Bloggers for Progressive Maryland have covered the range of local, state and national issues important to PM activists in 42 posts since last June. Here's an index and summary of the posts so you can catch up.

/A PM BlogSpace Report/ Since last June 19, Progressive Maryland’s “Progressive BlogSpace” on this page has tackled the range of issues that PM embraces – because they are the issues that most people find important to them, in their lives as workers, as consumers, as members of families and as active citizens at the local, state and national level.

We cover them in the blogs because the information we all need about these issues is dynamic – your understanding of them cannot stand still and you always need the latest.

In the first seven months we have covered many issues, and you may have missed some of these posts. We are setting out our 42 posts over seven months in a sort of table of contents with links so you can check them over for issues you care about. You may want to focus on one or two issues, so we have also sorted them out in categories: Local, State, National.

These issues are the ones that make a difference to you. We hope you’ll find this indexed blog history handy for keeping up with the issues of the day. We plan to keep this updated and easy to access for PM members and allies who want to stay current.

And we want you to think of the part that you can play in this activity – enriching our PM community’s knowledge and passion to make a better neighborhood, a better Maryland, a better world. See yourself as a blogger, “write what you know” and submit a blog post to [email protected].

Feb 15 educator Rosalyn Turner described how the Earned Income Tax Credit helped her students’ struggling families – and how much more could be accomplished both by enhancements of the federal EITC program and by significant complementary bills now in the Maryland General Assembly for consideration.

Feb. 10 our readers heard about the Maryland Senate override of Gov. Hogan’s last remaining veto, which took place just the day before. It was six out of six for the Assembly’s overrides and gave voting rights to returning citizens as they re-entered their communities.

Feb. 9, Kurt Stand reported on a victory for working people in Prince George’s County that was accomplished by close cooperation between unions, local officials and the community.

Feb. 5 we reported on the Montgomery County Council’s passage of a strong package preventing county contractors from evading the requirement to pay a living wage to employees.

Feb. 4 as the Assembly session gets seriously under way, a solid pair of bills on statewide paid sick leave is introduced.

Feb. 2 regular blogger Matthew Snider wrote about a Maryland Assembly attempt to re-legitimize prejudice on sexual orientation through a bogus “religious liberty” bill.

Jan. 27 a returning citizen wrote about the state’s need to fully include those returning from incarceration in our political life by extending voting rights by overriding the governor’s veto.

The Maryland General Assembly and lawmaking affecting our everyday lives have been covered, previewing the 2016 session Jan. 13.

We covered the merger of two human rights organizations in the state Jan. 12 This was a follow-up on last July 25’s blog noting the possible folding of Equality Maryland following some human rights victories – and why it was still needed.

We cross-posted a Maryland Scramble discussion of the Assembly’s veto overrides Jan. 1

Health care in Maryland and its religion-based limitations Dec. 17

People organizing in Prince George’s County to pursue their needs Dec. 10

PM’s staffers testify against privatization at the state and local level Dec. 5

Nov. 27 a discussion by regular blogger Hal Ginsberg of what’s right and wrong about on-campus student protests

Nov. 23 we made the case why refugees should be welcomed in Maryland despite the governor’s knee-jerk declaration otherwise.

Nov. 17 saw analysis of a way to fight gentrification and have smart development without displacement in Prince George’s County and elsewhere.

Nov. 11 Hal Ginsberg recounts a speech by Sen. Elizabeth Warren showing that the template for economic prosperity based on an active public and government applies to racial justice as well.

Oct. 21 environmental blogger Susan Ungar previewed a climate expo in Suitland that focused on green jobs and the economic development they would bring.

Oct. 16 Hal Ginsberg argued that the Trans Pacific Partnership is a bad deal for working people and consumers.

Oct. 1 blogger Dave Piper delved into history to show that this year’s “angry voters” were just the latest in a long line.

Sept. 22, as the Prince George’s Council began to consider a paid sick leave bill for the county, we presented the arguments for it. A failure of nerve later led to the deferral of the bill in favor of a state-level bill.

Sept. 16 Hal Ginsberg pointed out inconsistencies in the Obama Administration’s environmental stances.

Sept. 2 Dave Piper celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and noted the GOP candidates for president ignored the question of its gutting by the Supreme Court.

