20050300 United Methodist Church Resolution # 115 Care for Persons Suffering and Dying

United Methodist Church #115 Faithful Care for Persons Suffering and Dying

March 2005

http://www.umc-gbcs.org/issues/resolutions.php?resolutionid=194

Christians affirm that human beings are creatures of God. As such, we are not the authors of our own existence, but receive our lives as gifts from God, who has made us as embodied spirits, capable of transcendence but also vulnerable to illness, accident, and death. God has endowed human beings with capacities for freedom, knowledge, and love, so that we might freely enter into the communion with God and each other for which we were made. The Creator's gift of liberty has been abused and distorted by sin. In Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we meet God as Savior, Redeemer, and present Advocate, who has acted in love to free us and all creation from captivity to the power of sin and death. To know God in these ways enables us to receive God's sovereignty over life and death not just as a limit or a neutral fact. It is a source of comfort and peace, as we wait for the final victory over death which is the hallmark of the finished work of redemption.

Therefore, Christians gather as forgiven sinners, redeemed by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to discern and to choose the path of faithfulness to God and one another, as a community seeking to know and to do the truth. It is within the framework of these affirmations, and within the context of these relationships, that we grapple with the questions of faithful care for the sick and the dying.

Through the examples and command of Jesus Christ, the church receives the task of ministering to the sick, relieving what suffering can be relieved and undertaking to share and to lighten that which cannot be eliminated. This mandate calls upon us to address all the needs of the sick. These needs include relief from pain and other distressing symptoms of severe illness, but they also embrace the need for comfort and encouragement and companionship. These needs are expressed particularly by the very ill and the dying who confront fear and grief and loneliness. They are in critical need for emotional and spiritual care and support. The duty to care for the sick also calls upon us to work to reform the structures and institutions by which health care is delivered when they fail to provide the comprehensive physical, social, emotional, and spiritual care needed by those facing grave illness and death.

Care for the dying is an aspect of our stewardship of the divine gift of life. As human interventions, medical technologies are only justified by the help that they can give. Their use requires responsible judgment about when life-sustaining treatments truly support the goals of life, and when they have reached their limits. There is no moral or religious obligation to use them when the burdens they impose outweigh the benefits they offer, or when the use of medical technology only extends the process of dying. Therefore, families should have the liberty to discontinue treatments when they cease to be of benefit to the dying person. However, the withholding or withdrawing of life sustaining interventions should not be confused with abandoning the dying or ceasing to provide care. Even when staving off death seems futile or unreasonably burdensome to continue, we must continue to offer comfort care -- effective pain relief, companionship and support for the patient in the hard and sacred work of preparing for death.

Historically, the Christian tradition has drawn a distinction between the cessation of treatment and the use of active measures by the patient or care-giver which aim to bring about death. If death is deliberately sought as the means to relieve suffering, that must be understood as direct and intentional taking of life, whether as suicide or homicide. This United Methodist tradition opposes the taking of life as an offense against God's sole dominion over life, and an abandonment of hope and humility before God. The absence of affordable, available comfort care can increase the pressure on families to consider unacceptable means to end the suffering of the dying.

Health Insurance in the United States

(While this section explores this topic in the United States context, we encourage further understanding and knowledge of practices and traditions around the globe.)

In the United States today, many millions of people have either no health insurance or grossly inadequate coverage which gives them no reliable access to medical treatment. Even for those who do have basic access, good quality comfort care, -- including effective pain relief, social and emotional support and spiritual counsel -- is often not available from a medical system geared toward cure and rehabilitation rather than care for the dying. Such circumstances leave people with a distorted choice between enduring unrelieved suffering and isolation, and choosing death. This choice undermines rather than enhancing our humanity. When cost control measures and for-profit health care institutions bring economic pressures directly to bear on treatment decisions such as the cessation of care, the United States system of health care financing and administration has distorted and corrupted the practice of medicine. We as a society must assure patients situations where their desire not to be a financial burden does not tempt them to choose death rather than receiving the care and support that could enable them to live out their remaining time in comfort and peace.

Pastoral Care

The church's unique role for persons facing suffering and death is to advocate for and provide care in all of its dimensions to the very sick in the form of pastoral care. Such pastoral care is the calling of the whole community of faith, not only pastors and chaplains. Because Christian faith is relevant to every aspect of life, no one can cope successfully with life's pain and suffering and ultimate death without the help of God through other people. In Pastoral care God's help and presence are revealed. Persons offering and receiving pastoral care include the patient, the community of faith, family, friends, neighbors, other patients, and health-care teams.

Those offering pastoral care empathize with suffering patients and share in the wounds of their lives. They listen as patients express their feelings of guilt, fear, doubt, loneliness, hurt, and anger. They can provide resources for reconciliation and wholeness and assist persons in reactivating broken or idle relationships with God and with others. They can provide comfort by pointing to sources of strength, hope, and wholeness, especially reading Scriptures and prayer.

This same pastoral care must be provided to the family and friends of those who are suffering and dying. They too, must have an opportunity to share their feelings of guilt, hurt, anger, fear, and grief. Grieving persons need to be reminded that their feelings are normal human responses that need not cause embarrassment or guilt. Families have long-established patterns of relationships and attention to the entire family unit must be incorporated into pastoral care. Religious, cultural, and personal differences among family and friends must be considered with special sensitivity.

Health care workers also need pastoral care. Doctors and, especially, support staff have intimate contact with dying persons in ways experienced by few others. They live in the tension of giving compassionate care to patients while maintaining professional detachment. Pastoral care for health-care workers means helping them take loving care of themselves as well as their patients.

Pastors and chaplains are called especially to sustain the spiritual growth of patients, families, and health-care personnel. They bear witness to God's grace with words of comfort and salvation. They provide nurture by reading the Scriptures with patients and loved ones; by Holy Communion; by the laying on of hands; and by prayers of repentance, reconciliation, and intercession. They provide comfort and grace with rituals of prayer or anointing with oil after miscarriage, or after a death in a hospital, nursing home, or hospice. They develop rituals in connection with a diagnosis of terminal illness, of welcome to a hospice or nursing home, or of return to a local congregation by persons who have been absent for treatment or who have been in the care of a loved one.

