Debating Debates

Post #41

During every presidential campaign, we read about the debate over debates.  Who should be included?  How many should there be?  Who should ask the questions?  Where should they be held?

At the state level, things shouldn't be that complicated.  The constituency is local, campaign budgets are small, and most candidates relish any opportunity to speak to groups of voters.  Incumbents have records of bills they have sponsored (or cosponsored) they usually love to brag about.  Challengers have community experience and issue differences with the incumbent they want to share. 

I believe that debates are among the most fundamental and important methods for candidates to interact with voters.  I am hopeful there will be a number of dynamic debates that would offer each candidate plenty of time to share her/his views. A number of elements need to come together to schedule such debates.

First, organized community groups are needed, with an engaged membership that will come out for an event and ask constructive but probing questions of the candidates.  These groups may have to find a venue where the event could be held.

Second, relevant issues need to be at stake.  An organization with nothing pressing before a City Council, for example, might be less interested in the Mayor & Council races in its municipality.  The membership may wait for the State or County elections to reach out to its membership.

Third, a setup that is fair to all candidates participating is needed.  If the deck seems stacked for or against one side on an issue, some parties may feel disadvantaged and hesitate to participate.  Debate rules and guidelines should be shared in advance with all candidates and/or their representatives.  Questions should ideally be screened by a committee to remove any appearance of bias and favoritism.

Such debates, in my view, should provide both structured and unstructured time to address a sizeable and diverse audience.  And I hope they will be held in multiple communities around District 17, with emphases on different issues, enabling the maximum number of interested voters to attend.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Do you find candidate debates helpful as you decide who to support?  Would you rather an open forum with many topics addressed, or one more focused on issues of special concern to you?  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 (#41) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

We’re Number One?!

Post #40

President Obama just released “A Blueprint for Reform,” which outlines his ideas for modifying “No Child Left Behind.”  His Administration is clearly placing a greater emphasis on states competing for federal funds rather that the traditional distribution through formula-based grants.  Will Maryland and Montgomery County be successful in their pursuits for much-needed additional school funding?

For the past two years, Maryland’s schools have been ranked #1 in the nation by Education Week in its annual "Quality Counts" survey.  Clearly, this is something we should brag about; use to recruit good employers with well-paying jobs; and commend our teachers and administrators.

But does this mean we’re doing as well as we’d like?  As I have knocked on doors and talked to community leaders over the past nine months, I have heard more complaints than cheers from parents and teachers about our local schools.  I hear about class sizes that are too large for maximal learning.  I hear about infrastructure that is long overdue for updating or replacing.  I hear frustration about inadequate staffing to effectively teach students with learning disabilities or for whom English is not their primary language.

Respected education policy leader Diane Ravitch just released a new book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System, to great acclaim.  Among her theses is that “No Child Left Behind” is a distraction and a misdirection of resources.  There is too much teaching to the test, too much pressure on school systems to show progress, and unfair and punitive penalties for failure to meet goals.  This has led to small and large instances of fraud (by both teachers and entire school systems), which obviously don’t help us measure the levels of improvement.  Once seen by some as a panacea, charter schools aren't turning out to be the laboratories for innovation that many had predicted.

Maryland’s grade was an 87.5%, based on the six categories of measurement, which include student performance on tests and educational policies.  That means we are doing a lot right, but there is definitely room for improvement.  The fact that the State has taken over schools in Baltimore City (and has threatened to take over others) is evidence that many children around the state are not receiving an adequate education.  Funding is always an issue, but so is support (training, mentoring, and compensation) for our teachers and administrators.  We need safe, wired, clean schools to maximize learning opportunities.  And we need to involve parents and community volunteers in tutoring and reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom.

Together, we can work to offer Maryland children the best possible education… and hopefully continue to do it better than the other 49 states!

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Do you agree that Maryland does a B+ job in our public schools?  How good a job does your local school do?  What could make the biggest difference in your community?  How do you think I can and should help?  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 (#40) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

Riding... or Taken for a Ride?

Post #39

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has recently been the subject of two big news stories.   First, the board named an interim General Manager in light of John Catoe’s impending departure next month and is actively interviewing for his replacement.  Second, another fare hike of ten cents per ride went into effect.  A dime might not seem like very much to some of us, but commuters will face an annualized $50 increase, even before considering weekend jaunts into town.

