June 2012 – Page 2

Where are they now?

I’m hoping this transition will be seamless insofar as overall site appearance goes, but practically simultaneously with this post appearing will be a new page.

For the last several years I’ve taken the occasion of the South Atlantic League All-Star Game to update the whereabouts of the dozens of players I’ve selected as Shorebird of the Week over the six-plus seasons I’ve devoted Thursdays during the season to their respective posts. But now, thanks to the Baseball-Reference website I can track these guys in what could be described as “real enough time,” so I decided to devote a separate page to these players that I’ll keep updated on a somewhat regular basis, maybe twice a month or so.

As of last Sunday, when I wrapped up work on version 1.0 of the page, I found that 63 of 115 previous selections were still playing professional baseball someplace. Needless to say, most of those active players were Shorebirds of the Week over the last two seasons, but there are still a handful from the early days chasing the dream and as of this writing (Monday evening) two were in The Show – David Hermandez (Arizona) and Brandon Snyder (Texas). Another ten have basked in the MLB spotlight – at least briefly, for the proverbial cup of coffee – and are (or will become) members of the Shorebird of the Week Hall of Fame.

So if you’re a Shorebird fan like I am I hope you enjoy the trip down Memory Lane as you recall some of the players who have passed through on the game of life. I know I enjoyed doing the research!

Update: As I always do, I also update how our SAL All-Stars did.

We only had one this year, but Nicky Delmonico certainly showed himself deserving: 2-for-4 with a single, double, and the first two runs scored of the 3-2 North win. With that line, it was no surprise he was the game’s most valuable player!

Odds and ends number 52

As usual, the collection of oddities and things I run across which merit a paragraph, two, or three. Once I figure I’m up to 600 words or so I decide it’s time to add another chapter to this long-running series.

So let me begin with the shrill diatribes of one Pat McDonough. I’m going to pick out two paragraphs from a release he put out today.

The President’s fiat providing amnesty rights to illegal aliens by allowing them to acquire work permits circumvents the Congress and violates the Constitution and the Federal Immigration Act. This political stunt initiated in an election year cries out for immediate impeachment hearings and a preventive federal lawsuit. Congressman Steven King of Iowa, the Chairman of the Immigration Reform Committee, has announced that he will launch a federal lawsuit to stop Obama’s reckless executive order.

From a practical point of view, the President’s actions will seriously hurt American workers. Twenty-four million people are underemployed in this nation and 43% of the unemployed have been collecting benefits for more than 6 months. With a stroke of a pen, Mr. Obama has generated 1.5 million new work permits to people who are in our country without lawful presence. The result is 1.5 million jobs will be stolen from Americans. This illegal action is designed to promote his re-election at a time when we are suffering a “jobs depression” which he has been unable to resolve are unbelievable.

Pat is mostly correct in what he says, but it seems to me the message needs to come from other venues as well. After all, when the first thing out of Pat’s mouth in the wake of Obama’s Friday announcement was a call for his impeachment – a wish that stands less than zero chance of happening in this political climate – it makes McDonough look too much like an opportunist. Never mind he’s toyed with the idea of running for several offices before keeping the one he has.

On the other hand, I get more of a impression of sanity with Larry Hogan and Change Maryland. Referring to budget trends among the states based on data from the National Governor’s Association, he also managed a swipe at the outgoing incumbent:

“What happens when you increase spending by more than most other states and you pass 24 tax and fee hikes? You end up having the biggest job loss in the nation,” said Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan, referring to the latest U.S. Department of Labor report which showed Maryland leading the nation in lost jobs.

Now I will grant that Hogan was also in and out of a electoral race, bowing out midstream in favor of Bob Ehrlich in the 2010 gubernatorial race, but he’s not cultivated a reputation for bombast like McDonough has. There are ways of selling one’s self which are more effective than others and Hogan seems to have that knack.

Turning to other state events, Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin blasted the secrecy of expanding gambling in Maryland.

“The (Workgroup to Consider Gaming Expansion) is operating in the privacy of a windowless, third floor conference room in the Lowe House Office Building without a single member of the public present. If this isn’t a sad example of the proverbial ‘smoky back room,’ I don’t know what is.” said Pipkin. Earlier Monday morning, a Pipkin staffer was barred from the Workgroup’s meeting.

