For those of you that don’t know, we have a gubernatorial race here in my good Commonwealth of Virginia. The Republican candidate is our former Attorney General, Jerry Kilgore. The Democratic candidate is the former Mayor of Richmond, Tim Kaine. Tim Kaine apparently thought a lot of the way John Kerry worked out his positions on issues: Look at the current poll numbers and look at what seems to garner you the most support in the demographic you are currently targeting and make that your position.
As a supporter of Jerry Kilgore in this election, I certainly applaud Tim Kaine taking this method. It hardly endears the candidate to the demographic he flip-flopped away from and the demographic that he flip-flopped to isn’t sure if they can trust him to keep that position. (Guns is the perfect example of this: Gun supporters are mad at him for betraying them while the NRA is hardly taking his statements at face value.) If this race follows the historical precedent of last year’s presidential election, the GOP will be happy.
I am not going to give much commentary. I am just going to quote newspapers that summarize his position and quote Tim Kaine and let him speak for himself.
Regional Refernda - 2001
“I do support the right of that region or others to hold referendums and self-fund projects… without Richmond standing in the way and blocking their ability to have the kind of quality of life they want,” said Kaine. “I don’t think it’s leadership to look them (Northern Virginians) in the eye and tell them that they don’t know as much as I do when I don’t even live in that region.” (Virginian-Pilot, October 6, 2001, emphasis added)
“‘It’s [having a General Assembly vote instead of a referendum] contrary to my belief in limited government and citizen empowerment,’ Kaine said.” (Washington Post, October 28, 2001)
Regional Refernda - Now
“Kaine is strongly opposed to tax referendums, saying elected officials should take on such hard decisions themselves. ‘Jerry Kilgore wants to find a way to govern without exerting leadership,’ said DeLacey Skinner, Kaine’s campaign press secretary.” (Virginian-Pilot, April 27, 2005)
“‘Ever since Pontius Pilate allowed the crowd to make the hard decision, people who are afraid to lead have often used popular referenda to avoid their responsibilities,’ said Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine.” (Associated Press, March 1, 2004)
Million Mom March & Gun Control - 2000
‘There is no issue in the city that is more important than gun violence,’ he said. ‘My wife said to me the other day, ‘Sometimes you align yourself with an issue, and sometimes it aligns itself with you. I can’t think of an issue I’d rather be aligned with than this.’
Kaine invited residents who back his position to send checks to City Hall. Any leftover funds will be sent either to the Million Mom March or used for an educational campaign on gun violence.
Kaine said he plans to make a significant donation from his own pocket to the fund, and he called on his fellow City Council members, some of whom criticized his use of the discretionary fund to pay for the march expenses, to do the same.
(Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 15, 2000, emphasis added)
Those in favor of gun control naturally see nothing untoward in the city subsidizing their cause, and Kaine defended the subsidy on the ground that Richmond always has supported stricter gun laws. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 16, 2000)
Kaine earned an “F” grade on Second Amendment issues, which according to the grading system, means he is a “True enemy of gun-owners rights. A vehement anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners’ rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.” (NRA-PVF Candidate Endorsement Chart, 2001)
In 2001, Sarah Brady’s gun ban lobby (formerly Handgun Control Inc) endorsed Kaine, saying, “Tim Kaine is the clear choice” in his race for Lieutenant Governor. (11/1/01 Brady E-Action Response Network alert)
“From all three [Democrat candidates for Lieutenant Governor]: Gun control: yes.” (Virginian-Pilot, May 25, 2001)
“Councilman Timothy M. Kaine suggested that the city team up with Fairfax and Norfolk, the other major urban areas in Virginia, and push gun laws together.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 26, 1997)
“The candidates differed on little during last night’s debate, agreeing on issues ranging from abortion rights to support of gay civil unions and the need for gun control.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 25, 2001)
Million Mom March & Gun Control - Now
“The Million Mom March was not my issue. I didn’t go. That’s not my thing. But I did support the citizens who had been through a hard time by having them go up there. But I’ve never done anything to oppose the Second Amendment.” (Tim Kaine, WLNI Radio in Lynchburg, May 3, 2005)
