Can Doug Duncan Really Make a Comeback for Montgomery County Executive? Politicos, Pundits & Residents Weigh In

ROUND-UP OF COMMENTARY ON DOUG DUNCAN'S ATTEMPTED RETURN TO POLITICS - Last week former Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan announced he would be running to reclaim his old job in 2014. It's been six years since his three-term reign as MoCo Exec from 1994-2006, but many residents still seem to harbor strong feelings about Duncan. Though some think he would enter a 2014 Democratic Primary in a strong position, many others are already scoffing at the idea. Some newspaper articles covering the Duncan campaign have generated dozens of comments from readers, and the pundit-class is beginning to weigh in on the development.

MOCO POLITICOS WEIGH IN: Below we highlight a worthwhile new op-ed about Duncan from a MoCo politico, along with thoughts grabbed from ordinary readers at news sites. But first, Maryland Juice asked a small group of political observers to anonymously weigh in and provide their first-blush assessment of Duncan's chances. These folks are no fools, and here's what a few of them had to say. Note that it also appears that Ike Leggett's inability to make a decision on whether or not to retire is creating incentives for politicos to debate and point out his flaws:

SOURCE #1: Doug will have to reintroduce himself to a very different Montgomery County electorate and build bona fides on issues like the Purple Line, but a lot of unlikely people are interested in his candidacy. Unlike many members of the Council, he's got political backbone and cares about more in politics than media coverage. And unlike Ike, he's an effective executive - Ike's great but at heart he's a legislator and not an executive.

SOURCE #2: A complete step backward, bordering on ridiculous. He engages in serial job hunting.

SOURCE #3: In the past I supported Doug and I still appreciate his vision, strength and executive style while in office.  However, I don't see his current passion about returning to office.  It seems more about knocking off Ike Leggett.

SOURCE #4: I want a County Exec who wants the job, not one that needs the job. A paycheck is never a good reason to run for office.

ARE DOUG DUNCAN & IKE LEGGETT OUT OF STEP WITH TODAY'S MOCO? - Maryland Juice and the site's sources are not the only ones questioning the viability of a Duncan comeback. Dan Reed, a young Montgomery County blogger, posted a pretty thorough review of the issue at the Greater Greater Washington blog a couple days ago. Reed titled his piece "Montgomery County has changed. Has Doug Duncan?". In particular, Reed fleshes out new issue dynamics in Montgomery County and points to evidence that both Duncan (and incumbent executive Ike Leggett) may be out-of-step with today's voters. He highlights the two politicians' recent opposition to the Purple Line and advocacy for a MoCo youth curfew as examples (excerpt below):

DAN REED (VIA GREATER GREATER WASHINGTON): While [Doug Duncan] presided over 12 years of prosperity and growth, it's worth asking whether he's prepared to guide a county that looks quite different than it did just a few years ago....

More important is the possibility that Duncan, who pushed for growth in the county but staunchly opposed the Purple Line between Bethesda and Silver Spring, is no longer in tune with what Montgomery voters want.

As this shift occurs, the old guard of anti-growth civic leaders are gradually being replaced by a new, diverse group of young adults and families, minorities and immigrants, that somewhat resembles the "coalition of the ascendant" that reelected President Obama. These groups are generally open to growth, especially if it provides much-needed jobs, affordable housing or other amenities....

As a result, the pro-growth and no-growth coalitions are becoming more dynamic. In 1994, Duncan earned the support of Montgomery's business community by supporting the Intercounty Connector, which would support development on the fringes of the county, while opposing the Purple Line between Bethesda and Silver Spring, which he called "spending millions to go nowhere." He continued to fight the Purple Line as an administrator at the University of Maryland.

But today, it enjoys strong support from nearly all of the county's elected officials and a cross-section of business, environmental and civic groups, who all agree that the project can support a new generation of infill development, reduce traffic and pollution, and revitalize older neighborhoods....

At the same time, Leggett's administration has often held the county back, suggesting that an old-school Montgomery politician can only bend so far. He tried to strip funding for the Purple Line from this year's budget and spent most of 2011 promoting an controversial and ineffective youth curfew....

DOUG DUNCAN'S COMEBACK ATTEMPT GENERATES VIGOROUS DEBATE ONLINE - Maryland Juice was intrigued to see that news of Duncan's comeback was generating vigorous debate among readers at various news sites. Some of the negative comments can likely be attributed to the fact that the County Exec race is already heading up, and at least some politicos and residents may have favorites in the race. But my suspicion is that most residents do not fall in that category. Indeed, it is hard to imagine that Duncan could survive decades in political office without having made numerous enemies along the way or producing voter-fatigue. The reader comments seem to verify that possibility, as numerous people mentioning this-or-that land-use project that they opposed, but Duncan supported. Check out a random smathering of reader comments from The Washington Post & Patch.com articles discussing Duncan's comeback attempt:

