ocdemocrats.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web view04/04/2012 · This elitist, privileged person is out on the campaign trail trying to be one of the boys. No $$$$ Italian suits, shirts,

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OCEAN CITY/ASSATEAGUE DEMOCRATIC CLUBServing Ocean City, West Ocean City, Assateague, and South PointPO BOX 3196OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND 21843VOTE DEMOCRAT AND SAVE AMERICA, THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WOMENOCADC NEWSLETTER - DEMOCRATIC WONDERINGS –VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4, APRIL 2012

THROUGH A LOOKING GLASS DARKLY (I Corinthians)

Mitt is Not One of the Boys

Mitt Romney grew up in a privileged environment went to expensive private schools and was borne wealthy thanks to his parents. Mitt is a corporate raider. In the olden days, he would be called a Pirate. Already wealthy because he was born into a wealthy family, he bought and sold companies to enlarge his already large wealth. This modern corporate raider bought, usually, companies in financial trouble, sold off the parts that had value and shut down the rest. This resulted in a loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. Yet he says he has the right stuff to grow jobs. POSH!

This elitist, privileged person is out on the campaign trail trying to be one of the boys. No $$$$ Italian suits, shirts, ties and shoes for this guy, but an open collar white shirt and a pair of jeans! Probably the first pair of jeans this dude has ever owned. Whether he wins or loses his run for the white house this pair of jeans he wears every day will, probably the only pair he will ever own. When he went south to campaign in the black hole of right wing silliness he tried, dressed in his jeans and white shirt, to “y’all and out-grits those southerners. He failed miserably. He is not one of the boys and never will be. So What? “dressing down” shows his shallowness and lack of respect for those below his presumed social standing. No jeans, no y’all, no grits.

Santorum May be Mentally DisturbedIs there anything that Santorum is for? He is a classic conservative – stay ignorant of facts and evidence. He is against high education for the masses (yet he has three college degrees) One wonders about what he was doing in college as it seems he learned very little. He is against birth control, as is demonstrated by his very large family; now we know what he is for. Remain pregnant regardless of the outcome economically, medically or ethically. He does not believe that the earth is growing warmer. He may think the Earth is still flat. If, heaven help us, he wins the

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presidency he will authorize drilling for oil and gas everywhere regardless of the impact!! His ranting’s against church-state separation is disingenuous when one considers that he is a career politician. Yet, as this newsletter is being written he is the poster boy for the way over right wingers and tea party faithful. It is insane!

Good Ole’Rush – Rush stepped in it and no amount of trying to seek forgiveness lessens what he exposed himself to be – a bigot, a sexist, and a flaming ------! On the other hand his misogynist ranting provides the following insights: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove any doubt. Or – We must protect freedom of speech – if for no other reason, so we will know who the fools are. These two pieces of sound advice came from the Grapevine section of the Daily Times.

WORCESTER COUNTY DEMOCRATS HOLD DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FORUM

Worcester County Democrats held a candidates forum March 6 in the Ocean Pines Library. The three candidates (John LaFerla, Kim Letke, and Wendy Rosen) are running in the primary for the Maryland Congressional District 1. The winner of this contest (in the April 3 Primary) will challenge incumbent Andy Harris in the November 6 General Election. The forum was organized by the Democratic Central Committee of Worcester with the support and assistance of the three Democratic Cubs – Democratic Club of Worcester County, Democratic Women’s Club and the Ocean City/Assateague Democratic Club. Before a crowd approaching 100 the candidates spent two hours

answering questions on a wide range of subjects. After the forum ended, attendees interviewed felt that the forum was a great success from both creating a better understanding of where each candidate stands of issues and a chance to actually see the candidates and talk with them informally before and after the forum. In the picture, left to right – Gee Williams, Mayor of Berlin and Forum moderator, Candidates Kim Letke, Wendy Rosen and John LaFerla.

UPCOMING APRIL 18 MEETING OF THE OCADC

There is still time to register for our luncheon meeting April 18, 2012. The luncheon meeting will be held at DaVinci’s Restaurant @ 15th and the Boardwalk. Registration is $15 which includes lunch and refreshments. Norm Conway and Jim Mathias will be attending to report on the 2012 Maryland legislative session. Following their report the Lower Eastern Shore and Worcester County Obama team will hold a Get Out the Vote Workshop. A reservation form for the meeting is included with this newsletter.

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KENNEDY-KING DINNER, APRIL 14, 2012, ATLANTIC HOTEL

Reservation form is included with this newsletter. Keynote speaker will be the winner of the primary for the Maryland 1st. Congressional District. See article above. This dinner is the major annual Worcester Democrats’ event of the year...

