Big Turnout, Big Blowout

Vol. 42, No 12 www.arlingtondemocrats.org December 2017 RETIREE COLUMN ACDC must pick a new chairman in January as Kip Malinosky is retiring. See page 5 for all the de- tails. Jay Fisette is retiring Big turnout, big blowout after 20 years on the It was a political tsunami, a great Blue Wave about going to vote, instead of staying home as usual that crashed across the commonwealth on Election for a state election, said Quentin Kidd, director of County Board. Read his Day and carried off much political wreckage. Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Farewell Address on Left standing above it all was Gov.-elect Ralph Public Policy. Page 9. Northam, a genteel physician who hardly looked or “I think people saw those ads and it just made sounded like a revolutionary. But then Virginia has their anti-Trump feelings that much stronger,” he historically preferred calm and measured political said. Most voters decided early on who they liked leadership and has usually rejected hotheads. — based on what the student pollsters at the Wason Exit polling showed a significant portion of Center were hearing. “Those numbers were baked the voters only made up their minds in the final week in four or five weeks in,” Kidd said. of the campaign. Not about whom to vote for, but continued on page three Big problem with split precincts Former ACDC Chair Jim Four seats in the 100-seat House of Delegates to a precinct is greater than the incidence of voter Turpin is closing down are going to a recount this month, but the most con- fraud in Virginia at this point. So,… if we’re wor- troversial of those results cannot be fixed by a re- ried about different aspects of elections, why would his winery in Nelson count since the issue is wrong ballots being given we place more emphasis on one potential problem, County. Read all about it to voters. which might be fraud, over another one, which ac- on Page 8. There is a possibility that a judge will order a tually has a larger effect, which is a misassignment new election. of voters.” While the GOP has talked at length about voter In fact, since 2011, Republicans in the Gen- fraud in recent years, it has taken no action on “split eral Assembly have refused all requests from local precincts,” where the chances of simple confusion jurisdictions to shift district boundaries so as to are vastly multiplied. avoid split precincts. In 2011, the GOP redistrict- Michael McDonald, an associate professor of ing maps split 224 or 9.4 percent of the precincts in political science at the University of Florida and a the state. Local registrars in many jurisdictions have former George Mason University professor, told addressed the problem by redrawing precinct bound- WTOP, “The possibility of people being misassigned continued on page eleven ACDC Voice, December 2017, Page 2 Report from Chairman Kip Malinosky The case for hope Now this is a strange thing to say, given cent of U.S. adults say that both the rich and Democrats were expected to win six seats in the state of our Republican-led government, corporations pay too little in taxes. On health the House of Delegates. We won at least 15, but looking toward 2020 and beyond I am care, 60 percent say that health should be the including the first two Latinas, two Asian- hopeful about the direction of the country. It’s government’s responsibility and a growing Americans, lesbian and transgender delegates. true that with our current President any num- share of Americans, especially younger In 2009, about 800,000 Democrats voted in ber of nightmares, from nuclear war to eco- Americans, support single payer health care. the gubernatorial election. In 2017, about nomic catastrophe, are not out of the realm of On climate change, a record 62 percent of 1,400,000 Democrats voted. Virginia shows plausibility. Climate change is on an ex- Americans believe it is happening now and that a more progressive, younger Obama coa- tremely dangerous trajectory. Income in- 45 percent say they worry a great deal about lition is on the rise. equality has reached levels that are threaten- climate change. On gay marriage, a record 62 Third, our cruel and incompetent Con- ing to both democracy and economic growth. percent of Americans now favor it. And on gress actually shows some rays of hope when Yet, I remain hopeful. Not the kind of hope immigration, the number of Americans who one looks at the Democrats. Democrats are that turns on the wheels of inevitability or ig- want to decrease it is a near-record low, and pushing policies for a $1 trillion job and in- nores the very real perils of our present, but the number of Americans who want to in- frastructure bill to fix roads, bridges and air- the hope that a much more perfect union can crease immigration is near a record high. ports, taking on corporate consolidation