Perhaps McAuliffe could become a Republican ...

 

"Puckett, a senator since 1998, did not respond to calls seeking comment. Other Republicans denied that Puckett was offered the jobs in exchange for his resignation.

In a statement, McAuliffe (D) acknowledged that Puckett’s resignation had created “uncertainty” for his plan to expand the federal-state health program for the poor to 400,000 uninsured Virginians. But he contended that he still had a majority of the Senate on his side."  Washpost

----------------

""Good ole Phil!"  We don't much like Democrats here in the 38th District, but Phil... Hell, he's one of us.  Never could figure out how he could be a Democrat.  His daughter, now she's a right nice girl, makes a great juvenile judge   Now, you know that bein' in the state senate is not a full time job.  You can't live on that.   Now Phil will go back to the tobacco board where he can make enough money to get a good state pension and his girl, she'll get a state judgeship right here in Pulaski or somewhere else in the Mountain Kingdom.  But, the best is that McAuliffe is screwed.  We're sure as hell gonna elect a Republican to fill Phil's seat.  The General Assembly will pass a budget without Obamacare and then McAuliffe can veto it and shut down the commonwealth government if he wants to...  Heh.  Heh.  I suppose we'll have to do something about country peoples health care someday."  Southwest Virginia Mountaineer

*************

This is a typically Virginia political game.  The pols do not generally like to show their hands but as I predicted, they did not like being subjected to his baloney.  People play rough here and it is a particularly Southern kind of game.  People like Chuck Todd and Larry Sabado think this is a Middle Atlantic state?  they should get out more.  I live in the 8th US Congressional District, the bluest place in the Commonwealth and even here rules of the game that apply in places like Pennsylvania are just meaningless.  There will be no electoral price paid for this, none at all.  pl  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-democratic-senator-to-resign-possibly-dooming-push-to-expand-medicaid/2014/06/08/901edf8e-ef54-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html

Comments

[Fred]

“Del. Scott A. Surovell - “It’s astounding to me. The House Republican caucus will do anything” Delegate Surovell implies that his fellow Democrat, Senator Puckett, is accepting what amounts to a bribe. Does he really mean to insult the man’s integrity that way? We know a Democratic Governor would never, … “McAuliffe appointed longtime GOP operative Boyd Marcus, who had crossed party lines to endorse McAuliffe in the campaign, to a six-figure position on the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Republicans blocked the appointment, saying the job was essentially “sold” for the endorsement” ….. Never mind.

It seems more likely that not everyone has accepted the Governor’s position. At least Virginia legislature has a standard of not confirming permanent judicial appointments of relatives of sitting legislators. Perhaps Delegate Surovell missed that part? Did Delegate Surovell indicate where all the funding is going to come from three or four years from now when the Federal subsidy inevitably gets cut?

[linda]

the corruption of the political class is so entrenched and pervasive, that they don't even care about the optics -- knowing full well there will be no accountability.

the idea of 'public service' is so quaint; and has morphed into how to best serve myself. so nice of this guy to provide yet one more nail in the coffin of citizens' faith in their government -- and this time a twofer -- the judiciary. how in the world can this daughter be considered a reliable and independent jurist?

not to mention the virginia citizens who will now be unlikely to receive adequate healthcare... death panels, indeed.

[turcopolier]

linda

This isn't considered "corruption" here. It's called "payback." pl

[Eliot]

When Lancelot denies his guilt in Le Morte D'Arthur - his word is considered beyond reproach. Every man in the room knows his guilt, but under the rules of the system - his word and his status make falsehood truth.

There is an element of that here. Virginia politics is a gentlemans game, and as such Senator Puckett is a gentleman. These sorts of deals in no way tarnish his reputation. He is beyond reproach. Indeed, his conduct fits well within the norms of gentlemanly behavior. He came to a mutually beneficial agreement with his peers.

But what of his party loyalty? Well, this is Virginia - party is just one of our tribal loyalties.

- Eliot

[Fred]

linda,

Which corruption do you refer to? McAuliffe allegedly offering a job for an endorsement, Surovel implying his fellow Democrat took a bribe or how McAuliffe became a multi-millionaire before (See RTC or Gloal Crossings, etc)he became governor of Virginia?

[Laura Wilson]

Well, it sure isn't "beanbag"…the complete lack of care for the citizenry is pretty blatant but all states have their issues and California is not exempt. Fortunately, we aren't fighting about health insurance….just WATER!

[turcopolier]

Eliot

"Well, this is Virginia - party is just one of our tribal loyalties." Yes, I reckon that my tribal loyalties are too complex to explain. pl

[John]

Ah, oligarchs and their serfs. The peasant mentality is well and alive in the Old Dominion. Master knows best.
Snake oil salesmen and the rubes. Grift upon grift upon grift. Bob McDonnell anyone?
A nation of sheep who think they are wolves ruled by hyenas.
Matt Taibbi's essay just about sums it up: http://trueslant.com/matttaibbi/2009/04/14/americas-peasant-mentality/
When Master comes to take your shit, just keep hatin' on the N*gg*r President.
And just as Taibbi, who includes some very legitimate critique of Obama, said five years ago, it will get worse.

