My op-ed on Ehrlich

[lhfang]

From the Diamondback www.diamondbackonline.com

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/02/08/43e98688ac9b6

The real Bob

Lee Fang

February 08, 2006

For those of you who don’t know, Maryland has a Republican governor named Robert Ehrlich. He was elected in 2002, a year during which many Republicans were swept into office. He campaigned as a tax-cutting, deficit-reducing, “moderate” Republican who could lead a wealthy, progressive state into the 21st century. Once he squeaked into office, it did not take long for Ehrlich to reveal his true colors. Let’s take a brief look at his record and determine if he deserves, or if Maryland can even afford, another four years of Ehrlich.

Ehrlich’s first priority was attacking the higher education budget. He cut $120 million from the state higher education budget in the first two years alone. As funding for our education institutions decreased, our tuition increased exponentially. In this election year, Ehrlich has finally begun to restore the higher education budget. Even with the budget restorations, our tuition will continue to increase this year. In the four years of the Ehrlich administration, our tuition has increased approximately 50 percent. A 50 percent increase of our tuition is a tax on students and Marylanders trying to put their children through college. Our school is now funded considerably less than our peer institutions, with our tuition resoundingly higher.

Even without counting tuition hikes as tax increases, Ehrlich’s record discredits his image as a tax cutter. Ehrlich hiked property taxes more than any other governor in Maryland history, over $200 million annually. He continued with gigantic Maryland Vehicle Registration fee increases, totaling almost $150 million. The fees didn’t stop there — $85 million for new corporate filing fees, a “flush tax,” land record fees, fishing fees, boating fees and park entry fees. Ehrlich raised taxes more in 16 months than the previous two Democratic governors did in 16 years. That’s $3 billion in new taxes, fees and tolls equal to a new tax burden of $1,540.48 on every Maryland household.

Ehrlich has not shown a commitment to increase the quality of life in Maryland; he’s done quite the opposite. He vetoed the Fair Share Healthcare bill last summer to prove his allegiance to Wal-Mart, which held a $1,000 a person fundraiser for him. The bill would have forced Wal-Mart to provide health care coverage for its workers, like every other similarly sized corporation already does in this state. Ehrlich preferred forcing Wal-Mart workers onto state welfare rolls rather than making Wal-Mart act responsibly.

The Ehrlich administration has been marred with scandals throughout the past years. Ehrlich has fired hundreds of long-time state employees because they were registered Democrats, while rewarding his Republican cronies with government jobs. Many of these Republicans are terribly unqualified (an Ehrlich appointee to the Maryland Port Administration legislative office had experience only as a professional ice skater before receiving his job). Furthermore, Ehrlich’s deputy chief of staff has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury and ordered to reveal why his company, GrassRoots Interactive, Inc., was used to launder $2 million in connection with corrupt Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Early in his term, Ehrlich was embarrassed by being caught trying to secretly sell off hundreds of acres of untouched public land to a campaign contributor. Ehrlich described his perspective of his own role as public servant well when he said, “It’s my government.”

Ehrlich neglects to speak of the state’s youth-oriented issues. Troubled children and teenagers, like those stranded by the recently closed Charles Hickey Jr. School in Parkville— one of Maryland’s largest juvenile correctional facilities— are continually being shifted around with no place to go. The Ehrlich administration effectively cut Medicaid for more than 4,000 women and children as well. Ehrlich’s record is dismal in many other areas. He has stolen $400 million from our once proud, environmentally conscious Open Space Program. He attempted to keep our minimum wage at the absolute federal minimum. Finally, remember his main campaign goal of 2002 of eliminating the state’s budget deficit? After this election year, Ehrlich’s proposed budget is projected to send us back to a $3 billion deficit.

This Republican governor has proven himself a fraudulent extremist. Both Democratic candidates for governor, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley and Montgomery County Executive DougDuncan, are known for their integrity, interest in education and belief in fair, inclusive government. I hope many students here on the campus examine both Democrats, as they are both vastly better choices than our current governor.

Lee Fang is a sophomore government and politics major . He can be reached at [e-mail].

[aintitfunny]

1. Very Consice and Well Done

Thanks

[Frances]

2. Good job

Thanks for posting

[AuntiBush]

3. Ehrlich: And theres more...

Ehrlich and his Annapolis cronies sured-up any chance for anyone in the state of Maryland to ever sue for loss of life.

Think catastrophic injuries; long lingering death while still talking; brain & heart activity - I'm talking major suffering. And it was not this person's fault by any means. Rather, the evidence that once existed was major in many directions. The corporation was huge, and went belly-up but only locally. Most locals still assume they're de-funk, when in reality the investors moved-on and still have their monthly checks rolling in while over 35,000 PLUS and survivors lost everything and I mean everything.

What did Ehrlich do? He held-up a bill for almost 3 years, shoring-it up each year while Dem's tried to fight it. This bill was first called "Contributory Negligence" and would become the saddest day of ones life, if you were the surviving loved one mentioned above :( Chipping away, Ehrlich and his fed buds made sure some "one" and the rest would never receive pain & suffering from corporations worthy billions and billions from Baltimore to Wall Street.

More: Patterson High School's 30 year reunion 2 years back decides to have their reunion held at a private hall, paid for by past student alumni members. What does Ehrlich do? He places a tax on them and uses the money for horse racing buds.

Ya love history, you say? How about preserving all those pristine huge pieces of olden property up in (i.e.) Harford County? Nope. He wanted that too, but by then he already had a friend making boo-coo bucks on done deals in and around Maryland.

Ehrlich: If he's a Christian I'm a Saint. And don't forgot his (what was it?) $16,000.00 directly from Abramhoff. Oh, but he gave it to charity, not back to the Native tribe it was stolen from.

Correct me if I'm wrong, respectfully. This jerk needs to go.