George Wenschhof
Obama Tied with Romney, Edges Perry - in a new Quinnipiac poll former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and President Obama are tied at 45%. Obama edges Texas Governor Rick Perry by 3 points. You can read the full poll results here.
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Obama To Introduce New Mortgage Program - the latest effort to aid the ailing housing industry. The proposal will be revealed within the next week and is intended to spur activity in the finance market by encouraging refinancing of mortgages. Government secured mortgages, which make up 90% of the mortgages, would be eligible. The idea is by refinancing at lower rates, homeowners would have more disposable cash to spend on other goods, therefore stimulating the economy.
However, the program does nothing to change the fact many mortgages are now higher than the value of the homes. Reuters.com has more here.
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Mark Prater Named Staff Director of Deficit Reduction Committee - the Republican aide was unanimously chosen by the 12 member committee. It is interesting to note that Prater's expertise is the tax code. An indication the committee will be looking at ways to revise the existing tax code to bring new revenues as they also discuss cuts. TPM.com has more here.
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Rick Perry Book "Fed Up!" Reviewed - by Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post. The 2010 book written by the Texas Governor talks up the tea party movement while attacking many of the articles in the constitution. In addition, Perry criticizes medicare social security, the "New Deal" and other "socialist" type programs.
Marcus correctly points out Perry's entry into the Presidential race opens up his past record for scrutiny. You can read her column here.
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Romney Rethinks Strategy - as the former Massachusetts Governor sinks in the polls after the entry by Texas Governor Rick Perry. Romney will now participate in the tea party candidate forum in South Carolina next week and is reconsidering his Iowa strategy. Politico.com has more here.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Daily Political Wire
Monday, August 29, 2011
Harry Grove Stadium Lease Saga Continues
George Wenschhof
In my column last Wednesday, I wrote about how the Request for Proposals (RFP) and award process for the lease of Harry Grove Stadium by The City of Frederick reminded me of the famous comedic routine by Abbott and Costello; "Who's on first".
Noticing the City of Frederick had the lease of the stadium as an agenda item for this coming Wednesday city workshop, I emailed city administrator Josh Russin for specifics to be discussed.
He replied indicating the city lease negotiating team will present to the mayor and board of aldermen a draft lease which does not include any additional revenue sources (dropping parking revenue) and requires The Keys to pay utilities. You can read my email to Mr. Russin and his reply here.
Interestingly, five months after the lease is finally ratified, Russin indicates the city and The Keys will negotiate terms for additional revenue sources such as parking, advertising and naming rights.
Why the additional revenue could not be agreed upon over the last several months of negotiations remains a mystery. One sticking point had been the Keys offer to receive the first $125,000 (later reduced to $115,000) of parking revenues before splitting revenues with the city. This was to offset their annual cost of utilities.
The upcoming five months from October through February are not baseball playing months in our area of the country so one would assume the utility fees will not be significant during this time.
The other team to respond to the RFP was Frederick Atlantic LLC. Monday, Managing Member Jack Lavoie, sent a detailed email to the mayor and board expressing his dissatisfaction with the award process. Mr. Lavoie added he will be unable to attend the workshop on Wednesday and asked for his email be read into the record.
Lavoie points out what I mentioned in my last column, The Keys did not offer to pay utilities in their RFP submission, stating in his email "The proposed Lease does not comply with competitive bids & the RFP terms tendered under a sealed bid by the Keys. This results smacks of collusion and "back-room" dealing."
In a column published on 8-21-2011, I proposed a series of four steps, which if taken, were intended to result in a fair outcome to both bidders and the city.
One of the steps involved a discussion by the mayor and board on what additional revenue sources, if any, were acceptable.
Updated (in bold) 8-30-2011 8:45 AM ET
Another one of the steps I suggested was for the mayor and board to agree on and use a projected expense cost to the city for the stadium. This would then be used to compare to the offers received.
This morning, I received from Alderman Karen Young a financial spreadsheet showing the bid received from Frederick Atlantic LLC, far exceeds in revenue to the city, what was bid by The Keys. You can read it here.
At the end of the first year, Alderman Young's financial projections show The Keys offer resulted in a net loss to the city of $62,948 and Frederick Atlantic LLC was a plus $83,852. Over the ten year period, her projections show a loss of $629,480 from The Keys offer and a plus $148,520 from the Frederick Atlantic LLC offer.
It is not too late for the city to discuss and reconsider their awkward award process to date and see if there is a better way to finalize the Harry Grove Stadium lease.
Stay Tuned...
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Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Irene Passes Through - Clean Up Begins - not as bad as expected, but devastating nonetheless. The federal government is open today in Washington D.C. as hundreds of thousands remain without power. The Washington Post has an update here.
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Rebels Advance on Sirte in Libya - as the hunt for Gaddafi continues. His home town of Sirte is one of the last strongholds for the former ruler of Libya. NATO airs trikes have pounded Sirte for the last three days in an effort to soften it up for the invading rebels. Reuters.com has more here.
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Americans Rate Government Last - among 25 industries in the latest poll conducted by Gallup. The computer industry came in first with a 72% positive rating. Government came in last with a 17% positive rating with the oil and gas industry edging out government in the battle for last place with 20%. For a complete list of the 25 industries and how they fared, Gallup.com has more here.
