20070719 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Wrong Direction

John W. Ashbury

Revisionist history curdles the mind. Examples of how we interpret our past in the mindset of today are so very numerous because "political correctness" has invaded our society to the point of being ridiculous.

A recent example here in Frederick is the remarks of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who interpreted the Dred Scott Decision of 1857 in light of today's morals and societal evolution. His comments were almost in direct opposition to those made by the late Chief Justice of The United States, William Rehnquist, who spoke to the same group a few years ago.

Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, who resided in Frederick for more than two decades in the early 19th Century, headed a court that did not make law. Rather, the rulings by his court were anchored in the law of the land as passed by Congress and held constitutional by the court.

Waxing Poetic

Chris Cavey

The past two weeks seem to have been devoted to taxes. Property tax bills filled the carts, bags and trucks of mail carriers. Rumors out of Annapolis, gibberish from the Internet and speculation by the media have also been filled with tax increase speculation.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Three-Time Loser: Part II

Roy Meachum

Accompanied by her palm-weaving claque singing hosannas, Jennifer Dougherty ascended to the ante-bellum (barely) former courthouse and proceeded to act as if she had been - like many third world leaders claim - elected for life. That was January, 2002.

Lady Bird Johnson - Steel Magnolia

Kevin E. Dayhoff

A week ago today, Lady Bird Johnson, the celebrated wife of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, passed away at age 94.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Three Time Loser: Part One

Roy Meachum

Politicians' mentalities can amuse. I do not mean the basic conceit. After all, someone must win. Why shouldn't it be me, they say. I applaud that approach. Indeed, why not? The lottery's millions can be attributed to the basic notion. Why not me? I whole-heartedly cheer risk takers.

The Growing Chasm

Farrell Keough

Our "smart growth" Board of County Commissioners is at it again. Rather than a thorough and thoughtful approach, the heavy hand of government approach is once again the chosen tool of enforcement.

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Monday, July 16, 2007

Taxes, or Cuts and Slots

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Last Tuesday, Gov. Martin O'Malley rolled out his proposed budget cuts. They are designed to ease the $1.5 billion structural deficit facing Maryland in the next budget.

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Friday, July 13, 2007

Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson

Roy Meachum

She was never Lady Bird to me. We were Mrs. and Mister to each other each time we met. And during her husband's presidential years, I was in and out of the White House frequently. Bess Clements Abell brought me there.

Handicapping 2008

Edward Lulie III

It's early, but what the heck, let's have some fun and do an initial handicapping of the 2008 presidential race. We won't even bother with the numerous "second tier" candidates (Ron Paul, Joe Biden, etc.) because they will all fade out of the race as time goes by.

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Thursday, July 12, 2007

Tums Won’t Solve This Problem

John W. Ashbury

There is a large segment of Frederick County’s population that is being ignored by its elected officials. These taxpayers have paid their dues time and again, with a whimper mostly.

Time to Make A Change

Patricia A. Kelly

Michael Moore has done it again. He has succeeded in producing a political statement for public viewing as a movie in mainstream theaters. He succeeds where many films of significant artistic merit fail. He's playing in Frederick.

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Wednesday, July 11, 2007

"90 Seconds"

Kevin E. Dayhoff

It was nothing short of cruel irony that I happened to be on a guided tour of the United States Military Academy at West Point on the very day The New York Times editorialized for the United States to unconditionally surrender in Iraq. It was this past Sunday.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Frederick Love Story

Roy Meachum

The story begins almost nine years ago on a lovely October Saturday afternoon, which I was enjoying on the front porch. It was in the old house, farther up North Market. A tall hedge still ran completely around the yard's outer rim, keeping out of sight both people and cars.

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