The Leadership of the Delaware Democrats

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Back on May 13th, the Democrats elected their leadership.  They reelected their chairman John Daniello.  What is interesting is how the Democrats now have a gay activist as a vice chair, Lisa Goodman, the other vice chair is Jim Hussey, a retired union activist from the private sector and Karen Valentine a paid employee of a state employees union is the national committeewoman. Retired Speaker Bob Gilligan reemerged into the political scene as national committeeman bringing a perspective of 40 years in the legislature.

The Democrats are not ashamed to be the party of special interests and government.  I say “good for them”.  Every group represented is a legitimate part of our public.

Republicans should not be ashamed to be a party for taxpayers, families, business, constitutional civil rights and liberties, those who want to be safe on their streets and in their homes, and those who cannot stand for themselves such as the unborn, the mentally ill, and disabled.  The Republican Party gets scrutiny about its leadership, are they Tea Party, Second Amendment advocates, business people, or Pro-life?  I hope so.  We are citizens too and have the right to representation in our government.

 

 

Senator Sokola Harming Delaware Education

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Sadly, David Sokola is not alone.  Delaware seems determined to go backwards in education by imposing crazy requirements that judge teachers not by their college grades, but high school grades and imposing common core on the University education departments despite the fact that our colleges and universities rank well with the University of Delaware ranking around the top tenth of one percent.  No, we need to tamper with that and not look at our own state department of education.

Teachers are being disrespected as no other profession would tolerate, yet despite concerns by teachers, the DSEA supported the bill.  I think a revolution needs to happen in the teacher’s union.  Senate bill 51 became law on the fast track because the very people who should look out for education and teachers had their favorite item attached to the bill.  It was Betrayal with a capital B.

Once again, a radical agenda is undermining Delaware and I do not like it. I hope you do not either. I hope this law is short lived and repealed in the next General Assembly when the next education fad comes up.

Ayotte Asks For Phillips’ Resignation At Sussex Council Meeting

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As the Lawsuit against Vance Phillips rages in the newspapers, I decided to attend the Sussex County Council Meeting of May 22. I had been wondering why the members of the county council had not demanded the resignation of Councilman Vance Phillips.

Upon entering the county administration office before the meeting began, I spotted Councilman Sam Wilson and asked him to demand Phillips’ resignation from the County Council. His response, “That’s not going to happen, He who has not sinned, let him cast the first stone. Do you have a stone Don?” I thanked him for his ‘philosophical wit’ and left the office.

Wilson’s reaction indicated to me that the council was “circling the wagons,” around their favorite councilman, Vance Phillips. I decided to sign up to speak at the conclusion of the meeting, where citizen’s comments are welcomed and afforded three minutes to voice their opinions. This is what I commented.

Honorable council members and staff. In light of continued and recent allegations regarding Mr. Phillips’ moral and possible illegal behavior, I ask that Mr. Phillips resign from his position on the Sussex County Council, and I believe the entire council should demand Mr. Phillips’ resignation.

This is a link to the entire 17 page complaint filed by the plaintiff’s attorney.

Phillips Complaint-1

The Forgotten Delawareans

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The disabled and mentally ill seem to be forgotten in policy discussions in Delaware. We do not have a mental wellness strategy. Even our own state government seems to have problems referring the mentally ill to programs to help them get off the streets in spite of a federal consent decree. We do not seem to have the will or the strategy to help those most in need of our care and compassion. If a society is judged by how it regards those who cannot help themselves, Delaware is lacking in my opinion.

I hope my recent participation in the 10 year plan on homelessness pays off. I brought a consistent voice advocating for the disabled, veterans, and the mentally ill into the forum. These are the Delawareans forgotten in our policies because they have no lobbyists. People are not ashamed to say they struggled to overcome an addiction, but mental illness is not understood and often feared. Would prisoners had been treated the way the mentally ill were in the state hospital 5 years ago? Those were just crazy people seemed the attitude expressed by then Governor Minner. What I see are hurting people. People who many times recover from their illnesses and need to have a life.

I see mentally ill people on the streets because few care what happens to them. If Milford will not even support veterans who need a place to live (Home of the Brave, we welcome our female vets in Dover so come to us), what hope do the mentally ill have there? The state seems to set up barriers, one private hospital turns people out on the street or to a hotel for 30 days who were suicidal without getting them in contact with sources that can help them in the medium to long term have stability.

I believe we need to honor our commitment in the consent decree with actions. Further, we need to look at how we deal with all disabled people. The fastest growing segment of the homeless population seems to be the disabled. I believe that the first priority should be stabilizing people how have short term problems followed by helping those who cannot help themselves. Our disabled veterans, the mentally ill, and the disabled need to be remembered during the budget mark up over the next two weeks. A plan was developed in February and March, let’s begin to implement it and march down the path of ending involuntary homelessness in Delaware.

Delaware Politics and Tidbits-Read It and Weep-The 5/19/13 Edition

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Update on State of Sussex GOP, More Gun Control, Same Day Vote Registration, School Board Elections, ….more
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Sussex GOP. Good, Bad and Not As Ugly

I have been all over the place in regard to the current state, and future state, of the Sussex county GOP.

In fact I was, and still am, a whisper away from un-registering Republican and re-registering as….something else, probably not Democrat.

I am not alone. Plenty of folks in Sussex county have become disenchanted and the various political intrigues have not helped.

So I attended the Sussex GOP meeting this past Monday and I’ve got some thoughts.

First, the fabulous Carol Bodine got elected Delaware State GOP Secretary and the sweet, sweet Nellie Jordan is the Delaware State GOP Vice-Chair!

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When Nellie first asked me to be a deligate for her I did not believe she would have a chance of winning. She was challenged by an elected GOP politico and that action by the state GOP people is really a slap in the face to grass roots activists who want a chance to improve the party. As if the elected guys don’t have enough to do, they’re want to run the party too?

If I had to characterize the state of the Sussex GOP at this point in time, I’d liken it to be dynamic proof of Thomas Jefferson’s Law of Countervaling Forces. This notion is that in a vibrant and free democracy the pendulum of public idealogy will make drastic swings to the right followed by drastic swings to the left, to settle into, eventually, an even keel state.

I think the Sussex GOP has reached that even keel and I am impressed. John Rieley, Chair, does a nice job of keeping the meeting running. I consider Rieley to be a staunch conservative but he doesn’t smother with his idealogy.

The most intriguing thing about this past month’s meeting was the resolution that passed that night:

“The Delaware Republican party stands for traditional family values and all representatives of that organization shall, in that capacity, publicly reflect that view”

Scuttlebutt has it that some high official in the Delaware GOP got on the radio and quite publicly espoused gay marriage.

For sure the elected officials don’t like the notion of these “resolutions” in which the members make their feelings known on current events, dag you’d think it would help them.

But to publicly cheer on gay marriage? If you are known and stated Republican, it is better to keep one’s mouth shut on gay marriage and be thought stupid than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.

APPLES IN SUSSEX COUNTY

So the guy from Apple Electric comes to my house to give me a quote on some work. I thought he was great but ask me again when the work is done.

Anyway, Mike from Apple Chiropractic is very active in the Sussex GOP. I told him that I hired Apple Electric because I thought they were related. Always good to help a fellow Republican, way I figger.

Heh. Turns out they both chose that name so they’d be first in the phone book.

Man, I thought we had a whole family of Apples here in lower and slower.

SCHOOL BOARD VOTES

It’s too late now but note for next year. For thanks to the Sussex GOP I learned just how important the school board vote is. All politics, I learned, begins with the local school board.

SUSSEX COUNTY – Pending official confirmation, lifelong Millsboro resident Leolga T. Wright, appointed last year to fill a vacancy on Indian River School District’s board of education, has secured a five-year term as a District 3 representative in Tuesday’s school board elections.
In other contested races, incumbents Walter N. Rudy (Woodbridge) and Noble Prettyman (Cape Henlopen) won re-election, Sabrina Taylor Isler won a four-candidate race in Laurel, and Rebecca O’Day Adams and David Tull emerged the two winners in Seaford School District’s elections.

I am to believe that the above slate of winners make the Sussex GOP quite happy.

NEW RD TO REPLACE NELLIE

An election will be held at the Manor House on Rt. 9 to elect the new Representative District Rep to replace Nellie Jordan. The date for the election is 5/21 at 7pm.

