AP attended the planning commission meeting last night, and today AP has been searching the internet for legal psychotropic drugs to try and re-create the experience. It was a grueling 5 hours, and in typical city fashion the items that nobody was there to speak about were first on the agenda and the items that everyone was there for were last.
Here are the abridged minutes:
7:07: call to order
7:08-8:48: debate and hear testimony about 3 bills that affect, literally, only Eastport. One bill affected one single street, another was the result of one business sign. Some of these bills may have been given a favorable reading, perhaps some unfavorable, perhaps some were tabled until next meeting---I wasn't really paying attention because I hadn't had any coffee.
8:49-8:54: 5 minute break
8:54: commission begins to hear testimony on 2 am liquor license zoning rules
summary of above testimony:
Ward 1 residents:
-drunk people urinate on our flower pots
-there is no right to fair zoning
-more drinking = more problems
- blah blah blah ward 1 sector study blah blah
-ward 1 sector study was good
-we spent a lot of money on our houses
-we will be happy if downtown businesses close up and move to parole (no BS folks, this is totally true)
Bar Owners, concerned citizens, government watchdogs, other dilettantes:
-current zoning rules are arbitrarily unfair
-some licenses can't even APPLY, REPEAT: APPLY, for a 2 am
-have police enforce the laws about public intoxication
-hire more freegin' police
-ward 1 sector study is outdated
-get your facts straight on how many bars would be affected
11:41: public testimony on this bill ends
11:42: many people are dizzy, portraits on wall seem to come alive
11:43: commission recommends unfavorable position on 2 am zoning bill
11:44: many leave in a hurry, trying to make last call
11:51 (est) adjournment
Friday, July 20, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Do Our Elected Officials Make Too Much Money?
At Monday's city council meeting, a public hearing will be held for (amongst other things) a change in the way cost of living raises are given to our elected officials.
If you want to read about how the mayor and aldermen will receive a bigger raise than the police officers under the current proposals, click here. The truth is, the two events probably have little to do with each other. A study on elected official compensation has been in the works for some time now, and I doubt they could have predicted the details of the negotiations with the police union. Frankly, AP has no interest in discussing this particular aspect of this issue at this time.
If you want to read about how the mayor and aldermen will receive a bigger raise than the police officers under the current proposals, click here. The truth is, the two events probably have little to do with each other. A study on elected official compensation has been in the works for some time now, and I doubt they could have predicted the details of the negotiations with the police union. Frankly, AP has no interest in discussing this particular aspect of this issue at this time.
What I am interested in talking about is the level of compensation for the elected officials. Although I started this post yesterday, I had somewhat of an impromptu conversation about this issue with the gentleman behind http://www.annapoliscapitalpunishment.blogspot.com/ this morning and we tend to agree on most of it.
Former Governor Ehrlich often preaches the value of having candidates for office that have succeeded in their private lives. The problem is, most of these people would have to take a pay cut if they were to be elected. The mayor, a full-time city employee, makes $70,000 per year. Each alderman makes $12,600, which will not pay your mortgage if you own any house in the city. People make work decisions based on utility, which means the total value to them of the job's salary as well as non-monetary factors such as hours, convenience, and having plenty of attractive co-workers in the office.
For the system of government that we have, $70,000 is probably not enough. The non-monetary aspects are great: prestige, fulfillment of public service, possibility of a sweet cabinet-level position in the O'Malley administration, etc. But, any city mayor could probably make twice their salary in the private market.
(Of note, currently the mayor appoints a city administrator, who makes slightly less than twice the mayor's salary and does, well, slightly nothing. If he did slightly anything he may consider fixing the air conditioning problem in the market house or replacing some other department heads. {Note to city administrator: you can do it! Just pretend like the other department heads are named Patmore}).
And the aldermen, heck---being an alderman is/should be a full-time job. It takes time to respond to constituent needs and adequately research bills. But with the paltry salary they receive, they either have to be independently wealthy, live off the land, or have another full-time job. Can we really blame aldermen for wanting to run for mayor or county council? Their hourly wage probably works out to be worth 3 Auntie Annie's pretzels at Market House.
Here is the list, to the best of my knowledge, of what other full-time jobs the aldermen have:
Dick Isreal: attorney, longtime assistant attorney general
Mike Christman: former navy pilot, current retail company COO
Classie Hoyle: educator, educational activist, baltimore slumlord, oops, landlord
Sheila Finlayson: educational lobbyist, school board critic/crusader
Dave Cordle: investigator, state's attorney's office
Julie Stankivic: health policy analyst (in baltimore, btw)
Sam Shropshire: founder, Maritime Republic of Eastport (yay!), involved in various non-profit organizations (note: I am not quite sure how or if Alderman Sam earns other income)
Ross Arnett: #1 greatest job ever (economist), retired federal government executive
How do we solve this problem? I'm going to stop short of saying this is the solution, but consider this idea:
-get rid of city administrator
-pay the city council more money and increase their responsibility/ability to serve
-have city council hire a city manager at its discretion (not by appointment by the mayor)
-have mayor be figurehead, preside over city council
-have city manager run logistics of city operations
-enjoy better city
Well? Whadda' ya think?
