tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89958197001564064432024-03-05T12:49:13.380-05:00Jordan CooperDemocrat for Delegate | D16 | Montgomery County, MarylandJordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-42423716406438424222019-01-21T22:50:00.004-05:002019-01-21T22:50:39.943-05:00MCDCC Priorities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the Democratic Primary in June 2018 I was elected to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) to represent District 16 as a "male" member (which in itself is something I take issue with). I ran on an open government platform to promote an inclusive and fair democracy. As such I've compiled a list of my policy priorities below. In the name of increasing transparency, trust, and participation in our democracy, I’d like to either take direct action within the MCDCC or issue public statements directed at the State Democratic Party and leadership in the House and Senate articulating our:</div>
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<li>Opposition to gerrymandering</li>
<li>Opposition to the appointment process whereby 37.5% of the current Montgomery County delegation to Annapolis at one point in their careers were appointed to either the House or Senate with the recommendation of the MCDCC. In lieu of this I would hope that we might at least support Delegate Moon and Senator Feldman’s bill to require the temporary filling of a vacancy that would then appear on the ballot at the next regularly scheduled election. I would support an amendment to this bill prohibiting the appointee from running for that same seat as an incumbent in the next regularly scheduled election. </li>
<li>Support of open primaries either where independent/unaffiliated voters can vote in the Democratic Primary Election or where any registered voter can vote in the Democratic Primary</li>
<li>Support of moving the Democratic Primary Election back to mid-September with the provision that absentee ballots from overseas be received by the Board of Elections by mid-August</li>
<li>Support of automatic voter registration through a statewide transition from an opt-in voter registration system to an opt-out system</li>
<li>Opposition to the gender balance requirement and gender-based discrimination on the ballot in favor of partnering with organizations such as EMERGE, EMILY’s List, Leadership Montgomery, and our many chartered Democratic clubs in order to build a diverse political farm system of future elected officials.</li>
<li>Opposition to any MCDCC member running for any elected office other than the MCDCC thus requiring anyone who files for another elected office to de facto resignation from the MCDCC.</li>
<li>Opposition to MCDCC members voting for themselves should a vacancy occur in the Maryland House of Delegates and should a MCDCC member wish to be considered to fill that vacancy. </li>
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Here are some links to arguments that I’ve written with regards to some of my ideas:</div>
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<li>Gerrymandering: http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/12/gerrymandering-threat-to-our-democracy.html</li>
<li>MCDCC appointment process to the legislature: http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/11/the-game-is-rigged.html</li>
<li>Gender balance: http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/11/a-warning-against-dangers-of.html</li>
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Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-16435960001159576382019-01-01T05:00:00.000-05:002019-01-01T05:00:05.879-05:00Plan to Fix Traffic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>COOPER RELEASES METRO 360 PLAN FOR</b></div>
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<b>TRANSPORTATION TRANSFORMATION</b></div>
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BETHESDA, MD – Today Jordan Cooper announced his comprehensive Metro 360 Plan for transportation transformation. Cooper announced: “Gridlock. Rush hour. Traffic congestion. These are experiences familiar to every constituent in District 16.”</div>
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Cooper went on to describe our past success at handling increasing traffic through our investments in mass transit infrastructure, saying “We have done two things right with transit in the past 60 years: in the 1960s we built the Capital Beltway and in the 1970s we built Metro. We need to build upon our successes and create an outer beltway and a beltway Metro system.”</div>
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The Metro 360 Plan entails building an outer beltway, of which the Inter-County Connector (ICC) would be a part, that includes a second bridge across the Potomac River, connecting Montgomery and Loudon Counties. This second connection above the American Legion Bridge would enable Marylanders to travel directly to Dulles Airport without first driving either down to the Beltway or up to Frederick. No development would be permitted along this direct access road connecting Maryland to Virginia in order to preserve the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve as much as possible.</div>
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The Plan also calls for a Beltway Metro system of which the Purple Line is a part. In order for Metro to be a viable transit option for the entire DC metropolitan area, Metro lines need to run along the entire beltway. Cooper’s Metro 360 Plan takes into account some features of existing master plans that were implemented decades ago when, for example, a bridge connecting Prince George’s County to Alexandria, VA was intentionally built wider than necessary in order to accommodate the future construction of a Metro line over that bridge. With a Beltway Metro system Montgomery County residents would be able to take Metro to Tysons Corner and Dulles Airport within a half-hour through a connection between the Red and Silver Lines. And as the Silver Line has been partially funded through Metro impact taxes, so too could this new Beltway Metro plan be fund by the same in addition to an increase in the gas tax in Maryland.</div>
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Cooper summarized his Metro 360 Plan as such: “Improved mass-transit options will increase mobility, strengthen our economy, and improve our quality of life. We must continue to invest in the maintenance and expansion of our transit infrastructure.”<br />
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<span class="s2"><b><a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/plan-to-fix-traffic.html">Traffic</a></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Gridlock. Rush hour. Traffic congestion. These are experiences familiar to every constituent in District 16. Among the top issues that I'm hearing from you as I go door to door with my team is your frustration with traffic. As a result I am pleased to announce my comprehensive Metro 360 Plan for transportation transformation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">We have done two things right with transit in the past 60 years: in the 1960s we built the Capital Beltway and in the 1970s we built Metro. We need to build upon our successes and create an outer beltway and a beltway Metro system.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The Metro 360 Plan entails building an outer beltway, of which the Inter-County Connector (ICC) would be a part, that includes a second bridge across the Potomac River, connecting Montgomery and Loudon Counties. This second connection above the American Legion Bridge would enable Marylanders to travel directly to Dulles Airport without first driving either down to the Beltway or up to Frederick. No development would be permitted along this direct access road connecting Maryland to Virginia in order to preserve the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve as much as possible.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The Plan also calls for a Beltway Metro system of which the Purple Line is a part. In order for Metro to be a viable transit option for the entire DC metropolitan area, Metro lines need to run along the entire beltway. My Metro 360 Plan takes into account some features of existing master plans that were implemented decades ago when, for example, a bridge connecting Prince George’s County to Alexandria, VA was intentionally built wider than necessary in order to accommodate the future construction of a Metro line over that bridge. With a Beltway Metro system Montgomery County residents would be able to take Metro to Tysons Corner and Dulles Airport within a half-hour through a connection between the Red and Silver Lines. And as the Silver Line has been partially funded through Metro impact taxes, so too could this new Beltway Metro plan be fund by the same in addition to an increase in the gas tax in Maryland.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Improved mass-transit options will increase mobility, strengthen our economy, and improve our quality of life. We must continue to invest in the maintenance and expansion of our transit infrastructure.</span></div>
