Alter of Freedom

Board of Supervisors: What Direction Shall Chesterfield Move

2011-11-16T22:48:00.003-04:00

As we move forward post-election, Chesterfield County appears poised to either return to the old path driven down by Republicans up until the change election of 2007 or one guided by needs and fiscal responsibility. Virtually all the candidates this year for the Board of Supervisors ducked the really tough questions regarding the future of Chesterfield. Instead, the usual consultant-backed strategy of making the election more about the opponents faults than one's own vision for the County ruled the day. Its a shame really that citizens of Chesterfield really have no real clear indication of the direction the new board will take; all those "Pledges" aside.Issues such as poor infrastructure, economic development, the Comprehensive Planning and of course the guerrilla in the room, School Funding took a back seat to the kinds of attack pieces like where fundraisers were hosted or where money was coming from. The elements of a fundamental vision for the future of Chesterfield was never really expressed by any candidate seeking a seat on the Board of Supervisors.

We have to ask ourselves exactly why these campaigns in 2011 were so void of solutions or fresh ideas? The answer may be in what lies ahead for Chesterfield. The agenda that has basically been placed in a holding pattern in 2011 because of the election- the Comprehensive Plan- will no longer be able to be be shelved as it faces its deadline from the State. Unfortunately, we have our State leaders to blame for passing requirements that localities have such plans that basically mandate New Urbanism. What on earth were the Republicans in Richmond thinking?

Chesterfield managed to send back both Senator Steve Martin(R-011 unopposed) and Senator John Watkins(R-010) back to Richmond. No word on whether or not Mr. Watkin's proposal regarding the cash proffer system will re-surface or not in the coming term to address the needs of adequately securing funding resulting from new development to assist in offsetting build-out expenses by localities. No doubt the Real Estate Associations will push back an any proposal they perceive as being an added layer of expense in terms of new home construction under the guise those fees will be passed on to buyers. Again, during the campaign season of 2011 no mention by any candidate regarding the broken Cash Proffer System or even a whisper about real estate tax revenue given the fact that property values appear flat moving into 2012. No mention regarding potential increases in sales and meals taxes given real estate taxes account for over half of the local revenues generated for the budget.

One question I sought to get answers from candidates regarded the unfunded pensions. The State saw fit to dip into the VRS fund, which has now dropped below 60% of its funding status. Given the number of teachers approaching retirement, this issue cannot simply remain to go ignored and like so many issues our local leaders will have to figure out means of addressing issues rather than simply blaming Richmond and the State.

Recently, County Administrator of Chesterfield James Stegmaier stated that "the biggest vulnerability we have is the apparent failure of the Commonwealth to find solutions to its fiscal difficulties, and the tendency of the Commonwealth to shift their budget problems to the local level". Mr. Stegmaier's statement illustrates a rather "entitlement" mentality regarding State revenues and how localities must secure those revenues or at the very least deserve them in order to solve its own budgetary issues. How can local leaders rationalize the dependence upon the State and most recently Federal Stimulus dollars to address its needs but act as if they believe in limited government and don't support bailouts from the national government and yet gladly take the money every time.

A week hardly goes by that Senator Steve Martin does not blast President Obama and the Progressive regime in Washington for its stimulus programs on his facebook page and yet remains silent about his own districts use of those funds through our local government. Isn't this the height of hypocrisy? Why has candidate Steve Elswich (R-Mataoca) and now a newly elected Supervisor avoided addressing such issues? In the coming months we may learn whether the County's newest Supervisor is the "outsider" he claims or merely just another establishment-type as his opposition penned him during the campaign.

The alignment of the Board appears to have shifted back to the Republicans. Supervisors Warren, Jaeckle and Elswich representing the Republicans with James Holland and Daniel Gecker residing in the minority. The Republicans have enlisted the support of Gecker the last two years or so, but the honeymoon could now be over now that Elswich has been elected and the Republicans have a block of three votes to carry any issue. The Republicans did not actively seek out a challenger in Midlothian for Gecker in 2011 and determined to concentrate its efforts in Matoaca and Dale. It paid off in Matoaca with Elswich's victory, but the Republicans were unable to unseat James Holland (D).

I am hardly optimistic that the new Board will chart a new path given the circumstances facing them. In years past, the Board has done about everything it could to avoid addressing most of the issues facing the County and rather has sought to inflame the debate with unproductive rhetoric aimed directly at the School Board. It is obvious to any objective party that a shortfall with regard to the CCPS is once again on the horizon and once again there is little a whisper from our leaders concerning and proactive steps to be taken or any proposed solutions to head off what will certainly be a contentious 2012.

President Obama: An Economic Reality Fact Check

2011-06-17T08:36:00.003-04:00

In an interview this week on the Today show, Ann Curry asked President Obama why he hasn’t been able to convince businesses to hire more people. She cited a New York Times article which stated that since the recovery, companies have spent only 2 percent on hiring, but 26 percent on equipment.

Here is the president’s answer:

"There are some structural issues with our economy where a lot of businesses have learned to become much more efficient with a lot fewer workers. You see it when you go to a bank and you use an ATM, you don't go to a bank teller, or you go to the airport and you're using a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate. All these things have created changes in the economy…."
The way I hear him, self-service convenience devices are a reason we have fewer jobs.
A casual survey of the real world reveals that there are thousands of people who have jobs today because of the existence of ATMs and kiosks.

When you look at the entire industry chain – the manufacturers, processors, networks, financial institutions, deployers, cash providers, servicers, refurbishers, software providers, content creators, accessory sellers, and yes, even the regulators – we have created the equivalent of a small city of jobs.

Since when did the installation of airport check-in kiosks cause a ripple effect of layoffs? On the contrary, these machines have improved service, created a more efficient boarding process and provided a better overall customer experience. All good for business. Not to mention, a cause to hire people to support the machines and spend money with vendors.

The statement that struck me as the most uninformed was the president’s implication that ATMs have caused a loss of teller jobs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of tellers employed by banks has grown from 453,150 in 1999 to 556,320 in 2010. That’s more than 100,000 new teller jobs in the past 11 years.

The FDIC reports that U.S. bank branches grew from 81,444 in 1992 to 99,109 in late 2010. While many bankers in the late '60s feared they would have to lay off tellers and close branches because of this new-fangled self-service machine, the opposite has in fact happened.
This has created more than just teller jobs – FDIC data states there were 1.8 million full-time bank employees (not to mention those in credit unions) in 1992. That number grew to more than two million in 2010, even with the layoffs during the financial crisis of the past few years.
The approximately 400,000 ATMs in the U.S. have further fueled economic growth by giving people access to their cash in the places where they spend it. What would happen to the retail industry – and the economy – if all the ATMs were pulled out of U.S. stores?

If we are to blame job loss on technological advancement, we must blame the mobile phone for a loss of jobs in the payphone industry. But I’m sure the 40,000 attendees and several thousand exhibitors at the CTIA Wireless show in Orlando earlier this year weren’t longing for the good old days.

Tom Harper

Chesterfield: Opportunities Lost

2011-05-17T18:34:00.002-04:00

Many of us were hopeful that our elected officials in Chesterfield would come around and actually do the right thing for once. Given the focus lately by our leaders and the media on the very flawed Comprehensive Planning debate, Redistricting at the State Level and the potential for future shortfalls to the County budget in the years ahead it is no wonder that our leaders either intentionally or conveniently failed to address the very make-up of our County Board of Supervisors.

A mere three years ago, voters heard at least three challengers to incumbent Supervisors speak to the issue of an increasing population within Chesterfield and the necessity for adding additional seats to the Board of Supervisors. Now that these three challengers were victorious in their elections it appears as though they have had little desire to work towards the establishment of new Magisterial Districts in Chesterfield. Many of our leaders cite issues such as complications with the State redistricting and a time crunch given what has been happening in the General Assembly, but in the end it is becoming apparent that these Supervisors failed to act on establishing new districts out of self-interest rather than that of the citizens of Chesterfield.

Many other localities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia have less population than Chesterfield and yet have more than the five member Board of Supervisors leading Chesterfield. The City Council in the City of Richmond dwarfs the Board in Chesterfield and Hanover County with about a third the population has basically the same size Board. So whats the difference? Whats the value in a larger Board?

Representation as well as transparency are key issues that voters at the local level are seeking in their leaders. The days of back room deals- though the whole Supervisor Gecker fiasco that elevated Supervisor Art Warren back to the Chairmanship earlier this year illustrates they are still happening- are beginning to come to end in large part because more citizens are getting engaged in the process. Thankfully, groups like the Campaign for Liberty and Tea Party elements are holding local leaders to the fire on key founding principles.

Right now, Chesterfield's population is approaching almost 325,000. Two decades ago when Chesterfield was at its growth infancy it still had as many Board members as it does today. It really begs the question which citizen got a better deal in terms of access and representation; the one whose Supervisor represented some 25,000 people or the one today where we see some representing 70,000. Three of our current Supervisors (Gecker, Durfee, Jaeckle) recognized this in their campaigns, but have taken no action in three years to address the matter.

Because of State Law, the failure of the Board to take action this year following the what would normally be the most opportunistic time because of the released 2010 Census Data, Chesterfield County will have to wait TEN MORE years to add any Magisterial Districts. These leaders can whine all they want about time and issues with the GA all they want, but they knew three years ago they would have the data from the census to get this done. In fact, I bet Bob Olsen- the local citizen who basically crafted Plan A and B for the redraw in the first place- could have drawn new districts up in about a weekend.

There is a arrogance and elitist attitude that permeates this Board of Supervisors like I have not seen in decades. Many have always associated a sort of "good ole boy" personification to Chesterfield politics, but in fact in recent years where that has wained it has been replaced by an arrogance that seems to speak DOWN to citizens or AT them and not TO them.

I for one have long been calling for a new Magisterial District in the Bon Air area in large part because the interests on this area have never really been served by the local Supervisor representing Midlothian. Even Supervisor Gecker who has resided in the area since his appointment to the Planning Commission by (D) Ed Barber some ten years or so ago appears more interested in representing the Midlothian area along the RT 60 corridor and west than Bon Air. The Village of Bon Air and the community there is an older, more established one with lower growth ability than its Midlothian area counterparts. In the last ten years, do in part to poor planning under the leadership of people like Gecker the area has seen an increase in the number of rental properties which has been a direct result of lowering property values and the sprawl impact of Midlothian Tnpk coming west of the old Cloverleaf Mall. The vacancy rate of lease space along the corridor has steadily increased during the last ten years and even though there is promise for the old Cloverleaf space we have yet to see any real rehabilitation of the area moving
west of the City.

In fact, Bon Air residents have seen massive growth and newer developments pop up all along the western boundary of the Midlothian District and when such decisions like the 4.2 million dollar Sportsquest bailout was made many residents perceived that action has benefiting those communities in west Midlothian and Matoaca and hurting such recreational programs in their own community given that funds by the same leaders were reduced for field upkeep.

Whether or not the reality in truth favors one area over another is not really the issue. The issue is there are growing portions in Chesterfield that have become glowingly under-represented and whose interests are really not being addressed. It seems given this Boards attitude toward infrastructure solutions and road spending the older areas will continue to be the hardest hit.

If you live in Bon Air, do not be surprised if in ten years you are looking at another Jefferson Davis Hwy situation on your doorstep in terms of Midlothian Tnpk. Its already begun, even if people like Supervisor Gecker wish to continue to deny it, but thanks to leaders like Gecker, Durfee, and Jaeckle we will have to wait another ten years to balance the County in the manner that would benefit our County.

I am not sure what is worse. Leaders who can't recognize a problem exists or Leaders who recognize a problem exists but does nothing about it. Another opportunity lost in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield: Two Boards Divided Revisited

2011-02-13T11:34:00.003-04:00

It been one year since the fireworks and strained relations between Chesterfield County's two governing bodies in the Board of Supervisors and School Board was made public. These things had previously always remained behind close doors, but last year at this time the County was facing some very hard financial climbs and citizens were demanding leaders respond to the forces on the ground in our community.

Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors would reject the proposal to raise the real estate tax (property) by five cents in order to meet the gap that the County was facing in the School Board budget. This followed weeks of sparring between the two Boards over budget matters and fiscal responsibility.

One year later I am not so sure we have really made a progress on the relations front. There is still visible tension between the two bodies and it is not going to get any easier with looming shortfall to funding the next budget let alone the current proposals by the Schools. If you recall, Feb. 9th, 2010 School Board member Omarh Rajah(Matoaca) stated publicly during the School Board meeting that:

"As soon as we present our budget, guess what the other ones(BOS) do?Well, why do you need this and why do you need that?We do a line item with the BOS. Don't let them put the spin job on you, because that's exactly what they're doing.We do that in every one of our meetings, When we have joint meetings, we give them this, we give them line item stuff. And we present that to them. Don't let them fool you into thinking that we don't. By law we have to present everything. We don't hold anything back. We can't do it, we must balance our budget. Every year we have to do this. So if the BOS says to me or you one more time that the school system is not showing us all of our documentation, They're lying. They are lying to you...I don't believe the BOS are anti-education, I believe they are anti-youth. You look at a majority of their budget cuts, it comes on the backs of youth. From schools, and to their county programs"

While lately such local papers as the Chesterfield Observer seem bent on portraying Mr. Rajah as nothing more than an annoyance, it really begs the question why it is papers like the Observer have not taken Mr. Rajah's comments and criticisms of the process and investigated the validity of such claims. Instead, there seems to be a consistent effort to portray Rajah as an outsider. In fact, recently the Observer ran a piece entitled "Rajah distances himself from CCPS/school board"(Feb. 9, 2011) which touched on a topic Rajeh has been trying to address for three years and that is the overcapacity of schools like Cosby. Are not the facts, the facts? Are we not constantly told that we need "data driven" measures in the County? Well, the data is in and has been in for years; Rajah was right on target to seek a Cosby to accommodate 2,000+ because the school is overcapacity by 30%.

I wonder why it is the Chesterfield Observer or other papers in the area have not investigated just why it is Cosby got built in the manner in which it did. Why were the voices (not unlike today) silenced out or in the case of Rajeh portrayed as "distancing" himself from the Board when he has simply be a dissenting voice to the status quo. The Board of Supervisors does not want to face the political football that is redistricting, but anyone with any sense of integrity on the matter knows that's the coming outcome.

These leaders have stated recently that they believe that enrollment at some of the schools that are at overcapacity will decline in enrollment in the coming years. In fact, the reported number that Cosby High will only add 20 students between now and 2019 appears absurd. How does the County derive such predictions?

According to Tim Billis, Director of School Community Relations "the enrollment projections for Chesterfield are built using school and county data.An analysis is developed based on a variety of factors including live birth rates and county developments such as approved developments and approved residential lots."(Chesterfield Observer Feb. 9, 2011)

What Mr. Billis should have included in his explanation is the word "redistricting". The only way the County will keep the enrollment number from rising and hitting only 20 new students between now and 2019 would be if the took out a pencil and redrew Cosby High School's boundaries.

So once again, Omarh Rajah appears to be ahead of the curve in Chesterfield much to the chagrin of the establishment in the County. After all, if I was to decide to move my family to Magnolia Green this summer and that development was not redistricted I would be adding some three new students alone to that 20 number.

But then thats just how "data" works these days. Forget about the philosophy that if you build it they will come which gets ignored by our planners evidently because we have enough homes going up right now in Harpers Mill and Magnolia Green to totally blow away the County "data" and those are just two of the many new developments in the "current" Cosby zone that could see improving sales in the next two years.

So one year later, School Board member Omarh Rajah is still out there making the case for reasonable solutions and one year later Rajeh is still being ignored by the majority of the leaders in the County. I wonder what else will have to happen for papers like the Chesterfield Observer to begin to have some balance to its pieces, but this is of course is an election year and there appears a vested interest in focusing on what Rajeh is saying rather than what our Boards are actually doing.

Chesterfield: The Road Ahead

2011-02-12T14:39:00.002-04:00

While many of the people I admire here in the area for their advocacy of local issues here in Chesterfield have been oout of town at CPAC, this certainly has been a jam packed week following the Reagan Dinner held in Richmond.

Our School Board has determined that a proposed budget increase of 6 million over last year is warranted for consideration to include a 2% "salary enhancement" for employees of CCPS. This fall just months after the Board of Supervisors bonus consideration of all government employees (non-school) whom have been in service at least one full year.Am I missing something? Have we really seen any real signs (of significance) of a recovery? I mean we are still facing a huge housing crisis here in Chesterfield with rising defaults and foreclosures whihc will result in less revenue generation by the County via "paid" property taxes. Has our "government class" simply endeavored to operate outside the bubble of the real mainstream families here in the County? Do they really feel as though they are an "entitled class" even in the midst of under funded pensions and things like the VRS.

How can our government continue to operate as though they live in a box?I speak with business owners all the time who would love to provide their employees with higher wages, a bonus, or better benefits, but in the end all of their efforts are tied to income generated by operations. These are still very tense times for our local business owners and job creators and while they buckle down and make hard choices to stay in business, our government remains defiant at making any hard choices with regard to its own budgets. Both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board jave failed equally in delivering fiscally responsible budgets to meet these times.

Only in Chesterfield have we come to expect (and accept) to have a government who can rationalize proposing a budget greater than the preceeding year and then forecast a potential 20 million shortfall for 2013. If you ask those business leaders what would be their reaction to such news regarding their industry or business, what do you think the reaction would be? Well, it would be to cut spending in those areas in which they could that would not hamper business integrity. Our government however, sees things quite differently. Because government is "service" driven they use this as cover for attempting to increase budgets in order as leaders say to provide the services that citizens desire. Really?

It is not those services per say that is the question, but rather the excessive expense generated by the government in order to deliver said service when compared to other areas of the country. Why has our County seen so fit to create budgets that far outpace both population growth and inflation? How is it that a budget a mere 5-6 years ago was almost 40% less than it is today. How can people like Daniel Gecker and Marlene Durfee stand up at District Meetings with the Renaissance Group consultant tell us that by passing Comprehensive Planning we will see LESS population (they say 100K less) in the next 30 years if the Plan is adopted but then keep endorsing larger and larger budgets and Capital Improvement Plans. How?

The fact remains our County spending is out of control and these leaders lack the political will to be honest not only with citizens but apparently themselves. A 523.8 million School Budget when compared to other localities with more students/schools appears wildly optimistic or should I say dangerously opportunistic when they have admitted that the budget will surely face shortfall in the next year. Both the School Board and the Board of Supervisors must be held to task for providing in this current economic environment bonus payments to employees that outpace inflation with the average raises pegged just below 2% while inflation has been 1.2% and yet we have an admission that productivity has not been enhanced.

Our schools face very hard descisions to be sure. There is no question we must see to it that we are compensating our teachers effectively and retaining our quality teachers through performance based measures that unfortunately politically driven entities will not accept. If we endeavored to cut in those non-essential areas, we could certainly have come up with a better, focused plan to raise the teacher funding, but simply providing across the Board "salary enhancements" does nothing to increase performance.The class size and overcapacity as been exasperated by an over zealous Board of Supervisors with regard to planning by not effectively managing the impacts that such zonings would have on our schools and communities. In part, the animosity between the two Boards expressed in 2010 was not productive either. Not having engagement by the School System in zoning/planning has/is a recipe for disaster and we see it in the form of Cosby, Watkins, and Robious Middle along with others concerning capacity. Most classes are over the 25:1, 27:1, 26:1 targets (elem, middle, high) of student /teacher ratios though they manipulate classes like physical education to skew the numbers. By this I mean, it is not uncommon for an academic class to have 33-35 students, but sense there can be multiple gym class with 42-45 the numbers as a ratio on average get played with through the system. The ones that suffer from such convenient tinkering are our children!

So where are our Schools and likely of Board of Supervisors looking to explain such unwarranted budget proposals; while the State and the Federal Government of course. The Schools will receive Federal stimulus monies from two fronts; the stimulus and a Federal Jobs Bili which are to be "one-time" infusions and given whats happening in Washington these days it may just be one-time, eventhough I have been told "we always get money from the State and the Feds so not to worry". The County appears to always use the "matching" approach with regard to funds from outside sources by using the same amount of local funds for a desired purpose (thus increasing the budget) instead of just using the outside source funds for purposes of the budget.

Well, in fact we should all be worried. A County unable to operate at sustained levels regarding budgets and railing from shortfall to surplus and back to shortfall spells disaster for County stability and ulitmately will contribute to Chesterfield to be a declining locality and not a thriving one.

Those families living here in Chesterfield deserve better. Much better.

J.Scott
Midlothian,Va

UDA's: Urban Development Areas; the Backstory

2011-02-03T22:56:00.003-04:00

So what is it exactly that is giving cover the local officials in Chesterfield County regarding this new Comprehensive Plan?

Urban Development Areas. Daniel Nairn gives us a (glowing) look into their creation and evolution: (taken FromonHigh blog)

"Over the last couple of years the state government of Virginia has been rolling out a land use planning category for localities known as Urban Development Areas (UDAs), where higher density development can be concentrated. The concept started off slowly in 2007 with HB 3202 as an advisory element to be placed in the Comprehensive Plans of "high growth" localities, but UDAs have gradually been weaved into everything from stormwater regulations to street design requirements over the last year.The Development and Land Use Tools Subcommittee, known as the Athey-Vogel group, last week released a proposal for stronger UDAs and a loan fund to sweeten the pot. Considering the media has pretty much ignored this process (I can't find any story, actually), it seems like a worthwhile endeavor to pay attention to where this initiative may be going.The purpose of UDAs is not only to allow the concentration of growth in certain areas (thus relieving the pressure on others) but also to guide the design of such areas to ensure they are livable and attractive environments. The legislation explicitly calls for "new urbanism and traditional-neighborhood design," and the essential criteria are spelled out clearly: pedestrian-friendly road design, interconnection of streets, preservation of natural areas, mixed-use neighborhoods, reduction of front and side setbacks, among other things. Minimum densities are set by floor-to-area ratio for commercial and dwelling-units-per-acre for residential development.Last week's proposed changes double the density requirements for all localities"

HB 1721(Virginia General Assembly)

The following is information that Donna Holt of Campaign for Liberty provided about HB1721.

BACKGROUNDThe General Assembly convened on January 12th and we are following many pieces of legislation. HB 1721 is one that has dire consequences for us. Currently, 67 localities in Virginia are mandated to build Urban Development Areas.HB1721, introduced by Delegate Bob Marshall, would make Urban Development Areas optional rather than mandatory.The bill was recommended to report (passed by a majority of yea votes) by the House Counties, Cities and Towns Sub-committee #2 by a vote of 7-4 on January 20th, but was stalled on January 21st by the full committee at the request of Speaker Howell. It must pass this full committee and then go to the House Floor for a full vote. If it passes there, it then goes to the Senate on February 8th, Cross-Over Day, to begin the process there. This is going to be a long battle.

WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST This bill is being attacked by heavyweights like the Home Builders Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Sierra Club, and the League of Conservation Voters.Members of the Home Builders Association stand to gain a great benefit from the construction of UDAs. Not only can they build up to twelve homes on a single acre of land that they can purchase very inexpensively, but they get tax breaks for the new urbanism, green building, and green energy efficiency practices used in the construction of these high-density communities.Organizations like the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Sierra Club are heavily funded by other international organizations like ICLEI and benefit greatly by defeating the bill.The reality, folks, is if we don’t get this bill passed, 67 local governments in Virginia will have no choice but to approve the comprehensive plans in EVERY locality in Virginia because UDAs are MANDATED.WHAT YOU CAN DO:WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK NOW if we are to be successful! We must show them who the real heavy weights are.We strongly urge you to:* Contact every member of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee to urge them to vote in support of the bill.

* Contact Speaker Bill Howell (R) Phone: (804) 698-1028 Email: delwhowell@house.virginia.gov and ask him to support this bill.* Contact YOUR representatives to let them know you support this bill.* We urge citizens from EVERY locality of the Commonwealth to be representatives of their community at the next committee meeting on HB1721. We are in the fight of our lives to defend private property rights. It is up to each and every one of us to do all we can to get HB1721 passed out of this committee and on to the floor for a vote.

Observations on Chesterfield Comprehensive Plan: A Concerned Citizen

2011-02-01T18:05:00.004-04:00

Today, Donna Holt from Midlothian, Virginia and from the Campaign for Liberty posted this on Facebook:

Observations:

1. The language in the plan is very vague and subject to the interpretation of the reader.
2. The plan turns the entire county into a planned community with governing boards to establish the rules with no oversight much like “Home Owners Associations” do in planned communities.
3. The plans state there are lifestyle choices but is not specific about what the choices are and implies a vast amount of restrictions we will be forced to live by.
4. The plan restricts the majority of future growth to within the new urban boundaries.
5. The plan puts a lot of emphasis on aesthetics and implies that some properties that do not conform with the “aesthetics” of the community may be required to reconstruct the front of buildings to fit in with the design plan for the community as determined by unidentified decision makers.
6. The plans are designed to lower density further in the less populated areas while increasing the density in more populated areas which seems to have the goal of population control.
7. The plan calls for very expensive revitalization and development that is unaffordable in this economic downturn.
8. The Comprehensive Plan Reference Handbook with supplemental material is said not to be adopted but does not state the significance of the material to the plan. It implies that it is to be used as the handbook for implementing the goals set forth in the plan with no further action by the BOS.
9. The plan calls for public/private partnerships to redistribute the wealth as seen in socialist societies for economic development and affordable housing.
10. The plan includes strategies, plans, policies, and processes to control every aspect of life.

Concerns:
1. Proponents of "sustainable development" like the Renaissance Planning Group are taking advantage of the UDA mandate to facilitate the implementation of very strict land use regulations to achieve a political agenda that goes far beyond what the legislature intended.
2. In 1993, President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order #12852 which created the President's Council for Sustainable Development. Their purpose was to translate the recommendations set forth in the 1992 United Nations' Agenda 21 into public policy administered by the federal government. Among the objectives of the President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD) were:
To implement new policies for America as described in "Sustainable America -A New Consensus".
To use land use planning to control populations.
To establish "sustainable communities", also called smart growth, calling for high-density mixed use feudalistic transit villages to handle future growth in localities across the nation.
To forever preserve rural areas and establish "wildlands" for more than 50% of the nations landscape with roadless areas that would be off limits to humans.
To create buffer zones for another 35% or more of the land between areas of high density and the wildlands.
To establish government funding to seek and acquire private land. They have stated in their documents that public ownership of land should be used to exercise urban and rural land reform.
To use incentives and disincentives to achieve the goals as set forth in Agenda 21. It was determined by members of the council that 67% of the recommendations could be implemented administratively using rule making authority at the local level.
3. The process used to develop the plans to meet the UDA mandate is of great concern. The decisions for the community were made by unelected facilitators of the "steering committee". The Renaissance Planning Group was paid nearly $900,000 for the visioning and planning project at taxpayer expense. The plans they present are merely a template for social engineering that is presented as the goal just as it is done in every locality across the Commonwealth, the nation, and around the world.

The Renaissance Planning Group, the facilitators of the "steering committee", in fact, did the steering. The plans are never voted on by the members resulting in an outcome that was obviously pre-determined. Though their meetings were open to the public, they were void of any public input thus the questions and concerns of the true stakeholders in the community were never even heard during the planning process. Any questions or expressed concerns by other members of the committee
were marginalized and left unanswered.

The end result was the "vision" for the community in a "new comprehensive plan" that was presented to the county BOS as the "consensus of the community".

4. Low-income areas are targeted for the establishment of the UDAs. High density development increases housing costs, thus taxes, which will displace many of the elderly and low-income families. Though subsidies are offered for low income housing in the UDAs, the cost to make homes more affordable for some are transferred to the cost of homes for others.
5. All the funding, subsidies, and tax incentives for the implementation of the plans adds to the national debt at the expense of taxpayers.
6. There is a correlation between restrictive land use regulations and foreclosure rates. According to the leading housing data firm, Realty Trac, Virginia ranked 16th worst among all states in terms of its foreclosure rate in 2009.

Ronald Utt, Senior Research Fellow for The Heritage Foundation, recently did a study of foreclosure patterns and concluded that "the state's foreclosure problems stem from the state's exceptionally high home prices in comparison to the incomes of its residents, and these high home prices are due to land shortages caused by abusive zoning. "Housing is considered "affordable" if median home prices in an
area are no more than three times the median household income in that area. This ratio is called the "median multiple"." What is considered affordable is a median multiple of 3.

California was one of the first states to adopt "sustainable community" polices more than two decades ago, commonly referred to as smart growth, imposing strict land use regulations to discourage building and growth. As a consequence, in 2006 and 2007, the median multiple in California soared to more than 10.

Such regulations spread rapidly to many other states and communities during the 1990s and 2000s. Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond warmly embraced them with similar consequences. In Northern Virginia the median multiple hit 5.6, Hampton Roads went to 4.7, and Richmond hit 4.1. As we
continue to implement "smart growth" policies, this number is expected to rise.

7. Many high density urban development areas already established across the state have been empty for a year or more.
8. Land use decisions should be largely driven by a free market. If UDAs have to be mandated, one can only conclude that:
There is no market for UDAs.
The community doesn't want it and doesn't feel it's appropriate for their locality.
9. In 2009, Realty Trac reported there were 16,687 homes in foreclosure in Virginia. In 2010, 1 in every 948 homes received a foreclosure filing with a sharp increase in December of 2010 when every 1 in 501 homes received foreclosure filing. At this rate of foreclosure and with so many homes already on the market, mandating UDAs will only add to the inventory of unoccupied homes at a great risk to the economy. While it may be putting builders to work, we must also consider the burden to the taxpayer for the money that is funding this development through grants, subsidies, and tax incentives. Then there's the loans to finance construction to build more homes that there is no market for. Who will pay the construction loans if the homes don't sell and what will that mean to the economy in the long
run?
10.The plan fits perfectly with the goals in the biodiversity plan called for in the United Nations plan, Agenda 21, called for in the Biodiversity Treaty that was rejected by the Senate in 1994. The plan calls for strategies, policies, and processes to control every aspect of life. The developers of the UN plan stated:
"Land...cannot be treated as an ordinary asset, controlled by individuals and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market. Private land ownership is also the principle instrument of accumulation and concentration of wealth, and therefore, contributes to social injustice..."
11.The new comprehensive plan provides for the type of social engineering that is the perfect definition of a soviet.
12.Most would agree that we need to be good stewards of the environment and most people are. Sensible planning is generally accepted by the community but the abusive land use planning in the new comprehensive plans determines every aspect of how and where we live and is seen to be a violation of private property rights.

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The official District meetings concluded last night at Cosby High School. The debate however is far from over and there will be many opportunities for the public to come together in local town halls that will be organized in the coming weeks, not by politicians or the County but by CITIZENS. Its time we heard the other side of the story. In order to form a better judgement on the direction of the County those that oppose both this Plan and "Sustainable" Communities must be able to be heard.

Citizens must be informed as to both the pros and cons of embarking on such a massive undertaking. As of yet, the County has not be able to provide citizens with an adequate cost/benefit analysis except to say the Plan has the "potential" to save the County millions.

The meaning of "potential" is politico-speak for we haven't really a clue but we hope it will!

if you would like to be informed of upcoming gatherings in the community regarding these matters please feel free to provide your email address or join the Alter of Freedom Group page on Facebook the next time you are own that site.

Sen. Steve Martin(R-Chesterfield): Challenges of Social Media

2011-01-30T23:40:00.006-04:00

The following is passage is taken from State Senator Steve Martin's (R-Chesterfield) Facebook page where he was recently engaged in debate with fellow Virginians over the potential former Senator and Governor George Allen's nomination to represent the GOP in a bid to unseat Senator James Webb:

Robert and Amy; "For some reason you believe that you have a right to control my evening and the focus of it. You are fully aware that this is my wall and not your own, yet you keep posting things here for me to respond to. I have worked very long days including weekends for several weeks and I am very tired. Today I had hoped to rest but found it necessary to travel out of state for an aunt's funeral. I left very early this morning and got home a few hours ago, and have found it necessary to respond to you two ever since. Apparently, you will only be happy if I stop responding to any and everything you say.Yes; please move along. This is not your wall for you to post whatever you choose. That is what your wall is for. Hijacking of someone's space and time is never welcomed, by anyone.I appreciate both of you, but this is not your wall for your unchallenged use. Do you mind if I take a break from your onslaught" (Steve Martin)

This was but one of the comments posted by Mr. Martin on his page as he responded to individuals who have challenged his apparent endorsement of George Allen in the GOP Primary. It has really been interesting to watch and read these things because apparently Mr. Martin has had a great deal of trouble grasping the Social Media medium when compared to other elected officials. Mr. Martin constantly complains about people "hijacking" his page whereas we rarely (if ever) see other leaders resort to such petty quibbles. Mr. Martin would later post on his page about being compelled to delete and remove comments from those that have differing points of view on the issues than himself. Mr. Martin would later post:

"Some believe a store owner's removal of an unwanted bulletin from his front window is censorship. No. That is controlling your storefront ... your wall. The same is true on FB. Censorship would be deleting someone else's desired messages from their own wall. Deleting unwanted posts from your own wall is called, "taking responsibility." Too bad, so much of it was reguired this evening" (Steve Martin)

It has become clear in the last year, as we have posted about this before regarding Mr. Martin, that he has a tendency to feel very insecure about his Facebook Page. In fact, when he states "unwanted posts" its as if he is implying that they are unsolicited when in fact through Facebook when you accept to be friends with an individual let alone a constituent you are inviting posts upon your wall.

