Democratic Response to The Presidents' Radio Address

Good morning. My name is Martin O’Malley. I am the Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland – a major city in our country’s economy that, like every city and town in America, has been left virtually defenseless by our federal government ’s failure to fund homeland defense.

Mr. President, every American is rightly proud of the men and women of our armed forces. We would never send them into harm’s way without providing them the best equipment, protection, and intelligence that money can buy.

But, this war is not like other wars. It’s being fought on two fronts and for the first time in nearly 200 years, that second front is right here, at home, in the population and economic centers of our country—where we are still as terribly exposed as we were on September 11.

Mr. President, as we await next week’s State of the Union, remember that our nation is failing the front line soldiers of our homeland defense – our fire, police and health workers. 501 days after the attacks of 9/11, our first responders are still without the necessary equipment, training and communication systems that they need for America’s homeland defense.

Our nation cannot fund America’s homeland security on local property taxes and fire hall bingo proceeds. Your neglect of homeland defense funding has relegated “the common defense” to yet another unfunded federal mandate for already cash-strapped cities – cities that are still reeling from federal and state tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy, and a damaged and sluggish economy. Mr. President, this is no way to protect our people at home, to provide for the common defense, and to win the war on terrorism.

Please, Mr. President, no more teary tributes to our fallen police and fire heroes until you back up our living first responders with the tools and equipment they need to protect our nation. These are the nation’s real priorities.

Americans are not a greedy or selfish people. We understand that homeland security costs money, and we are willing to pay any price to protect and defend our country. We know that wars are won by service and sacrifice not by tax cut on top of tax cut. Mr. President, America’s homeland security is weak, only because our leaders have failed to make our defense at home a funding priority. Your Administration forced a $2.5 billion cut for homeland security efforts and Congressional Republicans cut an additional $1 billion. And now you propose eliminating 1,200 FBI agents. Do your priorities truly reflect our country’s needs? To protect America, we must invest in America.

Where is the urgency? Where is our federal government? What has happened to the most fundamental Constitutional duty of all – “to provide for the common defense”?

In Baltimore, we have spent millions of local tax dollars doing what we can to protect our corner of America: completing a vulnerability assessment of our critical infrastructure; fortifying and securing our water system; developing preparedness drills and improving communications systems.

In the War of 1812—while Washington burned to our south—the people of Baltimore—without any help from their federal government—repelled the British, and secured our country’s freedom at Fort McHenry.

Mr. President, as you prepare for the State of the Union, remember that we are willing to do our part in the defense of the Star Spangled Banner once again—but this time we need our federal government to stand beside us.

This is Baltimore’s Mayor Martin O’Malley. May God protect our troops abroad and at home. Thank you for listening.

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