Getting our ducks in a row for a new governor in 2019 -- Larry Hogan's free ride on the continued Obama economy masks his warmed-over Ehrlich version of state government, filling the pockets of corporate and business interests while keeping a foot on the necks of working families. Help us build the real Hogan record... more below. Plus the week's activist calendar.

Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for July 16-23 2018

THE STATEWIDE PICTURE

Ben Jealous and Larry Hogan will face off in the governor’s race. Hogan will call Jealous – who wants to work for Medicare for All, free or low-cost college and a real jobs program – “risky.” Hogan’s first four years have been pretty risky for working families themselves, with big giveaways to business and corporate interests conveniently masked by the continuation of the Obama economic boom (we know Trump isn’t helping).

What are the other masks that Smilin’ Larry hides behind – and what’s really happening behind the scenes of state government?

We know that Hogan has filled his administration with retreads from the Ehrlich era (when he was Ehrlich’s right-hand toady). What have they done to disadvantage working families and fill the pockets of corporations and big business interests?

We’re asking you. Progressive Maryland activists have bumped into uncooperative or hostile state regulators and department administrators often since Hogan took the reins of state government. Tell us about them.

The Hogan record has been terrible for the everyday working families of Maryland, despite his social media B.S. to the contrary. Let’s assemble the case for sending him back to his “small business.”

OUR CHAPTERS AROUND THE STATE

Progressive Prince George’s

PMD Montgomery

Frederick County Progressives

Take Action Anne Arundel County

Chapter Events:

Thursday July 19 at 7pm -- Issue Campaigns at a Local Level

• Do you have something you would like to see change at a local level? Have you ever wondered how to make that happen?
• Join Take Action Anne Arundel County to learn more about how to "cut an issue" and plan a campaign to make change happen locally.
• Are you concerned about immigrant parents being separated from their children?  Let's initiate local action on 287g in Anne Arundel County that would keep immigrant families together in our county.
• Do you care about the quality of education in Anne Arundel public schools? Let's initiate location action on building support for increasing teacher pay and keeping quality teachers working here in the county.
• Does it bother you when groves of trees are torn down for new construction? Let's initiate local action to keep no net loss of trees in Anne Arundel County. 
• RSVP here

Other local events

Thursday July 26 at 7pm -- No Eastern Shore Pipeline 

• The ClimateStewards of Greater Annapolis are hosting a discussion about how pipelines affect communities and how to help the communities on the Eastern Shore resist the 190 mile pipeline proposed to run from Pennsylvania to Virginia.  We will be joined by folks from the No Eastern Shore Pipeline group and from communities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania who have been resisting the construction of natural gas pipelines through their communities
• Annapolis Friends Meeting House, 351 Dubois Rd, Annapolis. Flyer here.
• Progressive Howard County
• Talbot Rising
• Lower Shore Progressive Caucus

EVENTS FROM OUR ALLIES

Feline lives matter

July 1-31 The Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility (ASF) is teaming up with 19 other shelters in the state to waive adoption fees for felines with the collective goal of finding homes for at least 2,000 unwanted cats and kittens across the state: For more information about adopting from the Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility or more information about the Maryland 2,000 Saving Lives Across Maryland, visit http://www.princegeorgespets4us.com/ or call (301) 780-7200.

Tuesday, July 17 – Sam Pizzigati discusses his new book, "The Case for a Maximum Wage." 6:30 p.m., Busboys Hyattsville Could capping top incomes tackle our rising inequality more effectively than conventional approaches to narrowing our vast economic divides? Progressive Cheverly members have had the opportunity to hear Sam discuss some of his previous books, including "Greed and Good Understanding the Inequality that Limits our Lives." Read an excerpt from the book in The Nation. 6:30 pm Busboys and Poets Hyattsville, 5331 Baltimore Ave.

Baltimore comrades, Check in on Max Obuszewski’s highly useful calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

To keep up with progressive events in and around DC consult the invaluable calendar at the Washington Peace Center, http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/alerts

It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here. You know you meant to do it last week and now here you are again...

OUR BLOG POSTS IN THE PAST WEEK

Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at [email protected]

We recently published these blog posts:

July 10, 2018 Fight for new answers to the question: What is truly American?

We should be skeptical of the motivation and messengers behind calls for civility. One of my organizing mentors said the “be nice rule” was really the “be nice to those in power rule.”

July 09, 2018 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for July 9-16 2018

Progressive Maryland state coordinator Beth Landry notes “an important point to make is how close the result of some of these races were shows how important it is for every person to get involved… for instance, literally one canvasser's shift changed results for Montgomery and Baltimore County Exec races.”

 >>REMEMBER – these blog posts are expressions of political opinion from our wide-ranging membership and circle of allies. They are not expressions of opinion by Progressive Maryland. Don’t be surprised if they sometimes vary in their political content. You might even disagree with them – a good reason to contribute a blog of your own. Send it to the moderator, Woody Woodruff, at [email protected].

>>Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace from June 2015 through December 2016 are all available with descriptions and links here. You can follow blogs for 2017-18 starting from here