Drawing simplistic political conclusions from election results appears to be an ingrained habit of the Virginian Pilot editorial staff. A scant 12 hours after the polls closed the newspaper proclaimed the Kaine gubernatorial win to be a validation of the recent Commonwealth tax increase. That deduction is an insulting underestimate of the Virginia voter’s intelligence level.
Election choices are rarely about one issue. Intelligent voters (and there are many, whether the newspaper believes so or not) consider all of a candidate’s positions, then pick the candidate who they feel is the better choice. It would be highly unlikely for a voter to find a candidate that matched his or her belief structure on every issue. Therefore an election outcome is never a mandate for any one particular issue the candidate espoused.
What was the true reason for the Tim Kaine vote? It was simply the fact that he was perceived to be the best choice, given the three candidates. One candidate ran a negative campaign which included assertions that were obviously not true. How could citizens entrust the management of our commonwealth to someone who hasn’t been completely honest with the voters?
The candidate in question also overemphasized issues that are not high priority for the average Virginian. And is the inclusion of Family Values in a campaign platform anything more than a smoke screen to hide behind when one has no clear agenda? Good people from all political persuasions believe in family values. One faction alone doesn’t have a lock on morality.
I’m tired of dishonesty. I’m tired of our elected officials refusing to represent their constituents, choosing instead partisan loyalties. I’m tired of sweeping legislation that hurts rather than helps. Its time for big change at the ballot box.
And that, Virginia, is why Tim Kaine is governor.