By Marc Korman.
Every Saturday until the Virginia election on November 3 volunteers from Maryland are meeting at the Montgomery County Democratic Party offices to carpool across the river to canvass and phone bank for Virginia’s next governor, Democrat Creigh Deeds. Why does the governorship of Virginia matter to Maryland?
There are obvious political reasons for Maryland Democrats to help elect a Democrat in Virginia. Because Virginia’s election always comes the year after a presidential election, pundits always draw conclusions from it about national politics. Virginia based political pundit Larry Sabato has pointed out that the party that won the presidential election has not won the Virginia Governor’s race since 1973, so any correlation between a president’s political strength and their party winning in Virginia is overblown.
For example, in 2001 Democrat Mark Warner was elected Virginia’s governor while President Bush’s approval ratings were in the 80s and 90s following 9/11 and the Republican Party was heading towards a victorious 2002 mid-term election, bucking historical trends. But despite history, political pundits will associate Deeds’ performance in Virginia with Obama’s political strength.
But there are also specific policy reasons for Marylanders to care about who is elected Virginia’s governor:
Transportation
Transportation is a regional issue, particularly the Metro system. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is jointly funded by Virginia, Maryland, and DC. WMATA board members are appointed by the chief executives of those three jurisdictions. The two states also share the Capital Beltway.
While Deeds has been somewhat evasive on the issue, he recently announced a transportation plan. The plan is coupled with his history of advocating for more comprehensive transportation fixes, including expressing a willingness to face reality and raise Virginia’s gas tax, which is among the lowest on the east coast. His opponent’s plan is almost designed to be ineffective. It is loaded with one time revenue raisers and raids on general funds that the Virginia legislature will likely not allow, such as education.
Chesapeake Bay
Virginia and Maryland are key partners in programs to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, including the Chesapeake Executive Council and the Chesapeake Bay Commission. They are the only two states that actually border the Bay, though many other states are a part of its watershed.
Deeds has a history of support for the environment, including creating tax incentives for Virginians to conserve rather than develop land, which has a direct effect on runoff polluting the Bay. Maryland needs a strong environmental partner in Virginia if any progress will be made on the Bay.
Guns
Creigh Deeds is not a leader on gun control issues, having been endorsed by the National Rifle Association in his campaign for Attorney General in 2005. But since then he has advocated for closing the so-called “gun show loophole.” The loophole allows individuals to buy firearms at gun shows without conducting the requisite background checks of purchasers normally required. Maryland closed the gun show loophole for handguns, but Virginia has not. As New York City proved by tracking Virginia guns, those guns flow out of Virginia and into other states. Deeds’ commonsense on the gun show loophole cost him the NRA’s endorsement, which unlike in Maryland actually carries some weight.
And for anyone reading this who may argue that criminals will get guns anyway, you may be right. But closing the loophole would provide another check, reduce the ease for the wrong people to acquire firearms, and ensure that if they are caught there is a crime to prosecute them for.
To help elect Creigh Deeds Governor of Virginia, meet any Saturday at 9:00am in the parking lot at 3720 Farragut Avenue in Kensington. Email me at mkorman@gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Why Deeds Matters to Maryland
Friday, July 17, 2009
Virginia Republican Advocates for "Bullet Box" Against "Tyranny"
Read more about it in this Post article.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
How to Persuade the Working Class to Vote for Obama
United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts puts on a textbook demonstration of how to talk about the presidential race with working class voters in Virginia. (If the feed doesn't work, the video is here.)
This is a whole lot more convincing than the arguments made by the other side.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Obama Pulling Away in Virginia
Many of our readers are door-knocking or calling voters in Virginia. The following data suggests that your efforts are paying off.
According to Real Clear Politics, Senator Obama is building a substantial lead in Virginia. Here are the poll averages by week from the start of September.
