"I'm very confident in the incompetence of the Democrats," said Brian Harlin, outgoing Republican Party chairman, who expects taxes and spending to rise during the next four years. "If Democrats in this county do what I think they're going to do, we'll be OK."The Republicans are calling us incompetent?
"The thing that bothers me the most is a thing like Merdon's race," Harlin said. "I didn't realize Howard County residents were that stupid." Republican Christopher J. Merdon lost decisively to Democrat Ken Ulman in the county executive race.
This is the same guy who kept telling anyone who would listen that this was going to be the Republicans' year.
1 comment:
Thanks for posting the article, Steve. This is beyond ridiculous. I read this article this morning, and immediately sent a letter to the Sun, the Times, the View, and hopefully one of them publishes it... in case they don't, here it is....
"At a time when President Bush and leaders of the new Democratic majorities in Congress, and even Governor Ehrlich and Governor-elect O’Malley, are coming together to urge cooperation and understanding in solving critical issues facing the country, here in Howard County the local Republicans seem to care more about the next election than working together to make progress. The chair of the Howard County Republican Party just recently said (and I can’t believe he actually made these statements in public) that he is confident in the “incompetence” of Democrats to lead Howard County and that he didn’t realize that voters were “that stupid” to elect Ken Ulman as County Executive. (The Baltimore Sun, “GOP vows to come back after election setback,” 11/15/06)
Isn’t this precisely the kind of rhetoric that we’re so tired of hearing? The newly-elected county officials haven’t even been sworn in yet and Mr. Harlin has already passed judgment on what they’ll accomplish in the next four years. After Democrats won four out of five County Council seats and won the race for County Executive, Howard County voters have made their intentions clear—we want to give Democrats another four years to lead. As voters, we expect losers to concede with dignity, and we expect them to give their opponents a chance. Mr. Harlin seems sure that our new county government will be “incompetent.” Shouldn’t he hope that they deliver for us? Who benefits from underfunded schools or a dysfunctional police department? Oh, that’s right: The Republican Party might benefit in 2010. It is shameful to pray for failure to benefit one party’s political fortunes.
I think we have a lot to gain in the next four years with a talented and experienced group of individuals, but don’t take my word for it, Mr. Harlin, because I may just be “that stupid” to believe it."
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