Roy Blunt for Senate ????

I often read with amusement that the GOP is dead.  I’ve heard all of this before, only to see the GOP come back bigger and stronger than ever.  Given that Barack Obama is fast becoming a younger, more charming version of Jimmy Carter I’m not too worried.   However …every so often we do something so completely stupid that I question whether we deserve to win or not.

Case in point – former House Minority Whip Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) candidacy to succeed Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO).  If Blunt is the type of candidate we’ll be running in 2010 I fully expect the Dems to trounce us again.

How can we expect the average voter to take us seriously if we are running guys who personify the reasons that the voters threw us out to begin with.  In his video Blunt says that we can’t “borrow and spend our way to prosperity”.  Guess what guys, Blunt was part of the leadership that turned the Congressional Republican majority from a bunch of fiscally responsible conservatives to a bunch of mealy-mouthed spendthrifts.

What’s next?  Tom DeLay for Senate?  How about John Boehner for President?  How about a new party?

If the Missouri GOP can’t find some young DA or state legislator to run, give the seat up before putting someone like Blunt into the Senate.  I know that Blunt comes from a politically powerful family, and is powerful in his own right.  However, if the NRSC or RNC is willing to throw conservative principles so far down a well then the wishful thinking of the left could just become a reality.

Wrecking the Economy, Down … Socialized Medicine to Go

For those of us who live in Maryland’s First Congressional District, we should give a big thanks to “Blue Dog Frank” Kratovil for voting to grind our economy to a halt.  What’s next on the Obama – Pelosi – Kratovil agenda?  Socialized medicine.

Think about it; it’s a great combo.  Rather than sitting at home freezing because you can’t afford to pay for your heating bill, you can get in line at the doctor’s office to wait six months for anything but the most mundane care.

I Thought It Was Republicans Who “Politicized” Science

Remember when HRH, the messiah, Barack H. Obama was running for president and he promised “never to allow politics to get in the way of science”?  Well, things seem to have changed a bit since moving Michelle and the girls into the big house.

My Red Maryland colleague Mark Newgent discusses attempts by the Obama administration to hide key facts from the public as the forced march towards cap and tax unfolds.  In Obama land “transparency” means “transparency … when it supports our policy goals”.

Kratovil “Leaning Yes” on Cap and Trade

This morning Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) hadn’t made up his mind on the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill (aka zap & fade or cap & tax).  At 2:20 PM “Blue Dog” Frank still hadn’t made up his mind, but was “leaning towards voting for the bill” according to a staffer in Kratovil’s Centreville office.  I called Salisbury first, but they appear to have hit happy hour a little early today.

Estimated to cost a typical family $1,870 in 2020, the cost will rise to $6,800 per year by 2035.  That’s no problem for Frank.  He got a big pay bump when he was sworn in.

While Kratovil continues to stick his finger in the wind to decide how to vote, I fully expect him to vote yes in the end (or at least yes in reconciliation, if it gets that far).  Why not?  Frank needs to appease the enviro left to motivate turnout in 2010.  His messiah, Barack H. Obama is now calling it a “jobs bill” (remember all those jobs from “shovel ready” projects that Frank promised when he voted for Porkulus).  The bill won’t go into effect until 2012 (the messiah wants to be re-elected too).

Let Frank know how you feel.  I probably won’t do much good, but at least you can’t say that you didn’t try.  Ask Frank if he’ll be picking up the cost of your soon to be increased power bill.

BTW – try the local offices first.  The DC switchboard seems to be melting at post time.

Twitter in Iran … and on Delmarva

Maryland Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has a great post on the impact Twitter is having is having with the freedom loving protesters in Iran.  While I’ve never had the honor of meeting Del. Smigiel, and didn’t know he had a blog until yesterday, I’m glad I found it.

How did I?  Twitter.  One of the good people I follow on Twitter made mention of the post.  Social media like Twitter can be a great tool for political organizing – both in Iran … and on the Delmarva peninsula.

The Universival Healthcare Myth

Barack Obama wants it.  Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) wants it.  At least Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) is honest enough to publicly admit that he wants it. What are we talking about?  Single-payer universal healthcare.  In other words, these folks want to burden American citizens with socialized medicine.

Of course, few Democrat elected officials are as honest as Cardin.  Kratovil espouses an “individual mandate”.  So does Obama.  What will be the end result?  SOCIALIZED MEDICINE.

Check out Patients United to learn more.  We certainly won’t be getting much info from a media so infatuated with Obama that they are simply laying down all pretense of objectivity and broadcasting infomercials.

