20061016 The Examiner Editorial Franchot’s empty gesture

The Examiner Editorial Franchot’s empty gesture
October 16, 2006

The Baltimore Examiner had a wonderful editorial in the Monday, October 16, 2006 edition of the paper: The Examiner Editorial: Franchot’s empty gesture

Mr. Farbissiner Franchot is a moonbat who has perfected the art of professional outrage. He is extraordinary proficient at being a particularly unpleasant gentleman, who has led a remarkable life unencumbered by accomplishment.

If it were not for partisan politics, Mr. Franchot would still be at the larval stage of a coat hanger.

That Mr. Franchot would form a “business advisory group,” is wonderful theatre of Clintonesque proportions and a continuation of the intellectual dishonesty that pervades his life.

_____

The Examiner Editorial: Franchot’s empty gesture

Oct 16, 2006 5:00 AM

BALTIMORE - Last week, Democratic comptroller candidate and D.C. lobbyist Peter Franchot said he was forming a business advisory council. The group of 40 “business executives and leaders” from around the state are supposed to provide him with insight on economic and community development issues.

Good for him. But since it’s one of the first times he has shown a remote interest in fiscal responsibility, it strikes us as a bit late.

He campaigned for the job during the primary season with promises to raise teacher salaries, protect the environment, build more schools and support universal health care, among other issues. As comptroller, he won’t be able to do any of those things. The job requires the office holder to vote on state contracts, collect taxes and to oversee the state pension fund.

And it’s not as if the advisory council will contribute to Franchot’s economic enlightenment.

The vast majority of the group are lawyers, communications experts, investors, consultants and bankers, who push money and agendas around rather than create jobs and products. A few board members actually run businesses, but sorely lacking are entrepreneurs, who create the vast majority of jobs.

What does Casper Taylor, the former speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, know about making payroll? And for such a progressive candidate, only a handful of advisers are women.

And as recent current events show, many board members of public companies — who are paid — can only find time to rubber-stamp executive decisions. So the success of a volunteer committee seems highly unlikely. Besides, “leaders” achieve that status by focusing on their work, not on extracurricular activities.

If Franchot really cares about being a “fiscal watchdog,” he must focus on evaluating whether the state’s pension investments make sense and on ensuring the efficient and secure collection of taxes.

####