Missing Ethics?!

Post #51

There are two surprising omissions in the textbooks I use to teach my class in State & Local Government at Montgomery College.  The first oversight is the vital role of the nonprofit sector.  Even more egregious, in my view, is the lack of any material on the topic of ethics.  The absence of ethics in politics (perceived or real) is the source of many Americans' cynicism about their government.  How often have we heard comments like, “They're all crooks!” as we talk with friends about our nation’s leaders?

To remedy this omission, I have added to the curriculum an entire class devoted to the topic of ethics.  I show a DVD on the topic from the National Conference of State Legislators.  I also asked students to research various public figures whose transgressions have either marred or totally destroyed their careers.  They presented reports on people including Spiro Agnew, Kenneth Lay, Gary Hart (whose name was completely unfamiliar to every one of my students!), and Robert Pilatus of Milli Vanilli.  Some of the people had gone to jail; most had not.  Information about their wrong-doing, however, was easy to find in the briefest biographical overview.

The students’ greatest surprise tends to be the variety of ways that people had gotten into trouble.  Transgressions included 'traditional' embezzlement to deception to misuse of the prestige of office or of taxpayer money.  Even when taxpayer money is not directly involved, perception matters.  The loss of trust or confidence is enough to politically disable an otherwise effective political leader. My classes reviewed the records of Maryland legislators with questionable ethics; I believe that more rigorous and frequent disclosure requirements and consultations with ethics staff in Annapolis could have avoided some of these disastrous decisions.  

Everyone in public life professes to support high ethical standards; it’s how these same officials act in a non-election year or when the spotlight of the press isn’t upon them that counts!

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Do you think we hold the public sector to unreasonable standards?  Is it ever possible to have an ethical lapse and retain the people’s confidence? Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#51) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

Which Pronoun?

Post #50

Now that the latest legislative session in Annapolis has adjourned, Delegates and Senators are sending out letters to their constituents lauding their accomplishments.  In an election year, sensibly skeptical voters should be on the lookout for legislators inflating their own importance.  One simple test is to look at the pronoun used in the letter: is it “I” or is it “we”?

When I was in the House of Delegates, a professional media consultant suggested (as a friend) that I used the word “we” far too often in describing my legislative work.  I argued that it takes a team to pass or kill a bill, win support for a project, or forge a bipartisan coalition.  She reminded me that it was my leadership that initiated the effort and educated colleagues and the community on the issue.

So which should it be: I or we?  And how should voters determine the level of personal accomplishment when reading a legislative record?

Most legislators are careful never to take credit for other people’s work.  They will rarely claim to have sponsored a bill if they didn’t.  But they’re perfectly justified in saying they supported or backed a proposal if they voted for it, even if they weren’t a sponsor or co-sponsor; it’s left up to the voter to determine the legislator’s level of commitment and effort.

Consistency is also important. After being relatively inactive for the first three years of a term, some legislators will dramatically ramp up their sponsorship and co-sponsorship of bills in an election year, just so they have a record to share with voters in an election campaign.  But are we really electing representatives to a four-year term, just so they might be actively engaged in their jobs for the final few months?

This kind of last-minute legislative window-dressing can extend to the practice of amending a bill to add oneself as a co-sponsor on a measure that’s about to pass.  That way, the legislator can claim part of the political glory without doing any of the actual work—also wasting legislative time and taxpayer dollars in the process.

Legislating is complicated and difficult.  It should not be about grabbing headlines or padding a resume.  And it’s certainly never a one-woman (or man) show. That’s why, if I’m lucky enough to return to Annapolis in January as the State Senator from Montgomery County’s District 17, I will likely continue to use a lot of “we” in order to share the credit with all those who make success possible.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Is this a semantic and irrelevant issue, or do you tend to notice pronouns… especially in an election year?  Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#50) you're addressing.

 Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

On the Environment: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Post #49

Today is Earth Day, a day dedicated to reflecting on the effect of human activity on our planet.  Thanks to former Vice President Al Gore’s leadership and the accumulating data that shows the increased reality of global warming, more people than ever are focused on protecting our environment. 

Unfortunately, Americans still tend to value convenience and consumption over conservation or sacrifice.  It’s only when gas prices soared that we saw measurable changes in car-buying behavior, mass-transit use, and carpooling.  The most persistent questions about Rockville’s Town Center have been about parking.  Where is it?  How expensive is it?  When is it free?  What if we’re just using the library? 

Especially on Earth Day, we should be asking far more significant questions about what we can do to help save our environment.   At the 1^st ever Earth Day celebration in Rockville tonight, the young performers reminded us that it’s not just about “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” but about educating others!   As a candidate for office, I’m painfully aware that political leaders usually profess their support for the environment in a loud voice, but too often neither their votes nor their actions match their words.

