I'm hearing the same disturbing news from multiple sources in multiple places -- both directly from delegates and from people who've heard it themselves from the delegate.Apparently Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates plan to go out of their way to be nice to Bob McDonnell next year. Why? Because they're worried if they make Republicans too mad, they'll be targeted in redistricting and lose their seats.
After a brutal election day, I can understand that Democratic delegates are still in shock and are now in triage mode -- save whoever's still alive, cut your losses, and avert any more pain. Listening to Democrats try to figure out the new House leadership structure is like watching a war movie after a big battle scene -- whoever's still alive gets a promotion. "Johnson, I guess you're captain now ..."
But now is not the time to hide and lick our wounds. The 2010 General Assembly session is coming up awfully fast, and I'm not yet hearing any sort of strategy for highlighting the consequences of Republican policies.
Without new funding, roads & bridges will continue crumbling, students will have to learn from fewer teachers in fading facilities, and families & seniors will continue suffering from some of the most shamefully insufficient low-income health care support in the nation.
If Richmond follows George W. Bush's policy lead, inequality will grow, discrimination will spread, and energy costs will continue to soar. In the long run, Virginia's cherished reputation as a well-managed, business-friendly state will be tarnished -- not coincidentally, a return to the Gilmore era's bumbling after eight years of Democratic leadership from Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
But if Virginia Democrats decide to pull their punches, shying away from pointing out the devastating effects of Republican policies and drawing contrasts with what Democrats would do, voters will be left to think, "Sure, the GOP sucks. But what's the alternative?" And 2011 & 2013 may look a lot like repeats of 2009.
