| This piece will be appearing -- probably this week -- in a couple of the newspapers in my very conservative 6h congressional district. While reading an article about how "anti-environmentalists" are spending thousands of dollars to alter their vehicles to increase the smoke they produce, I came across this statement from one of that group, who call themselves "coal rollers": "If [Obama's] into the environment, if he's into this or that, we're not." And it's not just the president they're hostile to, it's also those Prius-driving "librels" who, according to the article, might be specially targeted with a blast of smoke and soot. How did "if they're for it, I'm agin it" get to poison our politics. That is, after all, what's happening in Congress in the past few years, isn't it? Just as the "coal rollers" would rather express their hostility than have clean air and less cancer, so also the Republicans in Congress would rather reject whatever the president proposes than work to get anything accomplished for America. That's how this Congress is the least productive in living memory. Much less. And anyone who thinks a do-nothing Congress is good for America has no idea of how it is this nation became the great country that we were born into. I've got a question for the conservatives who support this politics of hostility and spite: What's so terrible about the liberal half of America? Has the role of liberalism been so hideous as to warrant only contempt? Would you prefer an America where our older citizens had to get by without Social Security or Medicare? Would you prefer an America in which the air and water were getting ever more foul? Would you prefer an America in which one race of our citizens would be allowed to subjugate another race through law and intimidation? Would you prefer an America in which children still worked in the mines? |
| Andy Schmookler :: The Politics of Hostility |
| The era when liberalism was ascendant made America a better society in important ways. Isn't it appropriate for conservatives to regard liberals as decent Americans, with a respectable point of view?And one more: Would you prefer an America whose citizens are the only ones among the advanced democracies who cannot count on decent health care? Yes, let's talk about the Affordable Care Act-Obamacare, if you prefer. For some years, now, one has heard from Republican politicians that there's something extreme about that legislation to reform our healthcare system. But how can it be extreme? Obamacare is a Republican solution to a serious national problem. Serious, because we've been paying twice as much for health care than any other nation, and yet our system for delivering good health care to our citizens isn't even ranked in the top two dozen. Unreformed, our system was in the process of bankrupting families, businesses, and the government. Something clearly needed to be done. Republican, because it's based on an idea that came from the very conservative Heritage Foundation, that was first proposed by Republicans in the Senate back in the 1990s, and that was implemented in a statewide form in Massachusetts by a Republican governor. Besides, every other decent country has something like Obamacare or even more. Clearly, there can be nothing extreme about this Republican approach to health care reform. What's extreme is what the Republicans have done with it. While the Republicans in Congress were refusing to pass legislation to address our other challenges, they found time to repeal Obamacare some fifty times-a spectacle unprecedented in American history. They told their followers one falsehood about it after another (think death panels), whipping people up into a fury. (By the way, the new system -- having survived the website's lousy first roll-out -- is working rather well. The number of Americans without any insurance has dropped precipitously, and the overwhelming majority of American affected by the law say they are better off because of it.) Why the rage? Since when is it the American way to hate people with a different, but reasonable, view of how to make our nation better? Not since the era of the Civil War has one big part of America expressed such hostility toward another big part of America. And if we think about the wounds inflicted on the nation then - wounds that have not altogether healed still, after a century and a half - we should not be sanguine about the consequences of this politics of hostility in our times. This is not how America was in the America I grew up in. This is not the way America is supposed to be. We're all in this together. |
The Politics of Hostility
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
by Andy Schmookler
Media Coverage of Virginia State Capitol Plummets; Public Couldn't Care Less
Friday, July 11, 2014
 First, the bad news, that is if you care about having a functional democracy not completely dominated by corporate interests, lobbyists, rich people, etc.Tom Fahey, a longtime bureau chief for the New Hampshire Union Leader, left in 2012 to take a job with the state Bankers Association. The Keene Sentinel, the Portsmouth Herald and Foster's Daily Democrat all used to maintain statehouse bureaus. Now, they only send reporters for special events.In Richmond, Associated Press reporter Bob Lewis took a job with a public relations firm after being fired over a story during last year's gubernatorial race. Michael Sluss, the longtime statehouse reporter for the Roanoke Times, took a position at the same firm. Christina Nuckols, another statehouse veteran who wrote for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot and the Roanoke Times, took a position with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. And Julian Walker, another former Virginian-Pilot reporter, joined a different public relations firm in June.Now, the good news? Oh wait, actually there isn't any good news here. In fact, there's even worse news: based on the number of comments - ZERO, as of 2:00 pm on Friday, a day after the story was posted - on the Washington Post story about the "precipitous decline of state political coverage," the public simply doesn't care about this stuff. Which would, of course, be consistent with the "paradox in the reality of American politics: The more local an office, the more of an impact it has on any given person's daily life. Yet the more local an election, the lower the voter interest." Which, of course, is exactly OPPOSITE of the way it should be.So where does that leave us, other than up the proverbial S**ts Creek without a proverbial paddle? Here are a few points from a conversation I had a few minutes with a national-level Democrat, one of the smartest observers/analysts I know on U.S. politics. |
| lowkell :: Media Coverage of Virginia State Capitol Plummets; Public Couldn't Care Less |
