FIVE Important Reasons You Should Consider Voting For Martin O'Malley

[bigtree]

Martin O'Malley isn't just talking about the problems and challenges facing America - he's offering substantive and detailed plans for resolving them. That's a reflection of how he conducted himself in public office in Maryland, beginning with his service as an assistant State's Attorney for the City of Baltimore in 1988 to 1990; serving on the a Baltimore City Councilor from 1991 to 1999 with the responsibility as Chairman of the Legislative Investigations Committee and Chairman of the Taxation and Finance Committee; two terms as Mayor of Baltimore: and two terms as Governor of his state of Maryland.

ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Martin O'Malley has made a bold environmental stand in this campaign, marking the first time a Pres-level candidate has committed to zeroing-out carbon fuels.

As president, O'Malley is promising in this campaign to:

•Direct the Environmental Protection Agency to take aggressive action to limit greenhouse gases, expanding rules to other large sources of emissions beyond power plants.
•Direct the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for methane leaks from current oil and gas production.
•Reject projects like Keystone XL that exacerbate climate change and extend our reliance on fossil fuels.
•Deny new permits for drilling in Alaska, Antarctica, and off our coasts.
•Increase royalties and emissions fees for fossil fuel companies currently drilling on federal lands.
•Set a national, cross-sector Renewable Electricity Standard so our nation is powered by 100% clean energy by 2050.
•Fight for federal legislation for a cap on carbon emissions from all sources, with proceeds from permits returned to lower-and middle-class families and invested in job transition assistance and the Clean Energy Corps.
•Set a national goal of doubling our energy productivity within 15 years.
•End all subsidies for fossil fuels, while extending production and investment tax credits for renewable energy for the long term.

ON REFORMING WALL STREET

Martin O'Malley follows that with a solid, detailed 10-page plan to 'Protect the American Dream From Another Wall St. Crash.' The plan proposes to:

•Ensure Key Political Appointees Are Independent of Wall Street
•Appoint to Key Positions—Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, SEC Chair—Individuals Committed to Pursuing Criminal Cases.
•Require the SEC Director of the Division of Enforcement to be a Presidential Appointee, Subject to Senate Confirmation
•Institute a Three-Year Revolving Door Ban
•Institute an Additional Three-Year Mandatory Disclosure Rule
•Require the General Counsel at the Fed to be a Presidential Appointee
•Require the President of the New York Fed to be a Presidential Appointee
•Require the Board of Governors to Vote on All Major Decisions, Including Those Regarding Financial Reform
•Immediately Double Funding for CFTC and SEC to Police Bad Behavior on Wall St. (Double CFTC Funding from $322 million to $644 million. Double SEC Funding from $1.7 billion to $3.4 billion.)
•Create a Standalone Economic Crimes Division Within DOJ
•Implement Points Accrual System to Crack Down on Recidivist Banks
•End Days of “Neither Admit Nor Deny.” If an institution commits a major crime or violation of a law, they should be required to admit their guilt, so that they face the full ramifications of parallel civil and criminal proceedings
• Require Transparency Around Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPA’s) and Non Prosecution Agreements (NPA’S).
•Crack Down on SEC’s Use of Waivers By Requiring Public Votes, Statements on Them
•Separate Risky Investment Banking from Ordinary Commercial Banking
• Immediately Reinstate Glass-Steagall
•End “Too Big to Fail”
•Mandate Higher Capital Requirements for Big Banks
•Implement a Financial Transaction Tax to Limit High-Frequency Trading
•Create a Fiduciary Standard for Loan Brokers

ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

Martin O'Malley is first candidate in this campaign to commit to addressing immigration within first 100 days if elected. That promise was followed by a detailed and comprehensive immigration reform plan which has been cheered by Latino activists and immigration advocates. From the O'Malley campaign:

As president, Martin O’Malley proposes to act immediately to:

•Extend Administrative Relief to Millions of New American Families
•Provide Deferred Action to the Greatest Possible Number of New Americans
•Expand Access to Waivers to the Three- or Ten-Year Bar
•Grant Broad Waivers to the Three- or Ten-Year Bar
•Issue guidance expanding parole-in-place to benefit all spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
•Expand Access to Naturalization for New Americans
•Undertake significant outreach and educational programs to promote naturalization, including U.S. agency, media, and community outreach: directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to identify and encourage lawful permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship to naturalize, while also expanding access to naturalization by lowering fees as appropriate
•Rescind the Regulations Restricting Health Care for DACA and DAPA-Recipients
•Use Detention Only as a Last Resort
•Limit Detention to Only Those Who Pose a Clear Threat to Public Safety
•End the 34,000 Bed Quota
•Close Inhumane Detention Facilities
•Restore Due Process Safeguards and Basic Fairness to Immigration Enforcement
•Expand Due Process Protections in the Detention and Immigration System
•Prevent Racial and Religious Profiling
•Direct immigration enforcement agents to obtain warrants from a judge, like any other law enforcement agency, in order to detain immigrants: also direct immigration enforcement agents to stop the routine issuance of U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) notification requests under the new Priority Enforcement Program, which may lead to unlawful detentions and transfers
•End 287(g) Agreements.
•Respect the Autonomy of States and Localities in Immigration Enforcement
•End the Coercion of Local Law Enforcement through Civil Immigration Warrants
•Create an Independent Agency to Set U.S. Immigration Policy
•Address Employment Barriers for Foreign Professionals
•Ensure that any future immigration legislation contains robust waiver provisions that restore the discretion of law enforcement and judges to consider individual factors—such as family and community ties; the nature, seriousness, and other circumstances of past criminal charges; passage of time; medical conditions; and contributions to community and family

ON ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND STUDENT DEBT RELIEF

Governor O’Malley believes higher education should be affordable, accessible, and accountable for all Americans. — O’Malley’s goal: “That all students have access to a high-quality debt-free college education within five years, attainable at any in-state public college or university.” The plan includes student loan refinancing, automatic borrower enrollment in income-based repayment programs with loan forgiveness options, and freezing and reducing public tuition rates. The candidate would restore state higher ed funding through federal partnerships, increase Pell Grants and “expand and modernize work-study.” O’Malley also has a blueprint to increase national college completion rates by 25 percentage points within 10 years — while eliminating discrepancies based on race and income — and expand the gainful employment regulations.

