On The Spot

Spotsy GOP to Salsa Its Way to Victory with a Unique Idea: Ballroom Dancing Classes as a Fundraiser

2008-07-23T23:15:00.003-04:00

DANCE your way to helping the Spotsylvania County GOP!

Expert dance instructors Steve and Katherine Thomas are offering lessons in Salsa, Mambo, Waltz, Tango and other styles in three 2-hour sessions.

Enjoy one class or take all three at a savings!

Classes are Aug 6, 13, 20, 2008 at Colonial Circuits (on Route 17N in South Stafford across from Celebrate Virginia and Geico.)

100% of all proceeds will benefit the Spotsylvania Republican Committee!
{CLICK HERE FOR INFO & FLYER}

No experience? okay! No partner? okay! Two left feet? No problem! After a few hours with Steve and Katherine, you'll glide on your feet like Fred and Ginger.

Bring a check or pre-pay with credit card or check online at http://www.spotsygop.com/ by donating using our secure PayPal link.

B. Hussein Obama's Recent Vote on Your Tax Bracket- Surprise!? He Raised Taxes!

2008-07-12T07:36:00.002-04:00

From Doug Holtz-Eakin, Senior Policy Advisor for McCain:
In the past three days, much has been written about Barack Obama's vote in favor of a budget resolution that raises income tax rates by three percentage points for the 25, 28 and 33 percent tax brackets. The lowest of these brackets begins at an income level of $31,850.

To explain interrupting his campaign to cast this vote, Barack Obama and his campaign have offered the normal course of excuses and efforts to downplay his actions.

Most conspicuously, they are claiming that this vote is not what Obama promises on the campaign trail. This is true; his words do not match his actions. As FactCheck.org concluded, Barack Obama's vote on the FY 2009 resolution "bears no relation to [his] proposed economic plan." That point goes to the heart of the problem with Barack Obama. His words on the campaign trail do not match the actions he has taken.

He tells the American people one thing but has a record that is quite different.

The Obama campaign has also sought to downplay the importance of the vote. His chief economic adviser said that this was just "some Senate vote." If the vote truly had no meaning, why didn't he vote against it? It would have been a principled vote that rejected the notion that we should tax individuals earning as little as $32,000 a year.

Of course, as in the case of so many other issues, what Barack Obama says today about the vote does not match what he has previously said. When he voted for the resolution in March 2008, Barack Obama himself hailed the passage. He said it represented "significant progress in getting our nation's priorities back on track." If we are to believe Barack Obama's previous words, then taxing those with income as low as $32,000 represented "significant progress" and a national priority. This was hardly just "some Senate vote" for Barack Obama at the time he cast it.

While Barack Obama campaigns on a promise of no tax hikes for anyone but the rich, we once again find that his words are contradictory and that what he is saying on the campaign trail and what he has actually done in the Senate are two different things.

As in the case of his changing positions on the FISA bill, Iraq, public financing, town hall debates, the D.C. handgun ban, NAFTA, welfare reform, corporate taxes cuts and a host of other issues, Barack Obama's contradictory words on taxes are an issue of credibility. And on ensuring that we can grow our economy by keeping taxes low and more money in the pockets of taxpayers, Barack Obama has demonstrated that he has not earned the trust of American taxpayers.

HB6055: Letter from Tom Foley to Members of the VA House of Delegates

2008-07-09T10:29:00.001-04:00

Subject: Re: HB6055

Dear Republican Members of the House of Delegates:

This letter is sent after consultation with members of the First Congressional District Republican Committee. Unique among Virginia’s Congressional Districts, the First is the only Congressional District encompassing both HR/Tidewater and NoVa.

You are considering HB6055 which is such a disappointment. Much time and energy has been expended in trying to redefine or otherwise sugar coat what are in fact taxes or to reestablish agencies rejected by both the Voters and the Courts. Had that same amount of time been spent on trying to find a solution to the underlying problem, we all would have been better served.

At this point in our history, the price of energy and the subsequent lifestyle changes it has caused, with the resulting institutional, manufacturing and trade changes under way, show that you are dealing with yesterday’s problems - not today’s and not tomorrow’s.

Should this bill pass, you all will suffer at election time because the problems will not be solved and neither the Press nor your fellow Republicans will let you forget. More importantly, those of us in leadership roles in getting out the vote have seen volunteer participation both decline and turn against us due to your past legislation in this area.

Should you go down this path again, we can expect more of the same, with the first casualties being John McCain, and Jim Gilmore.

The continuing disruptions which will result from the cost of energy make it imperative that you all review our transportation, commuting, educational, and trading models before money gets thrown at problems no longer relevant to the Commonwealth’s present and future.

We have supported you in good times and bad. This, however, may go beyond anyone’s ability to justify or support in good conscience. It violates the pledges most of you took and it violates the Common Creed we as Republicans profess.

Roll up your sleeves and start dealing with the problems we are facing today and will be facing tomorrow. That is why we worked so hard to put you all in the majority. Your past actions, divorced from our common beliefs, are why you are barely in the majority, and why we have lost the Senate. Put Kaine and the Democrats on the defensive. Make us proud and vote this bill down!

Yours truly,

Thomas E. Foley
Chairman, First Congressional District Republican Committee

McCain Regional Republican HQ Open House is July 17

2008-07-09T09:31:00.003-04:00

Attention Fredericksburg Area Republicans!

Plan to attend this open house reception:

McCain Victory 2008

Regional Republican Headquarters

Thursday July 17, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
150 Riverside Parkway Suites 210-215

(Directions: Exit 133-B off I-95. Left at first light. Proceed 150 yards, turn left entering Riverside Business Park. Proceed to end of complex. Locate 4-story building on Right (faces I-95). Strayer College is on ground floor for reference. Take elevators to second floor.)

Attendees include: Congressman Rob Wittman, Delegate Mark Cole,
and other state and local offiicials.

Hors d'oeuvres and beverages served.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

While you're there, help support your local GOP committee and purchase some McCain Victory 2008 campaign gear!

www.NOVAGOP.com

Satanic Democrat Cult? Indeed! Dems can NEVER Call Republicans the Religious Ones After This ...

2008-07-03T10:46:00.006-04:00

As of yesterday, Democrats can never, ever, ever, ever say that Republicans are religious fanatics because we believe in honest ethical family values founded in Christian principles. After all, the U.S. Constitution was founded under these same guiding principles.

As Democrats continue to pander to the Culture of Death by enthusiastically supporting abortion, homosexual marriage and all angles of the liberal agenda to remove any word of ANY religion in schools or government (the pledge of allegiance, 10 commandments, manger scenes, Easter break, crosses from 300 year old colleges, prayer from legislative sessions), it seems that one organized party platform plank needs a bit of adjustment—the one that should read, "We the Democratic Party shall rape victims during our Satanic kidnapping escapades."

