According to Democrats in Annapolis, $11.30 is a "living wage." Ok, enough chuckling. I'm serious, and apparently so are Governor O'Malley, and his partners, Bronrott, Lee, Goldwater, and Frosh. They have rammed through a bill, now law, that mandates a wage of $11.30 for contract employees of the state in Montgomery County. If you've tried living on $11.30 in Montgomery County, you know that's not a living wage. $15.30 wouldn't be a living wage here. As with so many Orwellian doublespeak policies of these politicians, my response is "put your money where your mouth is." First of all, admit $11.30 is not a living wage. If I were in office, I'd say, give me a bill that calls $20.30 a living wage, and now you're talking. Don't mock poor people by calling $11.30 cents a living wage. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. As part two of "put your money where your mouth is" on the living wage, I challenge O'Malley, Bronrott, Lee, Goldwater, and Frosh - and O'Malley fan Hillary Clinton - to do just that. Let's make it law that the Governor, Delegates, State Senators, and U.S. Congress be paid only $11.30 per hour from now on. And they will have to cover all of their expenses, housing, and children's college education with that $11.30. I'll buy that for a dollar.

Developer Land Grab Alert:

This time in Ocean City, MD. Rumor has it that Trimper's Amusement Park at the inlet may go up for sale. Sources indicate that the powers-that-be want to replace amusements with, what else, a Bethesda Row-style "multi-use" commercial-residential development. Don't let it happen. Much like our Montgomery County government's demolition of the former B&O Railroad line, this is a greed-fueled, shameful assault on history, a historic site that should be preserved. Will the governor and Eastern Shore delegation step in to prevent catastrophic change in the character of Maryland's historic tourist destination? Or are they too heavily in debt to the developers to move? The Esskay clock is ticking. As in the case of the Westbard Sector, citizen action is needed to fill the vacuum of "leadership."

Yes, it has been awhile between entries. My apologies for the delay, but a family medical emergency and other assorted events have left no spare time over the last month.

New entries are on the way. Until then, enjoy the recent news that the Washington Post empire's earnings have plummeted again. Translation: Less and less people care what the Post has to say. People are tired of far-left, biased yellow journalism and a dark agenda that is simply contrary to the values of our community. In greater numbers, people of every race and income level are confirming the irrelevance of the dinosaur Washington Post.

The Post's nemesis, Hugo Chavez, the world leader who strikes the most fear into the hearts of the Post's corporate bigshots and editorial staff, is enjoying the news too (as evidenced in the above photo). If you're scaring the Post, you must be doing something right.

The long cold winter has passed and the stormy seas are behind. At any moment, someone might shout, "Land Ho!" Are we ready? What are the policies and agenda that will bring us to victory when we land? Stay tuned for discussion of that. And of the Democrats' nationwide strategy to drive the middle class into poverty through rush-hour tolls and transit fares (when they know you must go to work at that time - that's why they're doing it, as a guaranteed revenue scheme), Lexus lanes, energy taxes, carbon taxes, car taxes, property taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes, service taxes, more taxes than can be listed here. And this is after Maryland Catholic leaders gave the legislature a failing grade on poverty issues in 2007. The middle class will have no spending money, and the poor will be devastated. Don't let it happen! Support a positive agenda, and get ready to vote in 2008 and 2010!

Lights! Camera! Action!! A Capital Properties Production. A Richard Cohen Film. Nicolas Cage. Diane Krueger. National Treasure 2. In this one, Benjamin Franklin Gates is searching for the treasure hidden somewhere in the Westwood Shopping Center. Not quite, but the crew working on the movie set up a tent city in the shopping center parking lot. This included a large circus tent that apparently was a mess hall, RVs, campers, semi trucks, fake DC police cruisers, and some security guards who acted like they owned the place. But who does own the place?

Richard Cohen, the New York-based developer who just bought it last year, that's who. This is the first time my blog has broken a news story, but nobody covered this and, most importantly, nobody told the neighborhood this was going to happen!

Since when can you use a shopping center as a campground in Montgomery County? Who issued the permits, if any were issued? Can I buy an RV, park it in the shopping center and live there? And pitch a tent beside it? Can I serve meals to a crowd of 100 people there? Doesn't this prove the rarity and value of the large surface parking lot we have there? Why are we getting the abuse, refuse, and damage to our roads and parking lot while the DC Government gets all the profits from the movie?