“Behind closed doors, and out public sight, this group is crafting policy,” said Pipkin. “Maryland’s emerging casino gaming industry will soon be pumping millions into the state’s coffers, and now the workgroup is cutting deals in private. Members of the public who wish to attend these meetings should not be barred. Obviously the O’Malley administration has no interest in a transparent process or open governance.”

“They are pulling every political trick of the trade to ram through a sixth casino location in Prince George’s county and table games at all six casinos. The Governor’s staff operates like a crew of barroom bouncers guarding the door and refusing public access to these secret meetings.”

Bear in mind that the eleven-member group was selected by three politicians: Governor O’Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., and House Speaker Michael Busch, all Democrats. So imagine if a Republican had such secretive meetings – it would set off a firestorm of withering criticism from the press. Instead, it’s left to Pipkin to make his statement while the workgroup hammers out a bill for a July Special Session.

If you’ve been following the Dan Bongino campaign as I have, you probably know he did a money bomb last week, raising nearly $15,000 according to this Gazette article. While the paper correctly notes that Ben Cardin has a huge cash advantage at this date, it’s also worth stating that Bongino’s $60 or so average contribution is peanuts compared to the thousands of special interest dollars Cardin seems to have at his beck and call. Just as one example, it’s interesting how much attention has been paid to our Eastern Shore postal distribution center since the letter carriers’ union and postmasters forked over $10,000 to “our friend Ben’s” campaign coffers – and that’s just since the beginning of 2011.

I have no problem with money in politics, but it’s amazing to me where all Ben’s money comes from.

This billboard is along U.S. 13 near the Maryland-Virginia line.

Speaking of money, the Worcester County Republicans raised enough, through a number of means, to at least make one of their planned two billboards a reality. I’m told by Don Stifler, who sent along this photo to me, that the sign is located just north of the Virginia line along U.S. 13, so I’ll have to look for it in my upcoming travels down that way.

Honestly, though, I’m not sure the sign isn’t too clever by half in its reference. There’s no question we need to get rid of Obama, but I think there could have been a better message. Regardless, the sign is what it is and I’m sure some people will tell me that it’s a perfect analogy – to each his or her own, I guess.

I’m going to close with a riddle – what do Afghanistan and Mexico have in common?

You probably know from a previous article that my blogging friend Bob McCarty is trying to raise funds to help him launch his upcoming book. But he raises some good questions about the similarities between events in Mexico and “green on blue” attacks in Afghanistan that bear closer examination – not that much of it is forthcoming from those who can address the issue. And in both cases, people are winding up dead.

Meanwhile, Bob is about 1/6 of the way to his goal. No doubt a lot of people want money these days, but if the subject seems interesting perhaps you can help Bob out. (You can even rattle my tip jar, too.)

So there you have it, as I actually went way beyond my 600-word barrier, even though I counted the blockquotes. I wrote a lot nonetheless, so I hope you learned at least as much as I did.

Conservative reaction to Obama’s amnesty predictably outraged

In a state which will be debating the issue this fall as a ballot initiative, it was a sure bet that conservatives and Republicans would angrily denounce President Obama’s Friday Executive Order allowing certain illegal aliens between the ages of 16 and 30 to obtain work permits.

Some of the strongest criticism came from Delegates Neil Parrott and Pat McDonough, two of the leaders in the fight against Maryland’s DREAM Act, passed last year and petitioned to referendum in November.

(continued at Examiner.com…)

2012 Delmarva Chicken Festival in pictures and text

We welcomed the event back to Salisbury after a four-year absence – oddly enough, it seems to come here during a Presidential election year. As I promised, here’s my accounting of the event.

If you’re wondering why I was there, well, as part of my Central Committee duties I coordinate our presence at particular events. They understand it’s a win-win situation as I help get the people there for their purposes and I have an excuse to roam around for mine. This was taken early on Friday with the first of my volunteers, Tom Hughes, manning the tent.

Tom (and many others) were kind enough to mind the store while I did my thing, particularly at the opening ceremony. It’s interesting that not one of these birds is really a chicken.

I talked about the politicians and their speeches yesterday, but I didn’t see any of the Maryland folks doing the chicken dance, did I?

