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Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Protests Widen Against Obama-Backed Common Core Education Reforms
Parents, teachers want local control
A fierce battle in New York is the latest sign that populist resistance to the Obama administration-backed Common Core education reforms shows no signs of slowing — and that the opposition isn’t limited to red states.
Since 2010, 45 states have adopted the Common Core benchmarks for proficiency in English and math for schoolchildren at the end of each grade.
Critics say several states are experiencing buyers’ remorse after complaints from parents
and scholars that the reforms are untested and poorly designed and put additional burdens on teachers and students. They also say Common Core represents a federal government intrusion into an area traditionally operated at the state and local levels.
Common Core, backed by $4.35 billion offered to states through President Obama’s 2009 stimulus, appeared to be overcoming opposition when it was implemented.
Now, however, backlash has been gaining force. Blogger Michele Zipp of The Stir last week said Common Core “is kind of turning into the Obamacare of education.”
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A fierce battle in New York is the latest sign that populist resistance to the Obama administration-backed Common Core education reforms shows no signs of slowing — and that the opposition isn’t limited to red states.
Since 2010, 45 states have adopted the Common Core benchmarks for proficiency in English and math for schoolchildren at the end of each grade.
Critics say several states are experiencing buyers’ remorse after complaints from parents
and scholars that the reforms are untested and poorly designed and put additional burdens on teachers and students. They also say Common Core represents a federal government intrusion into an area traditionally operated at the state and local levels.Common Core, backed by $4.35 billion offered to states through President Obama’s 2009 stimulus, appeared to be overcoming opposition when it was implemented.
Now, however, backlash has been gaining force. Blogger Michele Zipp of The Stir last week said Common Core “is kind of turning into the Obamacare of education.”
More
Ron Paul: "The Fed Steals From The Poor And Gives To The Rich"
Last Thursday the Senate Banking Committee held hearings on Janet Yellen's nomination as Federal Reserve Board Chairman. As expected, Ms. Yellen indicated that she would continue the Fed’s “quantitative easing” (QE) polices, despite QE’s failure to improve the economy. Coincidentally, two days before the Yellen hearings, Andrew Huszar, an ex-Fed official, publicly apologized to the American people for his role in QE. Mr. Huszar called QE "the greatest backdoor Wall Street bailout of all time.”
As recently as five years ago, it would have been unheard of for a Wall Street insider and former Fed official to speak so bluntly about how the Fed acts as a reverse Robin Hood. But a quick glance at the latest unemployment numbers shows that QE is not benefiting the average American. It is increasingly obvious that the Fed’s post-2008 policies of bailouts, money printing, and bond buying benefited the big banks and the politically-connected investment firms. QE is such a blatant example of crony capitalism that it makes Solyndra look like a shining example of a pure free market!
It would be a mistake to think that QE is the first time the Fed's policies have benefited the well-to-do at the expense of the average American. The Fed’s polices have always benefited crony capitalists and big spending politicians at the expense of the average American.
By manipulating the money supply and the interest rate, Federal Reserve polices create inflation and thereby erode the value of the currency. Since the Federal Reserve opened its doors one hundred years ago, the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its purchasing power —that’s right, today you need $23.70 to buy what one dollar bought in 1913!
As pointed out by the economists of the Austrian School, the creation of new money does not impact everyone equally. The well-connected benefit from inflation, as they receive the newly-created money first, before general price increases have spread through the economy. It is obvious, then, that middle- and working-class Americans are hardest hit by the rising level of prices.
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As recently as five years ago, it would have been unheard of for a Wall Street insider and former Fed official to speak so bluntly about how the Fed acts as a reverse Robin Hood. But a quick glance at the latest unemployment numbers shows that QE is not benefiting the average American. It is increasingly obvious that the Fed’s post-2008 policies of bailouts, money printing, and bond buying benefited the big banks and the politically-connected investment firms. QE is such a blatant example of crony capitalism that it makes Solyndra look like a shining example of a pure free market!
It would be a mistake to think that QE is the first time the Fed's policies have benefited the well-to-do at the expense of the average American. The Fed’s polices have always benefited crony capitalists and big spending politicians at the expense of the average American.
By manipulating the money supply and the interest rate, Federal Reserve polices create inflation and thereby erode the value of the currency. Since the Federal Reserve opened its doors one hundred years ago, the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its purchasing power —that’s right, today you need $23.70 to buy what one dollar bought in 1913!
As pointed out by the economists of the Austrian School, the creation of new money does not impact everyone equally. The well-connected benefit from inflation, as they receive the newly-created money first, before general price increases have spread through the economy. It is obvious, then, that middle- and working-class Americans are hardest hit by the rising level of prices.
More
Obamacare Cancels Former MSNBC TV Anchor’s Health Insurance
Ratigan stirred up social media when he tweeted that his inexpensive catastrophic health coverage got cancelled, for which he thanked the president.
The MSNBC network is know for cheerleading President Obama and generally heaping scorn on anyone who disagrees with the administration’s policies.
President Obama repeatedly declared that “if you like your plan, you can keep your plan” when he was selling healthcare reform via the Affordable Care Act to the American people, but this is not is not holding true for those who buy their insurance directly on the individual market.
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Thanksgiving 2013 Turkey Shortage Reported By Butterball
Butterball said its poultry had trouble gaining weight on some of its farms, but did not explain why.
The company still has ample supplies of its frozen large varieties, which are birds 16 pounds and heavier.
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REMINDER: Air Force Minotaur Rocket Launching from Virginia
UPDATE: The launch time has been changed to 8:15pm
For more information on the ORS-3 mission, visit: http://go.usa.gov/Wgbd.