Somebody contact me and tell me who wins.
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Coming up, next week…..the saga of the fence boundary goes on….an update. Also, the Delaware legislature continues to ram gun control down our throats, coming up….GUN FREE SCHOOL ZONES….and let us not forget that wonderful idea of same day voter registration.

Thanks to all of you who have contacted me with tips and tidbits, please continue to do so. And if you think I should attend a conservative Tea Party oriented function, send me the details. I’m raring to write about all things Sussex.

Only don’t tell the IRS!
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I do not respond to comments on my posts. I certainly have no problem with such commentary and, indeed, encourage it. But I’ve written my piece and I don’t want to argue it further.

Please feel free to email me at patfish1@aol.com if you want to send me a special comment or have any ideas or information you want to share.

Worse than I thought: IRS Abuse of Power

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When I looked up the readership statistics, I saw readership up 40% and a new post I Didn’t Build That burning up the charts. I read it then I watched the opening statements of the congressional hearing. It became the talk of morning. The abuse of power at the IRS had specific memos targeting Patriot groups, Tea Party groups, and 9-12 Patriot groups by name. They didn’t even try to obscure their intention. Many have had their non-profit status held up for 3 years not because they did anything wrong, but because they were the “wrong” ideology. This scandal is starting to gain traction. According to Gallup 3/4 of the American people want it investigated and that many are following it with 54% following it closely. Unlike other issues, even a majority of Democrats think this one needs a serious look.

This issue goes to the heart of a free society. Does the administration of government serve the party in power or all of the people? Answering that question right is essential to keeping the American Republic a free one. At least the majority of Americans seem to get this. I hope our State’s congressional delegation takes up this cause.

The real solution is to abolish the income tax and go to the FAIR tax. There will be no need for an intrusive government seeing if you qualify for a certain status or deduction. Get rid of the power to control us and we will not have the potential for this kind of abuse.

Dead Party Talking

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Guest Post By:
Doug Beatty

On May 1 2013 Delaware Politics administrator Don Ayotte graciously allowed me to enter a guest post on the plight of my colleague, Dr. Jahi Issa.

Interestingly enough, a vociferous anonymous poster began making comments on that post accusing Dr. Issa of racism and forwarding the position that Dr. Issa should have been arrested by campus police and fired for being a “black supremacist” and “racism” and “preaching exclusion” among other perceived crimes of thought.

When this anonymous poster had their card pulled for lying, they simply changed to another anonymous name and kept up with the same lies. This person showed inside knowledge of the case and Delaware State University and academia in general, but they refused to identify themselves or agenda.

When I informed this poster that I would find out who they were a general outcry from said poster ensued on May 6.

On May 8, Steve Newton of Delawarelibertarian posted an entry entitled “Dead Blog Walking” and attacked Delaware Politics for threatening and outing commenters and accused Delaware Politics of being akin to a police state.

A DelawareLiberal writer started the discussion thread congratulating Steve for his decision to remove Delaware Politics from his blogroll thus depriving Delaware Politics of tens of hits every year.

I joined in and called Dr. Newton on his duplicity ( that’s right, the man is piled high and deep and is a professor as well ). Delaware Liberal is the undisputed heavy weight champ of stifling opposing voices on their blog and I have screenshots to prove it. They also out people when they feel like it and I posted an example. .

This was very confusing, why would a libertarian call one blog out for something and approve of another blog that does even worse?

The answer my friend was blowing in the wind. Imagine my surprise when I attended a Professional Employee Relations Board hearing in support of Dr. Issa and saw Dr. Newton ( Steve Newton ) seated with the AAUP attorneys.

Steve Newton drew an EEOC complaint from Dr. Issa in 2011. Issa alleges that Newton walked into his office in 2008 and told Dr. Issa that he was ‘too black’ and he’d better get with the program or he would be fired.

When Dr. Issa was roughed up and arrested for exercising his first amendment rights the American Association of University Professors did nothing to stop him from being suspended and fired. Steve Newton was the AAUP president for DSU at the time.

So now it all makes sense. Did Steve Newton attack Delaware Politics because Don Ayotte allowed a guest post in support of Dr. Issa? This is the Libertarian Party State Secretary?

Sounds more like a Dead Party Talking to me.

I Didn’t Build That

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Conservatives remember the famous campaign quote, “you didn’t build that.” I thought the President was just being clever, and trying to pull together some smooth lines to wow his fans and bamboozle the public. However, in light of the recent scandals I see that he lives by that statement. The IRS is part of his administration, the people who run the IRS are appointed by him. The State Department is part of his Administration. He appointed Hillary Clinton, then John Kerry as Secretary of State, as well as many of the people working under them. The Justice Department is part of his Administration and he appointed AG Holder. The Green Jobs Czar was part of his Administration and he appointed Van Jones to that post. All of these departments and more are under President Obama’s Administration, and most of the key positions were appointed by him. Their corruption is also part of his Administration, and by a Conservative definition he built that. However, when reporters ask the President’s position on the multitude of scandals that are coming to light the answer is essentially, “I didn’t build that.”

Fast and Furious, Benghazi, the IRS targeting of Tea Party and other groups, the seizing of the AP’s phone records, and more have caused great concern among many American’s over the past 5 years. All of these problems are happening in President Obama’s administration and under his authority, as well as the supervision of people he appointed, but what does that have to do with him? Essentially nothing, if you choose to believe him. He had help, in fact he had such good help that he didn’t even need to know how he was being helped and what that help was doing.

Now in recent statements President Obama has indicated that the misconduct of the IRS is inexcusable, and he will not tolerate it especially in the IRS. However, he did tolerate it for about two years by virtue of structural ignorance of what is happening in his own administration. It is important that the public pay close attention to how the President executes his plans to rectify at least this one scandal. He has promised to hold the responsible parties accountable, and the acting Commissioner of the IRS has resigned at the administration’s request. Will others join him in being held accountable and does accountability go beyond a resignation? Will some of the same agents that engaged in targeting Conservative Groups be among those responsible for our health care filing when the next leg of Obamacare goes into effect?

There will be new safeguards to ensure that the IRS can never engage in such widespread targeting of groups for political purposes. What will those safeguards be? Will they be sufficient? Will they go too far? Will these new safeguards be enforced, and will the President pay more attention to these new regulations than he did to the old ones?

The President promises that his Administration will work with Congress as it performs its oversight roll, and he strongly discourages them from engaging in politics and partisan agendas in the process. Does this promise to work with Congress mean that we will not see Executive Privilege invoked as frequently during this investigation? Will the President hold himself to the same standard of non-partisan behavior that he demands of Congress? If the laws pertaining to the IRS and tax code are changed, will it be an improvement? Will the laws really become more clear and easier to enforce? Will it matter? The targeting of conservative groups was intentional and clearly abnormal, extreme, and out of line. If people working in the government don’t respect the rights of their fellow citizens, will it matter if the laws are tweaked?

I will watch and see. Perhaps at the end of this process I will find a reason to change my opinion of this President. One can always hope.

 

Lacey Lafferty, Gubenatorial Candidate

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Lacey Lafferty is a single mom, a retired DSP officer, a horse enthusiast, an author and an entrepreneur. Yes, she is all of these things and accomplished in many more. What people are about to find out is, she is also on the campaign trail to tell the citizens of Delaware that she would also make a great governor.

When asked what defines her as a person and a candidate, Lacy states, she like many others have become disenchanted about our state and federal governments, and has become concerned for our state and nation, if we continue down the same path. She doesn’t believe in all talk and no action and has decided the best course of action would be to serve in a position that could make a big difference in our state.

Public service is and always has been a big part of Lacey’s life. “I never felt more alive than when I served the community while on uniformed patrol for the State Police,” said Lacey. “Whether I was pursuing criminals through back yards, pulling over drunks at 2 a.m., executing warrants, advising members of the community on civil and domestic issues or just taking time to sit down and have a cup of coffee with a concerned citizen, I loved my job.”

She grew up in a rural farming community in Lewes, surrounded by open farm fields at her grandparents home. Lacey’s grandfather, Lynn Ritter, Lewes’ Chief of Police at the time, taught her to shoot and hunt, as well as the value of working hard for what you want. Her grandparents taught her the importance of respecting her peers and the environment, to honor her family, state and country with principles and most of all, to love God.

