All along the highways, on the streets of our neighborhoods, and flying in the wind like a flag on the thatch of the off-ramps there is trash and filth.
We need to be able to secure better management of resources to accomplish a cleaner presentation. Our public currently lacks focus on this compared to times in our past. We need a partnership with our services and work together to better educate people to care for our community and natural resources.
We need to reaffirm, post, and follow through on penalizing litter bugs to the fullest of the law.
We need to bring back public service announcements about being better stewards of our community.
We need to involve the companies whose trash is found most often and need to get there assistance in addressing their patrons as well.
Where to begin?
I'm all about facts. I'm all about critical thinking. Teaching everyone to believe in the same perspectives and beliefs is a logical and societal fallacy. Teaching people to be kind regardless of perspective is how we grow better citizens.
Teaching them the tools that are necessary to establish a path forward for their life is their primary goal. Those are the basics, math, language arts, science, history, civics, art and music. We have a duty to our children to prepare them to keep their liberty and pursue happiness.
In conjunction with that happiness, we need to take special focus to bullying. Too many times there is a victim bias response from bullies that result in penalizing the victims of the bully. This is a serious issue in our schools and society.
Our Federal and State Constitution, Amendments and Laws set forth the terms of our citizenship and our rights. We need to hold our government accountable to our Bill of Rights without prejudice.
Our judicial system is in crisis with light sentencing on repeat offenders and a law enforcement system that has it's hands tied by uncertainty and disdain. Oversight and additional resources should be welcome and appreciated to address different more difficult situations.
Crime is rampant and growing daily in our communities and neighborhoods. Murderers and Rapists get let off or out far too easily, commit more crimes and jump in and out of the judicial systems hands, meanwhile we bog our judicial and penal system down over petty offenses. We need to make sure we are putting every effort into solving cases and securing prosecutions. Penalties should serve as deterrents.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
There should be no limitations for competent individuals. We need to remove Red Flag Laws and remove “Ghost Gun” bans. They both exist because the laws we have are ineffective and do not address the cause of the issue.
Inanimate objects are not the problem, people that operate them are. Whether that is a mass shooter, a loved one, or a stranger, we need to recognize that this is a healthcare issue, and we desperately need to work on Mental Health to be able to address the core issues socially and work on those instead of the symptoms.
People that have to buy parts of firearms to build one to hurt people, are likely to be felons unable to purchase. They’re also probably people that should still be behind bars.
One bit regarding “Ghost Guns” is that I do support extra charges and penalties if one is used in a criminal act.
Inflation effects all of us with the rising price of goods and services. At a whopping 8.6% inflation rate the economy is slowing down and headed straight into stagflation.
Over the course of COVID, major shutdowns, worker and supply shortages, and the continual printing of money to inject as rescue cash into our economy we sent our economy spiraling downward.
Halting Oil Drilling and Transportation in our country has a great deal to do with driving inflation, especially when a primary source decides to invade another country.
When we do not use or have available use to our own resources we make our position vulnerable to others and the globe. One market I have major issues with is the artificial market created by speculating on oil futures. Vulnerability in an artificial market is very volatile and can create rapid and drastic changes. We also need to continue working on alternative energy, continue refining it, and continue to invest in the future of our planet and our country.
Small Businesses are the cornerstone and backbone of our country. The neighbors that own them, the friends that work for them, and my ability to patronize them are very significant.
The people that set out to take on the monumental task of running a business are heroes in neighborhoods. They create opportunity, offer goods and services, and support our communities.
They are our friends, families, and loved ones.
Maryland is not a state that is friendly to small businesses. Tax rates and excessive fees on small business owners create an extra burden, especially when so many businesses were lost or are still trying to recover from COVID, and the competition is so much higher with chain stores and large corporations.
We also need to work to promote the resources that are available to small business owners through federal, state, local, community and private entities to support a burgeoning of entrepreneurial spirt and a new generation of Maryland Small Business owners.
Healthcare is about so much more than the payment. Preventative care reduces catastrophic healthcare costs exponentially, and has the added bonus of giving us healthier citizens.
We need to continue adapting as technology and information become rapidly available in different health and medical fields. We need to continue pushing for medical professionals to jump into school and work.
In addition to fully supporting advancements in technology, procedures, information, education and care we do need to address the cost issues.
There should be base minimum federal level preventative healthcare standards that we have line item and coverage available for plans. This would allow for portability like automotive insurance, and the ability to opt in our out of coverages in different categories.
Medical/Health needs should also be exempt for any and all taxation and tariff this country wants to impose.
I believe with the majority of Americans that Abortion with limitations should be legal.
I agree with the State of Maryland’s Abortion laws, and the standards most clinicians practice, including Planned Parenthood, that perform abortions on demand until 14 weeks. I support medical abortion until 9 weeks.
Anything after 14 weeks until viability (avg 24 weeks) is between a woman and her medical professional.
Anything after that until natural birth, should solely be based on medical issues regarding life and death of the woman or child.
I do not agree with Margaret Sanger or the appalling eugenics she purported.
I do not agree with “Free Range Full Term” Abortion.
I support changing medical terminology for billing to delist d&c from “abortion” coding.
I support emergency contraceptives to be available on store shelves and not behind the pharmacy counter. I do not believe in any limitation to sales on them. They should be covered by insurance.
Marijuana should be removed from federal schedule one.
It’s a misclassification by perpetuators of several markets and industries to benefit their pockets.
In Maryland, I support the laws we’ve enacted so far in lessening the restrictions on Marijuana, and support full recreational use. Until such further time, that there is significant and binding legislation that supports full medical use and licensing without impeding our second amendment rights in any way; given that the legislation has created a parameter using medical and scientific experts of mental health needs, assessments, medications, and risks.