20060913 KDDC Hoff Memorial Barn ceremonial groundbreaking on October 8, 2006

"The Hoff Barn"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff May 6, 2006

Hoff Memorial Barn ceremonial groundbreaking on October 8, 2006

Posted September 13^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Invitations have recently been mailed for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the “Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn.”

On Sunday, October 8 at 2 p.m., during the annual “Fall Harvest Days” at the Carroll County Farm Museum, our agricultural history and our modern-day celebration of that history will come together for a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for an important addition to the museum, the “Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn.”

According to the Carroll County Farm Museum web site: “Fall Harvest Days, the Farm Museum's oldest and second largest event, is held each October to celebrate the arrival of autumn. A fun day for the whole family, the two-day event features traditional autumn happenings which include apple butter making, scarecrow making workshops, threshing and shelling demonstrations, tractor and mule-pulled wagon rides, and much more.”

For more information on Fall Harvest Days, click here.

I have two pieces on the importance of this exciting project. One on KDDC and one in my regular column with the Westminster Eagle: “Hoff Log Barn is on the move to a future role recalling Carroll County's history.”

In the earlier KDDC piece on May 6^th, 2006, titled “Historic Hoff Barn Relocation and Restoration Solicitors Breakfast,” I tried to make as many folks as possible aware of this significant addition to the Carroll County Farm Museum.

“Bright and early Saturday morning, Caroline and I attended a fund raising “Solicitor’s Breakfast” for an important project to relocate and restore an historic circa 1795 old German log bank barn. Perhaps one of only two or three left in the country, the barn is to be relocated to the Carroll County Farm Museum, in Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland and restored.

“The Hoff Barn Project” is a 501(c)(3) corporation and all contributions are tax deductible. Contributions can be mailed to “The Hoff Barn Project,” P. O. Box 124, Westminster, MD 21158. For more information, e-mail me. Put the words, “The Hoff Barn Project” in the subject line.

One of the better articles about the project was written by Mary Gail Hare, a staff writer for the Baltimore Sun, on March 27, 2005.”

You can see Ms. Hare’s article in my May 6^th, 2006 KDDC post here.

In my regular column with the Westminster Eagle: “Hoff Log Barn is on the move to a future role recalling Carroll County's history,” I introduced the August 30^th, 2006 story of the Hoff Barn:

By 1798, the area of western Carroll County - between Big Pipe Creek and Westminster, had 10 brick, 13 stone and 248 log homes, according to Carol Lee's 1982 "Legacy of the Land."

It also had 218 log barns.

One of those log barns was probably what we now know as the "Hoff Log Barn," built between 1785 and 1795 in nearby New Windsor.

The Maryland Historical Trust boasts that Hoff Barn is "One of the most significant farm buildings in Carroll County."

Fast forward more than 200 years, and there are very few log barns left in Carroll County - or the nation, for that matter. Some published accounts report that there are, maybe, three log barns left in Carroll County today.

The present location of the Hoff barn is a farm that has been owned by the Hoff family since 1869.

For the past 40 years, Kathy and the late Marlin K. Hoff have operated one of the largest and most prestigious dairy operations in Maryland on this property.

Before Mr. Hoff passed away Nov. 28, 2004, he had gotten the idea from talking with fellow farmer and community leader, Melvin Baile Sr., that the barn needed to be donated and saved for future generations to appreciate.

What better place to showcase the barn, than re-locating the log structure to the Carroll County Farm Museum?”

Read the rest of my column here.

Even if you have never set foot on a farm in your life, the enjoyment of our Carroll County way of life has it roots in the Hoff Log Barn and this effort is important to you. Please make a financial contribution to help pay for this significant historical investment in our community.

For more information, contact Bob Jones at 410-848-7687 or Melvin Baile Sr. at 410-848-9589. Checks can mailed to: “Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn,” PO Box 124, Westminster, MD 21158.

Meanwhile, I’ll look forward to seeing you at the Farm Museum on October 8.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com

Agriculture

Volkmann watch

Hoff Barn - Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn in Carroll Co. MD,

20060913 KDDC Unofficial Carroll County primary election results

Unofficial Carroll County primary election results

September 13^th, 2006

With all but three of the precinct results in, the results are:

Republicans Michael Zimmer and incumbents Julia Walsh Gouge and Dean L. Minnich will face off against Democrats Dennis E. Beard, Vincent F. DiPietro and Richard F. Solomon in this November’s Carroll County general election for the Carroll County Board of Commissioners.

