XML FeedsVirginian-Pilot 2009 Candidate Endorsements
By Wally on Oct 28, 2009 | In Politics, Va Beach, Regional, State | 11 feedbacks »
Virginian-Pilot editorial board is in La-La land!
The Virginian-Pilot editorial board must consist of entry-level journalists. It appears that the one-issue bunch settled on transportation and a gas tax as the overriding contention for candidate endorsement. In the same game with different names, the unseasoned staff, with two exceptions of slam-dunk Republicans, settled on tax drooling Democrats.
Follow up:
Maybe a guided tour within their own hallowed walls will enlighten them.
Stroll past the desks and offices and count how many desks are vacant. Go to the library and compare the physical size of a previous Virginian-Pilot edition to a current one. Ask an old timer, if there is one, what was the Ledger-Star, and did the Beacon or Compass really accompany the main edition more than twice-a-week.
Visit circulation, and inquire what percentage of subscribers has been lost over the past two years. Head over to the business office and ascertain how a gas tax increase will affect the variable costs of materials and services, cost of delivery, not to mention the pay increase for which the newspaper carriers will be clambering. Perhaps, with a region paper mill permanently closing the cost of materials will be increasing.
One need only scratch the surface to reveal the permutations of consequences for a transportation tax increase. You’all (Yankee for youse guys) are about four years too late. In case you haven’t got it by now, and to quote the sign above former-President Clinton’s Desk during the 1992 campaign, “It’s the economy stupid!”
Yes, it is jobs, jobs, jobs.
Reading the well-healed gas-guzzling letter-to-the-editor writers, their calculations of miles driven, gas mileage, compute how little a tax increase will effect them. Too bad they forget how indirect costs affect them in the rise of goods and service, the additional cost reductions it requires, pay cuts, layoffs, and so forth.
As for the Virginian-Pilot editorial writers, when the cuts come and the Virginian Pilot goes the way of the Dodo bird, you’ll be able get out of town on a rail (pun intended).
11 comments
What is really nuts is if the Yes Campaign had passed, most of the improvements would be in place today and this would all be a non issue.
Also, had the gas tax been increased 10 cents, most of us would still have paid less gas tax per year because our cars get much better gas mileage.
But then, the tired old and worn out members of the just say no, anti tax crowd would not have an issue to get up their blood pressure. Of course, the fear you should feel going over or under a bridge in Virginia ought to take its place.
Enjoy you next trip. MJB sends!
If transportation was their single, most important issue, and there were no hesitancy to raise taxes, why did the editorial board back-off Purkey? There is nothing in Purkey's agenda that agrees with Pilot's editorial board. More importantly, as Chairman he has circular filed nearly every attempt to raise taxes. I'm sure Schmidt is stumped on that one!
Wassup with that? Pressure from the advertising department?
In fact, about half the folks I talked to that morning thought the page had actually endorsed Schmidt, which in a way, they did. MJB sends!
Let me throw this out there.
Could it be that the transportation issue is pretense to actually endorsing liberal candidates? Perhaps because Schmidt, a former Republican, still embraces more independent, conservative principles, can't trusted to follow party line?
That's not to say that making false promises is not an effective electoral tactic, it clearly is, but most editorial writers just can't stand that. MJB sends!
There may be strong opinions, platforms, and intent, but I don't think any candidate can rock-solidly make unequivocal promises and then seek bi-partisan solutions. Situations and priorities, as we well know, vary. Thus it is important that cooperation and the willingness to seek equitable solutions is paramount. Too much emphasis on one or few issues may indicate lack of adaptability.
Regardless, the interview process in part relies upon the interviewers' preconceived agenda, whether or not it is truly their own, or what they believe is expected of them.
Thus, if transportation is the singularly important issue, the benefit of their endorsement is flawed and lacks credibility, just like the VBTA's
Moreover and sadly, the word transportation takes on many aspects and means various things to various people. It's similar to the Tower of Babel and the many tongues being spoken. District 82 thinks one way and a District in northern Virginia thinks another, as does a district in the southwest. Are we talking maintenance, new construction, expansion, mass transit? The statewide priorities have hardly been identified let alone the price tags.
But more importantly, the funding. What are the ramification of squeezing more revenue from virtually dry economy.
Won't that even exacerbate the economy of unemployment/underemployment, budget shortfalls and overextended leveraging?
Point is, those who have signed the no tax pledge are beholden to Grover Norquist, not to their constituents. That is a deplorable breach of their oath of office and their fiduciary obligation to the voters.
The cost of this abuse of office is staggering; the documented cost of deferred maintance of $7,800,000,000 is just the beginning. Who pays for that? MJB sends!
I see another stalemate unless some kind of bipartisan resolve is initiated.
I don't see the very realistic likelihood of the general assembly, and the governor's mansion being held entirely by Democrats. That being said, the real possibility of initiation of major expansions and/or emphasis on mass transit initiatives will be a pending entity for at least another two years if all stick to their guns.
Most believe a real disaster with loss of life must occur before any real action is taken. Gosh, I hope I am wrong. MJB sends!
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