"What's Happening?" and "Go Get "Em!" Remembering Tim Russert

Another month has come to an end, and building on my most recent commentary, "Moments of Truth" continue to be found. We felt great sadness with the sudden passing of Tim Russert, journalist and political analyst of the first order. He was tough and caring, two words that do not often go together in identifying a person. In the same way, how could one person ask both "What's happening?", and give a battle charge, "Go get 'em!" ?

Tim Russert was a "2 for 1".

Russert would seek the latest information and updates from his journalists and staff associates, and as the one minute countdown to the Sunday morning start began for "Meet the Press", he would try to find out which politician was faking about what.
GO GET 'EM! These were words of encouragement to fellow reporters, friends and, very important, his favorite team, the "Buffalo Bills".

"WHAT'S HAPPENING? "
In the spirit of Tim Russert's challenge to fellow journalists working on an important story, how long does it take a work in progress to be resolved? Maryland has an example of a continuing issue that needs continuing work and action. That issue is the future of the government agency that works to strengthen economic development in Maryland: our Department of Economic & Business Development (DBED).

Following media reports that Governor O'Malley wants to reorganize DBED following a statement that "the DBED we have inherited, in essence, is designed to be a mezzanine loan office". He further described the process as "deals" originated through the counties. His Secretary of Economic Development further states that Maryland "needs to be better connected to the technology community".

It is strange that the computer services tax cleared DBED, and without high tech business opposition, might have slipped through both the Legislature and the cabinet department assigned to provide a favorable fiscal climate for the growth of high tech and biotech industry. There seemed to be a gap between organizational theory and hard reality.

In the spirit of finding out "what's happening", I sought information from one of the few business senior professionals who has served at DBED's helm, Aris Melissarotis, successful business executive, who left a Westinghouse career to open a new and refocused DBED, government action instead of talk, in behalf of economic action in sync with a changed 21st century technology-based economy. One of his most creative action steps was to insert economic strategy into the higher education sector. Putting it bluntly, this adds a 4th "technology gear" to higher education research that can strengthen the economic clout of technology: economic and human needs results from high tech and biotech research. Aris told me that a prime purpose of "government's economic development policy is to create intellectual property/applied knowledge by which the private sector business can grow".

Under this approach to managing an economic development agency, the Maryland Venture Fund, under the direction of Ann Quinn, took the approach of economic development for the Maryland region through direct investments and encouragment of investments in regional venture funds and providing incentives for the Maryland State Pension system to more creatively invest in alternative economic development options.

Bottom Line: before the current State Administration looks to "bureaucratic reshuffling", it must continue the free enterprise approach for DBED to act as a catalyst for private sector growth in the 21st century world of high-tech and biotech. Former DBED Secy. Melissarotis makes a direct point: "Government needs to get to substance, not moving bureaucracies round and round". Well spoken - and Aris is now doing that kind of work as a senior executive at Johns Hopkins to have intellectual property work with practical results.

If Tim Russert were still with us, he might say that, as we find out "what's happening", we should act! As he put it: "Go get 'em!"

HOW TO DO IT:

After considering the need to put a more practical business approach to government, let us return to the exit lines about Tim Russert that have meaning for today: both business and government, and the human beings who attempt to make both work. Thoughts at the Kennedy Center tributes to Tim Russert from his friends:

1. Doris Kearns Goodwin is an historian and author of "Team of Rivals", the story of how Abraham Lincoln garnered cooperation from campaign rivals to form a coalition cabinet during the frightening years of the Civil War's threat to destroy this nation. When asked by the press whether he was being "two-faced", Lincoln responded in direct fashion: "If I had more than one face, do you honestly think I would use THIS one? "

2. Son Luke Russert, in noting that his Dad was likely adapting "Meet the Press" to a heavenly audience and would bring back past American leaders for further Sunday morning Q & A sessions. Among those he thought might be early on the list for this election year were Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton - to have them keep debating instead of dueling, Theodore Roosevelt on the value of a 3rd, truly independent party, Jack Kennedy and Barry Goldwater on whether the 2008 election campaign can advance beyond rhetoric and expensive, no-substance advertising.