By accepting a Friend Request we basically provide that person with access to our wall and in doing so provide them with license to post whatever they would like. After all, these people are our friends right? Mr. Martin has every right to delete and take control of his wall of course, but is it really professional to whine about having to engage and respond to constituents whom may have a different perspective, especially when you post a virtual endorsement for another political figure. It appears as though by posting such an endorsement, Mr. Martin was inviting constituent response from those whom are his Friends on Facebook, otherwise why even put it out there and through a press release.

What has to be the most humorous response regarding Mr. Martins plea for sympathy came when on of his commenter's stated in reference to how Mr. Martin should look at this issue came when Mr. Martin stated that the wall on Facebook was property in the same manner in which a renter has rights over property that may be owned by someone else and no one has the right to enter said property or post on the wall or trespass. The comment directed at Mr. Martin was:

"The difference Sen. Martin is that by accepting Friendship with someone to use your renters analogy you have basically given them the keys to enter your property"

Obviously, embarrassed Mr. Martin quickly removed the above comment as well as those that were in agreement most likely because it basically undermined the stated position of Mr. Martin. In fact, the Senator even removed his own comment regarding the "renter" analogy. The thread now reads as an uneven, hard to follow thread where none of responses seem to flow as you read them.

Once again, Mr. Martin has proven his inability to understand Social Media at its basic core but after the last year or so are any of us really surprised?

Interesting point as well is Martin's endorsement of George Allen in the statewide race, but Mr. Martin still has failed to endorse Mr. Robinson;the only Republican candidate that has announced a candidacy for Supervisor from the Matoaca District in Chesterfield, which is smack in the middle of Martin's own District. Apparently, Mr. Martin is sticking by incumbent Marlene Durfee -Independent, much to the dismay of conservative voters in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield: Politics as Usual

2011-01-14T23:17:00.003-04:00

I want to take this opportunity to express how so very disappointed I am in the current Board of Supervisors. This Board, not unlike the Congress in 2007, was ushered in by those in the media as bringing a new day, tone and transparency to the process. As a nation we had had seven years of leadership under George Bush and voters turned over Congress to the Democrats and here in Chesterfield, an historically conservative County turned the Board of Supervisors over to Independents(Democrats) after decades of Republican control.

I am hear to tell you that the result of such action has been as negative here in Chesterfield as it has nationally in terms of the last Congress. We all know what happened in November. Voters rejected the path in which both Congress and Obama were taking the nation down and now here in Chesterfield I can tell you that citizens are rejecting not only the policies of this Board but in fact are questioning its motives.

Yesterday, there was a meeting regarding the new Comprehensive Plan in Midlothian. (More on that meeting later for its deserving of its own post). In attendance were the usual suspects; Supervisor Gecker(Midlothian), Supervisor Durfee(Matoaca), Patty Carpenter(School Board-Midlothian) and many Planning officials but also there sitting respectfully in the back of the meeting room was Supervisor Jim Holland(Dale) who just a day earlier had been the victim (yes victim) and some of the political engineering as so often has expressed itself in Chesterfield County. So much for a new day and tone!

Or should I say so much for "Planning not Politics" as Supervisor Gecker's campaign slogan suggested . Oh folks, "Politics" is alive and well in Chesterfield and in part due to people like Mr. Gecker.

Instead, what the County gets is once again the status quo of leadership. If the County voted out the Republicans and they currently remain somewhat in the minority given the current political make-up; 1 democrat, 2 Independents, and 2 Republicans. Remember, there were 5 seated Republicans going into the last election. Why on earth than would the Board continue to shift backward to Supervisor Art Warren you ask? Simple. Politics.

Warren has held the Chairmanship of the Board a few times in his 20 years as a Supervisor, but there is more to it than that. The County is at a crossroads with regard to its future. It appears as though the powers that be wanted the power of the Chair in the hands of a friend, given Mr. Holland was just recently elected and has been a bit of a wild card on the Board. Truth be told, I have the greatest amount of respect for Holland who appears to vote his conscience and appears not to persuaded by the powers. Holland, however was betrayed on those closest to him and those people he has worked beside these last few years.

I have no doubt the disappointment felt by Mr. Holland and frankly the surprise that such a back room deal orchestrated by his fellow Supervisors would be sprung on him at the very meeting there was to be a vote. Everyone assumed Mr. Holland would take over as Chair and then at the last moment the plan unraveled and Warren was secured the Chair by a vote of 3-2.

Supervisor Jaeckle's(Bermuda) position in the matter was known. After all, she is a Republican and has voted alongside Warren for the last few years, but what was quite surprising was the switch made by Supervisor Gecker(Midlothian) who had supported Holland until the vote when he joined Jaeckle in supporting Warren. Gecker has had the current Chair this past year.

Supporters of gecker at the Planning meeting voiced that his actions demonstrated his "independent" nature, however those of us who have observed Gecker these last nine years know he is a pure politician. It is my opinion that Gecker made a politically calculated move because he knows the Midlothian District is in large part a Conservative area. Gecker made a calculated move in 2006 to run as an "Independent" after losing to Donald Sowder-R in the Special Election running as a Democrat. In 2006, Gecker challenged Sowder again and defeated him this time running as an "Independent". It was a calculated move based on politics and Gecker understands he will not be able to yield the same kind of sentiment for "change" like he did in the historic 2006 election and will need many Republicans to support his re-election bid.

Again, Mr. Gecker has demonstrated his desire to engage in the worst kind of politics. The politics of selfishness. Gecker had an opportunity to bring about an historic vote in Chesterfield which would have seen the first minority Chairman in County history. Instead, Gecker hands over the reigns to Warren for the third time in four years.

Now that's "change" you can believe in!

Turning the Page: Chesterfield 2011

2010-12-14T21:06:00.003-04:00

In the last few years, citizens of Chesterfield County have faced the sad fact that local government is broken. It does not take a financial expert to know that the messages such as "shortfall" on the one hand and then a few months later "surplus" confuse and baffle citizens, but in reality what it does is create a complete lack of confidence in local government itself.

This year has illustrated the great divide in priorities between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Many people would argue that these two bodies have completely different agendas, but frankly that is the very attitude the creates the divisiveness we have experienced throughout this year. The visions and goals of both these bodies have a very common thread that binds them and it is NOT money; its our future.

We have a Board of Supervisors that is more concerned with short-term political gains and scoring political points by undermining the Chesterfield County School Board than they are at setting a course centered in common interest toward solutions that will benefit the entire County heading into the future.

Fortunately, one of the greatest things about democracy is every four years we as citizens have the opportunity to determine whether the compass of our local Board is heading in the right direction or whether we need to chart a new path by turning the page.

It is fairly early as far as local politics goes to learn about those citizens willing and determined to run for office. In 2011, all five of the Board of Supervisors seats will be up for re-election. The current Board was thrust into office in the change election dramatics of 2006. It was this election that not only placed the United States Congress into the hands of the Democrats in Washington, but also on the local level represented a sweeping change in the make-up of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

Looking to 2011, I had an opportunity to sit down and speak with one of the citizens that has declared himself as a candidate for Supervisor from the Matoaca District, T.C. Robinson. Mr. Robinson seeks to win the Republican nomination and challenge (I) Supervisor Marlene Durfee in November, 2011.

The following is a summation of my conversation with the candidate:
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What would you see as the most important issues facing the County today in general?
Putting Children First, Fiscal Responsibility, and Economic Development (Robinson)

Lets go through those three if we can okay?
Putting Children First?
For too long, there has been a high level of anxiety in our school system causing a loss of focus on our most important asset - our students. Now is the time to come together to regain our focus on our children and our future.(Robinson)
How would you describe the current relationship between the BOS and School Board ?
Fractured. (Robinson)
How can we get beyond this condition?

Well, I will encourage unity and open, productive communication among all members of the community – students, teachers, administration, the School Board and concerned citizens.
Education should be something we all rally around and we have great resources at our disposal.
Class sizes have a direct impact on the level of education our students receive. (Robinson)
That said, what is your position on trailers scattered throughout the County?

Simply put, class sizes must be kept manageable so that teachers have the opportunity to work with each child. Teacher frustrations over not being able to give their best every single student often results in departures from CCPS or even from the profession. Teachers are not particularly fond of teaching in trailers nor are students with being educated in them. Look outside this morning and look at all this snow. Do you think it is fair to have those students venturing out into the cold to sit in trailers? All of us are guilty for it because we have allowed the Boards in the past to create ill-conceived planning thus adding students to our class rolls with virtually no consultation with the School Board and creating over capacity. How can sit back and say its okay we have schools 10-20% over intended capacity when they were constructed?

All of us have a stake in the health of our education system. Local governments, the business community, and non-profit organizations can all work together with our school districts to support stronger, safer schools that give all our kids a chance to succeed.
Together, we can make our County a true partner in our children’s future. (Robinson)

What is your take on Fiscal matters?
Fiscal Accountability is crucial. The current Board spent much of the Spring casting blame on the Schools for its budget. Supervisors Durfee and Gecker both made statements that created mistrust between the bodies by implying that the Schools were not being forthright regarding financial matters when in fact in accordance with State law the School Board had supplied all the requirements. Regardless, Chesterfield will soon be the third largest locality in the State, behind only Prince William and Fairfax. Population growth usually means bigger budgets. It also means an increased opportunity for the mismanagement of revenues. As our budget grew nearly 40% between FY2005 and FY2010, the chances that money would be misspent grew exponentially. I would move to create a more powerful Citizen’s Budget Audit Committee, so that we can make sure that every dollar is spent wisely.

I also believe we need serious reform in the way our property tax rate is advertised and eventually assessed. We cannot simply keep lowering the rate for the sake of saying we lowered it. I would favor an amendment to the county code that prevents the Board of Supervisors from setting the property tax rate at more than 3 cents below or above the rate deemed revenue neutral. Along with that I would propose that the Board of Supervisors be required to move 10% of any future revenue surplus into our Rainy Day Fund, with the goal of seeing the fund reach $100 million by 2020.
I would also submit that this Board has not lived up to the expectations of citizens to address County roadways and infrastructure. We cannot simply just keep blaming the State and our local Assembly leaders. This Board demonstrates very little accountability. They had an opportunity to create set-asides to address this issue and have failed to act.(Robinson)

You spoke of economic development?
Yes. Economic Development is vital to our future but it must be a shared responsibility with the fiscal responsibility we were just speaking to. In these times of economic adversity when people are losing their jobs and homes, the government should work to help the private sector generate new jobs in Chesterfield and help our existing local businesses succeed.
While most new jobs should and must be created in the private sector, the government can play an important role in establishing a favorable climate for job creation. It is essential that Chesterfield County be a place which appeals to hardworking, imaginative and inventive workers. That said, it also important that we adjust the mix regarding our revenue generation. Currently, we see about 80% of the revenues on the back of our citizens and only 20% on the business community. Many have questioned why it appears as though Henrico as done a better job addressing these balances. A recent 2008 Business Survey in Chesterfield demonstrates the willingness of business to work in a manner that is cooperative and appropriate to grow our economy. In fact, Supervisor Durfee and Gecker pledged to reduce said burden on citizens and shift more towards business while candidates, but once seated have done nothing to address this disparity. In fact, it appears as though they have gone the other direction. (Robinson)
What would you say to those that favor commercial buildout along the 360 West corridor?
It is imperative that we work to attract more office and retail development, which will bring jobs but we cannot simply just rely on the retail model. These are not the high paying jobs that will ignite our economy. They may be suitable for financial purposes but looking out twenty years does it really do any good to bring them and then continue to zone additional lots that create commercial sprawl. (Robinson)
Can you elaborate a bit on that?
Certainly. Look at Midlothian Tnpk east of Chesterfield Town Center toward Cloverleaf and the City. If you drive through Mr. Gecker's District you will see literally dozens of For Lease signs and vacant retail units all along Rt. 60. What have we done to address this? Have the Business Zones worked to address this? We have to ask ourselves how we can attract business investment along with County invetment to revitalize these areas and not simply just keep building further west in Matoaca. (Robinson)
Would this benefit from a revenue perspective?
Certainly. Not only would it mean more higher paying jobs for Chesterfield residents, it would mean more revenue for the county as a whole as those types of developments cost less to provide services for than say those projects like Roseland cost to build out. In fact, look at what happened in Magnolia Green. Many citizens are unaware of the Lower Magnolia Green Commercial Development Authority tax lien on residents in that area that are in addition to the typical property taxes that they pay which will last for up to 30 years. I have been told that these taxes are roughly about $500 a year for every household but am not sure what the commercial rate will be because of the issues that Magnolia has faced with its developers and the fact that there has been little action on the 200 acres of commercial property along Hull Street. Currently, the residents are stuck with more of the burden as the 3,550 homes are built out until the economic recovery permits the commercial elements to catch up. This pattern seems to have repeated itself throughout the last twenty years in Chesterfield. (Robinson)

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More background information on T.C. Robinson can be found at www.tc4matoaca.com for those that wish to seek out further information. Citizens can also find him involved with the CCRC in Chesterfield.

I fully intend to reach out to the other candidates throughout 2011 that seek either the Board of Supervisors or the School Board. 2011 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for Chesterfield concerning path the County will take in the coming years.

Campaign 2011:And so it begins

2010-10-27T17:35:00.005-04:00

Has the 2011 Campaign begun already?

We have not even reached the Nov. 2 elections yet but it appears that local officials here in Chesterfield County have already begun there campaigns for their re-election cycle by once again playing politics with citizens tax dollars.

I have to admit it was pretty unbelievable given these economic times and the tone right now of the electorate in general that our local government is considering a 3% bonus to be paid to certain government employees. I mean wasn't it about eight months ago we were talking budget deficits for schools and facing a reduced State-funding component? How can the local government feel confident that we are not going to face even tougher times ahead?

Isn't the County collecting less revenue than the last few years? I understand that the County has lowered its overall budget by 34 million or 4% for this coming year, but at a time when the times are forcing our government to make due with less I question whether it is constructive at this juncture to use the surplus in the form of a bonus plan.

The bonus was one of the potential uses of the surplus the County experienced at the close of the fiscal year in June. Allan M. Carmody, Director of Budget and Management for the County listed the 3% bonus as one of the options that the 28.5 million dollar surplus could be used for. The 3% bonus would cost the County 4.75 million of the total surplus.

The 3% bonus is basically a 3% of current salary for those employed by the County for at least one full year. One full year? Comments from local officials do not see to illustrate the one full year component given the fact that Supervisor Daniel Gecker from Midlothian stated that the bonus should be paid to employees given it was there work that provided the surplus.

The notion of returning such surplus to taxpayers or not spending it at all appears void of Mr. Gecker's political DNA. It appears as though some local officials like Mr. Gecker feel compelled to spend the surplus no matter what. Mr. Carmody referred to the 3% bonus plan as "performance recognition".

Performance recognition? Given the fact that the County has failed to accurately budget in the past, how confident are they that they will get all the State resources that they think are coming. Chances are they will, but isn't the role of government to budget and spend based on what they know and not what they hope. At this point, officials have to know that the collection of revenues will be less than years past and thus far the 4% or so cuts that have already been made are commendable but do those cuts warrant a "performance recognition".

As it stands today, two officials in Supervisor Gecker and Holland have endorsed the 3 % bonus plan recommended by Mr. Carmody.

Mr. Gecker went own to express that "we cut hopefully as much as we have to cut" referring apparently to the 4% reduction in spending, but it begs the question why would not our leaders seek to continually cut out the waste and bloat in the County budget. Why must the cuts stop now merely because the budget office anticipates a surplus?

The Board of Supervisors at large however have agreed to defer the matter until its Nov. 17th meeting.

Eric Cantor (R): On Healthcare

2010-09-16T08:39:00.003-04:00

Given Eric Cantor's inability to hold Town Hall Meetings or hold anything lately other than book signings for his "Young Guns" release...what is he a celebrity or a Congressman anyway...maybe we should take a look at the few statements he has made in the last few years since Obama was elected. Lets start with the Healthcare debate.
From RTD venue forum with Rep. Bobby Scott:

At the Richmond Times-Dispatch “public square” forum yesterday, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) fielded open questions from his constituents on the health reform debate for the first time this summer.
Patricia Churchill relayed a story about a close family member who recently lost a high paying job and her health insurance. Churchill told Cantor that her relative was dying of stomach tumors and needs an operation as soon as possible. Cantor responded by suggesting that Churchill’s relative should seek “existing government programs” or find charity.
Cantor, who serves as the chief whip for his party, has said that he cannot support a health reform bill with a public option. But despite his political opposition to government insurance programs, Cantor then emphasized to Churchill that every American should be given an “option” for health care, including a government program:
CHURCHILL: I have a very close relative, a woman in her early forties, who did have a wonderful, high-paying job, owns her own home and is a real contributing member of society. She lost her job. Just a couple of weeks ago, she found out that she has tumors in her belly and that she needs an operation. Her doctors told her that they are growing and that she needs to get this operation quickly. She has no insurance. [...]
CANTOR: First of all I guess I would ask what the situation is in terms of income eligibility and the existing programs that are out there. Because if we look at the uninsured that are out there right now, there is probably 23, 24% of the uninsured that is already eligible for an existing government program [...] Beyond that, I know that there are programs, there are charitable organizations, there are hospitals here who do provide charity care if there’s an instance of indigency and the individual is not eligible for existing programs that there can be some cooperative effort. No one in this country, given who we are, should be sitting without an option to be addressed.

So, Eric Cantor is either in support for government run healthcare or he supports its practice but simply does not want to fund it. His answer to Ms. Churchill was very telling about where he really stands. Given Cantor has been in Congress and been witness to the gross expansion of our government under Republican control and now Democrat control since 2006 it begs the question just why it is he refuses to allow himself to be questioned and held accountable for his votes by his constituents save the election.

Here are just a few responses from folks in the District:

96 Responses to “Cantor To Uninsured Woman With Growing Tumors: Get ‘An Existing Government Program’ Or Find Charity”
lcdrrek says:
Jeez, doesn’t Mr. Cantor remember the Republican healthcare plan?
All Americans have health care, all they have to do is go to the emergency room.
How could such a high ranking Republican not know that????September 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Xisithrus says:
Cantor responded by suggesting that Churchill’s relative should seek “existing government programs” or find charity.
I dont recall them saying anything like that to Schiavo September 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
cd says:
“it was helpful in a sense, but of course nowhere near as helpful as having this healthcare reform bill passed so that we could know that she could definitely go and get taken care of.”
Now that’s a good answer.
Any chance we could get her to run against Cantor?September 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
wisdomofwords says:
Hey Eric, how you come you don’t think this woman needs the kind of insurance that you have? After all she helped pay for it, you asshat.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Uncle Ho says:
Contradict yourself much CAN’Tor?September 22nd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
tom says:
Cantor’s cavelier attitude (so characteristic of all republican lawmakers) makes me think we need a public national referendum. It is time for the electorate to reduce the salaries of all senators and representatives and to cancel their health insurance until they structure and pass a bill to close the gaps in our current system.
Perhaps, they would then be more receptive actually solving the health insurance problem in this country instead of playing politics.
The salary reduction? That stays. It’s their contribution for all the stupid mistakes they made for the past 30 years.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
What the GOP REALLY means ... says:
Send her to Matterra’s place, maybe she’ll be deemed “hot enough” for care.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
ElBruce says:
This “charity” thing is a meaningless red herring and they know it. Can you think of a charity on the face of the Earth that says “we’ve made enough money to meet the need this year?” Ever? They always fall short of the demand, and they always have. Therefore, Cantor is explicitly referring her to programs which he knows are insufficient to meet the public need.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Mark701 says:
So Cantor wants her to use a government program but voted against a government program. This would have surprised me eight years ago but not now. All I have to do is note the guys party affiliation and it explains everything.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
twizzle says:
Dumbass.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Tawdry says:
There’s some kind of virus going around in the Republican party. A little bug gets into the brain and eats away memory. How else can you explain it. Also eats away their hearing- themselves ability. I think if you could open up Eric Cantor’s head and look inside it would resemble a pin ball machine.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
MapleStreet says:
But we have scads of public programs. Just look at the picture on my desk of an orphan who we gave eyeglasses to.
Can’t you name all these programs ?
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses ?September 22nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
What the GOP REALLY means ... says:
Now this is how end-of-life planning is done, libs. The GOP will plan it for you if you don’t produce the green. If you get laid off we consider you to be weak.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Mark701 says:
Poster 5 made a good point. This womans taxes pays for Cantors health care and he has the audacity to vote against a public option. Hypocrite thy name is Repubican.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Parlezvous says:
Every cent and every perk this man gets is provided by tax dollars yet he can’t see that every American should have that kind of medical care. What a hypocrite. He should give the open heart surgery benefit to someone who can use it. He won’t be needing it because he doesn’t have a heart.
It is prophetic that the first four letters of his name are CANT. He’s a born Reich Winger. He can’t help himself.
I am going to vomit.
Ye gods!September 22nd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Jackie says:
If Eric Cantor would spend as much time on Health Care for the voters as he does keeping track of Britney Spears the lady wouldn’t be asking that question. Now I notice Eric Cantor has excellent Medical Coverage paid by the taxpayers for himself and his family. Let’s see if the voters of Virgina buy this bull Cantor is giving out.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Leftside Annie says:
Cantor: Are there no prisons?? Are there no workhouses?? Then those who are badly off must go there!
Cantor, I hope with all my heart that someday this happens to YOU or someone you love; how else are you going to learn the lesson of compassion?September 22nd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Virtual Pebble says:
I get the feeling that Eric Cantor isn’t the brightest bulb on the tree. He’s a talking point parrot of some sort; well, obviously righty, but there’s also obviously nothing going on in his head that makes connections between what he espouses as “conservative principles” and what he recommends to people as a proper course of action. I don’t think I want to get into the morass of discussing his ethics and morals;given his pronouncements on principles followed by immediate contradiction, I don’t think he has any.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
tom says:
Cantor’s reference to charity care is a very telling point. By and large, charity care as a means of filling the gap in this country has disappeared. When it did exist decades ago, it was largely the result of the Hill-Burton Act which no longer exists.
Hill-Burton was a government program that provided funding for the development and expansion of hospitals in the U.S. in the mid-1900s. In return for funds received, hospitals were obligated to provide uncompensated care to those who met financial requirements. In other words, the bulk of charity care in the U.S. was funded by the same government that Cantor now says cannot and should not be involved in insurance reform.
How ironic . . . how republican!September 22nd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
SP Biloxi says:
“Cantor To Uninsured Woman With Growing Tumors: Get ‘An Existing Government Program’ Or Find Charity”
[shaking my head] Man, this will bite Britney Cantor in the butt. He accuses Obama’s healthcare reform plan as a government-run program yet he tells Ms. Churchill to have uninsured relative to get ‘an existing government program?
GOP party = mental illness September 22nd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
What the GOP REALLY means ... says:
ElBruce says:
This “charity” thing is a meaningless red herring and they know it. Can you think of a charity on the face of the Earth that says “we’ve made enough money to meet the need this year?” Ever? They always fall short of the demand, and they always have. Therefore, Cantor is explicitly referring her to programs which he knows are insufficient to meet the public need.
Excellent point. My party doesn’t take the word ‘recession’ into any account, however, unless it’s criticizing the president for not cleaning up our deeply-protruding mess fast enough.
We call the government “bankrupt” as opposed to more intelligent response of “revenues are down, the tax cuts for the wealthy aren’t helping, obligations to the government are at an all-time high as a result of our ousted leadership and lots of wasteful spending is still being made out to mercenaries and fat cats.”September 22nd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Zooey says:
Cantor, with his taxpayer-funded health care coverage, just told this woman to go f uck herself.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
pags2 says:
The people who elect politicians like Cantor are just as much at fault as the politicians. You get what you vote for.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Tachinidae Leporello says:
Congress should vote to eliminate their own health care. That way they could experience the joys of for-profit health care. Even better, they could experience their recommended health care for Americans, the local hospital emergency room! Let’s see how many have the guts to try a dose of their own medicine!September 22nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
MrBrown says:
-memo to Rep. Cantor-
Where is the charity in your dialogue with your constituents?
The word civility is totally missing, as well as compassion for people who share legitimate stories of healthcare horror. And these people get hit with comments like “Where’s your swastika!?”
Sad……September 22nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
rsalier says:
Yes, lets petition the congress of the united states to have themselves removed from their posh health insurance so that they can get a taste of what the rest of us have to go through. Cantor is such a jerk, how did the people of Virginia vote for this stupid SOB? I thought the people of Virginia were a lot smarter.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
raynman says:
Charity begins at home… unless you’re a Republican, then it begins somewhere way far away where they won’t be bothered…September 22nd, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Anonymouse says:
Today’s GOP: a collaborative project by Charles Dickens and Stephen King.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
cwarddc says:
Even if a public option passed tomorrow, it wouldn’t help her relative. I don’t think people realize that if a good bill is finally passed, it will be another four years before it’s implemented.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
What the GOP REALLY means ... says:
I thought the people of Virginia were a lot smarter.
Screw smart people. We need people who are very smug with their comfortable position in life denying the same opportunity for advancement to others. That’s why I vote republican. Because if there are people suffering out there, it gives me comfort to know I rank above them. It gives me the feeling of superiority.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
dasm says:
Cantor is a sexist, uncaring dolt.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
ElBruce says:
What the GOP REALLY means … says:
That’s why I vote republican. Because if there are people suffering out there, it gives me comfort to know I rank above them. It gives me the feeling of superiority.
You know, that explains a lot about wingnuts. I think you’re on to something there.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
P.D. says:
This is incredible. All these Repugs dare to call themselves Christian, and they don’t seem to give a sh*t about other people who are suffering. On the other hand, You have ‘Liberals’ (Gasp!) who want insurance for EVERYONE. WTF? Who are the Christians and who are the Hell bound?September 22nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Peter C says:
Of course, the existing government program is Medicaid, which only kicks in after she paid out of her own pocket until just about all of her net worth is gone.
This is what Cantor would call ‘compassionate conservatism’.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Wiz says:
Cantor couldn’t do anything but give the cold hearted answer he gave, if he showed compassion he might be accused of hypocrisy. You know Republicans don’t want to be hypocrites!September 22nd, 2009 at 4:50 pm
ralph the wonder llama says:
Now Can’t-or’s reluctance to do town halls this summer makes perfect sense.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
GeeDubs says:
I’m really flabbergasted that this is the level of public discourse the Republicans have to offer. Wouldn’t this have been a perfectly good opportunity for Mr. Cantor to espouse what the Republicans would do for this woman if they were in charge of writing the bills before Congress? The empty-headedness of it is astounding enough in itself, but to come up with such a non-sensical answer should give everyone pause to ever say the word Republican again or have that R after their name.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
nellre says:
Cobra is available for 18 months… but after that what?
She’s going to be forced to liquidate her possessions (in this buy high, sell low economy) and reduced to poverty?See… that’s the problem. The very poor can get help, it’s the middle class that fall through the cracks.September 22nd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
What the GOP REALLY means ... says:
Frankly, we in the GOP don’t give a shit what the economic conditions are. You had the nerve to vote us out. That means we’re going to use every tactic in the book to tell you NO. The obami appointees we’re not confirming, you can take that as a compliment. You lib folks robbed us of our planned permanent majority and we will make sure good government cannot exist, as per the opposite intention of your vote.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Fred says:
These town halls are backfiring on the gop.
How did they let that idiot mccain get this started?September 22nd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
runfastandwin says:
Shorter version:
Are there no poorhouses? No prisons?September 22nd, 2009 at 5:09 pm
HomerSexual says:
Republicans = HeartlessDemocrats = Spineless
Just pass the Health Care Bill (with Public Option) already!!September 22nd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Marie says:
Jeebus! Heartless, ice-water in their veins, and believing that they are never going to suffer anything that afflicts the “little people.”It makes me want to wish that Cantor and all the other fools like him develop an agonizing and painful disease.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
EllieElliott says:
May his wife, his mother and his daughter never be in this situation. As for him…September 22nd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
HomerSexual says:
re: GeeDub’s (#339) comment:Wouldn’t this have been a perfectly good opportunity for Mr. Cantor to espouse what the Republicans would do for this woman if they were in charge of writing the bills before Congress?
He did. They would do nothing.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Keith says:
Bill Maher said “Our healthcare reform would make the U.S. the envy of several African nations”.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Hoodathunk says:
So Can’tor is telling this woman she should consider robbing a bank? If her need is immediate, that would be the fastest way to get into a government program.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Hoodathunk says:
It makes me want to wish that Cantor and all the other fools like him develop an agonizing and painful disease.
They already have. Its called Republicanism. The big problem is they are to insensitive to notice. Sort of like leprosy.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
had enough says:
Cantor, you piece of sh!t cut the crap…. just come out and say:
The woman with the tumors and millions like her will die. But the health insurance industry, which is most important and helps my campaign must thrive.
It was all over the news last week that 45,000 a year die because of lack of access to health care. Cantor has to know this.September 22nd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
ElBruce says:
You know the “bleeding heart liberals” they used to use against us? More and more these days that strikes me as an admission that their hearts don’t even pump blood. Just pure icewater moving through stone.
.
Hoodathunk says:
So Can’tor is telling this woman she should consider robbing a bank? If her need is immediate

AofF at Too Conservative

2010-08-08T21:06:00.001-04:00

Thread: Illegal Alien

Frankly if there is one thing that I am glad to see its the ranks of the Tea Party defend itself regarding the blanket slandering of them by the liberal media on both the illegal immigrant issue as well as the accusation that they are somehow racist for not endorsing Obamacare.The liberal elites forget themselves, especially those in the media ranks like Mathews and Olbermann. The conveniently dismiss their beloved Democrats for such a horrid past and record on race. They always present themselves as students of Congressional history when they tout or shill for liberalism and yet never acknowledge the evil hand the Democrats had in slowing the path to Civil Rights. At the same time they paint the GOP and the Tea Party has haters and racists and yet seem very willing to forgive or dismiss the actions of its ranks regarding the issue. Instead the prop up the Sharptons and the Jacksons of the world but not those in the Congress from the Republican side that fought and frankly PASSED the Civil Rights Act of 64. I am so tired of having these hacks rewrite our history let alone shape the current debate of illegals with the same bull****. The Democrat “18″was determined to block Civil Rights in America. People like Strom Thurmond, Robert Bryd, William Fulbright ring a bell- all Democrats in 64. In fact, its was the GOP and Everett Dirkson( why is he not an American household name?) who broke the Senate filibuster in the Senate where 95% of Southern Dems opposed the Act. Lets not forget those Governors either- none Republican in Wallace, Faubus, Maddox that attempted to subvert change. So I am tired of these media elitists portraying an historical context (the GOP) that does not FACTUALLY exist. In fact, Dirkson was presented with an award honoring him by the NAACP lest we forget.The Illegal debate is being used to simply fuel bigotry and yet made those modern day Democrats doing it ought to reconcile their own Party’s history before slandering citizens simply carrying out their Constitutional rights.Maybe we should make sure that our future generations understand just why it was the Republican Party came to be in the 1850’s; the pro-slavery views of the Democratic Party. Guess we don’t teach that today in our schools because it does not quite fit that liberal narrative of Republicans all being bigots and racists.