Is this a sign of what's to come in the future as the redevelopment of Westbard goes forward? Specifically, a profit-driven process at the expense of those who live here? It is very troubling and comes at a critical time in the Westbard Sector planning process.

It's a peculiar story that begins with the Park Bethesda high-end luxury apartment building suddenly being leased to American University as a dormitory(!). You know, why make millions on luxury apartments in Bethesda when you can make less and have tenants who'll trash the place - what a brilliant business strategy!

Then, what about the sweetheart deal Capital Properties got? In a zip code where houses go for $2 million, you can buy the entire Westbard Sector, properties included, for only $20 million? These two transactions just don't pass the smell test, in my opinion.

The average resident has, so far, been left out of the process. Despite all the hype about Park and Planning, it's still business as usual there. The developer-funded Democrats on the County Council got the man they wanted to head Park and Planning. You've got to ask yourself why those council members wanted him so badly. As a recent example, I only found out about a new industrial building being built on River Road by reading about it in the Montgomery section! This is on top of the self-storage building that literally just appeared overnight behind the Park Bethesda. The neighbors were never consulted about either building.

That our industrial zone is being expanded rather than phased out is very interesting. The County government, and its developer-beholden politicians, quickly closed the cement plant on Bethesda Avenue and tore up the Georgetown Branch railroad practically overnight. Why was it so quick to do that, but is leaving our industrial zone intact? And what is the significance of this winner-take-all, double standard development in light of the Westbard Sector redevelopment?

I hope to have answers sooner rather than later.

Brian Frosh wants you to have dishpan hands. This garbage coming out of Annapolis would be laughable if it wasn't so sad and frightening. Sad because it is absolute garbage and an absolute waste of our time when all the major issues are being completely ignored. Frightening because Maryland is going to be a very strange place by 2010 if the current legislative pattern continues. We are simply at the mercy of a radical, Democrat monopoly in our state capitol. If the Silent Majority is still out there, you have certainly earned your title. And you must, must come out to vote in 2008 and 2010. Just consider what's happening now because you didn't vote in 2006, and realize what happens when you are tricked by the liberal media into sitting out an election.

Brian Frosh, exercising absolute power with the O'Malley rubber stamp, has gone off his rocker again and is now going to outlaw all of the dish detergents you now buy at the grocery store. Our state legislature was already a national laughingstock, so you can imagine what people around the country must think of us when they hear this one. According to Mr. Frosh, and the environmental extremists, phosphorus in dish detergent is what is polluting the Chesapeake Bay. This, of course, is absolute hogwash, absolute fantasy. But he's going to unilaterally take this off your shopping list and your grocer's shelf, and replace it with a "green" detergent that won't properly clean dishes. Just because he feels like it. Brian Frosh gets up one day and says, "I think I'll ban car washes today." With no scientific credentials whatsoever, he simply draws up a bill to close car washes. His committee approves the bill. His Democrat legislators vote in lockstep. It passes. Governor O'Malley rubber stamps it. Car washes close all over the state of Maryland. This is no exaggeration, this is the manner in which Brian Frosh and other radical Democrats in Annapolis are now running our government. At risk is nothing less than the American way of life.

So, get this, you are the cause of Bay pollution according to Brian Frosh. Not the power companies that write the checks to our District 16 delegation, not the polluters who write their checks, and not the medical waste from Pennsylvania. They're doing nothing about any of that. No, it's you, the taxpayer. Your car. And now Brian Frosh decides what kind of car you can buy and how much it will cost. And your... dishes! Meanwhile, PEPCO's toxic waste dump remains by the Patuxent River. Outrageous. And of course, those checks they get from PEPCO have nothing to do with this. Oh, no, certainly not. Absolute hypocrites.

Brian Frosh is taking away your dish detergent. What will it be tomorrow? Again, Mr. Frosh demonstrates his belief that public servants are to be served by the public. And I ask you again, are you ready to serve him? Or is the Silent Majority going to finally speak out?

And the hits just keep on coming. What does our County government do when it's not busy violating the Americans with Disabilities Act during the winter? And what does PEPCO do when the company isn't busy writing checks to our Democratic delegates in Annapolis? Why, they join forces to cover up a "secret" toxic waste dump on PEPCO property near the Patuxent River in eastern Montgomery County!

