Last week the President hosted an interview with Terry Moran of ABC News in his newly gilded Oval Office. Trump drew Moran’s attention to a wall-mounted copy of the Declaration of Independence. Moran prompted the President to state his understanding of the significance of the Declaration. Trump disconcerted Moran by saying that the document stood for “unity, love and respect.” 

Amidst Trump’s deliberate and incessant saturation of the news cycle, this ignorant assertion should not be overlooked or forgotten. Indeed, it should stimulate Americans to take a fresh look at the Declaration. (Those who bought the $ 60 God Bless the USA Bible that Trump grifted before his re-election will find a copy of the Declaration included within.) Although the President has stated that the Bible is his “favorite book,” it is apparent that he failed to read the Declaration when packaging it with the Bible.

Most are familiar with the Declaration’s eloquent preamble that “all men are created equal” and are endowed with rights of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….” Many, however, may not realize that the great bulk of the Declaration comprises a litany of ways in which King George III was despotically and tyrannically interfering with the rights of Englishmen resident in the American colonies. These were rights underpinned by an evolving, unwritten but sturdy British constitution. Even with the passage of 250 years many of the Declaration’s bill of particulars still resonate today.

Some examples will illustrate. Thomas Jefferson and other drafters accused the King of:

1. Preventing growth of population of the Colonies by obstructing laws of naturalization and limiting immigration;
2. Obstructing administration of justice;
3. Making Judges dependent “on his Will alone;”
4. Erecting a “multitude of New Offices” (think DOGE);
5. “Cutting off Trade with all parts of the world”;
6.  Depriving many of the benefits of Trial by Jury (analogy to lack of respect for Due Process);
7. Suspending our own Legislatures and declaring power to legislate in all cases ( analogy to Trump Administration’s program and budget cuts without approval of Congress); and
8. Exciting “domestic insurrections.”

Not mincing words, Jefferson et. al. concluded that George III “whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

President Trump could profit greatly from reading the Declaration on his office wall and modulating his behavior in office accordingly. Certainly, he won’t find it a testament to “unity, love and respect,” but rather an admonition against despotism.

J.T. Smith II
Easton

If you, like me, were born and raised in a free democracy, you likely share my belief in due process, the rule of law, freedom of speech, and the right to manage your life in your own chosen way.

In light of the federal government‘s attack on everything that Harvard University has stood for and cherished for centuries, I urge you to read the attached letter from President Alan Garber to his community. He eloquently articulates the University‘s values and the gravity of the situation. I encourage you to express your gratitude and appreciation for President Garber‘s courageous actions here.

In a climate where speaking out can be dealt with harshly, I sign this letter, as he must have, with hesitation.

Connie Lauffer
Easton

Elon Musk recently referred to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme” because, like a Ponzi scheme, it relies on incoming contributions (from current workers) to pay benefits to retirees, instead of being based on a self-sustaining investment fund. 

A Ponzi scheme collapses when there aren’t enough new investors to cover payouts, and Musk may be criticizing Social Security’s financial structure, suggesting it could face similar risks as the workforce shrinks or the ratio of workers to retirees declines. 

It’s hyperbolic though—Social Security is a government program, not a fraudulent scheme, and its funding challenges stem from demographics, not deceit.

 If the Trump administration (or any administration) heavily restricts immigration and deports undocumented workers, the U.S. workforce could shrink, making it harder to sustain programs like Social Security. The system depends on a steady or growing pool of workers paying payroll taxes to support retirees. 

With the baby boomer generation retiring, there’s already pressure on this worker-to-retiree ratio. Limiting immigration exacerbates the problem—it reduces the number of young workers contributing to the system and slows overall population growth. Immigrants have historically helped bolster the U.S. workforce and offset demographic shifts like declining birth rates.

In short, fewer workers + more retirees = future challenges for Social Security’s solvency unless reforms are made (e.g., raising payroll taxes, reducing benefits, or increasing the retirement age). Otherwise, it’s like taking a leg out from underneath a wobbly stool!