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Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-32506555639441003842018-12-19T22:12:00.000-05:002018-12-20T16:31:07.139-05:00We Need a Public Option<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">America spends twice per capita on health what any other nation in the world spends. The reason for our perpetuated inefficiencies is that we have a lack of political will to pass legislation that would bring our nation in line with the rest of the world, offering universal health insurance coverage while reducing healthcare as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from nineteen percent closer to the eight to twelve percent of GDP that characterizes healthcare expenditures around most of the rest of the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Healthcare doesn’t require “common sense solutions” though; quite to the contrary healthcare policy is quite complicated. And though “Medicare for All” might be a simple enough concept to understand that would do a great deal for our nation in its attempt to control healthcare costs, the current national political climate and the dysfunction of the Congress clearly make such a proposal an impossible dream.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Instead states must take the initiative and seek to move towards universal health insurance coverage as a means of controlling costs. This counter-intuitive concept stems from our current system of de-facto universal health insurance coverage through hospital emergency rooms (as a result of a federal law passed in 1986 known as EMTALA). In Maryland this is especially true because of our unique in the nation all payer rate setting system. Essentially, as a result of an uninsured individual getting shot and being taken to a hospital emergency department, the State of Maryland increases the prices for everything in that hospital from hip replacements to labor and delivery. Private health insurers like CareFirst, United, Aetna, and Kaiser Permanente subsequently increase premiums for policyholders across the state, passing on the cost of the increased prices to us. All the while these hospitals (46 of 47 hospitals in Maryland are non-profit) and health insurance companies (whose executives are paid millions) are exempt from paying corporate income taxes due to their non-profit status supposedly because they provide the equivalent of five percent of their annual revenues in community benefits, which is overwhelmingly accounted for by the same uncompensated care that leads to increases in their compensation. In sum, everyone in Maryland already pays for an inefficient, ineffective, and inequitable form of universal health insurance coverage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">To address ballooning healthcare costs (premiums in Maryland have increased on average by fifty percent in the past four years) and to move us closer to universal health insurance coverage, Maryland needs to adopt a “Public Option” that would function as a state-run Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). This Public Option would be created as an opt-in, means-tested Medicaid expansion plan. It would create a nearly two million person risk pool by incorporating traditional Medicaid, the individual and small business exchanges, and by requiring that a half million public employees in Maryland receive coverage through this Public Option.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The moral and financial benefits would be immediate. By pooling risk across one-third of Maryland’s population, including Maryland’s public workforce, more healthy people who need less care will be subsidizing proportionally fewer unwell individuals who require more costly care. The Public Option will also be in a position to leverage its purchasing power to negotiate down the prices of prescription drugs and medical devices. It will benefit from lower administrative costs associated with publicly administered plans (as an example, Medicare has an average administrative overhead of three percent and CareFirst has an overhead cost of about eighteen percent). The Public Option will gain from economies of scale, further reducing healthcare costs. And the creation of this Public Option will create an opportunity for Maryland to expand its all payer rate setting program from hospitals to all settings of care, thus eliminating pricing variability across the state and achieving savings that have been proven to accrue over the nearly five decades that the all payer rate setting system has been in place in Maryland.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Marylanders of any income level would be able to buy into this Public Option at a fair price for their income level, thus making this plan financially self-sustaining. No federal funds would be required to create this Public Option because it would not be a true Medicaid expansion plan and therefore all authority for administering this plan would be regulated by the State of Maryland. The Public Option would create contracts with individual providers just as any insurance company does and its network could include many of the same providers who currently take other forms of health insurance. Perhaps some of these providers could be taken on as direct employees who only service Public Option beneficiaries, thereby moving Maryland towards a high-value publically administered integrated care delivery model a la Kaiser Permanente.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those public employees who would prefer to seek coverage through a traditional insurer would be welcome to do by purchasing a plan directly through a private insurer. An analogy can be made between this situation and that facing individuals who prefer to pay for their children to attend private schools. Those who opt to send their children to private school in Maryland still pay property taxes for the public school system and can, at any time, place their child in the public school system at no additional cost to them. Essentially those parents are paying private school tuition on top of the costs of funding public schools that they pay by virtue of their residency in Maryland. Just so, the Public Option would be available to public employees at no additional cost as a benefit associated with their employment, but at any time they could choose to buy a private plan on the open market.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">A Public Option would provide comprehensive baseline healthcare with no carve-outs for mental, optical, or dental care. It would provide coverage for every part of your body and would be adequate to provide decent care to all at a lower cost to society than the status quo. We can no longer morally afford to allow the uninsured and underinsured to languish in a wealthy society and we can no longer financially afford the burgeoning cost of healthcare and its insatiable appetite for swallowing resources that might otherwise be applied to other worthy causes in our society. The time is ripe for the creation of a Public Option in Maryland.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Regards,<br />Jordan Cooper</span></span></div>
<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-62389276219901006482018-12-19T18:34:00.000-05:002018-12-20T16:31:16.411-05:00An Author & a Candidate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.publicinterestpodcast.com/p/contribute.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-US80p_kABX-exSk1Lyt7dgoleyCyEchq5dCEd9bS0mQZ9_gC_MQ6HFDB-59ZMIDvU87kAaTYSNW-mI0lAE_-ff2w43zExpiT6HSOML8uF9fqsSR58GaoiuUZ88B06KboHWU7uVJYT0/s320/FrontCover.jpg" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_625051144"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_625051145"></span></div>
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Jordan Cooper is now a published author. "Perspectives on the Public Interest" is a 296 page coffee table book that encapsulates a spirit of public service, as the title states, from a variety of perspectives. </div>
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Obtain your copy here: <a href="http://www.publicinterestpodcast.com/p/contribute.html">http://www.publicinterestpodcast.com/p/contribute.html</a></div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-21388467927275355522018-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:002018-12-20T16:31:25.194-05:00It Takes a Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">District 16 Voters Supporting the Cooper for Maryland Campaign</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cooper Campaign Field Staff Canvassing District 16</span></b></div>
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<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-37378069946122784502018-12-18T20:38:00.000-05:002018-12-20T16:31:43.282-05:00A Budget Neutral Plan to Reduce Overcrowding in our Schools<div style="text-align: center;">
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Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-26201291875340342282018-12-18T11:00:00.000-05:002018-12-20T16:31:37.429-05:00Bringing Business to Montgomery County<div style="text-align: center;">
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Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-53315658156323871242018-12-18T05:00:00.000-05:002018-12-18T05:00:10.271-05:00Gerrymandering: A Threat to Our Democracy <div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently the United States Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari to hear plaintiffs who claim that their First Amendment rights were violated by the O’Malley Administration’s partisan legislative redistricting efforts in 2012. This is the second attempt in as many years to challenge the Sixth Congressional District in the Supreme Court. This ‘gerrymandering’ was, by Governor O’Malley’s own admission, designed to oust Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett in favor of a Democratic Congressman (the seat is now held by Congressman John Delaney but was originally created for then State Senator Rob Garagiola). </div>
