The View from Over Here
It is an even numbered year, so there are elections not only in Virginia, but all across the United States. So, here I am--engaged in my analysis of the prospects for the various offices. I find it more difficult each year to find candidates with a burning desire to accomplish more than a return to a public sinecure. I keep looking for ones who with ideas and drive to make a difference--to make a better place and to improve the quality of life for all. It is a hard task these days. In northern Virginia, we have interesting, competitive Congressional races in the 8th and 10th districts, and a foregone conclusion in the recently gerrymandered 11th district. In the 8th, the competition is among seven Democrats to replace a favorite of mine, Jim Moran. My personal pick is Don Beyer, a thinking man’s progressive with exceptional experience as Lt. Governor and a U.S. Ambassador. Patrick Hope is a young future prospect, but not yet ready for Congress. The winner of the Democratic primary should easily win the general election. In the 10th, I expect a pretty close race between Del. Barbara Comstock, a moderate conservative taking the intensive course to become a frother-at-the-mouth National Republican, and John Foust, a moderate Democrat and Fairfax County Supervisor. Fingers crossed for John Foust! Gerry Connolly has a lock on our 11th District. The Senate race amounts to a lesser of evils choice as far as the two major parties go. Ed Gillespie will be the Republican candidate. He is a former Republican National Chairman and W advisor, typical of mean-spirited right wingers in vogue in that Party. He opposes affordable health care, loves fossil fuels seasoned with pollution, and favors continued re-distribution of wealth in an upward direction. He believes money is speech and that his religion can dictate women’s reproductive decisions. The Tea Party could do no better than Mr. Ed. Then, there is incumbent Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat In Name Only. Warner opposed the public option piece of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act—a provision which would have injected serious competition for the insurance industry, and lowered costs. Now, Warner has joined Republicans in seeking to amend the ACA—their path to killing it. He also opposes legislation to address climate change—including the President’s cap and trade proposal. He too supports policies that continue upward re-distribution of wealth—including eliminating the estate tax and lowering corporate taxes. Except for defending women’s right to make their reproductive choices, major Warner’s public policies would be similar to Mr. Ed’s. In fact, a local Democratic loyalist gave me an example of a Warner position worse than Mr. Ed’s! Warner refused to sign a petition supporting proposed funding for the PEACE CORPS, a tiny program with broad bi-partisan support which generates good will toward the United States around the world at a bargain price, about one two-thousandth the cost of our defense budget. Meanwhile, he supports massive defense funding, including weapons systems and programs even DoD is willing to forego. In conclusion, I find myself unable to support either the Democrat or Republican for the Senate. Mr. Warner is so conservative on a range of human impact public policies, that he is effectively the equal of his Republican opponent. That is, he is indistinguishable on the Evil Meter from Mr. Ed. As, it stands, I will not be voting for a candidate for the U.S. Senate in November.