Doris Theune
Talbot County

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Communities along the Eastern Shore have been planning for sea level rise for the last several years.  Communities like Crisfield, Cambridge, Oxford, and St. Michaels have spent thousands of dollars preparing studies and plans to combat projected increases in Chesapeake Bay water levels due principally to sea level rise and storm surge events.  Our state, “with its 3,190 miles of shoreline, extensive low-lying coastal land, and productive estuarine habitats, is particularly vulnerable to multiple consequences of sea-level rise”, as stated in the State of Maryland’s most recent Sea-Level Rise Projections for Maryland 2023.

At the end of the communities’ study and design phase, there existed a federal program called Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) which provided construction funds to states to then allocate to local communities to assist with the significant cost of implementing sea level rise protections. This was a competitive nationwide program designed to protect properties and businesses from natural disasters.  However, on April 4, 2025, President Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary Noem, abruptly ended the program calling it a “wasteful and ineffective FEMA program.  It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters.”   

It should be undeniable that mitigating flood events now will alleviate the funds needed for communities to recover from natural disasters in the future.  Suggesting that BRIC was due to a “political agenda” illustrates a disdain for science and indifference in protecting citizens and businesses impacted by future flood events.  Their action is an unfortunate short-term view of addressing a significant issue that is real and is happening.  Helping communities prepare for flood events is not “waste, fraud or abuse,” as the Secretary suggests.

Unless there is assistance from the federal government, funding to address this problem will fall to local towns and their taxpayers, those least able to afford such expenditures, or the flooding will continue to devastate our communities.  We should actively encourage our legislators to work toward restoring a funding mechanism to address this extremely critical problem.      

Dennis Glackin
St. Michaels

In a recent debate on closing Maryland’s budget deficit, Minority Leader Jason Buckel, a Republican Delegate from Allegany County, made an important point: “The man upstairs has only been there for two, three years. I don’t blame him for our economic failures of the last 10,” referring to Democratic Governor Wes Moore, who was elected in 2022 and whose office is on the second floor of the State House.

Buckel’s comments highlight a key reality that many of his Republican colleagues seldom admit ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections: it isn’t right to blame Governor Moore for budget challenges that have been brewing for years.

Maryland’s structural deficit, now projected at $3.3 billion, was a problem that started long before Moore took office. In fact, it was first projected in 2017, during the tenure of former Governor Larry Hogan. This isn’t an opinion—it’s a fact that Buckel and other lawmakers, including Republican Delegate Jefferson Ghrist, have bravely acknowledged. During that same debate, Ghrist remarked that the Department of Legislative Services had warned about this deficit throughout Hogan’s administration, yet he did little to address it.

Ghrist pointed out that during Maryland’s so-called “good years,” when the state received a flood of federal COVID-19 relief dollars, spending spiraled without proper regard for long-term fiscal health. Hogan used these one-time federal funds to support ongoing programs, masking the true state of Maryland’s finances and creating the illusion of fiscal stability. Hogan continues to take credit for the “surplus” Maryland had in 2022—even though experts have repeatedly noted that it was caused by the influx of federal dollars during the pandemic.

As Ghrist correctly noted, the lack of fiscal restraint and slow growth during the Hogan years laid the groundwork for the $3.3 billion structural deficit we face today. Indeed, Maryland’s economy has been stagnant since 2017, especially in comparison to our neighboring states, well before Governor Moore took office.

Compounding these challenges are President Donald Trump’s reckless policies, including massive layoffs and trade wars with our allies. Thousands of federal workers who live in Maryland are losing their jobs, which is costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Trump’s tariffs are also putting an enormous strain on our local businesses, including farmers on the eastern shore who are now subject to up to 15% retaliatory tariffs on agricultural products like chicken, wheat, soybeans, corn, fruits, and vegetables.

In light of this grim reality, Maryland’s lawmakers are making difficult, but necessary, decisions to shore up the state’s finances. Governor Moore and state legislative leaders recently came together on a budget plan that prioritizes growing Maryland’s economy without raising taxes on the vast majority of residents.

In fact, 94% of Marylanders should either see a tax cut or no change at all to their income tax bill under the proposed agreement. Lawmakers also want to cut government spending by the largest amount in 16 years, while making targeted investments in emerging industries, like quantum computing and aerospace defense, so we’re less reliant on federal jobs.