At a time when the U.S. Congress' majority party seems to be able to dominate the airwaves with reasons why we Republicans are "bigoted" for simply objecting to the Democratic nominee refusing to salute the American flag, having THREE Muslim names, having taken twenty years of spiritual guidance from a RELIGIOUS FANATIC, pals with Louis Farrakan, vowing to sit down and talk to known terrorists and enemies of our country, openly supporting abortion, being a philosophical Marxist, marking himself 'present' instead of voting on key issues as a NEW senator, promising to raise taxes to fund social programs for people unwilling to work, and the seemingly never ending reasons why Barack Hussein Obama is not only the figurehead, but the ring leader, of the ANTI-AMERICAN movement to SOCIALISM---{deeeepth breath} ...we now have this story to hold up high every time a liberal anti-religious elitist-Democrat even thinks about calling our party the party of "religious people". I say thanks- yes we are. But we're not the Satanic cult rapist kind.... that's the Democrats...

Never. Never again, can they call US the religious wackos because of the few (that are)... never... they now have their own "Craig" to contend with. This one's from North Carolina.

... Ever.

local TV Report

from World Net Daily:

The North Carolina case of an alleged satanic torture involving a Democratic Party official and her husband has now expanded to include a third suspect, an even higher-ranking Democrat.

Diana Palmer, the first vice-chairwoman of the Durham County Democratic Party, joins her political colleague Joy Johnson, the third vice-chairwoman of the party, and Johnson's spouse, Joseph Craig, in facing charges.

Palmer, 44, surrendered to police in Durham, N.C., this afternoon and was charged with being an accessory after the fact of assault with a deadly weapon. She's being held at the Durham County Jail under $95,000 bail.

Additional charges were also filed today against Johnson and Craig.

Craig, 25, is now charged with second-degree rape, second-degree forcible sexual offense, three counts of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for incidents in January and May. Johnson, 30, is charged with four counts of aiding and abetting, as she's accused of watching and encouraging her husband commit the alleged abuse of another couple who reportedly shared an interest in Satan worship.

According to broadcast and published reports, that couple was reportedly caged to learn more about satanic practices, but did not consent to physical abuse.

Craig allegedly shackled his victims to beds, kept them in dog cages and starved them inside his home. Police say he beat the man with a cane and a cord, and raped the woman.

Prosecutors today asked for higher bail for Craig and Johnson, but Judge Nancy Gordon refused, leaving Craig's bond at $500,000 and Johnson's at $270,000.

Also today, Durham County's Democratic Party disabled its website, but a cached version of its "Who We Are" page lists both Palmer and Johnson as top officials.

Someone claiming to be a friend of Palmer wrote on a message board of the Raleigh News & Observer:

I don't appreciate the implied connection in this story. Like many people who
know this couple, [Palmer] is in a state of shock, deeply distressed and
devastated that she was so misled by them. The connection between politics, a
satanic cult and the surreal nature of these crimes may be entertaining to some,
but I assure you it is causing many people a great deal of real pain,
particularly people like Diana with strong religious convictions. In short, many
people who trusted and believed in their integrity are feeling victimized by
this couple right now.

Along with their interest in the Democratic Party, Johnson and Palmer were part of a New Age website called "Indigo Dawn," a name which, according to the site, was given to Johnson during a meditation vision.

"She decided to explore the New Age community more, and after taking a course in Reiki healing, experiencing past-life regression along with direct guidance from her spirit guides, she confirmed that her destiny was to help bring about the New Age on Earth," Johnson's online biography states. "Joy shared her vision with her husband, Joe; as a result the Indigo Dawn was founded to raise the vibration of energy on Earth."

Among the services she offers online are "intuitive guidance, past-life regression, spirit guide communication and healing and cleansing."

"I was absolutely shocked and flabbergasted," State Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, told the Raleigh paper. "You never would have suspected allegations that she would have had any participation in these rituals."

Communist-Minded Stafford County Democrats Force More Taxes on Families During Economic Crisis; Is Enough "Ever" Enough For George Schwartz?

2008-07-02T09:24:00.005-04:00

Just like when a 12th Century king declares he wants a bigger bejeweled crown and some more wenches, so he sends a goon squad out to plunder his subjects and shake them until hidden coins fall out of their socks, so reigns Chairman George Schwartz in Stafford. "The subjects free will, be damned" you can almost hear him utter when the public hearing session began in a crammed-packed chambers.

If you like keeping some of your money, Stafford County may not be the right place for you. Regardless of your party affiliation yesterday, if it's not crystal clear that our homegrown crew of elitist Democrats will tax you into bankruptcy when times are good, and tax you even more when times are bad, then you just aren't living in reality anymore, and you certainly aren't living in Stafford County.

As if one should need any proof of this on a national level, "America's chickens have come home to roost" here in Stafford! And after they roost, they're going to eat your cat and steal your wallet.

Stafford County Democrats George Schwartz, Joe Brito, Bob Woodson and Harry Crisp have approved a highly controversial businesses tax, called the Business, Professional and Occupational License or "BPOL" in a meeting that stretched until later than 3:00 am!

These liberals call it a "revenue generator" for the cash-strapped jurisdiction, but let's be clear: RAISING TAXES IS NOT A REVENUE GENERATOR- it's a TAX INCREASE!

A revenue generator could be the world's largest ball of yarn at a two-seat diner along Route 1. Tourists come, spend their money, we tax them for pancakes, the diner employs people, they buy things, and the economy goes round and round. If we've planned our area correctly, the tourist might also decide to fill up with gas while he's here and "ooh" look at that, something to buy at the farmer's fruit stand across the street! ... more tax income and revenue generation for the county... The farmer gets so busy that he eventually sells to Giant Foods, and the Diner outgrows his two-seater and upgrades to an IHOP franchise a year later, and viola-a growing economy emerges from the FREE MARKET as it was always intended (I'm leaving out the part where Stalinistic building permits, Marxist zoning restrictions and hippy environmental lobyists restrict the sale of the grocery store to less than 10,000sf, and tell the diner owner what he can't do with his own property which results in a lawsuit that he eventually wins, but nevertheless slows the process to a grinding halt for 36 months just to get a siteplan review—but that's for another rant.)

What all Democrats seem to never grasp is that REDISTRIBUTING WEALTH is UN-AMERICAN and quite SOCIALIST! A tax on businesses is a TAX. It is something that someone else takes from you that they didn't earn. Taxing a business for the 15th time - literally, is no way to foster a healthy business economy.

After many DOZENS of people spoke out against this tax in person, they shoved it through anyway. The only people who spoke for it, were the usual crowd of liberals who offer the all famous lines, "someone should do something about our need for more cash." Isn't it amazing how that someone is always "someone else" whose checkbook must be opened? Not one supporter of BPOL offered an alternative.