As president, Martin O’Malley proposes to:

Provide Immediate Relief to Student Borrowers

Refinance Student Loans. All Americans with student debt – including both students and their parents – should be able to refinance their loans at lower rates.

Tie Minimum Payments to Incomes. All student borrowers should be automatically enrolled in income-based repayment plans, with loan forgiveness options. Borrowers who do not wish to use repayment plans would be able to opt out of them while those with private loans should be able to refinance into federal programs.

Freeze Public Tuition Rates. Governor O’Malley is calling on states to immediately freeze tuition rates.

Restore State Higher Education Funding. He is also calling on states to restore investments in higher education. As president, he would partner with states, leveraging federal dollars through matching grants to encourage states to increase funding for public colleges and universities.

Tie Tuition Rates to Median Incomes. Governor O’Malley would set a national goal of reducing the cost of tuition – to no more than 10 percent of state median income at four-year public universities, and to no more than 5 percent of median income at two-year public colleges. While institutions would be challenged to maintain quality and innovate in education and teaching to cut down on costs, states would be required to maintain their own funding efforts which, along with the increased funding from the matching grant program, would ensure universities do not suffer any decrease in educational quality while meeting these goals.

Increase Pell Grants. Pell Grants and state grants should be increased to cover the bulk of non-tuition costs for students who otherwise couldn’t afford them.

Expand and Modernize Work-Study. The need-based federal work-study program should be tripled so that at least two million students can participate. The program would be redesigned to make placements career-focused, and to better support low- and middle-income, part-time, and mid-career students. It will be essential to ensure the program hours are equitable and do not create additional economic hardship or detract from a quality education.

PROPOSAL: Set a national goal of increasing college completion rates by 25 percentage points within 10 years, and eliminating discrepancies in graduation rates based on race and income.

Give Colleges Incentives to Lead. Matching federal grant programs and additional aid dollars should be used to encourage colleges to increase on-time graduation rates, improve education quality, and direct aid toward students who need it most.

Decouple Profits from Longer Completion Times. Federal and state governments should develop new incentives to encourage colleges and universities to help ensure students graduate on time.

Make Childcare Affordable on Campus. A first priority for supporting this group of strivers is providing safe, high quality childcare on campus. Federal and state government should share the costs of increasing access to childcare for student parents.

Reduce Time to Graduation. The federal government should encourage schools to employ competency-based education strategies, which allow students to learn at their own pace, saving both money and time.

Expand Access to Early College Credit. The federal government should support innovative efforts to better prepare high schoolers for college, like expanded accelerated learning and dual-enrollment programs.

Expand Access to Quality College Counseling. Better access to counseling is critical to helping lower-income and first-generation students apply for, navigate, and graduate from college, increasing college enrollment and graduation rates overall.

Hold For-Profit Colleges Accountable By Setting Strict Accountability Targets. President Obama’s aggressive efforts to prevent abuse, including the new gainful employment rule, should be expanded, to require colleges to meet accountability targets in recruitment, completion, and risk-sharing.

ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM

from EBONY Magazine:

In “A Reinvestment and Rehabilitation Framework for America’s Criminal Justice System,” Governor O’Malley breaks down his plan to “Ensure that justice is delivered for all Americans—regardless of race, class, or place,” while healing the broken relationship between citizens and local law enforcement and also reimagining “corrections” facilities as institutions where incarcerated persons are prepared for their return to society.

The ambitious framework addresses many of the oft-repeated challenges African-Americans face in and around the criminal justice system: abuse at the hands of local law enforcement, unfair sentencing, racial disparity in administering the death penalty (which the governor wants to “abolish”), denial of rights to felons, the criminalization of mental illness and drug addiction, the school-to-prison pipeline, the privatization of the country’s prisons, broken immigration policies and the economic despair that brings many Americans into the criminal justice system in the first place:

As president, Governor O’Malley will:

Mandate and Expand Data Reporting. The FBI does not collect data on police-involved shootings. Local data is also poor and incomplete. O’Malley has called for—and will strongly support—legislation to require law enforcement agencies to report data on all police-involved shootings, custodial deaths, discourtesy complaints, and use of excessive force. This data should be centralized in a universal database and made publicly available, allowing communities to observe trends and develop policy responses when necessary.

**Establish a National Use of Force Standard**. State laws governing when police officers can use excessive force vary greatly. In order to protect citizen and officer safety, O’Malley will put forward national guidelines on the use of force, linked to the expanded mandatory reporting detailed above. He will support legislation to require states to review and amend their own use of force laws to comply with federal guidelines.

Expand Community Collaboration and Civilian Review of Police Departments. O’Malley would reward and encourage police departments to implement best practices in goal-oriented community policing, including through the eligibility criteria in federal grant programs. These include undergoing racial bias training and crisis de-escalation training; establishing internal accountability measures to track and review civilian complaints and address officer misconduct; and creating and empowering civilian review boards to independently monitor and audit policing cases.

Use Technology to Advance Transparency. O’Malley will work with law enforcement, advocates, and other stakeholders to establish national standards for deploying and developing technology, while protecting privacy and communities’ access to data produced by body cameras or similar tools.

**Encourage Independent Investigations of Policing Cases.** Local prosecutors must work closely with local police on a day-to-day basis, creating possible conflicts of interest in cases regarding police misconduct. As a result, states and cities have begun to appoint special independent prosecutors—or prosecutors from other jurisdictions—in cases where police use deadly force. O’Malley will make these measures model practices, and support legislation to encourage all states to adopt them.