[Will Reks]

Why do you assume this subsidy would get cut? Virginia aside, other states have passed versions of the Medicaid expansion with votes from Republicans. I guess you could say all the players have something at stake or have been paid off enough to keep that spigot of federal money going.

[turcopolier]

John

Marxist drivel. What you have said is demonstration that you no more understand Virginia than does McAuliffe. pl

[Fred]

Will,

The subsidy is currently coming from the Federal government. Why do you continue to insist the federal subsidy will remain in place in perpetuity?

[Dr. K]

You must be a "tenther". Nothing in the bill of rights allows the rest of us to to condemn Virginia

[turcopolier]

Dr. K

What are you a "doctor" of? "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Absolutely! We don't care if you "condemn" Virginia. We don't care about you at all. On the other hand, I reserve to myself the right to "condemn" Marxist drivel. I'm guessing that you are a Ph.D. in some sort of social science drivel. pl

[John]

Col Lang,
Hardly Marxist...although I kinda like that. I suggest you peruse the wiki Southern Strategy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy
concerning the racism and disenfranchisement of blacks and poor whites. Sounds like serfs to me. Virginia is most definitely a part of that South.
And it's not about Civil War military strategy.
Terry McAuliffe probably doesn't understand much Virginia history. He does understand the modern Northern Virginia grift of defense contractors, lobbyists and other predator types that feed on Washington.
He is a contrast to the paleo-grifters of the traditional Virginia political scene with all its ignorance and religious nutjobbery.
I attribute a lot of this to the aristocratic yearnings founded in plantation slave culture east of the Blue Ridge wonderfully combined with Scots Irish Bible thumping and craziness to the west.
Put that in governance with a craven lapse in ethics, a large dose of ignorance, good voter supression and you have the modern Va political scene.
But hey, we're not as bad as New Jersey or Pennsylvania, are we?;-))
John

[turcopolier]

John

"The Southern Strategy?" Nixon et al? Do you live in Virginia? If so, where and how old are you? pl

[Tpcelt]

John - Virginia, its history and people, is far more complex than you seem to believe.

[Eliot]

Col. Lang,

I don't know Senator Puckett but I suspect he has far more in common with Kilgore than he does with Governor McAuliffe. The governor also has the misfortune of being a brash personality. As you've written again and again, he is ill equipped to understand or deal with Richmond. What were once strengths, his tenacity - his refusal to take no for answer - simply hobble him. He lacks the subtlety to understand Virginia politics. He's realizing too late that it is different.

I don't want to harp too much on McAullife's origins. One of my old friends, a delegate now, is a transplant. He was born in Denver and only moved to Virginia in 99. He adopted the culture though, and in a very genuine fashion. He's a better native than I am at this point. Indeed, many of our most successful politicians have come from out of state. Mark Warner is an example of just that.

"Yes, I reckon that my tribal loyalties are too complex to explain."

Well, you've certainly earned the right to call yourself a Virginian. And I would say, your understanding of how other people live gives you a far better appreciation of the quirks and peculiarities of Virginia.

- Eliot

[Tyler]

Good grief John, let me hold your purse before you faint over those evil raycists.

[Eliot]

John,

I think Taibbi is more than a little patronizing when he condemns rural America. They vote for their values and culture. Is that so hard to understand? What makes Taibbi's mores so superior? What gives him the right to impose his beliefs on those who would disagree?

I would also disagree with the economic narrative in his writing. Money is an inadequate explanation of our behavior, we are not a country of merchants and we do not think like one.

- Eliot

[Tyler]

John - You going to start kvetching and wringing your hands about the black tendency to vote as a bloc for Democrats?

[Will Reks]

Well, I already made a case for I think it's not likely to get cut in the short-term. I don't really feel too certain about it one way or another to where I would "insist" that it will continue forever nor have I insisted such in the past.

I don't think it will be cut in 3 or 4 years time. Concern over the debt and spending has abated but that could certainly change. Just my analysis of the politics.

[Fred]

John,

"... the traditional Virginia political scene with all its ignorance and religious nutjobbery."

Please enlighten me. Was Madison the ignorant one and Jefferson the religious 'nutjob'? Just where does Washington fall between the two?

[Tyler]

Its only abated if you have the attention span of a mosquito.

17 trillion plus in debt just isn't going to vanish because we wish it away.

[Tyler]

Taibbi is shabbos goyim and a coastal elite mouthpiece who makes the other drudges feel superior over those rubes that are busy keeping them fed and the power on while they navel gaze over their latest gay electronic toy.

[Tyler]

When exactly did Rolling Stone go from "countercultural digest" to "progressive water carrier"?