Clean Cars. This law requires you to get a car wash every week, doesn't it? Wrong. It's a piece of legislation so far out of left field that it must have been hit out of the park by a steroid-enhanced baseball player. If anyone wondered why I was quoted in the Sentinel newspaper saying that our Montgomery County delegation to Annapolis shares the values of the extreme left, you understand now.

Intoxicated with the hubris and power that result from an election victory of absurd proportions and decades of one-party, monopoly rule, Democrats at all levels of government are going for broke. Off the deep end. And off their rockers.

And there is who else but Brian Frosh, handing down yet another edict from on high. Here's what Mr. Frosh has in store for you:

1. Elimination of your right to own a full size van or large Sport Utility Vehicle. And that's even if you have a large family and need the extra seats! Move out of the state, Mr. Frosh will tell you, you're just part of the auto industry.

2. A whopping $3000 increase in the price of your next automobile. Not a misprint. That's what Martin O'Malley means by fighting for working families, I guess.

And this, combined with the new gas taxes Ike Leggett and state Democrats want, will certainly help working families, right? Only if you failed elementary school math.

Here is a piece of legislation that appears to have been crafted by a card-carrying Communist, or someone who thinks Al Gore is the source of all knowledge in the universe.

What I want to know is, why doesn't the extreme left ever put their money where their mouth is on "clean cars?" Specifically, why don't they use the monopoly power they hold to legislate tax credits that will make hybrid vehicles available to those working families they always talk about?

Instead, they punish the poor and middle class, and the owners of the auto dealerships in our state who are also residents. It's outrageous. They simply want to limit your ability to own a private vehicle and maximize their tax treasure chest to grow government and their power to ever greater proportions. This was revealed recently in the Washington Post's criticism of government policies in Venezuela that allow the less wealthy to own a nice car. They believe the poor should ride the bus, while they ride in limos and on chartered jets provided by your tax dollars and the special interests. And then they come out with hogwash like this legislation. They have been in power all along; if there's an environmental crisis, they are responsible and should be held accountable. Don't pass the buck to the poor. Strange how Bob Ehrlich was the only one to actually do something to help the environment. All the Democrats have done is talk for decades.

Somewhere along the way, Brian Frosh and the extreme left in the Democratic party lost the idea that public servants serve the public. They truly believe, as exemplified by their very actions, that the public serves the elected official. The public is the servant of government, according to this concept. And Mr. Frosh and his gang expect your full compliance with this new edict. Are you ready to serve them?

A major victory has been won in the culture wars this week. The flag of Western Civilization has been planted atop the headquarters of WETA FM, Washington's "new" classical music station. Of course, WETA was the "old" classical music station until it was taken over by activists who jettisoned the format for a 24 hour leftist propaganda broadcast. It continued for several years until a combination of public humiliation and low-key threats from Capitol Hill forced the station to make a very painful return to actual public radio functions.

The rejection of its role as a musical arts resource for the public - whose tax dollars fund the station - ironically, was the downfall of its new rebel radio format. Even when listeners fled, and took their financial contributions with them, the NPR shock troops at WETA stood fast and refused to acknowledge their shameful actions. Finally, the financial pressure was joined by the usually liberal Marc Fisher of the Washington Post, who wrote a number of columns on the station's outrageous shunning of its cultural and educational obligations.

Holed up in WETA's headquarters, the NPR forces covered their ears and continued to broadcast hour of hour of far-left journalism and newsmagazines that, well, just all sound the same. Then, admirable members of Congress weighed in, strongly hinting that if WETA would continue to operate as a private, for-profit station that duplicated other NPR outlets in town, then it would have to become a private station. And that meant no more public money. Oops! We made a mistake, WETA's honchos said this week, and radio listeners tuning in for another dose of Bush-bashing, the sky is falling, new-values ranting and raving crashed head on into the genius of J.S. Bach.