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Sister City Report
The mayor has posted her first non-biographical entry on her blog, http://www.ellenmoyer.blogspot.com/. The mayor visited Rochefort, France on July 16. We learn that this city is near the water, that shipbuilding is important, and that they 'brew' cognac there. How excellent.
Everyone should have a vacation, and the mayor's decsription of the city reminded me in a nostalgic way of my recent trip to Spain. The thing is, I went for 10 days during Thanksgiving--a time when not much work gets done anyway and me being gone only affects me--and the mayor is gone for 60 DAYS!, and her being gone affects some 30,000+ citizens, at least theoretically. For example, on the day when the mayor was learning the above facts,
-there were 122 calls to 911
-6 people were arrested
-we were in a traffic jam on forest drive, or west st., or near park place, or on chiquapin round rd.
-the air conditioning problem at market house still has not been solved
-there is no director of public works
-i slammed my finger in my car door, and it hurts
Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. Even if there was an emergency, the mayor has a no-air-travel policy so she wouldn't be back to help anyway.
Most of the post was somewhat mundane, but this particular section caused some alarms to sound:
I also learned that in Annapolis we rely far more on private contributions to support the simple things that bring pleasure in life like fireworks, gardens, art, celebrations like Charter 300 and major efforts in preservation. Public dollars are the major and sometimes only source of investment here.
Make no mistake, Annapolis spends a lot of $$$ on things that should be left to the private system. For goodness sake, we had better spend less than the French do. See, the thing is, the more you rely on the private market, the better you are.
Let's look at this very crude data:
France:
Corporate Income Tax Rate: 33.33%
Individual Income Tax Rate: 10% - 48.09%
Per Capita Gdp (a measure of wealth): $30,693 (2006 est)
Unemployment: 8.1%
United States:
Corporate Income Tax Rate: 35%
Individual Income Tax Rate: 0%-35%
Per Capita Gdp: $43,444 (2006 est)
Unemployment: 4.5%
Tax Rates are a reasonable signal of how much the government is involved in the economy. In france the government does more, and the economy is worse. In the United States, the private market does more, and the economy is better.
Let's get a little more scientific.
In 1989, two World Bank economists studied 106 countries for 34 years, and found that:
-For manufacturing based countries, those with higher than average use of free market principles averaged 5% annual GDP growth, and those with lower than average use of free market principles had 3.9% annual GDP growth.
-For natural-resource based countries, those with higher than average use of free market principles averaged 5.5% annual GDP growth, and lower than average use of free market principles: 4.7% annual GDP growth.
Free market = better than socialism, but only if you want more wealth (or more political freedom).
Also, in 1995 two Harvard economists concluded that the way for poor countries to get wealthier and perhaps catch up to rich countries was to have a more open trade and protect property rights. Imagine that: a place where the government doesn't interfere with business, rights are protected, and laws are enforced. Brilliant!
Now, the mayor was probably not considering these things, but I think it shows the fundamental difference in political philosophies between liberals and conservatives, and in my opinion that conservatism is superior. Superior based on fact and data.
Everyone should have a vacation, and the mayor's decsription of the city reminded me in a nostalgic way of my recent trip to Spain. The thing is, I went for 10 days during Thanksgiving--a time when not much work gets done anyway and me being gone only affects me--and the mayor is gone for 60 DAYS!, and her being gone affects some 30,000+ citizens, at least theoretically. For example, on the day when the mayor was learning the above facts,
-there were 122 calls to 911
-6 people were arrested
-we were in a traffic jam on forest drive, or west st., or near park place, or on chiquapin round rd.
-the air conditioning problem at market house still has not been solved
-there is no director of public works
-i slammed my finger in my car door, and it hurts
Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. Even if there was an emergency, the mayor has a no-air-travel policy so she wouldn't be back to help anyway.
Most of the post was somewhat mundane, but this particular section caused some alarms to sound:
I also learned that in Annapolis we rely far more on private contributions to support the simple things that bring pleasure in life like fireworks, gardens, art, celebrations like Charter 300 and major efforts in preservation. Public dollars are the major and sometimes only source of investment here.
Make no mistake, Annapolis spends a lot of $$$ on things that should be left to the private system. For goodness sake, we had better spend less than the French do. See, the thing is, the more you rely on the private market, the better you are.
Let's look at this very crude data:
France:
Corporate Income Tax Rate: 33.33%
Individual Income Tax Rate: 10% - 48.09%
Per Capita Gdp (a measure of wealth): $30,693 (2006 est)
Unemployment: 8.1%
United States:
Corporate Income Tax Rate: 35%
Individual Income Tax Rate: 0%-35%
Per Capita Gdp: $43,444 (2006 est)
Unemployment: 4.5%
Tax Rates are a reasonable signal of how much the government is involved in the economy. In france the government does more, and the economy is worse. In the United States, the private market does more, and the economy is better.
