MEMORIAL DAY : MARYLAND MOMENTS & CONNECTIONS MARYLAND AND THE MILITARY

History has its "moments and connections" : different forms and shapes. For Memorial Day 2007 , our instincts are likely drawn to the troops lost in war : from Gettysburg to Normandy and Vietnam to Iraq, the memories are there. In Maryland, there are connections that come clearly through stories of the 29th Division and other regiments, ships, landings that crossed front lines -- land and sea -- to achieve results for freedom. In some wars, the cause was deemed greater than the risk ; in other, the losses outweighed the benefits. Some examples of both, all of which included Maryland in the battles:

Independence from the "Empire" for 13 colonies during the Revolution ;
Preserving the Union and freeing the slaves after the Civil War ;
Creation of an power-driven Middle East out of World War I 's failure to "make the world safe for democracy"
World War II 's destruction of the madness of Hitler's Nazi world and its murder of 6 million concentration camp victims;
Mixed results of the Korean and Vietnam wars ;
The endless uncertainty and destruction in the Middle East , not lessened by the threats of global terrorism.

MARYLAND AND 3 PRESIDENTS: MORE SUBTLE CONNECTION

But, are there are three Memorial Day connections to Maryland that are less visible than thousands of lost service men and women. While subtle, these connections bear a common thread : the deaths of 3 Presidents, two of them by assassination and one worn down by the burdens of a world war.

The Lincoln assassination and Dr. Samuel Mudd :

A new dramatic story, "Manhunt" tells the story of a 2-week chase to find and finish the life of John Wilkes Booth after the Ford theatre murder of Abraham Lincoln -- a drama that gave the reemerging Union a cloud of tragedy after the Confederate surrender. Samuel Mudd, a physician who lived and practiced in southern Maryland, not only sheltered the escaping Booth but allowed his friendship with the assassin actor to add to Booth's anger and fixation on killing Lincoln.

Franklin Roosevelt's friendship, love affair with Lucy Mercer Rutherford

Maryland was connected with Lucy, a member of the famous Carroll family of Maryland, given historic meaning by its founder and a Signer : Charles Carroll of Carrollton. The Lucy-Franklin relationship travelled form physical love during the 1920's to deeper meaning that became FDR's escape from loneliness brought on by the burdens of war and a distant Eleanor who had become more of policy partner than a wife. FDR's last hours were spent in the company of Lucy at Warm Springs , where she sat with the dying President after commissioning a portrait that evinced sadness and burden.

John Kennedy dedicating a new Maryland highway, enroute to Dallas / November 22.

Finally, John Kennedy and a Maryland new north-south road. On the eve of his November 21st departure for the fateful Dallas end of his life, JFK's last public appearance was at the Maryland -- Delaware line to open new "super highway", to be a then-wide 4 lanes, and today a huge 6 - 8 lane interstate travel route. Before leaving for the airport to Dallas, JFK, cut the ribbon for the new transportation route. And, just a month later, that road was named "The John Kennedy Highway", in memory of the 4th U.S. President killed in the line of duty.

Maryland, a part of the geography for Memorial Day memory of military heroes and 3 Presidents who left their imprint on history.

Labels: Kennedy, Lincoln, Maryland, Memorial Day

  8:23 AM •  0 Comments •

Maryland's Smoking Gun - $1.5 Billion Deficit. Vanished Fiscal Discipline. The facade of a working session of the 2007 General Assembly is being wiped out by the fiscal reality of a $1.5 billion structural deficit. In a one party state where "cover up" of excessive spending is the order of the day.

In office less than 6 months, Gov. O'Malley suddenly ordered his Cabinet secretaries to cut spending by $225 million in the next 2 years -- with overtime labor costs amounting to more than $ 38 million in just one agency. This cost reminds me of a run-in with the Baltimore City School system when a professional firm I represented had been awarded a contract to modernize the maintenance/ cleaning system for school buildings -- reducing costs by 1/3 . The maintenance employees' union blocked any attempt for "cleaning house" through computer programming/ planning --- Why? Because the union wanted to keep overtime benefits flowing . To top it all, Carmen Russo, former Supt.of the City Schools told me " I have no control over the unions" -- and , then-Mayor O'Malley remained silent. The firm that proposed the valid efficiency recommendation, refunded the cost of its proposal to the School System because its was not used to improve service and put funds where needed : to the students and teachers.