That's got to hurt. But I'm not feeling their pain. Even before the NPR format switch, WETA had dropped many programs from its schedule, and I had complained to the station about this in the mid-90s. Add the absence of classical music on radio to the slashing of music programs in our county middle schools, and you have two great examples of the ever-advancing assault on Western Civilization. With no opportunity to hear classical music, how will new generations enjoy and appreciate it? That's exactly the brilliant idea the anti-culture forces had. On this particular issue, they have suffered a serious setback, and WETA has gone from blue to red on the radio dial. You will now find classical music back on the air, and as before, the playlist has a depth and variety that far surpasses WGMS, which was always a "Top 40" kind of classical station. If you were a listener, this was a refreshing victory. Now, if they would just bring back those old programs...

It's a "time of great peril" indeed. Martin O'Malley, as usual, found eloquent words to describe the beginning of a new era in Maryland. One that will involve higher taxes, bigger government, and greater control over our lives. Prepare for a Bill Clinton-style speech in 2008 about how they've examined every other option, and now we'll have to raise your taxes. Anybody remember that classic? In a weepy voice, no less. "I worked harder than I've ever worked on anything in my life," and I've concluded we must raise taxes, he said. Vintage.

Our Republican counterparts in Virginia have apparently pulled a Benedict Arnold, and jumped ship from the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan to get aboard the S.S. Tax And Spend. They will find that after discarding the most basic Republican - American - values of limited government and less taxes, that Captain Kaine and Virginia voters will make them walk the plank this November anyway. That's what happens when you sell out your beliefs simply to get reelected.

Republicans in Maryland had best not follow suit. Joining the tax and spend crowd in Annapolis is a recipe for total destruction. The amount of wasteful spending I found in my own audit of only part of our County school system simply boggles the mind. Our State government does not need to get any bigger. And what of the liberals who say that only a woman can make decisions about her body, not the government? Those same liberals are now mandating a forced vaccination of every female student in the state of Maryland with a fairly new vaccine. The arguments about that particular vaccine aside, I just find it fascinating that the same people who say government has no business in a woman's health decision can turn around and forcibly vaccinate those same women, possibly against their will.

And, finally, Mr. O'Malley said it best: We are in "a time of great peril." Not just in Maryland, but internationally. China has just flexed its military muscle, and now we are under the threat of any vital satellite being shot out of the sky by Beijing. I would hope for a firm response and plan of action by President Bush. And, clearly, 2008 is no time to turn our national security over to an inexperienced, Democratic media celebrity. The times call for a strong Republican leader whom the American people can trust to protect us and our national interests. And we need no more convincing argument for a major increase in our defense budget and in the size of our military forces. Even as the Democratic Congress moves in outrageous fashion to risk the lives of our troops, we need to ensure that our military grows in size and has world class equipment and quality of life. Anything less, and we surely will find our nation in "great peril."

Breaking news for those who supported Democrats in the November 7 election. You're not getting what you voted for. Entering office with a "mandate" from the citizens, Democratic politicians are already throwing their supporters' pet projects overboard. Remember the issue of eliminating portable classrooms? And the save-our-election plan put forward by the 2006 County Council and Dr. Weast that would supposedly phase out those dangerous trailers? Not going to happen, according to County Executive Ike Leggett.

How about this one: the "Geographic Index" for the Thornton Plan? Gone, says incoming Governor-elect Martin O'Malley. That was the most talked about promise of every Democratic candidate in Montgomery County. Every reporter asked me about that in every campaign interview. Every endorsement questionnaire asked my position on it. Now, the Geographic Index is a new spending mandate at a time when the budget is going to be tighter. And it funnels money from Montgomery and other counties to irresponsibly run schools in Baltimore without reforming the operation of those schools. But Democrats and a fair number of independents voted for it, and it's surprising to find out that Democratic officials are going back on their promise.

Compounding this news in recent days was a surprising attack by new Democratic Council Member Marc Elrich on what could be described as a sacred cow in Southwest Montgomery County: the BCC Rescue Squad. Yes, you heard that right: a politician attacking the BCC Rescue Squad in the Washington Post. And apparently hell has not frozen over. The Rescue Squad happens to be one of the most respected and valuable institutions in our community, and is primarily funded by donations. Mr. Elrich says it should stop its long-established service to NW Washington, or also serve the entire Montgomery and D.C. area. Now, if I was having a heart attack in Clarksburg or SE Washington, why would I call an ambulance headquartered in Bethesda? I'm still waiting for public reaction to Mr. Elrich's broadside against the BCC squad and it will be interesting to hear.