Ms. Lafferty graduated from Cape Henlopen High School in 1979 and Sussex Tech. She was the first woman president of her Agricultural Mechanics Shop and Agricultural Business and was the Vice President of her Future farmers of America chapter. During the 1980′s, she pursued modeling, graduating from Barbizon Modeling School in Wilmington and was the first woman to drive Modified Stock cars at the lower Delaware dirt tracks.

Lacy has taken a firm stand on preserving and defending our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. “I have been hardwired from birth to defend what my ninth-generation great grandfather, John Morton sacrificed by signing the Declaration of Independence, two hundred and thirty-seven years ago,” said Lacey.

Lacey’s take on politics and life intertwined with the wholesomeness of her country upbringing and strong stand on the Constitution should indicate to people who want change, in the way the state government does “business as usual,” that Lacy Lafferty would be a great governor. She would strive to bring fair and honest government and living-wage jobs to Delaware. She would sign into law, only legislation that was Constitutional and right for the people of Delaware.

Ms. Lafferty has accomplished many things in life and now aspires to become Delaware’s governor. She is excited to meet all of the people of Delaware and she will have many speaking engagements before the next gubernatorial race in 2016. Please go to this link to learn more about her candidacy.

http://thelibertypac.com/home/

Delaware Police Chiefs Weigh in On Death Penalty Repeal Bill–Guest Opinion

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The following paper represents the position of the police chiefs throughout Delaware.

The intent is to provide an objective and fact-based viewpoint that is opposed to the repeal of capital punishment. In summary, the Delaware Police Chiefs Council would urge the honorable members of this General Assembly to consider the following key points that are detailed within the report:

• The Delaware constituents have throughout history expressed their opinion that the sentence of death is the appropriate punishment for murder of an aggravated nature.

To supplant the opinion of the people as to what is right and just will result in further undermining the integrity of the criminal justice system as a whole.

• The U.S. Supreme Court agrees that the death penalty for an abhorrent crime such as murder is not cruel and unusual and that it is up to the people to make that determination.

To say otherwise, is to in effect say that the life of the victim is worth less than that of the murderer.

•The primary goals of capital punishment are incapacitation and retribution, not deterrence.

For some, the threat of consequences, even death, is not enough to prevent the commission of crime. It is for this very reason that the most severe of penalties is necessary.

Capital punishment is the only method with which to guarantee the public’s safety from the offender in whom death creates no fear.

Furthermore, to punish an atrocious murder with anything less than death instills in the public a lack of confidence that the criminal justice system can effectively protect their safety or is willing to enforce their sense of moral right and wrong.

Delaware is not discriminatory in the application of its death penalty. Murder is not committed by a proportionate representation of all of the races, genders, or socioeconomic groups.

According to the most recent Delaware data available, a greater proportion of black offenders commit murders than those of other races. Even so, more white offenders are currently on Delaware’s Death Row.

Thus, the death penalty in Delaware is working as it should. Capital punishment is being reserved for offenders not based upon the color of their skin but rather for the atrocities committed.

The facts have also positively disproved the proposition that more offenders who kill victims of a different race than their own are sentenced to death. The majority of offenders in Delaware sentenced to death actually murdered victims of their own race.

•Delaware does not speed offenders to execution but guarantees them the same fundamental rights that the U.S. Supreme Court requires of all states.

That Delaware is more efficient in the delivery of justice than California, a state which has faced federal litigation due to its system-wide malfeasance in the criminal justice arena is to be expected, and certainly not fodder upon which to base criticism.

•Delaware’s death penalty does not apply to “accomplices” if the term “accomplices” means one who aids or abets.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Enmunds ruled that the death penalty may not be applied to one who merely aids or abets a murder. It does however apply to co-defendants, that is, anyone who takes part in the aggravated murder of a human life.

•There has never been a case where a death row offender in Delaware was found innocent of the charges against him.

Any offenders who have been removed from Delaware’s Death Row were removed through appellate processes as a result of legal technicalities at trial.

Those offenders were instead re-sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, not the consequence that an innocent person receives.

•As for costs, the cost of not maintaining the death penalty is far greater than the sum of its financial expenses.

No study has successfully compared the associated pecuniary costs in a scientifically reliable manner between a sentence of death and a sentence of life without parole.

Beyond that though, the true costs of aggravated murder far surpass any quantifiable data. Betraying the community’s sense of moral right and wrong by offering a “discount” on the taking of a human life will cost far more than any monetary calculation can repay.

Allowing the cruelest offenders amongst us to “get away” with their crimes, with their lives, will result in undermining Delaware’s criminal justice system as a whole and will foster an even deeper lack of trust in our system’s ability to serve and protect.

We are already seeing the results of this erosion of faith, when witnesses refuse to cooperate against murderers, when gang members murder without fear of consequences and when law enforcement officers die as valiant symbols of a system for which respect is eroding.

Members of the General Assembly, the Delaware Police Chiefs’ Council would respectfully request that, prior to making a decision in this regard, you would consider the shared opinion of the Council and that of the people of Delaware in deciding what is best.

The report (available at the web address listed above) provides reliable support for the fact that, at least in Delaware, capital punishment is meted out objectively and to only the most cruel and depraved murderers.

The murder victims, their families and the good citizens of the state of Delaware deserve to have their lives valued at the same level at least as that of the murderer’s. They deserve to have a criminal justice system that they can trust to do justice.

Lewes Police Chief Jeffrey Horvath is chairman of the Delaware Police Chiefs’ Council, Inc

Abortion Doctors Guilty

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Gosnell and O’Neil were convicted in their parts in their late term abortion scheme. Gosnell was found guilty of murder in multiple counts for killing a few babies after they were born alive.

Gosnell, a resident of West Philadelphia, was charged on January 14, 2011 with 263 crimes, including first-degree murder in the deaths of four babies. Prosecutors allege Gosnell delivered the babies alive during abortion procedures and then killed them by snipping their spinal cords with scissors.

The 72-year-old is also charged with third-degree murder in the of former patient Karnamaya Mongar.

Mongar, 41, died after she was given a lethal dose of pain killers and anesthesia during a 2009 abortion procedure at Gosnell’s West Philadelphia clinic, the Women’s Medical Society.

The former doctor’s defense attorney has argued Gosnell would inject a drug into his patients’ uterus to stop the fetuses’ hearts before they were delivered.

The majority of the 268 charges levied against Gosnell are related to alleged Pennsylvania abortion-law violations. Prosecutors say Gosnell regularly performed late-term abortions on babies older than 24 weeks — the cutoff age in Pennsylvania.

He also committed abortions in Delaware, but Delaware officials seem content with his license being pulled while PA completed the heavy work. His Pennsylvania Crimes were discovered during a DEA raid for allegedly giving out drugs illegally. They found a lot more than they bargained they would find.

Delaware Politics and Tidbits-Read It and Weep-The 5/12/13 Edition

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I, along with most NON-low-information voters across the fruited plains, am playing close attention to the Benghazi drama.

I want to see one reporter, maybe one elected guy, ask Hillary Clinton, a woman who is the biggest liar on this planet, she could win prizes, whether she would have left Chelsea stay at that Libyan embassy with the security situation Ambassador Stevens had, or, would she have appreciated a “stand-down” order had it been Chelsea suffering a horrific and degrading death?

But stuff still happens in Delaware and let’s not forget the Vice-President of this despicable administration is part of the lies that go on every day.

Credit where credit is due….Same Sex Marriage-
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It’s good to see a couple Republican guys speaking out for marriage being defined as a man and a woman.

It’s a shame that you got to send Kudos to these elected guys who were, after all, elected to do OUR bidding, as opposed to, say, becoming our Lords and Masters as is their wont.

Senate Republican Leader Gary Simpson (Milford):“I have never seen an issue of such far-reaching magnitude as this bill. The decisions we are making today not only affect the issue at hand – same-sex marriage – but will have long-lasting effects upon the very structure of the social and moral fabric of our state and country for years to come. This is a bill I just could not support in any fashion whatsoever.”

Senate Republican Whip Greg Lavelle (Sharpley): “The vote today will have significant cultural, social and historic implications which I don’t believe we will know fully for a few years to come. I believe that there will be unintended consequences and that people will look back and say,‘Well, I didn’t know that was going to happen.’”

