In miniature, December 11

• Liberty around the fifty states, ranked: “Maryland is one of the least free states in the country, and it has had this status since the beginning of our time series in 2000.” [Cato index; Jason Sorens and William Ruger]
• CASA’s “family” of tax-deductible and government-contracting work, lobbying, and PACs is structured carefully, but perhaps not carefully enough [Adam Pagnucco; Bobby Zirkin, The Duckpin; earlier]
• “This is an activist city,” says director of UMD Carey Law’s new “center focused on racial justice in Baltimore and beyond,” and no one should act surprised if the center proves activist as well [Hugo Kugiya, Baltimore Banner]
• Heavy investments, skimpy returns: “The Orioles will soon reach at least $1.3 billion in public benefits since 1988. They’re expected to ask for more.” [Hayes Gardner and Sam Janesch, Baltimore Sun]
• If only the General Assembly wanted to keep unconstitutional laws off the books: Fourth Circuit strikes down Maryland handgun licensing enactment [Jacob Sullum]
• “Howard County is Stepping Into a Rent Regulation Minefield” [Salim Furth, Maryland Public Policy Institute]

Frederick panel on ranked choice voting

Ranked choice voting is on the move in Frederick! I was glad to participate in an outstanding panel discussion held Wed., Nov. 29 at the C. Burr Artz Library downtown and sponsored by the county chapter of the League of Women Voters. Others on the panel included Frederick County election director Barbara Wagner; Jeremy Rose of FairVote; Hood College math professor Sara Malec; and Stuart Harvey, the county’s former election director and also a member of the city’s charter review committee, which handed down a report unanimously endorsing RCV in principle. Ryan Marshall of the Frederick News-Post covered the event and had written up another explanatory piece previewing it. Thanks to him for quoting me in both pieces. In September we threw a party on the subject.

P.S. In a Nov. 15 letter to the editor at the Frederick News-Post, Willie J. Malone, president of the Frederick County chapter of the NAACP, has positive words for the idea: “Ranked-choice voting allows greater choice and weight to a person’s vote…. [It] militates against the ‘lesser of two evils’ syndrome. It also makes for a more diverse array of candidates and platforms, and increases the viability of women and candidates of color.”