Trivia question: If Cuba's lauded healthcare system is so outstanding, why does Fidel Castro need a doctor from Spain?

Washington Post embarrassment of the day: Massive headline in Metro claims O'Malley to offer millions for schools. Inside, near the end of the article, it admits that O'Malley has dropped the centerpiece of the school funding plan: the Geographic Index. The Post continues to provide the poor journalism and party organ functions we know and expect.

Help me welcome back Douglas Tallman to the legislative coverage in the Gazette. After essentially going on vacation during the election season, and thereby failing to cover the District races in Montgomery County, Mr. Tallman has a tremendous amount of catching up to do. Perhaps the other reporters who were called away from their usual assignments to cover Mr. Tallman's beat can be of assistance in that.

Meanwhile, in the Washington Post, Marc Fisher continues to pontificate from on high about Washington D.C. Given a front page piece in Sunday's Outlook, he chose parked cars and litter as two critical issues for Mayor Fenty to concentrate on. With all of the serious, life and death matters Mr. Fenty has before him, those hardly seem like issues of import. And Mike Musgrove provided a column extolling the superiority of XBox 360 over the Playstation 3. Just one problem: Microsoft is one of many corporate interests financially intertwined with the Post. And it just happens to manufacture the XBox 360. Hmm.

Finally, no sooner has Gerald Ford passed than we encounter another significant American: Evel Knievel. In a front-page story in yesterday's USA Today, the paper's top sports columnist, Jon Saraceno, caught up with a depleted Knievel who suffers from multiple medical problems. But what an icon. I still remember my plastic Evel Knievel costume and the toys. Today's "extreme sports" do not compare. If Evel Knievel couldn't do it, it couldn't be done. If it seems impossible, you try your best anyway. And if you fail spectacularly, you don't quit; you try it again. Those are American ideals embodied by Evel Knievel.

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.

Robert Dyer voters can give thanks that they are on the record voting against high electricity bills and higher taxes on the poor. My opponents haven't even been sworn in again yet, and two of the things I spoke out against during the campaign are already happening.

First, Pepco rates are going up. Again. That's not a misprint, Pepco is raising your rates again. There's no competition, and now there certainly won't be with Delegates Bronrott, Lee, and Goldwater back in office.

Second, the health care partial plan that doesn't cover everyone - and raises taxes on the poor to pay for it(!) - is one of the first pieces of legislation that will come before the new General Assembly.

Clearly, the poor and elderly are two of the biggest losers in this election; they now get to pay higher utility bills and higher taxes. Imagine, raising taxes on the poor for a plan that won't cover them. And they say Democrats tax the rich to help the poor? Not in Maryland. Meanwhile, my universal health insurance access plan and other initiatives to help the poor and middle class have been tabled as the status quo emerged temporarily victorious in the election.

The Washington Post and Gazette are biased. We knew that. But what we found out during this election is that the Post and Gazette are irrelevant. Non factors. Despite their desperate endorsements, many of their candidates lost. Their positions on the ballot questions were overridden by the ones listed on the Democratic Party's sample ballot (I've already given my analysis of the success of that sample ballot at the polls in a previous entry, although I'll have updates on that in the future).

We also found out that this is not the Post we knew. There are serious questions about the editorial and reporting staff at the paper. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that Bob Woodward continues to associate his name with the Post. The reporters do not return voice mails. I'm serious. Ann Marimow alone was contacted by my campaign 5 times since August, and has never once returned a voice mail or email. The Post never covered the unprecedented story of 3 members of the same family running for office on the same ballot. That is simply unbelievable. They didn't even cover the General Assembly races. When you consider the puff pieces and filth that the Metro section is usually comprised of, there is no excuse for the lack of coverage of my campaign.

