Politicians

Getting Bush, not winning war, is the issue To the editor: May I start this article by saying I am a registered Democrat who is ashamed to claim my party affiliation. There may be some who are gloating because they claim to have won the 2006 gubernatorial election, but what did they win? Where is their agenda? Since the first day George Bush took office, their only agenda has been to get him out of office at any cost. Never mind that it would divide and ruin our country.

It certainly has made for a great news story recently each time xone of the big oil companies announced its quarterly profits. People get really juiced when a corporation such as Exxon-Mobil announces profits of $10 billion for a given three-month period. Exxon-Mobil is the biggest company in the world in terms of sales, and so billions of dollars in profits could be thought of as billions of gallons of gasoline sold, millions of homes heated, thousands of jet plane flights and dozens of other benefits to both our nation and the world.

A busload of soon-to-be state legislators stopped at a prison in Washington County on Tuesday as part of a three-day, two-night lesson about Maryland. The lawmakers-elect - about 40 from the House of Delegates and the Senate - spent 2 1/2 hours at Maryland Correctional Training Center, south of Hagerstown. They stepped inside a cell, heard about rehabilitation strategies and listened to inmates say their lives are on a better path. A stop scheduled for an hour and 15 minutes stretched twice as long.

Commentary Local politics heated up last week as Republican challenger Paul Muldowney showed up at Pangborn Elementary School to criticize Del. John Donoghue's alleged lack of support for school construction funds. With the election just a week away, Muldowney's press conference raises some serious policy questions, including: Did he sign in at the school? Did he get a badge? It seems he did not. With school security much in the news over the past month, this startling development is one that cannot be overlooked.

When Willie Stark, mayor of a small town in Louisiana, decides to run for governor, he is, at first, the ideal leader for his people. His passionate speeches about improvement and new beginnings are exactly what the residents of rural Louisiana want to hear. Thus, Willie Stark is elected governor of Louisiana. He starts off with great success, although the city folks aren't at all happy with him. And as he gains more and more political power, Willie starts to make numerous promises that he can't keep.

Fireworks and politicians seem to go together Why do politicians and fireworks go together? Not sure? Neither am I, but both were blazing away in Hancock last Saturday at the 2006 Barge Bash. The politicians roved the banks of the C&O Canal, almost outnumbering tourists (yes - a slight exaggeration!) enjoying the sights and fun of a unique small-town festival. From the governor's office to the local school board, candidates of all parties and persuasions seemed to be having a good time.

Editor's Note: Tim Rowland is on vacation. This column first appeared June 9, 2003. LAKE (NOT THE ONE IN THE GATOR MOVIE) PLACID, N.Y. - This place is about as far from anything political as you can get, which is one of the reasons I come here. It's in the heart of a massive wilderness protected by the New York state constitution, so Bush's buddies can't pave it and Daschle's buddies can't tax it. So, basically, no one pays it any mind. Oh, you might be subject to a good environmentalist rant every now and then, but even these are generally limited to whether it is ethical or not to use a piece of surveyor's ribbon to mark a trail.

I love class and political warfare. It's bloodless, but it kills more people in the long run. It's like the Crusades, without the mess. And we have a good one cooking in Washington County, one that pits city against county, county against state, brother against brother and Aunt Jemima against Mrs. Butterworth. The war has been brewing for some time, basically because our own smart, moneyed people are moving out of the county, while smart, moneyed people from other places are moving into the county.

"I am very disturbed about this $7.50, this $30 a year to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. We don't have anything to do with that bay. Let the people who use the bay pay for it. I am sick and tired of politicians always coming up with ways to take more money from people. I am a senior citizen on a very limited income, and all they want to do is take money. I think it's time for people to fight the entire government. Politicians get ridiculous salaries and pensions. " "I don't want my $40 either - give it to the elderly, give it to the people who really need it. " "To the person wanting to flush their tax refund down the commode to restore the bay: Be careful - you'll probably need a permit, and you'll have to pay many, many fees, and the Maryland Department of the Environment will hunt you down.