Aug. 21 as the nation debated a nuclear deal with Iran, we presented the arguments for peace and diplomacy.

Aug. 19, as the Hogan administration was trying to take apart clean air rules from the previous administration, the Sierra Club’s Seth Bush guest-blogged with a piece cross-posted from the state Sierra Club’s blog site.

Aug. 13 we cross-posted from Jon Shurberg’s “Maryland Scramble” political blog on the shame of local laws around the country criminalizing homelessness and a court case that might well throw them out.

The crisis in affordable housing is nationwide, but Maryland is an impact zone for housing affordability, Justin Vest noted Aug. 8.

Aug. 5 blogger Dave Piper said our scorn (even then!) for the GOP presidential aspirants masked the fact that progressive Democrats had a pretty thin bench nationally.

Aug. 3 we noted that Supreme Court conservatives’ claims about “original intent” of the Constitution masked an appeal to long-standing biases and prejudice.

July 27 environmental blogger Susan Ungar urged readers to attend and testify at the state Commission on Climate Change hearing in Prince George’s County coming up that week. (The bipartisan Commission subsequently delivered a startlingly strong recommendation for carbon reduction and green jobs/economic development).

July 25 Mathew Goldstein analyzed the prospects and perils of a truly nonpartisan redistricting plan for Maryland – timing would be critical, to avoid a one-sided outcome.

July 18 we covered the pro-business efforts of the Assembly’s two leaders and how Gov. Hogan adroitly amplified these anti-worker projects.

July 18 blogger Hal Ginsberg gave two cheers for the slightly progressive tilt of major Supreme Court decisions at the tumultuous end of its session.

July 13 Justin Vest discussed the meaning of the Confederate battle flag’s lowering from the South Carolina State House and what still needs to be done.

July 10 Hal Ginsberg’s obituary of the suburban weekly Gazette newspapers, closed by the Washington Post, lamented the loss of local coverage and watchdogging of local government over the years.

June 29 blogger Matthew Snider observed that conservative politicians were invoking “evolution” to describe their moves into the stream of mainstream opinion without understanding what it means, scientifically and socially.

June 29 blogger Mathew Goldstein examined the many ways other than our severely gamed electoral system that we could select winners for political office.

June 22 PM director Larry Stafford described the community-based effort to keep Walmart’s planned complex at Duval shopping center from disrupting that underserved neighborhood.

On June 19, Justin Vest outlined the stakes as Montgomery County’s council considered a strong paid sick leave bill – which later passed.

On June 19, Hal Ginsberg outlined the arguments against the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade bill that even then, still secret, was becoming known as a pro-corporate boondoggle that would hurt workers and consumers in the US and abroad.

Here are the blogs arranged by category, beginning with NATIONAL ISSUES:

Nov. 27 a discussion by regular blogger Hal Ginsberg of what’s right and wrong about on-campus student protests

Nov. 11 Hal Ginsberg recounts a speech by Sen. Elizabeth Warren showing that the template for economic prosperity based on an active public and government applies to racial justice as well.

Oct. 16 Hal Ginsberg argued that the Trans Pacific Partnership is a bad deal for working people and consumers.

Oct. 1 blogger Dave Piper delved into history to show that this year’s “angry voters” were just the latest in a long line.

Sept. 16 Hal Ginsberg pointed out inconsistencies in the Obama Administration’s environmental stances.

Sept. 2 Dave Piper celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and noted the GOP candidates for president ignored the question of its gutting by the Supreme Court.

Aug. 21 as the nation debated a nuclear deal with Iran, we presented the arguments for peace and diplomacy.

Aug. 13 we cross-posted from Jon Shurberg’s “Maryland Scramble” political blog on the shame of local laws around the country criminalizing homelessness and a court case that might well throw them out.

Aug. 5 blogger Dave Piper said our scorn (even then!) for the GOP presidential aspirants masked the fact that progressive Democrats had a pretty thin bench nationally.

Aug. 3 we noted that Supreme Court conservatives’ claims about “original intent” of the Constitution masked an appeal to long-standing biases and prejudice.

July 18 blogger Hal Ginsberg gave two cheers for the slightly progressive tilt of major Supreme Court decisions at the tumultuous end of its session.