Then there is the ethical question of the downright lies that were printed in the endorsements. It's one thing to not endorse us, but there is absolutely no reason or justification for lying about us. Specifically, I was lumped together with my Republican running mates as having a "thin agenda." That is a lie. That is preposterous. Visit my website and read my massive agenda, with more details than any other candidate in Maryland ever offered in this election. The Washington Post lied, period. When I called one of the editors, he had no credible explanations, mostly just giggles. So, we are definitely dealing with a new type of editorial and journalistic standard at the Post.

I was upset about the lies and lack of coverage at the time, and wrote a letter to the Editor. Which they didn't print. I knew they wouldn't. But after the results came in, I realized there's not any reason to be upset - the Post is irrelevant. Irrelevant. And the Gazette is irrelevant. Irrelevant. It serves them right for trying to change the outcome of the election.

Not an encouraging start to the process of rebuilding the Republican Party at any level this week. In addition, there are still many in denial about what went wrong in the election. Karl Rove is the most prominent of these, and the fact is that his strategy failed. The "Democrats are weak on terrorism" argument just didn't work. And, again, the tidal wave explanation is not supported by the results. Many Republicans were reelected. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Tom Davis. Not exactly conservative territory, California and Northern Virginia. Bob Corker won in Tennessee. Was there a tidal wave in all three of those states? It takes more than annoying phone calls to get people out to vote. It takes at least one volunteer at each polling place handing out Republican sample ballots. It takes a compelling, inclusive message and agenda, not the divisive tactics of recent years. And it takes a state Party that supports the candidates strategically and financially. Just ask the Democrats.

It is notable that many of the new Democrats who won nationally were relatively moderate or even conservative. So our base is still there. The Reagan Democrats are still there. Where we didn't win, people have to admit that they didn't get out the vote, and didn't make the case for why Democrats should cross over. With zero help from our state Party, I was able to do this on a very small scale. Here is the latest article about a Republican who did this on a very large scale, who I've been referring to all year, and who Republicans in Maryland could learn a lot from:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - a Republican - Wins

Ken Mehlman has the right idea - step down. In my lifetime, I can't recall an election in Montgomery County where every Republican lost. The strategy was a complete failure. To paraphrase Governor Ehrlich, microtargeting is bunk. The architects behind this strategy should be held accountable. I can tell you that as a candidate, we had no support from Annapolis or the national party. Now it's time those people were held accountable. It's time to step down.

We had only our most diehard precinct chairs at their posts. Democrats were laughing at me all day, when the subject of Republican volunteers at the polls came up. Angry, determined Democrats were passing me all day as they stomped into the polling places. I managed to obtain a Democratic sample ballot. Paid for by the state Democratic party, these easy to use guides were handed out at the polls and had an edition for each district. The bad news is, Republicans weren't handing out sample ballots. The even worse news is, we had a sample ballot but never utilized it! I know because my brother created it! The state Party never stepped up to the plate. All funds were directed to Ehrlich, Steele, and favored candidates. All of whom lost, by the way. I find the approval of even the most nonsensical ballot questions followed the answers given in that Democratic sample ballot. So obviously, those ballots affected the outcome. The psychological effect alone of not having someone at least handing out a ballot at each polling place was clearly demonstrated. I'm skeptical of the benefit of literature at the polling place; rarely does anyone stop at those now-disappearing tables and most have made up their mind already. I think it would be sufficient to have the information neatly summarized on a sample ballot. It seemed to work well for the Democrats. We need to have at least one person handing out such a ballot at each polling place.

Besides microtargeting, we heard much about volunteers and volunteers who would sweep into Montgomery County on Election Day from out-of-state. And they would "bring out the base!" Anytime now, guys.

The Republican Party is now totally irrelevant in Montgomery County until 2010. I can't think of a more compelling argument for a new direction. It will be days or weeks before the full data can be analyzed as to who came out to vote, but I can tell you a bit about one of a number of groups supporting me. They are comprised of Republicans, Reagan Democrats, and Independents. People who, when you mention the Republican Party, think of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Leaders who knew what was great about this country and this Party. Who were more concerned with breaking down walls than building new ones. Who knew that everyone had to have stake in the outcome in order to preserve our nation. The divisive tactics of recent years have been an utter failure. The number of Latinos voting for Republicans was essentially halved in this election. Ironically, Latinos, African-Americans, Asians, and other ethnic groups share the essence of our true Republican values of family, ownership societies, and market economics. We must return to those values. Without, importantly, sacrificing other values such as the defense of life and our Constitutional rights, as some desperate opportunists are recommending in recent days. We've got to respectfully make the case that we represent a majority in this county and this state, however hard that may be to believe after Tuesday.

