One Week Later 16 September, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Election 2008, State.add a comment
How does the political landscape look a week after the primaries?
On the Republican side, it is pretty straight forward. Republicans feel under siege and are anxious to break out. The primary showed it. The primaries brought to the fore people the party most trusted to move its standard forward. In Sussex, it was bold colors not pale pastels. In the 4th Senate in New Castle County, the party turned to a person most associated with reforming the image of the party. Statewide, it backed the convention and went with a trusted, proven vote getter. Rank and file Republicans are determined to put their best foot forward. They believe the state has been grossly mismanaged and want to be the ones to get it right.
The Democrats are more complicated in some ways, yet one simple theme was clear. Democrats want to break from an establishment which failed them. Gordon represented the old ways and went down. A last minute challenge to the sitting county president drew a significant number of votes. The establishment favorite for insurance commissioner didn’t make it. Former Independent party standard bearer Karen Hartley Nagle won handily in the Congressional primary despite being out advertised by her opponents.
The big news was the governor’s race. Jack Markell took on the current administration and won. I had predicted that 25% or lower turnout would be a Carney victory; a higher turnout would be favor Markell. I also predicted record turnout. Markell won with three strengths, an economic plan that inspired the faith of primary voters, his rejection of current school testing, and a call for universal health care. Markell was a curious mixture of hard left and centrist positions. The right mix for primary voters.
Judge Lee’s non-participation in the forums has left him at a deficit. I hear voters feeling like they know Markell better. Judge Lee can change that with a new focus on the fall campaign. The flip side is that people are still ready to focus on him, which they may not have done if they felt like they knew him. The Bill Lee team has made a gamble only time will tell if it pays off.
What we know about the Markell plan is that it avoids answering the pressing problems facing the state. He avoids budget solutions. He avoids any talk of reforming the empty transportation trust fund. It has a lot of specifics except in cost projections. The opening line of the fall campaign that we can’t afford Jack’s book, may be the determining factor.
Jack Markell has not been a factor in calling for spending reform in the lastest budget crisis even when he was running against the administration. His plans call for more spending without the mention of off sets except in education. With less than 2 months, Markell may not be able to maneuver to the fiscal center. He is open to being labeled a tax and spend liberal not generally successful in DLC Delaware. The question is will it stick?
The game of good cop Markell and bad cop Minner could be a gambit to deal with this fact. The idea that a party loyalist like Minner would just be so hurt in public stretches belief. It may have been true that night, but it strikes me more as political posturing today.
What a night! 9 September, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Election 2008, State.add a comment
Jack Markell won and faces Republican Bill Lee who also won. The pace of change has quickened a bit in Delaware. With the budget crunch, Mr. Markell will face the inevitable question–how are you going to pay for it? Tonight it is time for him to celebrate. There is tomorrow for questions.
THE LINEUP:
D R
Governor: MARKELL v. LEE
Lt. Governor: DENN v. COPELAND
Ins. Commissioner: WELDIN STEWART v. BRADY
Congress: HARTLEY NAGLE v. CASTLE
US Senate: BIDEN v. O’DONNELL
Eric Buckson Out of LG Race with a Bang. 1 May, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Election 2008, State.add a comment
Wednesday night, Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Eric Buckson bowed out of the Lieutenant Governor’s race during an eloquent statement at the Kent County Republican Caucus. Buckson, who had always intended a convention strategy, said he knew the votes weren’t there after Friday’s shakeup of the race which saw the entrance of Senate Minority Leader Charlie Copeland. “I will not ask this county delegation to follow me into a losing battle”, he said.
“I could whine about process, but it is what it is”, said Buckson, “I believe I can win statewide, but so can Charlie”. He urged the party to unite behind Senator Copeland and vowed to be back in the future. He pledged to support whomever the convention nominated for governor but urged the Kent County delegation not to overlook supporting “the two guys who have worked their butts off” in a recognition of Mr. Graham and Mr. Protack who already have been campaigning. He then specifically praised “the letter by David Anderson” in support of Mr. Protack.
