The respective moribund economies of Montgomery County and Maryland have experienced the whiplash of rapid downscaling over the first quarter of this century. As Montgomery County fell behind even Prince George's and Culpeper Counties in job creation, dropped off the Forbes 10 Richest Counties list, and saw "Montgomery County's Rodeo Drive" fade into empty storefronts and smashed-out bus shelters, the same cartel candidates kept getting reelected. They've radically recalibrated their messaging for these bleak and desperate times by embracing the lowbrow lifestyles they once condemned. Last week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore joined them by announcing the only economic development victory of his term so far: the addition of 4000 McDonald's fast food restaurant jobs.
At first, many thought Moore's press conference was a stunt by The Onion. Karine Jean-Pierre might have referred to the livestream video as a "cheapfake." But it was all humiliatingly real. There stood the governor whom the media assured us in 2022 was a Wall Street wizard, and who fundraises for his political campaigns among financial oligarchs in the Hamptons and on Martha's Vineyard, touting burger flipping jobs as if he had won Amazon's HQ2 contest.
One wonders who is advising the governor these days. The Golden Arches press event only underlined what a failure Moore has been so far in attracting high-wage jobs and major corporations to the state. Surely his Rolodex must be bursting with corporate titans. Are they that convinced that Moore is such a poor leader and salesman, that they are unwilling to invest in Maryland, even while they imagine what Moore will do for their investment portfolios and offshore accounts as President of the United States in 2029?
Public reaction to the McDonald's "partnership" was decidedly disastrous. Incredulous, mocking tweets and memes populated social media timelines. Serious observers wondered why a future President of the United States, and current executive of a state, would be holding a press event more suggestive of a small town mayor rolling out a summer jobs program for disadvantaged youth. Mayor McCheese, perhaps.
Moore, who stresses his physical fitness at every Instagram opportunity, joined the Montgomery County Council in embracing a junk food future. As they have managed the decline that they themselves have brought about, the Councilmembers have done a 180 on health and fitness. A Council that once banned trans fats, forced fast food restaurants to post calorie counts, and even tried to adjudicate which products could be sold in vending machines in the county now has to promote a much different lifestyle.
Much like their flip-flop on natural gas - once calling it the clean fuel of the future, but more recently banning gas stoves and furnaces - the key for the Council is holding onto power, not ideological consistency.
Montgomery County hasn't attracted a major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. It hasn't attracted many high-wage jobs at all, compared to Northern Virginia. Where the economic activity in Montgomery County is these days is a far cry from cutting the ribbon on Amazon HQ2 in Arlington or christening the new Northrop Grumman HQ in Falls Church. In the last few years, the Montgomery County Council has found itself holding giant pairs of shears outside of...mega gas stations and convenience stores.
Having warned voters of our leaders' incompetence for years, and now watching all of my predictions sadly come true...and being a huge fan of McDonald's...and watching the same Council that once raided a Wendy's and condemned the Baconator now spending the taxpayers' dime promoting Slurpees and Sizzli sandwiches, I have to say, "I'm lovin' it!"
A governor and County Council who should be asking questions like, "Where did we go wrong?" "Maybe we should cut taxes and spending instead of raising them?" or "Will you PLEASE move your Fortune 500 company to Montgomery County?" are instead asking, "Do you want fries with that?"
31 comments:
He's a good looking, articulate politician who will be spring boarded onto the national stage. The DNC has few viable candidates. Don't be fooled, Moore is running. Lastly, take a look at Nova and their beltway improvements then look at what happens once you cross the Cabin John Bridge. Super highway to gridlock.
Good governance or actual common sense is not a requirement on the left. Recent polls put AOC as the current front runner in 2028. I say please run the bartender against JD Vance.
Watching democrats fall apart these days is quite entertaining and would be so much more enjoyable if they weren't in charge of anything but here we are.
And yet we still have NIMBY's trying to block any and all economic development activity. VA is eating our lunch because community members aren't able to hold up all transportation and development projects. This blog is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black...
At least he vetoed the reparations study bill. Only ‘cause it might have hurt his national political aspirations.
Wow, thanks Robert.. lots of things to think about and for the county and state to ignore. We just don't bona fide talent and competence.
5:08 - Exactly. Shapiro is their best horse but AOC, yes!
6:43 - Excellent point and I agree on that analysis.