I was able to bring out small numbers of this group and many other groups through my own hard work. Often they were not touched -and certainly not motivated - by party efforts. What could we have accomplished had the state and national parties used a real strategy and, most importantly, not sacrificed the rest of us for the financial benefit of a few campaigns?

"We were hit by a tidal wave!" "It's all Bush's fault!" Hogwash. If so, how were Tom Davis, Frank Wolf, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other Republicans reelected? It's time for the leaders of this debacle, this catastrophe, to stop the excuses, be accountable, and step down.

Thank you to all who voted for me! Your support is much appreciated. I have enjoyed meeting all of you as I went door-to-door for the last three months, and at the many events. Thank you for your votes, putting out signs, and telling others about my campaign. Your support gave me the energy to keep campaigning until the last hour. I rang my final doorbell as the sun was setting Monday evening, and picked up a final vote. There will be much more to write about, but I thought it was important to thank all of you right away. There were problems with turnout statewide, but no problems with my supporters: all of you came out to vote for Robert Dyer, and I am honored to have your vote. So this is just my first chance to thank you here. And those of you who voted for my dad, he equally appreciates your support.

Jack Palance said it best: "Believe it... or not." The Marilyn Goldwater misinformation campaign continues. The facts: Ms. Goldwater missed 18 days of the 2006 session. Contrary to her assertion in the Potomac Almanac, she did miss votes. Including a critical vote on the ICC. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, certainly you would agree that the ICC is a major issue. She has been absent on the campaign trail. I've been at the events; she wasn't there. This is not a Republican issue. Many Democrats supported Reggie Oldak in the primary. The Washington Post endorsed Ms. Oldak over Ms. Goldwater. Ms. Goldwater was criticized by several respected Democrats, including former District 17 Delegate Cheryl Kagan. Ms. Kagan said in August: "We're troubled by her attendance record."

The Gazette lost credibility by endorsing Ms. Goldwater for reelection. They understated her legislative and campaign absences. They said she has assured voters that she won't be absent during the next session. How did she assure voters when she never appears in public? Why does the Gazette accept her word as fact, when those of us who have actively campaigned know that she has been missing all year? That says a lot about the editorial standards of the Gazette. If a politician is accused of a crime, will the Gazette accept his or her word as well? Without corroborating evidence, or interviewing other sources?

The Gazette's endorsement of Ms. Goldwater has stained its journalistic and civic credentials, and is an insult to our community's intelligence. The community should also know that the Gazette did not interview any of Ms. Goldwater's Republican challengers for possible endorsement. They don't know the candidates or what they stand for. When you don't know the candidates in the race, you can't make an authoritative, credible endorsement. Their endorsements are based on some other arbitrary criteria. Consider that after Knapp's Clarksburg, and yet another recent Knapp scandal just weeks ago, they endorsed Mike Knapp over Scott in District 2. They did not interview Scott for possible endorsement either. Much like my opponents, Mr. Knapp's votes relate directly to his financial contributors. It boggles the mind. Now it is revealed that Mr. Knapp, and others, pay the teachers union to get on the apple ballot. Imagine, politicians buying an endorsement and then claiming it represents teachers. Outrageous. What an insult to hard working, underpaid teachers in our county.

This all shows why you, the voter, should take time to read the voters guides and websites to make your own decisions. So many "endorsements" are a sham and a farce, and represent the special interests that work behind the scenes. Whatever your choice, please do vote on November 7. This is an historic election that will change our future.

Keep that copy of the editorial page from this week's Gazette. If Marilyn Goldwater is reelected and we end up with only 2 of our 3 votes until 2010, the Gazette will be a national laughingstock, like our transportation system. And Jack Palance wants a copy too. It will be on display in the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum.