Let's get a little more scientific.
In 1989, two World Bank economists studied 106 countries for 34 years, and found that:
-For manufacturing based countries, those with higher than average use of free market principles averaged 5% annual GDP growth, and those with lower than average use of free market principles had 3.9% annual GDP growth.
-For natural-resource based countries, those with higher than average use of free market principles averaged 5.5% annual GDP growth, and lower than average use of free market principles: 4.7% annual GDP growth.
Free market = better than socialism, but only if you want more wealth (or more political freedom).
Also, in 1995 two Harvard economists concluded that the way for poor countries to get wealthier and perhaps catch up to rich countries was to have a more open trade and protect property rights. Imagine that: a place where the government doesn't interfere with business, rights are protected, and laws are enforced. Brilliant!
Now, the mayor was probably not considering these things, but I think it shows the fundamental difference in political philosophies between liberals and conservatives, and in my opinion that conservatism is superior. Superior based on fact and data.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Why Should We Vote?
Arguably, or maybe unarguably, the biggest pain in the side of politically active folk is people who don't vote. Inexplicably, about half of registered voters (in a big election) do not find the occasion important or convenient enough to vote. Trying to find out why this is, is equally frustrating.
But today, O' glorious day! We can examine first hand the mindset of such a person, thanks to her letter to the Capital.
In this past election, I voted for the first time in my 44 years.
If you are 44 years old now, then the first time you could have voted is around 1981, and the first presidential election for you would/could have been 1984. I know that some of you, the loyal readers, are wondering why this person would not vote in 1984 when she could have. Well, here are some national events that were happening in 1984:
-Reagan proposes world wide chemical weapons ban
-USSR boycotts summer olympics in Los Angeles
-Hezbollah bombs US embassy in Beirut
-First woman executed in U.S. in 22 years
-crack cocaine first introduced in Los Angeles
No? Not compelling enough for you to vote, to show your beliefs on these issues? Ok, let's continue.
I had never voted before because I believed politicians are liars.
While preparing to write what I am writing right now, the cursor stood blank on the page for a while, because I scarcely knew where to start. I'm afraid that what I am about to say is incomplete and inarticulate, but i have to write something. The whole point of a representative republic, like we live in, is that the government derives its authority through the consent of the governed. The way you give consent is by voting for a candidate to govern you. If you wish, you can refuse you grant your consent by casting a 'protest vote', which means casting a ballot but not selecting any candidate.
They make promises that appeal to you, not to fulfill them, but to go further and do something they claimed to be against -- or they just simply make a mess of things.
Two points here. First, if one politician is even marginally less of a liar, hypocrite, or moron, or is less messy, voting for that person would be meaningful. In the unlikely case that they are equally unqualified, you can cast a protest vote. Second, if a politician breaks his promises or exercises blatant disregard of his oath, you can actually recall the politician from office. In the city of Annapolis, you can start a petition and force a referendum election with signatures from 30% of registered voters. Maryland does not allow for recall of a governor, but if you want you can move to a state that does.
I decided it was my responsibility to vote,
Correct.
mainly because of all the lives that had been given so that I would have that right.
Only partially correct. These lives were indeed given so you can vote, but in a larger and more accurate sense they were given (amongst other reasons) so you could continue to enjoy your political freedoms and influence the way in which you are governed. Therefore, it is your civic duty to make known the way in which you demand to be represented--you do this by voting.
Well, it looks like my earlier feelings weren't too far off.
Assuming you are referring to your belief that politicians are liars, and so forth, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. A politician who knows that the electorate, specifically the people who oppose him/her, is disinterested or will not vote will not do anything to satisfy you because it does not affect him. You do not vote so he/she does not care about you. If you, the loyal reader, would like more information regarding this issue, a more comprehensive analysis can be obtained through the study of Public Choice Economics.
The gubernatorial candidate I voted for won.
Agghhhh! Why you would vote for him is the subject of another post. For now, thank you for voting.
He promised to revamp the juvenile justice system, which I am an advocate for. He did nothing.
Doing nothing is a key strategy of the O'Malley Next Election Plan. It is harder to piss people off if you don't do anything, and not pissing people off helps you ascend the political ranks. (What also helps you ascend the ranks is to govern in a way that improves the lives of the citizens. But that's too much like work.)
Nationally, I voted for a horrific pair of candidates. Now we are in a war where so many are dying, and I really don't see a safe way out.
Not really the purpose of this blog, but what the hell....does anyone think that today, right now even, we couldn't remove all of our troops and bomb Iran, Iraq, or Ward 8 back to the stone age? (Note to Ward 8: just kidding.) That would be a safe way out. But that's probably not the answer and it's definitely another conversation.
