Today in Baltimore, former MD Governor Martin O’Malley announced his candidacy for President of the U.S..    Maybe he should have picked a different city as a backdrop for his announcement, or maybe Baltimore is the perfect example of what he can do for the rest of the country.

According to FBI statistics, Baltimore “enjoys” the 5th highest murder rate and the 7th highest violent crime rate in the country.  In past weeks those stats have moved dramatically in the wrong direction.  97% of U.S. cities can claim to be safer than Baltimore.*  Joblessness is also a problem in the city. According to the BLS:  The unemployment rate is currently 8.4%, well above the U.S. and even the MD average of 5.5%.  Then there is the alleged police misconduct that lead to the death of Freddie Gray and the riots and civil disturbances that followed.  Even if you agree that the officers involved should be held criminally accountable– who controls the police department in that city?  Liberal Democrats.

Usually when a candidate makes a speech in a city with such problems, it is to highlight the results of the disastrous programs of their opponent, or their opponent’s party.  The problem with Baltimore in this regard is that it has been firmly in the hands of liberal Democrats for over forty years.  All of its mayors since 1971 have been Democrats.  Seven of the last ten Maryland Governors have been Democrats.  There are no conservative or even Republican fingerprints on any major initiative enacted in that city.  They cannot blame an unsympathetic State House for blocking any law they saw fit.  Baltimore then should be a liberal paradise.  It should be a shining example that a Democratic hopeful should be able to point to proudly and say, “look America–  this too can be yours, Baltimore’s success can be yours to if you just vote for me!”

Problem is, they can’t. If Baltimore is the best that generations of liberal policies can do almost entirely free from the influence of conservatives, then American should tell Governor O’Malley and the Democrats:  “No thanks”.

* according to neighborhoodscout.com