Surveillance State & Right to Privacy

Surveillance State & Right to Privacy

EPISODE NOTES 2026 is off, and the Delaware legislature is also just getting started. This episode covers some general state news and a few New Castle County soundbites, but everything connects back to a proposed constitutional amendment for a basic right to privacy. In a world hellbent on surveilling us, inspecting our lives and our bodies, and making images of us -- all without our consent -- what can our legislature due to slow the tide? (Content warning in the last five minutes for mention of the word "p*rn," just in case you listen while your kids are around.) LINKS * Weapons of Math Destruction [https://dlc.lib.de.us/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=weapons+of+math+destruction&te=] * DelawareOnline: Delaware open government coalition calls for moratorium on data centers [https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2026/01/14/delaware-coalition-for-open-government-seeks-data-centers-moratorium-task-force/88157636007/] * Letter sent from Councilman Carter to Starwood [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zs0Emox4MKscjZlqhytfoEPuH9c8zGZF/view] * What Happens When Data Centers Come To Town [https://stpp.fordschool.umich.edu/sites/stpp/files/2025-07/stpp-data-centers-2025.pdf] - Univ of Michigan Science, Technology, and Public Policy * Spotlight Delaware: Following settlement, lawmakers propose changes to hospital oversight board [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2026/01/06/following-settlement-lawmakers-propose-changes-to-hospital-oversight-board/] * Futurism: Cops Forced to Explain Why AI Generated Police Report Claimed Officer Transformed Into Frog [https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-police-report-frog] * NCCo Council Public Safety Committee Dec 9, 2025 meeting: Video [https://nccde.new.swagit.com/videos/363064], Agenda [https://swagit-attachments.granicus.com/uploads/video/agenda_file/363064/12-9_NewCastlePSC.pdf] * Spotlight Delaware: Laurel police created a list of Haitian immigrants’ addresses, shared it with FBI [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2026/01/16/laurel-police-created-a-list-of-haitian-immigrants-addresses-shared-it-with-fbi/] * John Kowalko Wikipedia entry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kowalko#Political_career] * Lemkin Institute: Experts Warn U.S. in Early Stages of Genocide Against Trans Americans [https://www.lemkininstitute.com/single-post/experts-warn-u-s-in-early-stages-of-genocide-against-trans-americans] * AI Likeness Protections Legislative Update [https://www.munckwilson.com/news-insights/ai-likeness-protections-legislative-update/] QUESTIONS? Email: ask@thisisthedelawareway.com

Billionaires & Data Centers

EPISODE NOTES Let’s talk data center ordinances! Well, just the one. There’s a big ordinance vote on Tuesday, November 18 at 6:30pm. New Castle County Council is set to make a decision that will affect everyone in the entire state, as it will directly affect energy prices throughout Delaware. This episode covers a bit about the ordinance, and digs into the opposition to it as well as several proposed amendments that would weaken its protections in the future. LINKS * List of NCCC meetings and locations [https://newcastlecode.portal.civicclerk.com/] (scroll for "County Council Meeting" on Tuesday Nov 18 at 6:30pm) * County Council Meeting link for 11/18/2025 [https://newcastlecode.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2133/overview] * Toole's amendment striking Abandonment's clause [https://newcastlecode.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2133/files/attachment/11102] * Kilpatrick's amendment adding additional retroactivity protections [https://newcastlecode.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2133/files/attachment/11103] * Kilpatrick's amendment removing community protections [https://newcastlecode.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2133/files/attachment/11097] * November 5th Spotlight article: NCCC may relent on regulating Project Washington data center [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/11/05/project-washington-data-center-land-use-hearing/] * November 16th Spotlight article: NCCo Council set to vote Tuesday on amended data center rules [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/11/16/ncco-council-set-to-vote-tuesday-on-amended-data-center-rules/] * Elon Musk's diesel generators poisoning communities in Memphis: "How Come I Can't Breathe?" [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/06/elon-musk-xai-memphis-gas-turbines-air-pollution-permits-00317582] - Politico; 'We Are The Last Of The Forgotten' [https://time.com/7308925/elon-musk-memphis-ai-data-center/] - Time * Highlands Bunker podcast episodes on reassessment: Reassessment Reassessed [https://www.patreon.com/posts/e365-reassessed-140275833], The Dark Triad [https://www.patreon.com/posts/e368-dark-triad-141887191], A Better World Is Possible? [https://www.patreon.com/posts/e370-better-is-w-142992435] QUESTIONS? Email: ask[at]thisisthedelawareway.com [http://thisisthedelawareway.com]