I will be changing to a registered Independent and continue to pray for a way out.
CYNTHIA DESHAIES, Gambrills
This last sentence of your letter is the most furiously appalling of the whole bit. Praying is good, but you should not be praying for a light load, as it were, you should be praying for a strong back. You should be praying for the politicians to lead with righteousness and vigilance, and praying that you have the strength to stay the course. Instead, you have recused yourself from your already paltry participation in the political process. You have given up. You have thrown your hands in the air and announced that you will allow--by your own words--the politicians to make a mess of things. To boot, as if changing your registration to Independent affects anything (except by eliminating your ability to vote in a primary election), you have abandoned whatever principles attracted you to your previous political party and declared yourself an independent. Sadly, ma'am, you are not independent, you are apathetic.
Even so, Ms. Deshaies, I would like to thank you for your letter. Researching my response has enhanced my understanding of government, and hopefully karma will eventually re-inspire your efficacy.
But today, O' glorious day! We can examine first hand the mindset of such a person, thanks to her letter to the Capital.
In this past election, I voted for the first time in my 44 years.
If you are 44 years old now, then the first time you could have voted is around 1981, and the first presidential election for you would/could have been 1984. I know that some of you, the loyal readers, are wondering why this person would not vote in 1984 when she could have. Well, here are some national events that were happening in 1984:
-Reagan proposes world wide chemical weapons ban
-USSR boycotts summer olympics in Los Angeles
-Hezbollah bombs US embassy in Beirut
-First woman executed in U.S. in 22 years
-crack cocaine first introduced in Los Angeles
No? Not compelling enough for you to vote, to show your beliefs on these issues? Ok, let's continue.
I had never voted before because I believed politicians are liars.
While preparing to write what I am writing right now, the cursor stood blank on the page for a while, because I scarcely knew where to start. I'm afraid that what I am about to say is incomplete and inarticulate, but i have to write something. The whole point of a representative republic, like we live in, is that the government derives its authority through the consent of the governed. The way you give consent is by voting for a candidate to govern you. If you wish, you can refuse you grant your consent by casting a 'protest vote', which means casting a ballot but not selecting any candidate.
They make promises that appeal to you, not to fulfill them, but to go further and do something they claimed to be against -- or they just simply make a mess of things.
Two points here. First, if one politician is even marginally less of a liar, hypocrite, or moron, or is less messy, voting for that person would be meaningful. In the unlikely case that they are equally unqualified, you can cast a protest vote. Second, if a politician breaks his promises or exercises blatant disregard of his oath, you can actually recall the politician from office. In the city of Annapolis, you can start a petition and force a referendum election with signatures from 30% of registered voters. Maryland does not allow for recall of a governor, but if you want you can move to a state that does.
I decided it was my responsibility to vote,
Correct.
mainly because of all the lives that had been given so that I would have that right.
Only partially correct. These lives were indeed given so you can vote, but in a larger and more accurate sense they were given (amongst other reasons) so you could continue to enjoy your political freedoms and influence the way in which you are governed. Therefore, it is your civic duty to make known the way in which you demand to be represented--you do this by voting.
Well, it looks like my earlier feelings weren't too far off.
Assuming you are referring to your belief that politicians are liars, and so forth, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. A politician who knows that the electorate, specifically the people who oppose him/her, is disinterested or will not vote will not do anything to satisfy you because it does not affect him. You do not vote so he/she does not care about you. If you, the loyal reader, would like more information regarding this issue, a more comprehensive analysis can be obtained through the study of Public Choice Economics.
The gubernatorial candidate I voted for won.
Agghhhh! Why you would vote for him is the subject of another post. For now, thank you for voting.
He promised to revamp the juvenile justice system, which I am an advocate for. He did nothing.
Doing nothing is a key strategy of the O'Malley Next Election Plan. It is harder to piss people off if you don't do anything, and not pissing people off helps you ascend the political ranks. (What also helps you ascend the ranks is to govern in a way that improves the lives of the citizens. But that's too much like work.)
Nationally, I voted for a horrific pair of candidates. Now we are in a war where so many are dying, and I really don't see a safe way out.
Not really the purpose of this blog, but what the hell....does anyone think that today, right now even, we couldn't remove all of our troops and bomb Iran, Iraq, or Ward 8 back to the stone age? (Note to Ward 8: just kidding.) That would be a safe way out. But that's probably not the answer and it's definitely another conversation.
I will be changing to a registered Independent and continue to pray for a way out.
CYNTHIA DESHAIES, Gambrills
This last sentence of your letter is the most furiously appalling of the whole bit. Praying is good, but you should not be praying for a light load, as it were, you should be praying for a strong back. You should be praying for the politicians to lead with righteousness and vigilance, and praying that you have the strength to stay the course. Instead, you have recused yourself from your already paltry participation in the political process. You have given up. You have thrown your hands in the air and announced that you will allow--by your own words--the politicians to make a mess of things. To boot, as if changing your registration to Independent affects anything (except by eliminating your ability to vote in a primary election), you have abandoned whatever principles attracted you to your previous political party and declared yourself an independent. Sadly, ma'am, you are not independent, you are apathetic.