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Gerrymandering fundamentally undermines trust in our democratic institutions, our elected officials, and in our core constitutional principles. By drawing legislative districts for partisan advantage, elected officials attempt to pre-determine the victor in a yet to be held election, thus giving primacy to their views over those of the general electorate. Using computer algorithms, Governor O’Malley, Senate President Mike Miller, and Speaker of the House Mike Busch determined how voters were likely to vote and drew districts that would maximize Democratic Party gains in Maryland’s congressional delegation. In so doing they are guilty of placing party above country and of replacing representative democracy with oligarchical rule. </div>
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A vibrant and healthy democracy requires that an informed public be actively engaged in the selection of its representatives. The free exercise of the right to vote is the most fundamental right granted to citizens in a representative democracy. Each Election Day, voters hold their elected officials accountable for their decisions and decide whether to return the incumbents to elected office or whether to replace them with new leadership. Gerrymandering undermines this process. </div>
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Accountability can be further advanced only in the context of reasonably apportioned districts. Gerrymandered districts disenfranchise Marylanders and contribute to increased partisan polarization by removing incentives for candidates to appeal to the wider public. Our gerrymandered congressional districts tend to predetermine the outcome of our General Elections, turning our Primary Elections, in many cases, into the de-facto General Election. Gerrymandering is a significant contributory factor towards the gradual replacement of more moderate members of the U.S. Congress with more ideologically extremist members, which in turn has led to increased legislative gridlock. </div>
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It should come as no surprise that voter turnout is so depressed. Only nine percent of America chose Trump and Clinton as the nominees of the Republican and Democratic Parties. When elected officials across the nation attempt to rig elections it is no wonder that voters are left feeling as though their voices cannot possibly be heard. An end to gerrymandering will convey to voters that their vote matters, that their vote will be counted, and that their government is truly one that is representative of the people.</div>
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Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court’s ruling, Maryland’s next governor must at a minimum take corrective action with the 2022-redistricting plan. The Maryland General Assembly should empower the independent, non-partisan Department of Legislative Services (or a newly created, independent Redistricting Commission) with the authority to redistrict legislative districts based upon population shifts as recorded in the U.S. Census. Such efforts would restore confidence in our electoral system, providing guidance to other bodies regarding the spirit of our governing decisions. </div>
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There have been concerns expressed that the legislation that I propose be introduced in Maryland should instead be introduced at the federal level, and the “Redistricting Reform Act of 2015” would address some of these issues. In a twist of irony, it is perhaps because of the widespread proliferation of gerrymandering that federal efforts to prohibit gerrymandering have to date been unsuccessful. The Maryland Democratic Party rightly fears that it will lose seats in its congressional delegation if legislative districts are drawn by a non-partisan entity while Republican delegations from other states would continue to benefit from gerrymandering. There are proposals that would address these concerns, including a plan for a regional collaborative partnership with the Virginia and Pennsylvania legislatures, though this plan would seem to have as much likelihood of passing as would any federal plan. Ultimately righting this wrong needs to begin in our own backyard. </div>
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Independent of ending the practice of gerrymandering there are institutional processes that Maryland can implement that will enhance democratic participation in our elections. Maryland should consider replacing our opt-in voter registration process with an opt-out ‘automatic voter registration’ process like those implemented in nine states and the District of Columbia. Maryland should align state and county election cycles with the federal election cycle or at the very least return primary elections to September, open primary elections to allow all registered voters to participate, and should replace special appointments, which account for one-third of all Montgomery County’s delegation to the legislature, with special elections. Implementing these measures will create a democracy that is more inclusive and transparent. It is imperative that voter confidence in our democratic institutions be restored and the elimination of gerrymandering is the surest manner of conveying to citizens that their vote matters. There comes a time when our elected officials must do what is right and must lead from the front. The time is now to redistrict in a non-partisan manner. </div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-44679816918892181192018-12-11T05:00:00.000-05:002018-12-11T05:00:01.033-05:00The Broken American Dream<div style="text-align: justify;">
Millennials are the first generation in living memory to on the whole do worse than the previous generation. America has broken its implicit promise to an entire generation who were told to do well in school, graduate from the best schools, be a good person, and that we would see professional success similar to that found by our parents. So many Millennials have done everything right and have ended up with husbands, wives, and children back in their childhood homes. The topsy-turvy nature of our frustrated lives have driven angry voters to the polls in the vain hope that the identification of a false external scapegoat (be it free trade, immigrants, or any other false pariah) could fix our hedonistic, materialistic, short sighted economic and political philosophies. The populist backlash against the status quo, manifest most clearly in the rise of extremist philosophies on both sides of the political spectrum, is not unreasonable when viewed through the lens of the failure to launch that is endemic to an entire generation including even the most wealthy, well-educated, suburban elite.</div>
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Many across our nation feel angry, frustrated, and betrayed. We cannot get ahead no matter what we do. Millennials are sick of waiting for permission to start our lives, delaying marriage, families, and home purchases until our financial situation stabilizes. We are sick of fulfilling our end of the implicit bargain we each have made with America: if we work hard, are honest, do the right thing even when no one is looking, and try to serve others then we will be taken care of. This is too often a false promise to too many Americans. I'm angry and so are the masses around the globe.</div>
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I believe Americans are ready and willing to engage in public service in the name of our nation, humanity, and in the name of naked self-interest in the pursuit of fulfilling lives, which is precisely what public service should be about. Millennials as a generation tend to be more interested in service and in working towards fulfilling missions than prior generations though service as an appealing and respected vocation has fallen from the pedestal upon it was placed by Jack Kennedy and LBJ’s subsequent Great Society movement.</div>
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Greed is too often placed upon our societal pedestal. Financial success too often is equivocated with success more broadly speaking. Democracy is too often placed on the auction block, for sale to the highest bidder. Money is our chosen metric and the almighty dollar our God. We sell our souls and our elections to the highest bidder. We teach our young not to pity the selfish but to emulate them. What message are we sending to future generations as we pollute our Earth, consume our resources, and leave our vulnerable to fend for themselves?</div>
