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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Harpers Ferry Ghost Tour Named Scariest In Country

WASHINGTON - If you're looking for some spine-tingling thrills this Halloween, look no further than Harpers Ferry.

The town - located about an hour and a half from D.C. - is home to the scariest ghost tour in the country, according to TripAdvisor.com.
 
Ghost Tours of Harpers Ferry takes visitors through the historic, ghoulish "Lower Town" section - an area with a history of ghostly phenomenons.
 
Here's the entire top 10 list:

    1. Ghost Tours of Harpers Ferry - Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
    2. Park City Ghost Tours - Park City, Utah 3. Hearse Ghost Tours - Savannah, Ga. 4. Market Ghost Tour - Seattle, Wash. 5. Tombstone Ghost Tour - Tombstone, Ariz. 6. Providence Ghost Tour - Providence, R. I. 7. Old Bisbee Ghost Tours - Bisbee, Ariz. 8. New Orleans Ghost Tour - New Orleans, La. 9. Chattanooga Ghost Tours - Chattanooga, Tenn. 10. The Original Ghost Tours of Catalina - Catalina Island, Calif.

Armey Backs Boehner For House Speaker

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey gave a full-throated endorsement to House Minority Leader John Boehner to be the next speaker of the House if Republicans take over the chamber after the midterm elections, Politics Daily reported.

"I think he deserves his right to be tested on his own grounds and on his own terms and not be held accountable for the failings of the leadership team that went before him," says Armey, chairman of FreedomWorks and a leader in the conservative tea party movement.

"He has proven himself to be a constitutional, small-government conservative with reliable initiative in the past. I think he'll be that in the future if given a chance," Politics Daily quotes Armey as saying.

Armey said Boehner, who been in Congress since 1990, is not the consummate insider many believe him to be, noting that Boehner was in the Gang of Seven in 1992 that started the reform process against ethical abuses and earmarks.

More here

Pollaganda -- Political Polling As Propaganda

"We should be unfaithful to ourselves if we should ever lose sight of the danger to our liberties if anything partial or extraneous should infect the purity of our free, fair, virtuous, and independent elections." --John Adams

At the time of our nation's founding, journalists, like judges, were expected to comport with the highest standards of objectivity in order to protect the public virtue. Neither has held to that standard.

The press was charged with a heavy burden -- that of providing impartial reports about the issues of the day and those running for political office. Unbiased reporting was essential so that the people could discern for themselves what was best for our country.

First Amendment champion Thomas Jefferson penned, "Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe."

Likewise, James Madison wrote, "The right of freely examining public characters and measures ... has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right."

But no sooner had the press outlets discovered they wielded enormous power over public opinion, did they begin to use their pages to that end. And, neither Madison nor Jefferson could have imagined the power of television, or that of the tabloid media's dumbed-down message for the masses.

At the conclusion of his presidency, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "During the course of administration, and in order to disturb it, the artillery of the press has been leveled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare."

Two centuries later, "the press" is composed largely of Leftmedia propagandists, those who have mastered the art of partiality cloaked as objective journalism in pursuit of their own political .

Explicit examples of this partiality abound on the pages of major Leftmedia outlets such as The Washington Post and The New York Times.

However, the most deceptive Leftmedia method to influence national elections, especially presidential elections, is the implementation and reporting of political polling.

Polls, ostensibly, represent the views of a particular group of voters within an acceptable margin of error, but they are also used for a much more subtle and sinister purpose.

At best, reputable pollsters can get it wrong -- even though they poll representative statistical samples and ask objective questions.

However, most media-designed and reported polling is as "objective" as the mainstream media (MSM) outlets that sponsor them.

To that end, it is worth familiarizing oneself with the practice of Pollaganda, a propagandistic disinformation technique where political polling masquerades as "objective journalism" and instead advances a liberal bias.

Americans who participate in public-opinion polls about political performance are not political analysts, national-security specialists, economists or policy experts. They are folks who hold common labor and professional jobs in order to support their families and make ends meet. They are thus the backbone of our nation. Unfortunately, a large measure of their perspective on politics, national security, the economy and public policy is shaped by the MSM.

Pollaganda uses outcome-based opinion samples (polling instruments designed to generate a preferential outcome) reflecting prior-opinion indoctrination or cultivation by the media. The results are then used to manipulate public opinion further by advancing the perception that a particular opinion on an issue enjoys majority support. The MSM then presents this "data" as if it were "news."

