Last Friday, WGMD reported on the Delaware Young Republicans’ (DYR) campaign to support the unregulated possession and use of military weapons by the general public. In the article, Sam Chick, a failed General Assembly candidate from years past but now the Chair of the DYR, offered this quote: “Democrat Governor John Carney and his flunkies Senators Townsend and Sturgeon have made it clear that they and their gang of far-left Delaware Democrats will not stop until the right to keep and bear arms has been utterly annihilated.”
Now, I know Trumplican flunkies like Sam Chick think all Democrats are to the left of Mao, but reality outside their Fox News bubble is decidedly different. In no factual world can Governor John Carney be called “far left.” Indeed, the only Delaware elected official who could possibly be labeled as such is Representative John Kowalko, and even then, I could find some votes in his record that would be enough to label him a neoliberal. This is Delaware, after all.
Senator Laura Sturgeon responded to the article (and the DYR’s posting of the article with their commentary on Facebook) with her own Facebook post below, saying:
The DYR, and Sam Chick, reacted badly, and rather disingenuously, to being called out: “Congratulations Sen. Laura Sturgeon for winning the coveted 4D Award! Laura has been named the Downright Despicable Delaware Democrat of the month for her absolute commitment to big-government and constitutional corruption to the point that she sees no moral issue with raising money from the deaths of children before the families have even had a chance to grieve.”
So the gun nuts are now offended on behalf of those children who were murdered by guns, and they are offended by those who want to save those murdered lives? Remember, Laura Sturgeon, and Democrats like her, want reasonable gun safety measures to PREVENT the death of children and others. If you think Sam Chick or any gun fetishist out there in that gun porn video the DYR posted cares about the deaths of anyone killed in a gun massacre, children or otherwise, and are offended that someone would raise money over the gun control issue, then I have a bridge to sell you. The NRA and Republicans routinely fundraise after a school shooting or other gun massacre. So, at best, the DYR is being disingenious and hypocritical.
And that is even before we get to the image of the Senator covered in blood. Again, if we wanted to be accurate here, the people who have blood on their hands, and clothes, would be the people preventing the passage of gun safety measures. Gun fetishists like Sam Chick and his minions at DYR.
The Senator called out DYR’s misleading image above, saying “The rest of the sentence [that DYR cut from the image] is about their pro-gun video that was featured in an article two days after the California shooting. Again, Trump-style politics: making false statements, using falsified imagery, doctoring words and images to fit a false narrative. It’s a shame because there are really good, responsible people in the Republican party of Delaware who I know do not condone this dishonest behavior. Hopefully, they will denounce it.”
They have not denounced it, and Delaware Democrats of all stripes need to get this fantasy out of their head that there are any moral or decent Republicans alive today.
Given that chickenshits like Sam Chick are all about using guns to cover up their inadequacies, how long do you think it will be before he’s embroiled in a scandal?
And I still say that if those are the “young” Republicans, their party will disappear before 10 years are out.
It’s always that way, Anyone who dares stand above the crowd makes a target of themselves. Democrats need to stand by her and condemn these Republicans.
This is always their thing — belligerence, bullshit and bad faith. The NRA is melting down because they didn’t have a principled argument, either. Just attack the messenger (even if they are kids), make sure your guys know they should stay scared and be sure to remind people that you are armed and violent. You live in the United States, not Somalia, and there is no need for anyone to be a warlord here.
If only we could all be like senator sturgeon and complain that our 57k salary is “part time”. Must be nice to be so entitled.
As a Democrat, she’s a disgrace to what I believe in when it comes to government.
That’s bullshit too. If you are retiring from a full time job that pays you $97K/year, 57K *is* a PT salary. That’s 55% of the salary she’s giving up. We’re very lucky that Senator Sturgeon decided to stay in the GA. Her school district lost a gifted and well-liked educator for that decision. And we are also lucky that Senator Sturgeon — unlike many other legislators — decided to choose her primary commitment and that is to the constituents who elected her.
