By Peter Galuszka
As usual, I am constantly amazed at “the Virginia Way” which means a kind of parallel universe of political reality that keeps the stay back in the 18th century, at least when it comes to political thinking.
This morning, the editorial section of the ever-other- worldly Richmond Times-Dispatch has a front-page piece by outgoing Gov. Robert F. McDonnell. He, and the RTD editors, presume to tell us that we are all very gentlemanly in the Old Dominion, unlike those heathens across the Potomac in Washington and they should use US as a moral guiding light for how to get along.
It’s his version of “The Virginia Way.” He writes:
“The good news is that there’s an alternative means of governing. And it’s found right here in the commonwealth. It’s called ‘the Virginia Way.’ It’s a tradition of consistent advocacy of principle combined with civility in the pursuit of doing what’s best for the people. When campaigns are over, it’s time to govern effectively.”
Well, that’s his “Virginia Way.” I have my own version which was printed on the front page of The Washington Post’s Outlook section one week ago. Odd McDonnell (or the TD editors) chose their own ‘Virginia Way.’ My version has to do with the haughty sense of superiority that leads to Virginia having among the most lax ethics laws in the country and getting flunking grades in government accountability.
Here I am:
“It’s known as the Virginia Way.
Richmond political culture clings to a quaint notion that its elected representatives are gentlemen and ladies who are above the petty venality that afflicts lesser states.”
“Too many Old Domninion politicians buy into Virginia’s moral exceptionalism. Or they realize that the lax rules and limited oversight that are justified by it make it easier to win and stay in office.”
I go on with my discussion about this parallel universe kind of thinking. I do remind readers exactly how the governor fits in on ethics:
“One loophole highlighted by the McDonnell story: The disclosure requirement doesn’t extend to officials’ immediate family members or companies the officials may own. So McDonnell didn’t report that the chief executive of Henrico County-based Star Scientific gave $70,000 in loans to MoBo Real Estate Partners, owned by the governor and his sister; or that the CEO paid for a $15,000 New York shopping trip for the first lady and later wrote her a check for $50,000; or that he picked up a $15,000 catering bill for the wedding of one McDonnell daughter and gave a $10,000 engagement gift to another.”
Remember all of this? And also that McDonnell is the only sitting Virginia governor to be investigated for corruption while in office? And that the federal probe is still on going? Or (new twist), Jonnie R. Williams is out at Star Scientific which is changing its name to the far less explosive name of “Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals.”
All of this is down the memory hole over at the RTD editorial offices on Richmond’s E. Franklin Street.
And while we’re talking about some real howlers, let’s skip over to the Post’s Local Opinions section this morning which offers several post-mortems on the Terry McAuliffe victory this past week.
Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Prince William County, writes that “Rather, Republicans win the county by building relationships with minority voters ….”
Now that, dear readers, is whopper and a half. Just a few years ago, Stewart spearheaded the most stringent anti-minority, specifically, anti-Hispanic, county law in the country. It required police to check the citizenship of anyone they stopped (read brown-skinned and Spanish-speaking). His proposals drew national outcries and were linked to similar racist efforts in Arizona and Alabama. Hispanics fled Prince William in droves.
Critics can dice over what happened in last week’s election all they want, but the biggest problem is that there is a major issue, almost a psychotic one, with the psyche of the Old Dominion. There is no clear understanding of what the reality truly is here. Should a moment of clarity pop up, it is immediately placed in denial mode.
So, we end up with a disgraced governor giving us advice about how not to be like those unwashed hordes in Washington and Corey Stewart lecturing us on making sure we have a big tent that is open to minorities.
It’s almost laughable if it weren’t so sad and infuriating.
