Last spring, we replaced our leased 2006 Toyota Sienna with a new-but-left-over 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, purchased from Family Dodge at the Philadelphia Automall.
Delco
12
Mar 10
Getting more from less with the Census?
I’ve been wondering how red states, which are typically conservative, have amassed so much political power while presumably being under-counted in the Census due to lower participation rates. They seem to control the national agenda (wondering what middle-America thinks), are essentially welfare states, and are frequently home to the biggest legislative obstructionists.
The strategy of the Republicans has been to target the Senate races in smaller states since media is far less expensive, there are smaller populations to win over, ideological alignment with their constituents, and the simple fact that 1 Senator from Vermont is equal to 1 Senator from Texas, regardless of the size of population represented.
9
Mar 10
Resigned to GOP Dominance in Delco and Pennsylvania Politics
Table of contents for A Way forward for Local Democrats
- Resigned to GOP Dominance in Delco and Pennsylvania Politics
This is normally the sort of post that I would write and post as a “draft” until my prediction would come to fruition, running late Election evening or the following morning. I feel that it might be most useful to write it now, so anyone stumbling across it will look at political events in the near-term future through the frame of a likely-outcome that I’ve defined, hopefully reaching the same conclusions.
1
Mar 10
Real-Time 2010 Census Participation Data
Starting on March 1st, you can visit this page and view the 2010 Census Participation results in real-time.
4
Jan 10
Education Policy Disagreements in My Household
My wife – a special education school teacher – and I have a bit of a policy disagreement regarding teacher merit pay.
Most can agree that our Education System is broken (see anything by John Taylor Gatto) and some sort of reform is necessary (even if it rankles some of the President’s core constituents). Sometimes that change can only be motivated through monetary incentives. On the macro-level, I can see the potential benefits. On the micro-level, it’s likely that her students may not ever achieve sufficiently for her to earn said bonuses.
2
Nov 08
In defense of Nick Miccarelli [Though not an endorsement].
There’s a Democratic-sponsored attack ad that is somewhat unfair to Ridley Park native, University of Pennsylvania graduate, and Army veteran of both Iraq and Bosnia that makes somewhat unfair and groundless criticism of 26-year old baby-faced Miccarelli.
The ad, which I’ve only seen aired once on local (Delco) cable-TV hits Miccarelli for inaction regarding actions, both Congressional and Presidential that had effect on Delaware County. The ad knocks Miccarelli for not taking action, either by advocating as leader of the College Republicans or as a campaign aid to intervene. Of course, this is unfair. In 2004, Miccarelli, although already a veteran, was merely 23, and serving on a variety of campaigns. Although he made have had access to a handful of political decisionmakers, the influence of Miccarelli was essentially no more than that of the average Delco constituent. Furthermore, the need to burnish his political resume and cultivate ideological bonafides means that he in no way could deviate from the company line.
11
Dec 07
Delco, the FAA, PHL, and Robert Moses’ Traffic Paradox
Come 12/17, my life is going to get considerably more noisy.
It is on this date that the FAA will change flight plans allowing departing aircraft from Philadelphia International by flying west over residential Delaware County as opposed to flight plans that take flights north or south over the Delaware River and largely industrial areas.
The FAA is stating that this aerial land grab (remember, the county may own the majority of the land the airport sits on, but does not own the skies) is necessary to avert gridlock on the tarmac.
5
Dec 07
Curt Weldon: Out of Congress, Not Out of the Woods
My, my, my… Curt must have been up to something very bad for a vast left-wing conspiracy GOP-led US Department of Justice to still be pursuing the influence-peddling case so long after he has been out of office. The Delaware County Times leads with it in the header in print, with more coverage in both Harpers and on ABC News as well as context and perspective from TPMMuckraker.
7
Nov 07
Results
Philly.com has the city races with expanded coverage here. Full un-official Delaware County results can be found here.
