The Conscience of a King, Act IV:     The Final Act?

As we enter act IV of our play, a few minor happenings in the wings are worth noting. Please consider these, as we make a few scenery changes behind the curtain, in preparation for act IV.

Late yesterday, we received reports from our ever vigilant roving ‘Howlings reporters. First one in was a report of hot pink flyers being delivered to homes and handed out at spots throughout the city. These flyers encouraged voters to “Write-In Sheryl  Bass” on the front, and gave a very detailed listing of her very impressive record of service to the citizens. No attacks on the other candidates. Just a positive plea by the campaign to consider Bass, as they head to the polls. We Howler ladies have to say, the way this campaign has been conducted reflects the grace and poise that Bass herself has exhibited over the years. Classy. Very Classy.  

Contrast this with a very nasty piece put out by some anonymous pitchfork bearer (or would that be pitchforker?)   that was delivered to other residents of the city. This nasty piece, full of errors and negative-spin, did nothing but attack Mark Wolfe. What we find downright hilarious is the flyer asked voters to pull the lever for Lovejoy, “Carnahan”, Way. (Is this like pull the joystick for the non-existent candidate?)

Last up, a flyer we assume was produced by Doug Brown, because it is being distributed by ABTF and linked to at bvbl, while better written, has its own bit o’ spin: Jerry Carman’s business experience has risen from that of middle management to the “corner office with a view”: He claims Carman “Managed a Fortune 500 Company”.  And what company might that be, that he was president or Chief Executive Officer of? But when you are nothing but the “Alleluia Chorus” for the House Aveni, credibility and intellectual honesty are minor considerations.

So many script changes, and so little time. Such are the lives of us humble bards (or would that be bardesses?) As we mentioned in the prologue of our production, we’ve been watching this tempest develop for some time, collecting little scraps of information here and there (shaking down our friends and enemies alike) , until we could make sense of it all. We’ve shared the “Who, What & Where” as best as we can. It was the “Why” that was hardest to figure out, but we believe we have a few theories to share.

Now, without further ado, Act IV

[Enter the King ] For those who may not remember, long before Baron Aveni ascended to his current seat, Manassas was graced with Prince Jackson Miller as part of City Council. Prince Miller’s time was not without controversy. He pushed legislation that redefined “family”, for the purposes of determining who could and could not legally reside in a private household. [Kind of Feudal, don’t you think?]. Pitchforks were grabbed, and torches were lit, and the legislation passed. The city was sued by the ACLU and settled the suit, rather than try to defend it.  When one considers the cost of implementing, legal fees, and the actual settlement, the city taxpayers were left holding about a $1 MILLION dollar bag.  Not a peep was uttered from the peasants and serfs. This wasn’t a problem for Prince Miller though, for he had ascended to the throne in the interim, and left the Baron Aveni as regent of the realm. It was easy to keep the torches and pitchfork crowd quiet, because the target of the legislation were Latino families. That lead to another drama altogether. 

So Prince Miller had moved on to the castle Richmond, and began a meteoric rise through the court. He’d left the small-town politics behind him, or had he? For you see, the man who would be king, always tried to keep one foot at home, in order to protect the taxpayers. Did we say “taxpayers”? We meant to say “taxpayer”. One taxpayer in particular: Micron.

Micron pays more taxes in the little city, than just about anyone. With that said, the local government has been very accommodating in the tax-breaks given to Micron, to keep this large business interest happy and healthy. Micron could be rather generous in its campaign contributions to Prince Miller’s war chest and to others of lesser rank. Micron would like to see a particular tax, that on Machine and Tools (M&T) eliminated. We don’t find fault with Micron for wanting this. Who likes to pay taxes?

The combined revenues from all companies paying into the M&T are about $5 MILLION annually, and Micron, along with Lockheed Martin (we assume) account for the lion’s share of this. If this tax were to be eliminated, the city would have to find this money elsewhere.  40% of this would be “city money” and 60% from the public schools. Could the Baron Aveni, as head of the budget committee cut this deeply in the existing budget to accomplish this? Could the schools? We doubt it. There are not enough ballets and bike paths in the budget to accomplish this.

We understand that the city council largely opposed Miller’s play, but strangely Baron Aveni was largely silent in the public debate, which went largely unnoticed by the citizens. Only two vocally opposed Miller, and only one is currently on the ballot: Mark Wolfe.

