Goode time for leadership
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By The Daily Progress
Published: November 3, 2008
Of all the politicians this newspaper has encountered, Virgil H. Goode Jr. is among the most sincere in his efforts for constituents and the least caught up in politics and paybacks.
He does what he believes is right. That’s a rare quality in Washington these days. If for no other reason than to present the Beltway insiders with an example of a true independent, the 5th District should re-elect Virgil Goode.
But there are other reasons — such as that constituent concern. Mr. Goode is well known for his work in assisting 5th District residents with their problems. His record shows that he believes his office should be truly one of service.
Mr. Goode also had the right reaction to the pork-laden bailout that Congress rushed to approval last month.
In addition to being larded with pork, the package also failed in other respects. It did not cut federal spending so as to pay for the bailout, instead leaving taxpayers with monumental public debt.
And it rewarded bad judgment, faulty policies and outright greed in both the public and private sectors.
Mr. Goode also has made energy independence one of his primary causes, saying now is the time to push this vital national security issue forward.
Although we disagree with the sometimes immoderate nature of his statements on illegal immigration, we agree with his fundamental premise: Illegal immigration must be stopped.
Legal immigrants are welcome, but those who would take advantage of us are both a financial and a safety risk.
Challenger Tom Perriello, meanwhile, is one of the most interesting and intelligent candidates to come along in a long while. His unjaded attitude is a breath of fresh air.
As with some other Democratic candidates in the past, we wonder why his party would thrust him into a race he’s not likely to win rather than launch him into politics at a local level and allow him to gain the experience and name recognition he needs. But, that is another editorial.
Mr. Goode is a seasoned representative who works hard for his constituents. He should be returned to Congress.
Cantor outstanding
In the 7th District, there can be only one choice: Rep. Eric I. Cantor.
This young congressman is so effective, he quickly became chief deputy whip for the Republican Party, an important leadership position.
Mr. Cantor also built an early reputation for his work on, and understanding of, terrorism issues. He chairs a congressional task force on terrorism and unconventional warfare. He is highly respected for his knowledge on this crucial issue, on which depend our personal safety and the security of our nation.
Mr. Cantor also has a seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which covers taxes and trade, welfare and health, and similar issues of vital importance to Virginia and the nation.
A proven leader, a respected expert, a dedicated servant of Virginia, Eric Cantor deserves voters’ support on Tuesday.
This article was edited to correct the district number in the 2nd paragraph.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Zino Davidoff ) on November 03, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Ahh, yes, a ringing endorsement for Randy “Duke” Cunningham colleague Virgil Goode…
“also known as “Representative A,“ the man who was identified in court papers as the congressman who took $46,000 in illegal campaign contributions from a defense contractor that was trying to win his support for a big fat federal gift. The MZM company got its $3.6 million federal earmark thanks to Goode.“ (Washington Post)
In addition, Mr. Goode is a debate-fearing xenophobe who is most famous for his anti-muslim diatribe criticizing a new member of the House of Representatives for using a Koran (Thomas Jefferson’s own Koran, to be precise) when he was sworn in as one of the only Muslim members.
He knows that if the public saw him in a televised debate his story would be over quickly. He doesn’t enjoy letters from constituents either, I can tell you, and keeps constituents and reporters at arms length in general.
Perhaps Mr. Goode did nothing more than accept a pile of graft from MZM, and perhaps he’s just a simple local-boy who deals in bigotry to impress extreme-right Republicans around here.
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Posted by ( JJ Towler ) on November 03, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Javaguy, you may rest assured that Goode gives political payback a much higher priority than service to his constituents as he fills his coffers with the donations of lobbyists and special interest groups. OTOH, Tom Perriello, who has run a clean and honest campaign, has earned the grassroots support people who recognize him as a man of honor and integrity. Perriello does not accept such donations so he can focus on the people he is to represent, NOT the big buck donors who expect their political puppet to dance only to the tunes they play.
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Posted by ( javaguy ) on November 03, 2008 at 9:37 am
Perriello is a George Soros lackey. He spent his last two years working for far left organizations that were funded by George Soros. He complains that Goode receives money from lobbyist but Perriello himself gets hundreds of thousands of dollars from PAC’s, i don’t see the difference. Tom may be knew to politics but he certainly has learned quickly. His campaign ads are filled with half truths and misleading, so much for change.
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Posted by ( JJ Towler ) on November 03, 2008 at 7:54 am
The final paragraph of the DP’s support for Goode is: “Mr. Goode is a seasoned representative who works hard for his constituents. He should be returned to Congress.”
Those who have studied the history of Mr. Goode’s “service,” know that this paragraph should be: “Mr. Goode is a corrupt representative who works hard for the lobbyists who generously fund him. He should be removed from Congress.”
Just look at the lies Goode presented in his ads against Tom such as depicting him as a terrorist and calling him a slick New York lawyer.
Tom Perriello has extensive experience with activities in Virginia and at the international level. He has a wealth of ideas to benefit, not only the people of the 5th district, but the entire country. Perhaps that is why Virgil Goode was afraid to face his worthy opponent in televised debates. Although Goode denied he had ever agreed to a televised debate, I consulted with the news director of the Charlottesville TV station, Channel 29, who wrote, “Mr. Goode’s campaign manager confirmed the debate for us during the first week in September. One week before the debate was supposed to take place, Mr. Goode informed us that he had a conflict with that date (despite having the date in writing since April)…” Therefore, it appears Goode is not telling the truth about this, or he has no idea what his campaign staff is doing, or BOTH!
In a Letter to the Editor published in the Martinsville Bulletin, on Sunday, October 12, 2008, Mr. Goode wrote “I have done one debate in Charlottesville with the Senior Statesman. I have done one debate with the Sorenson Institute at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. I want to do another debate so that we will have three debates, which is the same number being done by the presidential candidates.”
What kind of math is Mr. Goode doing that he suggests his 3 debates before small, localized audiences are EQUAL to 3 televised presidential debates which are available to be seen by millions of people? The truth is Mr. Goode cowers at a televised debate because the larger audience would surely witness his shrill bigotry and erroneous accusations as were conspicuously evident in the first two debates. Mr. Goode’s campaign, heavily funded by lobbyists, preys on the fearful and ill-informed, as depicted by Goode’s recent ominous TV ad which portrays his opponent as a terrorist.
Tom Perriello, born and raised in Virginia, accepts no money from lobbyists and, if elected, would truly represent the people of this district. His platform presents intelligent, honest, articulate proposals which would greatly benefit the 5th District.
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