Bill Clinton once claimed that he had beaten the business cycle. He said this during an upturn on the market. He didn't say too much during the downturn in 1994. And he's been very quiet during the downturns that have followed since his Presidency.
So turning local, have you been down Liberty Road in Randallstown lately? There's nothing there! So if politicians want to take credit for the good times, let's place the blame squarely on their face for the bad times.
Here's one of several empty stores in the Deer Park Shopping Plaza in Randallstown that Elijah Cummings has let fail. He's been unable to get new tenants that will generate tax revenue.
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith loves this empty car dealership because it allows his entourage of gas-guzzling SUV's a good place to turn around and head back to safer ground. Remember all those speeches that he gave recently about how we need to bring businesses back to Randallstown? No? That's because he didn't give them. He doesn't care about Randallstown because he's too busy gearing up his campaign for State Senate.
Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (2nd District) has allowed several car dealerships to go out of business. I haven't heard him hollering about needing to help this economically depressed area. I can only assume he doesn't care about Randallstown.
Remember Prestige Imports? They always had exotic Italian sports cars for sale such as Lamborghinis and Ferraris, in addition to other high-end used cars. As you can see there isn't much going on there except dead trees and unkempt lawn. I haven't heard Ben Cardin talk about the loss of jobs along the Liberty Road retail corridor, so we can only imagine that he doesn't care about Randallstown either.
District 4 Baltimore County Councilman Kenneth N. Oliver doesn't buy his cars from Antwerpen Automotive in Randallstown. Why? Because they went out of business. I guess he now has to shop for cars in Kevin Kamenetz' District 2. Councilman Oliver - why have you allowed this economic destruction of your district to occur?
District 10 House Delegates Emmett C. Burns, Jr., Adrienne A. Jones, and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam - you won't be buying food for your Memorial Day cookouts from Giant in Randallstown Plaza, will you? Nope. Because it's been closed for a couple years now. Dozens of employees are now on the state's unemployment role. And this large building sits empty. The three of you should work together to get a thriving food retailer back in Randallstown. Instead, you've sat in Annapolis and have been ineffective leaders.
State Senator Delores G. Kelley - are you embarrassed that there are so many empty stores in strip malls throughout your district? You have been so busy blowing sunshine up Martin O'Malley behind that you have totally ignored your district and the jobs are now all gone. And it's your fault!
Senator Barbara Mikulski - you are responsible for the entire state of Maryland. We depend on you to help us grow. But instead, we've watched your failures. Look at this picture of one of dozens, if not hundreds, of abandoned and empty retail buildings in Baltimore County. Why have you allowed so many people to lose their livelihood? It's not fair! Do something about it. And by doing something I don't mean more government jobs or extended unemployment benefits. I'm talking about creating an economic environment that will allow those so called greedy millionaires to open new stores and hire people. Because the last time I checked poor people don't hire people.
