Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts

Thursday, October 25, 2012

MARRIAGE EQUALITY: New "Vote For 6" Radio Ad with Obama // PLUS: Rockville Councilmember Attacked for Lawnsigns

JUICE #1: NEW RADIO AD FEATURES OBAMA: Today Marylanders for Marriage Equality has released a new radio ad featuring President Barack Obama's endorsement of marriage equality earlier this year. Listen to the new spot below:



JUICE #2: CRAZY ANTI-MARIAGE TRUCK AD: A Maryland Juice reader forwarded us the image below of a crazy anti-marriage equality truck ad. See the image below and accompanying explanation:
READER: Saw this on I-270 this morning. The side said "Shame on America."



JUICE #3: LIMITED SUPPLY OF FREE "VOTE FOR 6" LAWNSIGNS: Thanks to a generous donor, Marylanders for Marriage Equality is now offering free "Vote for Question 6" lawnsigns to the first 1,000 people who request them. You can pick up signs from Marylanders for Marriage Equality offices in Silver Spring, Baltimore, Cumberland and Frederick.




JUICE #4: ROCKVILLE COUNCILMEMBER TOM MOORE UNDER SEIGE FOR PRO-MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAWNSIGNS: Last week, Maryland Juice reported that Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore decided to print city-specific lawnsigns urging a "vote for" Question 6. Note: You can pick-up signs at his house 11 Forest Ave in Rockville starting next Monday, October 29. In any case, Moore's effort is now under attack from the opponents. See the update below:
TOM MOORE: This is not particularly a news item, but I thought you might enjoy it.   I'm not concerned that it will amount to anything, but man -- no good deed goes unpunished. Debra Daniel, for your reference, is Rockville's City Attorney.

On Oct 24, 2012, at 11:07 AM, xxxxx <xxxx@verizon.net> wrote:


Dear Ms. Daniel,

Once again, I find it necessary to question the recent  action of Councilmember Tom Moore. During Monday’s Council meeting, Mr. Moore displayed the image shown below. He announced that yard signs are available, and can be picked up at his house. It is my opinion he conflated the Council’s position on Question 5 with his personal position on Question 6.

The sign Mr. Moore displayed, and will distribute, gives the impression that the City, through the Mayor and Council, has taken a position on this issue. Who does Mr. Moore think he is, that he can speak for all of Rockville? Mr. Moore doesn’t seem to understand that as an elected official, when he uses such language as “Rockville Votes For”, he is representing our City, and goes far beyond expressing his personal views.

I am hereby requesting that Mr. Moore be told he cannot distribute or display the sign. The City did not approve this, does not take a position on the issue and Mr. Moore is not entitled to speak for all of Rockville.

I would like a timely response to my request, and what action, will be taken. If you feel that, as the City Attorney, you cannot respond directly to me, then I ask you direct your answer through the City Manager or the Mayor. If it is the decision of the City Attorney, City Manager or City Council that there is nothing wrong with Mr. Moore’s language, I would like an explanation as to why.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX

http://r4em.moores.org/


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Maryland Exploring Withdrawal from Bush-Era "No Child Left Behind" Law

UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun confirms that Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Hairston will be finishing up his contract next June.

Maryland is exploring a quiet shift in educational policy, as its public schools face increasing budget challenges. But these changes could reflect a major change in how Maryland schools function in the future. Capital News Service reports that the State Department of Education is looking at replacing the Bush-era "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) standardized test regime with alternate benchmarks for student progress:

President Obama Appoints Shakira & Montgomery Councilmember Nancy Navarro to Hispanic Education Commission

Navarro (left) w/ Justice Sotomayor
UPDATE: The Washington Post's new MoCo reporter, Victor Zapana, follows up with a brief interview with Navarro.

The AFP wire service had a cool story today noting that President Obama has selected four people to serve on his advisory commission for Hispanic education:
Shakira was among four people named to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, along with Nancy Navarro, a Maryland politician, Adrian Pedroza, an immigration and education campaigner and educational expert Kent Scribner.

"I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country,'" Obama said. "'I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead...."

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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).

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Obama Beating all Republicans in Maryland's Early Money Race

So far, Marylanders have donated a combined $1.4 million in contributions to all of the major presidential candidates. Out of that amount, Obama has received over $1 million from Marylanders -- ie: over double the roughly $390,000 received from Maryland donors by all of the Republican candidates combined. Our state is traditionally a major donor state, along with population-heavy states like California, New York, and Texas and or DC adjacent states like Virginia. Below, you can see a summary of Maryland's presidential giving by candidate, party and zip code. The information is courtesy of the FEC:

2012 Presidential Campaign Finance: Maryland

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

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.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Obama in Surprisingly Good Shape?

A politically connected observer sent me some interesting new polling numbers showing that concern over Obama's re-election chances might be misplaced. A new Clarus poll roundup has Obama ahead in North Carolina and Colorado, beating all Republican challengers.

Maybe the Republican extremism will work about as well nationally, as it will in Maryland.

NORTH CAROLINA: 2012 TRIAL HEATS*
  • Obama over Romney +5
  • Obama over Perry +8
  • Obama over Bachmann +10
  • Obama over Cain +13
  • Obama over Palin +13

COLORADO: 2012 TRIAL HEATS**
  • Obama over Romney +7
  • Obama over Bachmann +12
  • Obama over Perry +13
  • Obama over Cain +16
  • Obama over Palin +16