Taking a break from the all-consuming matter of the six chaplains who resigned from the state police over the prohibition of mentioning Jesus in their invocations — in which the Northern Virginia Daily, the Washington Post, the Lynchburg News & Advance, and the Richmond Times Dispatch collectively devote 1,516 words to the subject — we turn our attention to the yawning, $3 billion state budget deficit.
And what do we find in the newspapers today?
A 123-word brief in the Times-Dispatch on Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s moves to rein in his expenses (plus 127 words more on the same topic in the WaPo); a 498-word article in the News & Advance on threats to mental health services; and a 410-word story in the Virginian-Pilot on how Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is looking at cuts to the state workforce and, next year, cuts to public school budgets. Grand total: 1,158 words.
Judging by the volumes of ink dedicated to topics competing for readership, many Virginians aren’t remotely serious about the real problems confronting the commonwealth. Purely symbolic issues stemming from America’s raging culture wars are so much more diverting.
Pardon me for dissenting, but a debate over whether or not state chaplains mention “God” but not “Jesus” in their invocations is stupefyingly not what we need right now.
Implicit in the debate as it has been framed so far is that, while the commonwealth deems it unacceptable to mention “Jesus,” it is permissable to mention a single, monotheistic deity acceptable to Christians, Jews and Muslims. Ah, but would that not “offend” the polytheistic faith traditions like Hinduism and animism or the non-theistic traditions like Buddhism? Are the Abrahamic religious traditions privileged somehow? Let’s not even get started on the need for a follow-up ruling on how to treat the “Holy Ghost.” Perhaps we need to create an office of state theologian to sort it all out.
Fortunately, some state officials remain undistracted by the questions currently consuming the State Police. Bob McDonnell announced yesterday that he is cutting his office spending by $3.8 million, or 9 percent, to do his part to address the state’s revenue shortfall. Economies include a hiring freeze, leaving currently vacant positions unfilled and eliminating some fax machines and phone lines.
Additionally, McDonnell and his 10 executive attorneys are taking two percent reductions in their salaries, for a savings of $17,000. The AG also is giving up the leased 2005 Ford Explorer the state provides its attorney general, saving another $5,000 over the rest of his term, which expires in January 2010.
The $3.8 million savings represents about 0.125% of the statewide budget shortfall, so there’s a loooong way to go. But McDonnell has a high-profile position, and he’s setting the right tone. Let’s just hope he’s not called upon to weigh in on the matter of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.