Baltimore Beefs Two recent articles have me pondering the glacial ways of government and how process has become more important than progress.

In early May, Mayor Dixon held a "summit" regarding the proposed Red Line rapid transit route in Baltimore. The Red Line would run from the Social Security headquarters on the east side of town, through downtown and Harbor East, to the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus. In the face of increased traffic and expected population growth from new jobs moving to the area because of BRAC, the project’s benefits were obvious even before gas prices hit $4 a gallon.

This project has been on the drawing board for years. Two years ago, I went to a community meeting in Canton where city and state transportation officials presented schematic drawings of possible routes and station locations. What caught my eye was the comment that construction on the project could begin by 2012 with completion in 2016 (subject to funding, the website is quick to note).

That is eight years from now!

Mayor Dixon stated that community involvement is crucial. That's fine and important; but it is hard to understand why that should take more than the two years it has already been going on. As for funding, yes, it won’t come cheap at around $1 billion (think of the jobs). Nevertheless, this ought to be a pretty high priority for our political leaders at both the state and local level.

A second article noted that the City Board of Estimates' approval of a PILOT for the Fitzgerald, a new apartment project and parking garage that will benefit the University of Baltimore, was delayed nearly three years after requests for proposals were submitted. The developer of the project noted that, had he been doing the project on his own, he could have broken ground a year ago. What was the cost of that delay?

Last year I went to an exhibit in New York on Robert Moses. Moses built parks, highways, bridges, playgrounds (658 of them), housing, tunnels, beaches, and civic centers; and he is largely credited (and criticized) for the New York City we all know today.

Moses was controversial and not all of his projects were considered successful. Like our Mayor Schaefer, he was a “get it done now” kind of leader who was impatient and disdained his critics. Moses famously said, “Those who can, build; those who can’t, criticize”.

We could use a little of that spirit in getting the City’s Red Line built a lot faster.

One cautionary note, however: Since I didn’t build it, I am going to criticize the new Hilton Hotel that now pollutes the view from beyond Camden Yards. The hotel may be necessary, but was it necessary to make it so ugly? Its presence detracts from the beauty of Oriole Park and will be a stain on Baltimore’s skyline for generations.

Note to Mayor Dixon, please get it done now, but make sure it looks nice. Generations of Baltimoreans will thank you.  11:15 AM •  1 Comments • Links to this post

Should Obama Punch Hillary’s Ticket? After almost five months of primaries and caucuses, with almost as many elected and super delegates as Obama, Hillary Clinton and her supporters can make a case that she deserves to be on his ticket.

It’s a legitimate case, worthy of some consideration, but not much. Hillary’s negatives would be a burden to Obama.

When Hillary went negative to negate Obama, her negatives soared. In New Hampshire, Obama said that Hillary was likeable enough, but today not enough people like her. Polls show that her negatives now outweigh her positives.

Plus, Hillary and Bill are now a double negative that has been over exposed. Bill accomplished what his impeachers couldn’t. His petty performance diminished him, and deep-sixed his wife.

As the first serious woman candidate for president, Hillary could have claimed the theme of change from Obama. Voters wanted inspiration, not experience. In a year of change, she didn’t get it so she won’t get it.

That said, Obama needs to extend an olive to the branch of the party that supported Hillary. Too many Hillary supporters say they will vote for McCain or stay at home. A dream ticket is doubtful, so who else is on the list?

A double play would be New Mexico’s Governor Bill Richardson who could counter McCain’s foreign policy experience and appeal to Hispanics whom Obama needs to capture. But Richardson is too nice a guy, and Clintonistas like Carville consider him a traitor for switching his allegiance to Obama.

How about Hillary supporter Strickland of Ohio. Who’s he you ask? So will most Americans.

In keeping with his theme of change and to capitalize on Hillary’s support with women, a particularly intriguing choice would be Missouri’s Senator Claire McCaskill.

But Obama himself epitomizes the change that he espouses. Too much change may be too much.

What Obama needs to do is reassure a public that will like his youth but question his experience. He needs to reach out to the moderate democratic demographic that supported Hillary. He needs someone tough to tackle McCain. The GOP is already selling fear. He needs someone that the Republicans will fear.

And if he can swing someone from a swing state, so much the better.

Memo to Barack: the tough guy you need has been a district attorney and a big city mayor. He carried Clinton to a win in the key Keystone State that you’ll need in November. This is a guy who can land a punch on the GOP for you. Pick the man from PA – Ed Rendell.  8:59 AM •  0 Comments • Links to this post