Power Dynamics & Special Session Recap

EPISODE NOTES Hear how some of the discussion went in Tuesday's special session. The bills that were passed were expected, but some amendments did make it in that were pleasant surprises. Most of this episode is spent wishing that our legislators spent more time using their power responsibly and less time demanding obedience. LINKS Spotlight article - State lawmakers ease residential property tax burden in testy special session [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/08/13/property-tax-reassessment-special-session/] Watch the recording of the House session [https://legis.delaware.gov/WatchAndListen?view=1&category=221] Watch the recording of the Senate session [https://legis.delaware.gov/WatchAndListen?view=1&category=244] QUESTIONS? Email: ask@thisisthedelawareway.com

Special Sessions & Property Taxes

EPISODE NOTES What's a special session, and why is it happening today? Which bills will be considered, and which won't, and what is the difference? We'll go over all of that and more for you today. Bonus content: data is beautiful and we can get more of it. LINKS Spotlight Delaware Special Session Live Blog [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/08/12/special-session-live-blog/] -- the best way to catch up on what is happening or has happened in Aug 12th's special session State Constitution - Time and frequency of sessions [https://delcode.delaware.gov/constitution/constitution-03.html#P223_28799] State Constitution - Governance of revenue [https://delcode.delaware.gov/constitution/constitution-03.html#P207_27119] Spotlight article - After property tax outcry, leading lawmakers focus on three bills for special session [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/08/10/after-property-tax-outcry-leading-lawmakers-focus-on-three-bills-for-special-session/] Urban3 [https://www.urbanthree.com/] - Financial assessments for cities, towns, counties, and municipalities LAND VALUE TAX LINKS State Constitution - Land value tax ban [https://delcode.delaware.gov/constitution/constitution-09.html#P770_133776] Strong Towns article - Big Box Stores: Core Insights [https://actionlab.strongtowns.org/hc/en-us/articles/360053128692-Big-Box-Stores-Core-Insights] Strong Towns article - Big box stores are costing our cities far more than we ever imagined [https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/11/3/big-box-stores-are-costing-our-cities-far-more-than-we-ever-imagined] Video - Is a Land Value Tax the Best Option? - Chuck from Strong Towns [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIVytwEdlUg]

Data Center Hogs & How to Run for Office

EPISODE NOTES We cover a few news items, including a bill to protect medical providers in Delaware from being sued based on other states' laws. We dig a little deeper behind the company that wants to build a data center in New Castle County, as it would impact our electric bills but we wouldn't get any of benefit from the billions of dollars it may generate for its owners. We also look at the process of running for office and being a first-time legislator, and give some tips on how to look into running for office. DATA CENTER TOWN HALL Thursday, July 24th, 5:30pm Delaware City Fire Hall Form to submit questions to Data Center Town Hall [https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=aeUJjMVR7k2rsouZwypDltPDnP-ZGZVLi_QYVRsTYb1UMERVRjhUUEdSMEowNTVMVDRPUE8wNVZTRS4u&route=shorturl] LINKS * Campaign to replace Rep. Parker Selby heats up between two educators [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/07/22/district-20-parker-selby-special-election/] * Proposed Delaware data center’s energy needs would dwarf all state households [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/07/20/proposed-delaware-data-center-energy/] * AI Tech CEOs are lying to you [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8enXRDlWguU] - listen to just the first 15 minutes to understand how bad data centers are for all of us * Why the true water footprint of AI is so elusive [https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/1249592906/energy-water-ai-climate-tech] * Latest Delaware City Refinery emissions prompt investigation, ongoing questions [https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/07/15/refinery-emissions-prompt-investigation/] * AI data centers could make your electric bill go up by 70% [https://www.fastcompany.com/91229319/ai-data-centers-could-make-your-electric-bill-go-up-by-70] * Jack Kemp Foundation Leadership Awards [https://www.jackkempfoundation.org/kemp-leadership-award] * Delaware Department of Elections [https://elections.delaware.gov/] * Run For Something [https://runforsomething.net/] * Network Delaware Change Agent Journey [https://thenetworkde.org/leadership-development/change-agent-journey] * Delaware Working Families Party contact form to request training [https://www.deworkingfamilies.org/get-involved] * Day in the Life of a Legislator: State Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton [https://delawarecall.com/2023/06/01/day-in-the-life-of-a-legislator-state-representative-madinah-wilson-anton/]