No, I’m not making this a weekly feature. I just had two items I wanted to talk about and I didn’t think either would be enough for a full post. So here you go.
First of all, I was reading the left side of the local blogosphere (Two Sentz) when they linked to an AP story republished in the Daily Times. It talks about the “recessionproof” lobbying industry. I decided to add my own two cents (pun intended) and commented:
Shrink the pie and you won’t need $24.7 million to get your slice at someone else’s expense.
Legitimate functions of government rarely need lobbyists.
What was written back by Chuck was:
Tell that to Lockheed, KBR, and every contractor for the DoD.
Despite the fact the actual thread I was referring to was about our state government in Annapolis, I’ll bite.
The last time I checked national defense was a legitimate function of government. We can argue all day whether our projection of power throughout the globe is part of that legitimate function (I happen to think it is for the most part) and I’m not going to lie and say to you that there’s not waste and fraud aplenty in the Department of Defense. Some of our more esoteric weaponry may have been created with a particular contractor in mind and not necessarily to further military goals.
But their piece of the pie is nowhere near the size found in our entitlement programs and it’s within that realm the lobbyists seeking the most lucrative honeypots reside. Most of those programs don’t fall into what our Founders spelled out when they wrote the Constitution.
On a state level, our bloated budget (about half of which is comprised of federal transfer payments) is rife with a number of honeypots for lobbyists to stick their fingers into. It amazes me how many different funds comprise the state budget, each with one or more dedicated revenue streams to take money from our pockets but not always with a clear purpose. And if the federal mandates on spending – many created by lobbyists – weren’t present I believe the state could be much more efficient with its tax dollars and could lighten the burden on the Marylanders who are saddled with paying a hefty tax bite.
Now to shift gears. On Thursday State Senator Lowell Stoltzfus has scheduled an invitation-only gathering to discuss his future plans. It’s important because the announcement will break a logjam of candidates on both sides who aren’t quite set in stone which office they wish to pursue.
For example, one rumor has Delegate Jim Mathias setting his sights on the Senate seat if Stoltzfus bows out. Michael James, who’s been coy about his ambition, could decide to try for the Senate, or, there’s the possibility Page Elmore may also step up should Lowell decide another term isn’t in the cards. Pocomoke City Mayor Mike McDermott is also in the mix but more likely would settle in to run for Delegate. In turn, a number of names (including the aforementioned James and McDermott) have been floating around as possibilities to challenge Norm Conway and for the possible open Mathias seat in District 38B.
On the other hand, if Stoltzfus stays it would probably leave things pretty much as they were in 2006, where James was a challenger to Mathias and Conway for the District 38B seats, Stoltzfus was unopposed for his Senate seat, and Elmore had token competition in District 38A.
It will make my left column expand by quite a bit as I add the local races in with those who have jumped in statewide.
