Recent History
Recent History
Terry McAuliffe -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former head of the Democratic National Committee, and former director of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign -- says Republicans in the House of Delegates are not bipartisan enough.
McAuliffe castigates them for thwarting Gov. Tim Kaine's demand for higher road taxes and bigger unemployment benefits. "I've got to have a House of Delegates that agrees with me on these big issues," he says. But House Republicans "are impossible to deal with." Really?
Would those be the same House Republicans who -- just three months ago -- passed a smoking ban? Kaine made such a ban his top priority this past legislative session. House Speaker Bill Howell, formerly an opponent of a ban, reversed himself and joined the governor's crusade. As a recent Times-Dispatch article explained, the so-called compromise measure that Howell, Kaine, and Del. Chris Jones of Suffolk announced at a press conference in February could effectively prohibit smoking in restaurants statewide.
Would those be the same House Republicans who have worked to enact transferable tax credits that have led to the preservation of tens of thousands of acres of open space? Kaine has set a goal for himself of preserving 400,000 acres of open space during his tenure, and seems on track to achieve it -- thanks in part to the tax credit.
House Republicans also have cooperated with Kaine in other areas, such as cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay; rewriting state mental-health laws; issuing bonds for higher education; and assisting veterans. Now, it's true that Kaine and the GOP have not seen eye-to-eye on transportation. But the record is not so simple as McAuliffe portrays it.
In 2006, efforts to enact a package of transportation taxes fell apart, even though House Republicans did offer to raise $500 million in additional funds for roads -- and even though Kaine had stunned observers by waiting only six days to reverse a pledge not to seek tax hikes until road money was secured in a constitutional lockbox.
The next year, Republican leaders cobbled together a road-funding proposal that relied on "abuser fees" and regional taxes. The abuser fees met with widespread contempt. The regional taxing powers were declared unconstitutional. The original measure passed by the Assembly granted the taxing power to local elected officials. Kaine amended the measure to shift the power to unelected transportation authorities. The Assembly agreed to his amendment. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the amended version of the legislation did not pass constitutional muster. In that case, House Republicans might have been too pliable.
These are inside-baseball details, remembered perhaps only by those who have been in the trenches of Virginia governance for many years. Maybe it is unfair to expect McAuliffe, who parachuted into state politics only recently, to know them.
Then again, maybe not.
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Ever heard of the proverbial Rotten Apple?
It is wonderful that the Republicans were bipartisan and supported the smoking ban, transferable tax credits to help preserve tens of thousands of acres of open space, cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, rewriting state mental health laws, issuing bonds for higher education and assisting veterans. It is wonderful that the Republicans have not been totally partisan - they have supported some good work.
We all know that ONE rotten apple spoils all others in the barrel. And the Republicans do have many rotten apples in our barrel:
Just this Past Session, here are the partisan decisions hurting Virginia:
1. Refusal to accept Federal Unemployment Funds - Delegates voted 53-46 to reject $125 million from the federal government’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This will help unemployed Virginians seeking part-time work and those enrolled in qualified job retraining programs. This will have lasted us SEVEN years, and changed the lives of many Virginians.
2. Voting Rights - House Republicans opposed the creation of a bipartisan redistricting commission. The bill passed the full Senate unanimously.
3. House Republicans opposed early voting for qualified voters. The bill passed the Senate 29-11. Now, Virginia voters are denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise conveniently, and the pressure on election day is HUGE.
4. Renewable Energy/Efficiency - House Republicans opposed efforts to increase energy efficiency. The Senate passed a version of the bill with the energy efficiency provision 28-12. The House blocked this provision twice.
5. House Republicans opposed tax exemptions for solar power. The measure unanimously passed the Senate, but died in the House on a party-line vote.
6. House Republicans opposed a tax credit for renewable energy, for both individuals and corporations for renewable energy initiatives. The bill passed the Senate 38-1 but was left in the House Finance Committee.
7. House Republicans opposed incentives for renewable energy jobs. To be eligible for a grant, the manufacturer would have to make a capital investment greater than $50 million and create at least 200 full-time jobs. The bill passed the Senate unanimously but stalled in House Committee.
In past years and Prior Sessions:
8. Transportation - You have referred to this.
9. Pre-K - Republicans in the General Assembly have consistently opposed funding to expand Pre-K programs in Virginia. Grudgingly small progress was allowed, but we still have a long way to go.
McAuliffe is a candidate for Governor and is not expected to get into every detail, and every failure of the Republicans in every one of his campaign speeches. However, when writing an editorial, it is expected that one would be neutral, and unbiased. Yes, you admit that the House of Delegates has not been sufficiently bipartisan for McAuliffe and mention the lack of support for transportation. You also end your editorial with the comments:
QUOTE
These are inside-baseball details, remembered perhaps only by those who have been in the trenches of Virginia governance for many years. Maybe it is unfair to expect McAuliffe, who parachuted into state politics only recently, to know them.
Then again, maybe not.
UNQUOTE
No, it is not unfair to expect McAuliffe to know all this. Any one wanting to be Virginia Governor damn well better know all this. McAuliffe does, and we discussed this before I became a serious volunteer and supporter for his campaign.
What I am taken aback is that the Editorial team does not appear to consider all these failures important.
Perhaps it is unfair to expect the Times Dispatch to be objective and thorough?
Then again, maybe not.
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