Live coverage of the launch is available via UStream beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST on launch day at:http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops.
Launch status can be followed on launch day on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/NASA_Wallops and Facebook at:http://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF.
State Questions Teacher Evaluation Results
“We have made important progress, but we clearly have more work to do,” Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said in a press release. “Going forward, we need to ensure that school leaders implement the system well, so that our overall results reflect the reality of what’s happening in our classrooms."
"When only one in five of our students is graduating high school ready for their next step," Murphey said, "we still have a long way to go.”
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NYT, Citing 1989 Health Law, Suggests Repeal Of Obamacare Is Possible
On Oct. 14, Breitbart News recalled that Congress once repealed Ronald Reagan's "signature" health law. The article was inspired by the spurious arguments then being made by Democrats that President Barack Obama could not accept any changes to his own "signature" legislation. One month later, Democrats are desperate to change Obamacare--and the New York Times is exploring repeal, citing the Reagan precedent.
Monday's article by Carl Hulse covers old ground but draws a new "lesson": that Obamacare will not be as easy to repeal because it provides widespread benefits--unless "you get a few white-haired women to jump on the hood of someone’s car.” The reference is to an infamous protest against the late Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, then chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, at a meeting with seniors in Chicago.
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Monday's article by Carl Hulse covers old ground but draws a new "lesson": that Obamacare will not be as easy to repeal because it provides widespread benefits--unless "you get a few white-haired women to jump on the hood of someone’s car.” The reference is to an infamous protest against the late Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, then chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, at a meeting with seniors in Chicago.
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Contraceptive Pill 'Doubles Glaucoma Risk'
Long-term users of the contraceptive pill are twice as likely to develop glaucoma, figures suggest
Women who take the contraceptive pill for more than three years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, a study has found.
The hormone oestrogen, a crucial component of oral contraceptives, could play a role in the development of the condition which causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve, scientists said.
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Women who take the contraceptive pill for more than three years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, a study has found.
The hormone oestrogen, a crucial component of oral contraceptives, could play a role in the development of the condition which causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve, scientists said.
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Navy SEALs Cite Shabby Treatment As Team Obama Helps Hollywood Instead
SEALs have brought exhilarating moments for the White House. The storied SEAL Team 6 killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011 and rescued U.S. cargo ship captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009. Hollywood transformed both operations into blockbuster movies — with the administration’s help.
But some in the special operations community cite shabby treatment.
A book by Billy Vaughn, father of a SEAL killed in the Aug. 6, 2011, shootdown of a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan, blames the administration for leaking too much information about his son’s unit.
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Pelosi: 'Democrats Stand Tall In Support Of The Affordable Care Act'
(CNSNews.com) - Despite the problems with the rollout of Obamacare, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday: "Democrats stand tall in support of the Affordable Care Act."
Pelosi made this statement in response to host David Gregory's question: "So final point: Democrats won't lose seats next year over Obamacare?"
She also said she stands by her famous words in March 2010, when she told the American people, "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."
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Pelosi made this statement in response to host David Gregory's question: "So final point: Democrats won't lose seats next year over Obamacare?"
She also said she stands by her famous words in March 2010, when she told the American people, "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."
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Angry Md. Parents Band Together To Fight Common Core
Rochelle Ritchie spoke with angry parents who have come together in protest.
Parents call it a robotic way of teaching and say the Department of Education should let teachers do the teaching, not the government.
Robert Small may have been the first parents to publicly take a defiant stance in front of school officials against the common core curriculum adopted by the state of Maryland in 2010.
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"You Lie"
Those two words by Congressman Joe Wilson reverberated across our Nation as a warning four years ago – yet they were ignored. In fact, Congressman Wilson was excoriated for not following proper “protocol” by calling out ”You Lie!” at President Barack Obama during a join address to the U.S. Congress in September 2009.
As often happens, brave men and women who state what is right are not appreciated until time has passed.
Congressman Wilson AND the State of South Carolina endured tremendous ridicule for his statement, but history will make him a hero. At this point, there are millions in America who could care less about protocol when their insurance policies have been cancelled and Obamacare is forcing them into an inferior product at a much higher cost.
At least someone in the media realizes how right Congressman Wilson was.
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As often happens, brave men and women who state what is right are not appreciated until time has passed.
Congressman Wilson AND the State of South Carolina endured tremendous ridicule for his statement, but history will make him a hero. At this point, there are millions in America who could care less about protocol when their insurance policies have been cancelled and Obamacare is forcing them into an inferior product at a much higher cost.
At least someone in the media realizes how right Congressman Wilson was.
More
Person Of Interest Identified In Weekend Hit-And-Run On Route 611
Around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Route 611 near Frontier Town for a reported pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, sheriff’s deputies located the victim, who had been able to get himself off the roadway and call 911.
The victim told police he was walking north on the shoulder of Route 611 when he was struck from behind by a vehicle. The victim was unable to provide any further information about the vehicle, except that it continued north on Route 611. There were no other witnesses to the incident.
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Student At Virginia's Liberty University Killed In Dorm Shooting
(CNN) -- A male student at Virginia's Liberty University was shot and killed early Tuesday by an emergency services officer after an altercation at a women's dorm, Lynchburg police said.
Police and paramedics responded to the residence hall near the main campus at 4:07 a.m. The victim, who has not been identified pending notification of his family, was shot during a fight with the university officer, police said. It was unclear if the student was armed.
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Police and paramedics responded to the residence hall near the main campus at 4:07 a.m. The victim, who has not been identified pending notification of his family, was shot during a fight with the university officer, police said. It was unclear if the student was armed.