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Krueger to Be Appointed White House Economic Adviser - by President Obama. Alan Krueger would replace Austan Goolsbee, if confirmed by the Senate. The position leading the white House Council of Economic Advisers has been a revolving door with Larry Summers and Christina Romer also serving in this capacity. Bloomberg.com has more here.
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Alabama Law Renews Focus On Immigration - the NY Times editorial today sheds light on the state of Alabama's attempt to deal with undocumented workers within their state and the many law suits underway to block the implementation of the law.
Of particular note, is a lawsuit brought by four leaders of separate churches who claim the law denied them the ability to act in the compassionate manner they are accustom to.
With the 2012 election underway, now is the perfect time to frame the debate and reach consensus on a federal immigration law which will strengthen U.S. borders, enact penalties to employers who hire undocumented workers, provide a reasonable pathway to citizenship, and update the nation's immigration procedures.
The argument that immigration is a national issue and should be dealt with as such, is correct.
What better time to have a debate and reach a consensus than during a presidential campaign when the highest number of voters are paying attention.
Let's hope it gets done.
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Is Rick Perry Dumb? - Not the question you want to be the headline of a column if you are running for President. But, appears it does on the homepage of Politico.com. The Republican Texas Governor has battled criticism for his lack of depth on issues ever since he entered politics decades ago. As a presidential candidate, it is sure to follow him.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Irene Sets Aim on New York City - now downgraded to a tropical storm, the path of the storm continues to head up the east coast. Eight inches of rain fell on the Washington D.C. area with one million without power in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Transportation has also been seriously affected with 9000 flights canceled by airlines. Reuters.com has an update here.
Even Starbucks ordered their stores closed in New York or opened late in many areas. Fortunately, for me, the Starbucks located on 7th Street in the City of Frederick, Maryland was open.
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Will FEMA Be Funded By Congress? - will be the next fiscal debate on capitol hill. It is anticipated funds will run out prior to the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30. This would make it necessary for Congress to pass an emergency appropriations bill. TheHill.com has more here.
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Gaddafi Wants To Talk With Rebels - as his days of rule over Libya are now effectively over. The request came from a spokesperson of the Gaddafi government and was refused by the rebels. Sirte, the home town of Gaddafi, remains the last stronghold and the rebels are advancing toward the city. You can read an update here.
Meanwhile, the Transitional National Council, now recognized by 57 nations as the legitimate government of Libya, is releasing the names of the representatives on the council. The NY Times has more here.
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No. 2 Al-Qaeda Killed in Pakistan - in a U.S. Drone missile strike. Atiyah Abd al-Rahman was killed in Waziristan, an area within Pakistan which has been known to harbor Al-Qaeda. The Washington Post has more here.
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Cheney Memoirs Reviewed By Politico.com - the book written by former vice President Dick Cheney will be available at book stores on Tuesday, but Politico.com has already read a copy and pulled out some of the more interesting revelations. You can read here.
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Saturday, August 27, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Irene Hits Shore in U.S. - for those of you who want the latest, click here to go to the weather channel. It is being reported the Hurricane has now been downgraded to a category one storm and my local area of Frederick County, Maryland is expected to receive an overnight drenching of rain.
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Sunday Morning Talking Heads Lineup - as Hurricane Irene hits the east coast, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director Craig Fugate will appear on all of the big four morning shows.
ABC "This Week" has Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) who tours the newly opened memorial to Martin Luther King. Former secretary of state Colin Powell will appear on CBS "Face The Nation" and discusses the 48th anniversary of Martin Luther King's speech "I have a Dream".
Republican Presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) appears on Fox.
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What Will Be the Theme for the 2012 Obama Campaign? - die hard supporters from the "Yes We Can!" and "Change You Can Believe In" campaign of 2008 are now disillusioned, making the theme of the 2012 reelection campaign all that more important.
Look to see Republicans painted as obstructionists along with the realization change is not easy. The Washington Post has a good read here.
While some of the more liberal Democrats may be unhappy president Obama did not fight harder on more key issues, they will return to the fold as there is no alternative candidate for them to support.
All indications are the country will experience another very close presidential election in 2012. Stay tuned...
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Cross Pataki Off The List - the former Governor of New York will not run for President. instead, he says he will concentrate on his organization "No American Debt". TheHill.com has more here.
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Giffords Gets Democratic Challenger - Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Az.) is recovering from a gunshot to the head and has not announced if she will seek reelection in 2012. Anthony Prowell is receiving the cold shoulder treatment from Democratic leadership and may decide to switch to the Green Party. Prowell said he was intending to run before Giffords was shot. Giffords has until May 2012 to file for reelection. CNN.com has more here.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.) criticizes President Obama on the economy while calling for changes in the tax code and passage of a balance budget amendment.
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Today, President Obama speaks about the upcoming anniversary of 9/11 and encourages Americans to participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
The president spoke of how the tragedy brought about unity across the country and the need to recapture that spirit.
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Friday, August 26, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Irene Closes in on East Coast - Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D) has declared a state of emergency and Ocean City officials ordered evacuation of residents and visitors. Most of the anticipated damage will occur on coastal areas but power outages and flooding may also take place across the state. The Baltimore Sun has more here.
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Gadaffi Remains Elusive - Libya Assets Released - the rebels have announced special forces are now being used in the hunt for Muammar Gaddafi. Meanwhile, the U.N. announced they were releasing the 1.5 billion in assets frozen since the uprising began. Reuters.com has an update here.
