Ireton’s “Slumlord of the Week” – Policy or Sham?

Today’s front page story in the Daily Times regarding Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton’s new “Slumlord of the Week” policy fails to answer several questions:

1. Is this “policy” meant to accomplish anything?
2. Why doesn’t Ireton actually do something to fulfill his campaign promise “to ‘close loopholes’ in the city’s municipal codes and get crime out of neighborhoods”?

IF Ireton was actually doing something to close these loopholes and to actually enforce the spirit, as well as the letter, of the city’s zoning laws that would be one thing.  Instead, we have seen one woman loose her rental income because of zoning (last Sunday’s DT), but we’re not seeing any progress in taking care of the scores of non-conforming uses in the city.

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Saturday’s Conway / Mathias Meeting

Much has already been written about Saturday morning’s Salisbury town hall meeting held by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) and Del. Jim Mathias (D-38B).  Michael Swartz of Monoblogue provides a very factual, blow-by-blow account.  Julie Brewington of Right Coast Girl weighs in with a little more opinion.  My friend Joe Albero, uncharacteristically, is taking a “can’t we all get along” approach.

There are two things that almost everyone seems to agree on.  One is that we appreciate Conway and Mathias taking time to meet with constituents.  Yes, I know it’s an election year AND that it’s part of their job.  Yet, not every member of the legislature takes the time.  The second thing is that both Conway and Mathias are “good guys”.  I concur.  Wicomico County Exec Rick Pollitt is a “good guy”; so is Councilmen John Cannon and Dave MacLeod.  Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes is a “good person”.  Hell, I’m sure there are even a few people who like Salisbury Councilwoman Louise Smith and Wicomico Councilman Bill McCain.  Regardless, taxpayers need to ask themselves if they can afford to continue supporting these “good guys”.

BIG GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVES?

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Delaware’s Profile Soaring … Is That A Good Thing?

nemski at DelawareLiberal seems to think so but does Delaware really need  Vice President Joe Biden as the unofficial First State poster child?  Biden makes George W Bush look like the chairman of the Oxford Union.  While Gov. Jack Markell is governing far more responsibly than many of us thought he would, both Markell and Delaware have a ways to go to repair the damage done by previous administrations.

nemski is right about one thing – you really should read this article from the Wilmington News-Journal.  Then ask yourself if these supposed “men of the people” are really good for the image of the First State?

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One More Reason For Limited Government … FEMA

Here is a video of a FEMA official instructing police officers that Christians and our nation’s founders were TERRORISTS!

Thomas Jefferson never fired a shot in anger during the Revolutionary War.  George Washington never ordered the assassination of anyone.  YET, these people who preached LIBERTY and LIMITED GOVERNMENT are deemed TERRORISTS by some nameless, faceless government bureaucrat.

H/T:  SbyNEWS

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League of Conservation Voters Shows True Stripes

Was there ever any question that the Virginia League of Conservation Voters was merely an auxiliary of the DPV?  If there was, it went by the wayside in this year’s gubernatorial election.

The VLCV has endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds.  No surprise there.  However, to claim that “Mr. Me Too” is a true enviro champion in comparison to GOP standard bearer Bob McDonnell is a shameless farce.  McDonnell supports offshore drilling.  Deeds says “me too”.  Bob is for coal-fired and nuclear power.  Creigh says “me too”.

What are the core environmental differences between McDonnell and Deeds?  McDonnell has bothered to make concrete proposals.  Deeds simply says, “ME TOO”.

Yet, the VLCV has this to say about Deeds:

"There are pretty stark differences" between Deeds and McDonnell, said Lisa M. Guthrie, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters.

Yes there are Ms. Guthrie.  Creigh Deeds is a Democrat.  The next time the VLCV portrays itself as “non-partisan”, have a hearty laugh and take their words for what they are – LEFT WING, DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA.

Now, if were were talking about taxes there would be some “pretty stark differences”.

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Frank Kratovil and the Taxachusetts Plan for Health Care

My Red Maryland colleague Brian Griffiths has an excellent post which discusses just some of the pitfalls of the Mitt Romney health care plan now reeking havoc on the poor citizens of Massachusetts.  Reading it I was reminded of some statements made by then candidate, now Congressman Frank Kratovil (D-MD).

At a Big Labor forum in September, 2008 Kratovil openly endorsed the Taxachusetts plan.  Blue Dog Frank was particularly in love with individual mandates.  As Griffith’s post notes, these mandates are nothing more than a tax on middle class citizens who choose to carry coverage that isn’t quite as robust as bureaucrats would like.