You seem to be one who supports Republicans, right or wrong. so now you must live with your political decision. I will honor your decision, even as you slip beneath the political waves you have chosen and by doing so are no more
Trey paradee literally dumped his gf on the side of the road in Mexico and drove off. But by all means, let’s focus on ideological differences that were well aware of over our elected officials behavior and treatment of women. Hypocrites.
You might want to do enough research to gain a vague idea of what you’re talking about.
The state legislature is officially considered part-time, and there is no employment that is off-limits (though the courts have ruled state cops who are still working cannot serve in the legislature at the same time, because their jobs make them members of the executive branch of government).
Got a link for that Paradee story that you’re spreading? Because it’s potentially libelous, I think those running the blog should insist on that, if only to cover their ass legally.
$97000 a year? I thought teachers were underpaid.
Do some research, clown. Pay goes up with experience. Are you here on some kind of bet to see how big a fool you can make of yourself?
Still, $97000 is more than twice the average wage. My point still stands. Prove they are underpaid.
Prove they’re overpaid. Here’s the pay scale for Red Clay, which is similar to Brandywine. If you’ll notice, it’s only people at the very top of the scale who earn that much, which administrators typically earn six figures. Most teachers have advanced degrees.
To explain why this is not overpaying them, you’d have to know something about the history of teaching, which you don’t. You don’t know anything, so there’s no point in “debating” with you. Stupid people — by which I mean conservatives like you — lack the intellectual capacity to even engage these questions.
You think that’s too much money — jealousy, I suppose, though of course you couldn’t do their job. So I don’t care about your opinion. You’re too ignorant to have a valid one.
Well, it won’t let me post the link. But you could look it up yourself.
Blah, Blah, Blah…you keep insulting me, but won’t explain the fact that teachers, for 10 months work, every major holiday off, weeks at Christmas (sorry winter break)and Easter (sorry spring break), the best health care of any profession and outstanding pensions make more than twice the average wage. Oh, and they don’t want to be accountable and resist any kind of standardized testing. Sweet deal. No jealousy, just curious.
Dude, just stop. If you’d like to try it, you are more than welcome to enter the classroom, albeit we know you won’t. Yep we get off for holidays. Should we not? Your argument of “because I don’t get it, so they shouldn’t” is foolish. Perhaps all occupations, within reason, should have that. Every year we have to fight the GA for our steps. We want be accountable, simply in a fair way. A test doesn’t do that.
I keep insulting you because you’re a lazy fucker who does nothing but repeat ignorant statements I can hear in any barroom full of bitter old drunks.
You were too lazy to even look up the teacher pay scale, so now you’re switching to the days off. If you did you’d find the average salary for Delaware teachers is — about $57,000 a year. Sturgeon is the rare teacher with enough years to reach the top of the scale.
If it were such a sweet deal, you’d be a teacher. You’re not, so….what’s that tell you?
Maybe…”Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach” That quote is from one of the Lefts hero’s- noted revolutionist George Bernard Shaw.
And those who can do neither spout cliches.
Here’s another Shaw quote that applies to you:
“A fool’s brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.” Apparently yours didn’t take.
Just by the by, the day after DelDem posted this, Greg Lavelle attacked her with an essay in Town Square Delaware. This is all a part of what I assume will be his campaign against her next November. Seems Greggy’s day job won’t keep him in the style to which he’s become accustomed.
My favorite part of all this is how they went spelunking for one quote out of a deep-dive article about new legislators. My second-favorite is how none of them would take a 40% pay cut without whining to the heavens, but let Sturgeon just state the fact that she had to give up a high-paying job for a lower-paying job and suddenly she’s “complaining” about it.
I would call these people shit, but I have dogs so I clean up a lot of shit, and I would prefer the dog shit to these people.