I have to admit that the victors of November 7, 2006 are on a roll. This is such a scandal, you'd think it was a screenplay. It turns out that both the Duncan and Leggett administrations have been covering up a toxic waste dump for over a year. A toxic waste dump that is right next to a river from which some citizens receive their water. A toxic waste dump that more recently has actually been smoldering.

This is all reported in today's Washington Post, which buried it back in the Metro section when it should have been front page. Is that in exchange for all that advertising the County government buys in the Montgomery section? This is outrageous, and once again the extreme hypocrisy of our Democratic elected officials on the environment has been laid bare. They're going to control what cars you can buy, make them cost thousands more, and raise gas taxes, but meanwhile permit a toxic waste dump in the County? [insert sound of cuckoo clock here] Again, where is the outrage? If you get your water from the Patuxent River, are you happy about this? Isn't it time to start electing candidates who are serious about the environment, and who aren't beholden to PEPCO and other monopoly utilities?

Martin O'Malley has broken another campaign promise and Bill Bronrott has failed to challenge him. The Martin O'Malley administration announced today the postponement of any effort to build the Purple Line until 2008. Instead of condemning Governor O'Malley's abdication of leadership, our delegate William Bronrott said it's not so bad and maybe we'll even get more Federal funds.

Leadership. Leadership is a vital quality in solving our transportation crisis. Unfortunately, we don't have it in Annapolis right now. Considering that it will take several years to build the Purple Line after all of the preliminary studies, court battles, and legislative squabbles are complete, we don't have a year to wait. Where is the outrage? I know there is outrage among the voters who believed O'Malley, Bronrott, et al when they said they were committed to the Purple Line. But where is the outrage from the various organizations, activists, and politicians who back the light rail from Bethesda to New Carrollton?

During the campaign, I made very clear that transportation was my top priority. As you can hear for yourself on the video interview posted on my website, I stated that my first action in Annapolis would be to introduce my comprehensive transportation plan. And that the first step was to begin work on the Purple Line. The people who voted for my opponents have certainly learned too late that our Democratic delegates simply are not committed to the Purple Line. If they were, they would be scolding Governor O'Malley for dropping the ball on transportation. And then they actually start doing something. It's a foreign concept: taking action.

Unlike our current elected officials, I am still working to promote and build the Purple Line. In my transportation plan, we will have a world-class railway that exceeds any other version. A bigger and better Purple Line that will serve the needs of Montgomery County in the 21st century. Our current government is lost in the fog of the 1960s. Let's help them to the door in 2010 by voting for real leadership and candidates who keep their promises.

Martin O'Malley has taken a page out of his rival Doug Duncan's fundraising scheme handbook. Governor O'Malley has quietly put forward legislation that will require every employee of the State of Maryland to give money to the unions that fund his campaigns. Here's how the scam works:

O'Malley forces state employees to give money to unions.
Unions increase their income by that amount.
Those same unions then write checks to O'Malley and fund other efforts towards his reelection.

Ingenious, isn't it?

I'll acknowledge that at least this scheme doesn't use taxpayer funds!

Maryland citizens, will you allow this scheme to go forward in Annapolis?

How about some positive news about immigrants for a change? In contrast to the recent anti-Catholic bigotry of the Washington Post and John Edwards' bloggers, there was a Post article about legal immigrants in England Saturday. Because the European Union has adopted the rather free market idea of interstate movement of labor, it doesn't have the chaotic immigration crisis we have on this side of the Atlantic. So many Polish Catholics have come to England and Ireland in search of better jobs. Not only are they legal immigrants, but they also are very hardworking and religious. In the process, then, they have given quite a boost to the Catholic Church in both countries.

300,000 have arrived since 2004, and it is important to realize that A) No catastrophe has occurred as a result, and B) this is an orderly process that the government can control as necessary. And many parishes that were declining are now standing-room only at every Sunday Mass. One migrant in the article, Monika Swierczyusko, reports that she works a six-day week in a factory, and then spends her only day off Sunday volunteering at her church from 7 AM to 9 PM(!). She adds, "I don't understand people who don't like to go to church." Isn't this the definition of an upstanding citizen?

