Again, Anti has not endorsed candidates. However, we do acknowledge the endorsements of other organiztions. The local paper, the News and Messenger has endorsed Delegate Jackson Miller to continue as the delegate to the 50th state district. Delegate Miller has been the subject of posts here on Anti in the past for his town meetings and for receiving the VEA and PWEA endorsements for his efforts to return funding to Virginia public schools.
Here is the endorsement he earned from the News and Messenger:
In the 50th District, incumbent Republican Jackson Miller is facing off against Democrat Jeanette Rishell for the third time.Although Rishell has become a better candidate with each campaign, the third time is not the charm.Rishell shows a much better grasp of the issues and the details of legislation; however, she still has not demonstrated knowledge that approaches the level of Miller’s.Also, she shows a level of ambiguity that is unsettling in a potential representative.Seeming contradictions regarding her stance on stimulus money and on “Right-to-Work” laws make us wonder if she acts out of political expediency or in willful ignorance.
She says that she is for both “Right-to-work” laws and collective bargaining for public employees, and although the two may not be mutually exclusive, they can at least be mutually antagonistic; to
imagine that both can coexist comfortably in Virginia is magical thinking.On stimulus, Rishell seems to think that the state can take money to expand unemployment benefits without making that expansion permanent, despite the fact that the majority in the House voted
against the money because they did not believe that to be true.Part of the deal if the state took the money was that the expansion would continue after the federal money ran out. Perhaps it would be possible for the state to go back on that deal, but we don’t think
that is an honorable or honest thing to do.In his time in the General Assembly, Miller has shown himself to be knowledgeable, proactive, extremely well prepared and honest.
This is the point at which critics will point out his vote on autism legislation. He voted with the majority to prevent an autism bill from leaving a committee and going to the full floor of the House. The vote
effectively killed the bill.Miller’s position on this legislation bothers us too, but we understand his reasoning when he points out the need to go along with General Assembly protocol on that vote. The legislature is a place where
compromise and devil’s bargains happen, and if Miller did not toe the line from time to time, he may find himself ineffective in the way that other legislators, such as Del. Bob Marshall, have.On other issues, like alternative energy, Miller has shown himself to be a leader — he sponsored legislation that can help bring wind energy companies to Virginia.
Also, Miller is not arrogant enough to think that he will solve big problems like transportation on his own. However, he approaches such issues with an open mind and does not appear to strictly follow
party lines in his reasoning.
ENDORSEMENT: Vote Jackson Miller in the 50th District
Published: October 21, 2009
He is a flexible and straightforward delegate. We hope you will cast your vote for Jackson Miller on Nov. 3.
Is the News and Messenger editor asleep or just stoned most of the time? Third graders have better grammatical skills. It’s very distracting.
Can’t help you with that one. It is what it is.
I am just checking content. 😉
“The legislature is a place where compromise and devil’s bargains happen”
So that is what goes on down there, devil’s bargains. I always wondered what they did in Richmond and now I know. So I am assuming the MJM thinks Miller is better at bargaining with the devil than Rishell? Is that a back handed compliment?
I think devil’s bargains have been going on in Virginia since we had a House of Burgesses.
I think the endorsement was well deserved, but I do think his actions on the autism bill were extremely disturbing.
I agree with RB. I know of a couple of families in our district that have autistic children and they are very disappointed as am I. However, I do look forward to Jackson representing the 50th District again.
Here’s a video of Jackson speaking on renewable energy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KETdqZqyyho
I suggest talking to him about why he made the choice he did. His decision was very reasonable. I think if you spoke to him personally about it you would not find it disturbing. It was all procedural.
I find the N & M endorsements strange. Both of the ones I posted today spent as much time talking about the opponent as the person they are endorsing. Strange.
In all the threads this blog has featured about Jackson Miller, the only valid argument I have seen against him revolved around two things that are actually one and the same: the “redefine the family” madness, and his relationship with Greg Letiecq.
Miller is ashamed of his former closeness to Letiecq, and he is not proud of the wasted tax payer dollars created by the “redefine the family” tragedy. If you ask him privately he will tell you as much on both accounts.
Just because Letiecq still loves Miller, it does not mean Miller still loves Letiecq. Could it be this is the year the voters forgave Miller for unleashing Letiecq on us? If so, this will be the type of landslide that could finally chase Ms. Rishell out of the business of politics.
