Open Thread: Doesn't Matter Our State's Broke If Obama's President

January 18th, 2009 10:46 AM

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: Lisa Gladden (D), a Maryland state senator, made the following asinine statement last week (video embedded right):

It doesn’t matter if the state of Maryland is broke as long as Barack Obama is President of the United States – this is great!

Isn't that special?

A freelance writer from Maryland had this to say:

When the Maryland General Assembly meets each January, citizens of our great state are sure to be blessed with a reduction in civil liberties (we have a law forcing eight year-olds to ride in car seats), an increase in taxes (the last gathering saw an increase in our sales tax), and something as silly as last year’s State Exercise legislation (umm, walking) or State Dessert bill (the Smith Island cake).

But apparently, poverty, crime, taxes, homelessness, and unemployment are of secondary concern to Baltimore State Senator Lisa Gladden, a democrat, who showed up at the opening of the General Assembly session sporting a flashy Obama watch. [...]

Gladden, in a video interview you can see here, told the intrepid political reporter, “It doesn’t matter if the state of Maryland is broke as long as Barack Obama is going to be President of the United States – this is great!”

Not so great if you’ve just lost a job, your home, your 401k or your health insurance. 

But to Lisa Gladden, it doesn’t matter if we starve in the streets; nor does it matter that Maryland state workers are being furloughed; nor does it matter that crime in the city she represents is among the worst in the country; nor does it matter that her mayor (Sheila Dixon) has been indicted on charges ranging from theft to perjury; nor does the $1 billion dollar shortfall facing the state.

As long as Obama is president we can just put on our rose-colored eyewear, hold hands, and enjoy the ride to hell in our Barack-logoed handbasket.

What do you think about Gladden's statements, and what do they say about the state of our nation?