1. Great. Duncan is the reason we don't have a Wegmans in Bethesda. He was protecting Giant's labor unions.
2. And he's why the jail is in Boyds, moving the undesibable county stuff out of his neighborhood and into ours, where there are fewer votes. And personally, I wouldn't miss Wegman's if it weren't going in to Germantown. I was a member of the UFCW (back when it was called the RCIA), BTW so I appreciate any protection we workers can get; sorry we have to have the Dunk to get it.
3. I'm a Republican and will vote for Duncan, again. He's the most capable county executive in my 50 years in the county..
4. ...well we will just have to beat the dirty republican stooge in the primary. he sold us out to the developers once and should not be allowed to have a second chance...
5. I think without Doug Duncan there would be no Downtown Silver Spring as we know it today. That is a good enough reason to consider him again.
6. Doug Duncan would not have allowed Burtonsville to be ruined by the no growth crowd. Just look at Burtonsville, and then compare it to Maple Lawn in Howard County. Something is very wrong with the Montgomery County side of Rt 29
7. He is running because he needs a job. He is the one that gave everything to unions and developers. How did he do in the poll against Leggett? Probably 60% (Leggett) to 40% (Doug) just like Silverman.
8. This is the best thing to happen for Wheaton in a long, long time. It's good to see some hope for unseating Leggett.
9. "Leggett, who repeatedly has said he wanted to leave after this term, is weighing another run.In an interview Wednesday, he said he plans to meet with supporters next year to announce his decision." Ike still has supporters??? 
10. The reason DD is running is because he couldn't hold a job elsewhere, including a cushy job and the U of M. He's shiftless and a has been. He offers nothing new. People remember him fondly because he spent a lot of money at a time when there was money to spend. He's so yesterday. Happy times won't return with him in charge. Just heavy handedness.
11. Gawd awful manager in-the-pocket of developers. Stay retired, for the sake of all of us..
12. Oh yuk...another bureaucrat who cant get a job. Has NO private sector experience and no sense of how to move an economy forward. Highly respected? And he resigned for what reason....short memories!
13. NO NO NO! Twelve years was more than enough. During his terms, the state and county used 80 million public bucks to build Strathmore Concert Hallo for Duncan's friend Eliott Pfanstiehl (that's right, only 20 mill from the Potomac/business crowd); put the Conference Center in the wrong place on Rockville Pike (wouldn't Silver Spring been better?; but he owed something to the Marriotts; approved the Transit Hub in SS that is still not finished even though he's been out of office 6 years (thin concrete notwithstanding) that will cost 60-80 million in public dollars for a glorified bus shed; and picked his own developer for redeveloping downtown Silver Spring (Foulger Pratt), who are total novices in urban development and design, but have been contracted to do lots of other SS development, including the "bus shed." The "new" Downtown Silver Spring was supposed to be the key to the castle that would get him to Annapolis. Instead we have Discovery Communications, which is an overstuffed building sitting on a too-small site. The company supports Silver Docs, but exactly what else does the global media company do for the locals. All of the "fields of dreams" in Silver Spring have amounted mostly to national second-tier chains and restaurants that you could find out in any large strip mall, plus City Place which most people are afraid to go into. Duncan does not give a hoot about growing local and small business; and exactly what is he doing now that would qualify him to make another run? He was forced to leave UMD after just seven months into a plum assignment (have we forgotten that?). Plus he is thin-skinned and cannot take criticism. 

I think all of this goes to show that there could well be an enthusiasm gap between Duncan boosters and haters. Moreover, though some longer-term MoCo voters are familiar with Duncan, not all have fond memories. We shall see where this all goes soon!

VIDEO: Best Public Marriage Proposal Ever // #OccupyLife

#OccupyLife

If you haven't already seen the latest viral video sensation, check out this YouTube marriage proposal. It may be the coolest "I do," that I've seen yet. I'm not one who thinks televised or sports game proposals are cool, but the guy below did it right. Another example of a format reboot from my generation. God bless hipsters (hahaha):

SPOTLIGHT: The Issue of Race in Montgomery County // PLUS: MoCo Residents Fighting Affordable Housing Effort (Again)?

Maryland Juice caught an excellent article today from Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz. In his lengthy diatribe, Mr. Kurtz outlines how Montgomery County is an extremely diverse community -- both racially and socioeconomically. His thesis, however, is that the County's politicians are nearly all-white and oftentimes appear to be well-to-do. Kurtz discusses the political impact of this problem (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ: Hey Montgomery County leaders and voters: Tired of being the ATM for the rest of the state? Then it’s time to start electing a delegation to Annapolis that actually looks like the county....

The population, in the county, according to the 2010 Census count, is now majority-minority: 49 percent white, 17 percent African-American, 17 percent Hispanic, 14 percent Asian, and 4 percent who reported they were two or more races....

Almost one-third of all students were receiving free or reduced meals in school – and 41 percent of the student population had received free or reduced meals at some point in their academic career....

Yet the misconception persists around Maryland that Montgomery County’s streets are paved with gold – which can be mined at will by the legislature whenever the state is in a fiscal jam....

Plain and simple, it’s hard to make the case to the rest of Maryland that Montgomery County is a place with huge swaths of poverty and innumerable needs when so many members of the delegation the county sends to the State House look like they’re fresh out of an Ivy League fraternity – and counting the days till they can run for Congress.

In the past two elections, Montgomery voters have done a decent job of clearing out some of the legislative deadwood. But they haven’t done much to speed up the dismally slow process of diversifying the county delegation.

This majority-minority district currently sends just one African-American lawmaker to Annapolis among its delegation of 32, plus one Hispanic, one Chinese-American and, in an anomaly, three Indian-Americans. But you can’t say there’s a growth trend there when the lone Hispanic legislator, Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez, who is 70, could wind up retiring in 2014, and one of the Indian-Americans, Del. Sam Arora, is already being targeted for defeat for his vote against same-sex marriage.

The county’s eight-member Senate delegation is, and always has been, 100 percent white. The two legislative districts in Montgomery County with less than 50 percent white population, according to state figures – District 20, in inner Beltway Silver Spring and Takoma Park, with 57 percent minority population, and District 39, which covers Montgomery Village and much of Germantown, with 53 percent minority population – have all-white representation....

But does the onus lie just with the voters? Organizations that recruit and endorse candidates need to do more to promote and nurture minority candidates. Community groups need to encourage their own leaders to run for office. And minority candidates themselves need to step up, in every sense of the phrase....

Maryland Juice completely agrees with the main points in Josh Kurtz's article. Indeed, in the past, we've pointed out that the newest members of MoCo's legislative delegation do not look like the legislators of yore. But still, the pace of change is not fast enough -- and the Party (at every level) does not seem to care about developing the farm team. In many instances (ie: Mike Miller *cough*) they sabotage efforts to diversify and modernize the Democratic caucus.

HYSTERIA OVER MAKING HOUSING MORE 

AFFORDABLE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Indeed, when Montgomery County used to actually be much more white and rich, a certain political culture existed that under-prioritized issues like workforce housing/housing affordability. But amazingly, even today, we persistently see a small but vocal minority of residents become extremely animated every time policymakers suggest ways of making housing more affordable in the County. The result is that our housing policies are completely B.S. and are NOT designed to solve MoCo's affordable housing crisis. They are designed to placate the residents who can already afford to live in MoCo. As we now know, this problem is keeping young professionals from moving to Montgomery County. Maryland Juice previously reported that MoCo is now more expensive than New York and San Francisco. Seriously. Think about that.

