Deep Breath: Primary Results Are In
Whew, the primaries had some surprises. We'll be digesting that race for a while, as we turn the corner and head into the general election.
I want to say something about Dana Beyer. Dana ran for House of Delegates in District 17, against tough competition, and did not advance to the general election. Her name is not well known to the public but she campaigned hard, she knocked on every door in her district even in killer summer heat. If you lived in her district you would have seen her ads all over the Internet, hers was one of the first "modern" campaigns in our area, in that sense. She worked the social media, email, phone banks, and ran geographically-targeted ads on many popular Internet sites. She ended up about 1,300 votes behind the guy she had to beat, out of 18,000 votes cast.
I am proud to know Dana. She has been a supporter of TeachTheFacts.org from the very beginning. She is cheerful, intelligent, hard-working, and took the most solidly progressive position of any politician in the state, I'd say. She is fearless in standing up for what is right.
Dana could have run as "the transgender candidate," but she has moved beyond the novelty of that. A few news outlets discussed her groundbreaking campaign in those terms, but Dana herself ran on the important policy issues. Her gender identity probably cost her some votes, but she did not make it a central point, and I am proud of that. She ran as a tough lefty, a defiant progressive ready to take on the establishment.
There were a couple of other results to talk about. Most incumbents kept their jobs in yesterday's election, but County Council member Duchy Trachtenberg did not. The Citizens for Responsible Whatever might want to claim credit for that, uh not so fast, buster. There was a lot going on there. Duchy had a lot of money in the bank, apparently saving it for the general election on the assumption she would get through the primaries, and she did not run much of a campaign.
The Post said this about her:
And that sums it up. She stood firm for cutting costs, and that meant somebody got the short end of the stick. She was picketed by firefighters and police during the campaign, as a result of her budget trimming . She came in fifth in a field where the top four move forward.
It is worth noting that Marc Elrich cleaned up in the County Council at-large race, far ahead of Hans Riemer who finished second; expected leader George Leventhal came in fourth. The pundits expected Elrich to do well, but not this well.
Roger Manno beat Mike Lennett for District 19 State Senator in a closely contested race. Also, the Republican candidate for governor who was endorsed by Sarah Palin got his butt kicked. Apparently Palin does not have the magic touch around here. On the other hand, 45 of the 48 candidates recommended on MCEA's Apple Ballot won their races in Montgomery County.
Anti-MCPS, anti-LGBT stealth candidate Martha Schaerr came in second for District 5 Board of Education, and will advance to the general election. She kept her views secret throughout the campaign season, I believe we were the only ones to publicize them. She was the only woman on the ballot for that district, and I hear she is personable and nice, if that's what you like. She got more than half as many votes as incumbent Mike Durso. Those two will battle it out in November.
I want to say something about Dana Beyer. Dana ran for House of Delegates in District 17, against tough competition, and did not advance to the general election. Her name is not well known to the public but she campaigned hard, she knocked on every door in her district even in killer summer heat. If you lived in her district you would have seen her ads all over the Internet, hers was one of the first "modern" campaigns in our area, in that sense. She worked the social media, email, phone banks, and ran geographically-targeted ads on many popular Internet sites. She ended up about 1,300 votes behind the guy she had to beat, out of 18,000 votes cast.
I am proud to know Dana. She has been a supporter of TeachTheFacts.org from the very beginning. She is cheerful, intelligent, hard-working, and took the most solidly progressive position of any politician in the state, I'd say. She is fearless in standing up for what is right.
Dana could have run as "the transgender candidate," but she has moved beyond the novelty of that. A few news outlets discussed her groundbreaking campaign in those terms, but Dana herself ran on the important policy issues. Her gender identity probably cost her some votes, but she did not make it a central point, and I am proud of that. She ran as a tough lefty, a defiant progressive ready to take on the establishment.
There were a couple of other results to talk about. Most incumbents kept their jobs in yesterday's election, but County Council member Duchy Trachtenberg did not. The Citizens for Responsible Whatever might want to claim credit for that, uh not so fast, buster. There was a lot going on there. Duchy had a lot of money in the bank, apparently saving it for the general election on the assumption she would get through the primaries, and she did not run much of a campaign.
The Post said this about her:
Ms. Trachtenberg, who can be cantankerous, is not winning popularity contests on the council or with public employee unions, with whom she has tangled. But she distinguished herself as the first of the at-large council members to sound the alarm on the county's grave fiscal problems and has been a tough and consistent voice for trimming spending and budgeting responsibly.
And that sums it up. She stood firm for cutting costs, and that meant somebody got the short end of the stick. She was picketed by firefighters and police during the campaign, as a result of her budget trimming . She came in fifth in a field where the top four move forward.
