THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601130029
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
We've never envied whoever gets tapped to deliver the opposition's response to a televised presidential speech, irrespective of who's in the White House. The often immediate followup, allowing no time to digest what's being answered, comes as many viewers turn off the set or start channel hopping with the remote.
``Is anybody out there listening?'' The question is a responder's lonely lament.
It's much the same at the state level. When Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. delivered the Democrats' reply to Republican Gov. George F. Allen's address to the General Assembly, news coverage was hard to find.
Also, Beyer, the Democrat's likely nominee for governor in '97, isn't much given to inflaming words; to his credit, he prefers civility to name calling.
But the lieutenant governor is a thoughtful man. He acknowledged and joined in Allen's conciliatory tone, asking for healing of the bitter fall campaign's wounds and cooperation in the two lawmaking months ahead. And in his seven minutes, Beyer made some useful points:
``In business, you can't cut your way to prosperity. And in education, we can't starve our schools into excellence. . . .
``I am personally uncomfortable with our growing dependence on gambling revenues to pay for our schools. Now the governor proposes two new games, Powerball and Keno, that will just make us that much more reliant on the lottery. . . .
``Instead of directing our energy to a `lock 'em up and throw away the key' approach, we need to find the troubled youngsters, work with them before they end up in serious trouble, prevent them from becoming the next generation of Virginia's prison population. Remember: Only 3 percent of Virginia kids in trouble have committed violent crimes. . . .
``Welfare reform is an excellent example of what we can accomplish working together. Now we need to be ready for the greater tests, as welfare reform moves to our inner cities.''
A theme running through Beyer's remarks is the challenge to find the roots of problems. It's a longer-term approach than politicians customarily are willing to take in a society that cries for instant everything, including solutions. But it's the only approach that holds real promise. It's a good guideline for Virginia. by CNB