“It is an issue that I believe should be decided in the legislature and not in the courts. While I’m not happy with the results, it is a good thing that the legislative process worked this bill and that it was not done through judicial interpretation of the civil union statute somehow being unconstitutional or unfair. This is a decision that a legislature really should be making, one way or the other.”

“I also believe that the very understandable issues of inheritance, pension, healthcare, benefits, all those things, could be achieved in another manner that would also protect the concerns of others.”

Silly Gun Control Bill

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, that crappy gun control law just passed by Delaware’s legislature is the WORST piece of law-making ever crafted by idiots.

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Below, an explanation provided by the local newspapers:
The bill includes several exceptions, such as transfers to immediate family members, qualified law-enforcement officers and certain short-term transfers to persons personally known to the owner.

So okay, why can I give or sell my gun to a law enforcement officer without bother of background checks?  No wait! Maybe that’s how they got all those police chiefs to sit in and betray us as our Lords and Masters that they too want to be!

And what the hell does “certain short-term transfers to persons personally known to the owner”, mean?

Huh?

Just how long is a “short-term” transfer? And why would I give or lend my gun to anyone that I do not personally know? If I lend my daughter my gun cause I fear for her, this is ok?

Don’t bother explaining, it was never meant to mean anything and it will NEVER be enforced.

So I suppose we should be happy that these Lords and Masters are playing politics with out freedoms cause, come on….it doesn’t mean anything. Well hell’s bells, Ernie Lopez, that cute Republican guy from Lewes , swears he thinks most of his constituents have no problem with these additional background checks

Oh yes we do Ernie, we’ll get back to you next election on that.

I am sick of these people getting elected and enacting silly laws that are just a political thing. Some day, some way, we are all affected by dumb laws, by laws they never really meant to enforce.

Do we pay them for this sort of thing?

Hold onto your anger, folks, till 2014. The absolute ONLY way to get rid of them…well we might not elect them to begin with, silly Lewes…but hey, we sure got rid of Urquhart.

Vance Phillips…Is It Only Republicans in This County Getting Involved in Sex Scandals?

I sure hope Vance Phillips, vaunted Republican Sussex county councilman, has made arrangements to write his memoir. If not, and since he is my Facebook friend, he should contact me to begin penning the story that they’ll not believe.

There was, of course, the Sheriff incident. Seems Phillips and the current Sheriff at the time got into a fisticuffs in GOP headquarters in Georgetown. Scuttlebutt indicated the brawl included knees to the groin and other nasty fight techniques.

Then, unbelievably, Vance falls out of the sky in some kind of toy glider aeroplane, a hobby he enjoyed but there was that element of danger. Vance came out of this incident injured and he is still recovering.

Now, per Delaware Online, we learn that Vance was involved with some young thing and that he allegedly forced himself upon her.

Is it only Republicans getting involved in all these sex scandals? I also recall an Eric Bodenweiser being run out of an election based on some sex charges from many moons ago.

Since Eric has of yet to come to publicly defend himself I assume he is guilty. And don’t lecture me that he’s innocent until proven guilty. I am not on his jury; I am part of the public who thinks one charged with horrific crimes should come out and defend himself.

Vance Phillips does rigorously defend himself against the charges but hey, Vance, we love you here in Sussex but you definitely need to keep a lower profile for a while.

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My Personal Strange Story of Sussex Boundaries and Rules Not Enforced.

It’s a most ordinary land dispute, please understand, and I won’t bore with the particulars. Fence disputes are nothing new.

What is new is a county Planning and Zoning Inspector II sending me a letter, having evidently made a decision with no input from anybody else so served, that I AM GUILTY, and the guy protesting my fence line is in the right.

Like I said, fence and boundary disputes are nothing new under the sun but I will never understand why, based on a survey done by a builder behind me just two weeks ago, and unbelievably on the very day of my husband’s funeral, decided my fence was, get this, 4’6″ over the builder’s (and, thus, his client’s)property line.

My WELL is right near that distance, my shed and a fence, all of which will be affected by Dean Pettyjohn’s demand in his letter to me dated 5/3/13 that I move my fence.

It turns out that I TOO have a survey, signed and certified as Delaware law requires, dated in 2003, the year I purchased my house.

I am willing to fight this out with the builder et al with no bother to others except….goodness, what is MY survey? Chopped liver?

And Mr. Pettyjohn just boom, yeah, you gotta move your fence, your shed, your well, cause this builder guy, what, has a NEWER survey?

At the least, don’t I (and my neighbors, also affected and also irritated) get a chance to show MY piece of paper?

I even called up Mr. Pettyjohn, and he answered me very graciously. I asked him, essentially, the above, why doesn’t my survey count, why do I arbitrarily get a letter telling me to knock down my fence or the constable is coming after me? Why doesn’t MY survey count, why wasn’t I asked to show proof before pronounced guilty? He mumbled something about how he’d sure like to see my survey. Well why didn’t he maybe put in his letter pronouncing me guilty? Why didn’t he ask for documentation if I had it instead of arbitrarily pronouncing me guilty?

This is the most eggregious action taken by Sussex county in my experience and something is really wrong with how this comes down. I am willing to fight this builder in court, my brother-in-law is a surveyor, I know how it works. One or the other of us has a bad survey and the issue might go to court.  I’m okay with allowing a judge decide.  What I’m NOT ok with his having some bureaucrat pronounce me guilty without even offering to talk to me.

But I go to court A MARKED WOMAN! For Dean Pettyjohn has marked me guilty and I never had a chance to defend myself!

Councilwoman Deaver is helping with this but I haven’t heard from her in a while. She promised to help me with this. I did take all documentation, including a signed and certified survey of mine dated 4/2/2003-that’s right…TEN YEARS AGO- to Mr. Pettyjohn, walked it there myself! Why is the builder’s survey better than mine? And even if there is an error in my survey, does Sussex county Planning and Zoning Inspector II get to willy-nilly negate mine in favor of a newer survey?

Will keep yon reader updated. Cause someday YOUR neighbor might get a survey way newer than your old thing and the Sussex county Planning & Zoning Inspector II shall pronounce you guilty without benefit of a defense.

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I do not respond to comments on my posts. I certainly have no problem with such commentary and, indeed, encourage it. But I’ve written my piece and I don’t want to argue it further.

Please feel free to email me at patfish1@aol.com if you want to send me a special comment or have any ideas or information you want to share.

And tune in NEXT week for the saga of the newly widowed woman tied to fence as cruel builders threaten with survey taken ten years AFTER hers. It’s gonna be a cliff hanger, folks, I will tell you all about it.

Sussex County Councilman Vance Phillips Sued

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According to complaint K13C-05-005, filed in Kent County Superior Court on May 6, Sussex County Councilman, Vance Phillips has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by the attorney Nicholas H. Rodrigues, of Schmittinger & Rodriguez, P.A. of Dover on behalf of the Plaintiff.

Naming Sussex County Councilman, Vance Phillips of Laurel as the defendant in the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges in a 17 page lawsuit that Phillips first encouraged a young woman, the plaintiff to become involved in politics around the age of 16 and after she became 18, the defendant, Vance Phillips, forced the Plaintiff into sexual activity several times in different locations, while intimidating her to keep the activity secret. the suit seeks relief for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The complaint includes graphic details of use of sex-toys, bondage and threats. Mr. Phillips has not commented publicly on the matter. Sussex County spokesman, Chip Guy stated this is a personal matter that has nothing to do with Phillips’ official capacity with county government.

Details were compiled from the court docket and various news sources. More details to come.

House Bill 13 Heads to the State Senate

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With 11 Democrats in opposition, but all 14 Republicans and `16 Democrats favoring the one year ban on paid lobbying once a legislator leaves the Delaware General Assembly, the bill passed the House and goes on to the Senate.

As I stated before, this is a positive bill, but we also need one that applies to the other branches of government.

I Endorse the Paradee Bill

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Next week, a bill is to be introduced allowing those called to military service to vote via video conference.  I support that exception to current Delaware law which bans video conferencing for local government public meetings.

Rep. Trey Paradee is upholding an honored tradition in this state going all the way back to founding fathers Richard Bassett, who founded and served in my regiment while in the General Assembly and was reelected while serving, and Caesar Rodney.

Way to go Trey.

 

New York City Poised to Allow Non-citizens the Vote

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According to the Federalist Society blog. the New York City Council may have the votes to overcome a veto by Mayor Bloomberg.  This proposal would only affect local elections.