Incumbent District 5 Senator Larry E. Haines easily defeated challenger Michelle Jefferson, by capturing almost twice more votes - 68 to 38 percent. Senator Haines has represented a portion of Carroll and Baltimore Counties for four terms since 1990.

In the District 5A delegate race, Carroll County voters overwhelmingly opted to return Tanya Shewell and Nancy R. Stocksdale to Annapolis.

In a nail-biter in South Carroll's District 9B delegate contest, incumbent Susan W. Krebs barely defeated challenger Larry Helminiak.

And sitting Circuit Court Judges Tom Stansfield and Barry Hughes were easily affirmed as the choice of Carroll County voters, in a contest that saw a rare challenger. Without a thorough check, apparently the only other challenge to a sitting judge in Carroll County’s history was in 1982 when Delegate Lanny Harchenhorn challenged Judge Luke Burns. Carroll Countians have historically been intolerant to politicizing the judiciary.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com

20060913 KDDC An outbreak of bi-partisanship?

An outbreak of bi-partisanship?

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff September 13^th, 2006

My latest post is up on The Tentacle. It is titled, “Fenno’s Concept.”

Fenno’s Paradox is a political theorem was taught to me by Dr. Herb Smith, the preeminent professor of political science at McDaniel College, for whom I am gratefully indebted.

Gratefully indebted for not only teaching me Fenno’s Paradox, but many other concepts and approaches to the study of politics, which I use everyday.

I struggled with the column that I just put up on The Tentacle. It has been in my head for many weeks and then after reading some old lecture notes from one of Dr. Smith’s classes – it gelled together.

The after I filed the piece, I noticed that this has been on the minds of several other folks. I only wish that I had seen their pieces before I struggled so hard with my column…

Ronald Brownstein writes in his Los Angeles Times column, “Washington Outlook,” on September 10^th, 2006, a piece called “'06 Campaign Cry: Public First, Party Second.”

He begins his column by saying:

“As campaign 2006 heats up, the first important new theme of the 2008 presidential election may be emerging.

From Washington state to Maryland, candidates in both parties are running against the relentless partisan conflict that now defines life in the nation's capital. In an era when party-line voting in Congress has reached the highest level, by some measures, since the 1890s, a growing number of office-seekers are pledging to operate as an independent voice and a bridge between the parties if voters give them a ticket to Capitol Hill. In the process, they are honing arguments likely to be common in the race to succeed President Bush.”

You can read the rest of his piece here.

I’d love to refresh my memory a bit about the dynamics of the 1890s that had precipitated so much party-line voting... But ya know, perhaps we just need Gazette columnist Mr. Blair Lee to tell us. He usually knows that kind of stuff right off the top of his head.

However, Jonathan Singer, writing on My Direct Democracy on Sunday September 10th, 2006, is not so sure that he agrees that there is an outbreak of bi-partisanship in the near future.

Mr. Singer suggests that columnist like me; who advocate, hope, predict or otherwise think we are seeing some growing signs that an outbreak of bi-partisanship, are to be disregarded. And he states his case well. You can read his post here.

He begins his piece, “A New Era in Bipartisanship in the Offing?” by saying:

“In today's issue of the Los Angeles Times, Ron Brownstein takes a look at the current political climate and surmises that the path to victory in 2008 will be bipartisanship and independence.”

But it is a later paragraph that is of note:

“This seems like an awfully large stretch to me. A handful of candidates, many of whom have a long track record of extreme partisanship, profess their independence and voila, that's going to be the ticket to success in two years?”

He concludes his column by saying:

“Every four years we hear the same Beltway crowd clamoring for presidential candidates above the partisan fray. But until I see any indication that voters are interested in candidates who are actually independent of the normal ideological and partisan template rather than candidates who just claim to be so, I think it's best to just disregard these pundits.”

As I said, he makes a good case. You may read his entire post here.

