Politics     


Kings and Queens don't rule over many countries in the world anymore, so we vote for the people we want to lead us and write the laws we follow. When you turn 18 you'll be able to vote too. It's your patriotic duty to vote for the candidate you think will be the best. And if you think you could do a better job, you can run for office too. In fact there have been a few high school students that ran for a government office, or city council seat, and won. You can also run for class president. That will teach you a lot about how to campaign. I recommend reading The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama.

Maryland History

The Settlement of Maryland

Maryland's Current Elected Leaders

State Senators

  • Cardin, Benjamin L.- (D - MD) Class I
    509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
    (202) 224-4524
    Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/
    http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/
  • Mikulski, Barbara A.- (D - MD) Class III
    503 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
    (202) 224-4654
    Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/Contact/contact.cfm

    State Representative

    All of Maryland's Representatives Our U.S. Congressional District is Maryland District 8
    Representative: Christopher Van Hollen, Jr.

    Chris Van Hollen (D) MD-8

    Rockville Office
    51 Monroe Street, Suite 507
    Rockville, MD 20850
    Phone: (301) 424-3501
    Fax: (301) 424-5992

    http://vanhollen.house.gov/HoR/MD08/Home

    Maryland's Governor

  • Martin J. O'Malley, Governor, Anthony G. Brown , Lt Governor

    Maryland's Legislators

    Our Legislative District is District 18

    Delegates:
    Alfred C. Carr
    Ana Sol Gutierrez
    Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher


    Your Senate District is District 18
    Senator: Richard S. Madaleno, Jr.

    State Facts

    www.netstate.com

    Political Parties

    Democratic Party Contradictions

    They believe women should have the right to choose an abortion, but don't want to allow states to choose the death penalty.

    For the Republican life begins at conception and ends at birth.

    A conservative is a liberal that's been mugged.
    A liberal is a conservative that's been arrested.

    Republican Party Contradictions

    Republicans show the value of life by supporting the death penalty and opposing abortion. Republicans say the government should stay out of business but they are eager to make laws of what people do in the privacy of their home and

    Republicans thank that we should be tougher on crime, and prison sentences should be longer, but only for the kind of crimes commited by the poor and middle class. For the rich, Republicans think that business regulations should be lifted and government regulatory agencies should have their funding cut, or be eliminated.

    Republicans think that government support for the poor rewards bad behavior and takes money from the rich who earned it. They believe government should let the free market determine the winners and loosers. But they want to eliminate the estate tax, so that the rich can leave all their money to their children.

    Guns don't kill people, people kill people. That's what the republicans (funded by the NRA say) in not imposing gun control laws. Yet they don't take the same attitude with regard to pornography. They want to outlaw Playboy and say that dirty magazines cause crime.

    Green Party

    Green Party Home Page

    Libertarian Party

    Green Party Home Page

    The ism's - Socialism, Communism, Marxism

    Documents that Shaped our Nation

  • Mayflower Compact
  • Declaration of Independence
  • U.S. Constitution

    Voting

    Should you vote for Mr. X? What if you don't support his view on tax policy, but like his stand on the environment? She opposes gun control, but thinks job retraining programs deserve more money? Should we allow slot machines? If we do, then income taxes can be lowered, but more people will need financial assistance because they lost money in the slots.

    Politicians try to put all issues in black and white with a snappy sound bite. But complicated issues can't be put in a 30 second sound bite. They have to be researched but the american public doesn't have the patience to do that and so television news can't examine issues or candidates in full depth.

    Patriotism and Elections

    Be a good citizen: “ vote early and often :-) Vote in every election. Write a letter to your elected leaders in city state or national legislatures about an issue you feel strongly about. Find other people who feel the same way and join them. The true mark of a patriot (someone who wants to make our country the best in the world-) and you should always vote in elections – that’s the true mark of patriotism)

    Left and Right

    I didn't understand the differences between left (liberals) and right (conservatives) until I came to Washington, D.C. in 1989, because my mom and dad never discussed politics. (However, I remember I was one of only two kids in the 4th grade (1973) that supported Nixon (a Republican who was almost impeached).

    As a rule of thumb, wealthy businessmen and poor Christians support the Republicans. The rich support them because they desire fewer rules on business, fewer taxes on their profits. They and the Republicans are against the minimum wage, support labor union, and low tariffs. Poor Christians support the party because they want more rules regulating what they consider immoral behavior. However, their support for the Republican party hurts them economically - see "What's the Matter with Kansas?"

    The Democrats find support among labor unions, rich actors, and the educated middle class. They support government programs and want business to pay for them.

    How do you change the world?

    Does one vote make a difference? No, but if everyone feels that way it will. One voice can bring others in and then it can occur.

    In the past, there were two ways to change the world. First, introduce a new religion - Four of the five major religions today were started by one man. Abraham => Judaism, Buddha => Buddhism, Jesus => Christianity, Muhamad => Islam. (Hinduism is the only religion not founded by a single person). In the last 100 years a few smaller religions have taken off, but have not changed the world. Jehovah's Witnesses, Later Day Saints, Christian Science, Dianateics L Ron Hubbard, Moonies. Second, lead an army. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan. Napolean, Hitler

    What is common to all of these is that even though one person was the leader, each first had the support of dozens, then hundreds then thousands. In other words, you can’t change the world by yourself, you need to be supported first by friends and then you need to reach out to strangers and make them see why it is in their interest to support your growing group. This is especially true in the business world. It’s not as important in school but school is a good place to learn how the process works. It’s different than networking.

    Economic changes
    Demographic changes
    Medical Science
    Technology
    Be a great explorer

    Solitary men and women of science can sometimes change the world Copernicus, Ptolomy, Galileo, Darwin, Curie, Einstein, Salk, Fleming but they still need support of others who believed in the importance of their discoveries. Several important discoveries lay dormant for years – Wegner: Continental Drift, Gregory Mendel discoverer of genes.

    Rarely, writing a book can do it. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Stowe. Karl Marx Comunist Manifesto

       Ronald & Arnold   

    Sometimes, you don't need to know anything to become a political leader. Both Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California because they were well-known actors. That's a sad commentary on what American voters look for in their leaders. But then again, it's not even rational to vote. See The Myth of the Rational Voter and Economists have a term for it, "Rational Ignorance."

       Bush II and Clinton II   

    Sometimes it's your connections rather than your abilities that put you in a position of power. Some senators seem to inherit their father's position (Al Gore), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), or husband's Sheila Wellstone (Minnesota), W. Bush because of his father, Hillary because of her husband George W. Bush was an alcohic failed businessman, who became president through connections.

    Some people rise to the top by abilities. President Clinton was the son of a poor family in Arkansas who’s dad died when he was six months old and grew up with an abusive step father. Condolezza Rice was the grandaugther of a poor alabama cotton farmer but became a classical pianist and graduated from college at 19. lerned russian and became provost in California at 38 now National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. She got there becuase she shared a love of sportw with George W. Bush

    Short Books by Keith Sargent


    Home  Last updated: June 20, 2008