Maryland/Garrett County Ballot Questions/Referenda

#1 Sunday Sales of Alchoholic Beverages

Appearing on the ballot at elections this year is if alcohol should be allowed to be sold on Sundays. This has been an issue in the area for quite a while. If passed there will be a $250 fee for getting the license to permit the sale. It also will only be sold from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Permission to sell beer or wine with meals will be determined on a voting precinct by precinct basis. What do you think- should alcohol be sold on Sundays or not?

#2 Absentee and Early Voting
Do you think that people should be allowed to vote away from “home”. For example, should a Garrett County resident be allowed to vote in Baltimore if they aren’t at home. This also would allow you to vote up to two weeks early if you were going out of town or something. Should this be allowed or not?

#3 Legalize Slot Machines
Slot machines should be permitted in Maryland. If passed machines would be permitted in Anne Arundel, Cecil, Worcester, and Allegany Counties, and Baltimore City. If allowed the money will be used to raising revenue for education of children in public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12, public school construction and improvements, and construction of capital projects at community colleges and higher education institutions. Should gaming like this be allowed?

Go Green Party with Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente for President

Cynthia McKinney has represented Georgia in the House of Representatives since 1992 as Georgia’s first African American Congresswoman. McKinney's voting record reflects her philosophy that government should serve to provide uplift to local communities and the dignity of the human spirit. This means promoting the rights of seniors, students, the disabled, minorities, veterans, and workers.

In this election, she is running as the Green Party candidate Presidential candidate with running mate Rosa Clemente. In addition to advocating and legislating for civil rights and the environment, McKinney has been a champion of veterans’ affairs, co-sponsoring legislation to beef up veterans' health care, and to grant work opportunity credits to employers who hire veterans.

She believes we need comprehensive federal investments in low-income families and communities. She wants affordable housing for the working class and homeless throughout this country struggling to make ends meet.

She wants the United States to adopt the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights, recognizing that we cannot have peace until we start with our own history here at home. She will bring all U.S. troops stationed in other countries around the world home.

She will set a goal of carbon neutrality within the next 20 years so that our country can begin the shifts in investment necessary to fuel an investment renaissance in jobs, energy independence from fossil fuels, and manufacturing. She will also create air, land, water, climate, production and consumption policies that reflect the real limits within which we must live.

As stated on her website, “We are willing to struggle as long as it takes to have our values prevail in public policy. A vote for the Green Party is a vote for the movement that will turn this country right side up again.”

Bob Barr/Wayne Root Liberterian Candidates for President

Bob Barr is the Libertarian nominee for President 2008. He was the representative of the 7th District of Georgia in the House of Representatives for 8 years starting in 1995. He was a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and a member of the Committee on Financial Services. He is currently practicing law in Atlanta, Georgia with the Law Offices of Edwin Marger.
He is passionate about our fundamental right to privacy and our other civil liberties in the Bill of Rights. He has been nicknamed “Mr. Privacy” by New York Times columnist William Safire. He will fight to protect the 4th Amendment, the right to deny unreasonable searches and seizures. He will not allow privacy to be breached by the government.
His Energy Plan is to allow the free market to work everything out. He does not want the government to be involved with any part of energy production or consumption. He thinks government intervention hurts the consumers in the long run. He believes that more should be done to explore America’s natural resources. He favors off-shore drilling and drilling in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge. He is against ethanol and other government-favored fuels getting special privileges.
His position on border security is that it can be neither completely open nor closed. Potential immigrants and their criminal backgrounds, possible communicable diseases and possible terrorism need to be checked. He feels that the US policy of “birthright” citizenship should not apply in all cases. He does not think that the children of tourists or of illegal immigrants should be granted citizenship solely because of their place of birth.

Jennifer Dougherty Challenging for 6th Congressional District

Jennifer P. Dougherty, member of the Democratic Party, was elected Frederick, MD’s first woman Mayor in 2001. Dougherty defeated 2-term incumbent Mayor James S. Grimes. Her large margin of victory was linked to her promise to open government and improve citizen services. In addition, her promise to improve community policing efforts won praise in the city of Frederick. Dougherty graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, MD in 1983 with a BA in History, magna cum laude. While a student at The Mount, Dougherty was a 4-year varsity field hockey player. She is the only woman in The Mount’s Athletic Hall of Fame honored for field hockey. Dougherty also wrote for The Mountain Echo for 4 years, serving as Editor-in-Chief in her senior year.
Jennifer Dougherty believes in the need for America’s energy independence and supports the need to invest in renewable energy sources, reduce our reliance on foreign oil and create the next generation of the “green economy.” Dougherty knows that the first step is to focus on efficiency and conservation while building a sound national energy policy that creates a 10-year plan to energy independence. Americans brought the price of a barrel down more than $20 just by showing oil companies that “we get it.” A good energy plan will jump-start our economic growth and create good jobs and opportunities, plus be good for the environment. “People in both political parties have to give a little – Democrats should be open to nuclear energy and Republicans have to understand that drilling is not the only answer. More important, they have to realize that the American public is ready for energy solutions!” said Jennifer.So, we can conclude that Jennifer has a good head on her shoulders. She has the expierence and knowledge. Maryland should have confidence in electing her to Congress.

