Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, February 3, 2025
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February is here, and with it comes the chance to reflect, take action, and honor the movements that shape our communities.
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Our Director of Communications, Christianne Marguerite, said the following in a statement released today:
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"At Progressive Maryland, we reaffirm our unwavering support for immigrant families across our state. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with CASA and our many ally organizations in the fight to ensure Maryland remains a safe and welcoming home for all who live here, regardless of their background or status. This mission has taken on even greater urgency as we witness continued and deliberate attacks on immigrant residents across the country by the current federal administration.” Read the full statement here.
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Tomorrow, we’re showing up in Annapolis to support CASA at the I Stand With Immigrants Rally at 9 AM at Lawyers Mall. Join us and make your voice heard.
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Read on for ways to stay engaged and news you can use.
In solidarity,The Progressive Maryland Team
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Read moreReady for tariffs and a trade war? They will come closer to the kitchen table than you think. It's News You Can Use
Fun news of the week: taxes, but don’t call them taxes…
Lucky Americans. USA! USA! Welcome to TariffWorld (a subsidiary of TrumpWorld), where Americans stand up for… well, Trump’s right to lie to us.
Tariffs on three high-volume trading partners,  Canada, Mexico* and China, which are slated to begin tomorrow, are your new tax increases, Trump’s way of raising revenue for the Treasury quickly without looking like he’s raising your taxes. Instead, the tariffs will raise the cost of many if not all the things you buy. Merchants and corporations will raise prices for their goods to cover the new cost of imports under tariffs. (And even if the cost of those goods is NOT raised by tariffs, many other corporations and merchants will raise THEIR prices under the cover of the general increase in the cost of living. Who will notice?)
*Mexico has cut a deal that delays its tariffs one month, as of Monday a.m. Stay tuned..
For most companies, the cost of selling goods to Canada, Mexico or China will go up too, because they won’t sit still but retaliate. Canada has imposed targeted tariffs on US products from Red states and Mexico promised the same. For future car buyers, the back-and-forth of car parts and finished components for US autos will incur multiple tariffs on the same product.
 In all three countries affected by Trump’s tariffs, if you work for an outfit that sells goods there, look forward to reduced sales volume and, inevitably, layoffs. Trump will do one of his patented who-me? shrugs and pretend that the tax cuts he will propose later this year will cut EVERYBODY’s taxes, not just those of the super-rich in his orbit. Definitely fact-check that one. Meanwhile, he will argue that his tariffs will make American resolve (read: stupidity) feared worldwide and cause cross-border trafficking of  fentanyl to decline (that has been going down for a year or more, he’ll take credit for that too).
But your taxes – figured as costs of living in the US – will already have gone up, a lot. Welcome to TariffWorld, where taxes will be hidden in your bills for groceries and goods. And watch your back.
Read moreProgressive Maryland Stands With Immigrants
A Statement from our Director of Communications, Christianne Marguerite
At Progressive Maryland, we reaffirm our unwavering support for immigrant families across our state. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with CASA and our many ally organizations in the fight to ensure Maryland remains a safe and welcoming home for all who live here, regardless of their background or status.
This mission has taken on even greater urgency as we witness continued and deliberate attacks on immigrant residents across the country by the current federal administration. Policies born from racism and hatred generate fear and division. Harmful actions that strip away the dignity and humanity of our immigrant communities by tearing families apart with unjust deportations are endangering the lives of our neighbors and creating deeper generational trauma with health, wellbeing and financial consequences.Â
This work is deeply personal for me. As a proud child of a Trinidadian immigrant and wife of a Dominican immigrant, I know firsthand the resilience and contributions that immigrants bring to our communities. My family’s story of coming to this country seeking education and opportunities is one of strength and hope, and it drives my commitment to fight for a Maryland where no one is forced to live in fear or suffer through discrimination from being treated as less than human. I find inspiration in knowing that one day, my children will look back with admiration on the hard work and sacrifices made by their parents and grandparents. I hope they will grow up in a thriving, diverse world where everyone is celebrated for who they are and where they come from.
At Progressive Maryland, we are resolute in fighting against dangerous attacks on our community and, under CASA’s leadership, advocating for policies that protect immigrant rights to uphold justice, compassion, and respect for all. We urge our lawmakers to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, Maryland Data Privacy Act and Maryland Values Act. Together, we recognize the power of unity and collective action in the face of injustice.Â
The road ahead may be challenging, but the fight for our rights is one we will never abandon. We are proud to say loudly and clearly that every community member deserves to live with dignity, to dream without barriers, and to thrive in a state they call home. Progressive Maryland stands firmly with our immigrant communities today, tomorrow, and always.
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Call 1-888-214-6016 to report any ICE encounters and learn more about the fight for immigrant rights at wearecasa.org.
Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, January 27, 2025
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Read moreTrump flails around as admin gets blustery but shaky start; Maryland adapts while struggling with own budget constraints
The General Assembly is wrapping up its first (partial) month of a 90-day session trying to manage a state budget crisis while weathering a worse-than-even-expected flurry of incoherent opening salvos from the new passel of gangsters downtown. Maryland's federal workers are eyeing the costs, financial and otherwise, of long commutes if the back-to-the-office trend doesn't seem to have immediate work-arounds. The state's school systems are trying to prepare for promised schoolday raids by ICE. Maryland was already behind on beefing up its capacity for renewable power, compared to legislated goals, and the newly confident corporate power systems that supply us and a dozen other states seem to be getting their way on how much we have to pay. It's enough to spur mass pushback, and maybe it will. Progressive Maryland and allied groups will be there to help organize it (that's more than half the battle). Meanwhile it's not great news by any measure, but it's News You Can Use for this week.