Did you know that our homes are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions?  That’s why last year, my husband and I researched the possibility of shifting to  100 percent  wind power, and wound up choosing  a Rockville-based company called “Clean Currents.”   Not only is it a green alternative to traditional sources of energy, but with tax breaks and other incentives, it’s even a little cheaper.  (You can learn more and sign up to switch by visiting www.CleanCurrents.com.)

When we renovated our kitchen, in addition to making obvious choices like Energy Star appliances, we decided to reflect our personal environmental beliefs in more inventive ways.  This meant instead of granite or Corian, our countertops are made with recycled glass.  They are beautiful, unique, and a small step towards supporting a more sustainable world.  Our floors are made of bamboo, which regenerates quickly, rather than a wood product whose harvesting contributes to the shrinking of the rain forest. We installed more environmentally-friendly lighting, too, including under our cabinets, where LEDs are not only more energy-efficient, but brighter as well.

Our composting takes very little time or effort and creates rich fertilizer that develops from our discarded banana peels and orange rinds.  Not only that, it reduces the amount of waste ending up in our landfills.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  What have you done personally to help protect our planet?  Are there tips you can pass along to others? Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#49) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

It's THAT Time of the Year Again (Part One)

Post #48

Yes, it's "Tax Time" again.  April 15^th is an infamous day to many folks, since it’s when we pony up to the government.  Some might have filed their return already, anticipating a sizable refund that will help cover household bills, while others (including us) will feel a pinch as we write checks to cover the amount due.

Because Americans work so hard to earn the money that fills the government's coffers, I think government needs to treat those funds with great respect.  Most of us can’t wrap our brains around the enormity of a $32 billion Maryland state budget or even $4.3 billion Montgomery County budget.  If elected officials were to treat the budget they oversee as if it were their personal account, I suspect that the spending decisions might be more carefully considered.

Here's one example of a costly and foolish decision our state made in recent years. In 2001, the General Assembly voted to jettison the fully functional voting machines, replacing them with new electronic systems.  I vigorously opposed the change and was the lone voice in opposition to this sure-to-pass legislation.  By raising concerns about cost, security, and the reliability of this new technology, I came within six votes of defeating the bill.  Unfortunately, the state went forward.   

Just a few years later, legislators voted nearly unanimously to ditch the new machines and revert to the Optical Scan systems that 14 jurisdictions had already been using.   Modifying a decision based on updated findings (like security and reliability of this new technology and lack of a paper trail) is fine, but this mistake was at a cost of over $100 million dollars in taxpayer money!

Whether big or small, all government expenditures should be carefully analyzed.  Is a particular program performing the way had expected?  Are Marylanders being served well?  At tax time and at all times of the year, it's what taxpayers should have the right to expect from their representatives.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  What sort of litmus tests do you think decision-makers should use when analyzing a proposed budget?  Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#48) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

Thoughts on Sine Die

Post #47

Last night at midnight, the General Assembly concluded its 90-day session in Annapolis.  Having shared this experience eight times during my tenure in the House of Delegates, I know what mixed emotions it can evoke.  There is elation at completing a budget and a legislative gathering that can be contentious, challenging, and educational.  There is simple exhaustion from the pace of the final days and the sheer volume of issues that are considered during long floor sessions interrupted for urgent standing committee or conference committee meetings.  In an election year, there is the sentimentality of knowing that some of your colleagues would not be back in the year to come, either by their choice (retirement) or the voters’ choice (defeat).

This session seemed to be particularly challenging.  The $2 billion budget gap meant that nearly any policy proposal with a fiscal note could not be seriously considered.  Exceptions were made, though, for capital bond projects.  In an election year, legislators still wanted to fund worthy initiatives in their districts.  Among those receiving funding were the Garrett Park Nursery School, the fitness room expansion at the Rockville Senior Center, and the effective, Gaithersburg-based nonprofit group Identity.

Members of the Judiciary Committee made a lot of news for their refusal to make protective orders easier to obtain for those in fear of their domestic abusers.  There was also an unfortunate unwillingness to require ignition interlock devices for drunk drivers, despite the fact that the Senate passed the bill unanimously.  (Transportation safety did get a boost, however, with passage of new laws restricting cell phone use.)  On the last day and despite a seeming great deal of reluctance from some corners, these legislators did acquiesce on modifying the child support guidelines for the first time in 20 years.

Child sex offenders were a top priority, but legislators had different ideas how to address the problem after the horrifying murder of an 11-year old girl on the Eastern Shore.  Fortunately, there was a strong enough commitment to strengthen the laws, and consensus was reached late last night. 

The outcome for the environment was mixed, as it was for many other issue areas. 

Next year, with legislators newly (re-)elected, long-term budget solutions must be the top priority.  I hope to be one of those brainstorming various equitable and sustainable fiscal options that will ensure that Maryland remains the state we are proud to call home.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  What surprised or interested you most about the just-completed legislative session?  Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#47) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.