The last Sunday, Mr. Jim Lee, the Editor of the Carroll County Times wrote a similar column called, “People over party.” Or rather Mr. Lee feels a need for bi-partisanship…

His column begins:

“With all the griping I hear from people about politics, politicians and political hopefuls, I'm amazed that more people aren't more informed about their government or how it works.

I've babbled on for years about how the two main political parties are destroying the country.

If you are politically involved, as a general rule you either have to follow in lockstep with whatever the party leadership says or you get ostracized.

I blame the parties, but the media is also to blame.

We're the ones who are always trying to show all sides to a given issue, so we're always looking for people expressing differing opinions.”

You can read the rest of his column here.

After I had a chance to graze through my files a bit - - and do some file maintenance, I notice that this is not the first time Mr. Lee has advocated a bit more bi-partisanship in governance. On April 10^th, 2004, he wrote a column called, “Parties hurt politics.”

He began that column aggressively. He states:

“America would be a lot better off if we did away with the Democratic and Republican parties, which increasingly are at the root of why problems never seem to get resolved.

The information age has resulted in more people being more informed about issues. And while there are some people who swear by the tenets of the major parties, many more people tend to grocery shop, picking and choosing whom they will stand by after examining each issue.

For any basic ideal, there is a small group at the extreme who preach 100 percent support, and an equally small group at the other extreme who preach 100 percent opposition. But there is a vast majority in the middle who want an honest and open look at the issue and who want to decide based on what is best.”

He concludes by saying:

“The major parties will be at each other's throats until the election. After that, stalemates in Washington and in Annapolis will continue as the parties look only to strengthen their own hold on American politics at the expense of the people.

They have proven their only interest is in preserving themselves. As such, it's time to do away with them, before they destroy this country we worked so hard to create.”

Unfortunately, I have no link to this column easily available. I wish that the Carroll County Times would archive their columns at least… Actually I wish that Carroll County Times would archive with permalinks their articles and columns. I have followed Mr. Lee’s columns for many years and consistently get value out of them…

Oh well, I’ve never had any trouble getting this site to do what I would like it to do… LOL

Whadda you think about bi-partisanship on the horizon?

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com

20060911 KDDC Condolences to the family of Paul Rappaport

Condolences to the family of Paul Rappaport.

September 11, 2006

Paul H. Rappaport

David Keelan over at Howard County Maryland Blog has a brief run-down of the accomplishments of this great public servant.

No, I did not know Mr. Rappaport. I had met him on several occasions and found him engaging and well spoken. I certainly knew him by reputation and his many years of public service are to be admired.

The Washington Post had an article in the paper on September 12^th, 2006, which can found here.

It began:

Paul H. Rappaport; Police Chief In Howard

Tuesday, September 12, 2006; Page B06

“Paul H. Rappaport, 72, who served as Howard County police chief from 1979 to 1987 and made several unsuccessful attempts at higher office as a conservative Republican in predominantly Democratic Maryland, died Sept. 10 at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. He had spindle cell sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

Mr. Rappaport spent 28 years as a Maryland state trooper, eventually heading the state police's intelligence unit, which collects information on organized crime. He reached the rank of major before leaving to become Howard's police chief.

A one-time Democrat, he switched his political allegiance a few years before his selection as the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ellen R. Sauerbrey in 1994.

He and Sauerbrey, a minority leader of the Maryland House of Delegates, came within 5,993 votes of defeating Democrats Parris N. Glendening and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.”

You can read the rest of the article here.

The Sun Reporter, Frederick N. Rasmussen, also wrote a piece on Mr. Rappaport on September 12^th, 2006. The title of his article is: “Paul Rappaport, 72, lawyer, Howard County police chief”

The article began:

Paul H. Rappaport, a lawyer and former Howard County police chief who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Maryland attorney general, and U.S. Senate, died of cancer Sunday at Mercy Medical Center. The Ellicott City resident was 72.

"He was such a loyal friend," said Ellen R. Sauerbrey, who chose Mr. Rappaport as her running mate in her 1994 gubernatorial campaign. "When I think of Paul Rappaport, I think of a man of few words but strong principles. He had a strong backbone. He was honest and had integrity. He loved his country, the Republican Party and his family."

Howard County officials who knew and worked with Mr. Rappaport remembered him yesterday as a kind, caring and straightforward person.”