What is the point of citizenship?  Should not someone who comes here, first pledge their allegiance to this country before determining who leads it?  If this passes and gets widespread attention, this type of legislation could undermine efforts to legalize millions of “undocumented” immigrants.  Is that what they really want or are they so confident of victory that they cannot resist showing their hand?  Either way this is not helpful to the nation.  While this will only apply to city elections, how will the inevitable confusion of people mistakenly showing up to state and national elections be handled?  Will their be ineligible votes?  Will people who want to look at the problem be called bigots, and the integrity of the elections be sacrificed either in reality or in the minds of many voters?

One person who doesn’t believe the bill is acceptable under state law is New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has been a prominent advocate for other types of immigration reform in the past.

“The Mayor believes voting is the most important right we are granted as citizens and you should have to go through the process of becoming a citizen and declaring allegiance to this country before being given that right. That being said, this bill violates the State constitution and the Administration does not support it,” Evelyn Erskine, a spokeswoman for the mayor said.

America’s Political Abyss

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In today’s world of political intrigue and multiple pseudo personalities, lurking behind every crevice of unforeseen gain, is party affiliation really a factor?

Long gone are the days of simple ideological thought where right or wrong are simply defined. The global complexity of multiple hegemonic power grabs and local powerful personalities have muddied the waters of clear thought and twisted the reality of right and wrong.

A world moves closer to a political abyss where right or wrong does not exist and defies definition, but instead are standardized by the machinations of powerful madmen who seek only power and personal gain by feeding a false sense of political candy to the hungry mouths of an eager and waiting populace who want something for nothing.

America hangs in limbo, waiting for a leader to emerge from the Republic’s heart as a savior, but finds no satisfaction in its choices. Former ideological truths are cast by the wayside for a sad satire of reality, while confession of a higher power is on the lips of the new Socialist movement, to reassure their own place in the after-life. A false sense of security is to be easily had, while praising their own gains of perversion.

False philosophies and arrogance are proferred froth by a corrupt government in anticipation of name recognition but their emptiness is their apparent and just reward.

The sad emptiness in America reminds us of our forefathers sacrifice to provide and secure our freedom, but we are held captive by an evil administration and have deemed ourselves powerless to halt the downward spiral of our weakness, to secure our future. Will America’s conscience awaken the goodness within its people in time, or has darkness filled the land?

There is a greater truth, but America’s people are held in limbo by their own inner prisons and lack of a sense of reality. The raw courage of America’s birth, although heralded by patriots has eluded the masses who are driven with the mentality of an entitlement philosophy.

Will America wait until Armageddon is at the door to rise up and take back their great republic or will they fall as did other great civilizations?

Cross-posted in www.redstate.com

Sanford Wins In SC 1

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Governor Mark Sanford’s political comeback has shown that Tea Party Express can be more of a force than the tradional Republican establishment.

When the Sanford campaign was on the rocks because the GOP Congressional committee abandoned him because he watched the Superbowl with his son at a house that he owned at the request of his son.  Then his ex-wife complained months later.  It is sad that Sanford so embittered his ex-wife by his disgraceful public humiliation of her and the family that she would act in such a petty and capricious way to hurt him back, but that should not be the concern of the party.  The party is about business.  The business of saving this country from lost decades of economic stagnation, cultural decay, and declining national security.  You do not throw in the towel on the candidate selected by the voters of your party at the slightest sign of discord.  You go in and refocus the race on the issues. 

The party just ran for the tall grass.  Enter Tea Party Express.  They focused the race on the issues and changed the landscape.  That allowed Sanford to get back on his own message and win by 9 points.  Sanford won the race, but it would not have happened without someone standing up and saying we proudly endorse him.  It gave voters assurance that their take would be accepted. Sanford moved in the polls quickly, reclaiming the undecideds in the Republican district.

Delaware Republicans could have picked up one statewide office for sure and had a chance for two, but they made sure to make losing a self fulfilling prophecy in 2012 by not providing the basic level of funding for Ben Mobley and Sher Valenzuela.  With Mobley, the Democrats were ready to give that race up.  A number of Democrats were ready to give endorsements until they discovered that the Republicans weren’t supporting the race.  They would not stick their necks out to get their heads chopped off.  Republicans need to take gifts, but instead they seem to be determined to fulfill the traditional wisdom that they can’t win.

Well, the national pundits bemoaned Sanford entering the race, they decrided him winning the primary, they lost faith when a nonsense obligation came up that should have stayed private.  They publicly pulled the little funding they gave and damaged the campaign by skewering it throughout the media.  They wanted to lose.  This election shows that if we the people give, volunteer, organize, and vote, that we can do it ourselves. 

The loser of the special election was not the Democrat who did a great job making it a race, it was the Republican establishment.

Same Sex “Marriage” Passes in Delaware

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Senator Chris Coons called it “an historic day”.  I see it as one as well, more leaning toward infamy as the General Assembly decided to play GOD.  The vote was 12 to 9 with Republicans against it except for Cathy Cloutier and Democrats generally for it except for Senators Venables and Ennis.   What’s next?

Blevins Y Hocker N Peterson Y
Bonini N Lavelle N Pettyjohn N
Bushweller Y Lawson N Poore Y
Cloutier Y Lopez N Simpson N
Ennis N Marshall Y Sokola Y
Hall-Long Y McBride Y Townsend Y
Henry Y McDowell Y Venables N

Delaware Politics and Tidbits-Read It and Weep-The 5/5/13 Edition

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Our Lords and Masters Get Crazier With Their Stupid Bills

We must accept that they are our Lords and Masters, those politicos in Dover, as they grow bored and dream up new and innovative legislation to further enslave us peons who are unable to own a gun properly, don’t understand that a man should be able to marry a man for our stupid religion, and who don’t yet know we need solar electricity even though it doesn’t work….yeah, those guys.

With a little help from Senator Lopez, folks, I am all over Lewes. This guy is despised everywhere and considered one of their biggest disappointments.

Now they think we should have same day voter registration, so wise are they. What could go wrong?

House Bill # 105 “Same Day Election Registration”
Primary Sponsor: Viola Additional Sponsor(s): Sen. Henry
CoSponsors: Reps. Barbieri, Baumbach, J. Johnson, Keeley, Mitchell, Potter, Scott; Sens. Peterson, Poore, Sokola, Townsend
Introduced on : 04/30/2013
Long Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTIONS.
Synopsis: This bill provides for election day registration for presidential primary, primary, special, and general elections whereas currently the deadline is the fourth Saturday prior to the date of the election. Moreover, same day registration at polling places will be permitted with submission of valid government issued identification or other generally accepted proof of identification.
Current Status: House House Administration Committee On 04/30/13

Are we to accept that folks can’t get themselves somewhere to get registered to vote BEFORE the election? We should also expect them to somehow get out the day OF the election and then we shall register them?

I think to have even introduced such an absurd spit-in-our-face bill, so obvious a drum for Democrat voters and having nothing to do with decency and honor, is grounds for disdain.

It’s all about THEM, not US, for they are our Lords and Masters. This includes Ernie Lopez, Republican Lord and Master.

Delaware Continues With Stupid Laws-This One Now a Silly Law

So our Lords and Masters in Dover, sometime in the past, passed a law that all electricity must be from 3.5% solar power by 2025.

Heh.

Milford Solar Park Will Make Electricity More Expensive
Everyone is gushing over the new 15 megawatt solar facility in Milford, the state’s largest solar farm. Before you get too excited for affordable solar power, please consider the following: The facility will add $2 million a year to electric utility bills for participating cities. A federal tax credit to the solar farm investors will add $15 million to the national debt. The power will be unreliable and require backup from conventional power plants, wiping out a lot of the advertised environmental benefits. A partly cloudy day can see the solar farm going from full power to no power in as little as eight seconds.
The only reason the park was built is due to a legal requirement in Delaware that all electric distributors must obtain 3.5% of their power from solar by 2025

As they tend to do, our Lords and Masters must hide their stupid laws, as in their manner of commanding that trash haulers do not discuss the secret road to recycling where they are taking us that we do not know until the tax hits us.

And so they have sneaky ways of hiding this cost in our electric bills because folks, our Lords and Masters, including Republican Ernie Lopez,. But when we get the higher bill it will be too late for our howls.

Our Lords and Masters work day and night to bound us up with their rules, to pass stupid laws that effect only the innocent, to pass laws that hide the taxes they impose on us.