| *"We thought state blogs would fill the gap, but the revenue never followed the eyeballs. So we're left still pondering present and future business models for monetizing the state political news industry." *"More than a few reporters have leapt from the newsgathering business to the spin side, because that's where the money is, and people tend to follow the money, whether consciously or not." *"The thing about running a news organization now is that: 1) barriers to entry are low, because the web exists; 2) the ability to create local monopolies/oligopolies is low, because the web exists; 3) people can disaggregate the traditional news bundle and seek the information they prefer to consume, because the web exists; 4) companies and institutions can disintermediate the organizations traditionally in the business of disseminating information, because the web exists. *Meanwhile, on the news consumer side, people have limited time, and lack the appetite to spend extensive time curating new sources of information on a continuing basis." Plus, there's basically information overload at this point, with vastly increasing volumes of information pouring out at us, while last I checked the day still has 24 hours in it. *Can any of the new news models make up for the loss of basic reporting, shoe leather, pounding the beat, digging, investigating, etc? Short answer: nope, doesn't look like it. *Finally, on the internet, there are no real geographic barriers to what we read. Ergo, "in an era of news organizations that can compete across geographic markets, bounded only by language, those whose product qualities (whether ideological or judged on other subjective means) draw the largest audiences will win." Where does that leave reporting on what's happening in the Virginia General Assembly, for instance? Given the exodus we've seen in recent years of top-notch, experienced Virginia political reporters, it doesn't look good.The big problem, of course, is that if nobody's watching the chicken coop except for the foxes - lobbyists, wealthy and powerful interests of all types - and the public doesn't give a crap, then what's to stop our elected officials from getting away with all kinds of shenanigans? Sure, having open information sources like VPAP is great, but that doesn't even come close to scratching the surface of how influence is peddled in Richmond. Plus, what percentage of Virginians do you think check out VPAP regularly? 1%? 0.1%? 0.01%? Whatever, it's a tiny number. Anyway, on that cheery note, enjoy your weekend. While you're relaxing, just remember: people who want something from your state government, and ultimately your tax dollars, are always on the job...while, increasingly, nobody's watching. P.S. If you want to be further depressed, see the Pew Research Center report ("America's Shifting Statehouse Press: Can New Players Compensate for Lost Legacy Reporters?"). |
VA Tobacco Commission-Funded Liberty U Ad Funds Attacks on Immigrant Children as Diseased
Thursday, July 10, 2014
| On Monday, Virginia House Minority Leader Del. David Toscano (D-Charlottesville) published an op-ed in the Virginian-Pilot entitled, Big mess at Tobacco Commission. According to Del. Toscano, the recent resignation of State Sen. Phil Puckett, which apparently was in part in exchange for a promised job at the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (aka, the "Tobacco Commission"), "raises new questions" about said Tobacco Commission. It's pretty sketchy when you read what Del. Toscano says about it. For instance:*"Over the years, the commission has funded a wide variety of projects. But unlike our state budget process, it is not always clear why certain things get funded. Millions of dollars are awarded, but without much evaluation of their effectiveness." *"A 2011 review by our legislative watchdog, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, found that 89 percent of all Tobacco Commission awards were not linked with any outcome metrics." *"It has a 31-member board. Of the elected officials on the board, there are no Democrats." *And last but not least: "The Tobacco Commission spent $20 million to create a new medical school at Liberty University." That's right, a bunch of Republicans with a pot of hundreds of millions of dollars to play around with gave $20 million of that money to Jerry Falwell's"evangelical mega-university", a school that believes its mission is to "redress perceived wrongs to Christians, to reclaim the public square and reassert Christian political authority" and that teaches "young earth Creationism" (question: how can you claim to be a medical school while denying one of the underlying principles to modern biology - evolution?!?), and which revoked recognition of the school's college Democrats' chapter, arguing that the "'Democratic Party platform is contrary to the mission of Liberty University and to Christian doctrine'...citing the party's positions on abortion and federal funding thereof, same-sex marriage, hate crimes, LGBT rights, and socialism as justification for the dissolution." That's right, this far-right, overtly political "college" received $20 million from the Republican-dominated Virginia Tobacco Commission. Keep in mind that that $20 million could have gone to many other potentially worthy projects, such as anti-smoking efforts and smoking-related health care/Medicaid costs. Instead, the Republican-controlled Virginia Tobacco Commission decided to send that money to the fundamentalist, extremist "school" (using the word loosely) that Jerry Falwell founded. That's bad enough, but check this out. That's right, Liberty University advertising dollars are funding the insane, hate-speech advertising you hear on the recording, ranting about immigrant children as supposedly "diseased." Here's raging homophobic and Islamophobic extremist Cal Thomas: No nation can exist for long if it fails to control its borders. An estimated 290,000 "illegals" have poured across our southern border just since April. These include 50,000 children. There are regulations requiring vaccinations and reporting to a court for adjudication, but who thinks any of that will happen? Visit the Department of Homeland Security's web page and see the list of those ineligible for admittance to this country when they carry a list of diseases. Can anyone guarantee these kids have been vaccinated and don't have diseases? Media reports indicate at least some are carrying disease of one kind or another. This is all about votes of course. Democrats think they can create another permanent underclass that will be beholden to them and get their votes when the become citizens, or who knows, perhaps even before...Build a fence before dealing with those already here. If we don't we'll lose the America we inherited from our forebears...At a time when our values and our faith are under attack, Liberty University is building a foundation to help the next generation prevail in a hostile culture. Offering classes both online and at its residential campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University is instilling the desire in students to return America to its founding principles. Furthermore, Liberty is training champions for Christ, strengthening their faith and challenging to triumph in a changing world. For the sake of your children and our country, learn more online at liberty.edu/champions.That's right, Liberty University, which has received $20 MILLION from the Virginia Tobacco Commission, is sponsoring these insane (not to mention wildly exaggerated, hyperbolic, etc.) ravings through its advertising dollars. And, de facto, so are Virginians, who have seen this money go to Liberty U. instead of to any number of other possible recipients. Why is that? Again, I'd note that the Tobacco Board is dominated by Republicans like Jerry Kilgore, the guy who offered Phil Puckett a job in exchange for him throwing the State Senate to Republican control. Any further questions? |
Washington Post Publishes Column Advocating Murder of Bicyclists?!?