Carlos A. Martinelly Montano: The Face of Our Immigration Problem

2010-08-05T14:00:00.003-04:00

Timing often times is everything. Especially when you are talking about such a hot topic in political circles as illegal immigration. I have long taken issue with the far liberal left and its characterization of those of us who believe we need to fix our immigration problems as simply prejudice against Hispanics or even racist. Its is so easy these days to have the race card thrown about. One only has to look at the current debates in Washington over the ethic violations of some prominent Congressional leaders or tune in to any nightly bantor on MSNBC regarding the Tea Party movement.

Just when it appeared as though the anti-government intrusion crowd and the Tea Party movement may have climaxed with exposure and began to give way to the nightly beatings on mainstream media Carlos A. Martinelly Montano steps in and absolutely illustrates exactly what is not only wrong with our government enforcement protocols but what also is wrong with the far left today.

Tune in to the mainstream media you would likely not find much coverage of substance regarding the Montano issue outside Virginia and frankly that speaks volumes. You see, when an illegal alien gets behind the wheel of a car and commits involuntary manslaughter it may not be that big of a story at least nationally but when this same illegal alien had been turned over to ICE twice by local law enforcement and released and had appeared in the Courts system some four times in the past few years for violating Virginia law and then gets behind the wheel drunk (for the third time) and kills a Catholic nun and critically injures two other nuns its not something the liberal media wants to cover. Why? Well, the incident does not advance their narrative of American life thats why.

People like Chris Mathews, Rachel Maddow, Keith Obermann and other liberal elite would have the masses believe that if you are an individual who wants the government to carry out its function of deporting illegals than you are nothing more than a racist. The current debate over the true purpose of the 14th Amendment this week and the reason for its creation has further been hijacked by these liberal elites to somehow been for those entering America illegally from south of the border. They completely neglect historical truth in the debate or even look at the manuscripts of those who put forth the measure in the first place in which it was concentrated over the plight of the African-American in the South and the fear that individual States would not recognize citizenship for them. So, in effect the Federal government would have to make sure it guaranteed such recognition. Now, of course people like Mathews and his ilk would like see yet another interpretation that fits its narrative for America be used and applied to illegals. Of course, they do not even recognize people like Carlos A. Martinelly Montano as an illegal. In their eyes the immigration laws are not real laws in effect and should be ignored. Comprehensive reform is nothing more than a smoke screen for keeping the status quo.

Thats not to say that just the liberal media is to blame for misinformation. Leaders from both sides of the aisle in Washington are just as guilty for ignoring the efforts of the boots on the ground in our public safety ranks. Our police do their job and arrest those breaking our laws, our courts hear the cases and render judgement, and illegals are turned over to the Feds (ICE) and simply released. Irrespective of whether they pose a public safety hazard to our citizens. Our politicians (some) sit by and fail to act because the immigration debate is too hot an issue, especially in an election year. Last I checked, we always have elections every year even if simply on the local level.

So how does one Carlos A. Martinelly Montano fit in to all of this debate? Well, Montano proves that the arguments being made by the Tea Party are not only sound but factual. Its not only the Border States being impacted by illegals with regard to public safety, but the entire country. Our hospitals are filled with those being provided care on the backs of our tax dollars and along the border those Americans being terrorized by illegal gangs and cartels are seeing their property values plummet as well as citizens being robbed and in fact kidnapped in some instances. In fact, even Northern Virginia has had considerable issues with gangs associated with Central American origins and whether these gangs are filled with legal immigrants or illegals is certainly a fair question to ask.

Here is the breakdown for Montano as well as the breakdown in our government's role:

Carlos A. Martinelly Montano of Bristow, Va:
3 DUI's in 5 years
2010: August. charged with involuntary manslaughter, dui, felony driving under revocation for death of Sister Denise Mosier
2009: caught driving under revocation in Fairfax County
2009: given 363 days in jail (served 20) fined 5,000, 3yrs probation, revoked permit for DUI and speeding
2008: PWC Speeding 55/35, DUI blood alcohol level .17 (.08 Va legal limit)DUI #2
2007: Dec. Charged with being Drunk in Public/disorderly
2007: DUI conviction (#1)

ICE was provided with Carlos A. Martinelly Montano from local law enforcement two times regarding an inability to verify legal residency ( as accorded by working relationship Virginia has with ICE)

At any one of these instances, Montano should have been targeted for deportation and held until such deportation could be executed and NOT released back into society. The system failed. As it almost always does under its current structure.

Fallout?

Well, those in Prince William County who railed against Republican Corey Stewart (including MCNBC) in 2007 for his illegal immigration proposals are running for the hills. Turns out, the arguments being made by Stewart regarding safety have simply been vindicated by the action of Montano and the inaction by ICE.

Stewart called this incident "appalling". Stewart went on to express the view that "the despicable thing is this criminal was...handed over to ICE twice, and released by ICE twice."

Its time we all recognize that the issue of Illegal Immigration is better defined by Public Safety and Border(National) Security concerns than political gamesmanship.

How many more caring and giving citizens lives like Sister Denise Mosier have to be cut short in defense of illegal immigration?

Meet with School Board Member Patty Carpenter

2010-06-07T14:55:00.002-04:00

Community Meeting

Midlothian District

7PM Monday, June 7, 2010
Midlothian High School

Patty will address the community with regard to the School Board systems and Budget Process that will be directly impacting our community in the coming fiscal year.

Be sure to attend and make sure that any and all concerns you may have at least have a voice!!

Promises Broken; Faith Lost: Chesterfield Government Breaks Down

2010-05-18T23:03:00.002-04:00

If you think Washington is a mess; citizens of Chesterfield do not have to look past its own to witness complete arrogance and frankly ignorance. Those may appear to be strong words, but in the last few months we have seen elected officials on the Board of Supervisors spar with those on the School Board far too many times over such matters as the budget. Now, apparently the Chesterfield Planning Commission; a body of UNELECTED officials that are appointed by each member of the Board of Supervisors to represent each respective district has taken up the bat for its boss in the Board of Supervisors and swung it directly at the School Board as well.

Frankly, I have never witnessed such an arrogant display by certain leaders that are in effect not even elected by the people attack those officials that are elected by the general public. When an official unilaterally calls for the ouster of ALL 5 members of the School Board it is a bit over the top and in fact highly inappropriate.

What can the public do? Little. The Planning Commission which over the years and guided my such misguided Comprehensive Planning by the likes of former Chairman of the Planning Commission Daniel Gecker who now represents the Midlothian District as a County Supervisor basically serves at the pleasure of the Board and for the most part has historically been a rubber stamp of the Board of Supervisors agenda. Remember, the members of the Planning Commission do not answer to the people directly.

The School Board certainly has made many mistakes over these last few years, but in the end the School Board must always be reactive to what the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission orchestrate. In no place is this seen more than in school crowding for example. I do not recall anyone of these "Planners" calling for the brakes to be put on, including Supervisor Gecker when for over eight years he oversaw what has to be the largest expansion of growth and zoning approvals in Chesterfield history. Such policy resulted in many of the shortcomings we are experiencing in our school system today. At a recent meeting at Greenfield Elementary School, Supervisor Gecker went on record stating that Crestwood Elementary was not delivering the same level of education that it had in past years. Mr. Gecker should have the integrity to admit that it has been policies that he himself has endorsed and/or supported that has created those levels to be challenged. You cannot keep expecting growth to pay for itself, nor can you expect teachers across the County to continually be asked to educate larger and larger classes which are a direct result of poor planning.

I personally have lost faith in this government to work together and formulate a vision for the future for Chesterfield together with a united front. Instead, while Chesterfield has sought to be a First Choice Community, these leaders are well on their way of transforming Chesterfield into a second rate locality. While Henrico County continues to right its ship; Chesterfield remains bogged down in divisive squabbles that have more to do with personalities than issues.

As citizens we have witness promises broken time and time again and after todays display of government in action; why should anyone have faith in this government anymore to provide solutions when they are more concerned with declaring whose to blame for our condition?

Tribute Video

2010-04-10T14:00:00.002-04:00

The following is a Tribute Video for OUR Fallen!!

Chesterfield County: The Leadership Vaccum

2010-03-25T16:17:00.003-04:00

After last nights Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Public Meeting I am absolutely convinced that what we are experiencing here in the County is a leadership vacuum.

County Government is suffering from a complete message or controlled public relations meltdown it has not seen in some forty years. Back then it was over the creation and expenses associated with having a Police Department versus maintaining a State supported Sheriff's department only. Today of course, we have both.

A large piece of the County budget (non-school) is allocated for Police, Fire, EMS but even those are under fire behind closed doors moving forward. The County is backing away from new Fire station construction for example.

It begs the this question. If you could make the case for the Station years ago based on real demand for safety and to ensure said safety in a timely manner to residents exactly what has changed?

I will tell you what. The politics.

Last night witnessed about 100 or so people sign in to speak before the Board. I personally got the stinking suspicion that the fix was in for most programs and some of these members were simply going through the motions. Yet, there was no real integrity before the audience to make the case in reality for what they have planned.

I have to admit that the case being made on behalf of Parks and Recreation was honorable. The face sweeping cuts to programs in large part because they are an easy target for these politicians. They do not want to actually be forced to examine what is truly at the heart of the problem facing the County budget and that is remarkably enough the size of the County payroll. You will not get a single elected official who views themselves as simply a "politician" first to speak the truth, but the fact is the County right now has a workforce that is larger than the 8 largest private (non-public sector) companies combined today.

County Government has a payroll of just under 12,000. That is even with not filling the so-called "unfilled positions" that the County always seems to be advertising. It is thought that the County will have to cut a mere 84 full-time jobs and 61 part-time moving forward, but you very rarely get a number out the Board. Its easier to place a target on things like historic sites or Rockwoods Nature Center than to put themselves in the cross hairs by looking to release employees, even when that exactly what is required.

We got a taste of things last night.

Daniel Gecker, Chairman of the Board has not been shy in articulating widely unpopular views and making such comments as;

"There have been significant reductions in Capital Improvements that the public doesn't see"-thank you blogger Chesterfield Taxpayer.

Really Mr. Gecker? Were you not the candidate pledging full "transparency"? How transparent has this budget process been? Why are things being hidden from the public? How can you state we are a First Choice Community when we have now gone five years since the County sought to post meetings, minutes and all governmental information online? Why is it we have only taking our public meetings online and on television? Why has not all the committee sessions and budgetary process as well as audits of County services and operations been brought to light? Why has the environmental studies (all) paid for by taxpayers for the Upper Swift Creek Plan not been fully disclosed to residents?

Here is a big question that we can never get a answer on and that is why is it that the Brandermill community seems to have such a stranglehold on the Swift Creek Reservoir. This body of water belongs to taxpayers not landowners who border it. Why have they been permitted to confine access to water owned by the County at large? How can the County permit them to control access points and determine who can and cannot enter the Reservoir via such area? Open it up; it belongs to all of us. Its our drinking water resource after all.

Parks and Recreation seem to be on the chopping blocks as ironic as it is as well as the Recycling Program. Its ironic because these are things that members like Marlene Durfee and Dan Gecker pledged to better leverage via their vision of smart growth and green space. Updating our parks was a key component a mere two years ago. I guess that was when they were sitting on the required funds and looking for a means in which to spend it as opposed to returning it to taxpayers. Now, the parks and programs centered around both the young and elderly are not as vital to these members as say government jobs. Jobs which require better than average salaries and higher benefit expenses than their private sector counterparts.

There was a question of "user fees" addressed last night by the public in a few questions and to be honest it makes the most sense in lean times by having people who wish to use programs actually have to pay for them.

I personally feel that it is perfectly acceptable to ask parents such as myself to help offset the expenses for athletic programs; either in the public school system or via Parks and Recreation. I have no problem with paying fees that support Night Basketball, Softball, etc for adults. I hardly expect the County to pick up that tab for me to play. Do they pay for our American Family or Gold's Gym membership? I think not. If there is enough demand for the program it will be funded accordingly through user fees and if not than the program disappears until there is such demand. That may seem harsh but that is the reality we face when we simply cannot afford the "wants" and can only provide for the "needs".

The Schools have a bigger cross to bear regarding funding. They have allowed the expenses per student ratio to rise year after year and we now are seeing a 57% rise in costs per pupil in the last 10 years. Another irony is the fact that while costs per pupil rose 57%, the actual budget to support the system grew 81% for the same period. What does that mean? Well, the School System was allocated/budgeted some 25% more than the rise in costs. Mind you enrollment rose about 15% since 2000. The County population rose to around 300,000 and to meet these numbers the County increased the number of schools by just over 10 percent and added about 20% more teachers in the period.

The Chesterfield Taxpayer has the cost per resident for the County Budget at 1,526 before taking into consideration the School System. Throw in the Schools and you add in about another 2,500 per resident. Of course the Board would rather see drastic cuts to the Schools over the General Fund and that is what is playing out right now.

There is a vacuum of leadership right now. No one is stepping up with solutions that are not firmly rooted in the preservation of government dominance. Programs are being examined first but not the government payroll. In fact the County seems bent on doing everything possible to preserve government jobs.

Save Our Schools: Greenfield Elementary March 17, 2010

2010-03-17T22:42:00.002-04:00

It was not really a hard choice to make tonight; sit through another evening of American Idol or head on out to Greenfield Elementary tonight and try and get a handle on exactly what the issues are that face the Chesterfield County School System.

Its no longer new news, but the County is in trouble. This kind of trouble is not going to simply vanish in the coming years either. The trouble we face is certainly financially rooted, but I have come in recent months to determine the County is also philosophically in trouble.

Tonight was more of a brief explanation of the roles of both the Board of Supervisors as well as the School Board than I would characterize it as a meeting to reveal the issues within the budget itself. We all know the School System has a pending shortfall, but tonight there was not really a true examination as to WHAT would be cut. It was briefly revealed in a PowerPoint presentation, but CUTS were either intentionally left out of the elected officials analysis or things just wandered of course during Q &A. Not unlike County funding I might add.

The County at this point is funding schools with about 58% of its revenues. There is a proposal created by the County Administrator to help the School Board with an added 6 million from the General fund, but as of yet the Board has not voted on the proposal and Gecker neither showed his hand or that of the other Supervisors.

The shortfall our schools face is a product of many factors. One of which was blatantly absent from tonight's meeting and that is the State Legislature. Richmond has sought to cut levels in statewide education at unprecedented levels in order to cure its own shortfalls at the State level. That said, we really did not get any real admission from Supervisor Daniel Gecker regarding his role in the crisis we face.

I tend to give School Board members a pass when it comes to these things centered around overcrowding or school construction. My reasoning is the School Board must be a reactionary body. Of course they should be proactive regarding its own budget and cut where it can cut in both good and lean times, but the reality is much of what they must respond to has to do with enrollment. The School Board has little control or even participation in the process that contributes to overcrowding in our schools. Overcrowding is a product of poor comprehensive planning and that falls right smack down on Mr. Gecker's lap.

No matter how many times Supervisor Marlene Durfee over in Matoaca rants about how the schools should be "redistricted" to curb the overcrowding, these elected officials never seem to want to take responsibility for the fact it is their obsession with growth that perpetuates this continual overcrowding issue.

Tonight, Mr. Gecker alluded to a post-2000 period that has created much of the mandates in education (a direct smack at George Bush and No Child Left Behind) that have in his opinion actually lowered the level of quality in our schools and specifically Crestwood Elementary where his children have been enrolled over the years. Whether that is true or not I leave to others to debate, but what I will say is that many of the classroom issues we face have a direct correlation with growth in the County. Excessive zoning approvals to take advantage of the booming housing markets of 2005 thru 2007 resulted in attracting new families to the County and thus raising the level of enrollment. Mind you, the County was already sitting at maxed levels before this boom and the result was once again the County finding itself behind the growth curve in terms of seats available in the classrooms throughout the County.

The one point I wanted everyone in attendance tonight to hear but did not get the chance and a point I want all the readers of this blog to grasp is simply illustrated by my own experience:

** I first entered Chesterfield County Public Schools in 1982. I was one of the first classes to suffer with having classes in dreadful trailers- you remember them- no heat or no ac. In the early 1980's citizens like my parents were told by the Board (not the School Board mind you) that the trailers were a necessity due to the rapid growth the County was experiencing. This was a time where the County went from having a Sheriff's Department to having a Police Department and Sheriff's Department. Forget about the fact the State picks up a lot of the tab for the Sheriffs Department but again that is another issue. Flash forward almost thirty years AND

THERE ARE STILL TRAILERS AT ROBIOUS MIDDLE AND OTHER SCHOOLS!

Why? Well, you will get no admission from people like Mr. Gecker but if you simply take a look at the numbers during that same period he referred as post-2000 he has been involved in every major zoning development before either the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors.

Remember "Field of Dreams"? If you build it he will come. Well Mr. Gecker, with all due respect if YOU ZONE IT, developers will built it and THEY WILL COME!!! Look at how many new schools have been required to meet this growth in our schools. Was such growth necessary? Did this growth pay for itself? Apparently not folks.

Board members and Mr. Gecker can pass along blame all they want regarding the School Board, but certainly they and specifically Mr. Gecker bear some responsibility regarding the challenges the school faces in terms of enrollment. Gecker act this evening as though the slowing housing market was some sort of savior, but whats lost is these developments are still zoned and approved. Once this market turns around, the County will be right back where it started without enough seats in the classrooms. I bet we will be having this same overcrowding debate in five years.

So what has this planning brought us? Even in the midst of explosive growth our schools ARE the best. Our children ARE being provided a quality education (regardless of what Mr. Gecker thinks) by dedicated staff. Again, much of what are schools must deal with is in reaction to policies, especially planning, that the Board of Supervisors seeks to implement.

Most people do not think of "sprawl" being associated with schools. It usually gets linked with commercial enterprises, but if you look at what has happened to schools in certain older areas of the County versus say Mataoca or Midlothian it is easy to see how planning has played an integral part is destroying the high traditions of those schools while more money was focused on the "new" and less money was allocated to update and modernize the "old".

The message that is being lost on the Board of Supervisors is not one regarding taxes or tax hikes but the simple message of "SLOW DOWN" and "WORK TOGETHER". Allow the housing course to play out and cease zoning approvals in areas where we TODAY do not have seats in our classrooms for new enrollment. Period.

I wish I could speak to cuts and services on the chopping block but in reality I do not think anyone tonight learned anything other than the fact that the School Board has determined that it requires 548 million to provide the quality of education in Chesterfield it is committed to. We also learned that the Supervisors apparently do not endorse said number. Regardless, the School System will be looking at a budget likely to fall closer to the 520 level or even lower come 2012.

Mr. Gecker challenged all in attendance to contact their State Delegation and raise awareness regarding the impact of the measures they are undertaking and while certainly appropriate I do not suspect that those attending tonight wanted yet another buck to be passed.

As one attending leaned in and ask me...."so do we know if they are cutting the athletic program or what?" I guess they will approve the budget before we will really understand what is being cut. Kinda reminds you of Washington doesn't it?

Chesterfield County: Education in the Crosshairs

2010-02-11T10:29:00.003-04:00

The Chesterfield County School System appears to be taking it on the chin these days. Whether its community officials slamming the system and its leadership for irresponsible budgeting or citizens steaming over delayed school cancellations resulting from the snow early yesterday that had the High Schools in and the others out for the day.

It was not the fact that the County closed the Elementary and Middle schools but like everything else these days the late call made by the County to do so. If you were standing in the Starbucks line in Chesterfield yesterday, undoubtedly the conversation for alot of parents was the snow and the schools.

It is ironic that at a time where Chesterfield County faces its biggest shortfall (potentially now 46 million) for its school system that Governor McDonnell unvieled his education reform package yesterday. While I agree with much that he is proposing in his reform package, especially charter schools it is apparent that a great number of Virginia localities are facing an inability to implement any real reform at the school level at this time given current budget woes. many would suspect that the State would pick up the tab for such reforms, but the State as well is in the midst of facing some really hard budget considerations. In fact, this week we learned that if the State changes the funding formula for school divsions that Chesterfield would likely lose an additional 4 million on top of the stimulus funding that never came as a result of Gov. Kaine's withholding the funds.

"The Opportunity to Learn" is the new mantra of Governor McDonnell's reform package and yet here in Chesterfield it very well may be the "Lack of Opportunity"- to play athletics, to participate in school play, to join a foriegn langauge club, to take behind the wheel and drivers education or even apply for the Governor's School. The latter is very ironic in that a school such as the Governor's School program that is to reward those students that are achieving at a high level and yet as our very own Governor talks about rewarding those students our own County could be withdrawing from participation altogether.

It really makes you wonder if the local State leaders such as Loupassi, Ware, Watkins and Martin representing all or parts of Chesterfield are communicating with the Governor regarding the crisis faced by the school system and whether such reforms such as the funding formula are the best thing to do right now. I understand that many us realize that there is hardly a great time for reform otherwise why on earth would it be neccessary, but during this crisis it a matter of the quality of education that Chesterfield has always sustained that is coming into question.

Are we telling our students that they can do with less or are we saying to the System they need to make more with less. Teachers will be facing at the very least a 3% paycut, the classes are definitely going to be raised by at least one possible two students and right now it looks as if some 38 elementary school secretary positions will be eliminated.

And yet NONE of what you are hearing in the news addresses the biggest long term issue of all facing the County and thats the retirement/benefit for local government employees. With a large number of teachers in Chesterfield approaching retirement for example, how can the County hope to replace many of these retireees with what will surely be a reduced compensation package. Why would not a new teacher prefer to locate in Hanover or other Virginia locality where pay is comparable but class sizes much smaller where they can focus more on teaching and less on logistics and administration on a daily basis? Is anyone even really sure what the retirement, pension, benefits ect is going to cost Chesterfield over the next ten years as these teachers and other school system employees retire? You would think that would play a part in any long term plan to dig the schools out of this shortfall.

Right now, the County is keeping its eye on the ball to simply get this next fiscal year planned and paid for, but the long term issues are still going to be there when they come together again next year with even less State funding to work with and potentially less Federal money for such programs as No Child Left Behind and other Department of Education programs.

The question remains just how far the Board of Supervisors are willing to bleed the CCPS regarding programs and staffing. I can tell you this much, if the Board of Supervisors creates a funding scenario where Chesterfield County Schools cuts its athletic programs than you can pretty much guarantee such a backlash that the next election cycle will repeat the results of 2007.

If you recall, in 2007 the County Board of Supervisors experienced sweeping change on the backs of the 2006 pickup victories at the Congressional level throughout the country as national approval ratings for the GOP plummeted. 2007 was the step off again for Democrats in a backlash election against the GOP that springboarded the complete control of Congress with pickups in Virginia in both the House and Senate as well as the Presidency of course.

If anyone has been paying attention to Washington lately or the economy, 2011 could very well be the springboard to 2012 nationally as voters reject the Democrats. I doubt local Supervisors want to participate in that firestorm, but if they allow things like athletics, music and art get cut along with school clubs.......they will certainly be collateral damage to an already poor climate for incumbancy!!!!

EntryWay Rescue: Village of Midlothian

2010-02-05T23:05:00.002-04:00

The Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition Foundation is seeking assistance from the greater Midlothian community to help with the preservation of the Village Entryway sign along the Midlothian Tnpk corridor.

The entryway was dedicated in 1994 and due to recent weather conditions the wooden structure has started to erode in such a manner that the structure very well may collapse in the months following all this winter.

Contributions can be made to:

EntryWay Rescue

Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition

P.O. Box 1295

Midlothian, Va 23113

501(3)c non-profit

tax deductible

charles@midlothianva.org

Alter of Freedom: Facebook

2010-02-05T22:39:00.002-04:00

Alter of Freedom will have a new Facebook group page hitting the social networking site this week in an attempt to reach and engage many followers in an easier more efficient manner than the standard blog.

Hopefully, everyone who reads the blog and has a Facebook presence will Join the Group. There is a growing Tea Party base building in Chesterfield that evry well may have influence over the next local Board elections so pass the word along.

Thanks.

Battle of the Boards: School Board v. Board of Supervisors

2010-02-04T13:36:00.002-04:00

Chesterfield Fireworks are coming early in 2010. No not at the Fairgrounds but at the Government Complex. The situation facing Chesterfield County regarding the financial shortfall facing the school system now pegged at some 40 million has created a turf war with local government.

Each cycle, we as citizens have an opportunity to cast votes for candidates for the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. The actual role and responsibility of these leaders seems pretty straightforward, however thats only when things are going well regarding the budgets. This is not the first time where our Supervisors, who hold the purse, have decided to interject its power over the School Board by basically trying to influence or better yet modify the School Boards budget to reflect what they want.

The problem for our current Board of Supervisors is this time around it is very ill-timed. Our nation is facing this issue at the Federal level where Washington is attempting to yeild unwarranted influence over banks and auto companies under the grounds that because bailouts came on the backs of taxpayers that they have this right. Its no different here in Chesterfield except the language is a bit different.

The Supervisors are taking the position that because they take in the revenues from taxpayers (the purse) and than distribute it to the School Board (now about 61% of the overall purse) that they should have some say as to how that money is spent by the School Board.

In fact Chairman Daniel Gecker of Midlothian says as much in his statement to school officials that the County (the Board of Supervisors)"does not intend to allocate more (funds)without complete agreement to how the funds will be spent".

Excuse me. I suspect that the Supervisors have their hands full with their own issues within their own budget than to someohw think that they to can tackle the School Board budget as well. I had not realized that we elected our Supervisors to oversee or better yet micromanage the School Boards budget as well eventhough we know that the Supervisors do "allocate" the funds to fund the school system.

Its like the bank loaning you the money but telling you that they will be overseeing exactly how you are spending it and if they do not like how you are using the funds than they simply will halt funding further.

Is this reasonable governance?

The fact remains that various studies and audits have been undertaken regarding the CCPS and in fact Chesterfield has been recognized as one of the most "efficient school systems in the country".

So why is the charge that the CCPS is being mismanaged andn if so why has there not been a push for the removal of Marcus Newsome who recently voluntarily reduced his salary by 15,000 or 7% in the new budget? Its because the Supervisors are blaming the State more so than the School Board. One of Gov. Kaine's last acts was to halt the payment of 25 million to the CCPS through the stimulus package; no doubt a political move given Chesterfield's historical conservative voting record. Doubtful Kaine would have undertaken the same positon for say an Arlington County.

The CCPS employs some 9,000 employees and currently educates just under 59,000 student. Newsome is recommending 3-4% pay reductions and eliminating 304 positions from the rolls and raising the classroom average by one student.

Gecker believes "that there are other items" that should be examined before he pupil/teacher ratio is raised. Maybe, Gecker would be willing to come clean with exactly what those measures should be.

I for one am a strong supporter of limited government and though I believe the CCPS have some opportunities before them as illustrated by the shortfall, I also firmly believe that had the Board of Supervisors not grossly mismanaged the growth in Chesterfield maybe our schools would not be facing such financial woes. Does the School Board control zonings and developments? Do they have any real power with regard to how the County plans the future?

Maybe if our Supervisors want to take over the School Boards responsibilty regarding budgeting, the School Board ought to have some say in what the Board of Supervisors does regarding planning given any decision they undertake directly impacts classrooms throughout the County. So they next time you read about the Board approving some development like Roseland, think about exactly how that may impact the School Board's long term planning as well.

Chesterfield County- The Future Begins With Us

2010-01-28T22:26:00.002-04:00

While I am sure that most of us today were busy working today and taking care of our families and paid little attention to the follow-up to last nights State of the Union address, I urge all residents of Chesterfield to begin to focus their attention on matters of hand here in Chesterfield as opposed to Washington. I undertand that is a bit harder said than done given the twenty four hour news cycle concentrating on Washington but there are things afoot here in Chesterfield that could undermine our ability to continue to remain a First Choice Community.

The Board of Supervisors will release soon a targeted property tax rate to be debated that must be published before they can take up the matter in a mere two months. This published rate by law cannot be exceeded by vote but the rate certaibnly can be lower than the proposed publish rate if citizens get engaged.

The rate is important because recently the School Board has asked the BOCS to increase the property tax rate from 95 cents to 1.01 per $100 of assessed values. The justification for this increase is that such an increase would be revenue nuetral in that with the falling property assessments the amount paid by residents would roughly be the same as 2009. Such an increase would add some 19 million in tax revenue with the CCPS getting around 12 million.

This effort is meant to address the 40 to 50 million in budget cuts facing the School Board which is centered around a reduction in teacher ranks, establishing furloughs and potentially authorizing the elimination of school athletics saving 1.8 million.

These efforts are said to be essential in large part because the monies from the Federal Stimulus Package that were to be marked for schools (some 19 million) in Chesterfield was removed by then Governor Kaine.

Its time that residents get engaged. There is a growing conservative Tea Party group here in Chesterfield and I urge them to engage in this process and expose those leaders that have implemented gimmicks in order to please voters and passed unneccesary zonings to satisfy the special interests.

Many residents who challenged the current Board members for lowering the tax rate some two years ago are outraged. The very thing that many warned the members has happened. The time has come for these leaders to be held accountable and for conservatives to rally around each other and signal the beginning of the end for some of these members.

The Schools are a huge issue with regard to the County budget. Yes the CCPS should be fully audited and their budget completely overhauled in search of savings. There is absolutely no reason why the CCPS should be operating at levels exceeding State mandates. The high salary levels of top adminstrators both in and outside the CCPS is alrming. If the average adjusted gross income in Chesterfield is around 80K than some of these folks are earning 3 times that average in salary and car allowances. 3 times.

The fact that such car allowances are being sold as neccessary to attract top notch people is a dated and tired arguement. Are they telling us that the County cannot find anyone qualified in America willing to run CCPS for under 252K. I think its time that the CCPS and the BOCS get a big dose of reality from citizens.

Fact si there is plenty of blame to go around. Its not merely the CCPS fault for the shortfall in their budget. The BOCS shares a lions share of the responsibility. Members like Daniel Gecker from Midlothian have overseen in the last nine years the largest misguided growth pattern in the Chesterfield's history. The lack of defined comprehensive planning has resulted in unsustainable capacity levels that will require of schools to raise the number of students per classroom to over 30. Increasing the class size by a mere student is said to save the CCPS 112 teachers and some 6 million.

Why would raising these class level sizes be neccessary in the first place? Ill-conceived planning has created an environment where new schools must be built and older schools modernized faster than the amount of revenues can be collected to address these needs. The costs of construction skyrocketed in terms of new schools as well. Members like Gecker have been quoted has stating that any effort to focus money at the middle school level are unjustified and yet new middle schools have come on line and very well may continue to be required. Gecker while on the Planning Commisssion before joining the Board after the 2007 elections has directly contributed to the woes facing Chesterfield in terms of excessive capacity in the housing market driving down home values and requiring the neccessary adjustments to cash proffers in the coming years whether he believes in them or not. The County had the opportunity to raise the cash proffer levels to comparable standards of other Virginia localities with similar growth rates, but members like Gecker did not support an increase to the proposed level and forced a lower rate all be it higher than the previous years. The fact that the CCPS is facing capacity concerns is a direct result of approving zonmings for areas without the capacity to support children in the classrooms. This forces hastily planned school constrcution to meet the demands and creates an environment where Chesterfield families face new school boundaries and potentially school shuffling.

Its simple. You do not permit housing developments in areas where there are no seats in the classrooms for students. Obviously these leaders failed to get the message in Field of Dreams- "If you build it, they will come". Well, they built it and now our schools are taxed as well as our infrastructure and in particular our roadways. Traffic is at its highest levels as well as vehicular accidents and yet still the Board continues to approve more developments.

Will residents accept that fact that the CCPS may have to eliminate school athletics? I mean, how can we reconcile the fact that we are saying that our young people are out of shape, many obese and at the same time take away such programs that promote the very best things in our youth; health, teambuilding, and respect for authority. Its as if they are saying that the 1.8 million has no real "benefit" to our children.

I would support for sure the ability for parents to pay for their children to participate in sports. I think the case can be made that it makes little sense to require all residents to pay for such programs anymore than it makes sense for all of us to pay for other peoples healthcare as proposed in Washington. There needs to be a shared responsibility between the County adn citizens if we want to keep these programs and a big start would be the ability for volunteer coaches and assistants to come from outside the CCPS system. Should we be pay higher salaries for teachers willing to coach neccessarily if we can get volunteer coaches from our community? Should we be willing to eliminate programs before taking a look at administrative salaries? Should our teachers be the frontline casualties first?