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Democrats For Governor Pander, Stalk And Misstep
All of them ignore the fact Maryland’s finances are unsteady and could continue that way. The next governor is likely to face a structural deficit exceeding a half-billion dollars.
Yet none of the Democratic candidates wants to face that reality. Instead, they pander to voters.
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Can The Downtown Plaza Truly Be Revitalized?
Here's the problem though. For the past two decades we have watched the Downtown fall into disrepair and your leadership did very little to truly bring it back to life. I stated years ago that the intent was to drive down property values and soon enough those special interests would start buying up and or investing Downtown and guess what, it's now happening.
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The October 2012 Pre-Election Jobs Report Was Faked
On Friday October 5, 2012, the BLS released what was arguably the most important report of Obama's first term: the final jobs number, and unemployment rate before the November 2012 presidential election. As so many predicted, it "plunged" from 8.1% to 7.8% allowing the president to conduct countless teleprompted speeches praising the success of his economic recovery. It also served as the basis for the infamous Jack Welch tweet: "Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can't debate so change numbers" and prompted the pro-Obama media to quickly brand all those who questioned it as conspiracy theorists. The Atlantic did perhaps the most exemplary job in its task to discredit the "random anonymous cranks" who challenged the bullshit spewed by the administration's manipulative economic data reporting apparatus. From The Atlantic's Unemployment Plummets To 7.8%.
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Special Report: The Pentagon's Doctored Ledgers Conceal Epic Waste
LETTERKENNY ARMY DEPOT, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Linda Woodford spent the last 15 years of her career inserting phony numbers in the U.S. Department of Defense's accounts.
Every month until she retired in 2011, she says, the day came when the Navy would start dumping numbers on the Cleveland, Ohio, office of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the Pentagon's main accounting agency. Using the data they received, Woodford and her fellow DFAS accountants there set about preparing monthly reports to square the Navy's books with the U.S. Treasury's - a balancing-the-checkbook maneuver required of all the military services and other Pentagon agencies.
And every month, they encountered the same problem. Numbers were missing. Numbers were clearly wrong. Numbers came with no explanation of how the money had been spent or which congressional appropriation it came from. "A lot of times there were issues of numbers being inaccurate," Woodford says. "We didn't have the detail … for a lot of it."
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Every month until she retired in 2011, she says, the day came when the Navy would start dumping numbers on the Cleveland, Ohio, office of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the Pentagon's main accounting agency. Using the data they received, Woodford and her fellow DFAS accountants there set about preparing monthly reports to square the Navy's books with the U.S. Treasury's - a balancing-the-checkbook maneuver required of all the military services and other Pentagon agencies.
And every month, they encountered the same problem. Numbers were missing. Numbers were clearly wrong. Numbers came with no explanation of how the money had been spent or which congressional appropriation it came from. "A lot of times there were issues of numbers being inaccurate," Woodford says. "We didn't have the detail … for a lot of it."
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Good Bye Colonel
RIP
Ocean City Robert N. Brenner, Jr. Colonel, USA (Ret) Colonel Robert Nathan Brenner, Jr. US. Army (Ret), age 90, died peacefully at his home on Veterans Day, November 11, 2013. Born in Spangler, PA, he was the son of the late Robert N. Brenner, Sr. and Hazel Stoltz Brenner. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marian Painter Brenner, and his daughter Sue Brenner Haslam in 2012. He is survived by his son, Robert N. Brenner, III, daughter-in-law Kimberley Brenner, granddaughter, Summer Brenner, and former wife, Patricia Ziegler Brenner, all of Ocean City. Col. Brenner had served in the United States Army during WWII and Korea. During WWII he participated in D-Day invasion, thereafter built bridges for Patton's tanks across the Seine and Rhine Rivers as well as surviving the Battle of the Bulge. His military career found him teaching at the School of the Americas at Ft Gulick, the Canal Zone, Panama. He was also assigned to the US Military Mission to Columbia. He worked for the Glenn L. Martin Company, now Martin Marietta in Baltimore, MD. From there he accepted a position with Atlas Van Lines out of Evanston, IN which he retired from as their Eastern Regional Manager. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, due to a football scholarship and recognition as an All State End in 1941. He was a member of American Legion Post #1 in Williamsport, PA, VFW Post #8296 in Ocean City, Coalition of Veteran Advocates in Pittsburgh, PA, a lifetime member of the Reserve Officers Association and many more veteran and civic organizations as well. He also tirelessly gave of his time and resources to many, many other organizations including working with his late son-in-law, Ron Haslam, a Vietnam veteran and many others to achieve the goal of building the Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines. Since he retired from the military he devoted his time, his abundant energy and money to advocating mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. This included frequent trips to Washington, DC and travel throughout PA to advocate increased funding and to improve medical treatment for his fellow veterans. Of particular note were the dramatic changes he and others achieved regarding how the VA Health system manages the challenges presented by veterans suffering from PTSD, Alzheimer's and Dementia. He found many ways to assist veterans who were facing life's challenges medically, legally, and socially. He will be best remembered by those who knew, respected and loved him for his intellect, comic whit, warmth, his laughter, his loving and giving spirit and the mischievous twinkle in his eye. His one liners included: Carpe Diem-Seize the Day!; Suit up! Show up and you have already WON the day! Do your duty to God, Country, and Family, and Thank George and Martha too! Save our Republic! Pray and Vote! A memorial Service will be held on December 8th at 1:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City. Rev. Alex Ayers will officiate. Inurnment will take place in Arlington Cemetery.