Do we hear gasps from the audience, from those who have figured out what all of this means? This isn’t about ballets and bike paths, providing greater oversight for the schools, or even protecting the residential property owner. This is about power, a “game of thrones” if we may. This is about Prince Miller’s Machiavellian play to sweep away any vocal/local opposition to his trying to take care of one of his largest campaign contributors. He needs Baron Aveni to keep the other nobles in-line, to incite the torches and pitchfork crowd on occasion, and to otherwise rule in his stead, while he is “on crusade” in Richmond. (When he isn’t at home to do it himself, of course.)  Think back to when the bawdy women came to town with their lust and wench-ware.  What Prince led the charge?

 What we find so ironic (lots of irony in this play, wethinks) is it would be the very people they are inciting, who would be left to bear the burden (in the form of higher property taxes), should the M&T be eliminated.  Another “Million Dollar Bag” left to be held by the taxpayers, only this time, a multi-year, multi-million-dollar bag. It took us quite a bit of time to figure all this out, as we’ve received many opinions, and had to do some serious research and fact-checking. It took a while for this to all come into focus. 

[more Ale?  Turkey leg, perhaps?]

So where does Carman fit in, you ask? Well, when does one vote become two, or even three? Look back at the convention, look at who was targeted, but escaped.  Now he’s on the ballot, and the only chance you have is to back an empty, shiny suit of armor  independent candidate. If the independent wins, as well as the two GOP candidates you backing, now you have three votes, and the Baron makes four!  How high the stakes! High enough to risk a civil war within the MGOP?  It would appear that Prince Miller and Baron Aveni think so. After all, neither had an opponent the last time they ran. Both probably think they no longer need the support of the GOP and moderate independents to stay in power.  There is certain hubris here…. What if the King steps down early?  The Prince will definitely try to grab the throne.

While this is Act IV, this play’s ending has yet to be written. What will happen tomorrow and in the future? Will the torches and pitchfork crowd, lead by General Arnold and the Tea Party, sworn to Baron Aveni and Prince Miller carry the day? Will fortune favor the forces of the hot pink banner? Will Mark Wolfe win this game of “fox and hounds”? Will Uber-Republican  Chairman Steve be able to hold the GOP together or is it “to be, or not to be”?

 To which flag will the moderates and independents rally, this “Saint Crispin’s Day?”  Will the fires of Beltane keep the liberals out making merry by the fires, exercising their fertility rights throughout the long night of optimism? 

 Will Prince Miller and Baron Aveni “cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”  Will the citizens say “a pox on both your houses??”Only the future will tell, and we will observe and relate the story.  Whether a comedy or tragedy is a matter of perspective, and remains to be seen. For now, we’ll take our bows…

Stay tuned to our theater in the round….

23 Thoughts to “The Conscience of a King, Act IV”

  1. Rabbit

    If the three convention nominees (Wolfe, Way and Lovejoy), win tomorrow, will the final chapter be titled “Much Ado About Nothing”?

  2. Emma

    I’ve heard Shakespeare may also have used a ghostwriter. There are an awful lot of assumptions being made here about the City’s electorate. They will have their say.

  3. Macbeth:
    To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
    Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
    To the last syllable of recorded time;
    And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
    The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
    Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
    That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
    And then is heard no more. It is a tale
    Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
    Signifying nothing.

    Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28

  4. Need to Know

    @Rabbit

    And if a council of fiscal conservatives wins, will we call it “All’s Well That Ends Well?”

  5. Censored bybvbl

    NTK, or….”The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils.”

  6. Emma

    Charity begins at home. If you’re going to fund the arts, how about taking care of the kids in your ONE high school first, rather than let them march around in 20-year-old band uniforms? Before spending taxpayer dollars to create sidewalk dining for smokers at two popular restaurants, how about ensuring that the taxpayers don’t wait well over 10 years to get their own crumbling streets repaved? It’s time for the insiders to GO.

  7. Oy Vey

    Applause and two roses tossed to the stage!

  8. BAck to the one horse town image that Censored was talking about. You have to have things that attract people to grow as a community.

    As for the band uniforms, I agree. I think that is more emblematic of people’s attitude about band, that it is last, especially when compared to the big gate items like football.

    The county has the same situation. Stonewall band comes begging, selling dreadful pizza all the time. They are always in their wool band uniforms and it is always 90 degrees in the shade. It is shameful and very much a reflection of American attitude.

    On the other hand, think what would happen to any councilman or school board representative who came in and said the football team wasn’t getting new uniforms, but the band was. That person would be run out of town on a rail.

  9. Thank you, Ov Vey. The Team thanks you. Curtsey.

  10. Litman

    Et tu, Baron and Prince? You could have had it all but you couldn’t play it straight. What a waste. And your latest ploy supporting an empty husk is turning out to be a bust. You only have yourselves to blame. For shame, for shame!