Even so, Ms. Deshaies, I would like to thank you for your letter. Researching my response has enhanced my understanding of government, and hopefully karma will eventually re-inspire your efficacy.
Market House
With the Mayor in hibernation, AP will now take an examination of the market house--an issue that should have singularly defeated the mayor's re-election campaign, but did not. Today we will ignore the air conditioning situation and focus on the tenant situation.
The original market house, of course, was created by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1683.
Umm, was Maryland even a state in 1683?
(..........research......)
Answer: no. Kinda' in 1776, but really 1788. So maybe it was the General Assembly of the Royal English Colony of Maryland.
Umm, when was the American Revolution?
(research, etc., so forth, so on, .....)
Answer: revolutionary era began in 1760's. So yes, probably a royal english colony. It appears that I was doodling in my Meade 5-star Trapper Keeper in lieu of paying attention in history class.
Here is my guess as to what occupied the original market house:
-blacksmith
-fishmonger
-yeomen of the great chamber
-wise sage
-map detailing route to outhouse
-starbucks
Here is a partial list of what is there now:
1. crab cake place
2. italian pastry franchise
3. local bank branch
4. donut franchise
5. soft pretzel mega-franchise
6. irish place
7. pizza place
8. cereal buffet
9. nice bathrooms
10. no starbucks!
Now, clearly we don't expect the place to stay the same. But, even as recently as when I was a teenager, the place had character.
Ten years ago, there was no clear path through the market house and traversing successfully through all of the corners was a source of pride for locals. Today, locals, tourists, and politicians alike are herded like robots to the franchise of their choice via the only thruway.
Ten years ago, a resident or someone working downtown could get comforting food at a good price from a long-standing family vendor. Today that is gone, and you can get a pretzel, a crab cake, or a donut from a highly commercialized franchise.
This is what we waited two years for? This is why we still can't park? Attention Moyer administration: I wish there were no term limits so I could vote you back for another 756 years! (Remember, we are robots, we can live that long.)(Attention Moyer administration: I probably would not vote for you and we really can't live that long, except in Ward 8.)
As it is now the wee hours of July 16 it is now my birthday. In observation of this day, and in recognition of my promise to not speak of the air conditioning situation, this post is over. As I am now 26 years old, I expect to be exponentially better at this blogging exercise than when i was 25, and you lucky folks will reap the benefits!
The original market house, of course, was created by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1683.
Umm, was Maryland even a state in 1683?
(..........research......)
Answer: no. Kinda' in 1776, but really 1788. So maybe it was the General Assembly of the Royal English Colony of Maryland.
Umm, when was the American Revolution?
(research, etc., so forth, so on, .....)
Answer: revolutionary era began in 1760's. So yes, probably a royal english colony. It appears that I was doodling in my Meade 5-star Trapper Keeper in lieu of paying attention in history class.
Here is my guess as to what occupied the original market house:
-blacksmith
-fishmonger
-yeomen of the great chamber
-wise sage
-map detailing route to outhouse
-starbucks
Here is a partial list of what is there now:
1. crab cake place
2. italian pastry franchise
3. local bank branch
4. donut franchise
5. soft pretzel mega-franchise
6. irish place
7. pizza place
8. cereal buffet
9. nice bathrooms
10. no starbucks!
Now, clearly we don't expect the place to stay the same. But, even as recently as when I was a teenager, the place had character.
Ten years ago, there was no clear path through the market house and traversing successfully through all of the corners was a source of pride for locals. Today, locals, tourists, and politicians alike are herded like robots to the franchise of their choice via the only thruway.
Ten years ago, a resident or someone working downtown could get comforting food at a good price from a long-standing family vendor. Today that is gone, and you can get a pretzel, a crab cake, or a donut from a highly commercialized franchise.
This is what we waited two years for? This is why we still can't park? Attention Moyer administration: I wish there were no term limits so I could vote you back for another 756 years! (Remember, we are robots, we can live that long.)(Attention Moyer administration: I probably would not vote for you and we really can't live that long, except in Ward 8.)
As it is now the wee hours of July 16 it is now my birthday. In observation of this day, and in recognition of my promise to not speak of the air conditioning situation, this post is over. As I am now 26 years old, I expect to be exponentially better at this blogging exercise than when i was 25, and you lucky folks will reap the benefits!
The Mayor Has a Blog!
Thanks to our new friend at www.annapoliscapitalpunishment.blogspot.com for this information.
The mayor has a new blog: www.ellenmoyer.blogspot.com. Yours truly is truly exited.....as Rush Limbaugh gained fame covering Bill Clinton, and the Yankees and Red Sox stir interest by rivaling each other, so too will we use this opportunity to (hopefully) engage in the adversarial political process, that which inherently produces checks and balances.