In all these ways, pastoral-care givers and the community of faith are open to God's presence in the midst of pain and suffering, in order to engender hope, and to enable the people of God to live and die in faith and in holiness. They assist persons in coming to peace with themselves and others as they accept the realization that death is not always an enemy. They affirm that there is only one possible ending to the Christian story. Regardless of the tragedies and triumphs, the youthfulness or the age, the valleys of doubt and despair, the suffering and loss, and the soaring as things turn out all right -- we come to the only one certain end: "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, though they die, will live, and every one who lives and believes in me shall never die" (John 11:25-26) (NRSV).

In addition to offering comfort and hope, pastoral-care givers are trained to help patients understand their illness and can assist families in understanding and coming to grips with information provided by medical personnel. Pastoral-care givers are especially needed when illness is terminal and neither patients nor family members are able to discuss this reality freely.

The complexity of treatment options and requests by physicians for patient and family involvement in life-prolonging decisions require good communication. Pastoral-care givers can bring insights rooted in Christian convictions and Christian hope into the decision-making process. If advance directives for treatment, often called "living wills," or "durable powers of attorney" are contemplated or are being interpreted, the pastoral-care givers can offer support and guidance to those involved in decision-making. They can facilitate discussion of treatment options, including home and hospice care.

Decisions concerning faithful care for the suffering and the dying are always made in a social context that includes laws, policies, and practices of legislative bodies, public agencies and institutions, and the social consensus that supports them. The social context of dying affects individual decisions concerning treatment and care and even the acceptance of death. Therefore, pastoral-care givers must be attentive to the social situations and policies that affect the care of the suffering and dying and must interpret these to patients and family members in the context of Christian affirmations of faithful care.

United Methodist Response

To insure faithful care for the suffering and dying it is recommended that United Methodists:

1. Acknowledge dying as part of human existence, without romanticizing it. In dying, as in living, mercy and justice must shape our corporate response to human need and vulnerability.

2. Accept relief of suffering as a goal for care of dying persons rather than focusing primarily on prolonging life. Pain control and comfort-giving measures are essentials in our care of those who are suffering.

3. Educate and equip Christians to consider treatments for the suffering and the dying in the context of Christian affirmations of God's providence and hope. This should be done especially through preaching and adult Christian education programs addressing these issues.

4. Train pastors and pastoral care-givers in the issues of bio-ethics as well as in the techniques of compassionate companionship with those who are suffering and dying.

5. Acknowledge, in our Christian witness and pastoral care, the diverse social, economic, political, cultural, religious and ethnic contexts around the world where United Methodists care for the dying.

20050316 Bring Back the Westminster Christmas Parade

Westminster Advocate

Bring Back the Westminster Christmas Parade

The Westminster Christmas Parade

March 16th, 2005 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

As I am certain you are aware, it is only 284 days until Christmas. But even more importantly, there are only 262 days until the Westminster Christmas Parade on December 3rd, 2005. Please mark this date on your calendar now, so you do not miss all the fun with your friends and neighbors.

In keeping with the theme; “Westminster An Excellent Experience”, The Greater Westminster Development Corporation (GWDC), along with the City of Westminster and the Main Street Program are reviving an old Westminster Christmas tradition; the Christmas Parade.

Community leaders such as former Councilmember Sam Greenholtz, now Chair of the GWDC Board of Directors; Kathy O’Dell, Chair of the GWDC Downtown Main Street Promotions Committee; Lori Graham, President of the GWDC; Missie Wilcox; Sandy Scott; Lynn Aaron and Ron Schroers have rolled up their sleeves to plan this excellent experience.

Over fifty years ago, Christmas tradition in Westminster included a parade and shopping downtown with the family. In those days, the downtown-shopping district included East Green Street, West and East Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Some of the many shops and businesses on Pennsylvania Avenue included, Earhart Motors, O’Farrell Brothers Pontiac, The Avenue Barber Shop, Westminster TV and Radio Shop, Carroll Electric Service, Dutty’s Beauty Salon, Everhart’s Barber Shop, Wine’s Sports Shop, and Wilson’s Garage to name just a few. Moreover, who can forget the huge toy department in Hollander’s Auto Store, Bobby’s Hobby Lobby, Rosenstock’s Ladies’ Shop, Gehr’s Hardware Store, The Treat Shop, and the Bixler and Guild Drug Store on Main Street.

The early parades marched west along Main Street to the “Forks” at Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue where Santa Claus had his “temporary residence”. The jolly old fellow recently moved to Locust Lane, along with the Westminster Community Christmas Tree. The Democratic Advocate on December 26, 1947 describes the parade with the “city’s two bands”, the American Legion, and the 29th Division Association. Christmas carols, led by Kale Mathias, were sung by the community.

This year’s parade will be reminiscent of those former parades. Participants will include bands, antique cars, fire trucks and floats. Businesses are encouraged to provide a float depicting their business and the holiday spirit. The merchants from the TownMall, Westminster Crossing and other areas are invited to participate and call attention to the many fine products that they too offer. Store windows will be decorated and musical groups will be strolling the streets to entertain both young and old.

While much of the program revolves around the downtown merchants, you should know that the GWDC represents all of the greater Westminster environs and this event is one of many excellent experiences promoting shopping in all of the Westminster area.

The GWDC was created in 1994 as a private public partnership of business and city leaders to work together cooperatively to maintain and further a positive business environment in Westminster. Planning for the parade has already begun in earnest and sponsors, at various levels are welcome to help finance the project. More information can be obtained from Sam Greenholtz or calling the Westminster Main Street Program Manger, Stan Ruchlewicz at (410) 848-5294. And keep your hot chocolate at the ready.

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GWDC Greater Westminster Dev. Corp., Christmas Westminster, Pennsylvania Avenue in Westminster, History Westminster

20050312 Reaching Beyond Our Walls

Reaching Beyond Our Walls

March 12th, 2005 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff

Much has been discussed about the sharp differences we currently find in our county, state and nation. I believe that the answer to any challenge we face as a community is in being able to reach beyond our walls and bring a higher more positive spiritual energy to whatever it is we confront.

