220 South

American Closes

2010-04-21T23:09:00.003-04:00

Well, I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone in the Martinsville area. After a two-year will-they-or-won't-they waiting game, American of Martinsville has apparently closed its doors. From WDBJ 7:

It's lights out at one of Henry County and Martinsville's main furniture manufacturers. The question is, for how long?

Employees at American of Martinsville tell News7 their bosses sent them home from the Redd Level Plant at the end of last week. A security guard is now manning the front gate.

The front doors to the main headquarters in Uptown Martinsville were also locked on Tuesday and executives ignored repeated phone calls made by Your Hometown Station.

Henry County's economic development team seemed to be blind sided by the news as well when a call was made to them Monday afternoon by News7.

All of this is frustrating for the more than 200 employees at the Redd Level location. Many fear what this means for their retirement benefits since they say the company has not given them any clear answers on the status of the plants' operation.

The best part?

It's still unclear what will happen to a Martinsville furniture plant that's been shut down. But the company's president is headed elsewhere.

Trade magazine Furniture Today reports Noel Chitwood left his job as president of American of Martinsville. He's taken a job with a Chinese manufaturer called Lacquer Craft Furniture.

I don't begrudge Mr. Chitwood finding another job, but he knew about this closing long before anyone else did. He had time to get his affairs in order and my guess is he'll do fine financially at his new job. He has the luxury of moving and the industry connections to have some options. Everyone else was blindsided, apparently including the Economic Development Corporation. Moreover, American's former employees don't exactly get to have mobility and industry connections--after all, this is the 21st century and they are manufacturing workers. In the global economy, they're becoming the new serfs.

And that, in a nutshell, is why this economy will never recover until we get our trade policies in order. Globalization will destroy this country unless we change course. As long as the manufacturing sector continues to shrink because of unfair foreign competition--i.e. trading with countries that play by a 19th-century rulebook--the middle class will continue evaporating and the ranks of the working poor will grow. See how many cheap Chinese tables you can sell to someone who can't find a job.

McDonnell Declares Confederate History Month

2010-04-06T22:07:00.002-04:00

Imagine my joy when this story started to make the national rounds:

Virginia's Republican Governor Bob McDonnell has declared April to be "Confederate History Month," the first time in 8 years that such a proclamation has been issued in the state.

In the statement, McDonnell says that the Confederate history "should not be forgotten, but instead should be studied, understood and remembered," and that its leaders "fought for their homes and communities and Commonwealth in a time very different than ours today."

I can almost understand the rationale for this if--and only if--it's done in an objective way. Let's assume for a minute that we do live in an ideal world where this is truly a study of the history of the Confederacy. What would that look like?

It might be good for us as Americans to remember how vulnerable freedom can be when powerful, unscrupulous interests take hold of a democracy, such as the slaveholding aristocracy that pushed the South into secession.

Maybe it would be instructive to recall that without rules to protect basic human rights, the free market might decide it's okay to do just about anything. Like when it decreed that it was okay to buy and sell other human beings as slaves, a practice that only ended after massive government intervention in the form of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments.

In this rancorous political climate, it would be especially salient to recall what happens when we give in to demagogues and the political process breaks down. Maybe the most militant Tea Partiers would do well to remember that the Confederacy lost one-fourth of its military-age male population in four years; another fourth was horribly wounded in the fighting. To this day, the Civil War is the single bloodiest conflict in American history, taking 600,000+ American lives. Maybe it would do Palin and Beck some good to know what they're really intimating when they use war rhetoric to frame their unhinged ideology.

But for some reason I doubt that's the point McDonnell is trying to make here. It sounds a lot more like a nod to the George Allen wing of the Virginia GOP. Under other governors, Confederate History Month has only served to divide, distract and inflame; unfortunately, it looks like the McDonnell/Cuccinelli team has been pretty good at that so far.

*Sigh*...it's gonna be a long four years.

Music Monday: "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" by Spoon

2010-04-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

This week's Music Monday features a song by Spoon. Here's "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb":

This one comes from 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, supposedly named for the piano rhythm in the song "The Ghost of You Lingers"--if you've heard it, you know what I'm talking about. It's a great record, and I especially like the Motown-esque feel of this song. Another standout from that album is "The Underdog," which has sort of a Steely Dan sound to it. Lots of horns and laid-back rhythm section.

I saw Spoon last week at The National in Richmond. They put on a great show and I encourage you to see them if you can, but be quick about it--their shows sell out fast. At that show, I purchased an LP--yes, an actual 12" LP--of their most recent album, which comes with a coupon for an mp3 download. It's quite good as well, though I haven't picked favorite tracks yet. Anyway, check out Spoon if you're into good guitar-based rock 'n roll.

In Case You Missed It: Martinsville in the New Yorker

2010-04-02T13:26:00.003-04:00

Just in case you didn't see this when it came out last week, give this a look. George Packer has written an article for the New Yorker that features Martinsville very heavily. It is a look at the frustration many of us still feel over the disastrous economy, especially in small towns like Martinsville.

Here's the link.

I suppose it's a good thing to have our problems finally receive national attention. After all, it took ten years for the rest of the country to realize that rural communities like ours were getting the shaft; maybe stories like this will keep things in perspective for the media and our policymakers.

BREAKING NEWS: Texas Secedes; Alaska Declares Self Single, Ready to Mingle

2010-04-01T07:20:00.002-04:00

WASILLA--The nation was stunned today as Texas and Alaska suddenly and deliberately severed their ties with the government of the United States of America.

The first state secession since the Civil War came as a surprise. Pull Out Now!, an organization of Tea Party activists, was responsible for organizing separatist movements in the two states, and organizers say they hope more states will pull out "before it's too late," according to lead organizer Levi Johnston.

Johnston later added, "Does anyone out there think I'm relevant yet?"

Speaking at a victory rally in Austin, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said she was excited about the news that the two craziest states in America would soon be joining forces.

"Ya know, the folks in Washington need to take this as a wake-up call," Palin said. "Listen, Mr. President: We love America! And gosh darn-it, the only way to save it is to leave it! We're not gonna sit by and let you wreck our country anymore. Now it's our turn!" The crowd cheered enthusiastically and waved posters of Glenn Beck.

When asked how secession was patriotic, one protester responded, "Don't step on the white ones! Hot lava!" Several others refused to comment to the "communist media" and conjectured that reporters were there on the orders of Osama bin Laden.

In Washington, the Republican Party was in total disarray. One reporter caught up with NRCC spokesman Andy Sere while he was waiting for his Happy Meal.

"I mean, whatevs. Alaska's basically Diet Canada anyway, and I don't even watch Deadliest Catch. What? You said Texas too? TEXAS?! Holy crap guys! Crap crap balls crap! That's pretty much our entire base! And all those electoral votes!" Sere then uttered a string of obscenities that led to his removal from the ball pit.

Alaska and Texas have moved remarkably fast in ejecting most federal employees from the state. Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the next order of business was to proceed with building a border wall, and then continue "de-socializing" the state. Perry added, however, that Social Security and Veterans Administration workers would be allowed to remain in the state on the request of his constituents. Perry will also attempt to preserve Medicare, citing seniors' concerns about losing their government health care.

Palin and Perry will hold a joint press conference today announcing the War on Smut, a new trade policy aimed at keeping certain items from being imported into the new nations. Among the items to be declared contraband: beakers and other lab equipment; unapproved textbooks; telescopes; sextants; "nudie-pic textin' machines" (we think they mean cell phones); vegan cookbooks; calculators; hybrid vehicles of any kind, as well as biodegradable coffee cups; coffee; soy milk and other "liberal sissy drinks"; the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Audacity of Hope and other so-called "socialist screeds"; and finally, CNN, MSNBC and Comedy Central will be barred from broadcasting into the two states. Also, the Green Bible is a no-no.

When asked for comment, President Obama simply replied, "Seriously? They really did it this time? And y'all wonder why I smoke."

Vice President Biden echoed that sentiment. "These people are so f***ing ridiculous I can't even deal with it," Biden said.

Hurt Backs Cuccinelli in Discrimination Flap

2010-03-10T11:26:00.005-05:00

By now, you've probably heard about AG Ken Cuccinelli's reprehensible letter to Virginia's colleges and universities, in which he declared that they cannot prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. You may have also heard about the less publicized (but just as nonsensical) decision by Gov. McDonnell last month to strip gay and lesbian state workers of anti-discrimination protections afforded by the two previous governors.

What you may not have heard about is Sen. Robert Hurt's stance on what is rapidly becoming an embarrassment for the whole Commonwealth. From the Washington Post, linked above:

Some lawmakers called Cuccinelli's stand consistent with legal opinions offered by past attorneys general, who have advised local governments that they do not have the legal right to add sexual orientation to their policies without authorization from the General Assembly.

"It seems to me that he was trying to get out his legal opinion," said Sen. Robert Hurt (R-Pittsylvania). "It doesn't seem like a clarion call to discriminate against anyone."

There you have it, folks. In a desperate attempt to co-opt the wingnuts and strengthen his Tea Party cred, Sen. Hurt has planted his feet firmly on the wrong side of history.

You know what's really disappointing about this? I grew up in this area and Robert Hurt has represented it in various ways for almost a decade. I've never agreed with him about much of anything, but I've always kind of liked the guy. He never seemed like the culture warrior type; he always came off as a fairly bright, rational individual. The fact that he appeared sane was what made him such a strong candidate. But recently, he's allowing himself to drift closer and closer to the shores of Loony Land. If he's not careful, he'll crash on the rocks.

Remote Area Medical in Buena Vista

2010-03-09T19:11:00.002-05:00

As we close in on (what appears to be) the endgame of the health care epic, here's a reminder of why it's so important to take action. From WDBJ7:

About 15 percent of Virginians do not have health insurance, making healthcare out of reach.

That's why forty medical pros from the Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, worked through the weekend, giving their time for those hurting most.

It all happened at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista Saturday and Sunday.

Dr. Nancy Weiss, a doctor said, "There's no national health insurance, there are people around here who work, but cant' afford health insurance, and we need to help them out."

Optometrists fitted glasses.

Dentists pulled and filled teeth.

From mammograms, to blood work, to annual physicals, it was all free.

Sheila Pooley, "I would have had to have gone without until we could have gotten the money to do it."

Students at the university are to credit for pulling it all together.

Jacque Loving is one of the SVU student organizers.

"We've actually had a lot of people come from North Carolina and West Virginia come over."

Hmm. People traveling long distances and crossing borders to get better health care. I thought that only happened in Canada? *snark*

The organizers said they had 421 people show up for the event. Think about that for a minute. One weekend, in one little pocket of the richest nation in the world, 421 people came to get free health care because they couldn't otherwise afford it--either because of unemployment, underemployment or lack of good insurance. The fact that we're letting this happen (and have been letting it happen for decades) is disgraceful, outrageous and morally unconscionable.

This story reminded me of a 60 Minutes special about Remote Area Medical. They were started as a way of addressing poverty and health issues in third-world countries, but have found that they're spending quite a lot of time in the United States. Here's the video:

And part 2:

Next time someone tells you we have the "best health care system in the world," show them this film. And then ask them why things like Remote Area Medical are so necessary in the richest nation in the world.

Music Monday: "13" by Big Star

2010-03-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

Music Monday today is a blast from the past--here's a 1972 tune by Big Star, called "13."

These guys have enjoyed a quiet resurgence in recent years, particularly in the indie music community. First a cover version of their song "In The Street" was used for the That 70s Show theme; Then Elliott Smith covered "13" on New Moon, his posthumous final release. And if you look around a bit, you'll start finding more and more indie rockers listing Big Star as an influence--Superdrag comes to mind, and if you paid close attention in the Music Monday where I featured Beulah, you may have noticed the lead singer wearing a Big Star t-shirt.

Armstrong 2013?

2010-03-08T00:09:00.003-05:00

Here's an interesting clip from Anita Kumar's Washington Post blog Friday:

House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D) is considering running for statewide office -- perhaps governor or lieutenant governor -- in 2013, Democratic sources tell us.

Armstrong, of Henry County, has been holding townhall meetings the last couple of months throughout Southside and Southwest Virginia and we hear he has spoken to a handful of key Democrats about the possibility of running.

The outspoken and affable Armstrong had long been eyeing his chance to become speaker of the House of Delegates. Democrats had steadily picked up 11 seats in the House since 2003. Six more seats would have allowed them to take the majority and Armstrong to become speaker.

Those plans were quashed when a Republican sweep in November gave the GOP six more seats and solidified Speaker Bill Howell's tenure. (My emphasis)

Veeerry interesting. My understanding from local sources was that Del. Armstrong was happy being a delegate and planned to follow in the footsteps of the hyper-influential House Speaker A.L. Philpott, who had held Armstrong's current seat for years. But I suppose it's conceivable that November changed Ward's plans, and there certainly aren't many names which are immediately obvious for 2013. Armstrong could fill that vacuum, and I think we could do a lot worse than to nominate a guy like him.

I guess we'll see what happens; I will support whoever convinces me they can prevent a Gov. Bolling or--perish the thought--a Gov. Cuccinelli. If that's Ward Armstrong, then sign me up.

Lawson Steps Down; Tea Party Takes Henry County GOP

2010-03-05T16:24:00.003-05:00

It seems that Southside is a bit of a microcosm these days. First came the breakdown of the manufacturing sector and complete overhaul of the economy; now it's the rise of the Tea Party to positions of power within the GOP. In today's Martinsville Bulletin, longtime Republican Committee Chair Don Lawson announced that he is stepping down in advance of Monday's GOP committee meeting. That makes his only opponent for the chairmanship, staunch Tea Critter Jeff Evans, the winner by default.

Now, you may remember Jeff Evans as Roscoe Reynolds's opponent in the 2007 Virginia Senate election. He was handily dispatched, winning only 38% of the vote. But here's an interesting clip from the article:

Evans, who won 38 percent of the vote in 2007, said he “has not ruled out” a second bid against Reynolds.

Lawson said he “advised him I could not support him for that.” Evans then decided to seek the chairman post, Lawson said.

Evans said that was not the case. He said he and Lawson have “different views” and have barely spoken since last spring. “I quit going to committee meetings so there would be no trouble between us,” Evans added.

Evans said he told Lawson last year that he thought change was needed on the committee. When he did not see anyone else stepping up to run for the chairmanship, Evans said he decided to run about three weeks ago.

When Evans took delegates’ applications for Monday’s mass meeting to Lawson before the deadline, a television crew was there, Evans said. He added that he does not know who called the crew, but he said he thought it was a good thing it was there.

That was done to sensationalize the event and make it appear “that somehow the party is being harmed by my being involved” in the process, Lawson said. “He had no clue I was not even a candidate.”

Step 1: Get owned in an election against a popular, entrenched incumbent.

Step 2: Make overtures about running again and demand changes to your party.

Step 3: When you don't get your way and the party doesn't want to run a losing candidate again, take over the party. Voila.

And that, in a nutshell, is why the Republicans remain in deep trouble. Despite the media narrative about 2010 being a GOP surge year, this is a perfect example of the fundamental problems that are still eating away at the Republicans. I'm not saying they won't pick up seats this year, but it doesn't change the fact that a large chunk of their base has gone off the deep end. Here you have open, public hostility between an established party leader and an insurgent Teabagger. What's worse, the level of discourse leaves no room for discussion and will only divide the party. All indications so far have been that ideological absolutism is the order of the day in the Tea Party, and there's no reason to think it will go away anytime soon.

As a moderate friend said to me when he heard this news, "I guess I'll be voting Democrat for a long time."

Tom on Morning Joe: Senate "Elites" Don't Get the Recession

2010-03-02T00:28:00.000-05:00

Tom Perriello went on Morning Joe last week to discuss the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which passed the House last Wednesday.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Perriello's blunt statement about the Senate's elitism is especially prescient after the last few days, when two Republican senators made known their disdain for the unemployed. First, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) repeatedly blocked efforts to extend unemployment benefits, even going so far as to tell one Democrat "tough shit" and complain about having missed the Kentucky-South Carolina basketball game while making his objections. So not only is he completely contemptuous of the needs of his constituents, he's arrogantly so. Stay classy, Jim--and great family values.

Then, we got the wizened words of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), who basically accused unemployment beneficiaries of being lazy and not looking for work:

Unemployment insurance "doesn't create new jobs. In fact, if anything, continuing to pay people unemployment compensation is a disincentive for them to seek new work," Kyl said during debate over whether unemployment insurance and other benefits that expired amid GOP objections Sunday should be extended.

"I'm sure most of them would like work and probably have tried to seek it, but you can't argue that it's a job enhancer. If anything, as I said, it's a disincentive. And the same thing with the COBRA extension and the other extensions here," said Kyl.

Wow, what an unbelievably condescending thing to say. As someone who spent six months struggling to find work, I'll be glad to tell Sen. Kyl all about incentives and disincentives. Simply being unemployed is plenty of incentive to find work. When you have to borrow money from family to pay your health insurance, constantly have to defer student loans and can never afford anything, you don't have much incentive to stay unemployed. Trouble is, it's damn near impossible to find a decent job with stable income. Maybe if these pompous, pathetic excuses for lawmakers could pull their myopic heads out of the sand and live in the real world for five minutes, they'd understand that. I guess that's too much to expect from the House of Lords.

What's especially puzzling is that the CBO has absolutely pulverized Kyl's argument, as Sen. Max Baucus, hardly a progressive darling, pointed out:

He added that Kyl's economic argument was flawed, as well. Unemployment benefits do create jobs because the recipients cycle the money through the economy. He cited a Congressional Budget Office analysis that said the Gross Domestic Product grew $1.90 for every dollar the federal government paid out.

The more I hear from the Senate, the less faith I have in its relevance as an institution. The words and actions of Sens. Kyl and Bunning have only multiplied this effect. I find myself more and more grateful every day that at least our congressman gets it--even if he seems to be the only one in Washington who does sometimes.

Perriello to Insurance Companies: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

2010-03-01T23:21:00.003-05:00

Among the things that slipped through the cracks last week while I was too busy to blog about anything was a huge legislative victory by Congressman Perriello. Tom co-sponsored a bill to end antitrust exemptions for insurance companies; that bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. Since 1945, health insurance companies have enjoyed an exemption from antitrust regulations, allowing them to collude and fix prices while reaping billions of dollars in profits. The only other industry that enjoys similar antitrust exemptions is Major League Baseball.

Well, if Tom's bill gets through the Senate, then the insurance companies may finally have to play by the same rules as the rest of America's companies. Tom addressed the health insurers in his floor speech:

"Be afraid. Be very afraid." I do believe our congressman is a badass.

Hurt Denies Climate Change, Blames Rate Hikes on Regulations that Don't Exist Yet

2010-03-01T13:17:00.005-05:00

There's an interesting development floating around the interwebs today, and it originates from a Tea Party/GOP debate held in Lynchburg this past Saturday night.

In an apparent attempt to counter the Hurt's-not-crazy-enough meme coming from the Tea Party folks, state Sen. Robert Hurt (R-Chatham) denied the science behind climate change, dismissing the biggest environmental threat of our time as “scientists who have given us something that is not true. It is faulty information and it has real consequences in the 5th District, in the loss of jobs and in power bills from Appalachian Power Co.” TheGreenMiles has a great post about it.

