In miniature, December 6

• How did the limping if not moribund Maryland Republican Party manage to pull off last month’s stunning political triumph? A big part of the reason is that it had as chairman Diana Waterman, who is so adroit at letting others shine that it might not be apparent at first how central her role was in making it all happen [Erin Cox, Baltimore Sun on MD-GOP convention, at which Waterman won unanimous re-election]
• Montgomery County’s religious-holidays problem is a public-schooling problem [Neal McCluskey, Reason]
• “So Many Problems at the Baltimore Police Department” [Ed Krayewski, Radley Balko]
• Molly McGrath Tierney at TEDxBaltimore 2014 on foster care in the city [video]
• A happier Baltimore story: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s efforts to welcome immigrants have borne fruit [Scott Beyer]
• Appeals court ruling holds public policy to supersede union contracts [Richard J. Douglas, Maryland Reporter]