The stunned delegation responded with a standing ovation and praised his selfless service to the party. The man who entered politics as a party maverick, may have become a new party darling. FSP runner up for Delawarean of the year may be in the running for an encore.
In other news from the caucus, the Kent County Caucus is poised to keep its tradition of using a secret ballot for all contested offices. This respect for the dignity of the delegates has helped Kent County be one of the more successful people in gaining activists and thereby electing Republicans.
As an editorial note, this author urges the other Caucuses to do the same. I also want to be crystal clear that we did not preceive his remarks as an endorsement of anyone but Senator Copeland.
Whatever happened to the LEAD Report? 30 April, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Budget, Education, State.add a comment
The BCG team reviewed potential efficiency opportunities within the state’s $1.65
billion education budget, and identified opportunities with an annual value of $86-158
million once fully and successfully implemented. This potential includes $55-110 million
in operating savings and $31-48 million in capital savings. The operating savings is split
between savings that would be realized at the state level and savings that would be
captured by individual districts and schools. (For each opportunity listed below, the
corresponding estimated potential annual savings is provided in parentheses.)
BCG leveraged past experience, interviews, and prior data and reports to develop an
initial set of hypotheses on potential efficiency opportunities.
Let’s be clear, I do not favor eliminating the 3 million dollar subside for non public school students in transportation. I also do not favor mandatory centralized purchasing because it will not save us money. There is a reason small purchases are made through other vendors. My experience has shown me those are phantom savings. I don’t think the DSEA would tolerate messing with their retirement and I support them on that. Unfortunately, we are not ready to centralize administration. Take those off the table.
That leaves 10’s of millions which can be saved through energy, eliminating fixed bus route compensation, construction reform and more. We could save 50 million plus this year without pain. That could be used for the 30 million we need and the rest for reform efforts. Let’s get going. Leave out the most controversial items and you still have a bonanza.
Time of Decision favors Mike Protack 28 April, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Action Item, Election 2008, State.Tags: endorsement, Mike Protack
7 comments
Note: this is my letter to the delegates of the Republican State Convention. For those who would like to see some public polling numbers follow the link. This is dated from November more recent private ones are more positive.
Dear Republican Friend,
Thank you for boldly standing up for our vision of a better America. Your service as a Republican Leader is vital to the political process. It is an honor and a privilege few people have. Your fellow Republicans will be aided by your diligence. Like me, you love our party and want its success.
For those of you who may be newer to the process, let me introduce myself. I have been involved with the party since I was a teenager in 1984. I called the Kent GOP to volunteer for Ronald Reagan and have been involved ever since. I grew up in Delaware. I am an African American Christian conservative. I believe in free markets, family, and freedom. I am involved in as a board member of a local charter school and served on the board of an alternative school. I volunteer with Angel Food ministries. I am active in my church and its ministry. I am proud to be a member of the National Guard (which at times has been more than one weekend a month post 9/11). I have been a City human relations commissioner and a citizen committee member. I ran for city council and came 8 votes from defeating an incumbent in a 5 to 1 Democrat district. I was De Life Pac Chairman. This will be my 14th state Republican convention.
I am concerned that some well meaning people are launching a Draft Bill Lee for Governor Movement. That would be a huge mistake. I say that as one who supported Judge Lee in both primaries and the general. Let me quickly explain.
First, Judge Lee does not want to run. He is driving home that point by heading to Florida during this convention for a vacation. With a race as tough as the one we are facing for Governor, a candidate has to have the fire in the belly. Judge Lee has served this party, state, and nation well. He is a great man. He deserves better than to be some sacrificial lamb. There is practically no way he could win by starting up a campaign from scratch at this juncture. It is a pointless endeavor. That is why he repeatedly said no.
Second, the entire movement is based upon a flawed premise that “we don’t have a credible candidate”. That would be funny if it weren’t so serious. I am sure everyone reads the papers or watches the local news. Mr. Mike Protack has been running for months. We already have a candidate. We don’t need to get our lamps out and roam the state. I know some of you are in disbelief that I would say that while others of you beginning to be resigned to this fact. Let me show you why that is not a bad deal, in fact it may be a “better deal” than you think.