We were all voted into office to lead by example. We are given a profound trust by the voters to make a difference and contribution. We all face tremendous challenges and we can begin facing up too these challenges by working together.

I understand that as a community leader, I am exposed to points of view, value systems, allegiances, and individual beliefs, which may or may not agree with my own perspectives.

It is important that I conduct myself in an environment of mutual respect and tolerance of others and their viewpoints.

In one of my opportunities to talk with some young school-aged children about being the mayor and a community leader, one of the children asked if politicians do anything else besides “call each other names and be mean to each other”. Now I ask you, just what is it that we are teaching our children?

I’m not sure what we can do about the acrimony and incivility in Annapolis, but I think that all behavior modification in our great state starts at the grass roots level. It starts with how we treat each other right here in our own communities.

Unfortunately, physical and psychological violence is on the rise in our society; where it is frequently portrayed and emphasized by the media as an acceptable way for people to deal with problems. How often do we see featured in the media, the one person in the community meeting that attempted to promote their agenda by being impolite, loud, bizarre and disagreeable.

Although contextually trite, and compositionally gravely wounded by a preachy and overly simplistic plot, the 1939 Frank Capra – Capra-corn Classic, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" is one of America's best-remembered political films of the 1930s, if not for all time. I have never liked this gooey movie.

Inspired by the contemporary media and schlock like this out of Hollywood, today's Americans are more cynical than ever about government and politics. If you will recall, in “Mr. Smith”, Jefferson Smith saves the day in the climax of the movie by acting like a crazed lunatic.

Such unfortunate motivators as "Mr. Smith" has encouraged subsequent generations that they can make a difference and promote their agenda by being rude, loud, impolite, bizarre and disagreeable.

Participatory grass roots democracy, open and transparent dialogue is not for the weak of heart. However, if we have learned anything from history, hopefully we have learned that name-calling, pointing fingers, rumor mongering and being impolite, loud, bizarre and disagreeable is not the best way of solving problems.

It is extremely important that we explore alternative ways of peace, positive conflict resolution and nonviolence. It is not necessarily the challenge that counts nearly as much as the thoughtful and well considered response to the challenge.

Dr. King set an example for all of us that is just as valid today as it was many years ago. He showed us that leadership is often promoting change by leading the community to a place that it may not understand it needs to go; in an era when petty politics is all about figuring out whom to co-opt, malign and blame.

A leader like King used his power to forge a solution that involved mutual respect, love and understanding.

We can all work together to reduce the incidences of physical and psychological violence in our community by using non-violent conflict resolution skills and leading by example by demonstrating behavior that express feelings without harming, learning to accept the feelings of others, finding compromise, and building consensus.

If we are looking for answers to address the incivility in our state, one place to start is by looking at our own behavior. Consider the example you set for your child, your friends, neighbors and fellow citizens.

I think that the answer lies in the ability to listen with respect to those with whom we deeply disagree, in an attempt to catch in their remarks some truth we may have missed, in order to find a meaningful compromise.

I worry that there is not much that we can do about our state and national leaders not being civil, but our families and community cannot prosper if society fails and we do not rediscover some sense of civility and practice daily acts of kindness to one another. We can do it now, by starting right here at home.

I believe that the answer to any challenge we face as a community is in being able to reach beyond our walls and bring a higher more positive spiritual energy to whatever it is we confront. When we do, slowly, inch-by-inch, we will become a better society, a better people, and a better world. By working together we can all do better.

And I think that is happening. I work for you. Let the progress continue.

As always, your thoughtful consideration is appreciated regardless of the outcome on any particular issue. Whether we agree or disagree, always find my door open for friendly civil and constructive dialogue.

Kevin Dayhoff, Mayor of Westminster
Home Office: P. O. Box 1245
Westminster, MD 21158
kdayhoff@carr.org

20050309 Heading WEST to help those in need we

Heading WEST to help those in need

03/09/05 Alex Gayhart

In 1983, long before he became mayor of Westminster and just after purchasing a farm and establishing his own business, Kevin Dayhoff was rear-ended in his vehicle by a drunken driver.

The incident left Dayhoff unable to work and, therefore, unable to pay the bills. He says today that he was fortunate enough to be able to borrow the money he needed to maintain self-sufficiency.

But the experience left him with a life-long concern that others may not be so lucky.

More than 20 years later, Dayhoff was recently approached by someone with a somewhat similar situation , a local senior citizen who found herself without a basic need and with no way to fix it.

The water pipe leading into her home had failed and she had gone without water for two months. Otherwise self-sufficient, this senior just had no money and no recourse to take care of the problem.

"After I discovered her plight, I saw to it that water was reestablished at the house, because I deemed the situation a basic health, safety and welfare issue," Dayhoff said.

It was not through the city of Westminster or through the mayor's position that this woman found help. It was also not through any local nonprofit or through any government welfare program that she was able to take care of a problem that threatened her well-being.

There was actually no recourse for her.

This was not the first time Dayhoff, his wife or a somewhat large network of people in the community have been faced with a situation in which someone had an emergency need.

Dayhoff says he and this group of people have, over the years, provided a bag of groceries, found a working hot water heater to donate or gave some firewood to warm the house of a person in an emergency situation.

"For many years there's been an informal group of us (to help)," Dayhoff said. It's these instances that have inspired Dayhoff and a group of others to create the Westminster Emergency Safety Trust.

"All too often, in community leadership, we see folks who are unable to qualify for well-deserved assistance," Dayhoff said. "It is when unexpected costs arise that this self-sufficiency becomes endangered."

Dayhoff and the community focus group involved in establishing this trust have been working to raise funds so that emergency needs can be met when no other service can be provided.

“This fund is intended to be a 'when all else fails' (alternative)," said Dayhoff.

"The WEST Fund is a fund that's ... a stop gap measure for those folks who fall between the cracks," said Charles Harrison, president of the county chapter of the NAACP and a member of WEST's focus group.

