It’s the time of year when I’m working on my legislative agenda for next winter and my Legislation Class syllabus for this fall.

       My interest in welfare was piqued by a discussion in the American Prospect.  Peter Edelman, who  has been working on poverty issues since he was on Robert Kennedy’s Senate staff, spoke of America’s inability to have an objective, non-pejorative discussion of the intersection between the structural issues bearing on poverty and the question of individual responsibility. 

       I agree, but how do you translate those ideas into policy?  So I emailed Professor Edelman: “Do you have any suggestions on what policies a state government could consider that address both aspects of this problem?”

       He replied: We need to convince the conservatives that their calls for individual responsibility are appropriate but woefully inadequate if not accompanied by public policy and vice versa – liberals need to add individual responsibility to their agenda.  Push the structural agenda – minimum wage, earned income tax credit, school reform, and affordable housing, but also push initiatives that will help build personal responsibility – home visiting by health care and social workers and programs that work with young people to help get them to go in the right direction.

       My next step will be discussions with liberal coalitions – the Maryland Alliance for the Poor, Welfare Advocates, and the Maryland Interfaith Legislative Coalition.   

       I will keep you updated.

— 

            Some of my bills I don’t expect to pass.  I introduce them to draw attention to an issue – to bring about progress on a  neighborhood concern, in most instances, without my legislation becoming the law.

            But none has had an impact as profound as the one I learned about from Barry Steelman’s lecture on “The Jewish Influence on Major League Baseball” at the Jewish Museum of Maryland this past Sunday. 

            The Red Sox needed the unanimous approval of the Boston City Council to play on Sundays in the 1940’s.  Councilman Isadore Muchnick  said he would oppose this exception to the Blue Laws unless the team had a tryout for Negro players.  

            One of the three prospects at Fenway Park on April 16, 1945 was Jackie Robinson.  The Red Sox did not sign him, but Branch Rickey learned about the tryout and did.

            I’ve added a book excerpt about the tryout to my Legislation Class syllabus at UB and UMd Law Schools, along with a bill of mine that did not pass but achieved its purpose.