We as citizens have some very hard questions to face in terms of the direction we want Chesterfield to go. It must start with us and not the leaders in the backrooms. We must demand that programs that we believe benefit our children and our communities be funded and those that seem to merely benefit government be eliminated. There is no reason we should be spending funds on government facilities like new courtrooms, new adminstrative buildings, new libraries when another one already open can maintain the traffic when we need a focused laser on schools and public safety.

There will be plenty of opportunity in the coming weeks for citizens to get engaged. Will you join us or sit back and let Chesterfield begin to fall behind the curve. The future of Chesterfield is in our hands.

On Haiti

2010-01-24T12:51:00.003-04:00

Don't get me wrong, we all feel a sense on compassion for the plight of the Haitian people as they pull themselves and their nation up out of this disaster, but it really begs the question if our politicians ever really truly get things right when its a tragedy is no longer frontpage news.

I can remember when buddies of mine serving in the U.S. Army and Marines back in the 90's were task with assisting in places like Haiti, Liberia, and Somolia and it was always the same political story. It was a hot button issue as long as it was on the front page of the Wapo or NY Times, but as soon as the light on the country dimmed so did the focus of our government. If you were in any of thoese countries, it is hardly a surprise that even though many have contributed large amounts of money over the years that progress has been slow and slower. Bill Clinton's influence notwithstanding.

I can't help but see how the politicos twist themselves over and over about the right way to spin these things. Think Katrina for a second. I cannot recall the massive international relief effort for one thing as we have seen in Haiti and I really also do not recall such a massive undertaking by Hollywood in this nation to raise money for our own people in a post-Katrina environment. Its as if these folks believe that our government should take care of our own and that places like Haiti and the Far Eastern Tsunami plaqued areas deserve all of their fundraising efforts. It really makes you wonder about the mentality of people whose sole livelihood is derived from our people more or less and yet seem so content with using their money and reputation which can be leveraged to raise more money for so many other causes than the ones here at home.

Again, do not get me wrong. What many of these celebrities are doing is honorable and commendable. I just wonder how many of them will continue to step up say six months down the road when this disaster will be off the radar and its not "in" thing to do in Hollywood.

If you do not think it will happen, there are plenty of examples to look at where the media drowns us in images for a period of time and than neglects to after story....Iraq for one. Katrina for another. Except of course if they can make some political assertion to cast the other side in some bad light.

I could not help be be floored whe I saw the pundits on MSNBC try and portray civilian contractors who would go in to Haiti to stabilize and help rebuild the nation as "profiteers" like they did to many in Iraq and still do in Afghanistan. Apparently, Jeremy Scahill (resident MSNBC loon) has some kind of vendetta against contractors because he still has not retracted his stories rooted in falsehoods about the involvement of Blackwater contractors at Nissor Square who were cleared. In fact, Scahill virtually anoints those insurgents that killed Blackwater contractors in Fallujah, Iraq as heroes. Scahill this time around as brought in by MSNBC to comment on Haiti takes his anti-contractor rhetoric to new levels when he asserts that those Blackwater contractors that went into New Orleans during Katrinia were nothing more than a militia of hired thugs. Funny thing is it was these former policeman and military veterans that were task with creating a sense of order when many in the New Orleans police failed to report for duty during the crisis. Instead of going after those idiots who abandoned their own citizens, Scahill and the liberal media goes after the remedy that never would have been required had these officers not abandoned their posts.

Scahill's efforts to distort and manipulate details to his own end is not new to MSNBC as Maddow and Olbermann routinely engage in such commentary--just see Olbermann tirade over MA-Senator Scott Brown. The effort is to create an environment where the government will be forced to end its use of private contractors, but instead grow the actual size of government by creating such areas within our agencies to formulate its own ranks to perform such endeavors. This is classic liberal doctrine.

The lack of admission by these liberal pundits that the very reason Iraq has been a non-issue in large part is do to the work of these contractors who still to this day outnumber our military forces in both Iraq and now Afghanistan.

What does it say to people like Scahill,Maddow and Olbermann that even Obama recognizes the value of these contractors to perform highly skilled functions in country that our military could not. Of course, no admission as to why our military could not respond accordingly came in the wake of eight years of President Clinton desimating our armed forces as his basis for balancing the federal budget. Those of us downsized in the 90's during this purge know the truth. Spin it as they may.

Now in Haiti, these pundits want to make it hard for the White House to send contractors to to the effort in Haiti. Its amazing to me that these people just have no clue about the real politics at work. Just like in Afghanistan, if Obama can send 30K trooops but send 200K contractors through contracts with private and public firms why would he want to send 80K or more military forces and face the backlash? Contractors are a political end and have been a decade or more now.

With all the celebrity assistance, the telethons, the texts donations.....eventually the question will have to be how BEST to put those funds to work on the ground in Haiti. If the past is an example of whats to come, they could be in for a long road in Haiti in terms of true re-building.

Snake Oil Liberalism- Part I

2010-01-02T20:43:00.002-04:00

In looking back on the decade that has just past, it is growingly apparent that though the Democrats sit in power of this great land they have lost their souls. Not all "Democrats" however apear willing to to fall into the abyss of liberalism and are beginning to pull back. These Democrats are those mostly residing in the South, who have never actually been truly aligned with the Northeastern brand of Liberalism that permeates the Democrat Party. Many of these Dixiecrats and Conservative Democrats are more closely related with the moderate policies of say a Bill Clinton than the vastly liberal ones of a Barrack Obama.

We also have to examine the transition undergone by the platform of the Democrats itself. How many self-professed "progressives" were there at the beginning of the last decade in Congress? Now, like so many things in the Democrat Party the leadership appears content with attaching itself to whats hip or cool in the short term. Afterall, the term "liberal" had pretty much taken the worst beating of any political philosophy from a pure publicity standpoint. Even the leadership of the Party must admit that its purely a stunt to have these leadrrs who have been in Congress for decades to suddenly shift in thought to a "progressive" view of the world.

Fact is these leaders have not shifted. Its a muse. Like so much in Washington its smoke and mirrors. Its Liberalism with a nice shiny coat of lipstick. And Snake Oil Liberalism at that. The selling of this new foundation of the Party has hit one very big hurdle with the Party elite; America ain't buying. The polling is demonstrating that the Party is losing any opportunity to capitalize on its power and further demonstrates that Democrats are not programed as a Party apparatus to lead. Instead, Democrats are more established as the opposition party and that role is better suited for them. Why?

If you paid attention this last decade, Democrats do better with a villain, a target, or frankly just someone to blame for everyone's lot in life. They have shown in 2009 that they are ill-suited to be the Party in power and can't seem to get it together in terms of agenda. The reason for this is the Democrats "big tent" mantra creates splinter elements all the way up the leadershop ladder who have allegiances to varying elements. An example of this is easily demonstrated over the so called "public option" coupled with the issues regarding abortion funding in the health care bill.

I mentioned early on about the Dixiecrats or Southern New Democrats whom are mostly conservative and are reffered in Congress as "blue dogs" will have a huge cross to bear in coming years if they do not withdraw support for this administrations agenda. The result if they fail to do will be catastrophic to them both individually and to the South as well. You see, "blue dogs" will have to face the growing momentum of liberals in the Party to take a very hard look at gun control in the next year or so. It does not take a political genius to recognize that Southerns love their guns. What will the conservatives in the Party do when the Obama folks circle the wagons on this issue and expect all Democrats to deliver reform of gun rights and laws?

Snake Oil policy thats what. They will placate the liberals with the notion of gun reform all the while hoping to rope in the conservatives with some watered down policy that will inch the country closer and closer to the British model. Afterall, the Progressives seek to model America after the failed state of Europe with every policy they have sought to implement. This of course smacks of denying our own history and the principles upon which our great nation was founded.

The heros are not the Washingtons, Jeffersons, or the Madisons but rather the radicals of the Progressive movement of the turn of the century in the eyes of the leadership in Washington today. They have sought to change the very education our youth experience by focusing more on "causes" than on history. They seek to create a disconnect with performance, individuality and goal setting and replace it with more of a greater dependence on society. They have sought to create a collective community and have been using the educational system as a sword to do so. They started first with the removal of Christian elements, ending the pledge of allegiance and of course attempted to remove any reference of God in coursework or celebration in an attempt to create a more collective community; a more sympathetic environment for the minority and one where it is more important to heed the offenses of others than promote the truth of our Founding Fathers and the true heritage of this country.

During the last decade we have seen that these Progressive appear to be engaging in a "de-americanization" process of our government. They have done so buy attemtping to grant even more power to central government, which is exactly what our Founding Fathers warned against. They have sought to expand roles of Fed policy and left the Fed unchecked all the while telling America that it was the lack of regulation that created the most recent crisis in our economy. They have sought to target Wall Street as the great evil and yet never appear to want to tackle the fact that in Texas its big oil, in California its Silicon Valley that have as must political weight as Wall Street where the average worker brings in around 75K a year. Again they have created a target to illustrate why it is that their policy should be followed and yet everyone of the principle players in Obama's house has ties to this "evil" and come directly from the lions den of Wall Street. An industry by the way that contributed more to Obama's campaign in 2008 than to McCain and one located in the state of New York which leans highly liberal in ideology and voting historically.

Again, Snake Oil Liberalism.

State Sen. Steve Martin(R- 11th)Facebook & New Media

2009-12-05T00:53:00.005-04:00

We all know that New Media has become all the rage and in recent years has been leveraged by the political community to organize, fundraise and simply to spread the word regarding issues. That said, what many local leaders are learning is that new media platforms like Twitter and Facebook provide a level of access to voters that in the past was virtually unheard of.

So whats the problem?

Well, access means accountability and such accountability is something all to often our leaders shy away from. We are seeing this in Washington, Richmond and now apparently Chesterfield where leaders must come up to speed on the true nature of New Media taking into consideration the good and the bad.

To voters transparency and access is never abad thing. To Party insiders and various politicians such access can create opportunities for gaffes and embarrassing events that can come back and haunt them come election time. A fine line always must be walked.

For example, in recent days the Army Col. Van T. Barfoot (Ret)story has hit national news wires regarding the Colonel's battle with his Homeowners Association over the placement of a 21 foot flagpole in his yard, which violates certain restrictions within the HOA .

Local State Senator Steve Martin(R-Chesterfield, Colonial Heights), in an effort to bring support to Colonel Barfoot's plight decided to bring the matter up by posting on his Facebook page alerting his some 3,600 friends and followers of his support for the Colonel. But in doing so, the State Senator enters that gray area of having to engage those who follow him on Facebook whom may have a different take on the issue. Afterall, while many people would support the Colonel in his efforts given his service, I doubt those same people would want their next door neighbor to erect a 21 foot flagpole in their front yard.

Afterall, as pointed out in the Martin thread regarding the Colonel's challenge Martin represents a large portion of growing Chesterfield County. This growth has been spurned by many large developments like Charter Colony, Magnolia Green, Roseland, Hallseley, Harpers Mill, Hampton Park, Woodlake, Brandermill and the list goes on that for the most part all of some Homeowner's Association rules or restrictions upon property owners within the developments. Usually, these restrictions or covenants are approved before closing on a property otherwise if a potential buyer does not agree with such rules they can forget ever closing. In addition each month these HOA fees paid by property owners each month further reinforce the contract they have to to abide by such restrictions.

Sen. Martin apparently believes that in the case of Col. Barefoot that the contract he entered into with his HOA is meaningless given the background of the party concerned and the fcat that Col. Barefoot is a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Martin even blasts followers on his page for mistakingly using the term "winner" instead of recipient in a harsh manner, but only apparently to single out those that appear to challenge his view on the matter. The use of "winner" is fairly common with those not familar with the honor or the military. Instead of merely taking a second to educate, Martin took the opportunity to throw a jab.

I say "appear" because Martin apparently singles out those that ask for a simple clarification on his position. Instead of clarifying Senator Martin engages in claims of rudeness and disrespect towards his position and merely appears to stand off posting his positon other than to say look at his record.

Martin has been the Senator for the 1tth since 1994 and before that was in the House of Delegates.

So last I checked Sen. Martin was indeed an elected official. Not only is he answerable to the people but it is our duty as citizens to seek from our leaders exactly what their postions are and why they see them the manner in which they do. Apparently, Senator Martin does not subscribe to this view. Martin was simply asked to clarify position of matters regarding the flagpole controversy.

If you read Sen. Martin Facebook post he fails to adequately describe the full matter regarding the issue. He states that the Colonle is a personal friend so one has to weigh that with any judgement, but the matter at hand has nothing to do with banning the flag. Martin seesm to subscribe to the herd mentality of such a controversy in that as patriotic Americans we all think that recipients of the CMOH probaly should be able to do whatever they want to do in terms of the flag.

But in reality, as a comment alluded to on the Martin Facebook page we are all or at least are all supposed to be equal under the law. A contractual obligation or commitment is legally binding regardless of who the party involved is or whether they are a CMOH recipient or not.

Many of you who comment here are veterans and we all share a big place in our hearts for all our vets and all those in the armed services, but even Sen. Martin knows this issue has nothing to do with the CMOH nor does it have anything to do with the flying of our Stars and Stripes, but has to do with the construction of a 21 foot flagpole by which to fly that flag.

I dam sure know that Col. Barefoot has earned my respect, but that does not change the fact that if he were leaving in many other developments throughout Chesterfield he would be violating the HOA rules as well with the construction of the pole in the front yard.

The issue is not who Col. Barefoot is but rather does his pole violate the HOA restrictions. It should not matter as posted on Martin's Facebook page who the person is with regard to the manner in which this issue is resolved and as much respect and compassion we have for Col. Barefoot's fight we all know if it were one of us we would not be able to keep the pole without avoiding a lawsauit costing us thousands of dollars.

What I find rather interesting is a local leader engaging the debate through Facebook with followers, but than when the discussion ventures into analysis of the issue seeks to ridicule and even ask for commentors to cease commenting on his page. In essence, if you do not agree with me and my views stay off the page.

Gee, does Senator Martin represent all the citizens in the 11th or just those that agree with him?

After evaluating the comments, I fail to see anyone acting out of line at all let alone being "disrespectful" or rude. In fact, people appear to be going out of theri way not to offend people by qualifying statements and even a few stating that they are sorry but they see it differently.

Frankly, these leaders must grasp both the pros and cons of New Media. Its a good thing Senator Martin is not a blogger because he very well may be too sensitive for that media genre. The blogosphere is brutal, but if you are going to put yourself out there on Facebook for constituents you had better be a bit more thick skinned than this issue has demonstrated.

Afterall, if you have the opportunity to check it out and if you live in the 11th it may be of interest for you to see just how your State Senator engages voters. I assume the majority of his friends are indeed voters or at the very least Republicans from the area.

I took a gander at some other local leaders and it appears to Sen. Martin's credit he Facebooks much more than most in the area.

In the end, I hope that Col. Barefoot is successful in having that flagpole restriction removed not just himself but for all residents in his community if of course that is the concensus of those living in that community.

2020: Three Parties- Republican, Democrat & Conservative Party

2009-11-18T22:33:00.002-04:00

If the history of political parties is any indication than it may just be time for the American political landscape to once again expand. There were always offshoots or breakaways within history, but its been quite some time since we have seen it in reality. And no Ross Perot does not count.

Seeing as how the Democrats are under the control of the liberal arm of the Party they are certainly becoming the modern day "Do Nothing Party" since gaining control of both houses of Congress. What they are proposing to do will force the right of the Party known as blue dog conservatives further away from them. The GOP which the media left for dead last year is regrouping, but it is apparent its intent is to consolidate much of the social conservative elements of the Party over that of the fiscal conservatives or even the moderates.

Independents will remain stuck right at the center of the political landscape BUT if things keep rolling the way they are on the ground level and Congress keeps acting as if they live in the Beltway Bubble conservatives and moderates on both sides may be forced to leave both parties by 2020.

A Conservative Party could be born in America. The question remains just who would make up that Party. Would it be the Palin conservatives, the Gingrich conservatives or some other force yet to have taken the reigns. Will the GOP be purely the social conservative party or will it be the social conservatives who leave the GOP fold to form the Conservative Party.

Alot could hinge on the 2012 election IMHO. If Sarah Palin is not given the level of respect a former Vice President selection should be given that may lead to a big rift between the grassroots of the GOP and the insiders that frankly control the Party. Lets face it, the insiders and media elite control much of the primary process, whether you are talking about coverage, fundraising or even the debate schedules.

Stay tuned. There is growing discontent with both Parties at an all time high. Throw in universal healthcare, cap and tax, rising income taxes and you have a recipe for political disaster for the two established Parties. Right now they have little fear of a third party movement, but that could change over the next ten years.

Of course, a large part of a true Conservative Party movement would require a ton of money!!!

Loupassi, Ware & O'Bannon Retain House Seats & McDonnell Rolls

2009-11-03T21:48:00.004-04:00

Without the turnout numbers from the City coming to pass like last Fall, incumbants M. Loupassi and John O'Bannon win re-election to the House of Delegates. Loupassi's challenger Bill Grogan will likely come in with about 30% and O'Bannon's challenger Tom Shields is estimated to come in with about 40% of the voter once all have reported.

Turnout of course is always a big issue in these off cycle elections and it appears as though turnout was greatest with the older demographic and the younger demographic was well off the 22% turnout number from last Fall. Turnout for the African-American vote that traditionally supports Democrat candidates was well off the highs of last year and will likely show up in the data in the Governors race where Bob McDonnell has won handily over Creigh Deeds along with Bolling and Cuccinelli.

More to follow.

What are We thinking?The beginning of the end of the Free Market?

2009-10-30T21:27:00.004-04:00

First of all, I want to freely admit I am no economist. I am however an avid student of history. Will so many credentialed economists in complete disagreement regarding the state of the current economy and the very nature of the so-called "stimulus" package it is no wonder that the average voter feels completely in the dark.

When do we as Americans stand up and finally once and for all tell the elite class that enough is enough?

During the last few weeks we have all heard about the contention that the health care system must be reformed, but does reform have to mean "single-payer" or "public option"? Why is it that so many in Washington on the left of the asile demand that this be the means of providing reform? Why is anyhting less than "single-payer" deemed a flawed and failed approached by liberals and progressives?

In a word; control.

Many Americans today probably still believe they still live within a "free market" capitalistic system. Truth be told that by the end of President Obama's term we very well may not represent anyhting close to free market. Why?

For almost the entire last century our government controlled what amounts to about 15% of the U.S. economy on average. 15% never really felt like very much. What would you say if you were to learn that it is projected that if the U.S. government takes control of the health care system that the government will end up controlling almost 50% of the U.S. economy.

Control? Yes. Power? Yes. This debate on health care is not about health care. Its about a vision that the left has at "transforming the society". Listen to the rhetoric of the left regarding corporations and CEO's. The wealth (private wealth not public wealth) has been equated with greed by the left in an attempt to tarnish those that have been successful in the private sector. This move on healthcare is not about insuring 47 million more people, but about taking over control of a significant aspect of the economy whereby the government has no regulator. In fact, the government will have a monopoly on the system as in the end it will force private insurers out. What are we left with then? Zero options thats what.

How has the government managed to take control over the econonmy virtually under stealth-like conditions? Simple. The Obama administration has used bailouts as a means of gaining entry into various sectors of the economy in order to bring them under control of Washington and out of the free markets. Bailouts in areas such as finance, mortgage, insurance and auto manufacturing have changed the landscape of the free market system. Those that think that the government will return control are naive. The whole notion od "systemic risk" was the equivalent economic scare tactic no different than the accusations that the Bush adminstration used 9/11 routinely as a national security scare tactic.

There are many that will defend this outright intrusion into the private sector. If you take the mortgage industry for example, one has to ask why Fannie and Freedie were neccessary in the first place. Canada does not have a Fannie/Freddie equivalent and yet as a percentage of population only has 1% less in home ownership. In truth, the U.S. Government is the culprit behind the housing crisis. It is an example of how the government intentionally confuses buisness models with social programs. They turned to Fannie/Freddie to dish out millions of subprime mortgages as social policy and through business guided principle.

Americans will be subsidizing the auto industry/manufacturing for the next twenty plus years. There is no quick fix for an industry that has been unable to compete globally for over a decade. Its costs are too high and by having the government in control of the industry it will not be long before the world will begin to perceive the involvement as purely protectionist in nature. Liberals point to the cash for clunkers as some great achievment in the area of sales growth, but the fact is the government in the end is on the hook for paying for those sales in the form of the rebate. Most car buyers under the program are unaware that the rebate is deemed taxable income.

Our annual deficit for 2010 assumes a robust economic recovery. What happens if its not so "robust"? What happens when unemployment continues to rise? Well, for starters in classic liberal social policy unemployment benefits will be increased or extended thus creating an even greater burden on the federal deficit.

At some point we have to get through the smoke and mirrors of Washington. They are simply cashing checks they cannot realistically cash without increasing taxes on every American. What happens should the Chinese decide to cash in its chips regarding America? What if they decide to start selling the dollar? Do we really think that we control our own destiny anymore as the generations before us have?

It is shameful the manner in which this generation in power has betrayed everything the greatest generation and the ones before it have fought to create and defend in this country. Its ironic that a generation that rejected any government authority some forty plus years ago now yields that authority to destroy the very institution of the free market system.

The fact is every major issue being debated right now in the Congress is about control. Its not so much about control of you, but control of the wealth. Remember, we have a President who believes in "redistributing" the private wealth in this country. Never lose sight of that fact.

Its time we start looking through the prism of "redistribution" ideology when we examine anything this government undertakes in the future. if they are successful in taking over health care you can bet the next industry they take on will be energy.

If we are not careful, this government will find some manner in which to take over the energy industry whereby being able to monopolize that sector of the economy as well. Remember in 2007, the Oil Industry CEO's were the bad guys. Expect that rhetoric to return when we see gas prices rise in 2010.

Do you want to live in a Free Market system? If so, its time to get involved and get engaged. If you do not, it will not be long before you or your employer will be under the boot of Uncle Sam.

The Real Issue Facing Republicans?

2009-10-24T19:44:00.003-04:00

The real issue before the Virginia GOP is not in reality whether or not Bob McDonnell will win the election in ten days. Its a safe bet that he will. Its the divide within the Party that exists today in large part due to various insiders whom have sought to alienate portions of the traditional conservative base that are more fiscal conservative or libertarian in nature. It began early in 2008 with the nomination of Sen. John McCain, but reached its pinnacle moment with the removal of Jeff Frederick. Sure, Jeff said some pretty crazy stuff, but in the end it was insiders who sought to take the Party in an extreme rightward direction away from the majority of those Virginians whom have supported it over the years. The manner in which Fredericks removal was handled illustrates the insidership of the State GOP.

Why is this a problem?

In 2006/07 social issues were elevated to the top of the platform as a means of getting the base out to the polls. It was a strategic move, but it also put the social platform in the cross hairs of the generational divide. I learned very quickly that those absolutely against recognizing homosexual marriage came from two very different groups; one being the baby boomers + and the other the African American community. I can only speak from experience so I will simply say that the former has created a major obstacle for the State GOP going forward. The younger generation of voters have an entirely different perspective on such issues as homosexuality, race relations, equal rights and equal opportunity. Younger people are more open, tolerant and embrace inclusion over exclusion. Younger people value the right of privacy and reject anyone, let alone the government, to dictate choices or limit opportunity. These younger voters IMHO were manipulated by the false promise of change brought about by the marketers behind Obama's campaign.

I have spoken to literally hundreds of younger voters and they all have the same thing to say. Where they are becoming disillusioned with Obama and his administration, both Democrats and Republicans alike, they do not see a platform in the GOP right now that offers them a voice or an agenda to get behind. The biggest issue one would think with young folks would be healthcare if you believe the mainstream media, but in reality its future issues like spending, the environment and job opportunity/security. They know there will be no social security for them. They question the longetivity of such things as 401ks and retirement plans given the moves by Washington to dip into such areas and make changes to such laws impacting saving that are on the horizon. They have the vision to see a bleak economy over the next half decade and yet at the very point in time where they could be brought into the greater Republican community they are being turned away.

Why? Because certain Republican extremists have determined that the country and Virginia must concentrate on a social conservative platform and not a fiscal conservative one. They will use the spending issue as a sword of course, but the real agenda driving these social conservatives is control. Control of your life and control of mine. They believe they know what is best and if you disagree, even if you are a Republican, you are taken to the wood shed. Case in point, Jeff Frederick.

Local bloggers like Tom White over at Virginia Right is an example of the divide that is being created. Mr. White has sought to drive every moderate and fiscal conservative from the State GOP and refers to any Republican who does not put the social conservative platform above all else as a "liberal" conservative. Virginia Right recently made the claim that Henrico County is more conservative, or in his words a stronger shad of red, than even Chesterfield County. His posts illustrate a rejection of the notion that Virginia is an independent/moderate State. Some refer to this as being a "purple" voting State. To some, being "purple" is exactly what is needed in that it allows voters to take a look at candidates independently and make determinations accordingly based on the individual not the Party. Tom White rejects this. According to Virginia Right if you supported John McCain last Fall you are a "liberal-Republican". He fails to account in all his "analysis" why it is his own Henrico has such a poor showing as of late regarding conservative candidates. He downplays his vote of course as simply a vote for Palin and not for McCain or a vote against Obama not one for McCain.

White calls Henrico County home. Henrico supported Kaine over Kilgore, Obama over McCain, Warner over Gilmore and by less than a percent supported Allen over Webb. Compared to Chesterfield County, thats a pretty strong anti-conservative record that Virginia Right chooses to ignore when he blasts fellow Republicans in Chesterfield for not being conservative enough. Afterall, Chesterfield delivered support to Kilgore, McCain and Allen. Virginia Right's frustration is solely directed at "moderates". White refers to these voters as "liberal Republicans" not moderates. These voters are the biggest problem in White's eyes. He sees these voters as traitors to the cause. The problem is Virginia Right does not seem to grasp just what the real "cause" is.

The future of the GOP and the roadmap for succes is not through divisive attacks or trying to figure out which group is "more conservative" or anything like that, but by creating a vision for the Party that is rooted in core principles based on fiscal conservatism. The future or death of the formal GOP will be dertermined not by the aging population of the baby boomer generation now with the greater demographic, but by the younger generations to come as well as the growing Hispanic population throughout the country. True conservatism applied to such issues as immigration very well may bring that future into the fold, but people like Tom White will have none of that. White sees the GOP has more of a club. His posts at Virginia Right demonstrate his intent on discriminating against certain Republicans. Your welcome as long as you do what your told and follow the line of the social conservatives.

You would think that a candidate like Jim Gilmore would have provided an opportunity for Virginia to demonstrate just how "conservative" the Commonwealth really is and yet Mark Warner brought in more Republican support than any other statewide candidate since Chuck Robb. Virginia Right provides no analysis for this other than accusing all those Republicans who supported Warner as dead weight in the State GOP. Again, traitors to the cause.

After a series of hard fought battles for statewide office, the State GOP must continue to examine its platform. These battles will always be close in Virginia because of the extreme influence of independents and moderates. Tom White would alienate these voters. Banish them from the State GOP and leave the Party with about 26% of the electorate. The GOP needs to push past such advocates.

Bob McDonnell right now is winning the middle ground over Creigh Deeds. Bob is running the kind of campaign that needs to be run to win in Virginia. Bob has avoided the divisive side of politics that often follows many social conservatives. Bob understands the the Virginia voter and those attending the State GOP convention are very very different. The latter are very conservative and lean more towards the far right of the Party whereas the average Virginian comes down somewhere in the middle. This is why Virginia has a long track record of split ticket voting. It is not uncommon for us in Virginia to elect a Democrat as Governor and than support a Republican in the White House and this year vice versa.

Fact is not all Republicans are social conservatives and not all Democrats in Virginia are "liberals". There is a swell of voters in the middle, but instead of attempting to deliver a majority of them to the polls in support of the GOP, people like Tom White seek to alienate them. He seeks to ridicule and offer platitudes of prejudice against even self-professed Republicans claiming they are not "conservative enough".

He states that support for Sen. McCain is whats wrong with the Republican Party and that McCain is merely a liberal like the Snowe, Spector and others. I guess he also would throw in Lindsey Graham as well, but in reality maybe Tom White does not have to look any further than his own backyard. Eric Cantor (R-7) seems to fall off his radar and yet Cantor voted for much of what is wrong with Washington right now. How about all those bailouts? Gee, Cantor in the House, heavy weights like McCain, Graham and Snowe in the Senate all in a position of leadership and power and they are all "liberal Republicans" according to Tom White?Wow. Where all all those social conservatives. Oh thats right, most of them were defeated in the House and Senate races since 2006.

The difference between the fiscal conservative and social conservative is attitude. Fiscal conservatives are more than willing to work with all conservatives to bring about a reduction of taxes, spending, regulation and the size and scope of goverment without question in order to provide solutions for America's future. It is apparent through Tom White that we see that social conservatives have no esire to work with anyone who does not seek to elevate its issues to the front of the platform and cares very little for expanding ideas and growing the ranks through open dialogue and a genuine love for the country and ALL its people.

If people like Tom White are not careful their wish will eventually come true. The problem is there is not much you can do in politics with less than 30% of the vote. Not much at all folks. An unwillingness to compromise and expand the Party very well may be the GOP' undoing here in Virginia. Fortunately, Bob McDonnell does not subscibe to such radical viewpoints as Virginia Right or at the very least Bob has not in the execution of his duties acted in like fashion and could possibly go a long way to rebuilding the State GOP that was crushed last Fall throughout the Commonwealth.

The State GOP has real issues facing its future, but this divisive battle being waged by such people as Tom White against the rank and file should not be one of them. Evidently the heat is getting a bit hot for him over at Virginia Right these days. I hear that he has actually invoked moderation over at Virginia Right. Moderation? Yeap. Just another way to silence critics folks and control the dialogue. Who can blame him? He and the Henrico GOP have their hands full these days over there fighting back (or even denying) the voting trends.

Delegate John O'Bannon Outed on Health-Related Record

2009-10-19T19:32:00.003-04:00

Again, I have not seen such a hotly contested Delegate race and at times full of those campaign grenades often thrown out by staffers or supporters than what is going on currently in the final weeks of the race in the 73rd. Given my district's race is about as boring as it gets, I can't help but jump over to the 73rd where the action is. Afterall, Loupassi is a lock.

Just to prove that some of us do not blidly support candidates with an (R) or a (D) after theri name and actually have some intellectual integrity when it comes to issues and refuse to allow polticians to serve up platitudes by the mouthful I am tackling the 73rd.

Republican incumbant John O'Bannon and his supporters have been consistent at making sure that the "only physician in the House of Delegates" point has been routinely articulated either through tv commercials, canvassing or campaign literature. This of course is a very timely and strategic move given the national focus on heathcare reform out of Washington and all the town hall meetings these days.

There is just one big problem. Dr. O'Bannon after some nine years in the House of Delegates seems to have rarely sponsored health related bills that are to the direct benefit of the consumer. Instead all to often, Dr. O'Bannon has sponsored legislation, which for the most part has failed to pass in the House even with Republican majority, that entrenches the heathcare industry.

The Shields campaign has failed to deliver in these last few weeks a real arguement against O'Bannon or highlight his real record as an incumbant. Instead, it seems they are content to rely on the usual pro-choice groups whom have criticized O'Bannon for his pro-life positions on abortion. This is a mistake. The holes in the notion of the O'Bannon camp's contention regarding O'Bannon have little to do with the pro-life/choice debate but more about whose side O'Bannon is really on in the House concerning heath-related issues.

The pro-choice line of attack falls on deaf ears to those who do not consider abortion a prominent political issue. By this I mean most independents and moderates. Of course, the arguement can be made by the left that O'Bannon hardly cares about patient rights if he endorses legislation that would restrict a woman from doing with her own body what she choses. I think Shields needs to use an entirely different tact.

I think if the Shields camp really wants to begin to draw some distinctions between O'Bannon's claim of being the kind of Delegate looking out for patients(citizens) just as he has done for his own real life patients and his actual sponsorship record in the House. Now is the time Mr. Shields.