During the next few weeks of summer reflection and filtering out work from words, whether in business, government and our lives, let's thank Tim Russert for cutting through the rhetoric of political words and the example he gave through the story of family in "Big Russ and Me" and "Faith of our Fathers".

Whether in Maryland or in the nation, it is good to apply the words of St. Francis to our own lives, as suggested by Tim Russert's 4th grade teacher, Sister Lucille, "In giving of ourselves, we receive".  11:38 AM •  0 Comments •

Moments of Truth...They Can Be Found! As May 2008 joins this year's calendar, alternate sun and rain mark the climate of these spring days - usually the best weather in the changing season environment. Because of too long a pause since my last commentary, now is the time for perspective.

In our natural environment, rain is necessary to help continue sunlight and warmth, unless in the form of tornado or flood. Like that natural environment, good and bad need balance in the worlds of business, public policy, professional sports, and even politics!

First, the good v. the bad in the recent session of the Maryland Legislature: Some of the bad obscured the good, particularly in "rhetoric" politics blotting out fiscal discipline and insufficient action to reduce spending by the decision makers on the first and second floors of Maryland's historic capital building.

The difference between truth and rhetoric is not always easy to find. However, one example of citizen action to successfully cut off the rhetoric: defeat of the computer/tech tax passed behind closed doors of the so-called "special session" of November 2007. Action by small businesses and individual citizens put the heat on through a "moment of truth". Hundreds of computer service firms would exit Maryland to more favorable business climates in surrounding Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Professionally and personally engaged in this battle, I found it meaningful to be part of putting the heat on politicians who seemed to be running towards the nearest exit. With the leadership of Maryland Computer Services Association, led by computer executive Tom Loveland working in tandem with organizations like the State Chamber of Commerce, the exit doors of escape were closed! Tom Loveland and Brad Wills, CEO of Wills & Associates, gave meaning to the word "teamwork".

"Moments of truth" can be found in unexpected ways, and some recent experiences give meaning to those moments:

TWO GIFTS BY THE HOUSE OF RUTH: MOMENTS OF TRUTH

Each year, Baltimore is reminded of the important work of The House of Ruth in its battle for the protection of battered women. An annual fundraiser helps this organization achieve its goal of helping these women and their children find safety and security. That goal was given meaning by an honoree of the meeting, Lisa Spicknall, whose story of her husband's abuse towards her and her children ended with his murder of those two children and his suicide. Her commitment to work with the House of Ruth to stop violence such as she experienced gave strength to all of us who heard her.

The legal system often moves too slowly to protect victims like Lisa Spicknall. It is time for lawyers and judges to accelerate justice for the victims of this kind of violence.

A second speaker gave another story of meaning and courage in a "moment of truth: Bob Woodruff, ABC news anchor, reporter and author of "In an Instant", the story of his serious injury in an explosion from an explosive device north of Baghdad. Woodruff's near death and recovery demonstrated courage and strength that has brought him to a return to service as an ABC reporter. Lee Woodruff, Bob's wife and co-author of "In an Instant", brought support and care during an intensely traumatic period of uncertainty when it was not clear whether he would survive high risk brain surgery. He did survive and the Woodruffs' moment of truth arrived by establishing the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury. This Fund raises money to assist members of the military with cognitive rehabilitation and care following brain injury suffered in service to their country. Here is a real moment of truth to HELP war vets amidst all the rhetoric of how much their sacrifice in battle means to our country's security and safety.

ARTS EDUCATION, AND PERSONAL GROWTH FOR KIDS IN POVERTY:
"THE CLUB AT COLLINGTON SQUARE": MOMENT OF TRUTH

With cumbersome bureaucracy that often surrounds public education, there needs to be increased attention to hands-on work with kids in poverty, giving them more of an "edge" than their living environment provides. One example is a program of Episcopal Community Services (ECSM), a social needs "help" nonprofit that assists people in fighting neighborhood crime and poverty:
1.) "Jericho" prisoner rehabilitation and re-employment training, recently visited by President Bush, who was moved by personal recovery-in-progress through a positive reemployment rate for those whose lives in jail brought them to Jericho
2.) The "ARK" program of volunteers and professionally trained social workers who work with pre-school children from devastated home situations
3.) The "Club" takes those kids who have advanced to early teen age, but are confronting the adversity of drugs, street violence, and poverty.