I say "outcome based" because most polls reflect intentional propagation of a particular bias by Leftmedia television and print outlets to manipulate public opinion. They accomplish this by first indoctrinating viewers with "reporting" that reflects a particular bias, then conducting "opinion polls" which, of course, reflect that indoctrination.

Then the media uses poll results to proselytize further by treating the results as "news," which, in turn, induces "bandwagon" psychology -- the human tendency of those who do not have a strong ideological foundation to aspire to the side perceived to be in the majority -- and thus further drives public opinion toward the original media bias, ad infinitum.

Pollaganda, then, is self-perpetuating.

More of Mark Alexander's essay

STATE POLICE HELICOPTER AND "HEAT" TEAM COLLABORATE WITH NEW EQUIPMENT TO RESCUE INJURED HUNTER

Crapo, Dorchester County, Maryland - Two Maryland State Police Helicopters based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore collaborated with the regional "HEAT" Team from the Salisbury Fire Department to successfully rescue an injured hunter from a remote, swampy, hunting area after a firearm accident.

           At approximately 12:51 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2010, SYSCOM, the communications center for the Maryland State Police Aviation Command, received a request for a medevac of a male hunter whose black powder rifle malfunctioned and fired, causing injuries to the hunter’s shoulder.  The requested response was to an isolated, swampy area approximately 2 miles from the nearest road, which was the 2500 Block of Willeys Neck Road, near Crapo, Dorchester County, MD.  Due to the remote location of the patient, and the uncertainty of available landing areas nearby, it was determined that an overhead rescue by hoist might become necessary.

          SYSCOM in turn dispatched the two closest multi-mission helicopters to the scene.  MSP Helicopter Trooper 6, based in Easton, was dispatched, along with Trooper 4, based in Salisbury.  Trooper 4, at the time of dispatch, had been participating in a joint training exercise with members of the Salisbury Fire Department Special Operations Unit, who have long been members of the High Elevation Aerial Team, or "HEAT".  Part of this training exercise included working with new equipment and procedures for performing exactly this type of aerial rescue.

          Trooper 4, with a crew consisting of MSP Pilot Gary Jacobsen, Trooper First Class/Flight Paramedic Carl Hardcastle, Salisbury Firefighter/Paramedic Eric Cramer, and Salisbury Firefighter/EMT Donnie Phippin; responded to the scene to meet Trooper 6, with a crew consisting of MSP Pilot Mark Peters, and  Trooper First Class/Flight Paramedic Jeremy Krebs.  After size up and coordination, it was determined that Trooper 4 would utilize the rescue hoist to lower Firefighters Cramer and Phippin to the victim.  Once on the ground, Cramer and Phippin treated and prepared the injured hunter, loading him into the newly acquired rescue litter, then tended trail lines to guide the victim as he was lifted by Trooper 4’s hoist, operated by Hardcastle and Jacobsen.  Once the victim was safely inside Trooper 4, he was flown back to a hard surface landing area where Trooper 6 was waiting to treat and transport the patient.  The injured hunter was transferred to Trooper 6, where Peters and Krebs then transported him via helicopter to the Trauma Unit at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland.  The victim remains hospitalized at this time, recovering from his injuries.

          Trooper 4 recovered the rescuing firefighters and returned them to their base in Salisbury.  HEAT Teams are regionalized resources of specially trained firefighters who are equipped and available Statewide to assist MSP Aviation Command with performing a wide range of rescues using the multi-mission capabilities of MSP helicopters.  The Salisbury Fire Department Special Operations HEAT Team generally assists on all aerial rescue requests on Delmarva and the mid-Shore region.

         The firearm incident leading to the victim’s injuries is being investigated by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

          The Salisbury Fire Department not only provides fire suppression, rescue and EMS treatment and transport services, but also has a Special Operations Division consisting of services of Haz Mat, Dive, Marine, Trench Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, High Angle Rescue and HEAT.

HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER

Brooms

How can something as innocuous as a broom generate any thoughts in anybody? Well, the broom is something that has been around a long time. Many generations ago, corn brooms were a staple in every house. This predated the vacuum cleaner by many years. The lowly broom needed no electricity, only the efforts of the sweeper. It probably evolved from a branch from a tree used to clean things from the floor in a house (or cave). Years ago, broom making was a profession that required a certain amount of skill. A good corn broom was an essential for every house wife. There are still broom makers today, but it is mainly a craft that is displayed at festivals and other venues that feature skills of old.
         
Like the one pictured above, my mother would only use a “Betty Broom”. She would walk the three blocks from our home at Truitt Street to the grocery store on the corner of Church and Naylor Streets because they were the only place that she could get her favored broom. She did this well into her seventies, even though I told her it was not safe for her to travel to that neighborhood. I have to admit that a “Betty Broom” is far superior to the new-fangled models that are made by other companies today. The plastic models just don’t do the job of a good corn broom.
         
The vacuum cleaner came about when electricity was introduced to the American house wife. They were for the more affluent because of the cost, but they never replaced the good, old corn broom. There are many jobs that require a broom. My grandmother swore by her Bissell sweeper. She never had a vacuum cleaner, and I can’t ever remember her floors less than “eat-off” clean. My own “Betty Broom” serves me in many ways, and I wouldn’t be without it. Through the years, it has worn down, so I thought I would get another. I went to the same grocery store, and they didn’t know what I was talking about. In fact, they didn’t have many groceries in the store. There was, however, a plethora of junk food, sodas and lottery tickets. Times change.
         
Years ago, brooms, or any other of the house wife’s brush needs, could be filled by the Fuller Brush man. He would go door-to-door selling a myriad of items that were used in the home. His job was arduous and time-consuming, but every house wife knew his products and knew just what she wanted. I imagine we all can recall the familiar maroon oval surrounding the familiar “Fuller” on some item or other around the house.
         
A broom was an essential tool for the lady of the house. She could sweep the floor with it, or sweep out the cat or dog. It was as much a part of her as her apron.
         
If anyone knows where I can get another “Betty Broom”, please let me know.

Niger Innis: NAACP Betrays Its Mission By Attacking Tea Partiers

This morning I had the opportunity to listen to a NAACP conference call that was organized to release its report highlighting alleged (yet unproven) Tea Party ties to racist groups. This conference call, report and website reminded me very much of the quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “A Tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”

What was reiterated on the call by the NAACP and it’s minion of “progressive” allies was the same old, unproven, nonsensical charges against the strongest modern grass-roots movement in decades:

“The Tea Party used the N word against a Black congressmen during the Healthcare Debate.”

Indeed Ben Jealous, CEO of the NAACP had the audacity to reload this charge in spite of Andrew Breitbart’s $100,000.00 challenge to anybody that could document the occurrence and in spite of the Tea Party Federation’s unanswered challenge to the Congressional Black Caucus to have a joint investigation of the phony incident.

The most illuminating part of the call came when “progressive” ally, Larry Cohen of the Communication Workers of America revealed the real agenda of the attacks on the Tea Party by the Left: “We disagree with the agenda of the Tea party Movement…. They advocate slavery” and this classic gem, “We don’t need 19th century capitalism.”

What this potpourri of “progressive” groups are really trying to do is inspire an uninspired liberal base of voters, days before the predicted November election bloodletting.

Over the past month, President Obama has also been putting a full-court press on African Americans to turn out to vote in this mid-term election.  Not surprisingly, mainstream media writers are puzzled by the muffled response from what is viewed as the president’s core constituency.

The answer can be found in one number, 49%.  That is the unemployment rate for black teens.

It is one thing to talk about empowerment, and quite another to deliver it.  And the legacy of the Reid/Pelosi leadership in Congress which has been embraced by Obama is that young black people have virtually no hope of finding work.

Parents know that when their kids can't find an honest job, all too often the temptation is to make money with one that is not as honest.  That is nothing but the furthering of the cycle of poverty, which continues to plague the African American community in our nation.

Reid, Pelosi and Obama cannot shift the blame for the painful fact that half of all young African Americans who want a job cannot find one.  It is their policy decision to increase the minimum wage which is directly responsible for it.

Even former Clinton pollster Doug Schoen identifies the Pelosi/Reid minimum wage law as causing dangerously high unemployment among African American teens in a recent column in the Huffington Post.
Read the rest here

(Niger Innis currently serves as the National Spokesman for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which inaugurated the Freedom Rides of the modern Civil Rights movement.)

