Who Represents You in Annapolis?

On Sunday, the legislators from Maryland District 39 hosted a forum to present the results of the recently concluded legislative session in Annapolis and to receive community input. They were careful to point out this was not a political meeting (i.e. not restricted to Democrats) but they should have requested Democrats to attend - the room appeared to be filled with Republicans, a few independents and one or two hyper-progressive types that will always sit to the left of any Democrat that can be reasonably elected.

The group included Delegates Shane Robinson, Kirill Reznik, Charles Barkley and Senator Nancy King. I would be remiss if I didn't offer my opinion on each, but my larger purpose is to let you know where the system is broken. First, the players:

Robinson - A deer in the headlights. I met the guy on election day and his resume supports the opinion I formed then: I don't know what this guy has to offer us. He's lived all over the world and around the country and doesn't appear to have held a job for very long let alone engaging in any significant business development or government service. While he appears to listen more than talk (that's a good thing in in my opinion) I sense that partisan politics dictate his thoughts so sitting quietly doesn't equate to thoughtfulness in this case.

Reznick - A dedicated progressive who actually believes that government exists to fix our problems and is eager to pass laws that raise taxes, protect spending ("programs") and increase regulation without regard to real cost/benefit to taxpayers. In defending his big legislative win - the prohibition of employers from using credit information to evaluate potential employees - Reznik claimed support of the business community. I don't know if he believes this or if it is a rationalization, but whatever dialogue he may have had with business leaders, no business prefers more regulation to less or more restrictions over who or how to hire.  Inability to recognize this basic economic principal is exactly what makes Maryland uncompetitive at attracting business. Whether Reznik's perspective is driven by politics or by his own real conviction, you cannot count on this guy to promote smaller more responsible government.

Barkley - A long serving and dedicated public servant who genuinely portrays the image of one whose heart is in the right place and who genuinely fights for the greater good. Unless he is ready to break with the past patterns set out by the legislature in Annapolis, however, I see Barkley as working to maintain the status quo. If you are happy with things as they are - Barkley is your man.

King - Aside from being the Senator, I saved King for last because she is the best example of what is wrong with the system. King's answers are political and thoughtful and non-committal. But hey, I'm a cynic. However, she is a leader in Annapolis and has the potential to make a positive difference and claims to believe in making Maryland more business friendly and was more than a little embarrassed at how the legislature has squandered the transportation trust fund. King understands the difference between a tax credit and a tax rate reduction. (Dollar for dollar - a credit keeps the government involved in picking winners and losers, a rate reduction allows businesses and people across the board to invest without the unpredictable "partnership" of government.) This is not a simple or subtle distinction and more legislators thinking this way would give us half a chance at returning Maryland to prosperity.

But here is the structural problem we face: King is a former Republican who switched parties because in Annapolis, Republicans can't break through the political stalemate. Maryland has been run by a Democratic majority with only 6 Republican Governors since the Civil War. The party has evolved from secessionists of the 1860s to the pro-business Democratic Governor Albert Ritchie to the reckless, domineering tax and spend bully currently in charge.

In order to be part of any solution - King first needed to become part of the problem by joining the Democratic party that enjoys a sustained super-majority in Annapolis and represents the entrenched establishment with little motivation to change unless we ask for it.

Remember, I am not a Republican: I'm an equal opportunity critic and that's what I'm encouraging my readers to become. I was so disheartened when, during the recent campaign, I would talk to people about certain candidates. Roughly two-thirds of my audience would ask, "Is he a Republican or a Democrat?" Everybody seems to want the easy way out by supporting candidates based on the label and that works in both directions.  

Please - get to know who is serving you in the government, form your own opinions and support someone whose values represent yours and whose solutions make sense to you. It's not just about voting but about stimulating dialogue and helping them envision the same future you want for your children.