HOUSE REPUBLICAN SET UP FAILS

Check this video out- all it does is create an opening for a TV ad against Morgan Griffith.  I'm sure this is not what the people of Roanoke sent him to Richmond to do.  Good for the House Democrats for standing up for themselves and refusing to participate in this sham.

Comments

[Scott Surovell]

Virginians applaud the House of Delegates spending so much floor time on important bills that have no chance of passing, showing everyone that they are in charge and getting so little important work done in Richmond.

It appears that they have learned much from losing 11-12 seats in the last 4 election cycles.

Keep up the good work Mr. Speaker.

A Democrat puts in a bill, then does not have the...whatever....to have a recorded vote taken on HIS proposed legislation? A Majority Leader and Minority Leader are elected by their peers to engage in procedural battle with each other on behalf of their party. Griffith = 1. Armstrong = 0.

[Brian Kirwin]

"I'm sure this is not what the people of Roanoke sent him to Richmond to do."

Did the people send Democrats to Richmond to not vote?

FYI, Morgan was sent to Richmond by the people of Salem.

[Not Larry Sabato]

My family lives in Roanoke County in Morgan's district- yes he has Salem also, but majority Roanoke County.

https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/8_l_03FB9D94-2B79-4BC8-8BB6-6F567A680C82_s.shtml

Ben - Griffith has all of Salem and only a part of Roanoke County. He is known to all as "the delegate from Salem." In fact, his portion of Roanoke County wasn't even in his district for years. The fact is, Morgan has very few of "the people from Roanoke" in his district. Smith, Edwards, Fralin and Ware are considered the legislators from Roanoke.

[Not Larry Sabato]

I can't believe I am arguing this- but his district is 2/3 Roanoke!!!

Did the people elect their Delegate to waste taxpayer time drafting potential legislation and then request that no vote occur because it may have a political downside?

1/3 Roanoke, 2/3 Salem, visa versa, whatever. That is a bit unimportant. He was acting in his capacity as Majority Leader and Armstrong was acting as Minority Leader.

Then quit arguing...especially with people who know more about something than you.

I'll not claim ignorance on this one...

could someone fill me in with the readers digest version of what went on?

g

I'll claim ignorance on this one...

could someone fill me in with the readers digest version of what went on?

g

[J. Sarge]

I don't know about the relative populations of the two localities (Salem and Roanoke County), but geographically, Roanoke County has it all over Salem in the 8th. See http://www.richmondsunlight.com/images/districts/8.gif. Ware has most of Roanoke City; Fralin appears to have the rest.

Legislators are generally addressed as being "from" the part of their distict in which they actually reside (hence, Del. Peace is the Gentleman from Hanover, not the Gentleman from New Kent or Caroline). However, NLS is correct when he says that Griffith was sent to Richmond by the people of Roanoke County (in part).

"G" - A Democratic legislator introduced a bill to permit collective bargaining. Rather than have a vote on the bill, somewhere along the way the introducing-legislator asked to have the bill withdrawn. The Republicans voted to deny withdrawal, and the Democrats voted for withdrawal. The Republicans prevailed, thus forcing a vote on the bill. Most Democrats then did not vote at all (real courage there), and the Republicans caused the record to reflect the fact that these Democrats were present and in their seats, just refusing to vote against the bill. Thus, the Democrats were recorded as having a sortof "silent" no vote on the bill.

[James Young]

Poor Virginia Dems! Can't vote honestly for the special privileges sought by their radical constituencies; can't get elected without them.

C'mon, Ben! Do you really believe that labor union should be given a preferred seat at the table in the debate over scarce public resources?

And as for Scott's first comment, Virginians applaud the Republican House majority for spending so much time revealing the true nature of the Dems who are seeking a majority.

Republicans succeeded in demonstrating what a Democrat majority would get Virginians.

No wonder Dems are up in arms.

[Not Larry Sabato]

James, I don't think we see eye to eye on this issue, not only did I support Ebbin's bill, but it seemed like a total no brainer to me.

Then, based on 12:07 comments, I guess NLS is ticked off at Ebbin for seeking to withdraw the bill, and at other Democrats for not casting one single vote in favor of the bill.

Morgan Griffith...Morgan Griffith...Let's see, I've heard that name....Oh yes isn't he the guy who got married in a Graveyard down in Salem?

Now that's passing strange!

[Not Larry Sabato]

Anon1211- I would have loved to see the Democrats vote in block for an end to our "Right to be Poor" laws, but this was a good alternative if we couldn't do that yet because of some of the right wing influences in the caucus.

12:04

TY

g

1. NLS favors the bill advanced by a Democrat.

2. Republicans do not let the bill die without a vote.

3. No Democrat votes for the bill.

4. NLS attacks the Republicans.

[GOPHokie]

So let me get all this straight.
Adam Ebbin proposed this bill, it passed committee (only GOPs voted, dems abstained), then got firebombed in the full House.
Why did none of the dems want it?
Why couldn't the ultra dem districts vote for this?

[Not Janet Jackson]

Yeah, this is a complete joke.
If you are such an opponent of the "let's actually try to keep unions from driving every single one of our businesses oversees" law, then why on earth would you not be pissed at the Dems for flaking out on this one? Shouldn't they be standing tall for Socialism in the face of the Evil Capitalist Tyrant Morgan Griffith?

[ZB]

When you poison the water with partisanship and iron-fisted rule, it works... until you're not in charge anymore. The Democrats ran roughshod over the GOP in the U.S. House prior to 1994. In 1995, the GOP got their revenge.

The VA Senate GOP treated teh Senate Dems with respect and colleagialism--even allowing one committee last year with more Democrats than Republicans on it. Now that the Democrats control the Senate, it remains as colleagial and bipartisan place.

H. Morgan Griffith better enjoy his moment to pull stunts like this now--because the Democrats will soon be at 45 seats, have gained seats every year since 2003, and will not forget this. They'd better hope that Speaker Ebbin and Majority Leader BaCote are forgiving people.

Although it is true that this situation provides an opportunity to discuss partisanship (or that lack of it), this would have never even happened if a legislator did not try to commit suicide on his own legislation. He didn't even vote for his own legislation THAT HAD NOT EVEN BEEN AMENDED!