"There is the Carroll Community Foundation, there's public health, but oft times, people's situations don't meet the criteria for any of those types of funds," he said.

WEST is set up through the Community Foundation of Carroll County - an organization that receives, invests and distributes funds for charitable, cultural and educational purposes for the benefit of Carroll citizens.

Dayhoff said he and the Community Focus Group - though many of them have helped by picking their own pockets - are looking for a way to have a formal pool of funds to help.

“We want to put something in place that's sustaining," he said.

Harrison was reminiscent of the "old days" when there might not have been much in the way of government assistance, and so the community rallied around those in emergency situations.

"The community solved problems," Harrison said. "So that's what this fund does." He added that he'd like to see this fund expand throughout Carroll County.

Those who would like to donate to the WEST fund may do so by sending a check payable to the Westminster Emergency Safety Trust to: Executive Director Audrey Cimino, Westminster Emergency Safety Trust, Carroll Community Foundation, P.O. Box 170, Westminster, MD 21158.

For more information, call Cimino at 410-876-5505.

E-mail Alex Gayhart at agayhart@patuxent.com.

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20050302 Bob Jones and CC Ag Center History

Bob Jones and CC Ag Center History

Westminster Advocate

March 2^nd, 2005 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

Carroll County is always changing and change can be challenging. Fortunately, we have a whole new generation of folks who are willing to build on the positive work of leaders who have gone before us and are willing to stay positive, roll up their sleeves and say let’s do it. To paraphrase President Truman, "[Community leadership] is like riding a [bull]. [You have] to keep riding or be [trampled]."

Recently, I had the honor of attending The Carroll County Agriculture Center Annual Dinner Meeting. At that meeting Bob Jones was given the “Pioneer Award” for his past contributions to the Agriculture Center and to the business of agriculture in Carroll County. The list of the past recipients of the Pioneer Award Pioneers include: Violet Coshun, 1993; Lester Stem, 1994; Charles Brehm, 1995, Stewart Young, 1996; Kathryn Frock, 1997; Edwin Rash, 1998; Herbert Wessel; George White, 2000; John Bixler and John Maus, 2001; Michael Preston, 2002; Joe Cooney and Bob Nelson, 2003; Zadie Brehm, 2004.

Bob Jones began working with the Extension Service in 1957. He retired in 1984, but has maintained his love for the Ag Center ever since, most recently helping with fund raising for the Danele Shipley Memorial Arena.

To better understand the contributions of Bob Jones to agriculture in Carroll County, it is important to know the history of the Ag Center. David Greene, Walter Bay, Bonnie Graham, Helen Hosfeld and Bob Jones all helped me put together this important history. The names (of the bull riders) in this brief history read like a who’s who in the history of Carroll County leadership, especially when it comes to having a passion and vision for the community and overcoming huge obstacles.

The Carroll County Agriculture Center was incorporated on March 20, 1954. In April 1954, 13 ½ acres was conveyed to the Ag Center for $100 per acre. On May 17, 1954, Lester Stem reported that the Building Committee recommended two pole type cattle sheds and a 80’ x 30’ main hall (Burn’s Hall) be built. Could they have ever imagined the Shipley Arena, with indoor bull riding or over 1,000 animal exhibits at the 4-H and FFA Fair?

Landon Burns called a group of interested citizens to meet with him at the County Agent’s office. He explained the organization of the Ag Center and its need for funds. He then took $100.00 out of his pocket, placed it on the table, and asked everyone in attendance to match it. He got 100% response from leaders such as: Earl Beard, Joseph Coshun, Edward Derr, Margaret Englar, David Hoff, Walter Hook, Joseph Horn, G. Bucher John, J. Henry Koller, R. H. Richardson, Wilbur Shreeve, Herbert Snyder, Randall Spoerlein, A. W. Steiner, Lester Stem, Henry Turner, Carroll Wilhide, and Grove Zimmerman.

Today the Agriculture Center and the new Shipley Arena is a hub of activity with everything from bull riding, dog shows, a home show, therapeutic riding, a tractor pull and of course the 4-H and FFA Fair. Come on out, bring the family and join the fun. Riding a bull is optional but all help is appreciated. Check out their web site at carrollcountyagcenter.com for coming events.

20050301 Information about the Carroll County Maryland Ag Center

Carroll County (Maryland) Agriculture Center

Website: http://www.carrollcountyagcenter.com/

For articles on “Soundtrack” about the Carroll Co. Ag Center

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Carroll%20County%20Maryland%20Agriculture%20Center

General Manager at 410-848-6704

WELCOME to the Carroll County Agriculture Center; the site of the new state-of-the-art Danele Shipley Memorial Arena, as well as numerous meeting facilities, function and banquet rooms, outdoor facilities, and much more!

Located in central Carroll County – the Region's finest agriculture country – the Agriculture Center and Shipley Arena are perfectly situated to meet our diverse needs and those of our neighbors in Baltimore, Washington D.C., southern Pennsylvania and western Delaware. Our facilities are designed to host a wide variety of events from livestock and equestrian outings to live music shows and entertainment events to trade shows and exhibits, and fairs and circuses.

The Carroll County Agriculture Center is the permanent home of the nationally-known and highly-regarded Carroll County 4H & FFA Fair. The Agriculture Center and Shipley Arena are available to all for exciting events, meetings and outings YEAR-ROUND!

Visit us soon – we look forward to hosting you or your next event in comfort and style in any one of our facilities.

To book any of our facilities – or inquire about rates, specifications, etc., contact Larry Collins, General Manager at 410-848-6704 or larry AT carrollcountyagcenter DOT com

20050225 Forbes: Cell phones you can't have ... yet

Forbes: Cell phones you can't have ... yet

In Japan and South Korea, future is already here

By Thomas Jackson, Forbes Updated: 3:57 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2005

We've got some pretty slick phones on the American market today. From Motorola's Razr to Nokia's art-deco-inspired 7280, each is a pocketful of gadgets-camera, MP3 player, video game console and PDA-magically converged into one sleek package. But compared to their Asian counterparts, our handsets look a bit like grandpa's Automatic Electric.

