The Death of Maryland

When Robert Ehrlich took over as Governor in Maryland four years ago things looked brighter for the Republican Party. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 it was nice to see the minority party have representation. Unfortunately, Maryland has had one party rule for decades and the Democrats have ruined this state with poor legislative leadership. They have made rule changes along the way to ensure they are always in power and that Republicans have no say. Mind you, they never mind taking the Republican’s hard earned money (and lots of it) they just never want the Republicans to have any say in the process. The BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again) mantra can be chanted anytime they are in session and especially with regard to the Republican Party.

Ehrlich brought fresh ideas to a state stagnant with tax and spend philosophies that allowed Democrats to appeal to those who live off government hand outs. He took a state that was billions of dollars in debt and put us heavily in the black, something Democratic Governors were unable to do. The problem is that Ehrlich is a Republican and the Baltimore Sun did not like him. The legislature in Annapolis did not like him and they worked very hard to make sure his agenda was never considered and died a slow miserable death. Ehrlich wanted to bring slot machines to Maryland to raise revenue and to keep money that routinely goes to West Virginia or Delaware right here in the state. Michael Busch opposes gambling, or so he says and he blocked every attempt at slots. Of course, this opposition to gambling only presented itself in opposition to the Governor and his slots because those opposed to gambling have no problem with the multitude of lottery games that the state runs on a daily basis. As long as the Democratic politicians get all the money from gambling then they are happy but if they have to share it with the folks who would manage the system then they are opposed. Typical for Democrats, they have variable morals.

I believe it was also Busch who stated that he was going to bury the Republicans face down. six feet under, so it would take 20 years for them to resurface. He might have accomplished that with this election as Republicans lost some of the precious few seats they hold in Annapolis. This makes the Democrats happy because their anointed boy, cry baby Martin O’Malley won the race for Governor yesterday. Ehrlich ran a good race and had a record to run on that is admirable. O’Malley had a record he ran from, that is when he was not embellishing his accomplishments in the worst city in the country. But in the end there were too many Democrats in this state who decided that they would rather have a state run by a whining incompetent than a proven leader.

Robert Ehrlich had a tough fight from the start because everything in Maryland is Democratic. The Baltimore Sun endorsed O’Malley knowing full well that if he won it would return the state to one party rule and allow the careless spending to take place. Ironically, the same Sun that endorsed one party rule in Maryland recommended that voters select Democrats in national elections in order to get rid of one party rule. Evidently it is OK in our state but not in the country. Of course, if the one party ruling the nation had been Democratic, the Sun would not have made such a recommendation. O’Malley was endorsed by some of the labor unions and of course the teacher’s union endorsed him despite his poor record in the city school system. Obviously, they care more about union benefits than children’s education.

O’Malley has made a number of promises for which there is no money. He promised health care for everyone, cheaper. College tuition for everyone, cheaper, and a myriad of other items for which he has no money. Anyone want to guess where he will get it? The state has mandated items that it must pay for and they have the money for 25% of the 41% that will be required in the future. O’Malley will raise taxes on gasoline and, imagine this, he is going to try and get slots. He was originally opposed to them but now he needs money so it is OK. I am betting he will get them with no resistance, at least not on the scale Ehrlich did. And, it will pass for him. Though I like to occasionally play the slots, I will never use any in Maryland. I live close to Delaware and would rather patronize them than the Democrats in Maryland (if I could I would move there). O’Malley will also raise income taxes. It is not bad enough that Marylanders pay a fortune in taxes now, O’Malley wants to put the squeeze on even more. This is how the Maryland Democrats pay for their ineptitude. They tax the hell out of the people who live here or as I like to say, “they never met a tax they didn’t hike.” Of course the majority of the city folks that voted for him don’t have to worry too much about tax problems.

It is a shame that Ehrlich lost and it is even worse that the state of Maryland has to endure O’Malley. When his childish whining and lack of leadership is added to the mindless prattle and lack of leadership that is the Democratic Party in Annapolis the people of Maryland will take it on the chin, or more likely, much lower and posteriorly, and as Menken would say, “good and hard.”

It is going to be a miserable four years (eight if he does not shoot for something higher) with O’Malley in office but I am glad that I will be able to bust his chops every time he screws up. Maybe if I tick him off enough he’ll give me a call so I can tell him how worthless I think he really is.

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