**Strengthen Federal Civil Rights Protections.**Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has successfully launched investigations into the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. However, the Department’s ability to prosecute cases is limited because federal officials must meet a very high legal standard to bring civil rights charges. O’Malley would call on Congress to revise this standard so that the federal government can act as an effective backstop for ensuring justice.

Reform Civil Asset Forfeiture to Prioritize Public Safety. O’Malley will support bipartisan efforts in Congress to reform civil forfeiture statutes, reorienting law enforcement activity toward improving public safety and community policing.

Eliminate the Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine. This sentencing disparity has resulted in vast racial disparities within the justice system. Before Congress lowered the sentencing ratio in 2010 from 100:1 to 18:1, unjustifiably higher penalties for crack offenses led to African Americans serving roughly as much time for non-violent offenses as whites for violent offenses. O’Malley has called for and will continue to support legislation to completely eliminate this sentencing disparity.

**Declassify Marijuana as a Schedule I Drug.** O’Malley will direct the Attorney General to move to reclassify marijuana, while supporting bipartisan congressional efforts to legislatively reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug.

Reform Mandatory Minimum Sentencing. O’Malley will support legislation that eliminates mandatory minimums for low-level drug offenses, while giving judges more flexibility to tailor sentences based on the facts of each case. He will also continue the Department of Justice’s successful Smart on Crime initiative, directing U.S. Attorneys to exercise greater discretion in their charging decisions.

Forge Consensus for Ending the Death Penalty. O’Malley has long opposed the death penalty as a matter of principle and as a matter of policy. As president, he will continue to oppose capital punishment and work to abolish death sentences under federal laws.

Make Robust Investments in Drug Treatment. O’Malley will work to expand existing federal grants to states to support comprehensive drug treatment systems. He will call for tripling the number of states eligible for grants, as well as increasing the aid provided to each state. He will call for requiring states to make matching investments—ensuring that addiction is treated, and not ignored, at the local level. He will also support regulations and legislation to expand evidence-based treatment for addiction under Medicare and Medicaid.

Make Robust Investments in Community Mental Health Infrastructure. Although the rate of serious mental illness is two to six times higher among incarcerated populations, more than 80 percent of people with mental illness in jails and prisons do not receive care. O’Malley will invest to provide adequate mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment within correctional facilities. Additionally, he will call for community-based recovery for individuals suffering from mental illness, setting a national target for reducing the number of Americans with serious mental illness behind bars. He will work with Congress to make critically needed investments in housing, supported employment, and outpatient treatment.

Train and Equip Law Enforcement to Serve People in Crisis. O’Malley will establish federal guidelines for law enforcement on how to best serve people in crisis—including de-escalating encounters, equipping specialized staff and response teams, and intervening in partnership with civilian service providers. He will use existing federal funds to support state Crisis Intervention Training, work with Congress to make additional investments, and require states to adopt federal crisis intervention guidelines.

Enforce and Codify Federal Discipline Guidelines. Federal law already prohibits public school districts from administering student discipline in a discriminatory way. The Departments of Education and Justice put forward guidance last year to help schools identify, avoid, and remedy discriminatory discipline, so that all schools ensure equal educational opportunities for all students. O’Malley will enforce this guidance by bringing federal investigations or charges when necessary, and call to codify the guidance into law.

Reinvest in Other Services and Supports for Teachers and Students. O’Malley will invest in federal grants to help deploy counselors and other school staff, including by reprioritizing existing federal funding currently used to place law enforcement officers in schools.

Ensure Access to Counsel and Legal Assistance. O’Malley would invest to protect every American’s constitutional right to counsel, providing funding for legal aid programs and public defenders, and ensuring their independence.

Use Detention Only as a Last Resort. O’Malley will direct the Department of Homeland Security to use alternatives to detention for the vast majority of people, including for all children, families, LGBT individuals, and other vulnerable individuals. This includes using the family placement and community-based supervision policies he successfully implemented in Maryland. He will also work with Congress to repeal mandatory detention and deportation laws, and to codify higher detention standards. When detention must be used, O’Malley will ensure conditions are humane and in line with our basic values as a nation. O’Malley will direct federal prosecutors to focus only on priority entry and reentry cases—those involving national security or serious crimes—and work with Congress to repeal the Operation Streamline program.

Disentangle Local Law Enforcement From Immigration Enforcement. Our immigration policies have fallen short of their goal to pinpoint and detain individuals who pose a clear and present danger to public safety. Instead, they have created an indiscriminate dragnet that can encourage racial profiling and undermines trust between law enforcement and New American communities. O’Malley has outlined his plan for disentangling law enforcement from immigration enforcement, including by closing loopholes in DOJ guidance that allow DHS agencies to profile Americans based on their ethnicity and religion.

Set High Standards for Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP is the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, and CBP officers must have the support and tools they need to do their jobs well. O’Malley will require CBP to implement the best practices in law enforcement, including equipping officers with body cameras, tracking and disclosing discourtesy and brutality complaints, providing robust training, and holding agents accountable for the use of excessive force.

Ensure Due Process. O’Malley will also implement critical reforms to expand due process protections in our detention and immigration systems, including providing counsel for immigrants in deportation proceedings, increasing the number of immigration judges and courts, ending telephonic and video hearings for detainees, and ensuring language access.

Invest in Job-Training Programs That Work to Reduce Recidivism. O’Malley will build on successful programs in Maryland and other states to train, place, and support those exiting the criminal justice system so they can secure employment. As president, he will work with Congress to secure additional funding for—and legislation that expands—community-based job training programs.

Support Reentry Programming. O’Malley will work with Congress to reauthorize and expand funding for Second Chance Act programs, and other important services that ease the transition back to the outside world. Such services include referrals for housing and benefits, substance abuse treatment, mentoring, education, and job training.

