Gov. Wes Moore: Trans Kids, Newsom's Failures & 2028 Dark Horse | PBD #791

Wes Moore ran for governor polling at 1%, without the Democratic party's initial support, and won by focusing on the people of Maryland. His core philosophy, learned in the Army, is 'leave no one behind,' meaning every person matters and should be supported to cross the finish line, influencing his policy decisions across public safety and social services.

Moore was polling at 1% in his first poll and was not the Democrat's choice, but became the choice of Marylanders. His philosophy of 'leave no one behind' was taught in the Army, emphasizing that 'everybody's going to matter' and 'did you take care of all of your people?'

Maryland, particularly Baltimore, faced a severe violence crisis. Governor Moore refused to offer 'thoughts and prayers' and instead made historic investments in local law enforcement, crime-stopping technology, and community violence interruption. This comprehensive approach led to Maryland experiencing some of the fastest drops in violent crime nationwide, with Baltimore's homicide rate reaching its lowest in 50 years.

Baltimore City in 2022 was averaging almost a homicide a day. Moore made 'historic investments in local law enforcement,' 'technology and analytics,' funded the US attorney to take violent firearm cases federal, and invested in 'community violence interruption,' resulting in 'amongst the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America'.

Moore avoids viewing political opponents as 'enemies,' focusing instead on policies that benefit his constituents. He publicly credits former President Trump for implementing 'baby bonds' (Trump accounts) as an effective way to address wealth gaps, despite disagreeing with other policies like cuts to SNAP benefits. This demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge good ideas regardless of their source.

Moore states, 'I don't view any of these people as my enemy.' He criticizes Trump's attempt to cut SNAP for children but credits him for 'baby bonds' (Trump accounts), stating, 'Donald Trump did. And so give credit where credit is due.'

Governor Moore believes that while humanity and protection for all children are important, competition must remain fair. He explicitly states that men should not compete in women's sports if it creates an unfair environment. He also strongly advocates for parental involvement in all decisions concerning minors, especially those with 'lasting implications' like puberty blockers, preferring local jurisdictions handle such matters rather than federal mandates.

Moore states, 'If the competition becomes unfair, I think that's where you have to be able to draw a line. And I... don't think that that's something that we should allow' regarding men competing in women's sports. He also emphasizes, 'parental involvement does matter' for decisions like puberty blockers, wanting to be 'involved in a decision-making process for especially for something that has lasting implications on their life.'

Following the bridge collapse, Maryland's response prioritized speed, safety, and cost savings. The state cleared the channel significantly faster than projected and streamlined permitting. Moore demonstrated aggressive oversight by firing contractors who failed to meet cost expectations, ensuring accountability and efficient use of taxpayer dollars for a critical national artery.

Moore states, 'when they said it was going to take 11 months to clear the channel, we got it cleared in 11 weeks.' He also mentions, 'I fired them and now we're going to go through the process' when contractors estimated higher costs. The federal government provided a '100% cost share' as bridge financing.

Moore has consistently decreased Maryland's general fund budget every year of his governorship, viewing taxes as a 'tactic' for targeted investments rather than an ideology. He has actively worked to diversify Maryland's economy beyond its traditional 'eds, feds, and meds' base, attracting significant private investments in life sciences, aerospace, defense, cyber, AI, and quantum through business-friendly legislation like the 'Decade Act'.

Moore states, 'I've actually decreased the general fund every single year.' He introduced the 'Decade Act,' a '$100 million tax cut' for businesses, leading to major investments from AstraZeneca and Samsung Biologics, and the Sphere choosing Prince George's County for its second U.S. location. He aims to diversify into 'life sciences,' 'aerospace and defense,' 'cyber,' 'AI,' and 'quantum'.

Drawing on his military background, Moore criticizes the U.S. approach to foreign conflicts, particularly the concept of 'mission creep.' He outlines three essential criteria for deploying military personnel: kinetic force as a last option, a clear and understandable end state/mission, and building international coalitions not just to fight, but to build peace. He highlights the lack of congressional oversight, citing Afghanistan's 20-year conflict without a formal war declaration.

Moore states, 'nothing that worries me as a military guy more than mission creep.' He lists three criteria: 'was military force and kinetic force the last option,' 'what is the end state and the mission,' and 'what is the international coalition that you're building around it... to build the peace.' He notes, 'our last official war is World War II,' despite constant conflicts, and that Afghanistan was 20 years, $2.4 trillion, and 2400 lives lost without being 'qualified as a war'.