O'Malley Hates MARC Train Commuters

Since this blog is supposed to be about Martin O'Malley and his destructive socialist-leaning policies, I should probably blog more about him. Seems like I've blogged pretty much about every thing except Martin O'Malley.

While I was away on vacation I saw on the news that a MARC train had to stop because of heat or a train broke down or something. It seems that MTA officials have no idea. And in the MTA's infinite wisdom (leadership comes from the top down, right?) they decided that the best policy for commuting the train problems to the passengers was to not communicate with them. In fact, the temperate outside was a scorcher - upper 90's, maybe even 100°? And the officials or train conductors refused to allow the passengers to open the doors to get a breeze. It wasn't safe, I'm sure they said. Because being in a +100° rail car is safer.

Part of the MTA system is the money-losing crime-ridden failing Light Rail train.



Think of it from the MTA's and Governor O'Malley's perspective - do you really want to tell the passengers who are suffering from heat exhaustion and lack of hydration that you are sitting on the train because something's broken? (Or as they would say in south Baltimore - something's broke. Or as they would say in Edgewood - something's all broked up). That just let's them know that you're incompetent. As any good lawyer (like O'Malley) would tell you - it's better to say nothing than admit you did something wrong.

Then something startling happened. Governor O'Malley and Senator Ben Cardin rode the Apology train. And they loaded the train with lots of apologies and promises along with a few bottles of water and Michael Dresser from The Sun. There they got to enjoy stunning photo ops with their bigg cheesy insincere smiles. I have to admit, however, that the rolled-up sleeves made it look like he was getting down to business. They promised to do more so that this would not happen again. Most people on the train just looked pissed off.

The next day - another train got stopped on the tracks. It wasn't for hours like the previous day, but according to the news the MTA actually kept the passengers informed this time. "Attention passengers, we are stopped. We'll let you know when we're moving again."

Why do I sound like such a cynic? Because I was an MTA rider for 4 years and know exactly what they were going through. No communication. No bathroom. No water. Sometimes not even any air conditioning or heat. It seems to be the policy of all of the MTA systems.

The liberals want more people to ride public transportation. I'm okay with the concept. But when you treat your clients like inconsequential pieces of rat turds (as is the implied policy under O'Malley), then it is ridiculous to even think that anyone should use public transportation.

O'Malley will say that they've made the necessary changes to make it a better system. Nice reactionary policy there, Gov'nah! So when this happens again (it always does - it's the MTA!), then what will he say? He'll say that it's Ehrlich's fault for not properly funding public transportation years ago and that he's now moving forward. Unfortunately for the MTA passengers (and most Marylander's in fact) no one is moving forward. We're just spinning around in circles.

O'Malley Supports Red Line Plan to Destroy Canton

This is days late, but stupid work and stupid soccer practices kept me away.

Martin O'Malley pimped himself for a photo-op to announce his support for the Red Line light-rail proposal this week. Expecting a jubilant and supportive audience, he was greeted with jeers and shouts from the people that will be directly affected by the proposal.

Rather than running another subway line through Baltimore and under Canton, O'Malley's plan is to bore a crater into Boston Street that will be the entrance\exit hole for the rail line. Additionally, Boston Street will be reduced from a scenic thoroughfare into the city into a 2-lane side-street barricaded on one side by the rail line.

O'Malley demanded that this be done as soon as possible in order get federal funding. This is the best way to move Baltimore forward. Forward of what? The Baltimore Sun gleefully printed his letter to the editor where he supported his rhetoric with more elegant rhetoric.

Outspoken residents vehemently cried that the rail line will destroy what makes Canton popular - it's quick access to the water. I equate O'Malley's plan to divide Canton in half to New York City's Shore Parkway which deprives Brooklyn's residents access to New York harbor. "Screw you" is the common sentimentality declared from Annapolis and Baltimore's City Hall. You can see it from the road, but no one that lives there can get to it. O'Malley continues to show a disinterest in the opinions and views of the people he supposedly represents.

One resident stated that the light rail line will also devalue their property values. O'Malley arrogantly dismissed this claim with the statement that having the loud clanging of a light rail train running through their front yard and cutting access to the water will actually increase their property values. He supported this statement by saying that his studies have proven this. Let's see that data, Mr. Leprechaun.

One of my friends pointed out that he is probably trying to use the DC Metro as an example. This is flawed logic on O'Malley's part because the DC Metro is an integrated metro system that can connect you all over the city. The Baltimore rail system will do nothing of the sort.

During this same rally, amidst the boos, Congressman Cummings was obviously frustrated with people using their free speech and protesting the plan. He angrily demanded that they accept it because if they don't it won't get done. Uh…….

Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, who's again under federal indictment, stood silently to the side with that confused look on her face. I suspect the MoM crew told her to keep it quiet.

The best hope at this point for the residents of the Edmonson Avenue corridor and Canton is the rejection of federal funding for the project. This plan is inconsiderate to the concerns of the residents of the communities that are affected for the sake of saving some money.

Elected officials in Baltimore and Maryland are forgetting that they are trying to recruit the middle-class white people back into the city to increase the tax base. Introducing a barrier to the biggest selling point of Canton (the access to the waterfront) will destroy the draw and return Canton to the poverty-ridden ghetto that it was until the late 1980's.