On the revenue front, Maryland has an income tax structure that is driving seniors, with productive professional lives, to states like Florida and New Hampshire. Yet, at the same time , what has been called Maryland's "shrinking deep pockets" is becoming a hard fact of life -- to the tune of that $ 1.5 billion. Legislatures and some Governors -- past and present -- prove a critical point: the politicians have lacked the discipline that any small business owner must apply to essential result of the work program/ services provide by that business: What is that discipline?

The answer is not rocket science, but -- unlike business -- states and the federal government are generally unable to exercise the discipline of spending less than income from taxes. Customer income somehow provides a clear discipline of controlled spending by small business CEO's than the typical bureaucrat's perception of unlimited income from taxpayers without sufficient quid pro quo of demonstrable results. One major factor facing businesses is competition in pricing and service. Government lacks that competition, with one exception : political party competition at the policy / decision-making level.

But, Maryland does lacks that competition. We are a single party state where either a Governor from the opposite party (eg. Bob Erhlich) had challenges in overcoming the "iron curtain" held firmly in place by the General Assembly power base of Mike Miller and Michael Busch. In the case of a new Governor (Martin O'Malley), the leverage from the State House first floor is too heavy to infer little more than " We will handle it , Governor -- just smile and agree with us." Softer, but not overly different from the excessive lawsuit environment that is driving doctors out Maryland medical practice -- here , the courageous initiatives of former Gov. Erhlich were blocked.

Historically, has been occasional discipline from the Comptroller's Office. Legendary Louis Goldstein was able to give sufficient fiscal discipline within the Board of Public Works that Maryland's AAA bond rating held reasonably firm. "Louie's" successor, the colorful William Donald Schaefer, was able to at least provide some heat on the nonstop spender Gov. Parris Glendenning , for 8 years. Now, indications are that new Comptroller Peter Franchot appears to have enthusiasm for check writing that is not expected of Maryland's chief fiscal officer.

This problem that is beginning to get media attention ; an example is the solid editorial analysis of Marta Hummel, editorial editor of The Baltimore Examiner. In today's May 14 edition, she notes that "Government, at all levels, must be efficient -- regardless of fat or thin budget years. Maryland faces an estimated $1.5 billion 'structural deficit next year. It is 'structural' because long-term budgeting shows revenues consistently lower than expectations, not a one-time shortfall" . The editorial gives O'Malley a "positive" for ordering his cabinet secretaries to cut $200 million from the State budget. But,as Ms. Hummel notes, "hard choices are ahead. O'Malley paved the way for discussion on the best route for Maryland's budget impasse by "calling for cutting waste in state government". But there is an essential reality applied to that generalization.That reality notes that "taxpayers deserve leaders who turn the mirror on themselves before asking those taxpayers to sacrifice". Will O'Malley, Miller, Busch be able to turn the mirror on themselves?

The real test -- where politicians must be honest and hone in on the real problems -- will come in the 2008 General Assembly session. 2008 is when the rubber meets the road on the need to cut government spending --- not just talk about it.

One barrier is still present : objectivity . As noted in his weekly Montgomery Gazette column , longtime policy/political analyst Blair Lee speaks of the need for serious objectivity by the "4th estate" An example : the Baltimore Sun's periodic attacks on former Governor Erhlich , as if he were still Governor. In reality, he is not.

Maryland urgently needs more attention -- policy and media -- focused on elected officials and the State's bureaucracy to provide real leadership, NOT rhetoric, give those of us who pay the taxes. Thanks to The Baltimore Examiner and Montgomery County Gazette for getting the ball rolling. Let's see if the one-party state will act !