Expand Good Time Credits. O’Malley will support legislation to allow people in federal prison to earn sentence-reduction credits by completing education and reentry programs. More broadly, he will support evidence-based, cost-effective reforms that allow people in prisons or jails to earn more good time credit for greater sentence reductions than federal law currently allows.

Support Access to Higher Education in Prison. O’Malley will use existing funds and work with Congress to support multi-year educational and vocational training programs in correctional facilities, including providing funding for professional teachers and staff. He will also support legislation and take executive action to restore eligibility for Pell Grants for people in state and federal prison.

Dramatically Reduce the Use of Solitary Confinement and Ban Solitary for Juveniles. As president, O’Malley will reverse the runaway growth of solitary confinement, limiting its use to the most serious in-prison offenders. He will also fight to pass legislation banning the federal use of solitary confinement for juveniles nationally.

Provide Pathways to Full Restoration of Rights and Benefits. Nearly one in three Americans has a criminal record that, because of employer biases and state laws, could prevent them from even being considered for good-paying jobs. Moreover, nearly six million Americans are denied the fundamental right to vote because of regressive state laws that target people with felony convictions. This results in one out of every 13 African Americans being unable to vote.

Ban the Box. O’Malley will use existing federal dollars to encourage states to adopt “fair chance” policies, which direct employers to delay criminal record inquiries and individually assess job applicants based on their qualifications. He will make the federal government a model employer by adopting fair chance hiring policies for all federal contractors and agencies.

**Expunge or Seal Criminal Records.** O’Malley will also support legislation that provides paths to recourse for people with criminal records. This includes automatically expunging or sealing juvenile records, so young people have a fair chance to turn around their lives; allowing some categories of formerly incarcerated people to petition a court to seal their records; and expunging the records of arrests that did not lead to formal charges.

Restore Voting Rights to People with Felony Records and Ensure Access to Temporary Support. O’Malley will call for and strongly support legislation that would end the drug felon ban on access to SNAP and TANF assistance.

Work to Eliminate For-Profit Prisons and Phase Out Federal For-Profit Prisons. This includes closing for-profit immigration detention centers, while using alternatives to detention in the immigration context whenever possible.

In the coming weeks and months, Governor O’Malley will lay out comprehensive plans to address poverty and support the millions of American families striving to join the middle class, as well as put forth agendas to reform K-12 education, address homeownership and the rental crisis, and improve access to affordable healthcare.

[Andy823]

1. The only problem I see

Is getting people to listen, and read what he has to say. O'Malley is the only candidate that has come out with actual plans to fix things that need to be fixed, yet the media is ignoring him. I do think that once the debates start his numbers will go up, but right now I just can't understand why people can't see he has more to offer than the rest of the field.

[bigtree]

3. a positive response

...much appreciated, Andy!

Tough crowd here, but I have to feel that someone here is paying attention to the great effort Martin O'Malley is making in this campaign to address the issues of our day and provide solutions. At least Google rankings is paying attention!

[Raine1967]

5. HEre is a pretty cool FB page that Fellow MO'M-ers might want to like:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ready-For-Martin-OMalley/1560900024182947?fref=ts

And I am not afraid to admit it, I liked this PrO'Malley PAC FB page as well (see what I did there: I might have to make another graphic! ) https://www.facebook.com/generationforwardpac?fref=ts

[AverageGuy]

60. He is a politician, so I will not even consider him

The only one's worth considering are Bernie and Trump

[Raine1967]

2. O'MG!

(you knew I would do this)

Until people start really seeing him as a really great candidate, I say:



The thing I see in O'MAlley more than our other candidates is that he really does have a track record on how to implement these very big and what I consider GREAT proposals.

Climate change and social issues are really really huge to me. I am not a one issue voter but he is pitch perfect for me when it comes to how he wants to address clam ate change and criminal justice reform.

HE supports a federal 15 dollars wage and want the nation to get rid of the death penalty.

His plan to have debt free collage is a realistic and doable idea!

[bigtree]

4. O'MG!

...another positive response!

I agree, Raine.

"He really does have a track record on how to implement these very big and what I consider GREAT proposals."

Well, said!

[artislife]

53. I am very impressed on those issues, too. nt

[beveeheart]

6. My sister, a Marylander and a Democrat,

says she wouldn't vote for him, but I don't know why.

[bigtree]

8. O'MG!

[BlueMTexpat]

9. I am a MD voter and a Dem.

I would likely cancel out your sister's vote, LOL.

While I'm not supporting O'Malley at this time, I like him a lot and would certainly vote for him in the general if he is the nominee.

I wish that he were still MD Gov though; Larry Hogan is an absolute and total idiot.

[bigtree]

11. term limits

Anthony Brown would have made an excellent Governor.

Our state gets convinced after Democrats outperform that anyone can manage the state into prosperity. Nothing like a republican term of dismantling, hedging, and mismanaging to shake voters awake again.

[BlueMTexpat]

16. True - I know that, but

wish that it weren't the case.

I agree with you about Brown, but he did not take Hogan seriously enough, IMO. A similar thing happened with Kathleen Kennedy in 2004. She would have made an excellent governor but was a lousy campaigner.

In some ways, MD is a microcosm of the nation. Dems bring prosperity in a way that makes it look easy. Then Reps convince enough voters that they can do better - and lower their taxes as well, without spelling out the trade-offs. Of course, it doesn't work that way.

[bigtree]

23. Kennedy is a great analogy

...it was certainly frustrating to see Brown so flat-footed in that campaign.

[beveeheart]

25. She totally agrees with you re:Hogan.

I'll send her O'M's platform.

