The Endless Season of Politics as Usual in Prince George’s County

    It is election time in Prince George's County and the sign-stealing, character assassinating, issue avoiding campaign process is in full swing. And, to keep the county in a state of agitation and the pot boiling, so to speak, the County Executive and the County Council Chairman are continuing their non-conversation extending the eight years of figure pointing right up to the bitter end. The hospital is on life support, and the Chair of the Council is suggesting yet another analysis of the cash situation, which even the least among us knows is dire. On the other hand, the County Executive has sent badly needed cash that is apparently from the county's general fund in such a manner as to preclude council oversight or action.
    Bruce Depuyt, on his NewTalk blog at TBD.com, reports that the transfer, according to the County Council Chair, "appears to circumvent the budget process and may be illegal." The nature of the report highlights the parochial bickering that is a feature of ineffective government on the part of all the players. How is it possible that we are talking about the legality of a transfer to a critical institution rather than talking about how we are going to fix the problem of the Hospital's chronic cash flow? In deed how is possible that we are still talking about the unresolved financial problems of the hospital at all? We are talking about a transfer that might have taken place by other means, but one way or another is needed to address the unbillable costs of providing primary care treatment to the Washington area's uninsured.
    Prince George's County has spent eight years with a council and executive at odds with each other for a myriad of impenetrable reasons spotlighted by attacks on and of personalities. Part of this is our own doing, for gathering together in special interest groups representing local areas, communities or projects, we demand that our elected official pay attention only to our particular special needs. Our single-minded pursuit of our own special interests guarantees that our politicians and their politics mirror the county to a tee. Eight years and we still have not addressed the operating cash position of the hospital system. In a building owned by the county, there are no resources or support to upgrade the facilities; no plan as to how we are going to operate in the 21^st
    The problems of the hospital are large and difficult, but we can not solve even the small problems without personal attacks. And woe unto a supporter who does not blindly rally around the politician, let alone dare a critique, for he or she is quickly denied access and consigned to political limbo. There is no ability or place for agreeing to disagree; everything in Prince George's County is one way or the highway. The fractured politics of Prince George's County enables groups with money to take charge of the dynamics of decision making filling the vacuum of an electorate in self inflicted disarray now encouraged by moneyed interests..
    The question should be: Why does the hospital still need cash support from without? How many more studies do we need? And let's remember it is election time. What is the coherent, cohesive plan for the cash strapped hospital? Where is the proposed in detail plan of action by the candidates for county executive? How will they address the root problem of the hospital and health care, and, as importantly, how will the council and the executive solve this seemingly endless crisis together?
    I hear no plan, I see no plan - there is no plan. But I am aware of the efficient sign stealing program, the determined, focused efforts to suppress dissent and discourage debate of new ideas and old policies, and the assorted, sundry slams at candidates' characters. In this Prince George's County's politics is second to none. As I wrote earlier, a candidate for executive with a clear, concise plan has no chance to be elected. County executive campaigns running towards a political center are unelectable in Prince George's County