I think some of those on the right-hand side of the photo (with their backs to the camera) were Delaware state legislators, though, so they weren’t as bashful.

The political types were quick to grab a piece of the ribbon, though, and officially kick off the 63rd Delmarva Chicken Festival.

One thing the DCF attempts to accomplish is educate those who are city slickers about the chicken cycle of life. First you have the incubator to help the newly hatched come into the world.

Then it’s perhaps the favorite part of the DCF in terms of the “awwwwwww” factor. These are the definition of “harmless lovable little fuzzballs.”

But then they grow to be decent-sized birds.

Fortunately, they don’t feature the chickens’ actual demise, but they come to what may be considered a glorious end in one of several ways. Some are barbecued to perfection.

Others are fried in the giant frying pan. For the curious, some of the facts and figures about this behemoth are below.

Still others are picked apart for cash prizes. Mountaire, which provides the chicken, also put up the money to the winners.

I found it interesting that the meat picked from the chickens goes to a local cat shelter. I gather that’s because of the non-sterile conditions the meat is prepared under, because there are no gloves on those hands.

The Chickin Pickin’ was one of many side events that went on, along with a full entertainment schedule and a car show on Saturday.

Whether it was to our benefit or not, our booth location was well away from the stage so we really didn’t get to hear the bands like alex&shiloh, pictured below. So, alas, I’ll have no Weekend of Local Rock post from this.

As I mentioned, there was a car show and I am definitely a sucker for car shows. But I don’t hold a candle to this owner’s love for The King of Rock n’ Roll.

I decided to feature a few other cars here for a purpose. Has it occurred to you how many venerable nameplates have disappeared over the last decade or so? Names like Oldsmobile…

…or Pontiac…

…or Mercury, just to name a few.

I’d love to find an AMC Javelin at one of these shows because I always thought those looked cool as well – yes, another nameplate that’s bitten the dust in my adult lifetime.

I added this one for a sentimental reason. My parents owned a 1964 Thunderbird when I was born. It wasn’t a convertible and it was baby blue instead of red, but you get the picture. And it gives me an excuse to symbolically wish my Dad a Happy Father’s Day. It’s symbolic in the sense that he never looks at a computer, fortunately he’s alive and well.

This car was worth showing for the board out front.

The board details some facts about 1967, when that Mustang was built.

And it provides a brilliant chance to illustrate a point about the next picture, for 1967 is also the year that this guy’s opponent was first sworn into public office. He’s been there ever since and politically Ben Cardin has not aged as well as that red Mustang.

On the other hand, Dan Bongino spent most of four solid hours meeting and speaking to voters, while his volunteers helped keep the GOP booth staffed. I also found out Dan likes the same wraps I do, since he grabbed a quick bite to eat (and no, I did not take a photo of it.) Oh, that guy who was sworn in back in 1967? Yeah, he was there long enough for a few sound bites but that was about it.

Bongino wasn’t the only politician who dropped by over the two days. Delegate Mike McDermott said hello, and here he’s pictured with our county GOP Chair Dave Parker, who’s on the left. (That doesn’t happen often.)

Andy Harris also came over with two of his kids on Friday, and I also have to point out State Senator Jim Mathias was kind enough to shake hands and say hello. He was the only Democrat to do so that I’m aware of.

By now most readers should know I seek out the political in almost everything, and the DCF was no exception because there were a number of agricultural-related lobby groups represented. Needless to say, Maryland’s Department of Agriculture was there, pushing an $18 million cover crop program.

The lady sitting there certainly looked bored. But other groups were less obvious as to what they stood for. Take the group Let’s Be Shore for an example. Their purpose was to, as they said, establish a dialogue about our watershed. But one has to ponder what gets the Maryland Humanities Council interested in agriculture?

They are planning public meetings for later this summer, and if I can I’ll have to show up. I definitely have some opinions on the Watershed Implementation Plans of which they speak.

Food safety was the mantra of CommonGround.

The little brochure they were handing out was intended to correct “common misconceptions” about the food industry, such as the impact of genetically modified food. “Farmers and gardeners have been creating plant hybrids for as long as they’ve been growing plants,” states one portion of their handout. “Biotechnology simply serves as a more technologically advanced method.”