They are wiser than us, they know better than us….Steve should marry Steve no mind how we feel about it.

There, there….go away irate citizen, we know what’s best for you.

Silly Federal Drivers Licenses Coming to Delaware

Okay, before I start my fine, fine snark, let me first say that Delaware’s DMV, at least the one in Georgetown, is a really nice place to accomplish all business automotive and driving.

They have a great system to renew driver licenses, cameras right at the station, a great method of notifying who’s next and where….there is even free WI-FI at the Georgetown DMV!

But this federal drivers license as being handled by the Delaware DMV is one confusing mess.

First, it discriminates against women.

Indeed.

And I just happen to be one such woman.

Evidently in 2014 there is some kind of rule that if your state has issued you a “federal” drivers license this is considered, well I don’t know….it will supposedly get you in federal buildings, on airlines, etc, etc, with no bother.

Which makes little sense to me in that what? You must show your drivers license to enter a federal court room? As for using your drivers license for airlines….well I just don’t know what silly law our FEDERAL Lords and Masters passed long time ago that will come to fruition in 2014.

So I have been married four times.

Of course I am not proud of this but it is what it is. I was married once when I was 18…he left me, I was broken-hearted, I got over it and married another guy.

I was married to the second guy for about three years and at age 39 he dropped dead of a heart attack. I had a child with this guy.

The third guy was my mistake, three years together, it wasn’t working. We parted fairly amicably.

My fourth husband, who I just lost this past April, was my beloved spouse for 25 years so I hardly remember those early forays into wedded bliss.

But for the federal driver’s license I must show my path from Patricia Birthname to Patricia Fish.

Patricia Birthname did NOT marry Billy Fish. Patricia Thirdhusbandname married Billy Fish. Thus I must show where did Patricia Thirdhusbandname got that name so I must provide my marriage certificate to third husband, then my divorce.

BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE!

I had to track my life from birth to now, from marriage through divorce through death, from Patricia Birthname to Patricia Fish.

Meanwhile the Boston bombers gallivant all over the world, to Russia, back, over there, over here, all while collecting welfare on taxpayer funds.

I, however, forgot what year I married the first guy and in order to get a copy of my marriage certificate in Anne Arundel County Maryland I must provide the year of my marriage.

I don’t remember.

Well I could take a guess, probably a reasonable one, but suppose I guess wrong? Will they tell me…”Too bad, you had one chance at the year…NEXT!” These are our Lords and Masters, folks, they adore bureaucracies. There’s probably a rule somewhere that you only can bother them once. Try it an again and you shall be refused, maybe locked up.

In fact I forgot the year I married my second husband and that was a snag. However, my daughter was born exactly nine months after that marriage and I do know when my daughter was born. That was a correct guess and I got the marriage certificate for second husband.

I had on hand my marriage certificate and divorce papers from third husband.

So I figured, unlike bureaucrats who have no common sense…well I got divorce papers from first husband so I had to be married to him, right?

No, they didn’t buy it. Meanwhile my departed husband got his federal Delaware drivers license, badaboom, badabing. No he wasn’t married more than once but it don’t matter. Had he been married TEN times he’d have gotten through toot de sweet.

Democrats say they value women and don’t like to see them mistreated. But THIS federal license is exactly a burden for women , no getting around to it..

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I do not respond to comments on my posts. I certainly have no problem with such commentary and, indeed, encourage it. But I’ve written my piece and I don’t want to argue it further.

Please feel free to email me at patfish1@aol.com if you want to send me a special comment or have any ideas or information you want to share.

And tune in NEXT week for the saga of the newly widowed woman tied to fence as cruel builders threaten with survey taken ten years AFTER hers. It’s gonna be a cliff hanger, folks, I will tell you all about it.

Our Bill of Rights and the Curious Case of Dr. Jahi Issa

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Guest Post by:
Doug Beatty

On March 1, 2012 Dr. Jahi Issa of Dover was arrested at Delaware State University for failing to be a white female on horseback.

That’s a provocative statement that demands support. In 2010 Delaware State University threatened to cut the equestrian team. The all white all female equestrian team protested by riding horses in front of the administration building and attending a public board meeting. There was no permit issued or sought for this protest. Campus public safety personnel didn’t approach or apprehend anyone.

March 1, 2012. Dr. Issa and his class meet during class time at the Martin Luther King Student Center to walk to the public board of directors meeting to voice their concerns. A guest speaker was on hand for any of Dr. Issa’s students who didn’t want to participate in the organizational activity.

Previously, Dr. Issa and his students had consulted with attorneys from the Delaware office of the ACLU in Wilmington to ensure that their actions were lawful and protected by the First Amendment.

However, the next day while Dr. Issa was addressing his students at the Martin Luther King Student Center, he was approached and apprehended by DSU public safety chief Downes. Initially the story was that Dr. Issa and his students had refused a lawful order to disperse. He was charged with inciting a riot, disorderly conduct, offensive touching, and resisting arrest.

By the time the case made it to a pretrial motion hearing, the official story had changed. There had been no order to disperse. The rioting charge was dropped. Now the narrative was that Dr. Issa had become disorderly when approached by public safety personnel who were trying to determine what the group was doing.

At the pretrial motion hearing on December 5, 2012, Chief Downes and Patrolman Buchwald both testified that they had no reason to put their hands on, detain, or arrest Dr. Issa prior to Chief Downes touching Dr. Issa. The story was that Chief Downes had only touched Dr. Issa in a ‘calming manner’ and Dr. Issa had responded by striking the chief in the chest with an elbow ( according to chief ) or a forearm ( according to Buchwald).

However, this video shot by a student who was present at the motion hearing but was not allowed to testify tells a different story. Chief Downes in fact came up behind Dr. Issa and grabbed his wrist in a decidedly non-calming manner. Dr. Issa not knowing who was behind him pulled his arm forward away from the chief. The chief was never struck, he then put his right hand on Dr. Issa’s shoulder, Patrolman Buchwald grabbed Dr. Issa’s left shoulder and they walked him off. Dr. Issa never hit anyone.

Click on this link to view the, “Attack on Dr. Issa.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y71cstMDg-U }

Now the disorderly conduct charge has been thrown out. Having only heard state witnesses in the pre-trial motion hearing Judge Welch wants to proceed to trial, the state wants Dr. Issa to take a plea, and Dr. Issa wants his due process. Which is going to be very difficult to get.

Not only is the state trying to throw him in jail, his food stamps and medical assistance have been suspended. Just last week Family Services made an attempt to seize his children and have him arrested again on false charges. Being educated and having resources prevented this latest attempt.

Three witnesses were waiting for the case worker who was trying to destroy Dr. Issa’s family. A medical doctor destroyed the credibility of the school nurse who initiated the attack. The state didn’t get it’s way that afternoon, but the criminal case from DSU continues.

The state fired him from his job, making it nearly impossible for him to defend himself. Jack Markell sits on the board of directors at DSU. Beau Biden had to sign off on the charges against Dr. Issa and his Deputy A.G. Lindsay Taylor is doing her best to win this case.

Why do we care? If this can happen to a University professor who has an attorney then what chance does a marginalized citizen have in what passes for our justice system?

Dr. Issa and his students were exercising their God given rights when he was attacked and falsely charged by DSU campus police. When he fell to the ground he wasn’t resisting arrest, his blood pressure was so elevated that he had to be admitted to Kent General after EMS evaluated him. He doesn’t suffer from hypertension.

There is even a case involving a white female at DSU who did offensively touch police officers and she wasn’t even detained at the time, she was never suspended, and still works there. But Judge Welch refuses to throw the charges out for selective prosecution and disparate treatment. Judge Welch also presided over the case of the white female employee.

What all this means is that in our corrupt system here in Delaware nobody is safe. African Americans make up about 23% of Delaware’s population and about 70% of the prison population. However, these tactics can and are used against anyone that ‘gets out of line’. Dr. Issa had some serious concerns about management practices at DSU to include a recent audit. That’s apparently out of line.

But for the fact that he wasn’t a white female he might have been able to exercise his rights. Especially if he had been on horseback. The implications are chilling, questioning authority and exercising your constitutional rights can result in having your life and family destroyed by the state.

This fight isn’t about Dr. Issa, it’s about all of us. Anyone who believes that we have freedom of speech and that we can petition for redress of wrongs.

