2014 Va General Assembly: It's a new day in Richmond

Headlines and blogs are blaring the news from Richmond's General Assembly: Democrats wrest control of state senate from GOP. And it all began here: RTD: GOP State Central wrong reversing to convention.

The rest, as they say, is history....

Gerrymandering ... recipe for dysfunctional government?

Gerrymandering ... both parties do it. NBC News asks if it's a recipe for dysfunctional government ... are politicians choosing their voters more than voters choosing their politicians? Will the practice lead to more stalemates in D.C.? Food for thought....

My two cents: Government shutdown ... so what has been accomplished?

So here we are on Day 3 of the Government Shutdown. Nothing has been accomplished and there's no end in sight.

There's enough blame to go around on all sides of this debacle but the show horses of the Republican Right, led by Ted Cruz and encouraged by Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, got their way even though past history predicted a train wreck.

If Mr. Cruz had been paying attention, he would have realized the backlash was going to be against him. From all accounts, he entered the battle without a survival plan or exit strategy. If this was to help pad his presidential hopes, it certainly didn't show good leadership skills. A poll before the shutdown showed 71 percent of Americans were against it, and a poll released after the shutdown showed 72 percent of Americans were against it. Clearly, it was going to be a suicide mission for Republicans.

The problem with these kinds of stunts is the unintended and unexpected consequences that emerge and hit mainstream media and social media. The Washington Post today lists ten of the more serious ones.

For some, the thought of being furloughed without a paycheck is a scary proposition. Imagine having a mortgage, car payment(s), and daily living expenses only to lose your income or have it delayed. Sure, the investment types talk about having six months' worth of income bankrolled for a rainy day, but how many have truly been able to do that? With the constant financial demands of raising a family, many find themselves living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Military families are impacted and commissaries were shut down on bases around the country.

On Tuesday, a group of elderly World War II veterans were so ticked off when they saw the World War II memorial closed that they pushed aside barricades set up by the government, and visited anyway. Most were from out of state on probably the only chance they will ever have to see this memorial erected by the American people to honor the service of those who saved not only America but the world. As many noted, these men had scaled the cliffs of Normandy in their youth. A barrier was not about to block them, and the news spread like wildfire through Twitter and Facebook.

For those of us who live in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's ridiculous to have the gates closed to Shenandoah National Park at the start of leaf season, blocking the scenic Skyline Drive as well as access to lodges and hiking trails utilized by thousands. Is the down-time going to be added to season passes to make up for the lost days? It's a mere inconvenience to us but not for those from overseas or states across the country who had planned October visits to this well-known national park, nor to workers who are now on furlough and out of work.

Even though a last-minute decision by the National Park Service kept the Blue Ridge Parkway open, all facilities along this 470-mile ridgetop drive have been shuttered. That leaves tourists helpless as they drive past Mabry Mill, Peaks of Otter, campgrounds, restaurants, and visitor centers not to mention restrooms.

For communities bordering national parks throughout the country, the loss of tourist dollars is going to hurt big-time, pushing some who were hanging on by a thread over the brink. Peaks of Otter near Bedford had just reopened; will it recover from this unexpected shutdown? On the Outer Banks, the lighthouses are closed as well as NPS-controlled beaches.

The News Virginian made good sense in Wednesday's editorial, Congress needs to rethink priorities:

If the government is shutting down, why haven’t they turned off the lights? That was a random thought from our staff Monday night, while following the House and Senate debates. Midnight passed, all of the deadlines expired and members of both parties talked about how the government was shut down now. Yet a government which shut down Shenandoah National Park Tuesday morning due to lack of funds kept the lights going as both parties argued whose fault it was, long into the night.

They added:

Let’s be realistic. Whether you agree with the Affordable Care Act or not, nobody is going to defund it. House members can vote another 40 times and while it looks good on paper, nothing is actually accomplished. The Democrat-controlled Senate is not going to vote to shut down something that President Obama has made a key part of his legacy.

While many were against ObamaCare, News Leader columnist Matthew Poteat makes a valid point:

Take for example the willingness of a small but influential bunch of House Republicans to shut down the Federal government because they oppose implementing the Affordable Care Act. Never mind that the law was passed by due process, signed into law by a duly elected (and reelected) president, and validated by the Supreme Court.

It was the reelection of Barack Obama that showed the majority of Americans were in favor of ObamaCare. Republicans fought it for three years and lost. That's the way our system works. If the shoe was on the other foot and Democrats were pulling this stunt, Republicans would be excoriating them for ignoring the will of the people.