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We teach each other to take not to give. But then what is to come of a society founded upon taking? And what might become of us if we were to inspire each other to give? What if we venerated the director of the soup kitchen or the homeless shelter more than reality TV stars? What if our heroes were quotidian and their missions achievable and able to be emulated? We would create a national community built upon solidarity and mutual reliance. We would be less lonely, less socially isolated, less alienated. The key to reducing mass shootings isn't as much reliant upon stricter gun control (though that would help) as it is upon ameliorating the pain that drives mass shooters to their suicidal and homicidal ends. What if those shooters had felt connected to and valued by their community? Where would violent gang recruitment efforts for MS-13 be if we each took ownership of our neighbors’ welfare? What if poor kids didn't feel as though they needed protection? What if they had an opportunity to belong to something larger than themselves that was productive and may even result in financial and emotional independence with a regular paycheck? Where would ISIS be with their recruitment efforts if minority views, religions, and diverse ethnicities had an opportunity to feel part of our national conversation; if they felt heard? How long must we continue shouting past each other? When will we realize that it's more important to be engaged in dialogue than to win an argument? As the old adage says, no one cares how much we know (or how right we are) until they know how much we care.</div>
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That is why we need Congress to enact a national service plan that guarantees that every American has an opportunity to serve their own community, learn valuable skills, and become part of a larger narrative all without ever picking up a gun and joining the military. Such a guaranteed issue plan is currently being considered by a congressionally chartered National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service though Congress has yet to appropriate an adequate funding for public service to be a guaranteed issue opportunity for everyone. We need funding for a national umbrella organization that will allow every American to serve whether that service be in schools, nursing homes, engineering firms engaged in strengthening our infrastructure, homeless shelters, theaters, or anywhere else where future generations of Americans can find inspiration, value, and appreciation for their willingness to serve. Such service opportunities will help redefine success for the Millennial generation and will provide a pathway to independence through real career building experience that is designed to benefit both society and the service member. Ultimately we must ask ourselves, if we will not stand for each other then what do we stand for?</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-44509140075063677142018-12-04T05:00:00.000-05:002018-12-04T05:00:05.932-05:00Why Do They Hate Us So Much? <div style="text-align: justify;">
As globalization expands, further integrating disparate societies, and as war in the territories once known as Syria and Iraq pushes refugees deep into Europe, the evolution of cultural identities is catalyzed such that new concepts of “German-ness” and of what it means to be “European” evolve. This evolution comes at the expense of what once was, which may sometimes be accompanied by a sense of loss.</div>
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A global nationalist backlash seems to be the result, in part, of an attempt to regain cultural equilibrium; a nation’s and a people’s sense of Self. In Bavaria you may now find greater interest in wearing lederhosen during Oktoberfest as a means of asserting their German identity in the face of a dilution of what that identity was a few decades ago with new cultures, languages, and religions that have come to compose today’s Germany.</div>
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Germany has recently seen the rise of Alternative for Germany, a far-right populist party that has its analogs in France’s National Front, Greece’s Golden Dawn, Britain’s Brexit movement, Hungary’s Jobbik, the Danish People’s Party, Turkey’s Justice and Development Party, and the list goes on. Extremism tends to rise when a sense of fear of imminent or recent loss permeates large segments of society. These global Culture Wars are no doubt are a contributory factor to the election of America’s anti-establishment, populist President who was elected on a platform of “Making America Great Again,” which may also be interpreted as “Taking Back Our America from Those Who Took It.”</div>
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The present is filled with uncertainty. The pace of technological development and knowledge generation is accelerating such that more information is created every two years than had been created in all time by humans from the dawn of civilization up until the present. Traditional concepts of space and time are being disrupted as exemplified by the rapid spread of global epidemics as seen a few years ago when the Ebola epidemic jumped across oceans and continents within days from the jungles of West Africa to our own backyards, becoming a real a direct threat to suburban Texans near an international airport.</div>
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Traditional concepts of power are being disrupted as seen in the Arab Spring and the rapid toppling of various North African and Eastern Mediterranean. Traditional concepts of the media are being disrupted by the rise of “citizen journalism” and the subsequent rise of “fake news.” Whereas 19th century Americans had a century to adapt to the railroad and the telegraph, and our great-grandparents and grandparents had decades to adapt to the car, radio, airplane, and television, we are finding ourselves adapting to new concepts that are as revolutionary as these prior changes but it seems that we must do so at a rate measured in months, weeks, and days instead of centuries, decades, and years.</div>
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For those of us reading the news everyday, it seems that the primary question before us is how to defeat the terrorists that pop up like so many weeds after a summer rain. It behoove us instead to ask ourselves why do all these terrorists hate Western culture so much? We pump Lady Gaga into the heart of Baghdad and little girls want to dance and wear jeans and bikinis just like they see on TV. Our cultural imperialism, intentional or not, is displacing cultural norms and values around the world through the seductive appeal of our sugar-laden, processed, pop consumer culture.</div>
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The whole world is looking to fight back against the insidious encroachment of change and it is ironic that that is the one word- change- that electrifies electorates everywhere. We are a world looking at once for ourselves and looking for a scapegoat towards whom we can direct our bewildered frustration at the transformation of our collective identities, which is often perceived as the loss of the same.</div>
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Before we beat the drums of war, be it in Korea, Venezuela, or Iran, we ought to pause to consider why it is that these others so detest America and the West and instead deliberate over how we might redress their grievances, engage in dialogue, and de-escalate mutually detrimental tensions. We should pick up our passports instead of our guns and embark on a trip to understand others’ perspectives instead of readying for war with those who rattle their sabers in response to their perceived attacks levied against their way of life by our ubiquitous cultural exports.</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-7967841008342099552018-11-27T05:00:00.000-05:002018-11-27T05:00:04.834-05:00The Case for Firearm Regulation in Maryland <div style="text-align: justify;">
It is an indisputable fact that guns fire bullets and that when bullets enter the human body, one common result is the death of that person. Both gun rights advocates and gun regulation advocates agree that gun violence is detrimental to society and should be reduced. In essence, both groups wish to advance the public interest by protecting the public’s health. The opposing groups only diverge when it comes to their ideas of how society should go about trying to prevent bullets from entering people’s bodies.</div>
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Generally gun rights advocates argue that people kill people, essentially arguing that guns are not lethal unless a person aims the gun and pulls the trigger. Gun rights advocates believe that society will be safer if everyone were carrying a gun at all times. The logic behind this sentiment is that violence will be reduced because the lethal threat posed to would-be assassins, villains, and thieves will act as a deterrent to acts of violence.</div>
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Advocates for increased firearm regulation make the case that fewer bullets will enter bodies, thus ending lives, if there are fewer bullets, fewer guns, and fewer individuals authorized to have guns in society.</div>
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Yet even many gun rights advocates will acknowledge that there are reasonable limits to the rights afforded to Americans by virtue of the Second Amendment. Most gun rights advocates will acknowledge that it is unwise for a toddler to have access to a firearm. It would be similarly inappropriate for a violent felon to be permitted access to a firearm or for the average citizen to have the ability to walk into the office with a shoulder fired missile launcher. There are limits to what sort of firearms should be available to whom, where, and when.</div>
