Do Marylander's Really Think That Anthony Brown - O'Malley's Flunkie - Is the Right Fit for Maryland Governor? (Baltimore: house, taxes)

[feck]

Republicans are weasels.
Democrats are snakes.
The American taxpayers are hens
in a hen house. It's all a matter of
guarding the hen house.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

What about "Scott Walker" do you find detestable? What could a MD version of "Scott Walker" do that you would disagree with?

If Ehrlich was a MD version of Scott Walker here's what phlinak doesn't like:

Ehrlich inherited a deficit budget from Glendenning and with a combination of spending cuts and fee increases balanced it all four years he was Governor. O'Malley inherited a balanced budget from Ehrlich which he felt needed cuts so he called a Special Session of the Legislature. They did indeed cut $500M dollars in spending from that fiscal year. Of course they also added $2B in spending at the same time.

He also slowed down Glendenning's Smart Growth plan which threatened to strangle the rural areas of the State. Of course under O'Malley Smart Growth morphed into PlanMD which is strangling the rural areas of the State.

Ehrlich increased Highway User Revenues to the Counties and municipalities. Something O'Malley cut by 95%. The last couple years funding has been restored to 20% of what it was, even after the new revenue from O'Malley's gas tax increase.

Ehrlich also increased State Aid For Police to the Counties and municipalities. O'Malley cut that by 100% for several years. It's now back to 5% of what it was.

Ehrlich reaffirmed the State's commitment to fund teacher pensions, increasing the fund balance to 105% of projected expenses. O'Malley raided the pension fund, kicked pension costs back to the Counties, increased teacher contributions to 7% with the increase going to balance the General Fund and has the fund balance down to 61% of projected expenses. It's now considered the worst teacher pension in the US.

The Flush Tax was Ehrlich's initiative. You know, from an environment hating Republican.

Ehrlich also tried to find funding for the multi-billion dollar structural deficit for the unfunded Thornton Bridge To Excellence For Education plan, another Glendenning initiative. Ehrlich's solution was allowing slots to operate in the State. He was opposed on moral grounds by Del. Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and Sen. Thomas V. "Mike" Miller (D-Prince George's/Calvert). They apparently had a moral conversion because they did support O'Malley's plan to introduce slots and both had leadership roles in passing the legislation.

The biggest reason phlinak doesn't like Ehrlich or Walker is they both have "R" after their names.

As a note, I've had dealings with/had to work on various municipal issues with every MD Governor since Harry Hughes. O'Malley is the absolute worst to deal with. He seems to come up with an idea on how to **** over the Counties and municipalities on a daily basis.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by feck

Republicans are weasels.
Democrats are snakes.
The American taxpayers are hens
in a hen house. It's all a matter of
guarding the hen house.

I'd rather the snakes not have a monopoly.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

It's a simple question: Do Marylander's really think that a third Martin O'Malley term is the right direction for Maryland?

Short answer, he will win. He is not the right person for Maryland, but he is the right person for central Maryland.

Brown is definitely not going to get my vote (that does not mean that Hogan will).

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

What about "Scott Walker" do you find detestable? What could a MD version of "Scott Walker" do that you would disagree with?

How about breaking the public employee unions for starters?

You're one of those conservatives who hates "big-government" and unions and views both of them as indicative of all that is wrong with America, aren't you?

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

If Ehrlich was a MD version of Scott Walker here's what phlinak doesn't like:

Ehrlich inherited a deficit budget from Glendenning and with a combination of spending cuts and fee increases balanced it all four years he was Governor. O'Malley inherited a balanced budget from Ehrlich which he felt needed cuts so he called a Special Session of the Legislature. They did indeed cut $500M dollars in spending from that fiscal year. Of course they also added $2B in spending at the same time.

He also slowed down Glendenning's Smart Growth plan which threatened to strangle the rural areas of the State. Of course under O'Malley Smart Growth morphed into PlanMD which is strangling the rural areas of the State.

Ehrlich increased Highway User Revenues to the Counties and municipalities. Something O'Malley cut by 95%. The last couple years funding has been restored to 20% of what it was, even after the new revenue from O'Malley's gas tax increase.

Ehrlich also increased State Aid For Police to the Counties and municipalities. O'Malley cut that by 100% for several years. It's now back to 5% of what it was.

Ehrlich reaffirmed the State's commitment to fund teacher pensions, increasing the fund balance to 105% of projected expenses. O'Malley raided the pension fund, kicked pension costs back to the Counties, increased teacher contributions to 7% with the increase going to balance the General Fund and has the fund balance down to 61% of projected expenses. It's now considered the worst teacher pension in the US.

The Flush Tax was Ehrlich's initiative. You know, from an environment hating Republican.

Ehrlich also tried to find funding for the multi-billion dollar structural deficit for the unfunded Thornton Bridge To Excellence For Education plan, another Glendenning initiative. Ehrlich's solution was allowing slots to operate in the State. He was opposed on moral grounds by Del. Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and Sen. Thomas V. "Mike" Miller (D-Prince George's/Calvert). They apparently had a moral conversion because they did support O'Malley's plan to introduce slots and both had leadership roles in passing the legislation.

The biggest reason phlinak doesn't like Ehrlich or Walker is they both have "R" after their names.

As a note, I've had dealings with/had to work on various municipal issues with every MD Governor since Harry Hughes. O'Malley is the absolute worst to deal with. He seems to come up with an idea on how to **** over the Counties and municipalities on a daily basis.

If you want my opinion, then ask me.

If you're not interested, that's cool.

However, you don't know me so please do not presume to speak for me.

I show respect and expect the same in return.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by phlinak

If you want my opinion, then ask me.

If you're not interested, that's cool.

However, you don't know me so please do not presume to speak for me.

I show respect and expect the same in return.

Right. It shows up every time you post. Do you really want me to drag up some examples of how "polite" or "respectful" you are with those with whom you disagree? Really?

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

What about "Scott Walker" do you find detestable? What could a MD version of "Scott Walker" do that you would disagree with?

Scott Walker is a bit extreme by Wisconsin Republican standards, and Wisconsin is a heckofalot more Conservative than Maryland (although in an upper-Midwest sort of way. There have only been 12 Democrat Governors of Wisconsin since 1848; 31 Republicans).

Maryland Republicans would initially welcome the likes of him, then find him a bit extreme, too.

[CoolZombie]

Originally Posted by Tezcatlipoca

Maryland might as well have a one-party system the way it is now. I think neither party should have as much control over a state as the Dem's do over MD. There's no control on them and MD outside of the center is ignored.

I'm generally a liberal but I agree, and that also goes for our Congress. Moderate Republicans have done a great job snuffing out the Tea Party this election cycle nationally but the MD GOP apparently hasn't gotten the memo, likely because no one upstairs cares and lets the lunatics run the asylum. They'd be wise to push moderate Republicans who don't have to be barnburning Rick Santorum types like Hogan. MD used to have a rich tradition of moderate Republicans like Sen Mack Mathias, and Reps Connie Morella and Wayne Gilchrest not too long ago but they let the Teabaggers storm the castle. It really would be better for all Marylanders if sane people had a viable alternative.

[North Beach Person]

Hogan is about as much a "Teabagger" as Brown is.


I've noticed that anyone who doesn't fall into the Progressive Democratic line here in MD is labeled a "Teabagger". That includes several Democratic politicians here in Southern MD.

As a note, my preferred candidate was Craig.