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Wednesday, April 30, 2014
The Journal
OPINION
www.journalpress.com
VIRGINIA VIEWPOINTS
The challenges of a Hillary candidacy Some people think that Hillary Clinton, all but guaranteed to get the Democratic nomination for President, is in the best position possible. According to this line of thinking the Democratic nod is hers for the asking. All she needs to do is play it cool, look Presidential and at a time of her choosing throw her hat into the ring. But this role of David S. Kerr heir apparent or presumed nominee is, historically at least, a hazardous one. Many never make it to the final stretch and some crash and burn long before the convention. Recalling a little ancient history, in 1972, Senator Edmund Muskie was the odds on favorite to get the Democratic nomination to run
against Richard Nixon. He had the endorsement of just about every major Democratic figure and the polls showed him comfortably ahead. But, his support was a mile wide and an inch deep. His campaign fizzled early during the primary season. But, that was just one cautionary tale. Another heir apparent was Governor Mario Cuomo of New York. During three nomination fights, 1984, ‘88, and ‘92 the prospect of a Cuomo candidacy, which never came to pass, haunted the primary battles. The mantra was a familiar one, “if Cuomo wants the nomination it’s his for the asking.” This fear that Cuomo would jump in at the last moment even kept some prospective nominees from declaring. Why bother if Cuomo wants it? Sound familiar? Even more recently, in 2008, it was Hillary who was the odds on favorite to win the nomination. Obama was twenty points behind and Hillary had the endorsement of many of the Democratic Party’s leading figures. On the eve of the New Hampshire
Primary every major news organization said she would win. But, that’s not what happened. New Hampshire, as it so often does, threw a curve ball and voted for Barack Obama. Clinton made a fight of it, she didn’t concede until just before the convention, but like so many before her, she was the odds on favorite whose fortunes turned when least expected. There is every reason to expect that Clinton, having been through the 2008 nomination battle, and having served four years as Secretary of State will play her cards carefully in the months ahead. If she does want the nomination, and it’s still not entirely clear she does, she is unlikely to take anything for granted and will do her best to make sure her timing is flawless. However, there is another side to a prospect of a Clinton candidacy. What happens if she doesn’t run? Maybe detailed polling, her own concerns about her future, or perhaps even a loss of ambition for the big job (it’s happened before) will
force her to change her mind. Then what? Then where does the Democratic Party turn for a candidate? Because the specter of a Hillary candidacy is so powerful there are currently no other candidates for the nomination. Vice President Joe Biden, already in his 70’s, would like to try, but he knows he couldn’t outpoll Hillary. Others who might be interested, such as Virginia Senator Mark Warner, Massachusetts Senator Mark Warner, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and a host of others, have taken a pass on a run for the White House because of Hillary’s supposed lock on the nomination. Many in the Democratic Party are fond of Hillary. I am, but I am also realistic enough to know that the being a front runner, or an heir apparent, is a dangerous business. It can be a precarious position to be in and arguably requires more political skill to maintain this status than it does to be an upstart prospective nominee. —Reach David Kerr at kerr@journalpress.com
Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: On Thursday evening my neighbor’s shed across the street from our house caught fire. We had just turned in for the night when our two Standard Poodles broke out in fierce panicked barking alerting us to the fire. The shed was situated next to the property lines and to two other homes. After calling 911 we went outside. Fortunately, our other neighbor, Mike Gutridge, Fire Chief of Oak Grove, had just come home and was on the scene alerting dispatch by radio on the speed and condition of the fire. It was spreading fast and was very hot! He was first on the scene, with Pat Fitzgerald of CB Rescue Squad. Pat and her colleagues saved our elderly neighbor who was sleeping thru the fire. We want to thank Mike, Pat, and all of the Fire Depts. who responded from Montross, Oak Grove, and King George to assist Colonial Beach’s Fire Dept. Without the expertise and speed of the fighters subduing and extinguishing the fire, three of my neighbors might be homeless right now. Instead, we have three sheds that are burned out and three houses with fire damage that can be repaired. To all who helped - Thank You! Zeke and Kate Miller Colonial Beach Letter to the Editor: I am writing this letter to the editor of The Journal in support of Ms. Andrea Roane, a trusted educator, colleague, and friend. I have known Ms. Roane for seven years as an assistant principal for three years and principal for two years at Essex Intermediate School as well as two years as principal at Washington and Lee High School. She displays the leadership necessary to successfully lead a comprehensive high school. I served as assistant superintendent for the Essex County Public Schools during Ms. Roane’s tenure in Essex County. I retired