2009.11.05
Editorial: Hoping McDonnell delivers on his promise
Gov.-elect McDonnell
Republicans swept Virginia's statewide races and grew in number in the House. The question now is what good they'll do for the commonwealth.
The votes are counted and the people have spoken. Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell is to be congratulated on a well-run, focused campaign that seldom veered from what the public needed to hear: He'll create jobs and return the state to prosperity. He was not this newspaper's pick as the candidate with the more realistic agenda for getting Virginia where it clearly needs to go. We'll add our voice, though, to all who respond to his call for opponents to "give me a chance to earn your trust and work with you for the betterment of the commonwealth of Virginia."
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It should be interesting to see how many free passes McDonnell gets from the RTLEB. Kaine was seldom criticized and when he was, it was very softball. Despite everyone calling the Deeds campaign a disaster the RTLEB only ran 1 negative editorial on Deeds and priased his transportation "plan" despite the fact that no one could find a "plan" within it (which was confirmed on Tuesday).
The RTLEB has disavowed holding Kaine responsible for Virginia's unemployment percentages. They don't blame Kaine or Warner for the Penny Kyle debacle at Radford U. They always blamed Morgan Griffith for the transportation mess despite the fact the Kaine was the governor. They didn't even hold Kaine directly responsible for the mess he solely created with the IT person HE appointed that oversaw the hacking into of millions of medical records. And they don't want to blame either chief executive of the last 8 years for the costly IT divorce that the commonwealth will have to pursue from its information provider.
Yes, it should be real interesting to see just how many free passes McDonnell gets. I am betting it won't be near the # that Kaine received. But, hopefully, they won't be needed.
Comment by Bob H — November 5, 2009 @ 7:48 am
How soon will we see the RTEB question Obama for not fulfilling HIS promises?
Comment by Patrick — November 5, 2009 @ 8:06 am
Bob H,
Boy, good point. I'm still incredulous the RTEB actually gave credit to Kaine for "holding the line on taxes increases". I need to go back and bookmark that editorial for use anytime the RTEB blasts GOP "intransignece" on tax increases. I think it was sometime in August they said it.
Comment by Suzie — November 5, 2009 @ 8:16 am
"...finding a solution to a transportation funding crisis that has gone from serious to critical."
What crisis? VA voters didn't see a transportation crisis. What is most important to the RTEB (raising taxes and transportation) rated least with the voters. No surprise there!
VA voter exit poll results:
46% of Virginian voting Tuesday said that the economy and jobs was the most important issue.
25% said health care reform is their most important issue
14% said taxes was most important
8% said transportation problems were most important
Comment by John R — November 5, 2009 @ 8:32 am
Virginia voters don't see what the engineers see. If drivers would take the opportunity to stop and closely examine the roads and bridges in the state, even just to look at them, they'd see part of the problem. Unfortunately, a lot of the structural problems are encased inside concrete or so far out of view that we just don't see it. But the problem is real, it is there, and it's been building for years. Hopefully McDonnell will figure out a way to fund the critical rehabilitation of hundreds of bridges and roads, and the construction or improvement of dozens more that are vital to the state's economic success and vitality going forward.
Comment by Other John — November 5, 2009 @ 8:39 am
The "crisis" the Dems see is not pot holes and failing bridges, its building and enlarging highways in northern VA and Hampton Roads so all those Dems have a shorter commute. That cost big bucks! Pot holes and bridge repair is peanuts by comparison.
A recent trip to PA via I-81 found well maintained roads and no unreasonable trafic problems, and even new highway construction in places. The only highway problems I found were in PA, not VA.
Comment by John R — November 5, 2009 @ 9:00 am
#4,
What would you expect from the RTLEB which endorsed 100% democrats over republicans this election for statewide office? And then the results come in which show just how far out of touch the RTLEB is from the populace (or the electorate as technically not the entire populace voted).
Then came the post from Dan that they made many of these endorsements even knowing the candidate they were endorsing stood little chance to win. But, what do the people know about what is right for them? Ideology is what matters! Progressivness (aka liberalism) is what matters! That is the cause.....