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New Pew Poll Reflects Frustration By Voters - Overall Republican approval has slid to 34% and Democratic approval to 43%. $9% disapprove of the way Obama is handling his presidency and 43% approve. Pew Research center has more here.
More significantly, Republican leaders receive only a 22% approval rating, favoring a Democratic congressional candidate over a Republican by a 48% - 44% margin.
86% say they are frustrated with government. If all of this frustration holds until the 2012 General Election, look for some interesting results.
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What Will Bernanke Say Today? - investors will be listening to the speech given by Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke today in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There are not a lot of options remaining, so do not look for any major changes. You can read more here.
His speech comes as reports show the U.S. economy grew by only one per cent in the second quarter. TheHill.com has more here.
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Boehner Blasts Obama on Costly Regulations - Republican House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) is calling on the President to disclose the costs associated with all regulations issued in the past year. Boehner says planned regulations have jumped 15% from last year with an average annual cost of 100 million. Boehner believes the regulations are hampering the economy recovery. Politico.com has more here.
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Japanese Prime Minister Resigns - in an expected move, Naoto Kan announced he was stepping down. Elections will be held next week. This comes following the disastrous earthquake and tsunami resulted in nuclear reactor meltdowns. The credit rating for Japan was also downgraded by Moody's on Wednesday. CNN.com has more here.
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Fighting Continues in Libya - fighting continues in various pockets of Tripoli and at cities around the country which are loyal to Gaddafi. Meanwhile, the hunt for Gadaffi continues and a two million bounty has now been offered for his capture.
Efforts are underway by the transitional government to have Libyan assets released from foreign countries as the difficult task of restoring services in the country begins. The Washington Post has more here.
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Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple - It was announced Tim Cook will replace him. Speculation is the health issues Jobs has battled for some time, led to his resignation. Apple stocks traded down early. Reuters.com has more here.
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Perry Opens Wide Lead Among Republican Candidates - the latest Gallup poll shows Texas Governor Rick Perry leading Mitt Romney 29% - 17%. Ron Paul was third at 13% and Michele Bachmann was fourth at 10%. Gallup.com has more here.
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Cheney Memoir To be Released - the former Republican Vice President many Democrats love to hate will reveal juicy tidbits in his soon to be released book. Among the revelations are he had a secret resignation letter to be used in case of failing health. Another, is he urged President Bush to bomb a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. TheHill.com has more here.
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation To Host Next GOP Debate - to be held on September 7 with all eight qualifying candidates to attend. The debate held in conjunction with Politico.com and NBC News, will feature Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Politico.com has more here.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Harry Grove Stadium Lease Act ll
George Wenschhof
In what is playing out in a similar manner as the famous Abbott and Costello classic baseball comedic routine of “Who’s on first”, the already muddied and confusing Request For Proposals (RFP) process has taken yet another turn.
Months after the city announced The Frederick Keys had won the RFP and a city lease negotiation team announced, the city remains without a ratified lease for the use of Harry Grove Stadium.
City of Frederick Mayor Randy McClement has now announced the city is dropping the negotiation with The Keys over revenue splits of parking revenue. Instead, the mayor says he now wants to go back to what was in the original RFP.
Seems, new city administrator Josh Russin, who was leading the city negotiating team was not having any better success in dealing with The Keys than his predecessor, Rick Weldon.
Interestingly, it was the failure by former city administrator Rick Weldon and the city to negotiate a satisfactory extension of the existing lease with The Frederick Keys which led Mayor McClement to issue the RFP.
The 120 day period the bids were require to stay in effect per the RFP, has now expired, making one wonder what the mayor is referring to when he says he wants to go back to the original RFP. Why were lease negotiations taking place outside of the RFP is another good question.
When I informed John Lavoie, Managing Member of Frederick Atlantic LLC of the latest development he said the following in an email I received last evening; “saw the new Gazette article today ..
If that is all recent info from the Mayor, the City's pending course of action is possibly illegal and confusing at best. If taken at face value, this will now totally ensure that the proposed Keys Lease does NOT comply with their RFP submission and that the Mayor and Aldermen are all active and knowing participants who have orchestrated this flawed RFP, engineered a closed process and concluded a one-sided auction in concert with one of the bidders- The Keys club.”
In a follow up phone conversation with Mr. Lavoie, he indicated it was fine for me to publish verbatim what he had stated in his email.
The announcement by the mayor comes after The Keys negotiated terms with the city which had them receiving the first $150,000 in parking revenue to reimburse them for the estimated annual cost of utilities at the stadium. This was later dropped to $125,000, before the mayor announced, at the last minute, he was pulling the discussion of the Harry Grove Stadium lease from the scheduled workshop last week.
Next, to appear was a financial analysis from Aldermen Karen Young which indicated the city’s financial cost to operate the stadium was not covered by the offer made by The Keys and showed Frederick Atlantic LLC offered a better deal for the city.
What followed was a motion by Aldermen Carol Krimm, which was unanimously approved, at the mayor and board meeting the next day, to release minutes of the private mayor and board meetings pertaining to the stadium lease.
What was the startling disclosure that resulted from this action? – The Keys were to receive extra points in the evaluation of their proposal due to their affiliation with a major league baseball team. The person who suggested the added weight to be given to The Frederick Keys was Alderman Karen Young.
Hardly a surprise, as this was clearly spelled out in the RFP evaluation criteria which was provided to the bidders.