The Club's moment of truth addresses personal growth for teenagers in a different arena: arts education. The Club is in the process of becoming a community arts program, thanks to the leadership of full-time Director Julia Dibussolo, recent product of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with undergrad and graduate degrees in Community Arts. She and associate MICA graduate Emily Vaughn recently held an afternoon class based on the paintings of Willie Birch. In Julia's words, "Willie's art and sense of community had a great impact on me. His art and my lesson plan based on 'After the Storm' had a profound effect on the Club youth. In the class lesson, youth were asked to remember a 'storm' in their own lives - and convert their emotions into a visual storm painting on paper."

Suzanne and I were observers of this class, joined by MICA enthusiasts Eddie & Sylvia Brown (whose commitment to art and the career of their daughter, painter Tonya Ingersoll, was the inspiration to fund the Brown Center at MICA ). It was observing and interacting with these kids that gave the four of us a "moment of truth". Kids, in spite of poverty and exposure to violence, can be stretched to creativity and learning by art and what it means to them.

What is the human lesson from this art lesson? In short, the answer is direct involvement with challenges. As a watercolorist and painting enthusiast, I had never thought of art as a means to help young people through their fears and frustrations. Again, finding and facing moments of truth can be means of trying to solve problems. It "ain't easy", but the lessons of art can be applied to business and policy.

THE PEACE CORPS: MOMENTS OF TRUTH

Finally, amidst all the excess of rhetoric in today's public life, real work still gets done. An example of the right work of public policy is the working legacy of the Peace Corps. From its origins under Sargent Shriver's leadership 45 years ago, the P.C. has been a means for young people to serve. Again, the moment of truth reached me through two young people who have and are preparing for volunteer service on two continents faced with challenges of poverty and human loss. The moments of truth are the dedication of two young citizens who understand and act in service to others: Elizabeth Tunkle who has just completed a term of service in Zambia, in Africa; and Caroline Ayres, heading to Suriname, a former Dutch colony in South America. Both under age 30, their work has been and will be quietly done in the interest of helping others in need.

There is a theme of volunteer service and commitment to help others in stories from the House of Ruth; the Club at Collington Square; and the Peace Corps. From these "moments of truth", can we look and learn? Can we apply funds, ie.: real help to enlarge the work of the organizations and individuals described in these three case studies?

Here are two public policy and political action items for your consideration, good readers of Citybizlist and this commentary:

1.) Reform the gross excess of spending during endless presidential campaigns and reduce the length of those campaigns from 2+ years to the focus and discipline of an election focused on issues and not attack ads or excessively expensive media hype. Convert these multi-millions to funding of community service (NOT through new government bureaucracies) and work that directly helps those who need it.
2.) Apply economic and global political leverage on OPEC and the greed of oil monopolies to cease and desist in a national climate of an emerging recession.

If "moments of truth" can be found in good works such as described above, let us move to such moments and push to results where they are needed!  9:15 AM •  0 Comments •

AN UNPREDICTABLE SEASON: THE ECONOMY, BUSINESS, AND POLITICS Out of two months of cold, rain, snow and even tornadoes emerges a season of presumed spiritual peace: Passover and its meaningful Seder that brings family and friends together, and Holy Week with its contrasting days of Good Friday and Easter.

The symbolism and peace of Passover and Holy Week can be for many, to use an ol’ navy term, "anchors to windward" in this month of quixotic events and change. These events carry change and uncertainty that might optimistically be considered "works in progress" as the economy, business and politics advance to what many hope might be "predictable indicators" for the near and long term future.

What are these "works in progress" and how are they defining the "State of the Union" ten months before President Bush's final speech by that name? As in my avocation of watercolor painting, a sweep of brush and color can be one way to help produce a landscape. But even using broad brush and vibrant colors, the devil can be in the details of the final product.

In three areas of this unpredictable season, let us explore the uncertainties and potential solutions for the economy, business, and politics. Are there apparent solutions to problems, sole indicators of emerging stability in the nation and in Maryland, often called "America in Miniature"?