Comment by Bob H — November 5, 2009 @ 9:02 am
John R wrote: "What crisis? VA voters didn't see a transportation crisis. What is most important to the RTEB (raising taxes and transportation) rated least with the voters. No surprise there! "
And they don't worry about their heath until they get sick, either -and they can be sick for years until the symptoms hit them.
And then they die.
The road problem can be easily seen, all drivers have to do, is stop their car and pull onto the shoulder, and look across the pavement. Those cracks they see, but don't yet feel is just like the peeling paint on houses -you don't see that peeling paint on that house at 50 MPH either -or the sorry state of the shingles -but the boards underneath are steadily being damaged, just like the Asphalt is being destroyed.
And when it reaches the failure point, and repairs are being made, then the drivers complain about the delays, the detours or the lack of ability to get where they want to be - I see it right here on this forum.
when a route becomes too congested, then the taxpayer screams about why VDOT didn't address the problem earlier -but fails to see that he or she is the real problem for not looking ahead, not listening to those who are outhere on the frontlines, who, just like their doctor actually sees the symptoms, and knows what the problem is.
Have fun while waiting in traffic, wating for a tow truck for the damaged wheel in the pothole, and at the repairshop waiiting for your car to be fixed, and to pay your repair bill.
Pay now, or pay later - and later is usually much, much more expensive.
Comment by joe Mostowey — November 5, 2009 @ 9:13 am
It's funny, I took a trip to Binghamton, NY via 81 a couple months ago and the things I saw were almost opposite what you saw. There were numerous stretches of 81 in VA that are rough, need paving, and several bridges in poor shape. By contrast, the roads in PA and NY had several ongoing resurfacing (paving) and bridge rehabilitation and improvement projects going on. VA did a fair amount of work several years ago (funded by saving tax revenues for many years prior to slamming the first shovel to the earth), but it's PA and other states that are doing the work today, while VA struggles its way to do a bunch of small, cheap projects and not anything ambitious or overly impacting because they can;t fund it. At the rate that a locality can save their transportation funding to build a road, they will never be able to actually save enough funding because inflation is outpacing their savings rate. It's an untenable situation.
Comment by Other John — November 5, 2009 @ 9:14 am
So should Governor-elect McDonnell and the party work with VA Democrats in the same fashion that President Obama and the Democrats in congress are working with the Republicans or is the RTEB going to hold a governor to a higher standard than a president?
Comment by Richard S. — November 5, 2009 @ 9:16 am
@8-"And they don't worry about their heath until they get sick, either -and they can be sick for years until the symptoms hit them."
Interesting you would use this as an example when the numbers above indicate that the only thing Virginians were more worried about than health was jobs/economy. You may be grasping at that one.
Comment by Another Chris — November 5, 2009 @ 10:05 am
VA voters saw what was important Tuesday and sent a message, loud and clear! How sweet it is!
Transportation and high taxes didn't make the cut!
Comment by John R — November 5, 2009 @ 10:06 am
And you don't think the the absence of the youth and African American vote for Deeds was a foctor or even worth mentioning? Both turned out in droves for their "Pop Culture candidate" promising a chicken in every pot, but they abandoned the humble country boy from the mountains. Maybe they were too busy out spending their stimulus money. Also, I hope you follow the money from the University of Richmond (and taxpayers pockets)to Tim Kaines wallet like you have done with the crooks with the (R) beside their names, and yes they are crooks. Your AP story announced just moments ago that Mr. Unibrow is going to teach and help UR achieve their "strategic goals" after leaving office. I thought he left office two years ago. Sounds like lobbying at it's best, or influnce peddling at it's worse.....and I thought Phil Hamilton was bad. Will we be seeing an editorial warning Mr. Kaine about this tomorrow? You owe to it us plebes, don't you think?
Comment by JMU Grad — November 5, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
Another Chris Wrote" @8-"And they don't worry about their heath until they get sick, either -and they can be sick for years until the symptoms hit them."
Interesting you would use this as an example when the numbers above indicate that the only thing Virginians were more worried about than health was jobs/economy. You may be grasping at that one."
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Another Chris,
According to most doctors many of their patients come to them with advanced cancers, heart disease and diabetes because they ignore warning signs, and refuse to see a Doctor until they can no longer ignore the symptoms.
