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He Says What You Think Former Governor William Donald Schaefer is a curmudgeonly Democrat who is a popular political institution in Maryland. Recently he sparked a major-league controversy, by simply remarking that he had gone into a McDonald's and the person behind the counter couldn't understand English. "Learn English," he said. Schaefer is a close personal ally to Maryland's Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich. (Maryland has such an overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration that Republicans can only be elected with Democratic backing.) Ehrlich didn't hesitate to jump out in Schaefer's support: "English is the language. Should we encourage young folks here to be assimilated, to learn the culture and values? Of course." Newspapers and special interests erupted in anger. As the Washington Post newspaper reported: "[Maryland Assembly] Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez, a first-generation immigrant from El Salvador, said she believes the governor need diversity training. 'I think what the governor said absolutely is offensive.' Gutierrez said." Yet Ehrlich stood his ground. And Schaefer? He started passing around bumper stickers which read: "Schaefer: He Says What You Think." 
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The
ELPAC Report