Several weeks ago, I asked the Clerk’s Office if I could give the opening prayer for the House on Passover and Opening Day of the baseball season. Turns out they already had me listed.
I had written the baseball prayer in my mind’s eye before my father passed away.
Some personal moments that I hope are universal:
Baseball is…
Waiting for your father to come home from work, so you can play catch in the back yard;
Meeting Casey Stengel in the dugout at Memorial Stadium and impressing him that a 10-year old knows that you score a short to second to first double play: 6-4-3;
Being cut from the junior varsity baseball team in high school after batting practice because you ducked on every curve ball;
Asking Earl Weaver to autograph a photo for the Speaker and he writes, “Mike, Pass Sandy’s bills, Earl.”;
Having your father in the stands this past July when your team won the league championship; and
Hoping that the House – and the Judiciary Committee, adjourn in time today for you to hear the umpire say, “Play ball!”
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7 – Delayed Impact
You say taxation, and I say tenacity.
Amendments designed to put Democrats on record about the need for tax increases to maintain current spending levels were offered by House Republicans as we debated the state budget last week.
Announcing his candidacy for Governor yesterday, Bob Ehrlich one upped them. He pledged to undo the one cent increase in the sales tax that we adopted in 2007.
He did not say where he would cut $600 million from the budget to compensate for the lost revenue. He never put forward such reductions as Governor. In fact, the legislature consistently reduced his proposed expenditures over his four-year term.
Martin O’Malley, on the other hand, will talk about leadership in tough times and investing in the state’s future.
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The Finance Committee will have a workgroup on my arbitration bill. The members I’ve talked to understand why the bill is needed. Consumers are far too often stuck with arbitrators who are not impartial.
My educated guess: the bill will be amended and then delayed on the Senate floor by the banking industry. Then the House will have to concur in these changes the last night of the session.
My voter’s rights bill has been amended by the Election Laws subcommittee in the House. No delays likely, but Senate will have to agree to these changes as well.
Amendments designed to put Democrats on record about the need for tax increases to maintain current spending levels were offered by House Republicans as we debated the state budget last week.
Announcing his candidacy for Governor yesterday, Bob Ehrlich one upped them. He pledged to undo the one cent increase in the sales tax that we adopted in 2007.
He did not say where he would cut $600 million from the budget to compensate for the lost revenue. He never put forward such reductions as Governor. In fact, the legislature consistently reduced his proposed expenditures over his four-year term.
Martin O’Malley, on the other hand, will talk about leadership in tough times and investing in the state’s future.
----
The Finance Committee will have a workgroup on my arbitration bill. The members I’ve talked to understand why the bill is needed. Consumers are far too often stuck with arbitrators who are not impartial.
My educated guess: the bill will be amended and then delayed on the Senate floor by the banking industry. Then the House will have to concur in these changes the last night of the session.
My voter’s rights bill has been amended by the Election Laws subcommittee in the House. No delays likely, but Senate will have to agree to these changes as well.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 6 - Rhetorical or face-to-face
The outcome was not in doubt, but my colleagues kept talking.
When the clerk calls the roll, our votes light up on a big electronic board. Any member can rise for up to two minutes to explain his or her vote.
If eyeballing of the green (yes) and red (no) lights indicates a close vote, members will stall for time and speak, allowing for some last-minute persuasion. (That can be rhetorical or face-to-face.)
When you know that the vote is going to be close, you assign people to stand up and explain their position to allow for your reluctant votes to be reminded of their commitment.
That was not the case today. The gang bill passed, 111-28. But a few people did get their sound bites in the newspaper.
When the clerk calls the roll, our votes light up on a big electronic board. Any member can rise for up to two minutes to explain his or her vote.
If eyeballing of the green (yes) and red (no) lights indicates a close vote, members will stall for time and speak, allowing for some last-minute persuasion. (That can be rhetorical or face-to-face.)
When you know that the vote is going to be close, you assign people to stand up and explain their position to allow for your reluctant votes to be reminded of their commitment.