It is worth noting that Marc Elrich cleaned up in the County Council at-large race, far ahead of Hans Riemer who finished second; expected leader George Leventhal came in fourth. The pundits expected Elrich to do well, but not this well.
Roger Manno beat Mike Lennett for District 19 State Senator in a closely contested race. Also, the Republican candidate for governor who was endorsed by Sarah Palin got his butt kicked. Apparently Palin does not have the magic touch around here. On the other hand, 45 of the 48 candidates recommended on MCEA's Apple Ballot won their races in Montgomery County.
Anti-MCPS, anti-LGBT stealth candidate Martha Schaerr came in second for District 5 Board of Education, and will advance to the general election. She kept her views secret throughout the campaign season, I believe we were the only ones to publicize them. She was the only woman on the ballot for that district, and I hear she is personable and nice, if that's what you like. She got more than half as many votes as incumbent Mike Durso. Those two will battle it out in November.
posted by JimK at 9:10 AM
49 Comments:
Trachtenberg is the chair of the "Management and Fiscal Policy" committee. She managed us into a fiscal mess. (As well as a spiritual mess but we must deal with one mess at a time.)
"Also, the Republican candidate for governor who was endorsed by Sarah Palin got his butt kicked."
actually, this is the first governor endorsement that Sarah has missed on
she really didn't put in much effort though
when Brian Murphy decided to run, it was thought that Ehrlich wasn't going to, so he was filling a vacuum
as it was, he spent hardly any money and got a quarter of the votes, indicating the moderate non-stances of Ehrlich aren't that popular
it's not a good sign for Ehrlich and he would be advised to meet with Palin to find ways to fix up his positions
Brian would have made a better candidate and is a great guy
he runs a bakery that makes Maryland's official state dessert, the Smith Island Cake
you guys should go on his website and order one
"The pundits expected Elrich to do well, but not this well."
my theory is that voters got the name confused with Ehrlich
"Anti-MCPS, anti-LGBT stealth candidate Martha Schaerr came in second for District 5 Board of Education, and will advance to the general election. She kept her views secret throughout the campaign season,"
anti-MCPS?
hardly, she wants to improve MCPS, as should every candidate
did she keep her views secret or did she just not highlight past activities that TTF thinks are important but few voters do?
when you get down to it, how much do people know about any school board member's views?
they either like the way things are going or not
Alfred A. Knopf will publish a new children's book by Barack Obama two weeks after the election called "Letters to my Daughters".
It's part of a 1.9 million dollar deal he has with the publisher.
Glad to know he's been keeping busy doing something and finding a way to make a little extra cash during his down time in the Oval Office.
OK, last word on the Koran-burning controversy
it's just amazing how little Barack Obama understands how to use his office
from the Boston Globe today:
"Jones’s threat to burn the Koran was ugly and offensive. It deserved to be reviled as an affront to civility, to American values, and to the millions of good Muslims who stand with us in the war against the radicals. But it is never right for the president or his aides to pressure US citizens into silencing themselves or stifling their liberties in order to conciliate violent zealots. If the years since 9/11 have taught us anything, it is that jihadists must be resisted, not appeased."
this was my thought from the beginning
now, it seems to be the consensus
for a while, I thought the world was going crazy
credit to NY Mayor Bloomburg who was the first elected official I heard wise enough and brave enough to say it
"Trachtenberg...managed us into a fiscal mess."
Simplistic thinking from a simple mind. Fiscal policy is an exceedingly difficult area to comprehend...especially in these days.
I have never heard or seen you, "anonymous" propose a single, workable, solution that would untangle the "mess"...other than to mouth the simplistic/simple rants of Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, et al.
I noticed you didn't present yourself as a candidate for public consideration (unless, perchance, you happen to be one of those candidates offered by the Republican "Heil Hitler" crowd.)
"I have never heard or seen you, "anonymous" propose a single, workable, solution"
don't think I'm the anonymous you were talking to but how about reducing the non-teacher employees of MCPS by 10% and cutting teacher salaries to what they would be if they only gone up by the CPI rate for the last ten years and increasing average class size by one student?
there's a solution
I'm very surprised that you didn't even bother to mention the victory of Bonnie Cullison in D-19, one of the few openly gay candidates in Montgomery County this year. She will be a huge help to LGBT causes in Annapolis!
"Anonymous" (Whichever one you are)
Simplistic solutions for complex problems. Consider this:
I believe MCPS teachers have accepted no salary increase for the past three years and will not receive one for this school year.
Increasing a classroom by just one student never translates to that in the vast number of classrooms (taking into account special classes, unique offerings - all designed to help students who need help or should have options that would enhance their futures) or reducing MCPS "non-teacher" staff without realizing the impact that can have on a teacher's ability to reach out to and meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population are simple solutions to very complex problems.