Everyone in the general public and the media recognizes Mike Protack as a legitimate candidate. Why? He showed his electoral viability in the 2006 primary. He has been a sensible voice of reason for issues that matter to people for years now. He has the best developed plan for governing of any candidate. I respect the Honorable Carney and Markell personally, but have you looked at the plans they have outlined? My calculations are that it would take a half a billion dollars in new taxes to fulfill their promises. It seems like they are in a cradle to grave mode we can ill afford. With the right Republican opponent, they are vulnerable. The problem is that you cannot beat something with nothing. What I admire about Mike Protack is that he has been educating the public about a better way. He is addressing the issues which must be addressed in blue state Delaware, but in an innovative way rooted in our values of freedom and individualism. Mike is one of us.
He is gaining considerable traction. His name recognition is as high as Markell’s and other statewide officials, and it is overwhelmingly positive. That would be foolish to toss away. That is exactly what we would be doing if we self destructed by saying to the public this guy is not worthy of our endorsement. Even if for some reason you believe that, Sun Tzu said, when weak feign strength. If we drag down Mike Protack, we will doom our chances at keeping the state house of representatives in Republican hands. We can lose the Governorship and keep the house. We have done so for 16 years. What we can’t do is disengage the party leadership further from the party’s voters and fall into feuding factions and expect to keep the House.
Senator McCain is going to give us the best base Republican vote we have had in Delaware since 1988. Let’s use it to rebuild our party this year. Let’s start building a farm team at the local level. Let’s put our money into keeping the House and adding a Senate seat. Let’s build a party from the ground up. If we do that, we can win the Governorship. Regardless of the Governorship, we can’t lose the House because we will lose the one institution which keeps us a two party state. If we lose the House, we will be reapportioned in 2010 into certain oblivion.
Here is another reason why I think Mike Protack will perform credibly where few others would. The Democrats are focused on each other in what will be a very destructive race. In the meantime the voters, media, and potential donors take Mike seriously. That is the formula for an upset. Another ingredient is the fact that Mike knows how to communicate our positions to the working families. They say that he ‘gets it’. He alone among our potential candidates knows how to appeal to the disaffected Democrats whose candidate will not win the primary. All we have to do is let Mike consolidate the Republican base this spring and spend the summer courting independents and Democrats. We have a man who will help us build our party. Let’s help him, not hurt him.
Third, I have known Mike for 12 years. I know that he did not write the pink postcards. He has repudiated the offensive sections in the strongest terms. Mike stands tall on the issues not cowardly acts.
Fourth, he has apologized for running against Judge Lee in the primary. To err is human to forgive divine–especially if forgiving is in one’s best interest. It is interesting that no one else has ever apologized for running a primary against anyone. Why punish the guy who has for life? I admit that I was not happy with that decision, but I also know that he had selflessly put his own ambitions aside at our request time and time again. He stepped aside for Ray Clatworthy. Mike has been a team player for candidates up and down this state including distributing literature for me.
Some people criticize Mike for “wanting to run for everything”. I respect that fact he has the fire in his belly to serve. He served in the Marines and as an Airline Captain. Now he wants to lead our broken state to a better future. That is what we need. Someone with the vision to lead and the energy and motivation to do it.
Finally, there are those who are afraid that Mike won’t be credible. What? Is Mike going to do worse than our ‘credible’ candidates who have gotten as low as 20 to 28% of the vote? We have done a lousy job picking candidates the last 16 years as many of them have gone down in flames. Mike will do fine this fall. Even better if he wins, we can all claim credit. The only downside is in trying to stop him thereby dividing our party.