So far there is only 1 post, which curiously provides a biography of the mayor written in the third person. Very few particulars, which makes for a quite boring review at this time. But what excitement!
And, with any luck, this blog will rise from 155 to 149 on the list of the most popular blogs in Ward 5.
The mayor has a new blog: www.ellenmoyer.blogspot.com. Yours truly is truly exited.....as Rush Limbaugh gained fame covering Bill Clinton, and the Yankees and Red Sox stir interest by rivaling each other, so too will we use this opportunity to (hopefully) engage in the adversarial political process, that which inherently produces checks and balances.
So far there is only 1 post, which curiously provides a biography of the mayor written in the third person. Very few particulars, which makes for a quite boring review at this time. But what excitement!
And, with any luck, this blog will rise from 155 to 149 on the list of the most popular blogs in Ward 5.
Friday, July 13, 2007
4th of July Parade
For at least the 7th year in a row, yours truly showed his patriotic spirit by participating in the city of Annapolis 4th of July Parade. Three generations of like minded individuals formed the Annapolis Sons of the Signers, an organized and well respected social group (and by organized I mean we meet for happy hour every Friday and by well-respected I mean we pay our tab) that recently acquired a fleet of 4 fire trucks for parade and other purposes. 'Signers' refers to the 4 signers of the Declaration of Independence from Annapolis: William Paca, Charles Carroll, Thomas Stone, and Samuel Chase.
Having won the mayor's cup for the 14th consecutive year, I have ordained myself a parade expert, and thus have standing to review a letter written to the editor of The Capital concerning the monumental event.
(Note to readers: the mayor's cup is a fictional prize, conceived by A.S.S. 14 years ago, awarded to the best float or group in the parade. Predictably, we are 14-time grand champions.)
This letter appeared in The Capital on July 12:
Happy Fourth of July! Welcome to Annapolis and to our small-town parade!
Thank you!
In case you joined the parade halfway through, you still had time to see a fleet of Corvettes, five more politicians seeking election, another fleet of Corvettes, a caravan of Mini Coopers, and about a dozen conversion vans, some of which had "for sale" signs splayed across their windshields.
First, the actual meaning of 'splayed' has nothing to do with what you are talking about, so I am going to assume that either you erred or The Capital erred, and you really meant 'displayed'. Second, very astute observation my friend. The procession of Corvettes can actually be seen from space, and the only thing more boring than mini coopers and conversion vans is reading a transcript of the mayor's no-travel-by-aircraft philosophy. As for the politicians: slippery slope, slippery slope. I tend to agree that candidates should not be allowed, but elected officials should. That's part of the deal: democracy: they represent us: etc.
I forgot about the legion of Segways advertising their local business. What about the American Legion? I don't recall World War II being fought on the back of Segways.
Perhaps you could have used a more recent reference. Perhaps the War on Terror. Perhaps, indeed, any of the other wars fought since 1945. I have been reliably informed that, to date, no wars have been fought on the back of Segways.
The crowds lining the parade route would have stood and cheered for our women and men in uniform--both past and present. Instead we were left numb by the meager wave of a politician and the exhaust of late-model muscle car.
I am starting to think that you are just a curmudgeon and would not be a fun person to eat hard-shell crabs with. But then again, I am cranky from the exhaust of an early-model 1954 Mack Deisel Pumper Truck from the town of Orange, NJ.
The parade's failure to honor the real contributors to our society and to our freedom and safety--such as veterans and non elected public servants--is the real story here. Our Annapolis parade has become a car show and an election campaign activity rather than a celebration of those who struggled, and continue to struggle, for our independence and freedom.
I will agree with you here, on the main point of your letter. The parade is a bit of a calamity. Our group hangs banners of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, has a marching band that plays patriotic tunes, throws candy to children, and shows how many people of different backgrounds and circumstances all enjoy in the spirit of our country. We do not solicit anything and do not stand to gain (except in ego) from our participation in the parade. Many other groups, and individuals, just the opposite.
And the band played on--except that there were only two in the parade.
JOHN BURKE, Annapolis
The A.S.S. band held rehearsals and kept a tune the entire time. Looks like we will make a historic triumph next year with our 15th consecutive mayor's cup!
Having won the mayor's cup for the 14th consecutive year, I have ordained myself a parade expert, and thus have standing to review a letter written to the editor of The Capital concerning the monumental event.
(Note to readers: the mayor's cup is a fictional prize, conceived by A.S.S. 14 years ago, awarded to the best float or group in the parade. Predictably, we are 14-time grand champions.)
This letter appeared in The Capital on July 12:
Happy Fourth of July! Welcome to Annapolis and to our small-town parade!
Thank you!
