Media Monday 090105 – Inaccuracy and a Strong Move Left

If we’re supposed to believe our local paper they need to work a little harder.  A little fact checking never hurt anyone.

Case in point – Sunday’s Daily Time’s piece about Del. Page Elmore showing “support of state workers” by taking part in the O’Malley administration’s furlough of non-essential state employees.  Reporter Liz Holland makes it sound as if Elmore is a leader in the movement of legislators taking part in the furlough.  He’s not.  I’ve got nothing against Elmore.  I’m not accusing him of anything.  It’s just a plain, easily verifiable fact that members of the legislature have been announcing that they will take part in the furlough for almost a month.

The first I remember reading about it was a piece by the Baltimore Sun’s Andy Green on December 8, 2008.  Green let us know that Del. Nic Kipke (R-31) had announced he was taking part AND that he was preceded by fellow Anne Arundel Del. Steve Schuh (R-31).  Since then, there has been a steady trickle of legislators announcing that they wouldn’t take their salary for five days as other state employees are having to do.

However, the Daily Times’ Holland makes it sound as if Elmore is the first:

Elmore, who represents Somerset and Wicomico counties, plans to return $604.20 — five days’ worth of his delegate’s $44,000 annual salary — to the state in support of state workers.

More legislators will likely do the same, he said.

“I think a big majority will,” Elmore said Friday. “All the Republican delegates in Western Maryland are doing it — they’re the only ones I’ve really talked to.”

What Elmore said is correct.  Unfortunately, Holland put some spin on the matter.  Save the spin Liz.  Go home, rent a copy of LA Confidential, and take it to heart when the guy says – “Just the FACTS“.

While the “news” section may be inaccurate, the Daily Times editorial page gave us some honesty.  Despite their protestations to the contrary, Gannett’s local arms is showing us how liberal they truly are.

In a piece title “Let’s not waste stimulus funds“, the Daily Times showed some backbone; leftist backbone, but backbone none the less.  The author doesn’t want President-elect Obama’s “stimulus” dollars squandered on niceties like roads.  No, your federal tax dollars need to fund bridges and “public transportation”.  It’s a valid argument.  The Daily Times wants us all driving hybrids or riding the bus.

The problem is that the federal government SHOULD NOT be bailing out Maryland or any other state for their fiscal ineptitude.  Do they, or anyone else, honestly believe that once the Feds start padding the budgets of our state governments more than they already are that the practice will end?

Hell no!  The so-called “stimulus” will merely make our state government even more of a localized arm of the federal government.  Why bother having state legislatures?  Maryland will simply be to Washington what Wicomico County has become to Annapolis – a fiefdom, with the state dictating education policy and now attempting to dictate zoning.

This is before you even look at the fiscal impact.  The federal debt will continue to soar.  Your federal, and state, taxes will increase.  Only God will be able to help our children and grandchildren.  Money needed to fund expansion in the private sector will simply be gobbled up by a government which takes an ever growing percentage of our GDP.

As I have stated many times before, our local paper has a right to their opinion – provided they keep it to the op-ed pages.  This time they were just so wrong that it did merit comment.

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