Now read the latest news report of residents getting hysterical (again) about the idea of allowing MoCo residents to rent out their basements. County planners are hoping to allow homeowners (who actually live in their home) to rent out their basements (aka "accessory apartments") without having to go through a year-long application process. MoCo currently has nearly 1 million residents, but fewer than 300 licensed basement rentals due to the current ridiculous "special exception" process. But notably, when Philadelphia implemented a policy similar to the one being proposed in MoCo, only 1 in 1,000 houses exercised their right to have a basement tenant.

Unlike past "affordable housing" initiatives, the accessory apartment proposal does not risk creating an over-concentration of cheap housing in any one place. So what's the hysteria all about? Well, did you read Josh Kurtz's article above? I think people are scared of "poor" people moving into their neighborhood -- even though "poor" might simply mean young professionals who are just getting started in the County or seniors on fixed incomes. Further proof that the hysteria against accessory apartments is unfounded lies in the fact that the proposed MoCo rules would require the home to be owner-occupied. After all, what homeowner is going to rent to a crackhead or criminal, if they have to live under the same roof? Ain't gonna happen, folks!

Check out the disturbing report from today's Wheaton Patch (excerpt below):

WHEATON PATCH: Montgomery County residents turned out in force at two public meetings on Monday to express concerns about a proposed rule change that would eliminate the special exception process for some accessory apartments, also known as “mother-in-law” apartments....

An estimated 275 to 300 accessory apartments exist in Montgomery County today, Pamela Dunn told the crowded auditorium at the Park and Planning headquarters in downtown Silver Spring. Dunn is the project manager for the comprehensive zoning code rewrite underway at M-NCPPC....

Current regulations require a special exception for every accessory apartment in Montgomery County, a process that usually takes nine to 13 months. The county's board of appeals approves special exceptions for an average of 10 apartments each year....

Instead of the board of appeals subjectively deciding which special exception applications to approve, a by-right process would establish objective criteria, Russ said....

“It doesn’t mean no oversight; it just means no public hearing,” Dunn said.

Russ repeatedly said that streamlining accessory apartments would result in more affordable housing throughout Montgomery County and more opportunities for elderly homeowners to age in place on a fixed income.

Barbara Sanders, a Silver Spring resident, remembers when her son Greg returned to the area after earning a graduate degree and getting a job in D.C.--but was unable to afford anything more than a studio apartment. Then he found a family with a basement apartment in their 1930s-era colonial home, looking for a renter. The arrangement suited both sides perfectly, as the family used the extra income to send one of their children to college. But Sanders was one of only a few people in the audience with something positive to say about streamlining the accessory apartment process....

Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich attended the afternoon public meeting and shared how he had recently accompanied some county housing inspectors on their rounds in Wheaton....

“This is about taking other single-family neighborhoods and radically altering them,” he said after the meeting....

The next step is for the Planning Board to make a recommendation to transmit the zoning text amendment to the county council. Then, if a councilmember chose to formally introduce the ZTA, it would be sent back to the planning board, which would hold another public hearing before sending back comments to the council. Next, the council would hold its own public hearing, and the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development committee would hold worksessions. Finally, the ZTA would come before the full council for a vote.

The Planning Board is scheduled to take up the ZTA in June....

I hate to be all Rollin Stanley about this, but honestly, look at the photo below of the residents who turned out to oppose homeowners renting out their basements. Does this look like a representative sample of a vibrant majority-minority County?

PHOTO SOURCE: WHEATON PATCH 5/22/2012

OTHER POLICY CONSIDERATIONS: Republicans and Libertarians should be upset about this too, albeit from a property rights perspective. Montgomery County wants to tell me who can live in my house? My neighbors want to decide who I live with? Uh, no thank you.

Moreover, one has to imagine that a basement rental income stream may be a huge benefit to homeowners facing underwater mortgages, foreclosure, or who simply need a little extra cash to survive in expensive Montgomery County -- whether or not they are young families, seniors, or youths.

EMAIL THE PLANNING BOARD & COUNTY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING & PROPERTY RIGHTS:

• PLANNING BOARD:  mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org
• ALL 9 COUNCILMEMBERS:  montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com

Maryland Juice will be following this issue very closely in the coming months. Stay tuned!

MD High Court Upholds Out-Of-State Same-Sex Marriages // Sen. Mike Miller Questions Obama LGBT Marriage Endorsement

UPDATE: The Washington Post reports that the NAACP has endorsed marriage equality:

WASHINGTON POST: The NAACP’s board of directors voted Saturday to endorse same-sex marriage rights – adding the influential voice of the country’s leading black civil rights organization to a debate that has divided the African-American community....

The NAACP now presents itself as a counterbalance to the influence of the traditionally socially conservative black church. It can also help establish closer ties between blacks and gays, two of Obama’s most loyal constituencies....

VIDEO: Baltimore Priest Invokes Senator Mike Miller At Anti-Marriage Equality Rally // PLUS: A Mother's Day Alarm

 MARRIAGE EQUALITY = CIVIL RIGHTS, DUH

Maryland GOP Official's Sign 2011

Now that President Barack Obama has endorsed marriage equality, I hope it is dawning on folks that marriage equality and LGBT rights are obviously among our generation's current civil rights struggles.

To help illustrate this point, Maryland Juice has juxtaposed a number of past and present news and cultural items below, including two Norman Rockwell prints that I dragged out of my closet.