OCADC PARTNERS WITH OTHER CLUBS AND CENTRAL COMMITTEE – ON PARADE IN OCEAN CITY

Once again OCADC, the Democratic Club of Worcester County, the Democratic Women’s Club and the Democratic Central Committee of Worcester County marched in the Ocean City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This was the sixth year that the Worcester County Democrats have supported the parade. The Ds that participated joined together just before the parade began for this group picture. This parade a major event in Ocean City, as well as the state, it is just a lot of fun to do. For some strange reason, it does not

appear that the other party thinks this is an event worthy of their superior social status. POSH AGAiN (Picture by Ted Page Photography)

HARRIS-A REAL THREAT TO AMERICA’S WOMEN

It does not matter whether a woman is a registered Democrat, republican or Independent her well-being, sense of self, education, vocation, profession, opportunities, etc. are under direct attack by Andy Harris. Here are a few many attacks, positions, attitude that this dedicated male chauvinist p_ _ _ has supported or even proposed to take away all rights of all American Women:

- He would make abortions a crime, even in cases of rape and incest.

- He has voted against making emergency contraception available to women.- He voted to reduce women’s access to preventative health care services.- He voted against stronger equal pay protections for women in the

workforce.- He voted against increasing protections for victims of domestic abuse.

HE HAS TRULY EARNED THE NICKNAME OF DOCTOR NO.

I hanker for a Simpler World. Is that a crime?(Dowager Counters of Grantham

It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived

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Women need to unite and vote for President Obama, a male that fully appreciates the rights of women.

LOSING OUR PAPER WORLD

The internet has ignited a revolution in how we communicate. The internet provided the wherewithal for the creation of what is commonly referred to as the social media. In our country, coupled with the Great Recession, social networking has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the size and number of newspapers. It has resulted in the disappearance of the printed version of the Encyclopedia Britannica. More and more books are now e-books and authors can actually publish their books on line thereby reducing the business of publishers. The internet and email has had a profound effect on the U.S. Postal Service too. To the point where there are those who think the USPS may disappear. Ben Franklin must be turning over in his grave. For those of us who really

like to have a paper version of news and literature it is difficult to adjust to the change. But it appears inevitable. Must I buy an e-book reader? The graph to the left makes the point about the demise of the written word. Since the year 2000 to 2012, the sources of news has shifted to the internet – cable news, network news on local TV,

and the local newspaper have all lost major shares of the market. And the internet has gained a major market share (from 9% to 25%). (Source: USA Today – a printed newspaper).

Dear Noah,We could have sworn you said the Ark wasn’t leaving until 5.Sincerely, The Unicorns

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THE PRICE OF GASOLINE

The rising and high price of gasoline is not President Obama’s fault. Those dirty, lying republican candidates and their media lackeys are working hard to put the blame on our President. It is just not true!! The republican FabFour have yet to propose how they will lower the price of gas should they become (God Forbid!) president. The increasing prices for gasoline are directly related to two reasons – demand exceeds supplies and everyone is afraid that Iran will drop the bomb. There is actually nothing, short term that our government can do to really affect long term high gasoline prices. Yes, removing the current tax per gallon at the pump would drop the price some, but not significantly nor long term. Laying the big pipeline from Canada, which is a major effort of some significant duration, will not lower the current price of gasoline. Granted in time, and if the Canadians continue to love us our dependence on the very unstable Arab princes and mullahs would be reduced. The big pipeline from Canada is not a long term or permanent solution. The long term and permanent solution is exactly what President Obama has been trying to do – lower dependence on carbon based energy with alternate and renewable energy sources (the rs have done everything they can to prevent this from happening) and get the automobile to be more economical on the amount of fuel it uses and away from the internal combustion engine (think sails).

WONDERINGS

Renewable Energy - While the Eastern Shore and the State of Maryland dallies about renewable energy opportunities the rest of the country is embracing wind and solar power. Despite an embarrassment from the collapse of Solyandra U.S. solar and wind industries continue to expand (think: JOBS). Solar panel electricity generation increased