Read the entire article here: Forbes: Cell phones you can't have ... yet

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Capital News Service Friday, February 18, 2005

ANNAPOLIS - Genora Brown has been a homeowner for five years after accepting a $3,000 incentive to live closer to her work, but others haven't had the same opportunity since the program that provided the grant closed in 2003.

Now one lawmaker has introduced legislation to resuscitate the program that made it possible for Brown to walk to her Johns Hopkins University job.

"I'm a new homeowner and that's something to be proud of," said Brown at Thursday's hearing before the House Environmental Matters Committee.

The Live Near Your Work Program began in 1997 to encourage homeownership and reduce commuting long distances by providing an incentive for buying a home close to work.

The state, localities and employers each contributed $1,000 for a total incentive of $3,000.

State funding cuts eliminated the program in 2003.

"It was really just getting off the ground," said the bill's sponsor, Delegate Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore County.

The bill will require that the governor include at least $250,000 annually in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 for the Department of Housing and Community Development to fund the program. Funds are not to exceed $500,000.

During the program's six-year run, the state provided $1.35 million for 997 grants in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Prince Georges County, Montgomery County, College Park, Hagerstown, Westminster and Salisbury.

About 130 employers participated including Johns Hopkins University, The Baltimore Sun Co., Morgan State University, Perdue Farms Inc. and Pepsi Cola Bottling Co.

McIntosh said the return is one of the best parts about this program.

"State dollars leverage more than twice their amount," McIntosh said.

There was no opposition to the bill at the hearing and McIntosh said the bill had a good chance of passing because of its "very low" cost.

The governor's office said it had no opinion on the bill.

While the state ended its funding for the program, Baltimore City continued to participate, providing a total of $2,000 for each family from the city and the employer.

The program has aided more than 300 families over the past two years.

Homes were purchased at an average cost of $93,776 and had a median cost of $830,000, according to a report released by The Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors.

About 56 percent of the new homebuyers had an annual household income of $50,000 or less, the report also revealed.

Still, the city is ready for the state to join the program again.

"We are ready, willing and able to be the third party," said Kenneth J. Strong, homeowners' office director of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development.

Employers and local jurisdictions can decide how far the person must live from their work to qualify. Some jurisdictions paid the incentive for people to live in certain, underpopulated areas.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff said the program has helped revitalize his city by increasing families and citizens.

"A small amount of money can make a big difference when a young family purchases a home," he said.

Delegate Kumar Barve, D-Montgomery, an Environmental Matters Committee member, said the program has a variety of benefits.

"It encourages people to live where they work, while preventing congestion and improving the environment," he said.

Delegate Barry Glasman, R-Harford, also a committee member, called it a " laudable program."

Copyright © 2008 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

http://www.journalism.umd.edu/cns/wire/2005-editions/02-February-editions/050218-Friday/LivingProximity_CNS-UMCP.html

20050202 WA Domestic Violence A Civil Society begins at Home

Domestic Nonviolence

A Civil Society begins at Home

_____

February 2^nd, 2005 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

Note: This column first appeared in the Westminster Advocate on February 2^nd, 2005. The Westminster Advocate web site does not have this column available – and so it is re-printed here for future reference. / Kevin Dayhoff, October 28^th, 2006.

_____

Much has been written recently about the sharp divides in which we currently find our nation. I’m not sure what we can do about the acrimony and incivility on the national level, but I think that all behavior modification in our great nation starts at the grass roots level.

It starts with how we treat each other right here in our own homes, in our own community.

Unfortunately, physical and psychological violence is on the rise in our society; where it is frequently portrayed and emphasized by the media as an acceptable way for people to deal with problems. How often do we see featured in the media, the one person in the community meeting that attempted to promote their agenda by being impolite, loud, bizarre and disagreeable.

Regrettably, much of the violence in our community starts in our own homes. In Westminster, we treat domestic violence very seriously. Sadly, this is violence between loved ones in which the victims know one another.

Westminster Police Chief Spaulding recently said it best: “If we are going to make some sustainable progress against violence in our community, we need to start at home.”

We can all work together to reduce the incidences of violence in our community by teaching children non-violent conflict resolution skills and leading by example. Adults can help children by demonstrating behavior that express feelings without harming, learning to accept the feelings of others, finding compromise, and building consensus.

In our community, we have many initiatives to stop the violence in our own homes according to Connie Sgarlata, the Director of Family and Children’s Services. (For more information, please call (410) 876-1233).

Community outreach and advocacy such as the Comprehensive Domestic Violence Program (DVP), which includes The DVP Safe House and DVP Coordinating Council, are in place to help protect our friends, neighbors, family and loved ones. Because violence is a learned behavior, the ultimate risk for children who witness abuse is that they will grow up to be the next generation of batterers and victims.

The Children’s Counseling Program gives children a safe environment to share their feelings about what is occurring in their families. In addition, children can be taught alternative ways to express these feelings that are not abusive to others.

If we are looking for answers to address the incivility in our society, one place to start is by looking at our own behavior. Consider the example you set for your child, your friends, neighbors and fellow citizens.

I think that the answer lies in the ability to listen with respect to those with whom we deeply disagree, in an attempt to catch in their remarks some truth we may have missed, in order to find a meaningful compromise.

The folks that I admire are in no hurry to unpleasantly “correct” their opponent. There is not much that we can do about our nation’s leaders not being civil, but our families and community cannot prosper if society fails and we don’t rediscover some sense of civility and practice daily acts of kindness to one another.

Just so no to local reenactments of the Jerry Springer Show – it has no place in our community.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

20050127 Text of Maryland Gov. Ehrlich's State of the State Address – as prepared

Gov. Ehrlich's State of the State Address – as prepared

Thursday, January 27, 2005; 3:21 PM

President Miller; Speaker Busch; Lieutenant Governor Steele; members of the General Assembly; Chief Judge Bell; Attorney General Curran; Comptroller Schaefer; Treasurer Kopp; members of our Congressional Delegation; County Executives, Mayors, council members, and commissioners; cabinet members; special guests, friends, family, and fellow Marylanders.