The Great Salisbury Election Date Scheme

Monday’s editorial in the Daily Times calls for a change of Salisbury’s municipal election dates back to November.  This seems to reflect the sentiment posed by former city council candidate Muir Boda in a recent letter to the editor.  This all works for me, but I would suggest that both Mr. Boda and the staff of the Daily Times do a little research before they dive headlong into this fray.

Contrary to the claims of the Daily Times, the real purpose behind moving the elections back to spring was not some half-hearted attempt to drive voter turnout.  Only imbeciles buy into an argument that a spring election, following a winter campaign, increases turnout.  Simply look at the turnout numbers from the last city election held in November to see.  Then research other areas that have done the same.  Spring elections depress turnout.  Former mayor Barrie Tilghman was masterful in her drive move the elections.  The city didn’t want to comply with federal and state deadlines.  They moved to non-partisan elections.  The Wicomico County Board of Elections had problems with the Tilghman-imposed scheme.  Therefore, Tilghman had ample excueses to move the elections to spring.  Depressed turnout worked in her favor, until her opponents learned how to target voters.
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The Reagan Myth???

Whether at Q&O or The Next Right, we at Delmarva Dealings have always been a fan of Jon Henke.  Unfortunately, today’s piece over at The Next Right forces us to examine several factors in evaluating future Henke commentary on the future direction of the GOP and the conservative movement.  Perhaps:

• I’m simply too old (I was born in 1960).

• Henke is too young to adequately grasp the history of the modern conservative movement (Jon was in kindergarten when I was knocking on doors for Reagan in 1976).

• Henke has swallowed the foolishness of political “branding” and abandoned his (former?) libertarian philosophy.

I always considered Henke to be a better student of history:

The conservative movement that arose in the 60’s and 70’s reached maturity in the 1980’s.  That period became the conservative movement’s frame of reference; the experiences, lessons and skills learned up to that point became the Republican Party’s hammer, and when all you have is a hammer…

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WCBOE Public Information Officer to Receive 33% Pay Raise

How big a raise did you get this year?  That is the question that all Wicomico County taxpayers should be asking themselves as the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) prepares to award their “Public Information Liaison” a whopping pay increase of 33%!

While hardly a bargain for Wicomico taxpayers, we know that this is a steal for Supt. John Fredericksen.  As most of you probably know, the WCBOE’s “Public Information Liaison” happens to be the wife of Erick Sahler, managing editor of the Daily Times.  One of the perks of such an “arrangement” is that no unflattering coverage of the BOE appears within the pages of our local rag.

While we regularly read about the problems of the Somerset BOE, the fights between the Worcester County Commissioners and their BOE, and teacher pay issues in several Sussex County school districts (Delaware has independent school districts), coverage of the Wicomico County schools is primarily limited to puff pieces of children receiving awards.  Note that NO coverage was given to the WCBOE’s recent decision to increase retiree healthcare benefits.  Note that explanation of the WCBOE’s “dollar swap” as budget cut was afforded the same type of explanation as the Daily Times usually reserves for Barrie Tilghman’s transgressions; in other words, shine sunshine up people’s backsides.  As far as the WCBOE is concerned, increasing Mrs. Sahler’s salary from around $40,000 to over $54,000 is the sale of the century.  Most school districts couldn’t buy this kind of coverage (or lack thereof);  the Daily Times has sold it pretty cheap.

Salisbury Ethics Commission Show Trial

Displaying the cowardice to be expected of someone who attacks children, Barrie Comegys stooge Jonathan Taylor failed to show up for the Salisbury Ethics Commission show trial precipitated by his own actions.  While thousands of taxpayer dollars were wasted in this spiteful and ridiculous action, Taylor (who already lives on the generosity of taxpayers) hid from view while Barrie Comegys stalwart Lynn Cathcart was on hand to take notes for the wannbe “Powers That Be”.

To be fair, the Ethics Commission ran a fairly clean meeting.  The attending members:  Donna Forgash, Norman Lyster, Bob Gladden, and Fran Kane all asked valid, thoughtful, and polite questions.

While several people at the hearing asked the same question, “What the hell are we doing here?”, the Ethics Commission serves a theoretically important role.  It has been suggested that the board should have examined the complaint prior to today’s hearing and ruled that it was frivolous.  However, if a complaint had been filed against Barrie Tilghman, Mike Dunn, Gary Comegys, or Louise Smith and the Commission had done so (ruled it frivolous in a private meeting) I would be one of the first to scream fraud and cover-up;  so would many of the same people asking that question today.

Was the complaint frivolous?  It turns out that it was.  Councilwoman Terry Cohen made a presentation that not only proved the claim specious, but shamed City Solicitor Paul Wilber for his complete incompetence on these matters.  While not named specifically today, Cohen also proved Councilman Gary Comegys to be a liar, a fool, or both.  You’ll have to decide.
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