You can read the rest of Mr. Rasmussen’s article here.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com

20060912 KDDC An addition to the Soccer Dad Team

Soccer Dad adds to the team

A big hearty – but belated congratulations to Soccer Dad on the new addition to the Soccer Team.

Soccer Dad sent me a nice e-mail earlier today so perhaps he is getting some sleep and kept some cognitive abilities.

It is also good to know that bloggers are procreating - for the good of the country. Who said that we all we do is stay obsessively glued to the computer screen in our slippers and pajamas?

A big thank you to the Attila for calling this to my attention. I had missed it somehow on Soccer Dad’s web site and was embarrassed.

09/12/2006 Kevin

20060910 KDDC Howard Carroll and Frederick Voters Guides and Election Night websites

Howard Carroll and Frederick Voters Guides and Election Night websites
September 10th, 2006

The web site for the League of Women Voters of Maryland is here.

The League of Women Voters’ guide to the Carroll County elections can be found here.

The League of Women Voters’ guide to the Frederick County elections can be found here.

The Howard County League of Women Voters’ guide to the Howard County elections can be found here or here for the PDF.

For election night results the Carroll County Board of Elections can be found here.

For election night results the Frederick County Board of Elections can be found here.

For election night results the Howard County Board of Elections can be found here.

Any additions, revisions or corrections – please e-mail me at kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060902 KDDC Carroll and Frederick County list of Candidates

Carroll and Frederick County list of candidates for office in the September 12th, 2006 primary election:

For my post listing all the candidates for elected office in Carroll County click here. For Frederick County click here. For the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce commissioner questionnaire click here.

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20060912 KDDC City officials resign over spouse’s porn on the Web

Mayor, Police Chief and Councilman resign over Chief’s wife’s porn pictures on the Internet.

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff September 12^th, 2006 – with some hesitancy…

This just in, according to KTEN Channel 10, a web site by the name of “Strippers Online,” and many other news sources; the Snyder Oklahoma Police Chief, Mayor and a City Councilman have resigned in light of the resulting controversy involving the Police Chief’s wife appearing nude on an internet web site.

What little institutional reverence I still possess couldn’t stop me from posting this story. I could have done so much more with the following; however, I was held back by my shriveled, but never-the-less, functional sense of propriety, such as it is.

I am, after-all, a pasty-faced, overweight, caffeinated, vacuous, mild mannered college drop out, hilltop hillbilly farmer artist and pajama blogger - with no leadership skills and decades of unaccounted-for time, fighting off the forces of poverty, the intellectually stunted and the artistically disinclined.

And of course, the fear of a reprimand from my wife, my mother and several other dozen friends, weighed heavily as I worked this post up. Good friends - who have a knack of telling me when I’m acting like a jerk.

Meanwhile, back to the exciting story at hand. Here goes. I’m goin’ in.

Now you may wonder, couldn’t the chief ask his wife not to do such a thing?

Oh, did I mention his wife is 6-foot-three and weighs 300 pounds.

Well, I’ll tell ya what - - You tell her what she can and can’t do. I’m going bowling.

Published accounts report, “Earlier Friday, the chief said the whole issue involving his 43-year-old wife had been blown out of proportion… "People in this country do what she does on a daily basis," he said.

"It's absolutely ludicrous. Makes no sense at all.” … He said he has had lengthy discussions with his wife about the photos but does not tell her what to do. "My wife is 6-foot-3 and weighs 300 pounds," he said. "If there is somebody that thinks they can control her, have at it. I have tried for 11 years and haven't been able to.”

People in this country may or may not do what she does on a daily basis, but it is certainly not the behavior expected of a community leader.

One news source said, “Some local residents called for Chief Ozmun's resignation, but the City Council decided the pictures were protected by the First Amendment.”

"As Mayor and council of the city of Snyder ... we do not endorse pornography; however, we do endorse an individual's rights under the First Amendment of freedom and expression." But the bad feelings over the photos continued.”

Gee, one can only wonder why the bad feelings persisted?

It’s good to see the city council standing behind the mayor - - especially on such a principled issue. LOL

In one published account, mayor “Moore says he finds nothing wrong or illegal with what Ozmun's wife was doing and he doesn't want to work in what he calls ‘a community like this.’”

