At the entrance to my street are two campaign signs – one for a Republican candidate, one for a Democratic candidate – side by side. The two signs are almost indistinguishable. Neither has the party affiliation on them. For the Republican candidate, I can understand why. For the Democratic candidate, I’m just disappointed.
Maybe I’m just tired. But I find myself increasingly irritated with the R-lite proscriptions of the Democratic candidates. It is as if there is an acknowledgment that the Republican way of doing business is the better way and that the Democratic way is to be a kindler, gentler version of it.
I’m calling BS.
Under the leadership of Democratic governors, Virginia has been named the best managed state in the country. Under the leadership of Democratic governors, Virginia has been named the best state to raise a child. I am willing to acknowledge that these things occurred during Republican control of the legislature, but it was the gubernatorial leadership that was the catalyst. Democrats have demonstrated that we know how to govern.
I understand fully that we have candidates running in Republican-leaning districts, made so by the gerrymandering of the Republican-controlled legislature during the last redistricting. But this post isn’t about Republicans. It’s about Democrats. And the message that I keep hearing is less of the idea that we know how to “move the pile forward,” as a friend of mine often says, than it is “we’re going to work with the other guys.”
Working with the other guys is all fine and good, but is that what we want to see on a bumper sticker? “Vote for me! I’ll work with the other guys!” Yeah, right. In all honesty, as a voter, I fully expect that both sides will work together for the betterment of the Commonwealth. That should just be a given, even though I know it isn’t. No, what I want to see is the Democrats stand up and be Democrats and talk about the issues that are important – health care, public safety, transportation, education, among them – and how Democrats have plans to address these, how Democrats know how to lead, and how Democrats know how to govern.
We have the blueprint in front of us for what the Virginia legislature could look like next year should the Democrats manage to take both houses: the U.S. Congress. Have we seen bold steps from this new Congress? Not really. Why is that? Because these guys, particularly in the House of Representatives, are looking over their shoulders at a potential challenge in 2008. And that’s where the Democratic pickups in the House of Delegates will be in 2009. Think this year’s campaigns are expensive? Just wait until 2009 when we have all the pickup seats to defend against the onslaught of Republican challengers.
The time to be bold, the time to stand out – and stand up – is now. Take advantage of voter discontent with the Republican Party, take advantage of voter sentiment to throw the bums out, take advantage of Bush’s abysmally low approval ratings. Because come 2009, when you present the voters the choice between a true R and R-lite, we know which way the vote will go. Just ask Phil Kellam.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
No, Virginia Democrats do NOT have to run as Republican Lite. Dennis Kucinich really has very little to do with Virginia Democrats. You want to win in Virginia? Run as a Virginia Democrat.
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This conversation pushes me back into a tear I’ve been on of late (offline, anyway). I wish we could all stop talking about ()*#@@! campaigning and start talking about GOVERNING. In Virginia, especially, Democrats are the party of responsible government. The GOP might tell some Virginians what it wants to hear on the campaign trail, but come time to actually do the job, they’re a bunch of ridiculous clowns. Democrats, unfortunately, have bought into the perpetual campaign mindset and have focused entirely too much on the present satisfaction of the campaign rally (candy now) instead of functional and efficient government (dinner later).
So what would some of those policies be, anyway?
I didn’t mean for my remark about Kucinich to be a najor sticking point. I said it almost as an aside. My only point in mentioning Kucinich was to say that good ideas aren’t always enough. A lot of Dems have found some appeal in what Kucinich has to say, but that does not mean he can get elected. In fact, he has NO chance at all. So what does that tell us when someone is thoughtful and has some good ideas and is willing to take the fight to the R’s (which K is)? One thing we have learned — that’s still not enough to get elected.
So how do we find the right combination — good, strong ideas that resonate with the electorate, that aren’t old and tired and formulated based on some polling and, coupled with a strong, determined candidate, can actually result in a winning campaign?
Everyone here has made some good points and raised thoughtful questions — and that’s often the first step to positive and fruitful change.
Boy, I’m worn out. Where’s the remote? Time for some Andy Griffith reruns . . . .
Those policies?
We should focus on
Foreign Policy
Energy
Environment
Budget and Economy
Social Security
Poverty
Education
Health Care
The majority of Americans want us out of Iraq and want some significant change in most, if not all, of the above listed items. We need to be – no – we are responsible for being, that change.
If that labels me a liberal, progressive, or whatever other tag they want to throw at me, so be it.
