VA GOV Debate

[cakewench]

I wish I could, but unfortunately I have a meeting at the same time I can't get out of. I will definitely catch up on transcripts/coverage afterward, though.

[Uncaripswife]

Ack, I have so many postcards to write.

[dc2london]

Sept 19, 2017 8:21:51 GMT -6 cakewench said:

I wish I could, but unfortunately I have a meeting at the same time I can't get out of. I will definitely catch up on transcripts/coverage afterward, though.

I got you, boo, I'll liveblog that shiz.

I can't promise I wont' be pounding wine and inserting commentary, but I'll liveblog.

[dc2london]

NoVA ladies, I snagged 3 free tickets to a Moving Forward Together Women's Conference in October, if anyone wants to come with!

[dc2london]

Sept 19, 2017 8:47:26 GMT -6 Uncaripswife said:

Ack, I have so many postcards to write.

Perhaps we need to plan a gathering at one of our fine local establishments that serves bottomless mimosas and hanmer out a bunch of postcards :-p

[Uncaripswife]

Sept 19, 2017 12:01:24 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Sept 19, 2017 8:47:26 GMT -6 Uncaripswife said:

Ack, I have so many postcards to write.

Perhaps we need to plan a gathering at one of our fine local establishments that serves bottomless mimosas and hanmer out a bunch of postcards :-p

Oh, yes. We do.

[byjove]

Sept 19, 2017 11:30:35 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Sept 19, 2017 8:21:51 GMT -6 cakewench said:

I wish I could, but unfortunately I have a meeting at the same time I can't get out of. I will definitely catch up on transcripts/coverage afterward, though.

I got you, boo, I'll liveblog that shiz.

I can't promise I wont' be pounding wine and inserting commentary, but I'll liveblog.

Here for the live blog

[cakewench]

Sept 19, 2017 11:30:35 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Sept 19, 2017 8:21:51 GMT -6 cakewench said:

I wish I could, but unfortunately I have a meeting at the same time I can't get out of. I will definitely catch up on transcripts/coverage afterward, though.

I got you, boo, I'll liveblog that shiz.

I can't promise I wont' be pounding wine and inserting commentary, but I'll liveblog.

You rule. And bring on the wine-influenced commentary!

[blurnette989]

Yay live blog! I will be asleep so I'll appreciate waking up to that tomorrow.

[Minerva]

Sept 19, 2017 12:04:43 GMT -6 Uncaripswife said:

Sept 19, 2017 12:01:24 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Perhaps we need to plan a gathering at one of our fine local establishments that serves bottomless mimosas and hanmer out a bunch of postcards :-p

Oh, yes. We do.

Yes please! I

[cakewench]

Sept 19, 2017 12:33:23 GMT -6 Minerva said:

Sept 19, 2017 12:04:43 GMT -6 Uncaripswife said:

Oh, yes. We do.

Yes please! I

 Thirded (fourthed?).

[Uncaripswife]

Sept 19, 2017 12:49:35 GMT -6 cakewench said:

Sept 19, 2017 12:33:23 GMT -6 Minerva said:

Yes please! I

 Thirded (fourthed?).

Ever since you told me about Southside I've been trying to get MH there. He is weirdly resistant.

[cakewench]

Sept 19, 2017 13:12:28 GMT -6 Uncaripswife said:

Sept 19, 2017 12:49:35 GMT -6 cakewench said:

 Thirded (fourthed?).

Ever since you told me about Southside I've been trying to get MH there. He is weirdly resistant.

I am always down for a trip to Southside. Time for another dinner/HH?

[dc2london]

opening statement from Gillespie:

our growth has slowed. We're down to 39th of 50 states in economic growth, and 44th out of 50 states in wage growth (I need to see stats on that bc that's not what I've read).

Virginia first. Private sector jobs. I'll bring a 25% increase over current projections for job creation.
My father was the son of an immigrant who worked as a janitor. I worked my way through college and then worked in the White House. The Lt Governor is a good man and I appreciate his service, but I think my policies will be better for the commonwealth.