July 13 Justin Vest discussed the meaning of the Confederate battle flag’s lowering from the South Carolina State House flagpole and what still needs to be done.

June 29 blogger Matthew Snider observed that conservative politicians were invoking “evolution” to describe their moves into the stream of mainstream opinion without understanding what it means, scientifically and socially.

June 29 blogger Mathew Goldstein examined the many ways other than our severely gamed electoral system that we could select winners for political office.

On June 19, Hal Ginsberg outlined the arguments against the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade bill that even then, still secret, was becoming known as a pro-corporate boondoggle that would hurt workers and consumers in the US and abroad.

MARYLAND ISSUES

Feb 15 educator Rosalyn Turner described how the Earned Income Tax Credit helped her students’ struggling families – and how much more could be accomplished both by enhancements of the federal EITC program and by significant complementary bills now in the Maryland General Assembly for consideration.

Feb. 10 our readers heard about the Maryland Senate override of Gov. Hogan’s last remaining veto, which took place just the day before. It was six out of six for the Assembly’s overrides and gave voting rights to returning citizens as they re-entered their communities.

 Feb. 4 as the Assembly session gets seriously under way, a solid pair of bills on statewide paid sick leave is introduced.

Feb. 2 regular blogger Matthew Snider wrote about a Maryland Assembly attempt to re-legitimize prejudice on sexual orientation through a bogus “religious liberty” bill.

Jan. 27 a returning citizen wrote about the state’s need to fully include those returning from incarceration in our political life by extending voting rights by overriding the governor’s veto.

The Maryland General Assembly and lawmaking affecting our everyday lives have been covered, previewing the 2016 session Jan. 13;

We cross-posted a Maryland Scramble discussion of the Assembly’s veto overrides Jan. 1

 We covered the merger of two human rights organizations in the state Jan. 12 This was a follow-up on last July 25’s blog noting the possible folding of Equality Maryland following some human rights victories – and why it was still needed.

Health care in Maryland and its religion-based limitations Dec. 17

Nov. 23 we made the case why refugees should be welcomed in Maryland despite the governor’s knee-jerk declaration otherwise.

Aug. 19, as the Hogan administration was trying to take apart clean air rules from the previous administration, the Sierra Club’s Seth Bush guest-blogged with a piece cross-posted from the state Sierra Club’s blog site.

The crisis in affordable housing is nationwide, but Maryland is an impact zone for housing affordability, as Justin Vest related Aug. 8.

July 27 environmental blogger Susan Ungar urged readers to attend and testify at the state Commission on Climate Change hearing in Prince George’s County coming up that week. (The bipartisan Commission subsequently delivered a startlingly strong recommendation for carbon reduction and green jobs/economic development).

July 25 Mathew Goldstein analyzed the prospects and perils of a truly nonpartisan redistricting plan for Maryland – timing would be critical, to avoid a one-sided outcome.

July 18 we covered the pro-business efforts of the Assembly’s two leaders and how Gov. Hogan adroitly amplified these anti-worker projects.

LOCAL ISSUES

Feb. 9, Kurt Stand reported on a victory for working people in Prince George’s County that was accomplished by close cooperation between unions, local officials and the community.

Feb. 5 we reported on the Montgomery County Council’s passage of a strong package preventing county contractors from evading the requirement to pay a living wage to employees.

People organizing in Prince George’s County to pursue their needs Dec. 10

PM’s staffers testify against privatization at the state and local level Dec. 5

Nov. 17 saw analysis of a way to fight gentrification and have smart development without displacement in Prince George’s County and elsewhere.

Oct. 21 environmental blogger Susan Ungar previewed a climate expo in Suitland that focused on green jobs and the economic development they would bring.

Sept. 22, as the Prince George’s Council began to consider a paid sick leave bill for the county, we presented the arguments for it. A failure of nerve later led to the deferral of the bill in favor of a state-level bill.

July 10 Hal Ginsberg’s obituary of the suburban weekly Gazette newspapers, closed by the Washington Post, lamented the loss of local coverage and watchdogging of local government over the years.

June 22 PM director Larry Stafford described the community-based effort to keep Walmart’s planned complex at Duval shopping center from disrupting that underserved neighborhood.

On June 19, Justin Vest outlined the stakes as Montgomery County’s council considered a strong paid sick leave bill – which later passed.