October’s
Emmitsburg News Journal (ENJ), front page story, “Voters asked to
choose on charter government”, should have been buried in the Commentary
section, if printed at all. The article references the “Charter
Education Coalition” as “a committee established to provide unbiased
facts to the public”. This is simply not the case. When former County
Commissioner Kai Hagen was asked about the “unbiased” Coalition, he
said, “It’s a bunch of baloney, of course they are biased.”
To make a proper judgement on this issue we might want to hear from the County Government Education Coalition. If there were such a group, I imagine they would start by informing these snake oil charter salesmen: that we have constitutional representatives in Annapolis, that our county autonomy is currently under aggressive attack by the state, and that our sheriff is just fine.
The headline story bemoans the lack of a “single voice” for Frederick County in Annapolis. Why then, do we send state delegates and state senators from Frederick County to Annapolis every session? Just because other counties wish to expand their executive bureaucracies, Frederick County should not be pressured into changing something that works fine. If the Governor wishes to hold meetings that exclude counties that believe the best government is a lean government, so be it.
How the Emmitsburg News Journal could print fabrication such as “...Under the charter, the county is granted autonomy from the state, and gains complete control over county policies and procedures”, is disappointing. This Charter group and ENJ must not have been aware of the biggest state power grab in recent history, Plan Maryland? Under Plan Maryland the state has reduced private owner property rights to an all time low, and the state has seized control of planning from county governments: charter and non-charter alike. Commissioner Kirby Delauter had an informative piece in the same issue which highlighted this power grab of Plan Maryland, and identified it’s United Nations origin.
The confusion peaks in this front page Op-Ed with a statement which placed the county commissioners in the legislative and executive branches. The commissioners are not the lead in the executive branch of Frederick County government. Contrary to their blurred vision, there is a separation of the legislative and executive branches of government. The Sheriff is the highest executive in the county and he answers directly to the people at the polls. The sheriff is the personification of the separation of powers, in that the sheriff stands by the constitution to protect we the people, not the political powers of the legislative or judicial branches. Sheriffs are under attack throughout our nation and destroying the constitutional power of our sheriff may actually be what this charter is about
Frederick County’s constitutional, “non-charter”, form of government has been in existence for centuries. The top leadership roles of the executive branch are defined as enforcing the laws and managing the bureaucracy. The sheriff has handled law enforcement in Frederick County just fine. But, if you want larger government, larger tax bills, a county police force, and larger bureaucracy: buy the snake oil, and vote for the charter.
To make a proper judgement on this issue we might want to hear from the County Government Education Coalition. If there were such a group, I imagine they would start by informing these snake oil charter salesmen: that we have constitutional representatives in Annapolis, that our county autonomy is currently under aggressive attack by the state, and that our sheriff is just fine.
The headline story bemoans the lack of a “single voice” for Frederick County in Annapolis. Why then, do we send state delegates and state senators from Frederick County to Annapolis every session? Just because other counties wish to expand their executive bureaucracies, Frederick County should not be pressured into changing something that works fine. If the Governor wishes to hold meetings that exclude counties that believe the best government is a lean government, so be it.
How the Emmitsburg News Journal could print fabrication such as “...Under the charter, the county is granted autonomy from the state, and gains complete control over county policies and procedures”, is disappointing. This Charter group and ENJ must not have been aware of the biggest state power grab in recent history, Plan Maryland? Under Plan Maryland the state has reduced private owner property rights to an all time low, and the state has seized control of planning from county governments: charter and non-charter alike. Commissioner Kirby Delauter had an informative piece in the same issue which highlighted this power grab of Plan Maryland, and identified it’s United Nations origin.
The confusion peaks in this front page Op-Ed with a statement which placed the county commissioners in the legislative and executive branches. The commissioners are not the lead in the executive branch of Frederick County government. Contrary to their blurred vision, there is a separation of the legislative and executive branches of government. The Sheriff is the highest executive in the county and he answers directly to the people at the polls. The sheriff is the personification of the separation of powers, in that the sheriff stands by the constitution to protect we the people, not the political powers of the legislative or judicial branches. Sheriffs are under attack throughout our nation and destroying the constitutional power of our sheriff may actually be what this charter is about
Frederick County’s constitutional, “non-charter”, form of government has been in existence for centuries. The top leadership roles of the executive branch are defined as enforcing the laws and managing the bureaucracy. The sheriff has handled law enforcement in Frederick County just fine. But, if you want larger government, larger tax bills, a county police force, and larger bureaucracy: buy the snake oil, and vote for the charter.
1 comment:
Thank you Dr. Mike for all your hard work for Constitutional obedience and awareness, you are to be commended and your lovely wife for standing with you.
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