 Think I'm exaggerating with that headline? Fine, read this Washington Post opinion piece (by the clearly enraged and unhinged Courtland Milloy), for yourself. A few *Hints at violence: "They're lucky that someone hasn't put a broomstick through the spokes of their wheels." *More (and stronger) hints at violence: "It's a $500 fine for a motorist to hit a bicyclist in the District, but some behaviors are so egregious that some drivers might think it's worth paying the fine." As the top-rated comment on this screed asks, "how is this man employed by the venerable Washington Post? He suggests it is worth the fine to run down a biker - that would be a grave crime." And as the second-highest-rated comment adds: "What a horrible article. Broomsticks in spokes? Run down cyclists? Why was this allowed to be printed?" More examples? Here's what the third-highest-rated comment suggests for Courtland Milloy: "Seek help. You've got some serious anger management issues if you're that vindictive to bicyclists and that blindly biased against them." And the fourth: "What a disgusting article. In addition to suggesting injuring or killing a bicyclist is justified by a few seconds delay, Milloy also suggests cyclists don't deserve city services because they may be white and new to DC." On and on we go, and the Post is perfectly fine with it. Remind me again, why do any of us continue to read this click-bait? |
Ed Gillespie - Minimum Wage Job "where you play on a softball league...go for a beer after work"
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
| Speaking in Virginia Beach, Ed Gillespie says, "A minimum wage job is where you learn to get to work on time....Its where you learn the social aspect of work, where you play on a softball league and go for a beer after work." Absolutely. Clueless. In fact, most people earning a minimum wage don't have enough time or money to be playing in softball leagues and going out for beers after work. Instead, they're too busy trying to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and health care coverage (again, no thanks to cold-hearted and clueless Republicans like Ed Gillespie). In short, Ed Gillespie's as out of touch as Mitt "47 percent' Romney, his former boss. |
Winners and Losers: 48th and 90th House of Delegates Democratic Caucuses
Monday, July 7, 2014
 I'm going to mostly focus on the 48th House of Delegates district in this "Winners and Losers" list, because I've gotten basically no information and seen next to zero coverage of the 90th from anyone - nothing from candidates, next to nothing from the media (other than coverage by Vivian Paige and belated announcement of the results in the Virginian Pilot and Daily Press this morning). The 48th, in stark contrast, is my home turf, so I was able to cover it myself, along with folks like Stephanie Clifford (winner!), Michael Pope (ditto) and Patricia Sullivan (ditto), and a legion of others (e.g., Kip Malinosky, Peter Fallon and Jarrod Nagurka - all winners!) via email, social media, etc, etc. With that, here's my non-comprehensive, wildly subjective list. Please feel free to add your own "winners" and "losers" in the comments sections.P.S. As usual, I'm generally going to stay away from the glaringly obvious "winners" like 48th District Democratic nominee Rip Sullivan, and the obvious "losers" like the candidates who didn't win. It's just too obvious, ergo boring.WINNERS Patrick Hope: Endorsed Rip Sullivan, campaigned hard for him, introducing him to hundreds of Arlington Democratic voters. For those reasons, and because he's popular and respected in the 48th district (also, as a reader pointed out,he just ran a 5-month campaign heavily targeting many of these precincts, which means that he's got hugely important fresh data and name recognition), Hope may have done as much (or more?) than anyone to win this election for Sullivan. Why? Because Hope really helped Sullivan make inroads into Arlington, which was crucial to him getting to 50%+1 in Instant Runoff Voting. Without that, Sullivan would have romped in Fairfax, but might not have done much of anything in Arlington. It's also worth noting Peter Fallon's and Aneesh Chopra's help in this same regard, making them "winners" as well. Team Hope: It wasn't just Patrick Hope himself, but "Team Hope" from his Congressional race - Jarrod Nagurka et al. - which really helped Rip a lot. With just under a week (thanks Bill Howell!) to get a campaign up and running, Rip's campaign was by far the best of all the candidates in moving fast, effectively, and in the end successfully. That was thanks to Rip's talents, of course, but also to the help he got from "Team Hope," including budding political star Jarrod Nagurka. Great job! Andrew Schneider: He didn't win, but he finished a close third, really raised his profile, and from what I hear gained a lot of respect from his run. We'll see if he's able to leverage this going forward. Columbia Pike Streetcar: Both the winner and runner-up (Paul Holland) are strongly supportive of transit in general, and the Columbia Pike streetcar specifically, although with the caveat that funding be worked out in a way that doesn't cause Arlington taxpayers to be adversely impacted. Of course, given that the streetcar is overwhelmingly a local issue, it didn't play much at all in this race, but to the extent it did, it didn't seem to hurt proponents. Arlington and Fairfax County Democratic Committees: Superb job organizing this caucus - at two locations and with instant runoff voting AND a debate, no less!!! - in just a few days, which is all they had thanks to Speaker Bill "I hate Democracy and Democrats" Howell. Great jobs by Kip Malinosky, Greg Brandon/Dranesville District Democrats, Sue Langley, Peter Owen, Dave Leichtman and many others in pulling this off. Kip Malinosky: I already made him a "winner," but Kip deserves his own line in this "winners" and "losers" list. First off, he's just a great guy. Second, he's a great leader of the Arlington County Democratic Committee. Third, more to the point, with almost no notice whatsoever he pulled off - along with the FCDC folks and many others - a smooth, successful caucus, debate, etc. on the Fourth of July weekend, no less. Does Kip ever sleep? If so, nobody is aware of it. :) George Burke: Did a great job, on short notice, of moderating a 2-hour-plus debate the day before the election. Nice job! Jim Southworth: Videotaped the entire 48th House of Delegates district Democratic debate and put it up within hours. Also nice job! Virginia House Democratic Caucus: The person who's best at fundraising, Rip Sullivan, won the election, which bodes well for Virginia House Democrats going forward. Instant Runoff Voting: Yet again, demonstrated its worth by guaranteeing that the winner would have a majority of the votes cast. The only tweak I'd make here would be to have people enter the votes into a database throughout the day, so when polls close we can have the IRV calculated in seconds. |
| lowkell :: Winners and Losers: 48th and 90th House of Delegates Democratic Caucuses |