Labels: deficit, Ehrlich, Maryland, O'Malley

  6:34 PM •  0 Comments •

MODERATE POLITICS: STILL ALIVE? Just this week, "Newsweek" rolled out a special issue: "Wanted : A New Truman . Does Anybody in the Field Have What It Takes?" That is a question that permeates the public's reaction to what I described, several blogs ago, as the "Endless Campaign". Through the millions of dollars flowing to political handlers / advertising media/ endless television "sound bites", there is almost no moderation.

Today's "media hype" environment might not permit a Franklin Roosevelt to advance to election in the biggest national crisis since the Civil War. Who would have ever thought that FDR, once described as an "amiable country squire with no noticeable qualifications" would give real leadership through a Depression and World War II? Who ever thought that Truman, once described as a Missouri "political hack" would have sheparded the U.S. through postwar era economic aid to a Nazi-destroyed Europe and established a framework of peaceful strength to manage the beginnings of a Cold War against a Stalin dictatorship? -- both done on a bipartisan basis, once tough disagreements were hammered out to reasonable compromise.

The environment during the FDR and Truman issues was one of a more moderate politics.

Today, moderate politics is almost an endangered species; only occasionally , does light shine through the heat. Two examples, nationally:

1) The special Newsweek edition includes an article about a longtime friend , Susan Eisenhower , granddaughter of the General/ President . In that article --"Generational Tensions" --another person speaks out: Ted Roosevelt IV whom, with Susan, I worked to secure bipartisan Congressional support to protect Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge from unlimited oil drilling. That sensible conservation legislation passed, on a bipartisan basis -- with half a dozen "moderate" U.S. Senators making a narrow margin possible.

Both Susan and Ted carry an unspoken message: her ancestors Dwight and Milton Eisenhower, once President of Johns Hopkins, would be concerned about our today's lack of balance in political action; his ancestor ,Theodore Roosevelt , would wisely echo his famous advice : "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

What did these two famous last names say ? Susan , a president of an international consulting firm, hopes to see a moderate balance survive in a party being pushed rightward. In effect, she is "hanging in there" Ted IV, investment banker and conservation leader, sees the same challenge, expressing concern that the U.S. government pragmatism and reality: "I come from a tradition of pragmatic Republicanism. This Administration has taken the idea of aggessively exporting democracy a la Woodrow Wilson, and gone in a direction even Wilson wouldn't have considered."

2) This same week, a refreshing joint interview of Senators Olympia Snow (R. Maine) and Evan Bayh (D. Indiana ) both called for a balance and a RESULT: to bring the Iraq War to a close and protect/ support our troops in that process. They both indicate that they are in a minority, as two Senators who prefer to work things out and reach a middle ground.

Finally, here in Baltimore -- last week : the words of one of America's better news commentators: Tim Russert. In a speech before a large gathering in support of the House of Ruth, Russert spoke of the contrast between the era of his father (the hero of Russert's recent book "Big Russ and Me") and today as he described it: " Now the U.S. is a divided nation. It is essential that political leaders who disagree , can and must do so, with civility."

In essence, Tim Russert was asking questions of history : example -- where have the days gone that had disagreements between President Ronald Reagon and Speaker Tip O'Neill who could also work privately together to reach some limits on government spending".

Also he pointed to today's lack of reaching a middle ground: example -- the utter failure of politicians in Congress and the White House to DO, not just talk about emerging decrease of funds for social security protection for the retirement years of our children and grandchildren. What Russert means is that politicans of this generation cannot "leave a legacy of old vs. young."

To leave no stone unturned: Maryland! Our state government,dominated by a single party, is moving in a direction of "little compromise" as it heads towards a high tax/ reducing opportunity environment for small business and mid-level income earners. Maryland may be accelerating its pace towards lack of moderate politics, with State politicians carrying the banner "my way , or the highway."

For further commentaries on Maryland: Stay Tuned for "blogentaries" to come !

Labels: Maryland, politics, Roosevelt, Truman

  4:21 PM •  0 Comments •