Here in Virginia they’re making a big deal about our Gubernatorial election. I’ve heard several times today from News prognosticators that the Virginia election will be a referendum on Pres. Obama’s popularity and his policies. I don’t think so Virginians are that shallow. And I find the comment some what insulting.
I’ve lived in Virginia for most of my life. We moved here when I was 3. While the state has been some what conservative and republican for a majority of it’s history. It’s also an intelligent and contemporary place as well. We can give credit for that to Northern Virginia and the influx of people from around the world who come there to work in and around Washington DC. But don’t discount the high education and engaging people around our Universities as well. Virginia Tech, Univ. of Va, George Mason and James Madison are all highly respected colleges that turn out some very smart people who can actually thing for themselves.
We have the ability to look at issues affecting our state separate from those affecting a Presidential or national stage. We understand the affect of decisions in DC upon our State. But we also take accountability for our own government and how it approaches the real problems that all Virginians face around the state.
So to those prognosticators I say, shut up and sit down. Your 10 minutes are up. Not everything that happens in politics is based on the popularity of someone, or the popularity of their policies. Virginians are smart, educated and quite capable of deciding our elections based on issues and not on the popularity of which parties lapel pin you’re wearing.