Signs and Views

Poor/illegal political sign placement can be a pet peeve for some voters.  Prior to Election Day, I tend to cut campaigns a certain measure of slack on this, especially if the issue appears to be isolated.  Why?  Well, sometimes campaign signs for Candidate A are re-located to questionable spots by folks who aren’t affiliated with Candidate A.  This can be done for the purpose of fomenting outrage against the unknowing Candidate A.  Of course, this (along with the less elegant technique of simply trashing such signs) is completely unacceptable behavior.  That said, it is now well past Election Day and I am still seeing campaign signs up in the heart of Columbia, they should come down for a while.

Shifting the focus...people have asked me questions such as, “how many readers visit your blog?”, “what topics are read about most often?”, and “how can I get in touch with Slats?”  I will take you behind the scenes and answer the first two questions for you here.

According to the site statistics, as of this writing, I have received 93,536 page views since I launched Spartan Considerations in March 2014.  The readership numbers have been trending up, with 13,369 views in past month alone.  All of the top-10 most viewed posts were published this year (each with 898 or more pageviews), five of them were written in June 2018.  Three of the top 10 have more than 2,300 pageviews, one focused on a recent Board of Education candidate while the other two centered on a former Board of Education member/recent County Council aspirant.  Here is a screen-capture showing some of your favorites:

Who are your fellow readers?  Primarily (but not exclusively) Howard County media and policy-attentive elected officials, staffers, activists, community leaders, and engaged citizens.  I have some friends in other counties, states, and countries that I am proud to count amongst the readership, although some of the topics might seem rather esoteric to them.   

I suppose this is my way of expressing my gratitude for those who visit Spartan Considerations for our blend of analysis and advocacy.  With diminishing mainstream media resources dedicated to local politics and public affairs, and with some Howard County-based content producers opting for non-written word platforms (such as podcasts), I am glad that those who are “in the know” continue to take the time to peruse the Text.  

Coming up:  thoughts on the national scene, Wilde Lake development, the County Executive race, a look at the D1 outcome, and yes, some guest commentary penned by Mr. MacCune.   

In solidarity.

District One: Pre-Re-Count Edition

Many questions surround Raj Kathuria, the Republican nominee in the 1st Howard County Council district.  It is important to bear these questions/concerns in mind as there is a good possibility (based on Liz Walsh’s current two-vote lead in the Democratic primary in the First) that the next Council will have five brand new members.

While his written testimonies are heavy on exclamation point usage (!), Kathuria’s answers to candidate questionnaires tend to be light on specifics.  In one candidate survey, administered by the conservatives behind Red Maryland, Mr. Kathuria was unable to cite a “favorable book about politics and policy.” A “no-response” here in what should be, for him, a friendly venue… it (pun sadly intended) speaks volumes.  He also once admitted to being “confused” upon receiving a questionnaire sent out by another organization on the topic of immigration (at least that was his excuse for not answering their questions). 

Kathuria’s campaign donations over the years have been interesting/evolving/wildly inconsistent/blatantly self-serving (pick your favorite descriptor).  Prior to 2017, he cut small checks to a few Democratic candidate committees (including Friends of Mary Kay Sigaty in 2013, Friends of Clarence Lam in 2016, and the Calvin Ball Team in 2016).  In light of making such contributions, it is slightly miraculous that he didn’t face a contested Republican primary in 2018.  Of course, as one might expect, his giving pattern changed over the past several months, with contributions showing up for Larry Hogan for Governor, Friends of Lisa Kim, the Committee to Elect John Liao, the Committee to Elect Allan Kittleman, and the Howard County Republican Central Committee.

Looking at donations to his County Council campaign, Kathuria received a $5,000 check on May 20, 2018 from someone who resides outside of the First and is employed by a firm in the real estate space, Greenwood Hospitality.  So how does this square with his views on development?

And how close is he, ideologically, with some other Republicans who cut him checks?  Here I am talking about David Bates (who donated $100 to Kathuria’s campaign on 9/16/2017) and David Yungmann (who $50 donated on 11/17/2017).

So many unknowns at a time when Howard County can ill- afford ambiguity.

Both Jon Weinstein and Liz Walsh possess cohesive worldviews and have professional pedigrees that demonstrate their readiness to be responsible and effective public servants.  Either is far better equipped to be a serious, steady, and independent voice for the First compared to Kathuria.  

In solidarity.