McAuliffe Hides Lack of Substance Behind Blue-State Buzzwords

Terry McAuliffe gets credit for determination (if nothing else). He chose his strategy a long time ago and whether it is working or not, he is sticking with it. Terry, since the beginning, would have the undecided voters of Virginia believe that the GOP ticket this year is a who's who of fundamentalism, and he wants to convince folks that the top priority of this year's ticket is "a career-long mission to outlaw abortion in all cases and ban some common forms of birth control." 

McAuliffe wants to focus on these issues because they can be divisive at the best of times and inflammatory at the worst. But what he is finding out is...his campaign is the only one making a lot of noise about abortion. Cuccinelli, Obenshain, and Jackson are talking about solutions; about jobs, the economy, and the way to move the Commonwealth forward. 

Politifact, along with the politically active portion of society have easily rejected Terry's claim, by the way, as one more feeble barb coming from a camp with no real talking points. Throughout many appearances, interviews, and writings, Cuccinelli, Obenshain, and Jackson have made their point that this election is about creating jobs, and dealing with the economic issues that face us today.

But...But Terry would never lie to us...would he? 

The Attorney General actually has a plan to create jobs and lower taxes. The McAuliffe manifesto is a pretty pile of glittering generalities and nice promises that doesn't really delineate any ideas as much as just lauding Governor McDonnell's pro-business policies (at least he got that part right). Other than a nice shout-out to Virgina's (truly excellent, let's not take that away) community college system, and a notion to strengthen our dependence on more government for more jobs, it is mostly vanilla political yogurt. 

Changing the subject is his only recourse to remind people that he is still running. Dems have always loved to tout the "War on Women", it is provocative and can misdirect people from noticing a distinct lack of policy experience. Terry remembers that from when he was exporting that mantra from DNC Headquarters. 

But when you can't distract the people any more, what will you do Terry? 

He is too busy campaigning to debate, he is too inexperienced to have any record of success to run on, and his hyper-blue buzzwords from the DNC won't work on Virginia voters that want to hear solutions, not just attacks. So while the GOP and the Commonwealth look for real solutions to the problems that face us all today, the one candidate that is really bending over backwards to make people angry over abortion...is Terry.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

For McAuliffe, "Creating Jobs" Highly Resembles Doing Nothing

A recent Washington Post article exhorts Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe for his “wasting no time” in getting jobs down to Southside Virginia. That part of the state has been particularly hard hit in the economic crisis, and McAuliffe touted a plan to build a wood-fired power plant there, on the site of a closed International Paper mill. 

What a great idea! When did this idea come to light? When can we expect the results?

Terry made this claim after he lost his last race for Virginia Governor, in…2009. This smells a lot like his inflated claims of business expertise at his disaster of a green car company that has yet to post any semblance of a record of success. Terry is trying to pass off what amounts to a speech, a letter of intent, and a lease on a depot as job creation. Since 2009.

Photo courtesy of Reuters. 

Do not let this smiling generic suit of inexperienced anonymity try to use Southside Virginia as some kind of sick bargaining chip to prove talent that he does not have and progress that he has not made. Terry’s got Virginia businesses and jobs at heart? That’s a good one.

McAuliffe’s Greentech, debacle that it is, does in fact employ some people. Even bringing that business to Virginia would be better than holding out a letter of intent. But Terry didn’t even do that much forVirginians; he sent those few jobs down to Mississippi despite an offer from the Commonwealth. This kind of greasy smoke and mirrors trick to make Virginians believe that Terry has a record of business success, or has our job market at heart are a transparent lie evident to even the most cursory reader.

Send McAuliffe packing back to some Democratic Committee to make these grand statements with no results. It’d be a far more appropriate stage than giving this dunce a key to the Governor’s Mansion.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Fairfax County is in Sequestration Cross-hairs

Though the massive Federal spending cuts known as sequestration are set to start in January, one of Virginia's most prominent counties is already feeling the depressing effects. Fairfax County, in the shadow of the Capital Beltway, is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. Yet they stand poised to take a hard hit when Federal contracts start to dry up.

The county, in such proximity with Washington, is tied to Federal contracting in a big way.  Many Federal employees (whose careers are on the line in this dilemma) and their families call Fairfax home. Fairfax County only gets 1% of its general fund money from Federal contracts, but business in the area is tied up inextricably in Federal procurement. When the subcontractors and other smaller industry tied to Federal research and development feel the hit from these huge cuts, they will be in no position to respond to the kind of adversity they will go through.

The actual numbers are staggering. Fairfax accounted for a total of 26 Billion dollars-worth of Federal contract money in 2011 alone; thats more than any other locality in America. Economist Stephen Fuller, of George Mason University, warns that if these massive impending cuts are allowed to go through that Fairfax alone could lose 86,000 jobs.

For just one county in our Commonwealth to suffer on that scale is unthinkable. The backlash on Virginia as a whole would be worse even still. The effects of these cuts are being felt even before they are put into effect. Businesses are holding off on expanding, there is lower consumer confidence, and some businesses are already taking precautionary cuts hoping to avoid having to ostensibly shut their doors.

We need common-sense leadership in our Congress, able to reach out to constituents and reach across the aisle as well to come to some agreement to avert this catastrophic "cliff" that we, along with Fairfax County, are about to fall off. The alternative is by no means acceptable.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Less Horses and Bayonets? Less Jobs in Virginia

Last night's third and final presidential debate left this morning's news cycles abuzz. Each news provider has chosen their particular winner and explained why; but by-and-large there were no huge gains or hidden pitfalls evident. Whereas President Obama relied on sarcastic barbs and attacks, Mitt Romney held his ground with dignity and portrayed himself as an attractive alternative to Obama(rather than the warmonger that the President's campaign has painted him as.)

Romney did strike one of the most valid points of recent weeks in the debate; calling out the Obama campaign on its mudslinging, and its very spin-heavy attack ad schedule. "Attacking me is not an agenda."

There was, however, a part of the debate that directly affected us here in the Commonwealth. Mitt Romney pointed out the valid fact that our navy is in a dire state. Mr. Romney cited that we have less ships now than at any time since 1917. This report confirms Romney's claims. Obama jabbed back something sarcastic and off-topic about bayonets, and the debate moved on.

But wait. Here in Virginia, we have the largest naval base in the world on our coastline. That base employs thousands of Virginia's military employees. The cuts that Barack Obama will allow to our military will hit Virginia hard and there will be no way to turn that hit aside with a witty remark. The President has seriously misstepped here when it comes to one of the most influential and contested swing-states in the Union. Us.

Looking out for Virginian jobs, Mr. President? What about the 12,000 men and women employed right there in Norfolk? 

Governor McDonnell has stated on Facebook similarly just this morning that:

"President Obama's dismissive comments about the Navy tonight should be concerning for any voter who cares about the safety and security of Americans at home and abroad. President Obama has not only ignored these concerns -- but his flippant comment about 'horses and bayonets' was an insult to every sailor who has put his or her life on the line for our country."

Governor McDonnell is right. President Obama must have a very droll debate coach, but a quick comeback in a debate is not the same as a comeback in the economy and in the world. Mr. Romney has laid out his plan to support the Navy, and thereby Virginia jobs. President Obama has openly announced these cuts that would directly threaten those same jobs. The facts are there, and witty or not, Barack Obama is not the man to represent Virginia's military families.