What's especially interesting about Hurt's new-found climate fundamentalism is this little gem from the Danville Register-Bee, wherein Sen. Hurt blames the recent Appalachian Power Company rate hikes on a bill that hasn't even become law yet:

Sen. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, said state and federal environmental regulations have played a role in rising energy rates. The federal “cap-and-trade” passed by the House of Representatives last year is an example of the “devastating policies” that affect people’s lives, forcing companies to raise rates to revamp their facilities to follow environmental rules.

Even the most die-hard deregulator would have a hard time making the case that people have lost their jobs and seen their utility bills skyrocket because of a regulation that doesn't even exist yet. The Senate hasn't even voted on the ACES bill yet, and if it passes in the same form that the House passed last year, it will actually create jobs in the district Mr. Hurt wants to represent.

If I were advising Sen. Hurt's campaign, I'd tell him to quit pandering to the wingnuts and start focusing on things that will bring jobs back to Southside. Being anti-science may impress the Beckophiles, but it won't win over the independents and it certainly won't reflect very well on the Fifth District GOP.

Music Monday: "Amber" by 311

2010-03-01T09:26:00.002-05:00

After a brief hiatus, Music Monday returns this week with 311's "Amber." Enjoy:

Yes, I realize it's a summer-y tune, and the beach scenes may in fact be depressing when you look outside and see the bare trees and, in some parts of the Commonwealth, piles of sooty, brown snow. I realize that. But it's now March, the month when winter starts to end in our part of the country. Moreover, this is just a cool song.

You may remember 311 from their mid-1990s hits "Down" and "Beautiful Disaster." I honestly thought they had vanished like all the other bands that were around when I was in middle school, but imagine my surprise when this song turned up on Pandora one day. "Amber" appeared first on 2001's From Chaos and again on the 2004 311's Greatest Hits album.

Tom's Stimulus Projects: Searchable by Google Map

2010-02-21T22:23:00.002-05:00

Quick note: I'm still around and have no plans to shut down the blog. The lack of posts lately is entirely due to my overwhelming schedule and the overall craziness of February. Things should calm down by early March.

I wanted to pass along something really cool that Congressman Perriello's office put together last week. Behold a searchable Google map of all the Recovery Act/Stimulus projects in the entire Fifth District:

View 5th District Recovery Act Projects in a larger map

This does two things: first, it debunks the thoroughly preposterous narrative that the Stimulus didn't benefit the Fifth District; and second, it provides some transparency on what those projects are. Say what you will about the Recovery Act--the Right loves to thrash it, but there's virtually no doubt that it kept the economy from going completely off a cliff. Without it, unemployment would have been much higher and our public services--especially education--would be in shambles. To borrow a Tea Party slogan, that truly would have been "stealing from our grandchildren."

Big props to Tom for securing the funds for these projects, and big props to Jessica for taking the time to put together this map.

Music Monday: "Penny on the Train Track" by Ben Kweller

2010-02-15T22:10:00.000-05:00

Here's Ben Kweller, playing "Penny on the Train Track" live on David Letterman:

This song came from the 2006 album appropriately titled Ben Kweller. As you might imagine, the rest of the album also evidences a strong Tom Petty influence, and I highly recommend it. The production is a departure from his earlier albums--it's more wall-of-sound than his previous efforts--and it comes across very well. His songwriting and lyrical creativity reached a new level on this record, and if I'm not mistaken, Ben Kweller played all the instruments on this one himself.

Va Dems Secure Broadband Grants for Southside, SW

2010-02-09T18:40:00.002-05:00

As if to put an exclamation point on the previous article, the news broke today that Congressmen Perriello and Boucher as well as Senators Warner and Webb have come through for us with two stimulus grants. The funding will go toward expanding broadband infrastructure throughout Southside and the Southwest. From the release:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner and Representatives Tom Perriello and Rick Boucher today announced two grants totaling more than $21.5 million to expand broadband Internet infrastructure in Virginia. The grants, awarded through the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), will support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, enhance and expand public computer centers, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. These investments will help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth and create jobs.

The grants are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, supported by Senators Webb and Warner and Representatives Perriello and Boucher.

The two grants announced today will add 575 miles of new high-speed Internet infrastructure in Southern Virginia. The grants were announced during a press conference call with White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner, and Representative Tom Perriello.

Webb and Perriello have especially good quotes:

"These projects are valuable in terms of attracting new businesses, allowing medical professionals to give better care, and giving tens of thousands of local residents access to the internet," said Senator Webb. "Southside and Southwest Virginia have been hit hard by the economic downturn. It is our duty to provide this part of the Commonwealth with a fair shot at the future. I have consistently fought for the expansion of high speed internet in Virginia's rural areas and I am pleased the American Recovery and Recovery Act prioritized this funding."
...
"This is a huge boost for Southside Virginia, benefiting our kids' educational success in the short term and building our region's long-term competitive advantage for the 21st Century," said Representative Perriello. "I'm thrilled these stimulus funds will expand Internet access for consumers in our small towns and rural communities, giving our workforce the competitive edge they deserve."

Rep. Boucher also pointed out that all major infrastructural improvements in our nation's history have required a boost from the federal government--subtly demolishing the "wasteful spending" argument that will inevitably be leveled by the right. No, Tea Partiers, not all government spending is bad, and I for one am glad our elected officials want our communities to be included in the 21st century economy.

"If any Democrat can win in 2010, it's Perriello."

2010-02-09T17:38:00.002-05:00

The Danville Register & Bee wrote an absolutely glowing editorial about our congressman today. After all the vein-popping hyperbole coming out of the Tea Party/far right in this district, it's encouraging to see this sort of thing:

In his first year in Congress, Perriello has worked on behalf of veterans, green energy jobs and, like Goode, he has helped to steer federal dollars to Fifth District projects. He has voted against President Barack Obama on some issues and supported gun rights and worked against federal funding for abortion. But he has also voted for the federal stimulus, cap and trade and a health care bill.

His opponents are stumbling over one another to get rid of him. They may succeed. We shifted our longtime support from Goode to Perriello two years ago because it became clear that Goode, for whatever reason, no longer believed he could be effective in Washington. Perriello had no such qualms about “working a double shift” for the Fifth District. He has done that — and more — over the past year.

Perhaps most telling is what the first man to enter the race against him had to say:

“Tom Perriello is a man of principle,” said Bradley Rees, a Bedford County FairTax advocate, blogger, radio host and possible independent congressional candidate. “He will come out and state his principles on any given agenda item and you can expect him to vote that way … I admire his principles. I admire his stance on what he believes. I just happen to not believe the same thing.”

That’s some of the fairest criticism of Perriello we’ve heard over the past year. Ironically, Perriello is as frustrated with Washington as some of his most strident opponents.

“I have several major disappointments,” Perriello said of the past year. “I think the Democratic Party screwed up a lot in Washington, but it was very clear the Republicans were directed not to work with us in any way. I understand it’s a nasty place; it’s a political place. I’ve got thick skin. But when your country’s on the verge of depression, that’s not the time to say ‘Let’s tee up in 2010.’ It’s time to come together.”

The hypocrisy and vitriolic anger of these times doesn’t change the fact that Washington was spending too much money before Perriello’s party won control of Congress, and problems like health care and energy independence were ignored for years.

None of that will matter to those who have already made up their minds, so Perriello’s political future will rely on turning out his political supporters — not an easy task in a midterm election.

But this is a man who has already surpassed expectations. If any Democrat can win in 2010, it’s Perriello.

The Register-Bee picked up on something much of the media either can't see or refuses to see--whether you agree with him or not, Tom Perriello is working his butt off for his constituents. He has the courage to state what he believes and stand by it, even if he takes flak for it. And as the article notes, he goes out of his way to listen to people who disagree with him. People respect that, and it resonates well across the district.

All through the 2008 campaign, people told me there's no way Tom could win; he was toast before he even started. The same people are now calling him "one-term-Tom." We'll see. The right underestimates Tom at their own peril.

Robert Hurt Votes Against Jobs Bill; Also Opposes Mom, Apple Pie

2010-02-09T07:35:00.001-05:00

In what can only be described as a thoroughly baffling move, Sen. Robert Hurt has voted against a bipartisan bill that would have extended unemployment benefits for laid-off workers. The bill, S.B. 239, was specifically directed at workers enrolled in retraining programs, and qualified those workers for up to 26 weeks of additional benefits. In today's vote, all 22 Senate Dems voted in favor of the bill, and yes, to their great credit, half the Senate GOP voted yes. It was actually introduced by Republican Sen. John Watkins of Midlothian. Special thanks to Martinsville's own Roscoe Reynolds, who was a co-sponsor.

Sen. Hurt, however, was one of nine Republicans in the State Senate to vote against the bill. More importantly, he was the only senator from the Southside to take that stand. For some reason, Hurt turned down a bill that should have been a political no-brainer. There are just some things you NEVER vote against under any circumstances, and unemployed workers certainly fall into that category. Moreover, the bill is funded by stimulus money, so Hurt can't even pull out the "we-don't-have-the-money" defense. I'd be very interested to see his statement when this inevitably becomes a media storm. For Robert Hurt to represent Southside and vote against helping unemployed workers is not just a terrible strategy, it's also woefully out of touch.

I'm not even angry about this. Just very, very puzzled. The only explanation I can think of is that Sen. Hurt is doing damage control with the Tea Party/extreme anti-spending wing of his party--maybe he thinks voting against anything connected to the stimulus will undo some of the damage he's taking for his vote on Mark Warner's budget. The problem? It won't work. He has just demolished his "sane moderate" image and, if this becomes a big story, he has alienated countless voters in what should be his strongest region. I wonder how much of this has to do with campaign consultant Chris LaCivita?

Now the bill will go to the House of Delegates. Will Morgan Griffith and his merry band reprise their notorious anti-stimulus/anti-middle class vote from last year? Only time will tell.

Music Monday: "The Real Me" by The Who

2010-02-08T07:22:00.000-05:00

I think the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake "Wardrobe Malfunction" was the best thing to happen to the Super Bowl in years. Ever since then, it seems the NFL has had no choice but to put real musicians on for their halftime show--Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, The Who, etc. I guess when you can't cover up an abject lack of talent with sex and fireworks, it narrows the field. Anyway, I thought The Who did a stellar job last night, playing classics from their heyday. I don't know who he is, but their drummer fit in quite well; it can't be an easy task to fill John Bonham's shoes.

There was, however, one song I thought they should've played. Here's "The Real Me," from the chronically-underrated Quadrophenia album.

Don't get me wrong, Tommy is a classic. It was the first rock opera and has rightfully earned its place in music history. But as a fully realized, conceptually straightforward and coherent narrative, Quadrophenia is a far better album. Tommy has a tendency to ramble toward the end, and I personally still don't get how a deaf, dumb and blind kid could be redeemed by a pinball game. On the other hand, Quadrophenia hits you with "The Real Me" right away and builds into a few more rockers before the close of side 1. The album is energetic and more well-developed than its predecessors, and the whole thing just flows really well.

On top of that, the storyline is excellent--it presents an image of an adolescent British kid trying to fit into the youth culture of the day (is he a Mod or a Rocker?) and find his way in society. It is specific to 1960s/70s England, but the themes are pretty universal.

And as for the music itself...well, I mean it's The Who, man!

Congrats to the Saints

2010-02-08T00:08:00.002-05:00

In honor of the Saints' victory in the Super Bowl, I've decided to post this video. A friend of mine sent it to me, and I don't think you can go wrong with a funny dog.

Though I was pulling for the Colts, I find it very difficult to be upset at a Saints victory. There's no doubt New Orleans could use a pick-me-up in light of the devastation that still exists in much of the city. Plus, I have mad respect for Drew Brees--not only is he a great player, but by all accounts he's also a good guy who does a lot for his community.

It sucks that football is over...but now it's only a few weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.

McEachin Nails It on the Budget

2010-02-05T07:24:00.000-05:00

State Sen. Donald McEachin absolutely throttled Gov. McDonnell for his myopic no-new-revenue-ever mantra in the face of the worst budget crisis in decades. This originally appeared at Blue Virginia and I wanted to pass it along, because frankly I think this needs to be VA Dems' operative message going forward in the McDonnell Administration. Below is some text from the film if you don't quite have time to watch the whole thing.

Mr. President, I for one cannot cotton, cannot accept the notion that we are about to even begin to conceive of crafting a budget that contains no new revenue. I'm happy to work with any member of this body in moving towards that reality. But make no mistake about it, Mr. President, we are morally bankrupt if we decide to balance this budget on the backs of the poor, on the backs of those who are vulnerable, on the backs of those who live in the margins. We are morally bankrupt, Mr. President, if we decide to balance this budget by putting more people out of work.

We all said we were for jobs, Mr. President, but what we have failed to tell the people of Virginia is that these budget cuts, we're no longer talking about fat, we're down to bone. As the Senator from Fairfax has said, we're down to amputations, Mr. President. We cannot put more people out of work, it is wrong, we ought not be about that business, and the words coming that have been coming from this side of the aisle, by those who have taken to this floor, have been trying to draw the connection between these budget cuts and loss of jobs.

We need 8,000 jobs a month just to catch up with the 201,000 jobs we've lost since 2007. I do not see any leadership from the third floor in that regard, and quite frankly Mr. President, after this past campaign, when we saw "Bob for Jobs," I expected better, and I do consider that to be a failure of the standards of leadership.

"We're down to bone" is something Richmond Republicans apparently don't understand--they seem hell-bent on wrecking even the most fundamental state services until nothing is left. Are conservatives the new anarchists?

Big hat tip: Lowell at Blue Virginia.

I-73 Clears a Hurdle; What Greens Should Learn

2010-02-04T23:11:00.001-05:00

Those of you who have spent time driving along this blog's namesake between Roanoke and Martinsville may have noticed something: the smattering of road signs labeled "Future I-73 Corridor." As I've stated before, those signs have been there so long they've become almost a joke--in fact, I've given thought to re-naming this blog "Future I-73 Corridor." Maybe on April Fool's Day? We'll see.

Anyway, after over a decade of talking about and planning for the eventual construction of Interstate 73, the project cleared a significant legal hurdle last week. From the Martinsville Bulletin:

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed the appeal of Virginians for Appropriate Roads over construction of Interstate 73.
The court’s order was filed Monday.

The appeal was of U.S. District Senior Judge James C. Turk’s ruling in July against Virginians for Appropriate Roads, which sued federal and state highway and transportation officials.

The citizens group challenged the Federal Highway Administration’s Record of Decision on March 30, 2007, approving construction of I-73 between Interstate 81 near Roanoke and the Virginia/North Carolina state line.

The suit claimed that the highway administration violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by not adequately considering alternatives to the approved corridor, including an upgrade of U.S. 220; not postponing environmental impact statement until construction funds for I-73 were available; and not considering the environmental impacts of the interstate project, according to court records. (My emphasis)

Pay attention, fellow progressives; there's a lesson here for environmentalists. I'm as green as they come--I completely support alternative energy, smart growth and cleaner lifestyles. I thoroughly oppose offshore drilling, uranium mining and nuclear power among other things. I'm also a big fan of the American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the House last year. But I think sometimes well-meaning Greenies are guilty of oversimplifying the ease with which our favored changes can be made.

For example, in the above quote, Virginians for Appropriate Roads wanted to see if U.S. 220 could simply be upgraded instead of building a new interstate. Anyone who has driven 220 for any amount of time can tell you how damn-near-impossible that would be. Route 220 is basically an old dirt road that got paved over, with steep hills, narrow lanes, hairpin turns and all. Throw in the fact that it's crawling with 18-wheelers and it becomes a remarkably unsafe and unsettling place to drive. Upgrading it would require just as much work (and probably just as much environmental impact) as building a new road altogether. Moreover, using a lawsuit to stall I-73 was a terrible idea from a strategic standpoint: holding up a project that would bring tangible economic benefits to places that badly need them is not exactly a PR win.

I guess what I'm saying is that we need to be honest about the fact that this is still an incredibly complicated issue; there's still a delicate balance between industry and environmental progress. Yes, we're trying to make a cleaner, greener world that will ultimately benefit all of us, but there are a lot of working-class people in our state who depend on the current economy for their livelihood. The biggest example of that is coal, which is basically the entire economy of the Southwest--it will take a long time to dislodge that, and we have to have an alternative to offer the folks who will lose their jobs when the mines close. Environmentalists should focus on promoting economic growth through green jobs and go into the big battles with a sense of humility. The I-73 case is a teachable moment, and I think we'd all do well to learn from it.

Music Monday: "Blue Ridge Mountains" by Fleet Foxes

2010-02-01T07:45:00.000-05:00

After a one-week hiatus, Music Monday returns with the Fleet Foxes playing "Blue Ridge Mountains" live on Letterman. Here's the video:

The Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut album drew rave reviews and put them on the indie music map. I'm not really sure how to categorize the songs or what genre they fit into--maybe a bit of country/folk-rock? Whatever you want to call it, it's pretty excellent. It doesn't really sound like this, but for some reason it reminds me of Rubber Soul. The full instrumentation and intricate harmonies give the album a really unique sound and I highly recommend giving it a listen. "Sun it Rises," "Quiet Houses" and "Blue Ridge Mountains" are songs that stick in your mind. It's smooth, mellow and complex, and it's a great soundtrack for driving around the Virginia countryside. See you next Music Monday, and enjoy the Fleet Foxes.

WaPo: 5th District Tea Party, GOP Hold Foot-Shooting Party

2010-01-29T12:28:00.001-05:00

This article in the Washington Post speaks volumes about the division in the Fifth District GOP. For the most part, the article gets it right--although I think it drastically overestimates Tom's vulnerability and makes the Fifth sound like an oversimplified backwater. Still, give this a look:

As in New York, Republican leaders in Virginia are backing a moderate state lawmaker, Sen. Robert Hurt, whose record enrages many conservatives, including a disparate band of Tea Party activists. To them, Hurt is not a real conservative because of his past support for tax increases, and they're promising a third-party challenge if he wins the nomination. And lurking on the sidelines is Virgil H. Goode Jr., the former GOP congressman who lost to Perriello by 727 votes and has hinted at running as an independent.

"We want a conservative, not a situational Republican," said Laurence Verga, a business owner from the Charlottesville area and one of five Tea Party candidates in the Republican primary. "I really believe the 5th District congressional election is about the soul of American politics." (My emphasis)

But that's nothing compared to this:

It started when national and state Republican leaders began urging Hurt, an affable lawyer from rural Pittsylvania County, to get into the race. Hurt had name recognition and a political base. And his moderate views -- he voted for a $1 billion tax package in 2004 and for smaller tax increases in a roads plan in 2007 -- might play well with independent-minded voters.

But many conservatives were angered not just because they oppose Hurt's moderation but also because they are deeply resentful of being told who their candidate will be by party leaders in Richmond and Washington. Their anger grew when Hurt's supporters successfully pushed for a primary over a convention, giving him a more inclusive format that tends to favor moderates. Hurt also received $7,000 from U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the House minority whip, confirming Tea Party suspicions that the GOP was fully involved.

"The fact of the matter is that Robert Hurt is the establishment candidate, and it appears that the GOP is doing everything it can to make sure he is the nominee," said Bill Hay, who leads the Jefferson Area Tea Party organization in the Charlottesville area. "That's causing a whole lot of bad blood right now between some of the Tea Party people."

