'When everybody in Washington is talking about emails, O’Malley wants to talk about Wall St. reform'

[bigtree]

Katrina vandenHeuvel ?@KatrinaNation 13m13 minutes ago
My take this am: Martin O’Malley sounds like he’s running --& why competitive Democratic primary season important/ http://wpo.st/Tj290

At a moment when everybody in Washington is talking about e-mails, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley (D) wants to talk about Wall Street reform. Indeed, while Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail address at the State Department has created a media frenzy and overshadowed other issues, the past week brought additional news in the Democratic primary: O’Malley is almost certainly running for president. And he’s determined to make his voice heard despite some pundits dismissing his ability to mount a “credible” challenge to Clinton for the party’s nomination...

Since leaving office in January, O’Malley has been traveling the country and laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign. During recent visits to Kansas, New Hampshire and elsewhere, O’Malley has delivered a progressive populist message. Specifically, he has called for reinstating Glass-Steagall banking regulations, hiking the capital gains tax, increasing the minimum wage, raising the threshold for overtime pay and strengthening collective bargaining rights. And while he is far more comfortable discussing his policies than his potential opponents, O’Malley took a perceived shot at Clinton in South Carolina when he declared, “Triangulation is not a strategy that will move America forward.”

I recently sat down with O’Malley to discuss his possible path to the White House. He made the case that rather than practicing the politics of “triangulation,” Democrats need to speak with clarity about what they are for. “We have to be very clear as a party about our principles,” he told me. “I think we undercut our own governing message and our own mission statement when we’re not clear-throated about the failure of trickle-down economics, how the economy is a result of political choices we make and why we need a combination of wage policies that reward work and policies to rein in reckless speculation that becomes destructive or predatory. It just undercuts our argument when we try to find the middle ground.”

Driven by the belief that economic inequality and declining wages will be vital issues in 2016, O’Malley has adopted a platform that resonates with much of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) populist plan to help the middle class. He was candid, for example, in his criticism of Democrats who have acquiesced to the Republican talking point that Social Security is driving the deficit. “There’s been a myth pushed that what’s wrong with our country is entitlements,” he said. “I think we do need to expand Social Security, and I think we need to be unabashed about it.” O’Malley further cited Warren’s boldness as the reason she connects with so many voters, saying, “I think that people have been responding to Senator Warren because of the clarity with which she speaks to the rigging of the system.”

Though he did record an impressive number of progressive achievements in two terms as governor — overseeing the passage of marriage equality, banning assault weapons, ending the death penalty, raising the minimum wage and enacting a state version of the Dream Act — his more sharply framed populist message seems as though it was tailor-made for these times and this campaign...


read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/martin-omalley-sounds-like-hes-running/2015/03/16/81bc4922-c9c4-11e4-b2a1-bed1aaea2816_story.html?postshare=9341426515877392

[yallerdawg]

1. I don't want someone to primary Hillary.

I want someone other than Hillary* (if she runs).

O'Malley could be the one.

*If Hillary is the Democratic Party nominee, I will support her with every fiber of my being! Starts with shattering that glass ceiling!

[FSogol]

2. K & R. n/t

[ND-Dem]

3. kr

[oldandhappy]

4. good for him

I will start to pay more attention to O'Malley

[Jefferson23]

5. Well said, all of it.

I appreciate this: * It just undercuts our argument when we try to find the middle ground.”
****she speaks to the rigging of the system.”

K&R

[WDIM]

6. This is exactly what democrats need to run on

Wall street and banking regulation. Tax reform and capital gains tax hike, minimum wage, overtime and labor rights.

We need to call republicans out on their hatred of the poor and love of the rich.

It still blows me away that we let Bush take overtime away from millions of people and nobody called the republican out on it. Its time for labor in this country to demand a life back and to demand if you make me work more you pay me more.

Its the workers that increase wealth for the 1%. Now its time the workers to start increasing wealth for themselves.

[mmonk]

7. Thanks bigtree. I need to know more about him.

[Liberalynn]

8. I like what he is saying so far!

[sketchy]

9. K&R

[semanticwikiian]

10. Nick Hanauer, anyone?

a billionaire from Seattle is also focused on Wall St reform (and supports other progressive priorities)
He's a good guy to watch as an alternative to ReadyForHillary
Maybe a Hanauer-OMalley is on the horizon.

[Jim Lane]

11. Martin O'Malley Group?

I'm not in the O'Malley camp at this point, but every time I see something like this post, it (a) gets me more interested in him, and (b) makes me think about whether we should have a Martin O'Malley Group on DU.

I don't know if such a Group should follow the policy of others and allow only supporters. Given how many of us are interested but don't know much about him, it might be beneficial to have a forum where the pros and cons could be brought out.

[snooper2]

19. Yeah, let's call it GD because he DAMN well is a better choice than more fucking dynasties...

[bigtree]

12. kick

[Cali_Democrat]

13. K&R for O'Malley!

I really like him.

[bigtree]

14. »

[FSogol]

15. Here's some info on O'Malley:

Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2015, 08:58 AM - Edit history (1)

For people unaware of O'Malley, here's his resume:

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/gov/former/html/msa13090.html

The bottom quarter is good reading on O'Malley's positions and what he accomplished in Maryland.
A former Governing Magazine “Public Official of the Year,” Governor O’Malley was re-elected in 2010. His 2013 legislative successes were described in a Baltimore Sun editorial as “without many parallels in recent Maryland history.”