and be realized with tremendous efforts of ordi- Second, Virginia showed the world that lack of competition, health care plans with a nary citizens. Why? Americans now are voting on issues they care Medicare buy-in and strong public option as First, Americans on the whole are be- about and rejecting Trumpism. Polls had sug- well as a single-payer plan, a plan for 100 coming more liberal than they have been in gested Ralph Northam might win the percent clean energy by 2035, and plans to decades and on some issues more liberal than governor’s race by three points. He won by strengthen unions. This is a more progressive they have ever been. It used to be a cliche nine. The top issue was health care, and agenda than the platforms that either Presi- that Americans are philosophically conserva- Northam won these voters by 77 percent. This dent Obama or Secretary Clinton ran on. Fur- tive while operationally liberal. Not any more. win was with a progressive platform includ- thermore, the Republicans in Congress are According to Pew Research, more Americans ing: Medicaid expansion, a $15 minimum now clearly demonstrating that they care noth- favor bigger government with more services wage, gun control measures, and keeping Vir- ing for norms and regular order of the Senate than vice versa. On taxes, more than 60 per- ginia in the Climate Alliance. Furthermore, in pushing radically harmful and unpopular bills on health care and tax cuts for the rich. Democrats should not follow the Republican example of legislative cynicism, nor should Jerry Botland they allow the hundreds of filibusters that blocked a DREAM act, health care plan with Computer Consulting a public option, and a larger economic recov- ery act in 2009-2010. Troubleshoot and resolve computer and After 2016, I don’t want to make any pre- computer related problems. dictions about what 2018 and beyond will Perform upgrades, set-up wireless routers and print servers. bring, but there are very real reasons for hope. Transfer old files, address book and emails A large majority of Americans want a more liberal, active government. Virginia showed from an old computer to a new one. that Democrats can win on expanding health Phone: (202) 744-0542 — [email protected] care and fielding scores of new, diverse candidates. Republicans in Congress are showing the world they cannot govern, and Demo- crats in Congress are showing they should govern. Come what may, let’s get to work electing Democrats. Published monthly by the Arlington County Democratic Committee 2001 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite #604, Arlington VA 22202 Mailing address: P.O. Box 7132, Arlington VA 22207 Tel: (703) 528-8588 http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org Chair: Kip Malinosky — [email protected] Editor-in-Chief: Warren L. Nelson —(703) 243-7867 (h), [email protected] Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the ACDC unless expressly approved by an appropriate committee resolution Copyright ©2017, ACDC, All Rights Reserved ACDC Voice, December 2017, Page 3 Genteel doc Next Monthly Meeting All Dems Invited On the crushes the Wednesday, December 6, 6:45 p.m. road again . Fairlington Community Center Republicans 3308 South Stafford St. continued from page one The surge in turnout was heaviest in This “meeting” will be our annual holiday potluck combined Northern Virginia, where it crushed the GOP, with something of a victory party as well. Come prepared not only in the statewide races but in the to have a good time! Please bring a dish or beverage to House of Delegates contests as well. share with your fellow Dems. Note that we will start at 6:45 Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie’s ads trying to link Democrat p.m., 15 mins earlier than usual, because we must clear out Northam to the murderous MS-13 gang and of Fairlington at 8:45 p.m., 15 minutes earlier than usual. campaign messaging about Confederate heri- In between the partying, we will also hear from candidates tage reminded Virginia opponents of Presi- for next month’s election of ACDC chair and vote on three dent Donald Trump how much they disliked him, Kidd said. policy resolutions dealing with immigration, the Trump visa Neither Trump nor Jeb Stuart was on the restrictions on Muslims, and a proposal for the county to ballot, but both took a shellacking. cease doing business with Wells Fargo. Gillespie “was just looking for a Hail Mary pass; they were taking a chance and it backfired,” John McGlennon, chairman of the government department at the College of Wil- of reaction to an outside group’s attack ad fea- “Trump was undoubtedly a factor in liam and Mary, told the Daily Press of New- turing a truck with a Gillespie bumper sticker driving interest and the surprising results port News.

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