Washington Post:
Virginia Republicans and Democrats will really go at it in the 2013 elections, but at least they’re talking to each other for now. Not directly, mind you. But on Thursday, both parties kinda, sorta reached out by publicly addressing the other camp.
Addressing them in a way meant to put them on the spot, but heck, it’s a start.
The Republican Party of Virginia opened the dialogue with a news release that began:
“As Democrats continue to celebrate and rally around President Obama, his actions in Michigan raise a critical question for Virginia voters: Where do the 2013 Democrat candidates stand on Right to Work? Do they stand with President Obama, or do they stand with Virginia?”
The state’s right-to-work laws prevent workers from being required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment.
The release went on from there to pose that question specifically to gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe and other Democrats seeking statewide offices, noting that some had received sizeable campaign donations from labor unions.
“For decades, Virginia’s status as the northernmost Right to Work state on the East Coast has given us a distinct economic advantage,” the release said. “… There’s not a single Republican candidate running who doesn’t stand 100 percent behind Right to Work. We know where Barack Obama stands. How about Terry McAuliffe and his potential ticket- mates?”
Here is where traditional liberal party lines start falling apart. I support right to work laws. I don’t want to be forced to join a union. I probably would join it but I wouldn’t HAVE to join it. What will the Democrats do? If they support right to work, they be doing the Republican thing. If they go with forced unions, lots of folks aren’t going to like that. I wouldn’t let that keep me from voting D though.
The flip side of the Democratic dilemma over unions is the abortion queston.
Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria), the newly installed chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, held a conference call with reporters.
The purpose: “[T]o call on Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Republican leaders to leave radical anti-women’s health legislation like Personhood out of the 2013 session in order to focus on more critical issues to Virginia families.”
Most Democrats will not support any amendment that confers the same rights on fertilized ovum and full grown sentient women. That is totally absurd. Personhood Amendments simply do not make sense. They are a waste of time and will be overturned by the courts.
It is unknown if either camp has responded to each other’s press release.
Just the fact that “right to work” is being discussed is an indicator. If you spend much time amongst blue collar/working class, the feeling of unions becoming a possible necessity is there. Or at least they’re not immediately discounted any more.
The local democrats union members used to be real uncompromising on this issue. I thought they were taking up way too much committee time beating a dead horse, actually.
If I recall correctly, Union Virginia turned their backs on Mary Sue Terry back in the early 90s because she was not a union candidate for gov.
Do these Personhood Amendments confer rights other than life to fetuses (fetii?)?
What else is left other than interutero stages of development and those born?
I don’t know. Are you asking if it would interfere with the death penalty?
The Right to Work laws are trying to break unions (why pay for repersentation when you can get it for free?). People forget that unions gave us the 40 hour work week and set industry wages whether you are in a “union shop” or a competitor and fought for medical and vacations.It has nothing to do with helping workers it has to do with busting unions so they can’t help Democratic candidates get elected.I wonder who wants that?