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The argument advanced by gun rights advocates does fail to address how the current rash of suicides ought to be prevented since having more people own guns will not provide a deterrent to suicide.</div>
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According to Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, each year there are 11,000 gun homicides in the United States and there are an additional 20,000 gun suicides during those same 12 months. If death by bullets is something to be avoided, then it might be argued that our society would be better off if the number of suicides in this nation were reduced, even if the number of suicide attempts were to remain constant.</div>
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It turns out that more women than men attempt suicide each year but more men are successful in committing suicide because men are more likely than women to use a firearm to commit suicide, which is a more fatal method of executing oneself than other methods. Reducing access to guns would not eliminate suicides, but it is possible that it could curb the number of suicides since suicide attempts are sometimes impulsive acts that are instigated by an acute crisis that could be mitigated given time. Firearm regulation advocates argue that their proposed policies would provide that gift of time and, for some, life.</div>
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In 2013 the Maryland General Assembly passed the Firearm Safety Act. This law required individuals who wished to purchase a handgun to obtain a license from the state prior to the purchase. Since the overwhelming majority of gun violence is committed with handguns, partially because they are easier to conceal, the law, which is not meant to inconvenience long-gun hunters, specifically makes it more difficult to obtain a handgun. To obtain a license one must first pass a gun safety course, submit one’s fingerprints to law enforcement authorities, pay a $50 fee, wait for the license to arrive in the mail, and upon purchase, one must register the gun in a statewide registry.</div>
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Though this process will not prevent someone who already owns a handgun from impulsively committing an act of gun violence, it will prevent someone from quickly acquiring a gun to do the same. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, requiring a license to purchase a handgun will reduce homicides by 40% and suicides by 15%.</div>
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In sum, advocates for increased firearm regulation present data that supports their position. After all, they argue, if more guns made us more safe, then Baltimore City would be one of the safest cities in America and it clearly is not.</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-86877153851041238292018-11-20T05:00:00.000-05:002018-11-20T05:00:12.966-05:00The Game Is Rigged <div style="text-align: justify;">
The Montgomery County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly has 32 members. With the recent appointments of now Senator Will Smith and now Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins due to the vacancy created by the election of former Senator and now Congressman Jamie Raskin that number has risen to 37.5%[i] or more than 1 in 3 of our elected officials in Montgomery County having arrived in ‘elected’ office through a non-democratic appointment process instead of being elected. 12 members of the current delegation arrived there through appointments without having been directly elected to office by their constituency. So in our great democracy, one-third of our representatives were not chosen democratically by the people they are meant to represent.</div>
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The appointment process is doubly damaging in Maryland since we are one of five states that has a four year term for the lower house in the state legislature. In effect, delegates appointed a year into a four year term are able to serve in elected office for the equivalent of what would be a term and a half in any of the 45 other states that only have two year terms for the lower house.</div>
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Even if we are disconsolate over low voter turnout, even lower informed voter turnout, and the gradual disappearance of local press who once held these 'elected' officials accountable, it seems that even those who do show up to the polls on election day only have a chance to elect 2 out of every 3 of their elected officials.</div>
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Add to this federal gerrymandering that disenfranchises Marylanders by carving districts that elect an individual that does not represent most of the geographic area.</div>
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Then take note of our reality where there are no limits to self-financing campaigns such that wealthy individuals can essentially purchase elected office and then note that campaign contributions are not limited to the universe of constituents that the candidate is seeking to represent. If public financing of elections were extended beyond statewide offices to state legislative races, limitations on the source and amount of contributions could begin to be enforced for those who choose to participate.</div>
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What chance then does our Democracy have if our government has already either been bought or stolen and no one knows about it because no one is reporting on local or state government anymore?</div>
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The game is rigged and citizens ought to be outraged.</div>
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In the 2016 election a referendum was passed that now would require a special election for the statewide offices of Comptroller or Attorney General become vacant. There has additionally been legislation that has been previously introduced that calls for providing voters with an opportunity to fill the vacant seat at the next regularly scheduled election without waiting for the four year term to expire.</div>
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This legislation ought to go even further, asking that all candidates for appointments foreswear running for office in the next special election when the vacancy would be filled by direct election. This has precedent in the appointments of Karen Britto to fill the seat of Delegate Bill Bronrott of District 16 and of Cheri Branson to fill the seat of Councilmember Valerie Ervin. Such a pledge would enable fair and competitive elections to transpire that would not be eclipsed by the power of incumbency.</div>
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[i] There have been 57 appointments to the Maryland House of Delegates in the last 19 years since 1997: http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hseapp.html. 11 of these vacancies were in Montgomery County, 8 of whom are still in office. Montgomery County has 8 districts with 3 delegates each amounting to a total of 24 delegates.</div>
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There have been 21 appointments to the Maryland Senate in the last 19 years since 1997: http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/senapp.html. 5 of these vacancies were in Montgomery County, 4 of whom are still in office. Montgomery County has 8 districts with 1 senator each amounting to a total of 8 senators. 50% or half of Montgomery County's current senators have been appointed into office.</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-66757608639427909642018-11-13T05:00:00.000-05:002018-11-13T05:00:00.617-05:00In Praise of Civic Activism <div style="text-align: justify;">
I am a progressive Democrat writing in support of a political candidate for whom I will never vote: perennial Republican candidate Robin Ficker, who is the Republican nominee for Montgomery County Executive in 2018. </div>
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One of the greatest problems facing our nation today is apathy. The lack of a sense that we are all in this together and that only by actively demonstrating compassion and empathy for our countrymen, only by engaging in dialogue especially if it makes us uncomfortable, and only by believing that not only that our own voice matters but that everyone's voice matters can we begin to heal this great nation of ours. </div>
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Of course there is the mess of the healthcare delivery system, there are growing socio-economic disparities, and then there’s the ballooning cost of higher education, but all of these can be remedied with policy solutions that are not only known in academia but are in practice throughout much of this nation and the world; we simply lack the political will to do the right thing. Only an active and engaged public can pressure the political system, businesses, the economy, and the rest of society into actively advancing the public interest. </div>
