WCRC meeting - February 2009

Once again we had another dynamic speaker to address our group at the latest Wicomico County Republican Club meeting this evening. Tonight it was Pocomoke City mayor and legislative candidate Michael McDermott.

First we had the usual formalities, this month led by outgoing First VP George Ossman who subbed for club President Marc Kilmer. After the Lord's Prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, minutes from January and treasurer's report, we next heard a letter from our January speaker, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis. In it, Lewis saluted the Republican Club and thanked us for our support. It was a pleasant surprise; normally our speakers don't take a few moments out of their day to thank us for our support.

Next up came the monthly report from the Young Republicans and their President Mark Biehl. Their February 7th food drive was termed as a "huge success" and they're in the beginning stages of putting together a fundraiser for Andy Harris and his 2010 run. Mark also announced the March meeting would return to the Flavors of Italy restaurant on East Main Street on Thursday, March 12th.

Dr. John Bartkovich then asked to defer his Central Committee report to later in the agenda so we could hear from our scheduled speaker.

Just as a slight bit of background, Michael McDermott is a California native who has been a law enforcement officer for 28 years and heads up the Worcester Bureau of Investigation. He was elected mayor of Pocomoke City in 2005 and is serving his second term in office.

To begin, Mike poked fun at the stimulus package, saying he was "excited" because it passed yet President Obama will cut the deficit in half. The tongue-in-cheek reference continued as McDermott noted he now "know(s) why you meet in a room with a safe", referring to the Chamber of Commerce building's former use as a bank. More seriously, McDermott announced he "will be a candidate for the Legislature in 2010."

Returning to some of the history brought up in his introduction, Mike recounted how he was excited to cast his first Presidential vote in 1980 for Ronald Reagan because he felt like he was making a difference by doing so. McDermott also told the story about going to a Pocomoke City Council meeting regarding development as a citizen but leaving as a candidate because the incumbent mayor didn't have or feel the need for a plan regarding how the city grew. Lots of people were concerned, said McDermott, but no one wanted to get involved. Mike "knocked on every door" in Pocomoke City and won his election by a 2 to 1 margin.

Describing his mayoral style, Mike preached that the "best thing we can do as leadership is communicate." The first thing he did as mayor though was cut the city's taxes on business. That and working with the state's economic development team in place at the time created a large number of new jobs as businesses moved to or opened up in the small town along the Maryland-Virginia border. There was even spinoff development from the Wallops Island space development southeast of town near Chincoteague, VA. Stated Mike, "we want to be our own vibrant economy."

While positivity in attitude can bring the changes we need according to the mayor, one thing which still retards his city's progress is the onerous taxation and unfriendly business climate Maryland is saddled with under its current administration. But Republicans lost in 2006 "because we're not communicating our message" of lower taxes and more personal freedom as well as we should. Mike also told the group of about 30 that the best thing we could do as a party would be to develop a farm team and that building Republican influence in Annapolis would do nothing but help the Eastern Shore, which doesn't have enough power in Annapolis as things currently stand.

Recounting a recent day he spent at the General Assembly with the state's other mayors, he termed the largely ceremonial getaway Friday he spent there one of the body's "best meetings" because no one lost any liberty nor were taxes raised during that day's proceedings. But he did blast the people who spend the huge amounts of money on cleaning up Chesapeake Bay for a lack of progress, wondering where all the money went as the health of the Chesapeake gets no better. (Some would say it's too much development, I happen to think that the grading is of a moving target and is strictly for political posturing.)

Why not foster business rather than control it? asked Mike. While he may only have a "bully pulpit", he still thought he could build consensus around the idea of job creation by the private sector.

As McDermott began his conclusion, he said to us that he "doesn't want to explain what the country used to be like" to his grandchildren. Perhaps he himself can't stop the train from moving, but he could do his part to slow it down and maybe those onboard will be encouraged to help stop the train before it careens off the cliff. The GOP has had a voice like a mouse, he continued, when it needed to roar like a lion.

Mike played up a theme he'll use during the campaign of "let my people go." He'd help free them from the shackles of overtaxation and overregulation, because "government is never the answer." McDermott was excited about what he termed as the opportunities to plunder the low-hanging fruit that Democrats in Annapolis were providing as issues.

In response to a question presented about what the GOP could do best in 2010, Mike declared that we need to be united as a party, citing Page Elmore's statement regarding Democratic unity made at our Lincoln Day dinner. I then asked Mike what taxes he'd cut first and as I expected he'd work from the business end to encourage job creation. He then bounced off the answer to my question to encourage people to speak out as he has through letters to the editor of the local newspaper and a weekly local radio show. There was no need to be afraid to speak out.

One final question for McDermott was asked about the FairTax, which is a concept he'd support. It would work well in curtailing some aspects of the underground economy, he opined.

With that we returned to the place on the agenda held by county Chair John Bartkovich. He briefly thanked those who helped with the Lincoln Day Dinner; presented the award due to co-Republican of the Year Cynthia Williams, who gratefully received it, and commented on the local Republican turnout in the 2008. It was a solid 85% turnout for the GOP, John said, but in order to counter the Democrats' advantage locally we need about 100% turnout. However, John predicted that 2010 and 2012 would be "good for us."

Two final speakers rounded out the evening. We heard from Nicholas McGuire, who started a Wicomico County Teenage Republican chapter and was looking for assistance in sending three of their members to the national convention. Nick Loffer also spoke on behalf of two causes - securing a local recruiter for the National Rifle Association and also establishing a scholarship to send local politically motivated conservative youth to the Leadership Institute, where he went.

We also made the decision to yet again participate in the Salisbury Festival, so look for our burgers, hotdogs, and brownies come the end of April! First though, our next meeting is on the docket for March 23rd, when the officers elected tonight by acclamation (there were no floor nominees) will be sworn in. That task was deferred due to Kilmer's absence.