Issa Suggests New Show For NPR: 'Dancing With The Czars'

As House Republicans continued to call for NPR to be defunded on Friday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) drew attention to a large grant the company received this month from the left-leaning philanthropist George Soros.

He even suggested some new shows for National Public Radio: "Dancing with the Czars" and "Socialist Survivor," to name a few.

The Open Society Foundation announced this month it would provide a $1.8 million grant to the outlet, allowing it to fund 100 new reporters over the next three years. Soros established the foundations.

The development came a few days ahead of a Republican effort to question whether a news organization with a reputation of being left-leaning should be allowed to receive public funding. NPR is financed through both public and private dollars, but most of its funding is private.

As calls to defund the outlet heated up, Issa pointed out the political bent of major NPR donor Soros.

"With NPR benefitting from the generosity of people like MoveOn.org financier George Soros, it’s obvious that NPR is now a self-sustaining entity that no longer needs to rely on federal funds.  As an independent entity, they will be free to serve Mr. Soros’s far-left agenda," said Issa, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.

He also teased NPR's left-leaning reputation.

"Once NPR is free from the umbrella of accepting, receiving and being eligible for taxpayer dollars, maybe Soros can fully finance NPR’s fall schedule with spin-offs of some of America’s favorite shows such as, ‘Dancing with the Czars’ or ‘Socialist Survivor’ and ‘Lost: The Obama Presidency,’ " he said.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Friday that he is adding a measure to defund NPR to a program that allows the public to vote on spending programs they could live without.
More

Special Olympics At Crown

2010
Special Olympics Maryland
Soccer Competition

When:    Sunday, October 24th, 8:30am – 5:30pm Where:  Crown Sports Center 28410 Crown Road, fruitland, MD 21826

Schedule 8:30am – 9:15am           Delegation & Volunteer Registration9:30am – 10:15am        Opening Ceremony 10:45am – 5:30pm        Competition & Awards11:30am—1:30pm        LunchClosing Ceremony at Completion of Award Ceremony  
VolunteersSoccer enthusiast needed to help with score keeping, timing, and ball running. Friendly and responsible volunteers are also needed to escort participants to venues, games, and awards. This is an excellent opportunity for sports teams, community groups and families to join together for the ultimate “team building” experience!  
Cheer TeamCome support Special Olympics Maryland by cheering for more than 400 competitors!  We are looking for enthusiastic, energetic, vociferous groups to support and cheer for our Athletes as they compete!  Register your cheer team today! For More Information Regarding Volunteering: Mindy Bankert (410) 251-7103 or min) 251-7103 or mindybankert@gmail.com Be a FANATIC fan of Special Olympics!
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Issa: 'Not A Chance' Of Obama Impeachment Under GOP House

If Republicans take control of the House, there is "not a chance at this point" that they will try to impeach President Obama, a top Republican lawmaker said this week.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who would helm the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee if the GOP wins on Election Day, said that his party will not try to bring impeachment charges simply because it disagrees with the president.

"Not a chance at this point. I don’t see it happening," Issa said when asked if there is a chance of impeachment on Bloomberg's "Political Capital," which airs over the weekend.

"Look, disagreeing with the president — the president using his authority, maybe even misusing it — that’s not what impeachment’s for," he added. "Do we have disagreements? Yes. Do we want to see that the president strictly adheres to process? Yes."

Some Republicans, such as Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) and former Rep. Tom Tancredo — who is running for governor of Colorado as a third-party candidate — have raised the specter of impeaching Obama, largely over his stance on immigration policy.
Read more here

GOP Says Compromise Not On The Agenda If They Retake The House

Republicans aren't interested in compromising with President Obama on major issues if they retake the House or Senate, a senior GOP lawmaker said.

"Look, the time to go along and get along is over," said Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), the chairman of the House Republican Conference. "House Republicans know that. We’ve taken firm and principled stands against their big government plans throughout this Congress, and we’ve got, if the American people will send them, we’ve got a cavalry of men and women headed to Washington, D.C. that are going to stand with us."

Pence said his party wouldn't compromise on issues like spending or healthcare reform, two of the weightiest items on Congress's agenda next year, when the Republicans could control one or both chambers.

