Maryland Voters

It is time that all Maryland voters cleaned house at the General Assembly ("Censure for Currie recommended," Feb. 17). Sen. Ulysses Currie needs to go. Fellow lawmakers talk about how nice a guy he is. I am sure there are many convicts who are nice guys. Senator Currie's explanation for his conduct is that he did not know how to fill out the paperwork or he did not understand the rules. Is this a person that we, the taxpayers, deserve? Joe Heming

Following yet another tax increase shoved down our throats by the spend-then-tax trio of the Gov.Martin O'Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House SpeakerMichael E. Busch("General Assembly raises income tax on top 14 percent," May 17), there is one positive aspect: At least they didn't scurry about in the middle of the night like cockroaches as they did when passing a record tax hike in 2007. When will Maryland voters learn? Gary Sulin, Forest Hill

Maryland was one of the few states that did not send a clear message to Congress and President Obama in the November, 2010 election to cut and cap the federal government's outrageous spending habits. No wonder they did not want to send that message as Maryland's economic viability significantly depends on federal spending. At some point, and I suspect it will occur should a more conservative crowd take control of the U.S. Senate and White House after the 2012 elections, Maryland voters will be forced to deal with a smaller federal government.

It's hard to imagine that gay marriage and Superman could be wrapped into a controversy, but that's happening across the nation as  DC Comics launches a new line of comic books featuring Clark Kent's alter ego. One of the authors signed on for the upcoming "Adventures of Superman" series is Orson Scott Card, who wrote the popular Ender series. He certainly has science fiction cred, but his views opposing gay marriage have caused some bookstores to boycott his newest works and have triggered a petition drive.

You ask the question in your editorial "Muddled tea leaves" (May 20): "Voters are mad at incumbents, but how will it translate to Maryland?" Answer; almost zero influence because the Maryland voters are not mad as hell. With unemployment statistics more than 2 percent below the national 9.9 percent average, the solid control by the Democratic Party in all branches of state and most local governments, and the inept Republican/independent parties unable to present candidates that can light a fire under the electorate with solid programs to challenge the incumbents, there will be no Massachusetts/Virginia/New Jersey/Pennsylvania miracle in Maryland come November 2010.

ANNAPOLIS -- When Maryland voters go to the polls this fall, they may be asked to change the state Constitution to permit civil cases to be heard by six-member juries instead of the traditional 12-member ones.The Senate voted unanimously last night in favor of two House bills on the issue, one to send the proposed constitutional amendment to voters in a November referendum and the other to put the change into effect if the voters approve it.The measures would first have to be signed into law by the governor.

The Associated Press hasn't called the GOP gubernatorial primary yet, but the Republican Governors Association has. At 8:51 p.m., RGA spokesman Chris Schrimpf sent reporters a statement congratulating former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. "Maryland voters know the difference Bob Ehrlich can make for their state," Schrimpf said. "Bob fought off Democratic tax increases and helped create 100,000 private sector jobs. Under [Democratic Gov. Martin] O'Malley all those jobs and more were lost and what's worse taxes went up by 1.3 billion dollars, the most in history.

In 23 days, Maryland voters will decide an issue that has vexed Annapolis lawmakers for years: whether to establish slot-machine casinos across the state in a bid to boost state revenues, save the horse-racing industry and stem the flow of gambling dollars to nearby states. Under a constitutional amendment up for voter ratification, the state would establish up to 15,000 slot machines in five jurisdictions: Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Cecil, Allegany and Worcester counties. The chief beneficiaries of "Question 2" on the November ballot would be public education, the horse-racing industry, gambling operators and local governments.

In casting their ballots for Question 6, what Maryland voters were actually doing was putting their stamp of approval on homosexuality. Most gays and lesbians aren't interested in getting married. They do want to have same-sex relationships and not be called names for doing so. It will be interesting to see how many marriages occur in this group. If there is no significant increase in same-sex unions, a terrible mistake was made. An institution that has kept the human race in existence since its beginning will have been irreversibly changed for nothing.

Maryland's predominantly Democratic voters continue to approve of the jobs being done by President Barack Obama and Gov. Martin O'Malley, according to a new poll released today. Two months after his re-election, Obama's job approval stands at 64 percent in the state, while only 35 percent disapprove, according to a survey by Gonzales Research. That represents a 9-point jump from the president's 55 percent approval rating in the state the previous January. O'Malley maintained a 54 percent to 41 percent approval rating, largely because of the overwhelming support of women (61 percent)