Home foreclosures and the credit crisis are reaching families and individuals trying to pay mortgages and meet the cost of living challenges of rising gasoline and home heating costs. On the macro level, the credibility of the Federal Reserve has been put on the line in the use of the Fed's powers to protect investors against a plunge in financial markets. The Bear Stearns syndrome serves as a recent example.

A related question: Is the stock market, with its quixotic ups and downs, going to settle down? Back in the 1929 crash, the market was the primary culprit. But, nearly 80 years later, the market is not the only story. NYSE and NASDAQ are just two parts of the economy, perhaps indicators of more that is going on. Why? In 2009 the markets are intertwined in the complexity of an increasing global economy where the import/export relationships of the U.S. to other global powers (such as China) have increasingly entered the picture.

As the outward and visible sign of the economy, business is essentially providing the products and services of the private sector. There are macro examples, eg: the Boeing/Northrup Grumman defense contract battle. And, here in Maryland, the struggle continues between government and the technology sector - specifically, the computer service businesses, many of them small and medium sized. The threat of a 6% computer service tax still looms over these businesses in a growing IT services sector. The danger of this tax could drive Maryland based businesses to more friendly territory in Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

But, in this unpredictable season, business may win out. An example in Maryland is the battle by the computer companies to continue being a productive part of this State's high tech sector. Evidence of this battle are two days of mass turn-outs from almost 1,000 company executives and employees, including strong warnings before General Assembly committees more comfortable in the environment of lobbyists and "deals", often without the discipline of fiscal limits that are required in running a successful service business.

Thanks go to coalitions of computer service businesses such as the Maryland Computer Services Association, organized and led by Tom Loveland, CEO of Mind of Machines - a truly "grass roots" business executive who is translating his commitment to a growing high tech sector into nonpartisan political action. This is an example of what democracy is all about. This "democracy in action" may result in Maryland's Legislature and Governor being pressed into helping economic development through products and services, results of work by businesses and professional firms. What is needed at the finish line after 90 days of "Annapolis talk"? The answer is simple: REPEAL of a penalty tax that justifies more fiscal discipline by government.

Finally, the most unpredictable part of this unpredictable season: politics. An endless presidential campaign was recently narrowed down to cross fire from candidate Clinton against the first strong opponent she has ever faced, Barak Obama, who has tried to place rationality before a shouting minister.

National politics continues to be dominated by the geometric growth of campaign spending. The cost of a 30-second television attack ad can go into the millions. Just think how much better the use of private contributions could be when applied to after-school reading programs for deprived inner city youth. As a specific example of a mistaken priority in youth education, there is a possibility of Congress cutting the Federal Government share of "Reading is Fundamental", a national private/public partnership that purchases books and trains volunteers to help children learn to read so that books and reading can become part of deprived children's lives. As a Board member and volunteer, I find it an honor to help RIF wake up the Washington politicians to the real needs of people.

Ending on the media "binge” note of sex and politicians:

Has there been a time count on the internet space, newspaper pages, and hours of television devoted to the Spitzer escapades, as "client 9" in Washington's Willard Hotel? Perhaps in the current approach of a more predictable spring season, the Easter bunny can get some equal time!  3:47 PM •  0 Comments •

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

  2:00 PM •  0 Comments •

A New Year or Encore? Across the United State, we are seeing an increase of political rhetoric in a presidential campaign that benefits a limited few on candidates' payrolls. The media and advertising sectors are scooping up contributions and absorbing them for a limited few.

There is also an emerging economic challenge for which government, Federal and local, must work with the private sector, which, after all, produces the income needed to fund government services. We need less bureaucracy of red tape.

Across Maryland we see a one-party political wall failing to respond to fears about increasing numbers of doctors leaving Maryland in a lawsuit abuse environment, and "special session" taxes being slid under the door of small computer service businesses critically needed to grow. Technology is becoming the replacement for Maryland's historic smokestack industrial base. The State House in Annapolis seems to be the last to "get the word"!

POLITICAL RHETORIC

At this front end of uncertainty, what is on the near and far horizons?

