Commentary

On March 5, 2020, just a year ago, Maryland had its first case of COVID-19. Since then, the pandemic has taken a grim toll on Maryland with over 7,600 confirmed deaths and tens of thousands of people needing to be hospitalized, many of whom will face unknown long-term consequences. While the pandemic has affected all of us, some groups have been hit harder with higher rates of infection and death, including racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly and the poor. We are losing whole generations of people while the virus causes further widening of gaps in life expectancy.

The last year has been an extraordinarily challenging time for our state. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout have wreaked devastating tolls on our families, businesses and local governments. But, as always, Maryland has risen to the moment: Marylanders from east to west have stepped up in this time of crisis, and, as those fortunate to serve this extraordinary state, we have an obligation to do the same. That’s why Maryland Democrats at the state and national level have taken decisive steps to stem the pandemic and provide aid directly to those in need.

As Elizabeth Shwe reported last week in Maryland Matters, an emergency bill introduced by Senate President Bill Ferguson requires a consultant study of the capacity of the Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland Higher Education Commission, the Maryland Department of Labor and other state agencies to carry out the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The bill is a commendable step forward. President Ferguson has long been an outspoken critic of the management failures of MSDE, and House leaders share his frustration. And yet, the bill is unlikely to bring much near-term, much less emergency, relief at this unique moment when MSDE’s weak capacity and lack of transparency endanger COVID-19 school recovery and getting the Blueprint off to a strong start.

House Bill 655, which deals with voting districts in county elections, is not a panacea for Charles County. The bill may have the unintended consequence of diluting the power of the community’s minority vote. In the 1990s, I served as chief counsel for the Charles County NAACP. Voter suppression and maximizing the Black community’s voting power became a priority for the chapter. Those efforts intensified after the 1998 and 2002 countywide elections.

Understandably, the news that author and activist Wes Moore is taking a serious look at running for governor created lots of buzz last week.  Novice candidates often fall on their faces, but Moore seems to have unlimited potential, with an inspiring narrative that could resonate with a huge swath of the Democratic electorate. He’s already lining up a stellar team of consultants, and despite what he says about being in an exploration phase, it seems highly likely at this stage that he will run ― and remake the Democratic race in the bargain.

Maryland transportation planners have given the public until May 10 to offer opinions on plans to build a new Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We don’t need that long. Here’s ours: Nuts. That’s what the Maryland Transportation Authority must be if there is anyone who honestly believes this will ever happen. And that’s what the defiant response should be from area residents whose lives would be paved over by this highway builders’ fever dream. Last week, the authority released its report on the four options for the proposed third Chesapeake Bay Bridge crossing span that the public can now comment on through May 10.