Gov. Wes Moore, doing his best to focus on the care and feeding of new housing units, no doubt keeps getting distracted by the blowback on the shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk (such as bomb threats to legislative leaders). Then, too, the state highway department appears to be in trouble about accounting (or is it accountability), a chronic issue for them over the years. Nor is the state's hospital system exempt from error, with even more deadly consequences. So even while National Guard troops police the District of Columbia (veterans will recall that "police" means "pick up litter" in military parlance), the state scuffles on. We move on to our coverage of other states, where good and bad examples abound for comparison, plus our weekly report from the lair of Congress as they scuffle too, trying to decide how to avoid a government shutdown for lack of a budget and who to blame if it happens. Congress members and Senators want more of the vacation that... they just got back from. It's all News You Can Use.

Gov. Wes Moore has (without the ALL-CAPS social media posts) become the East Coast bookend to California Gov. Gavin Newsom in pushing back against the bellicose Prez. As many news outlets have noted, city leaders like DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (whose city is uniquely in the feds' grasp) have found it expedient to give Trump some room to gloat, BUT grand juries in DC and around the country are declining to indict those spuriously charged by Trump or his minions as a mode of intimidation. As also noted, states are banding together to provide what the Trump regime, as long as it lasts, is refusing to provide as the federal share, prompting edgy thoughts about even more state-level consolidation.

As our People's Action fed specialist Megan E points out below, as much as the chilling sight of uniformed soldiers patrolling the Capital's streets (or picking up trash in the parks, less chilling) troubles us, the long-range plans for health care are even more blood-freezing. This is a sneak attack that might get past most people, at least until the midterm elections are behind us. Don't let that happen.

It's News You Can Use -- meaning, most of the time, news soon enough so you can take action. Snooze, you can't use it as intended.

Community leaders and elected officials highlight Jawando’s record on housing, racial and economic justice, and support for working families

Silver Spring, MD – Progressive Maryland and the Working Families Party announced their endorsement of Councilmember Will Jawando for Montgomery County Executive at a press conference today, joined by tenant leaders, local elected officials, and community advocates. Speakers highlighted Jawando’s long-standing commitment to advancing affordable housing, protecting renters, and championing racial and economic justice across the county.

Will Jawando with Progressive Maryland, Working Families Party, and community leaders at the endorsement announcement Credit: Michael Blain

Councilmember Will Jawando opened his remarks by expressing gratitude for the endorsements and the strength of the coalition behind his campaign.

“This endorsement means a great deal to me,” said Councilmember Will Jawando. “I want to thank Progressive Maryland for their deep work in our communities and the Working Families Party for their tireless efforts across the country and this region. Having their support in this campaign is powerful, and I am grateful to stand with them in the fight for justice, equity, and opportunity in Montgomery County.”

Sharing a state line with the occupied District of Columbia is uncomfortable enough, but (as Governor Wes Moore knows) being in an extra-inning social media duel with the King of Calumny -- who also doubles as US president -- is even tougher.

Plus the state is battling the loss of jobs and income from implementation of Project 25 and resulting paralysis of a great many reforms that Moore campaigned on.

And school has begun, with the battle to reduce absenteeism (aggravated since the Pandemic) and cope with Artificial Intelligence, a tool for both education reform and serious escalations of cheating. It's all News You Can Use, from our state, the Other 49, and the woeful federal government with separation of powers in the authoritarian blender becoming a not-so-smoothie. And our guide to the feds, Megan E from People's Action, is back with a rundown on how an occupied, uniform-riddled Washington DC feels. Read on.

Earlier this summer I wrote a piece entitled, “We are in dangerous, uncharted waters. Goodnight, and good luck." (Available to revisit at www.dannebohm.com.) It addressed the Los Angeles ICE raids and the military deployment in response to the ensuing protests.

I cautioned that the language used by the Trump administration, specifically the use of the words: "insurrection," "invasion," "obstructing," and "abdicated," combined with the overall tone and approach toward the situation, was not coincidental. Rather, it suggested the regime was laying groundwork to justify and declare martial law.

I further surmised that the synchronized legal language and well-orchestrated response to the situation in California suggested the GOP were almost certainly being coached by the very constitutional lawyers who were the architects of Project 2025.

Since then, a similar military takeover has occurred in my backyard – Washington, D.C. Mr. Trump claims this latest show of force is intended to combat homelessness and high crime.