Desperate times demand bold actions… Yesterday Delaware Governor Jack Markell, who won the past election with the support of many from both parties, addressed the full houses of both Legislatures giving a “state of this State”, message…
The commentary across the blogs and airwaves, is all over the place.. So for those who missed it, here is the meat…
A. We’re in the middle of a Great Depression.
B. Wake Up, Old Farts! We’re short $780 million!
C.We shall share the burden fairly, and not cater to the sqeamy baby whiners…
D. (1) Cut spending by $331M; (2) Cut funding to special funds by $40M; (3) Utilize $155M in one-time federal stimulus funding; (4) Raise at least $55M by re-authorizing a sports lottery and getting a fairer deal for taxpayers; (5) Increase our revenues by $166M; and (6) raise fees and fines by $12M.
E. If you see one of our State’s Casino operators out shopping or walking down the street, do the whole state a favor and bitch slap some sense into the moron.
F. We have 10 weeks; or 70 days; or 1680 hours; 100,800 minutes…. to correctly set Delaware’s course to solubility over the next three years… Every second squandered, every breath of hot air, pushes us backwards from where we came…
G. Only complete openness and accountability can make government more efficient.
H. “We must shift our reliance on expensive institutional care for our senior population by fostering community and home based care.”
I. This state funds local governments.. We wonder what THEY are doing with that money we give them…. Hmmmm.
J. Education sucks up and wastes much money… We will consolidate our school districts as soon as we render inconsequential those legislators who have their tongues permanently stuck up their union’s ass, ….
H. We will free teachers from the impediments imposed upon them by unions and ill informed legislators, and let them teach… Let teachers teach.
I. Teaching to the DSTP — dead
J. Want more money? Then teach better… We’ll make sure you get it.
K. The only long-term answer to our problem is getting Delaware back to work
L. We propose to train 40-50 year olds how to use computers. We propose to use 5 million to leverage 50 million to start up small businesses. We propose to push green energy from the top to generate jobs and cheaper energy for Delawareans than ever Pepco or Delmarva Power could ever provide. Since the blogging world is now keeping a close eye on Harris McDowell, we can use the good parts of his plan, and even mention his name in public again in a positive way… Will wonders never cease?
M. We seek legislation that requires utilities to achieve, by 2015, a per capita electricity consumption reduction and peak demand reduction of 15%.
N. We propose to establish a statewide priority order for new electricity generation – requiring that we look first to cost-effective efficiency measures to meet new demand, followed then by cost-effective renewables. Only after those resources have been exhausted should we look to conventional fossil fuel sources.
O. Delaware must become the center for Green energy. Not China.
P. So let’s work to encourage turbine manufacturers to make the turbines and assemble the towers here in Delaware, with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. These wind turbines require thousands of parts and we should work to make sure they are made in Delaware.
Q. Nod to Gilliagan, DeLuca, and Carney… Hey… How are you?
R. Look folks, it’s this simple.. We’re dead in the water, the enemy ship is swinging around to rip us apart with a final broadside from 55 cannons…. Do we grapple, tie ourselves, board, and take the fight to them, or…. do what we always have done and quibble about who gets the credit and who carries the blame…
S. Damn it. I’m going aboard. Who is with me?
In typical kavipsian fashion no punches were pulled.. Our crisis is too big for subtle niceties… “Gee, Tony, what nice suspenders!”…. The effectiveness of the speech, lies in the answer to the last question: who is with him?
For one, I am. And I pity whoever gets in my way….
lol.
5 comments
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April 29, 2009 at 6:15 pm
David Anderson
Good I was hoping for some thoughtful analysis. I am working on a short 100 day grade for the Governor. Now I can link and keep it short to save some writing.
April 29, 2009 at 7:23 pm
delawarerepublican
I attended the speech and I heard content of which 80% were things I said last year and I am glad the Governor is stepping up to the challenges.
The real question is can he execute along with his caucus.
I still believe we can do a better job if we go after early retirements and buy outs to reduce the personnel totals. With 46% of the budget being people, you need a more rational cost cutting method.
Mike Protack
April 30, 2009 at 12:06 am
kavips
Correct, that you did. However there were two things in the way of getting your message out, as was noted herein…
One, the dinosaur establishment of the Republican Party.. (translated to Copeland in English) and two, the caricature of simple-mindedness, Ron Williams, who is about to receive a 55 gun broadside of his own…
lol.
April 30, 2009 at 7:19 am
Jerry Northington
Of course we will continue to quibble and fuss about who gets credit instead of working to forge real solutions. This is Delaware after all. Politics in the state remains mired in old school, back room policies that are not going to change just because Aragorn arrived on the scene.
At the same time I do see hope. With Markell in the lead at least we have a chance to see some changes. If we work hard in the next round of state elections we may have even more hope by replacing some of the current legislators.
Thanks, kavips, for a fine summary. This made my morning.
Peace, Jerry
May 1, 2009 at 10:48 am
kavips
It’s rare i make someone’s morning… I more prone to ruin them.. lol.
Your perspective shed a glimmer of insight. As you (well) know breaking into the old school, back room policies is a difficult task. But what I illuminate here, is that what was a bulwark that was once unattainable, is now. cracked with a fatal flaw. To extend the analogy of the post one step further, the breech is there… We just need manpower to storm in through it before they seal their perimeter….
It’s time for every self thinking human in this state to clamor for the demise of that “old school, back room” group who sold this state down the river…..
United again, into the breech we go….