What conservatives are doing in a very “blue” state like Maryland is something we can all do in our own states.

Richard Falknor from Blue Ridge Forum has the report from the big meeting that has just taken place.   Also,  congratulations to Ann Corcoran of Potomac Tea Party Report, who had a big hand in the Maryland Conservative Action meeting.  This is a great idea.

Maryland State House

Dawn Patrol: ‘Maryland Vote Watch’ Getting Underway

By Richard Falknor

Maryland conservatives saw two watershed developments this January.

Both have wide applicability, and one, Maryland Vote Watch, may merit a parallel effort in Virginia. But first let’s visit the successful launch this month of the . . .

Maryland Conservative Action Network

The inaugural conference of the Maryland Conservative Action Network (MD CAN), which met on Saturday January 8 in Annapolis was a major success gathering over 200 activists. One important conference objective is putting together a continuing network of conservative activists in the Old Line State.

As the Action Network website declared –

“. . . [W]e seek to build a network of like-minded Marylanders to share ideas and talents, forge alliances, sound the call for action, and give rise to conservative voices so that political competition can thrive in our great State!”

The conference architects are reportedly moving fast to make that network a going concern.

Most important, the three organizers, Ann Corcoran, Tonya Tiffany, and Cathy Trauernicht, all deserve kudos for their achievement starting this grass-roots undertaking in a very Blue state!

Maryland Vote Watch

The other step forward is Cindy Sharretts’ nascent  Maryland Vote Watch.

In business owner’s Sharretts’ words –

During Maryland’s 2010 90-Day Legislative Session, 2700 bills were introduced, of which 810 were passed into law. (Four of 20 resolutions also passed.) Each vote cast by legislators affects government’s involvement in our lives. Citizens who are concerned about government expansion will be better able to hold legislators accountable by knowing how they voted, both in their committees and on the floor of the House or Senate. For that reason we invite concerned citizens to assist in the work of Maryland Vote Watch by following the votes of a senator or delegate through the Session.

Harford County activist Sharretts spells out the task–

“Each Legislative District has three delegates and one senator. You may choose a legislator in any district,find out what committee he/she serves in, and follow his/her committee and floor votes. All bills that go to your legislator’s committee are potentially items that he/she will vote on, in addition to all bills which go to the House or Senate Chamber. You will decide which bills to follow: some on hot topics, some lesser known. There are 188 legislators. Watchers are needed for each one. Results of Vote Watching will at some time be posted for viewing.” (Underscoring Forum’s throughout.)

Want to get in touch with organizer Sharretts?

“To be a Vote Watcher, please contact Cindy Sharretts at VotersWatch@gmail.com (make sure you include the “s”) to choose a legislator and to get further instructions.”

The Potential of  Maryland Vote Watch

 The concept is simple. A citizen activist tracks one Maryland state legislator for the entire session, and sends the results to a central website which in turn makes it possible for the report to go to the wider public. In short, the vote watcher “adopts” a particular legislator to track that member’s public record. 

How many voters know who their state legislators are — let alone how they vote and on what?

Maryland Vote Watch, when in play, could give Annapolis lawmakers an awareness of immediate accountability to a much wider constituency than the professional voices who routinely visit delegates and state senators in behalf of a multitude of special (not necessarily illegitimate) interests. 

Consider the language of the No-New-Taxes Pledge – -

“I, ________________________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _______ District of the state of ____________________ and all the people of this state that I will oppose and vote against
any and all efforts to increase taxes.” (Colored underscoring Forum’s.)

Of course, the legislator is ultimately accountable to the voters in that lawmaker’s district.  But the blogosphere can influence those local voters (and thus the incumbent) between elections with accurate reports on voting and related public activities.

Ways and Means for Maryland Vote Watch?

Maryland Vote Watch will have to develop its own ways of doing business, sometimes by trial and error. Those coordinating its website as well as those watching the record of legislators may understandably try out different approaches at different times.

Blue Ridge Forum has for some years been tracking the public records of state lawmakers from a plain-vanilla (by national standards) conservative perspective.

Here are three suggestions for Maryland Voter Watch from a couple of veterans of this business.

• Group the votes of the legislator you are tracking by theme; explain why each theme is important.  Here are some examples of themed vote groupings from our blog –

–Is A New Pork Express Just Leaving the Annapolis Station?
–General Assembly ‘08: helping illegals, trashing our heritage
–Democrat or GOP Tax Hikes: Pledge Signers Must Vote “No”
–What’s the Plan? Republicans and State Pension Burdens

• Consider including in addition to a member’s voting record that legislator’s other public-policy record — statements on websites, questionable official letters, initiatives showing real leadership — testimony, sponsorship or co-sponsorship of bills – -  or failures to show leadership.

For example, fictional Republican (or Democrat) delegate Kaitlin Smith constantly reassures her voters that she is a “fiscal conservative.” Did she co-sponsor any versions of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights?  Did she testify in committee for those measures?  Did she speak on the floor against the bloated Maryland capital budget?  Does she publicly talk about the fiscal costs of illegal immigration?

• Take pains promptly to get the (very carefully checked) reports from individual vote watchers to local media, and to conservative activists both across Maryland and in individual members’ districts.

Much will depend on the quality control and good judgment of Maryland Vote Watch at its kickoff. But this grass-roots tool (email  VotersWatch@gmail.com) can make a real difference in Annapolis — and, if successful, provide a citizen model for watching legislators of other Maryland jurisdictions — such as Council members guiding mega-counties like Montgomery.