O'Malley to begin second term today
Lawmakers and VIPs will squeeze into Maryland's state Senate chamber at noon today to observe Gov. Martin O'Malley being sworn in for his second and final term in office. But the highlight occurs outside afterward when the governor takes the stage for his inaugural address.
The governor's been preparing for the speech in part by reading the beginning-of-term addresses given across the country by his fellow governors. "You see a theme emerging of the choices, the investments, the things we need to do" to return the country to a more prosperous path, he said in a recent interview.
O'Malley referred to some GOP governors as the "new secessionists" who are part of "the make government go away crowd."
"The language is different then the language you are hearing from the Democratic governors," O'Malley said. "The difference between us and them is we're in the fight for our future. We have to make the right decisions today. There is certain urgency."
O'Malley was particularly stuck by a speech given earlier this month by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, another second-term Democrat who presides over a left-of-center state. Patrick stressed that his state leads the country in education and health care, and is creating jobs at a fast clip. Gloucester Times writer Chris Cassidy summarized the speech thusly: "It laid out an agenda of creating jobs, strengthening schools, cutting health care costs and ending urban violence."
O'Malley said it "might have been given in Maryland."
After a 14-point victory in a Republican year, O'Malley enters his second term in a position of enviable strength, a topic we wrote about in today's Sun. He also benefits from a Democratic-controlled state legislature at home and a new national position as the head of the DGA, which could let him reach a wider audience.
But he also faces challenges: He says this year's budget will the the toughest he's ever introduced and he also hopes to tackle the ballooning pension costs this year.
Among the dignitaries expected to attend today's festivities is Virgina Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican who worked actively to unseat O'Malley during the recent campaign. In one episode, the Virginia governor made a personal round of phone calls to reporters writing stories about the Republican Governors Association backing away from O'Malley's rival, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
The governor's been preparing for the speech in part by reading the beginning-of-term addresses given across the country by his fellow governors. "You see a theme emerging of the choices, the investments, the things we need to do" to return the country to a more prosperous path, he said in a recent interview.
O'Malley referred to some GOP governors as the "new secessionists" who are part of "the make government go away crowd."
"The language is different then the language you are hearing from the Democratic governors," O'Malley said. "The difference between us and them is we're in the fight for our future. We have to make the right decisions today. There is certain urgency."
O'Malley was particularly stuck by a speech given earlier this month by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, another second-term Democrat who presides over a left-of-center state. Patrick stressed that his state leads the country in education and health care, and is creating jobs at a fast clip. Gloucester Times writer Chris Cassidy summarized the speech thusly: "It laid out an agenda of creating jobs, strengthening schools, cutting health care costs and ending urban violence."
O'Malley said it "might have been given in Maryland."
After a 14-point victory in a Republican year, O'Malley enters his second term in a position of enviable strength, a topic we wrote about in today's Sun. He also benefits from a Democratic-controlled state legislature at home and a new national position as the head of the DGA, which could let him reach a wider audience.
But he also faces challenges: He says this year's budget will the the toughest he's ever introduced and he also hopes to tackle the ballooning pension costs this year.
Among the dignitaries expected to attend today's festivities is Virgina Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican who worked actively to unseat O'Malley during the recent campaign. In one episode, the Virginia governor made a personal round of phone calls to reporters writing stories about the Republican Governors Association backing away from O'Malley's rival, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
Comments
In a throw-out-the-bums year, the state chalk full of federal employees does not tend to go with the prevailing winds.
Posted by: Larry | January 19, 2011 8:44 AM
Well Gov O'Mealey mouth is at it again and a blind man in a snow storm can see that this egocentric narcissitic will be taking babs Mikulskis palce in three years when she retires and he appoints himself. Also all those lost years without slots and increased budgets, allowing the counties to steal from state workers pensions and salaries ahere we are ranked 44 out of 50 states and compared to fed workers not even close...so this is one state employee who sees that this governor will once again balance the budget by screwing the state work force who sadly have accepted as the norm being used by this Governor for his own selfish needs...but alas when he takes his show to a bigger audience he will be found out for who he is...
Posted by: fred nastri | January 19, 2011 9:11 AM