In addition, over the last six months, gossip was spread around town by supporters of both teams. One, persistent rumor had The Frederick Keys for sale and/or leaving town.
The responding rumor involved original owner of The Keys; Peter Kirk, who is now affiliated with Opening Day Partners who has a strong relationship with Frederick Atlantic LLC. Kirk had a past relationship with former City of Frederick Mayor Ron Young, with the rumor suggesting this would make his current wife; Alderman Karen Young a supporter of Frederick Atlantic LLC. I wrote about both rumors in a column dated 4-20-2011.
Casting aside all of the smoke and mirrors one has to ask; where do all these theatrics leave the city?
According to the side-by-side comparison (prepared by John Lavoie; Managing Member of Frederick Atlantic LLC) of the two bids received by the city; The Frederick Keys did not offer to pay for utilities and Frederick Atlantic LLC offered to pay 100%.
So, with the recent announcement from the mayor, do the mayor and board of aldermen now intend to accept an offer from The Keys that does not include payment of utilities? Or, do they intend to alter the bid received from The Keys and include payment for utilities? Is this a fair approach in the RFP award process?
Where does this leave the city in regard to additional revenue streams? Clearly, one of the purposes of issuing the RFP was to see what reasonable additional revenues could be utilized for the benefit of the city.
Meanwhile, the question remains as to whether the city will receive enough money from the lease to pay for their operating expenses of the stadium.
Another unanswered question which remains is how did the secretive RFP review committee come up with their evaluation of the two proposals in the first place?
No request was made by the committee to have representatives of the two bidders give an oral presentation (allowed under the guidelines of the issued RFP) to them.
This oral presentation would have allowed the committee to get all their questions answered in regard to additional revenue streams and to also make sure they were comparing “apples to apples” when evaluating what was arguably a difficult RFP to rank.
A presentation from the review committee to the mayor and board in a workshop also never took place which would have allowed a clear picture to unfold. If, the aldermen or mayor had questions, they could have been answered at that time.
Whether what has transpired to date with the RFP process has been legal or not is best left for lawyers to decide. Let's hope it does not come to that.
In my column published on Sunday, I presented a series of steps which, if taken, were intended to result in a fair outcome to both bidders and the city.
Instead, city taxpayers are left wondering, Who’s on first?
Stay Tuned…
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Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What’s The Next Step with Harry Grove Stadium Lease?
George Wenschhof
Originally published 8-21-2011
The handling of the lease of Harry Grove Stadium by the City of Frederick has raised more questions than was intended since Mayor Randy McClement issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) back in the spring of this year.
Rather than dwell on the less than satisfactory manner the award process has been to date, it would behoove the mayor and aldermen to examine the options available to them to ensure the city ends up with the best terms available for the use of the stadium – city residents deserve no less.
Public scrutiny of the terms of the lease agreement being negotiated by the city with The Keys has highlighted significant income differences to the city in various areas compared with the terms proposed by Frederick Atlantic LLC. Some of these areas were discussed in my column published on August 17, 2011.
In that column, I also pointed out the mayor and board of aldermen had never really discussed the pluses and minuses of charging for parking, stadium naming rights, and various billboard advertising options which have been identified as potential revenue streams for the city.
The lack of effort by the city to limit excessive pricing of concessions at the stadium was another disappointment discovered as the award process/lease negotiations have played out.
Rather than conduct a do-over of the issuance of the RFP, the possibility exists for the mayor and/or board of aldermen to require a few additional steps be taken prior to the ratification of the stadium lease.
While, the city RFP review committee has recommended The Keys and lease negotiations are taking place with them, no formal action has been taken by the mayor and board to affirm/confirm the recommendation by the review committee.
In addition, no lease agreement has been presented to the mayor and board for an official vote.
The intent of these proposed additional steps prior to ratifying a lease agreement would be to ensure the city receives the best lease possible from the two respondents to the RFP.
Prior to continuing lease negotiations with The Keys, discussion should take place in the next city mayor and board workshop with an agreement to implement the following steps:
First, review the Harry Grove Stadium financial pro forma (AL v. Keys and Proposed Keys Lease) prepared by Aldermen Karen Young – confirm the projected city expenses portion with city financial staff – instruct RFP review committee to use the projected city expenses when they evaluate clarified lease offers received in step three.
Second, decide on what additional revenue streams are acceptable to the city. This would include naming rights and a determination on “what” is available to be named, parking revenue, billboard advertising, and the price of concessions.
Third, instruct the RFP review committee to request private and separate oral presentations from both bidders (allowable under the RFP issued) to clarify their proposed terms based on the agreed upon additional revenue streams from the decisions made in the mayor and board workshop in step two.
This is important as City administrator Josh Russin in an article written by Katherine Heerbrandt in the Frederick Gazette was quoted as saying "The changed items — the split in revenues for signs and parking — were not part of the selection committee's purview, and only came up in the negotiations process."
In addition to clarifying proposed revenue splits on the agreed upon additional revenue streams, if any other areas of the submitted proposals need to be discussed to ensure “apples are being compared to apples”, the review committee would have the opportunity to do so at this time.
Fourth, have the RFP review committee (or a designee, if privacy is preferred) present in a mayor and board workshop, their ranking of the two proposals and their subsequent recommendation.
