Why I support Sen. Hanger.. Four Last Years
Sunday, July 1, 2007 at 05:49PM 
Even though Dr. Clem and Crew are doing all they can to foment angst and division with in the SWAC Republican Party, it is time to clear the air on an important aspect of this November's election...
I endorse Senator Hanger to his last four years as our Senator in the 24th. The reason is simple, if we would have succeeded in getting Scott Sayre the nomination, we would be expecting Sen. Hanger to endorse him, period. In Relationships the old saying goes "If you Can't Love the one you want, Love the one you got".
Senator Hanger doesn't get it on taxes, but he does get it on the 2nd Amendment, he is Pro-Life and most importantly he supports marriage between one man and one woman, something that Libertarian Arin Sime seems to feel is a negotiable subject... This is the downfall of most Libertarians. God Love them on Taxes and Govt. Regulations (they oppose both), but on the sanctity of marriage, our nation will crumble if we allow any other form of marital institution to exist.
The reason why I say the last four years of Senator Hanger's representation has a lot to do with statements like this one, quoted in the News Virginian:
Hanger said the party locally and across Virginia has been hurt by special interest groups such as the Americans for Tax Reform, the Growth Club and the Virginia Conservative Action Political Action Committee.
“Those groups focus on extremes and being anti-Republican. They do nothing but attack Republicans,’’ Hanger said.
Hanger said he wants to engage the special interest groups in a debate. But he has no such plans for Michael, Taetzsch and other Republican leaders who backed Sayre.
If Senator Hanger thinks that VCAP, the Club for Growth, and Americans for Tax Reform are 'anti-Republican', he might as well curse Republicans like Ronald Reagan and Steve Forbes...and even his own Delegates for that matter. The man just doesn't get it... Coupled with other comments like Sayre supporters being 'anti-government' and anti-education', he leaves very little room for discussion on the subject of limited government and reforming our public education system.. Not that he is interested in obviously discussing it at all, as per his above quotes.. So be it, but we will still support him in November.
His answer to everything is let the government handle it.. Let the career politicians cut some deals, and roll over to the special interest groups such as a the VEA...
Regardless, David Cox his Democrat challenger is a far worse option that can not be allowed to represent our district. He is a Liberal Democrat through and through.. and we can not have that...
Now back to Senator Hanger, he will have a chance to reform his own positions over the next four years, and hopefully he will get back on track, and quit voting for every tax increase proposed down at the General Assembly. This time he will not have the luxury of a silent constituency back home. Even the Slantin Mis Leader will not be able to cover for him, as we are not going to wait for a three month time period to educate the 24th on his various votes to raise taxes, should he continue along that path...
He squeaked by with 53% of the vote, because we did not have a closed primary, and all the career politicians lined up behind him, to include our own delegates who vote consistently against his tax increases just bowed down to the powers that be...
The Republican Party is losing its way.. and who are you guys to say you are going to change the party's direction? I mean, all politics is local isn't it? If your neighbors barn is on fire, you go over and help put it out don't you? Not just state that you are against your neighbors barn being on fire, and just stand there on your porch, and wait for a heavy rain to come along and douse the flames?
The people aren't stupid... you should try setting yourself apart from all the other politicians.... before you hit the campaign trail and tell us that is what you are going to do. But hey, who am I? Just a pundit, nothing more.
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Reader Comments (8)
A lot will happen in the next 4 years and maybe Senator Hanger will start to understand that the honest working taxpayer understands that taxes are needed but overtax or wasteful spending is out of control.
The Senator refers to the anti-tax groups as extremist but needs to understand that they are growing and becoming more popular to the taxpayers they represent. In fact we hope that we elect representatives that will look out for us and I agree the other two candidates are not the representation we need. The American taxpayer understands that there are "Bills" to be paid but they also want people out there watching how our money is being spent.
There is always waste. No doubt of that and an honest working person will admit waste in any operation. The problem starts when people accept that waste and vote to protect it. There is no doubt that we could cut wasteful spending by 5% right now in the state budget and pay transpotation with that in a heartbeat. The problem is this will NOT get you votes if you are looking to get re-elected. The first politician that can look you in the eye and deny that 5% can be cut without lowereing services is lying to you...
We are looking at the Social Security crisis and Medicare even before that. We need politicans who will step up and make the hard decisions and promote change to deal with these problems. President Bush touched the 3rd rail several times in Immigration, Social Security, going pro-active in fighting terror, and the likes. He may not have hit a homerun on all of these issues but the man had the guts to stand up to them all when prior Presidents ignored the same problems for they existed before also...
I too endorse Senator Hanger in his efforts to get re-elected for another 4 years. I hope that he will listen to those who did not vote for him for they understand staus-quo in Richmond is no longer acceptable and sending a liberal Democrat in Cox would be much worse.
There are several in the 24th Republican party who continue to look for the removal of those who dared to challenge the Status-quo. This is the reason for party primaries to elect a strong candidate with the message of his voters to go to Richmond with. Unfortunately some still have their feathers ruffled over this "Challenge" and they need to understand that this is what makes the candidate stronger as well as the party...
I half-understand where Hanger is coming from with groups like Club for Growth. I have seen what can happen when they do cause problems. In 2005, CFC backed sevearl GOP challengers in Northern Virignia and were pretty succesfull . . . in splintering the party. In an area where Republicans need to be united to even feild a team (nevermind win the game), their one-issue candidates did more to sink our chances in delegate races up here than the Dems did. So I get what Hanger is saying.
I'm not saying we should reject our ideals, but sometimes groups like this do push their ideology to the point that it makes impossible for the party to win. And who wins then? Democrats.
And that is the ultimate nightmare. So i get what Hanger is saying, however magled it might seem.
If Hanger believed in less government and lower taxes he vote for it... he doesn't represent NOVA....
I don't really see how Myron's picture with Arin Sime has anything to do with this blog post...especially given that Myron's "Republitarian" moniker IS half-libertarian...which that is what Sime is.
Just saying...
Phil:
Just another reason to support Hanger... If Sime thinks enough of Myron to put his photo with him on his web site AFTER Myron slimes the Sayre campaign.. then he is no one I am willing to support...
It's that simple....
What are you going to do when I post a picture of Emmett Hanger and myself with his sticker on my shirt?
That association is all ready there Myron.. You worked so 'hard' for Senator Hanger now you are going to get him...
Oh yeah? Well we don't waste fart jokes.
Reading this post, the impression I got was "yeah I'll follow right behind Hanger, but only until I get the chance to shoot him in the back." How very... Republican... of you.