JUICE - A Way Forward for MD Democrats: Brian Frosh vs. Anthony Brown and Lessons from Connecticut & Minnesota

A WAY FORWARD FOR MARYLAND DEMOCRATS: Politicos have been chattering about Anthony Brown's loss this week, and everyone seems to have their own theory about how this happened. Was it a a reaction to partisan gridlock in Congress? Was it a canned campaign by the Democratic nominee? Was it a revolt against taxes? Was Maryland just part of the national anti-Obama wave? We'll never know for sure, but there are clear lessons for the future looking at examples both from outside and inside Maryland. Indeed, it seems clear that neither Democrats nor Republicans can take for granted the message from the electorate. To be sure, my side missed the populist tide sweeping through the electorate, but Republicans would be equally foolish to see this as a mandate for conservatism or austerity measures. Below, I make the case for Democrats embracing economic populism (as a contrast to an anti-tax agenda) in the coming years. After all, many of the Assembly Democrats who are closer to Hogan than Brown on tax policy lost this year anyway.

IT'S STILL ABOUT THE MIDDLE & WORKING CLASS: I previously wrote that my key takeaway from Maryland Democrats' disastrous election night was that the state party needed to step up its game on economic populism -- especially in a way that counters the GOP's trickle-down economic talking points (eg: the idea that tax cuts for millionaires and corporations will magically create jobs and wealth for ordinary Marylanders). But Larry Hogan's simple anti-tax message clearly had appeal with Maryland voters, because our Democratic Party simply didn't even try to present a progressive or populist vision on economic issues. And when we did, it wasn't really responsive to anyone except the wealthy and industry interests (who are often one and the same). For example, in the last few years Maryland Democrats tried to disarm the Hogan-style message by passing an estate tax cut on inheritances up to $5.9 million and reducing the state's millionaire's tax. I don't begrudge Maryland Democrats for trying to play the anti-tax game, but I think the ineffectiveness of the strategy in fending off Hogan warrants discussion (without even getting into the policy and revenue merits of these cuts).

In an era of a much-talked-about, historic wealth gap, how many ordinary Marylanders will actually benefit from these measures? Are those who declined to vote really in the dark about growing income and wealth inequality, or did they simply think Democrats weren't planning on doing anything different than in the past? The question is not, are you better off today than you were four years ago -- it is, will you be better off four years in the future than you are today if we are in charge. If you have children at the pre-K age, you might've been able to answer yes to this question -- but if you don't....

To be sure, trying to jump on Larry Hogan's broad anti-tax bandwagon didn't work this year. But I think this had less to do with taxes per se, and more to do with a failure by the party to passionately address the policy sins we all know exist that have led to the spiraling gap between the rich and the poor (both in Maryland and nationally). As Roy Meyers, a professor of political science at UMBC, noted in Maryland Reporter (excerpt below):

ROY MEYERS (UMBC PROFESSOR): "...repeatedly promising 'no new taxes' in this campaign was insufficient protection from the narrative Republicans, and Hogan in particular, have been building over recent years. Much of that narrative was false or misleading, yet many voters bought it. Though Maryland is still one of the richest and most productive states in the nation, the Republicans convinced many that the economy was worse than most other states’. Though even after the tax increases of recent years, when Maryland still has below-average tax rates per individual incomes, many voters came to believe that the tax burden promoted flight of high-income taxpayers (there’s no convincing proof of this)."

Indeed, many Maryland politicos (Democrats included) over the last few years have become cheerleaders for the idea that we're losing millionaires (we're not) and that we're losing residents to Virginia (we're not). In fact, The Washington Business Journal recently reported that effective corporate tax rates are often lower in Maryland than Virginia. So rather than fight trickle-down economics in Maryland, we've largely embraced it as a policy solution for unquantifiable problems like "poor business reputation" or millionaires maybe/potentially/hypothetically leaving the state (some day).

But where I believe Democrats have faltered is on prioritizing relief for the middle-class and working class. During the gubernatorial race, there was always a lingering choice about whether to try and mobilize the base, or whether to try and convert voters on the other side. In many ways, these choices were mutually exclusive. Karl Rove famously chose the former tactic (to great success) in multiple elections. But in some states, it appears that the populist message was the winning one -- and it's not always a partisan message. Larry Hogan ran a populist campaign running against taxes. But in other states, the populist campaign manifested as sick leave and economic justice.

A LESSON FROM OTHER BLUE STATES: CONNECTICUT & MINNESOTA - Many politicos have been looking at Maryland in the same light as elections across the nation, where Republicans won tight races. But a better apples-to-apples comparison would be comparing Maryland to Connecticut (another traditionally Blue state with a tight Governor's race). Luke Brinker at Salon.com just did exactly that, and I think he's got some good points (excerpt below):

LUKE BRINKER (VIA SALON.COM): Amid this week’s disastrous Democratic drubbing, Connecticut emerged as one of the few bright spots for Democrats. Facing a formidable challenge from wealthy investor Tom Foley, whom he defeated by less than one percentage point in 2010, Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy secured another term, fending off Foley 51 to 48 percent....

But Malloy also boasted something many Democrats who lost Tuesday night did not — an actual track record of economic populist accomplishments. Malloy could point to specific policies he’d signed into law — most notably, mandatory paid sick leave and the nation’s first-ever state-level minimum wage increase to $10.10 an hour — that benefited Connecticut families but would be jeopardized if Foley, who opposed those policies, won the governorship....

A late-stage Malloy ad — aired as public polling indicated a tied race — put the issues at the very top. “On Tuesday, you future is on the ballot,” the ad’s narrator began. “What kind of state will Connecticut be? Tom Foley’s made his plans clear. No paid sick days for workers. No to raising the minimum wage....”

Lindsay Farrell, Connecticut director of the Working Families Party, told Salon that the issues resonated with a broad swath of voters.... But, Farrell noted, Malloy signed both paid sick leave and the minimum wage increase into law despite encountering opposition among more moderate Democrats in the state legislature, particularly on the former.... “Things that give people economic security and tackle economic inequality in this country are popular with voters,” [Farrell] added.

Results elsewhere bear this out. Bloomberg Politics’ Dave Weigel observes that while Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia barely survived after running a “radical centrist” campaign about the importance of slashing the national debt, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken cruised to a 10-point victory over his GOP opponent after a remarkably economic populist campaign. Earlier this year, most commentators — including this one — would have told you that of the two senators, Warner was almost certain to win by a larger margin....