Unless, objection to the recommendation is heard from a majority of the aldermen at the workshop, the finalization of the lease agreement would then take place to be formally ratified at a following mayor and board meeting.
These steps should have been taken in the first place to ensure transparency and to preserve the integrity of the Request for Proposal process.
It is not too late for them to still happen – city residents deserve it.
Stay tuned…
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Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Fighting Continues in Tripoli - while the outcome is certain, fighting continues between loyalists to the Gaddafi regime and rebel forces who now control most of the city. You can read an update here.
The larger question is how will the transition unfold from 42 years of autocratic rule into a hopefully more democratic form of governing. It is likely a U.N./NATO force will be asked to send "boots on the ground" as well as provide other necessary assistance.
As has been the case in Iraq, bringing a melting pot of ethnic groups together in a representative government will be a challenge.
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Energy and Commodity Producing States Lead in Job Creation - the finance states of the Northeast and the housing states of the West fared the worst in a Gallup poll released today. The state of Maryland fell in the average range of job creation with an index of 14. To read all of the results of the poll click here.
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Deven Sharma To Resign as President of Standard's and Poors - the announcement comes weeks after the credit agency downgraded the credit rating of the U.S. government. Citibank chief operating officer Douglas Peterson will replace him on September 12. TPM.com has more here.
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Will Republicans Win the Senate in 2012? - that is the question as Republicans also will face a potential backlash in the House elections where voters will weigh in next year on how they feel the first year tea party Representatives fared in their first year in office. Democrats need to have a net gain of 23 seats to retake control of the House
23 of the 33 Senate elections next year are currently held by Democrats. Republicans only need to pick up 4 seats to gain control of the Senate. The Washington Post has their early take here.
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Spotlight on Perry Reveals Little Depth - the initial roll out of the Texas Governor's presidential campaign has certainly brought attention. Unfortunately, for Rick Perry, it shows a candidate ill suited to reside in the White House. Richard Cohen has an op-ed here.
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Dueling Jobs Plans - are set to be unveiled in September. One, by President Obama and the other by Republican Mitt Romney. Romney will make his announcement in Nevada on September 6. TheHill.com has more here.
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Pataki To Join Republican Presidential Field? - former New York Governor George Pataki is the latest to seriously consider joining the ever growing list of contenders for the Republican Party nomination. He heads to all important Iowa to speak at a major fund raiser on Saturday. CNN.com has more here.
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Monday, August 22, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Supports Rebels as Gaddafi Loses Control of Tripoli - the 42 years of rule by Muammar Gaddafi of Libya is coming to an end as rebels now control major sections of Tripoli. Reports indicate two of Gaddafi's sons are now in the custody of the rebels.
Britain has announced it will soon release their freeze on Libyan assets so the new rebel provisional government may use as they move to restore order in the country. Reuters.com has more here.
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Another 1.2 Trillion was Spent to Bail out Banks - Bloomberg.com is reporting another 1.2 Trillion of previously undisclosed government funds were used to aid the financial industry in the midst of the housing and mortgage crisis. You can read more here.
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What Will be in Obama Economic Plan? - is the question as the economy continues to sputter. E.J. Dionne has a good editorial in the Washington Post today - you can read it here. Much of what he states supports my call for a federally funded public service employment program.
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Cummings Urges Obama To Fight Harder for jobs - yesterday on CNN "State of The Union", Maryland Representative Elijah Cummings urged the president to do more, pointing out unemployment among African-Americans was much higher. TheHill.com has more here.
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Rove Says Palin Will Run - Republican adviser Karl Rove says all indications are Sarah Palin will enter the Republican field for president. She obviously sees what everyone else sees; a weak Republican field. Look to see her announce by the end of September. CNN.com has more here.
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Charges Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn Expected to Be Dropped - prosecutors are expected to drop their charges of sexual assault against the former head of the International Monetary Fund. You can read more here.
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Race for Vacant Weiner Seat a Harbinger for 2012? - the N.Y. congressional seat has long been held by Democrats and is known as a solid blue district. However, the latest polls are indicating a closer than expected contest between Democratic David Weprin and Republican Bob Turner. A recent poll, with a margin of error of 4 points showed Weprin leading by a mere 6 points for the special election to be held September 13. Stay tuned... The NY Times has more here.
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Ohio Governor John Kasich (R- Ohio) says President Obama needs to show leadership and members of his own party to not be "stiff-necked" about working in a bipartisan manner to help the struggling economy.
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Continuing the theme he began on his Midwest bus tour, President Obama urged Congress to put aside partisan differences to work together to help the country during these tough economic times.
He spoke from Country Corner Farm in Alpha, Illinois, where he continued to push for Congress to pass the stalled trade deals with Panama, Colombia and South Korea along with extending a payroll tax cut, veteran jobs programs and infrastructure jobs programs.
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Friday, August 19, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Heads To Martha's Vineyard - for a long week family vacation. As, one would expect, Republicans are criticizing the President for taking a vacation while the economy continues to stumble. TheHill.com has more here.
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Obama Administration To Relax Deportation Rules - in a move which will certainly be framed in the upcoming 2012 election. The President announced deportation for undocumented workers will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with those who do not have a criminal record, allowed to stay.
This action will also allow for the children of undocumented workers to earn a pathway to citizenship through the DREAM Act. Politico.com has more here.
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Dow Jones Down Early - markets are expected to experience a rocky road as financial news promote worries of a double dip recession. Bloomberg.com has more here.