Estate Tax - 2003
“‘Never has the General Assembly done so little for so many and so much for so few,’ Kaine added, referring particularly to the legislature’s proposed repeal of the estate tax, which will affect a few hundred people each year.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 24, 2003)
Estate Tax - Now
“Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine supports a repeal of Virginia’s estate tax as a way to help farmers and others, he told members of the Virginia Farm Bureau on Wednesday.” (Roanoke Times, December 2, 2004)
“As Governor, Tim Kaine will take steps now to save our family farms and preserve a traditional Virginia way of life.” (Tim Kaine Press Release, May 25, 2005)
General Fund Dollars for Transportation - Yes
“As Governor, Tim Kaine will keep the promise to dedicate auto insurance premium taxes to transportation, adding $966 million [from the general fund] to VDOT’s six-year construction plan.” (Tim Kaine Press Release, June 23, 2005)
General Fund Dollars for Transportation - No
“He said transportation should not be funded out of the state’s general fund, where it would compete with ‘schoolbooks and deputy sheriffs’ salaries.’” (The Washington Post, March 16, 2005)
“Kaine supports a ‘two-way lock box’ that bars commandeering transportation money for general government operations but also puts the general fund off-limits to transportation.” (The Associated Press, April 26, 2005)
“Kaine spokeswoman Delacey Skinner said that ‘paying for transportation out of the general fund is ultimately going to put transportation dollars in competition with education dollars. What you’ll end up with is money that would have gone to education going to transportation.’” (The Washington Post, April 27, 2005)
“But Kaine opposes the use of general-fund money for transportation, saying it would put roads in competition with other essential programs such as schools, public safety and health care.” (Roanoke Times & World News, May 20, 2005)
Increasing Gas Tax - Yes
On the budget, he [Tim Kaine] praised Mr. Warner’s and Mr. Chichester’s proposals, particularly the Chichester plan, which devotes money to transportation. Mr. Chichester’s plan would … increase the state gas tax from 17.5 cents per gallon to 20.5 cents per gallon…” (Washington Times, February 22, 2004)
Kaine said transportation problems - which are barely addressed in the new biennial budget - will not go away soon. One way to alleviate the funding shortage is to increase to gasoline tax. ‘Once you get through the hot lanes, the tolls, et cetera, the best way to finance it is the gas tax,’ Kaine said. (Winchester Star, July 1, 2004)
“He [Tim Kaine] also favors a modest hike in the gasoline tax to pay for new road construction.” (Bristol Herald-Courier, August 8, 2004)
“Unlike Warner, who as a candidate in 2001 promised not to raise taxes, Kaine, by suggesting conditions for a possible tax increase, appears to be giving himself room to maneuver on this traditionally perilous issue.” (”Kaine: Transportation solutions to be next task,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 22, 2005)
Increasing Gas Tax - No
“Kaine’s plan makes no mention of increasing the state’s 17.5-cent gasoline tax, an idea he previously embraced.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 24, 2005)
“Democratic gubernatorial candidate Timothy M. Kaine promised yesterday to veto any new tax or fee for transportation or any increase in existing levies until at least 2009, when a constitutional amendment to lock up the state’s road fund could become law.” (Washington Post, June 24, 2005)
“Democrat Tim Kaine pledged prompt first aid Thursday to a Virginia roadways system in crisis, but said he would veto new transportation taxes for the nearly four years it would take to constitutionally shield the highway trust fund from legislative raids.” (Associated Press, June 24, 2005)
Increasing Gas Tax - Maybe
“Kaine said he would veto new road taxes approved by the legislature before the amendment was in place, but he left himself a slim amount of wiggle room by saying he might consider an interim plan by lawmakers to protect the transportation trust fund.” (Virginian-Pilot, June 24, 2005)
I am going to finish up with an op-ed from the liberal Washington Post:
The Candidate Offers Words to Waffle By
By Melanie ScarboroughAs the only state other than New Jersey that will elect a governor this year, Virginia is being watched by the nation’s politicians and pundits as a testing ground for Democrats’ latest strategy: courting Republican voters by embracing religion while assuring Democrats that such convictions don’t matter. This is a peculiar position, as the gubernatorial candidacy of Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine (D) demonstrates.