First, let's look at the political noise emerging from presidential candidates of both parties. Recently, I heard a long respected executive‘s observation that now may be the time to shift the priority from charges to performance. He suggests the viability of a Michael Bloomberg candidacyand the growing independent voter sentiment. Bloomberg is now the subject of a petition drive to draft him for a presidential bid. This comes in a year when increasing numbers of voters indicate anger with both parties in Washington, and at the lack of discipline by both Democratsand Republicans to control spending.

Bloomberg has the track record to cut through the promises of dramatic change to delivery of change. This delivery consists of experience in bringing discipline to America's most complex and largest city government, as well as managing a growing nationalcommunications business in a highly competitive environment. Combined with an independence from campaign contributors' pressures, it is the work product and the results that count if this type of government leader can bring it to cross party lines and GET THE WORK DONE.

Think about this Bloomberg observation in his recent "State of the City" address: "Keeping New York City and America at the front of the pack begins with openness to new energy ... meaning innovation. That's how I built a business and worked to bring to a city government that was insular and provincial and married to the conventional." Perhaps combined with the personal integrity of McCain and the idealism of Obama, the rhetoric can be narrowed down to real results.

And speaking of failure to move to real results, Bill Clinton has demeaned the responsibility of a former President by daily "charge-counter charge" rhetoric thatdoes nothing constructive and feeds the appetites of the "campaign hype" types, those handlers and advertising moguls who make more money the longer a campaign runs.

ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

In terms of direct results from action by a government agency, the Federal Reserve provides reality not rhetoric. The timing of action on interest rates by the Fed may be needed, near term, to stem the growing number of problems caused by the loss of home ownership in the subprime mortgage arena. But, the balance between Congressional calls for further tax cuts and stimulus packages is a delicate one that does not lend itself to promises and rhetoric. Chairman Bernankehas indicated that a 50 to 150 billion stimulus package seems reasonable with funds going to low and moderate income people. This will likely result in more economic recovery than if it only benefited people with high incomes. This means a separation of long term economic policy from short term stimuli, with a careful balance between the two.

The real factor in the longer term must be a discipline inspendingand the avoidance of hidden taxes. The alternative minimum tax and the complexity of deductions only slide under the door, giving primary benefit to tax accountants in their invoices to clients for whom our tax system has added a level of complexity to maintaining a fiscal discipline at the personal level.

The jury is still out on this quiet but increasingly serious impact on American taxpayers and moderate to lower income citizens. We need to stay tuned and avoid further encores of political rhetoric in the coming weeks of the campaign. Even more important, we need to heed action ratherthan promises.

Let 2008 be a real new year for less political rhetoric and more direct work on behalf of the economy. We need a sensible solution for restoring a strong and stable economy, not weakened by the hot air of political promises. We need a solution that is not weakened by the loss of essential doctors and health care providers or the departure of growing technology business in Maryland.

Labels: Bloomberg, Maryland, O'Malley

  10:53 AM •  0 Comments •

FOR OUR COUNTRY: FOR OUR STATE: HAD ENOUGH? FOR OUR COUNTRY: HAD ENOUGH? VOTE INDEPENDANT!FOR OUR STATE : HAD ENOUGH? KEEP POLITICS OUT OF EDUCATION!

First , OUR COUNTRY

As the sun rises on the first cold day of 2008, a welcome to the new year is in order. Remember the days when Presidential campaigns were reasonable in length and not tied to campaign contributions that travel quickly ---

into the pockets of wheeler - dealer political "handlers" of the Karl Rove and the James Carville variety;
into the advertising cash registers of rhetoric-driven television commercials and advertising agencies;
into the relentless candidate sound bites, in Iowa & New Hampshire, out of the mouths of Hillary, Huckabee to all the others that promise a "new dawn" even more exciting than the Times Square image of the new year's arrival.

But, on the last day of last year -- December 31, 2007 -- an independent group of "centrists" / solution seekers have called for forming a "government of national unity"!

