Joe Biden, champion of common folks, shops at Home Depot.  Guess the little guy who owns the local hardware store doesn’t get “Uncle Joe’s” business.  Mrs. Palin could’ve pounced on this one Thursday had she not been under strict instructions to follow her script.  How about Joe Danko?  I’m not sure I’m spelling the guy’s name the right way but in my notes it’s how it appears.  He’s the man “Uncle Joe” talks with at the gas station.  When Biden goes to fill up his 350 he talks with Joe Danko and asks how much it costs to fill up the Danko truck.  Danko doesn’t know because he has never been able to afford a fill-up.  Guess “Uncle Joe” could always recommend the train but it probably doesn’t pass near the Danko home or business.  Palin should have pounced at that point.  It was early in the debate and she could’ve replied Danko could afford gasoline if Biden would get on board with offshore drilling.

The candidates played for a tie.  Apparently the instructions were to be as cautious as possible in a still relatively close race.  McCain needed a knockout punch.  Palin had the opportunities.  It makes me wonder if Bobby Jindal would’ve followed instructions or vamped when the opportunity arrived.  If nothing changes from now until November Obama will be in The White House and Americans will be buffeted by the storm.  Then, again, McCain is proving he isn’t the tonic.  Most of this year’s GOP candidates didn’t have much more to offer. 

So where do we go from here?  Start storing the canned goods and dried beans but most importantly keep your powder dry.  I believe the positive is the military will side with Middle America.  It mirrors our values.  This isn’t the end.  Jefferson offered a blueprint.  “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants” he not only warned but also suggested.  Jefferson’s modern counterpart was an earlier Arizonan.  ” I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!” spoke Barry Goldwater.  McCain may be missing his mentor’s words but I haven’t. 

My parents weren’t the easiest people to live with when I was growing up.  It always appeared they were making things more difficult for us than need be.  At a young age I was handling firearms and fishing poles and no one ever offered a “time out” when I wasn’t a good boy.  The approach helped me survive some very lean years as a young broadcaster making 200 dollars a week while paying rent and a student loan. 

There are a great many people sending me tips about survival.  Yes, I agree debt loads should be reduced and I agree we need an ample supply of non-perishable foods but mostly survival requires wit and grit. 

I’m fully confident the nation will come out of the tumult with a restoration of traditional virtues as well as an original sense of liberty.  The folks who never heard the word no, experienced a paddling or who don’t have the brains to head for higher ground during a flood won’t have a clue.  God help them. 

Bill Lee to Host Veterans Forum

DOVER ~ Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee will host a Veterans Forum in the House Chamber of Legislative Hall, Dover, on Wednesday, August 27, from 6 to 9 p.m.
 
The meeting will be open to all who wish to comment on issues affecting Delaware’s veterans. Those unable to travel to Dover for the forum can e-mail questions or concerns to

Maria@LeeDelaware.com, or call Bill Lee’s campaign headquarters at 302-260-9206.
 
The event has grown out of some of the issues identified in The Delaware Plan and from feedback directly from veterans, according to Bill Lee, a Marine Corps veteran.
 
“Our military veterans, including those who have served in previous and present conflicts, represent a significant, important, and productive segment of our citizenry. The Delaware National Guard and the Reserve have been continuously deployed in combat zones and to natural disasters. We need to hear their concerns and determine how we can best assist them and their families,” said Mr. Lee.
 
The agenda will include property and income tax issues as they affect veterans; state hiring practices; contract set asides for veteran contractors; educational benefits that would extend to family members; the veterans home; best ways to retain highly trained and entrepreneurial retirees in Delaware, and a number of other issues that have been the source of inquiries from veterans. The floor will be open to give and take on all issues during the three-hour, nonpartisan dialogue.   (”Yeah, right!” -dg)
 
“I’ve reviewed the legislative record and Delaware has, for the most part, been veteran friendly, but we need to make certain we do right by these patriots and their families who have been so willing to defend us. Our goal is to hear what veterans have to say and incorporate their priorities into my vision,” said Mr. Lee.

This event needs to be relocated to avoid any further appearance of impropriety.

Candidates have been coming out of the woodwork this week on the Bill Colley Show.  If you missed their appearances - fear not - you can still hear the interviews.

On Wednesday, 41st District candidate for the state House of Representatives, John Atkins joined Bill Colley in the studio.  Atkins, who recently switched political parties, faces a Democratic primary with Barbara Lifflander - the winner will face incumbent Representative Greg Hastings.

