I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning, and I think the wind’s emanating from Government House today:
On Wednesday, Governor Martin O’Malley was the lead presenter in a Washington D.C. press conference attacking John McCain’s position on energy independence. Apparently, O’Malley is going to be one of Barack Obama’s key energy policy surrogates.
“I have a hard time understanding where O’Malley gets the nerve to attack John McCain on energy policy,” said MDGOP Chairman Jim Pelura. “Electricity rates have risen exponentially during O’Malley’s governorship, despite his campaign promise to ‘take on BGE and stop the rate hikes’. This broken promise is just one of many examples of the failed leadership that Marylanders have grown accustomed to under O’Malley. Now it looks like O’Malley is on the road wholeheartedly backing Barack Obama’s energy plan,” Pelura continued.
“John McCain’s plan is to combine careful, domestic drilling with research and development of renewable energies like solar, wind, and biofuel. It’s a comprehensive plan that will give relief to working families now while securing our long-term energy future.”
“If Obama isn’t bothered by Martin O’Malley’s broken promises on energy, voters have to wonder if they can trust any of Obama’s promises on energy independence,” concluded Pelura.
Remember this O’Malley ad?
Yeah, Martin O’Malley was going to ride in on his white horse and save Maryland from those greedy utilities and their monster rate hikes. Too bad he failed at that and increased our taxes at the same time. Somehow that didn’t make it into the ad!
Like most Democrats, Governor O’Malley has continued to demonstrate that he has little grasp of market economics. Had deregulation been done properly, perhaps it would have attained the goals of increasing competition and lowering prices for all Maryland consumers as it was supposed to. I don’t think the answer is in reregulation, nor is it in the renewable portfolio mandates, grants for solar and geothermal power which warp the home heating market, or any of the other measures which were supposed to save the planet or Chesapeake Bay. But the O’Malley Administration is going to try all these and more to solve a problem that proper planning beforehand may have avoided.
I just hope that if it comes to pass, the McCain Administration doesn’t reach across the aisle to solve our energy problems – with examples like Martin O’Malley $4 a gallon gas and 10 cent per kilowatt electricity may be fond memories in the not-too-distant future.
