THE POLITICIANS' SUPERBOWL - MARYLAND The problem of excess money put into election campaigns, attack advertisements and manipulative political "handlers" has become an incursion on democracy, benefiting a few who get rich off election campaigns-the longer, the richer.

Here in Maryland, we have been infected by a cross-barrage of attack ads between 4th Congressional candidates Pipkin, Gilchrest, and Harris, amounting to several millions for one Congressional seat. Two teams lead the competition in the Annapolis “Super Bowl” of politics-as-usual v. creative economic growth:

1. Maryland politics and one party power through a special session legacy from a Governor and Senate president who is quarterbacking potential damage to Maryland’s economy and technology sector, and

2. a growing coalition of computer service companies dubbed “our digital harbor” by then Mayor O’Malley, who as Governor, has permitted a 6% computer services sales tax without a corresponding reduction of state government spending.

It is a shame that such an enormity of funds is wasted on campaigns instead of helping the “real” people. Consider Jericho, a private and public sector project to help prisoners coming out of Baltimore jails matriculate into the "real world". In a highly competitive process, Jericho, funded by Episcopal Community Services (ECSM), a private non-profit human needs agency, earned a grant of $600,000 for 3 years. It has achieved to date, nearly 70% re-employment for many ex-prisoners who undergo intensive training in a small row house in the Collington Square section of east Baltimore. This section of town faces many challenges of drugs and crime, but citizens' work is being done to help disadvantaged children (the "ARK) and teenagers (the CLUB AT COLLINGTON SQUARE).

ECSM runs after-school youth assistance programs. As an ECSM Board member, I was among several volunteers last week who saw "JERICHO" prisoners reemerging into society. We had the opportunity to listen and learn what successful human recovery and help really means to people in struggling communities.President Bush was in attendance; and after his departure, one of the prisoners spoke to me with tears in his eyes : "There I was in jail 6 months ago! It was my birthday that I never cared about. But today the President told me 'happy birthday' and wished me luck! "

Another possible contender in Maryland’s “Super Bowl” might be Nancy Grasmick and public education. It appears that this competitor, an experienced, result-driven professional educator has already won. Did Governor O'Malley suddenly see the light when a tested professional was welcomed to continue her work as State Superintendent? The answer is probably more connected to the reality of improvement of school performance: a contrast with 12 underperforming Baltimore City schools that Nancy Grasmick offered to assist. It was Grasmick's offer to help that candidate-for-Governor O'Malley saw as a threat to his election prospects. But once elected, he saw the threat become votes of legislators that could displace his desire to politicize public school management.

In the Governor's fiscal 2009 operating budget, there are no additional funds for the Sellinger Program that supplements independent college support-a sharp contrast to a 9.1 % increase for public universities and 12% increases for community colleges.

Other contenders, independent colleges and universities, have been part of Maryland's system of higher education for 225 years. In effect, the proposed budget no longer includes independent higher education as a necessary part of our State's ability to balance essential support for all components of college education. If "politics as usual" wins, Maryland citizens lose on this one. Why? Maryland's independent colleges and universities receive 4% State funding for higher education, yet confer 25% of all degrees in the State. This is an investment in the future of ALL Maryland college students. It is neither wise nor right that,as a statutory program, Sellinger is undermined by a complex sounding "Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act" to sever the long-standing cooperation and link between public and independent college funding.

Might an upset over this kind of politics be successful in the Legislature's "4th quarter"?

Wouldn't it be better for this competitor to have a 4th quarter upset? Wouldn't it also be better if money poured into politician's attack ads could be diverted into more "Jerichos” of Maryland and the United States!

That's the kind of "Super Bowl" we all need! It leaves "politics as usual" where it belongs-behind the real priorities of technology growth, education/public and private, and real help to real people.

Labels: Governor O'Malley, Grasmick, Maryland politics

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