Dr. Issa has four children to support, and the state is trying to starve him out and eliminate his ability to defend himself. Despite being made indigent by the state, he can’t get public money for his defense unless his lawyer ( who hasn’t been paid in some time ) resigns. That would leave Dr. Issa at the mercy of whatever public defender he draws.

Right now Dr. Issa has to raise money to pay for court transcripts. This is beyond dire due to arguably illegal acts on the part of the State witnesses and possible reversible error on the part of the court. Please consider a donation to his legal defense fund at http://hbcuinstitute.org.

McBurney V. Young–FIOA can be limited

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The High Court is dealing with a lot  of high profile cases this term, but one below the radar could affect local governments.  It is a Open Records case.  The Court dealt with a provision of Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, but since it was decided by applying provisions of the United States Constitution, it is relevant to Delaware. The Supreme Court addressed whether or not states could limit their Freedom of Information Act records requests to only citizens of the state. The US Supreme Court unanimously determined that the provision of Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act limiting records access to citizens of the State is constitutional.

 

This potentially affects Delaware  our State statute provides that “…records shall not be denied to any citizen” (29 Del. C 10003(a)), when that provision was challenged in 2005 in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, the provision was found to be unconstitutional because it limited records accessibility to Delaware citizens, and therefore violated the privileges and immunities clause of the US Constitution. (Lee v. Minner, 369 F. Supp. 2d 527 (D. Del. 2005)).

 

It will be interesting to see if local jurisdictions keep their policy of being open to all or take a more restrictive approach.  It appears to be their choice.

 

Thanks to attorney Glenn C. Mandalas for insights used in this post..

First Amendment Rights Endangered by HB 75 (so called same sex marriage)

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The proposed same-sex marriage bill acknowledges the conflict between same-sex marriage, the anti-discrimination law and our constitutional rights by exempting churches and clergy from being forced to perform same-sex marriages. I was always taught that our First Amendment rights were for the benefit of every American. But the same-sex marriage bill is a First Amendment fraud. The language in the bill only offers protection to clergy and churches. If First Amendment rights are good enough for clergy, aren’t they also good enough for the other 99 percent? The truth is that this bill offers no protection for the vast majority of Delawareans, putting our Constitutional rights at risk.

“Marriage” is not a value-neutral word. Inherent in the word “marriage” is celebration and affirmation by the community of that marriage because of the benefits it provides to society. Marriage is a community affair. We don’t sneak away to marry by ourselves. We invite an array of people to express their support for our union. That expression is precisely why same-sex marriage creates a conflict of Constitutional proportions. Delaware’s anti-discrimination law and proposed same-sex marriage bill would force people who provide services to participate in same-sex weddings. People at high risk include musicians, florists, photographers and other artists. It doesn’t matter how small a person’s participation is, that expression is constitutionally protected. For the government to force a person to participate in a marriage is, without a doubt, an unconstitutional government-coerced expression. We must remove the veil from this First Amendment fraud.

Jordan Warfel in today’s Delaware Online

Open House/Covered Dish Dinner of ‘The Independent Party of Delaware’ (IPoD)

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An Open House and Covered Dish Dinner will be held by the Independent Party of Delaware on Saturday, May 4th at Sussex East’s Manor House. The Manor House is located on Rt.9, 1.3 miles west of the intersection at Five Points, Lewes DE. If you have a GPS device, the address is: 30769 Lewes-Georgetown HWY, Lewes DE, 19958.

It is a great opportunity to get to know the leadership and members of Delaware’s fastest growing Third Party. It is also a great way to find out what the party platform consists of and exactly WHY this party is growing so quickly. The Independent Party of Delaware belongs to Delawareans. Come as you are.

Come to the Manor House this coming Saturday and meet some great people and eat some great food. This event will be open to people of all parties and will entertain open and honest discussion of issues that concern our state and nation. Bring your family to this family oriented event and have fun!

The Independent Party of Delaware is a party of inclusion, not a party of EXCLUSION, so bring your family and a covered dish. If you cannot bring a covered dish, please come and eat good food and have great conversation with other patriotic Americans.

We feel that modern government must, at all levels, be restructured to place the balance of power into the hands of citizens in the greater common interest. Accordingly, we advocate state constitutional amendments establishing, the right of citizens to draft and propose legislation and the right of citizens to ultimately vote on legislation and constitutional amendments and the right to dismiss elected officials for just cause.

Come to our Open House and Covered Dish Dinner and learn about our party platform, to make Delaware first in Liberty and Independence.

Delaware Politics and Tidbits….Read It And Weep. The 4/28/13 Edition.

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Congrats to Nellie Jordan! Congrats to the Heathens of Sussex County!
============================

Hip Hip Hooray to Nellie Jordan, the new Vice-Chair of the Delaware State GOP.

One of Nellie’s more alluring campaign notes was her connection to the Hispanic community. I am so glad Ruth B. King didn’t win that.

With Nellie we have a kind, and determined Hispanic grandmother helping to guide the Delaware GOP, allowing a bit of Sussex to flow into the state Republican party.

Ruth King has always been, by me, a very fluid and articulate speaker. But she needs to do the job her constituents elected her to do. I doubt King would have done much work for the state GOP. This whole thing was but a sham to keep out the nasty Sussex Tea Party types.

I wouldn’t call Nellie Jordan a close friend, but I’ve worked with her through the years and with the recent death of my husband, even with this state GOP convention looming and with her own son in a medical dilemma, she called me a few times, just to check on me, just to talk.

Congrats also to those who elected Nellie, and to Carol Bodine, the state GOP secretary. There is none better than Carol Bodine though I heard they tried to talk Ernie Lopez into running against her.

In a few years, Ernie….you’ll have lots of time in a few years. The Sussex Tea Party Neanderthals are going after Ernie Lopez cause Republicans should not be voting for any form of gun control, we all know it’s just dumb and stupid and Ernie, even if the lo-fo voters don’t understand that the political elite’s efforts to burden us with repetitive gun control laws, know that the Sussex Heathens know it and they are not happy.

The Smells of Delaware
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It’s not that Delaware stinks, actually.

Though at times it does.

But I’ve been through and in many states of this country and none of them smell quite as much as Delaware.

Most times the smell is that of what I call “rich” earth….compost if you will.

I do make my own compost, a mixture of leaves, grass clippings, vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, egg shells and other non-meat garbage that will mix well with the leaves and with a toss, some water and air, it will soon all become …well…dirt, actually.

A rich dirt, a sweet-smelling dirt that once the smell tickles the nose the nose responds positively.

It’s not a bad smell, not at all. It’s the earth and sometimes, particularly in Delaware, the mixture includes some manure and this adds a kind of barn yard smell but again it’s not offensive.

But you know it’s there.

Sometimes, I dunno, there’s a sweet smell wafting through the air, a combination of honeysuckle added to blooming lilies mixed with a smidge of rich earth.

Delaware does have a lot of chicken industries, let’s not mince words. At times a horrid smell is unleashed across the swamps and at first the nose does not like. After a bit the nose is not too offended.

At some point that smell of chicken manure on steroids dissipates and the air is great once again.

Since Delaware has a very high water line, earth that gets water almost to its surface tends to encourage mold and algae and on overcast days Delawareans enjoy the smell of algae multiplying and enjoying some sun.

I don’t dislike the smells of Delaware. I grew up on a farm. The smell of animal poop meant the farm was functioning as it should, the animals were eating well, farm life was good.

The smell of algae is an acquired thing but I don’t find it unpleasant unless it is all around me, choking off any other smell.

As for the chickens, again, there’s the farm thing and it doesn’t last that long.

I’m thinking no other state in America smells like Delaware, at least the lower and slower Sussex county.

And I am very proud of that fact.

Lower and Slower….Buried in the Middle of Georgetown
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Many of you might know my husband passed away recently. If yon reader did not know that, it’s no mind. It wasn’t a terribly big surprise but the timing was sudden and shocking.

At any rate, to those yon readers fortunate to live in Sussex county Delaware, know that my husband….and will be I….is buried in the middle of Georgetown.

It’s just so cool.

First, I found husband dead very early in the morn. Comes time to have funeral home come to get body, boom, cop asks me who.