John Atkins - 1
John Atkins - 2
John Atkins - 3
John Atkins - 4
 

On Thursday, Republican Judson Bennett stopped by the WGMD studios to talk about his candidacy for District 3 on the Sussex County Council.  Just before the filing deadline last week Mark Baker of Lewes filed to run - setting up a GOP primary for District 3 on the County Council.  The winner will face Democrat Joan Deaver.

Jud Bennett - 1
Jud Bennett - 2
Jud Bennett - 3
Jud Bennett - 4

Candidate for Governor, Mike Protack, joined Bill Colley in the studio Thursday afternoon to discuss the issues. Protack is a Republican and will be in a three-way primary with Bill Lee and David Graham. (The Democrats also have a primary between Jack Markell and John Carney).

Mike Protack -1
Mike Protack -2
Mike Protack -3

(Sorry - yes one of the Protack cuts disappeared during editing - and cuts 3 & 4 ended up as the exact same thing)

Christine O’Donnell is running for Joe Biden’s seat on the US Senate. She appeared on the Bill Colley Show on July 24th and if you missed her comments - you’ll find them HERE

(Some of these cuts are long so depending on your connection it could take some time for them to download or play - please be patient)

Christine O’Donnell was on the Bill Colley show on Thursday.  You can listen to the clips from her appearance here -

Christine O’Donnell - 1
Christine O’Donnell - 2
Christine O’Donnell - 3

And you will find her website at http://www.christineodonnell08.com/

Is voting a right for US citizens? No – it’s not. The idea of “one man, one vote” is a common fallacy. In the US Constitution that refers to the votes by members of Congress, but it has nothing to do with the public vote.

In Delaware it’s no different. Felons who are in jail can’t vote and those who have been released have to first meet a series of requirements.

• The sentence and fines must be satisfied at least 5 years prior to the application date.
• A Felony conviction of the following disqualifies one of the bill’s requirements: murder, sexual crimes, or crimes against the public.

But now Delaware has taken your vote to a new level – or lack of one – if you write-in your vote for a candidate. Senate Bill 164 was signed into law by Governor Ruth Ann Minner on July 9. The bill’s synopsis –

This bill would require that only votes cast for a declared write-in candidate would be counted. A person could declare himself/herself a write-in candidate to the Commissioner of Elections or the appropriate Department of Elections and that write-in votes cast for any other person, etc. would be lumped together and reported as other write-in votes. Persons who declare themselves write-in candidates would be subject to the provisions of Chapter 80 (Campaign Finance). The bill also provides additional guidance on what constitutes a vote for a write-in candidate.

The bill passed in the state Senate by an 11-9-1 vote – only 1 Sussex County senator voted against it – Senator Robert Venables of Laurel. In the state House – it was passed unanimously.

This bill would have never allowed Dr. John Adams to be elected as Mayor of Lewes.

While many people consider a vote for any candidate other than the Democrat or Republican who is running a wasted vote – that’s not to point! You have exercised your ability to vote by voting for the candidate you feel most strongly about – whether it be Barack Obama, John McCain or your next door neighbor, and you want that vote to count. Likely your neighbor won’t win the election – but your vote also says that you had no faith in the other candidates running.

Sure you can still write-in yourself, Pat Paulson, Snoopy or Dan Gaffney as your candidate of choice – but unless they are a declared write-in candidate – your vote WILL NOT COUNT! At least before this bill was enacted – your vote counted towards a “candidate” – now the vote will count – but lumped in with the other undeclared write-in candidates.

So what happens in the event that there’s an overwhelming response for undeclared write-in candidates that comes close to or bests the vote for the Dem or GOP declared candidate?

Delaware lawmaker Ben Ewing, a Republican who represents the 35^th district has announced he will not seek re-election due to health concerns.

 He is endorsing Republican Dave Wilson, the current Register of Wills as his replacement. 

Dave will be a strong candidate for the R’s but maybe not strong enough if the D’s run one of the candidates I hear also want the seat;  Sussex County Councilman Finley Jones, or former Delaware State Police Superintendent Aaron Chaffinch.  Jones is very popular in the district and has less baggage than Chaffinch, but Chaffinch has strong ties to various fraternal societies that could propel him forward. 