Ralph Nader/Matt Gonzales Independent Candidates for President

Ralph Nader is a lawyer, author, and has been said to be one of the most influential people in the twentieth century. Nader is an independent who is running for president with Matt Gonzalez. After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, he has worked for more than 40 years to assure a safer America and has worked with many different people to find the right solution to America’s problems. Nader has helped start or founded many different organizations. Ralph Nader knows how climate change is affecting the world and he will work to end our dependence on fossil fuels. He will create a new clean energy plan to end global warming and lower the price of energy. Nader will give American students equal opportunities because he knows how important education is to our future. He also knows that the United States needs a new federal budget plan that gives financing to public works, schools, libraries, parks, pollution controls and other important issues. Ralph Nader believes in a health care plan that removes the private health insurance industry and gives full Medicare for all. He will crack down on crime all across America but especially on corporate crime. Ralph Nader is the best choice for president in the United States.

Roscoe Bartlett for Re-Election to 6th Congressional District

Roscoe Bartlett is a Republican who is serving his eighth term in the House of Representatives. He considers himself a citizen-legislator, instead of a politician. Before his election to Congress, he was successful as a professor, research scientist and inventor, small business owner, and even farmer. Bartlett serves as Ranking Member of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee and he is a senior member of the Science Committee. He supported Bush’s decision in going to war in Iraq but he thought there should have been a declaration of war first. Roscoe Bartlett also established the Congressional Peak Oil Caucus because he believes that the nation is relying too much on foreign oil. He voted to create the SCHIP (the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan) program in 1997 and wants to provide health insurance for children of working poor families. Roscoe Bartlett has conservative positions on many issues as he is running for re-election to the House of Representatives.

Constitution Party for President: Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is not an elected politician, so his ideas are new and refreshing. He graduated from Liberty Bell Institute at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. and has since earned his Bachelor and Masters Degree in Theology, as well as received two honorary Doctorate Degrees. Chuck is the founder and minister of the Crossroads Baptist Church in Penascola, Florida. He is also an accomplished author and a radio talk show host. His talk show is considered the most influential voice in the Florida Panhandle for conservative principles.
Chuck Baldwin is running for president as a candidate of the Constitution Party with his vice presidential candidate as Darrell Castle. Baldwin believes firmly that the federal government has no place in the education of children, so he plans to abolish the United States Department of Education. He believes that the federal government should have absolutely no input in the national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel. Baldwin believes that his new policies will greatly help the deteriorating educational system. Chuck Baldwin is a true believer in “pro-life”. He realizes that Republicans are obviously not serious in their beliefs against abortion because abortions are still legal in this country. Baldwin plans to end legal abortions in a matter of days, not decades, as President. Baldwin is also strongly against gun control. Every family in America has the right to own a gun in order to protect their families, without regulations. He plans to abolish all laws regulating or limiting the sales of firearms or ammunition. Chuck Baldwin is a new, refreshing candidate for President and would run this country as a good leader should.

John McCain/Sarah Palin: the Right Choice for America’s Next President

Since his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, John McCain has been a symbol of American patriotism and values. During his 22-years of service in the Navy, he earned multiple awards, including a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. For John McCain, however, it was not enough – he is running for President so he can continue to serve and protect American citizens.
As President, McCain will institute the Lexington Project, a plan for breaking America’s dependence on foreign energy. This project will focus on expanding domestic oil and natural gas production by taking advantage of the large reserves of these resources that lie under American soil. It will invest in clean and affordable alternative energy sources for the time when those reserves run out. This includes nuclear, solar, wind and hydroelectric energy. McCain believes that “A sound energy strategy must include a solid environmental foundation.”
John McCain believes that in order to consider the Iraq War a success, America must support the democratic Iraqi government until it is completely self-sufficient. “The best way to secure long-term peace and security is to establish a stable, prosperous, and democratic state in Iraq.” To achieve this, McCain plans to stay in Iraq until terrorism is no longer a threat to Iraqi freedom and security. He also wants to get the Iraqi government involved in its country’s economy, and to begin putting more pressure on countries such as Syria and Iran – countries that pose a threat to Iraqi prosperity. John McCain is clearly the best choice for America.

Barack Obama/Joe Biden: Change That Will Make A Difference

Barack Obama is running for the Democratic Party in the 2008 presidential election. Obama was in the Illinois Senate for eight years. He was very successful in making the state a better home for many citizens, by creating a tax credit which gave back over $100 million to families in need. Obama has been a member of the U.S. Senate since 2004, where he has brought a bipartisan point-of-view to the laws we need today. With Republican Tom Coburn, he passed a law to help citizens regain trust in the national government. The law allowed citizens to see where their taxes were being spent by the government. He plans to help eliminate partisan takes on government if he is elected to office.

Senator Obama has many strong ideas on how and why the economy needs to change. One of his plans, for rural communities, is to help regulate farm subsidies and stop big corporations from taking land from small, family owned businesses.

One of the major issues Obama is talking about in his campaign is the issue on taxes. Obama plans to give tax cuts to the lower and middle classes, instead of to the upper class. Families who make less then $250,000 a year would not pay as much money in taxes. With economy in the state it’s currently in, this could save many citizens thousands of dollars.

Obama is also for a phased withdrawel from the war in Iraq. Barrack believes the war in Iraq has strained our military resources to the point that we are not able to effectively protect Americans from Al Qaeda in Afghanistan/Pakistan and other foreign threats like Iran.

Most of all Barrack Obama represents Americas best hope for meaningful change. President Bush has one of the lowest approval ratings of any president in history and under Republican control for 12 years, Congress has an even lower approval rating. Barrack Obama intends to make the government work for the people and restore the United States faith and trust in it's leaders.