WCSO Press Release 11-19-13
Incident: Wanted Subject
Date of Incident: 15 November 2013
Location: 6000 block of Kilmarth Lane, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Carla J. Richardson, 48, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 12 November 2013 beginning at 8:12 AM, a subject later identified as Carla J. Richardson began posting tweets on the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Twitter feed where she made repeated posts referencing the judicial process and her own personal situation. Overall, Richardson made 32 tweets over 45 minutes. Sheriff’s Office personnel saw the tweets and upon researching the identity of the tweeter in an attempt to understand her situation, discovered an open District Court Body Attachment. Based on her tweets, her location was also able to be determined which enabled a deputy to then locate her. The Body Attachment was issued after Richardson failed to appear for a District Court case back in May 2013. The case arose from a dispute with Enterprise Rental Cars. Richardson was transported to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Richardson on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Failure to Appear
Richardson, Carla
Incident: DUI
Date of Incident: 16 November 2013
Location: Lake Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Meko Gianni Palmiro, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 16 November 2013 at 1:09 AM, a deputy on patrol came upon an individual later identified as Meko Palmiro in the roadway on Lake Street picking up items from the roadway. Upon making contact with Palmiro, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage along with other indicators that led the deputy to suspect impairment. Further investigation them led the deputy to suspect that Palmiro had just struck the utility pole adjacent to their location while operating a scooter prior to the arrival of the deputy. The deputy administered sobriety testing which Palmiro failed. The deputy placed Palmiro under arrest for DUI and then located marijuana in Palmiro’s possession. Palmiro became uncooperative and verbally abusive towards the deputy, even bragging that he would be out of jail before the deputy finished his paperwork. The deputy transported Palmiro to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Palmiro in the Detention Center in lieu of $30,000.00 bond. Additionally the deputy discovered an outstanding arrest warrant for Assault 2nd Degree for Palmiro. He was detained in the Detention Center on a bond of $60,000.00 in that case.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Without a License and Possession of Marijuana
Palmiro, Meko
Incident: WCSO Activity
- William Edward Hughes, 20, Berlin, MD; was arrested in the 1700 block of Emerson Avenue in Salisbury on 15 Nov 2013 on an outstanding Circuit Court Arrest Warrant that was issued in a CDS Possession with the Intent to Distribute case. Hughes was detained on a bond of $200,000.00.
Hughes, William
- Demetrius A. Fountain, 25, Salisbury; was arrested in the 200 block of Coulbourn Mill Road in Salisbury on an outstanding Circuit Court Bench Warrant that was issued after he violated the terms of his probation in a Failure to Obey a Lawful Order case. Fountain was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Fountain, Demetrius
- Zachery Dewey Savage, 47, Onancock, VA; was arrested in the 800 block of Manoa Blvd. on an outstanding District Court Bench Warrant. The Warrant was issued after Savage failed to appear for a Driving Suspended case back in September. Savage was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $1,000.00 bond.
Savage, Zachery
- Tourria W. Fields, 22, Salisbury, MD; was charged on a Criminal Citation with Possession of Marijuana after a deputy approached a vehicle in which she was a passenger in a park after closing and searched the vehicle after detecting the odor of marijuana. The marijuana was found hidden in a soda can.
Incident: Flee and Elude
Date of Incident: 15 November 2013
Location: Riverside Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Terrence Shonte Gaines, 35, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 7 February 2013 a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle operated by Terrence Gaines for speeding on Riverside Drive in Salisbury. Instead of stopping, Gaines pulled into an adjacent residential neighborhood and attempted to elude the deputy before eventually returning to Riverside Drive. Gaines led the deputy near the downtown residential area of Salisbury where Gaines slowed and jumped from the still moving vehicle and ran off on foot. The deputy was forced to exit his patrol car and chase down the driverless vehicle that was left in gear and was now continuing on its own down the street. The deputy managed to stop the vehicle but was unable to locate Gaines who had managed to flee the area. The deputy positively identified Gaines as the driver and obtained a warrant for his arrest. Gaines was subsequently located in Delaware and he was extradited back to Wicomico County on 15 November 2013. Upon presentation to the District Court Commissioner, Gaines was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Attempt by Driver to Flee and Elude
Incident: DUI Arrests
Date of Incident: 15-17 November 2013
Location: Wicomico County, MD
During the weekend of 15-17 November 2013, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office arrested the following individuals for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol:
- Meko Gianni Palmiro, 22, Salisbury, MD – Refused breath test
- Wilmer Yovani Velasquez, 21, Georgetown, DE – Refused breath test
- Patsy Ann Mitchell, 49, Salisbury, MD – BAC .28
- Eugene Custis, 44, Salisbury, MD – Refused breath test
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Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 18 November 2013
Walmart Employees Organize Food Drive ... for Other Walmart Employees
"Why would a company do that?" Vanessa Ferreira with OUR Walmart asked the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Monday, after receiving the photo from the Walmart employee. "The company needs to stand up and give them their 40 hours and a living wage, so they don't have to worry about whether they can afford Thanksgiving."
The employee who took the photo, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing their job, told the Plain Dealer that they had never seen a similar food drive for employees in a decade-plus working for the company, calling the sight of the bins last week “kind of depressing.”
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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Gets TV Show, Wants To Be Prime Minister
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford – who has apologized in recent weeks for using vulgar language on live television and admitted to public drunkenness and crack cocaine use – is getting professional help but still harbors dreams of running for prime minister as his new TV show premieres tonight.
“I’ve admitted to drinking too much, OK,” Ford told Fox News Sunday. “So I’m dealing with it. I’m training every day. I’m in the gym two hours every day. I’m seeking professional help. I’m not an alcoholic. I’m not a drug addict.”
Just as the embattled mayor is getting help, he is also getting his own reality-TV show.
