Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Republicrats Deliver Virginia to Obama
As many of us know, officially we do not register affiliated with any Party in the Commonwealth of Virginia thus technically we are all "independents" in one form or another, but in reality most Virginians are what can be referred to as Republicrats.
Many of us these days are finding it very hard to endorse either the Democrats or the Republicans lock step. There are many reason for this of course. Virginia certainly is no more a liberal state than it is a far right conservative one which results in an overwhelmingly growing number of people who find themselves right smack in the center. I consider myself and the rest of these voters to be moderates, but more accurately Republicrats.
A Republicrat will vote for the candidate as an endorsement of that candidate and not the Party. A Republicrat will split a ticket without so much as a nanosecond of hesitation. A Republicrat evaluates the issues and the those advocating them and makes determinations based on an alignment with those issues regardless of Party affiliation. A Republicrat has greater faith in the abilities of a candidate and his/her vision than that of the Party.
So the question remains, ARE YOU A REPUBLICRAT?
Well, if on Tuesday your ballot read something like this:
Obama McCain Obama McCain Obama McCain
Warner Warner Gilmore Warner Warner Warner
Cantor Cantor Cantor Goode Goode Forbes
Obama McCain Obama McCain
Warner Warner Gilmore Warner
Forbes Nye Drake Periello
or any other combination of split tickets down ballot there is a good chance you:
Are a Republicrat!!
Republicrats were the biggest reason Barrack Obama was pushed over 50% in the Commonwealth. Anyone denying such a reality has misjudged the data. Eventhough Virginia now seats two Democrat Senators for the first time since 1970 I believe, you have to dig deeper in the data to see that in many of the Congressional districts and precincts there were some legitimate blowouts. Some 60/40 in favor of Republican Randy Forbes and Eric Cantor, but the same areas came in very tight in the Presidential race. This cannot happen without Republicrats.
As for "independents" as viable candidates, they fail miserably in Virginia at the State level, but do with some degree of success garner support in local elections. This to is a tesitmate to Republicrats willing to move beyond Party. In the end, Virginians opt for either one of the main two Party candidates over any Green or Independent candidate on the ballot, but often split that ballot with a mix of each Party.
The Party apparatus is in denial if they think they have a handle on Republicrats. There is no other way to explain a 3-4% difference in Presidential election but a 20 to 30 point difference in the Senate or House of Representatives races. The real explaination is there is a growing number of moderates in Virginia that swing both ways as evidenced by the reporting data.
So is Virginia still really "Purple" given it has a Democrat Governor, two Democrat Senators and its electoral votes just went to a Democrat for the first time in what seems like forever or is it now "Blue"?
The overall data in terms of geography would illustrate that the State has maintained its "red" tradition but the highly dense urban centers are certainly are or are moving "blue" withoput question. And yet in areas like Fairfax County, overwhelmingly Democrat, you can still see data in the down ballot races to suggest that many split ticket this cycle. If Obama can win any area like Fairfax County by 15 to 20 points but say a Gerry Connolly (D) wins by 3 points there is something going on there in the datapoints to suggest further split ticket voting. Same for Henrico County, where Obama won the election but Eric Cantor (R) pulled in 60% of the vote down ballot.
Again, all this data points to the fact that a majority of us are Republicrats. Of course, the two Party system will never seek to identify such voters as anything other than "independent" minded nor will the pundits for fear of a movement and creation of another major Party. Niether the Democrats nor the Republicans want that. If they did, along with the media, we would have seen in the debates those of all affiliations like Green, Libertarian or Independent. You see the two party system seeks to keep those entities at bay by not allowing them to break through to the mainstream audience for fear of another Ross Perot effect. Thus, the result is voters are left with deciding on balancing both of the two main parties on their ballot.
So, take a few moments at some point this week and reflect on the election and ask yourself why it is you may have split your ticket on Tuesday. What you may find is that you have things you love/like about the Democrat platform and things you love/like about the Republican platform. If this is the case and you split tickets often; then
YOU ARE A REPUBLICRAT!!!!
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8 comments:
Spot on Alter. The liberals in NOVA are as joyful as ever with what they see as their doing regarding the Commonwealth going for Obama, but in relaity it was more of what you suppose here in terms of those of us in the middle swinging both ways.