Rather than single out one particular group of citizens(teachers) to assume the burdens of reduced government income, how about reducing the tax burden on teachers as compensation for giving up salary benefits? You should favor that...after all, don't you believe in reduction of taxes, especially when they are wasted on such frivolous things as meeting the expenses of those services you ask of your government but somehow think miraculously appear when demanded.
Citizen
I know an MCPS teacher. they are extremely well paid. Esp. when you consider they get their summers off.
actually I was looking at the salary my friend made comparing it with what I make and then adjusted for taxes and hours worked.
I was only clearing 10K more on a tax adjusted hours adjusted basis. And I make a lot of money (before taxes that is).
sounds like Citizen has some ideas worth talking about
"Sarah Palin's busy primary endorsement season came to a mostly winning end Tuesday, most notably with victories by two of her "mama grizzlies": Christine O'Donnell, who prevailed in Delaware's GOP Senate primary and Kelly Ayotte's narrow defeat of Ovide Lamontagne in the New Hampshire GOP race for Senate.
By Facebook, via Twitter, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate has handed out endorsements, well, right and righter this election season. She stood up for U.S. Sen. John McCain, who put her in the spotlight as his running mate. And she spurned home state incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, to support the ultimate upstart winner Joe Miller in Alaska.
In two other races, former New Hampshire attorney general Kelly Ayotte (Palin's pick) held a one-point lead over Ovide Lamontagne (a Tea Party favorite who cast himself as a "true" conservative) in the Granite State with 85 percent of the vote counted Wednesday morning. But Brian Murphy, Palin's long-shot candidate in Maryland's gubernatorial primary, lost in a landslide to former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich, who will once again face off against Martin O'Malley.
"my theory is that voters got the name confused with Ehrlich"
Except yesterday was *primary election day* and primaries are closed in MD, which means only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary and only Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary. Marc Elrich's name only appeared on Democratic Primary Ballots and Robert Ehrlich's name only appeared on Republican Primary Ballots.
Your theory is wrong. No news there!
I still think that's what happened
"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cheered the Tea Party victories in Tuesday’s Republican primaries, saying the results were “very positive” for Democrats.
“What happened for Democrats last night was very positive,” Pelosi told reporters after addressing the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation at the Capitol Wednesday morning. “We were very pleased with the candidates that we drew, and they offer a great contrast in the election as to the clarity of the choice.”
Pelosi’s comments are in line with the Democratic mood following the upset win of Tea Party-backed Christine O’Donnell over Rep. Mike Castle, a long-serving moderate, in the Delaware GOP primary for Senate."
Nancy, Nancy.....
what will we do when we don't have Pelosi to kick around anymore?
"Washington (CNN) – A new poll indicates that only one in four Americans say they trust the government to do what is right always or most of the time"
You're it.
You and your buddies are the ones they don't trust.
Funny you mention that, "Anonymous".
The vast majority of teachers in MCPS get paid on a 10-month basis. Comparing your hours of employment with those an average teacher has (and here we are not talking about your standard 8-hour day...which probably describes your working day)is not possible. Teachers more often than not work much longer hours in the evenings and weekends not stipulated, but assumed to be required of them as "professionals", in the employment contract. Should I assume that you have the luxury of over-time pay?
You stated that you make a lot of money ("only clearing 10k more")...still more than your teacher friend, who also has to pay the same taxes as you, says it all. Very few (in fact the majority of) teachers "get their summer off", especially if they are on the low end of the salary scale (where is your friend on the salary scale, btw?)...often taking classes to further their education (at their expense, of course), participating in teaching-related workshops or curriculum development (on a stipend basis), or sometimes working at a fast-food outlet to supplement their incomes. I assume that you do not have to look for additional employment to supplement a 10-month salary.
Citizen
The seven-month primary season, which began on Feb. 2 in Illinois, is over. Republicans and conservatives should be pleased by the results.
1. Voters flocked to participate in GOP primaries. National Republican turnout in 2010 has comfortably exceeded Democratic primary turnout. This is as good an indicator as the generic congressional ballot polls as to where the voters are going: They're going to vote for Republicans this November.
2. Christine O'Donnell is the exception to the rule that Republicans have, on the whole, nominated strong, electable and conservative candidates in key Senate, gubernatorial, and House races. GOP House nominees in particular seem very formidable—lots of young, impressive, and well-qualified non-career politicians who are well-positioned to maximize gains from the wave that will sweep in a lot of them in any case this November. Republican candidates for governor are running good races in tough states like CA and IL and OR, and Scott Walker, who won last night in Wisconsin, should have a very good shot there. And for what it's worth, I suspect Rick Scott will turn out to be a better nominee than Bill McCollum would have been in Florida, and I wouldn't be surprised if Carl Paladino could cause trouble for Andrew Cuomo in New York.