As we await the Washington Post's endorsement decisions for District 16, consider the newspaper's previous comments on the Goldwater situation:

"DISTRICT 16: Of five Democratic candidates, we recommend two energetic and
knowledgeable incumbents, William A. Bronrott and Susan C. Lee . For the third seat, now held by veteran Marilyn R. Goldwater, we endorse Regina "Reggie" Oldak. Over the years, Ms. Goldwater has served admirably, especially on health-care issues, but in the last year she was unable to engage in key legislative activities and in this campaign appears to have lost some of her longtime supporters."

-The Washington Post, Sunday, September 10, 2006; Page B06

Vote for the first name on your ballot: Robert F. Dyer!

Nathan Landow. A Marilyn Goldwater contributor. And builder of many high rises I've been to during this campaign. Including what is supposed to be his greatest triumph, the Promenade. But today, I was at the humbly named Landow Building to be interviewed by the BCC Chamber of Commerce PAC along with Mike and Angela. When I arrived, they were already in the lobby and our Democratic opponents were still in the Eagle Bank boardroom. When the doors opened, Bill Bronrott stopped to greet us coordially. "The whole team's here!," he said. In contrast, Marilyn Goldwater was absent on the Democrats' team, as was my father's opponent, Brian Frosh.

When we went in, there were 12 members around the large table, easily the largest panel I've sat before in this campaign. There is a spectacular view of downtown Bethesda from the 12th floor, and towering construction cranes swung around in the near distance. So it was quite an appropriate backdrop to discuss the issues with the Chamber PAC panel.

The new Gazette is out today too, and has a profile of my father for the State Senate race. Strangely, events are few these weeks, but I've been too busy on my campaign anyway. Aside from my strategy in the final weeks, I'm waiting to read what the Post and Gazette will do with their District 16 delegate endorsements given the Goldwater situation. Their decisions will be quite revealing in regards to their civic role in the community and to their journalistic integrity precisely because of that Goldwater reality and its implications for our District for the next four years. Vote for Robert Dyer!

It was a slugfest at the Friendship Heights Village Center Monday night. Howard Denis vs. Roger Berliner for the District 1 council seat. In contrast to the mild-mannered draw at Westland weeks ago, both candidates were in fighting shape. Robin Ficker was exiting the Village Center as I entered, and he handed me a business card.

Mr. Berliner, in a contrast to his search for Common Ground on public access TV, emphasized his Democratic credentials. Mr. Denis spoke of his bipartisan cooperation and impressive voting record on the council. As I have previously noted here, Mr. Denis finished his latest term in strong fashion. It seemed that every significant action by the council was associated with his name, from mansionization to the successful resolution of the Seven Locks episode.

This year, Howard Denis has been the east coast version of Gov. Schwarzenegger, focusing on getting things done instead of partisan politics. This gave great weight to his arguments Monday night, along with a slew of endorsements by organizations that don't usually endorse Republicans. As he said, "Roger, all of the groups that endorsed you last time, have endorsed me!"

Mr. Berliner got some jabs in regarding developer contributions and those George Bush arguments popular with Democrats this year. But Mr. Denis was at the top of his game, in front of his home crowd, and was able to counter with his Neighbors PAC endorsement frequently. Able to list his accomplishments for Friendship Heights, including the reopening of the new Giant, Mr. Denis made a strong case for his record and reelection. He also had some jabs of his own, in return for what he referred to as Berliner's "sleazy" attacks. Mr. Denis recalled his previous collaboration with Ike Leggett on the council, and potential to work with him as County Executive, and then pointed out that Mr. Berliner had backed Leggett's opponent, Steve Silverman. And that Berliner had contributed $500 to Republican Roy Blunt. Mr. Berliner did a good job himself, but was unable to compete with a reinvigorated Howard Denis, passionate about his public service on the council and his accomplishments.