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Less Spending by Government Not The Short Term Answer - the NY Times has an editorial today on how the actions taken by governments around the world to reduce spending will have the opposite effect on the tanking worldwide economy. Instead, government needs to spend money to create jobs to increase consumer spending and confidence. You can read it here.
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Assad Says Military Crackdown on Dissenters Over - comes after President Obama and European Leaders called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down from office. However, six deaths were reported today as a result of military action against protesters. Reuters.com has more here.
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Israel Responds With Air Strikes - a day after terrorists opened fire on an Israeli bus loaded with passengers, killing six and wounding many more. The air strikes were directed in the Gaza Strip and Israel has claimed the attacks killed five members of the Palestinian group known as Popular Resistance Committees who were responsible for the incident in Israel yesterday. You can read more here.
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Gaddafi's Options Limited - as the rebels near the capitol of Tripoli. One plan, to live in exile in Tunisia, may be ending as Tunisia may become a member of the International Criminal Court. The court has filed warrants against Gaddafi and his son. The other option of agreeing to a previous offer by the rebels to step down and live in Libya, may not work as well. One, only has to look at Egypt and the current trial of former President Mubarak to give Gaddafi pause.
Meanwhile, Gaddafi's days as leader of Libya are coming to an end. TPM.com has more here.
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Will Latest Jobs Proposal From Obama Work? - the answer for the short term is unlikely. It is a mix of tax cuts for businesses and more spending on infrastructure. The Washington post has more details here.
I have been calling for several years now for a real jobs program.
What is needed is a nationwide federally funded public service employment program to put the unemployed back to work now in areas which have been hot the hardest by the lingering recession. As one who previously administered the federally funded Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), this is a program which will work to immediate put many of the unemployed to work.
In fact, a requirement should be for those receiving unemployment benefits that they must register for the new public service employment program and once employed through the program their unemployment benefits would end.
This results in a win-win for all involved as work is being performed in a much needed public service area.
This would be a modern version of the Civilian Conservation Corps signed into law by President Roosevelt in 1933 which lasted until 1942. The CCC was responsible for putting the unemployed back to work following the Great Depression.
The model for today would include all public service areas to include municipal government and nonprofit organizations which have been hit the hardest by the recession. The rebuilding of the nation's infrastructure would be a perfect fit for this program.
Senate Democrats Want Cash From Obama Campaign - worried they will not be able to raise the funds they need in what promises to be a spirited and heavily contested reelection effort next year.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has already requested 10 million from the Democratic National Committee and the Obama reelection campaign. Politico.com has more here.
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Only 26% Approve of Obama's Handling of The Economy - a new Gallup poll shows the effect the dismal economy is having on the president. Gallup.com has more here.
In spite of this, Obama continues to beat Republican candidates in polls, reflecting the weakness of the Republican field.
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AFL-CIO Stands with Obama - although they have disagreed on some issues, the AFL-CIO political director said they will support President Obama's reelection effort. TheHill.com has more here.
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Attacks in Israel leave at Least 6 Dead - early reports indicate gunmen opened fire in a variety of locations near the Egypt-Israel border with one incident a firing on a bus loaded with passengers. Reuters.com has more here.
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Obama To call For Syrian President To Step Down - the NY Times is reporting President Obama will make a statement calling for president Bashar al-Assad to step down amidst the brutal government crackdown against protesters.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce new U.S. sanctions against Syria today. The NY Times has more here.
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"I Am Not a Witch" Walks out of Interview - tea party darling and former Republican Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell walks out of interview with CNN's Piers Morgan.
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Questions Remain with Harry Grove Stadium Lease
George Wenschhof
Today, The City of Frederick will hold another workshop on the proposed lease. Aldermen Shelly Aloi (R) and Karen Young (D) questioned various aspects of the proposed lease from The Keys during a city workshop held two weeks ago.
As a result, several minor tweaks to the lease were done, but still no attempt has been made to compare the lease offer from The Keys to the proposal offered by Frederick Atlantic LLC.
John Lavoie; managing member of Frederick Atlantic LLC, emailed me a side by side comparison of the two bids submitted to the City of Frederick.
After looking at this comparison, one can see why questions have been raised by the Aldermen.
For instance, in the capital expense section of the scoring, The Keys won by 3.0 points when their obligation was up to $100,000, but only obligated if the city matched.
The Frederick Atlantic LLC bid was for $100,000 through years 1-3 with no obligation by the city, with the money placed in a local bank account.
The overall average scoring by the city RFP review committee was 89.80 for The Keys and 80.35 for Frederick Atantic LLC.
Interestingly, the utility fees (estimated $150,000 annually) which are presently being negotiated between the city and The Keys were an obligation agreed to by Frederick Atlantic LLC.
Now, The Keys are requesting in their lease proposal, to receive the first $150,000 (now $125,000) in parking revenue to offset utility fees, whereas Frederick Atlantic offered to pay 100% of utilities.
Another question brought up in the previous city workshop was concern to the lack of "green initiatives" in the lease offered by The Keys.
This was an area in the RFP which was won by Frederick Atlantic LLC.
As to potential parking and signage revenues contained in the proposed Keys lease, it would be wise for the city to reconsider this as a revenue source.
First, the added cost of parking to attend a minor league baseball game will have an adverse affect on working families who want to take their families to see a game. As a result, this added cost would also most likely drive attendance figures down.
