On March 12th there was a joint meeting of the Maryland House and Senate on the electric and gas rates hikes in Annapolis. The Vice-Chairman of the Committee was Delegate Brian Crosby of St. Mary’s County.
To observe Delegate Crosby in action is to be reminded that bluster is no substitute for wisdom, and that the loudness of one’s indignation does not make a position more valid. Upon watching his obvious attack on political strategist Len Foxwell on the Maryland General Assembly’s livestream, one might wonder whether the delegate from St. Mary’s County thinks he is engaging in serious debate or simply enjoys throwing punches at imaginary enemies. The evidence suggests the latter.
Mr. Foxwell, the principle of Tred Avon Strategies, whose record as a sharp and independent commentator on Maryland politics is well established, had the audacity to point out on social media what should have been obvious to anyone paying attention: Senate Bill 1 – which Delegate Crosby so proudly sponsored,- has had exactly the consequences its critics warned about… to the detriment of Maryland’s already burdened ratepayers.
According to the latest Gonzales Poll, 50% of Marylanders say the state is moving in the wrong direction. In the same poll, 76% of Marylanders say that their electric bill is much higher (57%) or somewhat higher (19%) compared to one year ago.
Yet instead of responding with a logical argument or engaging in a real discussion, Delegate Crosby opted for a petty tirade, painting Mr. Foxwell as some kind of recluse living in a bunker, accusing him of working for corporate interests, and engaging in the sort of juvenile name-calling one would expect from an internet troll rather than an elected official.
Orwell once warned that some ideas are so absurd only intellectuals believe them, but in this case, even basic reasoning seems to be missing. There is no mystery here. Senate Bill 1, hailed by its corporate backers as a win for consumers, has done exactly what its opponents predicted: it gutted competition in Maryland’s energy market, forced private suppliers out of the state, and left everyday Marylanders stuck with soaring utility bills from monopolies they cannot escape.
That Delegate Crosby now acts surprised is either willful ignorance or political dishonesty. He was warned. He was presented with the facts. And yet, he marched forward, blind to the consequences, dismissing critics who pointed out the obvious flaws in this grand plan.
As for Mr. Foxwell, his argument needs no defense. It is rooted in reality, and reality doesn’t care about a politician’s ego. He has not, as Crosby absurdly claims, “whipped up” public anger. As patently demonstrated in the Gonzales Poll, the public is plenty angry on its own—because they are the ones struggling to pay for heat, light, and basic necessities while Maryland’s utilities rake in record profits. Their anger is justified, because anti-competitive policies like Senate Bill 1 have made life harder for working families who don’t have the luxury of ignoring bad legislation.
Marylanders deserve better. They deserve leaders who take their responsibilities seriously, who listen, who correct courses, and who understand that governance is about more than grandstanding.
As for Mr. Foxwell, one suspects he will continue doing what he does best: holding the powerful accountable, speaking uncomfortable truths, and refusing to be silenced by the predictable, childish tantrums of those who fear accountability. And for that, he deserves our thanks.
Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. is a life-long Eastern Shoreman, an attorney, and former Chairman of the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals. He is co-host of the Gonzales/Mitchell Show podcast that discusses politics, business, and cultural issues.
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