Mike Protack, Candidate for Governor on Reforming State Government 25 April, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Election 2008, State.add a comment
Mike Protack, Candidate for Governor on his Delacare proposal 17 April, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Economic Policy, Election 2008, Healthcare, State.Tags: Protack for Governor
11 comments
Everybody Is In
No One Is Out
Everyone Pays Their Fair Share
The year 2008 will be a monumental step in the history of Delaware, as together we launch a dialog for change. Ours is a message of healthcare security for all, now and in the future years. We look not into a far-off crystal ball and hypothesize the what-ifs based on a notion, but instead we look into the needs of our people and say “Let’s work together for positive change now and for the future of our state and nation.” After many discussions with people all over this nation, I have seen a common thread that affects us all yet lacks current leadership is healthcare. Healthcare is the single largest domestic issue we have as a nation that could jeopardize our entire economy because it affects our ability to work, our ability to achieve a balanced federal budget, our ability to see our children grow up happy and our ability to age gracefully. It touches the lives of all people.
Although the U.S. has the best healthcare in the world, we are still in an extremely vulnerable state with costs increasing 5-8% faster than our income, personal expenditure rates steeply climb as we experience higher insurance premiums, higher co-payments, more services limited within our insurance coverage policies, and fewer benefits covered. These are not the results of frills or extravagances. These results are the state of a critical need for all Americans that threaten our society. If left unchanged, the threats will not disappear. Our challenge is to team up as a community and bring overdue leadership to this very real issue. As your Governor, I will bring leadership in the development of a new healthcare program for all Americans that will start right here in Delaware. We call this Delacare.
The Delacare Plan will be a universal, private health care system that will be open to all citizens. Just as today, it will be funded by its citizens through taxes, employment contributions and private business taxation. Unlike other systems previously introduced for reform, this plan comprises a multi-tiered approach that encourages additional investment into all levels of education, refocuses industrial growth and creates larger markets for healthcare to be a more economically viable export product through which we shall be able to assist other nations around the world. An ambitious effort, our model affects personal health status as well as it affects local, regional, national and global efforts. It intends to put personal human capital at the top of the list of importance for our families, our communities, our nation and our world.
We seek your consideration and support as we consider implementing perhaps the most significant legislation in decades for Delawareans.
Key Points
Healthcare will become the highest priority in the nation:
· All citizens are covered from cradle to grave and each state will “build” large geographic pools, Delaware will have one pool.
· Doctors, Nurse Practioners etc will be paid ‘fee for service’ and there will be recognition of the years of training, sacrifice and stress of daily decisions that are often looked at with zero tolerance.
· Citizens may receive care anywhere – total freedom of choice.
· No more product confusion: In Network/Out of Network, POS, PPO, HMO
· A “basic” plan will be offered along with optional buy-up plans.
· Buy-up plans will be at the option of the individual consumer.
· The buy-up plans will cover benefits not covered under the basic plan.
· States may offer their own buy-up plans or minimally priced riders to the basic plan.
· Plan covers both allopathic and selected integrated medical care.
· Individuals shall receive EOBs that detail expenditures, so they will become better healthcare consumers.
· Federal allocations to healthcare shall be frozen. Private corporate and personal taxation shall contribute to the balance of the expense.
· The rate of increase to the government shall not be higher than the national rate of inflation.
· The financial goal of the plan shall be to develop a pricing structure that is cost-neutral to the current financial landscape.
· Administration of the basic plan will be a 4 year administrative contract that may be bid on by any qualified company.
· Providers are supported with streamlined administrative processes.
· Professional providers will receive educational loan forgiveness.
· Education systems will be reformed to complement the demand and quality required for a high level of quality care and support by future providers
· States will develop healthy community partnerships between providers, employers and educational institutions to promote healthy lifestyles
· Corporations will team with the government to export healthcare expertise to other nations on a fee basis to help foreign nations
· Paraprofessionals will be trained in their programs to provide healthcare both locally and overseas
· Volunteerism will be encouraged of professional and paraprofessional healthcare students rewarded by student loan redemption credits
· Youth service corps will be set up to have young people serve as health care interns and trainees to serve as local patient advocates, before they can apply for professional healthcare schools
· Costs for reckless lifestyles will be borne by the citizen choosing riskier behavior, not solely by the national plan
· Tort reform shall be imposed to limit the malpractice awards, limit attorney percentages and the plaintiff attorney will be required to have a board certified Dr in the same area as the alleged malpractice that harmed the patient. The Judge will review the report prior to filing and rule on the appropriateness. The expert’s opinion should clearly state who erred and filing will be limited to those an appropriate expert said erred.
