Karl and Bill join Rob in the bunker to talk about Phillies legend Dick Allen (not as a metaphor), the history of the Delaware Way, and even a little bit about the property tax special session. Also, introducing the inaugural "Bill's Picks." 57:15 is the timestamp you're looking for. Show Notes: Black August Life After Biden Coverage of NOCAP Town Hall...
New Castle County Councilman Brandon Toole joins Rob in the bunker to do a deeper dive into the latest set of property reassessments and the drama around it. They discuss what actually happened and what might actually be needed to fix it. Show Notes: Middletown Police Background Delaware Call Fall Classic Tyler Technologies Report...
Young lady Jess Scarane joins Rob in the bunker to talk about two of the biggest topics of the day: the planned Delaware City data center and the town hall about it, and the increased property and school taxes from the latest reassessments. Show Notes: NOCAP Dover Town Hall New Castle County residents fight back against proposed data center Delaware lawmakers to reconvene for special session on taxes amid reassessment fallout...
Chance from Chancery Daily and Delaware Call reporter Jordan Howell join Rob in the bunker to revisit Senate Bill 21: both the lawsuits it has caused and the fiscal crisis that never happened. Then, they discuss some of the various tech boondoggles the state is pursuing: from data centers to AI sandboxes. Show Notes: Their Water Taps Ran Dry When Meta Built Next Door Update on the situation in Vaughn prison Delaware hires Meta executives’ attorneys for Supreme Court defense of SB 21 Delaware's n...
Jennifer Chattin, mother of previous guest Josh Chattin, joins Rob and State Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton in the bunker to give an update on her son's attempts to organize inmates in Vaughn (and now Howard Young) prison and the backlash they have faced. (To all legislative staff and spouses: the timestamp you're looking for is 26:26, try paying attention to something that actually matters) Show Notes: Previous episode about Vaughn Alonna Berry's issues page...
State Senator Laura Sturgeon and activist Shyanne Miller join Rob in the bunker to recap the first leg of Delaware's legislative session. We discuss the few things that did get done, and the larger forces and incentives that kept anything particularly substantial from getting through. Show Notes: DE-WFP Legislative Debrief Capital Fight or Flight and Delaware's Bunker Mindset Democrats told to "get shot" for the anti-Trump resistance More on the DREAM Initiative...
Inmates Joshua Chattin, Michael Fields, and Fenel Banes join Rob in the virtual bunker to talk about the atrocious conditions at Vaughn Prison in Smyrna which finally came to light during the latest heat wave, how inmates have been fighting back, and the blowback that they face when advocating for themselves. Then, a brief session recap ahead of our full episode next week. Show Notes: Our original episode about Vaughn Prison in 2019 Some Vaughn inmates are without air conditioning during heatwav...
Karl and Bill join Rob in the bunker to talk about the latest debacle around Rep. Stell Parker Selby's resignation, as well as Karl's op-ed about the anti-democratic nature of Delaware's Democratic leadership. Show Notes: Support and pushback over bill to prevent local agreements with ICE Coast TV Interviews One and Two Delaware’s Bunker Mindset...
Police reform activists Vonda Smack and Tom Donovan join Rob in the bunker to talk about the efforts of NOCAP Delaware to bring more police accountability to Dover through a public police accountability form, and what the general state of policing is in Dover right now. Show Notes: NOCAP Announcement , Facebook , and Instagram Dover Mayor, Law Enforcement, and State Officials Address Gun Violence, Victims Speak Out...
State representative Frank Burns joins Rob in the bunker to get an update on what has happened with Senate Bill 21, how he was best friends with Pope Leo growing up, and how he navigates the strange culture of legislative hall and Delaware politics. Show Notes: Gov. Meyer to defend landmark corporate law against constitutional challenge Senate passes offshore wind bill that overrides Sussex County decision to deny permit More about Frank Burns...
Karl joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the first meeting of the Wilmington Homelessness Taskforce, and whether or not we can fix all of our problems with abundance. Then, they talk about whether or not the Democratic Party actually matters and what the Democratic Party even is. Show Notes: Wilmington Homelessness Taskforce What We Talk About When We Talk About “The Party” Ted Cruz, John Kasich join forces to stop Donald Trump...
Councilwoman Shané Darby joins Rob in the bunker to talk about her campaign for state representative and her run-in with the Wilmington police, and then Mr. Cee joins to talk about marijuana legalization and the different types of smokers. Show Notes: The rushed tax brackets bill Shané Darby's website Hygh Tymes WJVS Radio...
Activist Michaelena DeJesus joins Rob in the bunker to talk about her experience of political repression over the last year now that the final charges have finally been dismissed. Show Notes: Jordan Howell's original piece
Bill joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the various ways that Delaware Democrats are melting down in public, the attempts of ZIP Code Wilmington to transform the city and its education system, and an update on your Wilmington Blue Rocks. Show Notes: Madinah Comedy Special We helped Wilmington baristas become coders. We transformed the city...
