2010 Opening Day and Voter Outrage

While the media and political pundits view the state budget as the major issue for the new legislative session of the General Assembly, it is likely that the budget and all other issues will be overshadowed by the surging voter anger in Maryland as legislators approach the 2010 elections. 

Voter outrage over state overspending and high taxes was evident less than eight hours after legislators introduced the first bills and cast procedural votes on the first day of the 2010 Legislative Session. Braving below-freezing temperatures, over 2000 citizens gathered on Lawyer's Mall at the steps of the side entrance of the Governor's Mansion to protest loudly their disagreements with the current Administration.

Governor Martin O'Malley's opening day speech to legislators repeated his pre-session media refrain that he's now about "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs."  But Maryland needs more that talking about jobs and citizens at the rally were skeptical that O'Malley's new found interest will have any impact on Maryland's high unemployment rates that have occurred after three years of higher taxes and increased regulation under his leadership.

According to reporter E.B. Furgurson, III, of The Capital, two speakers who addressed state economic themes were:

Queen Anne's County's Donna Gildea, who owns D Squared Technology, a communications technology representative firm:  "Small business truly is the engine of our economy. Politicians ask how can we create jobs … that is not the government's responsibility. The government's responsibility is to get out of our way, (remove) unnecessary regulations, taxes and fees."

Neil Parrot, a small-business owner from Hagerstown who carpooled with "15 or 20" like-minded residents from Washington County, also spoke about Maryland's economic situation. "We just passed one of the largest tax increases in Maryland history," he said. "This is unacceptable. We are losing good businesses because of these fiscal policies."

The rally was sponsored as a Tea Party event by several Maryland Tea Party organizations and supported by Americans for Prosperity, Campaign for Liberty, Maryland Taxpayers Association, Institute for Liberty and Help Save Maryland.

Citizens at the rally pledged to return to Annapolis throughout the legislative session to testify on bills and protest O'Malley's policies that promote the chronic overspending that has created a more than $2 billion state deficit.

With the 2010 elections looming, elected officials and legislators are wary of how widespread is the voter discontentment in Maryland and will it be focused on the one-party rule of Democrats in political office.