Comments on: Delaware Passes Non-Discrimination Bill http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473 News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric Sat, 25 May 2013 02:47:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: cd http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43444 cd Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:01:12 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43444 The bill achieved majority in the state Senate (21 members, 2 absent) on 11 Democratic votes. There's a better argument to be made for Democratic weakness on gay rights in the state House (19 Democratic votes, 41 members, 1 absent Democrat). State Senate seats in Delaware were gerrymandered in 2002 to sustain the existing Democratic majority. Likewise, state House districts were gerrymandered to sustain the Republican majority at the time. So a fair number of Democratic state House Reps are freshmen and representing only slightly Democratic leaning districts or worse. And they're probably averse to voting for what they perceive to be risky legislation. Though Democratic trend in the state seems to be strong. The bill achieved majority in the state Senate (21 members, 2 absent) on 11 Democratic votes.

There’s a better argument to be made for Democratic weakness on gay rights in the state House (19 Democratic votes, 41 members, 1 absent Democrat).

State Senate seats in Delaware were gerrymandered in 2002 to sustain the existing Democratic majority. Likewise, state House districts were gerrymandered to sustain the Republican majority at the time. So a fair number of Democratic state House Reps are freshmen and representing only slightly Democratic leaning districts or worse. And they’re probably averse to voting for what they perceive to be risky legislation. Though Democratic trend in the state seems to be strong.

]]> By: cd http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43440 cd Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:32:23 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43440 The backstory here is that state Senate President pro tempore Thurman Adams died on Tuesday, age 80. One week after getting admitted to the hospital. Adams singlehandedly held up a pile of gay rights and other progressive social legislation. That state Senate committee seems to have voted to send that bill to the floor as soon as it was clear he wouldn't be around to obstruct it. There will be more good news out of Delaware soon as they reform their social laws. The laws on the books supposedly look like those of a state in the Deep South, not a Midatlantic Democratic state. The backstory here is that state Senate President pro tempore Thurman Adams died on Tuesday, age 80. One week after getting admitted to the hospital.

Adams singlehandedly held up a pile of gay rights and other progressive social legislation.

That state Senate committee seems to have voted to send that bill to the floor as soon as it was clear he wouldn’t be around to obstruct it.

There will be more good news out of Delaware soon as they reform their social laws. The laws on the books supposedly look like those of a state in the Deep South, not a Midatlantic Democratic state.

]]> By: AJD http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43422 AJD Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:14:32 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43422 You'r wlcome! You’r wlcome!

]]> By: scotte http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43420 scotte Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:40:37 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43420 I wonder if Delaware is in that same weird place as Rhode Island where the large number of Catholics is taken by the legislature as a signal to obey the Catholic hierarchy in spite of the overwhelming views of their constituents? There are similar (if not as obvious as Rhode Island) problems in Maryland. It may take a generation of politicians dying or retiring to change this unless the politicians start getting serious push back for their positions. I wonder if Delaware is in that same weird place as Rhode Island where the large number of Catholics is taken by the legislature as a signal to obey the Catholic hierarchy in spite of the overwhelming views of their constituents? There are similar (if not as obvious as Rhode Island) problems in Maryland.
It may take a generation of politicians dying or retiring to change this unless the politicians start getting serious push back for their positions.

]]> By: Timothy Kincaid http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43417 Timothy Kincaid Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:56:21 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43417 AJD, thanks for making me "eware" of that error. :) It's fixed. AJD,

thanks for making me “eware” of that error. :)

It’s fixed.

]]> By: L. Junius Brutus http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43409 L. Junius Brutus Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:04:55 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43409 The majority of those opposed to this bill were Democrats. As were its most vocal and hateful opponents: AGAINST: Colin Bonini, R-Dover South Nancy Cook, D-Kenton Anthony DeLuca, D-Varlano Gary Simpson, R-Milford Robert Venables, D-Laurel "Venables several times said he did not think discrimination based on sexual orientation even existed. " Wow, I never knew, Mr. Venables. The majority of those opposed to this bill were Democrats. As were its most vocal and hateful opponents:

AGAINST:

Colin Bonini, R-Dover South

Nancy Cook, D-Kenton

Anthony DeLuca, D-Varlano

Gary Simpson, R-Milford

Robert Venables, D-Laurel

“Venables several times said he did not think discrimination based on sexual orientation even existed. ”

Wow, I never knew, Mr. Venables.

]]> By: AJD http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/25/12473/comment-page-1#comment-43405 AJD Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:55:04 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=12473#comment-43405 You misspelled "Delaware" twice. You misspelled “Delaware” twice.

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