I'm nearly speechless in shock. In two days progressive have had three very big wins in the MD legislature.
You remember that whole Conservative Take Over? Ya know, where voters outraged at liberal values put the Republicans in charge of everything and Red-state values were now to rule the day?
Apparently the Maryland legislature didn't get the memo. In three successive votes they've delivered a well-deserved smack down to Wal-mart, raised the minimum wage $1, and finally today, they stood up for Gay rights:
Maryland lawmakers today approved a pair of bills offering new rights and protections to gay people, one that would allow domestic partners to make medical decisions for each other and another adding offenses motivated by sexual orientation to the state's hate crimes law.
I haven't been this proud to be a Marylander since...Ever I think.
These were all big wins for Progressives and maybe a sign of which way the wind is blowing:
First the
Wal-Mart Bill Makes MD the first State to Stand up to Wal-Mart's practice of using state Medicaid programs as a form of corporate welfare.
We're looking for responsible businesses to ante up . . . and provide adequate health care," said Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), the Finance Committee chairman,
Lawmakers said they did not set out to single out Wal-Mart when they drafted a bill requiring organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits -- or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor.
But as debate raged in the Senate yesterday, it was clear that the giant retailer, which has 15,000 workers in Maryland, was the only company that would be affected.
Then apparently feeling Giddy from fighting the Bullies from Bentonville, the very next day heedless of the cries of conservatives that allowing the peasants an extra measure of gruel ever days was sure to lead to No Good; they went ahead and raised the minimum wage an entire $1/hr.
This may not seem like a whole lot , but to those on the very bottom of the ladder and extra $2,050 a year is indeed a BIG Deal.
And then Today was apparently Give Dr Dobson a Stroke Day as the now quite mad General Assembly ignored the Obvious Moral Lessons of the last election and chose to treat gay people as human beings:
Supporters argued the bill is intended to provide dignity and equal rights to people in committed relationships, but opponents said they viewed the legislation as a disguised "civil union" act.
gasp no ! not that!
are we seeing a trend? Is this just some lefty uprising in a dark-blue state (albeit with a red Governor) or have the winds of chnge finally started blowing?