Okay. Hmmm. “A community like this?”

The pictures were referred to as appearing on “adult site;” but “They were vulgar," Larry Dismore, owner of Larry's Drugs in Snyder said of the photos, some showing the chief's wife with an American flag draped off her shoulder.”

Hey – at least she’s patriotic.

“Tod Ozmun, 34, chief since January 2005, said he first met his wife 11 years ago. He said she is his former police partner.”

Oh, get out of here. A former police partner. They sure don’t make police partners the way they used to.

But wait its gets better. Apparently the pictures were circulated throughout the town. Can you imagine? Wouldn’t such a thing get the tongue’s wagging in Westminster.

Then again, it would give the usual suspects, who show up at each common council meeting in Westminster, something substantive to complain about - - instead of the incredibly mindless drool for which they are so unpleasant at each and every council meeting ad nauseam.

The Police Chief’s wife, his former police partner, “Doris Ozmun, who was paroled in March 2005 after spending two years in the state prison system on drug-related charges, has an unlisted telephone number and has not been at her place of employment to comment.

She earlier told The Oklahoman she had decided to remove the photos from the Internet. "I just don't understand," she told the newspaper. "I could if I had done something illegal, or if I had murdered someone. But this is amazing. "You know what I call this? I call this a witch-hunt."

Kiowa County District Attorney John Wampler has asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into the matter. Wampler has said the photos would not be protected under the First Amendment if they could be shown to meet the legal threshold for impermissible obscenity.

"In my opinion, the photos that I was shown are obscene based on local community standards," he said. "Whether a court would agree may be a different matter."

Well, this sure made last night’s Westminster Common Council meeting look pretty boring.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
www.thetentacle.com
Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report
www.thewestminstereagle.com
www.kevindayhoff.com

20060912 KDDC In Baltimore Staying Home for School by Jabari Asim WaPo

"In Baltimore, Staying Home for School"

An interesting vignette about the phenomenon of African American’s home schooling their children in Baltimore City by Jabari Asim, who writes for the Washington Post. The column was posted on the Washington Post’s web site Tuesday, September 12, 2006; 12:00 AM.

My hat is off to anyone who home schools their children. The task seems so overwhelming… He begins his column with:

"Write something positive about our school," my son's pre-kindergarten teacher urged me when we met for the first time last fall.

As a veteran of the Baltimore public school system, she was accustomed to loads of negative publicity about her employer. As a concerned parent, so was I. For that reason, my wife approached our entry into that world with considerable trepidation. Our experiences soon justified our initial fears.

Read the rest of Mr. Asim’s column here.

I wrote a column that touched upon schools as a campaign issue in this year’s Maryland gubernatorial contest in The Tentacle: “An apple for the governor.” You can find it here.

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20060911 KDDC Former mayor err Governor elect Palin by 14

Former mayor err next Alaska Governor Palin by 14

September 11, 2006

Rasmussen Reports has former Republican Wasilla mayor Sarah Palin ahead of former Democratic Alaskan governor Tony Knowles 52 to 38 for this fall’s Alaska governor’s race. (“Alaska governor: Palin by 14”)

Rasmussen writes “Coming off the heels of her pronounced victory in the Republican primary against incumbent Frank Murkowski, Sarah Palin (R) is readily handling her next round of competition—former Governor Tony Knowles (D)—in her bid to become Alaska’s next governor. The latest Rasmussen Reports election survey shows Palin leading Knowles 52% to 38%.”

Read the rest of the report here.

According to “Governor Forecast 2006” by Jonathan Singer posted September 8, 3:00 PM on the My Direct Democracy web site (MyDD,) mayor Palin is “Likely” to be the next governor of Alaska.

Some credence can be put to this prognostication because if there was anyway that MyDD could rationalize a Democrat prevailing, MyDD would do it.

According to Mr. Singer’s post, Alaska’s gubernatorial race this fall is listed as “Likely Republican:”

12. Alaska (Democrat: Tony Knowles). This race showed a lot of potential given the candidacy of former Democratic Governor Tony Knowles, the sub-20 percent approval rating of Republican Governor Frank Murkowski.

But now that Murkowski is out having lost badly in the GOP primary to former Wasilla mayor Sarah Pallin (sic), this race leans Republican.