Wow. Robert Hurt = the establishment. I never would have thought I'd hear conservatives throwing around that meme. Far be it from me to tell the righties how to run their primary, but I'd be embarrassed if 5th District Dems had this kind of discord.

But this is the most beautiful quote of all:

One option is to unite behind a single candidate. But they also discussed the possibility of recruiting Goode, who has not ruled out an independent bid. That would almost certainly split the Republican vote and deliver the victory to Perriello, which doesn't bother some.

"If Robert Hurt wins, then we have an ideologically inconsistent congressman for a couple of decades," said Bradley S. Rees, a conservative blogger and talk-radio host in Bedford. "I would rather we had an ideologically consistent Democrat who we can hammer on their records. We'll get Perriello in 2012 -- with a stronger, more consistent candidate."

Sure thing, buddy, we'll do that. We'll be happy to take you on with two more years of incumbency under our belt. Who is giving these guys their advice? I'm starting to think the activists have reached a saturation point where nobody's really sure what the right move is anymore. I can kind of respect the idea of demanding some sort of ideological commitment from a nominee, but their comes a point when it's just too much too ask of a general electorate. I never thought I'd see the day when Robert Hurt would be vulnerable from his own right--it will certainly be an interesting one to watch.

Tom on Southside's New Energy Economy

2010-01-28T22:42:00.004-05:00

Congressman Tom Perriello gave Southside Virginia quite a shout-out from the House floor this past Tuesday, and I wanted to pass it along:

My favorite quote from the whole speech: "...and spending one billion dollars every day on oil that goes overseas to some of the countries that hate us the most is one of the dumbest strategies imaginable." Call it like it is. Way to be, Tom!

State of the Union

2010-01-28T11:09:00.004-05:00

Last night I gathered with about 20 or so Martinsville-Henry County Democrats to watch the State of the Union and Governor McDonnell's response. The crowd was very receptive and enthusiastic, and I think they'll be energized for the coming election. I don't want to simply echo what the rest of the blogosphere is saying about SOTU, so I'll try to keep my comments fairly brief.

Overall, I think the President did a pretty good job. It was encouraging to see him out front, in his element, delivering a pep talk we all desperately needed to hear. I was especially glad to hear his plan to give the $30 billion in repaid bailout money to community banks--McDonnell's line about the closest government to the people being the most effective could also be applied to financial institutions. I'll expound on this in an upcoming post about the "move-your-money" phenomenon, but I trust my local credit union a lot more than I would ever trust Bank of America.

I was also glad to hear Obama talking up Stimulus/Recovery Act projects and the huge middle-class tax cuts his administration has put in place over the last year. By the way, Dems need a major PR blitz on these issues--why we cede the "cutting taxes" line to the Republicans is beyond me, especially since the Bush tax cuts mostly benefited the wealthiest Americans and helped create the massive deficit they're suddenly so concerned about. We also need major damage control to defeat the "the stimulus failed" meme; imperfect as the bill may have been, the fact remains that it very likely kept a lot of cops, teachers and road workers out of the unemployment line. Without it, there's little doubt that unemployment would be much higher and state and local governments would have fewer resources to deal with that burden.

The export-oriented language was good to hear, though I do have some concerns. Obviously it's desirable to shoot for more American exports, thus creating more jobs here at home. Ending corporate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas is a common-sense policy we should have been pursuing years ago. (It was a major applause line for Dems, but GOP Inc. stayed silent and seated. To any conservative Tea Party readers, that should tell you everything you need to know about who really cares about saving American jobs.) However, I would have liked to hear more about fundamental trade reform. If we really want to bring back some manufacturing jobs, we have to renegotiate NAFTA (as he promised during the campaign) and we need to use our leverage in the WTO to make trade fair. That means no more child labor, uniform environmental restrictions and labor laws comparable to those of the U.S. and Europe. President Obama did mention a lack of enforcement in the current trade agreements, so hopefully we'll be moving in a positive direction.

The spending freeze? I'm skeptical. The cynical part of me says it's a gimmick that plays too much into the Republican narrative. On the other hand, it is true that our deficits are a serious problem--though it's blatant hypocrisy for Republicans to blame Obama for the deficits they built over eight long years. Yes, the stimulus is a big part of it, but that's what we call emergency spending--and it would have been a lot more manageable if we hadn't already been in a big hole. Regardless, I do admit that we need to address the deficit or it will eventually bankrupt us. So let's build roads, pay teachers, and create a better health care system, but let's pay for those things with real money.

As for McDonnell's response...*yawn*. It was standard Republican trope after standard Republican trope. It's as if Bob studied "Reaganomics 4 Dummies" flash cards before he went into the GOP-only HoD Chamber last night. He might as well have just yelled out "Drill, Baby, Drill!" over and over again--by the way, did anybody else get a really ominous feeling when his General Assembly colleagues got so excited about oil drilling off Virginia's coast? I hope they realize that one accident would turn our fisheries into toxic sludge and destroy our coastal tourism.Oh, and McDonnell's comment about defeating terrorists instead of protecting them was simplistic, jingoistic, inflammatory, and dishonest. For a governor to spout such nonsense on a national stage is inexcusable.

Although I guess it's pretty cool that a Virginia governor has given the SOTU response twice in the last four years. Anyway, I'm breaking my promise about a short post.

UPDATE: Rep. Tom Perriello nails it in his response to the State of the Union address:

“Tonight, I heard our President talk about jobs. I heard our Governor talk about jobs. I won’t stop until we turn this talk into real action and results for working families.

A year ago, we took dramatic steps to stop the bleeding and we’re starting to see the signs of recovery. Now we must be the change we promised by getting lending going to our small businesses, investing in our transportation infrastructure, and educating our workforce. It’s time to change our economic strategy from speculation on Wall Street to job creation on Main Street.

America can out-compete any country in the world if we reward innovation instead of failure, get our fiscal house in order, and restore the promise of the middle class.” (My emphasis)

Well said, Tom.

Sierra Club Campaigns for ACES

2010-01-22T08:22:00.001-05:00

Last night I attended a really interesting meeting at the Danville Public Library auditorium. The event was put on by the Sierra Club, which is building grassroots support in the Fifth for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as Cap and Trade. Congressman Perriello took a courageous stand earlier this year by voting for it--even though the pundits all said he shouldn't. The Danville Register-Bee covered the event:

About 30 people brainstormed ideas to build support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act — also known as the cap-and-trade bill — which aims to reduce pollution and create green energy jobs. The legislation has received both strong praise and criticism for its plan to reduce greenhouse gases.

Trieste Lockwood, clean energy field organizer for the Sierra Club, said the organization has not had a strong presence in Southside for some time. Lockwood said the Sierra Club’s goal in Southside was to support 5th District Rep. Tom Perriello’s vote for the bill in June 2009.

“We’re working to support this bill because of all the clean energy jobs it will create in the country,” Lockwood said. “It will create a million jobs in the country and 45,000 in Virginia. I feel this area specifically will largely benefit because of the agricultural and manufacturing history.”
Local companies such as Red Birch Energy in Bassett and Piedmont BioProducts in Gretna are aiming to repurpose the local agricultural sector, transforming former tobacco fields into clean energy production in Southside. Lockwood and others said the ACES bill would further increase the green energy industry locally.
...

Lockwood said she was happy with the turnout and seemed optimistic for establishing a grassroots base in Southside in favor of the ACES bill.

“It’s good to know that people in the Southside care about the energy plan and the jobs it will create,” she said. “It’s this set of smart policies that will help clean energy happen in Southside.” (My emphasis)

This is very encouraging--Tom has taken a lot of flak from the righties over his ACES vote, even though the legislation will create forty-five thousand jobs in the state and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It's ironic that the supposedly security-minded Republicans would oppose something that will stop billions of dollars from going to unstable countries that don't like us. Then of course, there's the whole "clean" aspect of clean energy; it would be nice to stop ripping up the atmosphere and polluting our rivers.

Props to Trieste and all the Sierra Club volunteers who came out last night!

Verga Supports Uranium Mining

2010-01-21T14:23:00.002-05:00

Over at the Republican blog Bearing Drift, Laurence Verga has come out in favor of repealing Virginia's "irrational, unconditional" ban on uranium mining in the state. He says mining at Coles Hill in Chatham would create jobs.

Pittsylvania County has the largest deposit of undeveloped uranium in the country, grabbing editorial attention from such heavy hitters as the Wall Street Journal. If uranium mining in the region is found to be environmentally safe, we must mine there if we are serious about energy independence and economic development in a region with an unemployment rate far above the national figure.

The National Research Council is finally set to begin an environmental impact study, which is expected to take 18 months. In the meantime the General Assembly should repeal its irrational, unconditional ban on uranium mining and replace it with code that awards immediate approval upon projects that successfully complete an environmental impact study. (My emphasis)

My first instinct is to say Verga's sealed his fate in this end of the district--he has walked into a massively controversial issue and put up his flag on the side of the mining company. It's true he left some wiggle room when he appealed to environmental safety, but my suspicion is that mainstream Pittsylvania voters won't buy it. The Chatham area seems at best evenly split on uranium, and the anti-mine crowd may have a slight lead in public opinion.

I've posted before about why I think it's very unlikely that mining can be done safely, and why it wouldn't necessarily be good for Chatham even if safety were not a concern--in the post, Verga says the mine could generate $8-10 billion of economic development cash "in an area that so desperately needs good-paying jobs." Well, there's the rub: who gets that cash? How much will the miners be paid? Generally speaking, mining towns aren't exactly hubs of commerce--one look at Appalachia can demonstrate that. Once the mine is empty, the miners lose their jobs and the towns are right back where they started--most of the profit goes to the mining company and their shareholders.

But for me, the biggest concern regarding uranium mining is Mr. Verga's deregulate-everything economic ideology. There are smart people out there who say uranium mining can be done safely with the proper oversight. Okay, for the sake of argument, let's assume they're right. How much regulation and oversight will Mr. Verga tolerate? Some estimates say there is forty years' worth of uranium beneath Coles Hill. In that time, how many Laurence Vergas will come along and decide that such regulation is simply an unnecessary burden on the free market, and that it would be best to get out of VUI's hair? With that $8-10 billion in revenue, how many politicians will VUI attempt to influence?

We can't leave something as delicate as a uranium mine vulnerable to the political winds--perhaps after the environmental safety study is done, we can conduct a study on political safety.

McDonnell Punts on Transportation

2010-01-20T22:33:00.002-05:00

The Roanoke Times ripped Governor Bob McDonnell today for his apparent reversal on transportation. During the campaign, it was one of the most crucial issues facing the state, and he lambasted Creigh Deeds for his plan (or lack thereof). But the Times points out that suddenly it can wait, and now Mr. McDonnell is sounding an awful lot like his old opponent:

On the campaign trail last fall, Gov. Bob McDonnell promised Virginians he had a plan to fix the state's broken transportation system.

In 19 pages, he detailed how he would fund highways, rail and other improvements without raising taxes. Now, when it is time to put his plan into action, he punts.

Last week, he announced he would not pursue transportation reform during the General Assembly session. He said lawmakers would not have enough time to evaluate his plan, and he would not have enough time to sell it.

No offense intended, but the plan is not very hard to evaluate. It is loaded with the same gimmicks Republicans have talked about for years. Everyone is familiar with them.
...
He could at least try to deliver and make transportation funding the priority he claimed it was.

Instead, McDonnell says he might call a special session of the assembly later in the year. First he wants to spend time working with lawmakers and using the persuasive powers of his office to find a deal that all sides can agree to.

If that sounds eerily familiar, it is. McDonnell's opponent, Creigh Deeds, said that was what he wanted to do. McDonnell dismissed it as no plan at all then.

The article then concludes that McDonnell may be coming clean with the public, but I'm not sure that's quite it. For the sake of our own future prosperity, I hope the governor is finally being honest with himself--has Mr. McDonnell looked at the balance sheet and realized the unsettling truth that in order to pave our roads and pay our teachers, a tax hike may be inevitable? Has he seen what's becoming necessary and begun preparing for a long fight? Will he abandon his ideological instincts and do what's in the best interests of Virginia? If he does, it certainly won't make him the next RNC chair.

But it will make him a good governor.

Perriello Responds to MA-Sen

2010-01-20T12:37:00.002-05:00

Congressman Perriello nails it yet again in his response to last night's election results. This quote embodies Tom's strengths as a legislator, and shows why the righties have a much tougher fight on their hands than they realize. From Salon.com:

And already, some Democrats were trying to quash the impulse Bayh and Lieberman had Tuesday, and rejecting the idea that the solution for 2010 would be to play dead. "What people are upset about is a lack of leadership and a lack of solutions -- not doing too much," said Rep. Tom Perriello, a freshman Democrat from southwestern Virginia, who is one of the GOP's top targets for defeat in November. "There's certainly an omnipresence of risk aversion among politicians that prevents us from doing what's necessary. We need wartime consiglieres, not risk-averse politicans right now." Perriello won election in 2008 by defeating a six-term incumbent Republican by 727 votes -- you might expect him to be one of the most risk-averse politicians out there. But he told Salon Tuesday he wanted more action, not less: "We should stop worrying about protecting our own jobs, and start worrying about protecting the jobs of the American people." (My emphasis)

He's absolutely right. What happened in Massachusetts (and for that matter what happened in Virginia and New Jersey) have a lot more to do with stasis than change.

There's plenty to be said about the poor quality of the candidates involved in Democrats' recent losses, but it has now been a full year since President Obama took office. Think about what's happened since then--continued bank bailouts while homeowners lose everything, resulting in a banner year for the very fat cats who caused the crisis; impotent attempts at re-regulation on Wall Street; continued offshoring of jobs; skyrocketing unemployment and a mismanaged stimulus; and, perhaps most importantly, a pathetically inept attempt at health care reform that has now consumed more than half of President Obama's first year in office.

I don't think anybody expected the economy to turn around overnight, and I think Americans are inclined to be forgiving on the Afghanistan escalation. But when you win historic majorities on the strength of campaign promises that you don't even come close to delivering, your support will evaporate very quickly. It is now clear that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi do not have the intelligence, forcefulness or spine to lead the party's legislative branch. They should be replaced as quickly as possible, and President Obama needs to get off his duff and take ownership of his own agenda. He'd better show some passion and drive, the way he did during the campaign, or he will be a one-term president.

Coakley FAIL

2010-01-19T21:30:00.005-05:00

Wow, Massachusetts. Just wow.

Boston, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Republican Scott Brown has won Tuesday's special election for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy, CNN projects based on actual results.

Brown, a Massachusetts state senator, had 53 percent of the vote to 46 percent for state Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democratic contender, with 69 percent of precincts reporting in results from the National Election Pool, a consortium of media organizations including CNN. Independent candidate Joseph Kennedy, a libertarian who is not related to the Kennedy political family of Massachusetts, had 1 percent.

As Lowell Feld tweeted during the immediate aftermath, "Ted Kennedy replaced by a teabagger. Think about that." Indeed.

UPDATE: Peter Daou on MA-Senate: Dems squandered support through inaction, ineptitude and over-compromising. From HuffPo:

It took more than half a decade, countless American and Iraqi deaths in a war based on lies, a sinking economy and the drowning of an American city to finally kill Bush-Cheney-Rove's dream of a conservative realignment.

Democrats, controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, have managed to kill their own dream of dominance in 12 months.

How did it happen?

Theories abound, but two diametrically opposed narratives have taken hold:

The first, promulgated by conservatives, is that the new administration has moved too far to the left and alienated a large swath of independent and moderate voters.

The second, pushed by progressive activists and bloggers, is that the administration hasn't been true enough to fundamental Democratic principles, has embraced some of Bush's worst excesses on civil liberties, and has ditched popular ideas (like the public option) in favor of watered down centrist policies, thus looking weak and ineffectual. (My emphasis)

Music Monday: "The Breeze" by Dr. Dog

2010-01-18T07:46:00.000-05:00

Today's Music Monday comes from the new album by Dr. Dog, Fate. There's no proper video, but check out the album cover based on an old Bonnie & Clyde picture. Here's "The Breeze."

To me, this whole album has sort of an Abbey Road feel to it, mainly because of the harmonies and guitar tones. There's also a really neat reprise at the end of the record that pulls in elements from all the songs, including the Strawberry Fields-ish keyboard part in this one. Give it a listen and you'll see what I mean. It also has a cleaner, less lo-fi sound than their earlier albums--though still distinctively Dr. Dog. I first got into these guys when their previous album We All Belong came out, and it became obvious very quickly that they've listened to their share of Beatles records. They're quite capable guitarists and again, I can't say enough about the three-and-four-part harmonies they put together. Standouts are "Ain't it Strange" and "We All Belong" from the We All Belong album, as well as "The Breeze," "The Old Days" and "My Friend" from Fate.

Dr. Dog is from Philadelphia and has made a name for themselves in the indie music scene. I've highlighted some of their songs above, but really you can't fully appreciate them until you listen to a full album. It appears the boys are already working on a new album, titled Shame, Shame, which will be out in April. Await it patiently.

Is Goode Preparing a Run?

2010-01-17T19:48:00.002-05:00

The rumors have been flying around for a while, and now the Washington Post has lent credence to the possibility:

Former Virginia congressman Virgil Goode said in an interview today that "a couple of groups" have asked him to run for his old seat in central and southside Virginia's 5th Congressional District -- and while he didn't say he would, he didn't say he wouldn't, either. Goode, a lawyer from Rocky Mount, said he's paying close attention to the seven candidates seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Tom Perriello, who unseated Goode two years ago by fewer than 1,000 votes. (My emphasis)

Goode said his hope is that Republicans will nominate a candidate "who shares most of my beliefs and my ideals." Goode demurred when asked whether that description describes Robert Hurt, the state senator from Chatham County who enjoys the backing of a number of state and national Republicans but is not viewed as sufficiently conservative by local Tea Party organizers. Conservative activists are also rankled that party leaders have anointed Hurt without regard to the views of local Republicans. (Last week, House Minority Whip Eric I. Cantor disclosed that he had given Hurt $7,000 from his leadership and campaign committees.)

Hmm, how bout that. Other than the fact that there's no Chatham County, this was a pretty interesting piece. I certainly think Goode would enjoy a good deal of residual support if he were to run, and frankly I'd be surprised if he didn't. Is the chaotic GOP/Tea Party scene in the Fifth about to get even crazier? Let's hope so; for sheer entertainment value, this thing is better than Survivor!

Governor McDonnell

2010-01-17T18:59:00.003-05:00

Bob McDonnell was sworn in as Virginia's 71st governor yesterday in front of an enthusiastic Richmond crowd. I'll save my criticisms for another post, because frankly I don't envy him. He's walking into a storm of problems that any governor of either party would have a tough time facing. Moreover, I don't think anyone who watched last fall's campaign would deny that he and his campaign earned it. They worked their buts off, ran a smart campaign and made a case that won Virginians' support. So today, congratulations are in order. I truly hope Gov. McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bolling and Attorney General Cuccinelli can make some sense of this catastrophic economy and bring Virginia through as a stronger state.

I actually thought it was a pretty great speech, and it can be viewed here; for some reason I can't embed it successfully.

Congratulations, McDonnell and the Republicans. Good luck, and we'll be seeing you in the fall.