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We need more people seeking to serve the public through elected office, more people who are persistent in the face of defeat, and more people who are committed to advancing the public interest even at personal expense while enduring ridicule. Our society needs more, not fewer, individuals like Robin Ficker who have conviction, vision, and the ability to act upon their convictions so as to advance the public interest. In addition to seeking elected office, Ficker has introduced and successfully passed numerous Montgomery County charter amendments. Regardless of whether one agrees with these amendments or not (I voted against his most recent, successful term-limit charter amendment), one must concede that he has a clear vision of an improved society and has arduously worked to actualize that vision. </div>
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Too often perennial, non-incumbent candidates are dismissed out of hand because the electorate has not embraced them. Ficker has been dismissed as a ‘gadfly,’ possibly in part due to his conduct at sporting events more than in the political arena, but when the majority of Montgomery County voters agreed with his latest term limit proposal, it’s evident that Ficker is bringing substantive discussion to the table that indeed resonates with much of the electorate. </div>
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Candidates such as Ficker energize the electorate and his ballot referendums actively engage a greater proportion of our citizenry in the electoral process than otherwise would be engaged absent his efforts. Ficker’s activism demonstrates that there are many ways to be engaged with and to demonstrate one’s commitment to the welfare of our community and as an activist progressive Democrat who would not vote for him nor for many of his initiatives, I applaud his efforts. </div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-45200044422668795322018-11-06T00:07:00.000-05:002018-11-06T00:07:08.596-05:00A Warning Against the Dangers of a Demographics Driven Democracy <div style="text-align: justify;">
Our nation was founded upon the principle of self-government through free and fair elections. Though we didn’t have it all figured out at the start, we’ve certainly made some significant improvements. We now directly elect our U.S. Senators thanks to the Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Admittedly we still have some work to do since the Electoral College prevents us from directly electing the President of the United States. The general trend of history has nevertheless been towards greater inclusion of voters from various backgrounds in the electoral process. Today citizens of all genders, religions, income levels, ethnicities, and backgrounds can vote for whichever candidate best represents them.</div>
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The Maryland Democratic Party has unfortunately implemented rules that are contrary to our foundational ideals and represent a regression to a less inclusive time in our democracy. Taken to its logical conclusion, the Maryland Democratic Party’s new gender balance rules would impose additional restrictions on voters, further limiting their choice. One might ask, if it is important to require voters to elect one woman and one man to the local Democratic Party since women are underrepresented, why not also require voters to elect one African-American, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, Catholic, or low income individual since all of those demographic profiles have historically also been underrepresented in elected offices? Where can one reasonably be expected to draw the line at infringing upon the will of the voters?</div>
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The intent of the Maryland Democratic Party, presumably to involve more individuals in our democracy from historically disengaged and disenfranchised populations, is laudable even if their efforts with regards to the gender balance rule are misguided. The Maryland Democratic Party should be and is reaching out to all kinds of communities across Maryland. Knocking on doors, making phone calls, appearing at events, and offering training to individuals seeking to get involved in electoral politics is wonderful. Getting more individuals of all backgrounds involved in politics is a good thing.</div>
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If the goal is to get more women elected into public office then there are organizations such as EMILY’s List, the National Organization for Women, the League of Women Voters, and the Women’s Democratic Club that can help women along that path (and I have been active for years with the LWV and WDC to achieve precisely this). But denying voters the opportunity to select who they wish to represent them is not only undemocratic but is offensive. According to a new rule implemented by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC), voters must either select one woman and one man to represent them in the local Democratic Party. In 2014 voters from District 16 elected two women (Wendy Cohen and Loretta Jean Garcia) to represent them on the MCDCC. This year voters were denied the same opportunity. This achieves precisely the opposite effect of the new gender balance rules. For the next four years District 16 will be represented by one fewer woman on the MCDCC than they have been for the previous four years regardless of the desires of the electorate.</div>
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In an ideal world voters would select individuals to represent them in elected office based upon merit. In reality voters can cast their ballot based upon whatever criteria they wish and if voters wish to vote for someone because that person happens to have two X chromosomes then that is their privilege. As much as having a diversity of philosophies and demographics in our elected bodies is desirable we should not elevate an ideological desire for diversity above the most basic tenet of our democracy: that the electorate should select their elected representatives.</div>
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The Maryland Democratic Party should embrace the root of its name, abolish its gender balance rules, and respect the will of the voters and the integrity of our democracy.</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-33267782265864327522018-10-30T05:00:00.000-04:002018-10-30T05:00:03.216-04:00The Need For Civility In Politics <div style="text-align: justify;">
Paul Schwartzman’s August 17th article “Presidential long shot pitches consensus in a bellicose age” falls short in its analysis of Rep. John Delaney’s campaign. As the only declared candidate of any party there seems to be dubious evidence that Delaney is a long shot for the presidency. If that was the sentiment at the Iowa State Fair then Schwartzman might have offered a quote to express what is clearly an opinion and not an objective statement about Delaney’s campaign. That said, Schwartzman does do a good job providing context to presidential ambitions by referencing then-Governor Carter’s 1976 campaign. Indeed it could be rather easily argued that most successful presidential campaigns have some quixotic element to their endeavors early on in their campaigns. Reagan was not assured victory in his first race, nor Clinton, nor W. Bush, nor Obama, nor Trump.</div>
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The article again could benefit from more context around the highlighted quote from an Iowa voter that calls for more “extremism.” Undoubtedly extremism and controversy sell more newspapers and increase advertising pricing for publications such as The Washington Post but it is irresponsible of journalists to play into increased popular ideological division that is in large part a product of the coverage that traditional media provides. It appears as though the individual occupying the White House arrived there in large part owing to billions of dollars worth of earned media coverage of his extremist, sensational campaign. It could well be argued that our nation would be less extremist and less divided had there been less front page real estate devoted to the hateful rhetoric of Mr. Trump; indeed there likely would be a different occupant of the White House had journalists given equal weight to measured, albeit more boring, discussion of policy ideas by responsible candidates.</div>
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The context provided by Schwartzman sometimes leaves more to be desired: he refers to Delaney’s quest as “fanciful” owing to his current position in the lower chamber instead of the upper chamber of Congress (omitting that as recently as Barack Obama has a sitting member of Congress successfully run for president) and then proceeds to place a defense attorney for a porn star on equal footing. The article later insinuates that Avenatti might be a more serious candidate than Delaney on the basis of inflammatory and bellicose language. It seems as though this article was written with a conclusion in mind and that the story was written to illustrate Schwartzman’s pre-determined conclusion. Delaney has attended many Meet & Greets in packed houses with audiences exceeding 50 people, of which it may be assumed Schwartzman either attended or at least was aware of, yet he chose to report on one low turnout event with six attendees to indicate that Delaney lacks support or momentum, giving further fuel to the “long shot” pre-determined conclusion espoused in this article.</div>