"Look, there will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing Obamacare. There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes," Pence told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt Thursday evening. "And if I haven’t been clear enough yet, let me say again: No compromise."

His words are meant to soothe conservatives who worry the party might be too accommodating of Obama and the Democrats in Congress.

Their fears were sparked earlier this week when retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) suggested repealing healthcare reform might not be the best approach to the issue.

Adding to the pressure on GOP leaders not to compromise will be the incoming class of conservative candidates backed by the Tea Party movement.

"I think it's wrong to compromise your values to fit in with the social climate in Washington, D.C.," Colorado Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck told The Washington Post this week. "When it comes to spending, I'm not compromising. I don't care who, what, when or where, I'm not compromising."

Some conservatives have also wondered whether House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who is likely to become Speaker if the GOP retakes the lower chamber, is their best champion. Pence has been an aggressive leader in the conservative movement and has challenged the leadership before. He was soundly beaten when he ran against Boehner for minority leader in 2006. Pence has not indicated he'll challenge Boehner again and most senior Republicans have pledged their support for the Ohio Republican.

Here is more

Illegal Entry To Israel On Exponential Rise

More than ten thousand people have illegally entered Israel via the Egyptian border since January 1, 2010, the Hebrew-language daily Maariv has reported. If entry continues at this rate, it will continue a pattern of exponential rise that began almost five years ago.

Until 2006, an estimated 1,100 illegal entrants had made their way to Israel, crossing the Sinai desert into the Negev desert, in an area where there is no fence. In 2007, illegal entry jumped dramatically, with an estimated 5,000 people gaining entrance to Israel.

In 2008, 8,700 people are thought to have entered Israel from Egypt.

Most of the illegal entrants are natives of various African countries, primarily Sudan and Eritrea. Some Israeli activists argue that the entrants should be considered refugees due to the wars raging in their home countries; others say that there is no refugee status for those entering from Egypt, as Egypt is a secure country, and the only reason for refugees to continue onward to Israel is economic opportunity.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced earlier this year that his government will address the issue of illegal entry by building a fence along Israel's border with Egypt, and by working to create a defined immigration policy.

Many Israeli community leaders call to combat illegal entry. Residents of Arad have accused illegal migrants of terrorizing their community, and earlier this year MK Yaakov Katz warned that migrants and foreign workers have “conquered” parts of Tel Aviv.

In Eilat, Mayor Meir Yitzchak HaLevy used satire to address the situation, advertising a mock campaign to hire illegal workers. He warned that illegal foreign workers now make up 15% of Eilat's population and have, he said, increased violence and crime by “incredible proportions.”

More here

This Is It

I hope you can join Dick Carey, Randy Lee Ashcraft, Jimmy Rowbottom, and myself as we bring this election season to a rousing close and prepare to use our vote to bring balance  and common sense to Annapolis!  We must be resolute in this effort.  This is a noble effort, and I still need your help to make it happen.  Attached is a flyer I hope you will pass on to your e-mail list.  It's on Tuesday, Oct. 26th at 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.at the Fountains in Salisbury.  There will be lite fare and happy hour prices for drinks.  Randy Lee and Jimmy have both graciously offered to entertain us.  Bring your friends that haven't met me.  A great after work get together.
Hope to see you then!
thanks,
Marty
P.S. We are still looking for volunteers for working the polls both this week for early voting and on election day, Nov. 2nd.  Please let me know if you can help!  Thanks.
Elect Marty Pusey for House of Delegates 38B
Authority: Friends of Marty Pusey; Jim Wahl, Treasurer.

Political Callers


Mr. Albero, I am wondering why political callers are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry.  My phone has not stopped ringing the past few weeks, and quite frankly, I am really tired of it.  If they have my information, they already know that I vote my party in every election.  I am honestly really annoyed to be continually harassed by these callers.  Is there nothing we can do to stop these calls?
Thanks very much.
A loyal fan

Americans Saved The Miners

Far be it for an American President to publicly congratulate (let alone even mention) AMERICAN ingenuity and AMERICAN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE for the miracle rescue of the Chilean Miners.

Schramm Inc. of West Chester, Pennsylvania built the drills and equipment used to reach the trapped miners.

Center Rock Company, also from Pennsylvania, built the drill bits used to reach the miners.

