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SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010 FGHIJ More than just tunes from U.S. military bands
an independent newspaper EDITORIALS
Mr. Bernanke’s warning C The economy needs more than the Fed alone can provide.
ONSIDER THE predicament of Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Re- serve Board. The world is looking to him for reassurance that the U.S. economy is not about to go into recession — again —
despite many worrisome new statistics. Yet in a long-awaited speech at the Fed’s annual confer- ence in Jackson Hole, Wyo., on Friday, the most optimistic claim Mr. Bernanke could honestly make is that the economy is more likely than not to continue growing at about its current modest pace. Neither inflation nor deflation is a near- term threat — it appears. And this necessarily equivocal forecasting came accompanied by Mr. Bernanke’s admissions that the Fed’s past predic- tions about growth, household spending and the U.S. trade balance did not pan out. Small wonder that the chairman began his speech with an attempt to lower expectations: “Central bankers alone cannot solve the world’s problems,” he admonished. It’s especially hard to solve them after you have already taken interest rates to near zero and bought a trillion dollars worth of mortgage-backed securities and other bonds. These extraordinary steps — known as quantitative easing — have left the Fed with few cards left to play. In fact, Mr. Bernanke had hoped to be well into the process of unwinding quantita- tive easing by now, rather than extending it. Still, Mr. Bernanke pledged that the Fed would resume “unconventional measures” if the eco- nomic outlook gets “significantly” worse. Those
might include adding substantial new securities to its balance sheet, cutting the interest rate it pays on bank reserves to stimulate lending, and even tweaking market psychology by modifying its pronouncements about how long it will keep rates near zero. It basically comes down to Mr. Bernanke’s commitment to print as much money as it takes to prevent a deflationary collapse. But none of these measures would stimulate the econ- omy dramatically, and each carries potential costs, as Mr. Bernanke acknowledged. Markets have been conditioned to look to the
Fed by recent history in which rate adjustments by both Mr. Bernanke and his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, seemed to rescue the economy from impending disaster. The Fed’s inability this time to magically produce a wave of growth, even when abetted by fiscal stimulus, suggests that the Unit- ed States faces a crisis that is structural rather than cyclical. The answers lie not in kick-starting old engines of growth such as housing and consumer spend- ing. Instead, the challenge is to identify and invest in new opportunities and equip the American people — through education, tax reform and enti- tlement reform — to take advantage of them. This is a much harder job, one that will require the con- certed attention of public and private sector lead- ers, at federal and state levels, over many years. Mr. Bernanke can help by keeping the economy functioning in the meantime. But Fed policy is no substitute for a reshaping of the economy.
Picks in Prince George’s In Democratic primaries for the Maryland General Assembly P
RINCE GEORGE’S County’s all- Democratic delegation in the state legisla- ture includes some talented freshmen; journeymen of varying quality; and a few old lions, some of whom haven’t quite realized that the 21st century dawned a decade ago. The contested Democratic primaries on Sept. 14 — there are no contested Republican primaries in Prince George’s — include some promising first- time candidates who could help determine how much clout the county wields in Annapolis at a time of dwindling state funds for public schools and social services. The following candidates, identified in bold type, are our choices. (Identify your legislative district and current representatives by entering your address online at
mdelect.net/electedofficials/. See a list of all candi- dates at
www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2010/ candidates/
index.html.) DISTRICT 21: In the House, each incumbent
deserves another term. Freshman Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk is a rising star who pushed an in- novative redistricting measure to count state con- victs in their districts of residence, not where they are incarcerated. Another first-term representa- tive, Del. Ben Barnes, atoned for a vote against one key domestic violence measure by pressing for GPS monitoring for abusers and requiring them to surrender firearms. Del. Barbara Frush, a 16-year veteran, is a leader on environmental is- sues and was a champion of the 2007 ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. DISTRICT 23: In the Senate race, first-term
Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters, a business executive, merits another term and would be more effective than any of his three challengers. Mr. Peters has been a cautious, detail-oriented advocate for vet- erans and small business; he also managed to se- cure a tax break for Prince George’s homeowners. The House race here is split in two. In District
23A, the no-nonsense incumbent, Del. James W. Hubbard, has distinguished himself on con- sumer protection issues. In the contest for the dis- trict’s open seat, the best of several talented new- comers is Geraldine Valentino-Smith, a lawyer, nurse and member of the Bowie City Council with valuable experience as a health-care advocate in Annapolis. In District 23B, incumbent Del. Mar- vin E. Holmes Jr. is a conscientious and hard- working lawmaker. DISTRICT 24: Sen. Nathaniel Exum served 12 years in the Senate and, before that, 14 years in the House, has a terrible reputation in Annapolis, which is richly deserved. Despite his long years as a lawmaker, he has no significant leadership role in the Senate, and for good reason: He is widely regarded as an obstructionist who wields the race card as a cudgel. His major achievements are few, unless you consider what he’s helped block — for instance, a rescue package for Prince George’s Hospital. A better choice is Del. Joanne C. Ben- son, a 20-year veteran of the House who’s fought against human trafficking and domestic violence and was instrumental in enacting Maryland’s seat-belt law. In the House race, we support the two in-
cumbents: Del. Carolyn J.B. Howard, a 22-year veteran who has pushed for education funding, and Del. Michael L. Vaughn, an authority on minority small-business issues. For the district’s open seat, we back newcomer Clayton A. Aar- ons, an Army veteran, criminal lawyer and com- munity leader who wants to make it easier for
prosecutors to go after drunk drivers on man- slaughter charges. DISTRICT 25: A strong team of incumbents here merits reelection. Del. Dereck E. Davis, chairman of the House Economic Matters Com- mittee, and Del. Aisha Braveboy, an exception- ally strong freshman, were instrumental in en- acting a foreclosure mediation law that took effect last month. Del. Melony Ghee Griffith played a key role in enacting tax legislation that yielded millions of dollars in state funding for the county. DISTRICT 26: Sen. C. Anthony Muse, a min-
ister at one of the county’s largest churches, is a conscientious freshman whose crusade on behalf of student financial literacy has gained traction. He faces only nominal primary opposition. In the House, two of the three incumbents,
Dels. Veronica Turner and Kriselda “Kris” Valder- rama, have been less than stellar lawmakers; there is no reason to return them to Annapolis. Easily the strongest of four challengers is businessman Ollie Anderson, a smart, savvy former military officer and diplomat with can-do proposals for job creation and public-private partnerships. Another challenger, Sidney L. Gibson, a community lead- er who has been active in education and business development, could bring to the district new en- ergy and ideas. Freshman Del. Jay Walker merits reelection; having learned the legislative ropes, he is prepared to push for investments in education and economic development. DISTRICT 27A: In the House, a pair of old- school stalwarts, James E. Proctor Jr. and Jo- seph F. Vallario Jr., have served a combined more than half a century between them. Mr. Proctor is a competent and unobjectionable lawmaker, but Mr. Vallario, as chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, has used his muscle to kill untold numbers of reasonable bills — toughening sanctions for drunk drivers and perpetrators of family violence; making judges stick to prison sentences they hand down — and takes anti- democratic pride in preventing lawmakers from voting on legislation he dislikes. He is a relic. A much better alternative is Percel Alston, the smart, even-keeled former head of the county’s Fraternal Order of Police. Mr. Alston would take a common-sense approach to law-and-order issues and be an advocate for vocational education. DISTRICT 47: Sen. David C. Harrington,who was appointed to fill an empty seat two years ago, faces a challenge from Del. Victor Ramirez. As a County Council member from 2002 to 2006, Mr. Harrington disgraced himself by using his county- issued credit card for personal expenses; he later repaid the county. He says he’s learned his lesson; we hope so, because he has the potential to do good work on transportation and education. We doubt that Mr. Ramirez, whose achievements are slight and who helped kill a bill that would have helped victims of domestic violence, would be more effective. There are two excellent incumbents in the
House race: Del. Doyle Niemann, a thoughtful lawmaker who spearheaded bills to help home- owners facing foreclosure; and Del. Jolene Ivey, a smart freshman who’s been an advocate for business improvement districts. The best of the remaining field is Michael Summers, a commu- nity outreach official in the state’s attorney’s of- fice, who has a nuanced grasp of issues and a track record of promoting literacy and reducing truan- cy.