Rob and Karl head down to Legislative Hall in Dover to interview community members and activists who are lobbying in favor of Senate Bill 10, which would allow for compassionate release for prisoners who have served a certain amount of time. Show Notes: Senate Bill 10
State Representative Sophie Phillips joins Rob in the bunker to talk about SB 21 and the potential Delaware fiscal crisis, her legislation dealing with homelessness in Delaware, and the reason why we need body size discrimination legislation. Show Notes: Storm the Fort episode about May Day Body size discrimination legislation...
Jordan Howell and Bill Martin join Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the more insidious crackdowns happening at the local level, most notably the trial of a pro-Palestine activist for "assaulting" the police. Then, they talk more about BPG and MBNA and some of their effects on Wilmington. Show Notes: He Was a Crook Clearing the good name of Gavin Coco...
State Representative Rae Moore joins Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the latest updates in the state legislature, most especially her legislation to expand free school meals for all students and the roadblocks it has faced (since the recording of this episode, it passed out of committee). Show Notes: House Bill 125 That big BPG news...
Lead-Free Delaware activists Amy Roe and Sarah Bucic join Rob in the bunker to talk about where Delaware is far behind (and actually ahead in one case) in handling lead poisoning, and how our state's culture of profit and institutional inertia prevents us from protecting against even the most obvious threats. Show Notes: Stand Up For Madinah Screening Comedy Special Tickets Lead-Free Delaware House Bill 70...
Christina School Board members Doug Manley and Monica Moriak join Rob in the bunker to talk about our two favorite things: political dysfunction and the Court of Chancery. We get updates on Naveed Baqir and new attempts to resolve his residency, the upcoming elections and potential leadership election, and what an actual functional school board would look like. Show Notes: Previous Doug episode More on the Christina School Board Election...
Karl the Producer joins Rob in the bunker to talk about a series of pieces he wrote in the context of the passage of Senate Bill 21, laying out how the modern Delaware Way developed economically and politically in the 70s and 80s against the backdrop of militant teacher action. Show Notes: Wilmington Federations of Teachers Part One , Two , and Three Capital Fight or Flight Storm the Fort...
Shyanne Miller joins Rob in the bunker for a wide-ranging discussion about how much we need to change our tactics given the stagnation of leftist priorities and the acceleration of corporate priorities. Show Notes: Most recent reporting on SB 21
Historian Dael Norwood joins Rob in the bunker to finally talk about Senate Bill 21, this year's attempt to completely undermine Delaware's judiciary in favor of billionaires like Elon Musk. Not that it has anything to do with Elon Musk, why would you even say that? I don't even know who that is. Show Notes: Unrelated tweet less than two weeks before this bill was released Senate hearing on Wednesday, March 12th Original Hal Weitzman episode Last year's corporate law update...
Congresswoman Sarah McBride joins Rob and Andrew Galvin in the bunker to talk about how the Democratic Party is responding to the current moment on issues from the economy to Gaza, and how she's navigating a very difficult situation in DC. After the interview, Rob, Andrew, and Karl have a follow-up conversation diving deeper on the current state of affairs. Show Notes: Rep McBride's first speech Four Freedoms Speech...
New Castle County Councilman Kevin Caneco joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his path into Delaware politics as a transplant, how he got so interested in land use and why it really matters, and the challenges and benefits of being an insurgent candidate. Show Notes: Battling the Prince More on Kevin Caneco...
Local historian Syl Woolford joins Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the latest news around Donald Trump and Elon Musk before telling the story of Delaware's 1922 US House Election and the role played by the African American community and an anti-lynching bill. Show Notes: DelDems roll over for Musk First part of Wilmington Federation of Teachers piece Storm the Fort trailer...
Recorded on the same day as our first episode in the renovated bunker, Bill and Karl join Rob to talk about the first days of the Trump administration, more about the port and our former governor, and an upcoming podcast on the Knights of Labor. Show Notes: Bethany at the Trump inauguration Follow Storm the Fort on Bluesky philadelphiaeagles.com...
State senate candidate Riley Figliola and regular guest Madinah Wilson-Anton join Rob in the bunker to talk about the Delaware Way (and its new official bell), and how it affects the upcoming special election and the Port of Wilmington. Show Notes: Riley's website
Where does Dan Cruce live?
To break in a newly-renovated bunker, we are joined by multiple different guests this week: Councilwoman Shané Darby talks about the latest police shooting in Wilmington and how we can demand accountability, Rev. Patrick Burke speaks about the chaos of the early Trump administration, community activist Lakeisha Nix talks about NOCAP Delaware, and State Senate Candidate Riley Figliola talks about how she got involved in politics and why she's running for SD1. Show Notes: More on the police shooti...