How much combined business experience do to the elected board of supervisors have? On the Democrat side= ZILCH. All three Republicans have owned or currently own a business though! So we can very clearly see who understands the impacts of adding more taxes to a fragile balance of our local economy!

Perhaps we shouldn't be building $50,000,000 new schools when our student population is declining? Perhaps we shouldn't be using $60,000,000 to buy swamp land when we have dangerous roads to pave? Perhaps we shouldn't be building mega-million dollar police, fire & rescue headquarters buildings until we can afford it? Perhaps we shouldn't be restricting 12,000 acres from any development whatsoever if near a 15% grade? Perhaps we should be lobbying our state and federal boards for more of our own tax dollars to come back so we aren't a "donor" county and state for road money?

Perhaps we could use some of these savings to improve our infrastructure, invest in tourism initiatives and incentivize new businesses? Nnnaaahhhhh- Let's just raise the taxes on bread, daycare, gasoline, groceries, diapers, car repairs, water, eyeglasses, shoes, firewood and everything else people need. THAT'S what it means to be a Stafford Democrat apparently.

Beginning in 2010 (thank God for a small favor) the county will charge half the maximum rate allowed by state law. Gross receipts up to $200,000 will be exempt.

Now is the time for Democratic families to take a serious look at their values and consider that even if they 'like' big government spending, they may not be able to 'afford' it any more. After all, when is enough enough?

At what point in your tax level are you no longer a FREE WORKING AMERICAN? At what point are you a subservient socialist worker? We're already above the 50% mark of how much taxes you pay in total of your income! When do we start standing in lines for bread and socks?

The DMV is now charging you $5 to stand in line and talk to a live human teller! Someone remind me WHY WE NEED A DMV IN THE FIRST PLACE? My car runs just fine without a sticker on the windshield or a license plate on the back. Everything else is JUST ANOTHER TAX.

I've never seen so many NEW TAXES introduced during such a slow economy. My family is tightening up, why can't my government? I suppose it's just "someone else's job" to worry about that since our government is rapidly becoming no longer "of the people, by the people, and for the people", but rather, "tax the people, from other people, to my people."

Obama vs. McCain- Change is Certain with New Policies, Experience and Judgement.

2008-06-26T21:55:00.003-04:00

by Steven Thomas

Spotsylvania Republican

It seems to me that there are three things- and only three things- that count in having a good President: Policies, Experience and Judgement.

On policies, several things impress me about this race. One is that nearly every major policy proposal that has come out of this presidential campaign came from John McCain. Two of Obama's very few policy proposals are very Socialist in nature- government takeover of health care and government takeover of oil refineries. That's Socialism- and didn't we already learn
that doesn't work?

McCain will drill for more oil domestically while incentivizing more alternative energy and technology. He'll keep taxes low in a time of economic trouble, which is generally a wise idea. And he'd support General Petreus' winning strategy in Iraq- a man he's at least met, while Obama has not. McCain has given us the list of solutions to today's issues that you'd expect out of someone who'd run for major office more than once. Obama just seems to stand on a street corner and keep shouting "change". This makes me curious as to what precisely this "change" will mean to me in very concrete terms.

On experience- no contest. On one hand you have a senator first elected in 1984 who was also a War Hero and a Congressman and who serves on numerous important committees, having chaired several. It is also his second run for the presidency. He also has a seasoned track record of reaching across the aisle to get things done and takes very moderate positions on wide variety
of issues, ranging from campaign finance reform to taxes. On the other hand, you have a first-term senator who has never been re-elected to his own office, following his first-ever victory in a statewide election. He hasn't even completed 1/2 of his first term, chairs no committees and votes with his party leadership 100% of the time, when he bothers to vote (which is not often). He has authored exactly one piece of legislation on a very minor issue in three years in the Senate. Woe be to our country if this is deemed sufficient experience to competently govern one of the largest countries on Earth.

Finally, we have judgement. Obama votes with his party 100% of the time. He went back on his promise to abide by public financing rules, the first candidate in 30 years to do so. He not only voted against a bill banning partial birth abortions (a position supported by 75% of Americans) but he recently said that he'd counsel his daughters to have abortions rather than "punish them with a child". Punish them? And then you have the whole Rev. Wright issue. This guy is not only out of the American mainstream, but one has to seriously question his judgement on a consistent basis just from what we've seen so far.

We have seen the problem with a president who is blindly loyal, has no combat experience, is fiercely partisan and very vague on substance- are we ready to trade in the George W. Bush of the right for the George W. Bush of the left? I would say not. Obama has all of the character problems the current President has, except he's coming from a far left position. And this is change no-one can believe in. Even my wife, a hard-core Hillary supporter, is voting for Mac. And bringing together people is exactly what President McCain will do.

Pelosi & US House Democrats Block US Offshore Drilling for Oil! McCain Calls for End to Prohibited US Energy

2008-06-24T23:11:00.006-04:00

By H. Josef Herbert

House Democrats failed Tuesday to resurrect a bill to punish price gouging at the gas pump, while maneuvering to block Republican attempts to expand offshore drilling, an idea gaining in popularity amid $4-a-gallon gas prices.

Action on legislation that would assure continuation of the ban on oil and natural gas drilling in most of the country's coastal waters was put off until later this summer after it became increasingly clear that Republican lawmakers may have the votes to lift the drilling moratorium.

As Democrats prepared a string of energy proposals before lawmakers depart for the July 4 holiday recess, Republicans charged that they were being blocked from getting a vote on whether to end the ban on offshore oil and gas drilling.

Last week GOP presidential candidate John McCain as well as President Bush called for ending the blanket prohibition on energy development over 80 percent of the country's offshore waters. Republicans contend that the offshore bans should be ended to allow for more domestic oil and gas production, an argument that has gained support with $130-a-barrel oil raising the cost of everything from food to air travel.

The House Appropriations Committee has postponed consideration of an Interior Department spending bill that included continuation of the offshore drilling ban. Republicans had prepared a proposal that would have ended the ban and allowed oil and gas development 50 miles from shore in all U.S. coastal waters.

BPOL Tax; Bad for Stafford County, Bad for Businesses, Bad for Tax Coffers

2008-06-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

by Al King, Spotsy GOP Treasurer, as read in
The Free Lance-Star 06/24/08

BPOL Tax means Lower Value, Fewer Profits, Fewer Jobs

THE STAFFORD Board of Supervisors is considering adoption of a Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL) tax. This is a tax on gross receipts with no deductions and must be paid even if the business is losing money. Certainly there are pros and cons with regard to any tax. Proponents view BPOL as an untapped source of revenue. Opponents regard it as unfair, since even the unprofitable must pay.

Often overlooked in the debate is the impact of the BPOL tax on the value of individual businesses within the county. The value of a business often has to be determined for gift and estate taxes, and for the potential sale of the business. Adoption of the proposed BPOL tax will immediately lower the value of every business currently located in Stafford County.