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Walter Pincus’s Aug.
4 Fed Page piece, “Vast number of military bands may not be music to Gates’s ears,” offered a list of how many mili- tary bands are in the Defense Department, but it did not provide the important informa- tion; namely, what do taxpayers get from their military bands? In fiscal 2009, Army bands alone provided nearly 21,000 free per- formances for 30 mil- lion people. Among these were honors at more than 6,000 funer- als for America’s vet- erans and fallen heroes. Also included were more than 1,000 per- formances in Iraq and Afghanistan, where ap- proximately 1,200 sol- dier-musicians have served, as well as 4,000 performances in com- munities and schools throughout America. The article listed the
military music groups stationed in the D.C. area but again didn’t describe what they deliver to taxpayers. In a typical year, they support as many as 8,000 funerals and other ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. During the summer, millions of tourists and locals in our nation’s capital are enter- tained by free evening concerts and ceremonies. And try to imagine the president laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to a recording of taps or a state funeral or presidential inauguration with- out these dedicated professionals. All of us who are privileged to wear the uniform of America’s Army understand the importance of being good stewards of limited resources, and members of military bands are no exception. THOMAS H. PALMATIER, Fort Meade
Walter Pincus’s fine listing of the activities of the
military and Coast Guard bands didn’t include the duties the Marine Corps’ field bands perform in
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
dletters@washpost.com
CHRIS CARMICHAEL/SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST Members of the Army Band at President Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
combat. They are stretcher bearers for the dead and the wounded, and they are responsible for the secu- rity of the division command post. That means reg- ular Marine duties with rifles and machine guns. Any badly wounded Marine who has been carried through a field of fire to safety by these horn players, violinists or drummers will testify to their bravery. NORMHATCH, Alexandria
Of the five federal academies — Army, Navy, Air
The writer, a colonel in the U.S. Army, is commander and conductor of the U.S. Army Field Band.
Force, Coast Guardand Merchant Marine — the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., is the only one that does not have a professional paid band. The band is composed of students, and every year it wins awards in marching military band con- tests in the United States and Canada. Alumni dona- tions support the band and other sports at Kings Point.
THOMAS W. HARRELSON, Alexandria
The writer is vice chair of alumni affairs for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association.
Jerry Weast’s accomplishments Regarding the Aug. 25 editorial “Mr. Weast steps
down,” on Montgomery County Schools Superin- tendent Jerry D. Weast’s plans to retire at the end of this school year: No disrespect to Mr. Weast, as he has done an ad-
mirable job, but the editorial made it seem as though he had come up with the idea (in 1999!) of trying to narrow the achievement gap between higher- and lower-performing groups of students. I began working for Fairfax County Public Schools in 1980, and within two years one of the major em- phases of the system was closing the achievement gap. Then, as now, the major gaps looked at were those between white and non-white students. The implementation of the No Child Left Behind law has forced a look at other groups (such as non-English speakers, students with disabilities and economical- ly disadvantaged students), which is a step forward. But grouping children in these ways leads to its own problems (stereotyping at the least) and is counter- productive by diverting focus from what is going on with these children’s ability to learn. The achievement gap should be defined as the gap in achievement between students (all students) who are achieving beyond a certain level and those who have not yet reached this level. RAYMOND J. DIROLL, Springfield
The writer worked in testing for the Fairfax County Public Schools from 1980 to 2006.