from Essex County but currently work parttime at Rappahannock Community College for the Workforce Youth Services Program as a case manager for at-risk students, and I serve several students at Washington and Lee High School. As an educator with 41 years experience, I possess a strong knowledge of the characteristics of a well-disciplined school, and after several visits to Washington and Lee High School, there is no doubt that the school is well-managed with children who possess a high level of respect and admiration for their principal. Ms. Roane has a strong personality and friendly demeanor that produces strong relationships within the building. I have always admired Ms. Roane’s ability to relate to students and to develop a comprehensive instructional plan to increase student achievement. During our time together as employees at Essex County Public Schools, Ms. Roane engaged in the “team first” philosophy and was instrumental in the facilitation of professional learning communities and afterschool remediation programs. In the short time that Ms. Roane was principal at Essex Intermediate School, she insti-
tuted “Pride” in academic achievement and the school community. It was her keen sense of high expectations and strong understanding of instruction which contributed to the school’s full accreditation in 2008.Ms. Roane understands the importance of educational leadership and instruction. She developed a leadership team consisting of influential teachers within the building that received opportunities to participate in the shared leadership process. The staff and students were always aware of the goals of the school improvement plan, changes within the instructional model, and the steps necessary to build positive, lifelong relationship with the school community. The Westmoreland County Public School System will greatly benefit from her experience in rural, suburban, and urban settings. The recent event that Ms. Roane experienced does not define her, has not destroyed her, and has not defeated her; this has only strengthened her. Respectfully, Wayne E. Lewis, Ed.D. Tappahannock (Ret. Asst. Superintendent, Essex County Public Schools) Dear Editor: Colonial Beach Budget meetings are dumbfounding! Day one of the budget work session, dumbfounding! The first indication that things were going astray was Jim Chiarello’s abrupt departure. After first calling for a continuation, which was duly ignored, he announced that the proceedings were too much to absorb, got up, packed his bag and left. Understandably so. Shortly after a lunch break, our brave band of seven, now reduced to six, returned, and our Mayor called forth “the 800pound gorilla!” Whatever metaphor suits you; large African primate or giant chickens coming home to roost. The conversation went from a penny to two, to four to twenty- five cents per hundred. Day two opened with our annual plea from our firefighters for more funding. Then a detailed recap from our Mayor on how we got to the preproposed, almost pending, soon to be advertised, somewhat flexible, work in progress, new real estate tax rate. Large by any standard, and unfortunately absolutely justified. A com-
The
bination of a funding shortfall from last year’s accepted budget which increased the cigarette, meals and lodging tax in lieu of a .02 cent increase in the real estate rate, years of department heads and school board officials coming forth requesting additional funding only to be greeted with either level funding or outright cuts, refusing to consider any changes in our inventory of surplus properties. Sitting on acres of prime real estate, forgoing thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in tax revenue, lower state funding, mod pods, VRS and health insurance increased costs and an increased cost for our plumbing. Day three; meltdown! Pennies per hundred flying about the room. Calls for votes and calls for a continuation. Continuation won! Jim Chiarello’s bad math: Confusing cost per student with the federal/state/county subsidized spending per student. Worked himself into a tirade by accusing the school board of dereliction of duty, closed by a “starve the beast” declaration that he believes we no longer can afford an independent school system and will not support anything more than the state mandated minimum. Day four; befuddlement and discovery. It is very hard to find more cuts out of a bare bones budget. Realization beginning to creep in; we’ve got a funding problem! Seems all that vacant land does carry a cost. Consider our Boardwalk properties, maybe on a very limited approach. Our two-million dollar Eleanor Park, no way! Funding solution advanced-charge a potty
Journal
tax! Without question, this budget must deal with moving our students from Oak Grove to our First Street campus and that our high school must be renovated, made safe and clean for all that attend. Whatever that takes to get that done, then so be it. Longer range, we must find a better way to support our critical spending priorities. Our independent school system, along with our first responders are what separates us from just another group of homes along the highway. Maintenance must be rediscovered. Tourism must be treated with the respect and funding it needs and should be recognized for what it is, our only industry. Future budgets should reflect these spending priorities and those efforts will take resources. Resources that can only be secured by increasing our tax base through the sale of our surplus properties.
TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Untangle yourself from conflicts at work, Taurus. This is not the time to get involved in anything that may put your chances for a promotion in jeopardy. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You are full of intellectual energy, Gemini. Answers to trivia show questions come easily to you and you’re ready to solve the world’s most pressing problems. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, give your finances serious consideration this week. Find a solid plan for saving and stick with it because you are going to need extra funds in a few months. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Expect some great news to come your way this week, Leo. This news may impact your personal or professional life, or even both. Ready yourself. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, be flexible with your schedule so you can go with the flow as much as possible this week. Try something silly that will put you in a good mood. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23
Don’t sweat the small stuff, Libra. Others are more focused on the bigger picture so you don’t need to fret over everything. Relax and things will come together nicely. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Watch out for any impulses that are out of character for you, Scorpio. You could be feeling like abandoning your usual modus operandi in favor of taking a more risky approach. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 You have lots of social energy this week, Sagittarius. Others are relying on you, and you are likely to have many admirers by the week’s end. Take this opportunity to impress. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, daily life can be tiring, but you need to find a way to muster a little more energy. Get adequate rest and eat right so you have the energy you need in the week ahead. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Life gets a bit interesting this week, Aquarius. Embrace change, even if the concept of change is alien to you. It is good to get out of your shell. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, now might be a good time to reflect and take a break from the hustle and bustle. See if you can fly solo for a little while.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Charles Green Colonial Beach
I.M.H.O.
(in my
humble opinion) Seems lots of folks around here will post their opinions on social network sites. And some will, fortunately, carry it one step further and speak out at a meeting. What we really need is a mass of folks standing up for our rights. Think revolution. We do need changes.
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CLUES ACROSS CLUES DOWN 1. Alter 1. Folder paper 7. Defects 2. Mormon state 13. Language of Andorra 3. Folded, filled tortillas 14. One who scrapes 4. Expression of sorrow 16. Not off 5. Follows sigma 17. People indigenous to Europe 6. Settle in tents 19. Of I 7. Milk paint 20. Hmongs 8. A batter’s run 22. Brew 9. Little Vienna on the Mures 23. Sandwich shops 10. Stems 25. Shade trees 11. Country singer Lang 26. Scope or extent 12. Half tone interval 28. Self-immolation by fire 13. Arrives 29. U of Al. fraternity 3-9-1856 15. Occupies 30. Automatic data processing 18. Vestment 31. Veterans battleground 21. Relating to US artifacts 33. “___ Squad” 24. One who covers with lami34. Frog genus nate 36. Pillage 26. Dental organization 38. Elsewhere defense 27. Pitch 40. Graphic symbols 30. Like a feeble old woman 41. An opaque spot on the 32. Murdered in his bathtub cornea 35. __ Dhabi, Arabian capital 43. Capital of Yemen 37. Play on words 44. Doctors’ group 38. Alloy of mercury 45. Electronic countermeasures 39. Mushroom gill 47. Make lace 42. Perform 48. Chit 43. College entrance exam 51. Singer Horne 46. Praying insects 53. Silent agreement 47. Entices 55. Short-billed rail 49. Ascends 56. Drinking container 50. Sculpture stands 58. Matchstick game 52. God of Assyria 59. Indian dresses 54. Data executive 60. Trumpeter Hirt 55. Impudent 61. The View’s first segment 57. Not shared 64. Atomic #34 59. Rabbit tail 65. Plural of 41 across 62. Small amount 67. Roof supports 63. Irish revolutionary org. 69. Tears apart 66. Ben-Hur actor’s initials 70. Goat-like deities 68. Older citizen (abbr.) See classified page for answers