“Ford Nation” will feature Ford and brother Doug Ford, who is himself a member of the 44-member Toronto city council that stripped the mayor of some of his powers. The show will air Mondays at 8 p.m. on the tabloid Sun News Network but there were few details about the format released.
WATCH: Toronto Mayor Now Sorry for ‘Graphic Remarks’
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“I’ve admitted to drinking too much, OK,” Ford told Fox News Sunday. “So I’m dealing with it. I’m training every day. I’m in the gym two hours every day. I’m seeking professional help. I’m not an alcoholic. I’m not a drug addict.”
Just as the embattled mayor is getting help, he is also getting his own reality-TV show.
“Ford Nation” will feature Ford and brother Doug Ford, who is himself a member of the 44-member Toronto city council that stripped the mayor of some of his powers. The show will air Mondays at 8 p.m. on the tabloid Sun News Network but there were few details about the format released.
WATCH: Toronto Mayor Now Sorry for ‘Graphic Remarks’
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POLITICO OBAMACARE ANALYSIS IGNORES COMING EMPLOYER-MARKET CANCELLATIONS
The left-wing Politico deserves credit for reportingwhat much of the media will not: the fallout yet to come from the rolling ObamaCare debacle. Politico covers the death spiral, sticker shock, and more. Conspicuously missing in Politico's analysis, though, is the Obama administration's own prediction that ObamaCare will potentially result in tens of millions of employer-based health plan cancellations.
Yes, you read that correctly; the Obama administration itself predicted in 2010 that "a majority of group health plans will have lost their grandfather status by the end 2013.” …
The DOJ cites the June 17, 2010, edition of the Federal Register, which acknowledges that within the first year of Obamacare’s employer mandate, the insurance plans offered by many employers will be canceled because their policies will not be grandfathered under the administration’s regulations.
”The Departments’ mid-range estimate is that 66 percent of small-employer plans and 45 percent of large-employer plans will relinquish their grandfather status by the end of 2013,” the Register says. “The low-end estimates are for 49 percent and 34 percent of small and large-employer plans, respectively, to have relinquished grandfather status, and the high-end estimates are 80 percent and 64 percent, respectively.”
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Yes, you read that correctly; the Obama administration itself predicted in 2010 that "a majority of group health plans will have lost their grandfather status by the end 2013.” …
The DOJ cites the June 17, 2010, edition of the Federal Register, which acknowledges that within the first year of Obamacare’s employer mandate, the insurance plans offered by many employers will be canceled because their policies will not be grandfathered under the administration’s regulations.
”The Departments’ mid-range estimate is that 66 percent of small-employer plans and 45 percent of large-employer plans will relinquish their grandfather status by the end of 2013,” the Register says. “The low-end estimates are for 49 percent and 34 percent of small and large-employer plans, respectively, to have relinquished grandfather status, and the high-end estimates are 80 percent and 64 percent, respectively.”
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Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars Funding Insurgents In Afghanistan
Data reveal that billions of American taxpayer dollars continue to fund questionable or openly corrupt contractors in Afghanistan. The findings underscore the inability of the American military to filter suspicious contractors from the thousands who work with the United States on a regular basis to build bases and transport supplies.
The New York Times reported that American investigators uncovered data surrounding the Zurmat Material Testing Laboratory, affiliated with the Zurmat Group, an Afghan company that “investigators say was paid to do work at an American-controlled facility in November 2012, despite having been blacklisted two months before by one part of the military for providing bomb-making materials to insurgents.”
This was brought to the attention of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel by the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction in a letter last week.
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The New York Times reported that American investigators uncovered data surrounding the Zurmat Material Testing Laboratory, affiliated with the Zurmat Group, an Afghan company that “investigators say was paid to do work at an American-controlled facility in November 2012, despite having been blacklisted two months before by one part of the military for providing bomb-making materials to insurgents.”
This was brought to the attention of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel by the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction in a letter last week.
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Air Force Minotaur Rocket Launching from Virginia November 19
The Minotaur will launch the Air Force's Operationally Responsive Space Office's ORS-3 mission, which features the deployment of 29 satellites in space.
The launch window is 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The backup launch days run through November 26.
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The DOJ’s Radical Civil Rights Division
Obama’s pick to helm the division seems to hew to a racialist view of civil rights.
President Obama’s last head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division was Thomas Perez, a highly controversial radical. Perez is now the secretary of the Department of Labor. (He was confirmed in July this year by a vote of only 54 to 46.) When looking to replace Perez at the DOJ, President Obama could have chosen to improve the Civil Rights Division — after all, the Justice Department’s own inspector general concluded in a report earlier this year that the division was guilty of “deep ideological polarization” and a “disappointing lack of professionalism.”
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President Obama’s last head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division was Thomas Perez, a highly controversial radical. Perez is now the secretary of the Department of Labor. (He was confirmed in July this year by a vote of only 54 to 46.) When looking to replace Perez at the DOJ, President Obama could have chosen to improve the Civil Rights Division — after all, the Justice Department’s own inspector general concluded in a report earlier this year that the division was guilty of “deep ideological polarization” and a “disappointing lack of professionalism.”
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Obamacare: The Final Nail In The Coffin For The Middle Class
If there were any shreds of hope left that the stunning decline of the middle class could be turned around, Obamacare has absolutely destroyed them. Over the past decade or so, the middle class in the United States has been absolutely eviscerated.