We also provide several worthwhile video clips below, in our quest to historically memorialize Senate President Mike Miller's explanation of why he is opposed to marriage equality:


ITEM #1: MOTHER'S DAY MESSAGE FROM MOM OF TEENAGE SUICIDE VICTIM - MAY 2012. Tracy Rodemeyer's 14-year-old son committed suicide last September due to years of bullying about his sexual orientation. Sadly, he even made a videotaped message for the "It Gets Better" project before taking his own life. His parents are carrying on the fight for him (excerpt from the Huffington Post below):

Mother's Day 2012: My First Without My Son

by Tracy Rodemeyer

...What more could a mother want but two beautiful, healthy children with two parents there to love them? We seemed to have it all, the perfect family: one girl, one boy, a beautiful dog in a nice little house. Life was complete! My husband and I would talk about how to raise them right, how to prepare them for the world; never did we utter an ignorant phrase like, "Boy, I hope they are not gay when they grow up." We wished for health and happiness, and to be able to teach our children enough to make them responsible adults who could tackle the world on their own some day....

As my children got older, I would look forward to Mother's Day, because we made sure we spent the full day together, and I would tell the kids the stories of when they were born, or how much they changed my life forever. I could never have imagined my life without them. My life had not been complete until they entered it. They started to make me cards and gifts that I will cherish forever.

Little did I know that Sunday, May 8, 2011 would be my last Mother's Day with both my children. Half my life was taken away from me on Sept. 18, 2011. This is when my son Jamey committed suicide. I began to reexamine my life: Why am I here? Why do I exist? Do I deserve to remain on this Earth when my son is no longer with us? My children were my life, the air that I breathed, the reason for my existence. The blood that ran through me was inside both of them. This Mother's Day I will ask myself a question I ask myself every day: Do I deserve to be recognized on Mother's Day after all that has happened? This Mother's Day will be the hardest ever....

And from the mouth of Jamey: "Love yourself, hold your head up high, and you will go far." Don't worry about the negative things that people may say about you. Be yourself, and love yourself. That is all that matters. We are all different, and we should all embrace those differences, because they make us all unique and special.

To all you moms out there: Happy Mother's Day, and remember to appreciate your children, respect them for who they are, and cherish every moment you have with them, both the good and the bad, because how you look and what you are deep down inside is not all by choice. To all you children: look past what you see as criticism, and understand that you are so loved, more than you can ever imagine, but you may not understand or appreciate it until you are a parent one day. Love yourself, because baby, you were born this way!

ITEM #2: BALTIMORE PRIEST INVOKES SEN. PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER WHILE LEADING RALLY AGAINST MARRIAGE EQUALITY (scary music courtesy of Juice) - JAN. 2012:




ITEM #3: GULNARE KENTUCKY BAPTIST CHURCH BANS INTERRACIAL COUPLES - NOV. 2011:





ITEMS #4-5: NORMAN ROCKWELL CAPTURES 1960'S AMERICA - 1964-1967:

Norman Rockwell, The Problem We All Live With 1964

Norman Rockwell, New Kids in the Neighborhood 1967

ITEM #6: NORTH CAROLINA LESBIAN COUPLE ARRESTED FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE - MAY 2012: The day after North Carolina voters added a same-sex marriage ban to their State Constitution, gay and lesbian couples in the state attempted to get married anyway and were arrested (see photo below and full article at NY Daily News):

See full article at NY Daily News (Photo Source: AP)

ITEM #7: SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER EXPLAINS WHY HE VOTED AGAINST MARRIAGE EQUALITY, CITING HIS 1972 HELP CREATING THE BAN - FEB. 2012:

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR: Love thy neighbor.

Montgomery County PTA Leaders Defend Choice of 15-Year-Old Officer // Youth Leader Has Students' "Best Interest At Heart"

A few days ago, Maryland Juice wrote about the remarkable story of a 15-year-old Montgomery County student who was recently elected to the leadership of the countywide PTA (aka the MCCPTA). The Gazette reported:

GAZETTE: When Richie Yarrow stood up as a newly-elected officer of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations at its meeting last week, some members were shocked.

Richie is 15 years old....

He said he wants to bring a stronger student voice to the 48,000-member organization, which is, for the most part, parent-run.

“This is my education that is at stake, and I want to have some say in it,” Richie said....

Richie, a freshman at Richard Montgomery High School, served last year as the vice president of Eastern Middle School’s PTSA. He was also president last year of Montgomery County Junior Councils, the county’s organization for middle school student government.

REDEMPTION: Maryland Juice was disappointed to see some parents so quickly complaining about Yarrow's victory. But yesterday some grownups set the record straight with letters of support for student representation. The Gazette printed two letters from residents who are supportive of Richie Yarrow's service on the MoCo PTA. The first comes from the incoming President of the MCCPTA, Janette Gilman (see excerpt below):

JANETTE GILMAN:  Increased engagement in the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) and our local PTAs by parents, school staff, community partners and students is a goal the organization has and will continue to encourage and nurture...

...all of our high schools and about half of our middle schools are Parent-Teacher-Student Associations that include student members....

Ritchie Yarrow's election as the Recording Secretary for the MCCPTA Delegates Assembly is an important step towards — and an important sign of — the progress this organization is making towards achieving the goal of student engagement.

The MCCPTA Board of Directors recently also acknowledged its interest in formalizing the role of student involvement by creating a new committee with that charter in March....

The second letter of support comes from a former MCCPTA Delegate Tom Brennan of Germantown (see excerpt below):

TOM BRENNAN: Congratulations to Richard Montgomery High School freshman Richie Yarrow for being elected to serve the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) as Recording Secretary....

Although I have never met or spoken with Mr. Yarrow, having been a onetime delegate to the MCCPTA and having worked with past MCCPTA leadership, I am confident that he will bring a maturity to the MCCPTA that has been lacking for a long time.

It seems that the MCCPTA is still full of politics and personal agendas....

It wasn’t Mr. Yarrow who voted for someone he didn’t know anything about. He isn’t the one now complaining. And he isn’t looking to change the rules to protect himself from his own ignorance.

The board dynamic will change, if Montgomery County Pubic Schools are lucky. Mr. Yarrow’s presence may just force other board members to be better prepared with an understanding of each issue, better able to explain the issues and perhaps better prepared to vote smartly.

The schools and the MCCPTA will be served well by Mr. Yarrow. There will now be someone serving who wants to be there for the right reasons, has no personal long term agenda, and has no political motives. Mr. Yarrow will truly have the student population’s best interest at heart....