Most Latino immigrants who come to the United States have a similar devotion to faith and family. Of course there are a number of bad guys who cross the border. But that's why we would do best to secure our borders and switch from the chaos that some Democratic County, State, and national politicians cynically exploit for political purposes, to an orderly system that will weed out the criminals. And that would allow the Federal Government to control the number of immigrants entering in relation to the employment needs of not just business, but of American workers. We should first be sure that there really aren't Americans who "won't do" this or that job. And if there aren't, then we shouldn't be afraid to allow upstanding, law abiding people of any country to find employment here and pursue the American Dream.

There was also a serendipitous aspect to the article, given the Lenten season. Another immigrant, Dominika Marszalkowska, is not only a devout Catholic churchgoer, but has a newborn child as well. The article mentions nothing about the child's father. I don't know if that was intentional or symbolically coincidental. It's safe to say this was a positive Easter story that James Cameron and the Discovery Channel would not enjoy.

Chris Van Hollen vs. Israel. This is a stunning development. Chris Van Hollen, our Democratic congressman here in Congressional District 8, has put Israel's security on the table. Quoted in the Washington Post on February 20, 2007, Chris Van Hollen called for a congressional vote on the "full" Baker Commission proposal as a Democratic alternative to the Bush plan. Van Hollen's Democratic constituents cheered his latest swing at George Bush at first, but then, oh no, wait! Wasn't the Baker Commission's requirement of major security concessions the very downfall of the Baker Plan? It's not hard to forget. The day the Baker Commission announced its proposal, the Washington Post was declaring it a defeat for George Bush. Then, as people studied the details, they found it tied everything to concessions by Israel. Suddenly, the Post said, 48 hours later, that Bush ought to ignore the Baker Plan, and the national Baker-mania evaporated faster than the integrity of a Maryland election.

Chris Van Hollen's demand for the "full" Baker Plan means that Chris Van Hollen has endorsed the full Baker Plan. Ergo, Chris Van Hollen has endorsed the Israeli concessions that are fundamental parts of the Baker Plan. That's strange, considering I was at the Candidates Forum at a Potomac synagogue last year, and heard Van Hollen pledge his full support for Israel.

Would the real Chris Van Hollen please stand up?

Many of our elected officials believe that "public service" means that the public serves government, as I mentioned a few weeks ago re: the radical Clean Cars legislation, etc. This concept leads not only to bigger government, high taxes, and greater control of our lives, but also to hypocrisy.

One might recall the controversial Montgomery County Council mandate years back that forced homeowners to immediately clear snow and ice from any public sidewalk that crossed their lawns. Council members jabbed their fingers at the taxpayer, who is of course responsible for all that is wrong in Montgomery County. Well, it seems that the County government is not holding itself to the same standards it holds the taxpayer to. Days after last week's snow and ice fell, the County has yet to clear many sidewalks - including one in front of an apartment building for residents with disabilities. There is a photo in today's Washington Post Metro section that shows one resident having to flag down a bus, unable to access the Metrobus stop due to uncleared sidewalks. The County should be ashamed. They always trumpet those wonderful "services" as the reason you must hand over your wallet to them. Apparently the disabled do not receive the same level of service.

Readers of this blog, few as they may be, know that I just dealt with a similar disability issue last fall with the County Board of Elections, and was able to bring about a change there. Here goes the County again! It's a disgrace.

Now, while this is going on, what are Senator Frosh, and Delegates Bronrott, Lee, and Goldwater up to?

Ah, yes, they're once again helping convicted felons vote! What did you expect from legislators who haven't addressed increased violent crime in the last four years?

We often hear politicians talk about the "first 100 days" in office, and the legislation they plan to pass during that time. Regardless of party, they are usually items that are popular and have mass approval within their ideological base. Often they gain votes even from moderate lawmakers in the opposing party or parties. Not so in Rockville and Annapolis.

Bob Ehrlich went to great lengths to foster a bipartisan cooperative spirit in Annapolis directly following his election. Like the usual 100 day wish list, no such efforts have been made by Governor O'Malley or by other Democratic leaders in Annapolis.