The number of working age Americans without a job has increased by 27 million since the year 2000, median household income in the U.S. has fallen for five years in a row, and the poverty numbers in this country are spiraling out of control. And now here comes Obamacare. As you will see below, Obamacare is causing millions of Americans to lose their current health insurance policies, it is causing health insurance premiums to explode to absolutely ridiculous levels, and it is systematically killing jobs even though the employer mandate has been delayed for a while. All of this is creating a tremendous amount of stress for millions of middle class families that are already stretched extremely thin financially. According to CNN, a survey that was conducted earlier this year found that 76 percent of all Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Most of those families simply cannot afford to pay much higher health insurance premiums for new policies that also come with much larger deductibles and significantly increased out-of-pocket costs. Millions of those families will ultimately end up choosing to do without health insurance altogether, and that will create a whole host of new problems. This is a disaster that is so enormous that it is really hard to put into words. If the U.S. health care system was a separate country, it would be the 6th largest economy on the entire globe all by itself. And now Obamacare is going to bring the entire U.S. health care system to its knees.
Obamacare: Since October 1st, The Number Of Americans With Health Insurance Has Fallen By Nearly 4 Million
Last week, Barack Obama decided to allow Americans to keep their current health insurance plans for one more year.
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The number of working age Americans without a job has increased by 27 million since the year 2000, median household income in the U.S. has fallen for five years in a row, and the poverty numbers in this country are spiraling out of control. And now here comes Obamacare. As you will see below, Obamacare is causing millions of Americans to lose their current health insurance policies, it is causing health insurance premiums to explode to absolutely ridiculous levels, and it is systematically killing jobs even though the employer mandate has been delayed for a while. All of this is creating a tremendous amount of stress for millions of middle class families that are already stretched extremely thin financially. According to CNN, a survey that was conducted earlier this year found that 76 percent of all Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Most of those families simply cannot afford to pay much higher health insurance premiums for new policies that also come with much larger deductibles and significantly increased out-of-pocket costs. Millions of those families will ultimately end up choosing to do without health insurance altogether, and that will create a whole host of new problems. This is a disaster that is so enormous that it is really hard to put into words. If the U.S. health care system was a separate country, it would be the 6th largest economy on the entire globe all by itself. And now Obamacare is going to bring the entire U.S. health care system to its knees.
Obamacare: Since October 1st, The Number Of Americans With Health Insurance Has Fallen By Nearly 4 Million
Last week, Barack Obama decided to allow Americans to keep their current health insurance plans for one more year.
More
Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds Critically Injured After Stabbed By Son: Report
Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds is in critical condition after he was stabbed at his home. Deeds' son Gus is dead from a gunshot wound, police told the Richmond Times-Dispatch Tuesday.
Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds is in critical condition after he was reportedly stabbed by his son Austin (Gus) Deeds Tuesday morning at his home in Bath County.
After attacking his father, the son, whose age is unknown, reportedly shot himself. He died from a gunshot wound, sources told WRC-TV.
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Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds is in critical condition after he was reportedly stabbed by his son Austin (Gus) Deeds Tuesday morning at his home in Bath County.
After attacking his father, the son, whose age is unknown, reportedly shot himself. He died from a gunshot wound, sources told WRC-TV.
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RON GEORGE STANDS WITH COMMON CORE PROTESTORS
Annapolis, Md. – In union with the Common Core protestors in Baltimore this morning, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron George has issued the following statement:
“I stand with today's protestors against Common Core and promise as Governor I will repeal this failure. Common Core is a federal mandate that takes away local say over education and dumbs down our standards even in high achieving schools. The O’Malley/Brown administration committed to Common Core before the official curriculum or testing were known. Now we know, and it is bad. The 10th Amendment was written to promote competition, making each state an incubator for ideas. I am calling on the O'Malley/Brown administration to back out of Common Core and keep the federal government from dictating lower standards for our Maryland schools.”
“I stand with today's protestors against Common Core and promise as Governor I will repeal this failure. Common Core is a federal mandate that takes away local say over education and dumbs down our standards even in high achieving schools. The O’Malley/Brown administration committed to Common Core before the official curriculum or testing were known. Now we know, and it is bad. The 10th Amendment was written to promote competition, making each state an incubator for ideas. I am calling on the O'Malley/Brown administration to back out of Common Core and keep the federal government from dictating lower standards for our Maryland schools.”
8th Annual Santas Workshop
The City of Salisbury Neighborhood Services & Code Compliance staff will be hosting the 8th Annual Santa’s Workshop on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 7pm.
Santa will be handing out gifts to children living in the Doverdale/Church St neighborhoods.
We are asking for toy donations for children ranging in age from newborn to 12 years old. Monetary donations will also be accepted and will be used to supplyrefreshments and gifts for the children.
Donations may be dropped off at the NSCC facility located at 501B E. Church Street.
Santa will be handing out gifts to children living in the Doverdale/Church St neighborhoods.
We are asking for toy donations for children ranging in age from newborn to 12 years old. Monetary donations will also be accepted and will be used to supplyrefreshments and gifts for the children.
Donations may be dropped off at the NSCC facility located at 501B E. Church Street.
THEFT SCHEME UNCOVERED BY OCPD OFFICERS
Timothy Lee Parks
On November 15, 2013 at approximately 10 a.m., Ocean City police conducted a traffic stop on Coastal Highway near 112th Street. The vehicle operator, later identified as Timothy Lee Parks, 23, of Berlin, MD, was found to be in possession of trace amounts of marijuana and approximately 50 hats, all of which still had price tags attached.
Further investigation by officers on the scene determined that Parks had stolen the hats from his place of employment over several months.
Parks was arrested and charged by Ocean City police with three counts of theft (less than $100), theft scheme ($1,000 – $10,000) and possession of marijuana (less than 10 grams). Parks was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and released on his own recognizance.
