tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10563856.post3508329272763176859..comments2023-10-23T11:10:05.945-04:00Comments on Karen Duncan: Life in the Time of Coronavirus: Special Election Wrap Up: Thoughts on What Wins and What Doesn'tKaren Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13954405672195734097noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10563856.post-77422351139419256002009-02-08T22:30:00.000-05:002009-02-08T22:30:00.000-05:00You are still using the same talking point.Basical...You are still using the same talking point.<BR/><BR/>Basically the sky is falling and everyone else is in trouble.<BR/><BR/>Ok but what are you going to do about it. Bulova had done nothing.<BR/>Also spending has been out of control the past seven years leading to a greater cliff to fall from this year.<BR/><BR/>This is the talking point I would have used to counteract your talking point. She let the budget double in less than seven years. Have services doubled in effectiveness for you? What can you specifically point to that has improved so much to warrant a doubling in spending.<BR/><BR/>Herrity proposed an alternate budget last year and proposed cuts in the current budget instead of waiting.<BR/><BR/>So we have Bulova and we wait. A woman who doesn't want to lead and so far has proven she can't lead. Like I said it should be interesting to see which D actually leads the board with Connolly gone. That is a huge vacuum to fill.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure exactly where you live but its more fun for me in Braddock district now :-p. <BR/><BR/>No hard feelings <BR/><BR/>NMMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10563856.post-89658992538094738532009-02-08T20:47:00.000-05:002009-02-08T20:47:00.000-05:00First NMM, no I don't see the irony. Base electio...First NMM, no I don't see the irony. Base elections do bring out the most partisan on both sides and that is the Republicans' best shot, or used to be, at winning a race in Fairfax. That said, some ordinary people, who are not political junkies, do turn out. There are some who are simply good citizens who believe it's their duty to vote. Good for them!<BR/><BR/>Fairfax is filled with many smart, professional people. They compose the base of both parties. No contradiction there. But all it takes to tip the election is to get your side out more strongly than your opponent's side turns out.<BR/><BR/>Where the GOP message went bad (or, at least, was ineffective), was simply in focusing too much on alleged fiscal mismanagement as the cause of the budget shortfall. Most people, except for the most dyed in wool Republicans, just didn't buy it. That includes moderate Republicans.<BR/><BR/>That's because they know that the shortfall is very much tied to a reduction in revenue from sales taxes, the mortgage defaults and the collapse of housing values.<BR/><BR/>You are certainly free to refuse to believe this if you'd like. Frankly, I'm not going to spend any more time arguing the point. Feel free to be in denial. But it won't help you to retool your message.<BR/><BR/>Of course, Pat Herrity also ran on his plans and what he wanted to do. But he, and especially the bloggers, just were too focused on blaming Sharon, and even Gerry before her, for a revenue shortfall caused by a weakening economy, something Republicans at the national level, not local Democrats (or local Republicans, for that matter) were responsible for.<BR/><BR/>He obviously needed a better message or he would have won. You can, again, feel free to deny it and keep losing, or recognize it and find that better message.Karen Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13954405672195734097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10563856.post-75160460072664389382009-02-05T18:38:00.000-05:002009-02-05T18:38:00.000-05:00Anyone else find these two quotes extremely ironic...Anyone else find these two quotes extremely ironic<BR/><BR/>"It was, after all, a special election. That means it was a base election and the key to winning was turning out your people in superior numbers to your opponent's supporters."<BR/><BR/>vs<BR/><BR/>"But Fairfax is filled with smart voters, people who work for the federal government, defense contractors, and high tech firms. Our county is home to accountants, engineers, business people, and professionals who read newspapers, watch TV news shows besides just Fox, and surf the web. They are well read and well informed."<BR/><BR/>AIAW you can't have it both ways. I agree with you I think and VA Blogger that it was a base election.<BR/><BR/>The D base is bigger than the R base here based on demographics. Fairfax county is one party D territory.<BR/><BR/>I knew this going in Bulova didn't even want the position. She has NEVER wanted to be a politician. She also lied and continued to lie in almost every mail piece. Her crowning achievement is VRE for crying out loud. <BR/><BR/>That is why I am so frustrated you had in Bulova someone with no vision no leadership who didn't even want the job, who waits for others to act first vs someone who actually had a plan and a strategy and a clue.<BR/><BR/>Bulova should have retired long ago. She is basically going to continue to be a puppet. It should be interesting to see which D actually ends up controlling the board and her. <BR/><BR/>NMMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10563856.post-89168438323873898192009-02-04T22:19:00.000-05:002009-02-04T22:19:00.000-05:00"They need to articulate what they stand for inste...<I>"They need to articulate what they stand for instead. It takes more than a fresh face. It also takes fresh ideas and the ability to say yes to something. It turns out people actually like the programs Fairfax provides. Perhaps telling them you get what you pay for might work?"</I><BR/><BR/>See, this is what I don't get. Herrity lays out, in public events, and on his website that you can view at any time, what he stood for. He articulated his vision in more detail than I've ever seen on a campaign website. Yet you're still holding on to this same meme that Republicans don't stand for anything?<BR/><BR/>What's even more galling is that, according to Sharon Bulova, her campaign, her public apperances, and her supporters, she stands for <B>nothing</B>. Not a single thing does she oppose or support, other than a retelling of her biography, and you write about how <I><B>Herrity</B></I> needed to articulate what he stood for better? Are you high?<BR/><BR/>Apparently, you and other Democrats got it into your head that Herrity was opposed to everything, and would cut all services to reduce the size of government. This is a complete invention of reality, and you pawning your own side's lie as a "bad message" to run on means that you should do just a <I>little</I> bit of independent research before you make baseless conclusions.<BR/><BR/>Herrity said he had the ability to say "No", while at the same time saying "Yes" to County priorities. Bulova's response was, don't say "No" ever, to anyone---which is probably why the budget has grown by over a BILLION dollars in the past decade.<BR/><BR/>But Fairfax residents don't mind what they are unaware of, and so the cycle continues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com