Another dead turtle

The House of Delegates ran over the eastern box turtle... again! In 1999 and again this year a bill had proposed to make the slow moving terrestrial turtle the state reptile. But, Delegate Frank Hargrove (R-Hanover) wondered why a critter famous for hiding its head in its shell and getting run over on rural roads should be the official anything.

Perhaps Delegate Hargrove is saving the eastern box turtle as the official symbol of House Republicans. They often pull their heads into their collective shell to avoid dealing with real issues facing Virginians and the reptilian right wingers are in danger of getting squashed on the electoral highway this November.

Cold blooded.

Upset in the Hen House

Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the most insightful reporter on state politics, has an interesting article on the unhappy chickens in the House of Delegates. Seems the House GOP caucus traveled west to scratch in high dollar corn at The Homestead. They brought along the lobbyists, the corporations, the trade associations, and the law firms to spread some $300,000 of high protein mash. All that is business as usual - Republicans and high priced lobbyists schmoozing ain't exactly news. But, what got the roosters upset was the timing. Yep, the "family values" Republicans held this feedfest on Father's Day forcing legislators and lobbyists, roosters and hens alike, to leave the chicks at home.

But the disconnect runs deeper than family values. Seems Speaker Howell and Majority Leader Griffith aren't clucking to the same note. Are they still smarting over their rift in the election of a new state chair? Howell supported Hager while Griffith supported Frederick, the eventual winner.

Schaprio reports that most of the big time lobbyists grazed far away from Frederick, who has said he won't seek reelection to his Prince William Co. House seat . . . but maybe his wife will. Cluck.

There are other signs of stress in the Republican hen house. Many chickens are, at this early stage, strangely disassociated from the presidential and senatorial campaigns in Virginia. Guess they aren't too thrilled with the candidates? The special session on transportation may showcase more cracks in the eggs as the anti-tax conservatives try to scramble any attempts by GOP moderates to compromise with the governor.

A bit of humor had all of them clucking at The Homestead Hen House - Don Hall, a car dealer, lobbyist, and usually in the Republican flock wore a pair of shorts with one leg red with elephants, the other blue with donkeys.

Peck. Peck.