There is an injustice within Delaware’s own state Senate. A state senator from the Democratic Party is allowed four legislative aides, while two Republican state senators must share one. That results in an 8-to-1 advantage to the Democrats.
I learned this at a public meeting in Greenwood, when Sen. David Lawson, R-Marydel, answered a question and told how much administrative support Democratic senators are allowed versus Republicans. I thought I misunderstood, so I attended via Zoom a legislative update by party chair Jane Brady. Many people were on, along with several legislators. I asked if the 8-to-1 advantage was true, and several attendees replied with a resounding yes. Later, I called into Julianne Murray’s legal talk show on WGMD to ask if this was legal. She didn’t know but promised to find out. Weeks later, she advised that her contacts in the legislature confirmed it was true but not illegal.
Upon asking why, the answer was that the Democrats control the budget, and it is justified insofar as Democrats are the majority party, and they get to be chair of all the various committees. So if they need more aides to support the chair, then that chair should get only one additional aide and save the state money.
I get it that elections have ramifications, but those ramifications do not justify discrimination involving public funds. Most Delawareans are fair-minded, regardless of political affiliation. As such, either the number of allowed Democratic legislative aides needs to be reduced or allowed Republican aides increased.
This action flies in the face of a two-party political system.
In the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Benjamin Cassell
Greenwood