Second, in regard to additional stadium signage; what type of appearance will billboard advertising on the outer wall of Harry Grove Stadium present as one enters The City of Frederick?
When I emailed these concerns to Alderman Karen Young, she responded with the following:
"I agree that we should be very cautious about charging for parking. If this is about "affordable family entertainment", parking charges will defy that goal. The Keys used some very misleading assumptions in their parking revenue projection. My calculation shows $25,653 for the city. Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Furthermore, the Keys estimate over $250,000 in total income to the city. My calculation (taking out naming rights and using a more realistic parking projection) is $156,103. That's BEFORE our bond payments on the scoreboard. I am obtaining that number to get a better net income projection.
I agree with your signage observation. Do we really want to over-ride the LMC to make this deal work?"
In another email, Young indicated the projected cost for the city in 2012 to operate Harry Grove Stadium is $287,756. This figure includes operating expenses, maintenance and debt service.
She added "Unless we charge for parking and make money from signage, this contract doesn't work. I am very uncomfortable signing a ten-year contract that depends on parking and signage revenues to break even!"
In addition to the above concerns, concession sales have never been discussed, but remains an irritation to many who attend a game.
While, the cost of admission has remained low, the cost of a hot dog, peanuts and even bottled water mirrors the price one pays at Camden Yards, the home stadium for the Baltimore Orioles.
It would have been nice to see an attempt made by the city to review who manages the concessions and have been given a suggestion price range.
Jack Boehmer, in a letter to the editor which appeared in the Frederick News Post on August 11, wrote how minor league baseball is big business, adding how when he was in charge of concessions at Harry Grove Stadium 15 years ago, he took in one million in six months.
With all the questions raised, slowing down to fully understand the ramifications of the proposed lease would be prudent. Careful review and consideration by the city aldermen should take place prior to ratifying a long term lease for the use of Harry Grove Stadium.
Stay Tuned...
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Continues Midwest Bus Tour - Sits with CNN Wolf Blitzer - yesterday in a Minnesota town tall meeting, the President went after Republicans in Congress for being obstructionists and said if they continue their destructive ways, they will be defeated in next year's election. TheHill.com has more here.
Today, in Peosta, Iowa, president Obama will outline some job creation measures he wants Congress to pass.
Also today, President Obama will sit down for an interview with Wolf Blitzer of CNN.
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Only 13% Approve of Congress - a newly released Gallup poll supports what president Obama said yesterday during his Midwest bus tour. Many of the newly elected members of Congress, could find themselves out after just one term in office. Gallup.com has more here.
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Keep an Eye on Merkel-Sarkozy Meeting Today - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be holding discussions today on how to handle the Euro-zone financial crisis. Reuters.com has more here.
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Perry Attacks Bernanke Policies - it did not take long for Republican Texas Governor rick Perry to stir the pot. One day after announcing his candidacy for president, Perry said the Federal Reserve chair's economic policies of printing more money is "almost treasonous". TPM.com has more here.
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Discussions Underway to Restructure Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - the troubled mortgage companies created by congress to support the housing market. The Washington Post has a good read on what may be in store here.
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Monday, August 15, 2011
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
How Will Financial Markets Fare This Week? - after three weeks of drops and last week's roller coaster ride, the Dow is expected to have some gains today. Bloomberg.com has their take on the week ahead here.
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Obama Approval Rating Hits New low - in the daily tracking poll by Gallup.com, Obama's approval rating is only 39% with 54% disapproving - you can read the pol results here.
In addition, a poll conducted by CNN/ORC shows a 11% drop since June among Democrats who support his reelection. His support for reelection is 70% among Democrats. CNN.com has more here.
This news comes as the president begins a three day Midwest bus tour. Expect the town hall meetings to focus on the economy and the current gridlock in Congress.
RNC chair Reince Priebus will counter the bus tour in Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois with radio ads, web videos and auto-calls in the three states beginning today. TheHill.com has more here.
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Perry To Receive Scrutiny Over HPV Vacine - the Texas Governor moved to require the vaccine be used to combat the HPV virus, which can lead to cervical cancer, in schools. Religious conservatives opposed the executive order requiring six grade girls be vaccinated before entering the seventh grade. The state legislature eventually overturned the order with a veto-proof majority. TPM.com has more here.
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70 Killed in Iraq Attacks - the latest wave of attacks, presumably directed by al-Qaeda, included a bomb attack in a busy jewelry market which killed 34 and injured 50 more. Iraq is considering asking the U.S. to leave a residual military force behind when the withdraw is completed in December. The Washington Post has more here.
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Pakistan Let China Inspect Crashed Stealth Helicopter Used in Bin Laden Raid - reports indicate, that in spite of the U.S. asking Pakistan to limit access to the downed helicopter, Chinese engineers were given access to the crash site in Abbottabad. Reuters.com has more here.
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Remainder of Mubarak Trial Will Not Be Televised - the Judge ordered a postponement of the trial of former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak until September 5. The judge also said the remainder of the trial will not be televised. Mubarak is on trial for ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising that forced him from power. You can read more here.
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Political Maneuvering Begins in Frederick County As Redistricting Nears
George Wenschhof
In what Democratic state delegate Galen Clagett (District 3-a) is calling a "premature move", members of the Frederick County Republican state delegation will hold a press conference on Wednesday August 17 at 4:00 PM ET at the C. Burr Artz Library to present what they are calling a bipartisan redistricting map conference.