Now THIS is the MoCo I know and love....

Politicos Discuss Impact of President Barack Obama's Marriage Equality Endorsement on MD // PLUS: Obama in Baltimore 6/12

UPDATE: Maryland Juice has received further details on President Obama's upcoming visit to Baltimore on June 12th. El Presidente will be appearing at 1:15 pm at the Hyatt on Light St in Baltimore. RSVP: https://my.barackobama.com/June12BaltimoreReception?custom1=449618

HISTORY IS COMING QUICKER THAN YA'LL THOUGHT, EH? - Yesterday the nation's political consciousness received a kick in the pants from President Barack Obama's surprise endorsement of marriage equality. Indeed, Mr. Obama seems to have a decent read on the trajectory of history on this issue. But it should be obvious to everyone by now that marriage equality really is inevitable. There may be bumps along the road, but once again, the question for Democratic officials is: when it comes to change, are you going to be a shepherd or a gatekeeper? Last night, President Obama showed what kind of leader he hopes to be - *FIST BUMP* - How about you?

RETWEET

LAST WARNING TO OLD-SCHOOL DEMS: Last August, Maryland Juice noted that all of the 2014 Democratic candidates for Governor came out in favor of marriage equality. Indeed, we frequently note that within Maryland, being against marriage equality (or other civil rights measures) would likely hamper the careers of most candidates seeking statewide office. One day Maryland Juice may walk readers through the math of our State's political demography to illustrate this point.

It seems clear to me that Maryland is now a broadly liberal state (unusually so), and that many Democratic politicians outside of the big three jurisdictions (MoCo, PG, B'more) have not yet grappled with the opinion shifts within their own districts' primary electorates. The Lieberman effect (aka being more conservative than warranted by your district's partisanship) exists in many pockets of Maryland's Democratic Party. Maybe our elected officials watch too much Fox News or something. I dunno.

Dear public advocates: All of this means that in 2014 it'll be time to put some war paint on. As the generations shift and the demography continues to churn in The Free State, we will have to make our presence known through the Democratic Primaries. 2014 is as good a year as any to push this effort forward. Case in point: today, Maryland Reporter published a Maryland-centric discussion of Obama's marriage equality endorsement. Their piece noted some interesting dynamics for Democrats in the future:

MARYLAND REPORTER: According to Don Kettl, dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Obama’s support could galvanize opponents of same-sex marriage....

“This could be part of a much broader trend that might really separate the two candidates on social and economic issues that younger voters care about and begin to convince younger voters that maybe they ought to show up and vote at the polls after all,” Kettl said.

Obama’s confirmed support for same-sex marriage will likely have political ramifications into the future as well. With 2016 presidential buzz already surrounding O’Malley and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who have both successfully spearheaded same-sex marriage legislation, Kettl adds that this could be a “watershed moment” for the Democratic Party.

“It will be increasingly difficult for any major Democratic national figure to not back gay marriage,” Kettl said. “In all likelihood, nothing will be the same after this.”

Below Maryland Juice provides a few additional responses from politicos:

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: OBAMA DID THE RIGHT THING - The Daily Beast last night published a video interview with Rep. Chris Van Hollen. In the clip below, they capture his reaction to President Obama's marriage equality endorsement:

GOV. MARTIN O'MALLEY: MARYLAND AGREES WITH OBAMA - NBC News yesterday ran Martin O'Malley's response to the Obama endorsement:

GOV. O'MALLEY: Today, President Obama affirmed that for a people of many different faiths -- a people who are committed to the principle of religious freedom -- the way forward is always to be found through greater respect for the equal rights and human dignity of all.

In Maryland, we agree.

Ultimately, we all want the same thing for our children: to live in a loving, stable committed home protected equally under the law.

REP. BARNEY FRANK: OBAMA ENDORSEMENT HELPS MD  - The Baltimore Sun yesterday published comments from Rep. Barney Frank about the Obama endorsement:

BALTIMORE SUN: U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said Wednesday night that one place President Obama's change of position to open support of same-sex marriage could have a significant impact is Maryland.

Frank, a Massachusett Democrat who is perhaps the nation's best-known openly gay elected official, said on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show that Obama's stand could be important in the state because the issue of same-sex marriage bill is expected to be a referendum question on the ballot in November.

Frank noted that Obama's former position -- favoring civil unions but opposing same-sex marriage -- was  used by opponents in 2008  in their succesful effort of reject gay marriage at the polls in California in 2008. Now, Frank said, opponents will be unable to use Obama's words against same-sex marriage in Maryland....

DC POLITICIANS APPLAUD OBAMA ENDORSEMENT - Even in neighboring Washington, DC (with its majority African American population - ahem), politicians praised President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality. [Sidebar: is the media feeding the GOP's narrative about racial divisions on this issue?]  DCist reported:

DCIST: In a tweet, Mayor Vince Gray thanked Obama and said that "bigotry should never be enshrined in our law."

In a statement, Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large), who is gay and quit the Republican Party in 2004 over its stance on marriage equality, thanked Obama while recognizing that his evolution on the issue was much like that experienced by other Americans....

Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) also joined in, saying that a "just society must provide equal protection to all of its citizens....

PRESIDENT OBAMA IN BALTIMORE ON JUNE 12TH - If you want to show President Obama some love for his re-election effort, you will have two opportunities to see him next month. The President's campaign arm, Obama for America, sent the following email invitation:

Juice –

I’ve got some exciting news to share: President Obama is coming to Maryland! On Tuesday, June 12th, he’ll be in Baltimore for two fundraisers for the campaign. This will probably be the only fundraiser the President does in MD for the entire election. If you’re planning on showing support to our President, THIS is the time to do it! Ticket prices range from $250 to $10,000. I hope you’ll be able to attend one or the other. And if you are interested in becoming a host for either event, please let me know and I can help set that up.

Get your tickets now – THIS WILL SELL OUT!

