Activists, legislators press constitutional remedy for Citizens United decision
The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision (2010) has unleashed a decade of big money into political campaigns at the national and state level. Activists propose a constitutional amendment to declare corporations are not persons with first amendment rights, which finding caused the trouble in the first place. Others worry about opening up the US Constitution to amendments by forces that -- yep -- have unchecked money to spend. Here a Maryland activist argues for a long-sought Assembly resolution favoring constitutional action. We include a link to Thursday's hearing on the measure.
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Read moreMiller moves to erase local vetos over state highway projects
Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) has been a foe of much legislation to benefit working and low-income families throughout his long and dogged tenure as Senate autocrat. Now that he has left the top spot he seems determined to continue the state’s top-down control on anything involving spending projects – just as he did as Senate prez, despite giving lip service to local autonomy in areas where big money and the corporate wealthy who wield those dollars were not an issue. Now he moves to return top-down control over money projects to the state of Maryland.
Bruce DePuyt of Maryland Matters outlines the stakes, the stakeholders and the return of Mike Miller to bigfoot status.
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Read moreProgressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, March 2, 2020
In the Memo this week: a roundup of the broad scope of legislation requiring attention from Maryland's progressives in week NINE of the Session; news from our chapters, events from our progressive allies, and of course our recent blog posts.
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Read moreAnnapolis Annex to the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, March 2, 2020
Here is all you will need to navigate the flurry of bills, hearings and activities that roil the Maryland General Assembly session as we enter Week NINE of the three-month marathon. Our progressive allies at the Job Opportunities Task Force and the Maryland Legislative Coalition have your scorecard and action plan.
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Read morePublic funding for state candidates will democratize a flawed electoral system
Two important bills in pursuit of Fair Elections had hearings last Friday (Feb. 20) – one, SB 613/HB1125, strengthening the existing public-financing provisions for the race for Governor and adding the state Attorney General and Controller to the program, and the second, HB1351/SB0947, sets up a Fair Elections public financing electoral process for members of the Assembly, in which small-donor contributions are matched with public funds. Progressive Maryland testified in favor of both bills last week.
Here is testimony in support of both bills before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee as delivered Friday, Feb. 20 by Progressive Maryland Executive Director Larry Stafford.
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Read moreProgressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, February 24, 2020
In the Memo this week: a roundup of the broad scope of legislation requiring attention from Maryland's progressives in week SEVEN of the Session; news from our chapters, events from our progressive allies, and of course our recent blog posts.
Don't miss the Annex -- a separate post with all you will ever need to keep track of this week's bills and hearings.
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Read moreANNAPOLIS SESSION ANNEX to the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, February 24, 2020
Here is the Maryland Legislative Coalition's roundup of upcoming hearings for the cascade of bills at the Maryland General Assembly
Read moreDon't let our democracy be hijacked by a big-money grip on elections
Progressive Maryland believes that we deserve a democracy where everyone has an equal voice and our government works for everyone, not just for the wealthy and special interests. This means having fair elections that can’t be bought by the rich and powerful. That starts with a public financing system for elections across Maryland.
Read moreProgressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Tuesday, February 18, 2020
In the Memo this week: Fair Elections bills face a hearing this week; a roundup of the broad scope of legislation requiring attention from Maryland's progressives in week six of the Session; news from our chapters, events from our progressive allies, and of course our recent blog posts. Don't miss the Annex -- a separate post with all you will ever need to keep track of this week's bills and hearings.
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Read moreUPCOMING IN ANNAPOLIS -- an annex to the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Here's a complete roundup of progressive efforts in the legislative session in Annapolis in this and upcoming weeks. Many upcoming lobby days are included.
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