Landes rebuffs debate request
Del. Steve Landes said Thursday that he rejected a debate co-sponsored by WHSV Television 3 and The News Leader because of concerns of editorial fairness by The News Leader.
Landes was criticized by the campaign of his House 25 opponent, Democrat Greg Marrow, for refusing the debate.
“With just over a month before the election, citizens deserve every opportunity to compare the candidates together, and side by side,’’ the release said.
Landes said he does not believe The News Leader is unbiased in its editorial coverage.
“They will comment on something that happens in the news but they don’t run a news story or press release related to the editorial,’’ Landes said.
Roger Watson, publisher of The News Leader responded by saying: “The News Leader and Channel 3 offered Del. Landes an opportunity to debate his opponent and unfortunately he declined, but that is his prerogative to do so.”
Landes and Marrow debated at Kate Collins Middle School Sept. 24. That debate was co-sponsored by The News Virginian and NBC-29.
Landes also put out a press release late Thursday that detailed nine joint appearances the two candidates have made across the 25th District in recent months.
“Voters have already had many opportunities to hear both candidates,’’ Landes said. “And I am dedicated to make sure that this continues in forums that are open and fair.”
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—the future is the “now” deferred.
In any instance, the future presupposes the now. We could take this into relativity, but this is not physics, so we will stand grounded to what is knowable.
Descartes said when the part is wrong, considering the aggregate then the entire edifice must come down, in retrospect.
I can tell you are a man who likes terse speeches with many adjectives that describe no nouns.
Furthermore, Marrow is suppose to be a businessman, and he should know a litle something about workers compensations and what taxes are funded for that.
That is a “reasonable” and “prudent” demand upon any man or woman wishing to take upon themselves a fiduciary duty to the people: Know the law before describing it!
Well that was an articulate, compelling…and a wee-bit long winded perspective. I think Marrow’s point in the matter is that the time has come to admit that we can do better, and deserve better than “do nothing” politics. Thoreau also wrote, “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.“
I respect your opinion, but Marrow comes across to me as someone who is passionate about what the future of the 25th ‘can’ be….but more importantly, someone who is committed to the hard work of building our foundations.
Yet, Marrow wants to “help us.“ While he speaks about the economy and Green jobs—which are both long-term growth returns—how many jobs will green jobs give us? Let us be honest to the public.
In addition, let us throw in some macroeconomics for a reality-check: Inflation and unemployment are inversely related. High output of GDP left uncheck will eventually lead to hyperinflation (which means everyone is working); however, to abate this phenomenon, we can control inflation by reversinng the output—which means what? We produce less so that inflation falls, but by producing less, what happens to production and labor hours? They are CUT! But something is amiss because we have high unemployment but prices are not remaining stable in ALL areas—like food—where prices have doubled. Nevertheless, unemployment is high, so what is happening? Aggregate Demand is down; this is the “swing batter batter swing batter batter” of economy. With no one swinging, we have no one buying and that causes no one to produce!
The “swing batter batter” is YOU, your neighbor, me, and the neighbors that we do not know: no one is swinging because the baseball has not been tossed.
The baseball is the cash, and cash is not moving, it is staying put—“Right?” Until “cash” moves onto the field “in the form of a baseball”—no one can come to bat, no one can toss the baseball, and everyone just sits and stares at the empty field.
Market force, society, and society’s mores/values can abate the movement of the invisible hand that moves through the free market. Until peoples’ attitudes change—about the economy, about themselves, and about the government—no force in the world will make a difference—not even a Greg Marrow.—and “this” will cause allot of good politicians to lose their rightful spot, and allow bad politicians to take their place—because “it is human to toss blame on those we ‘know’—and find ‘hope’ in the things or people “that we do not know or who we wish not to know.” This type of thinking brings us short-term gratification to our emotions, but does nothing to solve market forces. If these men did not create it, how can another like him or her fix it?
Transparency? Landes may be more conspicuous than Greg Marrow since any legislature should know a little about unemployement insurance: Greg Marrow said, “ Businesses that are struggling to survive in this economic recession?” This is a good question, and the simple answer is … the federal government.“
Greg, where does the Federal Government get its funds for this insurance? The businesses. Let me explain how it works to you: It is a federal-state system that covers all but agriculture, domestic, and state/local gov’t employees. There is a separate Federal system just for federal civilian workers and former military service personnel—and a separate Federal system for railroad workers.
“Employers are taxed for unemployment benefits based on each employer’s rating account. Those employers with a stable ‘account’ and with less layoffs pay a lower tax. Active accounts pay a higer tax. All employers who pay have the right to challenge the state-federal system for every employee that files for unemployment.
Cite: Social Security Act of 1935
Cite: 42 USC Ss 301-1397e
Dear people: our first American philosopher Thoreau has told us that “orators speak to the mobs while the elite read.“ Please refrain from verbal massage from anyone with a quick tongue, and pick up a text or research the datum yourself. The is the age of accountability—and it begins with each person, at home, because if you kids see you researching facts and comparing quotes, then you will by default socialize your own child to do this automatically. I challenge you this day to train your children to research the facts!
http://augustafreepress.com/2009/04/25/greg-marrow-facts-and-figures-on-unemployment/
I attended the debate between Landes and Marrow in Waynesboro and it certainly looked like a win for Marrow. Perhaps that is the real reason that Landes has refused to debate again. He doesn’t seem to be as forceful or as honest as Marrow who comes across as someone who would be a a good representative for us in Richmond.
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