I'm weary of the hypocrisy from both sides of the political aisle. That includes the hypocrisy of Congressional members who are exempted in what many consider an odious law. What's good for the American people should be good enough for our elected leaders who voted for the Affordable Care Act.

No one is going to emerge from this fight unscathed but, sadly, Republicans are going to bear the blunt of the blame which brings to mind that explanation of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Boyd, Mudcat ... 2013's odd political climate in Virginia

The political climate in Virginia continues to get curiouser and curiouser on an almost daily basis and, today, it clouded yet again.

Two weeks ago, that ground shift you felt under your feet was the GOP reacting as longtime veteran Republican strategist Boyd Marcus endorsed and moved over to work for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe for governor. Conservative to the core, Boyd's move had some calling him a RINO, a moderate, and excoriating him for daring to step over the political line even as the Washington Post noted, "Democrats and even some Republicans see Marcus’s move as emblematic of a deep rift within the party: Marcus had been aligned with pragmatic establishment figures and repelled by the resolute tea party style...."

Interesting, then, that in another twist of this continuing drama, the Washington Post reported today that longtime Democratic strategist Mudcat Saunders had sorta-kinda joined the Cuccinelli campaign even though he didn't formally endorse him. Mudcat's reason? He doesn't agree with "corporate" types. That made me wonder if he meant he doesn't agree with capitalism. He was all over the map with thoughts about the campaign but seemed to zero in on southwestern Virginia and the coal industry, something Democrats and liberal environmentalists seem determined to destroy: “Once my party starts caring for the people at the bottom of the mountain as much as they care for the trees at the top of the mountain, I’ll join the conversation."

So was Mudcat piqued that McAuliffe didn't turn to him to consult his campaign, perhaps ticked that a Republican was hired instead? Or did the Cuccinelli campaign begin overtures to Mudcat after Boyd went to McAuliffe? Or could it be that the rural-leaning Mudcat just didn't like the globe-trotting McAuliffe who is closely associated with the Clintons?

There's no knowing for sure but it certainly adds to the mystique and entertainment of those watching this eclectic campaign season play out. With six weeks left until election day, it will be interesting to see who may next trip over party lines.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand

"Blame Bush stragedy won't win mid-terms ... 10 reasons Democrats are toast"

Mark McKinnon at The Daily Beast has bad news for Democrats:

Voters know whose hands are at the helm now. And with the elections less than 100 days away, here are the 10 telling signs that blaming bad times on Bush is not a winning strategy.

Check out his list. If you're a Republican, you'll smile. If you're a Democrat, better have the botox handy because those worry wrinkles are going to get deeper....

Poll: Democrats are in trouble

Michael Barone, the Washington Examiner's senior political analyst, caught my attention when he reported on the new Gallup poll:

Wow! The Gallup organization reports that on the generic ballot question—which party’s candidate would you vote for in Congress—Republicans currently lead Democrats 49%-43%. That’s the biggest Republican lead since Gallup began asking the question in 1950—and in fact Republicans have seldom been ahead in those 60 years. More bad news for the Democrats: 39% of Republicans say they’re enthusiastic about voting, compared to 25% of Independents and 24% of Democrats.

He goes on to say Democrats will continue to win but added:

But Democrats are in trouble, as I argued in my Sunday Examiner column, on both competence and ideology—a pretty lethal combination.

Wow, is right. We'll be watching the polls between now and November as Republicans roll up their shirt sleeves and get to work.

Gun owners urged to crash Democrat Primary?

Interesting concept ... H/T to Jim Riley.

Why did Jim Webb remove his name from the VP list?

So Sen. Jim Webb has decided not to go through the vetting process for Obama's vice presidential nominees ... and the Wall Street Journal checks out why. Among the reasons, they quote Chris Cillizza from the washingtonpost.com:

“The other major reason for Webb’s decision could well be that he knew that he would almost certainly have to withstand a re-examination of of his past controversial comments — on affirmative action and women’s role in the military — that his campaign operatives effectively beat down during his 2006 race against Sen. George Allen (R) … it is almost certain that the re-litigation of why he said or wrote those things during a vetting by the national press would not be an enjoyable experience for the notably temperamental freshman senator,” Cillizza notes.

Can anyone blame him? Those are not the only two issues that could be brought up....