10% more in 2011 than in 2010. Prices for solar panels have dropped more than 50%. Expectations are that solar energy will provide 10% of the nation’s electricity needs by 2020. Wind power increased 30% in 2011 (Editor’s Comment – It will probably increase more in 2012, an election year.) Venture capital in renewable energy investment increased about 25% in 2011. Top ten states for solar power are California, New Jersey, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Nevada in descending order of solar power installations. Obviously, it is just not desert-type states, but states that have similar weather and hours

sun to Maryland. Why do we dally?Slots for the Ponies – While the doors have not closed on this year’s legislative session, at the writing of this newsletter, legislation is being considered to extend pass back money to the Maryland harness racing industry. Why is it that an industry which is such a small part of the Maryland economy given so much financial aid? One would think that if they cannot survive as a business without charity, maybe they should turn the races track into some other business venture. Sales at Ocean Downs have been disappointing. So many controls on how Ocean

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Downs can operate hinder their ability to compete with Delaware casinos. Those casinos can have decent restaurants, live and mainline entertainments, table games and heavy duty advertising into Maryland markets. Ocean Downs cannot do that. Treating it a real competitive business might diminish the need for continuing charity. How Not to Succeed in Business – How does a business survive if it is forced to operate like a small mom & pop enterprise. Such businesses practices as sales and discounts to attract traffic in the store are not allowed. The answer is that the business probably will not survive. That is how the US Postal Service has to operate. Perhaps some of that really great American entrepreneurial skills and practices should be given to the Postmaster General so the USPS can be saved. OP Board to Debtors Jail – Federal Appeals court judges have opined that the Ocean Pines Association owes back taxes on revenue it earned from running an oceanfront club and parking lot. While OP enjoys a not-for-profit status allowing no taxes for its many municipal-like services a beach front business does not fit that business pattern. The outcome is not clear yet, maybe OPA can work out a deal with the IRS; everyone knows how easy that is.Blame Reagan and Bush – If you are tired of hearing how well Ronald Reagan did with our economic well-being and how the Bush boys carried on that success check out what Bruce Bartlett has to say (See The Economic Facts of Life later in this newsletter).Check Out WalMart Valhalla – According to all rumors, the new super WalMart will open in mid-April. The changes being made to manage traffic around big MAMA WALLLY WORLD are well underway. A new traffic light has been installed at Holly Grove Road and the entrance to Glen Riddle. Another traffic light was installed not too long ago at the west end of the shopping center. These changes are expected to make it easier for shoppers to get in and out of the shopping center. Three new lights will certainly not make summer traffic heading into Ocean City any easier. Expect even longer backups trying to get into downtown Ocean City.Ponies on the Beach – Horse riding on the beach in off season is a fact of life, at least for now. The limit in the number of ponies on the beach at any given time by OC

ordinance is 12. There is no limit on the number of permits that can be issued at any given time. However the city manager can change that number at any time. There are members on the OC council that actually believe that the ability for horses to be on the beach will increase tourist traffic in the off-seasons. What puzzlement?Safe in OC – The town’s new fireboat will be on duty soon. The town has a new fire truck. The OCFD call volume in 2011 was a little under 6,000 calls. The average response time for emergency responses is 4 minutes and 11 seconds. That number is pretty remarkable and should

make those who live on the island feel safe and appreciate the professional skills of those in emergency response.MR CHURCH SHAME ON YOU!! – Commissioner Bud Church whined and complained about citizen activity to get the county commissioners to address the financial needs of our highly touted, blue ribbon school system. Church displayed a plantation mentality when he said, “We’re getting hundreds of email and letters and that’s not accomplishing a whole lot?” As an elected public official with a responsibility to govern and serve the public he apparently has forgotten three basic characteristics that

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make an elected official effective: 1) an open mind, 2) remembering who got him there and 3) who is paying the bills. He reflects, to some large degree the non-public participation culture of the county commissioner’s when making decisions. While it may be difficult to abide with the unwashed complainer and the electorate it comes with the job Mr. Church. A great American President Harry Truman once said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!!” Maybe it is time for Mr. Church to get out of the kitchen.Boat Races Return – After being dry docked for two years, the Offshore Powerboat Association will return to the waters off OC May 12-13. Approximately 40 boats are expected to participate. The race course will run from Fourth Street to 25th Street.

And the Beat Goes On – The search for a new OC city manager continues. The candidates list is down to five, one round of interviews have been held. A decision may occur in April.OC Government Expands Land Ownership – The town has begun

the process of purchasing a piece of property on Fourth Street and Philadelphia Avenue. If the purchase is successfully concluded the site is

planned to be converted into a parking lot. For city residents with long term tenure in OC they will probably remember that Griffin’s Seafood Market stood on the site before it was converted into a restaurant. Currently the site is occupied by La Mexicana. OC Park and Ride Fares Change – The price for an all-day parking ticket will be increased to $3 per day. While this is an increase, it also allows park and riders use of the bus service throughout the town’s transit system. A very good deal for visitors.

