A Viewers Guide To Governor O’Malley Making Stuff Up

Tonight’s debate will prove that Bob Ehrlich is the only candidate in the race who has pledged to make job creation and tax cuts his first priorities for Maryland families.  It will also prove that Governor O’Malley will go to any lengths to defended the largest tax increase in Maryland history, including making stuff up to change the subject from his legacy of massive job losses, record tax increases, and ballooning budgets.

Debate timeline: What to watch for tonight while Governor O’Malley is busy making stuff up:

4:19: Shifting the blame – Governor O’Malley blames Maryland’s economic problems on the national recession and fails to take responsibility for his role as Maryland’s CEO.

5:02: Fighting for Marylanders - Governor O’Malley claims he has fought every “battle” on the side of Marylanders despite enacting the largest tax hike in the history of the state, including a 20% sales increase that economists say “disproportionately hurts low income Marylanders.”

5:06: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claimed he “stood up” to “big utilities,” yet he rubber stamped a 72% rate increase in electric rates after promising to stop it.

5:17: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims he has cut spending more than any other governor in the history of Maryland despite spending $22 billion more than Governor Ehrlich over four years.

5:36: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims he is fighting for the Chesapeake Bay even though he raided that Chesapeake Bay fund for $155 million.

9:32: Admitting the truth – Governor O’Malley acknowledges that the regulatory environment in Maryland needs to be corrected.

10:08: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims he has created 33,000 new jobs despite the fact that Maryland has lost over 100,000 jobs in the last four years.

13:00: Admitting the truth – Governor O’Malley admits he will not rule out raising taxes in his next term.

13:37: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims he has spent less in the last four years than Governor Ehrlich did during his administration despite spending $22 billion more.

14:09: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims he is creating jobs despite the fact that Maryland lost 6,000 jobs in the month of August.

20:40: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims record school funding despite plans to cut school construction funds by $150 million next year.

21:19: Taking credit – Governor O’Malley takes credit for charter schools, a signature Governor Ehrlich accomplishment.

24:90: Taking credit – Again Governor O’Malley takes credit for charter schools, a signature Governor Ehrlich accomplishment.

27:50: Out of touch – Governor O’Malley justifies instituting furloughs by stating he wanted “all of us to weather this together.”

28:00: Fact check – Governor O’Malley touts his job creation despite the current 216,000 unemployed Marylanders.

32:47: Denying reality – Governor O’Malley fails to recognize the effect of one time federal stimulus money on Maryland ballooning budget deficits.

33:19: Fact check – Governor O’Malley claims cost of going to college has decreased despite 35% increase in actual costs.

36:34: Denying reality – Governor O’Malley touts the success of the Department of Juvenile Services in the wake of this week’s state audit report proving otherwise.

37:25: Taking credit – Governor O’Malley takes credit for the creation of the $24 million State Police Crime Lab, a signature Governor Ehrlich accomplishment.

43:05: Fact check – Again Governor O’Malley claims he has spent less in the last four years than Governor Ehrlich did during his administration despite spending $22 billion more.

52:55: Denying reality – Governor O’Malley fails to recognize his responsibility to address illegal immigration in Maryland.

55:18: Admitting the truth – Governor O’Malley admits that there are winners and losers when states compete despite having called Northrop Grumman’s decision to move their headquarters to Virginia and not Maryland “a win for the region.”