Five/Seven/Five - Distilling Narratives for Time-Pressed Readers

Progressive Values
Experienced Leadership
We Win with Watson

Next up...limericks???

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

How Much Does a Moon Shadow Weigh?

Perhaps it was the recent lunar eclipse, or listening to Cat Stevens on Spotify (or was it Pandora?), but whatever triggering event it was allowed for a pleasant reverie on space and time, on light and darkness, on "being and nothingness."  Being an astronomy nerd as a kid, and a political philosophy major in college, I was in full geek legion mode as I pondered the moon above, how it impacts our life our Earth, and how we perceive its significance.

Of course then I made the mistake of re-reading a comment from someone who posted on my blog.  Mellow harshed with extreme prejudice.

I shouldn't have let it bug me.  These silly comments from folks posting on the Internet...words bereft of substance.  Time to pop open a can of equanimity. Get back to center.

And that is when I noticed something odd. 

So this "Philip Ortiz" comments on my Eagles-inspired entry from 9/26:
(http://spartanconsiderations.blogspot.com/2014/09/theres-talk-on-street-it-sounds-so.html)

He offered a rather blustery and ultimately disingenuous defense of his chosen candidate in the HoCo Council District 1 race, Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

I don't know who Philip Ortiz is.  I haven't heard of him before.  So, I looked him up on Facebook and guess what, there is a Philip Ortiz.  No photo, no friends to show, just one "like"...Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

That sure is one dedicated supporter! Very single-minded in focus apparently.  Frankly, a little weird.

Does Philip Ortiz actually exist? I am not 100% certain, but I am going to go with "probably."  If he wants to meet up for coffee, I am up for it.  Is it possible that he is a Kevin Forrest Schmidt sock-pocket?  I would like to believe that Schmidt wouldn't do something so monumentally stupid.  Then again, I don't know him.  Then again, again, how many HoCo residents really know who Schmidt is?

I have heard Schmidt speak at the forums.  I don't believe he has a strong grasp of the duties and responsibilities of the position he is seeking, which is why he lapses into platitudes...or launches baseless attacks against his opponent, Jon Weinstein...who is far more qualified to serve on the County Council.  Weinstein is serious-minded and has been active in our community for a long time. He gets the needs of the district, being of the district, and will represent it well if elected to the Council.

By comparison, the rationale behind Schmidt's candidacy seems very light, practically weightless.  Hopefully, the electorate in the First will vote accordingly.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Reviewing Two Resumes

For the sake of today’s entry, let us re-conceptualize the campaign season as an extended job interview process.  Albeit one with slightly more hand shaking, parade marching and door knocking compared to the amount of each undertaken by your average applicant for a corporate gig.

Howard County has the opportunity to hire a new County Executive this year.  With that in mind, the electorate – as the hiring authority – may wish to consider one question above all others:  “Of the two candidates for the position, who is best equipped to move Howard County forward over the next four years?”

In my estimation, the answer is Courtney Watson.  Here is why:

1) Her background is much stronger for the County Executive position. 

Given the specific responsibilities of the office, her experience on the Board of Education and her long – and ongoing – service on the County Council have provided her with the expertise that Howard County needs when Ken Ulman leaves the post.  It is my belief that her knowledge of, and involvement with, the issues and solutions that directly impact the lives of Howard County citizens are considerably more extensive compared to her opponent, Senator Allan Kittleman.  I am not calling the Senator a slouch.  I am simply articulating my perspective that Watson’s record of relevant accomplishments is quite impressive.  Our schools and our county are widely respected, and that isn’t by accident.  It takes brainpower, hard work and resolve.  Watson has all of those attributes.   Of course, one can neither credit – nor blame – the state of the County on any one individual.  But when it comes time for our next County Executive to sit at the table, tackling serious challenges with community members, business owners, government officials, and others, I have a great deal of confidence in Watson’s ability to find solutions that improve our quality of life in Howard County. 

2) Her vision for the County is thoughtful and well attuned to the needs of our residents. 

I have read through both of their platforms.  Watson’s successes and proposals underscore her readiness for the County Executive post.  For example, education is an enormously important matter, and Watson’s ideas on enhanced technology utilization in the schools, support for an International Baccalaureate program, and combatting funding inequities are bold yet realistic…and demonstrate that she fully understands the need to address current challenges while keeping an eye on future. 

By comparison (since competitive elections, by their nature, compel them), Kittleman articulates some decent suggestions.  However, I wonder about his ability to accomplish what he says he wants to achieve.  I think Watson is better positioned to turn her ideas into actual programs and services that benefit Howard County residents.  Moreover, he champions a couple of activities on his website that strike me as being a little…off.  For example, he mentions his sponsorship of “Right to Work” legislation.  I can see that playing better in other parts of Maryland, but not so much in Howard County.    