Reception with President Obama  
WHAT:                  Obama Victory Fund Reception with President Obama
WHERE:                Exact location TBD | Baltimore, MD
WHEN:                  Tuesday, June 12 | Exact time TBD
TICKETS:              $250 per person general admission | $1,000 per person includes premium section | $10,000 per person contribute/raise includes two premium reception tickets and photo
RSVP: https://my.barackobama.com/June12BaltimoreReception?custom1=449618

Lunch with President Obama
WHAT:                  Obama Victory Fund Lunch with President Obama
WHERE:                Home of Genine & Josh Fidler | Baltimore, MD
WHEN:                  Tuesday, June 12 | Exact time TBD
TICKETS:              $10,000 per person includes lunch & photo | $50,000 per person contribute/raise includes VIP clutch, lunch and photo
RSVP: https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/o2012-June12BaltimoreLunch?custom1=449618

Thank you for all you do to support our President.

Jason Waskey
Maryland State Director
Obama for America

MORE ON MARYLAND MARRIAGE EQUALITY SOON!

OMG: 3rd Term for MoCo Executive Ike Leggett? // Plus, County Analyst Calls Lockheed Martin Welfare Plan "Inappropriate"

UPDATE: The rumors about Mr. Leggett weighing a third term must be true. Maryland Juice just received an email indicating a new blog has emerged called "Leggett Watch." The only substantive post so far complains about Mr. Leggett trying to pass an ambulance fee after it was rejected at the ballot. But the introductory post provides some clues:

Welcome to www.LeggettWatch.com. This blog will serve as a collection and reference point for all of the shady things that Montgomery County exec, Isiah Leggett, does. Good old Ike is constantly doing shady things and yet always seems to get a pass from the media and the citizens of Montgomery County. Hopefully having a record of his shenanigans will help voters make a better decision come election time. Don’t forget folks, the county executive in Montgomery County has no term limits!

Amazingly, rumors are swirling that Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett is currently floating trial balloons to see if he is viable to run for re-election as County Executive. Yesterday, Maryland Juice celebrated 300,000 pageviews on our blog, but we also took the opportunity to preview a few 2014 primary match-ups -- including the Montgomery County Executive's race. Two readers quickly mentioned that in spite of past statements indicating he would not seek a third term, Mr. Leggett is now considering just that. Wow.

Below Maryland Juice discusses the horrifying possibility of a third term from Mr. Leggett (or Doug Duncan for that matter), and we also update readers on Mr. Leggett's current obsession with corporate welfare for Lockheed Martin.

SATURDAY: Students Behind #JSA Campaign Host Townhall Meetings w/ Senate Candidates Ben Cardin & Anthony Muse

UPDATE: The JSA organizers are clarifying that the event is a town hall style meet and greet with their members and two Democratic U.S. Senate candidates. However, Senator Cardin and State Senator Anthony Muse will not be sharing a stage to debate.  See the updated press release with scheduling details below. 

In short: Maryland Senator Anthony Muse will attend from 1:15-1:45pm and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin will attend from 1:45-2:15 pm. The event will be on Saturday, March 24 at 12:30 pm on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus, TC building, room 136.

Maryland Juice just received the press release below from the student activists behind the campaign to free Jorge Steven Acuna (aka #JSA). We recently wrote about their efforts to aid their friend and classmate after he and his family were arrested by Homeland Security and ready to be deported when their application for asylum was denied.

The students petitioned Rep. Chris Van Hollen to help the Acuna family, given that they are currently 8th Congressional District residents. They succeeded in getting the family released, with a one-year stay on their deportation. But their efforts have not stopped there. They are now pressing forward with efforts to make sure their issues are not ignored in the future. Amazingly, they are now hosting a town hall meeting with two U.S. Senate Democratic candidates, Ben Cardin and Anthony Muse. Their press release is below:

PRESS RELEASE

JSA Movement to Host Town Hall Meetings with
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and State Senator Anthony Muse

Saturday March 24, 2012 at 12:30 p. m. on the
Montgomery College Rockville Campus

Youth will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Senators

Rockville MD, March 23, 2012 – The Justice for Students in America (JSA) movement will host a town hall–style meeting with Maryland Senator Anthony Muse from 1:15-1:45pm and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin from 1:45-2:15 pm, on Saturday, March 24 at 12:30 pm on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus, TC building, room 136. Press conference will be held at 12:00 pm. JSA members and other youth will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Senators on issues that most affect them from the DREAM ACT, jobs, the economy, to comprehensive immigration reform and other topics.

All Montgomery College students and other youth and their families are welcome to attend. There will be an opportunity to register to vote for all of those who are eligible.

The JSA movement is a student- and youth-led, grassroots, empowering group with the mission to give all students and youth in America a voice. JSA promotes and encourages its youth members to become a positive force of civically-active members of society, and seek a high quality of live and equal opportunities for themselves, their families and all Americans through education.

Visit the JSA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/300409916692389

Follow us on Twitter @TheJSAMovement

##

Young Republicans & Democrats United // Youths Ask Annapolis Lawmakers for "Right to Serve" (aka Make Them Equal To You)

UPDATE: Well, it seems not all Young Republicans actually believe in uniting around youth issues. Before I left for a series of meetings today, one of the Young Democrats below had told me that the effort below was endorsed by the Baltimore Area Young Republicans. He provided me an updated copy of the letter, and I promised I would post it as soon as I got back from my meetings. No sooner had I tried to do so (see below), before Brian Griffiths from the Red Maryland blog and whoever handles the Twitter account for the Maryland Young Republicans decided to start getting cute and saying I was improperly speaking for their Party. Yeah right, like I would EVER want to speak for the GOP. 

But more importantly, WTF. See, young people, wings of the GOP are more interested in picking fights than solving your problems or gaining you a bigger voice in government. Remember that this November. For those of you that care about issues, we hope you will still support your own kind -- please stand up for HB 1249.

