Recent Articles from C. Fraser Smith
Joe Tydings’ lessons from then and now
Ex-U.S. Sen. Joe Tydings was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but within a few years he was blessed with a table setting of good fortune, political […]
Farewell column: Ring the bells while we can
Ring the Bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in — Leonard Cohen […]
The plight of mainstream newspapers
Let us begin today with a Mark Twain moment: News of his death, he famously said, had been greatly exaggerated. One of his best lines. In honor of newspapers’ […]
Hogan, Pugh need to work together
Programs come and go. Our desperate city welcomes anything with a promising track record. Anything that might slow the surge in murder and mayhem would be cause for celebration. Murder […]
A slain cop’s legacy?
The mayor says violence in Baltimore is “out of control.” Hard to disagree — unless you consider a dark rebuttal: The head-shooting street assassins — these guys are in control. […]
Still hope in the rule of law
Occasionally, on the brink of despair, some of us are tuning out. “I just can’t stand to hear anymore,” a friend said the other evening. So she doesn’t listen to […]
Drug price gouging? It’s personal
As a professional observer of public affairs, I should avoid commenting on issues that affect me personally. Full disclosure in such situations seems prudent. Herewith some thoughts on the General […]
Vehicles for Change revs it up
The president of Heritage Automotive, offering a decent approximation of an Indy race starter, watched the 20 drivers settle into their new cars. “Drivers,” he said, “start your engines.” […]
Football and the human body
For some reason, various expert observers, coaches and physicians wonder why football causes so many gruesome injuries — the torn ACL and concussions in particular. The variety of grass, […]
Md. Democrats in a pickle
There’s been just a bit of a buzz recently about new hope for Democrats taking back the governorship in 2018. That very conversation, the buzz, would make some Democrats (and […]
City IT boss gets big bucks? Hooray!
Wow, big headline, big scandal? Do we need to be thinking about a recall? Did you know the new information technology guy pulls down more than the mayor, more than […]
‘We have to hear the mothers cry’
She hears her son calling. “Mom, I’m coming. I’m coming, mom.” He is not, and she knows it. Cynthia Bruce speaks of her son, Marcus, 23, shot to death July […]