My magic microphone gives the Democrat edge to Chaffinch.  Finley will sit tight and wait for Senator Adams to vacate his seat.

In a flurry of last minute filings there will be a race for the Cape Henlopen Area “A” school board seat, which is a 5-year term – and it includes incumbent Noble Prettyman of Milton, who filed on the last day along with Larry Schrock of Milton.  Greg Fuller of Lincoln had already filed for the seat a week ago. 

In other school districts:

There are two contested races in the Indian River School District – in District 4 – incumbent Don Hattier faces two challengers – Harold Walters of Frankford and Christopher White of Ocean View.  And in District 5 – there are two seats up for re-election – both incumbents are running – Reggie Helms of Selbyville and Donna Mitchell of Frankford are challenged by Sharon Brittingham of Selbyville.  In District 3 incumbent Nina Lou Bunting will retain her seat on the school board as the only one who filed.  All the Indian River seats are three year terms.

There is one contested at large seat in Delmar – between incumbent Shawn Brittingham and Greg Cathell for the 5-year term.

In the Woodbridge School District – there is one seat up for re-election and it will mean a new face for the school board as president Shawn Bowman is not running for re-election.  That at-large seat has Coulter Passwaters and Walter Budy vying for the 5-year term.

School board elections for all districts will be held on Tuesday, May 13.

Ever since John Atkins resigned his 41st District seat in the state House, it’s been rumored that Atkins would run again in the future – possibly switching to the other side of the aisle and becoming a Democrat. 

That’s either been the worst kept secret or the best possible speculation – though he did run for to regain his former seat in the special election as an independent candidate.  He had plenty support from people, but when it came time to actually step into the voting booth – that support was flagging. 

With November drawing nearer, and a Republican still seated in the 41st District seat, Democrats in the district are looking for a candidate to run against Greg Hastings.  However, if Atkins is still looking to switch allegiances to the Democrats – he may find the reception rather icy. 

This was the email WGMD News received today, regarding John Atkins, the possible Democrat. 

41st District Democratic Committee

February 15, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:
Please be advised that the 41st District Democratic Committee held a special meeting on Wednesday evening, Feb. 13, at the Gumboro home of former State Representative and Mrs. Charles P. West. The meeting was held for the purpose of considering a resolution, submitted by Rep. and Mrs. West, both of whom are committee members, concerning the proposed Democratic candidacy for the office of 41st District Representative of former State Representative John C. Atkins, a long-term Republican who resigned his office last March rather than face an expulsion vote in the House of Representatives.

A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order by 41st District Committee Secretary Vanessa S. Deloach, who served as acting chair in the absence of the committee chair and vice-chair. Following a discussion of the matter, the resolution was duly approved. The resolution text follows:
_________________________
41st District Democratic Committee
RESOLUTION REGARDING THE POSSIBLE CANDIDACY OF FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN C. ATKINS FOR THE OFFICE OF 41ST DISTRICT STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

WHEREAS, former 41st District State Representative John Atkins was the subject of a news article in a recent issue of a local weekly newspaper, The Sussex Countian, entitled “Atkins to run again…as a Democrat?”; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atkins, as noted in the article, resigned his seat in the House of Representatives in March, 2007, after a House Ethics Committee report found that he had brought that body “into disrepute” because of his behavior during and after an Ocean City, Maryland, traffic stop and a subsequent domestic disturbance in late October, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atkins’s decision to resign from the House of Representatives was due, at least in part, to the clear knowledge that, had he not done so, many of his fellow Republicans and a substantial number of House Democrats, having been fully apprised of the details of his case, were prepared to vote to expel him from that body; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atkins has now let it be known that he is seriously considering leaving the Republican Party and running in the 2008 general election as a Democratic candidate for the seat he formerly occupied; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atkins was quoted in the newspaper article as saying “I’ve been asked by a lot of Republicans and Democrats to consider running”; and

WHEREAS, he was further quoted as saying that “Obviously Republican party officials have discouraged me from running…[but] I’ve been courted by some Democratic officials”;

NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the 41st District Democratic Committee that they do hereby state and aver, clearly and unequivocally, that the Committee does not encourage or support the candidacy of former Representative John Atkins, running as a Democrat, for the office of 41st District State Representative.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the members of the 41st District Democratic Committee that, while the United States of America remains a free country and as a citizen thereof, Mr. Atkins has every right to register as a member of any political party he so chooses, and to run for any office for which he meets the legal requirements, if he decides to run as a Democrat for the 41st District Representative seat, he will do so without the official endorsement of the 41st District Democratic Committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 41st District Democratic Committee does not feel that it would be helpful to the cause of good government, to which we have always been committed, for any other outside “Democratic officials” to inject themselves into the internal affairs of the 41st District by urging Mr. Atkins to pursue a Democratic candidacy that the 41st District Democratic Committee declines to support.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon its adoption, suitable copies of this Resolution be made available to Mr. John Atkins, to the local and state news media and to other interested parties. 