Welcome back to Annapolis.

So, here we are, two years into a successful term, with major policy achievements already secured. Progress in public education, transportation, public safety, and the Chesapeake Bay have been especially noteworthy.

Your support, and that of your leadership, has been instrumental to each and every legislative success.

This record of success follows President Miller's promise of "at least three good years" made to me during our initial post-election conference. Well, it's year three, and the potential to add to this list of achievements is clear and unmistakable.

There is still time for additional progress -- even against a backdrop of divided government -- provided that we make an effort to better understand each other's passions, perspectives and priorities.

Let me share mine with you.

First: a common sense agenda built upon the five pillars of our administration: fiscal stability, education, health and environment, public safety and commerce.

Second: consistency. During 18 years of public service spanning two legislatures and the Governor's Office, my approach to public policy issues has never fundamentally changed.

Third: determination. I am determined to introduce fiscal responsibility into an inefficient and undisciplined budget process -- a process ill prepared to deal with such challenges as self-imposed unfunded mandates, a deep recession, and the resulting structural deficit. And I am determined to challenge the prevailing belief within this city that raising taxes is the solution to every single problem.

Fourth: self-assessment. My administration has demonstrated a unique willingness to measure our progress and report the results to the people of Maryland -- a goal often at odds with the desire to maintain popularity or simply win elections.

Finally: a plainspoken style when communicating my opinions and beliefs. This approach reflects my personality, values, and philosophy. It will not change. It cannot change. It is the only way I know.

Now that I have told you where I am coming from, let me tell you where I'd like to lead our State.

Budget and Education

When we took office in January 2003, our administration inherited a projected $2 billion budget deficit for the first 18 months of this term.

Today, I am pleased to tell you that much progress has been made.

Two years after taking office, we have resolved $4 billion in budgetary shortfalls. Our State's finances are balanced through June 2006. Our FY 2004 surplus was $309 million. Our FY 2005 budget projects a surplus of $680 million. Today Maryland remains one of only seven states with a Triple AAA bond rating.

Our FY 2006 budget builds on these successes. It is a product of the "Strategic Budgeting Exercise" I outlined for you in last year's speech.

Our unprecedented plan as developed by Secretary DiPaula required every cabinet-level agency to begin budgeting based on 88 percent of their current services baseline. The purpose: to measure the efficiencies of "what," "how," "when," and "why" our government provides good and services to the citizens it serves.

Outside consultants worked with our agencies on a pro bono basis. Results were neither predetermined nor preordained. This process is about accountability and opportunities for improvement. And, unlike past years when success was measured solely by funding increases, strategic budgeting measures success by outcomes that benefit our citizens.

Thank you, Secretary DiPaula, for all the hard work you have devoted to this project.

With respect to state employees, they make Maryland a better place to live. Many could earn far greater salaries in the private sector, but choose government service instead.

Their good work should be reflected in a 2 percent cost of living adjustment, the second such increase in as many years. Further, we propose increasing step increases for those traditionally underpaid compared to their counterparts in the private sector and other levels of government.

Speaking of good work and efficiencies, our university system has successfully met challenge. It has increased faculty workload and online capabilities, maintained a lean bureaucracy, increased efficiencies in the use of campus facilities, implemented bulk-purchasing initiatives, and expanded the teaching workweek.

Accordingly, we have increased state funding for higher education by $67 million, and increased need-based aid $27 million.

Thank you, Chancellor Brit Kirwin, for your fine work and leadership.

For the second year in a row, our budget contains the largest funding increase in Maryland's history. Additionally, our budget includes $155 million, a 55 percent increase, for public school construction.

But in order to sustain the mandated increases in educational spending pursuant to the Thornton formula, and fund new school construction so desperately needed in every subdivision, we need a new, dedicated source of revenue.

You all know where I am going with this.

A new Pennsylvania law will soon bring 20,000 slot machines to our northern border.

In Maryland, a fully phased in slots program in Maryland would mean more than $800 million in annual new revenue to our State.

These dollars would help pay for mandated increases in educational spending pursuant to the Thornton formula, and new school construction so desperately needed in every subdivision.

It would also give an industry with 20,000 jobs, $5.2 billion in assets, and nearly 700,000 acres of land a better chance to survive in an increasingly competitive environment.

It's time to fulfill the mandate of 2002 and allow slots in Maryland.

Still, dollars are only part of the debate. We need to give equal attention to how well our educational system is preparing our students for the challenges of the 21st century workplace.

Accordingly, Lieutenant Governor Steele has convened a distinguished group of Marylanders to examine and report on how our historic investments in public education are paying off for parents, students, and teachers.

The panel will address issues related to: Teacher retention; School construction; Public-private partnerships; Early childhood education; Social promotion; and Public charter schools, among others.

Thank you, Lieutenant Governor Steele, for your terrific leadership of this important commission.

Health and Environment

Last month, I convened a special session of the legislature in order to address the State's medical malpractice insurance crisis.

Regrettably, the session failed to pass comprehensive legal reforms required solving our malpractice crisis over the long-term. Instead, it imposed a $423 million tax on nearly one million working Marylanders.

On a positive note, it included productive discussions with members of both parties who wish to pass an effective reform measure this year.

Accordingly, in order to ensure the continued availability and affordability of malpractice insurance in the long term, we will introduce a package of reforms intended to keep our talented medical professionals on the job -- to the benefit of all Marylanders.

Many years ago, Maryland brought property owners and advocates together in an unprecedented effort to solve another problem affecting the health of Maryland's citizens: lead paint poisoning.

This partnership dramatically increased the pool of rental property owners in compliance with the law, thereby reducing the number of children with elevated blood levels by 90 percent.

Maryland's innovative partnership is now a national model.

Ruth Ann Norton has led this successful effort in Baltimore City for many years, and we welcome and honor her today.

Still, our goal should be the elimination of childhood lead poisoning.

