Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region.
This week, Len and Clayton discuss the politics and realities of a Democratic Party attempt to redistrict Maryland in response to the recent Republican proposal to create five new Red districts in Texas, ahead of the 2026 midterm election. They also offer up their “Hot Takes” for the week.
This podcast is approximately 14 minutes in length.
Rick Hughes says
I almost didn’t listen today because of Clayton’s comments a couple of weeks ago that reduced immigrant people to economic commodities: because it is either too costly to kidnap/detain/house and remove them, or that the US would suffer too much financially if they were suddenly gone. His party line comments had nothing to do with the humanity of the situation and offered no solutions. It was all about how we need to continue to make money on the backs of immigrants because we aren’t birthing enough new, presumably pale, babies. He is ok with them staying and us reaping the benefit of their hard work, but only if they are punished sufficiently.
But I did listen today. Interestingly, Len mentioned how prior to the last gerrymandering mess the Shore typically enjoyed “moderate and sensible” representation from both parties. Moderate and sensible are great words and how, I suspect, most on the Shore see themselves and their friends and family. Moderate and sensible is what we need in all of politics right now. There are many reasons Congress has such low public approval ratings, among them being the win-at-all-costs political blood lust that drools from the extreme Trumpist right. Truth be damned. Moderate and sensible does not keep the base frothing, mad and in line; division, chaos and lies do.
Clayton said something I found interesting, and I agree. He said that inspectors general should be selected by independent bodies, free from politics, and not chosen by those that they could potentially have to investigate. I’d like to ask Clayton how he feels about Trump picking, firing, suing, attacking and packing every agency and court with people who are to do his bidding or be banished. How does he feel about POTUS getting a get out of jail free pass from SCOTUS? You can’t have it both ways – although, obviously that’s what we have right now in what used to be the United States. Clayton said it before, he agrees with 80% of what Trump is doing and saying, so what’s the 20% he disagrees with? Like George W.’s “you’re either with us or against us”, in my opinion any commentator, politician or citizen that cannot openly decry the bad that Trump is doing, along with what they like, then they are MAGA to the detriment of the USA and democracy and part of the regime that’s rotting the USA from within at warp speed. Same with DEMS. I long for a time when people from any party call it the way it is, enough with the party line crap when they know full well that the next words coming out are not the truth. Again, GOP or DEM.
Lastly, thousands of people on the Shore are taking to the streets each week. Andy Harris has the title of “Representative”, but he seems to only care about his donors and pleasing his MAGA master and base. The rest of us, thousands of angry District 1 voters, deserve to be heard, answered and adequately represented. AWOL Andy is not delivering and we all deserve better. Gerrymandering or not, we the moderate and sensible of the Eastern Shore are NOT with Andy.
Jim Bachman says
Texas has opened the door. It is long past time to grab a Sharpie and retire Andy Harris.