Commentary

On the surface, Maryland’s poverty rate is lower than many other states — approximately 9% of Marylanders live below the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), according to the Census. While this lower rate might be seen as a measure we are moving in the right direction, a deeper dive into the data shows there is an alarming trend that has existed in our state for years: Maryland has one of the highest rates of deep poverty in the entire country.

Over the last several years, that famous poem has been quoted countless times: “The centre cannot hold,” William Butler Yeats wrote, before adding, “The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.” People cited it so often because it was true. But it was not so true this past week. The events in Ukraine have been a moral atrocity and a political tragedy, but for people around the world, also a cultural revelation.

Last year, at least 58 Marylanders lost their lives to intimate partner violence — the highest number of IPV homicides since 2007. Early in the pandemic there was significant media coverage regarding victims of domestic violence being confined at home with their abusers and more likely to face assault, but as the public health crisis continued, coverage of this aspect dwindled. Meanwhile, the uptick in domestic violence continued. As a statewide coalition, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence has heard repeatedly from local service providers that the cases of domestic violence today are more severe and that programs are experiencing an unprecedented number of victims seeking help.

I was reading the article in the Feb. 11 issue of the Baltimore Business Journal, “Signs your employee might quit – and what to do about it” by Andy Medici, and have a few thoughts. I read the red flags described in the article as feelings of anxiety or depression. I am not a professional in this area; however, I have been around many people in my life who suffer from mental illnesses. I have gone to therapists many times over my life when I needed that extra layer of support. Those sessions were invaluable in helping me through stressful situations.

“There is no ethical consumption under capitalism.” I first came across this phrase on TikTok. Activists on the platform were using the phrase to relieve guilt in underprivileged communities around fast fashion and its effect on climate change. Some young people hear the message differently: that there is nothing you can do as an individual that will have an impact. I have heard some of my friends echo this message. Recently, as I contemplated buying a new hoodie, my friend and I argued about the value of individual consumer choices in the grand scheme of climate change.

The urgency of the need to combat climate change has led lawmakers in Maryland and around the country to propose changes that would radically alter the way we live. Scientists have warned very clearly that time is running out to make the changes needed to combat the terrible damage being done to our planet. Well-intentioned legislators are trying to take steps that are available at the state level.

The Maryland General Assembly is considering comprehensive climate bills in the House and Senate (SB528 and HB708, HB806 and HB831). In evaluating these bills, we must recognize not just the tangible and immediate benefits – such as cleaner air and healthier transportation options – but also the substantial costs of inaction if they do not pass. The longer we take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the more real and significant the costs and the impacts become.

The climate crisis is not some distant future. It’s right here, right now, and taxpayers are already paying the price. Recent flooding in Ellicott City, Annapolis, Dorchester County and other locations around Maryland have led to extensive damage, millions of dollars in lost revenue, and mitigation plans with price tags in the tens of millions of dollars.