To be honest, I really don’t have an informed opinion on what these multinational corporations do with plant research, but I did find it intriguing that the effort is sponsored by “America’s soybean and corn farmers and their checkoffs” and is aimed more toward the women who primarily are food buyers.

This group, though, hits closer to home.

As a group “raising awareness about the dire threat raised by environmental activists who sue first and ask questions later,” I can see them coming into conflict with some of the other groups represented. I find it strange, though, that environmentalist groups and their supporters tend to be from big cities and are probably the most likely to complain about the smell of the country.

Now when I smell the obvious by-product of raising chickens I joke that it “smells like Delaware.” But to farmers that’s also the smell of money and the odor of continuing the process by which people all over the world are fed – the chicken manure fertilizes the grain used for the feed which eventually once again creates the by-product. Those of us who understand how our region works appreciate the economic impact farmers create, but those who fly through it on the way to their beach homes simply complain when they drive by a newly fertilized field.

But they would complain more if that chicken they were planning on barbecuing wasn’t on the grocer’s shelf, wouldn’t they?

A successful festival

This is probably not going to be a long post, in part because it would step on the toes of tomorrow’s topic. But I wanted to make special mention about what happened this weekend at the Delmarva Chicken Festival.

As is often the case with these events, I assist in coordinating the local GOP presence there. What that normally entails is securing the tent itself and the help. The former is easy because a member of our Central Committee is gracious enough to lend us his tent, table, and chairs, but the latter is difficult because oftentimes I have to sign up people well in advance and they tend to forget or find that their plans change.

So I have to hand it to Dan Bongino and his campaign staff, because their volunteers stepped up to the plate in a big way over the last two days, with the icing on the cake being a solid four hours with the candidate himself present. And he didn’t stay anchored to the booth; instead, he walked the grounds and introduced himself to an audience which may or may not be eligible to vote for him (many in attendance came from Delaware) but should have been impressed by his personable nature. Obviously most weren’t prepared to debate him on real issues.

But thanks to Dan I had volunteers out the wazoo for most of the day, and I wish some of the other campaigns would have assisted in a similar way. I realize this was a busy weekend all around, but hopefully the Salisbury region now knows what a hard-working Senator they have the chance to elect.

Political perspective on poultry

As part of the opening ceremonies for the Delmarva Chicken Festival, we heard from a number of poultry industry figures, the agriculture secretaries of our respective states, and local representatives to Congress.

I’m going to have a more broad view of the proceedings later this weekend, but I wanted to point out some of what was said about the poultry industry, which event co-chair Robbie Tarpley Raffish called “one of the most important things we can teach our children.”

Leading off the proceedings was Senator Tom Carper from Delaware, who sent the regards for many of his colleagues on the Hill, including fellow Senators Coons, Cardin, and Mikulski. Carper stated the government has many roles to play, but they did not create jobs. Instead, their task was “nurturing the environment for job creation.”

Carper went on to talk about opening up foreign markets to agricultural products, in particular focusing on Mexico, Russia, and China, which was accessed through Hong Kong. He claimed President Obama has been “very forceful” in trying to open up new markets to agriculture in general and poultry in particular. Carper claimed that 80 percent of Delaware’s agricultural business is poultry, and with plenty of Mountaire chicken being cooked on the premises that figure doesn’t seem to be a stretch.

Another interesting tidbit from Carper was his assessment that poultry interests had achieved a success in eliminating both the ethanol tax credit and foreign tariff. This was considered a success because over half the cost of raising a chicken comes from feeding it. I have to agree that corn should be grown for food, not fuel.

Compared to Senator Carper, Rep. Andy Harris spoke quite briefly, believing “we should thank God for the poultry industry” and arguing that federal regulations are killing the poultry industry. “We get the message” from farmers who want the government off their back, said Harris.

There was a little bit of friendly rivalry between the two agriculture secretaries.

Maryland’s Buddy Hance led off by bragging about Maryland’s agricultural prowess, but noted as a grain farmer on the Western Shore he and his cohorts appreciated the poultry industry. One out of five people on Delmarva work for the poultry industry, said Hance.