This lower value might be desirable when paying estate taxes, but certainly will be unwelcome by any current owner contemplating selling his or her business to a new owner. The reason is simple and clear.

The value of any business today is based on future cash flow and profits it will generate. If a BPOL tax is adopted in Stafford, the approximately $4 million-plus of anticipated total revenue must come out of the owners' profits. Common sense suggests that the selling prices of goods and services in Stafford have to be competitive with those in other nearby localities. So adoption of the BPOL tax will not permit business owners simply to raise prices to offset the new tax. Instead the tax payments will directly reduce net profits.

Since the value of a business is a multiple of anticipated profits, and just as night follows day, the values will drop upon imposition of the new tax. The proposed BPOL has five different rates applied to gross receipts, depending on the nature of the business.

Wholesalers will pay $.025 per $100 of gross income, while professional services (doctors, lawyers, and accountants) will have to pay $.18 per $100 of revenue.

Based on the total revenue assumption of $4 million of total collections in Stafford, the net worth of business owners, taken in total, will immediately go down some $18 million at the proposed tax level. But there's an even greater potential for loss of value. A majority of Stafford County's supervisors have indicated a willingness to adopt BPOL rates that are one-half of the maximum allowed by the commonwealth. Should they decide in the future to raise those rates to the maximum, total business valuation losses could rise to more than $37 million.

Now, Stafford County residents who are not business owners may not feel much sympathy for those who are. This, however, is very shortsighted. Small businesses generate the majority of new jobs throughout the country. Stafford has been particularly favored as a site for new businesses, and one reason is that--unlike its neighbors--the county so far has not had a BPOL tax. Were the tax to be adopted, there would be no reason for new businesses to locate in Stafford, to enjoy lower operating costs and, hence, higher business values. Instead, the tax benefit will have disappeared, with a concomitant decrease in the propensity of new businesses to locate there.

It should always be remembered that business decisions are based on the margin, not on averages. Right now, Stafford County enjoys a competitive advantage, and this has shown up in the number of relatively new businesses located there. Giving up this competitive advantage means that in Stafford's future there will be fewer new businesses, and fewer employment opportunities.

As a resident of Spotsylvania County, which does have a BPOL tax, in theory I should welcome the downgrading of Stafford to our level. But as a believer in competition, as long as Stafford does not have a BPOL tax this will continue to put pressure on the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors to keep our taxes low. I would rather see Stafford maintain its competitive advantage because in the long run those of us in Spotsylvania will come out ahead.

-Al King lives in Spotsylvania County and has 40 years' experience as a business appraiser.

New RPV Chairman: Jeff Frederick!

2008-06-01T00:02:00.006-04:00

Here are the unconfirmed vote results of the RPV Chairman's race between Former Lt. Gov. Chairman John Hager and challenger Del. Jeff Frederick.

The results were never officially announced due to Chairman Hager's announcement that he would concede the race in advance of the results being called for. Considering a race had just ended between Gilmore and Marshall with the split being about a car load worth of votes, this was a nailbiter kind of day, and a bitterly fought campaign between the two chairman candidates.

Chairman-elect Frederick should bring a breath of fresh air to the old-guard mentality of the party. I for one am looking forward to some fresh ideas and new blood.

I pray this is the catalyst for change and a rallying point around new membership statewide. I know our county GOP board is working hard to bring new people into the party and expand our base. i hope you are doing YOUR part in bringing a friend to the next meeting too!

The unofficial, unconfirmed results I was given are as follows:

1st District : 579 - 544 Frederick
2nd District : 534 - 422 Hager
3rd District : 117 - 85 Hager
4th District : 426 - 275 Frederick
5th District : 576 - 508 Frederick
6th District : 772 - 285 Frederick
7th District : 908 - 709 Hager
8th District : 176 - 125 Frederick
9th District : 492 - 394 Frederick
10th District : 593 - 154 Frederick
11th District : 1267 - 433 Frederick

Total: 10,374 delegate votes= 6,097 Frederick (58.8%) v. 4,277 Hager (41.2%)

Gilmore Wins VA GOP Senate Convention- Attendance is Everything Folks!

2008-05-31T21:32:00.004-04:00

In the closest race I've seen in many years, Gov. Jim Gilmore's Goliath met his David today.

Jim Gilmore is officially the Republican nominee for the November, 2008 election running opposite of liberal tax hiker Mark Warner.

The convention, held at the Richmond Convention Center, was a "nearly" packed house of approximately 3,500 delegates who had volunteered to attend on behalf of their respective counties and districts.

Just about every major player in Virginia politics, past, present and future, was in attendance including Senator George Allen, Congressman Rob Wittman, Del. Mark Cole, Del. Bill Howell, Sen. Ken Cuccinelli and my good friends of The Jeffersoniad Blog Alliance whose appearance in numbers simply overshadow the "real" press.

Bloggers had numbers, results, opinions, humor, interviews in audio, video and print, all available in real time to the public whereas the newspapers were still scribbling in little notebooks writing stories you won't hear until tomorrow sometime!

TV was noticeably weak in attendance, but there were a few cameras, so you might see a snippet on the boob tube tonight, but I doubt it...

It was GREAT to see and meet a lot of the Virginia blogosphere in person for a change.

The crowd was vociferously in favor of Marshall. Based on decibel levels alone, I would have thought a 75-25 split was eminent. You already know, it wasn't. That was weird.

We were graced by a video made from President George W. Bush who spoke of keeping party unity, taxes low and a few other stock presidential speech items. It was long and frankly, old rhetoric.

Each county was given a total number of possible delegate votes based on its voting population. Each GOP committee nominated its delegates to attend the convention. No committee successfully put forth as many people as the the possible votes they were allotted, so the delegates who signed up basically represented those who didn't bother to. Furthermore, those delegates who actually attended the convention got to vote in proportion to the total number of allotted delegate slots.

Some counties had a few hundred possible delegate positions to carry one vote each, but only a few dozen signed up to be delegates and therefore those few dozen voted for the rest. On the day of the convention, of those few dozen who signed up, only a handful showed up, and thus there were instances where a single attendee's appearance and single ballot carried the weight of as many as 30 delegates!

Spotsylvania and Stafford, part of the First District, had some of the highest Marshall supporting vote ratios in the county itself but the overall number of district-wide delegate votes was what made the difference, and the Henrico area of the 7th District had some of the highest for Gilmore.

For example, if County ABC had 150 total delegate votes and 100 showed up with 90 voting for Marshall, then Bob has 135 out of 150 votes (each delegate weights as 1.5 votes), and County DEF had 100 possible delegate votes and only 2 people showed up and voted for Gilmore, then 100 votes went to Gilmore. Thus 2 people carried the weight of 50 votes each in the second county compared to 90 people only weighing 1.5 votes each.