Surprise? the answer is "maybe", until the American voter notes who is sounding a trumpet call. As reported by respected Washington Post analyst David Broder, some past and current respected national leaders are calling for change. Look at a sampling of those sounding the alarm, in the spirit of Paul Revere, "Watch out! the partisan politicians are coming! "

Jack Danforth, former Missouri Senator and Episcopal minister who says that politics should not dominate one's faith;
Sam Nunn, former Georgia Senator whose leadership of the Senate Armed Services / Intelligence committees reached out for workable solutions to serious international problems;
Christie Todd Whitman, former New Jersey Governor and EPA Administrator, who saw the need for attention to the "Inconvenient Truth" of global warming being factored into environmental regulations;
Charles Robb, former Va. Senator , who has lent his experience to post-911 bipartisan commission work, based on crossing the line of Democratic -- Republican divide;
William Cohen, former Maine Senator and , as a Republican, served as Secy. of Defense during the Clinton Administration;
Charles Hagel, current Oklahoma Senator and Vietnam veteran, who has expressed concern with rigidity of both the Democratic and Republican party machinery during the current national and international issues, some of which have little past precedant. As 2 examples: globalization of trade and economic issues, the contrast of terrorism that cannot be easily anticipated by traditional military forces that won the 20th century's 2 world wars.

One of this growing group is Susan Eisenhower, personal friend with whom I have had the opportunity to work,as a Board member, of the Eisenhower Institute: a public policy center in Washington, that has takes a leadership role in practical steps towards more cooperation with Russia during the post-Soviet/Stalin era. During his private sector interlude, I worked directly with Chuck Hagel on a election /voting machine reform project that, several years later was proven to be valid during the "chads blizzard" in recent elections. I saw and admired Bill Brock, former Senator from Tennessee, when he -- after moving to Maryland -- worked to bring a broader base to this State's Republican party, then reduced to a narrow minority by the "boss-driven" control of the majority opposition.

What are these people and a growing number of others calling for? Answer and no surprise: Election of a respected leader not embedded to the consultants and the draw-down of millions of dollars being diverted from civic , education causes to which voters might contribute in preference to the online suction of money into campaign advertising and "fix it", overpaid political handlers.

The action line of this new "get the work done", moderate coalition , is to seek an "independent" candidate sufficiently tested in the battlefield of private sector and government management.
The person with whom this group is meeting in less than a week: Michael Bloomberg : no -nonsense Mayor of New York; preceded by private sector business leadership in the communications field and, in Baltimore -- support of higher education as Chair of the Johns Hopkins Board of Trustees and force for funding, by personal example, with the Hopkins School of Public Health and other similar initiatives.

Where will a growing desire for American government, less dominated by partisan bickering , be seen once again? -- in the spirit of once isolationist Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg crossing the aisle to support the United Nations and the Marshall Plan for European recovery.

We do not know the answer to that question -- perhaps, in the maze of the impending Iowa and New Hampshire voting, a shadow of concern about the manipulated, partisan politics of today will be cast over the voter landscape!

ANOTHER PARTISAN INTRUSION: IN MARYLAND AND PUBLIC EDUCATION

Partisan manipulation is not confined to the national scene; we are seeing a threat Maryland's higher education system, managed professionally by a respected former public school teacher and State Superintendent under 1 Republican and 2 Democratic Governors, now at risk: Dr. Nancy Grasmick does not and has never functioned as an advocate for politics in schools -- whether by the teachers union or by outside forces not focused on the improvement of opportunity for creative learning by students -- particularly in impoverished parts of Baltimore.

Recently, as a volunteer trustee of a privately funded social services community needs organization (Episcopal Community Services of Md.), I had the opportunity to work with Nancy Grasmick in assessing the potential of pre-school help to kids being successfully implemented in ECSM's program to assist kids from broken family and home environments. A half day with Dr. Grasmick and her team, was in a word: inspirational, as she listened to staff and volunteers describe how they worked with little kids to enable them to reach higher, even at the pre-school age. What Nancy is now examining is the application of what the ARK does to what can help strengthen the start of kids in the public schools of Maryland.

How can anything go wrong with nonpartisan and professional leadership of public education?

An unnecessary and wasteful battle appears to be emerging for Maryland public education, as competent leadership is beginning to be the unnecessary victim of politics in the management of our State's public schools.Behind the obvious reasons to continue the service of respected professional Nancy Grasmick is emerging the wrong issue: a the willingness of the Governor and others to reverse the nonpolitical help proposed by Ms. Grasmick to provide a properly funded / improved management over the most troubled Baltimore City schools.