In the Senate, Christine O'Donnell will almost certainly lose a seat that could have been won (cf. Oliver North taking the Republican nomination in Virginia in 1994 and losing that winnable seat—Republicans still won the Senate). Sharron Angle is the other somewhat problematic GOP Senate nominee who might give away a likely pickup, though I suspect she wins. But from Ron Johnson (WI) to Carly Fiorina (CA) to Dino Rossi (WA) to Linda McMahon (CT) to John Raese (WV), the GOP has ended up with good candidates with a reasonable chance to upset Democratic incumbents or quasi-incumbents (Blumenthal in CT, Manchin in WV) in states where the Democrats would have been expected to be shoo-ins a few months ago.
3. Tea Party activism, enthusiasm and, yes, rebelliousness have been, on net, a very good thing for the GOP. Now in politics as in life, there can be, on occasions, too much of a good thing. Thus Delaware. But it's still much, much better to be the party to which independents and new voters are flocking, and in which activists are energized, than not. And it's better for the GOP, as the out party, that the anti-establishment and anti-incumbent wave is still building (which it clearly is) rather than ebbing. A year ago, the liberal media hoped tea partiers were going to generate suicidal third-party challenges, scare off independents from the Republicans, and generally destroy the Republican party. It turns out they've probably cost the GOP one Senate seat on the way to a huge off-year election victory. It's a small price to pay.
My understanding was that MCPS teachers received raises averaging 21% over the past 3 years. Am I mistaken? Did they receive raises this year?
rrjr
So far all the tea party is doing is giving the GOP fits. It's been a barrel of fun watching what the radical wing of the GOP has done to the Grand Old Party. r.
There's fun reading all over the internets, where the google comes in handy!
Karl Rove Questions Christine O'Donnell's 'Serious Character Problems' | Hannity
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/hannity/transcript/karl-rove-questions-christine-o039donnell039s-039serious-character-problems039
Karl Rove on Christine O'Donnell: "This Is Not a Race We're Going to Be Able to Win"
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/karl-rove-christine-odonnell-not-race-were-going-be-able-win
Civil War: Karl Rove Slams Christine O’Donnell – Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin And More Fire Back
http://www.mediaite.com/online/civil-war-karl-rove-slams-christine-odonnell-sean-hannity-michelle-malkin-and-more-fire-back/
The loss of moderate GOP stalwarts like Mike Castle means the choice will be very clear in November. Do we continue with the programs enacted when we elected Obama that kept us from falling into the abyss the Bush Administration left us falling into into or do we want to go back to those Bush policies like cutting taxes for millionaires, shipping jobs overseas, and borrowing from China to fund needless wars while what's left of the shrinking middle class begs for unemployment extensions and mortgage refinancing?
"Obama Mortgage Modification Plan -- 100 Times Better Than Bush
Just about every posting regarding the Obama mortgage modification program says it's a dud. Those on the left say not enough has been done, those on the right say too many homeowners are washing out of the program. What's too often left out is any sense of context.
The reality is that the Obama loan modification program has saved roughly 100 times as many homes from foreclosure as the programs started under President Bush. That doesn't mean the Obama plan is perfect or wonderful, but it's surely better than many commentators suggest."
Read details of the Bush programs (Hope For Homeowners - saved 71 loans, FHASecure - saved 4,110 loans) and the Obama program (Making Home Affordable saved 389,198 loans) designed to prevent foreclosures at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-g-miller/obama-mortgage-modificati_b_694059.html
"The bottom line: The Obama program has so far saved 389,000 borrowers from foreclosure, a number which will increase in the coming months and a number which is now nearly 100 times greater than the foreclosure prevention results under the Bush Administration.
Is it good that more than nearly 530,000 borrowers have so far dropped out of the program? Of course not, it's a terrible thing to face foreclosure.
But ask yourself: When did the foreclosure mess begin? Why did past bouts of unemployment not produce a flood of foreclosures? Why did regulators let lenders offer toxic loans? Why weren't distressed borrowers helped before, when the foreclosure crisis first began to unfold? How much help and enthusiasm have lenders given the Administration's modification efforts? What better alternative has anyone been able to offer the 530,000 borrowers who did not succeed with Making Home Affordable?
Blaming the Obama program for failing to save more distressed homeowners is like a guy in a life raft who drills a hole in the bottom and then complains that everyone else isn't bailing fast enough. It just isn't right."