Transportation projects should be considered for the long-term, but O'Malley continues to think in the short-term. Despite its catastrophic flaws, if the Red Line project is approved, O'Malley will use it as another bullet point on his resume to higher office. God help us.

Maryland's Transportation Projects - Show Me the Money

Ten years ago my wife and I bought our first house. And we did what most people do when they buy a house - we dug gardens and planted lots of pretty annuals. After a few years we started to realize that his was an expensive yearly task. As you know, annuals die after the first frost and they do not return. Therefore, we decided to start buying perennials. Though more expensive, perennials return every year. We realized that we couldn't buy all of the perennials that we wanted right away, so our plan was to buy several per year. Now we have no annuals and lots of perennials. Our costs are high, but without the financial burden of purchasing annuals every year, we will win in the long-term.

In an era of economic recession, it's almost counter-intuitive to think that Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is running to the Congress with his hat in hand asking for more money. But with our 'just print more money' President, it's not entirely out of the question for O'Malley to do this.

Because of its geography and the inbred culture of being against everything that is proposed, Maryland is burdened with an inadequate transportation system that is the ire of travelers, commuters, and freight haulers alike. Washington D.C. has done an excellent job of investing in its transportation infrastructure and has one of the better integrated subway systems outside of New York.

Baltimore, on the other hand, has the dubious distinction of having a one-line subway (which most people don't even know about) that runs from Owings Mills in the northwest corner of Baltimore County to Baltimore's fleeting business district and on to Johns Hopkins Hospital. If you don't live on this route or work downtown, it's totally useless to you. In addition to that, there is the north-south light rail line that cuts its path through the county and into the city and south to that airport with the overbearingly long name.

To make matters as complicated as possible, transportation officials, politicians, and warring residents made sure that these 2 transportation projects did not have an integrated exchange, despite overlapping near Lexington Market.

In an effort to make Baltimore's public transportation a more viable option for commuters, Governor O'Malley is pushing for the infamous red line, an east-west line that will connect the Woodlawn \ Social Security area on the west side, to the Essex suburbs on the east side, with connections in the downtown business district and running through Fell's Point.

Believe it or not, I am in favor of a more comprehensive public transportation system in the state. I worked downtown and took the subway everyday for 4 years. Despite my run-in's with crazy homeless people and the miscreant middle school kids, it was the most convenient and time-efficient way to get to work. And when we go to Washington D.C. we nearly always take the Metro.

In addition to the red line project in Baltimore, Governor O'Malley is also asking for money for the Purple line in Washington, which will connect Northwest Washington with Northeast Washington, a cross-county suburban transportation line unlike the other lines which run into the city and back out again. There is also the Intercounty Connector (ICC) which is already in the building stage. And finally there is the expansion of I-270, one of the most congested highways in the country.

It appears as if our leaders will be pushing for a light rail line for the red line and most likely a rapid bus plan for the purple line. I understand their desire to get something up and running at the least possible cost, but they seem to be ignoring investments. Just because a transportation project is less expensive and "visible" does not make it better. When you are in Washington, D.C. or New York City, you do not see the subway lines, but they are there and they are great for moving around. Neither disrupt the above ground transportation of the city and neither are unsightly, at least until they get out into the suburbs where they come above ground and become an eyesore.

Instead of making the investment in an unseen subway, O'Malley is pushing for a light rail for the red line, which will carve up the city even further. In addition to being unsightly, the light rail also intersects roadways, creating dangerous situations at crossroads, and the light rail is not as fast. The Baltimore subway moves at about 70 mph above ground, whereas the light rail moves at about 40-50 mph. With a subway line the transportation grid will be able to move people in and out of the city at a much faster and convenient rate.

Moreover, in the Washington suburbs Governor O'Malley is pushing for a rapid bus line for the purple line. After elected officials spend millions of dollars for this rapid bus line, what will we own? Some buses and a road. When the money runs out, what is left? Nothing. Maybe some old buses. If the state invests in a subway you will always have a subway. It's there. No one is going to fill it in with dirt and make it go away. A rapid bus line is not a transportation investment. It's an unproven transportation cost to the state with only short-term benefits. Subways are proven long-term investments with long-term benefits.

In Montgomery and Frederick Counties there is now a war brewing about expanding Interstate 270. Most will argue that expanding the highway will further destroy the environment and only encourage more urban sprawl. My argument is that the Washington D.C. area is growing like crazy. What do you plan on doing with all of those people that want to move there? Not everyone wants to live in a 1200 unit high-rise condominium next to a subway line.

Officials can concentrate the growth in certain areas, but the area is growing and without updating the infrastructure, transportation will only get worse. Encouraging people to use the bus will not improve the situation. However, including an extension of the red line in the expansion project up to the northwest part of the county will certainly encourage more ridership and reduce highway congestion.

These projects cost a lot of money, billions of dollars, in fact. But our elected officials need to look at long-term solutions and consider them investments. They need to avoid the short-sighted money-saving ideas. Instead of planting the annuals, let's plant the perennials. In 50 years, Martin O'Malley will only be a nightmare from the past to my generation, but if the proper investments are made in transportation, in 50 years we will still have a efficient functioning subway system that will make us proud.