And so the push for paid sick leave in Maryland begins (again)....


A LESSON FROM WITHIN MARYLAND: BRIAN FROSH VS. ANTHONY BROWN - Indeed, it would be foolish of Maryland Democrats and Republicans to extrapolate lessons for the future only from this year's Governor's race. After all, my suspicion is that Hogan's win is more of a mandate for populism than it is for conservatism. Within Maryland results, comparing the vote totals of Anthony Brown and Democratic nominee for Attorney General Brian Frosh is very instructive. After all, the Frosh race makes it hard to see the rejection of Anthony Brown as a rejection of Democrats (or liberal political ideology more broadly). I think Frosh's race and multiple other races in the state suggest that the message, tactics, and tone of the Brown campaign were more decisive than party label or liberal vs. conservative.

Indeed, Brian Frosh is a clear liberal politician from Montgomery County (representing much-maligned Bethesda, no less). He's also been the target of true hatred and ire from the NRA and gun owners, many of whom blame him for shepherding Maryland's tough new gun regulations through the State Senate. As a Senator, Frosh has also not been afraid to raise taxes, and voted for bills like transgender nondiscrimination that the rightwing base has revolted against. Frosh also opposed the estate tax cut and tax cuts for Lockheed Martin. He's not exactly a Larry Hogan clone, and would be the perfect foil if we were indeed witnessing a wave of anger toward Democrats. But Frosh won big, and that counters the narrative that voters were looking to blindly oust Democrats or liberals. Indeed, in a realignment cycle like we saw this year, several underfunded Republicans defeated better-known, better resourced candidates.

PROGRESSIVE SENATOR FROSH WON WHERE BROWN LOST: Looking at the voting totals below, you can see that progressive lawmaker Brian Frosh beat his Republican opponent by almost a quarter-of-a-million votes, and he did so by winning in places that Anthony Brown failed to carry: Baltimore County, Charles County and Howard County. Frosh even nearly tied his Republican opponent in Kent County.

	Brian Frosh Democrat	Jeffrey Pritzker Republican
Allegany	5707	12056
Anne Arundel	71548	91789
Baltimore City	108198	17471
Baltimore	132912	108605
Calvert	11330	18009
Caroline	2708	5491
Carroll	16927	40940
Cecil	8065	16127
Charles	26045	17579
Dorchester	3979	5355
Frederick	30799	41319
Garrett	1823	6194
Harford	30289	52859
Howard	54534	41781
Kent	3394	3537
Montgomery	163238	72205
Prince George's	178809	24346
Queen Anne's	5836	11670
St. Mary's	10283	18779
Somerset	2292	3452
Talbot	5496	8045
Washington	11584	23005
Wicomico	9604	13904
Worcester	6430	11031
Totals	901,830	665,549

PROGRESSIVE SENATOR FROSH OUTPOLLED BROWN IN EVERY MARYLAND COUNTY: Even more interesting is that Brian Frosh got more votes than Anthony Brown in every single county in Maryland, netting over 115,000 more votes for Frosh than Brown. Looking at the results below is a depressing vision of what could've been:

	Brian Frosh Democrat	Anthony Brown Democrat
Allegany	5707	4539
Anne Arundel	71548	55918
Baltimore City	108198	102219
Baltimore	132912	100121
Calvert	11330	9355
Caroline	2708	1900
Carroll	16927	10181
Cecil	8065	5396
Charles	26045	23936
Dorchester	3979	3067
Frederick	30799	27041
Garrett	1823	1588
Harford	30289	19404
Howard	54534	48019
Kent	3394	2568
Montgomery	163238	151593
Prince George's	178809	177993
Queen Anne's	5836	3715
St. Mary's	10283	8030
Somerset	2292	1979
Talbot	5496	4285
Washington	11584	9480
Wicomico	9604	8572
Worcester	6430	5427
Totals	901,830	786,326

OTHER COUNTER-INTUITIVE TEA LEAVES FROM MARYLAND ELECTIONS: Before you start extrapolating that there was something special about Brian Frosh (not that he isn't special), I would point out that rabid anti-tax, pro-business deregulation Republican Blaine Young lost his bid for Frederick County Executive this year to Democrat Jan Gardner -- even as Republicans swept 5 of the 7 County Council seats, and Brown lost big in the county. Moreover, Democrat John Delaney won re-election not just through Montgomery County -- he carried the Frederick portion of his district too. Rep. Elijah Cummings carried the Baltimore and Howard County portions of his district; Rep. John Sarbanes won the Baltimore and Howard County portions of his district, and nearly tied in Anne Arundel; Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger won in the Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, and Howard County portions of his district; and so on....

On the other hand, you could listen to the advice of Comcast's Maryland lobbyist Sean Looney, who apparently wants to preserve corporate tax loopholes, thinks the Assembly's incoming freshman are anti-business and a "headache," and believes some of Maryland's Democratic incumbents are "wackos." Stay classy!

JUICE: Dana Beyer vs Sen. Madaleno, MD #1 for Millionaires, Labor vs Brochin, Simmons vs Kagan, Gov & Min Wage Update

UPDATE: Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger has decided not to run for Governor.

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news items of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: DANA BEYER POLLING POTENTIAL RACE AGAINST SEN. RICH MADALENO - A Maryland Juice source sent us word of a poll out in the field right now in District 18. Two-time D18 Delegate candidate Dana Beyer now appears to be kicking the tires on a challenge to State Senator Rich Madaleno:

ANONYMOUS SOURCE: Beyer has a baseline poll in the field testing the delegate candidates, a Beyer/Madaleno senate matchup and testing some positive and negative messages as well as lines of attack.

JUICE #2: GOV. O'MALLEY & NUMEROUS LABOR UNIONS BACK CHALLENGER TO STATE SENATOR JIM BROCHIN - The Washington Post's John Wagner reported yesterday that Governor Martin O'Malley is backing a Democratic Primary challenger to State Senator Jim Brochin (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. never agreed on much, but the two adversaries have come to the same conclusion about one thing: Someone other than James Brochin should be elected to the state Senate from District 42.

Both O’Malley (D) and Ehrlich (R) have penned fundraising solicitations in recent weeks for candidates challenging Brochin, the independent-minded, three-term Democratic incumbent representing the Baltimore County district. O’Malley is supporting Connie DeJuliis, a former member of the House of Delegates who helped him in his gubernatorial campaigns....