I congratulated Mr. Denis on his debate victory afterward, and he said "good luck to you" on my campaign. In the corridor, one man said to me, "I know who you are, I've read all about you." Hopefully it was positive! I was puzzled by newspaper editorials criticizing Mr. Denis for his focus on constituent service. Is that a bad thing? Anytime I've ever contacted his office about a problem, I've received a phone call in response within 24 hours. That's what officials should do, and I certainly would follow the Howard Denis example if I am elected.

Brrrr. I can't really feel the keys as I'm typing this. That's how cold it was at the Taste of Bethesda today. The turnout was surprisingly good, given the morning monsoons that preceded it. I got one of the last rooftop spaces in the Woodmont garage and started making the rounds in my VOTE DYER shirt. Along with my umbrella, I carried some literature and a sign I made with magic markers in a plastic bag. Where I thought they'd be safe from the rain. Unfortunately, I left my jacket at home and didn't realize how cold it would be until I was walking over from Woodmont. After 12:00, I headed over to Union Jack's for Mike's event, but I think I missed it. I also missed Kendel Ehrlich, but where was Bob Ehrlich? It's only the biggest event in Bethesda, and Martin O'Malley was there, so it wasn't a good idea not to visit.

Fortunately, we had future U.S. President, and current U.S. Senate candidate, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. But before he arrived, I headed over to Chevy Chase Cars for the Come Back to Bethesda car show. And to take advantage of the heated showroom. They had some of the greatest cars of all time there. (Skip ahead to the next paragraph if you find cars boring). Including a 2002 Camaro SS, which was the best Camaro since the 80s. It was red with the white stripes and "nostrils" on the hood, Corvette engine, and with the convertible top. Directly in front of it was a classic Camaro SS, also a red convertible. The great-grandfather and
great grandson, so to speak, which made for a clever display. Other standouts were the underrated 70s Caprice, a Buick Grand National, and a Fiero GT. The Pontiac Fiero was the exotic sports car with the engine behind the driver and a rather infamous habit of spontaneously bursting into flames in the 1980s. So what car did I vote for as best in show?

Sorry, but I have a soft spot for Monte Carlos. This one was a circa 1976 model in pea green. With whitewall tires, and white vinyl roof. The picture was sharper on my phone. But what a great car, a true classic. I have to say that the most exciting car on the premises wasn't an entry in the show but a brand new, black Corvette. This has to be the ultimate car you can buy besides the Dodge Viper. But far more luxurious, sophisticated, and civilized than the Viper. It has four, count them, four tailpipes and is a veritable artwork of automotive sculpture. But, as Ronald Reagan would say, "OK, back to work!"

I headed back over to the Taste of Bethesda and suddenly found that my fingers had black ink on them. And it was raining again. So I managed to get a lot of the ink off with a hand wipe, and looking like a fingerprinted escapee, I opened my umbrella. Angela was on her way back to the car show, where she was volunteering, and she said that Michael Steele would be there at 1:45.
Realizing that my inky bag would get on everything, and that my fliers were a lost cause in the rain, I decided to make the long, cold walk back to the garage to drop them off. Then my umbrella blew inside-out. At the garage by this time, people are circling, uttering that classic parking mantra, "Are you leaving?" Then I went back over to wait for Michael Steele.

Back at Chevy Chase Cars, Katie Parsley of the Steele campaign and State Senate candidate Dave Stegmaier were out front. I went back in to warm up and when I came back out, there was a crowd forming. With a Steele sticker on my shirt, I crossed the street with the group and the Steele campaign bus appeared southbound on Wisconsin Avenue. The crowd began chanting, and soon enough, Michael Steele himself emerged from the bus, wearing a Weather Channel-style jacket with a Steele logo instead. He greeted everyone, and we began to walk towards the Taste of Bethesda. Pointing to the words on my shirt, he said, "Vote Dyer... I love it!!," and clapped me on the back.

I was already as big of a supporter of Michael Steele as is humanly possible, but it was exciting to see the enthusiasm of people as he made his way around the event. I've never witnessed a Republican with this level of popularity in our Democratic state of Maryland. People of all ages and races were stepping forward to express their support and ask him to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Everyone wants to know where the puppy from the ads is, and a lot of people with O'Malley and other Democratic stickers were Steele supporters as well. Steele Democrats, as they say. Speaking of Democrats, we encountered Ben Cardin, O'Malley, and Chris Van Hollen who all greeted Lt. Gov. Steele cordially.

