right to choose is anti-republican form of government.
Describing lobbyists as the ‘most informed people’ is laughable. They are ‘most informed’ on the issues for which they are lobbying. Well, not the issues, but the talking points for the people shelling out the big bucks. For which, in most cases, they are being paid handsomely by some special interest seeking advantage.
Similarly laughable is Rethug David’s description of a lobbyist: “A lobbyist is just someone who helps people exercise their fundamental constitutional right to seek redress of their grievances.”
That might apply to John Flaherty, but virtually every other lobbyist is a paid hired gun for some special interest looking to gain advantage from the General Assembly, usually at the expense of people who are getting screwed b/c they don’t have the $$’s to have their grievances heard.
Really, David, it’s time to toss away those high school texts from the 1950’s, and take a look at what happens in real life right here in Dover. Exxon-Mobil (if indeed they can be called ‘people’) will always have their ‘grievances’ heard. The people living downstream from Exxon-Mobil? That’s another question entirely.
If Robinson was a lobbyist David would be pitchin’ a fit.
Someone who is paid to have an opinion has the right to run for office, but the people have the right to discern whether or not her opinions are her own.
Unfortunately there was little choice in this race. I wish a Libertarian has stepped up. Might have been a game changer.
What evidence do you have that I would pitch a fit if Robinson were a lobbyist? That is an interesting assumption. The question I would have is do I agree with the person’s positions. A lobbyist for People for the American Way or the National Abortion and Reproductive Right Action League would get my ire not because they were a lobbyist, but because they were on the wrong side of the cultural divide. Deluca (wasn’t a supporter) was a big union guy, Caulk (who I backed), headed the Farm Bureau, Stone (I supported a primary opponent in the second race)was part of the realtors’ legislative committe. None of those caused me to pitch a fit.
As for El, he is being disingenious. Anyone who spends time in legislative hall knows that I am right. I know several lobbyists off line and on average they are more informed about a varity of issues than the average legislator. They tend to be part friendly policy wonk and part salesperson.
Suppose someone had researched the record of Mr. Robinson’s ‘clients’. How many were thugs with long records who beat the rap in cases where they were as ‘innocent as OJ’?
He was simply doing his job in these cases. Suppose he was called on to defend the recent cop killer and got the charge reduced and allowed him to ‘duck the needle’? Would this be an issue in a future campaign? Nice as the guy is, a public defender might bring a lot of baggage to a campaign that was not a hurry-up affair.
Yelling ‘lobbyist’ might appeal to the NIMBY crowd but it was obviously not a winning issue.
Many of the NIMBY types want to stop all development once they move into one.
Thanks to John Kowalko to attending our Board meeting tonight.