Our administration's bill proposes to do just that by adding exterior structures to the lead law; lowering the blood lead level that triggers the requirement for property owners to perform lead hazard reduction treatments; and providing a transition period for purchasers of non-compliant properties to obtain risk reduction certificates.

It's 2005. We've known about this problem for decades. We know how to prevent it. There is no reason for a single child in Maryland to suffer from lead poisoning.

Let's finish the job … now!

I see other opportunities to improve our ability to protect Maryland's children by encouraging a "child first" culture throughout State government.

Our Children's Wraparound Initiative will achieve this goal by bringing better and more efficient service delivery for "at-risk" children and their families.

Two "wraparound" demonstration projects -- one in Baltimore City, the other in Montgomery County -- will link children and families with intensive needs to community-based teams providing flexible treatment and services. The initiative will emphasize meeting the needs of troubled children at home and in local communities, rather than over-reliance on expensive, out-of-home residential care programs that treat the symptoms but rarely the problem.

Under the leadership of Special Secretary Terri Garland, a "children's cabinet" will develop an inter-agency plan and fund. Further, a streamlined review process will ensure that children requiring out-of-home placements are quickly placed in an appropriate setting.

Six different state councils will be consolidated into a single council that will advise the children's cabinet in both developing the state plan and awarding grants from the interagency fund.

Public Safety

In the 21st century, the phrase "public safety" has come to mean two different things. Maryland continues to be a leader in both.

Homeland security is the modern side of public safety in a post-9/11 world. Maryland is fortunate to have a group of experienced professionals working to make our State more secure. Our leadership team includes: Dennis Schrader (Homeland Security); John Droneburg (MEMA); Major General Bruce Tuxill (Maryland Military Department); Colonel Tim Hutchins (Maryland State Police); Gary McLhinney, (Maryland Transportation Authority Police); Doug Deleaver (Maryland Transit Administration); and Colonel Steve Chaney (Department of Natural Resources Police).

Thanks to all of you for making Maryland safer.

One example of Maryland's leadership in the homeland security arena is the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC). The Center encourages information sharing and intelligence analysis among the law enforcement, the National Guard, emergency management, public health, and first responder communities. MCAC is the first joint federal, state and local data collection and analysis center in the country.

Criminal justice is the traditional side of public safety. There are successes to report here as well.

Project CSAFE, our local law enforcement partnership, is established in 51 locations spanning 23 jurisdictions across the State.

Project RESTART, a 2004 initiative to stop the warehousing and recycling of adult offenders, especially drug offenders, has begun level one implementation: training, education, and treatment behind bars. This is an important, long-overdue mission.

Project Diversion, another 2004 initiative, focuses on alternatives to incarceration for addicted, non-violent offenders.

Our reconstituted and expanded State Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council provides an important link between state prevention, intervention, and treatment activities and those of local drug and alcohol councils.

Building on these successes, my public safety priorities for this legislative session include the following.

First, I want to prevent drug and alcohol-related accidents by encouraging young drivers to exercise better judgment and greater responsibility behind the wheel.

Of the 651 people killed on Maryland highways in 2003, 106 were 21 years old or younger. Most accidents involving young drivers are attributable to three factors: inexperience, inattention, and impairment.

My friend Debi Hardy is with us today. She has educated young people about the dangers of drunk driving ever since her daughter, 13-year-old Janet Marie, was killed in October 2003. I commend her courage, commitment, and leadership.

Accordingly, I have introduce a three point legislative package that will lengthen the period for learner's permits from four to six months, mandate a 90-day suspensions for violations of provisional license restrictions, and revoke the license of drunk and drugged drivers under the age of 21.

The worse kind of tragedy is that which can be easily avoided. We want young people to exercise good judgment, while reminding them that bad judgment brings consequences.

Second, I want to protect witnesses and victims of crime from reprisals.

Criminals in our State's largest city are employing a new tactic to scare witnesses and victims of crime: "Intimidation by Infomercial."

This now infamous "Stop Snitching" DVD is a wake-up call for all of us.

Accordingly, we will reintroduce legislation that will make witness intimidation a felony punishable by a prison term of up to 20 years, and allow the statements of a witness to be entered into evidence without the individual having to testify in person.

Our prosecutors need this important tool now. Let's give it to them.

Thank you, Pat Jessamy, for the leadership and attention you have brought to this issue.

Third, I want to position our State at the forefront of the DNA revolution that is transforming our nation's criminal justice system.

Thanks to the advent of DNA testing as a forensic tool, violent criminals are being identified and apprehended, cases cold for years are being solved, and the innocent are being exonerated.

We propose expanding the DNA collections process by allowing samples to be obtained from qualifying offenders at the courthouse immediately after sentencing, guaranteeing quicker entry into the DNA database.

Maryland should lead as the DNA revolution transforms our nation's criminal justice system.

Commerce

Not long after I took office, I declared that Maryland is once again open for business. Since then, our efforts to grow Maryland's economy have yielded striking successes.

A strong economic recovery added nearly 50,000 jobs to employer payrolls during 2004.

We are competing with other states for new jobs -- and winning. Recent successes include: American Woodmark: 300 jobs created in Allegany County. Dreyer's Ice Cream: 300 jobs created, 200 jobs retained in Howard County. Jos. A. Bank: 100 jobs created, 345 jobs retained in Carroll County. Internosis: 170 jobs relocated to Prince George's County from Virginia. Emergent Biologics: 300 jobs created in Frederick County.

Last July, Maryland led the nation in job growth.

The number of Marylanders receiving welfare benefits is at its lowest point since December 1963.

Maryland's unemployment rate -- 4 percent in December -- is 1.4 percent below the national rate.

Thanks to the Lieutenant Governor's leadership, and your support, we reformed Maryland's MBE program so that it better meets its stated mission: making minority entrepreneurs full partners in Maryland's growing prosperity.

Tourism increased 33 percent during the first half of 2004 compared to the same period in 2003, generating an estimated $788 million in state and local taxes.

