Annapolis Skunks at the Garden Party
One Party Politics is Destroying Maryland
By Delegate Kathy Szeliga
In an April 13 editorial, Maryland Matters founding editor Josh Kurtz compares himself to a skunk in a garden party. We completely agree and would like to praise his self-reflection! He felt compelled to tell Republicans they take up too much floor time in a state where we ironically spend 92% of our time passing Democrat-sponsored legislation. Protecting parental rights and combating child genital mutilation or castration are crucial causes, not just "feel-good rants." We invite Mr. Kurtz and other confused progressives to venture outside their echo chambers and join the rest of us in the purple and red parts of Maryland.
It is not in the best interest of taxpayers and citizens if we sit down and shut up, and we, therefore, have no intention of complying with Mr. Kurtz's request. We were not elected to remain silent.
In Montgomery County, an area considered progressive and open-minded, parents are disturbed by the unfitting instruction taught in Pre-K. It is utterly outrageous that four- and five-year-olds must learn gender-fluid theories in their curriculum. Similarly, Baltimore County residents express intense anger about introducing elementary school children to explicit sexual acts! Parents and teachers have pleaded for us to stand against this questionable teaching method. We cannot let this madness continue!
It would be remarkable if Annapolis journalists acknowledged the sharp rise in homicides across Maryland's inner cities and why there is an apparent lack of consideration for crime bills. Additionally, wouldn't it be refreshing to have honest coverage about all the legislators recently accused of misconduct or felonies?
Are you concerned about the quality of education? We have heavily funded schools yet still can't get out of their slump - with Fox 45 being one exception to this prevailing silence among Democrats and the traditional press. Governor Wes Moore himself benefited from prestigious private schools while denying the same to the children in the 23 failed Baltimore City schools! Who speaks for students' civil rights in chronically failing and often violent schools? Indeed not the "Press," as they ignore his chummy relationship with the Teachers Union. The Teachers Union and Wes Moore almost killed the BOOST program, the one successful school choice program for disadvantaged kids.
Only Republicans were advocating for the civil rights of these students stuck in drastically inadequate schools.
We certainly enjoyed the speech by a Democrat Delegate defending Democrat legislators being unruly on the House Floor in Tennessee, where they are the minority party. Days later, it was followed by those trying to silence the minority party in Maryland. Republicans rightly pushed back in the final minutes of the 2023 legislative session as Democrats refused to tell lawmakers and the public what changes were made to a bill that removes probable cause for motorists smoking pot while driving.
In the closing moments of Sine Die, Republicans stopped the "Drug King Pin" Bill. Astonishingly, Democrats were attempting to reduce criminal punishments for traffickers distributing heroin, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics that are leading Marylanders to their untimely deaths by the thousands- not to mention how these substances have also resulted in an increase in violent crime and homelessness across communities. You're welcome!
If you prefer single-party rule, then Cuba, China, and California might be the right fit. However, if Maryland is to retain its democratic republic form of government where meaningful dialogue takes place and Republican voices are respected in Annapolis - mutual respect must reign supreme.