Support Deeds

Today I've been writing letters to the Editor about why Creigh Deeds should be our next Governor.

It's appalling that so many people who turn out for the presidential election will not vote on November 3. This means that Deeds will be at a distinct disadvantage, since last year the majority voted for Obama and in my congressional district, for Tom Perriello.

But I have faith that if enough people are reached through knocking on doors, phone calls and letters to editor and personal appearances, Creigh can win.

As I think about him, I realize one of his strongest assets is as unifier:

While in the State Senate he has represented the the area in Bath County stretching from the West Virginia mountains to the University community of the Piedmont area of Charlottesville. He thus understands firsthand the rich diversity of our state. Over the years, he has told his rural constituents the importance of Northern Virginia as an economic engine for the rest of the state.

Deeds is supported by an impressive and diverse group of moderate Republicans, including former State Senators John Chichester of Stafford, Brandon Bell of Roanoke, Russ Potts of Winchester, Warren Barry of Fairfax, and Marty Williams of Newport News as well as former Delegates Jim Dillard from Northern Virginia and Panny Rhodes of Richmond.

Chichester, former Senate Majority leader for many years, also was the conscience and mind of the Senate on fiscal matters. He was probably the most influential legislator during his time as he worked with various governors to solve fiscal dilemmas.

Williams was chair of the Senate’s Transportation Committee and Potts, Senate Education and Health, where he stood up to extremist anti-abortion protestors.

These moderate Republicans all worked with Creigh, they endorsed him -- a person not of their party -- because they know he will create practical solutions in terms of financing schools and transportation and protecting our natural resources -- issues they care about.

Creigh was also born into the hard times of Virginia. The child of a single mother, he understands how middle- and lower-income families have to struggle to pay for basic necessities.

But rather than just talk "jobs" like all candidates do, Creigh has actually sponsored legislation to help the economy. This year, for example, he sponsored the Virginia Clean Energy Bill that supports family home improvements that will in turn create jobs for the new energy economy in renewables, efficiency and weatherization.

Creigh has long been a supporter of Virginia’s natural resources and understands how a protected environment and historic preservation are critical to the state’s tourism economy. New businesses seeking locations in Virginia also look for quality of life. Deeds' legislative record of 86% on the League of Conservation Voters’ scorecard contrasts with his opponent’s failing grade of 18%.

Beyond Creigh, I am thinking about Lt. Governor and Attorney General:

Jody Wagner would be the first woman in 20 years to hold statewide office. A Tidewater businesswoman and former State Secretary of Finance, she is eminently qualified to help Governor Deeds move Virginia through this critical period.

Former prosecutor Steve Shannon, a Northern Virginia state delegate, will maintain public safety while fighting such issues as internet abuses and predatory lending. He is non-ideological in approach – in contrast to his opponent who has supported extreme-right positions.

Election Day is November 3; absentee ballots must be filed by October 27.

We need Deeds, Wagner, and Shannon, but we won't get them unless enough people vote.

We need to get the word out for people to vote. Use your networks, use email and remind people of the importance of THEIR vote in THIS election.

Sphere: Related Content

Politics as Usual?

First off, let me say that I'm 100% for Creigh Deeds for Governor. He's smart but modest, he has ideas, not soundbites, and, as a senator, he has been a reliable vote on issues of importance to me -- the environment, education and women.

Yet, I'm having a hard time finding my role in this election. After decades of phone banking and canvassing, I really want a younger generation to take on those tasks. I've volunteered for other things but so far, I've mostly just made modest financial contributions, responded to a few blogs on line and written to a newspaper ombudsman when I read coverage I thought was unfair and superficial.

I'm writing this because I find myself more interested in taking walks, birding or visiting friends or planning to view the fall colors. What's wrong with me? I' advertise myself as woman poltiico, but I don't feel very politico.

Maybe it's because my work -- environmental advocacy -- involves a lot of politics with a small "p." I am constantly thinking about how to approach an issue, how to articulate it, where to press the advantage, who the allies will be, who the opponents, what next steps to take to advance the ball forward.

I'm tired. I need this time of revival.

I want to look at the leaves. I even want to rake leaves. And after viewing Ken Burns "National Parks: America's Best Idea," I want to visit those parks I've never seen -- like Arches and Zion -- and re-visit others -- Crater Lake, Glacier, Yellowstone -- and re-re-visit places like Shenandoah, Hatteras National Seashore and Acadia, which are my sacred places where I first truly felt the importance of nature in my life.