If you review the record, one finds a significant number of bills sponsored by O'Bannon that directly benefit corporate entities in the healthcare or medical industry and not patients.
For example, in HB250 O'Bannon sought to allow HMO or managed care health insurance plans that were newly established to obtain licensing before actually being certified of quality assurance by the State Health Commission. In essence, O'Bannon sought to streamline the process for insurers. In HB382, O'Bannon sought to make information exchanged by medical committees or medical review boards or even advisory committees "privileged" and inadmissible in a court of law. So much for patient rights folks in the case of malpractice or civil suits.In HB252, O'Bannon sought to establish bureau of Health Insurance within the SCC . In HB2455, O'Bannon sought to extend tax credits and incentives to biosciences and other technologies which would exempt equity and subordinated debt. HB563 O'Bannon sought to expand the "conscience clause" from doctors to such areas as pharmacology. In essence, here O'Bannon was seeking to permit a pharmicist for example to exercise the clause and not dispense say contraception to a patient. Evidently, as articulated by pro- choice groups O'Bannon sees "contraceptions" as abortants. This can also be reviewed in SB1104 more in depth.

Others; HB 1884 patient communication
HB247- require all hospitals involved in diversion to use electronic health records

The theme running through virtually all of these bills Mr. Shields are they come down on the side of business and industry and NOT patient care. O'Bannon has spent little time in the House being a patient advocate as so many of his canvassers have professed. Its time to step up in your campaign and hold O'Bannon accountable for just whose interests he has been looking out for.

Mr. Shields here's a hint. Start with Republican John O'Bannons Bio and work backward.

Call for Del. O'Bannon (R-73) to Put an End to the Lies

2009-10-04T21:16:00.002-04:00

The race in the 73rd is a very good chance of boiling over. The reason for this is the fact that the Republicans believed that the seat in the House of Delegates would be relatively safe in this years election cycle. But that was nine months ago.

Incumbant, Dr. John O'bannon while certainly maintaining an edge in fundraising and community support is in a fight. How we respond to such adversity is a measure of who we are both as people and as leaders.

Dr. O'Bannon has an opportunity to call out his supporters, especially bloggers, who have been outright and blatant misrepresentation of ACORN's involvement in the 73rd race in an attempt to use the backlash (and rightfully so) to recent released videos to do nothing more than smear the Shields camp unjustly.

It is one thing for supporters of O'Bannon to call for Shields to denounce his former boss in Rep. Bobby Scott (D) support for the organization, but it is entirely different to link or disparage Mr. Shields or his campaign by saying they are in realtionship with ACORN.

In fact, ACORN has not been involved in any activities regarding the 73rd nor is it according to their office involved in any active canvass or voter registration drives in the area over the course of this race.

Certain over zealous and frankly factually challenged bloggers continue to attempt to link Shields and ACORN and thus it should be Dr. O'bannon's responsibility to call on those supporters to let the race stand on the issues and not on just inflammatory and falsehoods. His supporters will cry "this is politics", but is not this kind of stuff exactly what most of us have been voicing we detest anout the whole process?

Is not this kind of thing exactly why many ggod qualified people do not enter political life? It has nothing to do with the "heat" but who wants to deal with the kinda crap these folks have to deal with now given the new media.

Whose to blame? We are. We tolerate this kind of campaigning where bloggers shill for campaigns with falsehood and inuendo void of fact.

O'Bannon should put an end to this and allow the campaigns to get back to issues. O'Bannon will likely be victorious anyway, but how he wins may tell us more about the man himself and the kind of leader he truly is.

Pride cometh before the fall Sir. In winning in this manner, you very well may lose more than you will ever know.

Do the right thing.

Alter "The Dabbler" Chimes In

2009-09-29T19:30:00.003-04:00

Okay folks after quite a few emails from folks, which of course I would never post on this blog, pointing me in the direction of the blog Virginia"Right" today regarding a post in which he references me directly I do not really feel compelled to answer the laughable babble posted over there, but to humor those of us who always need a really good chuckle and want to tip toe into the surreal.....here goes.

First, many have emailed me to remove the link to Virginia"Right" in large part due to his personal attacks against not only myself but evidently the folks that rant here from time to time.

I will not. I believe in free speech and think that we as Virginians should probably hold it closer to our hearts than others if you know our history. Now, that does not mean that I endorse Mr. White's views simply because I offer a link, but rather it offers folks here another avenue to explore regarding local politics. I linked the blog in large part due to the fact there are very few focusing on local matters and Mr. White's interest in the 73rd race was compelling.

For all I know the two of us could have been sitting near each other a recent debates or meetings. Its an interesting race on the issues alone, however, some have sought to inflame that race with national themes that are a bit misplaced. I mean if folks want to keep focusing on what divides us instead of getting solutions to the table thats their right.

Mr. White attempts to set forth wild accusations and plays association politics in his analysis of myself and the race in the 73rd for that matter. Somehow, ironically Mr. White believes that a $500 contribution by the SEIU is somehow equates to greater influence than 100,000 contributed by an industry such as the medical industry. He for some reason continues to link comments made regarding the insurance aspect of healthcare to my detailed examination of he contributions by somehow equating that because Dr. O'Bannon has not be getting "insurance money" that he is in the clear on the issue. Please.

Correct me if I am wrong-and of course you can bet Mr. White will- but without insurance companies where exactly would the following be:

Hospital Corp of America
Virginia Assisted Living
Southern Physicians
Medical Society of Virginia
Virginia Independent Insurance Agents
Virginia Nurses Assn
Virginia Dental Assn

The above have contributed along with others to the tune of 101,182 (Healthcare related), 18,531 -political pacs and the like and another 18,200-real estate/developer to the O'Bannon campaign in large part since the annoucement of the challenger. Compared to that $500 contribution I can see why its such a concern-snark.

Virtually most of all of Tom Shields contributions have come either from the Democrat Caucus or Party Pacs and individuals throughout the region. Then there is that SEIU donation, which of course they make to most Democrats, that Mr. White is so offended by and yet probaly has little clue as to exactly how much within the Commonwealth gets touched by members of SEIU locals. Afterall, if you happen to be a part of that organization you must be a lover of Acorn right? Thats about as stupid as saying all tea baggers and town hall protestors are racist folks.

There are plenty of members of SEIU that are not aligned with Andy Stern who sits on Acorns Advisory Council and to make the assertion that because Shields accepts $500 from a labor union he somehow embraces an element (Acorn) that may be linked in some parts of the country to SEIU is absurd.

If you want to challenge Shields effectively and with intellectual integrity instead of gutter mining maybe Mr. White would be better served by informing his readers just why SEIU is such a threat. That would illustrate more effectively than some ludicrous and meaningless link to Acorn. Why?

Simple. SEIU is a big supporter of Card Check and ending Virginia's Right to Work State status.

Does Mr. Shields support card check? Would he support ending the right to work status? These are fair and valuable questions far better serving the public than Acorn inflamatories and diatribes. Mr. White leave that to Glenn Beck- he is more effective.

It is obvious that Mr. Shields has run a viable campaign, otherwise there would not be the need for such attacks brought about by the lickes of Virginia"Right". If he wasn't you would hear about as much about Shields in the blogosphere as you do Grogan and Rheinhart both challenging incumbant Republicans in Chesterfield.

Fact is, when there is no real differences on the issues in reality the only resort is to try and create controversy. Evidently Mr. White learned very little from the UR debate. They seem to agree quite a bit on most issues. In fact, it was more like an introduction than a debate.

I have made it clear that I fully expect Dr. O'Bannon to win re-election, but I absolutely love that fact that he is having to work for it. As he and all leaders should. This cycle is more of a testing of the waters IMHO. The shape and demo of the 73 has been changing for a few years now so it will be interesting to see how it comes down. I said in July, I expect Shields to take the City and the old annexed section in Southside where O'Bannon will be strongest in Henrico.

In no post have I ever endorsed either candidate. I have simply stated the obvious; its a race. I make no assertions about Henrico other than to say that the GOP over there will get the vote out, but here in the Southside I have been involved in enough races over the years to see alot of "mo" for the challenger. Thats par for the course though given the City portion traditionally votes Democrat. The real news is that Shields appears poised to get them to the polls, something many Dems will struggle to do this cycle given its an off year election and there no "OBAMA" on the ticket. I expect turnout to be below average which benefits the incumbant.

I see very little more than partisan diatribe on the part of Virginia"Right" with no real analysis and for the record Mr. White its not how many times you swing the bat but how many times you make contact!!!

This "dabbling" is rather fun-----but the steaks are done....

Support Another Term for Loupassi!

2009-09-29T18:10:00.002-04:00

This years election is quickly approaching and many canvassing teams will be out in force this weekend around the area. We are beginning to see those signs go up around the corridor along Robious and Huguenot which is a good thing. The larger banner signs for Bob McDonnell are up with zero Deeds signs showing up along the major arteries throughout the area. These areas are in and around Bon Air are Robious, Huguenot and Buford Roads that get alot of the traffic during the week.

The most popular sign intersection is always Buford& Jahnke Road in the Crestwood area of the Midlothian District, Chesterfield. It is always interesting to see the sign wars every cycle.

A few bloggers recently cast some pretty broad assertions regarding some sign vandalism, but in the end I think its pretty obvious to all who live here in the area it was merely kids out late engaging in some horseplay. The notion it was some conspiracy by those supporting Deeds for example is not only baseless in fact but ridiculous. Afterall, who knows anyone around here supporting Deeds anyway-hahaha.

We must not forget that we have some House races that will be on the ballot. These should not be taken for granted at the polls. The House of Delegates must be there to help Bob McDonnell set forth his agenda OR check Creigh Deeds should he somehow manage to erase the current five point deficit ij the next month or so.

Manoli Loupassi should win handily, but we should all still make sure that we get everyone out to the polls and not take anything for granted. I have not posted much about Loupassi over the last year or so because lets be honest; there has really just not been much to talk about. Loupassi will have to step up this term and deliver on the promises that helped him win election in the first place. Loupassi has not impressed, but he has not disappointed either.

Loupassi deserves the opportunity to deliver on his pledges, especially government reform and ethics. Many of us would love to see that come about in the Assembly.

73rd House District: O'Bannon v. Shields

2009-09-25T22:07:00.003-04:00

The race in the 73rd House District is heating up. There has been some considerable interest in this particular race which pits incumbant Dr. John O'Bannon (R) versus challenger Tom Shields. Its a really interesting matchup because if you get the opportunity to speak with these two men you will find that they are very close on many of the issues. In fact, I would say that Shields in my view is the equivalent of a blue dog ( thats politico speak for Conservative Democrat).

As such, Shields is coming under fire from bloggers who understand the threat of his bid for Delegate. Some have resorted to the worst kind of association politics in an attempt to bring irrational debate and take focus away from the real issues at hand facing the Commonwealth.

The two men recently squared off in a rather civil debate at the University of Richmond as compared to many of the recent depictions of the various town halls going into September. If the viewer expected any fireworks they were most likely disappointed.

What did not come up and was quite surprising was the status of the Commonwealth's budget with regard to employee benefits, healthcare and retirement. Healthcare being such a large aspect of the current national debate could have easily been brought into the debate by the Shields camp regarding contributions and donations to Dr. O'Bannon by way of the healthcare and medical industry. This industry according to VPAP represent the biggest donor percentages of any segment to the O'Bannon campaign.

This race could boil over in the next few weeks. The O'Bannon camp must figure out why it is losing support in the City areas of the district while Bob McDonnell in the same canvass is rolling right along. If O'bannon is counting on the top of the ticket helping him out, his campaign may want to rethink that strategy. The groundgame being orchestrated by Tony Coppola and the Shields camp is becoming very effective.

It doesn't hurt that its Tom Shields himself out there knocking on those doors either.

In fact, recently a few bloggers have misrepresented the Shields support as coming from the likes of disgraced groups such as ACORN/SEIU when in fact the Shields camp has never been a recipient of any funds directed either by ACORN of any of its known arms. ACORN currently faces countless investigations and the attempt to link Shields to the organization is simply an attempt to mislead and malign the Shields campaign.

In fact, O'Bannon has secured more donations from organizations and business interests both in and out of the 73rd. Such donors include Medical Society of Virginia, Virginia Dental Assn, Virginia Ind. Insurance Agents, Hospital Corp of America, Virginia Asst Living, Southern Physicians as well as such Richmond mainstays as Ukrops, Goodwin, and Reynolds.

Healthcare related donors account for some 101,000 to the O'Bannon campaign. This makes since given the O'Bannon is of course a Doctor and a Director of Henrico Doctors Hospital. That said, its interesting given the current climate in the healthcare debate whether Shields can leverage the issue regarding exactly whom O'Bannon may be beholden to given these donors and the current state of healthcare. The bills in Congress will likely require State legislators to sign off on certain aspects of the plan with regard to participation.

Tony Copploa, campiagn manager for Tom Shields , has worked an excellant ground game in the 73rd and though Shields has been out-raised by the incumbant, virtually all of the donations Shields has received is FROM the 73rd and from individuals. The largest exception being the donation from the Democrat Caucus, which is seeing the potential in the candidacy of Shields while others in the area have little chance of defeating the incumbant Republican.

Shields recently was endorsed by the Virginia Education Assoc. which has elevated his campaign and local PTA's are enthusiastic about his candidacy.

If you want to understand exactly what kind of guy the 73rd could get in Shields, this says it best:

"We need to reach across the aisle and see what we can do to make the Commonwealth better, not two years from now, but 20"

You got that right. If citizens understood just what dire times lie down the road if the State does not fix its budget woes and have to fund the benefit situation of an ever increasing State employee pool they would get the very point Shields is making.

This race very well may boil down to whom exactly citizens feel the elected Delegate will look after most, them or the those that have contributed for influence. Voters and the Shields campiagn for that matter should examine exactly what the O'Bannon record is on heath related issues during his time in the House and balance that record with his campaigns contributions.

Ask the Chairman (Governor) Kaine- Healthcare

2009-09-24T16:51:00.003-04:00

WRVA 1140 (AM Radio) in Richmond hosted Tim Kaine today for his monthly "Ask the Governor" call in show and by all indication the current healthcare debate is certainly resonating with many in Central Virginia.

The majority of the questions served Gov. Kaine this morning were in the area of Healthcare Reform and the Economy. Virginia, like many States, has seen Unemployment rates climb steadily in recent years. Virginia still ranks in the Top 5 for Employment based on current rates where Virginia is approaching almost 7% unemployment. Virginia, in large part due to the growth of both the State and Federal government and appropriations and contracts flowing from Washington into the region has faired much better than most States.

One major admission made by Gov. Kaine this morning was his support for the implementation of health insurance access across State lines. This has been something that Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats in Congress have long supported and just may turn up in the final Healthcare reform bill.

However, Gov. Kaine's full endorsement of the "public option" seems very intriguing given at no time in his term as Governor has he proposed such a plan very similar to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for here in Virginia. Kaine spoke to "portability" for the public, but failed to provide the impact of such programs would have on the bottom line regarding the funding of the public option.

While I think everyone would support "portability", it is a matter of record that there are already in place programs to do just that not only here in Virginia but also nationally. For example, the Federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires group plans sponsored by employers with 20 or more employees to offer "continuation of coverage" for employees and dependents for up to 18 months following departure from the company. Of course, the individual would be responsible for the premium (whole) during the term but they would remained insured. Kaine also failed to mention that State employees under Code 2.2-2818 that Virginia shall provide a credit toward the cost of health insurance coverage for former State employees who have retired under the Virginia retirement System, State Police Officer's Retirement System, Judicial Retirement System, Virginia Law Officer's Retirement System and others. Thats quite a few systems to manage by the State.

Recently, the VRS has come under fire. Virginia is sitting with close to a four billion dollar shortfall in large part to increasing costs associated with retirees, benefits, workers comp and other insurance related areas that are outpacing inflation. We as citizens must understand that the impacts of growing State government is rarely felt in the early years of the creation of departments or jobs increasing the payroll but in the later years when those employees have reached there fifteenth anniversary and later retire.

It is also important to note that one retires with the benefits of the last highest position held with State government and its benefits are determined based on that grade during the enitre retirement. An example of this can be illustrated by a member of the General Assembly leaving political life and then taking a position in State Government as an unelected official. Regardless of how long the individual was say a Delegate or State Senator, after a few years in grade the retirement would be graded at the full benefit of that position and not the former elected office.

Kaine also failed to mention that in Virginia, we spent 9,224 per government employee enrolled in health benefits program in 2008 and in 2007 the State spent 614 million in medical, behavorial health and pharmacy for the States almost 100,000 employees. In 2008, that cost rose to 714 million.

Kaine had an opportunity to inform the public regarding the program COVA Connect, provided State employees through Optima Health (Sentara Healthcare) in the Beach region that is an experimental program covering 17,000 State employees. This two year contract is costing the State 5 million a year in "administrative" costs according to the Department of Human Resource Management. That contracted amount would amount to 10 million to cover 17,000 for two years. It begs the question what the real costs would be before savings to roll this program out to the roughly entire 100,000 active State employees. Do not misundertsand me, COVA Connect offers some real promise towards addressing the issues of preventative care. 20% of State employees are smokers and 35% do not exercise on a regular basis according to Optima.

An important aspect of the program however that can be set against the debate in Washington is the fact that the State employees , predominately in the Hampton Rhodes area ,are asked within the COVA Connect program to leave their doctors behind. Thats the rub. If we are experimenting with a program at the government level which would ask (force) employees to leave their doctors than what is the real notion behind what Kaine is endorsing in his idea of the public option where he states he thinks people will be able to keep their doctors and plans should they desire to do so. Why could not the COVA Connect be implemented in the same manner without having employees have to leave their doctors behind.

The State and Optima are said to be tracking the program and will evaluate the program to determine viability for the entire government pool and the Virginia Governmental Employees Association is also very interested in the results.

By the way, this program replaces Anthem's COVA Care in the Hampton, Virginia Beach region which may attribute to the situation regarding which doctors are in the current program and which ones were available through Anthem. Not exactly a true "option" regarding physician selection.

In listening to the conversations Gov. Kaine was engagin in this morning the more and more I am convinced that if the State truly wants to solve many of its problems regarding costs related to healthcare it must go the route of full "self-insurance".

What does it mean to be "self-insured"?

The rising costs associated with healthcare as pointed out by Kaine are a direct result of the lack of competition or bids for the State plan and in many areas some insurers have a monopoly. The only way for sel-insurance to work is through large participation to begin with and pool funding at the onset by the General Assembly to implement to measure. The benefit is that most people pay more IN premiums than they spend out in claims. Basically, State employees would pay in a set amount per period just as if they were paying an insurance premium through payroll deduction or buying an alternative health policy. Instead of those proceeds going to the insurance company they are directed to the "pool". Funds are then drawn out of the pool to cover the medical expenses for those enrolled. How can the State handle this?

The State can simply contract the administrative service or claim aspect out which would also create jobs in the greater economy. These are known as third party adminstrators. In some aspects there is also the ability to go the route of re-insure as well in other areas of insurance as well.

The key to self-insurance for the State which undoubtedly would save millions of dollars is wellness. The State would have to determine to make wellness and fitness a priority which would mitigate claims and costs associated with poor health.

Self-Insured plans are subject to the Federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), handled by the Department of Labor.

Kaine's objective today it seems was to support Obama's Healthcare agenda or at the verty least the Congressional plan as it appears as though Obama really has not released a plan yet of his own for the nation to review and yet across the board within State government never seemed to take responsibility for the rising costs of State government and the shortfalls with the budget othern than to say that costs are spiraling out of control.

Frankly, as long as we allow the government to expand at both the State and Federal level "costs" will never be reigned in. In healthcare alone, we are spending today over 9,224 per State employee and the more we expand government and grow its ranks the larger that number will become. How will we fund those expenses?

According to Kaine, taxes will certainly be raised in Virginia. Yeah, just not on his watch. I guess is better politics to leave that burden to the next adminstration by leaving those shortfalls to the budget, but then why should we be surprised Kaine's predecessor in Mark Warner did the exact same thing to him.

Shields Proving To Be A Challenger

2009-09-18T20:06:00.004-04:00

73rd House District-

Eventhough the climate up in Washington these days could hardly be worse for Democrats, that does not neccessarily translate into State Democrat candidates being beaten up at the polls in November.

Democrat challenger Tom Shields is going toe to toe with the Republican incumbant in a rather interesting battle. The lines in this contest are hardly clear. Republican John O'Bannon is faced with having (for the first time since entering office) to canvass large areas of the district. The biggest criticism levied at O'Bannon has been his lack of engagement with consituents. One voter in the 73rd basically told me that O'Bannon likes to play up the fact he is the only doctor in the House of Delegates, but what good is a doctor to you if you can never get an appointment to see him? Its an interesting analogy given the fact that countless constituents have complained that O'Bannon has in the past taken their votes for granted.

So what is in store for the O'Bannon campaign? Along night on election day possibly. The 73rd has parts of Henrico County and Richmond that had significant rise in supported for Democrats last year. Warner and Obama both faired better than many previous Democrats in the area. There is a rebellion of sorts out there focused on the establishment. Its not just directed at Democrats but ALL incumbants. People are asking what exactly their leaders have delivered on their behalf and whether they offer transparency and access to constituents. It does not seem to matter which Party a politician belongs in this regard.

An example is the transportation debate which very well may in the coming weeks trickle down from the McDonnell/Deeds race. People will focus on the solutions offered up by the GOP in the House over the last two years and then evaluate many Delegates accordingly. O'Bannon has very strong credentials from such interests concerned with Family Values, Gun Legislation, and Chamber of Commerce. The arguement being waged is O'Bannon has failed to deliver a balanced agenda and has failed in areas of Labor, Environment, Conservation, Education, and most importantly Government Reform and its beginning to register with many older voters in the 73rd.

Recent get togethers in the 73rd with likely voters has seen a rise in the interest of Tom Shields as a candidate. One such event recently had a straw poll where Shields earned almost 60% of the vote.

A recent attempt to somehow tarnish Tom Shields with the recent voting record of Democrat Congressman Bobby Scott seems a bit oof a reach. Shields was for a time Bobby Scott's legislative assistant where he undoubtedly learned to cut his teeth on the process, but to somehow link Shields to his former boss in this regard is highly inflammable AND dangerous for those supporting O'Bannon. Hell, I have worked for plenty of people I did not agree with. Its the equivalent of saying if your a State employee than you are linked to everything Gov. Kaine says and believes.

Regardless, O'Bannon get the vote out better be kicked in high gear. Shields is winning the dialogue with voters through his schedule of meetings, canvassing and phone banking himself. O'bannon seems to be losing a foothold in the south side of the City area as well based on recent canvass results.

Six or so weeks. The clock is ticking. Your move Delegate O'Bannon.

Chesterfield County NAACP (24th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet)

2009-09-05T21:41:00.003-04:00

Anyone who was out and about this Holiday Weekend day and past by the Holiday Inn in the Koger Center in Chesterfield County probably noticed hundreds of campaign banners and signs alongside the roads in and around the hotel that almost resembled a polling station.

The Chesterfield County Branch of the NAACP is holding its 24th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet at the hotel which also will celebrate the 100 years since the NAACP was founded.

It is all of of our hopes that in celebrating 100 years we since the inception of the NAACP that we all can reflect on all the progress we as a nation have made with regard to the advancement of colored people and other minorities. We are an imperfect people and nation for that matter, but it should be the hope and desrie of all Americans the recognize the long journey that was undertaken some 100 years ago and lives with us today.

It is interesting to note for all you politicos out there who routinely like to box people or group people in terms of political ideology that the signs surrounding the hotel were predominately Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli signs with but a handful of Creigh Deeds scattered amongst the sea of red, white and blue signs. Many in the national media would not associate too many Republicans with any kind of NAACP event, but than thats just where they demonstrate media bias. Either that or they simply just have never been to Chesterfield County!! There is strong support for Republican candidates traditionally in Chesterfield by the African-American and minority community. If the media had bothered to cover a recent local Tea Party organized early summer this would have easily been demonstrated, but then our folks in the media are not terribly concerned with portraying anyhting that does not fit into its formulated agenda now are they?

There is a reason why Chesterfield County is a First Choice Community and its simply that we do not by into the divisive notions of division within our community and we all as citizens can step back and appreciate just how far and how hard the NAACP has worked over the last 100 years. All the best to the Chesterfield County Branch as you celebrate tonight a great achievement.

73rd House Seat: Shields Making Headway

2009-08-27T19:45:00.003-04:00

With all of the attention being played on national policies like Healthcare these days, little covergae is being given to various local races throughout the Commonwealth this Fall. One of the more interesting races is right here in the Richmond area for the seat representing the 73rd district in the House of Delegates.

Incumbant, Dr. John O'Bannon-R is being challenged by University of Richmond, Director of the Center for Leadership in Education Tom Shields. Shields announced his candidacy early this year with very little fanfare frankly, but as the months have passed Shields has been gaining momentum.

Shields can attribute this "mo" to the fact that he is waging a community by community campaign and has embraced hitting the street and meeting with residents of the 73rd. Shields has not simply gone the way that so many incumbants do with so-called "meet and greets", but rather has systematically hit major neighboorhoods and knock on doors and spoken with residents on their own porches delivering a focused message.

Shields is hitting those streets that in the past may very well have voted Republican and not merely focusing on trying to get the historic Democrat vote out at the polls. This strategy is paying off. His name recognition is climbing as a result of a campaign maintaining a consistent strategy. (Maybe the Deeds camp should be calling these folks for advice)

The payoff? To be honest I can attest to many former McCain supporters from last fall taking a second look at Shields in this race. Why? Neglect. The biggest issue facing incumbant O'Bannon is in reality the perception to many that he is disengaged with constituents. That criticism is always a hard one to overcome, but the O'Bannon camp is trying. For many residents it is the first time that Republican volunteers are working to get the vote out in this district for a "local" race. Many folks have expressed the feeling that they fel as though their votes appear to have been taken for granted in years past and given the rising tide of apathy toward Washington and the political game lately that hurts any incumbant.

Many bloggers left this race in the 73rd alone early this year in large part because it looked as if it was pretty much a safe seat for the Republicans. It appears as though many bloggers took for granted those votes as well.

Shield's folks have stopped by my parents home in the 73rd at least three times. Once to introduce Tom Shields, then to touch base and then to followup on some answers to some questions.

Shields has held 2 town halls, one on the economy and one on education, this month with plans on a few more before Election Day. I was particularly interested in the Education meeting. It intereested me because Virginia Democrats have always historicially taken education on as a campaign piece and I wanted to see if Shields was planning on offering something substantively different than many other Democrats.

There is no doubt in my mind that Shields has the Education debate down solid and his background can attest to his understanding of the issues facing our local school systems throughout the Commonwealth. The problem though is if your a voter and you did not get the opportunity to hear Shields speak on Education and you get word that the Virginia Education Association Fund has endorsed him there could be a real disconnect. Many voters, especially Independent ones, in the 73rd will see such an endorsement as a negative given rising criticisms on entrenched educational bureaucracy that has created much of the unneccessary expenses associated with the education budget.

I have no doubt that Tom Shield' head and heart is in the right place on Education, but only a few months remain to see if he can reach more voters on other issues facing the Commonwealth. For example, where does Shields stand on Transportation? On Federal Stimulus Money allocation?

If you happen to be one of the fortunate voters with the opportunity to have Tom Shields knock on your door; a few questions

Where do you stand on leasing out the Virginia Lottery to a management company?

Would you support the privatization of the Virginia Alcohol Board of Control (VABC)?

What released plans offered by the Deeds or McDonnell campaign could you endorse?

As an educator, where do you stand on illegal immigrants receiving State Finanacial Aid for college?

How would you as a Delegate work with the Congressional Delegation to get Federal permission for rights to the Virginia Rest Areas along Virginia's interstates to lease to private companies to be maintained? (Why is it MD can have the Chesepeake House in the middle of I95?)

Would you support localities being forced to implement "impact fees" over cash proffers through State legislation?

Will you committ to not supporting any increase in gas or sales taxes from the current levels?

How will you work to alleviate the burdens placed upon our commercial fishing enterprise?

Will you support or work to support opening up Virginia to offshore drilling?

Some of these may not have direct GA implications but it may offer voters greater insight to where the candidate is truly coming from over rhetoric or campaign releases.

In the end, Republicans took for granted they had the 73rd in hand this Fall but it appears as though Tom Shields is in this to make this a real race come November.

UPDATE: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) WRVA

2009-08-24T17:11:00.002-04:00

If Sen. Mark Warner set out today to absolutely confuse and baffle even his own supporters throughout Central Virginia, its fair to say he succeeded. After being virtually silent for weeks regarding such issues as Cap & Trade and the Healthcare debate, the traditionally pro-business, free market supporter Warner seemed caught between two mothers. One, his decade long stance on the value of free markets and growing business, especially in the Commonwealth of Virginia, through private enterprise clashes with his current stance on the problems facing healthcare. As Governor, Warner did not propose or support any meaure that would bring healthcare into the domain of State government like say the Massachusetts and yet now as a Senator in Congress it is apparent he approves the Federal Government taking over control of healthcare. The operative word in this debate is "control". Warner as long been a supporter of using the government as a regulator, but no where in his record has he ever expressed that the free markets and private markets should be controlled by the government. Regulated certainly, but not controlled. In fact, even Warner had addressed the shortcomings of unfunded liabilities to the federal budget in the area of Medicare/Medicaid recognizing both the shortfalls of this program as well as Social Security. Warner traveled the Commonwealth telling voters that it was his position that it was "spending" that was the biggest issue facing the country as late as Spring 2008 and that spending had to be reigned in up in Washington.

Since his election, Warner has done very little in proposing any reductions in spending. In fact, he left voters today thinking that he would endorse such measures as Cap & Trade and Healthcare, though he admitted that the government in effect only has the power to "regulate" via interstate commerce clauses and really does not have a right under the Constitution to tell people what healthcare they could or should have. Again, free market, individual-right Warner is in conflict with pro-control, government Nanny-State Warner.

Warner was elected by wide margins last Fall over former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R) to be sure. However, in looking at his performance versus some of the other races it is evident that Warner pulled in high percentages of both Republicans (moderates) and Independents.

Here's the rub. Obama and now the actions of Warner will contribute to driving those who supported Warner on the notion that he would go to Washington and be a "moderate" voice further and further away from the DPVA. Warner's biggest problem now is the perception that he has spent years building across the Commowealth is being eroded by the actions of the current administration and frankly Obama himself.

Virginians appear poised to reject Cap & Trade and the Warner that we all once knew certainly would have as well. The new Warner has alot to answer for and given his performance and articulated positions today will leave many voters wondering just who this guy really is.

Warner's current stance on Cap & Trade and Healthcare seem contrary to the brand Warner has built here in Virginia. Is it merely politics or are Warner's true colors begining to shine through given many believe he will likely be in contention in 2016 for the Presidency should Obama win a second term. Is he simply playing to the ultra-liberal base here for some future play or does he truly buy into these policies?

I for one think it would be in Warner's best interest, as well as many Southern Senators, that Cap & Trade NEVER see the light of day on the Senate floor. Healthcare of some fashion will certainly make it to the floor, but should the House version of C&T come up for a vote in the Senate I doubt many Democrats in the South and Midwest (think Evan Byah) will really want to embrace it, especially if Obama's job approval is south of 45% if an Healthcare bill is rammed through reconciliation.

Warner,Webb, Scott duck invite by WRVA; offer no Town Halls

2009-08-11T17:06:00.002-04:00

In an effort to get the issues on the healthcare debate out there and to bring about greater accessibility that those little town hall meetings do not seem to be offering, WRVA 1140 and the Doc Thompson show invited Warner, Webb, and Scott whom have no scheduled town hall meeting for citizens to come on the show and broaden the dialogue with voters.

Apparently, WRVA has gotten no response to their invitation. It begs the question exactly why it would be that such prominent leaders representing the DPVA as Senators Webb and Warner would duck an invitation by one of the largest audiences in Central Virginia . Rep. Bobby Scott (D) was also extended an invitation to come on the radio. WRVA 1140 carries Glenn Beck and Rush followed by the Doc Thompson show which is based right here in Richmond each day during the week.

None of these leaders have a single scheduled event to take the case of the Obama Administration directly to the voters. Is this not the fight of the Democrat Party? Is not the healthcare debate more important than a two week trip to Asia by Sen. Jim Webb? Why is the man who has built his brand around being "business savvy" in Sen. Mark Warner not talking the case directly to the people regarding the cost effectiveness of the proposals being worked out in both the House and Senate?

How is it that Virginia Democrats are sitting on the sidelines during this debate over Healthcare? It seems apparent that the GOP is rallying forces to defeat such proposals, though locally neither Rep. Eric Cantor (R-7th CD) nor Rep. Randy Forbes(R-Chesterfield) have formal town hall meetings scheduled either. Forbes has held so-called "teleconferences" with voters, but those things are not exactly open-access. Cantor never seesm to hold meetings during the recess period and has historically since entering Congress used that time for fundraising purposes for both himself, PACS and other GOP candidates.

