Virginia Tomorrow

1. Forget the 11th Commandment

Remember Ronald Reagan’s eleventh commandment: “Republicans Should Never Criticize Other Republicans.” It obviously doesn’t apply to Virginia. This week, Bob McDonnell was accusd of “taking orders from “tax-raising, antigun, proabortion officeholders in Richmond.”  This was included in a robocall that supporters of Jeff Frederick are making to GOP activists as they attempt to fend off an effort, endorsed by McDonnell, to remove Frederick as state party chair at the upcoming Republican Central Committee smackdown on April 4. Virginia Democrats who have been preparing to run against McDonnell by labeling him a pro-tobacco, anti-choice, social conservative who takes his order from Pat Robertson must be surprised to learn that the puppeteers who are really pulling McDonnell’s strings have embraced the Democratic agenda.

2. Fairfax Results Overshadowed

The escalation of the Frederick controversy oveshadowed an extraordinary piece of good news for the GOP this week, John Cook’s victory in a Fairfax County special election for the seat that was held by Sharon Bulova. Cook won in a district that Obama, Webb and Kaine all carried with about 60% of the vote. The GOP performance in three NOVA special elections - Cook’s victory and two razor-close defeats- since the Democratic blowout in the November presidential race should be a remarkable catalyst for this year’s statewide races. But who’s paying attention?

3. The Twilight of the Newspaper Industry?

This week it was the announcement that Media General would be closing its Washington Bureau. The declining economy has accelerated the transformation of the print media more rapidly than anyone imagined. It is hard not to believe that we are witnessing the twilight of the newsaper industry as we know it. My own sense is that the future of an independent press is too important to be left solely in the hands of the major media companies.  We should be taking steps today to think about how the crucial functions of an independent press can be maintained (and maybe, in some instances, improved) when the current vehicles for owning and operating newspapers can no longer survive economically.

4. Testing Tip O”Neill

The Democratic Primary is quickly becomign a test case of Tip O’Neill’s adage that all politics is local.  Terry McAuliffe is an exuberant campaigner with a timely message about job creation, a national fund raising network, and a team that prides itself on being able to identify and communicate with potential Democratic primary voters. Brian Moran, on the other hand, is relying on an O’Neill-type strategy that emphasizes his long-standing work on behalf of activist causes in Virginia and his support from local officials throughout the state. Creigh Deeds has done the same, tapping his regional base in rural Virginia and his support from many of his fellow senators. From what I’m hearing, the race is going to become increasingly hard-hitting.

5. Is Card Check a Virginia Issue?

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce took a road trip to D.C. this week with a group of Virginia business leaders to let our congressional delegation know how strongly they are opposed to the upcoming “card check” legislation or the Employee Free Choice Act.

In essence, the bill makes it far easier for labor unions to organize at a workplace site. Under the legislation, unions will be able to distribute authorization cards and once a majority of workers check the box on the card in favor of unionization, the employer must recognize and bargain with the union as the official agent for the workplace. This “card check” will replace elections in which unions must win an up or down vote at a workplace site. Supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act argue that it levels the playing field at workplace sites that have become increasingly tilted toward employers in recent times. Critics maintain the elimination of a sceret ballot for union authorization effectively sanctions pressure and intimidation as organizing tactics.

Bob McDonnell is attempting to make “card check” into a Virginia issue, contending that it ultimately threatens Virginia’s right-to-work law. At the moment, the Democratic candidates are taking evasive action, saying that it is a national matter and not relevant to the decisions that a Governor will make in Virginia. Given the slippage the GOP has experienced with the business community in recent elections, McDonnell is hoping that “card check” is the ticket to regaining its support.

6. Economy Takes Toll on Legislators

Clarke Hogan announced this week that he won’t be seeking re-election because of the need to take care of his business interests and the employees and families who are dependent upon its success in a struggling economy. He joins William Fralin as the second up-and-coming young Republican citing economic conditions as the driver of his decision to leave the General Assembly. 

7. Utah is Number 1 and Virginia is 10th in Guess What?

Use of internet porn sites. Marc Fisher of The Washington Post referenced a study this week by a Harvard Business School professor on the topic that came up with these results. The study attempted to see, among other things,  whether there was any direct correlation between interest in porn and red or blue state status. It didn’t find any. But Utah? Who would have guessed? For those of you who are interested, Fisher asked the author to run the results for neighborhoods in the D.C. Metro area. Old Town Alexandria was number one. 

I’m just imagining the political uproar that would have occurred if a faculty member at a public university had conducted this research on the state dime.