Commentary

Avid Maryland Matters readers — particularly my colleagues in the legislature — know that for several months I’ve advocated for a Maryland stimulus package that helps Marylanders, small businesses, and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. For months, I’ve urged Gov. Larry Hogan to tap into the more than $1.5 billion in reserves in the state’s treasury — our $586 million surplus from Fiscal Year 2020 and the almost $1 billion in our Rainy Day Fund — to provide immediate cash assistance to low-income families and struggling small businesses who are barely keeping their heads above water.

Do you want your children eating food treated with a chemical linked to learning disabilities, autism, pediatric cancer, pre-term birth, asthma, ADHD and more? Who would possibly say yes? Unfortunately, this brain-damaging pesticide, called chlorpyrifos, is widely applied in the production of fruits, vegetables, nuts and other conventionally grown crops — even though it has been found to damage children’s brain development.

As an infectious disease physician, I spend my days understanding and treating illnesses that spread in our communities. With COVID-19, many of my colleagues and public health professionals have fought diligently as this highly contagious and serious illness ravaged our nation. I personally have cared for many patients with the disease, and sadly, despite outstanding care, some lost their lives. To motivate me and remind me why tireless efforts in fighting COVID-19 must continue, I keep the death notice of a long-time patient in my inbox.

Imagine the plight of Jason, a typical Maryland criminal defendant accused of selling drugs. Six months ago, Jason considered himself fortunate when his bail review judge ordered him confined on home detention before trial. That sure sounded better than being locked-up indefinitely in a cage and being exposed to the deadly COVID-19 virus. But after finding it difficult to raise the $400 to $600 monthly fee for his GPS monitoring bracelet, Jason’s not so sure.

The supposed civil war within the Republican Party is over. The neo-Confederates have won. Just three weeks ago, congressional GOP leaders set out to reclaim their party from President Donald Trump and his violent supporters. Trump had frequently emboldened white supremacists and domestic terrorists, but never more visibly than when he recruited and incited those who sacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 — and then did nothing for hours as they rampaged, hunting for lawmakers, in hopes of overturning the election.