2012 Referendum Project

Ten years ago, the Congressional delegation of Maryland was 4 Democrats and 4 Republicans.  After the 2002 redistricting plan, through the gerrymandering process of Governor Glendenning, the numbers shifted to 6 Democrats and 2 Republicans.  It is common knowledge that Governor Martin O’Malley and the Democrats are planning even more shenanigans in Annapolis in 2012.

According to various websites, including Swing State Project, the Democrats have several options to solidify their current 7-1 margin or even increase their delegation to 8-0 by gerrymandering Roscoe Bartlett into a new 6^th Congressional District that would include a chunk of Montgomery County.  The new 6^th would turn John McCain’s 17 point win into a 22 point victory for Barack Obama.

The time is now to prepare to fight against this clear and present attack against our right to have representation.  It is critical that the Republican Party works together with non-partisan issue advocacy groups, local Republican and Libertarian Clubs, and neighborhood organizations throughout the state of Maryland to get the 53,650 signatures needed to place a referendum question on the 2012 ballot to reverse the actions of the General Assembly.

The 2012 Referendum Project is a grassroots neighborhood movement designed to educate the citizens of Maryland regarding the damaging impact of gerrymandering on local communities (i.e. breaking up Timonium into three congressional districts).

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/5576/redistricting-maryland-8-democrats-guaranteed

THE KAMENETZ WATCH #1: EVERYTHING OLD IS NOT NEW AGAIN

BCRCC Press Release on the appointments of Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz:

This fall, during the County Executive race against Ken Holt, candidate Kevin Kamenetz put the following on his website: “As County Executive, Kevin Kamenetz will continue to move the County forward through innovation, forward thinking, and a clear plan for investment in the future of our children.”  In his first few days of office, the innovation and forward thinking of candidate Kamenetz have been replaced by the traditional Democratic Party holiday gifts of high paying jobs to political supporters.

Tony Campbell, the Chairman of the Baltimore County Republican Party, in his response to the appointments said, “So far, there is little innovation or forward thinking from the new County Executive, only a rotation of tires of people who have spent several decades getting salaries and pensions from the pocketbooks and wallets of the taxpayers of Baltimore County.”

Kamenetz’ appointment of former Councilman Vince Gardina, who is due to make $54,000 per year in a county pension for the rest of his life, along with former councilman Sam Moxley ($48,000 per year) received a less than warm response in Tuesday’s issue of The Baltimore Sun because of the absence of gender or racial diversity in the inner circle of the new county executive.  Vince Gardina and Sam Moxley have county pensions for life and now they get to double dip with a six figure salary.

“The Democrat Party speaks highly of gender and racial diversity when they are up for re-election.  However, in the halls of power in Towson, the only thing that is certain about these appointments is that there is a clear plan to keep power limited to a certain few insiders.  The old boys club is alive and well in Baltimore County for the next four years”, said Campbell.

#bcrcc12.08.10#