| LOSERS Identity Politics: No sign either in this election or in the 8th CD Congressional election that "identity politics" - heavy focus on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, etc. in deciding who to support - had much power. In the 8th CD primary, the top three finishers were white males, while the top four finishers in the 48th House of Delegates district Democratic caucus were also white males. Whether you find that to be a good thing or appalling or whatever, it's simply a fact that "identity politics" doesn't seem to have much pull these days in the deep-blue areas of Northern Virginia. Personally, I'm 100% with Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision that we need to judge people on the content of their characters, not the color of their skin (or other intrinsic qualities). Arlington Democratic "establishment": They went heavily for Paul Holland and...let's just say, because I like and respect the vast majority of these folks - that they didn't prevail. So, the 48th district Democratic nominee hails from Fairfax, albeit so close to Arlington that he can "see it from his house." By the way, just as a side note, I like Paul Holland - the clear "establishment" candidate (e.g., endorsed by County Board members Jay Fisette and Mary Hynes, Treasurer Frank O'Leary, Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos, Sheriff Beth Arthur, and major "establishment" figures like Larry Roberts, Judy Connally, John Milliken, etc. etc.) a lot and hope he stays involved in politics! But he certainly wasn't a "winner" yesterday, not at all gaining the traction many "experts" thought he would. Dave Foster: Definitely did NOT get the opponent he wanted in Rip Sullivan, who is a super-strong, well-financed candidate who will most definitely have the resources to publicize Foster's extreme positions (see here for instance). Also, I'd point out that unlike John Vihstadt, there is no way whatsoever that Foster can claim that his right-wing views on "social issues" and other things (e.g., "voter fraud," where does he stand on climate change?) "don't matter at the local level," because Foster's running to be a member of Bill Howell's crazy crew in Richmond. By the way, I'm tempted to add "Democrats already freaking out about Dave Foster" to my "losers" list. Get a grip! Local media coverage of the 90th House of Delegates race: Other than Vivian Paige, who wrote about the upcoming race, I didn't see any coverage - certainly nothing of any significance - prior to the event, in the Virginian Pilot or Daily Press. I also didn't see any photos, video, or accounts of the caucus itself in the Hampton Roads-area media. Seriously? We had more coverage here at Blue Virginia, on the other side of the state from where the election was held, than in the local media (other than Vivian Paige's blog, which DID cover it leading up to the event)?!? Social media presence of the 90th House of Delegates candidates: What social media presence? No sign of any websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, email blasts, or anything else from these candidates. What, is the internet not available in the 90th House of Delegates district? I also got basically ZERO information from anyone prior to the election, during the election, or after the election (note that I posted whatever I DID get). Not surprisingly given the almost complete lack of information and the short time frame, voter turnout in the 90th was utterly abysmal, around 450 voters, compared to 2,100 voters in the 48th district in the same basic time frame (one more day for the 48th). WTF? Speaker Bill "ALEC" Howell: As a friend of mine said this morning, Howell "continued his new hobby of trespassing by breaking and entering into the 4th of July holiday weekend of 48th HoD Democrats." Ha. Seriously, though, thanks a ton Speaker Howell for trying as hard as you could to make a mockery of democracy, to disenfranchise voters, and to just be a jerk. Of course, that's nothing new for you, but still...my god. Political Consultants, Mail Firms: With just under a week, there was no way for the Political Consulting Industrial Complex (TM) to kick into high gear, to charge candidates for a gazillion mailers/robocalls/etc. On the other hand, we did save a lot of trees, so I guess I could make trees and the environment winners on this list. :) |
Video: Kip Malinosky Announces Rip Sullivan is the 48th District Democratic Nominee
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Instant Runoff Voting done by hand may take a while, but I like it, for all the reasons Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair Kip Malinosky has laid out. For starters, it means that our nominee has to get a majority, which in my mind is one of the main tenets of a Democracy. Anyway, congratulations to Rip Sullivan, who ran a superb campaign, and to the other excellent candidates (in order of finish) - Paul Holland, Andrew Schneider, David Boling, Atima Omara, Yasmine Taeb, and Jacqueline Wilson. Now, let's rest up and then shift our focus into winning the special election in mid August!
P.S. For the record, here are the final round results: Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: 1,111; Paul A. Holland: 523; Andrew F. Schneider: 444.
Videos: 48th House of Delegates District Democratic Debate
Saturday, July 5, 2014
I just got back from the 48th House of Delegates district Democratic debate at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, hosted by George Burke. Given the short timeframe here, I'm not going to wait until all the videos upload to start posting them here. For now, I'll just say that I thought all the candidates did well. There appeared to be around 100 people there, which in my mind is way too low. Given that this is the ONLY chance for 48th district voters to see the candidates sitting next to each other on stage answering questions, IMHO the room should have been packed to the gills, overflowing, etc, even IF it's the 4th of July weekend. Anyway, now that I've got that off my chest...on to the videos, starting with George Burke introducing the candidates.
Video: Dominion Power cost recovery question on nuclear plant; should ratepayers pay in advance? (0.00 / 0) [delete comment]
Rip Sullivan: This takes our eye off the ball, would oppose this. We need to focus on forward-looking, alternative forms of energy, not "traditional, old fashioned" forms of energy.Yasmine Taeb: Supports alternative energy, green energy. Having Domninion recover costs in advance for a nuclear power plant is not in the best interests of Virginia.
Jacqueline Wilson: A "poor use of our resources...a promise and a prayer." Dominion should invest in its own projects from "current sales."
Dave Boling: This strikes him as the "cart before the horse," "that doesn't sound right." From years of working at the antitrust division as an advocate for consumers, natural monopolies need to be watched very carefully and regulated.
Paul Holland: Business is about risk, and by requiring Virginia citizens to pay for this project ahead of time, it takes the risk away from the business and puts it on citizens. That's not right.
Atima Omara: Agrees it's the "cart before the horse." Dominion is a powerful monopoly that should take more responsibility for this project.
Andrew Schneider: This is redistributing wealth from us to corporations. "It's wrong."
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Jacqueline Wilson: A "poor use of our resources...a promise and a prayer." Dominion should invest in its own projects from "current sales."
Dave Boling: This strikes him as the "cart before the horse," "that doesn't sound right." From years of working at the antitrust division as an advocate for consumers, natural monopolies need to be watched very carefully and regulated.
Paul Holland: Business is about risk, and by requiring Virginia citizens to pay for this project ahead of time, it takes the risk away from the business and puts it on citizens. That's not right.
Atima Omara: Agrees it's the "cart before the horse." Dominion is a powerful monopoly that should take more responsibility for this project.
Andrew Schneider: This is redistributing wealth from us to corporations. "It's wrong."
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Dave Boling: Says Bob Brink has been a model of someone who's tried to get things done, fought for issues and principles we care about. He says he doesn't disagree with Brink on anything.Paul Holland: Has known Bob Brink for a long time, has played basketball against his son. Admires Brink's ability to get things done in a considerate, compassionate way. He's also really advocated for Arlington.
Atima Omara: Has known Brink for a long time, has admired his work in insuring higher education gets the funding it needs.
Andrew Schneider: You hear consistently about Bob Brink is that he is a great listener who took the ideas and turned them into pragmatic solutions.
Rip Sullivan: Noone compares to Bob Brink. We are losing 17 years of experience. Intends to hit the ground running, has relationships in Richmond, shares the same values as Brink. Will fill his seat if not his shoes.
Yasmine Taeb: Brink has been strong advocate for the district, agrees with him on the issues.
Jacqueline Wilson: Cites Brink's reputation for honesty and integrity, he's trusted by voters of 48th district. Would like to continue that model in Richmond.