With a balanced approach of spending cuts, regulatory reform, and modern investment in education, innovation, and infrastructure, Governor O’Malley and his Administration are making better choices that are delivering better results, including:

Fastest rate of job growth in the region.
#1 ranking for best public schools in America for an unprecedented five years in a row (Education Week).
#1 ranking for holding down the cost of college tuition (College Board).
#1 ranking for innovation and entrepreneurship for two years running (U.S. Chamber of Commerce).

Under the Governor’s leadership, Maryland also ranks:

#1 nationally in median income,
#1 in Ph.D. scientists and researchers per capita,
#1 in Research and Development, and
#1 in businesses owned by women.


Called “arguably the best manager in government” by Washington Monthly magazine, Governor O’Malley has cut State spending more than any previous governor in Maryland’s history, balancing these record cuts with targeted, modern investments in priorities like public education. He has reduced the size of government to its smallest size since 1973 (on a per capita basis) and reformed how it is managed, so that it works more efficiently and accountably. His actions to save Maryland’s State pension system have made it sustainable over the long term. His fiscal stewardship has nearly eliminated Maryland’s structural deficit. His efforts to streamline, consolidate and digitize processes like business licensing are making Maryland a better place to do business.

PS, part of a public informational archive and not bound by copyright.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has expanded health care to more than 380,000 previously uninsured Marylanders. It has reduced infant mortality to an historic low, and provided meals to thousands of hungry children as it moves forward toward its goal for eradicating childhood hunger.

The Governor’s policies have made strides in restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay and saving the Bay’s native blue crab and oyster populations.

The O’Malley Administration has secured millions of dollars in rate relief for Maryland energy consumers while jump-starting the creation of thousands of green energy sector jobs. Under Governor O’Malley’s leadership, Maryland led the charge for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation’s first cap-and-trade auction of greenhouse emissions.

Governor O’Malley has cut income taxes for 86% of Marylanders and reformed Maryland’s tax code to make it more progressive. In addition, he signed the nation’s first statewide living wage law, along with some of the nation’s most comprehensive reforms to protect homeowners from foreclosure.

Declaring that Marylanders are bound together by “the common thread of human dignity,” Governor O’Malley signed legislation to protect individual civil marriage rights and religious freedom, along with legislation to protect voting rights. He signed – and successfully defended at the ballot box – the DREAM Act, which expands the opportunity of a college education to more Marylanders.

Mother Jones magazine considers O'Malley the
best environmental candidate.

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/12/martin-omalley-longshot-presidential-candidate-and-real-climate-hawk


In this video he dismantles most GOP Governors (Including Scott Walker) in this C-span video
He also allows Repuke VA Governor Bob McDonnell to destroy himself. It is long, but well worth a watch. If you can watch the whole thing, skip forward to 19:30-22:00

http://www.c-span.org/video/?304573-1/economic-issues-states

And a shorter version:
http://videoshare.politico.com/singletitlevideo_noads.php?bcpid=1409164951001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAETmrZQ~,EVFEM4AKJdRjek0MS21pRzf_GTDAM-xj&bctid=1470764011001

[bigtree]

16. thanks

[MrMickeysMom]

18. I like O'Malley's approach...

It comes off in the C-SPAN video, especially when compared to VA's Romney-wanna be rhetoric.

It's about time we had an election based on ideas put into action. So far, his administration seems to be the leader.

We need leaders.

[JDPriestly]

21. Thanks. O'Malley sounded great in the Politico interview. I hope to hear more from him

at the national level. I agree with everything he said.

My first impression of O'Malley: great sense of humor, quick wit,, excellent choice of language, compassionate and socially sharp, patient without being boring, thorough, deep thinker, well informed, real liberal, defends his positions with passion but without anger or arrogance (that's very important), good judgment, a record of success as a manager, ability to bring people together and find common ground with an opponent, plays defense with positive offense (I hope you understand what I mean by that understands and can explain math and statistics and place them in context, good memory, thinks on his feet, great voice, good looks (healthy and balanced looking so that is pleasing), kind, respectful of others, can explain things so people understand and generally I really like him.

In short, just based on what I saw in that video, I think he could win the primary and the election.

[FSogol]

23. Good analysis and I agree.

People who have worked for him describe him as impatient and that he throws himself at problems, working to find solutions quickly.

[geek tragedy]

17. k&r nt

[JDPriestly]

20. So far, so good. I don't know much about O'Malley, but this report sounds good.

We shall see how he stands on all the issues and whether he has the charisma and the voice that we need in our candidate.

I'm willing to give him a chance and listen to him.

[Vattel]

22. he is so transparent

"Though he did record an impressive number of progressive achievements in two terms as governor — overseeing the passage of marriage equality, banning assault weapons, ending the death penalty, raising the minimum wage and enacting a state version of the Dream Act — his more sharply framed populist message seems as though it was tailor-made for these times and this campaign..."

He will no doubt drop the tactic of calling those who oppose his rightwing crime policies as "leftwing ideologues."

[rosesaylavee]

24. I like O'Malley as a candidate.

Would like to hear what he has to say in a primary. He gets that there is a climate crisis and has said he wants to address that.

Secy Clinton has yet to speak on that. Her State Depts approval of Keystone speaks to her utter ignorance or denial of the matter - but am hoping I am wrong on that.

[KMOD]

25. k & r