Daily Archives: August 7, 2012

Harry Reid's really been on a roll the past week or so. First, he's got Republicans panties all in a twist about Willard "Mitt" Romney's taxes, and specifically why Romney won't release them to show how much - if anything - he's paid. Now, as if that's not good enough, Reid has made one of the strongest statements I've ever heard from a top U.S. government official - in this case the Senate Majority Leader - about global warming. Here's the excerpt that particularly kicks a** (bolding added by me for emphasis). Go Senator Reid!

Scientists say this is genesis - the beginning. The more extreme climate change gets, the more extreme the weather will get. In the words of one respected climate scientist: "This is what global warming looks like."

Dozens of new reports from scientists around the globe link extreme weather to climate change. Not every flood or drought can be attributed to human-induced transformation of our planet's weather patterns. But scientists report that these extreme events are dozens of times more likely because of those changes.

The seriousness of this problem is not lost on your average American. A large majority of people finally believe climate change is real, and that it is the cause of extreme weather. Yet despite having overwhelming evidence and public opinion on our side, deniers still exist, fueled and funded by dirty energy profits.

These people aren't just on the other side of this debate. They're on the other side of reality.

It's time for us all - whether we're leaders in Washington, members of the media, scientists, academics, environmentalists or utility industry executives - to stop acting like those who ignore the crisis or deny it exists entirely have a valid point of view. They don't.

In short, it's time for everybody to start treating deniers of global climate chaos the same we treat people who deny that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, or people who claim the moon landings were a hoax, whatever. They're completely invalid, not even worthy of mentioning, except perhaps as an example of a minority of humans acting like complete fools, lunatics, etc.

Nailed it.

Here are a few Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, August 7.

*Romney outpaces Obama in race for election cash (Time for Democrats to crank up donations to the Obama campaign.)
*McDonnell VP buzz starts back up (Oh, PLEASE pick T-Bob, that would be hilarious!)
*Virginia won't further probe charges of illegal voter registration
*Va board seeking probe of Goode ballot signatures
*Advertising, Circulation Declines at the Post (The Kaplan Post, in spite of Kaplan keeping it afloat, continues to slowly circle the drain...)
*Tim Kaine talks economy, retirement security in Northern Virginia
*Looming federal cuts haunt budget officials
*Dulles Rail awards contracts to 2 insiders (MWAA=Corrupt Cesspool)
*Karen Kwiatkowski: Goodlatte flip-flops on ethanol
*Delegate suggests compensation for forced sterilization
*Romney to stop in Ashland on Saturday (The pathological liar and tax dodger comes to Virginia. Oh joy!)
*Fairfax County executive asks agencies to prepare for budget cuts
*McDonnell in Va. Beach today to sign DUI bill
*Editorial: A driver's license for DREAMers ("Allowing young immigrants a license or ID is a logical extension of a compassionate new federal policy.")
*Regent U. objects to proposed Georgia college name
*Gymnast Gabby Douglas looks to medal in final Olympic event today
*Nationals escape 11-inning slog vs. Houston, the worst team in league

Hey Friends.  

It's been a LOOOONG while since I posted here, but I had a personal/political experience that I thought might interest the community.  

As any of you who are Facebook "friends" with me will attest, since leaving Virginia politics for the private sector, I've remained prolific in my political postings on Facebook. My goal there has been twofold: 1) promoting progressive politics; and 2) engaging across party lines to refute the egregious excesses of conservatism.  

Well, my days "engaging across party lines" ended today.  Click below and I'll explain why I'm done, and why this in itself is a victory for the forces of bigotry and greed swarming this nation under the name of "conservatism".

CONSERVATISM AND OUR DIVIDED NATION

It was the election of 2000 that really snapped me into politics.  I couldn't believe the injustice of the situation. I couldn't believe that for all of the patent lies told, half the country seemed happy to believe them.