I witnessed something on Election Day that shook my faith in the political process. I saw lies win out over truth and I was angry with our elected officials for their lies and the media for allowing them to go largely unchallenged.No, I’m not talking about the race for President; I’ve already made my feelings on that subject pretty well known. I’m speaking of the vote to authorize slot machines via the Maryland Constitution, a document with a heritage dating back to the year our nation declared its independence from England, and which is now forever sullied with a gambling provision. Not only was amending the constitution with such a statute inappropriate, it won on the basis of several falsehoods, all of which a small but vocal and dedicated group of concerned citizens tried to counter without success.

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I live in a small town in Calvert County, one of the oldest counties in Maryland. My town is 45 miles southeast of Washington, DC but is far removed from the surreal atmosphere of our nation’s capital, and that’s how I prefer it. The rural landscape and homespun atmosphere make it a wonderful place to live and raise a family. “Keep Calvert Country” is the rallying cry of long-time residents and while our “Congressman for Life” Steny Hoyer and all but one of our Maryland state legislators are Democrats thanks to some crafty redistricting on their part, Calvert County is a red county in a blue state with a Republican majority on the county commission and a Republican sheriff, treasurer and state’s attorney. In every Presidential election since 1980, Calvert County has gone to the Republican nominee. You would think my town would be inoculated against the culture war raging in our country. You would be wrong.

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