While the richest of Marylanders could see their income taxes go up, it’s reasonable to ask someone making over $750,000 a year to pay $1,800 more to support law enforcement, strengthen our schools, and grow our economy. As for the proposed tax on data and IT services, these products aren’t subject to Maryland’s sales tax under current law. Maryland leaders want to modernize our tax code, just like other states across the country including Texas and Ohio, by levying a 3% sales tax on these products.

These ideas are fair—especially since they don’t raise income taxes on the overwhelming majority of Marylanders—and because state leaders are also cutting spending by the billions. They’re also necessary, as Governor Hogan chose to kick the can down the road instead of addressing Maryland’s long-predicted deficit, and because Trump’s policies are laying off thousands of Marylanders and issuing tariffs that hurt our state.

By making responsible choices now, Maryland leaders are putting the state on a path toward long-term economic stability. These decisions will help Maryland continue to thrive, create jobs, and invest in the vital services that every resident relies on—without burdening the majority of hardworking families. I’m confident Maryland will emerge stronger, more resilient, and ready to lead in the industries of tomorrow.

Elaine McNeil
Chair of the Queen Anne’s Democratic Central Committee

For weeks I have been watching the slow dismantling of my America, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.  I have also sensed the confusion and frustration of my friends and neighbors. 

I am sad. Not depressed, but a kind of sadness that seems almost universal. What is happening to us, I wondered.  And then I had an AHA!    

I recognized that I was reacting to the betrayal of Truth. The constant barrage of lies, untruths and ‘alternative facts.’

I am a course leader for Chesapeake Forum, an Academy for Lifelong Learning. I created and lead a course called Life Reimagined, where we have the opportunity to become more self-aware in order to lead a more purposeful life.

Last week in class, we talked about valuing and even needing honesty and trustworthiness as well as clarity and certainty. We spoke of the importance of relatedness and community. We recognized many of our feelings and emotions and recognized our frustration and wanting ‘To do something.’

After class I looked through my research and notes. And what I found was very appropriate for today’s state of confusion and uncertainty. I found that people are likely to suffer in an environment dominated by lies and alternative facts. They might experience cognitive dissonance – a psychological conflict between their belief in honesty and the dishonest reality around them. The daily denial of their values can cause chronic stress, anxiety and frustration.

Being forced to accept or ignore dishonesty may lead to what is referred to as moral injury. Moral injury can occur when someone feels they’ve betrayed their core principles, potentially resulting in guilt, shame, and emotional turmoil.  I am certainly feeling an erosion of trust from the constant exposure to lies and “mistruths” or rationalizations.

Then there is mental exhaustion-something I often feel after listening to TV and reading even the most non-partisan print news. The mental gymnastics required to be exposed to this news, to deny or go along with an obvious misrepresentation of the truth can undermine one’s trust in others – the media, institutions (think Supremes) and maybe even their own judgment. Some may even feel isolated if their personal environment is full of what one perceives as lies. Over time, this can lead to sleeplessness and depression.

When someone cannot authentically express a core value like honesty, she may feel as though she is betraying herself. This disconnect from one’s identity can foster low self-esteem and even existential despair. We hear our friends and neighbors say they are afraid to speak out or put up a lawn sign for fear of retribution.

To thrive is such a situation, we may need to find like-minded communities, engage in activism, or develop personal outlets where our own value of honesty can be expressed. Suppressing it too long could cause significant emotional and psychological harm.

Last week we heard from Congressman Jamie Raskin who stepped in for our no-show Representative Andy Harris at a Town Hall in Cambridge. He encouraged us to fight against the encroachment of dysfunction overtaking this administration and suppressing our freedoms 

Organizations like Indivisible and People Power United are here to help us come together in community to share  our frustration and angst by powerfully expressing our values and demanding what we need as well as what we want. We can write to Congress, we can march, we can rally and we can speak truth to power. As I say in Life Reimagined…It’s not too late and we’re not too old.

(Doris) Dodie Theune
St Michaels