1. I know we all want to get rid of Donald Trump. I do as well. But the first debate isn’t till June or July of next year, and the primary in Maryland isn’t until April 28, 2020. There are several big events coming up before that we need to focus on.

2. 2020 is being used as a way to divide people and we have already seen it. 2019 is a time where we need to be united and focused on the Legislative session that starts in 14 days and the local elections that will be taking place across the Shore and state through 2019. (These are important races happening right in your town/city and are often overlooked.)

When I finished my time at a small community college on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, there was only one school to which I applied. That school was the University Of Maryland because it was one of the premier institutions of higher education in the country. However, that wasn’t the only reason I chose Maryland. The second reason I wanted to attend Maryland was that it embraced forward-thinking and inclusive practices. I was disgusted and appalled to find out I may have been wrong when I discovered our University had contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE.

ICE was created in 2003 during the height of the post-9/11 panic which lead the federal government to pass reactionary laws, which undermined the constitutional rights and increased domestic surveillance of mainly minority communities. ICE itself was one of these reactionary new policies as it was created and based on the idea that immigrants were a threat to our homeland security.  This assertion was proven false by several studies and reports from agencies and research centers across the nation and globe. However, since its creation, ICE has a track record of undermining constitutional rights and violating the human rights and dignity of both undocumented immigrants and the United States citizens. Extremist politicians and ICE try to label undocumented immigrants as violent criminals in order to create fear, but the majority of undocumented immigrants are products of our broken immigration system. In fact, they are valuable and important contributors to their communities and the American way of life.  An overwhelming majority of these undocumented immigrants have families, jobs, seek or have received an education, pay taxes, and contribute to American society every day.

The University of Maryland College Park should immediately end its contracts with ICE and embrace the Fearless Idea of fighting for a better immigration system that allows undocumented individuals to come out of the shadows and become full citizens of our great country.   

Jared Schablein is is a sophomore government and politics major. He can be reached at [email protected] 

It has been one of the biggest honors of my life to be one of the founders of the Caucus and to serve currently as chair of the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus.  Over the last two years, we have accomplished so many great feats, including helping to pass 7 pieces of progressive legislation in the Maryland General Assembly, organizing hundreds of people on the Lower Shore around progressives issues, and electing 7 progressives to public office in our first election alone! I want to take the time to say thank you to each and every one of our fantastic volunteers because without your help none of this would be possible. 

Secondly, I would like to thank my fellow members of the Caucus Leadership Whitney Palmer, Michele Gregory, Seamus Benn, Ryan Poe, and Jamaad Gould. Over the past two years, a lot has been asked from them on top of their outside lives.  There have been long nights and ups and downs in our journey, but through it all, they have been my rock and always gotten the job done.  There is no doubt in my mind that we have the best volunteers in the entire state.  I know some of us are upset that we didn’t win as many races as we thought we would on November 6, but we have made significant progress for an organization that just two years ago was laughed at and told that we could never win any seats.   With this in mind, I look forward to continuing our work building a progressive movement on the Lower Eastern Shore for years to come, and I am thankful for your continued dedication and support for me as Chair.  With our hard work and continued efforts, we can build a progressive movement on the Lower Shore.  

In Solidarity,

Jared Schablein -- Chair Of The Lower Shore Progressive Caucus

Moving Forward:  Why Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore (Desperately) Needs Ben Jealous

There are more than a few misconceptions about Ben Jealous, especially since he won the Democratic Gubernatorial Nomination this past June.  Beyond the ridiculous assertion that he is akin to a (left-wing) extremist, is that he doesn’t care equally about the entire state. Rather, the clear implication by his detractors is that he, like Democrats before him, only cares about the corridor between the DC suburbs and the Baltimore region.  In the interest of full disclosure, I live within that major population corridor (Montgomery County, specifically). However, just as I (and many of my friends and neighbors) recognize the importance of addressing the many challenges in every part of Maryland, so does Ben Jealous.

Yet, don’t just take my word for it.  Consider what he is actually saying about his vision for Maryland, specifically within the context of the challenges facing the Lower Shore: All of the Lower Shore counties have poverty rates above the statewide average.  Somerset County, specifically, is one of the poorest counties in the Nation.  As Governor, Ben Jealous won’t lay down a smokescreen of rhetorical misdirection. Instead, he will boldly advance sustainable economic policies that are applicable statewide, along with those specifically tailored specifically to rural communities like those on the Lower Shore.  For example, he will provide the resources required to help farmers fully embrace technological innovations, foster a solid partnership with urban customers in Maryland and promote rural ecotourism.  Farmers must have the ability to succeed without dependency on corporate entities like “Big Chicken.”   Ben Jealous also appreciates the linkage between a healthy natural environment and the health of the Lower Shore’s economy.  This includes cleaner air from the growth of green industries, such as solar and wind farms, on the Lower Shore and statewide.   In addition, he’ll not compromise on protecting the Chesapeake Bay but instead stand firmly against threats to its health like new natural gas pipelines.

Ben Jealous will seriously address the infrastructure challenges facing Maryland, including the specific needs of the Lower Shore.  For example, he will press for the expansion of rural broadband access, so businesses on the Lower Shore are not left behind in the 21st Century global economy.  Unlike the incumbent, Ben Jealous will ensure that all localities have the support required for meaningful local transit systems, so everyone on the Lower Shore is able to get from “Point A” to Point B,” regardless of one’s access to a car.  This includes exploring partnerships with transportation network services (i.e. Lyft/Uber), so those needing door-to-door mobility/paratransit services are not treated like second-class citizens. He will ensure that the state fully embraces “Complete Streets” policies and provides sufficient resources for local implementation efforts, so everyone, regardless of travel mode, is able to use the Lower Shore’s entire road network safety- from Cambridge to Salisbury to Ocean City and every point in between.

Ben Jealous will press for a sincere and sustainable investment in educational opportunities statewide, which is indispensable for economic opportunity throughout the Lower Shore.  This includes the distribution of State resources to local schools that fully reflect the challenges each jurisdiction faces.  Fairly compensating teachers, plus community schools that address the holistic needs of children on the Lower Shore is also critical, given the challenges that so many children on the Lower Shore face outside of the classroom.  For example, any student with inadequate access to quality health care is inherently distracted from one’s studies at best and faces excessive time away from the classroom (due to avoidable and/or inadequate treatment of illness) at worse.  Ben Jealous has a sustainable health care plan to effectively tackle this issue head-on.  His bold and feasible plan will also facilitate equitable, quality health care for every segment of the Lower Shore population.

The Lower Shore deserves a Governor who truly understands the path forward for every community in our state.  The policies advocated by Ben Jealous will directly improve the precarious economic conditions on the Lower Shore, from essential infrastructure to a holistic education system and full access to affordable, high-quality health care.  He will not give lip service to rural areas. Governor Ben Jealous is advocating true leadership, instead of the “smoke-and-mirrors” that the incumbent has tried to sell the Lower Shore for almost 4 years.