In a speech before the American Constitution Society earlier today, Governor O'Malley made a strong case that Government has a critical role to play in our society.
How can we hope to make our society and our laws more just if our government no longer functions properly?
How can we hope to enforce the law, if we cannot pick-up the trash?
How can we hope for equal protection under the law when our own Congress can’t get over the obstructions of a minority faction of Tea Party ideologues?
http://www.governor.maryland.gov/...
Governor O'Malley then went on to criticize the policies and beliefs of the Tea Party:
Rather than expanding rights they seek to restrict them.
Rather than expanding opportunity they seek to constrict it; and
Rather than strengthening our middle class, they seek to concentrate wealth and power for the top 1%.
This is what happens when we allow the far right wing to stack any of our institutions.
http://www.governor.maryland.gov/...
There a many more good lines in this speech which is well worth reading.
Governor O'Malley then went on to list some of his accomplishments in Maryland, including the death penalty repeal, marriage equality and expanding citizen access to voting by allowing for more early voting and same day registration during early voting.
In a time where Congressional Republicans' normal way of acting is to obstruct, and where other states like Wisconsin are limiting rather than expanding rights, I am glad to have seen my state of Maryland become more progressive than it was when Governor O'Malley was elected. Governor O'Malley's term ends in 2014. I only hope that our next Governor will continue along the path taken by Governor O'Malley. And I also hope that more states will follow Maryland and enact legislation which leads to progressive change in those states.