As noted in the blogosphere and in the WaPo, State Senator John Chichester yesterday announced he would not run for reelection to the Virginia State Senate.

 There have been a variety of reactions, from ”about time” to “the sky is falling”.  I will say this about John Chichester.  He has always gone his way, and his way has always infuriated someone.  After all, this is the guy who abstained on the ERA vote in 1980 to prevent a tie vote at 20 which would allow Chuck Robb to cast a deciding 21st vote for the constitutional amendment.  I am sure that the same folks who now complain about his tax plans would have given him high fives and kudos for his in your face tactics back in the day.

Agree or disagree with him, The Chich knew his mind and what he wanted to do.  Senator Chichester always sailed by his own compass,  charted his own course, and accepted the cheers and the jeers that attended him.  He kept the faith, and did not waffle.  It is unfortunate that he chose to antagonize rather than reason with his counter parts in the House of Delegates, but his announcement yesterday struck a positive tone that compares well to the farewell rant from Russ Potts.

I hope John Chichester finds satisfaction in his career, happiness in his retirement, and that he is able to help his wife Karen continue her recovery from her 2002 stroke.

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By the same token, I suggest that this retirement is a good thing for Virginia.  A two party system, even using a big tent philosophy, requires two parties with distinct philosophies to be successful.  The last seven years has seen a serious drift from that concept.  The GOP and the Democrats have not declared what they stand for and then gone toe to toe on issues during recent elections. Instead, we have the majority of the GOP favoring position X, Chichester using his position as Senate Finance Chair and President Pro Temp of the Senate (both of which he had by virtue of his seniority and membership in the GOP) to push position Y, and the Democrats making vague mumblings of glittering generalities without offering specifics…a/k/a Position ???? .  The Democrats instead chose to draft on the Chichester proposals and hope the GOP dashed themselves on the rocks of intra-party intransigence, leaving Virginians so annoyed with the lack of progress that they would someday return a democratic majority.

This past year Democrats from Brian Moran to Dick Saslaw and The Gov constantly talk about commited sources and revenue streams, but they have not offered a real plan.  My delegate Dave Marsden is a good example. As noted in earlier RR posts, in consecutive issues of the Burke Connection Dave Marsden went on about what was needed and everyone was in agreement except for the GOP philistines in the House of Delegates.  Then a plan came out, and Marsden voted for it…oh, reluctantly to be sure, but he voted for it…and suddently we don’t hear so much about how to attack TRAMOB problems, because he and the Democrats have no real plan to offer.   But of course we knew that, or else The Gov would not be out and about trying to figure out what to offer up in his veto message.

Chichester’s retirement will force both parties to create a position on TRAMOB.  This issue is the major one facing the Commonwealth, and no longer can the Democrats hide behind Chichester’s seniority.  They will have to move from generalities to specifics, and actually create legislation to offer to the public.  By the same token, without Chichester and his seniority and chutzpah the Gang of Five-Four-now Three will face more pressure to join in a consensus GOP position.  Meanwhile, the GOP majority in the House of Delegates and the bulk of the Senate will no longer be able to moan about being bushwhacked by Chichester’s undermining their positions and refusing to meet with them.  The Va GOP delegation will have to take responsibility for being a true majority party, and not one hampered by a vocal and powerful splinter element.

John Chichester, no matter how gifted and combative a legislator he was, hampered two party government in Virginia.  He obstructed one party, and by doing so enabled the other party to do less than it should if it really wanted to lead.  His devotion to Virginia will be missed; his hamstringing of the legislative process will not.

It’s a new day out there…and I hope both the Virginia Republicans and the Virginia Democrats are equal to the task.