[dc2london]

Lt Governor Northam opening statement:

VA is in the midst of a tech revolution. We need to ignite VA, to develop a business ecosystem that will foster growth and attract startups. Our unemployment rate is down to 3.8%, the lowest in 9 years. Wages and salaries are up. My focus will be on bringing skills, so that Virginians can fill skilled jobs. We need to give Virginia's children a world class education and ensure that they grow up with clean air and water and in a commonwealth free of guns on every corner.

Mine has been a life of service--military, children's hospice. "I understand the Virginia way and I look forward to sharing my vision for how to take Virginia to the next level"

[dc2london]

question about Confederate statues.

Gillespie: Virginians have always been at the forefront of American history, but we haven't always been on the right side. "When you're on the side of preserving the evil institution of slavery, you're on the wrong side of history." We should retain the statues so that we can educate about them. We have to learn from history. "I believe cities and counties should better spend their money on improving our schools, on law enforcement...I would encourage cities and counties not to take down their statues because I don't think that's the best use of their dollars."

Northam: Dr. Northam's daughter attended UVA and assumed that she would be safe. But a group of white supremacists rolled into our beautiful state university and spewed bigotry, hatred and violence, and we lost three lives. If these statues give white supremacists an excuse to do what they did, then we need to have a discussion about those statues. I think they are best placed in a museum with historical context, BUT I would leave the decisions up to the municipalities. We need to focus on the statues to slavery that aren't built in bronze--on the inequities in access to health and education, the inequity of opportunity. C-ville brought to our attention the deep inequalities that still face our nation.

[dc2london]

Gillespie: "These people came to Virginia, but they were not Virginians." (Ok?) They called the rally "unite the right" but they do not fall on our political spectrum. "Theirs is not a political philosophy, theirs is a twisted ideology rooted in hate." We must condemn it.

[dc2london]

DOCTOR northam, Julie. Yeesh, people. Do your research.

[dc2london]

Pipeline question.

Northam: We have to focus on economic development. Our statewide unemployment rate is 3.8% but it's much higher in our rural communities. We need to focus on the cost of energy, but we need to be environmentally responsible. If these pipelines move forward, the permitting process must be "in place and appropriate," we need to shift from blanket permits to site-specific permits. I will work with the DEQ and the Corp of Engineers to make sure that the pipelines are built responsibly, and we need to respect people's property rights. I will work with the DEQ and the Corps, but we need to make sure that, if pipelines move forward, they are done with transparency, "with science" and with responsibility.

Gillespie: The pipelines will happen. We need reliable, affordable energy in the Commonwealth. My opponent supports a Clean Power Plan but that would lay off coal miners, laid off factory workers, and hit the poorest families in Virginia with higher electricity bills. A lack of support for our Right to Work laws, higher taxes and more regulations will drive away industry. We've had 3 straight years of more people leaving the Commonwealth than moving in because of economic opportunity.

Ugh, guys, Gillespie knows exactly how to talk to his base. I'm nervous.

[dc2london]

Northam: Current policies coming out of DC that are hurtful to Virginia, e.g. pulling out of the Paris Accord. We've made so much progress here with renewable energy and I'm proposing a plan to increase our reliance on renewable energy. I'm sorry that Gillespie stands by POTUS decision to pull out of Paris.

Mr. Gillespie is talking about how poorly Virginia is doing, but I'm proud to be a Virginian. Mr. Gillespie, wanting to be the next governor, woudl do well not to speak so poorly of our Commonwealth when we're in negotiations with Amazon to open a new production center here

[dc2london]

Chuck is trying to nail down Dr. Northam on the pipeline. "FERC will have the final decision because it is a federal decision." Not great, Bob.

[dc2london]

Gillespie has proposed a flat 10% reduction across the board in income taxes and a corporate tax break. But VA is one of the least taxed states in the country. So where's the money coming from?