Instead, amidst a general do-nothing atmosphere in Annapolis, the only legislation being put forward is on divisive, partisan fringe issues by the most radical Delegates and Senators in our capital city. Forced vaccinations, radical auto emission legislation that will devastate working families and small businesspeople across the state, radical new gun control laws, a hefty tax on the poor, and, yet again, early voting(!) legislation that has already been declared unconstitutional by the courts. Rockville has not fared much better. After a show trial about development, and a bluff moratorium, it's back to business as usual under the "new" Planning regime, which has yet to make any substantive change in the way the County manages development. Next on the agenda? Naming the Rockville Library. Heavy lifting indeed.

What citizens want to know is, what happened to the major issues? Affordable housing, transportation, taxes, healthcare, utilities, education, eliminating portable classrooms? Many voters stayed home in 2006 because they were tired of the partisan bickering and want politicians to solve these problems. As I warned during the campaign, and as voters are now finding out the hard way, we are in for another four years like the last four.

It is frustrating to witness District 16's delegation waste our time with a minimalist agenda of far-left issues. So far, Brian Frosh and Bill Bronrott (the only active District 16 legislators, apparently) have only supported the radical Clean Cars measure, and new taxes on the poor and middle class. Again, even their beloved-yet-flawed Geographic Index for the Thornton Plan is off their agenda. Yes, O'Malley, Frosh, Bronrott: fighting for working families. It sounds more like they are just fighting working families. Are you a working mom with 4 or 5 kids? Do you want to pay higher taxes and stuff your kids into a tiny hybrid car? I rest my case.

Contrast this inaction and hostility with my positive, substantive agenda that was supported by the many people I met during the campaign, and who voted for me on November 7. First priority of William Bronrott: Clean Cars/Tax Increase. Robert Dyer's first priority (on video record at robertdyer.net): My Comprehensive Transportation Plan. You know, transportation - remember that? While Democratic delegates are putting radical measures forward, I would have instead been introducing bills for transportation, elimination of portable classrooms, tough anti-crime measures, and reducing taxes and utility bills. Furthermore, while much psuedo-scientific pontificating has been offered in support of the radical Clean Cars bill, the real, known environmental crisis - the Chesapeake Bay - has been utterly ignored by the Governor and his allies.

The victors in 2006 should be ashamed. It's time to get to work. If they continue this for another four years, it will be an interesting election in 2010.

Speaking of interesting, you've probably heard about the Washington Post Company's outrageous blogger, William Arkin, who wrote some of the most vile, hateful, vicious, extremist attacks I have ever heard directed at the men and women of our nation's armed forces. Men and women who are dying so that Mr. Arkin can continue to freely offer his hate speech through the Washington Post. Mr. Arkin clearly represents the opinions of the editors at the Washington Post, as evidenced by the Post's decision not to discipline him. I won't quote Arkin's blog here, because I don't want to give him any wider audience, but I will quote a damning statement by the Post's biased, ineffective, and unresponsive "ombudsman," Deborah Howell, regarding the controversy:

"Blogs are held to the same standards as any Post journalism, [the Post's Jim Brady] said."

That comment speaks for itself. The prosecution rests.

George Will bashing Ronald Reagan? Just when we were getting used to the new Senator Warner, now Mr. Will has a stunt double writing his columns. According to Will, Ronald Reagan was not a true conservative because his conservatism was "without anxieties." And, assert Will and like-minded author John Patrick Diggins, because Reagan did not subscribe to "melancholy fatalism."

Will and Diggins then go on to make false claims about Ronald Reagan's religious beliefs, that are in stark contrast to Reagan's message of personal responsibility. It was Ronald Reagan who took on the Great Society and said there was "no free lunch." Further, they say that "Reagan's popularity was largely the result of 'his blaming government for problems that are inherent in democracy itself.'" Nothing could be further from the truth. To believe Will and Diggins, one must believe that big government and high taxes are "inherent in democracy," a ridiculous suggestion that has no basis in fact or logic.

Finally, they offer this whopper: "Reagan's theory of government has little reference to the principles of the American founding." Absolute rubbish, which could only be posited by persons who have no knowledge of American history. Were high taxes a major issue in our Revolution? I would go out on a limb and say they were. Was government control of an individual's liberties and commercial activity an issue? Yes, claro que si.

