Democrats Dance As Your Power Bill Increases

Back in the early ‘80’s, I remember my Intermediate Macroeconomics professor wasting half of a semester extolling the virtues of Marxist economic theory.  One day, I simply had to ask – Does anyone, even YOU, actually believe this nonsense?  His response?  “Well, it’s a valid economic theory”.  Well, I have finally come across someone who actually seems to believe that nonsense.

cassandra_m, over at DelawareLiberal, extols the virtues of Cap and Tax by claiming that Delaware has made over $2 million from selling “carbon credits”.  Sorry cassandra, Delaware TAXED power companies an ADDITIONAL $2 million.  You can call it whatever you want, but IT’S A TAX!  It’s a transfer.  It produces NOTHING!

Here’s how it works in the real world (vs. the imaginary, Marxist, MoveOn.org world):

Power companies are TAXED $2 million for “carbon credits”.  One of three things occur.  One, your power bill rises to make up for the lost $2 million.  Two, instead of raising rates the power company simply takes a reduction in profit.  This means that money will not be returned to shareholders to be put to a PRODUCTIVE use or needed capital upgrades will not occur.  The capital expenditures actually CREATE WEALTH and help to GROW THE ECONOMY (so does returning the money to shareholders).  Three, there is some combination of one and two.

Something tells me that cassandra sat in on the same economics class as WCBOE superintendent John Fredericksen.

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Wealthy Marylanders Vote With Their Feet

Liberals never learn.  They cling to the discredited belief that all you need to do to raise government revenue is raise tax rates.  Wealthy Marylanders are showing Gov. Martin O’Malley that they have options too.  They can move to a more tax friendly state.

In 2007 O’Malley and his leftist pals in the legislature instituted the so-called “millionaires surcharge”.  Montgomery County is learning that if you raise taxes they will leave:

County officials estimate next year’s budget deficit will be more than $761 million. Much of the shortfall is tied to a few residents who have either lost money in the economy, died or fled Maryland’s new millionaire tax.

County records show Montgomery lost $4.6 billion in taxable income between tax years 2007 and 2008. The number of income tax returns above $1 million declined by 27 percent during that time.

Despite this “shocking revelation” of basic economics, those stalwarts of fiscal sanity – the Democrat majority of the Maryland General Assembly – are considering extending the “surcharge”, which is set to expire next year.  Perhaps O’Malley should call newly elected New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and ask him how many high earners abandoned the Garden State under the tax and spend policies of Christie’s predecessor – Gov. John Corzine.

Go ahead Marty – dance while Maryland burns.

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Support HB 653

On Thursday, the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee is due to consider HB 653.  Among other things, HB 653 would require a 2/3 vote to increase taxes.  It would also prohibit the state to assess real property at a value greater than its true cash value.

Among the sponsors of HB 653 are Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) and Del. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-37).  Where are the names of our own delegates – Norm Conway, Page Elmore, and Jim Mathias?  As noted earlier, Conway and Mathias like to portray themselves as “fiscally conservative”.  Ditto for Elmore.

History has shown that the only way we can limit government is to “starve the beast”.  Politicians will simply not do it on their own.  Call or email your delegates and ask them to sponsor HB 653.

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A “Prebuttal” to O’Malley’s Groundhog Day Speech

Today, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will deliver his annual “State of the State” speech.  Brian Griffiths and Red Maryland have put together a “prebuttal” to O’Malley’s address:

Ironically, O’Malley has chosen to deliver his address on Groundhog Day.  Griffiths draws an appropriate parallel between O’Malley and the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day.  If you remember, the premise of the film is that Murray’s character lives the same day over, over, and over again.

Under O’Malley, Maryland citizens have endured the same things over, over, and over again.  We have suffered the same:

• Excuses
• Calls for Tax Increases
• Calls for Expanded Government Services

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Tragedy Ahead for Virginia?

Voting for Barack Obama in 2008 has proved to be an embarrassment for Virginians.  With just over a week to go before Virginia’s statewide elections, voters could be in for a tragedy:

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Jim Ireton’s Answer to Salisbury’s Crime Problem

  When Jim Ireton was running to be Salisbury’s mayor there was no question that crime was a TOP concern of voters.  Things don’t seem to have gotten much better since his election.  At Tuesday’s meeting of the Salisbury Crime Taskforce Ireton provided some hint as to his solution for the crime problems – GRANTS.

While Jim’s FRIENDS – Frank Kratovil, Barbara Mikulski, Ben Cardin, and Barack Obama – may be doling out taxpayer dollars by the bucket full, at some point in time Ireton is going to have to DO SOMETHING about fixing the problems facing Salisbury.  That means Ireton needs to understand that crime is one of, if not THE BIGGEST problem facing his once fair city.

At Tuesday’s meeting a member of the taskforce asked Ireton what was the status of a grant Salisbury applied for to replicate a highly successful crime initiative in Annapolis.  Ireton’s reply was a song an dance about how “competitive” the application process was and how applicants were being “scored”.

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Ellen Saurbrey on Town Halls and Tea Parties

Former Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ellen Saurbrey has entered the blogosphere as the newest contributor on Red Maryland.  Today Saurbrey discusses the true motives behind crowded, vocal town hall meetings and the burgeoning Tea Party movement.

Americans want the right to make their own choices about how they live and are not about to turn life and death decisions over to an army of social engineers and faceless bureaucrats without a fight. A feeling of helplessness had taken root in many quarters but suddenly health care town hall meetings awakened a sleeping giant.

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Jack Markel Reorganizes Economic Development Office

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has announced a reorganization of the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO).  With all due respect Gov. Markell, what are you doing?

The recent problems that Delaware has faced in terms of economic development have nothing do how DEDO is organized.  Bad fiscal policy?  Yes.  Higher taxes?  Sure.

I know that Markell is the darling of Delaware’s left, but simply moving pins on a map or changing the org chart isn’t going to fix Delaware’s problems.  Give Pet DuPont a call.  Find out out Delaware really became an economic engine.

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Obama – Which Core Promise Do I Break?

Do we continue with out of control deficits and a crippling national debt … or … do we raise taxes on the middle class?  Since reducing non-defense spending is out of the question, this is the dilemma facing the messiah.

Note Obama’s pledge during the campaign:

 

We’re not going to raise taxes on the middle class.  We’re going to cut wasteful spending.  You should also remember that the reason we needed a tax cheat as Treasury Secretary was because he was the only person who could fix the problem.

So what has the messiah done?  Added TRILLIONS of dollars to the national debt while finding … $100 MILLION in wasteful spending!  Get real!  My three kids and I could find a hundred times that in a week given the opportunity.  Unfortunately for the American people, Barack Hussein Obama must subscribe to the Shanie Shields school of fiscal policy:

“I ain’t never seen no wasteful government spending”.

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O’Malley Doesn’t Want Public to Share Ideas

Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has a great review of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s new “Online Suggestion Box”:

When I first heard about this, I thought, What a great idea! Unfortunately, like most things in government, the devil is in the details.

Mike is, again, right on about this issue.  IF O’Malley were serious, rather than just pandering to an electorate that will judge him in just over a year, he would allow the public to see the suggestions of their fellow citizens.  IF O’Malley were 1/10 of the chief executive he claims to be, he would know that many great ideas come from hearing and seeing the ideas of others.

Of course, O’Malley is PANDERING and he sure isn’t the executive he claims to be.  Marylanders are paying the tax increases that prove it.

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