Thanksgiving Trash And Recycling Pickup
Public Notice: November 19, 2013
NOTICE
THERE WILL BE NO
TRASH and RECYCLING PICK UP
ON THURSDAY, NOV 28th
DUE TO THE
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
A Farm Bill In Name Only
To paraphrase a famous Mark Twain quote, suppose you passed a farm bill. And suppose you passed a food stamp bill. But I repeat myself.
Hard as it may be to believe, 80 percent of the farm bill being hammered out by the Senate and the House of Representatives is made up not of agriculture programs, but of food stamps. And if that sounds upside down to you, you clearly don’t live “inside the Beltway,” where Orwellian logic is the order of the day.
Why are food stamps rolled into the legislation? They’re included “purely from a political perspective,” Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, said earlier this year. “It helps get the farm bill passed.”
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Hard as it may be to believe, 80 percent of the farm bill being hammered out by the Senate and the House of Representatives is made up not of agriculture programs, but of food stamps. And if that sounds upside down to you, you clearly don’t live “inside the Beltway,” where Orwellian logic is the order of the day.
Why are food stamps rolled into the legislation? They’re included “purely from a political perspective,” Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, said earlier this year. “It helps get the farm bill passed.”
More
Toronto City Council Strips Mayor Rob Ford Of More Powers
Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford faced another setback Monday as the City Council voted to strip away many of his remaining powers in a heated council meeting.
Ford called the effort a “coup d’etat.”
The council voted overwhelming in a series of votes to cut Ford's office budget by 60 percent and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor. Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he would no longer chair the executive committee.
Ford retains his title and ability to represent Toronto at official functions.
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Ford called the effort a “coup d’etat.”
The council voted overwhelming in a series of votes to cut Ford's office budget by 60 percent and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor. Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he would no longer chair the executive committee.
Ford retains his title and ability to represent Toronto at official functions.
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Thus Spake Obama
The incompetence of our neo-monarchy
It is a condition of my admission to this great land that I am not allowed to foment the overthrow of the United States government. Oh, I signed it airily enough, but you’d be surprised, as the years go by, how often the urge to foment starts to rise in one’s gullet. Fortunately, at least as far as constitutional government goes, the president of the United States is doing a grand job of overthrowing it all by himself.
On Thursday, he passed a new law at a press conference. George III never did that. But, having ordered America’s insurance companies to comply with Obamacare, the president announced that he is now ordering them not to comply with Obamacare. The legislative branch (as it’s still quaintly known) passed a law purporting to grandfather your existing health plan. The regulatory bureaucracy then interpreted the law so as to un-grandfather your health plan. So His Most Excellent Majesty has commanded that your health plan be de-un-grandfathered. That seems likely to work. The insurance industry had three years to prepare for the introduction of Obamacare. Now the King has given them six weeks to de-introduce Obamacare.
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What's At Stake This Week For US In Afghanistan
America's future in Afghanistan will be decided this week – not in a boardroom or on the battlefield – but in a rare assembly of Afghan tribal elders, some practically barefoot, others too illiterate to read the agreement they'll be voting on.
It's called the BSA – short for Bilateral Security Agreement – and it will cover the military relationship between the United States and Afghanistan for the next 10 years.
The State Department, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the coalition of international armed forces led by the U.S. have agreed to a draft version, but in a surprise move, Karzai said he wouldn't sign it unless it "was approved by the Afghan people."
So he called a traditional "loya jirga," or meeting of tribal elders, to come to Kabul to debate and vote on it. That meeting will happen sometime between Nov 19-25 and last for a few days.
Afghan parliamentarians got a preview at what the document contains when they were briefed over the weekend by two officials who were privy to the full text.
The draft hasn't been released, but we got a sneak preview over the weekend:
More
It's called the BSA – short for Bilateral Security Agreement – and it will cover the military relationship between the United States and Afghanistan for the next 10 years.
The State Department, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the coalition of international armed forces led by the U.S. have agreed to a draft version, but in a surprise move, Karzai said he wouldn't sign it unless it "was approved by the Afghan people."
So he called a traditional "loya jirga," or meeting of tribal elders, to come to Kabul to debate and vote on it. That meeting will happen sometime between Nov 19-25 and last for a few days.
Afghan parliamentarians got a preview at what the document contains when they were briefed over the weekend by two officials who were privy to the full text.
The draft hasn't been released, but we got a sneak preview over the weekend:
More
Ted Cruz: Nation Divided Between Washington And Rest
The beleaguered Obamacare program is the best example of the huge rift between entrenched Washington politicians and the American people, Sen. Ted Cruz tells Newsmax.
The biggest rift in the country is not between Democrats and Republicans, he says, but between Washington and the rest of the country.
"There are a lot of politicians in Washington who just aren't listening to the American people — and people are frustrated," the Texas Republican said in an exclusive interview at the annual Restoration Weekend conference in Palm Beach, Fla.
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The biggest rift in the country is not between Democrats and Republicans, he says, but between Washington and the rest of the country.
"There are a lot of politicians in Washington who just aren't listening to the American people — and people are frustrated," the Texas Republican said in an exclusive interview at the annual Restoration Weekend conference in Palm Beach, Fla.
More
Brown Denies Being Behind Gansler Scandal Leaks
The lieutenant governor denied allegations that his campaign has gone negative in his bid to become the state's next governor on the set of 11 News on Sunday Morning.
From being snapped at a party where underage drinking was taking place to unpaid speeding tickets brought to light, Brown's closest competitor, Attorney General Doug Gansler, has been dogged by scandal in recent weeks.
Read more
Obamacare vs. The Dutiful
Hard-working Americans might wonder, “Why bother?”
