2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumHey Marylanders - tell us about O'Malley -
I like a lot of the people dipping their toes in the race for 2016, but he's the only one I know of who won't be over 70 by 2020.
And if that is ageism, my defense is that I've had recent experience in how fast age can catch up with you without any warning. I'm not talking about cognitive issues, just general health and energy levels.
TheNutcracker
(2,104 posts)Liz is not running
Ummm good luck on both.. O'Malley will not win the primary, and Sen. Sanders, although I think is a GREAT choice, he may be too socialist, progressive for some. Sanders also MUST change to democrat to run, he cannot compete as independent and win..
Cal33
(7,018 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)CBHagman
(16,986 posts)This is by no means exhaustive, but it's something to consider:
[url]http://www.ontheissues.org/Martin_O%60Malley.htm[/url]
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)Nancy Waterman
(6,407 posts)Adequate governor, but his 2nd just loss the election which is a big egg on his face. We need to look further.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I liked him until that stupid rain tax and a casino everywhere in the state. Otherwise a decent politician who has zero charisma. I can't see him winning nationally.
FSogol
(45,490 posts)And rain tax = stormwater tax which is a thing in most areas already.
as for no charisma, let's see how he does on the campaign trail. The people in Iowa like him according to news reports.
LawDeeDah
(1,596 posts)not that that should mean anything, but it does. O'Malley with a guitar and the rest with Geritol.
Cal33
(7,018 posts)superficial quality. Character goes deeper, and really is more important.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)If we are in fact chosen, that would be a coup of the highest magnitude. The choice has been narrowed down to 3 places, one in Virginia, Landover, Maryland and Greenbelt, Maryland. They are getting estimates now on adding an additional Beltway Exit to the Greenbelt metro and are building new townhouses and condos right down the street (walkable to the metro). Some people are saying it is a done deal, that it will in fact be located in Greenbelt, but I am going to wait for the official announcement before I believe it.
Sam
MBS
(9,688 posts)I was completely unimpressed with his speech at 2012 Dem Convention, and found myself wondering why there was so much talk about his presidential aspirations.I'm still wondering.
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Sorry, O'Malley is not a good leader. He is the typical tax and spend democrat. He has made our state somewhat of a laughing stock with his "flush" (toilet), and "rain" tax. He could have stated they were for saving the Chesapeake Bay... I liked him as Baltimore City Mayor, but once governor, he changed......
LawDeeDah
(1,596 posts)I know where I heard that shit before...
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Sorry, but O'Malley is the steriotypical tax and spend democrat. Yes he has progressive ideas, but his multiple tax rises and huge spending has given our state the slap in the face for the taxes he's levied. We do have a democratic controlled house and Senate that tends to go a little too far. So yeah you heard the shit before, but I have been living it for a long time. And before you jump on my ass and say i am a republican troll or whatever....I'm very liberal, but when we are losing our citizens because of the tax on pensions, tax on flushing the toilet, on the rain...time for a new thought process.
appalachiablue
(41,146 posts)(No offense MD.)
Recursion
(56,582 posts)He is one of the few Democrats to beat an incumbent GOP governor (admittedly, in Maryland). Fun fact: there's a character in The Wire based on him (he was a Baltimore councilman in the 1990s).
He ended the death penalty in MD (for all new offenders; those still on death row stay there though I think there's an execution moratorium for now). He raised taxes to close a budget hole. He's also in an Irish rock band that I've seen play at the Ram's Head in Annapolis.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)O'Malley was a great governor. However, Republicans will paint him as a tax and spend liberal, and that is true. Even though Maryland has done well in general, even many so-called liberal Democrats here are a little impatient with O'Malley in several respects:
1. The schools: The schools are still good in Maryland overall, but they are not great, compared to Virginia. The schools in Virginia are slowly becoming better than Maryland, when Maryland held that record--specifically, Montgomery County where I live. The taxes here are very high. The schools are very competitive. The public services are great. I love living here. However, affordable housing is scarce. It's harder to find quality jobs. Some industries are leaving, going to VA where taxes are lower and there are more housing options. Land is more plentiful to build. Builders have more leeway and aren't constrained. Because taxes are lower, schools are becoming better in Fairfax County, VA and other places. Montgomery County is becoming less competitive. That has hurt O'Malley and Democrats in some respects.
2. ACA/Obamacare implementation: O'Malley/Brown administration botched the implementation of Obamacare in the state. It was one of the reasons why Brown lost. Brown was put directly in charge of the administration of the program and failed miserably. There's no excuse for this, quite frankly. The state Republicans pounced on this failure, and there's still problems.
3. Crime: Brown hails from Prince George's County. O'Malley hails from Baltimore City. Both areas are plagued with crime, low performing schools, substandard public services--and yet, taxes are still high. Republicans have used this to pounce on the two men. Hogan exploited the issue, in part, to win this past election. Voter turnout in both areas was abysmal.
4. Charisma: O'Malley was great on the t.v. talk shows. He lacks charisma when it comes to the worldwide stage. His presentation before the DNC wasn't great. And though he was the head of the Democratic Governor's Association, he doesn't have any other nationwide prominence. He's done great things for Maryland, but that's about it. He'll be tainted by Republicans, like I said, as a tax and spend liberal, and there's very little he can do to combat those charges. While I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with that, the fact that Maryland has declined somewhat in terms of a competitive edge might make him look bad--not to mention the loss to Hogan.
I think Schweitzer, even with his recent gaffes, may be better.
Mark Warner isn't charismatic, but he could be considered a safer bet. He's noncontroversial.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)For example - the flush tax - was it needed to try to save the Chesapeake Bay? Given some of the remarks about development in Maryland ( i.e. replacement of agricultural uses with bedroom communities), it may have been absolutely necessary.
For example - tax and spend - what was the relative position of Maryland regarding public services before and after O'Malley? After all, anyone who does something to improve the situation in Mississippi could also be labeled tax and spend - because right now there are no taxes and no spending.
One critical point - who is being taxed? Are the welathier people taking their proper share of the burden?
The problem is that "tax and spend" is a catchy phrase, while explaining the background takes time and thought.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)to explain how Democrats are painted.
And yes, Ehrlich and all the other Republican governors before him--all of them raised taxes. Governors often have to. Raise taxes, along with cutting some programs because balanced budgets are often required.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)is automatically a tax and spend liberal, but I am curious as to who O'Malley taxed and what he spent the money on.