Washington Post: Now Bob McDonnell is a Moderate?
By Ward Smythe | Saturday, February 13th, 2010 | Policy, PoliticsThe Washington Post spent the last several years and most of the fall trying to portray Bob McDonnell as the disciple that Pat Robertson loved. But their attempt to “macaca” him failed, largely because the public has realized that they’re not a news organization, they’re a propaganda arm from the left.
Have they seen the light, so to speak? Consider this from today’s Washington Post:
Va. Senate Democrats in a bind on balancing state budget
During his campaign, McDonnell ran as a moderate and promised to work across party lines. Since taking office, he has reached out to Democrats, inviting them to breakfast meetings and gathering them for cocktails at the governor’s mansion.
Yes, McDonnell does have a career record of being able to work across party lines. And he’s shown his willingness to do just that as Governor. But to call him a moderate?
No new taxes, offshore drilling, charter schools? Those are now moderate issues?
Ummmmm….okay.
To illustrate just how increasingly irrelevant The Post is let’s take a look in the wayback machine:
Mr. Deeds for Governor
The Washington, Post, October 18, 2009
Our differences with him are on questions of policy. The clamor surrounding his graduate dissertation from 1989, in which he disparaged working women, homosexuals, “fornicators” and others of whom he disapproved, has tended to obscure rather than illuminate fair questions about the sort of governor he would make. Based on his 14-year record as a lawmaker — a record dominated by his focus on incendiary wedge issues — we worry that Mr. McDonnell’s Virginia would be one where abortion rights would be curtailed; where homosexuals would be treated as second-class citizens; where information about birth control would be hidden; and where the line between church and state could get awfully porous. That is a prescription for yesterday’s Virginia, not tomorrow’s.
Bob McDonnell, Culture Warrior
At 34, the GOP candidate for governor disapproved of fornicators, homosexuals and working women.
The Washington Post, September 1, 2009
Nonetheless, in his 14 years in the state’s General Assembly, Mr. McDonnell did aggressively pursue a socially conservative agenda largely in line with his thesis. As governor he could do the same, although he would be constrained by a legislature at least partly controlled by Democrats. He could not ban abortion and contraception, but he could help restrict access. The Bob McDonnell who wrote that thesis would make a divisive, disruptive and partisan governor — a sharp departure from the tradition of generally pragmatic executives who have helped make Virginia one of the better-managed states in the union. Virginians deserve specific answers about where the thinking of his early middle age has shifted, and where it remains consistent.
Virginia Gov.-elect Robert McDonnell faces transportation crucible
The Washington Post, January 5, 2010
The evidence from Mr. McDonnell’s gubernatorial campaign does not compel much optimism. His transportation plan, which ruled out new taxes, relied on made-up numbers and wishful thinking to arrive at its promise of new funding. Moreover, the McDonnell team’s preference for shrinking government does not inspire much hope that it will see transportation funding and the necessary administrative apparatus to support it as priorities.
Washington Post Calls McDonnell’s Agenda “Dogmatically Conservative;” Endorses Opponent
The Washington Post, October 23, 2005
Mr. McDonnell is an able, articulate legislator, but we worry he would bring a dogmatically conservative social agenda to the job. He has been among the General Assembly’s staunchest opponents of abortion rights and a supporter of state intervention in end-of-life decisions, as in the Terri Schiavo case.
Washington Post Notes Pat Robertson is McDonnell’s “Ally and Political Mentor “
The Washington Post, October 21, 2005
“Democrats suspect, without offering any proof, that the RSLC is concealing huge “pass-through” donations from Pat Robertson, an ally and political mentor of Mr. McDonnell. Mr. McDonnell is a graduate of the law school of Regent University, a Christian institution founded by Mr. Robertson. The televangelist makes no secret of his support, having given $36,000 directly to the McDonnell campaign, its second-largest donation from an individual. But asked if Mr. Robertson had also given money to the RSLC, his spokesman said he was “in the midst of special programming” this week and unavailable for comment.”
The Washington Post. Just another version of the National Enquirer.
But without the accuracy.
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Ward Smythe is a pseudonymous aspiring freelance writer from Central Virginia. Until late 2007 Ward blogged at the now defunct "Ward View" and was active in Virginia and national politics. Ward's signature style of snarkery gained him a unique following that he hopes to regain here at Bearing Drift. Ward uses humor, satire and sometimes photoshop to make his point. Ward is proud to be an equal opportunity offender.
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10 Responses to "Washington Post: Now Bob McDonnell is a Moderate?"
Of course the Governor is no moderate. His first attention to public education was to charter schools, while the real threat to the public schools has yet to be announced; that is, the $2,000,000,000 in cuts made necessary by the Legislature’s refusal to consider Kaine’s budget means that draconian cuts, far in excess of the index, is just a week away.
This budget process is shrouded in secrecy with the effects on teachers, public safety personnel, human service workers, and courts and justice employees yet to be documented in a budget. Most employees of course will have to be fired by local government unwilling to increase taxes due to state budget cuts, but make no mistake about it; the reason for the tsunami that is about to crash on the shore is the unwillingness of the House of Delegates and the Governor to seek a balance between budget cuts and revenue increases.
Remember the pledge of the far right: the role of an elected official is to cut off the arms and legs of government so it can be drowned in a bath tub. The tub has arrived in Richmond, and Governor McDonnell helped off load it at the Capitol.