Latest polling: Rasmussen Reports, Palin 52 - Knowles 38, September 8; Dittman Research, Palin 46 - Knowles 29, September 6.

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Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
http://www.thetentacle.com/
Westminster Eagle Opinion and
Winchester Report
http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/
http://www.kevindayhoff.com/

20060910 KDDC Path not taken

Path not taken

September 10^th, 2006

No – I have not watched the ABC docudrama “Path to 9/11.” Nor do I approve of it – no matter who it portrays in a negative light. I’m not sure where there is a place in public discourse for media phenomenon such as “Fahrenheit 9/11” or “Path to 9/11.”

I only wish the folks who have been so aggressive in denouncing “Path to 9/11,” would have been as equally damning of “Fahrenheit 9/11.”

Both “Path” and “Fahrenheit” trivializes and bastardizes a necessary discussion that needs to take place in our nation about what to do, now and in the future, about folks who want to kill us and our way of life.

If you haven’t “got it” by now - - I am not a fan of docudramas. They always remind me of the famous quote about history that I have always attributed to American Anthropologist Ernest Albert Hooten (1887 – 1954): "History is principally the inaccurate narration of events which ought not to have happened."

To repeat a wonderful observation by the Washington Post some time ago – that I sure wish I had written: “The numbing repetition of uncorrected falsehoods creates a phony atmosphere of uncertainty around key questions... Eventually voters throw up their hands and accept the fact that they’ll never know for sure what the truth is, and confusion ensues.”

While the liberal lefties and their sycophant megaphones in the liberal media harass President Bush, I say a prayer that we’ve had President Bush in the White House in the five years since 9/11. I think that when it comes to public safety and national defense, most contemporary Democrats cannot be trusted to defend our nation or my family.

I like it whenever I view a television ad in which the candidate says that he or she “will stand up to President Bush…” It makes casting my vote that much easier as that is a candidate for whom I cannot vote.

And a word to all candidates who wish to “run away from” the Bush Administration in the upcoming fall elections. I’m not voting for you. If your core constituency voted you in office, than it very well may be that same core constituency that could vote you back in office because you stood for something.

Being against the President is not the same as being for something. Come up with a plan that I can vote for or shut up. If you want to be mealy-mouthed at this important juncture in history, I can only assume that you will be mealy-mouthed when it comes to standing up to the purveyors of the politics of appeasement that threatened the safety of our nation.

As far as Path to 9/11: a post on Michelle Malkin links to an entry on Betsy’s Page entitled, “It's about time that people remember Sandy Berger,” that summed it all quite well for me. Including, but certainly not limited to the following paragraph (which I have reformatted for readability on a blog…):

“Think for a moment about the concerted action by Democrats, their lawyers, former White House operatives, Bill Clinton, sympathetic historians, and lefty bloggers to stop this show.

Remember that this was the same crowd that was full of praise of for Fahrenheit 9/11 for crystallizing their opposition to George Bush. Accuracy and versimilitude didn't bother them then. And they weren't saying a word about 60 Minutes "fake but accurate" story on Bush's National Guard service.

Now, ask yourself. If this crowd were to control the White House, how many more of these attempts to stifle any criticism of them would we be seeing?

Think of how much has been aired during Bush's tenure, even a movie depicting him being assassinated and more denials of civil liberties gets made without Bush's White House unleashing its lawyers. But, for this thing, the Democrats go to the mattresses. Are they perhaps modeling for us what their response would be to further criticism if they should gain control of the White House - or even of Congress? Don't forget those not-so-veiled threats to ABC's license. Ponder that chill wind.”

“Ponder that chill wind” indeed.

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20060910 KDDC Minnich: A Concern About the Body Politic

A Concern About the Body Politic

September 10^th, 2006

---

From: Friends of Dean Minnich [mailto:tucker495@adelphia.net]
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 8:54 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: A Concern About the Body Politic

Please feel free to distribute this to anyone who has a concern about ethical processes in an election; and anyone who received any of the venomous tracts mailed out this past week.

We all expect elections to be a time of debate and disagreement. In many local elections, for example, pro-growth development forces are being opposed by those advocating more cautious, slower-growth policies, resulting in intense public disagreements.