In that example, had ONE extra person showed up in the second county for Marshall, it would have made the vote 66 votes for Gilmore and 33 for Marshall. Had two shown up, it would be 50-50!

You can see how IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE WAS in this convention!

Bob Barry, a dropped third candidate, received 22 delegate votes from a single district. These votes would have almost certainly been for Marshall, but were disqualified from being counted, and a re-vote was not authorized but Chairman Hager (who lost badly to Jeff Frederick, our new state GOP chairman.) This was a small factor in delegate vote losses for Marshall.

Gilmore outspent Marshall 14:1 and got quite the jump start by about nine months since Del. Marshall was prohibited from campaigning and fundraising while the House of Delegates is in session. This isn't meant to be an excuse, but it was a factor.

Gilmore's refusal to change his lifetime of advocating for life itself not beginning until the 8-12 week point in development, thus allowing abortions to occur until that time, will likely never earn him favor with pro-lifers.

He has several other chinks in his armor to overcome that have been aired in this campaign and in his brief presidential bid in 2007. Warner is waiting to exploit these weaknesses and Jim's virtually broke campaign as of now. Gilmore spent nearly a million dollars during this year long ramp up campaign and has nearly nothing on hand at this point. Warner, however, has amassed 3 million dollars and has no opposition to worry about in his party.

Conservatives and core-value loyalists will have to decide between now and November, if Gilmore is "close enough" to conservative to earn their vote or not. The alternative of course is liberal tax-raiser Mark Warner for six years in the U.S. Senate. One hopes that will be enough to turn out the vote when there are few to no state or local races to bring out the grassroots.

We must however, remember to re-elect U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman, so do make it a point to vote if he's your federal congressman!

This is the breakdown of delegate votes per district (not the number of people who voted, but the total weighted votes that were cast):

Thanks to Bearing Drift blog for his dedication and hard work live at the convention and recording these votes!

1st: 643.27-490.73 for Marshall (confirmed)
2nd: 612-345.6 for Gilmore (confirmed)
3rd: 121.83-75.16 for Gilmore (confirmed)- ABOUT SEVEN VOTE DIFFERENCE!
4th: 382.53-319.45 for Marshall (confirmed)- FIVE VOTE DIFFERENCE!
5th: 666.17-419.65 for Gilmore (confirmed)
6th: 530.62-507.47 for Gilmore (confirmed)- TWO TO THREE VOTE DIFFERENCE!
7th: 1035.79-581.52 for Gilmore (confirmed)
8th: 156.96-145.04 for Gilmore (confirmed) -- ONE VOTE DIFFERENCE!
9th: 551.78-335.22 for Gilmore (confirmed)
10th: 584.5-160.5 for Marshall (confirmed)
11th: 1137-577 Marshall (confirmed)

After the announcement of Jim Gilmore's win, a pre-made video diary of Jim's life was played on the big screens. It was LONG to say the least and its audio was like that of a 7th grade science class video on the forming of a star. "Wake me when it's over", I told my wife.

A very nice, and again very LONG video honoring Jo Ann Davis' memory was aired having been introduced by her successor Rob Wittman.

Note to whomever hired this media company- DUMP THEM. The videos aren't interesting and they are very old fashioned. I think the soundtrack was from the 84 Olympics! You will never win the hearts and minds of young people with this type of video style. It's more interesting to watch grass grow. Whomever you get to do future videos- make them SHORTER also! Two words: "MTV Generation".

Bob Marshall shook Jim Gilmore's hand and congratulated him, then took the stage and told us to "beat Mark Warner" at the end of a brief speech and thanking his family, staff and hundreds of grassroots volunteers. They really did a great job with the time and resources they had, and this effort will not go unnoticed. In fact, it will be sorely missed by future campaigns of candidates with lesser qualities and qualifications.

Bob Marshall is still serving us as a Virginia delegate from Prince William County. He brought us a 7-0 win in a lawsuit that challenged HB3202 (abusive driver fees and unelected tax hiking authority), the Marriage Amendment, and many other success stories during his 17 year (so far) service to Virginia's House of Delegates.

Thank you Bob for all you've done for the party, Virginia and the pre-born. Your principled leadership, accomplishements and steadfast loyalty and understanding of the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions are now legendary.

You're a patriot in every sense of the word.

You didn't lose today, we, as voting self-proclaimed conservatives, let you down. I'm personally very sorry for that.

... Gilmore wins: 5,222.73 to 5,156.97

ONE SMALL FAMILY'S VOTES would have made the difference in a Marshall Victory.

Did you show up?

Cross posted on Rappahannock Red and Bloggers for Bob

Gilmore Exposed on his Social Policies in Newspaper

2008-05-30T17:45:00.004-04:00

From the Free Lance-Star:

“In a nearly hour-long interview in his campaign consultant’s Richmond office last week, Gilmore talked about social issues only when asked, saying that he has “shown a record of being concerned” about pro-life and pro-family topics. But what he really wants to talk about is gas prices, energy and taxes.”
“Gilmore has advocated waiting periods for abortions and outlawing partial-birth, late-term abortions. Marshall supporters also oppose Gilmore’s position on the board of Barr Labs, which makes the emergency contraceptive pill Plan B.”
From: Rappahannockred.com

Jack Fowler, Publisher of National Review Endorses Bob Marshall

2008-05-30T15:23:00.005-04:00

Jack Fowler, publisher of National Review, had this to say about our little Senate race in a Comment on Jim Bowden’s blog:

I am the publisher of National Review, so I believe I have some conservative credentials. And a long time ago I was a member of the Spotsylvania Republican Party.
That said, I support Bob Marshall as THE conservative candidate, and I have put my money where my mouth is. Go Bob!

Indeed, the record shows he gave $250 to Bob’s campaign. Many thanks, Jack!

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

"Work to the Rule" Terrorists are in Stafford Schools— Is Spotsy Next?

2008-05-18T10:21:00.009-04:00

Who's running Stafford schools? Terrorists are, apparently if the current Stafford Education Association threat sees the light of day.

Teachers are generally underpaid (starting salary $37k but they peak at $75k), I hope we can all agree on that. School administrators are woefully over-paid (median salary $100k). School administrators set the salaries, raises and benefits of the teachers and employees; the School Board just votes yes or no on it. The SEA doesn't want you to know that because they aren't always in agreement with the administrators good choices to balance a budget for example, and it's much easier to herd sheep to rail against a 'board' rather than a decision or the concept of accountability in public spending.

No one ever stops the SEA from donating their salaries to the teachers to make up for the cash they say is missing. That's simply because they want YOU to give up YOUR family's cash in lieu of their own.

It's real easy to spend other people's money isn't it SEA?

Adminitstrators, like our own Superintendent Jerry "I'll sue you" Hill (paid more than $240k) demand more cash from parents and taxpayers every single budget cycle, never less, always more... LOTS more. But they give themselves raises, BIG RAISES every single year; and the teachers are tossed a scrap once in a while. The groundskeepers and custodians are tossed even less, and the bus drivers are all but forgotten.