LaVelle has a “job” that gives him a good deal of flexibility. Consulting is a good gig — you can do what you want when you can get someone to pay you. Unlike teaching, where you MUST show up for prescribed hours every single day they are open. Where you need to set-aside time for professional development, to re-up teaching certificates, where you have to do plenty of outside prep work and parent engagement work on your own time. Greg’s job doesn’t ask him for any of that and he can do that job when he sees fit. Attacking someone because she was clear that she couldn’t do a good job at two jobs that require a great deal of commitment is pretty scummy even for Lavelle.
Way over simplified. Tell the average employee they can make their own hours. Cant’ be done. Consultants still have to book appointments and show up. Still, noone has disputed the average teacher salary (and exorbitant benefits) far outstrip the average worker.
Way to change the bar. I’ve been in the consulting business (not the average job and it isn’t as though Lavelle had an “average worker’s job) and you do have the option of scheduling your time as you see fit. Consulting that requires you to meet client revenue targets don’t much give a damn how much or when you work — just that you hit your revenue mark. Not so a teacher. They are in the building Monday through Friday, from 8 or so until 3 or so, clearly a conflict with the Dover hours.
Laura Sturgeon wasn’t an average worker, either. She has a Master’s degree, a certification she has to keep up to do her work, required yearly training and other training burdens that the “average worker” does not need to get or hold their jobs. The “average worker” isn’t working before and after work to meet parents or help kids or plan the day. The “average worker” doesn’t need to spend their own funds to outfit a classroom. The “average worker” doesn’t have a job where the requirements for promotion and salary increases are codified and not at the whim of your employer. She’s compensated as a serious and accomplished professional, not as an “average worker”.
“noone has disputed the average teacher salary (and exorbitant benefits) far outstrip the average worker.”
Funny how your tune has changed. Did you ever look up what percentage of teachers get 26 years of experience so they can earn what Laura Sturgeon did? No? Not surprised.
Who’s the “average worker” and what is their job? Should we talk about the average worker salary or the median? Why are the benefits “exorbitant”? Those benefits were standard in the 1980s. They disappeared from the private sector; they did not from the public sector.
So the problem here isn’t that teachers are paid too much. It’s that many others are paid too little.
Well, actually, the problem here is you. Perhaps you think your opinions matter to anyone here. They don’t. They just reveal a bored guy with no imagination and nothing better to do than annoy others.
You can’t really discuss any of this. You just state your opinion over and over again. We don’t care.
44% of American workers make $16.03 or less per hour. $16.03 works out to $33K per year, or less. How in God’s name will the economy ever expand when 44% have little to no buying power? How can establishment types not see this? It is surely the greed colored glasses. Didn’t your parents teach you the value of sharing? Shameful.
You obviously care. Otherwise you would ignore me.
No, I just try to counter conservative bullshit when I find it on liberal blogs. The question is what you’re bothering for. I’m pretty sure I nailed it: bored, not-so-bright guy with nothing better to do than annoy people he disagrees with.
No one can have a normal job and be a legislator. What job says to you “oh yea no problem not being there Tuesday to Thursday” 6 months a year. That’s why lots of retired people are down there. We need a full time legislature and up their pay. by the way 97K a year for 20 years is not a lot of money. Whoever is spreading that needs to sit down. I do agree on Trey, that guy has sleeze written all over him.
This is doubly true for the U.S. Congress. Who could get enough time off to run for office? As a result the Congress is clogged with doctors, lawyers and other small business/self-employed types. Any wonder the laws they produce do so little for hourly-employee types?
No. The problem is the Congress is loaded with lawyers. Nothing good can come of that. And Alby, exorbitant is a relative term. If one group gets way more than the rest, it is classified as exorbitant. Public service unions qualify as you have demonstrated with the pensions of the’80’s disappearing. Look at the unfunded liabilities we face. Don’t counter with the classic “millionaires and billionaires “ argument. They pay the lions share of the tax bill. You can’t get blood from a stone, though you would if you could. Nearly 50 % pay no Federal income tax. Middle class? How about selling your house in Hockessin and donating the proceeds to the poor? I am guessing the answer is no. BTW, I don’t think you should do that. It is yours and why should you sacrifice? You want the others to pay.