“Connie is running to be a strong, Democratic voice for the communities, families, and citizens of the 42nd District in Baltimore County,” O’Malley said in his Jan. 7 fundraising solicitation for DeJuliis. “Her campaign is an important one, and she needs our help....”

I looked up the recent campaign finance reports for both Brochin and DeJuliis, and here's where the two candidates currently stand in terms of cash on hand:

• State Senator Jim Brochin (incumbent): $228,744.52
• Connie DeJuliis: $41,745.06

Note that Connie DeJuliis' campaign finance report shows donations from a wide range of labor unions and some politicians including: AFSCME Local 770, Baltimore Fire Officers Local 964, Maryland Social Services Employees Local Union 112, Maryland Teamsters PAC, 1199 SEIU - NYS Political Action Fund, CWA Cope - VA, Local 32 BJ NY/NJ American Dream Fund, Teamsters Local Union No. 639, Ironworkers Political Action League PAC, UAW PAC MD State, Friends For John Olszewski Sr and Friends Of Senator Norman Stone.


JUICE #3: NEW STUDY REPORTS MARYLAND IS #1 FOR MILLIONAIRES, VIRGINIA IS #7 - After all the hysteria from Democratic lawmakers about the potential flight of millionaires to Virginia, Maryland Juice was irritated to see a new study last week indicating that Maryland is #1 in the nation for millionaires (per capita). Can we please end the hysteria used to advocate for pro-millionaire policies already? Phoenix Marketing International published the following study, which was summarized by Politico's Mike Allen:

MIKE ALLEN (VIA POLITICO): States with the most and least, per Phoenix Marketing International: 1) Md. 2) N.J. 3) Conn. 4) Hawaii 5) Alaska 6) Mass. 7) Va. 8) N.H. 9) Del. 10) D.C. 11) Calif. 12) N.Y. ... 22) Texas ... 30) Fla. ... 36) Ohio ... 46) Tenn. 47) Ky. 48) W.Va. 49) Idaho 50) Ark. 51) Miss.

Here's a screencap from the Phoenix Marketing study:

JUICE #4: SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES HEATHER MIZEUR FOR GOVERNOR - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Heather Mizeur's campaign announcing the endorsement of the Sierra Club in her bid for Governor (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur-Coates Campaign Picks Up Sierra Club Endorsement


SILVER SPRING, Maryland – This weekend, Heather Mizeur and Delman Coates, Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, received the endorsement of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, one of state’s leading environmental groups. They are the first environmental group to endorse in the Democratic gubernatorial election.  

"The next Governor will face tough environmental challenges from eradicating dead zones in the Bay and boosting our alternative energy options to protecting and sustaining our natural resources," said Mizeur. “We’re honored to have the support of Sierra Club—and all their members—in this campaign, and look forward to working with them in victory.”  

The Sierra Club is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the country. The Maryland Chapter has 12,000 members. Some of the chapter’s priority campaigns are focused on moving the state "Beyond Coal" and "Beyond Natural Gas", and on preserving the natural environment for future generations.



"Delegate Mizeur is a true environmental champion who leads the fight to ensure that all Maryland families have access to clean water, healthy air and open spaces,” said Josh Tulkin, state director of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter. “Heather isn't afraid to speak her mind and stand up to special interests.”


Last week, the Mizeur-Coates campaign received endorsements from two women’s groups: Maryland NOW PAC and Feminist Majority. The campaign has also been supported by several other groups, including EMILY’s List and the Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police....

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JUICE #5: SUSAN LEE FOR D16 SENATE & KELLY, KORMAN, JAMGOCHIAN FOR D16 DELEGATE  // PLUS: DUCHY TRACHTENBERG WEIGHING AT-LARGE COUNCIL RUN - The Sierra Club also informed Maryland Juice that in District 16, they've endorsed Del. Susan Lee for State Senate and Del. Ariana Kelly, Marc Korman & Hrant Jamgochian for the three Delegate slots. On a similar note, Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck reported today that former Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg has decided not to challenge Susan Lee for the State Senate seat and is instead weighing a run for MoCo Council At Large (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: ...Delegate Susan Lee took another step toward locking up the nomination for the seat now held by Sen. Brian Frosh, who is seeking the Democratic nod for state attorney general. Former County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg said this week that, despite “a great deal of encouragement and support from many District 16 residents, I will not be running for the…Senate seat.” Trachtenberg, who continues to weigh a bid to regain an at-large seat on the County Council, added: “My political interests have always been in Rockville, and down on Capitol Hill....”

JUICE #6: GANSLER SUPPORTS TYING MINIMUM WAGE HIKE TO CORPORATE TAX CUT  //  PLUS: SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER SENDS MIXED SIGNALS - Earlier this month, Baltimore Business Journal reported that gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler supports linking a state minimum wage increase to corporate tax cuts (excerpt below):

BUSINESS JOURNAL: Senate Bill 8 was introduced by Sen. Richard Colburn, R-Caroline. Colburn is a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. The bill is one of several attempts expected this General Assembly session to reduce the state’s corporate income tax to bring it in line with neighboring states like Virginia, where the rate is 6 percent.

Those attempts could gain traction this session because several candidates for governor have come out in favor of a tax decrease. Attorney General Douglas Gansler, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, wants to see the rate lowered to 6 percent. Gansler would tie the reduction to a hike in the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, up from the current $7.25 an hour.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks Senate President Mike Miller made a series of telling comments about his views on a minimum wage increase. The Baltimore Sun's Erin Cox reported on Miller's thoughts (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Sen. President Thomas V. Mike Miller predicted a big fight over raising the minimum wage in Maryland and publicly urged his colleagues to look for compromise.

Miller said he doesn’t believe the proposal backed by Gov. Martin O’Malley will pass his chamber, and that while there is broad support for a wage increase, the state will have to allow different regions to have different wages. “I’m trying to find way out of dodge,” Miller told reporters, adding: “I’m telling you right now: it’s going to be a very tough sell....”

Miller, who said he believes some wage increase will pass, criticized those jurisdictions for acting alone. “Personally, I think what Prince George’s and Montgomery County have done is a tremendous disservice to their state and their community,” Miller said. The higher wage, he said, creates a political challenge for passing a state-wide wage lower than $11.50 and it discourages chain businesses from launching new enterprises in those counties.... 