There is a reason this blog is subtitled “All Politics is Local” and it is not because it is the title of a book. The only way that we can get better leaders at the top is by electing them at the local level. MB understands what I’m getting at and what I wrote about earlier.
I can’t focus on the national party, because its machinations are too far removed in order for me to make a difference. Besides, at the end of the day, we will end up with a Democratic nominee that the majority feels is the more electable candidate, just as the Republicans will select their most electable candidate.
At the local level, we all have much more influence. We have the opportunity to help shape the conversation – if we choose to participate.
So the policies are as I said in the original post – “health care, public safety, transportation, education, among them” – that are the ones that our local legislators should be focusing on and presenting their positions on. These are local issues, not federal issues (although federal dollars do come into play).
As to how do we find the right ideas? Well, we really don’t have to look. They are right there in front of us. No polling necessary 😉 Higher teacher salaries, better access to health care, investment in public safety, protections for the Chesapeake Bay and other environmental issue – all of these and more resonate with the voters.
Running for office to make the Commonwealth better should be the only motivation for doing so. Idealistic? Maybe. But I believe voters appreciate honesty and earnestness.
Idealistlefty — You have identified issues, but not policies. (I also thought we were talking about local issues (2007 elections), so I would drop foreign policy and social security. After November, we can certainly move on to the national issues.)
Vivian — you have some good ideas that need threshing out. All of the policies you mention, “higher teacher salaries, better access to health care, investment in public safety, protections for the Chesapeake Bay and other environmental issues” are all good. The problem is that all politicians are going to say these things. Both Democrats and Republicans need to lay out how they intend to do those things, to distinguish themselves from the other party’s candidate. I do not see politicians from either side doing this.
As an aside, how much influence does the state government have on teacher salaries? Or is that a purely local decision?
You seem to have a good understanding of the state-local budget interactions. It would be very helpful, at least to me, if you could do a post describing how much taxing authority the localities have, the Dillon Rule, bond-selling authority, etc.. For instance, what can a locality do with it’s real-estate tax rates, sales tax rates, meal tax rates, hotel tax rates, etc., and how much of that has to go to Aunt Virginia. How do the car tax rebates to the localities work?
To my way of thinking, since so much of government is determining how revenues are to be raised and spent, a basic understanding of economics is essential to being a responsible voter. That is why I have read The Wealth of Nations, The New Industrial State, and Basic Economics, and why I am now working through Das Capital. (If you have any others to recommend, let me know!)
Thanks.
-“Mrs. Mouse”
Vivian point out much that “should” be addressed. However the issue lies with people unwillinging to do so. What I mean is if when a party promotes itself as the party unwilling to raise taxes and the electorate votes them in then upon arrival they are politically compelled not to endorse anything that would require additional taxes. The party of no new taxes is a tired ploy that may benefit folks short term but longer term you get exactly what we have in terms of transportation. Which party will get it that they need a long term plan and vision for the Commonwealth and market that home to voters and stand up when someone accuses them of being a tax hiker to just stand up and tell them that if we want all the things that we as citizens complain about then “we” need to share the burden and our burden is additional taxes. We have allowed “tax” to be manipulated into such a dirty word that we forget exactly what the by-products our of the very taxes we pay. Make the case what the taxes are for and why they are required and needed and I think people will support additional taxes that will make “their” quality of life better….roads is certainly one area as well as security/safety and education…we get into trouble when we want to raise taxes to support agendas that are considered “special” interest areas or get cornered on throwing money into welfare programs that the general public has little support for. It amazes me how many people will wait in line for the lottery and pay that volunteer tax without any direct benefit except the hopes and wims of winning and then complain that they get do direct result from the taxes that they pay. What we all need in a candidate willing to be forth right about the challenges we face and the shortfalls of money and without more revenue we will all have to accept a lot of the same and nothing better.
AEM – I’ll have to consider doing a post on that. But the basics are that none of the localities have any taxing authority not expressly given to them by the legislature.
While the localities do set their own teacher salaries, the constraint is – you guessed it – money. So the legislature has to provide more dollars in order for salaries to be raised. Don’t quote me on this but I seem to recall a specific budget item a few years ago that paid for raises for teachers.
j. scott – good points. It will take a courageous candidate to do that, and very few are willing. Again, the American public has been sold an idea: that taxes are always bad and something is available for nothing.
How much authority do the localities have over their real estate tax rates? We are always told that money goes to the schools. Does any of it go to the state, or does it remain with the locality?
(I expect it’s a bit of a moot point, because the more a locality raises in real estate taxes, the less they get from the state. Am I right?)