The Virginian-Pilot Pimps for John Welch and Nick Rerras

This is how the headline for an article appearing in today's Virginian-Pilot should have read...

"Democrats Lead; Welch, Rerras Jump on the Bandwagon".

Sure, their "story" does make mention of what I've blogged about here - how Rerras hijacked this legislation from Democrats, specifically Senator Mary Margaret Whipple.  But that mere mention of the truth and giving credit where credit is due is so completely snowballed by the blind love-fest given Republicans that it makes me want to throw up!!!

The Pilot took an AP story written by Bob Lewis that was originally and less egregiously titled "Legislative GOP propose property tax cut already in works", gave it a new title "Republicans get behind property tax breaks, rules", and threw pictures of Rerras' and Welch's mugs into the article with favorable captions beneath.  Welch's says "rising assessments have been a common complaint."  Duh!?!?!  Now there's some brilliance!  Way to go, Virginian-Pilot, for capturing that ground-breaker. 

The Pilot is so obviously pimping for especially "Doc" Welch, and their kiss-up to him is completely unworthy.  It is so obvious that the Repugs are playing the Pilot like a fiddle.  For Welch has done absolutely NOTHING to assist with this legislation, and attaching his name anywhere near it is nothing more than an act of desperation to somehow save Welch's ass.  It stinks a mile away.

Let's follow this legislation through the last few years, shall we? 
In 2005, this tax relief bill was carried by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (SJ449) in the Senate and by Delegate Bob Brink (HJ820) in the House.  In 2006, Sen. Whipple carried the bill as SJ79 and Del. Brink's was HJ135.  In 2007, Del. Brink carried the bill as HJ624 and Sen. Whipple carried the bill as SJ398 before Nick "FemiNazi" Rerras swooped in and hijacked it as his own.  Notice here no mention of Welch, and Rerras' name is only mentioned this year, an election year, a dire year when his incompetence will most definitely come back to cost him his seat. 

The only just way for the Virginian-Pilot to make amends for their disgusting and mistaken prostration to the Republican agenda is for them to include this miscarriage of what is fair and reasonable into their consideration when endorsing candidates, i.e., their deciding who should be fired and who should be hired.  There are many reasons to fire Rerras and Welch and hire Ralph Northam and Bobby Mathieson.  And one of those reasons includes a level of trust that the public can and should have in its electeds.  Rerras and Welch have once again proved themselves to be only capable of slimy election-year political football.  This legislation should have been passed two years ago when Kaine proposed it and Sen. Whipple and Delegate Brink started working it through the system. But it was typical slimy GOP SOP that prevented it from happening and two years of tax relief went down the toilet thanks to Republicans like Rerras and Welch. 

Considering the years, that they allowed this legislation to falter, we cannot trust either one of them to go back and actually see this legislation through.  Plus, Rerras doesn't deserve to have his name on it in the first place.  We need to defeat him and allow this bill to carry the rightful name of its author, Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple. 

Comments

Here's your better story... (elevandoski - 9/26/2007 7:37:39 PM)

Thanks to the Washington Post for its reporting of the story minus the pimping for Republicans that the Virginian-Pilot did. 

"Republicans, who are trying to hold on to their party's majority in the House and Senate on Nov. 6, are claiming the tax break as one of their own election-year proposals, but it was actually proposed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) during his 2005 campaign."

Pictured above are Senator Mary Margaret Whipple and Delegate Bob Brink, the two legislators whose photos should have been published as the true champions of the tax relief bill.