[elleng]

40. Is she 1%?

I often hear complaints about taxes (I'm in MD too) from Marylanders who don't apparently realize that services have to be PAID for. And the so-called 'rain tax.' Here some info, in case it's useful:

A stormwater management fee was established via House Bill 987 (April 2012) and signed into law by then-governor Martin O'Malley, affecting the largest urban jurisdictions in Maryland (nine counties and the City of Baltimore) in order to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act as it concerns the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Tax Foundation states House Bill 987 "was passed in response to a decree by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally known as the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, which identified mandatory reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment that damage the Chesapeake Bay." This mandate from the EPA was mandated to the states of Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Maryland is the only state that has levied a tax to meet the EPA’s standards.[2] According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the fastest-growing source of bay water pollution from Maryland is currently stormwater runoff.[3][4] This tax, of course, does not tax rain but impervious surface square footage.
The law specifies that accrued funds must be used for specified stormwater pollution-related purposes.[5]
This law was modified in 2015 to make the county-assessed fees optional rather than mandatory while still holding the counties responsible for making progress on managing polluted runoff.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_tax

[beveeheart]

55. Definitely not! lol

Just middle class. Could be the taxes that she complained about though.

[bigtree]

7. alternative titles

'Sorry, DU fans: O'Malley's policy proposals are definitely newsworthy'

'A Reporter Reveals How DU Treats O'Malley Policy Plans'

'Cables Show Martin O'Malley's Campaign Deeply Involved in Policy Proposals'

'They’re terrified of Martin O'Malley's New Proposals: Fox News, candidate surrogates and Wall Street get extra-nervous'

'Why No Scheduled Debates? Are They Afraid of O'Malley's Proposals?'

'Uppity O'Malleyites'

'O'MG!'

'Feel the O'M!'

[Raine1967]

30. GOTTA KICK THIS!

I'm here!

[fbc]

10. The reason you should vote for Martin O'Malley:

If you think he will make a really good president in the future you can help him out with some support now in his "getting my name out there so I might have an actual chance in 4 or 8 or 12 years" phase.

[bigtree]

13. we're aiming right now to perform well in the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary

...that can have the effect of bolstering his recognition and appeal in this election.

[fbc]

17. In my opinion there's nothing wrong with two progressives in the race.

Anything that helps to make known that the centrists do not represent the majority of democrats is good in my book!

But, I do still think it was rather unfortunate that O'Malley's entry into the race was highlighted by one of his supporting super-Pacs doing a baseless attack ad against the other progressive candidate. It gave O'Malley the appearance of a Clinton surrogate who was only entering the race to try and split progressive votes away from Sanders. I think O'Malley will need to work hard to disabuse many progressives of this notion. And I think it would be in his best interests to not insult the candidate of choice of the majority of people he purports to represent in the future.

In short, if you want to attract progressives to your cause, you certainly aren't going to do it by trashing Bernie Sanders.

[bigtree]

22. I don't think that had much impact among voters as it did here at DU

...not any more than the attacks of surrogates and supporters of Sanders and Hillary make a difference in attracting support to those candidates.

[Armstead]

12. I'm a Bernie guy, buit if he crashes, I'll certainly consider it

[bigtree]

14. I'd rather we outperform him at the ballot box

...than see him (or any other Democrat) 'crash.'

No shame in competition for these outstanding choices.

[Armstead]

36. Either way, I'm just saying O'Malley seems like a good alternative

[bigtree]

38. well. Armstead

...that's a very hopeful and generous compliment for Gov. O'Malley.

[orpupilofnature57]

44. Me Too!! they coincide on many of the issues and culprits .

[askew]

15. He's the candidate with the most progressive policy achievements and the most progressive

and detailed campaign platform. Yet, the media, especially the liberal media and blogs, completely ignore him. It's pathetic.

[fbc]

18. Well, the media was going to completely ignore Sanders too, and still do...

Sanders supporters made sure he was not going to be completely ignored by showing up en masse to his events.

Want press for O'Malley? Put 10,000 people in an arena waving his signs.

Otherwise you've got a candidate that's polling lower than half the candidates in the republican clown car who has no visible support. Why should the press cover him?

But hey, I'll help out by giving this thread a rec.

[askew]

20. The progressive media? Because he has the best record of achieving progressive policy.

I like Sanders, but is really mostly all talk. O'Malley on the other hand has passed a laundry list of progressive policy.

Also, because O'Malley is the only one producing detailed, progressive plans about climate, immigration, etc. This is the stuff MSNBC and other progressive outlets talk about as needing and when a candidate actually runs on these plans, they shrug and say "look how many people are cheering for Sanders" or "Hillary is talking". It's annoying. I expect that out of the vapid national media, but progressive blogs and media should be better.

[bigtree]

21. I remember John Kerry began his campaign in rooms in Iowa and New Hampshire

Last edited Sun Aug 2, 2015, 02:29 PM - Edit history (1)

...with just a handful of supporters; coffeshops, firehouses, local factories; etc., when Howard Dean was drawing huge crowds.

This isn't a campaign of polling, or even crowd size. It's a competition for actual votes at the ballot boxes and in caucuses. In that regard, there's certainly a great deal in O'Malley's efforts which deserves coverage, whether that's in the interest of media sources or not.

[JustAnotherGen]

32. I'm in total agreement

Kerry won the nomination slow and steady - and I would like to see O'Malley get there the same way.

I don't see the point in the big crowd and would be more inclined to go to a small gathering this early in the game.

[bigtree]

19. he doesn't yet have national recognition, like Hillary or Bernie

...but he's making some inroads into the media, a pretty good amount of coverage for such a lower tier candidate - based almost entirely on his strident and comprehensive efforts to define where he stands and what he hopes to accomplish, and on his willingness to take bold stands like standing with Puerto Ricans in their debt and health crisis; standing with the Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic; advocating a complete phase-out of carbon-based fuels; and other shared initiatives with the other candidates where he reaches farther and commits to more specific and detailed changes.

It's disappointing to see his present standing in the polls, but like here at DU, he's challenged to rise above notable favorites who've been politicking from Washington for decades. This never was going to be an easy fight for O'Malley.

