Tag: Wolf

We are now halfway through this twelve part series looking at the challenges, obstacles, and future possibilities of Virginia Democrats. If you've missed past diaries, follow these links: Day One, Competitive Districts. Day Two, Turnout Problems. Day Three, Past Mistakes. Day Four, Downstate Democrats. Day Five, Unchallenged Incumbents. At the end of the diary there is a poll to vote in, please show your support by voting!

On the sixth day of Christmas, the Commonwealth of Virginia gave to me...Come in and know me better!

Of course, if day three was the Ghost of Christmas Past, day six is the Ghost of Christmas Present! Virginia Democrats may be depressed with the first part of this series, but this holiday season, they have a lot to be thankful for. In honor of this being New Year's Eve, we'll be looking at reasons to look forward to 2014.

First, good girls and boys of all ages across Virginia have opened up their invitations to an inauguration featuring three Democratic officials. Combined with Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, the party has demonstrated that the far right is no longer welcome in statewide elections in the Commonwealth.

In 2014, Mark Warner will be up for reelection and Virginia Republicans are desperate to find a warm body with a pulse to run against him. Earlier this year, Warner's approval ratings were above 50% and he was leading all challengers by double digits. Right now, with concerns over the implementation of Obamacare, his numbers may be softer, but this will be temporary as the health care roll out improves in 2014. I question what Republican will be foolish enough to run; Warner will march onward to reelection. Even with a strong challenger, only delusional Tea Partiers believe Warner is truly vulnerable.

There are reasons for providing the right incentives for economic growth. Senator Warner and Representative Wolf have decided to ignore those and compete with the third world using the lowest common denominator: labor. Their proposal for a federal jobs "bounty" is seriously short sighted. It is existential in the extreme.

What we need is commitment and nothing spells an economic commitment like capital investment in manufacturing infrastructure. Their proposal supposedly rewards job creation by offering low-interest "forgivable loans" to companies building new facilities employing at least 50 full-time people if they establish "high-value manufacturing jobs" in needy areas of the United States. They are off the hook for the loans after 5 years. This is a disincentive for long-term capital investment and innovation.

...We must focus our prowess not on manufacturing commodities, but rather on becoming innovators and specialists in new types of high-value manufacturing.

America must move toward manufacturing in new and "magical" ways - such as nano-assembly, chemical or bio mechanisms. Remember Arthur C. Clarke's aphorism: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Jim Pinto

Is that how Warner and Wolf see "high-value manufacturing jobs?" And these are going to spring up in "needy areas of the United States?" Are these blue collar jobs? Are there 50 jobs required in any such manufacturing facility? One can only conclude they don't actually mean "high-value manufacturing jobs." But it is a nice term that infers well-paying jobs.  Infers.

"Workers also would be paid hourly wages that are higher than the average hourly pay in the county that is getting the new positions."