Who Am I?
Al Ritter
I am the city wrought with crime so much so that I am the second deadliest city in America surpassed only by Detroit for murders. I am the state where its people once called itself the “land of pleasant living.” I am the city where a major revitalization project drew people from around the country to its inner city but has now become an area for “roaming black gangs,” and has now made visitors targets for violent crime.
I am the state that has been controlled by Democrats for over 20 years now. I am the city where corrupt politicians are groomed through the city level. I am the city that breeds corruption through the city council first, graduates to Mayor, then to Governor, never once looking back at the problems they created. I am the city whose crime becomes increasingly worse and yet the past Mayors go on to increasingly higher offices.
I am the city where the immortal words were penned “the land of the free, and the home of the brave,” and yet ranked 43rd out of 50 states for an overall violation of personal freedom in a 2009 study. I am the state where people proudly announced themselves in the 50’s as being from the “free state.”
I am the state that has enacted numerous laws to “protect” it’s most famous tributary, but despite the laws and extra regulations has made very little headway in curbing pollution, but has taxed its inhabitants to a painful level to preserve its cleanliness.
I am the state that has the second largest tax increase from 2010 to 2012 and yet still can’t balance its budget. I am the state that because of its taxing policies has chased off 31,000 millionaire residents to neighboring states between 2007 and 2010.
I am a sanctuary state that supports, hides, and enables illegal aliens. I was the state that promised that illegal aliens would no longer be able to obtain driver’s licenses, but now they are once again getting licenses through the “back door.” I am the state where the legislature has given millions of dollars to a group that printed pamphlets on how to avoid ICE officials thus being deported. This never stopped the flow of money to this group, only slowed it for a short time.
I am the state that once viewed gambling as evil and a tax on the poor while Maryland had a Republican Governor, but quickly enacted a law that allowed slot machines, and is now on a fast track to include full scale gambling through the legislature.
I was once a state that viewed “fees” were taxes but now accepts them as fees rather than taxes, because their Democratic Governor said so.
I am the state whose two senators survive by earmarks and proudly extoll their use as benefiting the people of the state.
I am the state that is increasing its Democratic control through a blatant gerrymandering process that if successful will secure democratic control for decades to come. I am the state, the city, the rural areas that once held their heads proudly above the rest. Alas, that was a long time ago and many Mayors and Governors have passed into the annals of our history. My present Governor is presently being groomed to run for the Presidency, I hope you remember these facts in the future, your country will depend on it!
Who am I? Surely you have guessed by now…….I am the once Great State of Maryland, and once Great City of Baltimore……hard to believe isn’t it?.........sad to see the regressive nature of my state!