[askew]

24. I don't expect it to be easy for O'Malley. But, I find it baffling to see

so many progressives ga-ga over Sanders while ignoring O'Malley when his platform is actually more progressive and inclusive and when O'Malley has achieved significantly more progressive policy. It really seems like they care more about the candidates personally than the policy.

[bigtree]

26. I've found a lot of folks here who know little about O'Malley

...but have been championing Sanders for years. It's not really surprising to find him getting solid support here. In Iowa and NH, though, there an opportunity to introduce him to voters on a more level footing with the other candidates.

[elleng]

39. You got it AGAIN, askew!

'his platform is actually more progressive and inclusive and when O'Malley has achieved significantly more progressive policy.'

[VanillaRhapsody]

27. Uh no

[bigtree]

28. you realize that chart's been dismissed as biased here

...I measure O'Malley and the other candidates by their accomplishments.


___The third person to receive the America’s Greatest Education Governor Award from the National Education Association in 2010, Martin O'Malley significantly increased school funding of K-12 public schools in Maryland and expanded school programs, overseeing a rise in Hispanic and African American student test scores with his insistence that underprivileged and minority students be taught by teachers as highly qualified as those who teach economically advantaged students in his state.

O'Malley not only implemented a four-year freeze on tuition for Maryland institutions of higher learning, making higher education more affordable for Marylanders, from 2008-10, he increased college appropriations to offset the freezes, and authorized more than $220 million in state capital funds to community colleges. He also budgeted more than $333 million for grants and scholarships, and in 2011, signed legislation extending in-state tuition to undocumented students. O'Malley also oversaw the reinvigoration of Maryland’s Career and Technology Education and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs statewide, and the launching of the comprehensive Maryland STEM Innovation Network to promote the delivery of high quality STEM education at all levels throughout the state.
____________________________________

Martin O'Malley signed a 2009 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act in Maryland; far ahead of most other states, & the EPA, which set a statewide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent below 2006 levels by 2020. By 2012, Maryland had driven down greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 10 percent compared to 2006, and by 20 percent compared to "business as usual" projections

In 2011, Maryland League of Conservation Voters gave Gov. O'Malley a B+ overall in their Governor's Report Card (and an A for climate change). In addition to the 2008 Climate Action Plan and the new GGRA Plan, Gov. O’Malley’s key accomplishments include:

•(2008) Amendment to the Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard doubled the existing standard to require that 20% of Maryland's energy be created by renewable resources by 2022, including 2% from solar energy;
•(2008) EmPOWER Maryland Act set an energy efficiency target and peak demand reduction target of 15% by 2015;
•(2008) Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program was created using revenues from the Northeast RGGI to offset ratepayers’ electricity bills and invest in energy efficiency programs;
•(2009) Maryland Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act requires Maryland to cut greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 2006 levels by 2020; and
•(2013) Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 created a fund to build 200 megawatts of wind energy, which Gov. O’Malley intends to use to construct one of the nation’s first offshore wind energy farms off the coast of Ocean City.
_________________________________

In 2012, Martin O'Malley signed a bill legalizing same sex marriage in Maryland, joining seven other states in enacting marriage equality. The law survived a statewide referendum held later that year, which marked the first time marriage rights in the U.S. were extended to same-sex couples by a popular vote.

Gov. O'Malley signed into law the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, extending housing, public accommodations, and employment protections to transgender citizens and visitors of the state.

"We are closer today to creating an open, respectful, inclusive world that we want for all of our children," O'Malley said prior to signing that bill. "This bill gives us another step closer to that vision and to that reality."
read: http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/05/15/md-gov-signs-trans-nondiscrimination-bill-law

As Mayor of Baltimore, O'Malley helped the City become the first jurisdiction in Maryland to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals in 2002. In one of his first acts as Governor, he signed an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination against transgender state employees in 2007.

At a National Conference on LGBT Equality in 2012, Martin remarked:

“The dignity of a free and diverse people who at the end of the day, all want the same thing for their children: to live in a loving and caring home that is protected equally under the law.”

The governor added that “discrimination based on gender identity is wrong...Passing a law to protect transgender Marylanders from employment, credit and housing discrimination is the right thing to do.”

On the final day of the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Baltimore, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley expressed hopes that Maryland would soon become the seventh state with marriage equality. The governor also talked about his support for efforts to secure gender identity nondiscrimination protections in the state.
____________________________

Although there isn't yet a specific proposal from him in this campaign geared toward women, Martin O’Malley has received a “100 percent” rating from NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland

O’Malley’s high marks from NARAL are proven by his track record. In 2002, while he was serving as mayor of Baltimore, aides confirmed that O’Malley supports legal abortion and fair access without interference from the government until the point of viability. He also supports late-term abortion when the life of the mother is at risk, or when the fetus has a severe abnormality. And according to NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, O’Malley has not infringed on abortion rights by signing any new abortion restrictions during his tenure as governor.

When it comes to birth control, O’Malley increased access to contraception and pregnancy counseling, particularly among low-income women. In 2012, O’Malley signed the Family Planning Works Act, which greatly expanded reproductive-health access by providing low-income women with free pregnancy counseling and Medicaid-funded contraception, STI testing and cancer screenings. According to RH Reality Check, the act would provide these subsidized medical services to an additional 33,000 women in the state.

O’Malley has also promoted increased support for new mothers (and fathers) by signing the Maryland Parental Leave Act in 2014. The law expands parental leave for working parents, requiring Maryland small businesses to provide at least six weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of an employee’s child. Prior to the law, small businesses were exempted from providing unpaid family leave.

read: http://plannedparenthoodaction.org/elections-politics/newsroom/press-releases/planned-parenthood-action-fund-welcomes-martin-omalley-presidential-field/

Maryland, under Martin O'Malley, tied for having the lowest wage gap between our working men and women of any state in the nation...Maryland currently has the third-lowest poverty rate for women in the nation. Maryland is the No. 1 state in the nation for women-owned businesses -- one-third of Maryland businesses are women-owned. Maryland also ranks third in the nation in percentage of managerial jobs held by women at 42.4 percent. Here's the report, well worth the read-thru: https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/StateOfWomenReport.pdf
________________________________

Kim Propeack, chief of political communication for CASA de Maryland - Maryland's largest immigrants services and rights organization - and director of its political arm says Martin O'Malley has been “a real hero for the immigrant community.”