September 1 - September 7
Two polls, Obama 47%, McCain 49%, Margin -2.0
September 8 - September 14
Six polls, Obama 45.3%, McCain 47.7%, Margin -2.4
September 15 - September 21
Five polls, Obama 47.6%, McCain 47.2%, Margin +0.4
September 22 - September 28
Three polls, Obama 48.7%, McCain 47%, Margin +1.7
September 29 - October 5
Five polls, Obama 50.6%, McCain 43.8%, Margin +6.8
It's hard to imagine something more encouraging for Obama volunteers (or more demoralizing for Senator McCain's supporters).
Friday, April 25, 2008
Millionaires Offered Discount to Move to Virginia
Dear readers, I promise that this is not one of my much-ridiculed spoof posts. Everything that you are about to read is 100% true.
MPW friend and occasional spoof victim Dana Beyer forwarded us an online ad posted by a Virginia real estate agent enticing MoCo millionaires to move. The ad says:April 09, 2008
So I emailed this agent the following inquiry:
Virginia Welcomes Migration of Maryland Millionaires
New Millionaire Tax in Maryland May Cause some to Migrate to Virginia
It's mid-April. Are taxes on your mind?
If you're wealthy and live in Maryland, say hello to the first in the nation, Millionaire's Tax. Signed into law yesterday by Governor Martin O'Malley, the legislation created a new tax bracket for those who earn over $1 million per year. Approximately 6,000 Maryland households fall into this new tax bracket and are subject to a 6.25% tax rate.
According to The Baltimore Sun newspaper, more than 40 percent of these wealthy households are in Montgomery County. While Montgomery County is a great place to live and Maryland is a great state, many of those being hit with this new tax may decide to vote with their feet.
Let me be the first to WELCOME YOU TO VIRGINIA.
As you know, Virginia is just across the Potomac River from Maryland. Northern Virginia offers wonderful amenities, parks, schools, history, culture, and an easy commute to D.C. Homes in the upper brackets are plentiful throughout the area, especially in popular communities like McLean, Great Falls, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax Station, and more. Another bonus of moving to Virginia -- how about in-state tuition at some of the best public colleges and universities in the country, including University of Virginia, James Madison University, and George Mason University.
Virginia has consistently ranked as the Best State for Business by Forbes Magazine year after year.
Best of all -- Virginia does not have a Millionaire's Tax. (Virginia's highest income tax bracket is 5.75%).
Maybe it's time to contact your Maryland Realtor (I can offer some great suggestions) about selling your Maryland home and moving to Virginia.
I'd be happy to help you find a Northern Virginia home and welcome you to our side of the river.Brian, I am disturbed about Maryland's new millionaire tax and am considering moving to Virginia. I have a few friends who are thinking along the same lines. If we all decided to move together, could we work out a discount? - Adam Pagnucco, Silver Spring, Maryland.
The agent replied:Thanks for your e-mail. I certainly understand being disturbed by the Millionaire Tax in Maryland. We can certainly talk about a discount if you and several others decided to work with me to purchase homes in Virginia.
So what are you waiting for, country club members? I actually got a discount for you to move out. Does this mean we get to build the Purple Line now?
Saturday, March 29, 2008
A Good Idea from Virginia on Housing
According to the Post, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly is proposing to use county funds to buy foreclosed homes and sell them at below-market prices to working families.
I know that both Maryland and its two largest counties, Montgomery and Prince George's, have significant budget problems. But foreclosed homes already sell at discounts and the program's cost would merely be the difference between the low purchase price and the sale price to families. Additionally, such a program would help stabilize the property tax base by preventing neighborhood deterioration. I do not regularly applaud Virginia's economic policies but here is a good idea that should be considered in Maryland.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tom Davis to Retire
The Washington Post reports that Rep. Tom Davis has decided not to seek reelection. His wife, Jeanmarie Devolites Davis, lost reelection to the Virginia Senate last November. The seat has been trending Democratic--Bush won by 1% in 2004 compared to 7% in 2000--and represents an excellent pick-up opportunity for Democrats.