APPROVED ON THIS 13TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2008
 

There’s a cadre of evil operating in Sussex County… Cronyism… Good Ole Fellas… Liars, Hypocrites, Backstabbers…. People who are making, under the seams, life a very ugly thing in Sussex County. If you look deep enough below the surface, these people will present themselves…. They’re the ones that have little secret meetings, gossips, whiners…and are just generally unpleasant…. Could the current sheriff and his minions be amongst this select group? According to former sheriff deputy and candidate for State Representative, Kirk Pope, Yes.

The Neuberger Firm sent a letter out today claiming that Kirk Pope was fired from his post as sheriff for running for office against Pete Schwartzkopf, for being a republican, and for supporting former Sheriff Reed.

They claim Schwartzkopf blackballed and “put the word out” against Pope. They claim Sheriff Swanson belittled Pope’s military service and told him that there were going to be some changes because “I know you were loyal” to Sheriff Reed. They claim Sheriff Swanson told other Sheriff’s Office employees that they should vote “better,” meaning vote democrat.

Attorney Thomas Neuberger says that Swanson “believes he is above the law.” Attorney Stephan Neuberger calls Swanson a “renegade public official.”

So why does this apply, you thought Delaware was a hire-at-will state… Apparently, that doesn’t apply to elected officials… According to the Neuberger Firm:

Thirty-one years ago, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment barred the newly elected Democratic Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois from firing his Deputy sheriff’s because of their political affiliations and activities.

Stephan Neuberger says that if it applied to Cook County, it applies to Sussex County.

I talked to Stephen Neuberger today to explain the details around this potential lawsuit… For everyone interested in the future of Sussex County, I urge you to listen to the below interview.

ATTORNEY S. NEUBERGER DISCUSSES POPE AND SWANSON (08-15-07 10:35am)

READ the Press Release and Complaint HERE.

Finally, somewhere, a long-held wish of mine might just come true.

In 2000 I became sadly disenchanted by our election process following the farce in Florida. 2004 had no desire to vote for John Kerry the Vacillator and, if possible, even less for George Bush. No-one on the ballot worth my consideration but, more importantly, trust, and I decided to abstain. It wasn’t very satisfying, I must admit…so I didn’t go to the polls.

Other people don’t go for whatever reason…weather, no ride, ambivalence but for such as myself, it was none of these. I wanted to go, I wanted to check a box saying I wanted “this person” to be our CiC, run my country, that he had earned a country’s trust…into which we willingly and knowledgeably put ours and our children’s lives…and respect for at least the next four years but, since in all conscience I could not, then select the box abstaining from voting and why…my own protest, make a statement of conscience. Yes, I could “write-in” anyone…big deal. That didn’t say “You people need to get a grip and at least offer someone with integrity, honesty, stick-to-it-ivness if you want my vote.” When I listen to candidates I listen carefully…is it too much to expect that with their platform pronouncements, their campaign promises they don’t just pay lip service but mean what they say…or, at the very least, say nothing? I might not agree entirely with my chosen candidate but I will respect whomever it is so long as they believe what they say and continue to do so…then do what they’ve said they will, not do what they said they won’t. It’s not enough for others to tell me “Well, that’s the name of the game. That’s politics…” Yes, it is. But WHY? Why do we continue to accept this ? And by voting for someone who doesn’t or won’t stand by the words they speak, we allow it to continue. Let them know if and when we “choose not to vote” or abstain. Let them know why. And if it doesn’t win a race…that’s a start.

I hope this Bill succeeds. I hope it’s the forerunner for any and all of us to be able to formally make it known the “lesser of two evils is still evil”…n’est pas? And ‘none of you are worth a plug nickel’; that it isn’t apathy or laziness or weather or better things to do that keep many of us from the polls but that ’if you are all we’ve got…not good enough!’