Elephant Ears

This blog is dedicated to the political happenings in the Valley and Southwest Virginia. As the the name implies, this blog will have posts based on what is heard by this elephant's (GOPer's) ears. It is also a great treat to get while at the county fair or a carnival.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Why All the Retirements?

Anyone know why this is magical year for GOPs to retire?

My only guess is that with all the special sessions lately, alot of people are getting sick of this. Many of these people have businesses and families that they don't want to be away from for 3-5 months out of the year. They ran assuming 45-60 days and then they get that many more.

Any other ideas?

posted by GOPHokie @ 2:46 PM  

4 Comments:

  • At 3/21/2007 3:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    With so many more Republicans (than Democrats) in the General Assembly, is it surprising they'd also provide the most retirements?

    What does an "age" analysis of GA members tell us? That is, the average age and/or tenure of R's vs. D's? If the R's are either generally a bit older or have served much longer, that also supports the view that we should expect the vast majority of retirements to consist of R's.

     

  • At 3/21/2007 6:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This may or may not explain much, but I remember hearing in 2005 that a number of members who were expected to retire then decided to run one more time so that they would still be in the General Assembly in 2007 when the Queen came to Virginia and honored the General Assembly.

     

  • At 3/22/2007 10:47 AM, Blogger J.R.Hoeft said…

    Age and ideology.

    I think for Potts, Chichester, Hawkins -- they are old and just don't feel like fighting against the grain anymore. I have a feeling they were also "asked" to retire by several folks -- constituents, party leadership, etc. -- at some point over the last few years.

    As for Reid, Callahan -- certainly age. Dudley -- age and scandal.

     

  • At 3/24/2007 5:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Age has nothing to do with it. The writing is on the wall, for those who aren't blind. The Republicans have abandoned the conservatives and they will suffer for it in the 2007 elections.
    1-We still have the car tax, in spite of billion dollar surpluses
    2-111% increase in the size of state government
    3-2 biggest tax increases in the entire history of Virginia
    4-republicans have now tried to burden taxpayers with more government, run by unelected bureaucrats, who can borrow as much as they want raise taxes as much as they want and are accountable to no one (Regional Transporation Authorities)

    The only way "age" figures into this, is that voters and taxpayers have grown weary of the lies, deceitful manipulations and low down manner, in which the republicans have conducted themselves.

    It will be a long time before republicans hold the majority in Virginia again.

     

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