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About the Moving Maryland Forward Network
Moving Maryland Forward Network
MMFN is a new initiative to connect organizations focused on social advocacy in Maryland. By harnessing the power of online organizing tools, we will build a unique network of progressive campaigns working to ensure fairness, equality and justice for all Marylanders. But it all starts with YOU! Will you help us Move Maryland Forward?
Industry players are calling it a technical clarification. Consumer advocates contend it's a much bigger and badder deal, weakening protections for mortgage borrowers.
In the intensifying debate over same-sex marriage, what I sometimes find hardest to understand is why so many opponents don’t see gay people’s longing to be wedded as the fundamentally conservative, lavishly complimentary desire it is. It says marriage is worth aspiring to and fighting for. Flatters it. Gives it reinvigorated cachet, extra currency, a sorely needed infusion of fresh energy.
ANNAPOLIS — A Senate committee voted Tuesday afternoon in favor of the House’s approved same-sex marriage bill, sending the legislation to the Senate floor, where it is expected to pass, then go to Gov. Martin O'Malley.
In the budget analysis, Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) – Aid to Education, the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) discusses the teacher pension shift to county governments and maintenance of effort (MOE). Within this analysis, they also raise issues with eliminating the requirement that school systems pay the retirement costs of federally funded teachers and make a recommendation with respect to the three jurisdictions that did not meet MOE in FY 2013 and face a potential penalty.
What is Save Our State? Save Our State is a coalition of community, education, and labor groups working to restore long-term fiscal health to our state. One of the members is the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute (MBTPI), a member of the Moving Maryland Forward Network. Save Our State seeks to employ a balanced approach when dealing with budget shortfalls, which includes revenue measures in addition to budget cuts. Public programs are important to Marylanders and need to be preserved. Marylanders as a whole benefit when the state puts money into social programs and are also are impacted when there are cuts in state spending.
Ironically, when I heard the news last Thursday about the House of Delegates passing marriage equality, I was listening to Sam Cooke sing “A Change is Gonna Come.” Although written 49 years ago, this song still is the soundtrack, or more specifically, became my soundtrack to social justice. When those 72 delegates cast their votes for equality, love won justice won, fairness won, and mostly, families won. Equality came to Maryland.
The House is debating the same-sex marriage bill today. As a Millennial, it is shocking that this even needs to be discussed because to me, it is simply a matter of equality, fairness and justice. No ifs, ands, or buts. In the committee hearing last Friday, one of the proponents of the bill stated that it is a generational issue;that younger people overwhelmingly support same-sex marriage for Marylanders. He is correct. Some members of older generations fear same-sex relationships because it is different. But for us Millennials, it is not different. We grew up with it.
