How O'Malley Used The LGBT Community
During the 2011 Maryland legislative
session, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) of Maryland was largely non-committal about
the issue of gay marriage. The maximum support
that he pledged for a gay marriage bill in 2011 was a statement in the
Washington Times on July 15, 2011 that he would offer more support in
2012. The issue was not a priority on
his agenda for 2011, and there were no grand passionate speeches in support of
gay rights such as the one that he advanced in 2012. So, what changed between 2011 and 2012?
Once need look no further than O’Malley’s 2012 budget proposal to find
the cause of his abrupt change in belief system. In a special session of the state legislature
just completed on May 16, 2012, Maryland adopted an income tax proposal that
raises the tax rate for individuals earning in excess of $100,000.00 per year,
and married couples earning in
excess of $150,000.00 per year. Aside
from the inequitable impropriety of the tax plan on couples versus individuals,
there is one other glaring conclusion that involves slightly more research.
In February 2012, the Baltimore Sun published an article that was
titled, “O’Malley explains evolution of stance on same sex marriage at Sun
forum.”[1] In the article, the Governor attempted to
explain why he was only supportive of “civil unions” when running for governor
and not “same-sex marriage.” He asserted
that he believed in “civil marriage” but that his “advisors” told him that if he
used that term (which didn’t exist anywhere else in political lexicon in
relation to gay marriage), he would jeopardize his chances at becoming
governor. Of course, it was far more
important that he become governor as opposed to stand up for the “fundamental civil
right” of gay marriage that he spoke so passionately about in 2012. O’Malley tempered his statements by arguing
that he was just trying to employ a baby-step mentality, believing that
Marylanders would support civil unions, but not gay marriage. However, when New York adopted a gay marriage
law, he believed the issue was moving forward fast enough to advance support
for gay marriage. Nonetheless, the
article further pointed out that when O’Malley announced that he would offer
more support in 2012 for a gay marriage bill, he was asked why he had changed
his stance. O’Malley “declined to
elaborate” but stated that growing up in the Catholic Church influenced his
early thinking on the topic.” Of course,
no one at the Sun thought to ask why he didn’t change his position after he won
the 2008 election…or during the 2009 legislative session…or during the 2010
legislative session. It cannot be clearer
that O’Malley’s “evolution” was effectively a 1-year flip-flop from “separate
but equal (civil unions v. marriage),” to “fundamental right & civil
liberty.”
To Recap:
2008 = I believe in
civil marriage, but I will call it a civil union because I need to
get elected.
2009 = I believe in
civil marriage but not same-sex marriage.
2010 = I believe in
civil marriage but not same-sex marriage.
2011 = I will support
a gay marriage bill, but I’ll support it more next year.
2012 = Same-sex
marriage is a fundamental right and civil liberty issue.
It should be pretty evident that something drastically changed from
2011 – 2012; but what? Was there a
sudden epiphany that led O’Malley to change his position so drastically? Was the “evolution” of his position
accelerated by global warming? Perhaps
the answer lies among the other issues that have held themselves near and dear
to Governor O’Malley’s 2012 agenda.
According to the US Census bureau, the median household income in
Maryland for 2009 was approximately $70,000.00 per year, which is approximately
$20,000.00 per year higher than the national statistic, and number 1 in the United
States. While income statistics for the
GLBT community are scarce, what is available (and admittedly, it is far from an
exhaustive search) seems to indicate that the median household income for gay
citizens appears to be approximately 30% - 40% higher than the overall median.[2] There is little data that I could uncover
that indicated whether a gay household would include one or more tax payers;
however, the individual income data seems to indicate a similar variance in
income (30% - 40%). To every extent
possible, I avoided using any site that was particularly critical of the GLBT
community to avoid as much bias as possible.
The Maryland Comptroller reported that in 2008 (most recent readily
available online) there were 185,446 joint tax returns filed where the adjusted
gross income (AGI) was in excess of $150,000.00, and 114,143 individual returns
filed where the AGI was in excess of $75,000.00.
The UCLA School of Law – Williams Institute estimates that
approximately 3.8% of US citizens identify themselves as GLBT. Recent statements in the media have alleged a
higher percentage (as high as 7%), although I have not seen research to support
that conclusion. Additionally, there is
some evidence to conclude that the gay population in Maryland is approximately
5%-6% based on media reports, but once again, I have not seen the actual
research to support that conclusion. In very
rudimentary fashion, and taking into account the likelihood that there are a
greater number of the GLBT community earning higher individual incomes than in
the general population, applying the national percentage to the individual tax
returns filed in Maryland, approximately 4,337 tax returns would be filed by
LGBT citizens, many of which, if filed individually, would not meet the new higher
tax standard from O’Malley’s new budget.
However, based on the fight that was powered by LGBT community to
legalize gay marriage, once can only conclude that a large number of people in
the LGBT community will marry creating a combined household income that exceeds
the new $150,000.00 income tax mark set by O’Malley. And, remember, as one person’s income
increases, the partner’s income can be less and still reach the $150K mark.
So, I return to my initial question…
Why the sudden change in O’Malley’s position? It comes down to dollars and cents, not
rights and liberties. That’s Right… Governor Martin O’Malley has found a way to
tax a self-described fundamental right/civil liberty. He is not your friend. He has used your emotion and sense of right
and wrong to blind you from his intentions, and he has done it with you
cheering him on.
Lastly, and for clarity, I write this taking no position on the issue
of gay marriage. That question is
between me and the referendum ballot in November. This is nothing more than a reminder to be
careful who you support in politics, particularly in Maryland. Blindly following any politician only serves
trample rights, and pick your pocket.
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