THE ECONOMIC FACTS OF LIFE

If you have listened to the republican prophets of doom (groan), aka republican candidates/talking heads/groupies, the economy is still in the tank and it is the fault of President Obama. Such talk is ludicrous and inane. To be more straightforward it is a pack of lies and outrageous misrepresentation of the facts. We are providing in the section ammunition you can use to attack the fabrications on lies and non-facts offered by the rs.

The foundation for the Great Recession began with Ronald Reagan and Bush I. A history teacher turned economist, Bruce Bartlett a financial advisor to Reagan and an active proponent of supply side economics has come to realize that the republican approach to solving our economic troubles cannot and is not going to get it done. An extended article in the Economist some time ago featured an interview with Mr. Bartlett. While some time has passed since the interview/article appeared the views he opined are just a true today. Below is a condensed version of the interview. We have included the key points of the interview. If you want the entire interview email us at [email protected] and ask for The Complete Bartlett Interview. We have also included it on our website – www.ocdemocrats.wordpress.com. Much of the interview/article is included below and if you do not choose to read it all,

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Excerpts of the Bartlett Interview

Q: Which should be a higher priority for the federal government at the moment, deficit reduction or economic stimulus?

Mr. Bartlett: Clearly, economic stimulus.

Q: In the longer term, what types of economic and political problems will we be looking at if we allow the deficit to continue growing?

Mr. Bartlett: We now know that the Obama administration’s economists wanted a stimulus package twice the size of the one that was enacted—something closer to $1.4 trillion rather than $800 billion...

Given the strong Republican incentive to make the economy as bad as possible going into 2012, I don’t think it would even be possible to

pass a stimulus package that was 100% composed of tax cuts—the only stimulus Republicans might support.

There is not one iota of evidence that the economy is suffering from excessive taxation and no evidence that the sorts of tax cuts favored by Republicans—mainly tax cuts for the wealthy—would do

any good given the nature of the economy’s problems.

In my view, the Republican obsession with taxes is based on pure dogma, not analysis.

Q: More generally, which party do you find more credible when discussing America's fiscal challenges?

Mr. Bartlett: The Republicans don’t have any credibility whatsoever. They squandered whatever they had when they enacted a massive UNFUNDED expansion of Medicare in 2003. Yet they had the nerve to complain about Obama’s health plan, WHICH WAS FULLY PAID FOR according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Furthermore, Republicans have a completely indefensible position on taxes. In their view, deficits cannot arise from tax cuts. No matter how much taxes are cut, no matter how low revenues go as a share of GDP, tax cuts are never a cause of deficits; they result ONLY AND EXCLUSIVELY from spending

The monumental hypocrisy of the Republican Party is something amazing to behold. And their dimwitted accomplices in the tea-party movement are not much

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better. They know that Republicans, far more than Democrats, are responsible for our fiscal mess, but they won’t say so.

Consequently, I have far more hope that Democrats will do what has to be done. The Democratic Party is now the “adult” party in American politics, willing to do what has to be done for the good of the country.

Unfortunately, I don’t think Democrats have the guts or the stamina to put forward a meaningful deficit-reduction program because they know—as I do—that it will require higher revenues. (Editors’ note: What we have is puzzlement between the sensible but cowardly party and the greedy, sociopathic party.)

Q: The primary fiscal challenge facing America is its spending on entitlements. Will it be possible for the parties to compromise on reform of programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? If so, what do you think those compromises will look like?

Mr. Bartlett: Cutting entitlements is hardly an exclusively American problem. American conservatives—unlike those in Europe—still don’t accept the legitimacy of the welfare state or its fundamentally conservative underpinnings in a Bismarckian1 sense.

.We may need to give conservatives one last shot at power to prove that their ideas won’t work—a conservative version of the Great Society, in which every pet liberal idea was given a chance to succeed before failing—before the American people will finally concede that tax cuts don’t pay for

themselves or automatically shrink spending through some magical starve-the-beast mechanism, that getting spending under control will require more than cutting

foreign aid and waste-fraud-and-abuse and that benefits for the elderly—a prime Republican constituency these days—will

have to be meaningfully and painfully cut, and that taxes will have to be increased.

1 Origin of the term Bismarckian system the editor believes is reflected in the formation of an alliance where in the 1800s Germany and Austria-Hungary (not natural allies) pledged to aid one another in case of an attack by Russia. Also, each state promised benevolent neutrality to the other if one of them was attacked by another European power. As Mr. Bartlett uses the term in discussing economic options for the United States suggests that our two parties would have to agree to support the other party’s short term and long term goals even though those goals were, initially contrary to party dogma and perhaps repugnant to some part of the citizens, but long term would be best for the country. I think also that it might be defined more simply as good governance and country first and party last.