Ed Kee of Delaware welcomed us to southern Sussex County, joking there was a bill in Delaware to annex the remainder of Delmarva to the state. (Some of us wouldn’t mind – politically a greater Delaware incorporating the Eastern Shore would likely be at worst a swing state and possibly a “red” one.) But Kee made the great observation that “the best environmentalists are the farmers.” (If I may add my own observation: I don’t know what political conditions are like in Dover, but that’s something surely lost on Annapolis.)

The last political word went to Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, who welcomed the festival to Salisbury and called our fair city one which knows the importance of the agricultural industry. He also promised “we will do everything we can to keep Perdue here.”

So that was what was said. It’s also worth stating that a large segment of local legislators were representing themselves at the festival. From the city of Salisbury were Ireton and City Council member Laura Mitchell, and Wicomico County’s delegation from County Council numbered six of the seven (missing was at-large Council member Matt Holloway.) Similarly, state Delegates Addie Eckardt, Charles Otto and Mike McDermott stopped in as well as both local Senators, Rich Colburn and Jim Mathias, the one Democrat who stopped by the GOP tent to say hello. As well, at least four local Delaware state legislators were present.

I was also told that Congressional candidate Wendy Rosen was there along with Harris, but since I wouldn’t know her by face I can’t verify this. I do know that GOP U.S. Senate hopeful Dan Bongino will be at the festival tomorrow morning as part of an Eastern Shore campaign swing (he’s also stopping in Ocean City.) Hopefully he’s home this evening brushing up on poultry concerns, although if he speaks to Carper and Harris he could get a reasonable primer with the exception of the Obama remark by Senator Carper.

I’m told next year’s event will be in Snow Hill, so GOP hopefuls for state offices should notate their calendars now for a trip to Worcester County in mid-June, 2013. Just because it’s an odd-numbered year doesn’t mean name recognition is unnecessary and smart candidates are out cultivating the base.

Shorebird of the Week – June 14, 2012

Since being sent down from Frederick in mid-May, Matt Bywater has been a bullpen stopper for the Shorebirds.

Arguably he wasn’t a particularly ineffective pitcher for the Keys, going 0-1, 5.14 in four appearances there – and fanning 11 batters in seven innings of work – but regardless he’s returned to Delmarva, where he finished last year with a run of starts which were effective in every way but producing victories for a terrible team. Matt pitched to a 3.77 ERA in nine starts at the tail end of last season but went 0-4 over his time in Delmarva. In fact, it wasn’t until Monday night that Bywater claimed his first professional win as he pitched 4 1/3 solid relief innings to secure a 6-4, 11 inning win in Lakewood.

Matt was selected in the 7th round of the 2010 draft out of Pepperdine University, but the 23-year-old Californian didn’t begin pro ball until last season. The Orioles quickly found he was too dominant for the Gulf Coast League and brought him to Delmarva in late July, where he pitched in the starting rotation the remainder of the season. Bywater now seems to have a home as a swingman in the bullpen, as his Delmarva appearances have generally been multi-inning stints. The 4 1/3 innings he pitched at Lakewood represent his high-water mark here so far this season.

But what may get him a ticket back to Frederick is the fact SAL hitters are batting an anemic .103 against Bywater; he’s allowed just 4 hits and one unearned run in his first 12 innings since his return. And it appears Matt may have addressed the biggest knock on him by cutting down his walk rate – after allowing 41 bases on balls in 60 1/3 innings last season he’s chopped the rate down to just four free passes in 19 frames thus far in 2012.

Since the starting rotation is somewhat set for now, particularly with just four games left before the three-day All-Star break, we will probably see Matt just once more before the weekend is out. But it’s possible the inevitable team reshuffling as Aberdeen begins its season may put Matt in a starting role once again.

Wicomico GOP submits three names for school board

With the resignation of Michelle Wright from the Wicomico County Board of Education effective June 30, it became incumbent upon us as a Central Committee to select her replacement. Fortunately, we had six well-qualified candidates who stepped up to the plate and turned in their applications to replace her.

Now I can’t speak for the committee as a whole, but among the things I was personally looking for was someone who would be a fiscal watchdog and who didn’t take kindly to those who say things have to be done a certain way “because that’s the way we’ve always done it.” Luckily, we submitted the names of a trio who I believe will fit that bill and I’m pleased to say the overwhelming majority of the rest of the group felt the same way about all three.

