Rule One: Nothing stays a secret in Annapolis (or any legislature).

Rule Two: Nonetheless, you don’t have to broadcast your strategy.

I met with a group today from the Baltimore metropolitan area.

We decided I will work on the bill draft.  The group will work on expanding its membership to the Washington suburbs.

By the bill hearing, this will be a state-wide program.

That won’t guarantee its passage, but the odds will be better than those for a Baltimore-only proposal.

At another meeting, the concern was that one amendment could lead to many others.

However, if we make this change in the budget bill, it will get less attention.

There’s a mystery about the budget process.  Consequently, fewer members and lobbyists stay on top of the process.

Rule Three (the most important rule): However you get there, the final product should be sound public policy.