So one would think that I'm about to advocate for a teacher's raise, and I would, BUT not in the form of a TERRORIST-taking of what I worked hard for MY family to have. I work 10 hour days plus a commute. I don't get weekends off quite often, I don't have a planning period, I'm not home by 3pm, I don't have a few months to myself in the summer, and I've never been offered 1-2 days off every couple months so I can plan my upcoming work days, I work most holidays, and I'm thankful for the job I have. Are you in a similar situation? Most working adults are.

The Stafford Education Association, an embarrasement to all its education-related members, is telling their members that they need to just work what's in their contract: a 7.5 hour day, and nothing more, until they get raises. The Cost of Living raises they just got weren't good enough.

I'd be FIRED if I tried this crap at my job! And that's exactly what I hope the Stafford school administrators do— fire the lazy, and disband the ridiculous SEA that creates nothing and takes from the teachers themselves to feed their own greed.

Thankfully, according to this Free Lance-Star article, written by a real school reporter, not all teachers feel the same way the SEA does.

Only about 54% of Stafford teachers belong to the SEA, and of the SEA members, only 80% agree with the "work to the rule" method of terrorism. This breaks down to 43% of the employed teachers in Stafford support this effort and 57% DO NOT. If this were an election, it would be a huge upset against the SEA.

To non-SEA teachers: be it forever known that you are IN THE MAJORITY- you DON'T HAVE TO BOW TO THE LIBERAL SEA.

ALL TEACHERS: The SEA is in trouble and NEEDS MORE OF OUR CASH to support itself! The way they get cash is by increasing membership; which increases dues paid. Then they increase dues by a seemingly miniscule amount, which pads their pockets and when done in volume adds up fast. If teachers get 'a raise', no matter how small, the SEA claims they got it for you, and asks for MORE of your money to fight the next fight or cover costs to get you your raise. Think about it- what DO THEY REALLY DO FOR YOU??

If you don't think the Spotsy Education Association which includes Ed Houck's wife aren't salivating at the future results of this minority attempt to hijack Stafford's tax dollars, just wait— it's coming to Spotsylvania next ... from Sunday's Free Lance-Star:

Some Stafford County teachers, upset that they won't receive cost-of-living raises next school year, will protest the budget by working less.

At a meeting last week, Stafford Education Association President Jannette Martin told the School Board about the organization's plan to "work to the rule" starting tomorrow.

The campaign, called "Restore Our Value," urges teachers not to exceed the 71/2-hour day required by their contracts. That means they won't do any unpaid work, such as tutoring.

The SEA doesn't know how long the protest will last. About 1,000 of Stafford's 1,866 teachers belong to the group. A little more than 80 percent of SEA members who responded to a survey wanted to enact "work to the rule," Martin said. They also plan to hold what the SEA is calling "media events."

"We want to make it clear that even though it was the lack of cost-of-living raise that spurred this action plan, the issues go much deeper," Martin told the School Board on Tuesday.

Over the past three years, she said, the Board of Supervisors hasn't given the division enough money to meet the needs of schools. Board of Supervisors Chairman George Schwartz has said the protest is an issue between teachers and the School Board.
...READ MORE >

For those of you who don't remember what "media events" were the last time they did this, the SEA sends home letters in the kids' backpacks essentially saying that the schools will come to a halt and they won't have any teachers left to teach if they don't get their money. You might also remember the "funeral for schools" flop of theirs too.

They hold press conferences that no one attends but the media where they make all kinds of accusations and threats against the School Board and parents to make their case. You might recall the protest "health proposals equal discrimination" they did a few years ago to call attention to wanting 100% premiums for health insurance paid for. I'm a little forgiving on this one since the pay is indeed lower than it should be, but my family doesn't have free health insurance yet, so I have a hard time advocating for others to.

This is not collective bargaining methodology when it comes to kicking parents when they're down already, saying nothing to the fact that Virginia is not a unions-only state, we're a right-to-work state.

However, this is a great example of what happens when you feed liberal spend-0-crats more money— they just keep eating it up and DEMANDING more. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

10,519 VA GOP Delegates for the May 30 Convention. 60% are for Marshall and 60% are for Gilmore?

2008-04-28T06:39:00.000-04:00

It's a little early to be claiming victory, but that's just what Gilmore's camp is doing in press releases and blogs, and still in FLS interviews today.

Using his own math and presumptions however, I would recommend they refrain from such confidence so early on.

I've done a little polling myself, and found that the region we live in, seems quite a bit more tilted toward Marshall than Gilmore's crowd will admit. In fact, where Gilmore claims a 60% lead, I would be fairly confident in saying it's closer to 80% for Marshall.

If they're puffing numbers in other areas as well, this could prove to be a marketing disaster for Gilmore.

I like both candidates very much, and either would be a warm welcome to the US Senate compared to Mark "I'll raise every tax I can" Warner, but given the choices, vote counting credibility and steadfast principles will play a large part in my decision of who I support.

I'm also a big fan of not scrambling children's bodies with sharp instruments at any age, and only one of the candidates will hold up to the scrutiny of being 100% pro-life from conception onward.

Only one never voted for a tax increase, and one grasped the constitution well enough to fight and win, single-handedly, the reversal of the illegal HB3202 which I was ardently opposed to from its inception.

So brace yourselves fellow Republican delegates, for we're about to get another slew of campaign material in our mailboxes for the next few weeks! Do take the time to read it all over, and make your decision based on what principles are important to your family.

Then, no matter who wins, be prepared to accept that result and let's move forward into November as a unified force and defeat Mark Warner together!

Liberal Hate Monger Bill Maher Calls the Pope a Pedophile and Nazi!

2008-04-20T02:13:00.003-04:00

Outrageous stuff even for Bill Maher.

Conservatives are calling for his head (again) and may get it this time.

See the video for yourself, and decide if you want to live a county full of liberals like him or not. Get involved with your area GOP if you don't.

You don't have to be Catholic to know this is over the line, but hey— "...when good men do nothing..." you get Democrats in charge.

Will you make any difference in 2008?

When can you expect your IRS Rebate Check?

2008-04-11T07:43:00.005-04:00

"When can I receive my IRS Stimulus Rebate Check?"

Take the last two numbers in the primary filer's social security number and see below:

#00 through 09: May 16
10 through 18: May 23
19 through 25: May 30
26 through 38: June 6
39 through 51: June 13
52 through 63: June 20
64 through 75: June 27
76 through 87: July 4 (not likely in the mail "actually" that day!)
88 through #99: July 11

They will come earlier if you filed your 2007 taxes via electronic direct deposit.