We selected the following three applicants, listed in alphabetical order:

Cathy Keim would bring a unique perspective to the role because she knows how to educate children as a homeschooling parent. And you really can’t argue with the success she’s had, since four out of five of her children have at least a bachelor’s degree and the other is currently pursuing one. Three have master’s degrees and one has obtained his doctorate. She’s proof that providing a quality education is not just about money, and that’s a viewpoint this board sorely needs now.

Marc Kilmer is a Senior Fellow with The Maryland Public Policy Institute, which is a reform-minded group when it comes to education. He’s also involved in local government as a member of the Charter Review Committee and, more importantly, a parent to a young child who will soon be of school age. With a background in shaping policy through questioning what works with current rules and – more importantly – what doesn’t, we believed Kilmer would be an excellent addition to the Board of Education because he could better advocate for needed change at higher levels from the inside if selected.

While our other two nominees come from outside the world of education, Ann Suthowski was a teacher for over thirty years and has been active in the Salisbury community for decades. Having worked with her on the Central Committee for a couple years now, I can guarantee you she won’t be shy about making her opinions known. More importantly, she knows enough people in the local educational community that she shouldn’t have a learning curve if selected.

In short, we sent three who we believed were well-qualified applicants in special and unique ways to the governor’s office. Whether any of them will be selected is anyone’s guess.

Obviously this once again brings up the question of an elected school board. We had the privilege of sitting and listening to a total of six applicants who brought their own ideas and experiences to the table in an effort to obtain a seat that none of them may get. All the eight of us who voted on the matter (Suthowski did not participate in the balloting) did was, in a sense, a primary election. Even more frightening is that there’s really one vote on the final ballot, and that’s the governor through his Secretary of Appointments – the same woman who gave us our state’s gerrymandering.

And while it’s true we actually got our wish in the last go-round, the circumstances were much different because Michelle Wright was seeking reappointment and who could say no to Carolyn Elmore, the widow of the late Delegate? Moreover, it’s my understanding that the Democrats have vacancies on their side as well. But who says their nominees will be as qualified as ours are? For all we know they could be absolute political hacks, but it won’t be up to the people to make that decision – instead, it will be a small group of insiders in both Salisbury and Annapolis who decides the composition of a body which controls nearly $170 million when all sources are considered. That, my friends, is just wrong.

While I enjoy serving on the Central Committee, I would not mind having my load lightened by taking the decision of who to nominate for these open positions taken out of my hands (and more importantly the hands of the governor, regardless of which party he or she represents) and placed among the people where it rightfully belongs. We believe we got the choices right, but I’d also put my faith in the people of this county to make a wise choice as well and create a position where accountability is both possible and required.

Republicans respond to Obama Maryland visit

President Obama came to Maryland to attend three of the six fundraisers he had slated yesterday. But before Obama laid the blame for “this mess” that we “haven’t seen since the 30s” on George W. Bush and his administration, state Republicans held a conference call for interested bloggers and mainstream press to state their case and tie together the failures of both President Obama and Governor Martin O’Malley.

(continued at Examiner.com…)

On a personal note, I’d like to thank David Ferguson and the Maryland GOP for thinking of me. I would have preferred a little better handling of the call logistics, but the information given was just fine.

Andy Harris among signatories to anti-SWATting letter urging DOJ probe

On May 27, RedState editor and radio talk show host Erick Erickson had a harrowing experience at his Georgia home. Without warning, police surrounded his house in response to a 9-1-1 call which claimed he had shot and killed his wife and was planning on committing more mayhem. Needless to say, Erickson had done no such thing; fortunately he had alerted his local police department to the possibility such a call could occur because Erickson is not the first victim of this dangerous ruse.

(continued on Examiner.com…)

Cardin: I’ll talk up same-sex marriage

What I can’t decide is whether Senator Ben Cardin is pandering to the small base which really, really cares about the issue (maybe 5% think it’s the most important thing out there) or just ignoring the minority vote because it’s not going to cast ballots as a bloc against the referendum and for same-sex marriage.

But thanks to David Moon and Maryland Juice, here are a couple of instances of Ben Cardin speaking on the subject at the recent Netroots Nation conference.

