O’Malley blames GOP for gridlock
Gov. Martin O’Malley, who has ratcheted up his rhetoric in recent days over the ongoing talks on raising the nation’s debt ceiling, told Democrats in Congress Thursday that not reaching an agreement would have a significant impact on Maryland and other states.
Calling the debate a “defining moment in our country’s history,” O’Malley blamed “extreme members of the Republican Party” for the gridlock on raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. Naming names, O’Malley reiterated a line he has used in recent days, pointing at House Majority Leader “Eric Cantor and the dinosaur wing of the Republican Party.”
But O'Malley, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association, also said he believes some GOP moderates are negotiating in good faith.
“I believe that a majority of public servants in the proud party of Lincoln want what’s best for our country and would like to see our country move forward,” O'Malley said during a news conference that followed the closed-door meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. “That’s really the resonant space that we need to find.”
O’Malley noted a threat made this week by Moody’s Investors Service to downgrade the state’s AAA bond rating, a move that would increase the cost of borrowing. Following that threat, state officials decided Wednesday to hold off by one business day the start of a sale of $718 million in state bonds.
“On both sides of the Potomac, Maryland’s triple-a bond rating and Virginia’s triple-a bond rating is threatened by our potential inability to pay the bills of the United States, the wealthiest republic on the planet,” he said.
Because of its proximity to Washington and its close ties to the federal government, Maryland could also be adversely affected by whatever agreement Congress and the White House ultimately reach. Federal government employees, for instance, will likely take a hit in compensation. Spending cuts could also have an impact on the state’s federal contractors.
Both O’Malley and Rep. Steny Hoyer, who invited the governor to speak to the Democratic caucus, stressed their preference that the agreement to raise the debt ceiling include new revenues. Republican leaders in the House have steadfastly opposed that idea.
Comments
He speaks well for a white Irishman. Isn't that what Obama staff are saying of Marylands' Nero ?He'll be a great replacement for Biden .
Posted by: kevin | July 21, 2011 12:12 PM
MOM is worried because the Fed teett is drying up and he has run a structural deficit his entire term.
He could not survive without the Fed largess and the stimulus money he got and as the child he his needs to blame anyone but himself and his sycophants on the river.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2011 12:18 PM
Omalley is cluless.
Where is the Democrats plan?
Where is the Presidents plan.
The gridlock blame falls clearly on the shoulders of those fiscally irresponsible democrats including Mr OBama. who is clearly in over his head, has never led before and is not leading now.
Maryland voters are a bunch of suckers.
Posted by: Buddy Koolhof | July 21, 2011 12:20 PM
O'Malley is just used to having a rubber stamp and has no idea what true democractic process is like.
Posted by: allen | July 21, 2011 12:27 PM
Why not blame Ehrlich too Marty?
Considering that Maryland is 50th out 50 states in job creation what makes you an expert on any matters pertaining to the economy?
You tax, you spend, and you bleed us Marylanders dry.
I blame both sides for letting this come down to the wire.
Just utter incompetence by both parties.
Obama barely mentioned the debt in his State of the Union address.
Now he is a moderate?
The right needs to give on new revunues and the left needs to accept changes in the safety net.
It is the only way to restore any sort of fiscal sanity to this country.
Posted by: john | July 21, 2011 12:30 PM
MOM is a embarrasment to the State. When you travel all you hear is how the boy govenor likes to complain and cry but has never come up with any solutions. He should be toast after this term
Posted by: Joe-Ball | July 21, 2011 12:36 PM
Who thinks the moron currently occupying the governors office has any idea what is going on? He should focus on his attempt to get his people the right to marry in this state and get out of the adults way.
Posted by: mark | July 21, 2011 12:37 PM
This is typical Marty.... moving forward by raising taxes, blaming others when things go bad and taking the credit for anything good. Doesnt he know that only works with MD voters?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2011 1:07 PM
O'Malley can point to the GOP all he wants for national problems, he's a governor so his input in that area is minimal. What he's trying to steer us away from noticing is his fiscal irresponsibility, terrible leadership, and the way he's run our state into the ground, all the while taking more and more money from taxpaying citizens to add to his precious entitlement programs.
Posted by: Dom | July 21, 2011 1:12 PM
I see O'Malley got the Blackberry message from the Progressives. Does O'Malley ever have an original thought?
Posted by: DetectiveDick | July 21, 2011 1:16 PM
O'Malley's blaming of the Republican Party for the budget impasse is like the 7-11 stick-up guy blaming the shop owner for not having enough money to make him independently wealthy!
MOM...go back to the band son...isn't ruining Baltimore and Maryland enough for you...you have already risen to the level of your incompetence and Washington politics are way over your head.
Posted by: Mike | July 21, 2011 1:25 PM
The Gang of Six plan has been around for months, but the GOP felt the need to waste everyone's time and tax dollars posturing.
The most comical "plan" was Mitch McConnell's, where they'd give the President the power to raise the debt ceiling in tiny increments, so they could pass meaningless resolutions condemning each raise. These guys are willing to give up power and shirk their responsibilities as legislators just to play politics with this nonsense.
Posted by: Able Baker | July 21, 2011 1:30 PM
O'Malley forgets that there are TWO negotiators in any hostage situation. One to hold the gun to the victim's head and one to do what he demands.