One would think basaed on the voting patterns in Virginia and the nature of the State being largely populated with independent-minded voters whom often split-tickets at the polls that there would be more effort put in, especially by the Democrats to make the case for Obama's agenda.

Evidently as Obama's numbers continue to decline, now under 50% for the first time according to Rassmussen, these leaders appear content to hide out and play wait and see until September.

The problem with that strategy is they run the risk of it being too late in September.

Eric Cantor, whom some have said is potentially a likely candidate for the Senate if not a potential run at the White House is losing a great opportunity to build some real recognition in this debate and Sen. Warner and Webb are missing an opportunity to address those supoporters in the "middle" throughout Virginia that elected them in the first place.

Baseball in Chesterfield? Why not?

2009-07-23T17:46:00.003-04:00

If you live in Chesterfield, the idea behind "regionalism" in the last few years has met with resistance by the masses throughout the greater Richmond area. Its no wonder given the complete inability for the City of Richmond to release itself from the stranglehold of city politics. Whether we are are talking about City schools, budgets, the politics of personal destruction and its latest inability to get a deal for Baseball in the Bottom. Residents of Chesterfield and Henrico County in the last decade have seen the City of Richmond as more of a problematic liability than a partner in the future.

The latest development that casts the City of Richmond in a dark shadow is the development out of Loudoun County regarding the potential for the Kincora development at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 28. The proposed site is home to some 424 acres of mixed-use development with a proposed 5,500 seat Baseball stadium for an Atlantic Minor League baseball team supported by the likes of Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson.

The model of success for such proposals in terms of Baseball is the Long Island stadium where the Ducks in the Atlantic league play and have contributed to greater economic development for the community.

Given the demographics of Loudoun County, it is no wonder why many residnts of Chesterfield are asking themselves why Chesterfield couold not be a wonderful home for a minor league baseball franchise. After all, the Braves franchise moved from Richmond to Gwinnett County in the suburbs of Atlanta. Chesterfield has about twice as many people as Loudoun County with a very similar demographic, though the adjusted gross income may be slightly higher in Loudoun. Chesterfield, however does have more children involved in community athletics such as youth baseball, soccer, football, swimming, volleyball, tennis etc than Loudoun.

It really makes you wonder why there has been all this concentration with baseball in the City when their appear to be viable alternatives in suburbia in the greater Richmond area.

Would you be willing to support a Chesterfield-based franchise over a City-based one in terms of regular attendance at the ballpark?

One key aspect to the Kincora plans is the stadium has NO public funding. Translation; no tax payer funding.

Given the upcoming sessions of the Steering Committee looking into providing guidance for the new Chesterfield Comprehensive Planning, we must make sure that we leave in our planning the opportunity for the County to be a home to such a project like Kincora should it ever come our way.

Ukrops Supermarkets Selling Company?

2009-07-13T16:53:00.004-04:00

The rumors have circulated for weeks within the grocery industry concerning the potential sale of Ukrops Supermarkets to Ruddick Corporations wholly owned subsiderary Harris-Teeter. The there has not been an "official" confirmation of the sale, rumors circulated when Harris-Teeter evidently applied for the required ABC permits for 29 stores in the greater Richmond area.

Those growing up in Richmond have long been familiar with Ukrops and its non-alcohol policy as well as its policy of being closed on Sundays.

Harris Teeter operates over 170 stores in eight States and the District of Columbia. These States include North Carolina, Virginia, Deleware, Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and South Carolina. In Virginia, Harris Teeter operates 27 stores.

Harris -Teeter is based in Mathews , NC with Ruddick Corp., a NYSE company operating as a holding company for HT and A&E, Inc is located in Charlotte, NC.

Richmond has witnesed the successful entry of another North Carolina market in The Fresh Market located out of Greensboro, NC where Harris Teeter also has operations. While Fresh Market is not a true grocery concept, Harris-Teeter in recent years has reformated its stores to be "market-like" than grocery.

Fresh Market has stores in Richmond (West End/Midlothian), Roanoke, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and a recently opened unit in Newport News. To date there are almost 90 Fresh Markets predominantly located through the Southeast.

"Official" word should break very soon on a deal that rumors have specualted could be in excess of 850 million.

Ruddick closed today at $22.60 (NYSE)

What Does the Recent Proffer Debate Tell Us?

2009-07-06T16:55:00.003-04:00

Well, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors took another stab at the Cash Proffer debate last week. I have been awaiting many of the members, including I-Daniel Gecker of Midlothian to deliver on some of his campaign rhetoric from 2007 when he launch attack after attack against incumbant R-Don Sowder for being unwilling to make developers carry a bit more of the burden regarding growth, but again Gecker failed to live up to promises he made to voters.

In a 3-2 vote, the Cash Proffer rate was increased but by any standard it was again a victory for the developers who seem to be entrenched with sentiment within our current Board which promised sweeping change during the campaigns of 2007. Unfortunately, only I-Marleen Durfee and D-Holland seem dedicated on delivery what they promised.

Again this time around as in last year it seem to come down to the forces of Durfee and Gecker. Durfee managed to get a compromised rate increase last year in the face of Gecker's continual objections to any increase initially. Durfee sought much higher rates than the approved 18,080 that was passed then and this time around the Board fell short of the estimated 25,511 break even analysis by increasing the rate a mere $886 to $18,966.

Some would say its a small victory, but given the rising costs of infrastructure and the fact that the County already lags considerably behind other juristictions of its size in proffer rates the Board again has failed to begin the process of bringing the tax burden of growth to more of a shared contribution. Gecker in his campaign of 2007 stated publically that he flet that the 80/20 citizen to commercial/developer ratio was unfavorable and used this ratio as a sword against his opponent and yet in two years this citizen fails to see in any instance where Gecker has delivered on policy where that ratio will realistically change.

We have to remember that after years on the Planning Commission, Daniel Gecker has had a sustained relationship with the developer community throughout the planning process for some of the largest scale developments in the County's recent past. It was the hope of voters in the last election cycle that because Gecker understood the developer dynamic that he would better serve citizens at narrowing the gap between offsetting the costs of growth.

Loudoun County whose growth is mirroring Chesterfield in many areas has proffers of 48,000 per lot, Stafford County 43,000 and Prince William County 37,000. Are we really to believe that it costs these areas fifty percent more to deliver on services to its citizens or is it simply a fact that Chesterfield has determined not to have business pay its fair share in large part because of the stranglehold developers have had on the Board in recent years?

We continue to get the same arguements from the developer interests regarding the passage of such fees on to home buyers and how the Proffer System itself is broken and the debate over other methods is still unresolved. Meanwhile, many of these developers, especially the public firms continue to pay those proffers in the other areas of the State without too much debate.

Why?

Developers understand to to penetrate and gain access to markets as favorable as Loudoun and NOVA there comes a price. There is tremondous income demographics for them to provide the housing to offset any of the proffer rates being imposed there. Are they saying that Chesterfield cannot support such home prices or housing specs to offset the increase? And is the rhetoric its about affordable housing sincere or merely just another smoke screen?

In my view, access to markets such as Chesterfield or Henrico is in high demand because of the People who live here and the adjusted gross income that remains stable in the area to support new housing. Developers have yet to make the case, other than in rhetoric (fear rhetoric) that rising proffers would make economic development suffer. Besides it is my understanding that commercial development is not paying proffers and the system is set up for residential development. If the Board is really concerned with balancing the cost of true growth in the County, should not commercial interest pay their share as well as the residential developers?

Another profound Gecker quote,

The proffer increase is "really meaningless in the grand scheme of things".

Really? I think the case very well may be made in 2011 that that assessment can applied to Geckers leadership as well.

Rolling The Dice Twice Not In The Cards

2009-06-14T12:14:00.002-04:00

I have to tell you, I am looking forward to this matchup between (D) Creigh Deeds and (R) Bob McDonnell in large part because it will give us a real sense of the future of the Commonwealth. Sure there will be debate after debate and pundit after pundit telling us why we should support one over the other, but the reality of it is the Commonwealth is at a real crossroads. I use the "Commonwealth" on purpose because not every State in the Union has its origins in the same manner nor is every State a Commonwealth. In the last few years it is become apparent that the very fabric of our history and tradition has come under attack not only by outside interest groups but the Federal Government as well. We are entering a period where the likes of Virginia's future seem poised to be challenged in the same manner as throughout various stages of our past; free trade, taxation, slavery(self-determination), civil rights and many others. Each of those brought outside powers to bear upon the State in the same manner in which today outside funding is reshaping the Virginia we have come to love.

What do I mean by reshaping? Well, when you have a large vocal and heavily funded group of activists who have declared that they would prefer Virginia be the next Maryland you get the picture. I often wonder what it is about Maryland that is so alluring to them, other than the fact they are heavily dominated by a tradition of supporting Democrats. I mean, is Maryland better off economically? Is it educationally? What about employment? Do they place a greater burden on the Federal Government in terms of welfare, healthcare expenses and other support than Virginia?

In no measure, even environmentally in terms of the Bay, could Maryland be construed as outperforming Virginia so it really begs the question why the idealogues want Virginia to become the next Maryland no doesn't it?

Well in the upcoming campaign for Governor we will find out just how much influence those activist (inside and outside the Commonwealth) have upon the campaign of Creigh Deeds. Deeds is a Virginian and for the most part the best kind of Democrat. Deeds was not the choice of the hard left and ultra-liberal wing of the Party mind you. To them is a bit of a lush. Deeds is pro-gun for one, which puts him directly in the crosshairs of the far left. Deeds is certainly not cut from the same cloth as an Obama either and it would be unwise for the Republicans to use that tact as well. What is at question is roots. Will the roots of Creigh Deeds remain firm in this campiagn or will his rhetoric shift to aligning himself with the far left.

The real question voters should be concerned with in this election is the road one wishes the Commonwealth to travel. Its a question of historical integrity. Do we want to rewrite our Constitution? Do we want to turn our backs on our history? Do we want to for once and for all bury the ideals of the likes of Washington, Jeferson, Madison, Mason, Henry, Wythe, Monroe and even Wilson? Thats the question of this election frankly. Its a question of Sovereignty.

Will Virginia hold fast to her roots or will we travel down the road that some would prefer with an even greater reliance upon the Federal Government and thus less control in determining Virginia' own interest.

Not sure if this is as extreme as it has gotten? Think offshore-drilling off our own coast. Think mountain mining our own resources within our Commonwealth. Think late term abortion bans and restricting those bans by the Feds if they mean to. Think education and the undo influence upon our own educational system which list 85 in Newsweeks TOP 1500 HIGH Schools nationwide. Think destroying our railroad industry/port industry by banning coal representing 2/3 of all rail shipping. Think reducing our defense related industry not just our active duty armed forces and of course think base closings in the Virginia Beach region.

Once Virginia allows itself to bow to the "bookie" that is the US Government in the manner in which Gov. Kaine has started with the 4 billion dollar stimulus funding used to offset the budget shortfalls in Virginia which are the repsonsibility of the Kaine administration.

By the way, how is it that Gov. Kaine can have employment with the DNC now while still acting as Governor when it is my understanding that State employees are not allowed to work for private concerns while employed by the State. Isn't that interesting.

So with the backdrop of the current crisis of integrity in Washington spearheaded by misdirection and out and out falsehoods by those now in power, Virginians will be confronted with a campaign this summer hopefully waged on the issue of Virginia's future. There is no greater issue that of Virginia being able to deside for itself what it will do and what direction it will move regarding policy. Those that would put Virginia under the boot of the Federal Government need to be defeated if Virginia to to remain Virginia.

The question really is a matter of which Creigh Deeds will campaign for Governor. If he determines to turn his back on Virginia and move in the direction of supporting federally mandated liberal policies than the choice for Virginians is rather simple in November; Bob McDonnell.

Independents and Moderates in Virginia last Fall supported Obama and provided him the electoral votes from the Commonwealth of Virginia, however a large portion of those voters now have to contend with some of the responsibility concerning the direction our nation is moving and how it is going about doing so. In speaking with many folks that had voted for Bush in 2000/2004 but opted for Obama in 2008 there was a sense of "rolling the dice" for change in Washington. Now after almost six months with the results glaring at them in the paper, on the blogs and on cable there is little hope that those independents will be willing to roll the dice again for someone who is endorsing the very policies now that appear so unpopular.

One thing my liberal friends never seem to grasp is that as Virginians we can really like some one as a person a heckuva alot, but not agree with the policies that they may chose to propose or implement. Being "popular" in Virginia does not tanslate to your policies being popular. Liberals always tend to associate to two as one in that to like some one is to agree with them on policy. Its a completely "political" dynamic to them. They believe politics is the window to the soul it seems.

If Creigh Deeds is not careful, rolling the dice will niot be in the cards this Fall for Independents or Republicrats and potentially blue dogs either.

The End for Chesterfield Dodge

2009-06-11T13:41:00.002-04:00

As painful as it is, the end of Chesterfield Dodge has come. I have been a loyal Dodge customer for years and though I do not have any ill will towards Chrysler per say, I think the new management is inept. The idea that clsoing 25% of the dealerships who sell your product is somehow going to make you profitbale without more money for tax payers is simply ridiculous.

The Lawrence family have been around for like 75 years as a franchise and even helped out Chrysler some thirty years ago with financing to keep from going under then and this is how the "new" folks repay the family. Closing a profitable dealership.

There have been accusation by some that these closings are purely political in nature brought about by the people running the task force for President Obama. Is it a coincidence that a Chesterfield County dealership under the same umbrella as those in Henrico County dealerships are being forced out of business. Um. Chesterfield is an historically very Republican-leaning locality and well Henrico County- they supported President Obama and other Democrats in the last few years. makes you wonder why a profitbale arm would be severed from a small business owner but his weaker dealership selling the same brands would be allowed to remain open.

Chesterfield Dodge has always provided a level of service to residents here that was second to none in service and repairs. They will be missed.

It begs the question what business segments next will be forced to close their doors through no fault of their own and how many more people will have to lose their jobs under the guise of economic stimulus!!

Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors--Is the Future Still Bright?

2009-05-28T11:37:00.002-04:00

Look, I have made clear my issues with the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors over the course of the last few years. Many insiders have not been all too happy with some of the issues addressed here at Alter of Freedom. I will have to admit though, at least the former Board members took the time to return emails, messages and in some cases even participated on local blogs as a means of reaching out and being more accessible to the public interest.

I must admit however, that Cheterfield on balance does not have the blog exposure that many of its other county siblings do across the State. This must change in order for the Board to be serious about transparency. Localities like Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington and the like have some of the highest rated/viewed blogs in the country and if you visit blogs like Too Conservative out of Loudoun you will find a great balance of Local, State and National issues.

The current Board here in Chesterfield has just endorsed a 32 citizen Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee made up of citizens from throughout the local districts of the County as well as members from the planning group contracted to shape the future of Chesterfield. Many of these members will be familiar to many readers here; Bill Hastings, Andrea Epps, Ree Hart and the like with either political or developer ties to the process are but a few familiar ones that stick out on the list.

While many of us have to wonder just how this committee has come to be and how the mebers were selected in terms of process, it is further alarming that Chesterfield County has just contracted a Florida firm in Renaissance Planning Group to the tune of almost $900,000 to work with the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee in creating our future.

$900,000 in contract fees paid by tax payers of course. Any explaination why it is this money could not have been used to contract a local or Virginia firm employing residents of Chesterfield or other regional localities. We have seen this before and the Board continues to go outside Virginia with its contractors.

Chesterfield has been operating under its Comprehensive Plan which has guided much of the planning concerns over the course of the last two Boards. Of course, many have taken issue with the Plan in its present form and at times have appeared poised to disregard its guidelines in terms of getting zoning ordinances worked through. We saw this in the debate over the Upper Swift Creek Plan and most recently the debate over Centralia.

I said months ago that I felt it was premature to begin to pass judgement on this Board collectively, however in recent weeks I am of the opinion that the time has come for residents to hold this Board and its members fully accountable for this point forward. Many new members were elected some eighteen months ago and ubnfortunately the learning curve of the first year is now over. No longer can we simply excuse the actions of this Board based on the previous ones misteps or agenda.

I am beginning to have less faith in the direction this Board is planning than I did in the election cycle of 2008. There has been far too much finger pointing with the School Board on budget issues, lack of true conviction by the Board to balance the ratio of revenues between citizens and business, a nominal cash proffer increase below the original proposal and no action of significance on the impact fee debate stemming from State Senator Watkins original proposal in the State Senate.

Is the future still bright? I think so, but many residents still find themselves faced with the same issues they have been confronted with for almost ten years now....school crowding/trailers, roads and infrastructure standards and a government that is content with spending more and more money on its own operation and facilities than it appears willing to impact residents everyday lives.

Interesting New Minority Population Data Released

2009-05-15T20:51:00.003-04:00

Some interesting growth patterns within Virginia's population data on the heels of the current housing issues that continues to hit certain areas within the Commonwealth.

In Chesterfield County, over the last eight years the Hispanic community has grown 135% to represent 5.9% (18,000 residents)of the overall population estimated at 303,469. The County also experienced an increase of 42.5% within the African-American community compared to 25% in Henrico, 22% Hanover and 18% in Hopewell. The fastest growing African-American community is Colonial Heights where the population has grown 102% over the last eight years.

The Asian Community of Henrico represents some 5.2% of the overall Henrico population. Thats an increase of 56.6% in eight years and in fact the Asian population in Henrico rose 3.6% in 2007/08 alone.

The Hispanic population in Virginia represents 4.5% of the overall population or 531K while the Asian community comes in at 3.3% or 378K of the overall Virginia population.

Affordable Housing? Chesterfield?

2009-04-27T20:13:00.002-04:00

I have been a long time resident of Chesterfield. In being such, I have experienced the pains of living in a condo after college, than trying to find a townhouse and than ultimately trying to find a first home in a County where it appears as though the powers that be have been content for the last fifteen years to do everything possible to make the County a Parade of Homes display of 3,500 sq. feet or more gala of developments.

People always ask me why it is so many who graduated from Chesterfield schools and went on the Virginia colleges find themselves not here in Richmond, but in places like Northern Virginia? Of course, most people think its jobs and income, but as the data keeps coming in about Chesterfield and Henrico County it is less about jobs and more about housing. The proff is also in the rental market and leasing market here in Richmond versus other parts of the country. We have not fallen off as much in large part is there just is not the supply of "affordable" condos and townhomes and even single-family homes relative to those other markets. Ours rarely stay long on the market. Why? there is more people out there looking to downsize, looking for their first starter home or simply single just out of college and into theri first real job of their career and they are looking not for a 3,000 sq ft house but something much different.

The Centralia Station debate last week by the Planning Commission left many residents, including myself, scratching our heads. At some point must we not start to ask ourselves "do we really need" as opposed to "do we really want" some of these developments just because we have someone willing to build them. I mean at some point, and I am no conspiracist, could not a case be made that the County has long been keeping the development of affordable housing at bay while they approve massive large lot developments. Afterall, when you hear about 1/ 2 acre lots folks they are not talking "affordable" based on the current cost of land and current value in Chesterfield. Someone could probably make the case that it has been the policy to in fact deter the development of smaller homes.

Such development views has certainly resulted in the rise of renatl property throughout the County as well. We have to understand that we are a diverse community here and most of us have been in the position of not being able to find a home we could afford in that school district that we want our kids to attend. Since it seem to much to ask these days that all the schools be equal in SOL and No Child Left behind benchmarks, might we want to take a look at "affordable" housing as a means of permitting entry for those who seek the best for their children as well.

Robious Road Community Coalition

2009-04-27T20:04:00.002-04:00

The launch of the Robious Road Community Coalition will begin next month and Alter of Freedom and The Contemporary Conservative I have been informed will be featured Chesterfield County blogs in the network.

It is my undertanding that RRCC will have its very on social media networking site for interaction amongst residents as opposed to the open Facebook application. Residents will be invited to join the group from existing members (friends) of the Coalition. Anyone will be eligible however, and there is no residency requirement for involvement.

Expect some great content coming down the pipe for residents as they will have there own inside seat to Board and Planning Meetings and will have, when required, a voice at those meetings should enough residents deem it necessary and want their voices heard but cannot make down to the Complex.

An example, Do you feel that a subdivision should have the right to engage in an agreement with a cell tower company for the placement of such tower independent of the Board of the residents within the subdivision in majority agree it would be in the best interests of the development to do so? Think of the pools and clubs scattered about our developments; what if a cell company proposed to pay the subdivison $500 or $1,000 a month fee for the right to erect such a tower?

More to follow on the RRCC once things are released.

Blackwater Worldwide: Another Corporate Victim of Propaganda

2009-04-23T20:03:00.002-04:00

I make no bones of my support for the former Blackwater Worldwide or that of the sixty of so private consulting service companies involved in the Middle East over the course of the last six years. The services and expertise that these firms provide is something that our military establishment was incapable of providing in the post-911 environment. Afterall, the military even with its Special Forces elements are not functional in the area of personal security.

In fact, much of the training and expertise that would have been garnered in the military as lessons learned from the problematic issue of Somolia if put in short order into training for the urban conflict were cut during the massive budget reductions to the military under President Bill Clinton. The fact remains the United States was ill-prepared to combat the urban environment with the tradtional force at its disposal following the intial victory in Iraq.

The answer that the military had at its means, as well as that of the installed Iraqi government was private firms that could offer the command and support in order to secure leaders. These services were vital to the implementation of a new government structure as well as the security of our very own government officials on the ground outside the Green Zone, especially if they had to travel the six or so kilometers to the Ministry of Finance or from one Camp to another within the Capital city. Logisticly, the military simply did not have enough expertise nor enough military police on the ground in order to perform such functions and in fact had the military not admitted such there certainly could have been a greater possibility for higher casualties of military forces performing such rolls. If you remember the Army convoy that was ambushed while transporting supplies and was simply unacapable to respond in force to such an attack.

And yet, these private security firms have been under constant attack by those who have been against the Iraq War from the beginning. No one has been more critical and in frankly biased with very selective liberities taken with the facts than Jeremy Scahill. He has been all over MSNBC in particualar peedling his anti- private security agenda and especially targeted Blackwater only after the incident where seventeen civilians were slain by contractors employed by Blackwater because it was politically hot enough to attract attention to his anti-war cohorts on the left and in the liberal media. This barrage of negative attacks, never highlighted the success of Blackwater, Hart or Armour Security on the ground in Iraq has been no stop since the publication of his book. At no time was Scahill ever set up against an individual on Countdown and other shows with the other side of story. The propaganda, much like the attacks on companies like Hlaiburton as "profiteers" has been never ending since 2004 in the same light the left has attack Dominion Resources here in Virginia and now AIG. They do not single out those who may have been guilty of misconduct or inappropriate actions, but tarnish an entire corporate entity for the actions of individuals.

An example of the portrayal following the incident in Iraq resulting of the deaths of civilians from Blackwater helicopters and ground contractors escorting dignitaries or officials by MSNBC and Scahill purposely withheld the context and backdrop of the incident nor the conditions on the ground in the weeks prior nor the failed ambush attempts along the route in the days leading up to the incident. Scahill neglects to speak to the hightened conditions within all security forces after the March 31, 2004 killing of 4 Blackwater contractors escorting cargo in Fallujah that of course was not reported by the liberal media which had a ripple effect throughout the entire private security world. These four contractors were ambushed by grenade attack when caught in traffic and identified, killed and then dragged through the streets and hung upside down by their legs left dangling from the bridge over the Euphrates. Of course this got massive play on Middle Eastern television, but you would have intially had to go to the internet to get the breaking news of the story and not mainstream media in the US. The reason being the last thing that the left wanted at the time was support being generated by the deaths of Amercians (civilians) over in Iraq. What makes it worse is they do not have the journalistic integrity to speak to the event when addressing the actions of contractors on the ground when responding to the situation later. You also have to underatand that the compound housing the Balckwater contractors as well as others had also come under direct attack in Iraq by insurgents and the contractors were informed by the military (US) that no help could be sent to them and they were on their own in the defense of the compound. Ask yourself what would be going through your mind if in such a situation.

Instead, forgetting the thousands of successful missions, convoys protected, airlift services in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as close security for officials on the ground the company Blackwater has been tarnished by the portrayal by left wing extremists as being "rampantly violent", "murderers", "hired mercenaries" and simply "corrupt". They even portray Blackwater as a firm that was formed under the Bush administration to "profit from the escalation in Iraq", when in fact the company Blackwater USA was formed in 1996 during the Clinton years to provide security training to police, sherriff and private security contractors. It was not until 2002 that Blackwater Security Consulting was formed to focus on the post-911 requirements as a division of Blackwater. Instead the portrayal the the enitire company was formed to profit from the War and because of the founders support in contribution to Bush that Blackwater was simply another Haliburton in Iraq simply to profit from an unjust War.

They fail to even make any admission as to any credibility given by those that were protected by their services, nor have they ever attempted to investigate the other side of the story worldwide. The liberal mainstream also determined without any investigation that Blackwater's role in Hurricane Katrina in protecting New Orleans from looting after hundreds of police abandoned their posts of duty. They focused on armed contractors in the streets providing protection and civil service duties as a negative rather than address the fact that they filled a void left behind by those police that abandoned their responsibility to protect and defend.

The weight of the proganda has weighed heavy on Blackwater as it would any private firm as the liberal media has shaped a view of Blackwater that is based solely in political agenda than fact. The power of such propaganda however has resulted in Blackwater to withdraw from the role it was peforming in Iraq and concentrate on other areas of training like it had pre-911. It has even gone as far as to change its name, now known as XE (Zee) in an effort to rebuild its image.

I have found each and every Blackwater operative I have had the pleasure to meet to be of the highest moral and patriotic character and have always found them to be very respectful and focused-based on their mission.

It is shameful what were are experiencing with the determined demise of Corporations based in the United States by the very same people who contend that they will create jobs in this country. I wonder what company will be set in the crosshairs of the liberal media next once the Blackwater's and the AIG's are in the rearview mirror.

You May Know a RINO; but How About a VINO?

2009-03-24T20:17:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been baffled by the actions of our leaders in Washington as well as Richmond for that matter. I have been thinking as of late that many of these leaders seem to be completely out of touch with the people, but frankly also Virginia history.

I remember growing up learning about the Founding Father generation and the values that served them well in guiding the course of this nation. Many of them of course were Virginians. We all know them well; Washington, Madison, Jefferson, and others like Monroe and the infamous Patrick Henry. There are many more Virginians that swelled the ranks of history that as children we learned of and some of us reveared.

But todays leaders seem very very distant from those that directed our great Commonwealth from its humble beginnings to being one of the most powerful Southern colonies and then later one of the most powerful Southern States in the Union. Why is it that so many of our current leaders stand in direct contrast to those that made our history. Now, our ancestoral leadership were not Gods mind you, nor were they perfect men but there was something very statesman-like about them. I dare say today you cannot find a single "statesman" in Washington these days. Plenty of career politicians, but no statesman.

In terms of Virginia, I think there is something deeper afoot. I believe I can say this with little doubt that being a Virginian IMHO is a blessing. I come from the school of I am "Virginian By The Grace of God" and make no apologies. I have to say that because I am the only one in my family born and raised here in this great Commonwealth. I have plenty of siblings born in places like New Jersey and my father is a Pennsylvania man, but I can tell you there is something different in being from Virginia.

Maybe its the rich education of our identity and Virginia's role in our nations history that touches those that were raised amidst the bossom of her valleys and rivers that draws us back to our past in times of crisis. Afterall, for a long time Virginia was a leader on the national stage, especially politics but have since been relegated to the back hallways of power. Oh, sure there have been some individual success at the national level like say a John Warner-R but even he is no longer sitting at the table. A Chuck Robb and even the historic election of Douglas Wilder, but currently the nation does not appear to be enamored with our leaders as we have seen in the past.

I simply believe in large part it is because our leaders in Washington today simply do not emulate the traditions of character and statesmanship that our ancestoral leaders had resulting in our nations reliance on them and the principles they promoted by way of government.

We are all familia by now with the term RINO (Republican In Name Only) which is usually presented as a negative connotation to Republicans not being "conservative" enough, but lately I am thinking that there simply more VINO's (Virginian's In Name Only) within the Commonwealth. Virginia has witnessed widespread growth throughout the State, especially Northern Virginia, the suburbs of Richmond and toward Virginia Beach that has resulted in relocation by citizens from other regions throughout America.

If you are considering what impact such growth trends have on the State political identity you only have to consider the following;

How many leaders in our Senate and House Delegation in Washington were born and raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia?Thrown in the Executive Mansion as well.

The number will shock you or worse may not even impact you at all.

The answer I believe is (4).

Gov. Tim Kaine-D (St. Paul, MN)
Sen. Jim Webb-D (St. Joesephs, Missouri)
Sen. Mark Warner-D (Indianapolis, Ind)
Eric Cantor-R (Minority Whip) Richmond, Va
Rick Boucher-D (Abingdon, Va)
James Moran-D (Buffalo, NY)
Bobbhy Scott-D (Washington, DC)
Robert Wittman-R (Washington, DC)
Randy Forbes-R (Chesepeake, Va)
Tom Periello- D (Ivy, Va)
Frank Wolf-R (Philly, PA)
Glenn Nye-D (Philly, PA)
Robert Godlatte-R-let me know on this one
Gerry Connoly-D (Boston, MA)

We always here that we are all products of our youth and the environments in which we were raised, so there should be very little surprise that our current leadership on balance in Washington has moved far away from Virginia's historic stands on free speech, taxation, spiritual significance of the Declaration, property rights, government intervention, and frankly the guiding principles of our U.S. Constitution.

There is a line in the great movie "Amistad" where Anthony Hopkins portraying John Q. Adams states that sometimes we have to realize that "who were are IS who WE were".

160 Families Face Obama's Empty Campaign Promises

2009-03-10T12:24:00.002-04:00

Well, it did not take long for Virginia which along with California have significant exposure to the defense industry as well as the active armed forces to experience yet another broken promise from the Obama administration.

Not only in the coming months will Virginians be deploying to the other front against the Taliban, but now some 160 Virginia families will be faced with deployment of their loved ones from Ft. Eustis to Iraq.

Thats right. Iraq. So much for bringing the troops home or limited the exposure of the reserve forces to further overseas deployments.

The first two months of this new adminsitration has been one broken promise after another.

Governance certainly is alot harder than campaign rhethoric isn't it?

At some point, President Obama will have to be accountable for something instead of repeatedly using the excuse that he was left with this bag by the former administration. Here in Virginia, we respect real leadership and not those who seem too easily to blame others when push comes to shove for real hard solutions.

Obama and the Rise of Network Marketing

2009-02-17T22:33:00.003-04:00

If you followed the media coverage surrounding the Obama Campaign in 2008, you may be very familiar with alot of the innovations that were engaged by the campaign as a means of building and fueling the movement.

Early in the Primary, the Obama Campaign engaged Social Media as a vehicle for spreading its message. In the end, Barack Obama had over 200,000 Twitter followers that were granted access to the campaign on a daily basis. Obama's people obviously were behind the messages, but regardless of the author it had the desired effect.

Obama's handlers also created a My Space page and created podcasts called the Obamacast to reach internet savvy voters. The campaign also created a You Tube channel for Obama to send video content coupled with the radio casts of Obamacast. It is fair to say that the marketing and branding of Obama went viral throughout all mediums.

All of these strategies created network-envy by many Network Marketing firms. The example set by Obama Campaign has infleunced the new paradigm of social media in the area of Network Marketing and the ranks are growing and growing fast.

The current economic crisis has caused thousand of middle-aged Americans left without job security. The fear is that if they should lose their job that they may never again be able to re-enter the workforce at the saem level the left. The jobs simply may not be there and there are millions of younger workers entering the market as well. The lessons of job placement that we learned almost twenty years ago may very well have been some of these Americans first exposure to the rhelm of networking.

Fact is we are all in Network Marketing. We recommend movies, food finds, tech, cell phones, etc all the time to our friends and co-workers. These very well may have been direct one on one in the past, but today we have Facebook, Twitter, My Space, LinkedIn, Digg, and now Google Friends Connect that reach hundreds if not thousands of friends where we can spread our opinions. Of course, we also have Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad etc for blogging as well which also creates a network of like blogs. For example, this blog belongs to a community of political blogs known as Blognetnews.com.