That was not the case today. The gang bill passed, 111-28. But a few people did get their sound bites in the newspaper.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday, April 5 – Legislating and Endorsing
We’re in the home stretch.
With one week left in the session, two of my bills require some legislating to become law.
We hope to amend the bill authorizing a court to issue a restraining order to prevent certain election law violations. If the House makes that change, then the Senate will have to do so as well.
A Senate hearing tomorrow for my legislation to aid credit card customers and other consumers by requiring organizations that perform arbitration activities to disclose the outcome of the decisions they have reached, the fees they are paid, and their ties to the businesses that select them. Word is that several lobbyists have been hired to defeat my proposal.
I met with the committee chair to outline what the bill would do and why it’s needed. He promised us a fair hearing.
After the session ends, serious campaigning will begin.
This weekend, I received my first candidate questionnaire from an interest group. I found it odd, if not inappropriate, to remind us that endorsements are coming while bills are still pending.
With one week left in the session, two of my bills require some legislating to become law.
We hope to amend the bill authorizing a court to issue a restraining order to prevent certain election law violations. If the House makes that change, then the Senate will have to do so as well.
A Senate hearing tomorrow for my legislation to aid credit card customers and other consumers by requiring organizations that perform arbitration activities to disclose the outcome of the decisions they have reached, the fees they are paid, and their ties to the businesses that select them. Word is that several lobbyists have been hired to defeat my proposal.
I met with the committee chair to outline what the bill would do and why it’s needed. He promised us a fair hearing.
After the session ends, serious campaigning will begin.
This weekend, I received my first candidate questionnaire from an interest group. I found it odd, if not inappropriate, to remind us that endorsements are coming while bills are still pending.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, April 1 – Insider Position
I’m an insider.
I’m also one of the more liberal members of the legislature.
My first year here, I learned that you can often get a lot more done if you’re willing to seek common ground and settle for incremental progress. And you’re more likely to achieve that end if you don’t harden another legislator’s viewpoint by drawing attention to your differences.
A case in point this week.
Students in a legal clinic at the University of Maryland Law School sued a chicken farm on the Eastern Shore for violating the Clean Water Act.
That prompted the State Senate to make $250,000 of the law school’s appropriation contingent upon a report being submitted about the cases brought by the Environmental Law Clinic.
I got a call early this week from a member of the faculty. My advice: draft alternative language that responds to the legislature’s legitimate concerns but doesn’t put any of your funding at risk. I also arranged a meeting with House leaders.
I also said: “I won’t vote for a floor amendment that would strike the committee’s language. A recorded vote would harden positions on both sides and make it more difficult to reach an acceptable compromise.”
Senator Harry McGuirk was known as Soft Shoes because he frequently got things done without leaving traces of his involvement.
I can’t claim that I’m filling his shoes, but sometimes I’m following in his footsteps.
I’m also one of the more liberal members of the legislature.
My first year here, I learned that you can often get a lot more done if you’re willing to seek common ground and settle for incremental progress. And you’re more likely to achieve that end if you don’t harden another legislator’s viewpoint by drawing attention to your differences.
A case in point this week.
Students in a legal clinic at the University of Maryland Law School sued a chicken farm on the Eastern Shore for violating the Clean Water Act.
That prompted the State Senate to make $250,000 of the law school’s appropriation contingent upon a report being submitted about the cases brought by the Environmental Law Clinic.
I got a call early this week from a member of the faculty. My advice: draft alternative language that responds to the legislature’s legitimate concerns but doesn’t put any of your funding at risk. I also arranged a meeting with House leaders.
I also said: “I won’t vote for a floor amendment that would strike the committee’s language. A recorded vote would harden positions on both sides and make it more difficult to reach an acceptable compromise.”
Senator Harry McGuirk was known as Soft Shoes because he frequently got things done without leaving traces of his involvement.
I can’t claim that I’m filling his shoes, but sometimes I’m following in his footsteps.
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