Thank God I am not stuck relying on the federal government in order to get health insurance.

…Maryland has been at the forefront of implementing the Affordable Care Act. It established six policy work groups. It trained more than 5,000 people to help consumers enroll in new health-coverage options. When its online insurance exchange passed a critical test in the summer — one of the first in the country to do so — a top official gave an emotional speech thanking workers. If any state was going to be ready for Oct. 1, when millions of uninsured Americans would be able to start buying coverage under the health law, it would be Maryland.

But when Tuesday arrived, Maryland’s Web site stumbled badly. People couldn’t log on, forcing state officials to delay the opening of the exchange for four hours. Even after it opened, many frustrated users were unable to create accounts, the first step in buying coverage. All told, fewer than 100 people have managed to enroll.

Do you want to know the scary part? The WaPo, again:

Barely 24 hours after President Obama signed his landmark health law, Gov. Martin O’Malley promised that Maryland would “lead the nation” in putting it in place.

Despite it all, getting 100 people enrolled is not the worst result Obamacare state exchanges have managed this week. m I mean, heck, it’s a better record than California’s right now.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: For those unaware: Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland is a generic politician with the charisma of a sea urchin. This final passage from the WaPo is remarkably good at explaining why Democrats will be chugging Maalox if they – please, God! – nominate O’Malley in 2016*:

As recently as last month, O’Malley, a 2016 Democratic presidential hopeful, was touting his state’s performance in a joint appearance with Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on CNN’s “Crossfire.” Attacking Perry for refusing to implement parts of the health-care law, O’Malley said, “I know Texas seceded from the National Governors Association, but if you came, you might be able to learn from the other governors that are actually implementing [the health law], doing it well, and actually doing a better job of supporting an innovation economy and their workers’ well-being.”

O’Malley and his wife have been on a long-planned vacation out of state this week.

As Rick Perry might say: Oops.

*Amusing-alarmingly, he’s a front-runner for the nomination, once you scratch the old, sick, and old AND sick from the list. I don’t know whether to laugh like a loon, or weep for the Republic.