However, Democrats have three options:

1) Democrats will need to sign the back of their check and return it to the IRS promptly so that they can put their money where their mouth is and make ridiculous entitlement government programs "fully funded" finally. After all, we're talking about $1.5 billion dollars coming back to American taxpayers, and you don't want that to happen. It would be like stealing from "other people's" money.

2) Spotsylvania Democrats, who make up the entire school board and now the majority of the Board of Supervisors, can sign the backs of their checks and return them directly to the school board. This way, the children whom you profess to always be in harm's way if MORE cash isn't poured immediately into the school system, will be fully protected from this horrific budget cut known by Republicans as a balanced budget with accountability to taxpayers.
You'll be a hero among your peers and "Doctor" Jerry Hill will personally hit a golf ball in your honor at his next teacher work day planning session.

If the 20,000 Democrat households in Spotsy gave their rebate check back to the schools where you keep saying it always belongs, we would have more than $20 million invested for "our future". Heck, we could almost build another empty school for that much!

Since Don Holmes reads this blog nearly every day, I'd like to take this moment to give a shout-out to "The Donald". Sup D?

3) And Democrats will hate this choice:

ADMIT that all YOUR tax money paid to the government was YOURS to begin with,
and that this rebate is YOUR cash (not a federal cookie jar program for the lazy, the illegal, and to serve the pleasure of the Washington elitists of any party),
admit that it feels GOOD to see your cash again,
admit that it would be nice to see this much cash returned every few MONTHS and not squandered by UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS that our government has no business providing in the first place,

... and maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that you may actually grasp what REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR DECADES about the ever growing appetite of government and wasteful projects!

You could even grasp that this massive pre-paid "rebate"— $1,500,000,000.00— is not even a drop in the bucket compared to the spending each and every year on subsidy programs for the lazy and unwilling to work (NOT the unable to work like wounded veterans for example-they get a check.)

... not willing to go as far as option 3? Then you would be a BAD DEMOCRAT for not choosing 1 or 2, and an absolute HYPOCRITE for considering keeping the money— because you still think it's your duty to give 65% of your paycheck to the government (Like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton say you should). ... and if that's accurate, then the rebate money doesn't belong to you now does it? So you should return it to its rightful owners.

I'll be waiting for my check patiently, thank you very much. It's my money, and the feds shouldn't have had it in the first place!

I hope you enjoyed this little exercise and now believe that even if you don't consider yourself a card-carrying Republican all the time, you certainly don't consider yourself a Socialist/Democrat.

Visit http://www.irs.gov/ if you have any questions about your rebate. This easy to navigate website was brought to you by your tax dollars.

Spotsylvania County GOP Announces New Chairman

2008-04-08T06:46:00.001-04:00

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

CONTACT: Herb Lux, Vice Chairman

540-786-7650

hlux@spotsygop.com

http://www.spotsygop.com

Spotsylvania, VA April 8, 2008–Spotsylvania Republicans gathered at their annual mass meeting April 5th and elected Livingston District resident Bryce Reeves as the committee’s new chairman.

Robert Stuber, the previous chairman, was recently appointed as the Vice Chairman of the 1st Congressional District Republican Committee and announced he would not seek another term as county chairman. Stuber supported Reeves’ candidacy and said he is pleased with the outcome of the election.

Reeves brings tireless energy, experience and proven leadership to the position being vacated by Stuber. His goals are to unify the Republican base in Spotsylvania County and bring more people into the Party to have an impact within the community of Spotsylvania County.

Reeves said, “I’m excited about getting to work on behalf of my fellow county Republicans and taxpayers. The time to bring leadership and fiscal discipline to the tax-and-spend mentality is now. We’re at a pivotal moment in our county’s delicate economy. Where we go from here in 2008 will chart the course for the next several years.

“I’m encouraged by the large number of recent membership applications to the GOP committee. This tells me that the local party is energized and more people are realizing that now is the time to get engaged.”

For additional information, please visit http://www.spotsygop.com/ or call Herb Lux, Vice Chairman of SRC at (540) 786-7650.

# # #
LINK TO PDF VERSION

When Our Newspaper Editor Thinks Too Much

2008-04-07T06:39:00.001-04:00

I cracked open my (free online copy of) The Free Lance-Star today and couldn't help but laugh at the op-ed [here].

What a surprise to learn that my local newspaper editor is now an expert in rural planning and development practices! Moreover, he appears to know more than our elected officials combined and hold such a large crystal ball that he also knows more than the majority of the voters who elected these same leaders.

It must be an amazing thing to posses such vision and acumen and yet be held back by such trivial restraints such as, well, the fact that you aren't elected with solving these particular issues by the people who are most affected by them, and my meddling with the local government's decisions on the only large soapbox that we have is both irresponsible and dangerous! Never mind that no one asked you in the first place.

But then again, it's the Free Lance-Star, and the locals in these two districts especially, must surely know better than to believe the words printed in it—except for the date—they are factual and neutral about that.

It's beside the point that I happen to agree with the bulk of the opinion (that Berkeley and Livingston should remain largely rural as its resident majority wish), but I find it amazing that a NEWSpaper should get so involved in the micro-economic concerns of a specific county's districts.

Although if he happens to crack the code for making our housing values go back up, stimulate housing sales, recruits a single business to the county that employs people at greater than minimum wage, figures out a way to put a muzzle on Jerry Hill's outrageous fleecing of our county treasury, boosts tourism spending by 10%, or can opine his way into a bridge being built to connect Route 3 and Route 17 North—then I'll personally run his campaign for free!

Maybe it's time we put up "Elect Paul Akers- Landlord of Lord Spotswood's former territory" stickers on our cars?

What do you think?

Attorney General McDonnell Announces Settlement with Auto Title Lender Auto Cash Title Loans Agrees to Make Refunds to Eligible Consumers

2008-03-25T12:33:00.002-04:00

For Release: March 25, 2008 / Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson /Website: www.vaag.com / Phone: 804-786-2071 / Email: Tucker.Martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us

Attorney General McDonnell Announces Settlement with Auto Title Lender Auto Cash Title Loans Agrees to Make Refunds to Eligible Consumers

RICHMOND – Attorney General Bob McDonnell has reached a settlement for violations of Virginia ’s Consumer Finance Act with Auto Cash Title Loans, LLC, an automobile title lender operating in Richmond and Spotsylvania .

“I am pleased we were able to reach a fair and reasonable agreement with Auto Cash to provide refunds and other relief to affected Virginians,” McDonnell said.

Auto Cash generally makes loans to consumers which are secured by a motor vehicle title. Since June 2007, Attorney General Bob McDonnell has successfully negotiated settlements with six automobile title lenders. These settlements have provided the following total relief to consumers:

$458,668 in refunds to 2,637 borrowers;
$1,926,969.88 in forborne deficiency collection from 2,944 defaulting borrowers who had their vehicles repossessed; and
$5,089,354.09 in forborne interest collection from 9,624 borrowers.