Carroll County, however, is unique among all in the level of outright vilification and downright hatred some have displayed. Their tactics mirror many used by extreme religious and political movements built more on fomenting hatred and division than on airing legitimate public policy differences.

1. Loyalty to the party is emphasized over policy or community and absolute adherence to certain slogans is required over all other considerations.

2. The focus is on division, attempting to exclude the opposition. A strong personal hatred is usually manifest, resulting in a "divide and conquer" mentality excluding those with differing beliefs or loyalties.

3. There is no real discussion, in favor of short slogans with little substance.

4. Complete intolerance is encouraged with one accepted perspective; others are to be excluded.

5. The opposition is dehumanized by "over the top" negativity about personality, personal habits, personal ethics and non-policy issues.

6. Campaign messages are all negative, vilifying the opposition as unfit to serve, with no positive policy comment.

7. Big lies are presented as fact, using deceit as a campaign tool that focuses on outright false or misleading statements that are easily disputed but then repeated anyway. The opposition is accused of standing for the very things they oppose, or failing to do the very things they have accomplished.

8. Sensationalism is reflected in substance and form, with outrageous, shocking statements that are repeated in a massive repeat advertising campaign where money is no object.

9. Cynicism is reflected in the disregard of accepted processes - elections laws, campaign regulations and normal community standards.

10. Behind it all is contempt for the voters. A belief that lies work, based on the assumption that voting public are fools. These groups despise the very public they say they want to serve.

Anyone who has faith in democracy must hope that on election day, voters will reject these efforts to destroy our sense of community and undermine our basic respect for one another. No matter who wins, let us encourage voters to support candidates who propose positive ways to solve problems by working together rather than those who just spew hatred and deceit.

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20060910 KDDC Friends of Dean Minnich respond to negative ads and mailings

Friends of Dean Minnich respond to negative ads and mailings

September 10^th, 2006

Pasted below is a response from Commissioner Minnich’s campaign concerning the recent negative ads and mailings.

If any candidate has a response – please email KDDC at kdayhoff@carr.org and I’ll be happy to post it on this web site.

From: Friends of Dean Minnich [mailto:tucker495@adelphia.net]
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 8:46 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [Fwd: Feel free to forward, or print out to read at the polls IF QUESTIONED on Tuesday]

Please forward to interested friends.
Thanks,

Recent negative ads and mailings to county voters misrepresent the truth. Here are the facts:

Salaries

Department heads in Carroll County earn at least 20% less than their counterparts in neighboring counties. Only 3 county employees, each with more than 20 years of service, earn more than $100,000. One of those now does the job of two persons in the previous administration, who together had earned $155,377. In 2006, one person, the chief of staff, earns $116,439 – a savings of $38,938 per year, plus benefits.

Credit cards

Credit cards have been issued by the County since the 1980s and are not for personal use. They are for the sole purpose of paying for budgeted items. The Comptroller monitors and approves all payments.

Authorized spending

It has been alleged that $119 spent at the Treat Shop was for personal use. In fact, it was for a hospitality basket purchased by the Department of Economic Development to welcome a new business – part of the cost of doing business to grow business.

Another legitimate business expense, common practice in every county and at the state level, was a bill for guests of the county at a local restaurant. The county hosted representatives of three New York based bond-rating agencies to eat at the Antrim in Taneytown. The bill for dinner and drinks for 17 people totaled $1,579.43 – less expensive than the trip to New York for the required annual meetings with bonding agencies.

Travel

The County has not funded any oversees travel by Commissioners in the past four years. As an elected officer of the National Association of Counties, Commissioner Gouge represented Maryland at an annual conference in Hawaii in 2005. She provided her own air fare and meals. The County paid for the registration fee and hotel room for her during the conference.

Taxes

The Board of County Commissioners lowered the amount a homeowner’s property taxes can increase by 3 percentage points. They instituted a tax credit for senior citizens. They have never proposed legislation for a personal property tax.

Growth

The number of new housing units permitted has dropped from 1,294 in FY03 to 737 in FY06. Buildings approved for construction under the previous board will continue to be built into 2008.

If the commissioners’ opponents lied about these issues, what else are they lying about? And what are they hiding? Whose money is behind these smear campaigns, and who benefits if the perpetrators of these untruths are successful?

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