Michael Bell
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John Locke, Tyranny, and MoCo
Read more: John Locke, Tyranny, and MoCoOne of DC’s architectural treasures is Georgetown’s Riggs Library. Quoting Atlas Obscura, “Riggs has four floors of cast iron walkways laid out around a central light court. Sixteen columns divide the hall into smaller alcoves and two spiral staircases connect walkways.” Trust me, Riggs is one of those spots for which viewing electronic images is…
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MoCo Sonnet #1: Hidden Exclusion
Read more: MoCo Sonnet #1: Hidden ExclusionCandidate Glass is a victim Of an alleged Fox News smear They wanted to depict him In an apparent context of jeer He gave a response well spun For with him everyone wins He’s here to fight for everyone For all those in the margins There is one demographic Over which he never…
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Affordable Housing Is Not a Public Benefit
Read more: Affordable Housing Is Not a Public BenefitIn a previous post we introduced Maria, an irresponsible alcoholic parent. Her sister Juanita is fortunately much more responsible. Juanita’s daughter broke a leg during hyperactive cheerleading tryouts, and the orthopædist recommended a waterproof cast. Juanita runs to the medical supply store and sees an item for $200—exactly the amount she budgeted for medical emergencies.…
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Jawando’s and the Teachers’ Union’s Questionable Morals on Housing Policy
Read more: Jawando’s and the Teachers’ Union’s Questionable Morals on Housing PolicyScenario: Maria’s child is running a 103℉ fever. She rushes the child to the nearest urgent care facility. The receptionist asks for an insurance card and a $100 copay. Maria stalls: if she pays the $100, she won’t have enough money to buy herself beer and cigarettes. Instead, Maria gambles on the child’s recovery and…
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Finally, MoCo can diversify its economic base (and Marc Elrich is helping)
Read more: Finally, MoCo can diversify its economic base (and Marc Elrich is helping)Prior to Trump II, study after study recommended that Montgomery County dilute its reliance on the federal government as a primary employer. For example, in the Sage Policy Group’s 2018 report The Coming Storm: How Years of Economic Underperformance are Catching up with Montgomery County: Between 2006 and 2016, Montgomery County lost 12,511 private sector…
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Is there empathy anywhere in America for Montgomery County?
Read more: Is there empathy anywhere in America for Montgomery County?Uber drivers are a variegated bunch. Some of them are overworked, some of them have too much free time. Some are chatty, some are sullen. Taking an Uber ride from Denver’s charming Union Station, I scored one of the overworked, chatty ones. “Where are you coming in from?” he asked. “Just outside the Washington, DC…
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At a minimum, developers deserve a “thank you.”
Read more: At a minimum, developers deserve a “thank you.”Mandy enters the Gaithersburg My Organic Market and buys a bunch of fresh, locally sourced broccoli (crowns only). She goes to the cashier, effects payment, then walks up to the on-duty manager and snaps, “You manipulative wheeler-dealer, you should be ashamed!” Next, Mandy drives to Wonderland Books in Bethesda where she picks up the book…
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Council Members’ residents’ KPIs showing alignment
Read more: Council Members’ residents’ KPIs showing alignmentA MoCo Show article from last December reported on the remarkable increase in the county’s bus ridership. “MCDOT’s Ride On system has provided more than 18.5 million rides during the current fiscal year [2024], compared with 15.4 million rides the previous fiscal year.” The article quoted County Executive Marc Elrich’s reaction: “I am pleased to…
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Showing compassion to our unemployed DEI neighbors
Read more: Showing compassion to our unemployed DEI neighborsThe Federal Aviation Administration’s Academy in Oklahoma City trains air traffic controllers for domestic and foreign airspace and is one of America’s premier educational institutions. Anyone can apply, few are accepted, even fewer graduate. As an example of the academy’s tough standards, students are given a blank paper and required to draw the airspace for…
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Who benefits from Jawando’s zoning pause? Wealthy progressives.
Read more: Who benefits from Jawando’s zoning pause? Wealthy progressives.Michael Bell Wealthy progressives have an interesting personality duality: many of them put We Believe yard signs professing concern for the underserved, and simultaneously they struggle with entitlement. I saw this myself as I took a drive around Chevy Chase Section 5 last November. Many of that area’s palatial homes boast yard signs demanding a…