JUICE #7: ANTHONY BROWN ENDORSES MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION PROPOSAL  //  PLUS: MARYLAND LEADS NATION IN POT ARRESTS -  The Baltimore Sun's Michael Dresser recently reported that Lt. Governor Anthony Brown is endorsing a legislative proposal to remove the 90-days-in-jail penalty for marijuana possession in Maryland (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Speaking at a Baltimore Sun Newsmaker Forum, Brown also came out strongly for decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana. But he said Maryland should wait and learn from the experience of other states before moving to full legalization of the drug.... On marijuana, Brown took a middle ground between the O'Malley administration's cautious support of the limited medical marijuana program approved last year and the legalization plan offered by Del. Heather R. Mizeur of Montgomery County, one of Brown's rivals in the June Democratic primary....

Meanwhile, Christopher Neely of the Capital News Service reported that Maryland has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the top five states in the nation for marijuana arrests (excerpt below):

CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE (VIA PATCH.COM):  Maryland is a state with a serious marijuana arrest problem, according to the FBI’s 2011 annual Uniform Crime Report. With 22,043 arrests for marijuana possession producing an arrest rate of 378 people per 100,000, Maryland ranked among the top five in marijuana possession arrests according to the most recent data available. This is not new for the Free State. Since 2007, Maryland has been in the top five states in marijuana possession arrest rate.

“I have no idea why these numbers are so high,” said state Sen. Bobby Zirkin, D-Baltimore County, who is an advocate for marijuana decriminalization in Maryland. “The numbers are shocking and staggering.” Experts say the numbers are in part the result of the war on drugs being focused on petty marijuana possession arrests starting in the 1990s. Some also attribute much of the increase to then-Baltimore Mayor and now Gov. Martin O’Malley, who helped introduce both statistics driven policing and zero tolerance policies to the state.

From 2000-2007, Maryland’s overall marijuana possession arrest rate rose by 4,916 arrests per year, or 28 percent statewide. During the same time period, Baltimore’s marijuana arrest rate surged by 3,686 arrests per year - more than 155 percent....

But according to a recent poll conducted by Democratic-affiliated Public Policy Polling, 68 percent of Marylanders support decriminalization. Fifty-three percent support legalization similar to Colorado and Washington.... 

In other news, a coalition of groups including the ACLU, Equality Maryland, League of Women Voters of Maryland, NAACP and more have formed a coalition to end marijuana prohibition.


JUICE #8: GANSLER ATTACKS ANTHONY BROWN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE CONTRACTORS - In response to the ongoing controversy over Maryland's bungled roll-out for Obamacare enrollment, Attorney General Doug Gansler issued the following press release slamming Anthony Brown for taking thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from contractors working on the project (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Brown/Ulman Took Nearly $130K from Health Care Interests for Campaign, Leaving Marylanders to Foot $170 Million Bill

While Taxpayers Have Spent $170 million on Botched Health Exchange, Brown Reaping Campaign Contributions

Silver Spring, MARYLAND – According to campaign finance reports, the Brown/Ulman gubernatorial campaign received $45,850 in campaign contributions between 2011 to 2014 from health care interests directly associated with the Maryland Health Insurance Exchange that Brown is overseeing – in addition to $84,000 Brown has received in donations linked to the health care industry in prior years.

A description of the contributions is below.

“While taxpayers have spent over $170 million on a botched insurance website overseen by Lt. Governor Brown, he has been reaping nearly $130,000 from health care interests. That is outrageous. Lt. Governor Brown owes taxpayers an answer for this ethical lapse – and an apology for the state of the exchange,” said Bob Wheelock, communications director for the Gansler/Ivey campaign....

Campaign Contributions to Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman from Healthcare Interests Directly Related to Exchange

Friends of Anthony Brown & MBHE Vendors

• Friends of Anthony Brown received $8,550 from vendors listed as receiving contracts from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchanges and executives or employees with those vendors.
• Friends of Anthony Brown received a total $4,750 from lobbyists who currently or formerly represented companies that received contracts from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. $2,450 came from individuals who are currently registered to lobby on behalf of vendors, and $2,300 came from individuals who had formerly been registered to lobby on their behalf. (Note that some of these lobbyists were also registered on behalf of insurance carriers on the Exchange.)

 Friends of Anthony Brown & MBHE Insurance Providers

• Friends of Anthony Brown received $22,700 in contributions from authorized marketplace insurance carriers and their executives.  The carriers were CareFirst, Evergreen, and Aetna.
• Friends of Anthony Brown received $10,495 from lobbyists who currently or formerly represented Maryland Health Benefit Exchange insurance carriers $4,325 came from individuals who are currently registered to lobby on behalf of carriers, and $6,170 came from individuals who had formerly been registered to lobby on their behalf. (Note that some of these lobbyists were also registered on behalf of vendors contracted with the Exchange.)

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JUICE #9: HEATHER MIZEUR BEATING DOUG GANSLER IN POLL OF BALTIMORE CITY VOTERS? - DMV Daily's Hassan Giordano reported on an interesting poll of Baltimore City voters showing Heather Mizeur leading Doug Gansler in the Governor's race (excerpt below):

DMV DAILY: In a recent DMVDaily poll of likely voters, both from the citywide voter file as well as the avid readers of this publication, the once unknown Mizeur campaign has seemingly catapulted its way into the mainstream conversation of likely victors. Polling in single digits late last year, the Mizeur/Coates campaign has gained considerable ground amongst Baltimore City voters, closing the gap with such tenacity that one has to wonder how well she will do statewide with more time to connect with voters.

Our recent survey, asking roughly 500 area voters who they would choose for Governor if the election were held today, showed Mizeur trailing Brown by a mere three percentage points (32%-29%), while Gansler lagged far behind at 18%. And while over 20% of respondents were still undecided as to whom they would support, the fact that Mizeur has already bypassed her Montgomery County colleague Gansler, shows her campaign’s strategic success over the past few months....

Note: I have not seen the actual polling memo, sample or crosstabs, so I have no idea whether this was a statistically valid poll.


JUICE #10: DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS SENDS ANOTHER DIRECT MAIL PIECE IN D17 SENATE RACE AGAINST CHERYL KAGAN  //  PLUS: WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL CRITICIZES SIMMONS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - Delegate Luiz Simmons sent a second direct mail piece to D17 voters regarding "mudslinging" in his State Senate battle against Cheryl Kagan (see below):

Meanwhile, The Washington Post's editorial board issued the following piece highlighting Delegate Simmons' obstruction of legislation to combat domestic violence (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland has long had the dubious distinction of being the only state that imposes a rigid burden of proof for victims of domestic abuse to receive a civil protection order. Past efforts to change the outdated law never got very far in a hidebound legislature, and advocates became so discouraged that they didn’t even raise the matter in recent years....

Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a candidate for attorney general, is sponsoring legislation that would establish a more reasonable burden of proof for victims seeking protection orders....

Mr. Frosh expressed confidence that the reform will pass in the Senate, but the real obstacles lie in the House of Delegates, notably its Judiciary Committee. It killed similar legislation when it was last proposed in 2010. Not even the wrenching testimony of a woman whose three children were drowned after she couldn’t obtain a protective order against her estranged husband could convince the committee of the need for change. The callous, if not hostile, treatment of Amy Castillo brought justifiable criticism to the committee and its chairman, Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Prince George’s), but it remains to be seen whether lawmakers have learned from their mistakes.

Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Montgomery), who led the effort to kill the bill four years ago, told us he might be open to the change and has some ideas for “compromise” that he plans to discuss with Mr. Frosh. Perhaps not coincidentally, Mr. Simmons is seeking election to the Senate and is locked in a primary battle with former delegate Cheryl Kagan in which women and domestic violence issues are sure to be a focus....

JUICE #11: MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER TO PROTECT "TEN MILE CREEK" - An interesting environmental issue has emerged in Montgomery County's County Executive race. Activists with the "Save Ten Mile Creek" coalition are trying to stop development that would impact a MoCo waterway that serves as a back-up water supply:

SAVE TEN MILE CREEK: Just outside the boundaries of Clarksburg Town Center runs one of the healthiest waterways in the Chesapeake Watershed: Ten Mile Creek. A designated drinking water supply, Ten Mile Creek flows steadily, clear and cold, and teems with fish, many different kinds of aquatic insects, salamanders and other life forms. But large commercial and residential development proposals threaten this creek and watershed. Ten Mile Creek is delivering clean, healthy water to Little Seneca Reservoir and the Potomac. We want to keep it that way now, today and tomorrow....

Notably, this issue is becoming a key political debate ahead of the 2014 Democratic Primary, as candidates for County Executive have weighed in on the issue. Below we excerpt a letter from County Executive Ike Leggett regarding this issue, as well as an email blast from former County Executive Doug Duncan:

IKE LEGGETT: As you know, protecting the environment is a priority of mine. It is for this reason I am making a commitment that the County will forego any development on the 128-acre County/Clarkwood site. Further, I have made a decision that the County will not build the proposed addition to the County Correctional Facility. Together these two properties owned by the County total over 400 acres in the Ten Mile Creek area. The commitment to forego any development on these two County properties represents a signficant reduction in impervious surface, and therefore a substantial contribution to protection the environmental resources in this watershed.

DOUG DUNCAN: Montgomery County is facing a major land use decision with environmental consequences that will outlive all of us by decades or centuries. Ten Mile Creek in the Clarksburg area is a County treasure - one of a very few high quality reference streams in the County. In the coming weeks, the County Council has to decide how much development to allow in the Ten Mile Creek watershed, a decision that will say a lot about our commitment to protecting our environment and our region's water supply. The Creek is like an endangered species - we value it for many reasons. If we destroy it, we will learn, to our regret, that it was truly irreplaceable.... The County Council must make this right by limiting development in the headwaters of Ten Mile Creek so that the current water quality of the Creek is maintained and that no further degradation occurs.... We can and must save Ten Mile Creek. If you agree, contact the County Council to please ask them to base their decision on this issue by supporting the policy of no further degradation to the Creek.

For what it's worth, County Exec candidate Phil Andrews also joined Duncan and Leggett at a "Save Ten Mile Creek" event this weekend.


JUICE #12: DOUG DUNCAN WINS ENDORSEMENT OF MOCO FIREFIGHTERS - Last week Doug Duncan announced the endorsement of the Montgomery County firefighters union in his bid for County Executive (excerpt below):

JEFFREY BUDDLE, IAFF LOCAL 1664: As president of the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1664, I am pleased to let you know that we have endorsed Doug Duncan to be the next County Executive of Montgomery County.

Having been a career fire fighter for 15 years now, and having worked with different administrations and politicians, I know that the traits Doug brings to the table are exactly what Montgomery County needs at this point in time in order to get us back on track.

His resolute commitment to public safety, both in the past and going forward, his vision for tomorrow’s Montgomery County, and his leadership style are what distinguish him as the clear choice in this race and made it an easy decision for us.

Doug has been an ardent supporter of the career fire fighters since day one. He understands the importance of working together to create one of the finest fire and rescue services in the country.  Doug knows how critical safeguarding the residents of Montgomery County is.

Montgomery County needs a strong, invigorated leader with innovative and new ideas. More of the status quo will just simply not work and we must once again get Montgomery County moving in the right direction. It was an honor to work with Doug before and we look forward to working together again with him as the next Montgomery County Executive....

JUICE #13: NARAL PRO-CHOICE MARYLAND PAC ISSUES CALL FOR CANDIDATE SURVEYS - Maryland  Juice received the following alert from the NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland PAC requesting candidate surveys for its endorsement process:

PRESS RELEASE

NARAL PRO-CHOICE MARYLAND PAC
Announces Endorsement Process

SILVER SPRING, MD--Today, the Political Action Committee of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland announced that they have launched a new portion of their website dedicated to preparing for the upcoming elections.

Persons interested in the endorsement process, voting information, and volunteer opportunities should visit www.prochoicemd.org. The site will be continually updated and will include endorsed candidates when they are announced.

The NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Political Action Committee is the only statewide PAC dedicated solely to electing pro-choice candidates to office in Maryland. Since 1982, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland PAC has worked to elect pro-choice officials at the state and county levels.

NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland is dedicated to ensuring that Maryland continues to be a leader in the reproductive rights movement

To learn more about the endorsement process, please visit www.prochoicemd.org/elections.

###

ROLL CALL: Maryland Senators & Delegates Vote on Income Tax Hike & More // Increase on Top 16% To Avoid Doomsday Budget

UPDATE: We added some House roll call information below.