“The problem is Congress is loaded with lawyers.”
Law without lawyers is an oxymoron.
“Exorbitant is a relative term.”
Yes, and I don’t see how, in an educational system in which administrators make nearly double what Laura Sturgeon did, you can legitimately get worked up over teacher salaries instead. I think that it’s most likely that you fell for the crap CRI is pumping out, trying to gin up some outrage over the woman for saying something that’s true.
“Don’t counter with the classic “millionaires and billionaires “ argument. They pay the lions share of the tax bill.”
Boo hoo. They also get the lion’s share of the benefits of this country’s lax laws about capital. Why you think they should be allowed to rig the system, then claim they have “earned” their money, is a question you should be asking yourself. They didn’t “earn” jack shit. Fifty percent pay no income tax because they don’t make enough money, but they still pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. I’m afraid that when it comes to tax policy, you’re again relying on nothing but your own biases rather than having done any kind of research that relies on data. In short, it’s an ignorant argument you’re making.
You apparently think we should just slash they paychecks of everyone in the public sector because that’s what the robber barons do to people in the private sector. Why would you think that? Why would you identify with the rich? They sure as shit don’t identify with you.
“How about selling your house in Hockessin and donating the proceeds to the poor?”
This is the same dumb argument I pointed out days ago. It’s false logic. By the same logic, we should send anyone who thinks we should spend billions fighting Islamic terrorism off to fight them themselves. If that’s the best you can do, your teachers failed you. Maybe that’s why you don’t like them.
Alby, Alby, Alby…. The law does not require lawyers to write it. Unfortunately, the legal profession has slithered into all facets of life, including the Congress. Big reason there was no tort reform in the ACA. Big mistake.
Administrators make twice $97000.00. That is your argument? Looks like that is another group that is way overpaid… and technically they are educators.
Millionaires and billionaires don’t earn “Jack shit”? Huh. Let’s run that past Steyer and Bloomberg (billionaires) and Warren, Bernie, Biden, etc. (millionaires) and see what they have to say about it. Better yet, submit it as a question in the next debate- Alby from the Tony community of Hockessin, De wants to know how you accumulated so much by doing jack shit.
FICA and Medicare are not income taxes. No skin in the game means it is easier to levy higher taxes on the 50 % who do pay.
Struck a nerve with selling your house I guess. Do as I say not as I do. Your argument is nonsensical. Much like a oncologist who has never had cancer can’t possibly empathize with a patient. My education was good. How about you.
No, it doesn’t require lawyers to write it. And when they don’t, they get trounced in court. You get stuff like the current Ohio bill that demands doctors “implant an ectopic pregnancy in the uterus,” which is medically impossible. You get laws written by fools and morons. Which are you?
None of these things are “my argument.” My argument is that you have, throughout all of this, cited nothing but your own biases as the bases for your positions, making your positions unsupported.
What do I care whether millionaires think they earned the money? Why shouldn’t taxes rise on the well-off, myself included?
Everything you have said is something I hear every day from the ignorant. And you are, make no mistake, ignorant. Your education was clearly deficient, as you offer nothing to support any of your arguments. If that’s what you learned, your education was a waste of time. And so is trying to discuss anything with you, because you’re simply interested in spewing your biases.
Why you’re doing it here is something you’ll have to answer yourself.
Again, nothing substantive just a diatribe of insults. The last refuge in a lost argument. Implant an ectopic pregnancy in the uterus? You made my point. Lawyers weren’t needed. Try doctors. You can always pay more in taxes if you want. The Treasury will accept extra payments. If you feel guilty about your success send in all you want. My guess is don’t and never will. BTW, I am ok with that. It’s yours.
They aren’t insults, they’re statements of fact. You’re too lazy to do any research at all, you’re just spouting your biases. Typical conservative.
And don’t worry, we’ll make sure you pay more in taxes, too.
Who is we? Are those demons in your head stirring again?