--Peter G. Miller
Blogger and nationally syndicated columnist
Posted: August 25, 2010 11:58 AM
three posts about Karl Rove's views
makes one wonder what everyone else think
what you guys all fail to realize is that by bucking the Republican establishment, the Tea Party is establishing itself as a third alternative
Americans rejected moderate Republicanism in 2008 and the only alternative was Democratic liberalism
while it's true they don't want to go back to the moderate Bush Republican establishment, they even more clearly have rejected liberalism, now that they have seen what it looks like
the Tea Party is the third choice and the wave is going to wash America clean
the only survivors will be those like John McCain, who ducked under and got behind the wave to ride it to shore
and at the end of the summer, those who ridiculed Sarah Palin's political future at the beginning of the summer...
look pretty ridiculous
"Do we continue with the programs enacted when we elected Obama that kept us from falling into the abyss the Bush Administration left us falling into into or do we want to go back to those Bush policies like cutting taxes for millionaires, shipping jobs overseas, and borrowing from China to fund needless wars while what's left of the shrinking middle class begs for unemployment extensions and mortgage refinancing?"
that the Democrats feel this line of reasoning is a winner in November is a dream within a dream for the Tea Party
"the only survivors will be those like John McCain, who ducked under and got behind the wave to ride it to shore"
I love this analogy. I can just see John McCain ducking under a wave to ride it to shore. Oh, and then ending up behind it. What a picture, John McCain in his baggies, humming "I Get Around" underwater, behind the wave.
Merle
it's kind of sad when the president of Iran displays better common sense than the president of the U.S.
strange times and change is coming:
"(Sept. 16) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says burning Qurans is "ugly behavior," but it doesn't make Muslims hate all Americans.
Despite controversies in the U.S. over a proposed mosque near New York's ground zero and a Florida pastor who wanted to burn copies of the Quran, Ahmadinejad said in a TV interview aired today that Muslims "are not against the people of the United States."
In an NBC News interview, he said that Iranians "are not against Americans, they are not against Jews. They are not against Christians or Christianity.""They are not against Americans, they are not against Jews. They are not against Christians or Christianity," Ahmadinejad told NBC."
You must be the only conservative on the planet who thinks there is any truth to any words that come out of the mouth of the President of Iran.
Your desperation to find something, ANYthing negative to say about President Obama shows just exactly how worried you really are. You stooped all the way down to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for crying out loud!!
You are pathetic!
President Obama tried to pressure an American citizen into forgoing their freedom of speech to appease those who might react violently.
President Muji-bad didn't try to use the incident to stir further anti-American hatred and violence.
Barry doesn't know what he's doing and let this Iranian nut look magnanimous in comparison.
"this Iranian nut look magnanimous in comparison" to a nut like you!
It was a year ago this month that President Barack Obama stood before a joint session of Congress to confront accusations that his health care overhaul would raise costs for everyone and put Medicare at risk.
"Bogus claims," said the president.
"You lie!" shouted Rep. Joe Wilson from the gallery, in a break from decorum that was roundly chastised.
A year later, we know that Wilson was right -- Obama did trash the truth to make his health care train wreck seem as if it sprung from the Big Rock Candy Mountain. The president, who told Congress and the American people his bill would, "slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government," now ADMITS this isn't true.
"As a consequence of us getting 30 million additional people health care, at the margins that's going to increase our costs -- we knew that," Obama said last week.
Of course he knew, but he wasn't saying so as he lobbied for the bill's passage. In his 2009 speech, Obama assured Americans the expense of extending coverage to the uninsured would be covered through cost cutting reforms.
He was a big liar!
In the six months since the president signed the bill, not one significant cost-cutting reform has been adopted. Congress, as predicted, avoided cutting Medicare reimbursement rates, a key component of Obama's projected savings.
Instead of declining, Medicare costs are expected to continue to rise at an average rate of 6.3 percent over the next decade.
And the pain to consumers is already being felt. Next week, the first mandates of Obamacare kick in, and will add 1 percent to 9 percent to insurance premiums.
Those requirements will boost health expenditures by $10.2 billion over the next 2 1/2 years, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Consumers will pay every dime.
Much of Obama's 2009 speech was aimed at reassuring seniors that Medicare as they knew it would not change, except to become more efficient. But the bill is now expected to drive at least 50 percent of seniors out of Medicare Advantage plans, raising their out-of-pocket costs.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the low-premium, high-deductible catastrophic polices favored by students and young adults are also at risk because of the bill's mandates.
So much for Obama's promise that, "Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have."
As for Obama's assurance that he wouldn't put private insurers out of business, his Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, this week contradicted that claim in warning insurance companies not to blame rate hikes on Obamacare lest they be cut off from government payments. In other words, toe the administration's propaganda line or risk going to the gulag. Even free speech is sacrificed to keep the Big Lie of Obamacare from exposure.
Nearly all of the promises the president made in advance of Obamacare's passage are unraveling.
There's no reason to trust that any of the benefits touted by Obama will materialize, or not to fear that all of the doomsday scenarios -- from rationing to the collapse of the private medical system -- won't.