The ICC is ahead of schedule, and, thanks to the bipartisan transportation law enacted last year, dozens of long-delayed roads and transit projects are off the drawing board and under construction. Further, our FY 2006 budget proposes a $50 million repayment to the Transportation Trust Fund.

This year, we have an opportunity to keep this momentum going by enacting targeted incentives that will stimulate three growth sectors of Maryland's economy.

The first is Maryland's film industry.

Over the past decade, filmmaking in Maryland has had a total economic impact of more than $750 million.

In FY 2004, Maryland hosted 307 days of filming for 2 feature films, 5 independent films, 5 "short" films and 8 television productions. An additional 87 productions were completed on commercial, industrial, music video, documentary and "other" projects.

The film industry provides 1,650 full-time equivalent jobs in our State.

Our bill encourages future Maryland-based filmmaking by offering film companies a rebate on the first $25,000 of wages paid to production employees on locations across the State.

The second is Maryland's high tech/bioscience sector. Two important tax credits will keep Maryland at the forefront of the new economy by stimulating creation of -- and investment in -- early stage bioscience and advanced technology businesses.

First, we should extend our research and development tax credit to 2011, increase the limit of each to $6 million, and add to our new arsenal an "Entrepreneurial Investment Technology Tax Credit" which investors in biotechnology or venture capital firms may apply towards their state income or insurance premium tax bill.

The third is Maryland's population of retired military personnel.

These former soldiers are valuable citizens who contribute to the intellectual, economic, and patriotic foundation of communities.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey have enacted their own exemptions, boosting their economies by attracting many talented military retirees to their states.

The Free State should demonstrate its thanks by phasing in an exemption from state income tax for military retirement income earned by those with two decades of service. Not only is it the patriotic thing to do … it is the smart thing. This is an idea whose time has come!

Conclusion

Last year, I concluded my remarks by reaffirming the philosophy that guides my style of governance and my service to the citizens of Maryland: "I assure you that I will always advocate for my positions in a straightforward manner, negotiate in good faith, maintain flexibility, and seek common ground. However, I will not hesitate to hold firm on the promises I made to the citizens of Maryland when they elected me governor."

You responded by passing an historic series of policy initiatives. Indeed, here are some examples of things that can happen when good policy takes preference over politics: the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund; nutrient management reforms; public charter schools; new roads and transit projects; mental health assessments for juvenile offenders; Project RESTART; the Maryland Department of Disabilities; MBE Reform; ethics reform; the Heritage Tax Credit; and a revitalized brownfields law.

These ideas do not carry a Republican or Democratic label.

Indeed, when I think about our accomplishments during the past two years -- even against a backdrop of divided government -- I am reminded of a sign which sat on President Ronald Reagan's desk which read: "There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

These successes illustrate what is possible when we put the people's business above partisan gamesmanship. Such is our job -- indeed, our obligation, to our citizens.

This year, we can do better. We can set the bar higher.

So, let's get back to work.

And, as we begin ask God to bless our State, our country, our troops, our law enforcement professionals and first responders, and everyone who defends our hard-won freedoms.

Thank you and Godspeed.

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20050127 Text of Maryland Gov. Ehrlich's State of the State Address – as prepared

20050122 Ben Stein's Last Column

Ben Stein’s Last Column

If I am not mistaken, I got this in an e-mail. I don’t remember when or from whom. I looked it up on Snopes.com and they don’t have anything on it. I have no URL address for it, so I have no way of checking its veracity. If it is an e-mail hoax, it is a good one and never-the-less, is a good read…

Oh – I did find it on Free Republic.com…

Ben Stein’s Last Column: How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

01/22/2005

For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column for the online website called "Monday Night At Morton's."

(Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.)

Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.

Ben Stein's Last Column... (read all of this or you will have missed the best).

==========================

How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

As I begin to write this, I "slug" it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is "eonlineFINAL," and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.

It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it. On a small scale, Morton's, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.

Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a "star" we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails.

They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer. A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit, Iraq. He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad. He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him.

A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad.

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.

We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines. The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.

There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.

Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse. Now you have my idea of a real hero.

We are not responsible for the operation of the universe, and what happens to us is not terribly important. God is real, not a fiction; and when we turn over our lives to Him, He takes far better care of us than we could ever do for ourselves. In a word, we make ourselves sane when we fire ourselves as the directors of the movie of our lives and turn the power over to Him.

I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters. This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin...or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.

But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.

This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York. I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.

By Ben Stein

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20050121 Baltimore Sun: Democrats see budget retaliation

General Assembly: Democrats see budget retaliation

Some cuts in the governor's spending plan may be punishment for special-session votes, leaders of the majority party say.

By David Nitkin, Andrew A. Green and Ivan Penn, Sun Staff

January 21, 2005

Launching a review of the governor's budget proposal with eyes that may be jaundiced by recent battles, Democrats in the General Assembly say they see signs of retaliation in the $25.9 billion spending plan released this week.

Lawmakers are wondering aloud whether Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is trying to punish them for votes cast during last week's special session by eliminating programs that they favor, withholding money from jurisdictions where leaders live and abolishing patronage long enjoyed by legislators.

[…]

Maryland governors have long used their budgetary authority - considered by experts to be the strongest in the nation - to reward friends and punish enemies. Ehrlich's predecessor, Gov. Parris N. Glendening, was considered a master at using the tool to maximum advantage.

"I'm certain that some members are feeling the power of the executive, as many of us [Republicans] did under Glendening," said Sen. David R. Brinkley of Frederick County. "The sword cuts both ways."

It is not clear whether the proposals are intended to inflict real harm or are more a negotiating tool that could soon disappear through compromises. Ehrlich can ill afford to alienate the Assembly, where Democrats hold veto-proof majorities in both chambers, if he hopes to secure passage of his slot-machine plan or other priorities.

Others say Democrats are being too sensitive, and deny that Ehrlich is trying to punish the opposing party. "They are looking at the bogeyman that doesn't exist. Or to put another way, maybe they are running a little scared and overreacting," said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the House minority whip, whose Southern Maryland district includes parts of Calvert County.

[…]

Read the rest here: Democrats see budget retaliation