CONTENTS:

Upcoming Events

Annual Meeting Wrap-Up 

Political Book Club 

Montgomery County Board, Committees, and Commissions Vacancies 

Recap of State Senator Jamie Raskin's remarks at our May Luncheon 

You may click on one of the above titles to go directly to that subject, or simply scroll down the newsletter.    

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Tuesday, June 21         ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA event  - This is a great opportunity to

7 - 8:30 PM                  get in on the ground floor of the campaign!

                                   Join fellow Obama supporters and Maryland Democratic Party

                                   Chair, Yvette Lewis, to discuss what there is to do this summer to

                                   help the 2012 Obama campaign.

                                   Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center

                                   2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring   

Thursday, July 14          HAPPY HOUR!

5:30 - 7:00 PM              Please join us for lots of fun and great conversation. Bring your

                                    friends, both members and potential members. 

                                    Redwood Restaurant and Bar

                                    7121 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda

                                    301-656-5515

ANNUAL MEETING WRAP-UP: 

At our Annual Meeting on June 15, the following officers were elected to serve from June 2011

to June 2013:

     Jane Merkin, President

     Beth Tomasello, 1st Vice President

     June Jeffries, 2nd Vice President

     Ellie Kleinman, 3rd Vice President

     Carmela Cowgill, Recording Secretary

     Minh Le, Corresponding Secretary

     Judith Heimann, Treasurer.

Outgoing President Susan Elwell was honored for

Char, Susan, Ann

Del. Ariana Kelly, Susan, Sen. Madelena

Susan and Jane

MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS VACANCIES:

Are you interested in serving on one of the County's boards, committees or commissions?  County Executive Ike Leggett is committed to representation on them that is reflective of, and responsive to, our County's residents.  Public participation contributes to the work of County government and provides an important service to the community when a variety of issues, concerns, and viewpoints are presented.

To receive notice of these vacancies by email, register for an "eSubscription" by visiting https://ext01.montgomerycountymd.gov/entp/s1p/esubpublic/newsubscriber.do.   Click "Create an Account." Scroll down to "County Executive" and click "Board Vacancies." Scroll to bottom of page and complete required fields. Click "Submit."   For further information, please call (240) 777-2528.

You can also access vacancy announcements through the following link:  

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/exec/vacancies/pr_list.asp   

RECAP OF STATE SENATOR JAMIE RASKIN'S REMARKS AT OUR MAY LUNCHEON:

by Bonnie Wicklund

In a lively and informative talk, Jamie Raskin, elected in 2008 to the Maryland legislature, where he serves on the Judicial Proceedings Committee, cited some of the achievements in the session just ended, of which he was particularly proud.   Taking on "big liquor", bills were enacted that increase the alcohol tax for the first time since the Eisenhower years, and that mandate drivers convicted of drunk driving have a ignition interlock device installed in their cars to prevent the car starting if they have alcohol on their breath.

Senator Raskin is Professor of Constitutional Law at American University, and in this capacity, he addressed the many issues of concern regarding the current U.S. Supreme Court.  Ideally, he said, the highest court in the land protects the rights of all the people, fulfilling the inscription over its door:  "Equal justice under law".  Under this court, he asserted, "equal justice is in radically short supply".

This is an "old story," he said.  Throughout most of our history, the Supreme Court has been a profoundly conservative institution, as evidenced by its failure to do anything to redress the unequal treatment of African Americans until the 1950's.  For the next three decades, the Court upheld civil rights, labor and environmental legislation, but beginning with the Rehnquist  Court, and accelerating under Chief Justice Roberts, it has repeatedly struck down federal law in these areas, siding more often with large corporations against the rights of the common man.

Senator Raskin explained many particular decisions to illustrate how the Court has overturned laws designed to prohibit sex and age discrimination, and undermined laws designed to protect the rights of workers and consumers.  In one of the most infamous cases--Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire--the Court struck down appeals court rulings granting the plaintiff 30 years worth of back pay because she had been paid 20 percent less than her male counterparts, on the grounds that the suit had to be filed within 180 days after the first discrimination occurred, even though she did not find out about it until her retirement.

The Court is often split five to four, with Justices Scalia, Alito, Roberts, and Thomas forming a conservative bloc, usually, but not always, with the addition of Justice Kennedy.  Joining the liberals, Justice Kennedy wrote the recent decision mandating the release of prisoners from California prisons because of severe overcrowding.  Senator Raskin said that the present Court should more realistically be called the "Kennedy Court," instead of the Roberts Court, since he is so often the deciding vote.  Asked about the prognosis of the Obama administration health care law when it reaches the Supreme Court, Senator Raskin said, "Anything could happen; Kennedy is in the driver's seat."

"To sum it all up," he said, "this Court is not your friend".

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