Andrea Hopkins of the Bristol Herald Courier is rapidly becoming my favorite writer about Virginia politics. This column is yet another example:
In the latest open government clash in Richmond, Delegate Bob Marshall has emerged as an unlikely hero - the lone voice of reason among House Republicans.Marshall, a fiery social conservative who hails from Prince William County, was the only member of his delegation to vote in favor of recording subcommittee votes last week. The measure did not pass.
The subcommittee system remains an unaccountable black hole, where House lawmakers send unpopular measures to die. No comparable bill-killing chamber exists in the state Senate.
THIS RAISES a question. Can the state's Republican senators help their House comrades locate their spines?
Excellent question. When wacky "Sideshow Bob" is the "lone voice of reason" and the only one with a "spine" among House Republicans, what does that say about the rest of them? For instance, what does it say about Terry Kilgore? Here's Andrea Hopkins on that subject:
AMONG THOSE pledging to record votes was Delegate Terry Kilgore, a Gate City Republican and a member of the House GOP leadership. Kilgore hasn't explained his flip-flop.Perhaps it was just another opportunity to stick it to the Democrats. Perhaps Kilgore wants to be able to do the bidding of his financial backers - the tobacco industry and the big power companies among them - without having to answer for it. Only Kilgore knows what secret motivation prompted him to shirk his leadership role on such an important issue. (Unless, of course, he wanted to lead his Lemming-like Republican followers over the cliff.)
Sadly, my guess is that Hopkins is exactly right, that Kilgore and his Republican pals in the House of Delegates want to "do the bidding" of Dominion Power et al., but they don't want the rest of us to notice. In fairness, Democrats also far too often vote the corporate agenda against the interests of the people. The point is, this is NOT a partisan issue; this is an issue of good government conducted in bright sunshine. Or, in the case of Kilgore et al., it's a case of really bad government -- akin to cockroaches and rats scurrying around in the darkness while you're asleep and oblivious.
More from Hopkins:
Prior to the 2007 election, Kilgore sat down with this newspaper's editorial board. He promised to lead the House forward into a more cooperative, bipartisan era on most matters - taxes being the obvious exception."WE NEED to do more ... We've got to be able to come together. We've got to agree on what we can agree on," Kilgore said.
He just failed his first test. Standing with House Democrats for open, accountable government would have shown courage and true leadership skills.
Instead, Kilgore opted to continue the us-and-them attitude, once confined to Washington, which has come to dominate Virginia politics. If he cannot work with Democrats in the House, how will Kilgore work with the Democratically controlled Senate and Gov. Tim Kaine, also a Democrat?
Kilgore's failure to lead on this matter doesn't bode well for a constructive session.
Unfortunately, Terry Kilgore is pretty much your typical Richmond Republican these days. Not interested in moving Virginia forward, much more interested in bashing Tim Kaine, in being hyperpartisan (for no good reason), and for serving their corporate masters. Just as our slogan for Dominion Power is "Global Warming Starts Here," our tag line for Richmond Republicans is -- sadly -- "Bad Government Starts Here." I just wish we had more Andrea Hopkins(es?) around to call them on it.