I’m not sure how we’ll be able to tell the difference, Save Jerseyans, but it looks like the New Jersey Democrat Party is about to get a whole lot dumber.
NJ.com reports Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D-Baltimore) has been retained by Chairman John Wisniewski to host the state party’s annual “Jefferson-Jackson” dinner. Yes, modern Democrats have to reach back to the early 19th century to find Democrats leaders worth celebrating. And the most ironic part? Both of the dinner’s namesakes were slaveholders! Let’s see the NJEA’s liberal history department miseducators try to explain this one away.
Back here in the 21st century, Governor Christie and Governor O’Malley traded barbs over budget cuts, tax policy and union politics throughout the month of February. The two Mid-Atlantic pols are emerging as ideological forces in their respective parties. Christie embodies pro-taxpayer reform. And O’Malley?
Save Jersey blogger Evan Lazer took the time to dissect O’Malley’s many hypocrisies back on February 4th:
“Just like he fudged Baltimore’s crime statistics (I lived there, it is FAR from safe), O’Malley seems to delight in making bellicose and false statements. In contrast to NJ, where Christie and the Legislature didn’t raise business-killing taxes, O’Malley passed a budget with a 16-18% increase in personal and corporate taxes, and a 20% increase on the sales tax. It’s no surprise that Maryland, even BEFORE these taxes were passed, lost 37,847 citizens to domestic migration. His budget also raised spending by 5.9% (all of this was 2008 in the midst of the recession).
But despite his dismal record, O’Malley’s 2012 budget is actually very similar to Governor Christie’s approach! The budget slashes local government aid, and also cuts aid to the employee retirement system, which is exactly what he is criticizing Christie for doing! It also transfers money out of the Transportation Trust Fund, makes cuts to Medicare and lays off 1,000 state workers.”
It’s one thing for New Jerseyans to be underwhelmed by Maryland’s chief executive. Marta H. Mossburg of The Baltimore Sun recently penned an online article that did a beautiful job of explaining why her state’s governor cannot hold a candle to ours:
“It shows in his speeches, which lobotomize instead of inspire. They are filled with vague calls to create “One Maryland” and rely on meaningless words and phrases, including “progress,” “right choices” and “spurring innovation.” In his state of the state speech this year, he told Marylanders, “The best option for our most important priorities is to defend them by level-funding them.”
Really? It’s deflating to copy those words. They reflect a man caught in the mire of politics, not one rising to history’s prerogatives.
Worse, they help to delay making choices to resolve Maryland’s ongoing budget deficit and obscure the logical outcome of his policies: chronically higher taxes. Ultimately, they will put Maryland on the sidelines of history as Messrs. Christie, Daniels and Walker rewrite it.”
Some men lead and others make excuses, Save Jerseyans. The New Jersey Democrats have made it clear who they prefer by inviting an intellectual midget like O’Malley to their upcoming rubber chicken spectacular.
Maybe you should stay in school Brian…as I recall, Lincoln, of the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner was a President in the 19th century too. Selective memory on your part…heh?
That's true, Rick, but why aren't the Dems celebrating more modern choices like Wilson or FDR? Of course, Wilson was a rabid segregationist and FDR prolonged the Depression, but what of it?
(At the Lincoln's Day dinner I attended, most of the emphasis was on Ronald Reagan, but he doesn't a holiday named for him… yet.)
Having lived in Maryland off and on, its politics are ruled by Baltimore and its economic policies exist to keep that city voting Democrat. To do that they bleed the suburbs. Sound familiar?
And why aren't you guys celebrating more recent Presidents too? Like Harding, oh, yeah…all those scandals…Or Silent Cal..oh, yeah…the great depression. Sorry…guess you have to travel to back that far to find someone suitable.
ALL of our Commanders in Chief were flawed men who made mistakes so are we REALLY going to split hairs here? Yes, I believe O'malley is a bad Governor, but to start ripping into whose Presidents were better is kind of silly.