Kaine & Armstrong Nail It at State of the Commonwealth

2010-01-15T10:28:00.002-05:00

At Gov. Kaine's final State of the Commonwealth Address this past Wednesday night, he pointed out one of the biggest problems facing Virginia and the biggest roadblock (pun unavoidable) to addressing that problem: Transportation and the Republicans, respectively. From the speech:

The largest obstacle to solving our transportation needs is a philosophy, espoused by some, that it is always wrong to raise taxes or fees. Thank goodness that previous state leaders did not hold that view—if they had, we would have no community college system, dirtier rivers, a lackluster school system and even fewer roads. Virginia is a state with a very favorable tax burden and we should do all we can to keep it that way. But, no state or nation can maintain its economic edge with a declining infrastructure. Eventually, we need leadership in this collective body to find a path toward responsible advances in road investments.

Our incoming governor is one of those who espouses that philosophy. In a WDBJ-7 interview, House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong brought home in very real terms what that means for Southside residents, saying, "There are huge transportation needs that aren't being met and sooner or later you're going to feel that." Armstrong went on to reference the real harm that will come from a lack of revenue--not just more congestion in NoVa and Hampton Roads, but lost opportunity in rural communities.

For a long time now, we've been promised that Interstate 73 would be built and US 58 would finally be four-laned from Stuart to Hillsville. We've been given more IOUs than we can count, and we're starting to lose track of them. I-73 would run through Henry and Franklin counties on its way from South Carolina to the northern tip of Michigan; a fully four-laned US 58 would skirt the North Carolina border from the Port of Virginia all the way out into the heartland. Those two road projects could give the Southside a fighting chance to get back on its feet and finally start growing again.

Sadly, it looks like Bob McDonnell and Richmond Republicans are about to hand out another stack of IOUs. Kaine and Armstrong are absolutely right--no one likes taxes, and we should do everything we can to keep them as low as possible. But there comes a point when there's nothing left to cut. There comes a point when doing nothing costs a lot more than investing in the future.

Va-05: Hurt's Fundin' Conundrum; Verga Makes it Rain

2010-01-13T11:24:00.003-05:00

It looks as if the Republican circular firing squad is in full swing here in Virginia's Fifth District.

Last week, State Sen. Robert Hurt's campaign said it was likely that they will raise money during the upcoming General Assembly session. Under state law, it is illegal for legislators to accept money for state-level campaigns during the session; since Hurt is running for a federal office, that law will not apply to him. Though he's not technically breaking any laws, raising money during the session would certainly fly in the face of those ethics rules, and that point was not lost on the Verga camp, which promptly let him have it:

"Does anyone think that a lobbyist in Richmond wouldn’t give Hurt a donation to his federal campaign in an attempt to influence him?" said Matt Mackowiak, a Verga consultant. "It might be legal under the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law."

Couple that with today's press release from the Verga camp and you've got a veritable catfight:

"On Senator Hurt's brand new website he has the bold-faced lie that he has 'consistently opposed tax increases that did not put the people
first.' Does he think that the people are dumb enough to forget that he voted to raise your taxes by $1.4 billion, the largest tax increase in Virginia history, and he even tried to raise taxes unconstitutionally? Shame on Senator Hurt for belittling the citizens of the 5th District who certainly haven't forgotten as we are still paying for his tax hikes daily. People are tired of career politicians like Senator Hurt who distort their atrocious record to further their own aspirations."

Senator Hurt has voted 6 times for higher taxes. Below is a summary of those votes:

In 2002, Hurt Voted To Increase The Excise Tax On Soft Drinks. "Increases the amount of tax in the current top bracket from $6,000 to $7,200 for gross receipts exceeding $10,000,000 but not more than $25,000,000. It also adds two additional brackets: for gross receipts exceeding $25,000,000 but not more than $50,000,000, the tax is $18,000 and for gross receipts exceeding $50,000,000 the tax is $33,000. The soft drink excise tax is imposed on every wholesaler or distributor of carbonated soft drinks." (HB 193, Passed, 84-Y; 12-N, 01/24/02, Hurt Voted Yea)

In 2004, Hurt Voted Against Lower Tax Rates For Businesses. "Phases in lower rates based on growth for each of the four BPOL categories by five cents and allows only a $25 fee rather than $50, for businesses that start up in the last six months of a taxable year. These changes are effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2005." (HB 461, Defeated: 38-Y; 60-N, 02/17/04, Hurt Voted Nay)

In 2004, Hurt Voted For The Omnibus Tax Bill Proposed By Mark Warner That Raised Virginia's Taxes. (HB 5018, Passed: 52-Y; 46-N, 04/13/04, Hurt Voted Yea)

In 2006, Hurt Voted To Increase The Fees In Order To Obtain A Hunting Permit In State Forests. "Increases the fees to obtain a hunting permit or a trapping permit in a state forest from $10 to $15." (HB 260, Passed: 89-Y; 9-N, 01/23/06, Hurt Voted Yea)

In 2006, Hurt Voted For A Bill That "Conforms The Amount Of Virginia Estate Tax Due From An Estate To The Maximum Amount Of The Federal Estate Tax Credit For State Estate Taxes..." (HB 40, Passed: 93-Y; 7-N, 02/02/06, Hurt Voted Yea)

In 2007, Hurt Voted For Tim Kaine's Unconstitutional Transportation Bill that Would Have Imposed Taxation Without Representation Through Unelected Regional Taxing Authorities. It Also Imposed A Diesel Tax Increase. (HB 3202, Passed: 64-Y; 34-N, Hurt Voted Yea)

Wow, them's fightin' words, and that's quite an impressive list. So Verga's beef with Hurt is that he helped Mark Warner balance the state budget and asked millionaires to pay their fair share, i.e. the estate tax. I'm curious as to how Mr. Verga expects to pay teachers, soldiers, sailors, cops and road workers if not with tax revenue.

If his campaign finance practices are any indication, then maybe he'll pay them out-of-pocket. Last week, CQ Politics reported that Laurence Verga has loaned himself nearly $227,000 since the end of December 2009. It's certainly his prerogative to do that, but it should offer some perspective on his campaign's claims about his fundraising prowess.

Two things are becoming very clear about this race: Verga is taking great pains to establish himself as the anti-Hurt, and Hurt is on the verge of pulling a Creigh Deeds and trying to run a front-porch campaign. I guess we'll see if there are enough Tea Partiers at the primary to torpedo Hurt's ambitions.

Music Monday: "Night is the Day Turned Inside Out" by Beulah

2010-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a live performance of Beulah's "Night is the Day Turned Inside Out." Take a listen to this clip and know why Beulah became known as "the best band you've never heard" back in the early 2000s.

This video is from the DVD A Good Band is Easy to Kill, which followed Beulah during one of its last tours. The song is the closer for their 2001 release, The Coast is Never Clear, which I highly recommend--standouts from that album are "Hey Brother," "A Good Man is Easy to Kill," and "What Will You Do When Your Suntan Fades." They do an excellent job of blending trumpets, flutes and even dulcimers with compelling indie pop. In 2003, the band released Yoko to critical acclaim, and a lot of reviewers said it was their best yet--I highly recommend that one too, and if you're interested in purchasing any of their records, please visit their website or check on iTunes.

Sadly, years on the road and the demands of their growing families ultimately led Beulah to call it quits in 2004. To this day I'm bummed that these guys never became a household name--in a time when mediocrity is allowed to pollute the airwaves, it would be nice for a truly great band to make it big every once in a while. I suppose the decaying major record labels are too risk-averse to pursue anything outside their set formula these days--does anyone really think today's Capitol Records executives would have the foresight to sign the Beatles? No one should be surprised that their business model is going down in flames. Fie on the labels and everything they stand for. There, that's my rant for this post.

Nevertheless, Beulah built (and continues to build) quite a following among small-label music lovers, and lead singer Miles Kurosky is set to release a solo album in March. If you like what you hear of Beulah, be sure to check out his website and keep an eye out for that record. Thanks for reading, and see you next Music Monday.

War Re-Enactment Turns Uncivil

2010-01-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

Here's a lighthearted story for your Sunday afternoon. From the Charlottesville Daily Progress:

This time both sides won.
The Union and Confederate cavalry commanders who engaged in a horseback scuffle as they re-enacted the Battle of Stanardsville were found not guilty of reciprocal assault charges in Greene County General District Court on Wednesday.

During the scuffle, the Confederate commander, Doug Nalls, lost his hat and fired his revolver. At issue was whether the hat was knocked from his head by a blow from Joseph Ferguson, his Union counterpart; whether Nalls fired his gun deliberately; and which happened first.
Greene County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronald Morris said he thought there was evidence to support assault charges against both men.
“What went on here went way beyond what was authorized,” he said.
What wasn’t in dispute was the bad blood between the two men, even before the battle began.
According to Confederate witnesses, the two had sparred verbally in the hours before the battle.

But here's the best part:

One re-enactor, Michael Kamei, testified that the Union commander used terms to the effect of “blaggard” and “knave.”

No, wait, this is the best part:

The Confederate colonel’s father, Wayne Nalls, testified that he waded into the fray on foot, to try to separate the men.
“And I told them both to shut up,” he said.

Basically, there's nothing about this that isn't hilarious.

Verga, Joe the Plumber Come to Danville

2010-01-09T22:41:00.003-05:00

I headed down to Mary's Diner in Danville this morning and had the privilege of seeing Joe the Plumber endorse Lawrence Verga for Congress. There were about 15 to 20 people in attendance, which was pretty good considering the time of day, the temperature, and the $25 fee to get in. Verga had some very professional literature, bumper stickers and a banner behind the podium, as well as a couple of staffers. In short, it feels like he has his act together--especially when you consider his online presence. It's clear to me that he's in this for the long haul, and I wouldn't expect him to be dropping out anytime soon. He seemed to have a pretty good response from the crowd--I would put him as one of the frontrunners to become the anti-Hurt in this nomination.

There are quite a few YouTube clips to go through, so here's a short rundown if you don't have time to watch them all: according to Verga, the country is headed in a terrible direction due to Obama/Dems in Congress; Tom is an accomplice, but the biggest problem right now is the GOP establishment backing a "liberal" candidate (Sen. Robert Hurt). Verga is an unabashed supply-side, Reaganomics, business conservative. How do you bring back jobs? Easy, cut the corporate tax rate. He says he's the only true conservative candidate who can pull off a win and "make change" in Washington. Re-claiming the term much?

Here's the first clip, followed by a Q&A session. The speech was preceded by an invocation in which an audience member thanked God for his "alliance to the United States" and asked for guidance in taking back the country from people who are "trying to take our freedoms." For the sake of privacy and YouTube time constraints, that part is not included in the video; other than that, the clips are pretty complete:

And the Q&A:

Then it was time for Joe the Plumber. He spoke for a good long while, and it had sort of a stream-of-consciousness feel. Nevertheless, he came across as very folksy and related well to the people in the room.

Part 1:

Part 2:

I sat next to Joe during Verga's speech and had the opportunity to talk to him a bit afterward. He asked if I was a blogger and if so, what my views were. Wanting to be above-board, I told him that I'm a left-of-center blogger. He was very nice about it and we had a brief, respectful conversation about policy--I told him I thought our problems have a lot more to do with trade agreements than corporate taxes, and it seemed like he sort of nodded. We shook hands and I left. Anyway, I was encouraged that there are at least a few times when Tea Partiers and Progressives can talk instead of yell.

UPDATE: Here's the article from the Danville Register & Bee.

Martinsville & Henry County Dem Committees Vote to Merge

2010-01-09T13:29:00.002-05:00

Back in November, I attended a meeting of the Henry County Democratic Committee. At that meeting, the County Dems voted unanimously to adopt a resolution merging with the Martinsville committee. I just got back from the first meeting of the Martinsville-Henry County Democratic Committee, where the merger became official and officers took their seats.

This is an encouraging sign, and one that has lessons for localities all over Virginia--dividing committees might have made sense back in the 70s and 80s, when population growth and differing electoral climates made the city and county more distinct. Now that times have changed, that redundancy simply doesn't make sense, and it causes all sorts of headaches for unsuspecting field organizers who come into our area to campaign. I suspect a lot of money, time and headaches could be saved if Virginia became a state of cooperative regions instead of fiefdoms. A Southside regional authority could coordinate landfills and recycling much more efficiently, and might even save money on education and law enforcement. Not to mention the potential benefits of a Southside economic development alliance that could brand and recruit for the whole region.

Here's to a united front in Martinsville and Henry County, and here's to getting back on our feet. Let's start by re-electing Tom!

Ezra Klein: After Health Reform, it's Time for Senate Reform

2010-01-06T23:43:00.000-05:00

I've been feeling this way for a while, especially after watching the shameful spectacle in the Senate last month.

In today's Senate, 55 votes isn't enough to "win," or anything close to it; it's enough to get you five votes away from the 60 votes you need to shut down a filibuster. Only then, in most cases, can a law be passed. The modern Senate is a radically different institution than the Senate of the 1960s, and the dysfunction exhibited in its debate over health care -- the absence of bipartisanship, the use of the filibuster to obstruct progress rather than protect debate, the ability of any given senator to hold the bill hostage to his or her demands -- has convinced many, both inside and outside the chamber, that it needs to be fixed.
This might seem an odd moment to argue that the Senate is fundamentally broken and repairs should top our list of priorities. After all, the Senate passed a $900 billion health-care bill Thursday morning. But consider the context: Arlen Specter's defection from the Republican Party earlier this year gave Democrats 60 votes in the Senate -- a larger majority than either party has had since the '70s. Democrats also controlled the House and the presidency, and were working in the aftermath of a financial crisis that occurred on a Republican president's watch. This was a test of whether a party could govern when everything was stacked in its favor.
The answer seems to be, well, not really. (My emphasis)

He's absolutely right. The once-noble U.S. Senate has become one of the most undemocratic institutions in the country. We now have a system where every single senator possesses, in effect, veto power. The fact that a handful of senators can kill legislation supported by huge majorities in the House (which is by definition closer to the will of the people) should infuriate you regardless of your party affiliation. Simply put, the current Senate rules are a slap in the face to the separation of powers that the Constitution so carefully constructed, and we have to change those rules.

There is no shortage of reform proposals floating around, but I'll point out a few I think are worth looking at.

First of all, the cloture threshold should either be lowered to 55 or the filibuster should be done away with entirely. The idea that we should have a supermajority requirement for anything other than a constitutional amendment is simply preposterous.
The Senate must become more representative by population. I think this is one of the biggest factors in creating deadlock. When our nation was founded, the Senate was elected by state legislatures and it therefore made sense for each state to be equally represented. Now that we elect senators directly, the old arrangement defies Supreme Court precedent--in Reynolds v. Sims, the Court held that state legislatures have to be apportioned by population. The "one-person-one-vote" rule has stuck, and rightly so--without it, small counties could outvote big cities despite population disparities as big as 41-1, and Henry County voters would essentially have "more" of a vote than Fairfax County voters. But that is still happening at the Federal level, and it seems fundamentally unfair that Wyoming and the Dakotas can together outvote New York, Texas and California.
As a solution to the above problem, Larry Sabato has suggested adding as many as two senators to the largest states, thereby creating a more representative Senate. No state would lose senators, but some states would end up with a total of three or four. I think this is an idea worth considering, and it has the advantage of being workable since nobody stands to lose representation.
This is an idea I haven't heard anyone else mention, so I'm claiming it as a 220 South exclusive. I say we keep the current two-senators per state setup, but add 100 National Senators to be elected at large from one nationwide district. This would be party-list proportional representation as is done in some European nations: instead of voting for an individual candidate, you would just vote for a party. The seats would then be assigned by proportion of the national vote--if your party wins 55% of the vote, then you've got 55 shiny new senators. This system would preserve the states' current equality while truly honoring the one-person-one-vote principle. Those senators would have purely national issues at heart, and they wouldn't have to worry about bringing home the bacon to their states.

Oh, and House members should have a four-year term. This constant campaign crap is ridiculous.

Music Monday: "Ghost of the Knoxville Girl" by Doug & Telisha Williams

2010-01-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

The first Music Monday of 2010 has a local flavor, featuring Martinsville musicians (and my friends) Doug & Telisha Williams. From their recent album by the same name, here's "Ghost of the Knoxville Girl."

The song is an answer to the Louvin Brothers song "The Knoxville Girl." In that song, a woman is murdered by her jealous lover. This song is based on the idea that the woman's ghost has become a protector--she hangs around and exacts revenge on abusive husbands and boyfriends so that other women do not suffer her fate. It's a really creative and empowering idea for a song, and they pull it off expertly.

Doug & Telisha Williams are a husband-and-wife duo who have released three albums and tour relentlessly around the country. They're Martinsville natives who still live in the city, and they're very involved in revitalizing the area through the arts. Even their latest album was homegrown--it was recorded at nearby Snow Creek Sound with full instrumentation and backing from an impressive list of musicians. They've played a number of shows at Martinsville's Rives Theatre, including the most recent Jingle Bell Jamboree.

A quick Google search will show that The Ghost of the Knoxville Girl album has gotten quite a few props across the interwebs, and it's one I recommend highly. You can learn more about their music at their website. On top of all that, they're really cool people, so if you like what you saw, go check them out.

Best Story Ever: Joe The Plumber to Campaign for Verga

2010-01-03T18:13:00.002-05:00

I hope you had a great New Year's celebration, and hopefully you've all recovered from whatever shenanigans might have occurred.

It's now time for the first 220 South blog post of 2010, and it's a doozie. From Southside Central, which said about all there is to say about this story--I'm not sure I can improve on it, so here goes:

Remember “Joe The Plumber”? He’s coming to Virginia to support a 5th District Candidate. This article is brought to you by the “We Can’t Make This Crap Up” Department.

Joseph Wurzelbacher is coming to Arch’s Frozen Yogurt in Charlottesville on Friday to help raise money for Laurence Verga. You can attend the reception for only $25 (!). But you want a “private signed photo session”, don’t you? Well, you’re in luck, folks! That’s all yours for the Low $ale of the Century price of just $50!

Verga (and the other candidates) are doing anything that they can to raise money, but this event is quite bizarre. Let’s take a look at the potential hilarity… C-List political celebrity, frozen yogurt shop, middle of January. Well, at least the frozen yogurt shop will have plenty of space inside to fit all of the people that flock to this one (at least 5, I’m guessing).

It would be a cold day in hell before I’d head to this fundraiser. But come to think of it, being in a frozen yogurt shop with Joe the Plumber in Charlottesville in the middle of January probably would be an apt description of a cold day in hell.

Hah, well said. I'm curious to see how this plays out for Verga, at least in the eyes of the teabaggers. Does Joe the Plumber still have any sort of resonance or credibility with the Republican base, and will those good vibes help the Vergmeister's street cred?

I have to hand Verga some props on this one--even if they don't raise a huge amount of money, it may be a smart move in terms of earned media coverage. I would bet Arch's will get a visit from at least a few Charlottesville stations, and if nothing else it shows that his staff is thinking creatively.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

Soon this will have fireworks over it.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve. I'll see you in 2010.

Darth Cheney Opens His Mouth Again

2009-12-31T18:40:00.003-05:00

Yet again, former VP Dick "Dark Side" Cheney has flapped his irrelevant gums regarding President Obama's foreign policy decisions. This time, he's politicizing Obama's response to the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day.

