News and Views
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Raskin to Our Rescue
Read more: Raskin to Our RescueAs of the current timestamp (2023-10-01 17:01:11 EDT), a federal government shutdown has been averted. Actually, the shutdown has been postponed until the next farce of a budget resolution in November. Federal shutdowns affect every American in terms of operations: there are reductions in air traffic controllers and FDA inspections, national parks close, and much…
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They Criminalized Leaf Blowers; What About the Rest?
Read more: They Criminalized Leaf Blowers; What About the Rest?Gas-powered leaf blowers are super annoying. I recently woke up 7:30 one beautiful Saturday morning to the NASCAR-like grinding of a leaf blower. My initial reaction was to confront my neighbor for working on his lawn during my prime snooze time, but it turned out is was my gardener cleaning up my lawn! Gas blowers…
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Reason #6 for School Vouchers—Predators and Their Victims
Read more: Reason #6 for School Vouchers—Predators and Their Victims(Lead image from the Washington Post, August 11, 2023.) A high-school math teacher was, by all accounts, a very good teacher, but his social skills were affected by a streak of anger. During one class a student misbehaved. The teacher reacted far out of proportion to the offense; he pushed the student against a wall.…
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Following the Science on Street Safety
Read more: Following the Science on Street SafetyI had the good fortune to discuss street safety with a national expert on the matter, Professor Eric Guerra from the University of Pennsylvania. He co-authored a recent study “Do Denser Neighborhoods Have Safer Streets? Population Density and Traffic Safety in the Philadelphia Region.” Professor Guerra is currently the director of the Cooperative Mobility for…
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We Don’t Need Data
Read more: We Don’t Need DataToday, surrounded by other council members and Moms Demand Action representatives, Evan Glass proposed a bill to require gun shops to distribute suicide prevention information to customers that purchase a gun or ammunition. The Suicide Awareness and Firearm Education (SAFE) Act was co-sponsored by several council members, including co-Council Vice President Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1)…
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On Top of Higher WSSC (Water) Rates, Higher Property Tax Rates, Montgomery County Residents Will See Electricity Rate Hikes Come October 1st
Read more: On Top of Higher WSSC (Water) Rates, Higher Property Tax Rates, Montgomery County Residents Will See Electricity Rate Hikes Come October 1stIn another whack to the old wallet, Montgomery County residents can (likely) expect higher electric bills this fall and winter as a higher per kilowatt hour (kWh) price rate goes live October 1st for Pepco’s “electricity supply rate, class R and class R-AE” (this is for properties / customers deemed residential and residential-all electric). An…
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Who or What is Behind “Indivisible Montgomery”? Shadowy Org Boasts an Event with Congressman Raskin But Shows No Steering Committee or Leadership Page
Read more: Who or What is Behind “Indivisible Montgomery”? Shadowy Org Boasts an Event with Congressman Raskin But Shows No Steering Committee or Leadership PageWho (or what) is behind “Indivisible Montgomery”? The shadow organization that claims it is “in Montgomery County, MD, in defense of diversity, inclusion, fairness, transparency and the empowering of all Americans. We do what works best: influencing policy through our representatives and senators.” It further claims that it “is a diverse group of nearly 1,700…
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Livin’ Large: MoCo Young Democrats Hosting “Paint the County Blue” Fundraiser at 3,000 Sq Foot, 2 Acre Estate of CM Dawn Luedtke
Read more: Livin’ Large: MoCo Young Democrats Hosting “Paint the County Blue” Fundraiser at 3,000 Sq Foot, 2 Acre Estate of CM Dawn LuedtkeIt is good to be livin’ large and in charge in MoCo. Us regular hoi polloi in the needlessly expensive, high-tax, housing-short county? Not so much. But it is good to see that a select few are living well in the neighborhood! Remember – these are the people who care deeply about “income inequality” and…
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Personal Thoughts on Street Safety
Read more: Personal Thoughts on Street SafetyThe lead image was photographed close to the Montrose Road offramp of the I-270. There is nothing more stirring, jolting, or heartbreaking than driving by a small memorial marking where a fatal accident occurred. We see them on Old Georgetown Road, Georgia Avenue, and interstate onramps. Was the victim a careless pedestrian looking at an…
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Marc Elrich Thinks Montgomery County and Maryland Are Economically Competitive, Not “Overtaxed”
Read more: Marc Elrich Thinks Montgomery County and Maryland Are Economically Competitive, Not “Overtaxed”This came to my attention when reading a recent story by Ginny Bixby at MoCo360.media entitled “Ballot initiative would limit county executive to two terms” (September 15, 2023). In it, Marc Elrich, the County’s second term Chief Executive and a 36-year career politician with little practical real-world experiences or any background in economics or personal…