20080116 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

“When all else fails, read the Constitution”

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last Thursday, Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Thomas F. Stansfield delivered a decision in the lawsuit filed by Republicans, which sought to overturn more than $1.3 billion in new taxes passed in the special session of the Maryland General Assembly in November.

Joining The Great Society

Norman M. Covert

Whether one likes it or not, this is the moment when the reality of socialism strikes my generation in the face. We cannot avoid it. All manner of protestations about the rightness of conservative values cannot compete with the reality of Big Government – and truly this is not George Bush’s fault.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Elitist Commissioners

Roy Meachum

John "Lennie" Thompson and the commissioners he continues to dominate see Frederick's development strictly in terms of profit hungry and all-powerful builders.

What’s Behind This Moratorium?

Farrell Keough

To moratorium or not to moratorium; that is not necessarily the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the traffic jams and loss of beautiful landscape, or take action against our development issues and end them…

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Monday, January 14, 2008

Lessons Learned

Steven R. Berryman

I consider myself fortunate to have witnessed the quasi-legal proceedings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Inc.’s (AMC) hearings to obtain approval of a special exception that would allow them to build a 43,000 square foot convention building in Walkersville.

General Assembly Journal 2008 – Volume 1

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

With the tension of the recently completed special session still hanging thick in the Annapolis air, and the unusual spring-like warmth banishing the normal overcoats and gloves, 188 legislators again descended on the state capitol to begin the 425th session of the Maryland General Assembly.

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Friday, January 11, 2008

The Clinton Gimmick

Roy Meachum

Hillary Clinton won New Hampshire, in spite of polls – and there were more than several – that showed she was running 5-13 points behind Barack Obama. But they were all taken before she turned on tears in a Portsmouth diner.

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Teenagers and Judges

Norman M. Covert

The “Help Wanted” Sign is on display at the Elections Board of Frederick County, which has put out a general plea to hire 17-year-olds as election judges for the February 12th Primary Election and the November 4 Presidential Election. Adults are welcome, too, but the teens would certainly be a plus, according to election officials.

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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The Special Session Lawsuit

Kevin E. Dayhoff

The 425th session of the Maryland General Assembly begins today. Hopefully, the first order of business for that august body will be to re-visit and fix all the problems created during the special taxing session last November.

“The Worst of Times”

Tom McLaughlin

Let’s start the New Year again. Roll back the clock to December 31 and kiss one another at the stroke of midnight.

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Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Obama Factor

Roy Meachum

One-time Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton goes into today's New Hampshire primary a surprising underdog.

Understanding Middle School Math

Nick Diaz

The job of the typical middle and high school mathematics teacher is a challenging one, as evidenced by the kinds of questions and statements made by students, parents, and school administrators; these are the people who comprise our “constituency”, if I may.

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Monday, January 7, 2008

Presidential Wannabes – The GOP Field

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Since offering unwanted advice to national presidential candidates seems to be the new media cottage industry, here’s my attempt to play with the big boys.