Winding back to the original metaphor, I believe Watson delivers a better answer to the key question, “If hired, what do you want to accomplish?”  If I had to grade their replies to that query based on the body of work presented thus far, I would likely assign Kittleman a B or B- with Watson receiving an A (sorry, I don’t give out A+s). 

And this is Howard County…why not choose excellent when excellent is an option? 

So, I would extend the job offer to Ms. Watson via my vote for her for County Executive.  It is my hope that a majority of Howard County voters will do likewise. 

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Sentimental Liberation

“Cause we live in a time/When meaning falls in splinters from our lives

And that’s why I’ve traveled far/Cause I come so together where you are…”

-       Bob Welch

“Don't run.  Nobody exists on purpose.  Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody’s going to die. Come watch TV.”

–      Dan Harmon via “Morty”

Without necessarily accepting either as being True, I would argue that both sentiments are ultimately hopeful, freeing and life affirming expressions. 

Rather then resigning oneself to a despairing and nihilistic acceptance of the notion that we are alone in the universe and that human lives lack an intrinsic Meaning, each reflects different aspects of an impulse to seek out and create Purpose. 

Perhaps we would view existence differently if our life expectancies were only 24 hours long, or if they spanned 500 years.   In any event, we all are present here and now, so we might as well strive to produce something…a family, a body of work, a legacy, anything that could be used to define, positively, our identity and what our relation is to the rest of what is known.

These creative strivings generally involve some measure of collaboration with other humans.  And if our lifespans are finite, we might as well make our existences and associations count.  Embrace what matters to us and figure out how to find Meaning in every effort…from taking a breath, a business meeting, or the hand of another in marriage.  Find Purpose in each moment, value in every interaction, and joy in our participation in a story that we can help shape.

Next up: perspectives on zoning?

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Parent Empowerment - Education in HoCo

Almost didn’t make the Parent Empowerment Education Forum, presented by the African American Community Roundtable of Howard County and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) last night.  A light-hearted dramedy of minor miscues transpired shortly before our planned departure; but everything was handled and we arrived at Wilde Lake High School at 7:00 pm.

It was clearly The Event in HoCo last night.  The Jim Rouse Theatre was packed to capacity…with several attendees sans chairs standing about in the back or side of the auditorium.  In addition to the concerned parents, there were a number of community leaders, elected (and appointed) officials, educators, students and candidates present.

The long and short of the forum was a focus on promoting parental engagement in the learning process.  Specifically, the gathering centered on strategies and programs designed to help parents help their children excel in their primary and secondary education.

Candace Dodson Reed led off the event with the welcoming and introductory remarks.  She did her usual excellent job.  The order of the proceedings once established, it was time for Dr. Foose, the HCPSS Superintendent, to make her presentation.

Dr. Foose’s speech could best be described as Progress.  She covered some of the technological and cultural steps taken to enhance the learning environment in Howard County public schools (“family programs, parent advocates, daily routines, community involvement”).  She also presented some data points illustrating advancements made in graduation rates, test scores and other diagnostic measures among African-American students in the HCPSS within the past couple of years.

Next up was Albert Corvah, recent HCPSS grad and now Harvard University student.  His remarks could best be entitled The Promise.  He related his personal narrative (successes, challenges, motivating factors) and gave abundant credit to his parents for helping him excel academically.  I concur with Mr. Corvah that I wish there were more students present at the Forum last night; he definitely had a message that could have resonated with middle and high school students.  Perhaps his taped speech could be shown in classes throughout the County. 

After a solid introduction by Robin Jean Baptiste (WLHS student), Dr. Freeman Hrabowski (President, UMBC) got up and delivered what we call a good, old-fashioned stem-winder.  Now, you usually get a heavy dose of erudition when university presidents speak, but…as a general rule…many long-time academicians can be a little dry.  Fortunately, Dr. Hrabowski’s speech was both informative and engaging.  His presentation could be referred to as The Vision. He weaved a storyline that included elements from his childhood as well as his experiences as an educator and college president and delivered practical (yet academically grounded) counsel on parental involvement strategies.

I missed the introduction of the next speaker, but I believe the final remarks (aka “So Here Are the Next Steps") were delivered by the Reverend Dr. Robert Turner (Senior Pastor, St. John Baptist Church).  His presentation could best be summarized as The Program.  He talked about some of the concrete programmatic efforts that are underway, including the Parent Academy that… as I recall… will be launched in the Spring of 2015.  I assume the African American Community Roundtable of Howard County (this organization can be found on Facebook) will be providing additional information on this and similar initiatives in the near future.