Joe Wilson, you were rude. And you were right.
"Those requirements will boost health expenditures by $10.2 billion over the next 2 1/2 years, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services."
I just searched the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website and found no such statement anywhere. Let's see if you can find a way to verify this bogus claim by the "spineless, inept, intellectually-challenged Detroit Newsistan Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley," the author of the editorial you chopped up is full of it.
There was more, incremental progress on the labor front, as initial jobless claims fell 3,000 to 450,000 and continuing claims plunged 84,000 to 4.49 million last week, the U.S. Labor Department announced Thursday.
Initial jobless claims have now fallen about 11% since early summer.
In addition, the four-week moving average plummeted 13,500 to 464,750.
A year ago, initial jobless claims totaled 547,000, the four-week moving average was at 559,500, and continuing claims totaled 6.11 million.
States also reported 4.11 million persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending Aug. 28, the latest week for which data is available, a decrease of 402,116 from the prior week.
Another sign that labor markets continue to heal after the summer doldrums concerns claims totals among states that experienced increases in initial jobless claims.
For the week ending Sept. 4, the latest week for which data is available, the states with the highest claims increases had low totals: Pennsylvania, 1,442; Washington state 1,190; and Texas, 809. That's something one sees as layoffs subside and hiring picks up. Moreover, if that trend continues in the months ahead, it will confirm a labor market that's healing.
there's going to have to a dramatically improved situation, to an extent never occurring before, to save Dems before the November election
"I just searched the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website and found no such statement anywhere."
I didn't find the statement outlandish. I thought it conservative. The expansion of services has to be paid for and you know who will be paying.
Everybody in our society that is productive.
"I just searched the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website and found no such statement anywhere. Let's see if you can find a way to verify this bogus claim"
that was tough
you actually have to be able to use tricky software, like Google:
CMS actuaries printed the study of health spending in the journal Health Affairs. Here's the link:
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.2010.0788v1
excerpt:
"Affordable Care Act Immediate reforms in the Affordable Care Act are also estimated to affect health spending during 2010–13. These include the implementation of the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, or high-risk insurance pools for those with health conditions that make it difficult to acquire affordable individually purchased coverage. Enrollment in the program is expected to peak at about 375,000 people covered in 2011. Also affecting health spending is the Affordable Care Act provision for coverage of dependents under age twenty-six, which is expected to peak at about 1.5 million people covered in 2013. In total, these provisions are estimated to increase national health spending by $10.2 billion through 2013."
so, the anonymous TTFer owes an apology to both Nolan Finley and Joe Wilson
change is coming
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) just released its report on which states applied for Title V abstinence-education funding. An encouraging three out of every five governors elected to apply for Title V abstinence education by the Aug. 30 deadline.
Prior to the deadline, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services held back the results of a pivotal abstinence study, which featured results contrary to the Obama administration’s policy of “zeroing out” all abstinence-education funding.
As a result of public pressure, the taxpayer-funded survey –“The National Survey of Adolescents and Their Parents” – was released in time for wavering governors to re-apply for critical funding for their states’ abstinence programs, which end on Sept. 30.
States that participated in the 2009 Title V abstinence-only education program were:
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia.
Compared to 2009, there were eight new states that applied for the FY2011 funding:
Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia
The state chapters of Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice were outraged after learning that Republican Govs. Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota opted to forego the government-preferred Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) funding for the abstinence-only funding option.
Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, did not mince words when defending McDonnell’s decision.
“Despite the rhetoric from the economic loser in this decision – Planned Parenthood – recent studies have shown that abstinence education effectively helps teens postpone risky sexual behavior,” Cobb said.
Planned Parenthood of Virginia would have been a substantial recipient of PREP funds.
Tom Pritchard, executive director of the Minnesota Family Council, equally defended Pawlenty’s decision. He told the Star Tribune, “It’s better to spend no money on sex education if it’s going to have a condom message. You are pouring fuel on the fire.”
The pro-abortion groups were not the only ones that went after the governors. Liberal, sex groups like Sexuality Information Education Council of the U.S (SIECUS) – a fringe, Kinsey-rooted policy organization –fought against Title V funding and lobbied the Obama Administration to zero out abstinence funding.
The Huffington Post, a liberal website, also tried besmirch the governors for opposing President Obama’s “comprehensive sex education” program.
Bruce Gordon, communications director for Pawlenty, said, “The governor has consistently prioritized abstinence amongst family planning options.”
Stacey Johnson, spokesperson for McDonnell, the McDonnell’s decision was consistent with his past support of abstinence-only education, as proven when he opposed the decision of his predecessor, Gov. Tim Kaine, of eliminating the funding.
Chad Hills, an abstinence and sexual health analyst, applauds the 30 governors who listened to put sound public policy over politics.