We seem to have a continuing attempt by some to claim that Reagan conservatives and religious conservatives are false conservatives. They state that we have lost our way from the true path of the Goldwater era and that conservatism is simply about fiscal issues. In an attempt to feel less ashamed at their Washington and Hollywood cocktail parties, they are prepared to toss social issues overboard in hopes that they will be accepted by the liberal elite. But that is a road to ruin. To abandon our defense of life and liberty, as well as our values, is the road to destruction.

The reason Ronald Reagan was popular was precisely because he was not a "melancholy fatalist." Reagan was an optimist. We have a superior message to what liberals offer. We have the American dream, opportunity and ownership societies, national security, low taxes, less government, and defense of traditional values. If Will and Diggins want a melancholy President who will lecture the people about why they should be ashamed and be prepared for painful sacrifices, it's not to late for them to start a Draft Jimmy Carter website.

So much for global warming. High tomorrow: 24 degrees, Low: 7 degrees. It is, frankly, hilarious to listen to people who have no scientific expertise whatsoever pontificate ad nauseum about changes in global temperature for their own ideological benefit. The limits of even the scientific community to make broad judgements on the subject are real, given the relatively short historical data available. And what data we have suggests that temperatures have changed drastically over the history of our planet, and the level of the oceans has risen before. The only difference this time, is that we have a group of extremists, and the more mainstream followers they've gained through the liberal media and stunt movies like An Inconvenient Truth, using these phenomena to advance an agenda. And it's an agenda that goes frighteningly beyond conservation and alternative fuels. Is the planet doomed? Yes, because every planet in this universe has a lifespan. Our job as the human race is to figure out how to get off this planet and beyond our own solar system before that distant doomsday occurs. So there is irony in the complaints that George Bush's space initiatives (which are admittedly modest, but more than anyone else is proposing) are taking priority over studying our own environment. Global warming is up for legitimate debate; the lifespan of the sun is not.

It was plenty cold already Saturday morning when I left for our County Republican Party Convention at the the University of Maryland Shady Grove campus. When I went through the drive-thru at McDonalds, I tried to roll down my window and found it was frozen shut. After arriving at the campus, I manned the table for District 16. Our first vice chair, Dan Willard, who organized the convention started the actual program which had many speakers including our state national committeepersons Louis Pope and Joyce Terhes. Jim Pelura, the new state party chairman, also spoke. We had a presidential straw poll and the winner was Rudy Giuliani. Mitt Romney was second, and Newt Gingrich, third. Surprisingly, John McCain finished low on the list. I'm not committed to any candidate yet, as I want to know their positions on all of the issues and their platforms. I have concerns about the current frontrunners' positions on social issues, deep concerns in some cases.

We actually had some enthusiastic District 16 Republicans who took time to come out early on a frigid Saturday to participate in the convention, and they had many good ideas that we can utilize. One thing we all agreed on was to continue having District 16 meetings. All Republicans, and anyone who wants to register as a Republican, in District 16 are invited to our monthly meeting at the Bethesda Library on Arlington Road, February 22, 2007 at 7 P.M.

Can someone get Roger Manno a copy of the program? Just when Democrats in Maryland and elsewhere have learned to avoid the gun control issue, Delegate Manno (D - District 19) has put forward a bill to give more gun control authority to the Montgomery County Council. Several council members, including Marc Elrich and Phil Andrews expressed great interest in this new authority that would expand government power and further weaken the 2nd Amendment rights of every citizen in the county. One national Democrat said recently that the party would ignore these issues indefinitely, to counter the belief that the party "is going to take your guns away!" Well, it sounds like the Mssrs. Manno, Elrich, and Andrews are "going to take your guns away!"

In a bizarre twist, Manno gave a recent armored car shootout as an example of why the law is necessary. The participants in this shootout were professional armored car guards and the robbers of said armored vehicle. Statistics have revealed again and again that criminals rarely purchase firearms legally at gun shops or gun shows. Once again, the absurd arguments of the far-left, gun control movement have proven false. Maryland's gun laws are already far too strict; no additional legislation is necessary.

Combined with the bill put forward by another member of Mr. Manno's delegation, that would outlaw all use of cell phones by drivers, and you begin to understand why so many voters are tired of the extremist theatrics. They want their public officials to work on the serious issues like education and transportation. From these early developments in Annapolis and Rockville, it appears that won't happen anytime soon.

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.