Some of Virginia's leading political pundits quoted by the Richmond Times Dispatch seem to believe that this past weeks media circus over the Virginia GOP's anti-gay jihad led by Christian Talibanista Ken Cuccinelli will have lasting damage on both Bob McDonnell and the Republican Party of Virginia. Obviously, some of us will do are best to help that prediction come true. As I have stated several times now, McDonnell's failure to put aside his CBN University thesis beliefs needs to be resurrected against ever Republican attempting to claim they are a moderate and have "evolved" from their former extremist positions. A leopard doesn't change its spots and a far right Christofascist doesn't either. As for the fall out from the treatment of gays, Virginia's hope to look like an accepting a tolerant place to relocate business took a major hit. In summarizing the just ended legislative session, one column in the Washington Post describes the biggest loser of the session as being Virginia's image:*
Loser: Virginia's image. The price of Cuccinelli's success was a blow to the state's reputation for tolerance, with his letter to the colleges drawing negative attention from outside the state.
*
It became an issue in Virginia's battle with Maryland and the District to attract the headquarters of aerospace giant Northrop Grumman. You know the climate of opinion has shifted when even huge military contractors are worried about being tagged as anti-gay.
*
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart ran a mock news segment about the controversy. "Whatever happened to 'Virginia Is for Lovers'?" he asked, and then showed the famous slogan with an asterisk clarifying, "Certain Kinds Of."
*
Loser: Virginia's image. The price of Cuccinelli's success was a blow to the state's reputation for tolerance, with his letter to the colleges drawing negative attention from outside the state.
*
It became an issue in Virginia's battle with Maryland and the District to attract the headquarters of aerospace giant Northrop Grumman. You know the climate of opinion has shifted when even huge military contractors are worried about being tagged as anti-gay.
*
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart ran a mock news segment about the controversy. "Whatever happened to 'Virginia Is for Lovers'?" he asked, and then showed the famous slogan with an asterisk clarifying, "Certain Kinds Of."
*
Going forward politically, the gay rights issue needs to be used to remind voters that today's Virginia GOP is little more than an arm of The Family Foundation which will not rest until its "Biblical world view" has been forced upon ever Virginian regardless of their faith, race or sexual orientation. These highlights from the Times Dispatch:
*
Political analysts say the gay-rights controversy, ignited by the Cuccinelli letter, knocked the governor off his game and will present challenges for McDonnell in the future.
*
"Virginia has made national news numerous times over the last three weeks, each time for reasons that have nothing to do with the major themes of the campaign," political analyst Bob Holsworth, a former Virginia Commonwealth University professor, wrote in his blog "Virginia Tomorrow."
*
"If one was simply reading these reports, you might have thought that the Virginia election was about limiting gay rights, repealing one gun a month, and suing the federal government over climate control," he continued. "In essence, Cuccinelli's agenda seemed to be more prominent than McDonnell's."
*
[T]he flap likely will have repercussions beyond the week that was, not just for McDonnell but for Republican lawmakers and the man who hopes to succeed him, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who sided with the governor on the issue. A bill to codify state workplace protection for gays, sponsored by McEachin, passed the Senate but was dumped by a committee in the GOP-controlled House of Delegates.
*
McDonnell on Friday said he had no intention of introducing such legislation, and House Republicans earlier had intimated that if he had, they would have rejected it as well.
*
"Democrats have established their argument for 2011," said Sabato, referring to next year's General Assembly elections, as well as the run-up to the next election for governor in 2013. "The Dems are going to say, 'Do you want the Cuccinelli Republicans to control everything, or do you want a check and balance?'" They've got their theme." Holsworth said he doesn't expect Cuccinelli to be shy about taking on future controversial issues, even if they prove a distraction to McDonnell.
*
Political analysts say the gay-rights controversy, ignited by the Cuccinelli letter, knocked the governor off his game and will present challenges for McDonnell in the future.
*
"Virginia has made national news numerous times over the last three weeks, each time for reasons that have nothing to do with the major themes of the campaign," political analyst Bob Holsworth, a former Virginia Commonwealth University professor, wrote in his blog "Virginia Tomorrow."
*
"If one was simply reading these reports, you might have thought that the Virginia election was about limiting gay rights, repealing one gun a month, and suing the federal government over climate control," he continued. "In essence, Cuccinelli's agenda seemed to be more prominent than McDonnell's."
*
[T]he flap likely will have repercussions beyond the week that was, not just for McDonnell but for Republican lawmakers and the man who hopes to succeed him, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who sided with the governor on the issue. A bill to codify state workplace protection for gays, sponsored by McEachin, passed the Senate but was dumped by a committee in the GOP-controlled House of Delegates.
*
McDonnell on Friday said he had no intention of introducing such legislation, and House Republicans earlier had intimated that if he had, they would have rejected it as well.
*
"Democrats have established their argument for 2011," said Sabato, referring to next year's General Assembly elections, as well as the run-up to the next election for governor in 2013. "The Dems are going to say, 'Do you want the Cuccinelli Republicans to control everything, or do you want a check and balance?'" They've got their theme." Holsworth said he doesn't expect Cuccinelli to be shy about taking on future controversial issues, even if they prove a distraction to McDonnell.
*
Personally, I do not expect any moderation from Cuccinelli. He has his marching orders from the Family Foundation which, combined with his ultra-extreme Catholicism virtually guarantee that he will say and do things that outrage everyone except the most Neanderthal elements in the state.
No comments:
Post a Comment