Performative Legislating
The Maryland General Assembly has decided to honor former Congresswoman Helen Delich Bentley by naming the Port of Baltimore after her. And that's a problem in a way you don't expect.
Did you know that the Maryland General Assembly has decided to honor former Congresswoman Helen Delich Bentley by naming the Port of Baltimore after her?
Here’s Delegate Brian Chisholm, who did not even sponsor the House version of the bill, taking a victory lap for the bill.
That’s great and all except the Port of Baltimore was already named for Helen Bentley…..way back in 2006.
The port of Baltimore was renamed last night for Helen Delich Bentley, whose work on its behalf over a half-century as a journalist, legislator and consultant was born of a devotion to the city's waterfront instilled by her mother, who'd arrived by steamship.
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. officially named the state's public marine terminals the "Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore" yesterday evening, creating a permanent legacy for the former congresswoman.
Maryland has enough problems as it is. Real problems, like a budget crisis, high taxes, high crime, and an evil infatuation with aborting as many children as possible.
Maybe voters should send to Annapolis legislators focused on getting real things done instead of introducing legislation that does things that have already been done. They certainly need to stop sending legislators that take victory laps over things they weren’t even involved with….
This is an unnecessary post. First, yes, the Port was indeed named after Helen Delich Bentley in 2006 via an executive order by then-Gov. Bob Ehrlich. However, an executive order is not a statute or a regulation. It directs an agency to do x, y or z. It does not have the force of law. Next, an executive order can be struck or changed with a stroke of a pen by a future governor. This new statute makes the tribute to Bentley permanent. Lastly, you're correct that the port-naming legislation was not a heavy lift. Therefore it did not exhaust the General Assembly's resources to make this permanent change in state law.