For instance, Kaine says that his Catholic faith leads him to oppose both abortion and the death penalty but that he would not, as governor, try to thwart either practice. Why not?
Kaine’s opposition to the death penalty dates from his days as a law student. What sort of person spends his adult life campaigning against the death penalty, but — if given the power to commute death sentences — would decline to use it?
Either Kaine’s beliefs are not strongly held, or he is being disingenuous. If the latter, Virginians have been down this road before.
Recall that in 2001, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Warner ran on a platform not to raise taxes. Yet once elected, Warner proposed the largest tax increase in Virginia history. Candidate Warner supported a referendum on the sales tax in Northern Virginia; Gov. Warner characterized referendums as “extremely irresponsible.”
Warner wasn’t even true to his base. As a candidate, he pledged to “fight further efforts to chip away at [abortion] rights.” As governor, he signed legislation that banned partial-birth abortions and required parental consent before minors could undergo the procedure.
Is Kaine borrowing from Warner’s playbook? Consider these unsettling indications:
* As Richmond’s mayor, Kaine got into hot water for spending $6,500 of city funds to send a delegation to the District for the Million Mom March — which essentially was a rally for gun control. As a gubernatorial candidate, he says on his Web site that he “strongly” supports the Second Amendment and “would introduce no new gun laws as governor.”
* As lieutenant governor, Kaine supported raising the sales tax, capping the car-tax rebate, increasing state taxes by $1.4 billion and increasing the gas tax. Now he says that, if elected governor, he would push for tax relief.
* During the 2001 campaign Kaine supported a sales tax referendum in Northern Virginia. But when Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R) proposed a referendum last year to let voters decide on another proposed tax increase, Kaine huffed, “Ever since Pontius Pilate allowed the crowd to make the hard decision, people who are afraid to lead have often used popular referenda to avoid their responsibilities.”
* As a newly elected city council member in Richmond, Kaine told a Richmond paper, “I’m a liberal and proud of it.” Today, in his radio ads, he says, “I am conservative.”
Will the real Tim Kaine please stand up?
The gubernatorial candidate seems to want to appease both camps on social issues as well. When running for lieutenant governor, his campaign literature heralded him as pro-choice. Now Kaine says he is antiabortion — but would not interfere with abortion rights.
During the 2001 campaign Kaine supported “civil benefits” for gay couples; now he says he doesn’t favor civil unions or gay marriage. Does that distinction have a difference?
Kaine also says in radio ads, “As mayor of Richmond, I cut taxes, cut crime, created jobs and built new schools,” but those claims need to be placed in context.
Until last year Richmond did not have an elected at-large mayor. The city council chooses one of its own to serve as titular mayor — a similar situation to a jury electing a foreman. Richmond’s day-to-day operation was the job of the city manager. As the District 2 representative on the council, Kaine served his turn as mayor, but he can take no more credit or blame for Richmond than any other city council member.
That is not to say that Kaine did not serve his constituents well. He served honorably both as city council member and lieutenant governor. But those roles drew on his talent for collegiality; a governor has to lead. And before deciding whether they trust him to do that, Virginians need to know exactly where Kaine stands:
Is he a tax-cutting, antiabortion, gun-rights conservative or is that campaign posturing?
Maybe Kaine finally is speaking his mind, but after Warner, Virginians must be wary of Democrats who go in for extreme makeovers.
I don’t know about you, but Tim Kaine reminds me awfully much of John Kerry. I can not support someone who does not follow his conscience but cynically changes position on moral issues depending upon the political climate.
dealer. Because of that, they sent me some specials today. Here are some of the best ones:
