VB Dems

Rep. Rigell: bring back earmarks!

David Campbell — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:56:26 +0000

Local Virginia Rep. Scott Rigell joined 64 other House Republican freshmen in signing a letter begging their leadership to bring back a certain type of earmark.

Just a few months ago, Rep. Rigell announced that he was breaking his Tea Party oath regarding no tax increases.

Now, Rep. Rigell is apparently breaking his promise “not to “seek ‘pork project’ funding unless the project deals with the military or national security” (the local flavor of pork).

Once the political campaign heats up, we will see if he abides by another promise to “not campaign at taxpayer expense including direct mail pieces.”

Will “principled conservatives” care? Nah!

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Whose freedom is threatened?

David Campbell — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:22:35 +0000

If a law compels someone to do something that they would otherwise have freely chosen to do anyway, how coercive is it?

About 60% of insured Americans currently choose to obtain private health insurance through their employers. Under health reform, they will continue to choose to do so.

About 30% of insured Americans currently choose to obtain health insurance from the federal government (Medicare, Medicaid, the military). Under health reform, they will continue to choose to do so.

About 10% of insured Americans currently choose to obtain private health insurance in the individual insurance market. Under health reform, they will continue to choose to do so but will greatly benefit from the consumer protections and the greater choice of private insurance plans in the health exchanges.

Under health reform, those who are currently uninsured because they were denied coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions or lifetime maximum benefits will be relieved that they can now choose to purchase health insurance again.

Under health reform, those who are currently uninsured because they can’t afford it will eagerly choose to obtain it through the expansion of Medicaid or subsidies toward the purchase of private insurance in the health exchanges.

Under health reform, 2.5 million previously uninsured young people have already chosen to be covered by private health insurance through their parent’s employers.

Health reform includes an exemption for the religious minorities who may not believe in medical care (ex. Amish, Christian Scientists, and Jehovah’s Witnesses).

Who is left who would choose not to obtain health insurance?

Theoretically, a fraction of a percentage of the population may be libertarian billionaires. They may currently choose to self-insure by assuming the risk of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket in the event that they need major medical care. Under health reform, they may still choose to remain uninsured by paying a tax penalty (which they could easily afford).

Who will be forced to purchase private health insurance? What constitutional rights are restricted? Whose freedom is threatened?

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Tax Day

David Campbell — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:36:29 +0000

Tax day is April 17, 2012.

Want to see where you tax money goes? Enter information from your tax return and find out.

UPDATE: 60% of Americans support the “Buffet Rule,” including 74% of Democrats, 63% of independents, and even 43% of Republicans.

UPDATE: Will Romney release 12 years of tax returns, as President Obama has done? Nah!

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Virginia Women for Obama

David Campbell — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:11:09 +0000

Women in Virginia now favor President Obama over Romney by 13 percentage points.

By allowing the Republican General Assembly to advance their right-wing social agenda, Gov. McDonnell may have handed Virginia to President Obama on a silver platter.

A similar trend is ocurring in other swing states.

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President’s Day

David Campbell — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:33:21 +0000

4 reasons Abraham Lincoln wouldn’t win the GOP nomination in 2012.

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Obama’s Long Game

David Campbell — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:20:48 +0000

I agree 100% with conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan, who effectively makes the case that President Obama’s critics (from the right and the left) are both objectively wrong, that Obama’s first term has been remarkably successful, and that Obama deserves reelection.

UPDATE: A list of President Obama’s top 50 accomplishments.

UPDATE: Or, if you prefer, the highlight reel.

UPDATE: And the “13 Keys to the White House” guarantees the win.

UPDATE: President Obama’s own look at the campaign ahead and the progressive case for his reelection.

UPDATE: Another highlight reel: Forward.

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LCV Scores

David Campbell — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:51:39 +0000

The new scorecard is out from the League of Conservation Voters. Here are the latest results from local Virginia members of Congress:

Name District Party 2011 111th Lifetime

Sen. Warner (D) 100% 94% 97%

Sen. Webb (D) 100% 83% 89%

Rep. Scott (VA-3) (D) 100% 96% 87%

Rep. Wittman (VA-1) (R) 34% 29% 31%

Rep. Rigell (VA-2) (R) 17% — 17%

Rep. Forbes (V-4) (R) 14% 4% 6%

District 2 went downhill from Rep. Nye (90%) to Rep. Rigell (17%).

Retiring Sen. Webb has an outstanding 89% lifetime score compared to the former (and aspiring) “Dirty Dozen” Sen. Allen’s 1%.

Protecting the environment we live in, including the water we drink and the air we breathe, is a very important issue for me and one of the reasons I vote for Democrats.

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Republican Governors improving the economy?

David Campbell — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:37:12 +0000

“Look, I’m glad the economy is starting to recover, but I think it’s because of what Republican governors are doing in their states, not because of the president.” – Gov. Bob McDonnell; CNN’s “State of the Union” 02/05/2012

Gov. McDonnell is clearly auditioning for the part of Republican Vice Presidential nominee, by publically displaying the irrationality the role requires: The economic recession (that began before Obama was elected) was entirely President Obama’s fault. The stimulus bill and other federal job-creation initiatives (that were unanimously opposed by Congressional Republicans) created zero jobs. The economic recovery in states with Democratic Governors is just luck, but Republican Governors deserve full credit for the economic recovery in their own states.

What, exactly, have Republican Governors done to create jobs? They have mostly instituted austere budget cuts that have resulted in state and local government layoffs. Of course, Virginia benefited from federal government spending that cushioned the impact of the recession.

UPDATE: Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 5.8 % in January. Gov. McDonnell took credit again.

UPDATE: Nationally, between October 2009 and the present, the unemployment rate has fallen from 10% to 8.1%. More than 4 million private sector jobs have been created, but a half million public sector jobs were lost due to budget cutbacks (like the ones Gov. Mcdonnell has implemented).

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Anti-Romney Team-Up?

David Campbell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:13:47 +0000

After failing to qualify for the Virginia Republican primary ballot, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum may ask their supporters to vote for Ron Paul in an attempt to deny Mitt Romney Virginia delegates. (In the open primary, Democrats and independents would be free to pile on as well.) With only two candidates on the ballot, whoever gets a majority receives all the Virginia delegates.

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Forbes v. Ward

David Campbell — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:17:49 +0000

Chesapeake City Councilwoman Ella Ward has announced her intention to run against Rep. Randy Forbes in (my own) 4th Congressional District.

Her candidacy may be considered a long-shot:

On the one hand, the district was held by moderate Democrat Norm Sisisky for 10 terms until his death. Forbes (who was then a state senator and Chairman of the state Republican Party) managed to win a low-turnout special election against state Sen. Louise Lucas 52-48% in 2001.

On the other hand, the Republican-dominated General Assembly has racially gerrymandered the district twice since then, methodically slicing black voters out of the 4th district and into Rep. Bobby Scott’s 3rd district. Rep. Forbes has either run unopposed or has dominated token candidates ever since.

Back on the first hand again, the district narrowly voted for Obama 50%-49% four years ago, and Obama will be back on the ballot this year in a high-turnout election. Also, Ward is the most credible candidate Rep. Forbes has ever had to face since taking office. She has already proven to be electable within the district. If this shapes up as a Democratic wave election, she may get swept in with the tide.

Rep. Forbes’ lifetime League of Conservation Voters score on protecting the environment is a truly abysmal 4%. He voted to privatize Medicare and repleace it with a voucher. His biggest legislative accomplishment was a nonbinding resolution redundantlyaffirming that ”In God We Trust” is still the national motto. I will be very happy to support Ward.

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