BACKGROUND: On Monday, Maryland Juice appeared on News Channel 8 with former Sen. David Harrington to discuss this week's special legislative session in Annapolis. We noted that House and Senate leaders had secured the votes to pass a budget and revenue package, and that they had done so prior to Monday's start of the session. As a result, we expected to see legislators avoid the "Doomsday Budget" and approve a 0.25% income tax increase on the top 16% of earners (ie: individuals making over $100,000 and couples making over $150,000).

Yesterday, a majority of Maryland lawmakers made this prediction a reality. Below we print information on how legislators voted on the three pieces of legislation discussed in the special session: 1. budget (SB 1301/HB 1801), 2. tax & revenue (SB 1302/HB 1802), 3. school bonds (SB 1303/HB 1803). We start with a quick video message from Governor Martin O'Malley regarding the income tax hike. The video below is from WBAL:

Progressive MD Launches Voter Contacts for Budget Committee Senators // Direct Mail Hits D32 Sen. Ed DeGrange & Others

UPDATE: On a related note, hundreds of AFSCME members are planning to rally in Annapolis tonight to urge legislators to pass measures to expand collective bargaining rights, protect important services and close tax loopholes for millionaires and corporations. The rally will be at Lawyers’ Mall in front of the State House tonight -- Monday, March 5, from 6:00pm – 7:00pm.

Liberal advocacy group Progressive Maryland is pushing Annapolis legislators to consider restoring Maryland's millionaires tax and close corporate tax loopholes --  before placing additional burdens on working families in the Free State. They are now targeting members of the Senate Budget & Tax Committee (aka B&T) with direct mail and constituent contacts in their home districts. See sample direct mail pieces in Senator Ed DeGrange's District 32 below. In an email message to Maryland Juice, Progressive Maryland also provided some background:

RUH ROH: Biggest Maryland Counties Launch Grassroots Effort to Fight Shift of Teacher Pension Costs from State to County

Maryland Juice woke up today to discover that many of the Free State's politically influential counties have banded together to fight a proposal to shift the cost of teachers' pensions from the State to Maryland's various counties. A new website and advocacy effort called "Stop the Shift" launched today:

Last month, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett called the proposal a "non-starter." But Capital News Service reported that the Senate President was putting his muscle behind the proposal:

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said Tuesday morning that he supports the shift, calling it “a fair and equitable way to assist the counties while balancing the budget.” 

Notably, the Hagerstown Herald-Mail indicates that Democratic Senate President Mike Miller borrowed the pension shift idea from Republican Senate leaders:

Two years ago, [6th Congressional District GOP candidate David Brinkley] and Sen.E.J. Pipkin, the current Senate minority leader, crafted an alternative plan to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget. Elements of the alternative plan were adopted, Brinkley said.

DCCC: "Representative Bartlett Votes For Higher Taxes and Higher Medicare Premiums, Protects Billionaires"

PRESS RELEASE

This evening, Representative Roscoe Bartlett (MD-06) voted to force a $1,000 payroll tax hike on 3.2 million middle income Maryland families and raise Medicare premiums for seniors instead of ending tax breaks for billionaires. While voting for higher Medicare premiums for seniors in retirement, Bartlett even voted against cutting his own Congressional retirement pension.

Bartlett had previously voted three times to let these payroll taxes go up by $1,000 while letting House Republicans leave Washington for their holiday vacation.

“Representative Roscoe Bartlett is forcing a $1,000 middle income tax increase on 3.2 million Maryland families and higher Medicare premiums for seniors in order to protect tax breaks for billionaires,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Bartlett even opposed savings from his own Congressional pension while voting to raise taxes on middle income Maryland families and raise Medicare premiums for seniors. Roscoe Bartlett’s priorities shined through today — higher taxes for the middle class and health care costs for seniors while the ultra wealthy get more tax breaks.”

This afternoon, the Associated Press reported that Bartlett’s vote would mean “Millions who don’t consider themselves wealthy would also end up paying more” in Medicare premiums.

Background

Is Virginia Overinvested in Defense? Why Maryland Can More Easily Survive the Defense Bubble Burst

A Maryland Juice reader sends us the latest entry in the Maryland vs. Virginia battles. It comes from Politico writer Mike Allen's daily news roundup from 11/20/2011. The article he points to raises an interesting question: putting tax rates aside, has Virginia been living large (perhaps too large) from defense spending during two major wars?

Bloomberg Government Special Report, "Defense Spending State-by-State": "Virginia, Hawaii and Alaska may suffer the most economic harm from defense cuts of as much as $1 trillion during the next decade ... Virginia, home of the Pentagon and the Norfolk naval base, tops the list with 13.9 percent of its gross domestic product derived from defense spending. Hawaii ranks second, at 13.5 percent, and Alaska is third with 10.7 percent. All other states are in single digits, the study showed."

Indeed, a visit to the Bloomberg Report referenced above notes dark and stormy waters for Virginia:

Bloomberg Government examined military spending by state and combined the data with innovative graphics to provide a comprehensive view of Pentagon spending, as Congress considers budget cuts that might threaten the economies of states such as Virginia.

Virginia accounted for 10.8 percent of federal defense spending in fiscal 2009, making the state the top recipient and vulnerable to possible reductions.

Bloomberg included visualizations of the potential for pain in Virginia:

This sounds eerily similar to a recent Washington Post reader's comment that Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson highlighted for Maryland Juice readers:

Montgomery vs. Fairfax: Montgomery County Planning Board Member Casey Anderson Weighs In

CASEY AT THE BAT: Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson recently forwarded Maryland Juice a series of articles regarding the ongoing Internet and media discussions comparing Montgomery County & Fairfax County (or Maryland & Virginia). His primary point in forwarding the news items appears to be to respond to a recent Washington Post editorial jumping in on the side of the Chamber of Commerce, Republicans, and business lobbyists:

The growing breach between Fairfax and Montgomery — which together account for 2 million people, more than a third of the region’s population — is laid bare by new federal data. The data were the centerpiece of an eye-opening presentation to the Montgomery County Council this month by Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University....

Elected officials — some of them, at least — have at last concluded that ever-spiraling taxes and bloated budgets, driven largely by the county’s powerful and aggressive public-employee unions, are not conducive to attracting major employers and high-end, knowledge-based jobs. 

Mr. Anderson questions this framing of the issues. He sent the following explanation to place his three news snippets in context:

My main concern is not so much whether Fairfax is in fact "ahead" or "behind."  It is the (way overdone, in my view) idea that Fairfax is the only or at least most relevant benchmark for where Montgomery County should be.  Montgomery County is not perfect, but when I think about how it might be different I don't say to myself, "Gee, if only we could be more like Fairfax County, this place would be fantastic!"