One more example of generational agitation -- Young Democrats and Young Republicans from across the Free State are petitioning Maryland lawmakers for the right to serve in elected office. Right now, young people (aged 18-25) are among the only voters who are allowed to vote for public office, but are banned from running for office. Even Jack Abramoff is allowed to run for office in Maryland. How stupid that such a prohibition should exist. After all, if one is concerned about the age of a candidate, just don't vote for them. Maryland Juice hopes that Annapolis lawmakers will correct this injustice. See the testimony of the young ADULTS below (their bill is HB 1249):

March 12, 2012

Dear Chairwoman Harrison and Members of the Committee:

HB 1249 would change the age requirement to serve as a State Delegate or State Senator in the state of Maryland from 21 and 25, to 18. If passed, the Maryland legislature would expand this important right to the last segment of the voting population that only has partial suffrage—our young people. We urge a favorable report on this legislation to continue on the path towards full suffrage for all adults, which Maryland has pursued over the past 200 years.

The passage of such legislation would be in keeping with our state's proud tradition of expanding equal and full enfranchisement to all voters--regardless of race, creed, gender, or ethnicity. For example, in the 1800’s a Presbyterian State Delegate representing Western Maryland named Thomas Kennedy fought for eight years to fully franchise Jewish citizens. Finally in 1826, the Maryland General Assembly passed by one vote this nationally significant bill to allow Jewish people both the right to vote, and at the same time the right to serve. Two years later, Reuben Etting of Baltimore became the first Jew to be elected to the House of Delegates—an event, which could not have happened without the passage of full suffrage rights.

Partial suffrage was also a difficult challenge for the women’s rights movement to overcome. The best example of this is Belva Lockwood who was the first woman to graduate from what is now the George Washington University School of Law, and the first woman attorney allowed to practice law before the Supreme Court. In 1884, Lockwood was also the first woman to run on the ballot for President of the United States. Her Presidential race would serve as a powerful example of the contradictions inherent in partial suffrage. While she received about 4,000 votes nationwide, being a woman, she was not even allowed to vote for herself. This hypocrisy helped underscore the importance back then of full suffrage, and it remains relevant now.

This legislation does not mandate a certain amount of young legislators, or give them assistance to run for office. If passed, there will still be a large discrepancy between the number of young people in office, and those in the general population. What this legislation will do is send a powerful message to young people that the rights and service of all voters is equally respected and upheld under the law. Therefore, we ask for your favorable report on HB 1249.

Sincerely,

Erin Schurmann
President
Young Democrats of Maryland

Trae Lewis

President

Baltimore Area Young Republicans

Timothy Hwang
President
National Youth Association

Joseph Kitchen
Executive Vice President
Young Democrats of Maryland

Erin Dickenson
State Director
Maryland Youth Association

Sean Rutherford
President
Baltimore County Young Democrats

Dave Kunes
President
Montgomery County Young Democrats

Tashea Brodgins
President
Baltimore City Young Democrats

Tom Myers
President
Harford County Young Democrats

Larry Stafford
President
Prince George’s County Young Democrats 

Maryland Juice Invades Republic of Texas // What Is An eBook Mixtape? We're Launching a Special New Book Project at SXSW

Maryland Juice has just arrived in Austin, Texas for the annual SXSW festival. I am here to launch a new project with my colleagues & allies from the fight to stop SOPA & PIPA (aka Internet censorship legislation that stalled in Congress a few weeks ago).

Along with David Segal from Demand Progress and Patrick Ruffini from Engage DC, I am writing, editing and curating content for a new eBook titled:

Hacking Politics: How we -- the Internet -- stood up to defend ourselves against #SOPA & #PIPA

I'll be trickling out details about the project -- and hopefully some teaser content very soon. The eBook will not only feature important commentary from key figures in the fight for Internet freedom; we are also going to try and highlight a new model for how eBooks are created (see a hint below). Stay tuned!

www.HackPolitics.com

P.S. Maryland Juice will be publishing on a bizarre and erratic schedule over the next couple days. Apologies in advance, but rest assured -- more MD political juice coming soon!

Montgomery County More Expensive Than NYC & San Francisco // Fighting All Development Not Always Progressive or Green

INTRO: Montgomery County's population today is growing and changing in ways that make the once racially homogenous county one of the most diverse places in the region. This will have an impact on policy and politics for decades to come -- but in the meantime, policymakers will have to grapple with new priorities, new challenges, and new types of competition. Below we discuss a few aspects of this shift:

1. MoCo's New Face: 46% Black/Asian/Hispanic
2. MoCo Is More Expensive than NYC & San Francisco
3. MoCo Needs to Attract Young People & Families

Young Democrats are Changing the Conversation on Marriage Equality // OLD SCHOOL DEMS: Step Aside, Time's Up

Something's in the water. Maryland Juice has been predicting that the churning of the demography in the Free State would start to crescendo. I think my generation is beginning to rise to the challenge of better governance than what the generation before us has been able to deliver (no offense, but we're still allowed to be idealistic):

Rev. Joseph Lynn Kitchen

Here in Maryland, a young baptist minister from Prince George's County -- who happens to be the Maryland Young Dems Vice President -- tells the story of his personal transformation on the issue of marriage equality. Maryland Juice had the privilege of ranting about Sam Arora on WBAL this week, and Rev. Kitchen was a guest on the show. Check out his brave testimony (excerpt below):

REV. JOSEPH LYNN KITCHEN: In 2008 I voted for Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage in my native state of California. In 2012, should it come before voters, I will vote against repealing the marriage equality legislation that just passed the House of Delegates. What led to my evolution on this issue? My own personal experience with my family.

As a kid my brother who is just eleven months younger than I am became suicidal. For months he would go through long bouts of depression that resulted in attempts on his life with cutting and one night trying to hang himself in a closet. My family believed it was a phase he was going through and something to be kept internal, on the inside…family business. We were wrong. He was gay and the traditions of shame and dishonor had taken their toll on him. It wasn’t until we realized that he was a member of our family and we loved him unconditionally that he got better and the strength of our family improved.

In 2008 I forgot that experience. I became distracted by the disagreements I had with the marriage equality advocates to overshadow my better judgment. As a voter I resented their failure to engage me on the issue. As an African-American I rejected their charges of bigotry. As a Christian I refused to accept their characterizing of my faith as hate. Once we get beyond all those names and look at this issue for what it is, love and strong relationships, everything else just seems so small.

