WASHINGTON and ANNAPOLIS: Reality Sets In In Washington: Bipartisan Politics 

It was a bad sign when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared, “We’ve won!” at the passage of stimulus legislation. Her father, Mayor Thomas D'Alessandro, sent the same message in Baltimore during the 1950s during his administration. "Ole Tommy" practically owned the City Council, but Nancy Pelosi cannot own the U.S. House. Another Marylander, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has a better approach: listen first. Steny is practical; and as a neophyte in working to reform the Maryland Legislature in the late 1960s, I organized a citizens' commission which received that solid advice from Steny, then a new member of the House of Delegates.

It is a good sign that Susan Collins is at the front of the “gang of 20”, the New York Times’ description of the group of moderate Democrats and Republicans who realize the importance of bipartisan cooperation as they struggle to agree on an energy and conservation bill.

I worked with Senator Collins in the 1990s representing the “Americans for Alaska” coalition on conservation and energy development. I found her to be reasonable and fair. Collins follows the bipartisan tradition of her Maine predecessors, Margaret Chase Smith, George Mitchell, Bill Cohen and Olympia Snowe.

Annapolis: Spending Marches On!

My favorite political columnists Barry Rascovar and Blair Lee cut through "B.S." from the halls of Annapolis. The "Miller/O'Malley duo" continues to pledge that all is well, so long as Federal stimulus funds flow into State coffers. In last week's Business Gazette's commentary, Rascovar puts it on the line: "Maryland's budget deficit results from a failure by public leaders to make difficult decisions. It is easier to pander to special interests than impose harsh fiscal realities". Going back to his days of covering the Legislature for the Baltimore Sun, Barry helped me learn the ropes as to the difference between Maryland's rhetoric and reality.

Barry Rascovar asks a fundamental question: where are Maryland's champions of change? "Maryland spends far more than it takes in. This nasty habit is catching up to State House leaders. The Governor's proposed budget is balanced with $1.3 billion, in one-time revenue gimmicks that won't be available in future years. If Maryland is slow to bounce back from the recession, O'Malley will face far larger budget gaps down the road."

I agree with Barry: "Tough choices surround O'Malley and friend." Those choices include a permanent roll back of unaffordable education aid programs and a rethinking of Maryland's healthcare expansion.

The Maryland State Government must push school administrators to reform spending habits and focus on teachers in the classrooms. Students need more individual attention. I volunteered at Baltimore's "Club at Collington Square" after-school program for elementary and middle school kids. This program is operated by a private non-profit foundation: Episcopal Community Services, with high level talent from two Maryland Institute College of Art graduates who use art education and math training as creative motivators. That program, along with outreach efforts from the privately funded Baltimore Curriculum Project are examples of results rather than rhetoric. Maryland has an especially good resource in Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick. Politicians should back her efforts and those initiated by Baltimore City Superintendent Dr. Andre Alonzo.  11:37 AM •