Maryland Career Politicians Are Running Scared

On the first day of the 2011 session of Maryland’s General Assembly, Delegate Veronica Turner, of Prince Georges County, presented perhaps the most transparent piece of legislation of all time.  Her bill, HB-02, will dramatically increase the filing fees associated with running for public office in the state of Maryland.  Delegate Turner explained her proposed legislation would cause only people willing to take running for public office “seriously”.

I find Ms. Turner’s assumption that only “serious” candidates will now run for public office both offensive and laughable at the same time.  I find it offensive because I personally took my campaign in 2010 for Congress in the 2^nd Congressional District very serious.  I sacrificed countless hours knocking on doors, meeting voters, and speaking at events.  I did not run as a joke or just to see my name on a ballot.  I ran because I was, and still am deeply troubled by the lack of honest representation in Washington DC.  If Delegate Turner succeeds in hiking the fees, many candidates like myself will not run.

I know what you are thinking.  What is the big deal if I, or someone like me does not run again?  You are right, I did not win, but I believe that I did affect the thinking of many people.  Without elections that are accessible to all citizens, we are ensuring that nothing will ever change in our state.  In my race alone, there were 5 candidates in the Primary and all of us were serious about running and wresting control of our country away from the career politicians.

I mentioned earlier that the proposal was also laughable.  It is extremely funny how terrified career politicians become when they feel that their “entitled” positions are threatened by the unwashed masses.  After all, how dare a private citizen, with no political experience challenge their “esteemed” position of power?  This proposal is nothing more than a transparent attempt to protect the ruling class. 

The McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act was a transparent attempt to protect the Federal ruling class.  It was sold as being necessary to get the money out of politics.  How did that work out for us?  There is more money than ever in politics.  The only thing it accomplished was to serve as a way to protect those already in office.  The supporters are trying to thinly veil it in the guise of politics is a serious business, but it is just as heinous as McCain/Feingold. 

In November, the majority of the country saw a rising tide of citizen legislators that landed them into their state houses and in Washington DC.  Maryland, however, saw very little change in Annapolis.  This legislation is just the opening salvo in a battle over who will control our state and our future.  Will it be the citizenry, or the career politicians?  The choice is ours now.  Let your elected representatives know where you stand on the issues important to you and your fervent desire to see them actually represent the will of the people.