Superintendent Jerry D. Weast also pioneered a peer review system for all three employee groups
Women as problem-solvers Women’s unique and strategic role in nuclear
diplomacy [“In nuclear negotiations, more wom- en at the table for U.S.,” front page, Aug. 22] should be replicated in the climate change arena and, more important, in building a global green economy. After all, women make the vast majority of consumer decisions worldwide; repay business loans faster and at higher interest rates; and view risk with a lens for long-term consequences. We need more female leaders from government, business and civil society to tackle climate change — we may be the added element that solves the problem. KATHLEENROGERS, Washington
The writer is president of the Earth Day Network. Get the dollar coin moving I agree with Reid Williamson [letters, Aug. 25]
that removing the paper dollar from circulation would ensure the dollar coin’s success. But forcing the coin on people, while substantially reducing government paper and printing costs, would lead to a huge public outcry, something Congress has never been willing to face. A less drastic, more politically palatable way to introduce the coin to the public would be to make it available on all federal property where cash transactions occur, including more than 32,000 post offices. The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005, which authorizes the minting of four different dol- lar coins each year honoring former presidents, contains just such a requirement. Yet federal agen- cies are not complying. If agencies complied with the law, millions of Americans who conduct cash transactions every day in post offices, PXs, government cafeterias and the like would have a choice of receiving their change in dollar bills or coins. We might be sur- prised at how many would choose the more effi- cient, long-lasting coin. THOMASE. MCMAHON, Reston
The writer is a retired executive of the National Automatic Merchandising Association.
(administrators, teachers and support staff) in the Montgomery County Public Schools. When you raise the capacity of all your employees, there is a direct relation to the success for all stu- dents. Mr. Weast has been a national trendsetter in these professional growth systems, and our students reflect that.
RICHARD A. MANACLE, Germantown
The writer works in human resources and development for the Montgomery County Public Schools system.
The editorial commending Jerry D. Weast reflect-
ed unfairly on the superintendent’s predecessors. To say “only certain students — the white and prosper- ous — benefited” before Mr. Weast’s arrival is unjust. Admittedly, he built strongly on earlier efforts, but those programs cannot be ignored. To mention a few: Montgomery County imple- mented all-day kindergarten, as funds permitted, in the early ’90s in schools with large numbers of low- income children; added local funds to federal Title 1 funds so that all elementary schools with a high number of economically disadvantaged children would have additional classroom help to develop their reading and math skills; and started Linkages to Learning, the program that supports low-income families with social and health needs. One leader’s achievements generally build on the accomplishments of those who have gone before. LOIS STONER, Rockville
The writer was legislative aide for the Montgomery County Board of Education from 1981 to 2000.
Ted Stevens got Alaska its due
Dana Milbank’s Aug. 22 Washington Sketch col- umn, “Uncle Ted is laid to rest, but his legacy isn’t,” missed an important point about Ted Stevens’s tireless efforts while he was senator to bring fed- eral funds to Alaska. He loved Alaska and its peo- ple, and it was obvious to me, as a former Alaska state senator and later a congressional staffer, that Mr. Stevens was frustrated with the frequent fed- eral land designations that locked up natural re- sources. A good example of this is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the efforts Mr. Stevens made to open the small “1002” area for development and energy production. These resources are the back- bone of Alaska’s economy and jobs for the people. Also, environmental roadblocks and litigation have long been used to slow or prevent the development of available resources, crippling an already strug- gling state economy. Congressional and adminis- trative actions, along with decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, continue to prevent Alaska from creating a strong economy that provides jobs that are so sorely needed. Alas- ka’s No. 1 export isn’t a product; it’s the young peo- ple who are leaving because there are no jobs. This is why Mr. Stevens was unapologetic about the use of federal dollars for Alaska projects, Alas- ka Native needs, education, homeland and nation- al security, and many other demands facing the na- tion’s largest state. I believe that the senator felt strongly that if the federal government was going to restrict Alaska’s ability to generate an economy, it must take responsibility for the consequences. LLOYD JONES, Leesburg
d
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