Historic Speaker Vote
I am here in Annapolis and ready for the historic vote! I paused for a moment to admire the statehouse and think about its long history, and about the last Speaker, Michael E. Busch, who gracefully led the House for 16 years. BTW, the smoke is not a signal (like w the Pope) that a decision has been made.
For those struggling to understand the intensity of the debate to choose the next Speaker of the House, I think of an historical photo that hangs in the House of Delegates’ office building. There have been 439 legislative sessions in the history of the Maryland General Assembly. Each of the 439 times, the Speaker has been a white male. In recent history, Speaker Mike Busch who was universally respected and loved, served for 16 straight years. There is no term limit on the Speakership. For the first time in 439 sessions, there there is an opportunity to place a person in the Speakership that would make history - either the first African American (male), or the first woman (white) - these are the only two running. It’s been a long time coming. It’s why passions are running very deep. Hopefully, given the history, we can understand why - and be patient and respectful of the debate. This is democracy.
You can tune in and listen at noon on the MDGA website. #MDGA19 #working4you