Only funeral home I know….SHORT. In the middle of Georgetown. Also seemed to me I remember some kind of Republican elected type name Short. Funeral guys says no relation but dag, right across the street is some kind of Short insurance company and there’s Short funeral homes in a few other Delaware towns.

Boom, 5 am in the morning George Short was here with hearse and gurney…took body away. Didn’t ask for a dime, didn’t make an appointment, said he would call me later, left card.

Neighbors came over to sit with me early in the morn as cop would not leave me alone. Church people came later and around 10am I realized I had a hair appointment at noon. Church people said….”why not go?”

Sure I was sad, and in a fog as one might imagine. But soon I would be attending a funeral, a funeral filled with my friends and husband’s family so….

So Med-Spa, in 5 Points, Ernie Lopez country (everyone that I talk to, at least, despises that vote by Ernie….I go to church in Lewes, am there a lot. I encourage their disdain, of course).

My favorite lady did my hair, cut, color, highlight. I am sobbing and on cell phone but I explained about funeral coming up, please forgive me.

Med-Spa was not only very kind and patient with me, after they were all done with me, my favorite lady told me EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETELY FREE!!!

Wow;.

I went through the entire funeral, bought two funeral plots, goodness, “$200 each”, George Short told me. I couldn’t believe my ears, this lovely little cemeteryin the middle of Georgetown and me and husband got two gorgeous plots at the top of the hill right by the entry road!

Cemetery guy says just send in a check, I’ll pick you out a good plot.

Comes day of burial, no bill presented from funeral home. “We’ll send you a bill,” Short whispered.

Heh.

Billy was born in Indiana, grew up in Massachusetts, lived in Maryland with me for fifteen years.

Ten years ago we moved to Delaware and now we will both be buried in a picturesque little cemetery right in the middle of Georgetown.

Capital of Sussex county Delaware where the Neanderthals live and breathe fire.

Neither of us could have asked for a better place to rest in peace.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due-Joan Deaver
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So I get this letter about a fence, something about its on our line, move it by May 6, yada, yada.

Well I have a perfectly good survey done when I moved here, certified, signed. THEIR survey was done in April of 2013….huh?

So I contacted my council person, who is Joan Deaver.

Joan is a Democrat.

But she’s a Sussex county Democrat and that’s almost okay.

Joan reacted very quickly and nicely to my concern, widow that I am about to be tied to the railroad tracks, just call me Pauline.

I was Joan’s opponent’s campaign treasurer last election and I think Ayotte would have responded as quickly as Joan.

But I give credit where credit is due.

Joan has a reputation of taking care of her constituents and she does it well.

This is why she’s a hard one to beat and continues to hold the title of only Democrat in Sussex county council.

No Apology Necessary–Same Sex Marriage is a sham

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I am have long liked Pastor Chuck Betters, but he made a mistake this week in apologizing for a sign that said the cross is greater than equality, playing on the marriage equality issue.  He was making a theological statement that the Cross is greater than any ideology.  He was right.  He was mistaken to apologize for it when the social media firestorm came.

It is time that we speak the truth.  Same Sex marriage is a sham.  It is not marriage.  It can never be equal to real marriage because it does not serve the same function of building stable families and only serves to undermine the sacred position of the institution that civilized humanity and took us forests to free markets, from caves to cities, and from swamps to the stars.  This entire movement is the 21st century fool’s errand and anyone who supports it is blind to anything that represents reality of human history.

The family has the crux of the collective heart of humanity.  It has been how we raise children, pass on faith, build character, learn how to treat one another, relate to the generations, and begin education.  It has been the foundation of every lasting society.  Marriage and family is one of the few institutions that crosses all regions, ethnic groups, religions, and cultures.  Whether one is Christian or Hindu, Jewish or Muslim, Buddhist or Taoist, we all have in common that our societies were built on a foundation of marriage uniting the two sexes and those two who became one family making the sacrifice necessary for society to continue and flourish by investing themselves into the next generation.

I believe that purposefully depriving a child of a competent parent is of both sexes is a serious mistake.  It happens all too often with no fault divorce and people choosing to have babies “on their own”.   We do not need to institutionalize the decline of the family.

President Obama recently mocked those who want to “go back to the ’50′s”.  I think the problem are those who want to leave the proven ways that allowed us to reach beyond the primitive and pass on culture and knowledge.  We did it by tradition.  I say let’s stand on the best of our traditions– Life, real marriage, family, and free markets.  Not all progress is good.  Instead of reaching for the stars, the progressives are digging a hole in the sand from which we may not escape.

We already gave “equality” with civil unions.  This is not about equality, it is about social engineering.

State Senate, you have the votes to stop it.  If you do not, you will be have the weight of eternal judgement against you.  History will ask why did you do this?  GOD will ask you why did you  despise Him?  It is your choice.

That is my view and no there will be no apology now or ever.

2013 Delaware GOP Convention

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Today is the 2013 Delaware Republican Party Convention at the Double Tree Hotel in Wilmington. It is an off year and the biggest battle for party officers appears to be for the Vice Chair Position. It could be a real snoozer of a convention. However, I have heard some whispers that there could be a few surprises in the works. Either way I’ll update this post later this afternoon with a quick summary of what happens.

UPDATE:  As has been mentioned in the comments Nelly Jordan is the new Vice Chair of the Delaware Republican Committee.  Chairman John Sigler and Treasurer Bill Smith retained their positions by acclamation, and they are joined by Carol Bodine as Secretary, also voted in by acclamation.

The only minor dustup was partly due to the sound system, which ranged from on, to off, to muffled, to screeching throughout most of the convention.  Thankfully it was finally fixed for the last hour or so.  At any rate when the rules committee was reading off their proposed rule changes the sound was barely audible, even to the first few rows, and many parts of the hall could not hear at all.  The first rule change was read and voted on, before it was made clear that half the convention couldn’t hear it, so the voting was conducted a second time so that everyone could participate, and the proposal ultimately passed.

The rule change in question was a proposal to allow the Chairpersons of the House and Senate Republican Caucuses, which were ex-officio members of the State GOP Executive Committee to now have a vote.  Previously they had a voice on the committee but not a vote, now they have both.  Personally I voted no.  While I applaud the ongoing effort to incorporate the State Republican Party with the elected Republican officials, I do have a concern that if current elected officials have a vote on the Executive Committee it puts them in a much stronger position to protect their incumbency against primary challenges.

The other proposed rule change was to dissolve the committee that proposes the permanent Chair and Secretary of the Convention except in cases where 3/5ths of 2 regions request it.  In stead the State Committee Chair and Secretary will automatically be the Convention Chair and Secretary, unless 2 regions request the forming of the committee to decide.  This proposal was voted down.

While it did spice up the morning a little for those in attendance the subject matter itself is somewhat dry.  Fortunately we did hear from some engaging speakers.  Ben Mobley, who ran for State Insurance Commissioner kicked the morning off with a motivating speech, and the keynote speech was given by Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

Even though this was a fairly quiet and unassuming convention I would have to say that a lot of work is being done right now to ensure that the Delaware Republican Party is in a more competitive position in 2014 so I would say it was a success.  My biggest complaint is the $10 parking fee, and the fact that it took about half an hour to get out of the parking garage.  If that is what parking is normally like in a small city like Wilmington than city living is not for me, but that is neither her nor there.

Officials Found Guilty In Obama Ballot Petition Fraud

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Foxnews report
A jury in South Bend, Indiana has found that fraud put President Obama and Hillary Clinton on the presidential primary ballot in Indiana in the 2008 election. Two Democratic political operatives were convicted Thursday night in the illegal scheme after only three hours of deliberations. They were found guilty on all counts.

Former longtime St. Joseph County Democratic party Chairman Butch Morgan Jr. was found guilty of felony conspiracy counts to commit petition fraud and forgery, and former county Board of Elections worker Dustin Blythe was found guilty of felony forgery counts and falsely making a petition, after being accused of faking petitions that enabled Obama, then an Illinois Senator, to get on the presidential primary ballot for his first run for the White House.

Morgan was accused of being the mastermind behind the plot.

According to testimony from two former Board of Election officials who pled guilty, Morgan ordered Democratic officials and workers to fake the names and signatures that Obama and Clinton needed to qualify for the presidential race. Blythe, then a Board of Elections employee and Democratic Party volunteer, was accused of forging multiple pages of the Obama petitions.

Read more:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/26/officials-found-guilty-in-obama-clinton-ballot-petition-fraud/