A few words on the recent passing of a great American and Republican, President Gerald Ford. As all-American as you can get, Mr. Ford was a leader of destiny as important to history as Ronald Reagan and FDR in his own way. If a lesser man had succeeded Richard Nixon in the White House, the damage to the country could have been far greater. And without the Ford Presidency, and the Carter disaster that the 1976 electorate chose when confronted with that choice, Ronald Reagan could not have arrived at the precise moment of destiny in 1980. This despite the late realization at the 1976 Republican convention that Reagan was clearly the leader called for by world events. Everything happens for a reason, and for reasons unknown to us, 1976 was not to be the year that Reagan would become president. Underappreciated for his economic policy and demonstrated commitment to racial equality, Mr. Ford's brief term is now receiving a well-deserved reevaluation.

The Washington Post continues to lose credibility. Recent weeks have found the Montgomery County Government placing huge ad buys in the Montgomery Extra published on Thursdays. The question is, does paying the Post massive amounts of our taxpayer dollars help ensure the continued puff-piece, lovefest coverage of the Montgomery County Government and its Democratic elected officials?

Remember the Post's Ahab-like quest to defeat Hugo Chavez in Venezuela? The latest economic news from Venezuela is positive: consumer spending is up, as is use of consumer credit. Ownership society; the Post can't stand it.

Democrats have an early Christmas gift for you. It's called a regional tax. For those who enjoy paying taxes to the County, the State of Maryland, and the Federal Government, as well as existing taxes on gas, cell phones, restaurant take-out, etc., you may now have a new tax to pay.

Regional taxes are a new concept supported by liberal Democrats, but surprisingly, also by a Republican leader in the Maryland Senate(!). A handful of states have this new type of tax, and it is simply a new way to rob the taxpayer of more money to funnel to the special interests. Democrats in Virginia have been hinting at such a tax all year. Now the wallet vacuum is heading this way, as Maryland legislators are floating a regional tax trial balloon in their party organ newspapers such as the Post and Gazette.

That trial balloon should burst like the fantasy that Democrats are helping the poor. The regional tax is a horrifically bad idea, and yet another Democratic flat tax on the poor. And the idea that some parts of Maryland don't want to pay for transportation projects in the D.C. and Baltimore areas... If there is a natural disaster in Ocean City or out west, our tax dollars will pay the bills. And I have no problem supporting transportation projects in those counties with our tax dollars. In fact, my transportation plan would have built projects across the state. Everyone needs to realize that we are in this together; that's why we all pay State taxes. So there is no need for a new regional tax. Just a need for budget discipline in Annapolis and Rockville.

Thanks for sticking around. I've been busy the last few weeks and haven't had time to post here, but there is plenty to write about. In addition, as a new member of the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee, I attended the state convention in Annapolis on December 1st and 2nd. As you have heard, we elected a new chairman, Jim Pelura of Anne Arundel County. They seem to know how to get out the vote there. Just ask John Leopold or Don Dwyer. It's an honor to represent Republicans in District 16 on the Central Committee. You have trusted me with your vote. I take this very seriously and hope to serve you well over the next four years.

It's been quite a start for the new county and state governments. All indications are that the poor and the middle class will find their cost of living going up over the next four years. Gas taxes are being proposed, in addition to the Democrats' already-proposed bill to raise taxes on the poor for a partial health plan in 2007. In another unbelievable report, Metro is planning to hit the average working person with massive fare increases on bus and subway transit. Up to $2 on the daily Metro fare, when it's already too expensive. This is no way to increase ridership. Metro is out of control and clearly is suffering from poor leadership, operations, and planning. Currently, transit is heading in the opposite direction from the advances I had talked about during my campaign. We need to lower fares and unify our fare system, not force the poor and middle class back into cars.

This and other existing problems, and the apparent worsening of them under our new elected officials, require action on behalf of the citizen. In addition to my work on the Central Committee, I will also be an independent advocate for the issues I campaigned on. More details on that forthcoming.

Other interesting facts: 5 million less people shopped on the day after Thanksgiving, but those who did bought more than last year. That says to me that the rich got richer, in another true cliche. The Washington Post also argued against no-document loans that help people afford homeownership and criticized the Venezuelan government for policies that allow the less wealthy to afford nice automobiles. These absurd attacks both represent a continued assault on the "ownership society" here and abroad by the left. Imagine, the Post criticizing the ability of people in a less-wealthy society to own a car. Extreme arrogance.

The Washington Post continues to boggle the mind. In 48 hours last week, the Post went from celebrating the Baker-Hamilton report as the plan for the future (and a defeat for George W. Bush) to attacking the report and essentially offering weak support for the current Bush position. Then an editorial speaks well of Pinochet's economic legacy and blasts Fidel Castro. Check that masthead. Is this the Post or the Times?

Finally, could that new, conservative Washington Post be any more irrelevant? After felling many a paper-providing tree and much ink to defeat President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, he won in a landslide in a free, fair election. Again. Clearly Chavez is the choice of the majority in Venezuela, and we're just left to wonder why Chavez is such a concern to the Washington Post company and its corporate empire.