This highlights the political maneuvering which takes place every ten years, when the U.S. Constitution requires reapportionment take place in regard to representation in the House of Representatives. The number of Representatives (435) stay the same, but based on population totals, a state may gain or lose their number of Representatives, while always guaranteed a minimum of one.
The solid Democratic state of Maryland has 8 congressional districts with six of them considered "Blue"; one (6th) considered "Red" and one (1st) which has been a toss-up in the last two elections. As a result of the census data, Maryland maintained their number of Representatives in the House.
Before, state elected leaders can begin the deliberative process to determine the districts for state senators and delegates; the eight congressional districts will need to be redrawn as elections take place next year.
In addition, the state election calendar has been changed for next year with the deadline for candidates to file, (January 11, 2012), not so far away. The primary will be held April 3, 2012.
As a result, Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley will call a special session of the General Assembly in October to finalize the congressional districts.
Frederick County is currently a part of the convoluted sixth district which has benefited Republican Roscoe Bartlett who won his first election in 1992. Republican voter registration across the vast sixth district has enabled Bartlett to continue to serve in Congress.
Sixth district Democrats are hopeful a shift in district boundaries resulting from this year's reapportionment will offer an opportunity for a more competitive race, compared to the average 40% their candidates have received since 1992.
In addition to the sixth district, look to see efforts made to "help" the first district turn Blue.
After the Congressional realignment is completed, Maryland will turn to state redistricting. Across the state, 35 of the 47 senators are Democratic and 98 of the 141 delegates are Democratic. Each of the 47 districts elects one state senator and three state delegates.
In Frederick County, it is the reverse of the state and 6 of the 8 member state delegation are Republican.
As a result, you can expect some interesting attempts at redrawing lines in Frederick County from both Republicans and Democrats.
The Republican state delegation plans to present a redistricting map which they call "fair and equitable to the citizens of Frederick County".
When I spoke to Democratic State delegate Galen Clagett (District 3-a), he told me he had not held any discussions with any of the Republican delegation from Frederick County in regard to redistricting and as a result was not on board with what was being presented. "They (the Republicans) were jumping the gun" according to Clagett.
Galen added, Democratic state senator Ron Young had shown him in passing, a redistricting map, which he did not look at closely or comment on.
Clagett has, however, been working with an ad hoc five member committee appointed by Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch. As part of this process, he has met with a state official who is looking at different statewide scenarios for redistricting. Clagett added the House had not agreed to any redistricting at this point and would not until the Maryland General Assembly meets next year in regular session.
Democratic State senator Ron Young (District 3), who is mentioned in the Republican press release, indicated to me in a telephone conversation, he had also met with the state official working on redistricting and had shared a draft redistricting map with Republican state senator David Brinkley (District 4) and spoken with Republican delegates Kelly Schulz (District 4-a) and Kathy Afzali (District 4-a).
However, Ron added while he had also seen the press release sent by Republican members of the Frederick County state delegation, he had not been informed that it had been scheduled or asked to attend.
What I am hearing in regard to the preliminary discussions is an effort to have Maryland legislative districts 3 and 4 be inclusive of Frederick County with the current portions of Carroll County and Washington County eliminated.
Each district 3 and 4 would be comprised of approximately 117,000 Frederick county residents.
In district 3, one proposal being kicked around includes three at large delegates as opposed to the current two delegates from 3-a and one delegate from 3-b.
While early talks are underway, the serious discussion on state redistricting will take place next year when the Maryland General Assembly meets in regular session.
The hope will be to finalize a plan next year allowing for two years for candidates and voters to know the new districts prior to the next election in 2014. Approval next year would also provide ample time for judicial review if a legal objection is filed.
Do not look to see any agreement reached without the approval of the big three Democrats; Governor Martin O'Malley, Senate President Thomas "Mike" Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch.
Until then, the talk taking place is just talk.
Stay tuned...
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Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll - Pawlenty Drops Out - Perry In - In a busy day for Republican presidential candidates. As expected, Minnesota Representative Michele BachmannAmes Straw Poll with Tex. Rep. Ron Paul coming in a close second. - you can read more here.
After, a disappointing third place finish in the Ames Straw Poll and depleting campaign resources, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race. He informed supporters in a conference call this morning and will officially make the announcement while appearing on ABC "This Week" this morning. You can read more here.
Meanwhile, Texas Governor Rick Perry made it official he was now a candidate in a speech yesterday. You can read his full remarks here.
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Obama To Begin 3 Day Bus Tour - The president will have stops in Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois on what the White House is calling a "listening tour". Tomorrow, Obama will be in Cannon Falls, Minnesota for a town hall meeting. You can read more here.
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Clyburn Highlights Growing Economic Disparity in U.S. - Democratic Representative James Clyburn (S.C.) intends to use his appointment to the deficit reduction committee to point out the growing gap between the wealthy and poor across America.
An excerpt from an article in TheHill.com which caught my attention states "There's also a racial element to the nation's wealth gap. Analysts at the Pew Research Center reported last month that the median wealth of white households is $113,149 – 20 times greater than that of black households ($5,677) and 18 times greater than that of Hispanic households ($6,325). The divide is the widest it's been since the government began keeping such figures 25 years ago, Pew found." You can read the full piece here.
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