Maryland Millionaire to Rep. Chris Van Hollen & Deficit Supercommittee // Tax Me, Roll Back Bush Tax Cuts

UPDATE:  Through a message sent to Maryland Juice on Twitter, Netrino President Michael Barr confirms that he is indeed the Maryland millionaire in question.

The LA Times ran an eye-grabbing headline earlier this week: "Millionaires group to lobby for higher taxes -- on themselves." Their article was about a renewed push by politically active millionaires to persuade Congress to roll back the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. This week the millionaires, operating under the name "Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength," focused on members of the "Deficit Super-Committee," like Maryland's Rep. Chris Van Hollen:

As the deadline nears for the congressional “super committee” to come up with a deficit-slashing plan, a group of people who have made $1 million a year or more is pressing lawmakers to raise tax rates on the nation’s highest income earners.

Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength, an organization formed in 2010, said it’s sending a delegation of 21 members to Washington on Wednesday to seek meetings with super committee senators and representatives.

The group’s message: “Any super committee deal that does not include higher taxes for millionaires should be killed....”

Patriotic Millionaires was formed a year ago as Congress debated whether to extend the personal income tax cuts that took effect during President George W. Bush’s first term. Ultimately, Congress and President Obama agreed on a two-year extension of the cuts.

But Obama in September called for a new tax on millionaires as a way to raise revenue.

At a minimum, the millionaires group wants the top tax rate for the highest earners to return to 39.6%, from the current 35%, according to Erica Payne, a spokeswoman for the organization....

The group says it has about 200 members in all, including more than a dozen current and former Google employees, actress Edie Falco and economist Nouriel Roubini.

Maryland Juice checked out the millionaires' website and noted that the group's public signers include 5 Virginia millionaires, 3 District of Columbia millionaires and only 1 Maryland millionaire....

Maryland & MoCo in 2020: Business Leaders Make "Altruistic" Suggestions As Defense Jobs Bubble Bursts

Lately, area politicians have gone out of their way to seek the input of small business owners, independent contractors, and ordinary residents as they decide who to screw over in budget decisions, when setting tax rates or otherwise making cuts. Indeed, voters should sleep easy at night knowing that policymakers are getting advice from altruistic sources. Maryland Reporter today, for example, highlighted this recent meeting of the Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates:

Comptroller Peter Franchot concluded “there is a sense of uneasiness about the economy” after three hours of testimony from Maryland business executives at a Board of Revenue Estimates meeting on Tuesday.

“You—the private sector – are going to lead us out of this,” Franchot told the business representatives. “I think it calls for a lot of caution.” In recent weeks, Franchot has repeatedly urged no new taxes or fees in the coming year....

Franchot said, “I was surprised at that the call for caution,” though that’s what he’s been preaching himself. He pointed to the new toll hikes for highway, bridges and tunnels, the proposed increases in the gas tax, and proposed increases in the flush tax for Chesapeake Bay restoration.

“You could reach the tipping point very quickly” for consumers who don’t have much money, Franchot said.

Sorry, but that tipping point feels like it is here, and it doesn't feel like the alarm is leading to shared sacrifice. To state a few uncontroversial facts: Maryland has rolled back the millionaire's tax, increased fees and tolls on average residents, ramped up collection of revenues from tickets and other punitive measures, brought gambling revenue to the State, is currently debating two regressive taxes (ie: an online "Amazon.com" sales tax and a gas tax increase), and has not passed legislation to close corporate tax dodges. Maryland Juice makes no comment on any of the proposals above (and in some instances I even support them), but I am struggling to point to equal sacrifices from the very people who are essentially asking legislators to force more "hard decisions" down the road (ie: more cuts and pain onto voters). If you disagree, I encourage you to cite instances in the comments.

Transitioning the Region's Economy: But here is an equally large problem that we don't appear to be wrestling with in our public dialogue. Defense spending, which has recently propped up the area's federal spending, is definitely going to decline for the forseeable future. Remember that President Obama is making good on his promise to pull out of Iraq? Ain't nothin' we can do about that. Combine that with the fact that the Pentagon isn't in Maryland and there is a (soon to be Metro-connected) international airport and concentration of existing defense jobs over the border, and you can see that we need to diversify our portfolio. (We still appreciate Lockheed's presence in MoCo, but that doesn't mean all tax and budget policy should be geared toward them!). To be fair, many Maryland leaders are already launching Maryland 2.0b with new investment in biotech, green and other industries.

Who is Bloated?: But still, these arguments from business leaders about taxes persist, and some politicians love to keep taking them at face value. Riddle me this.... Are corporations in Maryland willing to abide by the golden rule? Do unto others.... Because for the last few years, Chamber representatives have been marching into public hearings to testify on the need for government to trim spending and reduce its workforce costs. To do otherwise would be irresponsible, they claimed. Maryland, after all, had become bloated at the expense of Federal largesse and overspending. But apparently, area defense contractors have been behaving no differently. The Maryland Reporter article in question also noted the following:

There was considerable trepidation about the impact the decisions on federal budget cuts by the congressional Supercommittee could have on Maryland...

Jose Boluda of Northrup Grumman’s Electronic Systems Sector in Linthicum said that his company “has been working under a flat budget” for several years. He said that a defense industry group has estimated that proposed Defense Department cuts could cause the loss of 18,000 to 36,000 jobs at Maryland defense contractors, many of them in research and development.

He said the company was concerned by “any of these things that make us less competitive,” such as tax hikes.

No Tit for Tat: Indeed, as Maryland and Montgomery County transition their economies, it seems important to play devil's advocate for a second. If we are going to adopt the market-based solutions espoused by the business leaders, shouldn't we tell them not to be hypocritical? If their companies got fat during an era of Federal largesse, perhaps they need to shrink, become less bloated, downsize, adjust to the new economic reality, etc? If the R&D jobs are in danger, maybe they need to rethink the applications of their research and find new non-defense uses for their workers. After all, that's what they want us to do with government workers and their pensions and health benefits: retool or cut. But Maryland Juice is not making that aggressive counter-argument because these defense contractors are also Maryland Democrats, Republicans, shoppers, taxpayers, etc. We want everyone to stay, and we want to grow jobs, too. But I don't feel like the corporations are being team players. Do you?

That's why testimony earlier this week from GMU Professor Stephen Fuller has been causing a buzz in Montgomery County this week.

