Cross posted at Blue Virginia
Rep. Tom Perriello (D-5th, Virginia) is featured in an article by E.J. Dionne in today's Washington Post on "the new energy politics." Here's an excerpt:
Hours before the House passed its cap-and-trade bill last week, freshman Democrats Tom Perriello and Frank Kratovil were pondering the political fallout of the votes they were about to cast in favor of a plan Republicans were denouncing as "cap-and-tax.
"Maybe we should be called the conscience caucus," said the 34-year-old Perriello, who won his Southside Virginia district last year by 727 votes even as Barack Obama was losing it by 7,512.
He recalls Kratovil, 41, replying that perhaps they would be known as the caucus of soon-to-be unemployed congressmen.
Perriello also comments that "A bill created by the old politics was passed by the new politics." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it sure sounds good! :) Finally, Perriello blasts Republicans for "using information they know is fundamentally wrong" to run nasty attack ads against him, predicting "huge increases in electricity prices" as a result of the Waxman/Markey green jobs/climate change bill.
E.J. Dionne concludes that "Perriello's fate will be a test of just how new our politics have become." On that point, I tend to agree, although I'm still not sure about this whole "new" vs. "old" concept; sadly, I believe "the more things change, the more they stay the same" in politics. Having said that, I am optimistic if Republicans nominate Virgil Goode or a right-wing "Tea Party" Republican like Brad Rees, Tom should be able to hang on in the midterm election year of 2010, then easily win reelection in the presidential election year of 2012. In the meantime, and fortunately for all of us, Perriello is more concerned with voting his conscience than with playing re-election politics. It's why Perriello is probably my favorite Congressman, and that is not meant as a "backhanded compliment." Go Tom! :)
P.S. It's our job to make sure that my friend, "conscience caucus" charter member Tom Perriello, does not become part of "the caucus of soon-to-be unemployed congressmen." You can contribute here. Thanks.
P.P.S. I'm proud to say that, in the fall of 2007, I was one of the first bloggers to support Perriello. I was also one of the few bloggers who really believed that Perriello could defeat Virgil Goode, despite several insisting to me that "nobody from the northern part of the 5th district could win," or that "Perriello was too liberal," or...blah blah blah. So much for that. :)