The movement filling the ranks of Network Marketing is currently one of the largest the industry has experienced. These companies have had a track record of excelling during economic downturns and many Americans are leveraging the lesson of the Obama Campaign and using the opportunity to position themselves for the future.

Network Marketing or MLM has been afforded one of those great little opportunities to undergo a facelift of sorts as it has modernized and not only levraged the lessons of the campaign but also the technology that drove the Obama Campaign to just market penetration. It has opened a window to connectivity and the power of interaction and relationship like no other.

You have thousands of Obama volunteers who have remained connected beginning to move into the business of Networking, whether via the internet or with some of the most reputable firms in the industry. Even in the midst of uncertain times, you will find public companies like Tupperware (TUP), Herbalife (HLF), Avon and Nuskin (NUS) continuing to thrive as their ranks grow. In fact, Warren Buffet's firm owns the network marketing company Pampered Chef. One important aspect also is the growth overseas that the popular Obama campaign has ignited throughout the world. Places like Europe and the Far East are witnessing tremendous growth in all catagories within the Network Marketing community.

The question is really why? We are programmed to think that during such economic times as these and the fear that it often creates that people would be less willing to enter a new enterprise or endeavor, but the numbers simply just are not bearing that out.

There is a revolution it seems taking root with regard to this model. People are not as confident in the old brick and mortar, retail manufacturing model of the last forty years now that they are witnessing major companies like Circuit City and others declaring bankruptcy resulting in 30,000 jobs nationwide being lost. We have witnessed Banking and Insurance companies fail in the last four months and people are asking just when the other shoe is going to drop and whether it may be their industry.

Obama's election certainly may have been historical in November, but the means by which his campaign implemented could just be revolutionizing an entire industry that many over the years have not been willing to embrace wholeheartedly.

More to follow.

Keith Olbermann: Man of the Past

2009-02-17T21:37:00.002-04:00

Keith Olbermann is either the modern version of the lonely traveler given his career path of being affiliated with every network from CNN, ESPN(ABC), FOX and now of course MSNBC or simply has a knack for rubbing folks he works with the wrong way. I suspect given his platitudes its the latter.

It is apparent to me that Countdown is faced with an anchor who shaped a program by being the antagonist of George Bush and the Republican Administration in general and now that those folks have left town, Olbermann is faced with virtually nothing but living in the past.

Question for Mr. Olbermann. Why is it exactly if the premise was to remind Americans of the sacrifices being made on the ground in Iraq by American troops have you stopped your counter of lives lost in Iraq or even continued with the number of days since victory was declared by President Bush? Why if it was not simply a political ploy have you stopped?
Why is it you saw fit not to even bother conering the Iraqi elections? Something if we recall Mr. Olbermann advocated would never happen peacefully during the period of the Surge in Iraq.

Instead, Mr. Olbermann has moved on to what kind of topics? Oh weel, Sarah Palin's daughter and her baby. It kinda makes you think that Olbermann has a rear view mirror attached to his forehead and is constantly seeing things not from the present view but from a dynamic that was shifted away from with Obama's election.

Its as if Olbermann is man without a country. He really has no one other than Bill O'Reilly or maybe Rush Limbaugh to cast his antagonist sword upon. He certainly would not do so against such deserving folks as Charlie Rangel, Barney Franks, Chris Dodd, or any of the cabinet members that have embarrassed the President. Well, except the former Commerce selection who removed himself from consideration and was fodder for Olbermann but he never said a peep about Bill Richardson the first Commerce selection.

First the content dries up and then the ratings follow.

Focusing your show on Sarah Palin and other GOP likelies for 2012 is rather ridiculous given all that we are experiencing today within the nation, but of course when you have no solutions other than shutting down GITMO as the poster policy for fighting the War on Terrorism and simply want at every turn to rehash torture the medium becomes rather predictable and boring.

Seriously, I wonder if Countdown will last or simply be replaced by another format in the coming year. Maddow has to be kicking Olbermann's hind parts in the ratings. Olbermann is living in the past but then I wonder what is left for the guy who seems to have burned bridges throughout his career.

Your Government at Work?

2009-02-13T13:58:00.003-04:00

Politics aside, the manner in which our government is performing during this crisis is a travesty. Washington has forgotten about the People. Calling for transparency is not the same thing as demanding transparency.

The Bush administration was highly criticized, and rightfully so at times, for its disregard for the process of concensus or even open dialogue with the manner in which it was leading and yet not in less than a month we have a Congress controlled by those who were the ones throwing out those targeted criticisms behaving like school kids on the playground who had their lunch money taken.

We are not talking about just any appropriations bill. We are talking 780+ billion dollars, that by all accounts will be considerably higher given alot of the items in it will not simply be funding with just one round of funding.

First Lady Michelle Obama once was blasted for making the comment that "this is the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country" back during the campaign in 2008.

Well Mrs. Obama:

I am proud of my country for electing your husband President.
I am proud of my country for having a woman selected as a running mate, again
I am proud of my country for not permitting another domestic terrorist attack since 9/11
I am proud of my country for its efforts to combat disease in the world, especially Africa
I am proud of my country for coming to the realization concerning dependence on foriegn oil
I am proud of my country for respecting States Rights
I am proud of my country for its resolve in the War on Terror
I am proud of my country for its part in bringing free Iraqi Elections (even if not covered by the mainstream media)
I am proud of my country for believing in the importance of community
I am proud of my country and its military families who sacrifice on our behalf

Never in my adult life have I ever questioned my love for this country or love for what this country stands for regardless of who or what Party controlled the White House until now.

I am ashamed of Washington. I am ashamed with what Washington has come to represent. This has become more about Democrats or Republicans and not about the the millions of Americans who stand in the shadows and whose future is at stake.

While I certainly do not fault President Obama for the actions of his Party in Congress, I can't help but wonder if he is not feeling like the warden trying to get control of the inmates running the asylum in Washington.

Obama arrived with great promise to Washington, but I fear that his own Party may do more to undermine a legacy that has yet to be realized because of its own inability to follow his lead and example.

Shameful Time in American History

2009-02-11T16:29:00.002-04:00

The promise delivered in November and joys of progress from a social perspective has faded amidst the reality of Congressional politics and a clash of economic theories.

Its shameful. There is no other word to describe the situation in Washington. Those of us who are children of those of the Greatest Generation and those that lived through the Great Depression should be ashamed at what we have allowed to transpire in Washington and what many there would have our nation transform into.

It would be amusing if it were not tragic the way in which these Congressman have levied attack upon the business community and capatalism in general and act as if they have not been party to it all in the first place.

Congress, of course, is the legislative arm of this democracy and unless any of these business executives actually violated the law then how about Congress shut up and get on with the doing the peoples business. Congress granted bailout money with ZERO strings and now act as if they were not responsible. Congress has been the constant enabler of this crisis for the last five years and ignored the signs and the testimony brought forth before it regarding the warning signs.

Remember when Congress was warned of Fannie and Freddie back in 2002? All the players are still there folks and now act as if they were not copable in any of the consequences to the economy and housing in general. Fact is, they still remain apologists for these institutions in the face of complete failure.

Congress wants to play games with business execs salaries and lifestyles, but I wonder are they going to return all the money that they have contributed to them over the years? Smoke and mirrors folks. Congress is making those CEO's whose companies have filed bankruptcy, the Circuit City's, the S&K's, or Linens & Things out to be good guys because they did not get government bailout money and yet the reason behind the Banking community dipping into tax payer money is a direct result in the failure of government.

Government is not involved in the retail, restaurant and many other industries directly, but it IS INVOLVED with Banking. Banks are so closely aligned with government that they trade its debt. Banks are regulated by the government more so than any other industry save maybe the insurance industry. In short they are symbiotic of the problem. The people causing the economic crisis are the ones telling us they know how to fix it.

Instead of telling the nation how or how much it is going to take to restart the economy, these officials want to call out business professionals for earning extravagent salaries. So whats changed? These CEO's come from the same schools, the same backgrounds as many of these Congressman and have worked their way up the Corporate ladder for decades and all along everyone accepted the conditions of the free market with regard to compensation. Where was the outrage in years past?

The result of having the government step in to take control of pay and compensation is to completely undermine the notion that you Graduate Schools are further neccessary. Afterall, why to we need the Wharton School of Business or other Ivy league programs if the government is going to be granted to powers to dictate compensation levels. What ever happened to performance?

Some of these Banks that opted for the bailout had some really profitable units and divisions. Are the workers of those units not to be compensated for their efforts because collectively the whole was forced to accept bailout money. Remember, did not some banks get funds they did not ask for?

It seems to me we give Congress our tax dollars every year and they never manage to spend it properly and yet continue to vote themselves pay raises. Heck some of these guys do not even pay taxes. Could you imagine if the public demanded the kind of oversight that these Congressman suddenly are demanding, and yet never put into the bailout particulars last Fall.

Are these company Executives scoundrels? Maybe. But the government once again failed to provide oversight and now want to cry foul. Sound familiar? They are using the outrage of bonus money not paid to the CEO's but to the employees at all levels of the company as a soap bax against the free market.

Hey Congress, just think about those bonus payouts as a stimulus check to those folks. maybe they will go out and spend some money in the economy. Buy a new car or buy a new home. Whats the difference; its OUR money anyway and not yours and is no different than what you have planned in the current stimulus bill.

If these CEO's broke any laws, by all means prosecute them but Congressional grandstanding is shameful.

Folks, we have a government in place today that does not subscribe to business cycles and thinks that it can create a system where there will never be recessions or even a depression. When in fact the solutions they offer to prevent these cycles is something that takes us further and further away from what we know as the American System. Our nation is imperfect as are our business cycles, but the solution that they are creating in Washington makes us look less like the America our fathers defended in World War II and more like those nations we opposed.

We are entering down a path that makes it very hard to look at anyone over 75 in the eye without a level of shame.

How Sen. Mark Warner is making the case for McDonnell

2009-02-07T12:07:00.003-04:00

While President Barack Obama is learning very quickly there is a big difference between campaigning and leading, other newly elected Virginia officials are getting their own reality check of accountability.

Last November, Virginians across this great Commonwealth went to the polls and filled the ranks of the Democrat majority in Congress. Voters wanted change and demanded action. Apparently, many of those newly elected officials have sought to stay well below the radar on the current debate over the 800 billion plus Stimulus package.

The question is why?

I have been emailing constantly this week and talking on the phone with conservatives and moderates with both Party affiliations and there is trouble brewing. Many of the so-called independents and moderates that got behind Democrat candidates here in the Commonwealth are frustrated by the silence by these leaders before the passage of the stimulus bill.

Yes silence. Is this leadership?

While the majority of the folks I have talked to are not holding any ill will toward President Obama over the issue of the bill, they are placing accountability directly on the Congressional delegation. There is hardly a whisper from any people like Sen. Mark Warner regarding the bill proposal.

Senator Warner was elected overwhelmingly by the people in November in large part because of his proven business background and what many would call "savvy". A majority of independents and moderate conservatives went to the polls and cast their ballots for him thinking during these economic times he would be a voice in Congress. I think that the idea was that Warner would be a voice on these issues as Sen Jim Webb had been on defense-related and military concerns during his first year in the Senate.

Instead, Sen. Mark Warner has been silent.

In fact all that we can get out of the Senate regarding Warner's view of the stimulus is from Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) who stated:

"Warner 's a former Governor, so he gets it."

Nelson, known to rally moderates, reached out to Warner apparently to solidifly and consolidate support for the package amongst Democrats. However, Warner himself has failed to step up and provide any direction or thoughts regarding this bill. He certainly has the confidence of his peers regarding his background.

Sen. Warner is a member of the following Committees:

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Rules and Administration
Budget

People who make the arguement that he is just a freshman Senator fail to underatand the impact Sen. Webb made in 2007. Warner has chosen to sit in the shadows of this major peice of legislation, while having the background to provide much needed experience to this debate.

Instead, Sen. Warner appears posied to go along with the club and that is what has gotten so many whom supported him a bit angry. I believe that frankly Sen. Warner is not confident that this bill meets the premise that it was set out to and he knows it. Otherwise, why is he not out there using his popularity on behalf of the Democrat Party to rally people behind the bill?

I compare Warner's silence to Eric Cantor's (R-VA-7th House) outright vocal objections to many of the funding parameters in the bill when it came out of the House. While I may not agree with all of Cantor's views, at the very least he is out there making his case. Why is not Sen. Warner making the case for the Stimulus package?

All these issues regarding the inability for the Democrats to take secure possession of leadership in the last month is merely just a continuation of what we have seen since 2006 with Congress. The Democrats have the majority to pass this legislation and should do so if that is what they believe they should do. They have constantly referenced the fact that the voters spoke in November, and yet they still cannot seem to manage as of yet to bring a bill to the floor of the Senate where they realistically do not require support of the Republicans.

I get the fact that the Democrats have relished the role of antagonist the entire second term of George Bush, but they have the Leadership now and they need to Lead and simply stop talking about the power they have been given and actually put it to use and let the chips fall where they may.

Nobody said that governance or leadership was not risky. The Democrats if required to do so should go this one alone if they are confident in what they are delivering to the nation. If they are not, then maybe they should tweak the bill and get rid of the programs that will not stimulate jobs the first 12 months and come back to those through normal appropriations.

Here in Virginia, we have our Attorney General stepping down to prepare for his bid for Governor at about the same time people are beginning to have a bit of buyers remorse with the Congressional delegation. Bob McDonnell has already embedded his campaign with a network leveraged through the social media and is taking a page directly out of the Obama campaign playbook and has begun to build upon his own popularity. Republicans and moderate Democrats like McDonnell and have seen his leadership first hand over the years in the Assembly and the Executive. He is reaching out to those blue dog conservatives and moderates at a time when the candidates they supported in November have been silent to the current crisis before our nation as well as our State.

The media makes a big deal about the "mo factor" of politics. Well this Stimulus package debate has brought that "mo" to a streaking halt for those down ballot of Barack Obama in November. The last two weeks has left many a Virginian scratching their head at the very time that Bob McDonnell is beginning to carry his message to the people.

McDonnell's potential opposition in the Fall is still very much up in the air, but recent polling has McDonnell leading all three of the potential nominees from the Democrats. One polling has McDonnell and Brian Moran within the margin of era, but given the last year and what the State GOP has experienced I think many are still considering that to be a very good sign.

The Democrats here in Virginia need something to reignite the "mo" that seems to have evaporated and maybe this Stimulus package will do the trick once it gets through the Senate but Virginian will have to see some of the benefits rather quickly or the Congressional delegation is playing right into the McDonnell's campaigns hands.

Afterall, Virginia is made up of more independents and moderates and even Republicrats than Liberals or Social Conservatives and these folks decide election in Virginia.

Virginians need to ask themselves, just where in the world Sen. Mark Warner has been during this debate. Many of his supporters, including this voter, would certainly like to know.

"Blue Dog" Dinner Meeting Invitation

2009-01-23T14:10:00.003-04:00

I first want to thank those that were kind enough and thoughtful enough to invite me to a get together of some "blue dog" Democrats from Chesterfield County, Virginia last night. For those of you who thought that Democrats were dead and buried in Chesterfield might be interested to know that there may just be a resurrection afoot-well conservative Democrats anyway.

Of course, none of these "Blue Dogs" are associated with or affiliated with the local CCDC in any way which basically reinforces my views that niether the CCRC nor the CCDC are effectively reaching those that have a dedicated interest in the direction of the community and Virginia at large. Had any been associated with a local committee, I may not have been as interested in attending given the notion many here have in Chesterfield that both committees seem ripe with politics of the past. Some call it the "good ole boy" network and though probably more myth is a hard label to break.

So why sit down with professed "Blue Dog" Democrats?

Well, frankly many of these Democrats are more conservative than I on a great many of issues. All too often we allow ourselves to be fixed on the extremes of both the Republican Party and the Democrat Party that we forget that the majority of folks sit right in the middle. Some of these folks are moderates and some are truly conservative.

The term "Blue Dog" relates back to 1994 in Congress where various Southern Democrats mostly in the House aligned with various Republican agendas in direct contrast with the liberal wing of the Democrat Party. At the time there was also the movement of the DLC underway within the Party that was more moderate. These folks were known as New Democrats, but still closely aligned with the Democrat Party overall. The "Blue Dogs" however had a bit more of an independent streak, especially on economic and trade issues.

Historcially, and some at the dinner still believe in the old Boll Weevils views that supported Ronald Reagan's economic agenda and tax policy of the 1980's. Flash forward to today, and these folks still are on the side of tax cuts, fiscal conservatism and smaller government.

This is at the very heart of why I came to accept the invitation.

You see much of the ideals behind the "Blue Dogs" are very similar to the kind of Republican Party that I wish would re-establish itself in Virginia. A Party focused more on economic issues than that of the social ones.

What I learned through the discussions is:

That "Blue Dogs", (at least these) are pro-gun, pro-immigration reform, pro-welfare reform, pro-tax cut renewal, and split right down the middle on pro-life/pro-choice. What there are pro-life Democrats? Imagine that. That explains why it is these Democrats get no attention by the liberal media.

Until? Well at some point during the night word leaked that Caroline Kennedy had withdrawn her bid and a "Blue Dog" Congressman from Upstate NY would be appointed the next Senator of New York to replace Hillary Clinton. Needless to say, the wine glasses went up.

Look, anyone to counter liberal Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is a win win for this conservative.

One aspect that really got heated was the rather dissatisfaction these "Blue Dogs" feel they have been treated by the Liberal arm of their Party the last few years. You see, these folks supported and still do FISA and have come under diect fire by the LeftyBlogs and certainly Open Left.

OpenLeft refers to all "Blue Dog" Democrats as "BUSH DOGS", which is of course code for traitors.

The Republican side of this Republicrat smelled blood.

I urged these folks to join the greater conservative blogging community and create a new blog for those Democrats who align themselves with the same principles and tenents as they do.

There is alot of common ground with fiscal conservatives of the Republican Party and though the table was split 60/40 on the election last Fall for Obama, everyone supported Warner for Senate but then all either supported Republican Forbes or Cantor for Congress in their respective districts. Though in truth, many expressed real concern for Cantor's heavily waited social conservative leanings in the last few years as well as his support for the bailouts. In short- Washington changed Cantor and Cantor failed to change Washington.

What I noticed is the clear ability to reason why it is important to leverage what people have in common more so than concentrating on the differences. I found myself seeing things eye to eye on about 70% of the issues discussed and began to wonder how great things could be if we all focused on the 70% instead of the 30% exactly how much could be accomplished. In my opinion you can build a coalition with 70%.

So a few near future challenges expressed-

1. End the Independent experiment that is the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors and support Conservative (fiscally-minded) candidates next cycle and begin building networks of aligned interest.
- alot of time on the topic of the School Board's 52 million shortfall and the hurdles ahead for Chesterfield

2. The Governor's Race- (R) Bob McDonnell has the advantage of some real name brand recognition and they only thing that could happen within Democrat Party in Virginia to derail support for McDonnell would be the nomination of (D) Creigh Deeds. I could not have agreed more.
- Moran has zero chance with these Blue Dogs
- alot of fence sitting on Terry MacCuliffe though

3. Petition (R) Eric Cantor and (R) Randy Forbes to not support anymore bailouts or support only a true stimulus package that consists of tax cuts on capital gains, payroll taxes and the like and no so-called stimulus checks like last summer to anyone let alone those who pay not income taxes.

One of the biggest things to overcome is to work to end the divide and divisiveness that the social issues have created the feeling that all Democrats are liberals and are Pro-Choice and Pro-Gay Marriage and thus keep Republicans from attempting to reach out to these Democrats.

To me that is an issue at the top of the State GOP that appears willing to remain beholden to the social conservatives.

I left firmly believing that if there ever was a Conservative Party that could unite these Democrats with the likes of fiscal conservative and moderate Republicans then it would certainly outmatch the Liberal wing of the current Virginia Democrat Party. And lets not forget the Independents out there either.

What a future that would be for Virginia.

Chesterfield County School Board Budget: A Tough Reality

2009-01-18T12:08:00.004-04:00

If any of you had the opportunity to listen to CCPS Superintendent Dr. Marcus J. Newsome make his presentation at the Chesterfield Communicators Network Meeting you would be alarmed and just how deep the potential shortfall to the school budget could be in the coming year.

Of course, much of any County budget is tied directly to State resources and funding and with those areas shrinking from the Governor and General Assembly inability to prevent its own budget shortfalls, now estimated at 3 billion, Chesterfield County will have to address the following estimates: (as of December)

15 million less funding directly from the State
14 million less funding from the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield
4.8 million less from the State Sales Tax funding
4.6 million less from the State for enrollment purposes

Dr. Newsome now currently sees the impact of the shortfall to be roughly 52 million. Meaning, CCPS will be hace a deficit of 52 million in realtionship to the approved budget. Early last year, Dr. Newsome's Superintendent's message included:

"35% of the available new resources projected for this budget will be dedicated to meeting State, Federal, and local requirements such as Standards of Quality, employee benefits, special education, debt service, and the continued operation of the our buildings and buses"

The CCPS will will directly impacted by two areas; reduction in County Transfer offsets and the reduction of real estate taxs. This occurs at a time when the CCPS will see another increase in enrollment throughout the system. This was anticipated. Since the 2004 Bond Referendum, which was supported by 87% of voters, CCPS has added five schools and has set in motion funding parameters to renovate or build additions to 13 other schools in the system.

Is this current shortfall a direct realtionship with the current economic crisis our nation faces today? Maybe. But a closer look also points to some other issues that most people remain unaware of in terms of the budget itself. Now this is independent of any shortfall, but merely what was being proposed and later budgeted for the CCPS.

I find it rather disturbing that 40% of new revenues, those new revenues that the Board had expected to trickle in when it was reviewing the budget last year, was dedicated to providing salary increases to all employees as well as towards the benefit packages of those employees.

40%. For example out of the 48 million in new resources that was expected over 13 million was to go directly to salaries/compensation plan, 576,000 towards Temporary teacher pay rate increases, and an addtional 2.7 million toward healthcare benefits and 4.6 million toward overall benefits.

In quick study of the budget, and honestly I am no expert in this, but it seems to me that some 80% of the budget is directed or devoted to employee compensation and benefits of those working in and for the CCPS system.

80%.

One thing that has come out in the weeks following the first round of State funding cuts in Richmond has been that the CCPS has forgone its proposed 1% salary increase across the board for CCPS employees.

Such across the board increases have always alarmed this tax payer. These increases have little to do with "performance", which is always frustrating when we are talking about governmental employment. I am impressed that the current Board endeavors to eliminate all postions that are not directly related to the Standards of Quality. I do expect there to be a fight however should the Board have to eventually reduce those positions supported and backed by teacher associations.

May people like to think that there are no Unions in Virginia, but in reality there are many "associations" that fill the void of a "union" per say that are aligned with the NEA nationally and work solely on behalf of teachers and educators.

If you recall, during the election last Fall one such "association" was highly criticized for mandating a "BLUE DAY" in support of Barrack Obama through the Virginia Public School System.

When you listen to all the facts and take the time to review the budgets over the last few years it is very easy to draw some of the same conclusions that many drew with the UAW and the Big Three Automakers. So much of the issues that have faced those companies have to do with contracts for sure, but mainly in the area of wages and benefits. If you review whats facing CCPS there are certainly quite a few similarities. Reduction in revenues from the State and County could be equated to the Big Three's sales problems and how much revenues they are taking in versus their cost structure. The costs of benefits in both areas is staggering and if you include debt service you basically have a majority of the funding requirements.

We still have a few months to go before we get a handle on what the proposed cuts will look like in order to address the current environment, but an agruement has to be made that we need to overall our costs structures at some point in the future and address how it is that a majority of the costs associated with the budget are indirectly related to the education of our children.

That said.

There is a petition at http://www.fundqualityschools.org/ to influence the General Assembly and its funding efforts for Public Schools.

It states that it seeks to "reduce or eliminate proposed reductions in State funding for schools".

While I certainly can support that, we must also be diligent in holding our local officials accountable to where they spend that money that comes in from the State.

Another New Paradigm: Change

2009-01-14T21:01:00.002-04:00

I think after the long, long 2008 everyone is looking for a little bit of change in 2009. I think we all could do with a nice dose of order and confidence. We all should have the opportunity to reach some level of confidence in our government. Sure many of us on both sides have had some really heated disputes in the last few years, but "government" is just simply not supposed to what it has become.

We have been promised "change", but in reality we have heard that mantra before. Maybe not so branded and marketed in the fashion it has been in the last year, but we heard in 2000 with Bush and we certainly heard it in 2006 when the Democrats took control of Congress during that so-called "change" election.

But just what can we expect?

I was looking at things very optimistically until of course I just so happen to tune in to MSNBC the past few days. I have never in my life seen the media play so much or hard the expectations game. Its as if they are setting the ground game on that network for some future news storyline. I have never heard so many pundits and politicians use the same line, as in "common mistake" regarding a error the potential Secretary had made with his taxes, it was as if the storyline was written in some back office of the studio and transmitted via text through every blackberry it could reach. Seriously, like 100 people all had the same thing to say about this issue regarding the next Treasury Secretary. The same talking point.

But we have seen the Circus that is Washington come confirmation hearing-time in every new administration, but when MSNBC dives in to reinvent or revise history to form some political paradigm for the sole benefit of some future action or result it gets a little surreal frankly.

Today, Chris Mathews attempted to put the blame of 9/11 on Bush after his nine months in office by stating Bush was the sitting President and needed to be held accountable and did not keep America safe. I wonder just how many Americans actually believe this regarding 9/11?

And if so, will these same people now hold Obama to the same standard? Thats the real question when we talk about "change". Bush was held accoutable for everything that happened with every aspect of policy and those shaping policy. Case in point would have to be the treatment of terror suspects by those soldiers and interrogators. Bush was blamed along with Rumsfeld very heavily for that treatment and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann used the pics that came out of that episode as attacks directly on Bush. Maybe its true that the man in charge is to blame for all that goes on whether he knows about it or not, but I am beginning to question whether Obama will be held to the same standard. Afterall, does it not poorly reflect on a leader when two people he has chosen to be part of the cabinet have ended up with egg on their face. First Richardson who in my view nothing really has been proven yet and than the Treasury Secretary to be and his obvious failure to pay taxes on his income.

Hey Chris Mathews, whats up? Were these folks not properly "vetted"? I mean you and MSNBC had a field day with the McCain camp about vetting. Just asking? Why is it not a reflection of Obama that his slections are facing such issues? Sure we are all human and no ones perfect, but does Obama face zero accountability for any of this? I assure you that if these had been Republican selections the storyline would be much different than "common mistakes".

Then of course we have today, MSNBC pinning 9/11 on Bush and dismissing any accountability for the policies that Bill Clinton had in place when he turned over the White House to George Bush. I could get around that view if those holding it were willing to apply the same to Obama in the next nine months. MSNBC completely ignores the dismantling of our services, both military and intelligence, during the Clinton administration. Flat out ignores it. In the view of Mathews, Bush should have apparently changed the policies in place and by not doing so is "accountable" for 9/11. But then since he did not change them Mr. Mathews, doesn't that prove that Bill Clinton's policies failed our country as well? Afterall, Clinton put them in place and your contention is Bush did not change them. If they were such effective policy why would Bush had to have changed them? He didn't. The result? Another attack on the World Trade Center.

Remind me again Mr. Mathews what was the size of the military in 1992 compared with 2000? How many division in the Army were reduced exactly? Remind me what policy did we have after the first attack on the World Trade Center, something Mathews has never held Clinton accountable since Feb. 1993. Zilch. Mathews rational is that Clinton had only been in office a few weeks while Bush was in for nine months and could have changed policy to protect the country. Again, change whose policy exactly?

How is it that MSNBC is making it very clear that nine months from now this will still be Bush's economy and that Obama must continue with the bailouts that began under Bush three months ago but share in none of the responsibility for doing so. If Obama continues them will he be held accountable if they fail to bring us out of recession or will they continue to place it all at Bush's feet? If at the end of the 3rd Quarter FY 2009 we are worse off will it fall on Obama or will Mathews dismiss it eventhough he would have applied a very different application to Bush?

So at what point does this become Obama's Washington? At what point does the "change" being delivered be attibuted to Obama? If the bailouts work, will Obama be given the parade in the media as being the orchestrator and if they fail will they simply just demonize Bush more? I wonder.

One thing is for sure for all the talk and rhetoric, what hasn't changed are the faces of those involved with all of this in Washington save Obama. The lobbying level has been raised and its the same folks at the circus pulling the strings behind the scenes to be sure. And to top it off, the insider elite media circles are pretty much the same as well, the difference being their guy is now center ring of the Circus.

Pay attention to how much they build up all the things that are bad in the world and with the economy and ask yourself if the media on behalf of the Obama administration is not playing the expectation game on behalf of Obama.

It reminds of the constant barrage of Iraq in the news in 2005, everything bad bad bad. And now its as if they don't even have an Iraq desk anymore. They would really like to cover the Gaza situation better if they could, but Isreal determined after learning how the US media so negatively impacted the perception of Iraq that they kept the media out of Gaza.

Well all except Joe the Plumber that is. (ha ha) You gotta think that just bites those media elites in the a** over at MSNBC.

Smoking Ban back Again

2009-01-08T13:11:00.002-04:00

For the love. Do we once again have to waste our time focusing our attention on a smoking ban. Apparently so. It would seem to me that on the grand scheme of things this issue is one that frankly out to sit the next session out---thats right, lets focus our attention on real issues that need to be addressed. Like say the three billion dollar shortfall to the State budget.

Wait a second. Does the State need extra revenue generators? Is that the solution to our problems?

How about this?

If we do not want restaurants or bars (please lets not spend a month in Assembly debating the defintions) or simply want to limit those that do how about we pass legislation that requires a restaurant based on capacity to have a permit or license to allow smoking.

What you say?

Well, do we not require those serving alcohol to have an ABC license? is alcohol not every bit as a threat to public safety as smoking or even second hand smoke? What are the costs of alcholism to our health system or DUI's brought into our courts? An ABC permit can be on-premise, on-off premise as well as special event and we have been able to successful run that service for years. Why not do the same for smoking?

If a restaurant or bar seeks to permit smoking on its premise, let them do so by paying for that ability. Smokers will still have a place to go and smoke and watch a game or whatever and the public will know that that particular establishment is a smoke-zone establishment. If they do not want to expose themselves to the environment they do not have to. Its a choice, instead of having big brother deny all smoking everywhere outside ones home.

Do you folks realize just how much revenue that State generates from the ABC Board? Do you think that that revenue is the reason they have a hands off approach to alcohol, which arguebly can be more deadly and costly to society to those who are innocent, and instead concentrate so much of revisiting smoking bans.

Here a question. You have a cigarette tax right? What happens to that revenue generated for the State when the State tells smokers they can only smoke within the confines of their homes? Does it go down? What then happens to the funding that that tax revenue provided? In a word- shortfall.

That is what happens with government when they fail to think through all the dimensions of a proposal in my view. So we reduce smoking, I think most of us are all for that, but then if we lose that tax revenue will not the government have to increase taxes in other areas on folks who may NOT be smokers. Again, an unintended consequence.

So, let them smoke but make them pay for the right to provide an establishment that permits it just like the sale of alcohol. Think how much revenue we could generate on top of the alcohol permits. Think if every year a restaurant that wanted to allow smoking paid the State $500, one third the cost of an average ABC license---how much revenue would that bring I wonder?

And in the end, the public still has the right to be a patron or chose to go elsewhere where there is no-smoking. Could this not be a win-win for Virginia?

What is it with Democrat Governors Exactly?

2009-01-06T01:31:00.004-04:00

With the recent news that Gov. Tim Kaine will now take the position at the DNC that he once said would not be an option, Virginians are faced with its own version of a lame duck Executive. This really isn't any more lame than would have been expected given this November Virginians will determine its new future as it elects a new Governor- and hopefully a new direction.

I say new direction only because it appears as though there has been a national trend as of late with regard to Democrats residing in Executive Mansions across the country. Here of course, Virginia faces potentially a 3 billion dollar shortfall to its annual budget suffered at the hands of two back to back Democrat Governors. Of course, there is zero accountability taken for such a shortfall and many leftyblogs are quick to blame House Republicans for the dire state of our budget. Not surprising given as of late Republicans are the target of blame for everything it seems, eventhough the State's top executives have been Democrats for the past seven years. Everything from taxes to transportation woes have been put at the feet of the GOP by Democrats seeking to remove any responsibility they share in the matter-and admittedly it was Democrats who reversed Gov. Kaines own abuser fee remedy that leftyblogs across the State were so enraged over as a means to address transportation funding.