Bechtel Receives $9.5 Million Loan from Maryland, Still Moves Hundreds of Jobs to Virginia // The Story Emerges (Ignore the GOP)

In the midst of constant budget shortfalls, one of the tricky problems arising in Maryland (and perhaps others states), is that various corporations are shotgunning politicians with threats to move to Virginia if we don't hand over millions in taxpayer subsidies, loans, credits, etc. Bechtel was the latest participant in this game, having just received $9.5 million in loans from Maryland in exchange for keeping over 1,000 of its employees in Frederick.

Yesterday, we discovered they are still moving hundreds of jobs to Virginia, even after receiving the loan. Apparently some of those who negotiated the deal may have known that at the time of the loan. The Washington Post reported, "Some Democratic lawmakers all but acknowledged at the time that some Bechtel jobs would move out of state, and probably to Virginia." Now the full story appears to be emerging, and it is important to understand it, because already the anti-tax advocates are back at it claiming Bechtel moved the jobs because of high taxes:

...some Maryland Republicans who had supported the loan said last week that they were surprised to learn the company would still move several hundred jobs, and they blamed Maryland’s tax rates.

What a crock. Bechtel had apparently been talking about moving one of its divisions to Virginia for months and tax policy doesn't seem to be involved. Damn the evidence -- somehow the GOP always finds a way to complain that taxes are too high. Nevertheless, The Gazette reported:

New Study: Maryland Business Climate 11th in Nation // Senator Brian Frosh Questions MD Corporate Welfare Policy

“Maryland is the number one goddamn state in the union. 

We’re not just a good state – we’re a great state." 

Senate President Mike Miller (source: MD Reporter)

Early on Maryland Juice embarked on a perhaps quixotic campaign to try and help counter some of the anti-tax propaganda coming from the GOP, conservatives, think tanks and business leaders in Maryland. I don't really blame any of them for making the case for lower taxes, because that's what they always do (recession or not), and it is in their direct interest. After all, the current economic turmoil has given anti-tax proponents their best shot at actually getting what they want, especially since politicians are terrified of hypothetical job flight right now. But study after study indicates that the claims from business people are full of holes.

So when we have no money to give away to businesses and the data shows things are actually improving, isn't all of this anti-tax and pro-corporate welfare propaganda just that? Propaganda. What happened to technocratic policymaking? It seems too much governing is driven by fear instead of reason right now. Indeed, three key studies have recently taken the wind out of the anti-tax policy arguments:

• Millionaires Are Not Leaving for Virginia: Contrary to the Montgomery County Executive's assertions, millionaires have not been leaving Maryland for Virginia. Recent research indicates that this is a false claim and Maryland may have fewer millionaires today, simply because some millionaires lost money in the recession (as is true in practically every state). They didn't actually go anywhere.

• Maryland #1 in Nation for Millionaires: Even more proof lies in a new study indicating that compared to other states, Maryland millionaires make up the largest share of the population. Maryland has a higher % of millionaires than fabled pro-millionaire places like Virginia and Hawaii.

• Maryland #11 in Nation for Business-friendliness (and climbing): When factoring in things beyond simply tax rates, Maryland is currently moving up the rankings in terms of being a pro-business state. Interestingly if you rate Maryland on business taxes, the Tax Foundation claims Maryland is 44th in the nation for business-friendliness. But if you factor in health care availability, unemployment, business growth and other considerations, Maryland suddenly leaps to 11th in the nation.

It is important for policymakers to keep everything in perspective.....

Tea Party-Aligned Maryland Think Tank Admits Real Goal: Cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid

UPDATE: The AARP is now teeing up spots to defend seniors' entitlements from cuts. Like I said, let's bring the GOP's 3-point platform below to Florida!

Maryland Juice earlier this week criticized Tea Party politicians for supporting policies that would hurt their constituents, and we implied that some of them were being phony in their support for eliminating government. Everyone breath a sigh of relief, because the Maryland Public Policy Institute (MPPI) responded by basically saying: a) these policies really do work, and b) Tea Party politicians really do believe this stuff.

Maryland Juice thought it was worth pointing out which policies MPPI is supporting. Below we highlight some of MPPI's suggestions, with some very brief commentary. This is not intended to be an issue review, just a sampler:

9/20 Silver Spring Town Hall with Rep. Donna Edwards // Backdrop: Obama Proposes MD-Style Millionaires Tax

UPDATE: Maryland Reporter has this coverage of the town hall meeting. The article notes there was "applause for tax increases." Meanwhile, the DC City Council just passed a tax increase on upper income brackets. Is sanity on a comeback?

Tonight, Rep. Donna Edwards is speaking at a town hall meeting in downtown Silver Spring, along with Maryland Senators Roger Manno and Jamie Raskin.

A Town Hall: Taking Back the Budget Debate
Tuesday, September 20th at 7:30 pm
More info at OurFunds.org

Silver Spring Civic Center
Ellsworth & Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD
3 blocks from the Silver Spring Metro
Free parking after 6 p.m. at the Wayne Ave garage

The timing of this event is fortuitous, given that President Obama this week released details of his new jobs and deficit-reduction proposals. Among the plans are $1.5 trillion in savings achieved by undoing the worst of George W. Bush's class warfare schemes, along with a new plan for a minimum tax rate to ensure millionaires and billionaires pay the same rate as ordinary Americans (note: they are currently paying less).

Business Leaders to Maryland: "Tax Cuts Cure Chlamydia" // Plus, More on MD's Millionaires Tax

UPDATE: Rockville Council candidate Tom Moore sent the following related story from the Onion - "Tea Party Congressman Calls For Tax Breaks To Put Out Raging Wildfire In District."

Can you guess which photo is Ellen Sauerbrey and which is Blanche Devereaux?

I've always been amazed at how knowledgeable people in the DC Metro area are about national affairs -- but it is sometimes a spectacle to see state and local politicians making decisions that would be far less certain votes for many federal-level Democrats.

For years, Democrats and activists at the national level have been pushing to undo the Bush-era tax cuts (ie: giveaways for the super-wealthy). I'm sure you've heard of the disappointment some still have that Obama was not able to deliver on similar progressive tax goals. But amazingly, in Democratic-controlled Maryland, the tax debates contain so much hesitation and fear about the impact on the super-rich.

Former Maryland Republican gubernatorial candidate Ellen Sauerbrey would be proud.