Read moreMaryland Renters and Advocates Hold Press Conference to Demand Good Cause Eviction Protections
Buoyed by New Research and Support from Housing Secretary Jake Day, Advocates Call for Legislation Allowing Local Jurisdictions to Pass Laws Protecting Renters from Unjust Evictions
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland –   Today, Progressive Maryland, the Renters United Maryland (RUM) coalition, and key allies gathered at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis to call on state lawmakers to pass enabling legislation for Good Cause Eviction laws and other priority legislation. The Good Cause Eviction bill would allow local jurisdictions to require landlords to provide valid reasons for evictions, preventing unjust removals and strengthening housing stability for Maryland renters. The livestream of the event may be found on Progressive Maryland’s Facebook page.
As Maryland faces a budget deficit, advocates highlighted that passing this legislation offers a cost-free way to prevent homelessness, reduce reliance on state-funded support programs, and hold corporate landlords accountable. Maryland is currently one of only five states that explicitly prohibits counties from passing Good Cause Eviction laws.
Read moreProgressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Tuesday, January 21, 2025
We hope you had a meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday, reflecting on the enduring legacy of a man whose vision for justice and equality continues to inspire us all. Dr. King taught us that grassroots movements have the power to transform society, and in these challenging times, his message feels more urgent than ever.
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This year, MLK Day shared the calendar with the inauguration of Donald Trump for his second term. As we brace for the attacks on progress and justice that his administration has already signaled, we are reminded of Dr. King's call to resist injustice and fight for what is right, no matter the odds. Together, we’ll continue to build the power we need to protect our communities and advance bold, progressive policies.
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Tomorrow marks another moment in history: 52 years since Roe v. Wade. Although the Supreme Court altered that landmark decision, we’re proud that Maryland voters stood strong last year, passing Question 1 to enshrine reproductive rights in our state constitution. This victory protects access to abortion and birth control for all Marylanders, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to defending reproductive freedom—for now and forever.
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As we reflect on this, we also mourn the passing of Cecile Richards, former director of Planned Parenthood, whose leadership in the reproductive rights movement will continue to inspire our fight.
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On the legislative front, things are picking up. Earlier today, our team and housing justice allies held a press conference in Annapolis to advocate for Good Cause eviction legislation ahead of its first hearing in the General Assembly. You can find more details about this critical event and the proposed legislation in the Legislative Updates section of this memo.
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Across the state, our issue campaigns and task forces are working hard to drive progress on housing justice, environmental sustainability, healthcare reform, and more. Read on to find details on their plans and how to get involved later in the memo. Don't forget to check out our blog corner for important state and national news!
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This is a week that reminds us of the weight of history, the challenges we face, and the power we have to create change. Let’s move forward, together.
In solidarity, the Progressive Maryland Team
Read moreTrumpWorld is here; prepping for struggle accelerates among Maryland and Blue states
If you had the stomach to watch the whole spectacle, our first Warlord-in-chief declared a goal of flipping everything Joe Biden did, including climate protection and industrial recovery. He inherits, with no speck of gratitude, a roaring economy and diminished inflation, for which (you watch) he will take full credit. As we show in our NATIONAL AND THE FEDS section and elsewhere, legal challenges to his dubious executive orders have been locked and loaded -- including by state attorneys general, working together -- and will push back against his every attempt to get back at his enemies. We need to match the legal effort, week by week, in the streets and the legislatures, because the real sign of defeat is to surrender in advance. So we persevere. As the philosopher/activist Olufemi Taiwo argues: "Our ancestors did more, with less, against worse. Lock in."
Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, January 13, 2025
Happy Monday—and happy Victory Monday to all Ravens and Commanders fans!
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As we celebrate those wins on the field, much of the political chatter this week is focused on the challenges and transitions shaping Maryland and D.C. In Maryland, Governor Moore’s administration is grappling with the effects of the state’s budget shortfall and local municipalities are preparing for special elections. Meanwhile, in D.C., discussions center around President Biden’s final days in office and the transition to a Trump administration, set to begin in exactly one week.
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As progressives, our priorities have always been rooted in supporting working families and advancing social equity. While the incoming Trump administration will undoubtedly attempt to undermine our progress and future agendas, our work does not stop. We are more committed than ever to securing bold, progressive policies at the state level.
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Last Wednesday marked the start of Maryland’s 2025 legislative session, and both the Senate and House reconvene today. We’re already hard at work advocating for our priority bills, and we’d love for you to join us at our Rally for the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act on Thursday, January 23rd in Annapolis. Click here to RSVP and join us!
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You’ll also find details from the first meetings related to our legislative efforts in our Legislative Updates section.
Read on for more updates from our issue campaigns and task forces, as well as key local and state news and opportunities to get involved.
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In solidarity,
The Progressive Maryland Team
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Read moreAssembly gets under way hoping for fewer bills, lighter load. Good luck.
The Maryland General Assembly kicked off its 2025 session this past Wednesday and the bill hopper is filling up despite hopes that the workload can be reduced (endless committee hearings) and the end of the regular session can see the passage of bills that will keep the state afloat despite a formidable current revenue deficit. Read on below about how this is being handled by the Governor and the top officers in House and Senate.
There's much more about Maryland, the other 49 states' good or bad examples, and the imminent change of administrations (brrr). Read all about it in News You Can Use.
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