The way you jump between state and county to fit your arguments is really something. Often find you comparing Montgomery County to Virginia as a whole...or Maryland to counties in Northern Virginia. I can't tell whether its intentional or just bad faith.
For a bit of context, since January 2000, Maryland has been under:
Democratic governors for 162 months.
Republican governors for 144 months.
Pretty much even. Blame Wes Moore all you want, but Hogan and Erlich are as responsible for the current state of the state. There are clearly steps that can be taken to make MD more competitive. The biggest challenge for attracting F500 business is that both National and Dulles airports are in Virginia. There is a significant amount of land to develop around both airports, which allows for 'finger on the scale' deals for VA. You can build a highway to expedite, but there is a huge difference between 5-10 minute drives to the airport and 45 minute to 1 hour drives. There are ways to overcome these challenges, but its not easy to compete with. Many more reasons, but its easy to see why people live in MD and work in VA
The clown and the bandit are highly symbolic of our county leadership.
1:52 conveniently leaves out the MD legislature which has been in control of democrats essentially controls the direction of the agenda. Perfect example is how many times Hogan's veto was overridden but don't let facts get in the way of your rant.
The best any Republican governor can do is temper the insanity yet it still doesn't work in MC, PGC or Baltimore. Makes me wish for sane democrats like Duncan but you guys are now completely off the rails with full blown TDS such that deporting MS13 gang members gets full attention from the left while victims families are ignored. Take a look in the mirror sometime and ask yourself if the sacrifice of this country is worth your hatred on Trump.
1:52. Lost you at the 'time comparison' between R and D Governorships. What you leave out is the fact that although Hogan was (is.sort of) a "R," he was certainly compromising and equally stifled by all the Ds surrounding him. There is no doubt the Ds and their shortsighted policies, across the board, are hurting Montgomery County and certainly the state, especially lately. Will Alsobrooks be an exception? Unlikely to the point of absurdity.
We will rue the day PG politics took over our whole state.
Beta Obammy.
Not only are we losing in most, if not all, metrics, that one pathetic 'positive' our energetic and toothy Gov touts, the creation of 4000 jobs is fraught with disingenuousness if not outright mendacity. Best case is a fraction of that number working below 32 hours but eventually displaced by kiosks and mostly hands off (read: externalizing costs to the consumer) drive thrus. I bet behind this is an arrangement between McD's and our Shady leadership to promote this image, but in the end, nothing will really come of it.
What does Alsobrooks, a Senator have to do with State and County policies. Her job is largely to bring Federal $ to MD and vote on Federal Legislation (fairly useless in a Trump presidency- where he's only able to govern through one executive order after another, that can be challenged in courts or unwound fairly easily down the road). I'm sure she'll do fine.
Wow, you really buy into this MS13 nonsense that Trump is feeding you. Good grief.
11:24 Exemplifies TDS as your hero Van Hollen and your party are publicly all in to bring back as many deported gang members as possible. Put down the waterpipe and quit letting MSDNC run your life.
Check out the latest MD debacle, The Baltimore Peninsula which is essentially a high-end wasteland located not too far from the real wasteland that is the Inner Harbor.
Brought to MD with huge tax incentives, (read taxpayer dollars), it's a beautiful new harbor development that is essentially vacant. The Inner Harbor is a result of bad governmental management and lack of criminal enforcement.
Democrats don't have a track record to become dog catcher but liberals are like sheep voting for the D no matter what because "this time will be different" as they go for the same failed policies over and over again expecting different results.
Then there’s the unconditional support of illegals, especially documented gang members where a Biden appointed judge this week wants the return of all the felony-convicted gang members back because their home country doesn't want them and Trump has sent them elsewhere by statute. Ask yourself, whose side are you on?
For regular working people, there is nowhere to run. Our country is eating any opportunity for an average person to doggy-paddle an existence. If you search ' New Study Says 60% of Americans Can’t Afford a Basic Life", you will see your children's future. Both parties cling to a failed ideology. FDR has been sold to corporations and Reaganism was a scam. Arguing which party is better is futile. It's all corrupt. France, Germany, or Cuba? Pick which revolution you want.
@4:26 The solution is a booming capitalist economy whereas the democrats in liberal states like MD want higher minimum wages, (CA just passed a $30/hour minimum starting before the Olympics), when that just pushes all prices up negating the increase. Its like the left never passed basic economics and everything is a zero sum gain.