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Atima Omara: Has known Brink for a long time, has admired his work in insuring higher education gets the funding it needs.
Andrew Schneider: You hear consistently about Bob Brink is that he is a great listener who took the ideas and turned them into pragmatic solutions.
Rip Sullivan: Noone compares to Bob Brink. We are losing 17 years of experience. Intends to hit the ground running, has relationships in Richmond, shares the same values as Brink. Will fill his seat if not his shoes.
Yasmine Taeb: Brink has been strong advocate for the district, agrees with him on the issues.
Jacqueline Wilson: Cites Brink's reputation for honesty and integrity, he's trusted by voters of 48th district. Would like to continue that model in Richmond.
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Jacqueline Wilson: Hasn't studied current law, but in general supports public-private partnerships. You do relinquish some of the oversight, control that government has, there's also a profit motive, so we need to be cautious and skeptical about rushing towards these types of arrangements.David Boling: Very familiar with reaching out to corporate community to support your activities. You're almost forced these days to seek funding like this. They do offer potential to get projects done in age of budget cutting. Have to be clear on what the responsibilities of the gov and private sector are, and it's not always easy.
Paul Holland: Transportation is a core gov. function; everyone uses it. Public-private partnerships aren't the answer, needs to study the issue further.
Atima Omara: Public-private partnerships are a creative way to get funding for transportation projects. But it's something we can do better on.
Andrew Schneider: Transportation is a core issue, major economic issue. Works for a public-private partnership. Has serious reservations because who is representing the interests of the people in things like prisons, schools. Need to ask, is this a profit motive or a service/community motive?
Rip Sullivan: Lots of opportunities for public-private partnerships. It's an important part of the future in these budget times, although they're certainly not a panacea. Also, we need to do them right every time.
(Yasmine Taeb's answer in a separate video)
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Paul Holland: Transportation is a core gov. function; everyone uses it. Public-private partnerships aren't the answer, needs to study the issue further.
Atima Omara: Public-private partnerships are a creative way to get funding for transportation projects. But it's something we can do better on.
Andrew Schneider: Transportation is a core issue, major economic issue. Works for a public-private partnership. Has serious reservations because who is representing the interests of the people in things like prisons, schools. Need to ask, is this a profit motive or a service/community motive?
Rip Sullivan: Lots of opportunities for public-private partnerships. It's an important part of the future in these budget times, although they're certainly not a panacea. Also, we need to do them right every time.
(Yasmine Taeb's answer in a separate video)
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Paul Holland: This is about how you approach the issues. Says he is an even-tempered, considered and thorough person, would bring that skill-set to this position. Issues like education offer potential for working across party lines.
Atima Omara: Important to get to know each other across party lines, why they approach the issues the way they do.
Andrew Schneider: Will do the same thing he's done his whole career, stay true to what he believes but be willing to listen to all sorts of viewpoints. If not, how can we get things done?
Rip Sullivan: Got legislation through a Reagan presidency and Republican-dominated Senate to create the U.S. Institute of Peace. It took a combination of commitment to principle, political savvy, negotiating ability, understanding the other side, relationship-building skills.
Yasmine Taeb: Has experienced coalition building on bipartisan human trafficking bill.
Jacqueline Wilson: Would build relationships, look at bills that have failed and work to understand why.
David Boling: Very used to working in a hyperpartisan environment as he did on Capitol Hill, helped get Affordable Care Act passed. Family of 6 consisted of 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans, used to those kind of "robust discussions."
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Atima Omara: Important to get to know each other across party lines, why they approach the issues the way they do.
Andrew Schneider: Will do the same thing he's done his whole career, stay true to what he believes but be willing to listen to all sorts of viewpoints. If not, how can we get things done?
Rip Sullivan: Got legislation through a Reagan presidency and Republican-dominated Senate to create the U.S. Institute of Peace. It took a combination of commitment to principle, political savvy, negotiating ability, understanding the other side, relationship-building skills.
Yasmine Taeb: Has experienced coalition building on bipartisan human trafficking bill.
Jacqueline Wilson: Would build relationships, look at bills that have failed and work to understand why.
David Boling: Very used to working in a hyperpartisan environment as he did on Capitol Hill, helped get Affordable Care Act passed. Family of 6 consisted of 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans, used to those kind of "robust discussions."
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Atima Omara: President of Young Dems of America, have to deal with people from different backgrounds, need to have conversations with people, find out where they're coming from.Andrew Schneider: Brings together different constituencies professionally and in civic work.
Rip Sullivan: Supervisor John Foust appointed him to chair budget task force, consistently came out with consensus reports on how local jurisdiction could address contentious budget issues.
Yasmine Taeb: Worked with diverse group of stakeholders on immigration reform at Arab American Institute.
Jacqueline Wilson: Worked on insurance issue with dentists and dental hygienists. Built consensus to help improve access to care.
David Boling: Often very contentious discussions on health care, tobacco issues. Worked to reach consensus.
Paul Holland: Appointed in 2008 by Arlington County Board to Mosaic Park task force. Had to balance neighborhood interests, single family homes, developers, have a community conversation, built consensus and funded redevelopment of park at no cost to the Arlington community.
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Rip Sullivan: Supervisor John Foust appointed him to chair budget task force, consistently came out with consensus reports on how local jurisdiction could address contentious budget issues.
Yasmine Taeb: Worked with diverse group of stakeholders on immigration reform at Arab American Institute.
Jacqueline Wilson: Worked on insurance issue with dentists and dental hygienists. Built consensus to help improve access to care.
David Boling: Often very contentious discussions on health care, tobacco issues. Worked to reach consensus.
Paul Holland: Appointed in 2008 by Arlington County Board to Mosaic Park task force. Had to balance neighborhood interests, single family homes, developers, have a community conversation, built consensus and funded redevelopment of park at no cost to the Arlington community.
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Andrew Schneider: Need to raise somewhere on the order of $80k-$120k per cycle, donate about 1/2 to 2/3 of that. Raising money isn't enough; also need to make a connection with people, don't just stay within the 48th district, make a cohesive case for the majority, can't just be about dollars - need a vision.Rip Sullivan: Crucial requirement for this delegate is to help win back the House of Delegates. Only candidate on stage who has formed a PAC dedicated to electing Democrats. Was counsel to Obama reelect in 2012. Knows how to build the infrastructure to help elect Dems, won't just show up and vote. Asks George Burke for $100, gets a good laugh. :)
Yasmine Taeb: Raising money is important to getting back the majority. Engage communities that haven't regularly been engaged, like the Arab-American and Muslim-American communities. Need to help fellow Democrats across the state.