“It’s encouraging to know that several governors realize the importance of upholding the highest expected standard for sexuality within their public and private schools,” Hills said. Parents and teens support the message of abstinence, and citizens are encouraged to thank the governors who opted to make their decisions based on principle and the will of the people –not on political correctness.”
What do five Grand Old Tea Party US Senate candidates, Ken Buck of Colorado, Sharron Angel of Nevada, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Joe Miller of Alaska and Christine O'Donnell of Delaware, have in common besides wanting to reduce the size and scope of government? They are radical anti-abortion crusaders who think not only should abortion be outlawed, but they think there should be no exception even in the event of rape or incest.
These supposed small government tea bag candidates think the government has the right to force females of any age to give birth to their rapist's baby.
These radicals believe that even preteen girls who are incestuously raped by a family member, which most often are repeated rapes for many years, should carry any resulting pregnancies to term.
As the GOP continues its purge of moderates from within their shrinking "big tent," they demand that those who remain in the GOTP are "anti-abortion."
They hope to impose their religious views on the rest of us, whether we practice their religion or not.
An interesting graph of facts by the Census Bureau is found here:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf
Look at 1980 when Reagan came into office. The number of Americans living in poverty rose a lot until about 1984 and then it came down a little bit through 1989 before rising again through 1994. From 1994 through 2000, during the Clinton Administration, the number of Americans trying to get by at the poverty level fell at a relatively steady rate. Clinton's programs left us with a surplus and with the lowest number of Americans living in poverty in years. Then in 2000, the Bush Administration began to undo the programs Clinton had put in place and the number of American living in poverty has been climbing ever since. Since Bush came to office, the number of Americans living in poverty has climbed while the top 2% of wage earners have enjoyed the windfall of the lowest income tax rate in years.
Where are the jobs those lowered tax rates were supposed to create so the poor could lift themselves out of poverty?
the country rejected Republicans two years ago
they are rejecting Democrats now
glad you recognize that the GOTP, as you call it, is a third party
please help us continue to make that clear to the voters
hope is not lost
there is another way
btw, if you think belief in the value of all life, including that of the weak, is merely a "religious" idiosyncrasy, you've followed Alice down the rabbit hole and taken a turn down a very dark subterranean corridor
America will be restored and revived soon
change is coming
stay underground
Robert:
MCPS teachers, administrators, aides, et al. received no raise in salary this year. There may be an opening in the negotiated agreement to bring up the issue again for the next school year, depending on acknowledged and agreed-upon analyses of the budget needs at that time.
Citizen
"if you think belief in the value of all life, including that of the weak, is merely a "religious" idiosyncrasy, you've followed Alice down the rabbit hole and taken a turn down a very dark subterranean corridor"
Anyone who thinks forcing a 12 year old girl who was raped and impregnated by a relative or any other man for that matter should be forced to bear her rapist's baby does not value that 12 year old girl's life one bit.
"The vast majority of teachers in MCPS get paid on a 10-month basis. ....."
I don't get paid overtime, I work base + commission and typically work about 50-55 hours a week, not including travel.
My total comp package is over double hers. The number she was quoting was her 10 month salary with 2 months off and she doesn't work during the summer months. She also doesn't take her work home... but she is still a great teacher.
When I took the 50 hours as my average work week, and compared my take home after tax pay with hers, I was at about 10K more after tax than she was, though on paper I make double. I know all this because we were talking specifics, and she was debating whether or not to take a management job she has been offered. It was a 30K bump in salary but would require overtime and summer work. Thus we did a DETAILED calculation of the amount more she would take home...We decided it probably wasn't worth it. During this detailed conversation we realized that on a take home basis, I was only making 10K more per year...
I am not going to mention the specific amounts but teachers in MC are quite well paid, not even mentioning the teachers pension !
MC teachers are SO well paid because of the outrageous influence of the MCEA (the apple ballot).
Check out the washington post article on the apple ballot if you have not read it already... it was great.
Look I am not saying teachers shouldn't be well paid. Of course they should be. But, given we have practically zero inflation and are bordering on deflation, giving teachers a raise in MC or even a tax cut should really not be a discussion point.
Not until things get better.
AS mentioned previously, teachers will NOT be receiving a salary raise this school year.
Teacher's salaries are not a by-product of the Apple Ballot...they result from actual negotiations between the Board's representatives (and not the Board directly) and the teacher's representatives. Bargaining an employment contract is a time-honored practice (even the employees of the Washington Post participate in this process); it results in an Agreement that is reached by COMPROMISE. Arms are not twisted, fists are not pounded or shaken in the faces of others, reprisals are not flung about...the process is civil (civility: something that we seem to have forgotten in our Tea-Bagger-rude society these days.) and the results are approved by a majority vote of the teachers and by members of the B.O.E. This year the teachers agreed to forego a salary increase, voluntarily and by a vote of the 12,000 members of MCEA.
