Commentary

We rely on our cell phones, tablets and computers for work, school and life; even more so since the pandemic hit. One brand reigns large for personal electronics: Apple. After all, the maker of Macs since 1984 and iPhones since 2007 has put the world in our pockets and transformed the way we live. But while Apple often garners praise, the company’s extreme restrictions on repair have hurt consumers and small businesses across Maryland.

In the largest study of its kind to date, a 2020 analysis of more than 3 million U.S. patients’ hospital admissions between 2012 and 2017 found that adults who are Black or from other underrepresented racial or ethnic groups received up to 10% fewer early treatments for heart problems than white patients. Medical bias according to race and gender is so powerful that even mega stars like Serena Williams have nearly died from it.

Laughable. That was my reaction when I saw the four congressional district maps released by legislative leaders in early November. I laughed. Let’s call it gerrymander lite. The boundaries were less ridiculous than the maps drawn 10 years ago that had some of the oddest shapes in the country. But the proposals still bore the imprint of Democrats’ power to draw lines that favor their party. How could they not?

When I served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2007-2011, my number one priority was making state government more transparent. At the time, votes taken by legislators in committees (and those are the most important votes) were not posted online. The only way a member of the public could access them was by travelling to Annapolis and requesting them in-person. I changed all that with the Legislative Voting Sunshine Act. Now those votes are promptly posted online and everyone can easily see them.

The three of us come from different backgrounds — one is a small-business owner, one provides biotech training to under- and un-employed people, and one runs a program to help people overcome obstacles and land family-supporting jobs. But we come together to plead with our elected leaders to pass legislation to fix Maryland’s inadequate transit system.

A new report, “Blind Eye to Big Chicken,” documents a near complete abdication by Maryland agencies of their responsibilities to enforce critical pollution control regulations to rein in massive poultry industry pollution. The report by the watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) details how chicken growers continue to violate state laws with impunity regarding the handling of raw chicken excrement and polluting nutrients.

Frederick County Public Schools secluded and restrained students with disabilities thousands of times over three years, in repeated violation of federal law, a federal investigation revealed. In a settlement agreement announced this week, the school system acknowledged the findings of the investigation and pledged to change its practices. We are ashamed and embarrassed for our school system.

Last week, many of the major politicians and transportation leaders representing Baltimore — from a senator to the mayor to the U.S. and state transportation secretaries — gathered to announce the city’s big award from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Wait for it … $22 million for some improved bus stops. Really?

Did you hear the one about the Towson priest who spoke out against COVID-19 vaccination mandates as going against the teachings of Jesus? And no, that’s no a setup for a bad joke. Edward Meeks, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church in Towson, can be seen on a YouTube video gravely warning his congregation that “no earthly king or president or public health official or billionaire technocratic gets to dictate what we must put into our bodies.” It’s gotten thousands of hits and national attention.