Jacqueline Wilson: Need to help win back the majority in Richmond. Reach out to "the middle...to voters on both sides of the aisle" that might have interest in specific issues but not be "lockstep" Democratic voters. Campaign for Dems in vulnerable seats.
David Boling: Has done a lot of fundraising. Most important thing is you have to really believe in the cause; the person on the other end of the phone line can tell. Need to start in Northern Virginia, then spread the field all through Virginia, recruit good candidates, make the tent bigger.
Paul Holland: Fundraising in this seat is essential, but raising money isn't the only thing. Need to be developing future candidates. Need to have a specific strategy, short/mid/long-term goals to take back majority.
Atima Omara: Also has a PAC with the Young Democrats of America. Advocates all the time for Dem candidates. Over $100,000 per cycle from this seat seems about right; very used to call time, not afraid to ask for a buck for the cause.
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Yasmine Taeb: Raising money is important to getting back the majority. Engage communities that haven't regularly been engaged, like the Arab-American and Muslim-American communities. Need to help fellow Democrats across the state.
Jacqueline Wilson: Need to help win back the majority in Richmond. Reach out to "the middle...to voters on both sides of the aisle" that might have interest in specific issues but not be "lockstep" Democratic voters. Campaign for Dems in vulnerable seats.
David Boling: Has done a lot of fundraising. Most important thing is you have to really believe in the cause; the person on the other end of the phone line can tell. Need to start in Northern Virginia, then spread the field all through Virginia, recruit good candidates, make the tent bigger.
Paul Holland: Fundraising in this seat is essential, but raising money isn't the only thing. Need to be developing future candidates. Need to have a specific strategy, short/mid/long-term goals to take back majority.
Atima Omara: Also has a PAC with the Young Democrats of America. Advocates all the time for Dem candidates. Over $100,000 per cycle from this seat seems about right; very used to call time, not afraid to ask for a buck for the cause.
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1. Woman's right to choose an abortion without ANY limitations? ALL YES.
2. Marriage equality for all Virginians? ALL YES.
3. Medicaid expansion in Virginia? ALL YES.
4. Oil and gas drilling offshore? ALL NO.
5. Increase in state minimum wage? ALL YES.
6. Equal pay for women? ALL YES.
7. Right-to-work law? Jacqueline Wilson says yes, as does Yasmine Taeb (NOTE: she came up to me afterwards to say she was confused and absolutely does NOT support "right to work"); Rip Sullivan says "it needs some work"; everyone else says NO.
8. Should felons who've paid their debts to society have their voting rights restored immediately? ALL YES.
9. Is Virginia doing enough to combat climate change? ALL NO.
10. Will you support entire Democratic ticket in both Arlington and Fairfax in November? All YES except for Jacqueline Wilson who says she needs to see who's on the ticket.
11. Do you support Columbia Pike streetcar plan? Wilson and Taeb say "yes," Sullivan says this deserves more than yes or now but "yes," Schneider says he has questions about how the project is paid for; Omara says it's a county issue first, should discuss it more, but yes; similar answer from Holland; Boling says he's proposed a "middle way" on this (I told him in person that his way would effectively kill the streetcar, so I don't buy it).
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2. Marriage equality for all Virginians? ALL YES.
3. Medicaid expansion in Virginia? ALL YES.
4. Oil and gas drilling offshore? ALL NO.
5. Increase in state minimum wage? ALL YES.
6. Equal pay for women? ALL YES.
7. Right-to-work law? Jacqueline Wilson says yes, as does Yasmine Taeb (NOTE: she came up to me afterwards to say she was confused and absolutely does NOT support "right to work"); Rip Sullivan says "it needs some work"; everyone else says NO.
8. Should felons who've paid their debts to society have their voting rights restored immediately? ALL YES.
9. Is Virginia doing enough to combat climate change? ALL NO.
10. Will you support entire Democratic ticket in both Arlington and Fairfax in November? All YES except for Jacqueline Wilson who says she needs to see who's on the ticket.
11. Do you support Columbia Pike streetcar plan? Wilson and Taeb say "yes," Sullivan says this deserves more than yes or now but "yes," Schneider says he has questions about how the project is paid for; Omara says it's a county issue first, should discuss it more, but yes; similar answer from Holland; Boling says he's proposed a "middle way" on this (I told him in person that his way would effectively kill the streetcar, so I don't buy it).
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I'm not sure how anyone could've been confused by the right-to-work question. Anyone who was unclear on this, or unaware of it, isn't ready for prime time. Or worse, if they're actually supportive of or waffling on it, they certainly have no business representing this liberal district in the Assembly. I give credit to Yasmine for at least acknowledging her error with you after the debate. I suspect Jacqueline would too, if asked. I wish they both would've corrected themselves and took the 15 seconds to say something supportive of working families and labor when the moderator gave them a chance.
Rip's answer, unfortunately, makes me think he would be OK with maintaining some form of right-to-work. Not OK.
Rip's answer, unfortunately, makes me think he would be OK with maintaining some form of right-to-work. Not OK.
Yasmine Taeb: Supports more transit options, including streetcar and VRE.Jacqueline Wilson: Supports increased transportation options for diverse needs. Streetcar brings different populations into mass transit. Talks about her trip to Bonn, Germany, with all its transit innovations. The vision is "so powerful." Doesn't question the decisions of those we've elected to the "county council" (actually "county board").
David Boling: Says he's a big supporter of public transportation, takes bus every day. Says he's tried to be respectful about streetcar discussion, has never trashed it or called it the "trolley like many Republicans," recognizes benefits but he has questions/concerns about cost. Difficult issue for community. Need to be respectful of the process, but also need to pay attention to cost.
Paul Holland: Transit solutions along Columbia Pike absolutely necessary, can achieve many goals including helping to fund school system. Role of delegate is to advocate for Arlington's interests in Richmond, which are defined by the County Board. If dynamic on County Board changes, his role as delegate might have to evolve as well.