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Our country is in dire need of responsible politicians and responsible press. According to Delaney’s newly released book, The Right Answer, “the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans [is] wider than ever… [having] increased from 15 percentage points to 36” (p. 139-140). Delaney goes on to write that “In the past Republicans and Democrats differed on how to fix problems, but at least we could usually agree on what the most important problems were… we can’t even agree on that anymore.” The implications are profound. Weakly stands a house divided. Already America is losing ground to China as our 20th century super power status has devolved due to our own disruption of the Pax Americana with our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, to our increasingly isolationist policies, our reluctance to stand by our allies, and the aggressively populist overtones emanating from the presidential bully pulpit. America’s position in the league of nations is diminishing as we trade substance for misleading, subjective headlines.</div>
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Our great nation is in dire need of a responsible adult who can focus on attacking corruption head-on by opposing gerrymandering, who can stabilize the economy by fulfilling one of government’s primary roles: making sure that public services and infrastructure work, he offers solutions to our national debt crisis, and he is willing to engage in the act of governing without simultaneously engaging in demagoguery. The great enemy of the early 21st century is not constituted by external authoritarian actors in North Korea, Iran, Russia, or Turkey; it is domestic authoritarian tendencies, complicit profit-driven, sensationalist media coverage, and an increasing unwillingness to engage in dialogue with other Americans who disagree with us, Americans who we too often inaccurately portray as the enemy, that poses the greatest danger to our republic. America needs adults in the White House and in Congress who are willing to place our nation ahead of party politics and who are willing to lead. To date Delaney is the only candidate to have thrown his hat in the ring and he deserves our consideration as a thoughtful candidate with the courage to take a stand against the dominant narrative of hyper-partisan polarity that is plaguing our nation.</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-2847329958139963122018-06-27T08:06:00.003-04:002018-06-27T14:38:15.296-04:00We Lost<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">This is the final email that you will ever receive from the Cooper for Maryland campaign.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">I have been invested in our community and have been involved in Maryland politics for the past 15 years. The voters of District 16 have now twice been offered the opportunity to elect me to represent them in the state legislature and have instead selected others to do the job. That is their right and I respect their decision.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Having placed my name before the voters and having been twice rejected, I have heard the will of the voters and accordingly will no longer seek to join the Maryland House of Delegates.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">To those who have supported my efforts to serve our community, thank you. Campaigns are the manifestation of an entire community's investment in an idea. These investments take the form of financial contributions, time, and effort. Though I am certainly disappointed in the result, I am grateful for all of the support that you have provided over the course of this and our previous campaign.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Thank you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Regards,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Jordan</span></div>
<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-38197733385467232362018-06-26T20:00:00.000-04:002018-06-28T00:52:35.798-04:00Election Results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="4" class="ui-table table-stripe" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" summary="Election results for House of Delegates District 16. Results are reported by early, election night, absentee/provisional voting and the totals."><tbody>
<tr><th class="NameCol_ER" id="CandidateName01616" scope="col" style="text-align: left; width: 221px;" width="30%">Name</th><th class="PartyCol" id="Party" scope="col" style="text-align: left;">Party</th><th class="VotesCol" id="EarlyVotes01616" scope="col" style="text-align: left;">Early Voting</th><th class="VotesCol" id="ElectionNightVotes01616" scope="col" style="text-align: left;">Election Day</th><th class="VotesCol" id="AbsenteeAndProvisionalVotes01616" scope="col" style="text-align: left;">Absentee / Provisional</th><th class="VotesCol" id="TotalVotes01616" scope="col" style="text-align: left;">Total</th><th class="PercentCol" id="Percentage01616" scope="col" style="text-align: right;">Percentage</th></tr>
<tr class="Row2" style="background-color: #eff3fb;"><td class="NameCol_ER" headers="CandidateName01616" style="width: 221px;">Jordan Cooper</td><td class="PartyCol" headers="Party">Democratic</td><td class="VotesCol" headers="EarlyVotes01616">584</td><td class="VotesCol" headers="ElectionNightVotes01616">2,708</td><td class="VotesCol" headers="AbsenteeAndProvisionalVotes01616">0</td><td class="VotesCol" headers="TotalVotes01616">3,292</td><td class="PercentCol" headers="Percentage01616" style="text-align: right;">6.5%</td></tr>
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To view election results click here: <a href="https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/Primary/gen_results_2018_1_016X.html">https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/Primary/gen_results_2018_1_016X.html </a>Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-88575996026929544212018-06-25T09:04:00.006-04:002018-06-25T09:04:56.277-04:00Vote Jordan!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Tomorrow, Tuesday June 26th, is the Democratic Primary Election. Polls will be open from 7am-8pm.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Click here to <a href="https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/PollingPlaceSearch"><span class="s3">find your polling location</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Tomorrow's the day to cast your ballot. Please vote and please check "Jordan Cooper" for delegate.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Regards,</span></div>
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Jordan Cooper</div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-58293115539789236382018-06-11T05:00:00.000-04:002018-06-13T12:46:57.936-04:00A Candidate & A Voter: Guide to Decide 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</div>
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On June 26th Democratic Primary voters in Bethesda will face 128 candidates on their ballot, including me. Though I am a candidate, I am also a voter. In addition to voting for myself in my race I’ll be voting in many other candidates who are seeking to represent me in different levels of government. Allow me to share the questions I ask myself to determine whom I will vote for:</div>
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1)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Have they been present? It’s been said that 90% of life is about just showing up. I am very active in Bethesda and have attended most political and community events in the area. If I haven’t seen or heard of a candidate in the community before last September then they won’t have my vote.</div>
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2)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Are they responsive? It’s important for elected officials to understand that they work for their constituency, not the other way around. When I contact someone by phone, email, text, or when I raise an issue with them in person, I expect them respond or follow-up promptly. Those candidates who quickly return my calls and emails will be top contenders for my vote.</div>
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3)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Are they competent? Elected officials need to understand the details of the issues before them. It is insufficient to substitute platitudes for substance. I look for a brain in every candidate who I support.</div>
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4)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do they have backbone? Elected officials must recognize that they will never please everyone all the time. Elected officials must be able to sacrifice their personal, political self-interest to the public interest that they are elected to represent and sometimes that means standing up to allies. While it’s easy to say “No” to enemies, I look for candidates who are able to say “No” to friends too.</div>
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5)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do they care? I look for a big heart in every candidate who seeks to earn my vote. I look for a track record of public service that indicates that they have taken an interest in improving the community of which they are a part. Having been successful professionally is well and good but is insufficient on its own to demonstrate that they care.</div>