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Q: What would be the benefits of a value-added tax and why won't Republicans or Democrats get behind the idea?

Mr. Bartlett: The key area where Republicans and conservatives continue to live in a fantasy world relates to the inevitability of higher taxes to the long-run solution to our fiscal problem...

Once upon a time not too long ago there were serious people in the Republican Party willing to negotiate with Democrats in good faith on the issues of the day for the betterment of our country. Now they are all gone. Until they reappear our fiscal situation will get worse. Democrats can’t do it by themselves; they need someone on the Republican side with whom they can negotiate. I don’t see any such person anywhere in the country at the moment.

Q: Do you think we'll ever see a VAT in America?

Mr. Bartlett: Eventually, we will have to enact measures to reduce the deficit. These measures will necessarily have to include higher revenues. Initially, they may be called user fees, offsetting receipts or other euphemisms, but they will raise revenues. Polls show that Americans are not averse to soaking the rich or taxing big businesses.

Eventually, American conservatives need to make the deal that European conservatives made after the war: liberals basically spend the money—subject, roughly, to a balanced-budget constraint—and conservatives raise the money in ways that don’t overly burden capital. This means that conservatives have to accept the welfare state and liberals have to give up redistribution on the tax side. But we are a long ways away from such a deal even being discussed.

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Tenth Annual Kennedy - King DinnerThe Fundraising Event for the

Democratic Central Committee of Worcester CountyApril 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Hotel, Berlin, MD

KEYNOTE SPEAKERThe Winner of the Primary D Candidate for the Maryland First

Congressional DistrictMaster of Ceremonies – Jim Ireton, Mayor, Salisbury, MD

Tickets for the Dinner are $100 contribution per person. Please fill out the information below and return it to the name and address,

email credit card purchases Reception 6pm; Dinner 7pm.

-------------------------------------------------------------------Please reserve ____ tickets for the dinner.Total: $100 x _____________ = $ _________________Name(s) on the reservation: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________Address to receive your tickets: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________Tele # __________________email Address ______________________________________Please select your entrees: _____ Prime Rib; ____ Crab Cakes; ____Boneless Chicken Breast Marsala; ____ Organic Vegetable Pasta with Portabella in Cream Sauce---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---__ Pay by Check: Please make your check payable to DCCWC and mail to:Lanny Hickman, PO Box 1422 Ocean Pines, MD 21811Questions? Call Lanny @ 410-600-0552__ Pay by Visa/Master: Card # _______________________________________Expiration Date: ________________Name on Card Account:_____________________________Visa/ MasterCard Reservations by Phone: Call Lanny @ 410-600-0552 or by email to : [email protected]

Authorized by Lanny Hickman, Treasurer, DCCWC; All funds solicited in connection with this event are by the DCCWC and not by any political candidate.

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OCEAN CITY/ASSATEAGUE DEMOCRATIC CLUB APRIL 18, 2012 MEETING 11:00 A.M.

Our first meeting in 2012 will be held at DaVinci’s, 15th and the Boardwalk in Ocean City. The program will include:

Review of the 2012 Maryland Legislative Session – Delegate Norm Conway and Senator Jim Mathias will join us for this review.

Workshop/Planning Session for 2012 Campaign – The Worcester County Democrats (Democratic Central Committee of Worcester County, Democratic Women’s Club, Democratic Club and Worcester County and the Ocean City/Assateague Democratic Club) has joined with the Obama Campaign in a united effort to return the President to the White House, Re-elect Senator Cardin and throw Andy Harris out of the House of Representatives. The lower shore has been organized in a unified organization to meet our 2012 goals. The Obama Campaign Lower Shore Chair and the Worcester County Obama Campaign Chair will guide a workshop directed at establishing a network of volunteers to meet our goals of victory in 2012.

The meeting includes a luncheon: Deli Buffet, including a pasta salad, dessert and soft drinks. Cost of the luncheon is $15, $25 for non-members. Please complete the reservation form below to book your luncheon and attendance of the program.

Name(s) _______________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________ Tele # _______________________________ email Address _______________________ # Of Reservations @ $15 each ______ X $15 = ______________ Please make checks payable to OCADC and mail to: OCADC, PO Box 3196, Ocean City, MD 21843Not a Member? Why Not Join @ $10 per person. Yes! I want to join!! I am enclosing the payment for membership with my payment for the luncheon and program