For many, this may seem completely affordable.  Metro generally provides safe, quick, and convenient transportation.  That is… except when it does not.

Montgomery County’s own Peter Benjamin is the new Chair of the Metro Board.  He has rightly put a laser-like focus on safety since the series of crashes and fatalities in the past year.  The lengthy investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board after the June 2009 crash that killed nine resulted in many months of slow train rides at all hours of the day.  When the trip takes twice as long; costs more (especially once adding on parking at a WMATA or private lot); and feels less safe than driving (though the statistics obviously wouldn’t bear that out), it’s no wonder that ridership hasn’t continued growing to mirror the area’s population.  Despite our best intentions of “going green,” our schedules and the “green” in our wallet are also valid considerations!

Many of us (me included) believe that our former County Executive, Doug Duncan, would be a remarkable next General Manager.  His decisive management style and ability to recruit and retain effective leaders would help Metro address its many challenges.

Regardless of whether the search process concludes with Duncan or someone else, the new General Manager must regain the trust of riders-- and the U.S. Congress. Being taken over by Congress (as some have suggested) would not be a good outcome.  If ridership falls, we will be faced with worse traffic problems than we have now.

I hope that each extra dime will help with infrastructure improvements, staff training, and recruitment of the best transit experts possible.  We must ensure that this lifeline in our region is financially stable, safe, and well-run.  We’re all counting on it!

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  How often do you take Metro?  Have you become more worried about safety since last June’s crash?  What do you think about the recent fare increases?  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 (#39) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

“Name That Tune!”

Post #38

Last week, I was privileged to attend the Young Women of Achievement awards sponsored by the Women’s Information Network.  The incredibly impressive young women were entrepreneurs, public interest leaders, and political and campaign activists. 

A dynamic and thought-provoking woman gave the keynote address and talked about her life and path to success.  Among her tips was that each person in the room should have her own theme song.  Many of the young women reacted quizzically.  Why would this be important, and how would they choose one? 

Several years ago, I selected my own theme song.  Penned by a Maryland woman, it motivates, inspires, and focuses me.  Its lyrics remind me (if I ever need it) why I am so committed to public service and the difference that one person can make.  When I’m feeling discouraged, I can belt it out at the top of my lungs (if no one is around) and instantly regain my positive energy.

I realize that many people think of music as something in the background during a meal; an attraction at a concert; or an inducement to dance.  If you reflect carefully, though, you too can find a song whose lyrics, melody, and rhythm are especially resonant for you and do magical things for your spirit.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Do you have a “theme song?” How did you choose it, and when do you choose to play (or sing) it?  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 (#38) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.

“Feeling the Paine”

Post #37

Whether it was in junior high school (now called middle school) or high school, we each may have some dim memories of one of our country’s founders, Thomas Paine.  His essays in support of independence from Great Britain were compiled into a volume known as “Common Sense.”

The topics are much different today, but the title is still appropriate.  How much common sense is there in our government today?  In my view, it is too often absent from our deliberations.  There are the ideological or partisan lines that are difficult for many to cross.  Then there are various interest groups that may weigh in on the debates.  Who stops to think about what makes sense for the people being represented?

I remember when, as a member of the House of Delegates, I joined the debate over a bill to lengthen the period of time allowed for a pull date on a carton of milk.  It was in the financial interest of farmers and grocers if milk didn’t need to be discarded so quickly.  The bill was sailing through the legislative process, when I decided to stand and speak.  All I could envision was a young family on a tight budget trying to provide nourishment to young kids.  How unfair it would be for them to find rancid milk in their refrigerator more often with this new proposal!  One of the most meaningful things a reporter has ever written about me was as a result of that debate.  He opined that I had spoken up for a forgotten “special interest group”—the consumer.

Voters and interest groups want to typecast candidates.  Are you more or less liberal/conservative than the alternative candidate?  Sometimes, the answer is neither.  Or both.  Or “it depends.”  I think we need to return common sense to our legislative bodies.  Ask the hard questions, weigh what makes sense for the people you represent, and vote accordingly.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  What sort of decision-making factors do you believe drives our legislatures?  Do most of its decisions seem practical to you?  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 (#37) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.