By Air, Land and Sea (for Webb)
Posted by Chap at 10/24/2006 12:30 PM and is filed under uncategorized 
Last night, while speaking to the Sierra Club in Reston, I remembered why Virginia is the greatest state in the nation. Begin with the Chesapeake Bay, follow our broad rivers through the rolling Piedmont and then cross the Blue Ridge into the Shenandoah Valley. Moving further west, you enter the Ohio River basin in southwestern Virginia. Now you're in the heart of historic Appalachia.
In other words, we've got some serious God-given gifts. Who has a record of conserving them?
Not George Allen. Not as Governor, when he failed to crack down on waste discharge at the Smithfield poultry plant (the local Delegate described him as the greatest threat to Virginia's environment since Ulysses Grant). Not as a U.S. Senator, when he rolled over for every bad idea from the Bush administration and supported off-shore drilling for oil in Virginia Beach. Not in this campaign when he's taken major contributions from the oil and gas industry while ignoring biofuels and conservation measures.
Jim Webb is an unknown commodity on the environment. That much is true. But at least he starts with a clean slate. And that's a major improvement over the incumbent.
Chap
In other words, we've got some serious God-given gifts. Who has a record of conserving them?
Not George Allen. Not as Governor, when he failed to crack down on waste discharge at the Smithfield poultry plant (the local Delegate described him as the greatest threat to Virginia's environment since Ulysses Grant). Not as a U.S. Senator, when he rolled over for every bad idea from the Bush administration and supported off-shore drilling for oil in Virginia Beach. Not in this campaign when he's taken major contributions from the oil and gas industry while ignoring biofuels and conservation measures.
Jim Webb is an unknown commodity on the environment. That much is true. But at least he starts with a clean slate. And that's a major improvement over the incumbent.
Chap
And here I thought North Dakota was the greatest state....or Delaware. Or NEW JERSEY.
Seriously, I'm on tenterhooks over the Senate race. Webb was one of the few Republicans I admired...and now he's one of the few Democrats I admire! I'd vote for Genghis Khan before George Felix Macaca Allen, Jr., whom I have always detested....but I'm delighted to vote for Jim. I only wish Allen fans would see what a piece of work that man is and send him packing.
Hey Chap,
I always enjoy reading your posts. However, I find it curious that you would cite Smithfield foods as an example of Allen’s indifference to the environment. As I recall the commonwealth first sued the Norfolk based company in 1977. Who knows maybe the Democrats can find another one of Allen’s college “friends” to claim he saw Allen pumping waste water into the Pagan River. It could be a devastating attack, first he put a severed deer head in someone’s mailbox, and he then went and pumped waste water into the Pagan River.
During the 1980’s Smithfield foods had trouble meeting Virginia’s environmental standards. They deliberated moving to North Carolina, where the standards were lower. Faced with the potential loss of a major employer, Virginia regulators came up with a compromise. In a consent order the company agreed to build 17 miles of pipeline from its two plants on the pagan river to a sanitation facility in Hampton Roads. It would take five years to complete the project. In exchange for building the pipelines and solving the problem, Virginia agreed not to penalize the company for its inability to meet Virginia environmental standards.
This deal was struck during the Doug Wilder years. I don’t believe there is any evidence that Gov. Wilder, Lt. Gov. Beyer, Attorney General Mary Sue Terry objected. After five years the company still didn’t finish the project. The Allen administration, through Attorney General Gilmore sued.
It’s interesting that Allen is attacked for enforcing a deal struck by Democrats.
Regards,
David
David: Thanks. You have cut through my glib commentary with some good hard facts. A quick rebuttal: while Smithfield situation might have begun under Wilder/Terry, it certainly came to a breaking point while Allen was Governor. In fact, the level of pollution in the Pagan River became so bad that the EPA ended up filing suit (because VA would not do anything). It was only after that that our state AG intervened. And, of course, Allen had received some big $$ contributions from Smithfield and its CEO during that time. When you put those facts together, it's not a pretty picture.
Thanks for your response. I may not always agree with your conclusions, but I always appreciate and value your opinion.
David
Why I'll NEVER vote for the GOP Again
For as long as I've been voting, I've supported the GOP. What have I gotten for my support?
NO Border Security in THIS country.
NO Immigration Reform.
NO Social Security Reform.
NO Health Care Reform.
Instead, we've got 'dubya'. I honestly don't understand how my (former) party can support someone so vapid and banal as 'dubya'. The man has an IQ of a rock. He has no interest in people like me, until he needs my vote. No, I'm not rich, just a middle class guy like most of you, trying to get ahead. It will never happen as long as people like 'dubya' and his sycophant supporters like George 'macacca' Allen are in power.
George 'macacca' Allen has shown time and time again he is a Racist, fearmongering, hatefull person.
He's from California (not the 'real world of virginia').
He's willing to hang a noose in his office.
He's willing to call people of color 'macacca' and 'nigger'.
He's not willing to stay for the full term as senator.
We can do better than George 'macacca' Allen.