"I am not saying teachers shouldn't be well paid. Of course they should be." I'm glad you concede that point...but to single out teachers by reducing their salaries in order to pay for the demands that citizens make on their government seems to be more than severe. When you agree to give back your commissions and your other benefits (thereby reducing your tax burden) maybe we could talk more about this questionable suggestion.
Oh...and btw..."teachers in MC are quite well paid, not even mentioning the teachers pension !"
Perhaps you can give me some pointers about how I can live at your level of living on my $15,00/yr. teacher's pension (which is taxed by both Maryland and the U.S. government), my mounting health care costs, and my loss of income when my additional retirement investment portfolio went south in 2009.
Don't blame educators for the problems that have resulted from 8 years of mismanagement of the Federal budget by the previous administration.
Citizen
Citizen.
My husband company also did not give out raises, mine not only didn't give raises but cut everyones salary by 10% last year and hasn't restored it.
Everyone is struggling. The poverty level is the highest it's been in 50 years. So no, teachers shouldn't get raises either !
Which they didn't. They have a job and should be grateful for it.
Have you read this article ?
You should.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/04/AR2010020404421.html
"Teachers are a bedrock of any community, and they deserve good salaries and benefits for doing a tough and important job. The problem in Montgomery is not its teachers. Rather, it is that the MCEA, the largest union in the county, is in effect hiring its own bosses -- members of the school board, who vote on the teachers' contract, and County Council members, who approve the overall county budget -- and is getting paid for it in the bargain. This twisted system has fueled skyrocketing payroll costs -- including a 23 percent pay raise for a typical teacher over the past three years, plus extraordinary health and retirement benefits -- even as private-sector wages have stagnated. "
I'm assuming that you and your husband had nothing to say about your salary situations? Perhaps you should work to unionize your co-workers! The alternative, I guess, is to seek other positions to support your two-income lifestyle. I'm sorry that you are having the same kind of financial problems that even educators in Montgomery Council are dealing with.
How easy it is to forget the decades of below-average salaries that teachers had to accept, even after long years of experience and service...putting them on the same level as domestic workers. After all, it was a pretty cheap way for the public to pay for day-care and baby sitting and providing the care that their kids weren't getting at home.
Yes...you are correct: MCPS teachers and other employees have been paid well in the past few years. But consider that in the same way you consider commissions available in other lines of work. When you succeed in your line of work...when you can show measurable improvements in your "product"; when you meet the goals and objectives of your company; when you meet the stringent criteria imposed on you to be an "above average teacher"; and when you become recognized nationally for the high quality of your schools...increases in salary are the rewards.
No one disagrees with you that we are in difficult financial times. Not too many people agree that we all have to do our part in dealing with the situation, however. The solution, however, is not to single out a group of workers (stress: workers) and punish them, after they have already given up three years of salary improvements, in order to bail out the system.
Forcing "grateful" people out of doing the nation's education work is more than short-sighted...it is a prescription for disaster.
(Decided to withhold my I.D. and be Anonymous, like you)
"This twisted system has fueled skyrocketing payroll costs -- including a 23 percent pay raise for a typical teacher over the past three years, plus extraordinary health and retirement benefits -- even as private-sector wages have stagnated. "
So the article was wrong ? You say teachers haven't gotten any increases over the past 3 years, but this article says they have gotten a 23% raise.
When the economy improves the teachers can get their payroll increases back, hows that ? Ie, when the large private companies start giving increases again than the teachers can get increases too...
I can tell you in the private sector there was no such thing as 23% over the past 3 years... more like 3% if you got an increase at all...
You have again quoted this mysterious 23% article. Do you have a link to this article? I'd love to read it.
Anon posted a URL to a WaPo editorial that quoted the 23% figure.
"I can tell you in the private sector there was no such thing as 23% over the past 3 years... more like 3% if you got an increase at all..."
I guess it depends on which part of the private sector you're talking about.
"Executives and shareholders of the five biggest for-profit health insurers, Unitedhealth Group Inc., WellPoint inc., Aetna Inc., Humana Inc., and Cigna Corp., enjoyed combined profit of $12.2 billion in 2009, up 56 percent from the previous year. It was the best year ever for Big Insurance."
Editorials don't need facts. The Washington Post Editorial Board has a problem with MCEA. I was wondering if there was any actual REPORTING that claimed that figure, not the Post Editorial Board's throwing things out there as fact without actual information to back them up.
the salary sites say MC teachers are paid 15% more than teachers nationwide.
that would probably be okay, but I think that this site may already adjust for cost of living on the area...
http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Teacher-l-Montgomery-County,-MD.html
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