•As governor, O'Malley signed a bill allowing young immigrants illegally in the U.S. to pay in-state college tuition and to a bill to get driver's licenses.
•He was the first governor to meet with Latino leaders last year and sign up to push House Republicans to bring immigration reform legislation to a vote, which they never did
•He has shown respect that many in the immigrant community say is lacking in debates on immigration by using the term new Americans to refer to immigrants, whether here legally or not. He also established a state council to focus on integrating immigrants.
•He opposed White House proposals to return young Central American children and families who crossed the U.S-Mexico border last summer, saying they would face "certain death."
•On deportations - an issue that still vexes the current administration - O'Malley stopped Baltimore's City Detention Center from holding immigrants without criminal records for deportation by the federal government.
____________________________

I want there to be some demonstrated experience in making those words a reality for actual people; some demonstrated experience in transforming lives through their actions on the promises they're making in this campaign.

That's the reason Martin O'Malley stands tall, in my estimation, in this campaign, over the other announced candidates. He has a demonstrated experience in not only advocating for the progressive changes we need, but actually doing something about them and succeeding.

I suppose that makes it SIX reasons to support O'Malley.

[Raine1967]

33. Shhh, people might mistake you for being

[bigtree]

34. I am very

[Raine1967]

35. WELL DONE!!

[Stellar]

29. Initially I liked O'Malley and then...

I read up on him and discovered some things that he has done against the AA community that is still in place (or so I've read). That made me sad and angry. Now, I look at those things that were done was at a different time (tough on crime)...and he did his best.

I think now, he sees the error of what that caused the community and would like to change it. If he works as hard as he did for "tough on crime", he could help to turn things around.

Here's to giving O'Malley a second look.

[bigtree]

31. .

...here's to you giving O'Malley 'a second look'

[elleng]

37. You read my mind, bigtree,

been HOPING someone would provide a big 'in your face' to DUers.

It is TIME!

[bigtree]

49. we do need more support for this very influential candidate

...with so much to offer.

[elleng]

50. YES we DO,

and maybe we've made some inroads today.

[restorefreedom]

41. how are you NOT his head of media?

holy crap what a well researched post!

he is also the only one (sorry but it is hard to take chaffee seriously) who has run a state. this is what chief executives do, or are supposed to.

again, we need debates dammit!!

[elleng]

42. YES, a well-researched post!

and WHAT CHIEF EXECUTIVES DO!

Debates will uncover it, but who can wait???

[orpupilofnature57]

46. We shouldn't have to, MSM should provide time to willing candidates , Whenever, ' Free Speech '

but the political Machines can't cajole and control it that way, and they shouldn't .

[orpupilofnature57]

45. +1000 !!!

The only vehicle for on the spot information and intent,, Debates !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FSogol]

43. OM'G! Any one item is enough for me. K&R.

[hedgehog]

47. Thank you for putting all this together!

[aikoaiko]

48. Better than any Republican.

[elleng]

51. KICK!

[sadoldgirl]

52. This is quite a list of proposals

He would never be given the chance during the debates
to elaborate.

Looking at the Wall Street section, I am a bit worried
about all the appointee group. If a repug gets to that
point, we would see Paulson, Geitner,etc in there.
Perhaps they could be appointed by a bipartisan
committee?

Keep up with giving us the information again an
again, because repetition works quite well.

[elleng]

54. I don't think a committee;

we have to be sure HE'll do the right thing. How be sure? Look at his past experience.

Wall Street section tells us he KNOWS what to avoid, none of the paulson/geithner b.s., that's what he's dedicated to AVOID.

1. Ensure Key Political Appointees Are Independent of Wall Street.

[mattclearing]

56. K&R

[TheKentuckian]

57. I'll be watching and considering. He is the only other candidate that doesn't fill me with urge to

write in Mikey Mouse and drink till I pass out.

[elleng]

58. Good to hear, TheKentuckian,

not that other candidates cause such distress but that you're noticing Martin O'Malley. I think your positive thoughts will be confirmed.

Watch this, in case you haven't seen it yet:

[Scuba]

59. One excellent reason to NOT vote for O'Malley ...

http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Martin_O%60Malley_Principles_+_Values.htm

Supports Hyde Park Declaration of "Third Way" centrism.

O`Malley adopted the manifesto, "A New Politics for a New America":

As New Democrats, we believe in a Third Way that rejects the old left-right debate and affirms America’s basic bargain: opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and community of all.

[Zorra]

61. Aw, geez, that's really disappointing. nt

[elleng]

62. Boloney.

Last edited Mon Aug 3, 2015, 08:28 PM - Edit history (1)

We've seen this b.s. before, it's been addressed many times, but for some reason SOME people have to continue trying to trash a great candidate, and then some lemmings will just follow along over the cliff. Does your candidate do such things?

The Hyde Park declaration says:

We believe:
that government’s proper role in the New Economy is to equip working Americans with new tools for economic success and security.

in expanding trade and investment because we must be a party of economic progress, not economic reaction.

that fiscal discipline is fundamental to sustained economic growth as well as responsible government.

that a progressive tax system is the only fair way to pay for government.

the Democratic Party’s mission is to expand opportunity, not government.

that education must be America’s great equalizer, and we will not abandon our public schools or tolerate their failure.

that all Americans must have access to health insurance.

in preventing crime and punishing criminals.

in a new social compact that requires and rewards work in exchange for public assistance and that ensures that no family with a full-time worker will live in poverty.

that public policies should reinforce marriage, promote family, demand parental responsibility, and discourage out-of-wedlock births.

in enhancing the role that civic entrepreneurs, voluntary groups, and religious institutions play in tackling America’s social ills.

in strengthening environmental protection by giving communities the flexibility to tackle new challenges that cannot be solved with top-down mandates.

government must combat discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation; defend civil liberties; and stay out of our private lives.

that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.

in progressive internationalism -- the bold exercise of US leadership to foster peace, prosperity, and democracy.

that the US must maintain a strong, technologically superior defense to protect our interests and values.

