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Today's hearing on the legislature's plan to deal with electricity rate increases around the state has one goal: favorable publicity for the governor.
In a mockery of that great ideal of American government, this hearing was called of, by and for Ehrlich, with the people denounced to nothing but votes. Ehrlich announced the hearing as a public relations drive to propogate his confused and hypocritical position on the plan that won a veto-proof majority in the legislature. In a move taken from George W.'s playbook, the administration is carefully screening those who will give testimony.
And it very well may give the governor some attention. Maryland Public Television plans to air the five-hour hearing in its entirity beginning at 3pm. Ehrlich can also expect to score the top story in every area media outlet.
But what's not so certain is whether Ehrlich will actually get his way. Consumers breathed a sigh of relief when the legislature passed the proposal; they don't want to take the plunge into uncertainty and the possibility of a 72 percent rate increase should Ehrlich get rid of the only plan out there. And, by this point, people are probably tired of the whole affair. Its June 20, and in central Maryland, people aren't thinking politics; we're thinking bout goin' downie aushun hon.
Once Ehrlich made the decision to come out in opposition, this was the best course of action he could take. But no matter how terrific his tactics, it was a bad decision in the first place.
from The League: Reassembled The only Maryland politics blog from straight outta central Europe!
In a mockery of that great ideal of American government, this hearing was called of, by and for Ehrlich, with the people denounced to nothing but votes. Ehrlich announced the hearing as a public relations drive to propogate his confused and hypocritical position on the plan that won a veto-proof majority in the legislature. In a move taken from George W.'s playbook, the administration is carefully screening those who will give testimony.
And it very well may give the governor some attention. Maryland Public Television plans to air the five-hour hearing in its entirity beginning at 3pm. Ehrlich can also expect to score the top story in every area media outlet.
But what's not so certain is whether Ehrlich will actually get his way. Consumers breathed a sigh of relief when the legislature passed the proposal; they don't want to take the plunge into uncertainty and the possibility of a 72 percent rate increase should Ehrlich get rid of the only plan out there. And, by this point, people are probably tired of the whole affair. Its June 20, and in central Maryland, people aren't thinking politics; we're thinking bout goin' downie aushun hon.
Once Ehrlich made the decision to come out in opposition, this was the best course of action he could take. But no matter how terrific his tactics, it was a bad decision in the first place.
from The League: Reassembled The only Maryland politics blog from straight outta central Europe!
posted by The League: Reassembled at 9:16 AM
1 Comments:
Maryland consumers are still screwed either way you look at it. The Democrats' plan includes interest payments to the utility company (bullshit) and it will let the utility companies enact the full rate increase a year from now.
Of course, a year from now isn't an election year. How convenient?
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