Welcome back to the MDGOP’s Week in Review! This week brought the commencement of the 421st Maryland General Assembly Session. The next 90 days will either bring Maryland forward or take Maryland back. It can bring us some very good policy but it also will most likely bring very bad policies for the people of Maryland and our economy. Let’s get to this week’s edition:
Governor Ehrlich has rolled out a number of new proposals for his 2007 Fiscal Year budget. The proposals include: a property tax reduction and an overhaul of the Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit program (the reduction would be 15%), new investments for the arts, science, technology and stem cell research funding, increases in funding for higher education and K-12 education, increasing access to senior care and reducing waiting lists for Maryland’s senior population, along with a Homeowner’s Tax Credit and Caregiver’s Tax Relief, and plans to modernize the state’s estate tax. While political aspirants like Martin O’Malley and Doug Duncan denounce these efforts, they need to be asked: What’s wrong with tax relief? What’s wrong with providing assistance and support to our seniors? What’s wrong with advancing this state’s science and technology fields? O’Malley and Duncan appear intent on promoting themselves rather than good policy.
Startling words came from Senate President Mike Miller on Wednesday at a Democratic caucus meeting. According to The Baltimore Sun, Miller gave a fiery speech in which he said Republicans are “going to be flying high, but we're going to get together and we're going to shoot them down. We're going to put them in the ground, and it'll be 10 years before they crawl out again” (Veto battles point toward tough session, Green, January 11, 2006). At least Miller isn’t hiding the fact that he cares nothing about good policy for Marylanders or providing initiatives that benefit the lives and livelihoods of the over 6.2 million people of the state. He’s always been highly partisan, but the mask is off and apparently he has thrown down the gauntlet.
The state Senate has now officially declared itself in the pocket of national unions and special interests. In a 30-17 vote, the Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of the Fair Share Health Care Fund Act, otherwise known as the Wal-Mart bill. The thousands of high paying jobs that the Lower Shore may lose because of this legislation makes no difference to the 30 senators who receive hefty campaign donations from these unions and liberal, anti-business groups. Presuming the House votes to override as well, Maryland is now on its way to government-run health care thanks to these irresponsible votes. Prior to voting, the union bullies made it very clear to the senators and delegates of the General Assembly: "The failure to stand with us means we will not be standing with you in the elections of 2006," Fred D. Mason Jr., president of the AFL-CIO's chapter operating in Maryland and the District, said at a news conference in Annapolis called to rally support for the legislation (Pressure rises as Wal-Mart vote nears, The Washington Post, Wagner, January 10,2006). So rather than standing up for Marylanders and our state’s economy, these senators buckled under pressure from the AFL-CIO. To see a list of those senators voting to override the governor’s veto, Go to the Maryland General Assembly Home Page and type in SB 790. It’s not up as of this printing, but will be up soon. The House will take up this bill at 5 pm on Thursday. They had pushed the bill back because the Democratic leadership wasn’t sure they have the votes to override.
Another bill that was overridden today in the Senate was allowing provisional ballots to be cast anywhere in the state. This initiative opens Maryland’s elections up to further fraud by allowing a person to go to any county in the state, cast a vote and potentially go to another county and cast another vote there. The Boards of Elections only check with the person’s home county to see if they voted there. They do not check other counties. Again, in the event of a House override on this, Maryland will likely see roving bands of buses filled with people intent on violating the “one man, one vote” principle and Maryland’s legislature will have made voter fraud the law of the land. The integrity in the state’s electoral process is severely diminished by these partisan moves. Maryland liberals are on their way to institutionalizing voter fraud.
Heard around the Capitol:
"Over the next 90 days, while I am working to build on the past three years of success, my opponents will be raising money to smear my name and the good works we have accomplished. But, you can help me counter this." Governor Robert L. Ehrlich (Lawmakers race clock to score donations, The Washington Post, Marimow, January 11, 2006)
"There's going to be a lot of posturing," he said, "everyone trying to get their name in the paper, you know, people who like to sound like they know what they are doing."
Victor Clark, Baltimore city Republican Party central committee member (Positive note open Assembly, Baltimore Sun, Brewington and Rosen, January 12, 2006)
"I'm squarely on the firing line here. I made it clear that I want to honor the vote I made last session," Levy said. But if it comes down to a single delegate and party leaders think Levy's support is imperative, he said, "It becomes a much tougher vote. I haven't reached an answer yet." Delegate Murray Levy (D-Charles) regarding the Wal-Mart bill (A frenzied start upends usual opening calm, The Washington Post, Mosk and Wagner, January 12, 2006)
"Business, especially small business, sustains the lifeblood of Maryland's economy…Small businesses will be targeted next. It will amount to a government-run health care program." Delegate Larry Haines (R-Carroll) regarding the Wal-Mart bill (Business leaders meet with delegates to talk politics, The Baltimore Sun, Hare, January 8, 2006)
"[Senate President] Mike [Miller] and I will be standing shoulder to shoulder trying to retire some of you [Republican senators]." U.S Congressman Steny Hoyer (Democrats remember an easier time, The Washington Post, Barnes, January 12, 2006)
"My red vote on the board is a reflection of an opportunity that if I didn't get a chance to vote for the nominee." Delegate Rick Weldon (R-Frederick) in response to Democrats thwarting GOP attempts to nominate Delegate George Edwards as Speaker of the House (Session opens amid partisan grumbling, Frederick News Post, Cumber and Breitenbach, January 12, 2006)
"When he stymies us, he stymies our constituents. That is just not fair to Maryland." Delegate Joe Bartlett (R-Frederick) regarding Speaker Michael Busch’s leadership style (Session opens amid partisan grumbling, Frederick News Post, Cumber and Breitenbach, January 12, 2006)
"There are specific obstacles to early voting this year that outweigh any perceived benefit. It's not simply money. It's time." Former U.S. Attorney George Beall, member of the nonpartisan commission evaluating proposals for election law changes (Ehrlich commission backs vetoes of 4 election reform bills, The Baltimore Sun, Brewington, January 11, 2006)
"If you take these three bills together in a state that already has an established documented history of voter fraud, and allow people to vote anywhere outside of their normal voting precinct any time up to eight days prior to an election, and use a provision ballot in circumstances where they can't prove their identity, all you're doing is encouraging Elmer Fudd, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to vote in Maryland." Delegate Rick Weldon (R-Frederick) on the election “reform” bills
"I don't think the Democrats want what they see as a Republican issue on the ballot." Senator Andy Harris
(R-Baltimore County)
(State legislatures open to new faces, partisan battles, The Washington Times, Miller, January 11, 2006)
"If people have any money left, elected officials are going to have to use GPS to find it." longtime lobbyist Joel D. Rozner (Lawmakers race clock to score donations, The Washington Post, Marimow, January 11, 2006)
As an end note, we would like to congratulate Ellen Sauerbrey for her appointment as assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration. The recess appointment by President Bush allows this highly competent public servant to continue the good work of the Administration.
Have a great weekend! And we look forward to keeping you informed as the 2006 General Assembly Legislative Session continues.