In case you joined the parade halfway through, you still had time to see a fleet of Corvettes, five more politicians seeking election, another fleet of Corvettes, a caravan of Mini Coopers, and about a dozen conversion vans, some of which had "for sale" signs splayed across their windshields.
First, the actual meaning of 'splayed' has nothing to do with what you are talking about, so I am going to assume that either you erred or The Capital erred, and you really meant 'displayed'. Second, very astute observation my friend. The procession of Corvettes can actually be seen from space, and the only thing more boring than mini coopers and conversion vans is reading a transcript of the mayor's no-travel-by-aircraft philosophy. As for the politicians: slippery slope, slippery slope. I tend to agree that candidates should not be allowed, but elected officials should. That's part of the deal: democracy: they represent us: etc.
I forgot about the legion of Segways advertising their local business. What about the American Legion? I don't recall World War II being fought on the back of Segways.
Perhaps you could have used a more recent reference. Perhaps the War on Terror. Perhaps, indeed, any of the other wars fought since 1945. I have been reliably informed that, to date, no wars have been fought on the back of Segways.
The crowds lining the parade route would have stood and cheered for our women and men in uniform--both past and present. Instead we were left numb by the meager wave of a politician and the exhaust of late-model muscle car.
I am starting to think that you are just a curmudgeon and would not be a fun person to eat hard-shell crabs with. But then again, I am cranky from the exhaust of an early-model 1954 Mack Deisel Pumper Truck from the town of Orange, NJ.
The parade's failure to honor the real contributors to our society and to our freedom and safety--such as veterans and non elected public servants--is the real story here. Our Annapolis parade has become a car show and an election campaign activity rather than a celebration of those who struggled, and continue to struggle, for our independence and freedom.
I will agree with you here, on the main point of your letter. The parade is a bit of a calamity. Our group hangs banners of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, has a marching band that plays patriotic tunes, throws candy to children, and shows how many people of different backgrounds and circumstances all enjoy in the spirit of our country. We do not solicit anything and do not stand to gain (except in ego) from our participation in the parade. Many other groups, and individuals, just the opposite.
And the band played on--except that there were only two in the parade.
JOHN BURKE, Annapolis
The A.S.S. band held rehearsals and kept a tune the entire time. Looks like we will make a historic triumph next year with our 15th consecutive mayor's cup!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
A Promise Made Good
Yesterday I noted how House Speaker Busch calmly assured us, vis-a-vis a quote in The Capital, not to worry about the budget cuts as they won't effect our essential services. Look! Down the page!! Just a little bit lower than you are reading right now!!!
The Capital, immediately recognizing the damage they did to the Democrat Propaganda Strategy, immediately ran an article the NEXT DAY about how the budget horrors will affect those services.
Here are some quotes:
A state workers union said the cuts threaten services to the most vulnerable Marylanders, from those in foster care to those treated by emergency responders......
"We are stretched to the limit," said Pete Peterson, a helicopter pilot who flies medivac flights.
Pete Peterson. Pete Peterson!!!!! Did the propaganda machine spend any time coming up with this name? I mean, this is straight out of a comic book--a superhero, life-saving helicopter pilot named Pete Peterson. I, for one, would like to meet Mr. Peterson. I bet he has some cool stories, or at least some hippie parents.
Flo Jones, a foster care case manager, said "many of the state's most vulnerable children will be at risk" if the Board of Public Works approved cuts to the already "threadbare" agency.
Feeling suspicious, I took the time to verify that 'threadbare' is indeed a word. Although perhaps slightly misused, it is marginally sensible in the context of this sentence. Now to investigate this Flo Jones character.......
Then the governor chimed in:
We need to restrain spending, O'Malley said yesterday.....
.....handily forgetting how much money he has wasted.
And around and around we go.
The Capital, immediately recognizing the damage they did to the Democrat Propaganda Strategy, immediately ran an article the NEXT DAY about how the budget horrors will affect those services.
Here are some quotes:
A state workers union said the cuts threaten services to the most vulnerable Marylanders, from those in foster care to those treated by emergency responders......
"We are stretched to the limit," said Pete Peterson, a helicopter pilot who flies medivac flights.
Pete Peterson. Pete Peterson!!!!! Did the propaganda machine spend any time coming up with this name? I mean, this is straight out of a comic book--a superhero, life-saving helicopter pilot named Pete Peterson. I, for one, would like to meet Mr. Peterson. I bet he has some cool stories, or at least some hippie parents.
Flo Jones, a foster care case manager, said "many of the state's most vulnerable children will be at risk" if the Board of Public Works approved cuts to the already "threadbare" agency.
Feeling suspicious, I took the time to verify that 'threadbare' is indeed a word. Although perhaps slightly misused, it is marginally sensible in the context of this sentence. Now to investigate this Flo Jones character.......
Then the governor chimed in:
We need to restrain spending, O'Malley said yesterday.....
.....handily forgetting how much money he has wasted.