· (more…)
Let’s play cut that budget. 31 March, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Action Item, Budget, Economic Policy, State.add a comment
Our leaders in state government are grappling for ways to keep government afloat. I think the revenue shortfall will not be as bad as now projected any more than it was as good as projected 3 months ago. Nonetheless, they are the best numbers we have and we have to make tough decisions. Our leaders could use fresh ideas. Let’s play cut that budget.
Here are my top ten in no order of priority.
Repeal the new prevailing wage law because it is not the real prevailing wage. I am all for a decent living wage in government contracts, but it makes no sense to cancel projects and have no wages. Balance is a good thing.
Allow more competition in the state supplier list by opening it up to new suppliers every quarter for mundane items and simplify the process. Many times it is cheaper to go to Sam’s or Staples than buy from the state’s approved list. If a company can come up with a great deal, why make them wait a year or more to offer it.
Let’s get a performance audit of the Medicaid plan and the SChip program. I don’t want to balance the budget on the backs of the poor. I just want to find where the system is working and where it is not.
Sentencing reform would help us keep the dangerous people incarcerated and eliminate silly mandatory minimums for nonviolent offenders. Drug rehabilitation would be money better spent than mandatory minimum sentences. Our prison system is one of the fastest growing portions of our budget yet we aren’t much safer.
Sorry, but a salary freeze has to be a given. Slight increases in employee premium shares for dependent health care seem unavoidable for now. That is painful for me to even write, but it is better than job or hour cuts.
Stop spending tax money for open spaces and help the counties establish Transfer of Development Rights banks. The key to making it work is for the cities to cooperate. We need to rebuild our cities not artificially build town centers in our counties. Livable Delaware is a failed experiment which we can no longer afford.
Deregulate school construction. Let’s allow schools to save money in construction by making sure schools are safe not dictating every detail. Why force prevailing wage on the schools? Why not allow steel buildings and cut the cost by as much as 2/3’s. Why stop a district from planning for obvious growth?
Now let me borrow a couple from Dave Burris of the Delaware Taxpayers’ coalition. I agree that we need a performance audit of state government. Many of State Auditor Tom Wagner’s old recommendations are still on the shelf. Let’s find which ones are still relevant.
I also agree that we need to invite the citizens in the process with a lot more transparency. A good start would be putting the proposed budget out and on line 5 days before the vote and the bond bill 3 days before the deadline.
Finally, Let’s re-energize the process. First, we need an active sunset committee which asks of each program over the next two years, does this program fit into the purpose of state government, is it fulfilling its goals, is it effective. Second, take the budget into a committee of the whole with a rule which allows members to offer budget efficiencies or new proposals only by offsetting costs. Third, let’s set up a temporary DEFAC style committee for economic growth. Let’s get some economic, business, and community experts to recommend some approaches for the future.
Your turn!
Comments from Mike Protack, candidate for Governor 23 March, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Election 2008, State.1 comment so far
“Leadership for a Better Delaware
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mike Protack said Thursday he would support sports gambling in Delaware and dedicate the estimated $28 million profits to public education.
Protack, 50, of Hockessin, made his remarks during a 25-minute preview to the Democratic gubernatorial debate on education between Lt. Gov. John Carney Jr. and State Treasurer Jack Markell.
Debate organizers chose to focus the main debate on the Democratic primary contenders and held a separate session with Protack, who fielded questions from John Taylor of the Delaware Public Policy Institute and Alison Kepner, education editor for The News Journal.
The Grand in Wilmington, scene of the debate, was empty for Protack’s segment, but video of his statements and answers to questions are available on www.delawareonline.com.
“I think it would be more appropriate to have all three of us here, but it has been billed as a Democratic primary event,” he said. “So would I rather have a heated primary or what I had tonight? What I had tonight. The only thing I lose out on is the 500 people who will be sitting here later.”
Protack made his comment about sports gaming when he was asked if he would support a tax increase to pay for reforms of the public school system in Delaware.