From Politico:

"As I’ve watched the events of the last few days it is clear once again that President Obama is trying to pretend we are not at war. He seems to think if he has a low-key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gives terrorists the rights of Americans, lets them lawyer up and reads them their Miranda rights, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if we bring the mastermind of Sept. 11 to New York, give him a lawyer and trial in civilian court, we won’t be at war.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/31054.html#ixzz0bJVW66XO

Once again, Cheney and the Rovian Republicans have shown their willingness to politicize pretty much anything, including the attempted murder of 300 American civilians. Stay classy, Darth.

And yes, you can clearly see how President Obama is pretending we're not at war. After all, he risked further alienating his base by choosing to escalate the war in Afghanistan, sending even more troops. And after several months of trying to decide what to do in Afghanistan, no less. Surely this was all an elaborate scheme to click his heels and wish the war into oblivion, as Mr. Cheney suggests he is doing.

I suppose we should listen to the advice of the former Vice President. After all, his administration gave us the foreign policy disaster that was and is the Iraq war; he's an expert at alienating the entire world and saddling the nation's military with an unnecessary and ill-planned war, costing thousands of American lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. I suppose President Obama should have continued the shoot-first-ask-questions-later mentality of the Bush Administration, rather than planning the right course of action. That'll prove we're at war!

Shame on Dick Cheney for politicizing what could have been a Christmas tragedy, and shame on any Republicans who attempt to do the same in the coming elections.

Local Soldier Gets Capitol Flag that Flew in Her Honor

2009-12-31T00:43:00.003-05:00

It's always good to see this kind of story, as it shows the kind of commitment our soldiers have to their jobs. Whatever your opinions about the wars we're fighting, I hope we can all agree that it's pretty incredible to have these kinds of people serving in our armed forces. From Monday's Martinsville Bulletin:

Army Maj. Sherri Sharpe was honored recently for defending the United States and protecting Americans’ freedoms, while helping the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sharpe, who grew up in Martinsville, was given an American flag that flew in her honor over the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 2 at the request of 5th District U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello. “I’m overwhelmed. I’m honored,” Sharpe responded Wednesday, as her parents watched the ceremony at Perriello’s office uptown. Kimble Reynolds Jr., regional director for Perriello, read a letter from Perriello, who was unable to attend.

...

Sharpe will be redeployed to Iraq in October 2010, and it will be her fourth tour of duty in combat.

Sharpe will be redeployed to Iraq in October, and she called that part of her job. She has been in the United States since 2007, and during that time, some soldiers have had two tours of duty.

“It’s my time to go again,” she said. “I believe in what we do there,” Sharpe said, adding that she has seen positive results.

This will be her fourth tour of duty and her third to Iraq. She also did a tour in Afghanistan, she said.

Hats off to Maj. Sharpe, and 'attaboy Tom for recognizing her accomplishments. Here's a brief list provided in the article. Again, these are quite impressive:

•Serving as a platoon leader in Afghanistan, predominantly stationed at Bagram Air Field, in 2002. She remembers the first day little girls were allowed to go to school because it had been illegal under the Taliban, and she remembers American soldiers handing school supplies to boys and girls. According to Internet reports, many schools had been closed for years because of civil war and political unrest.

• Serving as a platoon leader in Iraq in 2003, moving several places while providing air support for the U.S.-led ground invasion of Iraq and finishing in Balad. She remembers flying “hero missions” in which KIAs (those killed in action) were flown to Kuwait so they could be transported back to the United States. She said it was a meaningful mission. “We were taking care of our own,” she said. She also remembers flying a man who had been exiled from Iraq for 18 years back to his homeland. He didn’t know whether his family was alive or dead but was grateful to be able to find out. And there were others like him, she said.

• Serving as company commander in Taji, Iraq, in 2006, in which she said her main responsibility was to bring all the soldiers in her command home alive. Everyone under her leadership did make it back alive in all three of her tours, she said. She led about 65 soldiers as a platoon leader in her first tour in Iraq, about 65 in her tour in Afghanistan and 83 as a company commander in her second tour in Iraq.

• Flying Chinook CH 47 helicopters, the largest the Army uses, for most of her career.

• Serving as an assistant professor of military science at Virginia Military Institute from December 2007 to December 2009.

When you raise your glass to the New Year tonight, give a nod to people like Maj. Sharpe. Here's hoping 2010 will be the year we get closer to peace.

Music Monday: "I and Love and You" by the Avett Brothers

2009-12-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and that you're not finding it too difficult to trudge back to work. I for one had an awesome Christmas, wherein I received an Audio-Technica USB turntable--that is, a record player that can be used to convert vinyls to Mp3 format. Yes, in 2009 there are still bands that release new albums on 12" LP format, and it's becoming a more common practice. As CDs continue their inexorable slide into irrelevance, vinyl sales have actually increased over the last few years.

Today's Music Monday comes from one of my new vinyls. With a special nod to two of my Brosville-area readers, here's the Avett Brothers with the title track from I and Love and You.

The Avett Brothers hail from North Carolina, and over the last several years they've built up quite a devoted following in the indie music scene. They merged punk, bluegrass and rock instrumentations to create a unique sound that raised plenty of eyebrows, and by all accounts they put on a pretty kickin' live show. The album mentioned above is their first major-label release, coming out on American Records. Check out I and Love and You, and also look into their previous album Emotionalism.

Merry Christmas from Congressman Perriello

2009-12-24T23:02:00.001-05:00

Dear Friend,

I hope this holiday season finds you warm and safe. As you know, a ton of snow fell on us in the Fifth District this past week, and many of us are still digging ourselves out (this is me getting my truck free!). As cold and frustrating as all this snow can be, these are the times when Virginians show our spirit of giving.

This weekend I was helping a friend cut up some trees that were down across our road when four more neighbors showed up with chainsaws to pitch in and clear the road. On road after road, people were lending their plows, shovels, and backs to pull neighbors out of ditches and clear driveways. This was one of those moments when a community really comes together and shows the real meaning and beauty of this holiday season, even if it might mean a big January for chiropractors.

This season is a time to be with the ones we love and be thankful for everything that has blessed our lives. In addition to my wonderful family, I am truly thankful to have supporters like you. It is with your help and inspiration that I have been able to go to Washington and fight for Central and Southside Virginia and challenge politics as usual. I am so grateful for the opportunity and trust you have given me.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Blessings,

Tom

That's What Christmas is All About, Charlie Brown

2009-12-24T23:00:00.001-05:00

Whether you're a reader or detractor, Democrat or Republican, thanks for reading my blog. Merry Christmas from Max at 220 South.

Kevin, You're What the French Call "Les Incompetent"

2009-12-24T21:02:00.001-05:00

Well it's Christmas Eve, so that means it's time to take a break from politics and blog about the greatest Christmas movies ever. In no particular order:

Home Alone: The first one, and maybe the second one too. Home Alone 3 was an abomination of cinema.

Christmas Vacation: "Eddy, if I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet I wouldn't be any more surprised than I am right now."

Charlie Brown Christmas: See a forthcoming post

A Christmas Carol (the one with George C. Scott, who is still the best Scrooge of all time)

UPDATE: How could I forget A Christmas Story? (The one with the Red Ryder BB Gun) A classic, of course.

Obama, Krugman Respond to Left on Senate Bill

2009-12-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

NPR interviewed President Obama yesterday and asked him about anger from the left over the Senate's health care bill. From Political Junkie with Ken Rudin:

And so I actually think that, considering how difficult the process has been, this is an end product that I am very proud of and is greatly worthy of support. This notion, I know, among some on the left that somehow this bill is not everything that it should be, that we still need a single-payer plan, et cetera, et cetera, I think, just ignores the real human reality that this will help millions of people and end up being the most significant piece of domestic legislation at least since Medicare and maybe since Social Security.

And in his New York Times blog, Paul Krugman pointed out that it could have been much worse:

Howard Fineman, last summer:

When the history of President Barack Obama’s first year in office is written, scholars will try to answer this puzzling question:

How did a gifted, charismatic young Democrat — who won the White House by a large margin and brought in huge congressional majorities — manage NOT to enact fundamental health care reform, a goal his party has been seeking since Truman?

Yes, I know, someone is going to tell me that this isn’t fundamental — but the truth is that the bill the Senate is about to pass looks a lot like the Obama campaign plan, so something real has happened. Give credit to Obama, or Harry Reid, or whoever; the fact is that four months ago the usual suspects were gleefully writing the obituary for reform, and have been sorely disappointed.

I have to say he has a good point. I still have big problems with the fact that the public option ended up being dropped and I think the Senate bill is deeply flawed. We should work hard to make sure the bill that comes out of conference committee looks better, and in a way that can actually pass through the sausage factory again. But I remember those miserable August days all too well--it looked as if Jim DeMint and the Republicans really were going to succeed in turning health care reform into "Obama's Waterloo."

Earlier this week I wrote that it might be a good idea to kill the bill and start over. It's now clear to me that not only is it flat out not going to happen, it would be a terrible idea--to start over now wouldn't mean starting over, it would mean giving up. I say that because the political will would be exhausted and the media would immediately set an "Obama failed" narrative that would be very difficult to overcome. Even if we could start over, it would add months to the process and stick a big fat do-nothing label on the current administration and congress, in an economy that is likely to generate anti-incumbent feelings anyway. On top of all that, we could still end up with a bad bill.

So let the bill pass. It's not perfect, but neither was the first Civil Rights Act--and barely a year later, activists forced Washington to pass something that actually had teeth. We can learn a lesson from that great legislative victory. Progressives should keep fighting for a single-payer system that would guarantee basic coverage to all Americans, regardless of ability to pay. But for now, we've pulled off something pretty impressive.

Just in Time for Christmas: The iGod Revolution?

2009-12-23T23:13:00.002-05:00

I found this really interesting, especially given that we've entered the last Christmas season of the 2000s. Technology is moving at breakneck speed, and sometimes it's pretty cool to just look around and think about what that means for our daily lives.

Back at the beginning of this decade, Apple introduced the iPod portable mp3 player. Since then, that little gadget has revolutionized pretty much every aspect of the music industry, from major labels on down to independent local artists. On top of that, the iPod has a tendency to make its way into every facet of its users lives--I know that's true for me. Then Web 2.0 came along, and suddenly we had blogs, podcasts, Facebook and RSS feeds; the new web tools merged perfectly with the portable phones and music players we all started carrying around--think about the way you get your news, listen to music, keep up with sports, conduct business or keep in touch with friends. Now think about how you would have done those things fifteen years ago.

So it should be little surprise that the last decade's advances in personal entertainment would eventually have their effect on religion as well. NPR reports:

It's another Sunday morning at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Southern California. But some congregants are holding more than just the printed page, thanks to their iPhones. That's because they have access to the entire Bible on the device.
Technology is producing a new form of religious interaction. There are over two dozen Bible apps for smart phones. And beyond Scripture, people are using gadgets for devotional purposes.
...
"We believe that technology can bring people closer together and closer to God," says Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor at Lifechurch.tv. The Web site brings worship services to approximately 60,000 computer screens each week. Gruenewald tries to allay fears of social and religious isolation by pointing to earlier concerns about telephones and VCRs.
"When they were invented, people made these bold predictions that people are no longer going to need to meet with each other," Gruenewald says. "But we have this history now to look back and say that humans are actually pretty capable of integrating technology into their lives." (My emphasis)

On top of that, podcasting seems to be a growing practice among churches, especially in the Emerging/Emergent Church (see emergingchurch.info, emergentvillage.com or Homebrewed Christianity for more info). For those of you unfamiliar with podcasting, it's basically like downloading a radio show (or in this case a worship service) to your iPod so that you can listen at your leisure. There are podcasts for just about everything you can imagine. I have some personal experience with this--never one to wake up too early, podcasting was pretty much the only way I could get to church in college!

Register-Bee Demolishes Danville Tea Party

2009-12-23T18:23:00.003-05:00

The Danville Register & Bee had some pretty harsh words for Danville Tea Party leader Nigel Coleman. Apparently for all his group's pronouncements against taxes and government spending, one of Mr. Coleman's projects is receiving hefty taxpayer support--without a City Council vote.

For some context, the Danville Tea Party apparently paid for a plane to fly over rush-hour traffic last week with a banner reading "OBAMA STOP DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY" in tow. Quoth the Bee:

Perhaps the Danville Tea Party’s next meeting should be buzzed by an airplane towing a banner that reads — in five-foot-tall letters, of course — “FISCAL CONSERVATIVISM BEGINS AT HOME!”

In case members of the Danville Tea Party missed it, retired City Manager Jerry Gwaltney gave the Coleman MarketPlace project an extra $465,000 without Danville City Council voting on it. They should know about that, because two members of City Council — Wayne Oakes and Fred Shanks — have been spotted at local Tea Party events.

But for now, the only member of Danville City Council who seems willing to raise a stink about it is Adam Tomer, a Democrat.

So, the question we have to ask the high-flying members of the Danville Tea Party is why a Democrat is leading the charge for fiscal accountability on Danville City Council — and whether their group is even concerned with how taxpayer money is spent outside the Beltway.

Based on their latest stunt — and the group’s silence on the Coleman MarketPlace appropriation — it appears they have no interest in an issue so close to home. That’s too bad, because it’s all taxpayer money. (Bolding added by me for emphasis)

Yowzers, that's harsh! There seems to be a lot of this going around in the Tea Party movement--how many "Keep The Government Out of Medicare" signs did you see at town halls last summer? And let's not forget Rep. Kevin Brady's angry letter complaining that the DC Metro didn't adequately prepare for the Tea Party's anti-government protests back in September.

This is why "lower spending" and "small government" are brilliant as campaign slogans, but useless as policy. They're utterly meaningless and universally meaningful at the same time--everyone wants to cut everything except the program that benefits them, and it looks like the Tea Party is no exception. I guess it's true what they say: Where you stand depends on where you sit.

Palin Gets Politifact's "Biggest Lie of the Year"

2009-12-21T11:33:00.002-05:00

Politifact.com is out today with its list of the Biggest Lies of 2009, and our favorite hockey mom sits right at the top. From the article:

Of all the falsehoods and distortions in the political discourse this year, one stood out from the rest.

"Death panels."

The claim set political debate afire when it was made in August, raising issues from the role of government in health care to the bounds of acceptable political discussion. In a nod to the way technology has transformed politics, the statement wasn't made in an interview or a television ad. Sarah Palin posted it on her Facebook page.

Ah, yes, the Facebook declaration. What's really amusing about her lie is that she not only repeated it numerous times, but actually managed to get her party's top dogs to chant it like a mantra throughout the summer. To be fair, President Obama and several other Democratic politicians made their way onto the list as well for broken promises or half-truths. But I think it's hard to argue that any lie was as blatant, cynical and underhanded as to tell the people who need health care reform the most that their government wants to kill them. If this is the great new hope of the Republican Party's renewal, then they're in big trouble.

Music Monday: "Put the Lights on the Tree" by Sufjan Stevens

2009-12-21T00:57:00.004-05:00

Today's Music Monday will take a Christmasy twist. I posted this one last year, and I'm going to do so again. I can't say enough about the multi-talented Sufjan Stevens, so I'll just post the video and let you enjoy it:

This song is from the album Songs for Christmas. The five-disc compilation actually started as a series of Christmas presents to friends and family. Each year from 2001-2006 (except 2004 for some reason), Sufjan and company sequestered themselves wherever they could and self-recorded a Christmas EP. They performed holiday-themed originals as well as renditions of old classics, all with Sufjan's quirky-but-brilliant instrumentation. They then mailed out the results as Christmas cards. Fortunately, some ne'er-do-well leaked the results and the ensuing web phenomenon prompted a commercial release of the whole set. Here's a link to the buying emporium known as Asthmatic Kitty Records. It's well worth purchasing the physical product rather than buying on iTunes--you'll get some awesome stickers, a songbook and a swell comic book illustrating the story of Sister Winter! Standouts on this record are too numerous to mention, but a handful are "Sister Winter," "Christmas in July," "I Saw Three Ships," and "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!"

Sufjan Stevens is also known for his ambitious quest to record a concept album for every state in the Union. So far he's gotten through Michigan and Illinois (or as he calls it, Come on! Feel the Illinoise!--critically acclaimed and often called the best album of 2005). I really believe this guy is one of the most talented and innovative musicians around today, and I highly recommend you check out his work.

Tom Perriello: "An Outbreak of Courage on Capitol Hill"

2009-12-19T22:00:00.003-05:00

Rep. Perriello is getting big props yet again for his courageous stands in Congress. Adam Clymer of The Daily Beast had this to say:

It is hard to think of this Congress, as it deals with the most important domestic legislation since the 1960s, as remotely related to the Congresses of that decade, when Republicans gave Lyndon Johnson the margin of victory on civil rights despite arguments they were surrendering a chance to embarrass him....

But every now and then, there are exceptions. Consider Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello, a 35-year-old freshman from Virginia, an upset victor in 2008 in a conservative, basically Republican district. ...Stuart Rothenberg, who writes the authoritative Rothenberg Report newsletter on election prospects, said Perriello was in “deep, deep trouble,” holding one of the 12 most vulnerable House seats.”
Yet Perriello voted for the climate bill. Then, after an August of 21 town meetings, typically lasting five hours with four different tea party groups weighing in, he voted for the health-care bill. Rothenberg wrote that he “seems more interested in doing what he thinks is right than getting reelected.”

Rothenberg may be right. At a town meeting in Buckingham in August, one listener told him that if Perriello voted for the health-care bill, he would personally work to ensure Perriello’s defeat next year. The congressman replied, “That is absolutely part of the democratic process and I encourage that. If the worst thing that happens to me is that I get to be part of the House for two years and part of the greatest democracy ever invented—I can live with that.”
...
He refers to intense town-hall meetings as “very exciting, a positive thing in a democracy.” He voted for the health-care bill, after supporting the Stupak antiabortion amendment, as a “moral necessity” to help Virginians. But, in an interview, he said he took as much satisfaction from a White House event where a community health center in his district got a $5 million grant.

Of 13 Democratic freshmen in districts won by McCain, Perriello was the only one to vote for both bills. Perriello acknowledges those votes could make him a one-termer. “If you want to stay here too much,” he says, “then you never get done what you came here to do.”

After watching the Senate butcher the health reform legislation, it's refreshing to see that there are still people in Congress who will do the right thing--whether they think it will get them re-elected or not.

And for what it's worth, I think the folks who make doom-and-gloom pronouncements about Tom's fate in 2010 are seriously mistaken. Virgil Goode learned a profound lesson last year: underestimate Tom Perriello at your own peril. We're talking about a guy who faced down warlords in Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. I don't think he's all that scared of the Republicans.

Christmas At the White House

2009-12-19T00:47:00.000-05:00

I found a cool video of Christmas decorations in the White House on Vimeo.com. It's really neat to see it all decked out, and there's something special about the aura of national pride and classiness that the White House exudes. Enjoy:

Christmas at the White House 2009 from White House on Vimeo.

Chuck Norris Kicks Logic in the Face

2009-12-17T18:04:00.002-05:00

I have to be honest. I'm a little apprehensive about calling out Chuck Norris on my blog. I can't see Chuck, and legend states that I may therefore be mere seconds from swift and terrible retribution.