Should we be surprised?  No!  While Blue Dog Frank ran around Maryland’s First District telling middle class white folk that he would be “INDEPENDENT”, Kratovil was pitching himself to the African-American community as:

PART OF BARACK OBAMA’S TEAM FOR CHANGE

At least he didn’t lie to ALL of the District’s voters.  PORKULUS.  Cap and Tax.  We’re all waiting to see how he can explain a vote for ObamaCare.

The big question will be – if Kratovil votes against ObamaCare … to save his seat … will all of that left wing money dry up?

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Free Speech Only Applies to the Left

When Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) held a meeting with constituents last Friday the meeting was civil.  Given the leftward leanings of Van Hollen’s district that should be expected.  One question posed by a bastion of the government class:

when medical industry lobbyists might be banned from trying to sink reform

Van Hollen diplomatically responded that there was a little thing called “free speech”:

"There are constitutional issues here," he said. "You can’t say people can’t advertise on TV."

Oh yes you can, at least if you are a statist like Van Hollen, Barack Obama, or their pal Frank Kratovil.  Why did the networks refuse to run the commercial below?  There certainly aren’t any fighting words in those 30 seconds.  You might want to argue over the facts (I think they’re spot on), but isn’t that what a civil debate is about?

Free speech exists.  If you adhere to the left wing orthodoxy of people like Chris Van Hollen.  if not, expect to be attacked … or silenced.

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Rick Boucher Regrets Selling Out Constituents … NOW

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) seems to be regretting his decision to sell out his constituents in Virginia’s “Fighting Ninth”.  Like so many Democrats representing moderate / conservative districts, Boucher seems to be trying the old Frank Church / Birch Bayh bait and switch – vote like the lefty you are in DC while telling the folks back home that you are “fighting for their best interests”.  Boucher has actually been pretty successful at this trick ever since he was elected in 1982.

Unfortunately for Boucher, he voted for “cap and tax”.  That doesn’t play well in most places due to the prospect of rising energy costs.  Now imagine that coal mining is the leading industry in your district.

According to Boucher:

“I voted for it because I had to do that to be part of the process and to make the changes that have been made,” Boucher said of the bill that passed by a seven-vote margin in the House and is now being considered by the Senate…

Like his “Blue Dog” pal, Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD), Boucher must really believe that the folks back home are rubes of the first order.  This response is very similar to Kratovil’s reasoning for voting for PORKULUS – after her voted against it.

It works like this – Boucher has to vote against the best interests of his constituents so that he “can have a seat at the table”.  Given that this bill could well be the most important vote that Boucher ever has, or will, cast for the voters of Virginia’s 9th District, what is more important?  Maybe Boucher wants a road or building named after him and needs support in the House for that.

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This Is What Barack Obama Has In Store for You

Whenever it is stated that ObamaCare is the road to socialized medicine, the left cries foul.  Why?  They realize that if Americans learned the truth about their plans for American health care (as well as our economy and our government), that would be the end of their return to power.

Fortunately, statists can’t help but brag when they are amongst themselves.  Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), a true Obama acolyte, just LOVES the Cuban health care system.  That’s her vision for America.

While her more intelligent cohorts will deny that this is their plan for America, it is becoming increasingly clear that a true People’s Republic is what they wish for – nationalized corporations, socialized medicine, destruction of property rights, …

Besides her love of the Cuban system, Watson provides another hint as to the left’s desire to walk the statist / fascist path.  According to Watson, if Obama fails, America fails.  No Ms. Watson.  America will survive.  America will flourish because our nation is far greater than one individual.  Our system of government is based on liberty.  Only in nations such as Communist Cuba, Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and Soviet Russia were governments based on a cult of personality and that bizarre amalgam of nationalism, socialism, and populism that yielded the totalitarianism which Watson and her ilk seem to long for.

Perhaps that is why Watson loved the fellow travelling (if not traitorous) Ted Kennedy so much.

H/T – Worcester Right

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MoveOn.org Rallying Behind Ben Cardin

The George Soros financed MoveOn.org is organizing a rally tomorrow at Sen. Ben Cardin’s office in Baltimore.  Reported by Chester Peake on Red Maryland, the details are:

100 South Charles Street (Map)
Baltimore, MD 21201
Wednesday, August 19th, 12:30 PM

Show up tomorrow and let Cardin know that astroturf doesn’t grow in the Free State.

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