Gail Parker: The Christian, "Common Sense Conservative" in the Senate Race?

By: Lowell
Published On: 10/23/2006 6:35:43 AM

According to an article by the Associated Press, Gail Parker, the "Independent Green Party" candidate in this year's U.S. Senate race in Virginia, is actually "not a Green at all."  In fact, according to the article, the "Independent Greens" actually are "promot[ing] themselves as "Common Sense Conservative Greens.'" 

What on earth's a "Common Sense Conservative Green?"  That's very hard to say, except that they seem to like rail (who doesn't?).  According to Parker, "[w]e're conservative, unlike the national Green Party."  Aside from rail, Parker says that her campaign is about "family, faith and values."  She says that her "values were established in a Christian household, with Christian guidance."  She's for term limits. She believes in "free-market alternatives and incentives."  She refuses to say whether or not she'd support overturning Roe v. Wade, whether she supports embryonic stem cell research, whether she supports a guest worker program for illegal immigrants, or whether she supports the so-called "marriage amendment."  And she calls herself a "fiscal conservative."

In other words, Gail Parker is a right-wing, Christian, social conservative who calls herself a "common sense conservative."  Sound familiar?  That's right, Gail Parker's political philosophy isn't much different than George Allen's, except that Parker really REALLY like "rail!"  In fact, she likes "rail!" so much that she puts an exclamation point after the word "rail!" wherever that word "rail!" appears!  And she touts "rail!" as the solution to everything from Iraq to the common cold.  Well, maybe not the common cold, but did I mention that Gail Parker really really loves "rail!"?  For more on Parker and "rail!", check out her questionnaire responses in the Connection Newspapers.

Anyway, the bottom line here is that Gail Parker is NOT a Green, and she is NOT in the least bit liberal.  In fact, despite the fact that she's a big fan of "rail!" and calls herself an "Independent Green," Gail Parker is actually - by all indications - a George BushAllen Republican in "Independent Green" clothing. 

All of which raises the question: is Gail Parker a "protest vote" alternative for conservative Republicans who won't vote for a Democrat but who are angry at BushAllen for their betrayal of conservatism on fiscal, foreign policy, and libertarian grounds?  If I were a conservative, I'd be very tempted to do just that.

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.


Comments



I'm an idiot. (Kathy Gerber - 10/23/2006 7:15:18 AM)
Please check out wikipedia on conservative Paul Weyrich for some background.

He is widely considered one of the founders of the American New Right and an important strategist for the social and religious conservative movements. He is less well-known as an advocate for mass transit and rail transportation. He is an ordained protodeacon in the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church.

Back in this diary I wondered if he would support Gail Parker. At the time I just figured that there was some common knowledge about conservative rail supporters that I was just finding out about.

Here are some pieces Weyrich wrote on rail:

Mass Transit, the Hope for the Future
How Rail Can Prevail

And now it looks like some articles linking Weyrich and Parker must have been removed from the net or edited.



This sounds just like Parker (Lowell - 10/23/2006 7:23:15 AM)
From the Denver Post, 10/5/99, "Weyrich stumps for light rail."

Weyrich said that light rail spurs development near stations, 'and most conservatives are pro-development,' he said.

Helps welfare programs

It boosts conservative ideas like welfare-to-work, he said, because it gives people a reliable and affordable way to get there.

And it builds community, he said, bringing people together as opposed to isolating them in a car.



Has Weyrich ever been on Metro? (Eric - 10/23/2006 9:00:53 AM)
Hardly anyone talks to anyone else on our light rail system - how exactly does this build community?

I know, a little off topic, but it made me laugh.



This is very interesting Kathy (PM - 10/23/2006 7:25:10 AM)
Maybe there was some thought to siphon off liberal voters by the label "Green," as the GOP tried in Pennsylvania with a faux Green candidate.

I think Weyrich might be behind this all--it is typical of his use of fake front groups like tho9se seniors organizations.



I wouldn't be surprised at all. The only problem... (Lowell - 10/23/2006 7:35:33 AM)
...is that Parker is a Christian conservative, NOT a "Green" or a liberal, that's for damn sure.


So, I guess this qualifies as one of the first and biggest dirty tricks (Used2Bneutral - 10/23/2006 9:06:11 AM)
And if it is so, we need to publicize this ASAP just like any other "Dirty Trick" and you can count on a bunch more the next two weeks.... LTEs, signs, call-ins on radio and TV shows, Blogs, email to political reporters and start the "Outing" activities at any scheduled appearences so the press picks up on this fast....

Call her what she is, A Republican in a holloween costume.



I mentioned quite a while ago (summercat - 10/23/2006 8:11:02 AM)
that Parker might siphon off some Dem and Independent votes--don't know about Republicans, tho.  In any case, tho she seems like a nice enough person, she has the possibility of being a spoiler in this race, imo.


Given her lack of financing -- $18k (PM - 10/23/2006 9:14:25 AM)
I think she will mostly get protest and mistake votes.  Her FEC records indicate a self-financed campaign.  The protest votes wouldn't have gone to either candidate.

If she were advertising it might be a concern; I'm not sure it is at all.

Her bio actually is pretty good -- I am put off by anyone who runs as a "Christian" because that smacks of lots of bad stuff -- but she probably is a decent sort -- and if it were between her and Allen . . .