The civil settlement with Auto Cash Title Loans LLC is in the form of a Consent Judgment that has been filed with the Richmond Circuit Court for approval.

According to the Complaint, Auto Cash’s violations occurred between January 2006 and June 2007. During this time, Auto Cash charged its borrowers interest rates that exceeded statutory limits in the Consumer Finance Act. Unless exempt, that Act prohibits unlicensed lenders from charging and receiving annual interest exceeding 12 percent on consumer loans.

The settlement includes the following key terms relating to future loans and title loans made by Auto Cash during the period in question:

A permanent injunction preventing Auto Cash from violating the Consumer Finance Act in the future by charging and receiving interest in excess of 12 percent on consumer loans, unless Auto Cash is otherwise exempt by statute;
Auto Cash agrees to make refunds totaling $25,137.44 to 115 borrowers for finance charges paid on loans paid in full during the first 60 days after the loan was made;
Auto Cash agrees not to collect deficiency amounts totaling $33,550.31 owed by 76 borrowers who obtained loans, later defaulted on those loans, and whose vehicles were repossessed;
Auto Cash agrees not to collect $89,075.00 in interest owed by 40 borrowers who obtained loans, later defaulted on those loans, and whose vehicles were not repossessed;
Auto Cash agrees not to collect $200,629.36 in interest owed by 132 borrowers who obtained loans and are current on monthly payments;
Auto Cash agrees not to repossess vehicles belonging to borrowers who obtained loans during the relevant period; and
Auto Cash agrees to pay $15,000 for reimbursement of the Commonwealth’s attorney’s fees.

The Attorney General’s Office will be monitoring the compliance phase to ensure that the settlement is properly administered.

Consumers who have questions about the settlement may contact Auto Cash directly: (804) 745-9007 in the Richmond area, and (540) 507-4080 for the Spotsylvania store. Under the settlement, Auto Cash must accept settlement-related collect calls from consumers residing outside of the local calling area.

###

"Why didn't you use that money wisely last year?"; Culpeper BOS Manhandles Spendy School Board!

2008-03-19T06:27:00.003-04:00

One of the best lines I've ever hear coming from a Supervisor! If only Spotsy Supervisors were so courageous... but then again, you probably aren't telling them to stop spending your money–are you?

from today's Free Lance-Star:
After hearing School Board Chairman George Dasher spend nearly two hours defending a $6.7 million FY-09 budget increase, Supervisor Tom Underwood was brutally honest.

"Given the tax increase necessary relative to the current economic situation, I don't believe [$6.7 million] is affordable," Underwood said. "In fact, I don't think half that amount is affordable."

Then Underwood asked Dasher, "Do you have a contingency plan for lower levels of funding?"
"A lot of things are being explored," Dasher replied, "including the possibility of not opening one of the two new schools."

The School Board's $75.7 million funding request came at the end of a long day for the Board of Supervisors, who yesterday spent eight straight hours listening to various county departments ask for money for next year.

When it came to the school system, which consumes the lion's share of the county's budget, the supervisors were not in a very good mood.

Supervisors Sue Hansohn and Steve Nixon reminded Dasher that the school system got almost $3 million in new money last year and they chose to give teachers and administrators an 8 percent to 10 percent raise.

"You're coming in here and asking for $6.7 million when you could have used some of that money," Nixon said.

"Why didn't you use that money wisely last year?" he asked, reminding the School Board chairman that his body knew a year ago that two new schools would be opening this year.
Supervisor Larry Aylor followed suit, saying, "I don't think that [8 percent in raises] gives the kids a better education."

Aylor also said he was tired of hearing "the School Board say that we have to compete with [school systems] up north."

Nixon also said that he couldn't justify teachers getting a 1.5 percent step raise when all other county salaries were frozen.

READ MORE...

How NOT to Write a Press Release and Attract Conservative Voters

2008-03-13T09:34:00.001-04:00

This is however, exactly how to get fired if you wrote this for a campaign I worked on... the word "smarmy" comes to mind, not "savvy".

GILMORE CAMPAIGN DEMANDS BOB MARSHALL APOLOGIZEAND STOP ATTACKING PRO-FAMILY LEADERS

ALEXANDRIA - The U.S. Senate campaign of former Gov. Jim Gilmore today demanded that Del. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William, who is also seeking the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, apologize and stop attacking Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, and the long list of prominent pro-family Republican leaders who are supporting Jim Gilmore.

“To say that Jim Gilmore or the many prominent Republican leaders who support him have a “death wish” or are not pro-life is, at best, ill informed and, at worst, out of control political opportunism,” Gilmore’s campaign manager, Dick Leggitt, said. “Del. Marshall’s unfortunate attacks on these distinguished Virginians are repugnant.”

“Del. Marshall should apologize to the Republican leaders he has unfairly attacked and take a moment to remember the alternative is electing Mark Warner to the U.S. Senate to vote with liberals Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Chris Dodd and Ted Kennedy on this and other important issues like taxes, spending and national security.”

“It’s a shame that Del. Marshall’s rhetoric is becoming so overheated. He needs to remember that the goal of Virginia’s nominee is to defeat liberal Mark Warner in November,” Leggitt continued. “The fact is, the objective of this campaign is to prevent liberal Democrats like Mark Warner from taking complete procedural control of the U.S. Senate. To that end, it would be helpful if Del. Marshall would either come in out of the sun or put on a hat.”

“Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Atty. Gen. Bob McDonnell and the more than 30 pro-family Republican leaders who are actively supporting Jim Gilmore as the Republican candidate who can defeat liberal Mark Warner know that as Governor of Virginia , Jim Gilmore stood for the preservation of traditional family values time and time again,” Leggitt said.

“These Republican leaders know Governor Gilmore is the only active statewide Republican leader who has carried the state twice and carried Northern Virginia twice and they also know he pushed through successful legislation that created a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion,” Leggitt said.

“Governor Gilmore successfully worked for legislation which required parental notification for minors seeking an abortion and helped enact legislation which banned partial birth abortion. He also created the Virginia Abstinence Initiative, dramatically increased funding for adoption services and signed into law legislation banning human cloning,” Leggitt said.

######

VA Ranks 49th Now

2008-03-06T06:09:00.000-05:00

According to this Free Lance-Star article, Virginia now has the second lowest number of Union workers in the country, and it's been on the decline since the early 1990's.

Perhaps we have a declining manufacturing sector where these jobs traditionally are, but no area has a net financial benefit from Union presence as a whole (Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh come to mind). So we can count this on the 'pros' side of the column for economic development attractions.

Bob Marshall may be Unconventional, but He's a Conservative!

2008-02-27T16:36:00.002-05:00

Our little race in Virginia is catching some national news as in today's Washintgon Times.

Both sides can spin this article for positive gain. But both would have to agree that Bob Marshall has a more solid conservative voting record.

{READ MORE}