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Perhaps these metrics will likewise prove useful to you in winnowing down the imposing field of candidates, as they have been useful to me.</div>
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Regards,</div>
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Jordan Cooper</div>
<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-27440629892555458232018-05-26T17:42:00.003-04:002018-05-29T23:17:18.274-04:00Why I'm Different<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">There are eight Democrats, including two incumbents, running for three seats to represent District 16 in the Maryland House of Delegates. Even though we are all members of the Democratic Party, there are significant differences among us. Some of my competition has never voted in D16 before. Some have ambiguous ethics, using images and names as endorsements that have never been offered. Some either contradict themselves or implicitly endorse large tax hikes by promising millions of dollars in dedicated funding to one special interest group and then turn around promising the same to others.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">To the best of my knowledge, none are offering to save you money as I am, none have proposed a budget-neutral plan to fund increases in teacher salaries, more school construction funds, and hiring more teachers without costing taxpayers anything, as I have. None have the depth and breadth of experience serving and representing you on water and sewer boards, commercial real estate boards, county budget boards, and the Democratic Party as I have in addition to my professional career as a health policy expert. None have been endorsed by four statewide elected officials including two governors of Maryland, as I have. None are refusing campaign contributions from PACs, corporations, and special interests as I am. I have stood up to special interests and have told them "No" when I might have received their endorsement if I had only said "Yes." I did so because I'm not looking to represent special interests in the legislature; I'm running to represent you.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It matters which Democrats we elect into office. Please take a moment to watch this <a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/why-im-different_26.html"><span class="s2">video</span></a> where I explain why I'm different from my competition.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Regards,</span></div>
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Jordan CooperJordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-30716648294831249052018-05-25T17:43:00.000-04:002018-06-02T09:37:12.252-04:00Regulating Guns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-55115751009519394552018-05-21T20:30:00.000-04:002018-06-05T21:15:22.771-04:00Raskin, Dog, Events<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/raskin-statement-of-appreciation.html"><b>Congressman Jamie Raskin<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Read his <a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/raskin-statement-of-appreciation.html"><span class="s3">statement of appreciation</span></a> here for all of the work I did recruiting volunteers, fundraising, phone-banking, and canvassing to support his first campaign to represent us in Congress.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><b><a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/travels-with-jasper-one-candidates.html">Jasper the Dog</a></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Sometimes it helps to have a loyal friend with you on the campaign trail and there's none more true than Jasper, my golden retriever. <a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/2018/05/travels-with-jasper-one-candidates.html"><span class="s3">Read this article</span></a> about our time together.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="mailto:Voters@Cooper4MD.com"><b>Upcoming Events</b></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Please join me for a discussion about what issues matter to you on Thursday May 24th from 7:00 - 8:30 PM at 6329 Windermere Circle, North Bethesda, MD 20852. No contribution is necessary.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">There is one final candidate forum scheduled for Sunday June 3rd from 10:00 - 11:15 AM at Temple Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Rd, Rockville, MD 20850. I look forward to seeing you there.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">We are doing group canvasses everyday. If you'd like to join us even for an hour, please email <a href="mailto:Staff@Cooper4MD.com"><span class="s3">Staff@Cooper4MD.com.</span></a> If you or your child are looking for a summer job or internship, we are hiring for those who are able to commit to helping us cross the finish line. Please contact us to learn more about salaries and job openings.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="mailto:Voters@Cooper4MD.com"><b>Request for Help</b></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The election is drawing close and absentee ballots are already being cast. If you'd like to get involved with our efforts to win this campaign please email me. Whether you can make a financial contribution, knock doors, make phone calls, place a yard sign in front of your home, a bumper sticker on your car, tell your neighbors about the campaign, or whether you can represent the campaign at a local event, this is a collective effort and we cannot do it without you.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Regards,</span></div>
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JordanJordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-46897035816916899512018-05-11T11:07:00.001-04:002018-05-20T22:53:24.342-04:00I Need Your Help<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-26661778776696908372018-05-10T09:30:00.000-04:002018-05-10T09:30:09.322-04:00People Powered Campaign
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<span class="s1">Dear Friend, Neighbor, & Constituent,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">You have the power to change politics as usual. This campaign is 100% funded by individuals like you. I do not accept corporate, PAC, or special interest funds because contributions do influence political decisions and I am running to represent you, not special interests, in the Maryland General Assembly. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">I'm honest about my intentions, my motivations, and when I interviewed with organizations during their endorsement processes they asked me to why I didn't answer Yes to everything that they asked for. I sat in front of labor unions and environmentalists and told them that I agree with much of their platform but that ultimately I'm running to represent the 120,000 individuals who live in District 16. Where their interests and the interests of District 16 align I will support them, but I told them that I'm not running to represent their interests. Indeed to answer Yes to every demand by every special interest group would necessitate either being disingenuous or being supportive of massive tax hikes to fund the abundance of dedicated funding that these special interest groups request of each candidate. I've placed all of my <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TA5hJ3ItUHKcXT2gapp63Z6I6v3_blPa"><span class="s2">questionnaire responses on my website</span></a> so that you can see what I told them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">We have just 7 weeks left until Election Day and I really need your financial support to carry us across the finish line on June 26. I have <a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/p/campaign-finance-reports.html"><span class="s2">posted on my website</span></a> how I've spent every dollar my campaign has ever received. We are spending the money on yard signs, literature, staff, advertising, and mail. My team and I have developed a voter outreach strategy that we have determined will require $4,000 more by my 33rd birthday this Sunday May 13th.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">If you like the idea of having independent, honest politicians elected to office to represent the best interests of their constituents, if you want someone who is willing to stand up to those in power to do the right thing, and if you want to reduce the influence of money in politics, then please <a href="http://www.jordanpcooper.com/p/contribute.html"><span class="s2">donate to the campaign today.</span></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Regards,</span></div>
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Jordan Cooper<span class="s1"></span></div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995819700156406443.post-59464731009167065012018-05-09T09:30:00.000-04:002018-05-09T09:30:03.766-04:00Raskin Statement of Appreciation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Congressman </span></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Jamie Raskin </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">reflects on my candidacy:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">“<i>Jordan Cooper has been a relentless and unstoppably focused Democratic activist whose passion is lowering health care costs and increasing accessibility.</i>”</span></span></div>
Jordan Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536501898245434854noreply@blogger.com