UPS, the US shipping company, delivered the 13-ton drilling equipment from Pennsylvania to Chile in less than 48 hours.

Crews from Layne Christensen Company of Wichita Kansas and its subsidiary Geotec Boyles Bros. worked the drills and machinery to locate and reach the miners and then enlarge the holes to ultimately rescue them.

Jeff Hart of Denver Colorado was called off his job drilling water wells for the U.S. Army's forward operating bases in Afghanistan to lead the drilling crew that reached the miners.

Atlas Copco Construction Mining Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin provided consulting on how to make drilling equipment from different sources work together under differing pressure specifications.

Aries Central California Video of Fresno California designed the special cameras that were lowered nearly a mile into the ground sending back video of the miners.

Zephyr Technologies of Annapolis Maryland, made the remote monitors of vital signs that miners will wear during their ascent.

NASA Engineers designed the "Phoenix" capsule that miners would be brought to the surface in, and provided medical consulting, special diets and spandex suits to maintain miners' blood pressure as they're brought back to the surface.

Oh, and Candadian-based Precision Drilling Corp. and South-African company Murray & Roberts, drilled a backup rescue shafts in case the American rig failed. Which it didn't.

Fact Sheet On Martin O’Malley’s Economic Legacy

·         For the second month in a row, Maryland’s unemployment rate increased in September, according to government data released today.

·         Maryland was 1 of only 2 states in the nation to register an increase in the unemployment rate. The other state is Florida.

·         In December 2006, Bob Ehrlich’s last full month in office, Maryland’s unemployment rate was 3.4 percent. Today, it has more than doubled to 7.5 percent.

·         More than 200,000 Marylanders are currently looking for work.

·         Martin O’Malley has yet to create a single private sector job in the state of Maryland over four years.

·         Maryland’s business climate ranking has dropped 23 spots to 45th in the nation under O’Malley, according to the Tax Foundation.

·         Business confidence in Maryland has dropped 58% since Martin O’Malley took office, according to the Jacob France Institute
.
·         Major employers are leaving Maryland or choosing to relocate in other states, including Black & Decker, BP Solar, Solo Cup, JP Morgan Chase, and Northrop Grumman.

·         More than 100,000 jobs in Maryland were created during Bob Ehrlich’s tenure, yet nearly 100,000 jobs have been lost during Martin O’Malley’s tenure.

·         Bob Ehrlich understands that small businesses should be treated as a source of new jobs – not a source of new tax revenue.  Martin O’Malley has chosen to put government spending ahead of the needs of Marylanders looking for work and ahead of families concerned about their economic future.

·         Learn more at bobehrlich.com.

4 Years, 0 Jobs

Maryland’s unemployment rate jumps from 7.3% to 7.5%
ANNAPOLIS Maryland Republican Party Chairman Audrey Scott issued the following statement regarding Governor O’Malley’s failure to create a single new net job over four years:
“Maryland’s September unemployment rate jumped from 7.3 percent to 7.5 percent making it the second consecutive month of statistically significant unemployment increases. Through reckless tax policies and a hostile attitude toward businesses, O’Malley has overseen record unemployment and stood by while flagship businesses moved to other states. O’Malley’s heavy reliance on government sector job growth instead of enticing businesses to come back to our State, has left Maryland in a weaker position than we were four years ago. With the final unemployment numbers in for O’Malley’s first term, the sharp decline in Maryland jobs is in stark contrast to the large gains in private sector employment under Bob Ehrlich first term as governor." 

Maryland’s Unemployment Rate Rises

ANNAPOLIS – Bob Ehrlich released the following statement today regarding news that Maryland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased in September.

“Over Martin O’Malley’s four years, Maryland’s unemployment rate has doubled, our business climate has fallen to 45th worst in the nation, and 3,000 small businesses have closed.  The result is more than 200,000 Marylanders looking for work and many more facing uncertain futures. 

“Today’s unwelcome news shows that our unemployment rate is bad and getting worse.  There is a fundamental difference between me and Martin O’Malley over how to create private sector jobs for Marylanders.  Martin O’Malley views small businesses as a source of new tax revenue to pad government spending. I view them as a source of new jobs so that Maryland families have secure economic futures.  We can do better in Maryland with strong leadership and a governor who puts families and entrepreneurs ahead of government programs.”