However, I feel that I cannot pass up this little gem. Mr. Norris has politicized even the birth of Jesus by suggesting that He would have been aborted under the affectionately-known Obamacare. From Townhall.com:

Lastly, as we near the eve of another Christmas, I wonder: What would have happened if Mother Mary had been covered by Obamacare? What if that young, poor and uninsured teenage woman had been provided the federal funds (via Obamacare) and facilities (via Planned Parenthood, etc.) to avoid the ridicule, ostracizing, persecution and possible stoning because of her out-of-wedlock pregnancy? Imagine all the great souls who could have been erased from history and the influence of mankind if their parents had been as progressive as Washington's wise men and women! Will Obamacare morph into Herodcare for the unborn?

Good point, Chuck, and with unassailable logic. But as we near the eve of another Christmas, I wonder: what would Jesus have to say about the fact that we're taking money away from poor people in order to prop up multimillionaire bank barons? Or the fact that your ability to see a doctor depends on your access to money, or that we've so secularized Christmas that it's nothing more than a buying spree? What about the richest nation in human history allowing poverty, homelessness and hunger to persist while we build bombers and tanks?

I can read the Bible too, Chuck. And I think Jesus is a lot more concerned about our pharisees, our money-changers, and our outcasts than anyone on your side of the ideological spectrum seems to be. Abortion is a moral issue, and I have my own issues with it. But the fact that Chuck Norris and his ilk are exploiting faith to scare and provoke people into supporting a status-quo political ideology is reprehensible.

(H/T Drew, formerly of Dem Bones. Thanks for the link.)

UPDATE: Tripp Fuller has an excellent post on this topic over at Homebrewed Christianity.

Howard Dean: Kill the Bill

2009-12-17T17:04:00.001-05:00

Howard Dean has come out in favor of scuttling the Senate's current health care "reform" bill unless it's given back its teeth--i.e. a public option and protections for consumers.

Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these.

...

Instead, it fines Americans if they do not sign up with an insurance company, which may take up to 30 percent of your premium dollars and spend it on CEO salaries -- in the range of $20 million a year -- and on return on equity for the company's shareholders. Few Americans will see any benefit until 2014, by which time premiums are likely to have doubled. In short, the winners in this bill are insurance companies; the American taxpayer is about to be fleeced with a bailout in a situation that dwarfs even what happened at AIG. (My emphasis)

He's right.

Almost immediately after the health care fight began, cowardly Congress-critters started selling out the core principles of reform and President Obama sat on the sidelines as his campaign promise was picked apart and betrayed. Apparently the "no-public-option" scare from earlier in the summer was simply a harbinger of things to come. After a months-long circular debate, the Senate bill is now nearly worthless. Without a robust public option, a national mandate is nothing more than corporate socialism.

It's time to either restore the bill to its former glory or start over completely. And here's a tip for President Obama and the Senate Dems: this time instead of coddling the very people who are profiting from the unmitigated national disgrace that is our health care system, stand up for the people. It's time for single-payer Medicare for all. Maybe once they water that down and compromise it away, we'll end up with something approaching the original version of this bill.

Tom On Olbermann

2009-12-16T09:59:00.003-05:00

So Tom and the Fifth District Teapots (which would be an excellent name for a band) got a mention on Monday night's edition of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Keith was doing his "World's Worst" segment toward the end of the show and highlighted an amusing complaint from Charlottesville-area malcontents. John W. Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute recently sent Rep. Perriello a letter complaining that his Charlottesville office is in the wrong place and should be moved (presumably at taxpayer expense) to a place where it's easier to protest. Yes, really.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Va-05: GOP "Civil War"

2009-12-16T00:36:00.006-05:00

There was a potentially explosive development over the weekend in the race to unseat Congressman Perriello. The Fifth District Republican Committee, under the noble and erudite leadership of Tucker Watkins, has decreed that the GOP will hold a primary on June 8th to choose its 2010 standard-bearer. Many of the party activists (and several of the candidates themselves) had supported a convention instead, thereby ensuring broader party support for the eventual nominee. This decision immediately prompted a conservablog meltdown, and has cast doubt on the legitimacy of the whole process. The link above leads to the conservative blog Virginia's Fifth District, and includes several interesting quotes:

If you want to talk about heavy handed actions, what about Watkins refusing to allow filming of the meeting, only after Hurt’s man LaCivita speaks with Tucker after a person starts setting up his camera. and then later throwing out one of the other candidates campaign manager for filming. What did Tucker have to hide?

...
It is obvious to anybody that Watkins is a spin artist of the first magnitude. Watkins could be the Joseph Goebbels of the 5th district. (My emphasis)

Wow...harsh. Nazi comparisons being turned against their own leaders? The times they are a-changin'. Having said that, throwing out cameramen does sound like something Tucker would do.

Laurence Verga was the first candidate to release a statement. He seems to be trying to position himself as one of the frontrunners among the Tea Party activists. Thus saith the Vergmeister:

“A primary will place an unnecessary burden upon localities, costing them thousands of dollars at a time when their budgets are already overly stretched.

“Based upon the current shape of the field, the primary will likely be won by a candidate with less than 20% of the vote, with Democratic voters potentially deciding the race.

Today only strengthens my resolve to run a vigorous grassroots campaign against the establishment and their preferred candidate, so that I may be able to fight for the conservative principles and values of the citizens of the 5th District in Washington.”

Wow, I actually agree with Laurence Verga about something. He raises a very good point: I doubt many localities budgeted for a June primary when they were trying to figure out how to pay their teachers. Moreover, any GOP nominee is almost certainly doomed to squeaking out a measly plurality and walking into the general election at a huge disadvantage.

I always knew the Fifth District GOP was lacking in some common sense. But they alienate their base at their own peril--Tucker and company are playing with fire.

Roanoke Schoolchildren: 200 Homeless and Rising

2009-12-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

WDBJ 7 had a truly sad story last week. The number of homeless students in the city of Roanoke is now up to about 200, and is expected to reach 400 by the end of the year.

In the last three months, close to 200 students in Roanoke City have been classified as homeless. It's up 34 percent since last November.

...

"It's a struggle, a lot of families report [say] I didn't want to be here [in the shelter], this is embarrassing," says Horn who often talks with the parents facing financial difficulties.

It's a sign of the times in which we're living. I worry that too many folks in our government still don't understand how bad things really are getting out in the real world. Imagine if even a fraction of the Wall Street bailout money had gone toward addressing this problem--there is no excuse for a nation that remains as wealthy as ours to allow kids to go homeless. After all, it's pretty hard to pull yourself up by the bootstraps when you can't even afford them to begin with.

Please keep stories like this in mind and try to give whatever you can to local homeless shelters and charities.

Music Tuesday: "Whose Authority" by Nada Surf

2009-12-15T22:00:00.002-05:00

Wow, long time no blog. I blame the hectic Christmas schedule, along with Comcast's questionable internet connectivity. Anyway here's Music Monday, but on a Tuesday this time.

Here's Nada Surf's video for "Whose Authority," from their most recent album Lucky:

If the cyclist looks familiar, that's because it's actor Michael Maronna, who portrayed the elder Pete in Nickelodeon's Pete & Pete. He was also in an E*Trade commercial several years ago. At about the time Pete & Pete was coming to a close, Nada Surf released the Ric Ocasek-produced High/Low, containing their big hit "Popular." Following the Great Music Purge of 1998, wherein the NSync/Limp Bizkit military junta seized airwaves across the country, Nada Surf began a productive career on Barsuk Records. In addition to Lucky, I recommend their albums Let Go and The Weight is a Gift. They also put on a great show--I saw them at Charlottesville's now-defunct Starr Hill music hall in 2006.

Vol Goes Fishing; Hilarity Ensues

2009-12-10T23:03:00.002-05:00

A friend sent me this video, saying it was hilarious. I can't possibly disagree. It depicts a fishing show host and his many mishaps during filming. Adding to the hilarity, he's wearing a Tennessee Volunteers hat. You just can't go wrong.

Roanoke Times: Car Tax Renewal a Non-Starter

2009-12-10T01:08:00.004-05:00

As an update to the story below, the Roanoke Times editorialized that Governor Kaine should be careful about building a renewed car tax into his biennial budget. They raise a good point, echoing McDonnell's anti-tax vows. Saith the Times:

Virginia's car tax rebate is a poorly conceived, inefficient, enormously expensive form of local tax relief that the state never should have taken on and no longer can afford. Yet getting rid of it is a political nonstarter.

That has been the conventional wisdom since Republican Jim Gilmore rode a "No Car Tax" bumper sticker into office in his 1997 gubernatorial campaign. The next year, he signed into law a convoluted taxpayer reimbusement program that was to start Virginians down a path toward a total phase-out. The effort stalled when the promised bite out of state revenues grew voraciously; lawmakers capped the damage to the state treasury at $950 million a year.
...
Still, we hope the departing governor will not leave the state with a budget dependent on eliminating this huge obligation -- only to have it restored immediately by lawmakers and a newly installed Gov. Bob McDonnell at the cost of cuts of their choosing.

Sigh. The last line of the editorial picks up a bit on the issue discussed below:

At some point, local governments know, spending cuts become as painful as tax increases to people in their communities.

McDonnell Prepares to Gilmore the Budget

2009-12-09T22:18:00.004-05:00

If you liked Jim Gilmore, you'll love Bob McDonnell.

A little over a month after cruising to victory against Sen. Creigh Deeds in the gubernatorial election, Governor-Elect McDonnell has announced how he plans to "balance" the budget: cut even more spending without raising a dime of additional revenue. From the Roanoke Times:

RICHMOND -- Governor-elect Bob McDonnell and a key legislative ally warned Tuesday that they will nix any efforts by outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine to increase taxes to balance Virginia's budget, and will rely on spending cuts to close a shortfall of as much as $3.5 billion.

"He [Kaine] and I have met and I've asked him, and I think others have as well, to balance the budget through a full range of spending cuts," McDonnell said during an appearance before state newspaper reporters and editors at the annual Associated Press Day at the Capitol.

I suppose Mr. McDonnell hasn't been reading the news over the past year or so. Otherwise he would realize that Governor Kaine has already cut billions from the budget--affecting pretty much every crucial state service, including education and law enforcement. Locally, both school systems have cut budgets and jobs, and the New College Institute and Virginia Museum of Natural History have taken big hits. I'm not exactly sure what else Bob thinks we can cut.

The most logical thing to do would be to find extra money somewhere. Maybe by re-instating parts of the car tax?

Kaine also is considering cutting the amount of money it sends to counties, cities and towns to provide car-tax relief, an idea that a senior Republican legislator dismissed Tuesday.

"I do not see it going anywhere, and that's why I think it's counterproductive to put it in the budget," said Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, during a panel discussion on the budget.

Lawmakers voted in 2004 to cap spending for the program at $950 million annually. McDonnell said Tuesday that he would consider any move to reduce those payments to be a tax increase.

Well, there you have it. McDonnell and the Virginia GOP have now restored their golden calf--the car tax rebate is off-limits! I suppose restoring the estate tax is off the table too.

My biggest worry is how this will affect our public schools and universities. I think Martinsville's best hope for recovery and renewal is embodied in the New College Institute, which has the potential to become a four-year university in the heart of the city. There currently does not exist such a public university in this area of the state, and it would provide a dramatic boost to the local economy--not only by creating a huge new market and bringing in a younger demographic, but by generating a knowledge economy in the Southside. As I mentioned above, they've already had to take cuts. I worry about the effect of the Republicans' starve-the-beast mentality on our most-needed public services. I guess if you destroy the state, then the market takes over, ushering in a Libertarian utopia....or something.

I've said it before on this blog and it bears repeating now. I don't like taxes either. No one does. But somehow or other we have to pay our teachers, cops and road workers. Somehow we have to build roads and bridges, otherwise there will be no way for the economy to function. We all benefit from those public services, and it's only fair to expect everyone to pay based on their ability to do so. But I guess that's not how things are going to work for the next four years.

Mountaintop Removal Awareness is Gaining Steam

2009-12-08T00:02:00.002-05:00

Imagine my surprise (and satisfaction) when I fired up the Google reader and found the same headline multiple times, from multiple news sources--including Fox News. Mountaintop removal coal mining is finally beginning to make its way into the public consciousness, and the AP has picked up the story. The article acknowledges that MTR is still far from becoming the new "offshore drilling." But the key is that environmental activists have made a great deal of progress:

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- Environmental activists gained more momentum this year than in the past decade against the destructive, uniquely Appalachian form of strip mining known as mountaintop removal, though they have yet to mobilize the millions of supporters they want.
The activists have harnessed the power of the Web, social networking and satellite phones. They've chained themselves to heavy equipment, blocked haul roads and climbed trees to stop blasting. They've marched for miles, hung banners and been arrested.
They've even enlisted support from celebrities like actress Darryl Hannah, country singer Kathy Mattea and attorney Robert Kennedy Jr., who is expected to attend a rally Monday at the state Department of Environmental Protection in Charleston.

Pay attention class; THIS is how you build a movement.

Perhaps the most telling anecdote about how much impact the movement has had can be seen in Big Coal's counter-efforts:

The industry fights back by equating support for coal with patriotism, and by portraying opposition to mountaintop removal as opposition to gainful employment.
Virginia-based Massey Energy organized a ''Friends of America'' rally on Labor Day. A ''Faces of Coal'' ad campaign focuses on people whose jobs the industry says are at risk. TV ads tout the ways the industry benefits communities.
''Although the industry has always had challenges,'' Hamilton says, ''I'm not sure they've been quite as dramatic or as threatening as they are today.'' (My emphasis)

That's peachy, isn't it? Poor coal, getting picked on by those mean ol' tree-huggin' pinko commies. Too bad one of the anti-MTR activists quoted in the piece is an ex-Marine living in the shadow of a mining site. In the quote above you see the most egregious of the Rovian tactics adopted by anti-change special interests: if anyone disagrees with you, they hate America. This is exactly how the insurance industry has managed to turn well-meaning Teabaggers against their own economic interests in the health care debate. It's an incredibly cynical line of attack, and it also betrays the hypocrisy of their free-market rhetoric--apparently politicians should never intervene in the free market, unless it's to protect existing industries and wealthy campaign contributors.

And what about that Marine who is now fighting mountaintop removal? He had the most insightful quote of all:

''It's not part of the national conversation yet, but it definitely needs to be because it's an indication of what's wrong with our country -- corporate greed,'' says ex-Marine Bo Webb, whose Naoma home sits below a mountaintop mine and within 10 miles of three coal-waste dams.

Well said. Corporate greed is what wrecked our economy, first by shipping manufacturing jobs overseas and freezing middle-class wages, then by obliterating the stock market and demanding taxpayer bailouts.

I'm always fascinated to think about how "mainstream" political issues get that way. This will certainly be an interesting movement to watch as it gains momentum, and I'll personally do whatever I can to help. Please visit ILoveMountains.org for more info on how to get involved and take action. Let's save our mountains.

Infamy

2009-12-07T22:09:00.004-05:00

It's a week of anniversaries, apparently. Sixty-eight years ago today, Japanese forces bombed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, bringing us into the global conflagration of World War II. I can't imagine what it must have felt like, only that it probably resembled our feelings on 9/11.

The early 1940s were a unique time, when I think our nationhood and territorial integrity truly were at stake. Take a moment some time today or over the next few days to think about what it must have been like to live in those times. Then make a conscious effort to exercise one of your freedoms, and really think about it while you do. Too often we take our freedoms for granted, and we shouldn't forget how close we came to losing them.

New River Second Dirtiest in the Country

2009-12-07T01:59:00.005-05:00

I had intended to blog about this last week, but life caught up with me. WDBJ in Roanoke ran a disturbing story about how the New River is apparently the second dirtiest waterway in the country. According to an Environment America study, the chief culprit is the Army ammunition plant in Radford, which is blamed for 13.6 million pounds of pollution entering the river in one year. Not to place all the blame on the ammunition plant, George Santucci of the National Committee on the New River says there are other large polluters along the river as well.

What's really scary about this is how many people use the New River for recreational purposes, either fishing or watersports. Moreover, how much of that pollution makes its way into other waterways, including our fisheries?

As a side note, it's truly depressing to read the comments on this story at the link above.

Double Music Monday: Remembering John and George

2009-12-07T00:09:00.003-05:00

Normally I'm hesitant to use a Beatles song for a Music Monday, simply because I wouldn't know where to start. The Beatles were and are the greatest rock band of all time. Period. Trying to sift through all their work and find one song to highlight is an almost impossible task. But I've decided to make an exception for this week, given its historical significance.

Twenty-nine years ago tomorrow, John Lennon was shot dead outside his apartment in New York City. I wasn't around for that, but I've heard plenty of folks talk about where they were or how they found out. What I do remember is December 1, 2001, when George Harrison passed away after a long struggle with lung cancer. Two talented lives that changed music history were sadly cut short.

For that reason, I've picked out two of my favorite Beatles songs featuring John and George. The first is the video of "Rain," prominently featuring John's laid-back, psychedelic vocal delivery.

There's not much in the way of a Beatles video for the second song, but I found a stellar George performance from the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. Arguably the best song on the White Album, here's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

And there you have it. I agonized over this decision, mind you.

Tom is a Rock Star at DPVA

2009-12-06T23:04:00.002-05:00

A pair of videos began making their way around the blogs yesterday after the DPVA dinner in Staunton. In the films, Rep. Perriello is standing up in no uncertain terms for the middle class. Tom's speech, in two parts:

And part 2:

My favorite quote:

"It's not enough just to get the stock market up above 10,000 again, we've got to get those unemployment numbers down, we've got to take the bailout money that's coming back and reinvest it in a real jobs agenda."

The media betrays its cluelessness every time they refer to an uptick in the stock market as a sign of recovery. The fact is, the poor and middle class were struggling mightily long before reality caught up to Wall Street. There are plenty in Washington who haven't made that connection, but it's an enormous relief to know that Perriello gets it. Not only does he get it, but folks are starting to take notice, and I think it can only help him next year.

H/T: Left of the Hill, Blue Virginia

Tultex: Ten Years Later

2009-12-02T23:09:00.003-05:00

Ten years ago today, I was an eighth grade kid being picked up after school. I walked out to my mom's car and got in. I'll never forget what came next. "Well, it's official," she said as we pulled onto Starling Avenue. "They told me today that I've been terminated." Terminated. They actually used that word.

And with that, globalization came home for me in a very real way. I didn't quite understand it yet, but my family had just walked into a much different world. And for my hometown of Martinsville, it was only going to get worse.

On that day, the former textile giant Tultex filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, putting more than 1,100 people out of work. Literally overnight, Martinsville's unemployment rate shot to nineteen percent. By the time the company finally closed down several months later, 3,300 former employees had lost their jobs.

No job, no severance, no health care. Just in time for Christmas.

My family didn't end up losing our house, and my mom found another job in Danville a few months later. But to this day, my parents still struggle as a result of what happened at Tultex. After working at Tultex for twenty years, my mom never received her severance package, nor did any of the other employees who lost their jobs in 1999-2000.

Today the Martinsville Bulletin began a series of retrospectives on the fall of Tultex and the absolute devastation it wrought on our community. Today's article reminded me of the most reprehensible part of the whole saga: the reaction of then-Governor Jim Gilmore, who not only did nothing, but actually went out of his way to betray the unemployed.