Atima Omara: Regular user of transit. Orange line down Wilson Blvd. has grown the county by leaps and bounds. Columbia Pike is heavily congested, delegate should advocate for funding - wants dedicated lane on Columbia Pike (note: I've been told many times by many people that this is not possible)
Andrew Schneider: This is almost becoming the Arlington litmus test. This cannot be reduced to a yes-or-no question. Is all for 21st century transportation solutions, we're behind the curve in this country. There has to be change. That doesn't mean the plan as written, as yet totally unfunded, has to be approved as is.
Rip Sullivan: Yes, this could be very exciting in terms of development in the areas. In favor of it, would help to pursue. Funding is the hard part. Federal funds should be used. May well be other sources of funds. It ought not to be paid for from local operating budgets. Will work to find creative ways to fund the streetcar.
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David Boling: Says he's a big supporter of public transportation, takes bus every day. Says he's tried to be respectful about streetcar discussion, has never trashed it or called it the "trolley like many Republicans," recognizes benefits but he has questions/concerns about cost. Difficult issue for community. Need to be respectful of the process, but also need to pay attention to cost.
Paul Holland: Transit solutions along Columbia Pike absolutely necessary, can achieve many goals including helping to fund school system. Role of delegate is to advocate for Arlington's interests in Richmond, which are defined by the County Board. If dynamic on County Board changes, his role as delegate might have to evolve as well.
Atima Omara: Regular user of transit. Orange line down Wilson Blvd. has grown the county by leaps and bounds. Columbia Pike is heavily congested, delegate should advocate for funding - wants dedicated lane on Columbia Pike (note: I've been told many times by many people that this is not possible)
Andrew Schneider: This is almost becoming the Arlington litmus test. This cannot be reduced to a yes-or-no question. Is all for 21st century transportation solutions, we're behind the curve in this country. There has to be change. That doesn't mean the plan as written, as yet totally unfunded, has to be approved as is.
Rip Sullivan: Yes, this could be very exciting in terms of development in the areas. In favor of it, would help to pursue. Funding is the hard part. Federal funds should be used. May well be other sources of funds. It ought not to be paid for from local operating budgets. Will work to find creative ways to fund the streetcar.
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Schneider: No, it's debilitating, costly, takes eyes off prize to finding cleaner sources of energy. It's not worth it and it does so much damage. Absolutely opposed to it.Sullivan: And we don't even know its effects. We need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Focus like a laser on alternatives. Fracking takes focus off the future.
Taeb: Does not support fracking. Supports higher gas taxes, carbon tax, green energy.
Wilson: Does not support fracking, have to find renewable sources, reduce use of energy not destroy the environment. Don't know impacts of fracking long-term or short-term.
Boling: Grew up in town with polluting paper mill which brought terrible odor. Really damages psyche of people in area. Very skeptical of fracking.
Holland: Does not support fracking in general or in GW National Forest specifically. Fracking link to earthquakes. It's a short-sighted, short-term solution to our long-term energy needs.
Omara: Opposes fracking in general, in GW National Forest. Causes long-term damage, including possibly earthquakes.
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Taeb: Does not support fracking. Supports higher gas taxes, carbon tax, green energy.
Wilson: Does not support fracking, have to find renewable sources, reduce use of energy not destroy the environment. Don't know impacts of fracking long-term or short-term.
Boling: Grew up in town with polluting paper mill which brought terrible odor. Really damages psyche of people in area. Very skeptical of fracking.
Holland: Does not support fracking in general or in GW National Forest specifically. Fracking link to earthquakes. It's a short-sighted, short-term solution to our long-term energy needs.
Omara: Opposes fracking in general, in GW National Forest. Causes long-term damage, including possibly earthquakes.
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Holland: It shouldn't be legal in Virginia, it's predatory on most disadvantaged members of our society. Need to look at other solutions like raising minimum wage.Omara: Should be illegal. Has significantly harmed African Americans, immigrants. Work towards economic advancement.
Schneider: Says he has a car title lender in his neighborhood and he's not happy about it. "It's not right." Absolutely opposed.
Sullivan: No.
Taeb: Should be illegal, takes advantage of most vulnerable members of society.
Wilson: Should be illegal. Need additional transportation options, additional education/financial counseling.
Boling: It's really offensive, so counter to our values to lend money at 267%. We know in our gut and our heart, this is absolutely wrong.
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Schneider: Says he has a car title lender in his neighborhood and he's not happy about it. "It's not right." Absolutely opposed.
Sullivan: No.
Taeb: Should be illegal, takes advantage of most vulnerable members of society.
Wilson: Should be illegal. Need additional transportation options, additional education/financial counseling.
Boling: It's really offensive, so counter to our values to lend money at 267%. We know in our gut and our heart, this is absolutely wrong.
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Omara: Says she definitely sees nuclear as an alternative (bad answer; nuclear is wildly expensive and NOT the way to go!). Need to look at ways to build our energy resources without destroying environment.Schneider: Says everything should be on the table, but we also have to realize that the energy sources of the 20th century can't be the energy sources of the 21s century.
Sullivan: Nuclear comes with a whole host of issues, including that it is very expensive; almost certainly will not be a big part of our future energy mix. (correct answer!) Wind and solar should be where we focus.
Taeb: Need to protect environment, supports renewable energy "by any means possible." No offshore drilling, uranium mining.
Wilson: Coal is not clean and can never be. Nuclear power has value, but we need safety considerations to be addressed. Supports R&D into new technologies, including air-powered/hydraulic cars (huh?).
Boling: Says "clean coal" is an oxymoron. We should not be increasing our dependence on coal, it should be going down. We should be looking more towards nuclear (bad answer) and renewable power.
Holland: Works for an enviro management consulting firm which has grown from 13 in 2005 to 130 people today. Coal has no future, it's only brought poverty and pollution.
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Sullivan: Nuclear comes with a whole host of issues, including that it is very expensive; almost certainly will not be a big part of our future energy mix. (correct answer!) Wind and solar should be where we focus.
Taeb: Need to protect environment, supports renewable energy "by any means possible." No offshore drilling, uranium mining.
Wilson: Coal is not clean and can never be. Nuclear power has value, but we need safety considerations to be addressed. Supports R&D into new technologies, including air-powered/hydraulic cars (huh?).
Boling: Says "clean coal" is an oxymoron. We should not be increasing our dependence on coal, it should be going down. We should be looking more towards nuclear (bad answer) and renewable power.