Posted by: IPFrehley | July 21, 2011 1:30 PM
The governor has been a cheerleader for massive federal spending from Obama that caused the need to borrow money this August and thus triggered this crisis. Obamacare, the stimulus that Failed, and the Race to the Top twist to the useless No Child Left Behind are but three examples that drive the deficit, don't improve the problems they allegedly addres, and that Mr. O'Malley loudly cheered. A bit of quiet is what Mr. O'Malley could best contribute after his embarrassing actions.
Posted by: didactic1 | July 21, 2011 1:40 PM
Typical rhetoric from a typical politician.
Martin OWE Malley raises taxes in Marylanders across the board. The only thing he did not raise this year was property taxes on homes. He know that would kill any housing recoup.
No one wants to relocate to the most tax and spend liberal state in US. Would you? If you don't have a govt. job, this state is not for you.
Posted by: jeffdavis | July 21, 2011 1:56 PM
what a bunch of idiot whiners , poor Erlich , poor Booby Hair , Why are REPUBLICANS so damn stupid
Posted by: larry g | July 21, 2011 1:58 PM
The Governor has done a great job in this state balancing the budget and being responsible when cuts have to be made... maybe Washington could learn something from him
Posted by: William | July 21, 2011 2:07 PM
O'Malley can't even do a good job with Maryland and he's sticking his nose into DC..Marty stay at home the big boys will eat you alive..Remember your a small guy from a small state..
Posted by: len bender | July 21, 2011 2:10 PM
The "massive federal spending" programs that are driving the deficit are defense and entitlement programs like social security and medicare. The fact that you think it's the stimulus and race to the top speaks volumes.
Posted by: Able Baker | July 21, 2011 2:22 PM
O'Malley is a partisan hack, and a worthless Lib-Dem politician. A big mouth too.
Posted by: Commodore | July 21, 2011 2:24 PM
Its easy to complain on a blog... the governor has had some difficult obstacles and has done a great job balancing the budget and retaining services
Posted by: Barry | July 21, 2011 2:28 PM
OMalley blames the Republicans? I'm shocked!
Posted by: Countyvoter | July 21, 2011 2:35 PM
The problem with the Debt is that as usual, O'Bama and the Democrats don't want responsibility for their creating the largest debt in American History. An they think the Legal Americans are willing to give them a "Blank Check" to continue with O'Bama's failed policies. O"Bama is using this as a way of taking focus away O'Bama's failed leadership and his trashing of the American Economy. O'Malley is just an ineffictive mouth-piece. O'Bama & O'Malley are failures.
Posted by: JoeB | July 21, 2011 2:45 PM
Republicans don't know what compromise means. They want their way or they are willing to destroy the economy. Good job O'Malley for calling them out.
Posted by: Bob | July 21, 2011 2:57 PM
"The Governor has done a great job in this state balancing the budget"
Posted by: William
Hey William. He has no choice but to balance the budget like all who came before him. Were you not aware of that?
Posted by: People are___________ | July 21, 2011 2:59 PM
O'Malley has the balls to stand up to the GOP and look at the insane people commenting on this article. If we had more Dems like O'Malley, we wouldn't be backing down everytime.
We should stand up to GOP winguts. The people here are a perfect example
Posted by: Fred Upton | July 21, 2011 3:00 PM
Barry the Governor grew the budget this year by 11 percent this session.
How is this being fiscally responsible with a fall special session on the horizon and another set of tax increses looming?
Posted by: john | July 21, 2011 3:16 PM
O'Malley has guts and the GOP is afraid. Why do you think they're coming out to attack him on (laughs) the Baltimore Sun blog
Posted by: Gerald | July 21, 2011 3:29 PM
Yawnnnnn. What's that, O'Malley blames Republicans? Oh yes, and the sky is blue. Yawnnnn. Tell me something I didn't already know.
Posted by: Sicilian | July 21, 2011 3:29 PM
There is your traditional sleeze, and then there is O'Malley. This "pretty boy hack" makes Glendening look honest.
Posted by: David | July 21, 2011 3:53 PM
"O'Malley has guts and the GOP is afraid."
Posted by: Gerald
Afraid? Of WHAT? A man-child Owe'Malley?
If you have not been around lately, the repubs won an historic election last November and will win the control of the Senate and the White House in 2012.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2011 4:16 PM
Did he really use the words 'public servants' to describe politicians? C'mon man.
Posted by: Jim | July 21, 2011 4:18 PM
O'Malley/Obama..sounds like a duet..acts like one too. They both travel to get away from problems..and neither solves anything. O'Malley is laughable. Free tuition for illegals...more ees for citizens.Thats O'Malley. PLEASE..OUT the next election.
Posted by: Joan Prior | July 21, 2011 4:28 PM
Marty "Boy Genius" OweMalley would blame the Republicans if he had diarrhea. He is the biggest "ass"igner of blame in the Democratic party. If you in the Obama led Democratic party are proud of him, you need to seriously think about some form of therapy.
Posted by: Fireman 33 | July 21, 2011 5:26 PM
O'Malley is a waste of AIR!! He runds MD into the ground by using tax dollars to support Groups that encourage Illegals (which most MD Tax Payers don't), uses tax dollars to give Tuition Breaks to Illegals(which most MD Tax Payers don't support) that should be sent back to their home countries. O"Malley is all for O'Malley. Teens have a term for people like O'Malley - he's a Wig-er.
Posted by: JoeB | July 22, 2011 8:02 AM
What do you expect. This guys is a loser and we only have to hear about him for another 3+ years. He will never play nationally, thank goodness!
Posted by: Miles Long | July 22, 2011 11:00 AM
"Republicans don't know what compromise means"
They are compromising by allowing the debt to increase at all!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 22, 2011 12:59 PM