But what is it about Democrat and Governorships lately. A look at the most of the States in dire straits right now seem to all, with the exception of Republican-lite run California, be run by Democrats. take a quick look at tax rates and unemployment rates to get a picture of Democrat ideology and policy at work:

State: Unemployment Tax rate Gas tax Sales Tax
Michigan 9.6% 4.5 36.2 6%
Illinois 7.3% 3%FedAGI 40.0 6.25%
Ohio 7.3% 6.55% 28.0 5.5
Oregon 8.1% 9% 25.0 -
North Carolina 7.9% 7.75 30.o 4.25
Rhode Island 9.3% -federal 31.0 7%
District 8.0% 8.5%
New Jersey 6.1% 8.97% 14.5 7%
Vermont 5.7% 9.5% 20.0 6.0
Maine 6.3 8.5 29.5 5.0

Why is it that States like Illinois have the highest levels of taxation on its citizens and yet its government operates at such an ineffective level? What are they doing with all the tax reveue they garner from citizens? It can be no coincidence that Democrats at the State level must be authorizing tremondous spending to require such levels of taxation on consumers and yet those States taxing heavily also seem to be prone to have higher Unemployment rates. Is this because tax policy is in effect anti-business as well?

Many here in Virginia always point to Gov. Warner, now our newly elected Senator, as being a great job creator, but in reality those jobs arrived in the Commonwealth as a direct result of lower taxes and lower costs of living relative to other States, especially the Northeast. Business could relocate here and still have access to the I-95 corridor to the Northeast. Warner is certainly not responsible for the tax rates that brought business to NOVA, but he is responsible for his actions to raise such taxes while in office.

So, do Democrat Governors not undersatand that the higher your tax rates, whether income, sales, gas or even cigarette the greater downward pressure these leaders place on creating wealth in their State and jump starting business growth and jobs. Why should any business right now relocate to Michigan, even though there is a pool of workers available with the highest unemployment in the country when the State is run in the manner in which it is and its public schools in Detriot are some of the worst in the nation?

The Republicans across the country had better get their act together in consort to inform the public just how much these Democrat leaders are hurting not only their State's vitality but also each citizens wallet. What has been the return brought these citizens by their tax dollars in these States?

If increasing taxes is always the answer for Democrats to meet their spending programs then Republicans must offer a fiscally conservative approach to governance and offer a drastic cut in spending measures and promote balanced budgets and be fiscally responsible. The National Republicans failed in this manner, but State Republicans can rebound and rebuild the Party brand by simply pointing to the little achievement earned by Democrat policy brought about by these Governors.

Many folks always appear very hesitant when you challenge a budget. Folks get really concerned that something they care about may show up on the chopping block and those things that they do not perceive as warranted they will simply will endorse being cut, but have any of us really ever looked deep inside the budget to begin with.

For example, if I were to have to make cuts....and that exactly what this government SHOULD be doing, we have to start with the billion pound gorilla in the room and take on the Education budget. No, I am not talking about going after Kaine's pre-k program beacuse I think in the grand scheme of things its warranted and justified, but the billions we are spending at the College level is adsurd. Having a public school system for elementary and secondary education comes with its tax dollar support requirements to be sure, but we pay those taxes and then pay roughly 13,000 per year to send our children to college and yet our Government continues to spend billions at these Universities.

For 2009/2010 (remember Virginia runs a two year budget):
VCU: 687 million
UVA: 850 million
VA Tech 784 million
JMU 324 million
Community College System: 680 million

These are but a few of the colleges tapping into the State budgets "Education" section over the next two years and this does not even really count the so-called Non-General Fund funding for these endeavors. So in essence folks your paying twice; first the tuition and room and board and then your tax dollars generated from taxes are used to fund these schools whose Tuition Rates continue to rise in direct correlation to the increases in State funding.

I would much ratehr prefer the State concentrate in elemenatry/secondary funding as the bulk of its Education funding but even Direct Aid is still way too high and blouted when compared to other States. I would recommend a line be drawn in the sand on salary increases and freeze any additional funding projects not already in the process at end of 2009. That means that the State should not fund new projects of construction; remember the State must also insure through Risk Management all of these facilities at State schools that it builds or expands at these schools. That again taps tax payer dollars.

Ask yourself. Does VCU need to get any bigger? We have seen tremondous growth under Dr. Trani in Richmond, but at this point does Virginia need to continue expanding at tax payer expense the University's continued expansion given it is already the largest commuter school in the State it seems. I understand that MCV Hospitals is part of the VCU Health System and needs to be addressed, but the funding for continued projects at the Academic campus during these times must be frozen as well as at UVA and other Universities. Afterall, does it do any good to fund programs so extensively that in the marketplace compete against one another? Is that not what these schools/colleges are doing? Do they not compete for enrollment. If a campus has greater capacity; should that not drive DOWN the costs of attendence given the availibility of greater access? The more and more the State funds Colleges/Universities growth the higher the costs have become across the board.

Both Education and Depart of Social Services have ballooned in the last ten years. This cannot be a coincidence that during the last seven years or so a Democrat has been our Executive. Thats not to say that Republicans do not care about these things, I just think that there are more political threads at work here than people want to admit. It smacks of simply rewarding those segments that contributed to a Party's success. Social Services, while certainly noble, has entered the billion range of funding and the more programs apparently require that much more "administration" requiring extensive government payrolls and benefit expenses.

In short, the size of Government continues to expand in size and scope with every increase in the State Budget.

Hard choices are on the horizon folks. Hard choices. Maybe just maybe come November, Virginians will realize that this experiment under Warner and Kaine has simply just been too costly to bear and a new future must materialize in 2010.

The Reality of Culture

2009-01-05T13:52:00.002-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how our present at times simply is a mirror image of our past. As a history nut, I confess to love the old stuff and all the characters and their times, but for a country that continually professes its "progress" on the cultural front you can still find those old line allegiances and bias propping up.

No I am not talking about out right bigotry of anyhting like that, but what I am referencing is our continual bias against or indifference to the unknown or traditional state of affairs. Politics certainly has its share of bias of course and it perpuates the myth that someone only "certain schools" prepare leaders for leadership. You know the token few; the Yales, Harvards and Princetons of the world, but is it the education that prepares or is it the networks those institutions have created over the years that prepares or elevates its own.

I say this in large part because much of our founding tradition was based on the idea that a son was not bound to his fathers status. A man could and should make it on his own and determine his own worth. This is not to say that there still did not present itself the opportunity to create an American ruling class or elite; which apparentl;y is still alive and well today at least in the way in which those within perceive those that are not. An example of this was the outright onslought of attacks against the likes of a Sarah Palin for example who did not possess the "right" pedigree of schools or associations to be elevated to such a prominent position regardless of any particualr talent, skill or demonstrated success she may have had in that "what amounts to nothing State" as the media would say in Alaska. Even as a Republican, had she been a Governor from a Northeastern State like the attacks would have most likely been less directed. Remember the brunt of the attacks launch against Palin came upon her selection or within days of and long before any interviews. The objective was to portray her somehow less worthy, not on substance, but on lineage or education or frankly where she comes from.

Of course we see these bias like this everyday but hardly recognize it. It is so much easy to play the tired "bigotry in the South" card everytime we speak of such outright bias, but is there a difference between things like discrimination based on the color of skin and that based on some baseless elitelist metality that one part of nation is better than another or one set of schools are better than another and if you belong to this tradition than you are somehow better than someone who has not. Both are rooted in ignorance.

But we see this in even the most irrelevent of things on the world stage; the NCAA. Anything governed by man is bound to have its issues, but the NCAA and how it regards its colleges and the traditon of those schools along with the media (again the media) plays homage to the elitism that plagued our country. In fact, something as meaningless as rankings prove such bias. Its not about what occurs on the field, but about "who" it is on the field.

This "who" is aexactly what our founding fathers rebelled against. That somehow the success of one school or team is greater than another because frankly one school has had a long tradition of success and therefore deserves homage, whether they deserve it or not. Its more about the schools than the teams on the field.

Case in point. Utah goes 13-0 after defeating a storied program in Alabama in its bowl game and still will be given zero respect by the media. Mind you the Bama team they beat spent significant time at #1 in the nation and were forced through the bowl alignment to play a Utah. Lets face it, what storied program like a Bama, Texas, Florida ST., Ohio State, Florida, or a USC is willing to go on the road and play Utah or Boise State for that matter in the regular season? Lets face it, no AD wants that on the schedule jor any coach. And to me that speaks volumes.

As much as the NCAA required minorities and woman be granted the same opportunities over the years, should not the NCAA be requiring these storied programs play other non-tradtional schools on their regular season schedule? Or has the fact that Boise State beating OK, Utah beating AL and App State beating Michigan at Michigan last season scared off just a test for these programs?

I am a firm believer that what matters most is what happens on the field or in real life what matters most is performance regardless of who it is or where they come from or what the look like or what school they come from or whose son or daughter they may be.

What does it say about the medias dismissal of small schools or small conferences? Is not the media simply continuing the cycle year after year of keeping a the same schools atop the polls? In fact, if you listen to the media they constantly hope for one of these schools to get beaten so they will NOT have to give the school the respect it may deserve.

Now that Utah has fullfilled its obligation and faced Alabama and defeated them easily, should not the media and the insiders who shape the bias in the first place be forced to take the medicine they deserve?

The medicine very well may be a playoff system in the future if enough people come to the realization that the current system in place is about rewarding "storied" programs with the financial windfalls of bowl games and not rewarding teams or schools for performance.

There is a reason why basketball has potential "cinderellas". Thats because eventually if you keep winning the tournament forces teams to have to play you in order to become National Champion. In football, they just sit back and decide themselves who it should be playing for the right to be Champion, and of course that descision is not open to debate either regardless of how many yell the system is flawed.

These are the messages we send our young people even in the smallest of ways. Its does not really matter if your successful on the field or in classroom if its not at the "right" school or from the right conference.

Bias gets is foundations in any number of ways, but it certainly begins in things we normally are proned to not take to serious.

Football is football of course, but it may just speak larger about our culture than we would like to admit. It may just be a reflection of ourselves in the end.

Loseritis: The Hangover Continues

2008-12-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

No I am not talking about the fact that the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Bucs and my beloved Denver Broncos all blew it in the last four weeks of the NFL season and all will be sitting it out in the land of "hangover" with a time for some serious reflection. New York wasted little time in firing its coach, as if the coach is systemic of the problems.

You see there are alot of similarities between the NFL and politics. The above mentioned teams, supposed to make the playoffs, can now join the others who will be sitting it out in the coming weeks, but as fans and owners reflect will there really be any true changes. I mean replacing a coach matters very little if the front office and management is absolutely clueless on how to attract or draft talent via the draft or free agency. Not unlike the current political problems facing the Republican Party.

The Republicans lost in November, though have rebounded with some other elections since, and in true football fashion seek to cure the hangover by simply changing the principles but not the management. Afterall, there are those so entrenched that they think the Party belongs to to them not unlike the owners in the NFL, but fail to release without the people/fans your product as in your team is worthless. Replacing your coach does very little if the management corrdinating the organization is inept at addressing the needs on the field.

There is a reason why in politics we call it the "ground game". Its taken literally from fottball. If you can't effectively run the ball (message) on the ground come the playoffs (election day) you haven't a chance of winning. In the end the players on the ground have to execute the direction of the coaching staff in order to be effective. No matter the challenger, you still must play the game.

Just like alot of NFL teams, the Republican Party is questioning just what direction it shall undertake in 2009 and beyond. It has countless issues it must address, but the biggest one is Loseritis. Too many conservatives in the Blogosphere look to blame the poor performance in November on the usual and easy suspects. Ie. Sarah Palin. failing to identify the fact that within the Party you have the Dallas Cowboy-like interfamily turmoil between fiscal conservatives and social conservatives who each feel they are not getting the ball enough.

The fail to recognize they had a melting of both at the top of the ticket in McCain/Palin and still lost. Much has been made about Colin Powell post election and his impact on the election. While respecting Powell greatly, Powell is no conservative nor has he ever been. If there was a single candidate on the stage in the Republican Primary that Powell would have been able to endorse across the board it was McCain---and he did not. Powell opted to vote and support the most liberal leaning Democrat from the U.S. Senate. The shocking "Powell Moment" was shocking because McCain should have been just the kind of Republican a Powell could support if any; moderate on most issues and even closer to the left on things like immigration and the like. Powell will now be that star the team let get away who will forver haunt them as he works to undermine the team that either would not give him enough or at the very least failed to protect his reputation. Newsflash Mr. Powell-Republicans did not tarnish your reputation; the administration you chose to work with did.

The Republicans, and its aging team both potentially in actual age and message, must take a look at the entire team and analzye just what players need to be on the field and which ones need to be relegated to the sidelines. The RNC now has an opportunity to retool the entire Party with a fresh new approach and direction to build a foundation to face not the issues of today, but those of tomorrow.

There is a new team being formed. New leaders. New ideas and fresh visions for the Party. The key to this paradigm shift in direction will constitute a better organization and a more effcient one that will implement a strategy that does not dismiss any voting blocks. A young and aggressive team will fight for the future and not be hindered or disabled by the baggage of the past. Afterall, lets face it folks the ultra conservative voting block is an aging block, It is true that those older voters do vote, but take a thirty year view out and where will the country be. What then will be the demographic of the country? You do not build an organization overnight, but you can retool it and lay the groundwork and plant the seeds for the future by going after all demographics and regions.

Who better to lead this change than a Michael Steele and a Bobby Jindal? Steele, an African-American who is a former Lt. Gov. of a Maryland where Republican rarely carry office let alone electoral votes and Jindal, of Indian descent currently the Governor of Louisiana. These two figures fail to fit YOUR GRANDADS OR EVEN YOUR DADS REPUBLICAN ERA STEREOTYPE--and thank goodness. The time has come to dismiss the liberal contention that the GOP is the white mans Party or the bigots Party or the Southern Party. Its time we have leaders that are willing to go into the Northeast where apparently life is so great for liberals that they want to continue to relocate to the South in droves every year and take the fight and ask the hard questions regarding just what the Democrats are doing for voters.

Republicans like Steele and Jindal represent voices in the Party that can easily articulate the issues and identify the issues facing every American. Do you really think that Democrats will attempt to wage the kind of war against a Jindal or a Steele in the manner in which they did a Sarah Palin? Jindal, a Rhodes scholar, with pedigree that rivals if not surpasses an Obama background and now his demonstrated Executive experience I think would welcome such tactic. The Democrats and their media machine will remind us at every opportunity just how much the GOP is in turmoil for no other reason than to keep piling on to present a situation in the minds of folks that the Party is dead at the same time they build up the hopes of the next administration.
Meanwhile, the GOP will be formulating a new plan just as the Dems did beginning in 2004.

Last season the Dolphins were 1-15 and could closely be compared to the GOP in 2006 and 2008, but then this year with a new organization picking free agents and making draft picks and hiring of a new coach to captain the execution they have turned themselves in AFC East Champions. How? By leaving it all on the field and by leaving no one out of the process. Everyone on that team contributes. The GOP needs to take a lesson and so do those in the blogoshere who want to blame people as fans of the NFL always do when the team loses and start calling for peoples heads like they have Jeff Frederick here in Virginia's RPV. Will the new coach of Lions in 2009 lead that team to rebound from a 0-16 2008 campaign? Not without significant changes in the back managment. There are systemic problems in losing organizations, not just losing candidates or coaches. The candidate or coach is often the "face" of an organization iot seems and gets the heat for losing campaigns, but in reality in runs very deeper than the face. Republicans should not lose sight of that fact.

Afterall, if we were to get the owners and GM's of all the NFL teams together I wonder how many of us would know who the heck they are. Sure we would get the Jerry Jones, the Syndor of course here in Virginia and maybe Kraft but what about the others? That said, I bet we know all the coaches though don't we?

Maybe we need to begin in 2009 to stop focusing our agenda solely on candidate reflection and more on the way in which we bring up candidates from the ranks and how we get them on the ballot. If anything, I think the Jim Gilmore convention in Virginia proved that for us. We need to look at the mechanisms and the people running them behind the scenes to begin to diagnose the problems, especially in Virginia. The McDonnell campaign for Governor in 2009 will give the RPV the first opportunity to implement the changes required to lay further groundwork for the future. Hopefully, given Jindal's recent appearance here in Virginia he is lending some direction to the RPV along with Steele. The best thing for the RNC in 2009 would be for Virginia to return the Executive Mansion to the GOP.

In the end, the GOP must stop suffering from Loseritis and the in 2009 put the hangover behind them and focus on the future of the Party. Afterall, one difference between the Politics and the NFL is the season never ends!!!

There Comes a Time

2008-12-03T11:56:00.003-04:00

There comes a time in every Republic where the torch must be passed. Many, including myself, thought that after the election that such a torch had been passed after virtually two decades of the so-called recent first families (Bush/Clinton) of American history with the historic election of President-elect Obama.

History demonstrates various transitional periods of American leadership or political thought, whether Lincoln, Roosevelt, Wilson, FDR, Kennedy and frankly maybe even Bill Clinton. I have little issue with the will of the people in practice, nor should any true American, and we all should endeavor to look at our President regardless of Party affiliation as our President. This of course has been my greatest criticism of the far left ideology. An acceptance of the will is only garnered when the result is of there persuasion. Hence since the election of 2000 and the result of a few court battles, the view that Bush was "not their President" rang out even before 9/11 or Iraq. The latter merely elevated the sentiment that Bush was not in their view legitimate, which begs the question again whether the left simply only aligns itself with Supreme Court views that are aligned with its own agenda or do they really respect the Court overall. I mean, its fine for the Court to say pass Roe v. Wadeor create a special status for certain citizens and all but if a Court, like say California's State Courts or the US Supreme Court upholds the will of the people in the recent marriage issue well then they again fail to recognize legitimacy. Of course, should the Courts overrule the will of the people then the Courts again as the sword of the movement are once again accepted.

I only bring this up to reflect just what kind of hypocrisy that the President-elect is engaging within his own Party. Many on the left, and rightfully so it seems, are beginning to see Obama in a very new light given his recent annoucements for cabinet posts and his national security team.

Look, I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton, whom many far left bloggers railed against for months in the Primary and are furious about her nomination, will be a huge asset in elevating Amercias "standing" or appearance in the world but in the end in these times very little will change. Mumbai should demonstrate that. The terror being advocated was not against a figure like a Bush or a Clinton, but at what America stands for at its very root. Unless the new majority plan on changing that very thing than other than great diplomacy and cordial relationships very little will change on the ground. This is why I believe the far left of the Democrat Party is railing today at these cabinet posts. None of these folks represent anyhting new or a true paradigm shift with regard to implementation of policy, though they certainly will be better equipped to put some well placed spin on it better than their predecessors.

It is my contention that come January 2010 very little will have changed in reality though "officially" I am sure certain policies will be altered. Whether or not one voted for Obama or not, one has to respect the position he will be in in the coming months. There will certainly be those clamoring for "change", but there are great differecnes between campaigning ideas and governing principles.

If there is one are that President-elect will likely place greater concentration on and thats the United Nations and though Obama may have the greatest intentions history and events demonstrate that the UN as an organization probaly needs some ressurecting, but not at the expense of American sovereignty. I hope that Obama tip toes in this area and does not make some of the mistakes that were made by the Clinton administration.

And this brings us to the "torch". Of course the election was significant and historic, but since that process concluded we are beginning to see some very (old) familiar faces in Washington. Not just cabinet posts, but advisors and policy crafters. Pundits can spin the fact that everything will be run by Obama, but how "new" are some of the ideas and visions of these insiders from the Clinton years really? Sure we know that the Clinton team had some success with the budget and economics, but it was done at the expense of the military and defense spending which allowed the deficit to be reduced. Is 2009 the time to revisit that strategy? Given the world situation, even if we leave Iraq, is the world different than 1994? Can they honestly believe that the model of Kosovo can be applied to the Middle East or tensions between India and Pakistan or China and Taiwan or Georgia and Russia?

These are different times. We need new ideas and new visions or even new tennets. There is opportunity here. The torch was passed to a young, articulate Obama for a new page in Amercian history, only the problem is that most of those writers of this history are anything but new and come with tired ideas of the past and such baggage as power envy.

There comes a time when the torch must be passed to a new generation of leadership so that our liberty may be refreshed and though many see these new annoucements of representing a "middle ground" it begs the question whether very much will change in reality and whether Obama will permit himself to be a great leader or merely a transitional one in the years to come.

Chesterfield County: A Northern Virginia Future?

2008-11-12T17:33:00.005-04:00

We all are in agreement that Chesterfield County is growing rapidly, even despite the economic slowdown, and our local government faces some real tough challenges before it. Like, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Chesterfield County will likely experience budget shortfalls. The Chesterfield School Board has already alluded to such shortfalls that it will be facing in 2009.

So the question is, what will be the issues driving the debate regarding bringing revenues and expenditures in the future in line?

Well, Chesterfield County officials need only to look to Northern Virginia to see what it may be facing in ten years. Uncontrolled and ill-planned growth in places like Fairfax and Prince William County demonstrate the impacts of densely populated areas and the impacts on infrastructure and county services.

Many political folks have touted how Prince William County is the belleweather of Virginia. Today the Washington Post tackles this debate in a piece by Kristen Mack. Much of the focus on PWC is a result of the increasing population. The blogosphere has been engaged with this very issue for quite some time and Raising Kaine, Northern Virginia's most influential liberal blogging community, seems extremely pleased that PWC supported Barack Obama last week. The political takeway very well may be pleasing but what about the economic future of a County that has grown so fast that the growth has now slowed the increases in quality of life that the County had been experiencing. Raising Kaine touts the influence for the rising minority population, in this case the Hispanic community, as fuel to their political agenda but where will the money on the local level come from to offset the expenses associated with the assimilation of the immigrants recently arrving in mass to the County.

PWC is facing rising foreclosure counts that threaten the value of every residents property moving forward. A look at the Countrywide foreclosure list demonstrates hundreds of homes in the Manassas and greater PWC areas rising in default every month by that company. Should property values continue the decline, the County will be unable to generate the level of revenues required by the County to sustain services without drastic redcutions and cuts to the budget. The County has one of the highest influx of non-English speaking children or English as a second language populations in the entire State. How will the County be able to continue spending at the current levels to meet the demands of this population within its school systems moving forward?

This question is'nt exactly new. Prince William and Stafford County have been faced with this issue for years now. Raising Kaine and other liberal bloggers in Northern Virginia have attacked the Republican Board of County Supervisors (though not the Democrats in the area) as racist or anti-immigrant for raising issues facing the County regarding the funding of "illegal" immigrants through county social services and through the school board expenditures. Even raising the economic impact question of "illegals"results in such accusations of racism or bigotry.

The liberals feel it is governments responsibility on the local level it seems to fund the same level of services for "illegals" as it does citizens within the County regardless of whether these individuals are paying into the system. Liberals have secured the ground by making any attempt to address the "illegal" population as an attempt to attack all Hispanics in the region, even thouse who are here legally and are law abiding citizens. The fact that there has been a increase in illegal activity resulting from gangs operating in the region whose composition is mostly "illegal" makes little consequence unless of course they make it into Arlington where liberals then may have a different take on the situation. So the issue of "illegals" results in hard hits to the County budget on all levels; services, schools, police and health-related areas.

How do the liberals propose the rising tide be handled in terms of guaranteeing EVERYONE a higher quality of life? Well, they have very little to offer by way of solutions but are very quick to throw out the race card at every instance. For example, Stafford County recently proposed that

"the use of English language be the sole language for use in Stafford County schools"

This off course was directed at the "teaching" element and not the offering of foriegn languages through the school system. In short, the County wants to make sure that all students in classes such as English, Science, Math, Arts, Social Sciences are "taught" in English regardless of nationality, ethnicity, race or any other factor. Of course, the liberal community attacked this proposal as a measure to end all teachings of foriegn languages in the schools which is completely baseless and has never been the intent. Again, liberals cried bigotry.

Is it not our reponsibilty to give every member of our society the chance to make it? How will immigrants make it in this society if we allow them to move through our school systems without mastering English or if all their classes are being taught in Spanish in order to make learning easier for them just to make it through but not master the subjects. What good will that do them in the real world or in college? By all means we should be funding where appropriate and feasable Adult English as a second language for those immigrants who come to Virginia in order to speed the process of assimilation, but our youth should be educated in the same manner as our native born students in order to prevent such disadvantages that could result later if allowed to graduate high school without mastering English. I certainly support the notion that our teachers should be teaching all classes in English.

I have never understood why declaring English as our official language as been allowed to morph into the same eco-political ideal similar to the contention we actually have an immigration policy. We sorta do, but we don't enforce it. We sorta have English as our native language, but we don't require it to be used in the classroom. Absolute craziness.

If you are sitting in Chesterfield, look to Northern Virginia as a window to a potential future that may be coming. Rising populations and rising foreclosures result in a higher density of rental housing which contributes to increased sprawl even further out. Fifteen years ago it was Fairfax. As home values rose dramatically, relocation patterns increased in PWC and Stafford resulting in a growing population that could afford to live there as opposed to Fairfax, Arlington and even Loudon. Data is now supporting that sprawl from NOVA has now entered the Spotsylvania County market as well. While the Republican opposition in PWC wants to place the blame for foreclosures on them and not the individuals or even the entities who engaged in the financing appears so politically motivated its shameful.

I say this because many of these liberal bloggers care very little of the quality of life in these areas as much as they do whether they can fuel the rage of citizens on the local level by pointing to Republicans as to whose to blame for their lot in life. Economic data, growth and populations patterns are on no consequence it seems.

Chesterfield very well may experience the same trends. Many people will determine to uproot from NOVA unless something is done to address the wide variety of issues. There is burden to be born by all sides and their are no easy fixes, but any solutions must be undertaken from a position of dignity and respect not only for individuals but for our laws as well.

Chesterfield is already experiencing some of the early stages that NOVA had in terms of growth. Transportation and infrastructure being one and school crowding be another. These are but the seedlings to future problems, like rising unemployment, increased commercial and urban sprawl and the decline of homevalues. None of this happens overnight, but we must endeavor to plan for these hurdles now and not wait until we are faced square in the face with the issues that Northern Virginia is facing today.

Ask yourselves. Do you really want Chesterfield County to become just another Fairfax or Prince William in the future?

Veterans Day 2008

2008-11-11T17:55:00.002-04:00

On this day, November 11, 2008 on want to thank each and every member of the current Armed Forces and all those who have served this great nation. I especially would like to thank those families in the course of our nations history who have lost loved ones serving the Republic.

I would also like to pay tribute to those newly resting members of Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetary who have given their lives in defense of what may be the single greatest threat ever facing this nation.

It is important to note that therer are currently very few remaining living veterans of Foriegn Wars like World War I and World War II. If you should know any of these great patriots, please take a few moments to speak with them about their service and pay tribute to their service simply by engaging them and learning of their experiences. Before long, we will face a time when we will no longer be pleased with these great men and woman.

For my Marine Corps brothers, please click the link below for a special tribute for this years anniversary of the Corps:
www.godaddy.com/gdshop/holiday/usmc2008/playmovie.asp?c1=13619

Semper Fi.

Jeff Frederick and Future of the State GOP

2008-11-10T19:42:00.002-04:00

Less than twenty-four hours after the ballots had been cast and Barack Obama had secured the White House, the implosion of the McCain campaign from inside the ranks points to a problematic future for the Republican Party nationally. The perception of this implosion has been shaped every single night on cable "news" (entertainment) for the purposes of beating down the Grand Old Party even further. The Republican staffers have played right into the hands of such objective-challenged journalists whom instead of engaging in proper analysis determine its in the best interest to pile on, especially on Governor Sarah Palin.

To make matters worse, the implosion of the State GOP seems poised to boil over given the recent criticisms of Jeff Frederick,Chairman of the State GOP. Delegates Frederick's inability to close the gap in the Presidential campaign leading to the Commonwealth of Virginia providing Barack Obama with its electoral votes is very troubling to many. What is more troubling is the fact that Delegate Frederick represents the 52d House District in prince William County that went for Obama as well.

Many contend that the Chairman of the State GOP is more concerned and focused on statewide elections, especially the Governor's race in 2009. This contention is troubling as well. The Presidential election, and this one especially, brought the possibility of capitalizing on the general enthusiasm and interest of all Virginians to build the foundations of networks and coalitions that would benefit the State GOP for years to come. There was an opportunity to leverage the free media and the blogosphere in particular to shape a new message for Virginia that could serve as the backbone of the upcoming campaign. There was an opportunity to invite these bloggers and volunteers that were in support of the Mccain campaign to a GOP Summit to begin jumpstart the foundation of networks and bring in representatives from the local Republican committees where interests and visons for Virginia could be expressed. As it seems, none of the opportunities were capatilized upon.

These are merely observations and are not meant to be highly critical of the work Jeff Frederick has undertaken, but what we are apparently experiencing is a disconnected network of local committees working on behalf of the State GOP, all be it independently, without a clear, unified vision for the future. The State GOP is losing ground, not only in voter rolls, but in organization standards and much of it has to do with the inability to capitalize on these local volunteers effectively. If the State GOP continues to fail to engage the electorate through various mediums, then exactly how is it the State GOP can expect to reload its financial coffers. If they engage people, listen to them and respond in kind with campaign visions catered particularly for the region in which those committees operate the State GOP would be better served.

The State GOP needs to stop permitting the Democrat Party from shaping the context of the debate. Republicans, as a result of bitter in fighting over the Gilmore/Davis convention, allowed Democrats to shape the debate with Mark Warner. The lost precious time because they failed to mobilize once Warner dropped out of the Presidential race signaling his intention to run with John Warner's potential retirement. Instead of seeing the landscape ahead and elevating a Tom Davis who could at least challenge Warner in the densley populated Northern Virginia, they saddled up with a selection with very little ability to inspire or raise funds. This here is important, many independents and Democrats though Gilmore faired better in the debates but it never translated into votes. The reason? The candidate.

Now, much of this may not be Jeff Frederick's fault to be sure but there was an opportunity to lead the State GOP out of the darkness of sorts by reconnecting and laying the groundwork for a grassroots conservative movement regardless of Gilmore or Mccain's campaigns. Leveraging the rallies of Sarah Palin would have been a start.

In the coming months, the State GOP needs to understand the simple fact that the Democrats believe it or not are NOT as secure as they would have you believe in the Commonwealth. How can I say this given the election results? Well, Wolf held on to his seat in a rapidly growing liberal Fairfax County with 60% of the vote. Experience and integrity counts. But more over, the Democrats have yet to get behind a candidate for Governor in 2009. If the Democrats were confident in either Delegate Brian Moran (Fairfax County) or State Senator Creigh Deeds from the 25th, does anyone really think that they would be encouraging Terry Mcauliffe of Fairfax County and former Chairman of the DNC 2001-05 to throw his hat in the ring. This spells opportunity for Jeff Frederick and the State GOP in my view. There will be a fight amongst the liberals and the moderate conservatives of the Democrat Party over the nomination and the rhetoric as already begun in the blogosphere where liberal progressives are going after Mcauliffe. In large part it is simply carry over by blogs like Rasing Kaine whick attacked divisively Hillary Clinton in the Primary and Mcauliffe's association as Chair of Clintons Presidential Committee simply is a bullseye.

Jeff Frederick has an opportunity to guide or shepard the State GOP in an effective manner if he shelves the negative attacks and divisive remarks that fuel the opposition in shaping the debate. His observations on Obama during the campaign were unneccesary and unprofessional to say the least. Every bit of free media needs to be measured and used to ADVANCE the GOP in its cause not provide soundbites to be used to undermine it.

Many seek to give Frederick a bit more time given he took over his present role a mere four months or so ago, but the foundations of the NEW State GOP need to be laid rather quickly so that volunteers and activists in the local committees can begin to build the brick and mortar of the future. Frederick had better understand the lessons of the McCain campaign right after he secured the nomination months before Obama has locked his up.

Jeff Frederick and the State GOP had better understand, to steal a phrase from Rocky;

"There is no tommorrow, there is no tommorow"!