Category Archives: News

Maryland General Assembly Lame-Duck Session, 2014

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Maryland State flag

John Hayden photo

The Maryland General Assembly is back in session is open for business as usual in Annapolis. I’m having a hard time making myself care.

All eyes are on the Democratic primary in June. The politicians are full of energy — all of it directed at collecting campaign contributions.

But they have to stop fundraising, now that the session has started, and I doubt they have the heart to do anything of substance over the next 90 days.

It’s truly difficult to imagine this lame-duck Assembly, with a lame-duck governor gazing at the White House, doing anything other than image repair.

Am I getting cynical in my old age, or what?

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Christmas Gifts Delayed By UPS And Snow

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United Parcel Service

United Parcel Service (Photo credit: Dust Storm)

Santa Claus is legendary for customer satisfaction and on-time Christmas Eve performance.

UPS package delivery, despite its ubiquitous brown trucks . . . not so much.

Thousands — probably hundreds of thousands — of gifts failed to arrive in time for Christmas. Don’t blame Santa. Continue reading →

Our Time: Spying Everywhere, No Jobs Anywhere

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Two stories of our times may have passed nearly unnoticed in the Christmas Eve edition of The Washington Post. If you find yourself with a few quiet moments for reading, today or maybe tomorrow, I recommend the following from the 12-24-13 Post.

“Edward Snowden: I Already Won,” on Page One. It’s a long read, but it pulls the whole Snowden- NSA story together with some clarity.

And “How robots are stealing our jobs,” the chilling story in Economy & Business, page A13. Continue reading →

“In my years of…

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In my years of elected office in Annapolis and Washington, I’ve never seen such reckless and irresponsible behavior.” Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland

U.S. Government Shutdown Might Continue Indefinitely

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Both sides now have reason to dig in and refuse to budge. Both sides think they’re on the verge of achieving a cherished goal, if only they hang tough.

For President Obama, the Affordable Care Act is taking effect even as we speak, despite the so-called “partial” government shutdown. Health care for all has been a Democratic goal for 60 years or more. Obama has a passed bill, a signed law with his name on it. The president and Democrats believe that once Obamacare is implemented, people will decide they love it — just like Social Security and Medicare — and will refuse to give it up.

The Republicans are dead set against Obamacare, just as they were against Social Security and Medicare. Continue reading →

Shutdown Foreshadows Political Collapse In America

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Lëtzebuergesch: *Sujet:Boston Tea Party Source...

“Boston Tea Party.” Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My working title for this post was “Non-Shooting Civil War In America.”  I thought that might be over the top, if only by a little.

I don’t see immediate danger of violent civil war in America, but I think today’s U.S. government shutdown is collapse by premeditated sabotage by political failure. In other words, our regular political process for resolving differences has failed. Moreover, the failure is not accidental; it’s intentional. Congress, especially, has failed big time.

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POTUS Is Not The World’s Police Chief

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On Friday, President Obama said the U.S. may sometimes have to police the world.  Mr. President, I respectfully beg to differ.

Police officer (U.S.) taking fingerprints

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Where did this notion come from, that the USA, being the last superpower standing, should be the police force of the world? That we should zoom from continent to continent, fighting crime and bringing bad guys to justice? By what authority?

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Knives For Sale On The Boardwalk

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The local weekly newspaper, The Maryland Coast Dispatch, published a long interview with Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro, beginning on page 8 in the Aug. 30, 2013 edition. It’s well worth a read.

Chief Buzzuro’s comments on one particular issue touched a nerve with me:

“We talk about beer bongs, underage drinking, explicit T-shirts and there are still merchants that sell knives. Why does anyone need to sell knives on the Boardwalk? They are not Swiss Army knives by the way, just for clarification.”

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Peace Now

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Today would be a good day for the president and the people of America to make a decision for peace.

Use of chemical weapons in Syria was evil and inhumane. Use of chemical weapons resulted in human death and suffering.

To respond by missile attacks against Syria would result in more human death and suffering. Where is the logic?

President Barack Obama will be pilloried if he chooses peace and not war. But good leaders must make the right decision without regard for the political consequences.

— post originally published 8-31-2013

Chris and Kathleen Matthews Show Gets the Hook

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Three days experimentation with a Chris and Kathleen Matthews show was enough. The results are in. Thursday, Chris Matthews is flying solo as he wraps up a week filling in for Andrea Mitchell at 1 p.m. He’s smiling broadly and asking his patented long-winded questions. Still on is MSNBC’s plan to air the Chris Matthews Show exclusively at 7 p.m. That’s MSNBC and Chris Matthews opposite CNN and Erin Burnett, starting Monday.

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