That entry-level fast food job was never designed to sustain a family but to give life experience so one can move up the employment chain and be replaced by another young person looking for work experience. Sad that I need to explain this to liberals many of which have post graduate degrees yet vote to keep "workers" in their place like it's someone's life dream to support a family at MCD's. I guess their kids are waiting for them to pass so they never have to gain that basic work ethic that everyone needs to succeed.
You mean The clown and the bondi are highly symbolic of our country's leadership. Fixed it for you.
Real picture or AI? If AI, ask whether it's really necessary
Perhaps you ultra-conservative whiners should concentrate on your downscale future, emanating from the cheap and gaudily decorated Oval Office. Your pockets are being fleeced by the twice unelected conman for his own benefit, while the fools who fell for the latest scam were duped again. The beautiful promise of a future of economic sunshine, has turned into a torrent of firings, inflation, deceit, and waste. Meanwhile, he alienates our allies, buys reinvents geographic features to benefit his desire, and spends lavishly for an unnecessary, second-hand, jet for his personal pleasure, at the cost of $400m. Plain and simple grift and robbery of the public. Buyers remorse is hiding behind the mask of the MAGA faithful, who are too embarrassed to admit their guilt.
The state of the state and local economy, and how it is being managed pale in comparison to your favored parties disgusting, disgraceful, and lawless behavior. What you constantly whine about, and finger point is fully impacted by the un-presidential behavior you ignore. OWN IT!
10:41 - Sure. Biden would have been a much better choice. Thank goodness he was booted by his "friends" in the Dem party. They really should be the focus of your ire. Their stupidity in keeping a dementia patient in office and lying about his condition for years gave Trump a glide path to victory. Kamala Harris? She's perhaps the worst candidate in American history. Had they jettisoned him earlier, they could have had a primary for Shapiro or any other candidate on the Dem side which they robbed the voters of. They simply coronated Harris who isn't qualified to run anything. The Dems are the real enemies here. Wake up. Own? They own the Biden coverup which may be the biggest in presidential history. Fact.
10:41, couldn't agree more. Trump does have gaudi taste, for sure.. But we're looking at probably 8 to 12 more years of it. How can they be so wrong?
MSDNC?? There is no way you are under 80 years old. Be honest, do you ever get tired of Fox News scaring and manipulating you and others your age?
10:41 is triggered because Trump lives in their mind rent free. I could tell you that Google is your friend but you might not like all the results. The MSM beclowns itself every time they open their mouths like Trump playing the video threatening genocide in South Africa in front of the president of SA. What'sthe first question from the press? The 747 so you occupy the same mental deficient space and most people can see it except you and your fellow travelers.
Nevermind that Trump secured business deals for American companies worth anywhere between 600 Billion to 2 Trillion dollars over the next decade and you want to whine about a 747 that belongs to the DOD that Trump can't use after he leaves office, (if he leaves office - sorry, I couldn't r-e-s-i-s-t - X2). Perhaps you're just uninformed but he owns a personal 757 with his name on it.
I get it, you're against any cuts in spending and don't mind huge deficits that even kids in nursery school won't be able to pay back. Hope you don't run your household like that but its probably mom & dad taking care of things. When you get out on your own, hopefully, let us know how it goes.
Wonder if 10:41 remembers when Biden was in Normandy for the D-Day anniversary and Jill flew back & forth to attend Hunter’s deposition all at taxpayer expense. Sure sounds like using MATS for "personal pleasure" but then again it's different when democrats do it, right? Grow up and read something outside the little circle of comic books aka NYT/WP etc.
@12:59 That's all you got? Didn't really expect anything else as facts don't support liberal conjecture. Thus is why people shouldn't do drugs and try to argue with adults.
@11:23 "I'm sure she'll do fine" - Wishful thinking at best as her track record during her tenure as PG CE was a dismal failure but that never stops the D worshipping lemmings.
Don't know why 10:41 is so upset that Qatar donated a 747 to the USA and as 1:23 points out, Trump walks out with a huge deal for American business. Would it be better if Trump used taxpayer dollars to pay for it? Besides, the 757 Trump owns is the king of the skies in climb out rate and cruising speed making it a favorite among pilots who've flown it.
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