Along with discriminatory taxes on small business, there appears on the Annapolis horizon, a cloud similar to partisan national politics where "crossing the aisle" to work with those of different views, seemsto becoming the norm. THE ANSWER ? WATCH FOR THE NEW YEAR TO UNFOLD!

Stay tuned, citybizlist readers! I will report back to you as we move from New Year's day to the first weeks of January-- as more will be learned about the need to VOTE INDEPENDANT for the future of America-- as more will be learned about the O'Malley -Mike Miller - Michael Busch axis to inject partisan politics into Maryland public education.

In hopes for a sensible and more nonpartisan 2008 , your correspondant -- George Wills

Labels: education, Grasmick, Maryland politics

  6:22 PM •  0 Comments •

EXCUSE THE INTERRUPTION BY A MARYLAND TAX ON SMALL BUSINESS! 2008 will be a new year for perspectives. One example of a new perspective is technology and its computer component to which many professionals and executives participate. As one who has limited "techie" skills, I am dependent on skilled computer repair professionals. Should such labor services be subject to Maryland Sales Tax? NO!

Computer technology has been temporarily but rudely interrupted by Maryland's Legislature and its Governor. At the conclusion of a happy family Thanksgiving gathering, I stopped by a neighbor's house. Part of that pleasant neighborhood visit was a not so pleasant discovery from a guest who started a computer services business in Baltimore that exports to other states and overseas. This business owner told me that he was "amazed to find that, in its quest to find 'soft targets' to raise tax revenue, the Maryland Senate Finance Committee has arbitrarily decided that a Maryland sales tax should now apply to computer services companies, most of them small in size".

My friend's firm has two offices, one in Baltimore and the other in Pennsylvania. As the owner of this small business, his decision may have to be " to have no future services performed or billed out of the Baltimore office, should the tax be levied on this type of service business". Furthermore, he noted that that if the tax is levied, he will have to ask his existing employees "to move to Pennsylvania immediately." The matter is of such concern to this businessperson that he may have to discourage other computer business executives from locating or expanding in Maryland.

A similar concern was expressed in today's Daily Record Opinion page by another small computer services owner, Stephen Kolbe, President of a local IT consulting firm staffed by 30 employees, most of whom live and work in Baltimore County. Mr. Kolbe added that the computer service industry has been provided with "practically no notice or means to offer commentary on this matter".

What is the message for taxpayers, small business managers and citizens in Maryland? The answer is clear: It is a mistake for Maryland's economy AND its taxpayers.

Another service business has a "special session" challenge: auto repairs. As a member of the Board of Directors of AAA Mid-Atlantic which represents thousands of automobile drivers, I volunteered to assist our regional association in blocking such a discriminatory tax against auto repair firms in Maryland. This Maryland tax would have been in contrast to the other states served by the national AAA.

Like cars made more complex by computer technology, the service providers for home and small business computer users are increasingly essential to the public. Not only is the customer hurt, but also his service provider. That service provider is often not the multi-state corporation that gives CEO's a huge bonus when bad business results actually warrant that exec's departure. We are talking about SMALL businesses, like the one my friend started on his own creative skills and management.

The danger of this kind of tax getting final approval by the Md. Legislature in the upcoming session is clear. It reflects the questionable maneuvering to place a special session as a detour by Senate President Mike Miller, House Speaker Busch, and Governor O'Malley, around an honest effort to reduce government spending and apply the tax increases fairly. Maryland is no longer a heavy industry state. New technology and health care are critical to our economic future.

Would Miller and the trial lawyers ever permit a tax on legal fees? Not likely, as proven by the skilled maneuvering to prevent tort reform in reducing the excess lawsuits against doctors. The necessity for legislative responsibility is increased for less of a "closed corporation" whereby one of the General Assembly management sets all the rules. An example of this necessity was expressed by the small computer services owner when he heard a report that the Md. Senate President has said publicly that, once elected, a State Senator has only to follow his or her views rather than the needs of the taxpayer electorate. The computer service sales tax is an intrusion on those needs.

Let us remember and apply the same lesson that helped create this State of Maryland and the American nation: "TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS TYRANNY".

Labels: Maryland tax on small business

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