    1. Litman, were you waiting for us to sacrifice a virgin? That won’t happen. I doubt that we could have had it all. We haven’t really supported anyone. It is just a tale for our readers.

      Perhaps you should have just stuck to the smoke filled rooms for your intrique fix. We are county folks. That puts us at a handicap. Maybe we just don’t know the right people. Who do you suggest we go to next time?

  11. Steve Randolph

    My son was a member of the OHS Band 25 years ago and they sold
    frozen pizza “kits” to help raise money for uniforms. The stuff
    was terrible but we always ordered a bunch- got to support the kids.
    Remember taking some to a church pot luck supper and later seeing a
    trash can nearby full of pizza slices with just one bite taken out.

  12. Bwaaahahahahahaha

    Its nice to find someone who knows what I am talking about. @Steve Randolph. Wasn’t that stuff awful!!!!

    At least you didn’t describe going out on the front law of the church and seeing all these people “laying out,” on their last legs! Death by pizza kit.

  13. Hecate

    The dye has cast the colors have turned if the traitors are elected the other prince of manassas breaks the tie! Decisions decisions just can’t be made! Scary scary spend no money.

  14. Ray Beverage

    As Brutus said in Julius Ceasar, Act 4: “there is a tide in the affairs of man”…

    yes, Micron does pay a large chunck of M&T Tax to the City, and anyone who thinks it would have a major impact only has to look back through the mist of time to when IBM pulled out and before MICRON moved in. Manassas would indeed be in a bad spot if M&T disappeared without some form of dedicated revenue stream from Castle Richmond.

    Out, damned spot! Out I say! and the toadie stew could use a touch more garlic!

  15. Litman

    Moonhowler, methinks you may have misunderstood my comment. My meaning was that the Prince and Baron could have continued success had they played it straight which they did not, apparently choosing to play sleight of hand and secretly (not so secretly?) supporting inexperienced non-R candidates, and not sticking up for candidates they have pledged to support. Shame on them for doing this, shame on some of us for having believed in them.

    1. @Litman, I certainly did misunderstand you. Thanks for clarifying. I was all too quick to don the horse-hair shirt, methinks. Have an ale on the house!

  16. I hear voting is light. Call your neighbors, sound the alarm, GOTV!!!!

    The Moon Mobile will be rolling soon. Right now, in the words of Jackson Browne, it is running on empty.

  17. Steve Randolph

    Decisions are made by the people who show up.

  18. RV

    Just voted a short while ago. I actually had to wait in line for a few minutes. Perhaps this mornings shower kept people indoors for a short time waiting for the sun to come out. There was a large “pink” presence at my precinct. Pink signs, people with pink T-shirts, very impressive, but no sign of any Carmenites or Lovejoy folks. I guess they think it’s in the bag. Also, there was an impressive display of Richie-Folks signs. Of course, signs don’t equal votes so we’ll see. It will all be over today and we can all move on to the next play this fall.

  19. JOE

    I find it interesting that you condemn Ms. Aveni for supporting Mr. Carmen but you applaud other republicans for supporting Ms. Bass. What’s the difference except that apparently Ms. Bass’ views are closer to yours than the Aveni view?
    I don’t believe that Manassas republicans have been chastised for supporting Mr. Randolph in past elections. No difference again, so why aren’t you upbraiding people for this?

    1. Joe, what ARE you talking about? I didn’t condemn Ms. Aveni. I said she unintentionally outted her husband for supporting someone who was not a Republican. I absolutely have not CONDEMNED Mrs. Aveni. That really isn’t how I operate. She is probably a very nice lady. I didn’t realize that she was supporting Mr. Carmen. I only knew she was supporting her husband which is commendable.

      No, I didn’t applaud Republicans for supporting Mrs. Bass. I believe that Mrs. Bass is being supported by EX Republicans, Independents and Democrats. I know that several Republicans resigned from the party over their support of Mrs. Bass. That was the point. If you want to email me the names of Republicans who are supporting Mrs. Bass without resigning from the party, use [email protected].

      Remember that some elected officials might just vote Republican and not be members of the party. I occassionally vote R and I would never be a member of the party.

      I hope this clarifies any questions you had. If there are still questions, cut and paste and I will address. I would not want anyone to think I was being unfair or telling lies.

      I think you need to go back and re-read more carefully. I cannot address what happened with Mr. Randolph. You have a long enough list of current grievances against me.Let’s not go into past ones.

  20. Rabbit :

    If the three convention nominees (Wolfe, Way and Lovejoy), win tomorrow, will the final chapter be titled “Much Ado About Nothing”?

    It looks like the Rabbit knew all along. You know how we talked about the jester being the one in the know? In this case, it was the Rabbit.

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