Meanwhile, the President of the National Young Democrats is calling on the Democratic Party to make marriage equality a part of the national platform. BOLD ACTION FROM YOUNG DEMOCRATS:

Today, Young Democrats of America’s Executive Director Emily Tisch Sussman joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and more than 13,000 voters around the nation in endorsing language proposed by Freedom to Marry as part of its Democrats: Say I Do campaign calling on the national party to include a freedom to marry plank in the national Democratic party’s 2012 platform.

“As the Executive Director of Young Democrats of America, I represent young people, and the way we connect young people back to Democratic politics is by speaking out for what is right and taking action,” Sussman said. “Polling shows that 70 percent of voters 18-34 support the freedom to marry, and for many of our members, it’s a cause that goes to the core of why they consider themselves Democrats. It is time to realize that marriage is no longer an effective wedge issue; it is a cause that we as Democrats should be leading on.”

LET'S KEEP IT GOING YOUNG  PEOPLE -- TIME IS ON OUR SIDE.

Generational Shift - Exhibit C // Age Differences Drive Obama & Romney Split (Demography is Destiny)

Maryland Juice recently noted evidence of potentially big political shifts on the horizon, and we speculated that many of these changes were being driven by generational differences. It seems everyday a new voice speaks out with a different angle on this thesis, so I decided to highlight three interesting pieces on this topic. Here are excerpts from Exhibit C:

The New Generation Gap (read full article)
MICHAEL CROWLEY November 14, 2011 - TIME

Alexandra Serna cast the first presidential vote of her life in 2008, for Barack Obama, with enthusiasm and hope. Three years later, the 24-year-old, earning a degree in accounting at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), still supports the President. But her optimism has faded.... While Serna isn't about to vote Republican in 2012, she hardly seems a sure bet to turn out for Obama.

...78-year-old Walter Levy has few kind words for the President. The Navy veteran, who voted for John McCain in 2008, grouses about the state of the country and its government. "We're going backward right now," says the Fort Lauderdale resident. "The government's gotten itself too involved in everybody's life." His wife Concetta, 77, is more blunt. "I don't like the President's policies," she says....

Listen to these three closely and you can hear the two Americas speaking.... But the deepest split is the one that cuts across all these and turns not on income or geography but on age. In the past few national elections, young and old Americans have diverged more in their voting than at any other time since the end of the Vietnam War, according to the findings of an extensive new Pew Research Center poll. The survey reveals that the youngest and oldest voters have strikingly different views on everything from the role of government to the impact of the Internet and suggests that the 2012 election could be one of the starkest intergenerational showdowns in American history, not just in Florida but coast to coast....

Generational Shift - Exhibit B // A Young Man's Take on the Penn State Controversy

Maryland Juice recently noted evidence of potentially big political shifts on the horizon, and we speculated that many of these changes were being driven by generational differences. It seems everyday a new voice speaks out with a different angle on this thesis, so I decided to highlight three interesting pieces on this topic. Here are excerpts from Exhibit B:

Penn State, my final loss of faith (read full article)
THOMAS L. DAY 11/11/2011 - Washington Post

I’m 31, an Iraq war veteran, a Penn State graduate, a Catholic, a native of State College, acquaintance of Jerry Sandusky’s, and a product of his Second Mile foundation.

And I have fully lost faith in the leadership of my parents’ generation....

With the demise of my own community’s two most revered leaders, Sandusky and Joe Paterno, I have decided to continue to respect my elders, but to politely tell them, “Out of my way.”

They have had their time to lead. Time’s up. I’m tired of waiting for them to live up to obligations.

Think of the world our parents’ generation inherited....

For those of us in our 20s and early 30s, this is not the world we are inheriting.

Generational Shift - Exhibit A // Enter the Pro-Business Millenials (aka Generation Sell)

Maryland Juice recently noted evidence of potentially big political shifts on the horizon, and we speculated that many of these changes were being driven by generational differences. It seems everyday a new voice speaks out with a different angle on this thesis, so I decided to highlight three interesting pieces on this topic. Here are excerpts from Exhibit A:

Generation Sell (read full article)
WILLIAM DERESIEWICZ 11/12/2011 - NY Times

Previous youth cultures — beatniks, hippies, punks, slackers — could be characterized by two related things: the emotion or affect they valorized and the social form they envisioned....

So what’s the affect of today’s youth culture? Not just the hipsters, but the Millennial Generation as a whole, people born between the late ’70s and the mid-’90s, more or less — of whom the hipsters are a lot more representative than most of them care to admit. The thing that strikes me most about them is how nice they are: polite, pleasant, moderate, earnest, friendly.

The millennial affect is the affect of the salesman.... Here’s what I see around me, in the city and the culture: food carts, 20-somethings selling wallets made from recycled plastic bags, boutique pickle companies, techie start-ups, Kickstarter, urban-farming supply stores and bottled water that wants to save the planet....

Today’s ideal social form is not the commune or the movement or even the individual creator as such; it’s the small business. Every artistic or moral aspiration — music, food, good works, what have you — is expressed in those terms.

Call it Generation Sell.

AP: "U.S. Young-Old Wealth Gap Worse Than Ever" // More Evidence of a Generational Political Divide

Maryland Juice is slowly outlining a theory that there is increasing evidence of a growing generational divide in American policy and politics. Many pollsters have noted the dramatic contrast in views between young and old Americans on a range of topics, including race, LGBT rights, urbanization, public transportation, the role of religion in society, drug policy, gender norms, and many more. Indeed, even young evangelicals are more accepting of LGBT rights than their older counterparts.

But in the past, these generational divides have mostly centered on social issues. Now that we are well into a recession, I believe that current economic inequalities are quickly amplifying these generational divides. The Associated Press today highlighted shocking validation for this belief:

The wealth gap between younger and older Americans has stretched to the widest on record, worsened by a prolonged economic downturn that has wiped out job opportunities for young adults and saddled them with housing and college debt.

The typical U.S. household headed by a person age 65 or older has a net worth 47 times greater than a household headed by someone under 35, according to an analysis of census data released Monday....

The 47-to-1 wealth gap between old and young is believed by demographers to be the highest ever, even predating government records....