Holland: Works for an enviro management consulting firm which has grown from 13 in 2005 to 130 people today. Coal has no future, it's only brought poverty and pollution.
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Taeb: Legalize marijuana, in large part because of the number of African American incarcerated for possession.Wilson: Also would legalize marijuana. Imprisoning people for non-violent crimes that affect themselves is unnecessary and hurts society - affects families, budgets to build huge prisons, society.
Boling: It's so unfair that white-collar criminals get off with a lot less time in jail than some kid who gets busted for marijuana. Would strongly support decriminalization.
Holland: Wants to see what happens in states (CO and WA) that have legalized, would definitely support decriminalization.
Omara: Decriminalize with hopes of moving towards legalization. Criminal justice reform. Effective rehabilitation programs. Restoration of voting rights.
Schneider: Opposes legalization of marijuana. Believes in decriminalization. It's a race problem, societal problem, justice problem. Need to deal with mental health issues. It's not just a drug issue. It's a healthcare issue.
Sullivan: Context can be everything, politics is often the art of the possible, hard to see legalization of marijuana in VA anytime soon. First step is decriminalization. Supports medical marijuana.
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Boling: It's so unfair that white-collar criminals get off with a lot less time in jail than some kid who gets busted for marijuana. Would strongly support decriminalization.
Holland: Wants to see what happens in states (CO and WA) that have legalized, would definitely support decriminalization.
Omara: Decriminalize with hopes of moving towards legalization. Criminal justice reform. Effective rehabilitation programs. Restoration of voting rights.
Schneider: Opposes legalization of marijuana. Believes in decriminalization. It's a race problem, societal problem, justice problem. Need to deal with mental health issues. It's not just a drug issue. It's a healthcare issue.
Sullivan: Context can be everything, politics is often the art of the possible, hard to see legalization of marijuana in VA anytime soon. First step is decriminalization. Supports medical marijuana.
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Wilson: Ethics reform bill didn't go far enough. When you open the door to $500 gifts, it is a door through which it's hard to return. This is my most important issue.Boling: Used to very strict ethics rules when he was working on Capitol Hill. Shocked at the lax laws in Virginia when it comes to gift giving, etc. It's "amazing." Virginia's reputation has taken a big hit. Need something closer to federal ethics rules.
Holland: Wife works on Capitol Hill, financial disclosure form they had to fill out was much more thorough than what he had to fill out as a candidate. Virginia has some of the most permissive ethics laws in the country. We need to go further than the ethics reform law passed in 2014. Will follow the highly ethical example of his father, former Sen. Ed Holland, you won't have to worry about me on ethics.
Omara: When you step up to serve the public, you shouldn't looking for ways to get money out of it. Transparency is good, but we could also have financial limits.
Schneider: Transparency is good but the law is lacking. Ethics problems undermines our faith in government, puts a taint on us all. Has to be teeth to REAL ethics reform, not just personal pledges. Offended by the "mockery" of ethics reform passed last session.
Sullivan: The ethics reform passed in 2014 was "underwhelming" but at least a start. Should be strengthened. Shout-out to Adam Ebbin for trying to add teeth to the ethics bill. They were "no brainer"s and should have been approved.
Taeb: What passed last session wasn't strong enough. Should be pre-approval of trips, must demonstrate that it benefits the people of Virginia.
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Holland: Wife works on Capitol Hill, financial disclosure form they had to fill out was much more thorough than what he had to fill out as a candidate. Virginia has some of the most permissive ethics laws in the country. We need to go further than the ethics reform law passed in 2014. Will follow the highly ethical example of his father, former Sen. Ed Holland, you won't have to worry about me on ethics.
Omara: When you step up to serve the public, you shouldn't looking for ways to get money out of it. Transparency is good, but we could also have financial limits.
Schneider: Transparency is good but the law is lacking. Ethics problems undermines our faith in government, puts a taint on us all. Has to be teeth to REAL ethics reform, not just personal pledges. Offended by the "mockery" of ethics reform passed last session.
Sullivan: The ethics reform passed in 2014 was "underwhelming" but at least a start. Should be strengthened. Shout-out to Adam Ebbin for trying to add teeth to the ethics bill. They were "no brainer"s and should have been approved.
Taeb: What passed last session wasn't strong enough. Should be pre-approval of trips, must demonstrate that it benefits the people of Virginia.
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Boling: Applauds passage of bill, which was desperately needed. Example of Republicans and Democrats coming together. "Great accomplishment." Good for Sen. Ebbin and others who worked to repeal hybrid tax. Doesn't have specific plan for changing it at this point.Holland: Would have supported the transportation package, although it doesn't go far enough. It provides more autonomy, decision-making authority to local jurisdictions. Good that the hybrid tax was repealed. Need to look on regional level at transit solutions to promote economic development, preserve affordable housing, open space. Cites example of bike lane along I-66.
Omara: Yes, would have voted for it, opposed hybrid tax. Increase walkability, focus on Lee Highway and Columbia Pike. State/local/regional partnerships.
Schneider: Would have supported it because a) party leadership supported it; b) it provides more autonomy to our community; c) it was a bipartisan bill that got some of what we wanted, example of compromise. Still need to do more. Everything has to be on the table.
Sullivan: Sometimes context is everything, and in this case we had 20-year desert on transportation funding, so would have supported this imperfect bill. Sometimes the perfect can be the enemy of the good. It does a lot of great things, including regional authority (which could help with streetcar).
Taeb: Would have supported it. Need more mass transit options, need to reduce traffic congestion.
Wilson: Example of working across the aisle, compromise, would have voted for it. Nobody benefits from there being no transportation bill.
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Omara: Yes, would have voted for it, opposed hybrid tax. Increase walkability, focus on Lee Highway and Columbia Pike. State/local/regional partnerships.
Schneider: Would have supported it because a) party leadership supported it; b) it provides more autonomy to our community; c) it was a bipartisan bill that got some of what we wanted, example of compromise. Still need to do more. Everything has to be on the table.
Sullivan: Sometimes context is everything, and in this case we had 20-year desert on transportation funding, so would have supported this imperfect bill. Sometimes the perfect can be the enemy of the good. It does a lot of great things, including regional authority (which could help with streetcar).
Taeb: Would have supported it. Need more mass transit options, need to reduce traffic congestion.
Wilson: Example of working across the aisle, compromise, would have voted for it. Nobody benefits from there being no transportation bill.
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