Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Blair Lee: Who won, the House or the Senate? How do you pick a winner when there's no final score yet?

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Blair Lee: Who won, the House or the Senate? How do you pick a winner when there's no final score yet?

Friday, April 20, 2012 Labels: Md Gen Assembly 2012 430, MD Gen Assembly Opera, MD Issues Taxes, People O'Malley-Martin, Politics Democrats Taxes

http://www.gazette.net/article/20120420/OPINION/704209696/-1/blair-lee-who-won-the-house-or-the-senate-how-do-you-pick-a-winner&template=gazette

How do you recap a baseball game that's still in extra innings? How do you pick winners and losers when there's no final score yet?

Right now, the House and Senate teams are tied at the top of the 10th with House Speaker Mike Busch pitching to Senate President Mike Miller who's behind, 0 and 2, with two outs and nobody on. Gov. Martin O'Malley is doing TV interviews in the press box where, asked which team he's backing, replies, “Who's playing?”

In this high-profile, high-stakes showdown the smart money says Miller blinks first. Not because he can't take the heat (which has reached the boiling point), but because the only thing more precious to Mike Miller than gambling legislation is protecting his position as president of the Senate.

The heat on Miller has grown merciless: the media, labor unions, the state employees, Busch, O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot, etc., all blame Miller for triggering the so-called doomsday spending cuts by holding an income tax bill hostage until he gets his gambling bill (a new P.G. County gaming casino and table games for all six gambling venues).

Miller loves playing hardball; he started in the State House as a page back in 1966. So attacking Miller is a waste of time. But attacking his senators is how to make Mike Miller fold… http://www.gazette.net/article/20120420/OPINION/704209696/-1/blair-lee-who-won-the-house-or-the-senate-how-do-you-pick-a-winner&template=gazette

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Gazette - Danielle E. Gaines: With two special sessions possible, groups want their bills considered http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2012/05/gazettenet-with-two-special-sessions.html

Labels: Md Gen Assembly 2012 430, MD Gen Assembly Opera, MD Issues Taxes, People O'Malley-Martin, Politics Democrats Taxes

Leaders want second gathering to focus on gaming

by Danielle E. Gaines, Staff Writer Friday, April 27, 2012

http://www.gazette.net/article/20120427/NEWS/704279642/1122/blizzard-of-beats/With-two-special-sessions-possible-groups-want-their-bills-considered&template=gazette

As the clock struck midnight on Sine Die, many Annapolis insiders were struck by the number of significant bills, most notably the budget, that failed to pass both chambers.

With Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) indicating this week that he could call two special sessions — one in May to pass a revenue bill to accompany the budget and one later in the summer to consider an expansion of gaming in the state -— the door has been opened to lobbyists, interest groups and lawmakers looking to reintroduce old measures or new legislation altogether… http://www.gazette.net/article/20120427/NEWS/704279642/1122/blizzard-of-beats/With-two-special-sessions-possible-groups-want-their-bills-considered&template=gazette

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