And around and around we go.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
O'Malley Tax Money Stuff
First, let's note that Mr. O'Malley is a walking contradiction here---he spent the $1 billion surplus, then proposed $280 million in cuts to address a $1.5 billion deficit, all while essentially browbeating the comptroller into approving an inflated purchase price for a member of his transition team.
(Folks, from a reliable source that might as well be the horse's mouth itself, Comptroller Franchot actually believes the stuff he is saying and is probably more dangerous for it. For someone like Franchot, such an egregiously corrupt act on behalf of the state is actually wrong. O'Malley doesn't care because he keeps his machine going.)
Anyway, I just want to put House Speaker Busch's comment regarding the situation on the record, because I promise you this will come up later. So says he according to an article in The Capital:
The (budget) cuts will not effect any of the "essential services" government is supposed to deliver.
This may not sound important, but it goes against all of the prevailing rhetoric. As a result of the budget deficit, all of our fine elected officials warn of a DOOMSDAY BUDGET!!!! (emphasis mine), whereby if we don't raise taxes and cut services we will be no better than a caveman. I just want to show you that this is not true, and even the most liberal of leaders knows it.
(Folks, from a reliable source that might as well be the horse's mouth itself, Comptroller Franchot actually believes the stuff he is saying and is probably more dangerous for it. For someone like Franchot, such an egregiously corrupt act on behalf of the state is actually wrong. O'Malley doesn't care because he keeps his machine going.)
Anyway, I just want to put House Speaker Busch's comment regarding the situation on the record, because I promise you this will come up later. So says he according to an article in The Capital:
The (budget) cuts will not effect any of the "essential services" government is supposed to deliver.
This may not sound important, but it goes against all of the prevailing rhetoric. As a result of the budget deficit, all of our fine elected officials warn of a DOOMSDAY BUDGET!!!! (emphasis mine), whereby if we don't raise taxes and cut services we will be no better than a caveman. I just want to show you that this is not true, and even the most liberal of leaders knows it.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
City Council Meeting, July 9 2007
This legislative meting was relatively pain free, save for having to endure the chair-woman-ship of Dr. Hoyle since Madam Mayor is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I mean, where did this woman get her PhD. Oh well, here is the summary of what happened.
BILLS PASSED
-O-51-06: leasing of 2 parking spaces downtown to Discover Annapolis Tours
-O-17-07: letting the city sell trash without a peddler's permit
-O-34-07: issuing $28,900,000 in bonds
-R-32-07: special tax district for Park Place
Now, for some awards.
Dumb Bill of the Day Award: Alderman Sam Shropsire's bill to ban the use of plastic bags.
Asshole Award: Several of the below mentioned environmentalist hippie types refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and did not put their hands on their hearts.
Do you Care About Your Job Award: Tough competition here, as both the Mayor and Ward 8 Alderman were absent. In a close race, this award goes to Mr. Arnett--at least the Mayor has an excuse.
And now, for some observations.
It seems like every time Ward 1 Alderman Dick Israel offers a bill, everyone wants to be added as a co-sponsor. Is this because Mr. Israel is a particularly likable fella? Probably not. My guess is: it's because generally Mr. Israel actually takes the time to research his positions, and speaks from his background competency in many relevant issues. Ehh, makes you wonder how qualified the other Aldermen are.
NEWS BULLETIN: Ward 3 Alderman Mike Christman awakes from hibernation! Just kidding. But the often reserved alderman did manage to 'second' a bill when nobody else did, thereby allowing the records to show that he was actually at the meeting.
Next meeting: public hearing July 23 at 7 pm. This one should be good!
BILLS PASSED
-O-51-06: leasing of 2 parking spaces downtown to Discover Annapolis Tours
-O-17-07: letting the city sell trash without a peddler's permit
-O-34-07: issuing $28,900,000 in bonds
-R-32-07: special tax district for Park Place
Now, for some awards.
Dumb Bill of the Day Award: Alderman Sam Shropsire's bill to ban the use of plastic bags.
Asshole Award: Several of the below mentioned environmentalist hippie types refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and did not put their hands on their hearts.
Do you Care About Your Job Award: Tough competition here, as both the Mayor and Ward 8 Alderman were absent. In a close race, this award goes to Mr. Arnett--at least the Mayor has an excuse.
And now, for some observations.
It seems like every time Ward 1 Alderman Dick Israel offers a bill, everyone wants to be added as a co-sponsor. Is this because Mr. Israel is a particularly likable fella? Probably not. My guess is: it's because generally Mr. Israel actually takes the time to research his positions, and speaks from his background competency in many relevant issues. Ehh, makes you wonder how qualified the other Aldermen are.
NEWS BULLETIN: Ward 3 Alderman Mike Christman awakes from hibernation! Just kidding. But the often reserved alderman did manage to 'second' a bill when nobody else did, thereby allowing the records to show that he was actually at the meeting.
Next meeting: public hearing July 23 at 7 pm. This one should be good!
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