So “our friend Ben” believes that two guys or two girls should be able to call themselves “married” and will talk about it at every campaign stop – unless he forgets, of course. I’ll wager he forgets a lot when he’s on the Eastern Shore or out in western Maryland, not that we anticipate him making trips too far outside the I-95 corridor anyway.

And if he does care to mention this at a nearby campaign stop, someone should ask Ben when he’s going to sponsor the legislation to take same-sex marriage to a national level – after all, it’s supposedly a civil rights issue on par with other areas of discrimination and he’s fighting DOMA tooth and nail even though Cardin originally voted for it. I know, I know…our friend Ben has evolved (read: pandered to the small but vocal militant gay-rights crowd.)

Then maybe the line of questioning should be taken further: shouldn’t Ben step up and demand polyamory and plural marriages between multiple sets of those of opposite genders be legalized? From both a religious and a policy viewpoint, some contend that’s the direction in which the debate will eventually head. While many voters would support the compromise of having civil union and preserving the concept of marriage as that of being between a man and a woman, that’s not good enough for that radical LGBTQ lobby. For them it’s marriage or nothing, even though civil unions would confer onto same-sex couples all the legal rights married couples have.

No, Cardin and his liberal allies believe the solution lies in distilling the institution of marriage to become meaningless and open to anyone who wants to claim it. Imagine the legal ramifications of fifteen people claiming to be married in one big, happy family until one of the fifteen thinks better of it. I’m not saying this will happen tomorrow, or even in the next decade, but that’s the Rubicon we cross once same-sex marriage becomes accepted via an affirmative vote in some state. Give it a generation or so.

While I noted the gay lobby equates this fight with the racially-based civil rights struggle of a half-century ago, I reject that argument out of hand. People don’t choose their ethnicity, but they do choose their relationship partners. If you happen to choose one of the same sex – even if you’re monogamous for decades – it comes with the understanding that you’re not going to naturally create children nor will you naturally be married.

I’m not one to delve into religion a great deal, but over my lifetime I’m starting to think we as a society are well on a path to reaping a whirlwind. To exploit the same-sex marriage issue for electoral gain may be a decision Ben Cardin makes as a political calculation, but it calls into question whether his 45 long years of public service have given him a sense of entitlement rather than the sense of humility he may try to convey.

Shoring up the rural side

In a release today, Congressman Andy Harris announced he had joined the Congressional Rural Caucus. His reasoning was simple:

Fighting for the rural communities I represent on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is my top priority in Washington. As long as President Obama and Governor O’Malley continue their war on rural Maryland, I will continue to fight to ensure that Delmarva receives the same level of attention and service that urban areas receive. For too long, we have neglected the needs of the communities that make up the agricultural backbone of America.

While I like Andy, it seems like the timing of this smacks of opportunism. One would have thought the CRC would have been one of the first caucuses he joined, although I will grant the possibility that it has only recently been restored. This source notes that the CRC wasn’t among the initial group of caucuses in the 112th Congress. Moreover, with redistricting his district moved away from Anne Arundel County and the eastern suburbs of Baltimore to become one almost exclusively made up of rural areas and small towns, so Andy no longer has to serve two masters.

And he’s correct in stating the rural areas of Maryland are facing a war from the political majority which seems to believe that chicken and other foodstuffs magically appear on the Whole Foods shelf and the Eastern Shore should revert back to a pristine wilderness, save the U.S. 50 corridor which needs to remain so they have rest stops on the way to the beach.

Unfortunately, the Congressional Rural Caucus doesn’t seem to have a website or any way of knowing just what it stands for. Generally I agree with the needs of farmers, but draw the line at farm subsidies or federal crop insurance. Too often it’s the gentleman farmer who simply owns the business billing itself as a farm who gets unneeded help from the government; meanwhile on the other side we get situations like the raw milk shutdown that targeted an Amish farmer and entrepreneur. It’s spawned a cottage industry wishing for government to get out of the way.

Much can be done to help farmers in Maryland and other areas of the country, but it’s not necessarily up to government to provide the assistance. The key to Andy’s success on the CRC will be how well he understands that axiom.

Update: Now here is a caucus Andy should announce his participation in, particularly if he hasn’t joined it yet.