“One of the biggest letdowns was the sense of disbelief at how the General Assembly and the governor turned their backs on us,” said Paula Burnette, Iriswood District member of the Henry County Board of Supervisors now and a decade ago.

Former governor Jim Gilmore was in office when the company closed in 2000 following the layoff of 1,130 people on Dec. 2, 1999. When he learned of the economic devastation in Henry County because of the closing, Gilmore said he was unable to help because “‘If I do it for one group, I’ll have to do it for others,’ or something like that,” Burnette said.

Gilmore “never even came to visit or see the people. He never bothered to look them in the eye and at least say, ‘I’m sorry for what you’re going through.’ That utter lack of compassion for a fellow human being was beyond belief,” she said. (My emphasis)

The General Assembly, especially with the leadership of Delegates Ward Armstrong and Brian Moran, tried to pass an extension of unemployment benefits for the laid off workers. Gilmore vetoed it. Last year, I talked to a staunch Republican acquaintance of mine about Gilmore's Martinsville appearance early in his senate campaign. His exact words were, "I can't believe that man even has the nerve to show his face in this town." But hey, at least the unemployed didn't have to pay the car tax.

Among the indignities the Tultex closing inflicted was the way the company treated its departing workers. As mentioned above, severance and other benefits were out of the question. But this quote from today's article highlights an especially disgraceful aspect of the closing:

Ideally, the closing “would have been handled in a different manner,” Vaughn said. As it was, employees were told to leave and not take anything with them.

Later, when the Tultex building was for sale, Vaughn recalled the company he worked for considered buying the facility. Vaughn was among those who walked through.

“I always kept photos of my wife and kids on my desk to kind of remind me why I was working,” Vaughn said. Apparently, many Tultex employees did the same thing.

“The one thing I remember from when I walked through the building was all those personal items I saw around work stations and on desks,” Vaughn said. “It was kind of like walking through a battlefield or a ghost town.” (My emphasis)

Not only that, but the employees who were allowed to clear their desks were watched intently by company personnel. I guess the higher ups didn't want anybody getting out with an extra stapler.

To this day, Martinsville has not recovered. Instead, even more jobs have left due largely to outsourcing and other problems. There are signs of hope and undercurrents of change; the focus of the article was how Martinsville-Henry County as a community came together to help each other during the aftermath. I remember that clearly, and that same spirit is helping us redefine ourselves now. Renewal will happen, but there's no denying that we took a big hit and there's still a long way to go.

In future posts, I will go into greater detail about what caused the collapse and how we can address those issues. In the meantime, thanks for reading.

Afghanistan

2009-12-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

The speech that everyone, from MSM to blogs, is talking about tonight:

Overall, I liked the speech. I think President Obama did a very good job of explaining why we're there to begin with and why it's worth staying a bit longer. I still remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard that the Twin Towers had been hit; I remember the fear (as well as the unity) that followed the attacks, and the overwhelming sense that my generation had just walked into its defining conflict. Let there be absolutely no doubt that the threat of terrorism is very real. I don't pretend to have all the answers for what needs to happen, but from what I've seen and read recently, it seems to me that we just flat out haven't taken Afghanistan as seriously as we should have. I think invading Iraq will be remembered as the biggest foreign policy blunder of the early 21st Century, because that's where most of our resources and energy have been directed over the last eight years. We never should have allowed ourselves to be distracted by a threat that could have been contained.

So basically I see this surge as the US finally doing what we should have in 2001. For the sake of our own security as well as that of Afghans, I think President Obama is making the best call, and for that matter the only call he can make. Leaving now would be repeating the mistake we made after the Soviets left: allowing a state to fail after flooding that state with guns and trained insurgents. After eight years, hopefully we're getting back on track.

I will, however, admit that I'm nervous--I'm skeptical that we can secure the Graveyard of Empires by 2011. I worry that Americans and our allies may not have the stomach for the kind of stay that might actually be required. Building states is not a quick or easy task, and Americans have understandably lost a lot of interest in fighting this war. I also wonder if this is the right number of troops; the last thing we need is more of the "Rumsfeld Doctrine" nonsense that sent US troops into Iraq with inadequate strength; I hope that line of thinking is long gone and the commanders truly believe this is the necessary number of troops.

Ultimately, though, we have to remember that both Iraq and Afghanistan are wars the president inherited. He had a series of less than desirable options to choose from and he would have been heavily criticized regardless of the strategy he picked. President Obama had no choice but to respond in the way he thinks is best for our troops and best for America. Give our soldiers a mission and let them have what they need to accomplish it, then get out. While he was "dithering," it seems that Mr. Obama was considering his options, talking to his generals and agonizing over what decision to make. That's the leadership we should have had in the runup to the war in Iraq. I trust and hope that he made the right call; only time will tell.

Music Monday: "Crooked Legs" by The Acorn

2009-11-30T07:49:00.000-05:00

No, The Acorn is not in any way related to nefarious videos which may have surfaced. They're a band from Canada, and this is the video for "Crooked Legs," from their 2007 album Glory Hope Mountain:

Glory Hope Mountain is a concept album about the lead singer's mother and her journey from Honduras to Canada. The album name is a rough translation of her Spanish name, Gloria Esperanza Montoya. In this song, she's apparently escaping from an abusive father and violent family background under cover of darkness. It's a very compelling and complex album, and one I highly recommend. It's easy to make a concept album sound cheesy, but to be such a young band (this is their first full-length LP), The Acorn pulls this one off quite expertly. "Hold Your Breath" and "Antenna" are also standouts on this record.

FAIL: U.Va. Fires Groh

2009-11-29T21:29:00.004-05:00

Come on. Did anyone even doubt this at all? The answer is no. And yes, this does merit its own post, apart from the "quick hitters" listed below.

As an alum, there is an element of sadness about it. I don't think there's any doubt that Groh bleeds blue and orange, and I hate to see a fellow Hoo get so drastically owned. But everyone had high expectations and he consistently failed to meet them. It sucks, but it was time. Plus, the 42-13 score against Tech yesterday and 1-8 record against them overall makes this a no-brainer, and a call that should have been made sooner. The $4.3 million contract buyout removes any sympathy I might have for him.

Thanks for trying, Al. Now go coach defense in the NFL.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving; Happy Advent

2009-11-29T20:29:00.003-05:00

Busy busy week, with family and turkey and what not. I hope you've all had an excellent Thanksgiving holiday. Between the copious quantities of turkey and stuffing I ate and my disgraceful performance in at least two pickup football games (from which I'm still recovering), I lost every shred of dignity over the last several days. Nice.

But seriously, I had a great Thanksgiving and I hope you did too. Today is also the first Sunday of Advent, the preparation for Christmas. Huzzah!

Here are a few quick hits that I found interesting over the last few days, but didn't have time to write about:

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D - Chevron) basically dismissing the dangers associated with offshore drilling in front of a picture of the catastrophic oil spill off Australia. Money quote: "The fact is, these things happen." Okay, Mary. Let's see what "just happens" to Louisiana tourism after an Australia-magnitude oil spill.
From NYT: Use of food stamps is on the rise, and the stigma associated with them is disappearing. One in eight Americans and one in four children are now fed by the once-scorned "handout." A troubling sign of the times.
There was supposedly a minor earthquake in the Amherst/Nelson County area of Central Virginia last week. I say supposedly because we know earthquakes are a hoax. The liberal elite "seismographs," which are paid for by Al Gore and George Soros, showed a 2.5 magnitude earthquake last Wednesday. Lies. The rumbling was actually caused by Hokies on tractors rumbling up 29 towards Charlottesville. When will the media learn?

Perriello Props: Tom Co-Sponsors Anti-Hunger Legislation

2009-11-24T21:41:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday, local churches and poverty activists held the STOP Hunger march in Uptown Martinsville. As part of the weekend's events, president of the Bread for the World Institute Rev. David Beckmann spoke to the Morning Star Holy Church on Sunday morning. Here's a bit of what he had to say. From the Martinsville Bulletin:

“For Christians who care, because God does, it is not enough to support a local food bank, as important as that is. We have to let Congress know we care about” hunger on a larger scale, Beckmann said.

Fifth District U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Albemarle County, is a co-sponsor of foreign aid reform legislation to relieve hunger and poverty, but neither of Virginia’s senators, Jim Webb and Mark Warner, are co-sponsors, Beckmann said.

...

According to the Bread For the World Web site, the “Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009” would strengthen the capacity, transparency and accountability of United States’ foreign assistance programs to adapt and respond to challenges of the 21st century. It includes a statement on the reduction of poverty and hunger as U.S. policy.

The article continues to point out that Rev. Beckmann and Rep. Perriello were to appear together at Bethel United Way of the Cross in Danville.

Many Americans, including myself, are taking a big hit as a result of the Great Recession. But as tough as things are, we cannot allow ourselves to forget how the economy is impacting the "least of these" all over the world. Not only is hunger spreading throughout our communities here at home, but nearly half the world's population lives on less than $2 per day. That was true long before anyone had even heard of derivatives.

The issue of global poverty may well be the defining moral problem of our time. It's good to see that Congressman Perriello grasps the gravity of the issue, especially as we head into the holiday season. Let's hope this legislation makes a difference in the lives of people who need it.

Stunner: Imported Chinese Drywall is Toxic

2009-11-23T10:58:00.002-05:00

You may be familiar with the old axiom that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things and expect different outcomes. Take a look at this clip from CNN and ask yourself why we as a nation have not applied that knowledge to our trade policies:

It's been barely a year since the media firestorm over lead showing up in Chinese-made toys, and now this has come to light. At what point are our leaders going to step up and realize that our trade agreements are not only destroying our economy, but actually threatening our health?

This is not about "free trade" versus "protectionism," and the problem is much larger than NAFTA or CAFTA. First, the current rules for international trade are anything but free--because of the WTO's anti-democratic negotiating structure, poorer and less developed countries are drastically under-represented while larger, more developed powers run the meetings. But even with a numbers advantage, the developed countries still do not even represent the interests of their own people; they represent the interests of their top companies. Moreover, the WTO prefers to hold its meetings behind closed doors, away from the cameras and any shred of accountability. We end up with a system that favors the profits of large multinational corporations over basic fairness and human rights. Suddenly it's okay to make your goods in China, where environmental and labor laws are barely a shadow of what they would be in the US or Europe. Hire kids and pay them $1 per hour if you like, and dump your waste wherever. Thousands of middle-class American workers find themselves without a job, and many are forced into poverty. And if they find another job (probably for much less than they made before), then when they go to the store to buy drywall for their house or a toy for their children, they're putting their health on the line. It's a global race to the bottom, with everyone ultimately losing.

Conservatives threw a hissy fit when President Obama put a tariff on Chinese tires, saying it was just a handout to the unions. (They apparently don't have a problem with $400 billion handouts to insurance companies as part of Medicare supplemental insurance, which health reform will abolish.) I think what we need is more tariffs at higher percentages--say 99%--on things like furniture and textiles. Not only that, but we should renegotiate all of our agreements to favor fair trade practices. After all, the problem isn't trade itself, but trade rules that favor 19th-century working conditions. The only way you revive the economy is to stop the hemmorhaging of American jobs into other countries. If the manufacturers won't do it themselves, then we'll have to give them a little push.

Music Monday: Andy McKee Plays "Drifting"

2009-11-23T07:48:00.002-05:00

Andy McKee is a better guitar player than you.

Ridiculous.

In Case You Missed It: Flooding and Uranium

2009-11-20T11:46:00.005-05:00

There was an interesting article in the Danville Register & Bee several days ago regarding how last week's flooding might have impacted a proposed uranium mine in Pittsylvania County. It didn't really attempt to offer an answer to that question, basically just quoting people for and against mining. But it does raise a lot of serious questions that mining advocates should have to answer.

Dueling quotes; cue the banjos!

Jack Dunavant, head of Halifax-based Southside Concerned Citizens, which opposes uranium mining, said alpha radiation from tailings, which contain 86 percent of the radiation found in natural uranium, would be washed downstream in a flood and be deposited in fertile low lands where animals graze and crops grow.

“All the animals would be subject to it,” Dunavant said.

Alpha radiation is “the most insidious and dangerous of all” types of radiation that causes birth defects and affects the genetic code, Dunavant said. It can be ingested when consumed in food, drank from water or breathed from mist while a person takes a shower, he said.

To be fair, gamma particles are actually the most dangerous, and those wouldn't be an issue while the uranium is being mined. But Dunavant is exactly right that alpha particles are still pretty nasty things once they get into your system, and they have a variety of ways to do so. Alpha particles are a big reason why Homeland Security is worried about dirty bombs. The Coles Hill site where uranium may be mined is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which extends into North Carolina and ends up on the coast. If alpha-laden uranium tailings made their way into the floodwaters, they could eventually contaminate an enormous area, including farmland, fisheries and recreational areas.

Now a quote from Patrick Wales of Virginia Uranium:

VUI would build a tailings-management system meeting stringent guidelines under the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and other agencies, Wales said.

Tailings-management facilities have separated the tailings from interaction with the environment at locations all over the world, Wales said. Tailings are typically covered and lined underground with multiple layers of synthetic and clay liners to prevent interaction with surrounding groundwater, Wales said.

“These facilities are designed for severe weather,” Wales said.

A few feet of water can also be kept on top of the tailings to prevent dust.

All that sounds fine and dandy. But my biggest concern is the very real fact that things break. What if those tailings aren't contained properly? What if the containment systems themselves turn out not to be as good as originally thought? What if those regulatory agencies fall victim to budget cuts or overzealous deregulators? Even the most well-designed facility is going to have some flaws. If something were to go wrong and nuclear material were released into the watershed, there would be no undoing that damage.

Area farmers have built primitive ponds to successfully contain water with no government oversight, Wales said. In addition, rains have occurred for hundreds of millions of years and VUI’s operation would not increase the amount of radiation already in the rock, Wales said.

Huh? Farmers build ponds? I really wish the author had included the exact quote here instead of a paraphrase. I seriously hope Wales is not suggesting that open ponds would be a good place to put mine waste. We saw how well that worked out for the coal ash pond near Harriman, Tennessee, where a dam broke and flooded the town with toxic sludge. And as for the second part of his quote, I think what he's trying to get at is that the uranium in question is already part of the water table, but again I wish the actual quote were there. Even if that's his point, I still don't see why it's a good idea to bring that uranium to the surface.

One closing statement from a concerned area resident, who summed it up nicely:

Karen Maute, a county resident and uranium mining opponent, said last week’s flooding should “give pause” to people downstream and give notice to everyone of the consequences of the long-term storage of waste.

Mining and milling will be a finite operation, but the resulting waste will be around for thousands of years, she said.

Well said.

Levi Johnston is a Jackass

2009-11-19T11:45:00.001-05:00

Say what you will about Sarah Palin, her supporters, and their delusional view of American politics. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, as are her supporters. Were she ever to become president, I personally would lose all faith in American democracy and gnaw off my own leg. But I've always said the one caveat to that is to leave her kids out of it; President Obama was absolutely right to reject those who wanted to make Bristol Palin's pregnancy into a campaign issue, and as far as I'm concerned it's still off-limits.

The one guy who most aggressively refuses to respect that line, though, is Levi Johnston. Every time he opens his mouth he embarrasses himself, Bristol, her family and their child. What a narcissistic, self-serving tool. I mean, take one look at this guy:

My snap judgment, knowing nothing else about him, would be something like, "Hey, that guy looks like a giant douche." All he's really missing is a popped collar and a sideways Boost Mobile hat. Now take this caricature of a teenage male egomaniac and add the fact that not only did he knock up the governor's daughter, then abandon her and their kid before going on to badmouth her family to the national media, he's now actively trying to make money off of it. Not only is he having his little media tour and stripping for Playgirl, he has also appeared in a Wonderful Pistachios commercial. The ad makes a not-so-subtle quip about how now he uses "protection," i.e., the protective health benefits of eating pistachios. Tee-hee, that has two meanings! Ugh. Really? Did they have a fifth grader write that? What an unmitigated jackass. And way to make light of a serious social issue. Stay classy, Wonderful Pistachios.

I actually have a lot of respect for how Sarah Palin has handled this situation; she's certainly shown a lot more patience and restraint than the little twerp deserves.

Rep. DeFazio: Fire Geithner

2009-11-19T00:40:00.002-05:00

Interesting story over at HuffPo, and consistent with similar rumblings I've heard out in the interwebs. Here's a video from MSNBC of Rep. Peter DeFazio (D - OR) suggesting that President Obama's two top economic advisers be fired:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Money quotes:

"We think it is time, maybe, that we turn our focus to Main Street -- we reclaim some of the unspent funds, we reclaim some of the funds that are being paid back, which will not be paid back in full, and we use it to put people back to work. Rebuilding America's infrastructure is a tried and true way to put people back to work," said DeFazio.

"Unfortunately, the President has an adviser from Wall Street, Larry Summers, and a Treasury Secretary from Wall Street, Timmy Geithner, who don't like that idea," he added. "They want to keep the TARP money either to continue to bail out Wall Street...or to pay down the deficit. That's absurd." (My emphasis)

Huh. Imagine that. Paying people to work on roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects allows them to support themselves and put money back into the economy. And not only do those projects put people back to work, they create the engines for future prosperity and economic growth. I've been wondering for a while now if it would be smarter to simply re-start Depression-era programs such as the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps. Conservatives will undoubtedly cry foul, but there's no question that those programs benefited our country during the Depression and helped millions of families stay afloat when workers could find no other jobs. And with the real unemployment rate (see bottom line on chart) now at 17.5%, soon there may be no other choice. When the economy runs out of buyers for a good or service (in this case, employees), sometimes the government is the only buyer left. We may have reached that point.

New Ad: Keep Fighting, Tom

2009-11-18T22:15:00.002-05:00

Americans United for Change has a new ad running in the Charlottesville and Roanoke media markets. Glad to see a counter to the reprehensible U.S. Chamber of Commerce/Americans for Prosperity ads which distort the bill and demonize our representative.

Schilling Show Fail

2009-11-18T20:19:00.002-05:00

Conservative Charlottesville radio host Rob Schilling is up in arms. He has posted a blog decrying the fact that UVa College Republicans were not allowed to protest at Rep. Tom Perriello's Charlottesville office. The group showed up hoping to protest Tom's vote in favor of health care reform and were met by police, who told them to leave. Here's the video of the apoplectic College Republican chair, Joshua Lambert:

Never mind that there already was an Americans for Prosperity protest (and simultaneous counter-protest) at that same office. By all accounts, it was so obnoxious that nearby business owners made it clear they wanted the protesters gone and the protests to stop. What it comes down to is that the police were there at the request of property owners, not on the orders of Tom or anyone associated with his office. Charlottesville business owners asserted their private property rights; isn't that what conservatives are supposed to be all about?

And as Lambert noted in the video, they were not told to get off the premises, they were simply told they could not protest in the parking lot. Police let them know they were welcome to share their concerns inside the office, but apparently that wasn't the appropriate venue--in the video, Lambert actually said, "we can't really say what we want to say if we walked in the front door." Huh?

But my favorite quote is this, from Schilling's blog:

Lambert and other aggrieved citizen groups are seeking legal support to assist in re-establishing their abridged rights.

Sigh. I'm reminded of all the times I've heard someone like Rush Limbaugh accuse liberals of having a "victimization complex."