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"About one in three men and one in five women have no regular doctor, a survey of 4,350 Americans projected. Money was a big concern, but beyond that, denial and embarrassment played a role, particularly for men, said Karen Davis, the president of the Commonwealth Fund, the social and health care research foundation in New York City that paid for the survey."
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/men/9906/14/mens.health/
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They may be worried about health care, but many people wait until their illness and pain FORCES them to see a doctor.
So, No, this was not as you put it "grasping at that one".
It's human nature, which politicians are supposed to compensate for when it comes to the condition of the infrastructure, and other necessities.
Comment by joe Mostowey — November 5, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
So joe, these delays in seeking care are true in most instances regardless of health coverage. How will politicians, liberal or conservative, fix that? I think you may have committed a non-sequiter fallacy here. Absolute universal coverage will not solve this issue if the person still doesn't go to the doctor, as your references indicate. Or are you suggesting that politicians should not only see to it that eveyone has coverage but make them use it as well?
Comment by Another Chris — November 5, 2009 @ 5:29 pm
#15 Another Chris wrote "So joe, these delays in seeking care are true in most instances regardless of health coverage. How will politicians, liberal or conservative, fix that? I think you may have committed a non-sequiter fallacy here. Absolute universal coverage will not solve this issue if the person still doesn't go to the doctor, as your references indicate. Or are you suggesting that politicians should not only see to it that eveyone has coverage but make them use it as well?"
Keep changing the topic, Chris, it's a typical trick.
Here's a dose of reality:
Reality one: The Health care Bill aims to give folks the Opportunity to see the doctor for health problems.
Reality two: Some people will not seek help until it's too late, regardless of what you do.
Reality Three: Virginians, especially those who belong to the GOPreeloader party, will never face reality, will allow the roads and bridges to fail because they don't want to pay the bill that came due years ago for maintaining the roads, and building new ones.
They ride the roads at a subsidized rate of one cents per mile on a system that costs three cents per mile.
And they will obfuscate, change topics and anything else to avoid facing that reality and doing what must be done.
Comment by joe Mostowey — November 5, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
Roads and Bridges? If you look at the new construction on most state Universities it is hard to believe the state does not have enough money for roads and bridges: drive thru VCU, CNU or ODU some day to see your tax dollars at work.
Comment by Patt — November 6, 2009 @ 8:05 am
Patt Wrote: "Roads and Bridges? If you look at the new construction on most state Universities it is hard to believe the state does not have enough money for roads and bridges: drive thru VCU, CNU or ODU some day to see your tax dollars at work."
Patt, Universities get funding in an entirely different way from VDOT.
I can see where conservatives find it hard to believe that the Government doesn't have the money, because they are too busy comparing apples to oranges.
The majority of your transportation funding is from the gas tax. PERIOD.
Your real estate taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, lottery proceeds are all irrelevant. They Do Not Pay For Roads and Bridges.
If they raised every tax in Virginia, except the GAS tax, there would still be no money for transportation.
Your car pays it's own way -through the gas tax, and other taxes associated with operating a vehicle, but the lions share is provided via the gas tax. Your car only pays for what it uses, through the GAS TAX. You drive more you pay more, you drive less you pay less.
And since the gas tax was last raised in 1986, the seventeen and one half cents has deteriorated due to inflation to an actual value of around eight cents.
Asphalt which cost less than 20 dollars a ton in 1986, now costs upwards of one hundred dollars a ton, and asphalt is the primary ingredient in road building.
Concrete which was less than 20 dollars a cubic yard in 1986 now runs over eighty dollars a cubic yard.
Less gas is sold, cars are more fuel efficent, and there are many more miles of roads to take care of.
Until conservatives accept these realities, there will be no change in attitudes toward transportation.
And every year, every road, and every bridge gets that much older, that much more weather worn, that much more deterioated due to the stresses of too much traffic, too little maintenance.
Are your bridges very high? Think about a nice relaxing plunge to the rocks below in your car, when something finally fails from these factors.
The folks in Minnisota a few years back found such a plunge to be an eye opener - once they removed the bodies and debris.
Comment by joe Mostowey — November 6, 2009 @ 8:54 am