Terry McAuliffe is no hypocrite
By JR Hoeft | Monday, May 16th, 2011 | PoliticsI believe that green energy is a worthwhile investment. I also believe that taking care of those in our community who have suffered setbacks is a role of the individual, and not a role for the government.
On both those fronts, Terry McAuliffe is not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.
It’s not often a Democrat, particularly one as, umm, “outspoken” as McAuliffe is going to get kudos from me, but in this case – whether it’s buying a Chinese company and moving it to the U.S., re-tooling the Franklin paper mill, or being a “big ideas” guy on alternative energy – you have to give credit where credit is due.
HuffPo profiles the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and likely 2013 gubernatorial candidate, in this feature article.
It’s a worthwhile read, if only to see how tough a candidate McAuliffe will be the second time around.
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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6 Responses to "Terry McAuliffe is no hypocrite"
Well, if you like shady, McAuliffe is the guy. Seems a better fit for Rhode Island.
If McAuliffe was acting as a true private entrepreneur, and working to create viable private businesses, I’d agree that he deserves credit.
But many of his ventures appear focused on getting special government subsidies and mandates, rather than meeting consumer demand in a free market Energy is a case in point. He’s lobbying for a state-mandated “renewable energy portfolio standard” (“RPS”), which would require electric companies to purchase power from certain preferred providers. See http://tinyurl.com/3jqe3zj
And guess what – his Franklin biomass plant would be one of those preferred providers. (Nice work if you can get the government to force the public to buy your product.)
McAuliffe is also promoting electric cars, which receive huge tax subsidies from the government. And according to the HuffPo interview, McAuliffe wants even larger tax breaks for cars using his preferred power source, rather than allowing an even playing field for all cars.
Gov. McDonnell has the right idea on energy. Government should welcome energy production from new and traditional sources, but shouldn’t pick winners and losers. Energy and vehicle producers should compete freely. The public doesn’t need the higher electric bills that result from energy mandates, nor the higher government spending that results from special vehicle subsidies.
Jeff – I think you’re right on point. And it’s a question I’d like to ask him some day, if ever given the chance.
However, he is still taking his own money and taking advantage of the tax breaks offered to him. While I don’t agree that the government should be in the incentive business, you can’t fault him for playing on the field available to him.
Jim- I like your intellectual honesty. I’ll differ with you on one point, though: Anyone who in his personal conduct engages in our capitalist system and succeeds in becoming wealthy and then uses his power and influence to become the head of a political party whose agenda is to undermine that very same capitalist system and replace it with a state-run economy is indeed a hypocrite.
Ken – and that’s exactly why I find McAuliffe so perplexing…and, quite frankly, much of the Democratic party.
Ken- Wow. I’d totally agree with that, were there such a party involved in American politics.
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