Progressive Maryland Endorses Three Candidates for Municipal Races this 2023 Election

As we dive into another week, it's crucial that we remain dialed in to everything unfolding in our communities. Despite the media's relentless coverage of Donald Trump's ongoing antics and court proceedings, there's a lot more happening that deserves our attention and action.

While headlines may grab our focus, let's not forget that a significant milestone has been reached right here in our state. With a full month of legal recreational cannabis use behind us, Maryland has witnessed not only impressive revenues but also, more importantly, a trend that we’re especially proud of. The number of people cited for driving under the influence of cannabis in July has been astonishingly low. This data underscores that responsible, informed policy changes can lead to safer communities.

Find more in the Memo -- Progressive Maryland events (including the Gala!), News You Can Use and our blog posts, events from our allies and all the info you expect from our unique top-50-rated BlogSpace.

Green jobs and the Inflation Reduction Act -- has anybody heard that times are less bad, maybe a lot less bad? How is Maryland doing on green jobs anyway? (be prepared to be disappointed). All the states hoping to reap taxes on cannabis are struggling with US banking regs. But Marylanders are lighting up (or chowing down) anyway. Lots more is filling the news gap while Congress has gone home to do nothing rather than hanging around in DC doing nothing, and some of that news is even good -- for Maryland and the US. Best of all, we have no news about the former president. Read on; and don't forget our Friday Night Drive Time PM Radio Show on WPFW-FM (more below)

We're excited to announce the launch of our radio show, "The Progress Report"! Hosted by our Executive Director, Larry Stafford, the show will be airing every Friday from 5 to 6 pm on WPFW 89.3 FM.

At "The Progress Report," we're your hub for all things progressive. From addressing urgent societal issues to championing social justice causes, celebrating victories, and inspiring positive change, we're here to keep you informed, inspired, and connected. Our mission is to create a platform where you can gain insights, join the conversation, and make a difference.

What to Expect: Get ready for engaging discussions that span a wide spectrum of topics. Whether it's politics, environment, education, community engagement, or anything in between, we'll tackle it. "The Progress Report" also hosts interviews with activists, community leaders, and experts who are shaping the world for the better. Through these conversations, we aim to spark ideas, drive conversations, and encourage collaborative efforts.

How to Tune In:

You can catch our show in three ways

On Air: Turn to station 89.3 FM on your radio and join us live.

Online: You can also stream "The Progress Report" live on the WPFW 89.3 FM website. Just visit the station’s website and click on the "Listen Live" button.

As a podcast: All shows are stored in the website's archive. From the homepage, click "archived shows" to find previous episodes of The Progress Report

Be Part of the Conversation: We're all about community engagement. If you're interested in being a guest on our show or have a topic you'd love us to cover, reach out to us at [email protected]. Let's work together to create meaningful conversations.

As we round out the month of July, we can't help but marvel at the whirlwind of activities and accomplishments we've had thanks to supporters like you.

We are thrilled to announce that this past week, we were named one of the Top 50 Liberal Political Blogs by Feedspot, a testament to the power of our collective voice and the impact we are making in the digital sphere.

Also, we had a successful launch of our new radio show, The Progress Report on WPFW, hosted by our Executive Director, Larry Stafford. Every Friday, from 5-6 pm, tune in to WPFW 89.3 FM for an hour of entertaining insights, political discussions, and live interviews with Marylanders in the progressive movement. If you can't catch it on air, you can listen live online at the station's website. There's more below in the Memo, including our Gala in September, our organizing focused on Medicare's birthday and Returning Citizens, News You Can Use and access to our past blogs. Read on.

Hot weather is pounding us, our households and our local and national emergency budgets, as we move from record-hot July toward who-knows-how-hot August. So a lot of climate news in the News You Can Use, as well as scams, lobbyists (not the same thing, quite), how to run the state's schools improvement (better check the AC before opening day), what other states are doing we might think about or stay away from, and Congress takes a break with essentially nothing accomplished. It's all here in News You Can Use.

We are thrilled to share that we have been recognized as one of the top 90 liberal blogs by Feedspot and even more excitingly, we have claimed the #47 spot, securing our place among the top 50! This accomplishment would not have been possible without the engagement of each and every one of you.

Feedspot is a renowned platform that curates and ranks content from various websites, blogs, and YouTube channels. Their meticulous evaluation process considers factors like content quality, website traffic, social media influence, and more. It is an honor to be included in this list alongside other influential progressive voices.

We appreciate every one of you who has contributed to making Progressive Maryland a platform that stands out among the rest. If you have any ideas, suggestions, or would like to contribute to the blog, we are eager to hear your thoughts!

Check out the full list of top 90 liberal political blogs.

Happy Monday! We will kick-start the week with some fantastic news: Montgomery County has scored a major victory for housing rights, and we couldn't be more thrilled! Last week, the Montgomery County Council passed the HOME Act by a 7-4 vote. The Home Act's passing means that MoCo tenants will now benefit from rent stabilization measures, offering them much needed relief from the uncertainties of rising housing costs. It brings crucial protections and stability to renters by capping annual rent increases and regulating fees. The HOME Act represents a significant step towards creating a more equitable housing market, protecting tenants from abrupt rent spikes, and fostering a fair and stable living environment for all residents of Montgomery County. As we celebrate this achievement, we are also filled with hope that other counties across the state will follow suit and introduce similar measures to address the pressing issue of rising rent costs. Together, we can create a statewide movement for fair and stable housing, ensuring that all Maryland residents have access to secure and affordable homes.

Plans, plans, plans... the state's climate plans are getting a hurry-up reboot, including the lagging task of cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay; the Blueprint for better schools sees likely tweaks from an implementation board; states aroundthe nation see Title I money threatened by the latest GOP House budget, and over 300,000 Maryland families have kids going hungry, that part definitely not planned by anybody but here it is. This and more on the state, national and even international level (German workers taking a lesson from Spain as Europe cooks and burns). It's never ALL the news you need, but we give it all we've got every week.

As we begin this week, we can't ignore the recent developments in Congress that threaten fundamental rights. Last week, the House of Representatives saw Republican leadership seizing the opportunity to advance their agenda through the National Defense Authorization Act. What was once a bipartisan bill became a vessel for restrictive measures on abortion and trans healthcare for our military personnel.

The amendment inserted into the bill aims to limit reproductive freedom for those who serve in our military.

It's crucial to stay informed and engaged with such developments that impact our rights and liberties. At Progressive Maryland, we understand the importance of taking action to protect and advance progressive values. While Congress may be at odds over these issues, we remain committed to pushing forward in our own community.