Give the governor his props

Hampton Roads, Local, Politics, Virginia 2 Minutes

I’ve known Gov. McDonnell for a number of years, and while we don’t agree on much politically, I like him as a person. It much easier to like somebody when they do good things – and Gov. McDonnell has done a couple of things worthy of recognition.

First, Governor Bob McDonnell acknowledged his fumble last April in his omission of slavery in his Confederate History Month proclamation.  In a speech he gave Friday morning in Norfolk, McDonnell announced that next April will not be Confederate History Month:

Next April our office will issue a “Civil War in Virginia” proclamation commemorating the beginning of the Civil War in our state.

This proclamation will encapsulate all of our history. It will remember all Virginians-free and enslaved; Union and Confederate. It will be written for all Virginians.

While we cannot fully put to paper the definitive collective memory of this period, we are going to at least ensure that all voices are heard in the attempt.

I’ve no doubt that this will upset some folks, but it is the right thing to do. And while you’re at it, Governor, consider Virginia Heritage Day.

The other news that came over the weekend was that the governor is on pace to restore the voting rights of more felons than any of his predecessors.

His administration has approved 780 of 889 applicants – 88 percent, according to the secretary of the commonwealth’s office, whose office handles the requests.

[…]

McDonnell’s Democratic predecessor, Timothy M. Kaine, restored the rights of a record 4,402 felons during his term. Before him, Democrat Mark R. Warner restored the rights of 3,486, while Republicans James S. Gilmore III and George Allen restored rights to 238 and 460 felons, respectively.

While I would prefer there be some kind of automatic process for restoration, until the legislature acts, this is the best we can do. The governor is to be applauded for instituting a process which results in the timely restoration of rights.

Many have pointed out that McDonnell has national aspirations. Moves such as these will look good on his resume should he desire to reach for higher office. I’d like to think, though, that he made these decisions not for that reason but because it was the right thing to do. And it is due to the latter that I applaud him on this.

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4 thoughts on “Give the governor his props”

  1. Every Republican who has tried to kiss the Black man’s a$$ has gone down in defeat.

    McDonnell will go down in flames, too.

    Black people don’t need some guy who they know who will always vote against them on important matters (like jobs) to pull some stunt in a lame effort to steal black folks away from the Democratic Party.

    Everybody knows that, since the 1960s, the Democratic Party has been the Black man’s gravy train, and that is still true.

    McDonnell is just a stooge. Virginia and it’s connection to the Confederate era, should be used to create employment opportunities, in the same way other areas promote their own history and heritage.

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