He said he supports not reform of the school system, but a “transformation” of the school system, and said he advocates the work of the Vision 2015 panel of experts who have been developing plans and piloting programs designed to give Delaware “world-class” schools by 2015.
“The business community wants change, parents want change and students deserve it,” he said. “Now is the time to act.”
Protack said he supports full funding for alternative schools for disruptive students and supports state funding for capital projects of charter schools, which are publicly funded but are neither structured nor operated by districts.
“My concern is about the students,” he said, when asked if he was concerned that charter schools would draw students from the rest of the public school system. “As governor, education is the largest budget item. Yes, some parents will decide to go a different route, but this is about children, not institutions.”
Protack agrees with most respondents to a recent poll by the Rodel Foundation that the state should assume all funding for public schools rather than rely on property taxes. If the property assessment system is not changed, he said, he would support a statewide reassessment but change the tax rate to make the taxes collected equal to the present amount.
He also would support consolidating the state’s 19 districts to four — one for each county and one vo-tech district.
“The technology is there to do many administrative functions more efficiently,” he said.
He would do away with the 10-year-old Delaware Student Testing Program, opting instead for an “off-the-shelf” test that would produce faster results and allow more frequent, smaller testing periods.
Protack said if he were governor he would consider a secretary of education who did not have a background as an educator, naming WSFS chief Skip Schoenhals and Charter School of Wilmington President Ron Russo as people who would do a good job.
Protack said he came from a family in which education was not a high priority. His grandparents were illiterate, he said, and his father was a dropout. Protack said he and his wife, Mary Ann, decided to make education a high value in their home. Their oldest son Clint will graduate from Medical School in two months and will do his surgery residency at Yale and their youngest son graduates from High School this year.
Their sons went to public school for their early elementary years, then moved into Catholic schools for the religious education offered there.
Protack is a graduate of William Penn High School and the University of Delaware. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and now works as a Captain for Delta Airlines.”
Another example of our tax money being misspent in Education 22 March, 2008
Posted by David Anderson in Education, State.3 comments
Children believe what their schools teach them. I have found that to be a scary thought over the years. We wonder why our children fall behind the world. They are not dumb. They work hard, we spend a lot educating them, and our teachers, as a group, are dedicated beyond just doing their job. The teachers are still not paid well enough, but we have made great strides to ensure teacher compensation is now competitive to many other fields when adjusted for hours spent. We are reducing class size and adding technology. What’s wrong?
I think there are many things wrong, but let’s start with the most basic of all tools–textbooks. One of the nation’s top text book company is Houghton Mifflin. A recent audit in Texas (The Dallas Morning News Nov. 16, 2007)found 86,000 textbook errors in the Math series. I haven’t found the history texts much better in my personal experience. The second grade textbook says Abigail Adams was married to Sam Adams not John Adams. They even have them in side by side pictures and make a big deal about her importance as a founding mother. I agree with her profound importance. Two Presidents sought her input Washington and Adams, mostly Adams. How she did that while married to Sam, I don’t know. It might be easier to understand if you know that she was married to John Adams. Their reading series is 17 points worse in results on the AYP than Open Court.
I don’t just fault one publisher, 109,263 errors were found in the Math textbooks in Texas with Houghton Mifflin having 79% of them. What is amazing is that they are still selected. My search for reasons is incomplete. The publisher is a big donor to community charities, partners with the NEA, and is cheap. I am sure that we would not go bargain basement to save a dollar or two a book; would we?
My problem is that the system just keeps ignoring this year after year. We had this same type of problem a decade ago and it still exists. I can show were this publisher had these problems back in the late ’80’s. They still get the contracts. Why should they care? The system still gives them the money. It doesn’t seem to care. Textbooks are not selected by quality, but by some other factor. What is it? The kids are caught between the complacency of the corporate bureaucracy and the political bureaucracy.
In Delaware, it seems many of our standards are geared to conform with this publisher. I want us to focus on what our children need to know. It seems like the system hasn’t gotten there yet. Our Department of Education seems to love this publisher. I can’t explain it, but I do know that we will never have the schools we desire until we get the basics right.