But Virginia poltiics doesn't allow any time for revival. Every year, we have an election -- last year, President, Congressman (Perriello - yay) and Senator, this year, Governor, Lt. Gov, Attorney General and House of Delegates. Next year it'll be Congress again and the year following, the Virginia House of Delegates AND Senate. And on and on ...

Meanwhile at the national level (and the state level), it feels as though politics doesn't stop after the election. Congress is in a battle over health care -- the Republicans don't want to give anything that the President might want. There are real areas of disagreement, but there are also those that simply want to use this issue for political gain.

I'm tired of this politics-as-usual. I want more focus on the issues. In the Governor's race, I want people to be involved and interested in who will lead our state over the next four years instead of just asking "what's in it for me?" As a former politician, I know people need to feel invested, but I wonder what will make them wake up and realize: They're OUR schools, our kids and grandkids who will need the education of the future, our mountains, ocean and Chesapeake Bay that need protecting, our collective community that needs to recommit itself to the common good and to vote for the person who will truly seek to find the common good through working with all people of good intentions, not just those in his/her own party. We need the bridge builders, not the bomb throwers.

It's funny that I'm writing this after having experienced this evening a very beautiful meeting with a small group from my church. There, I felt the peacefulness of giving oneself over to trying to discern the will of God and even spoke about how that had manifested itself in my life in very real and strong ways. Unlike some, I'm not trying to bring God into politics but I am trying to figure out how what we learn about relationship in the church can also apply to how we act collecively and politically --tolerating differences and appreciating similarities and finding a way to achieve the common good for the larger community. Sphere: Related Content

The President Nails It: How We Deal With Health Care Reflects the "Character of Our Country"

President Obama hit the right notes tonight in his speech on health care. He reminded us why we need reform:

• Ever since Congressman John Dingell, Sr. in 1943 (his son now a senior congressman from Detroit) introduced health care legislation, we have been postponing universal coverage.
• 30 million people have no coverage, that is, one in three citizens have no health care plan; this includes those with pre-existing conditions.
• Our costs are one and a half times the cost of other countries.
• In our premiums, each of us already pays $1000/year for those who are uninsured.
• Health care, because of the waste and inefficiency, IS our deficit problem.
  

The two political poles on the issue range from those calling for a single payer system to those who would continue to depend only on an employer-based voluntary insurance program.

Because one-sixth of our economy is based on health care, the President says we should build on the system. Given that there are 5 house bills (4 of which came out of committee) and a Senate Finance bill coming out next week, he opined that we have "80% agreement" on particulars.

He established three goals: 1) more security and stability for those with insurance; 2) coverage for those who don't have care; and 3) slowing the costs of health care.

His program would

1) ensure that current private health care plans, VA, medicare, medicaid coverage remain the same;
2) prohibit denial of coverage because of preexisting conditions;
3) prohibit dropping of coverage when a person is sick and prohibit yearly or lifetime caps on coverage;
4) limit out of pocket payments (thereby stemming bankruptcy due to health issues);
5) cover preventative services;
6) establish an insurance exchange to allow those without coverage to shop for quality affordable choices,
7) create tax credits based on need to allow people to purchase low cost coverage -- a plan proposed by Senator John McCain during the '08 campaign;
8) require individuals to purchase health insurance just as now they must purchase auto insurance (with a waiver for hardships).

Misconceptions the President explained:
1) there are no death panels; 2) illegal immigrants would not be covered;
3) there would be no funding through these plans for abortions; and
4) there would be no rationing of care.

However, the president said there should be a public option to provide accountability. It could be a not-for profit option either through co-ops or government for those who could not afford the other choices. He anticipates that about 5% Americans will sign up for this.

The Plan must pay for itself. He committed to adding nothing to the deficit and to embrace more spending cuts if savings do not materialize. But he emphasized that savings can be found within the health care system.

He also pointed out that there is some waste from Medicare.

Recognizing the valid concerns of those calling for medical malpractice reform, he committed to embracing this issue as well.

The cost of health care reform, asserted the President, would be $900 billion over 10 years, which he noted was less than the amount of the Bush tax cut.

In perhaps the most moving part of the speech, the President spoke of a letter written last spring by the late Senator Ted Kennedy when he learned of the terminal nature of his disease. In it, Senator Kennedy said how we respond to health care reflects the "character of our country," and the President urged us to respond to that character. As he spoke, Michele Obama held the widow Vicki Kennedy's hand, and after the speech, you could see Mrs. Kennedy saying about the speech to Mrs. Obama, "Magnificent, magnificent."

It was indeed.

Now let the lawmaking begin. Sphere: Related Content