By the way, does anyone else find this whole thing ironic? This same group of people just elected an attorney general who sees the Establishment Clause as an impediment to his dominionist worldview, and now they're worried about their First Amendment free speech rights. Beautiful.

Terrible News Out of Ferrum

2009-11-18T13:47:00.002-05:00

Tragic hunting accident near Ferrum College. From WDBJ7:

Students at Ferrum College gathered Wednesday morning for a private memorial service to remember the student who was shot and killed Tuesday.

Twenty-three-year-old Jessica Goode of Northern Virginia was shot in an apparent hunting accident Tuesday. Another student was injured in the shooting.

Jason Cloutier allegedly fired on them Tuesday afternoon about a mile from campus. Regis Boudinot was hit in the arm with the same bullet that killed Goode.

The students had been in the woods working on a science project.

"When the blast went off he said she looked at him and said 'I'm going to die,' and she collapsed before he could do anything and she died almost instantly," said Kimberly Boudinot, Regis' stepmom.

Cloutier is facing three charges, including manslaughter. Authorities say he was trespassing on county property. He's currently being held on $20,000 bond.

Truly horrible. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victim's family and friends, and all the students at Ferrum. Nobody should have to deal with this kind of thing.

Greatest Political Ad Ever

2009-11-17T10:15:00.001-05:00

From Ron Ferrin for Congress, a new YouTube ad promoting the Tom-as-Pelosi's-puppet narrative. Since that narrative worked so well for Virgil.

I'm not sure I understand the part about "maybe they were just trying to get used to his voting record" and how an ad about pronunciation relates to that, but hey, whatever works. And is that a homemade green screen or just a really bad backdrop? But I actually give Ferrin some credit for this. At least it required a little more creativity than "Tom is just like Pelosi!!!! Socialists are coming!! AHHH!!!"

Danville TEA Party Calls Off Effigy Burnin

2009-11-17T00:51:00.004-05:00

Just like a bunch of PC...conservatives?

Coleman said Monday the owner of the property in Blairs has pulled the plug on the event because of the negative attention the rally has garnered. The bonfire originally included burning effigies of Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th District, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in response to their support of the health care legislation.

“The media attention has gotten pretty large,” Coleman said. “(The property owner) didn’t want to be viewed poorly, and of course we didn’t want that for them.”

News of the event quickly spread online to national news outlets, blogs and even Comedy Central. The effigy burning is “definitely ruled out” for the future, Coleman said, but the intention was to teach “a history lesson” and compare the event to the birth of the Sons of Liberty after the 1765 Stamp Act.

“I feel like I obviously handled this poorly, as far as the press goes,” Coleman said. “We really should have thought this through more … and seen how this was going to affect not only us, but other TEA parties and the TEA party movement in general.”

Coleman, who seemed disappointed, would not say whether he had received any specific requests from other TEA party movements to cancel the event, but said that “I’m always in contact with other TEA party leaders and I always take their feedback into consideration.”

Coleman was later quoted as saying, "Nigel SAD!" He then ran out of the room sobbing.

Meanwhile Feda Kidd Morton, who is running for the GOP nomination to run against Tom, did little to cast herself as the reasonable stateswoman rising above the fray:

Morton praised the Danville TEA Party for “engaging voters of the district to voice opinions on the health care debate.”

“Perriello’s blatant disregard for the opinion of his constituents voiced in town halls he hosted shows his lack of commitment to those who elected him and the needs of his district,” she said in an e-mailed statement. “I have tremendous respect for the TEA Party’s effort and its commitment to protecting our liberty.”

As far as the political ramifications are concerned, Waldo Jaquith has an interesting take on it over at his blog.

By the way, at what point did Ben Tribbett become a quotable expert on the Fifth?

Liberal political blogger Ben Tribbett, who runs the popular “NotLarrySabato” blog, called the planned burning “stupid,” but acknowledged that there seems to be much discontent with Perriello in the 5th District after his votes for both health care reform, which angered conservatives, and the Stupak-Pitts abortion amendment, which angered liberals.

“Tom has walked himself into a corner on both sides,” Tribbett said. “… And it doesn’t put him in a great position politically for 2010.”

He couldn't be more wrong. I've talked to only a handful of people who aren't happy with Tom's vote on the Stupak amendment, and none of those folks say it's actually a dealbreaker. (The Stupak amendment prohibits federal funding for abortion.) The vast majority of people I've spoken with are just elated that our guy came through on the most important issue facing Congress right now when so many Dems from districts like ours are caving to special interests. Moreover, anyone who has talked to Tom for more than five minutes or has even a basic understanding of the Fifth should be unsurprised that he would vote for Stupak. Yes it's the right political move, but it's also what Tom happens to believe. Most Dems in the district understand that, and I just don't see how he's "walked himself into a corner."

(Belated) Music Monday: Rogue Wave

2009-11-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start a new weekly post called Music Monday. It's basically just a way of making Monday a bit more entertaining and taking a minute to enjoy something outside of politics. Because of internet connectivity issues, this one arrives pretty late in the day, but nevertheless, here goes.

This is Rogue Wave, performing a live version of "Bird on a Wire" (and no, it's not a Leonard Cohen cover) Enjoy:

I first saw these guys live when they opened for Nada Surf. I've now seen them three different times, twice at the now-defunct Satellite Ballroom in Charlottesville. Each time has been better than the last, and they really put on an excellent show. This is a much different version of the above song than what appears on the album. Usually it irritates me when bands do that, but Rogue Wave has a way of making it work really well. If you ever have an opportunity to see them, I can't recommend it enough. They're also a good bunch of guys; the drummer especially was good about hanging around afterward to talk to fans.

Thank You Tom!

2009-11-16T20:07:00.000-05:00

After losing my internet for a while (Comcast is awesome), I've finally managed to get my internet back online and thought I'd share a few thoughts from Friday. I went to Tom Perriello's office in Uptown Martinsville, where a goodly number of local supporters came out to thank the congressman for his vote on health care reform last weekend.

The atmosphere was one of optimism and hope, with lots of excitement in the air. It was a feeling of energy that I personally haven't felt since the runup to the 2008 elections; it's the feeling we were missing in 2009. We are on the verge of passing real health care reform, and despite the lies and scare tactics of AHIP and AFP, our congressman had the backbone to do the right thing. Here are a few pictures of the rally:

All this occurred within fifty yards of the old campaign offices, where we made phone calls for hours on end and worked to get our candidates elected.

A lot of pundits will say that he health care fight will damage representatives like Tom, but I think it would have hurt him a lot more to vote against it. Because he voted to stand up to the insurance companies and offer his constituents a real set of choices in health coverage, the folks you see standing here to thank Tom will also be the people who go back to the campaign trenches next year.

60 Plus Association Comes After Perriello

2009-11-12T18:03:00.004-05:00

After Tom's incredibly courageous decision to vote for health care reform last Saturday night, we knew it was only a matter of time before the status quo crowd came after him. First was a parade of Americans for Prosperity astroturfers showing up at his district offices, and now comes an ad campaign from the 60 Plus association targeting Dems across the country who voted for reform. Below is the version running in North Dakota that targets Rep. Earl Pomeroy:

Never mind that the money being cut from Medicare (a government-run health plan that many of last summer's town hall attendees apparently didn't want to part with) comes from eliminating corporate subsidies--aka welfare for insurance companies--and attempts to close the "donut hole" in Medicare Part D. Never mind that this bill actually tries to improve the quality of Medicare while cutting government waste. I thought conservatives liked the thought of making government more efficient. I guess fiscal concerns don't apply when insurance industry handouts are at stake.

Fun fact: these ads which are about to launch come from the same folks that brought you the racially-tinged Willie Horton ad back in 1988. Not only that, but the 60 Plus Association also backed Bush's scheme to privatize Social Security. Of course, that plan would have subjected retirement accounts to the whims, er, wisdom of the stock market. That would've just been so peachy for anyone retiring in the last two years or so. It's enough to make you wonder who really has the interests of our seniors at heart and who is merely banging an ideological drum.

Happy Veterans' Day

2009-11-11T19:08:00.002-05:00

Happy Veterans' Day everybody. There's no point in me going into great depth about why this is important, because it should be obvious to all Americans. Regardless of your political affiliation or opinion of any particular war, our veterans deserve the utmost respect and we should do everything possible to honor them. My grandfather fought the Nazis in World War II and I grew up hearing firsthand accounts of that war. Still, I can't imagine what those guys and gals have to go through in combat, or what they live with afterward. If you're a veteran, thanks for everything.

Here's a quick clip of President Obama at Arlington National Cemetary this morning:

PS: If you're reading this blog from the UK or Europe, happy Armistice Day.

McDonnell's Mentor: Islam "Not a Religion; Violent Political System"

2009-11-11T00:40:00.000-05:00

During the campaign, Bob McDonnell was often referred to as "Pat Robertson's Manchurian Candidate." After a recent episode of The 700 Club, that nickname is even more disturbing. From Rosalind Heldermann's WaPo blog:

In a broadcast of the 700 Club Monday night, the Virginia Beach pastor had some choice words about Islam in reaction to the shootings at Fort Hood. Robertson said that Army Maj. Nidal Hasan's troubles were overlooked because of a politically-correct refusal to see Islam for what it is.

"Islam is a violent--I was going to say religion--but it's not a religion. It's a political system. It's a violent political system bent on the overthrow of governments of the world and world domination."

"They talk about infidels and all this. But the truth is, that's what the game is. You're dealing with not a religion. You're dealing with a political system. And I think you should treat it as such and treat it's adherents as such. As we would members of the Communist party and members of some Fascist group." (my emphasis)

Yikes.

It's really a shame that this is how Robertson chooses to respond to the terrible tragedy at Fort Hood. The way I see it, it's actually pretty understandable that people react this way--the same thing happened after 9/11 and, for that matter, the same thing happened to the Japanese in World War II. We humans are imperfect, and we're prone to showing our ugly side in the aftermath of a tragedy. It's a sad statement about the human condition, and it's something we have to overcome.

But Robertson had an opportunity to provide leadership to his viewers and instead, he appealed to our darker nature. He could have reminded his audience of the Christian notion that we are all broken and therefore capable of great evil. He could have cautioned his followers that most Muslims are in fact peace-loving people attempting to live normal lives and that folks like the gunman are only a very small, very warped segment of that population. It could have even been an instructive tale that this is what happens when evil people hijack a faith to justify murder, so don't ever let anyone convince you that it's okay to hurt someone in the name of God. But he didn't. He chose confrontational theology, and his worldview will have sway in the Governor's Mansion for the next four years.

It's worth noting here that I think the secularists are also wrong when they point to religious violence as a reason to abandon faith. The answer to religious violence is not less religion, but better theology. Christianity produced the Crusades, the Inquisition, sectarian violence and abortion clinic bombers; it also produced Martin Luther King, Jr and Bishop Desmond Tutu.

This Could Be Virginia: Why Not to Drill

2009-11-10T23:38:00.001-05:00

A story out of Australia illustrates why some of us don't think drilling off the coast of Virginia is such a great idea. Aside from the fact that it wouldn't reach the market for years, won't lower crude oil prices and won't be anywhere near enough to satisfy our oil needs, it has the potential to wreak havoc on Virginia's economy--think about damaged fisheries and lost tourism dollars, not to mention the billions of dollars in cleanup costs.

The spill off the coast of Australia has been going on since August, and began when a pipe on the sea floor burst open. It has still not been plugged and continues to expand by about 300 barrels per day, contaminating an enormous area of ocean and killing unknown quantities of wildlife. Money quote from the Guardian article:

Still, Llewellyn says experience from previous oil disasters suggests the damage will be long lasting. "We know that oil can be a slow and silent killer. Impacts from the Exxon Valdez disaster are still being seen 20 years later, so we can expect this environmental disaster will continue to unfold for years to come," she said.

In case you're inclined to say "People first, let's get the oil even if it kills some fish," don't forget that what's in the ocean tends to end up in a lot of our food. It's not just an issue of seals dying, it's toxic waste going right onto your dinner plate. Let's hope Governor-Elect McDonnell (sigh) doesn't get too Drill-Baby-Drill crazy.

Health Care Passes: Great Success!

2009-11-09T23:50:00.002-05:00

While out of town and away from my computer this past weekend, health care reform finally passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. This is such excellent news for all Americans who have ever had to struggle to pay a medical bill or missed treatment because they didn't have insurance.

Even better news, the Fifth District's own Tom Perriello voted in favor of the legislation. A strong public option and new protections for consumers could have huge payoffs for Southside residents who have lost their jobs or can't afford their current health care coverage. Predictably, the Right is already coming after him for this vote, and today's news that Chris LaCivita (of Swift Boat fame) will be joining Robert Hurt's staff as campaign manager, is just one more indicator of how dirty they plan to play against Tom. Be ready to fight back hard.

Obama Autotune Feat. T-Pain

2009-11-05T17:21:00.001-05:00

A little something to lighten the mood:

Red Dawn

2009-11-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

If you're a Republican and you volunteered or even worked for the party this year, you deserve congratulations. Campaigns are long, stressful, exhausting and brutal affairs, and I'm sure plenty of folks spent plenty of hours making phone calls and pounding the pavement for your candidates. You deserve props, even though I think you backed the wrong people.

But if you're a Democrat, last night sucked. Not only did we lose all three top-ticket races, we even lost good down-ticket candidates; I'm more disappointed about losing Shannon Valentine in Lynchburg than any other race in the state (or the country for that matter). We lost a lot of ground last night. Sure the economy played a big role, as did Virginia's tendency to vote against the current White House (though I don't think last night was a referendum on President Obama--he's still fairly popular in Virginia and most voters in VA and NJ said he had no bearing on their vote). There's an excellent analysis at Blue Virginia and Ben Tribbett is spot-on in his piece at FireDogLake. There's no need to completely re-write the post-mortems, but I thought I'd offer a few observations of my own:

More than anything else, I think this year the GOP just wanted it more. They got out their base, first to volunteer and then to vote. In contrast, the term "circular firing squad" comes to mind when I think about the aftermath of the primary. There's a good argument that Wagner and Deeds ran up sizeable margins in their nomination, and so party disunity should not be seen as a major factor. But the problem with that argument is that even though the opposition vote was split, over half of primary voters supported someone other than Creigh Deeds, and did so passionately. I have to believe there were hard feelings left over from June; I've heard too many horror stories from field organizers to believe otherwise. Whether the primary itself demoralized the grassroots or merely created faults that ruptured when Deeds failed to reunite the party and became Republican-Lite, something kept Democrats at home. It's easy to blame Deeds for that, but frankly I would have liked to see more support from his former opponents. While Creigh could have done more to unify the party, at some point the Democratic base becomes culpable. Whatever our qualms about him or any of the candidates, we're still Democrats and we should have worked harder.

We also got lulled into a fantasy world last year and prematurely declared ourselves a blue state. Like it or not, Virginia is still a place where Democrats have to fight like hell for every single vote, and it will be for some time. Let's not forget that next year.

The easiest target and probably the biggest factor is that Creigh Deeds ran an abysmal campaign. I hate to say that about a guy I respect so much, but there's no denying it. The fact is, we had to pick from three less-than-good choices in the spring and I still maintain that as a candidate (not as a campaigner), Deeds was the most electable of the three. He did seem to have the broadest appeal and with a better campaign, he would have been much more competitive.

I also agree with those who say we need to nominate strong progressives in order to keep the base energized and draw strong contrasts with the right, but we have to be careful not to overdo it (i.e. not nominate the lefty equivalent of Cuccinelli--the GOP got lucky this year). Had Moran been our nominee, his leftward movement during the primary would have caught up with him; McAuliffe's ties to the Clintons and highly partisan background would have destroyed him in the rural areas, where any statewide candidate still needs to at least compete. Not to mention his dealings with Global Crossing; whether he did anything wrong or not, the appearance was there and it was bad.

I will never understand why Creigh's campaign did (or didn't do) a lot of things--skipping the Shad Plank, being MIA for at least a month after the primary, and the thoroughly baffling decision to bring abortion into the race back in August are a few things that come to mind. I also don't understand the lack of visibility. Here in Southside, I started seeing McDonnell-Bolling-Cuccinelli 4x8's popping up everywhere back in June--and they were completely unopposed. I didn't see Deeds 4x8's until late August, and to this day, I have yet to see any for Wagner or Shannon. We had coordinated yard signs, but that just isn't gonna cut it for name recognition.

We are now 364 days away from the polls closing on the 2010 midterms. This one's over and it's time to move on. Let's push our candidates and officeholders to their best, and then let's stand behind them. We need to be ready for a fight, particularly in the Fifth. The big guns are out and the Republicans smell blood. Let's be ready.

Election Night 2009: Official Theme

2009-11-03T21:03:00.003-05:00

E-Day

2009-11-03T10:44:00.003-05:00

Alright, readers, this is it. We've all heard the old cliche that "the only poll that counts is on Election Day." As cheesy as it sounds, it's true. So get out and vote if you haven't already. Go vote!

Just got back from voting here in Henry County at the Mountain View VFW. Voter #197 at 10:30. I didn't see poll workers for either party, but there was a goodly number of yard signs, about evenly matched by party--multiple coordinated Dem signs as well as a smattering of Wagner signs. I saw none for Shannon, but I guess the coordinated signs count. Also saw some McDonnell/Bolling/Cuccinelli signs, plus some for Del. Merricks, who is unopposed.

Side note: plenty of elderly white folks getting out to vote. Not exactly Creigh's demographic, but to a larger point, VFW is not the safest place for older folks to be voting. The parking lot is one giant hill and I've seen plenty of people nearly fall getting out of their cars there before.

The Final Push: A Word to Democratic Readers

2009-10-31T08:20:00.000-04:00

This is it. We're coming up on Zero Hour, and it's time to get involved if you haven't already. I have to confess that I haven't been as involved as I should've been with this campaign. I could give a number of reasonable excuses relating to time or whatever else, but my lack of involvement is a symptom of a larger problem. Today I plan to spend most of my time making phone calls and volunteering in various ways for the Deeds campaign. I will keep working as much as I can until Tuesday.

There's plenty to criticize about the Democrats' efforts in this election, and there will be plenty of time to analyze the results after Tuesday, whatever the outcome. But if we let the media narrative keep us at home this weekend and we end up with a GOP sweep, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.

And for those of you who are deterred from volunteering or even offering genuine support because you don't think our ticket is progressive enough, quit fooling yourself. Bob McDonnell will opt-out of health care reform, decimate education and let our roads turn to rubble; Bill Bolling will spend the next four years running for governor and skipping meetings; and Ken Cuccinelli will impose his fundamentalist, far-right brand of conservatism on the Attorney General's office at the expense of anyone he deems "immoral."

You may not agree with everything our candidates stand for, but who do you honestly believe is more likely to stand up for the progressive values in which you believe? Who will side with the middle class, fight for education and come up with a realistic transportation plan? Who will continue the legacy of Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Tim Kaine and Tom Perriello? I think you know the answer.

So go knock doors. Make phone calls, talk to your friends and neighbors, or write a last minute lettor to the editor. If you just can't bear to do any of those things, at least go out and vote and drag your like-minded friends with you to the polls. We may very well lose anyway, but if you and I sit around and do nothing, it becomes a sure bet.