??? (DanG - 10/23/2006 10:45:02 AM)
Why are you put off by somebody who openly runs as a Christian?


COMMENT HIDDEN (hrconservative - 10/23/2006 9:25:36 AM)


Another useful contribution from (Lowell - 10/23/2006 10:08:42 AM)
hrconservative.

Always a pleasure.  To quote you, "Snicker, snicker, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha"



Hey Lowell - leave Gail Parker alone! (Dan - 10/23/2006 9:44:32 AM)
Alright, sure Jim Webb has integrity, and the experience and leadership to help stand up in the Senate to demand our Congress meet the challenges in the War on Terror.  Sure George Allen is a cretin who has supported the President at every turn, and has helped bankrupt the middle class.  However, you should read over your own article.  Cause while Jim Webb loves to talk about fairness and George Allen loves to point out our racial  differences to large crowds, both of them only "like" rail.
Gail Parker loves rail.  Jim Webb does not.  He doesn't exclamation point rail!  That means that Jim HATES rail.  He is "rail-hater".  Face it, Lowell.  Just give up on your foolish dreams of a great Senator who helps leads a change in Washington in a time of war.  Webb has attributes that are very critical, but his non-love of rail may be unacceptable to the voters.  Well, the "rail-voters" at least.  And there is, like, 1500 of them at least!  Oh well, I guess I can not stress how much loving rail is important.  If loving rail is wrong, than Gail parker just isn't right...in the head!


I'm not worried about her..... (Left Wing - 10/23/2006 10:37:34 AM)
The fact is that Greens wouldn't bother going to the polls to vote for a democrat or republican.  They would only go to vote for a Green to "make a statement".  You know, like the statment they made voting for Nader.  (What exactly was that statement, anyway?????) 

Maybe Gail Parker will get them to the polls and a few of them will have a wave of conscience and will want their vote to mean something.



Check this out. (Kathy Gerber - 10/23/2006 10:42:47 AM)
In this article
http://www.newsadvan...
they nominated a bunch of folks like Watkins Abbitt and Lacey Putney to their party.  They weren't thrilled to say the least.

Strange.  And this -

When a breakaway faction uses the term, it confuses voters who may not know the Green Party’s philosophy of governing by consensus, he said.

Oddo said using the term “Green” wasn’t his first choice for a party name.

“When you throw out the word ‘Green,’ there are certain connotations associated with it,” he said, adding that his organization is working to rebrand the term and eliminate the perceived liberal label associated with the party.



Please do not confuse Greens with Independent Greens (snolan - 10/23/2006 12:58:10 PM)
The Green Party is a very different thing than the Independent Green Party.

The Green Party has a comprehensive agenda covering many issues; agree or disagree, it is a viable and full suite of choices for a voter.  This year there are very few Green Party candidates running in Virginia, as most Greens have allied with Democrats; even if temporarily.

The Independent Green party (to my knowledge, they are here in Virginina only) is a single issue party; tightly focused on Rail.  A good issue to be sure, but there is a lot more going on in the world today.  Agree with them or not, I have a hard time taking them seriously because of the single issue format and complete lack of organization.

Gail Parker, like her or not, is more likely to take a few "crunchy" conservative votes away from Republicans than she is to take any progressive votes away from Democrats.

Nothing to see here, move along.



I think you are correct. (Kathy Gerber - 10/23/2006 1:58:55 PM)
However, the most drama filled what-if scenario is under the assumption that the IG's are being puppeteered as a hedge for the RR.  Under that assumption, George Allen is utterly owned in a tight race. 


COMMENT HIDDEN (OS Metal - 10/23/2006 1:26:38 PM)


Don't count your chicks (libra - 10/23/2006 11:25:18 PM)
until they're hatched, OS Metal. Nobody said the prices of gas would go up *before* the Elections. They're scheduled to go up a couple of days *after*. Just like they came down after the Labor Day, which coincidentally(? believe this, and there's a nice bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you), marked the official opening of the campaign.


Allen Trolls: (phriendlyjaime - 10/23/2006 1:30:38 PM)
Signing up for a new account today and pretending to be Gail for Rail buddies is not fooling anyone.  Nice try, and prepare to be troll rated at will.


The names may change.... (Used2Bneutral - 10/23/2006 1:55:40 PM)
but the IP addresses and/or reverse DNS stay the same.... :)

The Internet is only anonymous to those whom do not understand how it really works.... and it get less anonymous every day as the required deployment of IPv6 gets larger and more predominent....



This is amazing to me. (HeatherBartlett - 11/6/2006 12:32:21 PM)
I agree that this is an obvious attempt to syphon off Webb votes.

I don't live in Virginia anymore and likely never will again, but since I live in Maryland I'm fairly aware of some of the Virginia campaigning going on because I get some of the commercials.

ANYWAY - I did blog about this woman today at my blog

http://goddesschroni...

  because there is a discussion on my blog going on about the value of third party canidates and whether or not it's throwing your vote away.

http://goddesschroni...

Anyway, my curiosity brought me to this Gail whoeversheisvotestealer and I just had to shake my head.  I mean the BLATANT attempt by using GREEN in her party name.  GAG!!!

I have heard a LOT of bad stuff about Webb and women, I invite you to come leave good comments about Webb if you like - we're down to the wire!