This is pretty much the Democratic Party platform circa 2000.

[Zorra]

63. Here is a link that contains the signatories of the manifesto.

This is fact. Gov. O'Malley may want to explain that he has evolved, and distance himself from this as far as he can. This is a DLC/Third Way document, and there are many names on this list that a progressive Democrat would definitely not want their name to be associated with.

No snark intended, (except maybe that we lemmings tend to do our homework on candidates).
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.issues2000.org/Notebook/Note_00-DLC0.htm

Democrats participating in 00-DLC0

Brian Baird s1a Washington Democrat (until 2010)

Max Baucus s1a MT Democratic Sr Senator (retiring 2014)

Evan Bayh s1s IN Former Democratic Senator

Shelley Berkley s1a Nevada Democrat (Senate run 2012)

John Breaux s1s LA Former Democratic incumbent; retired 2004

Maria Cantwell s1a WA Democratic Jr Senator

Lois Capps s1a California Democrat

Russ Carnahan s1a Missouri Democrat

Tom Carper s1a DE Democratic Sr Senator

Ed Case s1a Hawaii Democrat

Ben Chandler s1a Kentucky Democrat

Bill Clinton s1a POTUS Democrat

Hillary Clinton s1a NY Former Democratic Senator (NY); now Secretary of State

Kent Conrad s1a ND Democrat Sr Senator (Retiring)

Bud Cramer s1a Alabama Democrat (Retired 2008)

Joseph Crowley s1a New York Democrat

Artur Davis s1a Alabama Former Democrat (until 2010)

Jim Davis s1s Florida Democrat

Susan Davis s1a California Democrat

Cal Dooley s1s California Democrat (Until 2004)

Byron Dorgan s1a ND Democratic Jr Senator (retiring 2010)

John Edwards s1a NC Former Democrat Senator; retired to run for President, 2004

Rahm Emanuel s1a Illinois Former Democrat (until 2009)

Eliot Engel s1a New York Democrat/Liberal

Bob Etheridge s1a North Carolina Democrat (Unseated 2010)

Dianne Feinstein s1a CA Democratic Sr Senator

Dick Gephardt s1a Missouri Democrat (Until 2004)

Al Gore s1a POTUS Democrat

Bob Graham s1a FL Former Democratic Senator; retired 2004

Jane Harman s1a California Democrat (Resigned 2011)

Brian Higgins s1a New York Democrat

Rush Holt s1a New Jersey Democrat

Darlene Hooley s1a Oregon Democrat (Retiring 2008)

Jay Inslee s1a WA Democratic Governor

Steve Israel s1a New York Democrat

Tim Johnson s1a SD Democratic Sr Senator (retiring 2014)

Bob Kerrey s1a NE Democratic Challenger (previously Senator)

John Kerry s1s MA Democratic Sr Senator

Ron Kind s1a WI Former Democratic challenger (2012)

Herbert Kohl s1a WI Democratic Sr Senator (Retiring)

Mary Landrieu s1s LA Democratic Sr Senator

Rick Larsen s1a Washington Democrat

John Larson s1a Connecticut Democrat

Blanche Lambert Lincoln s1s AR Former Democratic Senator

Zoe Lofgren s1a California Democrat

Terry McAuliffe s1a VA Democratic Challenger

Carolyn McCarthy s1a New York Dem./Ind./Working-Families

Mike McIntyre s1a North Carolina Democrat

Gregory Meeks s1a New York Dem./Working-Families

Juanita Millender-McDonald s1a California Democrat

Dennis Moore s1a Kansas Democrat (until 2010)

James Moran s1s Virginia Democrat

Ben Nelson s1a NE Democratic Sr Senator (Retiring)

Bill Nelson s1a FL Democratic Sr Senator

Sam Nunn s1a GA Democratic Senator (Former)

Martin O`Malley s1a MD Democratic Governor

David Eugene Price s1a North Carolina Democrat

Mark Pryor s1a AR Democratic Sr Senator

Charles Robb s1s VA Democratic Senator (Former)

Tim Roemer s1s Indiana Democrat

Loretta Sanchez s1a California Democrat

Adam Schiff s1a California Democrat

Allyson Schwartz s1a Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Challenger

David Scott s1a Georgia Democrat

Kathleen Sebelius s1a KS Former Democratic Governor (1994-2002); Cabinet Sec'y (HHS)

David Adam Smith s1a Washington Democrat

Debbie Stabenow s1a MI Democratic Jr Senator

John Tanner s1a Tennessee Democrat (until 2010)

Ellen Tauscher s1s California Former Democrat (until 2009)

Tom Udall s1a New Mexico Democrat (Senate 2008)

Tom Vilsack s1s IA Former Democratic Governor (1994-2002); Cabinet Sec'y (USDA)

David Wu s1a Oregon Democrat (Resigned 2011)

Independents participating in 00-DLC0
Harold Ford s1a NY 2010 Democratic Primary Challenger; previously US Rep (TN)
Joseph Lieberman s1s CT Independent Sr Senator; Gore's VP nominee (Retiring)
Janet Napolitano s1a US Cabinet
Gavin Newsom s1a 0CA00 S.F. Mayor; former Gov. candidate (2000)
Mike Thurmond s1a GA 2010 Democratic Challenger
Anthony Williams s1a DC00 Washington Mayor