I could not support Jim Gilmore, but did vote for Randy Forbes and John McCain.
I never thought of it in this manner but I guess so. I wonder if someone could actually run as a "Republicrat"-that would be something to watch at the local level anyway.
I am sorta glad this one is behind us. Get back to local level issues for us Alter. There is alot going on under the surface that needs to be exposed; starting with this tax scheme known as the transportation authority. And citizens thought those elected (I) were independent; Daniel Gecker and M. Durfee are proving they all fully embedded with the CCDC. Watch, I doubt either will face Democrat opposition in 2011.
I think Chesterfield's finances are going to attact much more attention than the County will want.
The ease of which they deal with financial problems proves the budget is full of fat from over consumption of high RE tax growth.
I don't think the Dems want anything to do with the accident called Durfree. She got 43% of an 11% turnout.
Lucks Lane-
I understand your point. The Matoaca race in 2007 was certainly congested with candidates, but Durfee had the best "ground" game of any of them. The CCRC took that district for granted for too long and with the incumbant not running they were left scrambling. In Midlothian, CCDC stood by and watch Gecker take on Sowder for the second time in less than two years but this time turning in (or so we thought) his CCDC card to run as an Independent. Sowder did not run a formidable re-election bid and was beaten.
The biggest issue presented in the town hall meeting was thr developer/growth quagmire Chesterfield faces. It was all about how was in the pocket of the developer community and after countless mailings people I spoke with just wanted a "new" direction and voted out most of the incumbants.
No ask yourself. Whats changed? The answer. Didly. The proffer system is broken but no one seems to have the will to fix it. They have continued to approve thousands and thousands of more zonings and Roseland is on deck for approval again soon. The Upper Swift Creek plan measure turned out to simply just waste the County time given it requires more study from environmental consults. Yet they have done nothing to chnaged the 80/20 revenue structure of generated revenues. The citizen is still paying in 80% of the pie while the Board sits back and continues its pro-business at all costs agenda. How is this different than the previous Board? Its not.
Whats worse now, is this Board wants to sell us down the river toward regionalism. Yeah, if you like the way the RMA or the GRTC works, fine but I for one want little to do with Richmond until they clean up their own act first. This taxing authority to pay for transportation funding is a nightmare and if more citizens were informed they would reject it, but this Board will try to slip in through as most of the Board already meets regularly with those behind the plan. You can bet their mind is already made up before public hearings even come up.
Mr. Macon & Lucks Lane your make some valid points.
The current Board has begun to cut the budget in some areas, but the biggest thing they have said is they will not be filling the current vacancies that are currently open with County government. Thats hardly cutting jobs given these positions were never filled.
The Board will hear another zoning case for Midlothian/Clover Hill district involving the land in adjacent to Shenandoah subdivision on Midlothian Tnpk between Robious and Arch Roads on the eastbound side of the Tnpk. The developer will seek a zoning reclassification in order for (C-3) multifamily homes and townhomes to be created there on 16 acres. The land use is currently suitbale for commercial/light industrial use. It will be interesting to see the Boards take on this one.
The Regional Authority seem like it will be a done deal should the General Assembly clear the way. It will also be fun to watch Sen. Watkins butt heads with the Board who has written a letter opposing Watkins bill for the establishment of impact fees and the termination of local cash proffer policies.
It looks like the regional dog and pony transpotation authority is dead since Henrico is out now.
It not dead lucks lane. Henrico County does not need an Authority, they do not get any money from the State for road funding and there sources are built into their budgets and costs structures. Chesterfield gets substantial funding from Richmond. Chesterfield also as pointed out has a 80/20 mix whereas Henrico gets more in from its commercial entities. The price you pay for being overly business friendly is meaningless when you have the demographics like Henrico and Chesterfield. CC failure to realize this goes back decades while HC has experienced rapid controlled growth with more placed upon the commercial community to pay its share of the load.
Face it people, were gonna need those Obama tax cuts that were promised to 95% of us because our property taxes cannot be kept at this reduced level of .97 per 100 and sustain the budget proposed forward.
Also, if the "impact fee" agenda is approved in the General Assembly and cash proffers are eliminated at the local level there could be substanial shortfalls as well. That to will spell increased tax bills.
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