The walk went for quite a while, and I even forgot I was freezing. We stopped in an art studio, where the Haitian owner praised Lt. Gov. Steele and said "we all support you. You have all of our votes! We need to have black people in positions of power in this country." There was another woman selling a Haitian cookbook; I think it was actually a book signing going on. It was interesting to stop in there, with my background in Latin American and Carribean history. Many events in the history of Haiti are quite violent and sad, but the culture and literature are fascinating.

Eventually we were back at the bus again, and after a group photo, it was off to Annapolis for Mr. Steele. The bus made a U-turn and started north, chased by a secret-service type of SUV, black with flashing lights and siren. It left the bystander with the sense that a true celebrity had just left downtown Bethesda. And perhaps foreshadowed the future, in which I believe Michael Steele will be elected President. But first there's a Senate race to be won November 7, and my feeling is that Ben Cardin will be soundly defeated.

It's great to have a candidate like Michael Steele who you can be genuinely pumped up about supporting. For me, the number of candidates like that in my lifetime can be counted on one hand. And it's great to attend an event like this in Bethesda, the Athens of the modern world. We've entered the final month of the campaign, and this is what it's all about.

It was deja vu Tuesday night as our civic association had a meeting regarding speed bumps at Woodacres ES. This is where we used to have our Cub Scout meetings. I still remember I was in Den 4, and the really fast pinewood derby car I had. It was red with a thumbtack for a steering wheel. Who else had a steering wheel on their car? How about the uniforms, with all the patches and a "neckerchief" (was that a real word?) to top it off?

But it wasn't deja vu about that. It was from having this same meeting, about the same street, five years ago. And the same engineer from the County government, Tracy Wroe, was there to make the presentation and answer questions. Five years' worth of technological advances replaced the xerox maps with a blown-up satellite photo of part of the neighborhood, and one of those County channel-type TV programs about traffic calming shown on a TV wheeled into the room.

An informal vote showed a very slight majority opposed to bumps. Of course, the room did not contain all of the residents who will actually sign or reject any petition for installing the bumps. They will make the final decision. But it did make for another lively discussion that didn't get quite as heated as the previous meeting. What did emerge is a consensus that the No Right Turn on Westbard from River Road has created a problem with cut-through traffic. Both sides agree on that. But there doesn't seem to be much optimism about reversing it. And one neighbor brought up something even I don't remember, that there was once a dead-end at the Westbard/Ridgefield intersection.

Obviously, the concern is for the residential end of Westbard. But I've never quite understood why it was changed because the Giant 18-wheel trucks used to turn right onto Westbard at River. Since the change, those drivers have had to turn right at Ridgefield. If you've been at the light when they make that manuever, you really feel bad for them. It's far too tight of a turn for the truck, and dangerous for the Giant driver and other drivers. On rare occasions, they've struck the pole, and honestly, sometimes it looks like the truck is going to tip over and land on cars waiting at the light. Scary.

So I've long believed we should start by giving Giant access to Westbard again. The root cause of regular cut-through traffic is the poorly timed lights all along River Road and at Little Falls/Massachusetts Ave. We can improve that, and my proposed Express Bus along River Road will reduce some traffic there.

We need to find additional solutions, and quickly.

If I am elected, my plans for photo radar are far broader than our current delegates'. I am quite dissatisfied with the current photo radar law passed by the legislature. Furthermore, we can rotate cameras if necessary, while signage will suggest that a camera is always present.

Secondly, the County should add more police officers and set up rotating speed traps in residential neighborhoods during the worst hours. It's part of what I mean by priorities and values. When spending money, we need to address the critical issues of basic needs of citizens and public safety. Housing, health care, employment, utilities, transportation, and crime. After reading my web site, I am confident you'll find my priorities and values are more in line with yours than our current delegates'. By voting for Robert Dyer on November 7, you can finally have your priorities and values represented in Annapolis.