Like Business as Usual in Richmond? Don't Vote for Miles Grant

Here's another one for the list of endorsements I'm proud not to get. The Arlington Sun Gazette apparently judges candidates on a version of the Dr. J. Evans Pritchard scale from Dead Poets Society, on which the X-axis is "willingness to suck up to Richmond" and the Y-axis is "fitting the Sun Gazette's conservative editor's definition of a Serious Political Candidate."

Here's how I scored:

Despite having the support of some on the environmental left and the blogging crowd, Miles Grant is seen by others as a political dilettante whose policy positions and attitude just won’t work down in Richmond.

So I score high on environmental activism ... very progressive ... and extensive work online and offline working to elect Democrats in Virgina. But unfortunately for me, those aren't on the scale!

What does matter on the Sun Gazette's scale? That I'm low on willingness to suck up to the Richmond establishment. That my strong suits -- advocating for a new energy future, political savvy, engaging new voters -- don't fit the traditional definition of a politician. That I haven't spent years waiting for someone to tell me it was my turn to run. Grade: Fail!

While the Sun Gazette's conservative editor tries to pass off his insults as not his own with a cowardly reference to the criticism as "seen by others," you can hear his fears coming through loud and clear. We can't have loose cannons down in Richmond recklessly fighting for Arlington values! We need someone who'll support the status quo and not go crashing the gates by calling out inaction, injustice and corruption all the time! We need a delegate who'll go along to get along and not take a stand for what he really believes in.

As one Arlington political insider interpreted the editorial, "If you enthusiastically support what you've been getting from Richmond, don't take a chance on rocking the cruise ship."

I guess the Sun Gazette and I agree on something after all -- if you want change in Richmond, vote for Miles Grant.