First:  it is an executive’s prerogative to hire or fire anyone he wants…

Second:  Usually such firings are done to intimidate others not to challenge authority… Like putting thieves on crosses, it says, here is what happens to those who don’t lick my ass.

Third:   It means some real shit is coming down the pipe and anything clogging the upcoming flow will create a huge stinky mess.

My first reaction was that my, this was a blow to parents to have one of the few people who is not a slave to the corporate entities,” removed from looking over these bills in detail.

My second reaction a moment later, was that my, now we can really get things done…

Let me explain.  Committees are the black hole of government.  Bills go in there and very few people report on what happens while there but we cheer if they come out and boo if they don’t.  John was on the committee that sent SB 51 to the House floor; he was on the committee that sent HB 165 to the House floor.  He was on that committee that sent  HB 334 to the House Floor.  He voted against every single one.  Point is: what good did it do? They are all laws now.

But while out of legislature this year John has been instrumental in helping parents of Christina bring their concerns before the general public… Even the News Journal has turned against Jack Markell. John has been everywhere he needs to be, even on WDEL.   Last spring, John was the prime legislator mover getting Newark citizens involved in TDC’s annulment.  One can, just by making the simple comparison between his advocacy for Newark’s citizens compared to that of Baumbach’s, who seemed to pull back as the threats began to mount, is enough to convey the idea of how fearless john is, when he takes the concerns of his constituents to heart.

We need John’s voice now more than ever.  Having it bottled up in a committee where he is the lone dissenting vote, thereby silencing him for months from the public’s eye, would bode ill for all Delaware’s children… He is now free, (with no strings to hold him back) to plaster the Markell administration with tons of truth sticky-notes  Truths which will tie Markell up as he is forced to defend; something that has not happened yet in his six years.

This removal is probably the best thing that could have happened.  What will happen in the committee will still get relayed to John, he will continue to be on top of it, who can then relay it to Allan at noon and night… A much smarter move for Schwartzkoph would have been to have kept him on that committee, Tied down, bedazzled, and worn thin….

As far as its intimidative effect, that depends on what John accomplishes now as Delaware’s children’s advocate.  If he (and we), can make it so unacceptable to be viewed Schwartzkoph’s butt- clone, very few legislators will fall in line for fear of being voted out of office next election, This can easily happen  (No legislator votes for something he knows will get him fired in the next election)  now that children in Delaware finally have a advocate.

I’m looking forward to this legislative session.  it won’t be the first where the Delaware Way (not Nancy) gets its way on stacking committees in its favor. It could, however, be the last….