President Obama is rather fond of presenting himself as a champion of the people — the only choice for the average citizens who, through “no fault of their own” and having “played by the rules,” are screwed over by a bleak and unjust system. Heroic language was a mainstay during his campaigns of 2008 and 2012, and it continues to be deployed today. “Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same,” argued Obama during the State of the Union in 2012. “It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no handouts, and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.” Through an ill-disguised desire to “fundamentally transform” the place, he would be the man to build that America.
Among those whom the president has explicitly deemed to be losing out “through no fault of their own” are illegal immigrants who were brought here as children, federal workers who were furloughed during the recent government shutdown, and “homeowners facing foreclosure.” Oddly enough, however, he has yet to mention the millions of responsible and admirable Americans who for years purchased health insurance on the individual market and who are now being thrown off their plans — through no fault of their own, of course, but by him and his central political achievement.
More
President Obama is rather fond of presenting himself as a champion of the people — the only choice for the average citizens who, through “no fault of their own” and having “played by the rules,” are screwed over by a bleak and unjust system. Heroic language was a mainstay during his campaigns of 2008 and 2012, and it continues to be deployed today. “Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same,” argued Obama during the State of the Union in 2012. “It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no handouts, and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.” Through an ill-disguised desire to “fundamentally transform” the place, he would be the man to build that America.
Among those whom the president has explicitly deemed to be losing out “through no fault of their own” are illegal immigrants who were brought here as children, federal workers who were furloughed during the recent government shutdown, and “homeowners facing foreclosure.” Oddly enough, however, he has yet to mention the millions of responsible and admirable Americans who for years purchased health insurance on the individual market and who are now being thrown off their plans — through no fault of their own, of course, but by him and his central political achievement.
More
Christmas Boat Parade
House GOP Leader Warns McAuliffe Over Executive Orders
Terry McAuliffe pledges to sign two executive orders on his first day as governor, but the leader of the GOP-controlled House of Delegates says the Democrat shouldn’t get too comfortable handing down edicts.
“Governor-elect McAuliffe has the ability to issue executive orders. This ability is not, however, an unlimited one,” House Speaker Bill Howell told Watchdog.org.
McAuliffe vowed to set a $100 gift cap on himself and his family, in response to the “gift gate” scandal that has embroiled Gov. Bob McDonnell.
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“Governor-elect McAuliffe has the ability to issue executive orders. This ability is not, however, an unlimited one,” House Speaker Bill Howell told Watchdog.org.
McAuliffe vowed to set a $100 gift cap on himself and his family, in response to the “gift gate” scandal that has embroiled Gov. Bob McDonnell.
More
SFD Calls For Service 11-18-13
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 19:05:15Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 17:58:22Nature: Pi AccidentAddress: 2416 N Salisbury Blvd Salisbury, MD 21801
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 17:58:14Nature: Pi AccidentCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 16:30:52Nature: Medical AssistAddress: N Salisbury Blvd and priscilla St Salisbury, MD 21801
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 16:01:01Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 15:59:14Nature: Pi AccidentCity: Delmar
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 15:21:48Nature: Assault EmsCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 14:45:56Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 12:36:45Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 12:14:10Nature: Delayed AmbulanceAddress: 200 Civic Ave Salisbury, MD 21801
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 11:53:21Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 11:39:02Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 10:15:41Nature: Syncopal EpisodeCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 10:00:31Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 09:43:48Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 05:54:52Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Monday November, 18 2013 @ 04:03:15Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
RON GEORGE ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING MANUFACTURING IN MARYLAND
Maryland’s dead last ranking for manufacturing is unacceptable says George
Annapolis, Md. – Today’s Baltimore Sun report, showing Maryland manufacturing job losses outpacing most of the country, is further proof why Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron George has made manufacturing job growth a central piece of his Maryland Jobs and Economic Development Plan.
“The O’Malley/Brown administration has abandoned the working man at the time when manufacturing companies are relocating back to the US and looking for a hard working, well-educated workforce.” George remarked. “Our progressive tax system, from the sky high property tax rates in Baltimore City to the equipment tax that is four times the national average, has positioned Maryland as the worst state in the country for manufacturing.”
According to a recent Tax Foundation study, Maryland is ranked 46th in the country for new labor intensive manufacturing firms and is ranked dead last for new capital intensive manufacturing firms. “
Manufacturing accounts for a significant percentage of new jobs for workers with less education and experience in the workforce,” George said. “I am working to reform education in our urban centers to direct and expose our young people towards careers requiring a trade or specialized certification.”
Ron George’s Maryland Jobs and Economic Development Plan brings a specific set of initiatives to each region of the state in order to maximize the infrastructure, education and natural resources already in each those areas.
Annapolis, Md. – Today’s Baltimore Sun report, showing Maryland manufacturing job losses outpacing most of the country, is further proof why Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron George has made manufacturing job growth a central piece of his Maryland Jobs and Economic Development Plan.
“The O’Malley/Brown administration has abandoned the working man at the time when manufacturing companies are relocating back to the US and looking for a hard working, well-educated workforce.” George remarked. “Our progressive tax system, from the sky high property tax rates in Baltimore City to the equipment tax that is four times the national average, has positioned Maryland as the worst state in the country for manufacturing.”
According to a recent Tax Foundation study, Maryland is ranked 46th in the country for new labor intensive manufacturing firms and is ranked dead last for new capital intensive manufacturing firms. “
Manufacturing accounts for a significant percentage of new jobs for workers with less education and experience in the workforce,” George said. “I am working to reform education in our urban centers to direct and expose our young people towards careers requiring a trade or specialized certification.”
Ron George’s Maryland Jobs and Economic Development Plan brings a specific set of initiatives to each region of the state in order to maximize the infrastructure, education and natural resources already in each those areas.