Somehow in that kickoff (Joe Bouchard) seemed to imply that Republicans weren't supporting our troops. And I take offense at that. I hope you guys take offense at that too. He brought up a bill of his that didn't get passed and blamed the Republicans for not passing that bill and said because his bill didn't pass Republicans didn't support the troops. Please don't let him get away with comments like that. Please talk to your friends, get out there, tell them what the real story is, tell them about our support for the troops, but also tell them it's not about personalities it's about effectiveness and how effectiveness (sic) you can be up there in the General Assembly. – Dr. Chris Stolle
So the real story has been invited and the real story is a record of empty rhetoric on the part of high profile Republicans in Virginia Beach including the candidate for governor. It is also a record of obstructionism without regard to the effect it may have on the military constituency. Three stand out for their lack of initiative for active duty military and veterans issues: Delegate Bob Purkey (R-82nd), State Senator Ken Stolle (R-8th), and Bob McDonnell, statewide standard bearer and former delegate for the 84th. That is unless you think naming bridges and commending the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program meet the standard for support.With the constituencies each represent(ed), you can conclude one of two things: either there are no military or veterans issues or these three really just don't care enough to carry them. Not a single one of these gents can point to a record of accomplishment for our troops.
Bob Purkey has the least distinguished of three bad records. He has patroned no, zero, nada bills that directly benefit a single military or veteran constituent. He did sign on as a co-patron for bills that eventually resulted in allowing in-state tuition for military personnel and their families stationed in Virginia. But that didn't take a great deal of courage: the final bill squeaked by on 100-0 and 40-0 votes in the House and Senate. It had 34 House patrons and one Senate patron: Democratic candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds. Senator Stolle is absent from the list of supporters. McDonnell was gone from the House by the time it passed and deferred support when it was proposed in 1995 and 1997. There is a tax break for active duty military personnel Purkey signed onto as a co-patron. Based upon how he rails against such initiatives that come before his committee, he must have had to hold his nose. But it leaves one thing for him to grasp onto.
Bob McDonnell was the patron for one bill that extended eligibility for the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP) to children of active duty military personnel stationed outside Virginia (but claiming Virginia as their residence) by eliminating the requirement that these students graduate from a Virginia high school. And he did patron a bill for special license plates for World War II veterans. As co-patron he signed on to a bill that allows the construction of monuments by localities and contains an all important clause making it unlawful to place Union monuments on previously designated Confederate memorials or to place Confederate monuments on previously designated Union memorials. Although he likes to make it sound like his idea, he was a co-patron on a bill to memorialize the Congress to approve the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill. Based upon Chris Stolle's measure of effectiveness, McDonnell is a failure because this bill was continued to the next session. Then there is the bill that authorized Governor Kaine to ask the Federal government for funds for more beds for the Veterans Care Center; this from the party that tells you that more federal government is not the answer. And from those who enjoyed diminishing John Kerry for mentioning that he is a Viet Nam veteran, just how does McDonnell's often self-promoted service in military intelligence stack up?
Finally my own Senator, Ken Stolle, patroned a bill in 2002 to reestablish the Virginia Military Advisory Council; "to maintain a cooperative and constructive relationship between the Commonwealth and Armed Forces of the United States... " Not a new idea, the original statute had been repealed the previous year. But for any bills mentioning veterans, there are none to be found. As co-patron, he has been happy to name bridges and commend, but he has otherwise been silent. Then when he had an opportunity to support Delegate Bouchard's bill in the last session to eliminate tax on benefits for military personnel in financial trouble, he turned his back. A calculated political maneuver: How would it look if he supported a bill proposed by the incumbent his brother would oppose? Simple and mercenary as that. To answer his brother Chris's call to tell the real story, this is it.
These are not records to stand on and proudly announce they "support the troops." And Dr. Stolle was right when he said it is not about personalities it is about effectiveness. Delegates Tata and Iaquinto and Senator Frank Wagner (all of Virginia Beach and all Republicans) supported Bouchard's bill. Bouchard had no trouble rallying them. So who is it who played a personalities game? What was effective here was the cheap trick of having Delegate Purkey pull a maneuver to stop this bill in his committee to the detriment of the welfare of active duty personnel in combat. This can't even meet the "good intentions" standard. So yes, Dr. Stolle let's get the word out about Republican politicians' support of the troops. Spread the word far and wide.
Cross posted at Blue Commonwealth