“cut off the arms and legs of government”… it should start with a good old fashioned beheading and go from there.
Gov. Christie in New Jersey is using an executive order declaring a “state of fiscal emergency” to cope with a hostile Democratic Legislature in both houses who are digging in against cuts in Transit and schools. Next, renegotiating union contracts and their unsustainable pensions.
The Democrats in NJ legislature are trying to use “the public” as a human shield in an attempt to justify protection of their constituencies (unions) against fiscal Armageddon which has some similarities to what we face in Virginia.
“The public” spoke in the last election and recognizes fiscal trouble and wants clear solutions and actions to clear up these problems that have everything to do with common sense and nothing to do with politics.
Yes, the explanation that…”the public spoke” is the usual defense. Of course, then it must be asked, why are republican legislators as upset by the tsunami confronting the Commonwealth as our others? And the reason is simple. Most citizens were told that billions could be cut with little to no effect on them. The facts are much more complex, and the cuts will involve tens of thousands of state and local government employees, all of whom have families and friends, who don’t particularly look forward to first, being insulted, and second, losing their careers. And these Legislators know they each won the last election, but they fear losing the next one. And their compatriots in local government are not likely to let them get away with this without severe and prolonged complaint, and neither will local citizens who will bear the brunt of these draconian cuts on education, police, human services, and courts and justice. So Tim J, save your bravado, you may need it later.
Gosh…six little years since the largest tax increase in Virginia history, and folks like Mike want more.
Mark Warner’s tax increase didn’t solve anything.
Well actually, Brian, it saved the Commonwealth from bankuptcy. And lest you forget, republicans supported the action as well, not wanting to have bankruptcy on their conscience. Yet even today, Gilmore’s supposed “No Car Tax” is like an albatross around your party’s neck, as politicians in the House are doing all they can to duck and weave as $2,000,000,000 in cuts must be made this week. Most of that of course is the money the Commonwealth must pay to localities to replace the money they lost when Gilmore made his ill fated “tax cut.” How quickly you forget.
Mike, There was never, repeat NEVER, a chance that the state would be bankrupt. That’s a lie told by Warner, Kaine and a few FORMER “Republican” legislators. Two weeks after Warner signed into law the biggest single tax increase in Virginia history his finance secretary announced a state budget SURPLUS roughly the equivalent of…wait for it, the amount of the tax increase.
This is not now, nor has it ever been about not having enough revenue. It’s about runaway spending. In that regard Republicans are as guilty as Democrats. The state doesn’t need more money, it needs to get its hands out of our pockets and learn to spend more wisely.
It is worse than that Ward. Though signed, we were in surplus BEFORE Warner’s tax increases even went into effect. It was all a function of an economic recovery that resulted in increased revenue gains.
It was NOT a result of government action.
Further, Virginia is mandated to balance the budget. As you state Ward, we were nowhere near bankruptcy. It amazes me how history revisionists continue to to falsify the record and even ignore that we MUST balance the budget even as they cry about “draconian cuts” that will occur because we MUST balance it. Yet, some speak of bankruptcy.
There is plenty of waste and inefficiency to cut. Shifting our education funding to NOVA is wrong, but cutting funds outright has merit. Or moving it to transportation temporarily, since we have a “crisis” there. Waste? Inefficiency? Just as a local example, check out this little gem:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/built-be-temporary-beachs-portable-classes-stay-put
“Citywide there are 72 trailers at elementary schools, although there are 2,600 excess seats, even after Plaza Elementary was shuttered last year. That extra room is spread out across 55 elementary schools.”
“Principals and the instructors who use the trailers, known as portable classrooms, say they’re needed to prevent crowding and create work spaces. That’s because class sizes are much smaller than they once were and schools have many more specialists than they once did.”
72 trailers eventhough we have 2,600 empty seats? What?? Even AFTER closing Plaza Elementary? We have far smaller class sizes, but more “specialists”? And one of the reasons for keeping these trailers is what? ……..preventing crowding? …….amazing!
Next thing you know, the teacher unions will say shifting educational funds to in-classroom expenditures that directly affect the student are ineffective, because studies show that spending more per student doesn’t raise educational achievement. …….oh……they did that already.
This noise about cuts is a defensive scare tactic on behalf of “Big Government”. Their purpose is not about function (teaching children or efficient transportation), it is about growing government. It is about more government jobs and creating further government dependence.
Yes Ward, pigs fly and the cow jumped over the moon. MJB sends!
The Post just got the idea that McDonnell is a moderate from reading the Tertium Quids blog. Some folks over there think he’s a liberal.
Well anyone who voted for Bob McDonnell thinking he was moderate is about to be educated on that topic. Moderates don’t usually take benefits from children, the sick and injured, nor the elderly and infirmed. Education, no matter, most of Bob’s elite republican friends go to private schools. State parks, who needs ‘em when you own three acres in a gated enclave. Public health, have any of Bob’s friends actually ever seen the inside of a clinic? Payment for those who provide respite services for those who care for an infirmed, elderly person in the home, who needs that; just put them in an institution. Libraries, heck, Bob’s friends download books to their kindle and have no need of a public library. Health insurance for kids whose parents can’t afford it, we have too many in that program already. No wonder this budget has been kept secret; thank goodness some republican in the know had the conscience to leak it to the press.
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