Gillespie: We anticipate 3.4bn coming into our treasury. We need to address the economic struggles of our commonwealth with a sense of urgency. Phasing in, responsibly, a 10% tax break will retain our AAA bond rating but will provide relief to Virginians who have seen their wages stagnate. Small business owners don't pay a corporate tax, but they pay individual income tax, so they will create jobs after they get their tax cut. Virginians are graduating from our great colleges and taking their degrees to states with more dynamic economies.

Northam: This is a tax cut for the rich--just look to Kansas. This type of plan nearly bankrupted them (this is totally true-Kansas is a hot mess). We need to invest in Virginia. We have priorities--a bipartisan transportation plan, higher pay for our teachers, we're facing the Graham-Cassidy bill (which Gillespie supports) which would put another 1 million Virginians off of their healthcare. We can't bankrupt the commonwealth to give a tax cut to the wealthy.

[dc2london]

Gillespie: These aren't tax cuts for the rich, "These are tax cuts for all Virginians."
He's basically using the old, "why give your money to the government for a nice school when you could buy a DVD player" argument. Lame.
'We've been swapping out high paying jobs for low paying jobs for a decade now...Kansas did not have the revenue triggers that I have in my plan."

[dc2london]

Chuck's getting school marmy

[dc2london]

question about SOL's (the state standardized test) (those need some serious work).

Northam: The SOL is a broken system. We're teaching children how to take a multiple choice test when they should be thinking creatively. Education ties into workforce development. Rather than teaching our children to pass a test, we need to be teaching them to join the workforce--cybersecurity, aviation technology, biotech, 21st century jobs. Wants to support community colleges to make 2 years at CC a valuable option.

Gillespie: We need to measure the right things at the right times, but we do need to have accountability in our ed system and we do need to measure progress. Community colleges, skills training and workforce training. Encourage hands-on learning in our high schools (e.g. metal shop, wood shop, welding). There are tons of unfilled welding jobs, which are good-paying jobs. We should celebrate valuable skills outside of academic or athletic. Focus on math in the middle school years

[dc2london]

Ralph likes to restore cars.

[dc2london]

Northam: We need to pursue open access to early childhood education. Affordable or free pre-k really begins the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots." I want to make sure that all of Virginia's children have access to pre-k

[dc2london]

amazing

[dc2london]

Question about working with a narcissistic maniac, I mean, the president.

Northam: "I'm a big believer in carrying a big stick." We agree on building up the military, and we build the military ships here in VA so what's good for the country is good for the Commonwealth. And we agree that we need to end sequestration. But he has policies that are very bad for VA. The travel ban, DACA, pulling out of the Paris Accord, Trumpcare. Gillespie supports all of these Trump policies but they are terrible for Virginia. "It's immoral and it's unamerican."

Todd notes here that many NoVA republicans didn't vote in 2016 bc they were so upset that Trump was the candidate, and they fear that voting for Gillespie is a vote in support of Trump.

Gillespie: I will be a governor for all Virginians (bullshit, he'll sell NoVA off to the circus). Criminal justice reform, innovative ideas to address sea-level rise in Hampton Roads (Um, says the douche who wants to fill up the coal mines?). John Warner endorsed me (????? was this between sips of Schweppe's bitter lemon?)

Northam: Cassidy-Graham would put 500,000 Virginians at risk of losing their coverage, and those Virginians would go to places like the clinic where I volunteer. I treated a 7 year old girl with CP. She has inadequate health coverage yet has so many health and educational needs--and we're headed for a Commonwealth where so many innocent people don't have access to the care and education that they need, and that's inhumane.

Gillespie: I applaud you for using your medical skills in service. We need to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible. We have to increase competition and provider access--

Chuck's had it.

Now Chuck and Ed are fighting.

"Ok, at this point, take 30 seconds, go ahead."

[dc2london]

Chuck: Do you want Donald Trump to hold a rally for you?

Gillespie: I'll take any help from anyone who'll give it, but I don't think the people want to hear from the president they want to hear from me. Comparing myself or my opponent to their counterparts in the federal government will not improve jobs or decrease congestion.