Despite our rabidly different views on issues like foreign policy, I actually get along with Eric rather well (mysteries abound), and he has re-blogged a number of Delaware Libertarian posts at his own place.
So when he asked me to post this, I read it--found it to be oh so totally Eric (which means good for spurring comment)--and thought, what the hell, why not?
Usual disclaimers apply for a guest post (not necessarily the opinion of the managment, etc. etc.):
So when he asked me to post this, I read it--found it to be oh so totally Eric (which means good for spurring comment)--and thought, what the hell, why not?
Usual disclaimers apply for a guest post (not necessarily the opinion of the managment, etc. etc.):
With Romney win, where does that leave tiny blue state Delaware?
by Eric Dondero
A new poll out today by Quinnipiac has Mitt Romney behind Obama by only 7 points in the deeply blue state of Connecticut. 7 points! [Note: Eric says "Today"--he sent this piece to me nearly a week ago, but I didn't get to it.]
Also this morning Politico is headlining a story "Who will be in the Romney cabinet." That's right, deeply Democrat-leaning Politico is coming very close to conceding the race.
Over the weekend, MSNBC's Chris Matthews lost it on Republican Chairman Reince Priebus, going on a long 3 minute rant, with his golden locks flying all over the place, his face turning beat red. Another sure sign, the Democrats are in complete panic mode.
And why not? They're about to lose the Senate, and the Presidency, while the House is sure to stay in GOP hands, perhaps even with a larger majority than they have now.
Deeply blue states like California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Illinois, Maryland and tiny Delaware are going to be SOL with the new incoming Romney administration. That's simply the way politics works.
Democrat governors will get the cold shoulder from the Republican administration and congress who controls the purse strings, come January. They may even start feeling a chill in early December.
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has been viciously attacking Romney. (See LibertarianRepublican.net) Last week in an interview prior to the GOP convention he practically called Romney/Ryan racists, saying they wanted to return America to a white "Ozzie and Harriet" exclusionist vision.
Interestingly, neighboring Governor Democrat Jack Markel has been rather reserved in his criticisms of the Romney/Ryan ticket, this despite Markel's role on a national stage with the Democrat Governor's Assoc.
Might he see the writing on the wall? Is Markel smarter than O'Malley? He could understand, that come January, Governors such as him, are going to have to work with a decidedly Republican administration.
An Army Corps of Engineers project in the Delaware river? A bridge in Dover? Road construction near Christiana. Federal outlays for Dover AFB. These things matter in the real world of politics.
If I had to guess, I'd say that my old Hebrew School classmate Jack Markel (Temple Beth El - Newark), has a bit more cunning than viciously partisan Martin O'Malley.
Delaware might be in a better shape come January, despite the fact that the state will vote overwhelmingly for Obama, than neighboring Maryland. If only because Markel and Delaware Dems know how to play the political game a little better than the Crab-Stater politicians.
Eric Dondero Rittberg is a graduate of Newark High School. He served on the Libertarian National Committee in 1986/87 representing Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. He was a 1986 Libertarian candidate for State House in Newark.
Comments
May the blue crabs in nibble all over his body, and the jelly fish sting his toes, next time he goes for a swim in the Chesapeake Bay.