Actually, I have spoken to him. And my child was effected by his decision, the way the politics were played. What is very reasonable to you is heartbreaking to me. He has done a lot of great things and I thought I was okay with the whole procedural thing, but I have heard different versions of what went down with this bill over the course of this campaign in print and in debates and I am frustrated. Most of you are mothers as well – how is okay to play politics with children’s medical care? I am not saying run him out of office, but I would like to see him held more accountable for this.
@Emma Stoned. Ex-Hippie. (Tie-Dyes, VW Bus, Sandals, the works)
RB, I cannot remember the specific details, but I understood that when he voted, it would not have passed anyway. IF I recall correctly, he felt that he had a better chance of getting the bill passed if he waited rather than alienating the people he would need for a later vote. I do know he still favors and supports the legislation.
LBH, why do you feel Miller unleashed Letiecq on us? Why do you feel the unleashing is the fault and under the control of Miller?
“Miller is ashamed of his former closeness to Letiecq”
How do you know this?
Madam Pink, If you speak to him privately he will say as much, with varying degrees of openness depending on how well he knows you. Miller is a descent man, who, like Corey Stewart, was briefly hypnotized by a snake oil salesman who, in defense of both politicians, was misrepresenting himself as a responsible conservative advocate.
Letiecq’s recent antics smack of desperation. He aims to claim credit for Miller’s hard-earned respect in the community, and for Miller’s impending reelection based on the number of times his followers clicked on the condom video. No one is less pleased with this than Jackson Miller. He may not say it publicly, but Letiecq is the zit on Miller’s behind that just won’t go away.
@Last Best Hope
Well said!!
@Last Best Hope
That’s quite comforting, LBH. Thank you for sharing that information.
Well, LBH, I have not seen any remorse on the part of Corey Stewart. He is still out spewing erroneous crime reports. The only remorse I have ever seen is in one of the video clips filmed by Eric byler where he didn’t want to be associated with that horrible dog ‘joke’–much like the remose of a kid with his hand stuck in a cookie jar. After Elena took him to task, I doubt if the old boy had that much fight left in him.
I never saw the puppet/puppeteer relationship between Letiecq and Jackson Miller. I think Miller is his own man. I can’t imagine that he has been confortable with many of the dark screen antics.
What just bothers the crap out of me is that for someone who is supposedly a friend of Jackson Miller, Greg Letiecq has just dragged him down every chance he gets. Why can’t he say something nice about Miller? Why can’t he mentions his accomplishments? Why can’t he point out that Miller often reaches across the aisle to do what is best for Virginians? That is what he should be doing for his candidate rather than scrounging around on someone’s facebook and coming up with someone’s picture from a bad lodging experience. That was shameful.
Anti-bvbl has been a better friend. We have highlighted Jackson Miller’s accomplishments and have not engaged in the petty bs I have read on other blogs. When our representatives do well, we will call them out on their good deeds, as well as their bad deeds.
Jackson Miller has shown a great deal of growth during his tenure as the 50th district delegate. We realize he walks a tightrope. There isn’t a lot of wiggle room with some of his base. However, his base won’t carry him alone. He needs the moderates, the moderate Republicans, and yes, the moderate Democrats and he is smart enough to reach out to all without compromising his value system.
Sounds like recently Jackson Miller paid for lunch for some of the Rishell campaign. Seems like a nice gesture and like the very thing Miller would do. He’s a gentleman.
An entire thread was dedicated to the fact this was done over on Black Velvet.
The evil velveteen rabbit speculated why Jackson Miller did a very good deed. Instead of complimenting the delegate on his kind, gracious gesture Mr. Thumper attributes all sorts of reasons why Miller did this, none of them particularly kind or gracious.
Point proven, M-H.
Miller probably bought the lunch because he wanted to apologize for Mr. Psycho and his creepy pervert attack ads.
I agree with Lafayette who agrees with LBH.
One thing though, I would not give Miller any pass that I wouldn’t give Corey Stewart when it comes to saddling up with Mr. Psycho Letiecq. Miller was sneakier about it. But back in the day when Mr. Psycho still had some credibility, Miller was his home boy.
Why can’t Jackson’s gentmanly gesture of buying the lunch just be seen as that?
Amen, Lafayette.
Thanks, Emma. Obviously understood I meant gentlemanly. Shame on me, but like you said “I’m not getting paid”. Haha
It really is baffling to me why every single thing MUST have a Negative Nelly spin to it. Honestly, right down to the treat of lunch. What’s wrong with people?
And not one person has ragged on Miller because one of his aids punched some gay person in the face. Different standards for different folks is the rule of the day on the dark side.
Doesn’t Miller push family values also? His mailers sure look like he is a family man.
GR, Miller’s aid was fired for that punch. Get a clue.