Overall, from my vantage point, I believe the event was a smashing success.  There was an aura of enthusiasm in the room, a palpable sense that these efforts can Make a Difference.  It is clear, from the questionnaires distributed to the audience members (note: I didn’t see the survey instrument myself) that the Roundtable wants to foster an ongoing dialogue with parents and other community stakeholders to explore and assess needs, wants, concerns, expectations, etc…  That is an excellent process to have in place and I hope there are ample opportunities and milieus for an open, thoughtful and evolving education conversation in the days, weeks and months ahead.

On a personal note, I am just elated to write about something beyond Campaign 2014.  A candidate for BoE could have walked up to me last night and said they were going to launch an investigation into the disappearance of Atlantis and I wouldn’t have posted about it…at least not right away.  But if you are seeking public office and you would like to share your thoughts on UFOs, chemtrails, fluoride, the Hollow Earth hypothesis or any similar topics, please drop me a line. 

Stay tuned, as more will follow. 

"There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar..."

One of the many, many reasons why I opted against running in HD 12 was because I believed, correctly, that I was too new to Howard County.  Having moved here in early 2011, how could I represent the people when I was not of the community?

It has been attempted before, of course.  One example leaps to mind. Back in 1992, a businessman from New York named Sandy Pensler parachuted into Michigan to run for a congressional seat. He was loaded but had little to no connection to the district.  So he cuts a TV ad, produced by a well-respected GOP media operative, showing him jogging around Lansing in a Michigan State University sweatshirt. Go Green.

The response ad by his opponent, who won the primary, was simple and devastating.  It featured a black and white, slow-motion clip of the original spot, with a voiceover that intoned, “Nice sweatshirt, Sandy.  Is it new?” The carpetbagger stigma stuck and Mr. Pensler never recovered.  I heard the U-Haul was back at his apartment before the vote was certified.

Which brings me to the candidacy of one Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

Now, as a Democrat and friend of Jon Weinstein, I am not a disinterested party.  There are several reasons why I would cast my ballot for Jon, if I resided in the First District.  Among them is his long history of community involvement.   Compare that with Mr. Schmidt, who apparently moved to Ellicott City in the 2008 – 2009 time-frame and whose record of HoCo civic engagement appears far less extensive.

  

It is wonderful that most Howard County residents have a welcoming attitude toward newcomers.  That said, it is another matter entirely to elect such individuals to public office.

I am not saying that it can’t or shouldn’t be done, but, fair or not, questions are raised.  How well does this person really know Howard County?  How well do his or her potential constituents know this person?  How can this individual effectively serve the district?  Do they understand the values and interests of their new neighbors? Are they running because they see an opportunity or because they truly want to serve and accomplish something…and even if the latter is the case, why now?  Why not wait until their roots stretch deeper?  

Just a few thoughts going into the homestretch.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Prophylactic Measures

Knowing only what has been reported in the traditional media, I am in no position to say who, if anyone, is right or wrong in this emerging controversy.

 

This blog deals with politics and perceptions, in case you haven’t noticed. So viewing the matter from such a brutal and cynical perspective, here is what comes to mind:

1.  This isn’t a one or two day story. The Vaillancourt campaign is going to have to contend with some truly bad headlines between now and Election Day.  Stating that you are going to review legal options is just one step; there needs to be a broader and cohesive communications strategy. Even for a non-partisan, down-ballot race such as this, she is going to need to formulate and articulate a simple narrative regarding her comments and actions that makes sense to the average voter.  If she can’t, there is a pathway to a fifth place finish. 

2. Regarding those who voted in favor of the Resolution of Disappointment, the optics appear a little bit sketchy.  Again, I am not going to get into the merits of the Board’s moves.  I just know that some find it interesting that the Board reprimanded Vaillancourt roughly 45 days prior to the primary election (regarding “breaching the confidentiality of closed sessions”) and now 40 days before the general election on this new matter.  Yes, issues come up when they arise.  I am not saying that the other Board members are engaging in any shenanigans, but – based on the timing alone - they are providing grist for the mill for those who believe that their actions are, at least in part, politically motivated.  

3. I have a different perspective than my friend, the Sage of Oakland Mills, MM who argues that Ms. Vaillancourt should take the sensitivity training.    

From a realpolitik view, if she agreed to do so (between now and Election Day), it would appear to be an admission that she crossed a line with her comments. A very risky move.

I concur with the implications of the comment made by Long Reach’s answer to Alan Dershowitz in the aforementioned blog post:  that all Board Members “should have sexual harassment training annually.”   Perhaps the Board can agree to review relevant policies and procedures; of course I am guessing that this might have to wait until after November 4.

Coming soon: another post about timing.  And this one has nothing to do with the Board of Education!

Stay tuned, as more will follow.