Daily Archives: February 7, 2014

From Progress Virginia:

Bill increases disclosure but fails to ban gifts 

Richmond, VA – The House Courts of Justice Committee this afternoon advanced an amended version of HB1211, the ethics omnibus bill. While the bill will increase disclosure through an online database of filings and lowered disclosure thresholds, the committee failed to take any action to close the glaring gift loopholes ProgressVA previously noted in the bill.

HB1211 as reported continues to differentiate between tangible and intangible gifts, and only applies the $250 ban to tangible gifts. As ProgressVA demonstrated in a report released last month, approximately 2% of gifts legislators receive are tangible items. The vast majority of gifts are intangible; real life examples trips to France or Turkey, family vacations to Busch Gardens, and tickets to Redskins games. HB1211 would not ban any of these items, although they would continue to be disclosed.

“This bill still purports to be a gift ban without actually prohibiting elected officials from accepting gifts,” said ProgressVA executive director Anna Scholl. “Virginia families deserve better than a “trust me” from elected officials who can accept virtually unlimited gifts from special interests.”

HB1211 also only applies the ban on soliciting gifts to the solicitation of tangible gifts worth more than $250. Legislators may still solicit unlimited intangible gifts. 

Hey look, another Republican who wants more big government regulation to protect polluting special interests! Kristi Swartz of E&E News reports this time it's an anti-wind state senator in Alabama:

Industry and federal government officials say advances in turbine technology could transform wind development in the Southeast, adding another renewable fuel option to an area once dominated by coal. But as outside developers are eyeing places to build taller towers and longer blades, emerging lawsuits and legislation could drive them away. [...]

"As a conservative Republican, I am typically for less regulation, but I also recognize that the absence of regulation can create anarchy," [State Sen. Phil] Williams [R-AL] said.

Just last month, the Virginia state senate narrowly defeated a bill by Sen. Tom Garrett (R-Louisa) to put up new hurdles to wind energy in Virginia was narrowly defeated.

Again: Republicans aren't pro-business, or anti-government, anti-regulation, or anti-subsidies. Some have principles, sure. But many support what their big business patrons want them to support, and are willing to do whatever it takes to stop clean energy from infringing the slightest bit on their supporters' government-protected polluting monopoly.

What Sen. Kaine says!

Sailing a couple of ships into the Black Sea accomplishes what?  One is there to protect the other. The other is there to command and control...nothing. This is grandstanding. If tragedy occurs and Americans are involved, this self-licking ice cream cone will be revealed. What to really watch for?

The Russian "ring of steel" illustrates the dilemma faced when confronting an asymmetrical threat. The choice to harden a target is the choice to uncover others. There is only so much mass to go around and Russia's focus has been around the main venues and Sochi itself. But the greatest vulnerabilities are the routes to the venues on the slopes miles from Sochi. These are perfect targets for remotely detonated improvised explosive devices, the types of which Americans leaned to counter in Iraq and Afghanistan. But for pragmatic reasons, the United States has not shared that technology with Russia. To compensate, thousands of Russian soldiers guard those routes; a miserable assignment with many distractions.

That lack of cooperation has not been lost on the Russians and the situation in the Ukraine has washed over this event. If it comes time to react (and that is all we would be able to do since we are not integrated into the force end of the security plan) we can only wait for clearance from the Russians to respond. Sadly, that may be too late. We have observed the "lack of finesse" by Russian forces in hostage situations involving insurgents. Their doctrine is more focused on killing the perpetrators than saving the victims.

Are we are supposed to be reassured by the staging of military airlift aircraft in Europe? They are hours away and would compete with aircraft from any and every other nation for clearance and space at the airhead(s) in Sochi. A real capability in the Black Sea would include air and landing craft that are truly expeditionary with forces to conduct an evacuation to ships with hospitals at the ready. Instead, after waiting to gain access to Sochi, American aircraft will serve victims that may or may not be Americans (we always have protocols with other nations in these situations) and who may or may not have been properly triaged. These aircraft will not all immediately have access to medical personnel and equipment for care during transit. Hard choices could be forced on the tarmac in Sochi. Do you evacuate victims who may not survive the long journey leaving persons who would survive vulnerable to further violence while waiting for later evacuation?

This past Saturday, I listed my 8 criteria for choosing the Democratic nominee in the 8th CD race. How do these criteria apply to specific candidates? I started with former Virginia Lt. Governor Don Beyer, continued with Del. Mark Sickles, and now turn to Del. Charniele Herring.

1. The next Representative from the 8th CD should be a strong, rock-solid progressive.
Charniele Herring has been in the House of Delegates for a relatively short time (since January 2009), so we have 4+ years of voting to look at. In that time, according to Project Vote Smart, Herring has had strong ratings from progressive and environmental interest groups (e.g., 100% from NARAL, 75% from Equality Virginia, 94% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters, and zero from the NRA). The reason Herring got 75% and not 100% from Equality Virginia is for her "no" vote on HB1617, which Equality Virginia says "requires public universities to fund and recognize student groups that choose to discriminate in their membership based on religious or political beliefs" and which "offers no protection for the students subject to discrimination."). I'm not sure why she voted "no" on that one. She also voted for the infamous "Mark of the Beast" bill, for phone company deregulation, and for a bunch of "tough on crime" (translation: more focused on punishment than on rehabilitation and use of discretion) types of bills. Other than that, Charniele Herring has generally been a strong progressive. If you check YouTube, you'll see Del. Herring standing up for immigrants, the homeless, women's healthcare and reproductive rights. Also, as DPVA Chair, Del. Herring stumped across Virginia for the Democratic 2013 ticket. So, yes, I'd say she's basically a strong progressive -- give her an A-/B+ on this one.

2. I want to see a tenacious, indefatigable FIGHTER for progressive values.
From what I've observed, Del. Herring has been a fighter for the progressive values she believes in. I would expect her to carry this same spirit to Congress is she's elected.

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, February 7.

*Boehner says immigration reform is stalled (And yet again, it's 100% the Republicans' fault.)
*Michael Gerson: A Coke ad crystallizes GOP's immigration problems (On the positive side, the Democratic Party shed most of its bigots in the 1960s and 1970s. On the negative side, most of the former "Dixiecrats" and "Archie Bunker" Dems switched to the Republican Party.)
*The GOP's lame attempt to blame Obama for the failure of immigration reform ("Surprise! Republicans aren't serious about reform.")
*The GOP's confused inequality message (Clueless as always.)
*Water remains safe as work continues to stop leak at Eden site (Utter disgrace, yet again due to fossil fuels. Let's get off the damn things!)
*Medicaid alternative emerges in Va. Senate ("Highlights of a proposal from Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan County, to avail subsidized health care to more than 350,000 Virginians without insurance who can't otherwise get it through the Affordable Care Act were presented at a Senate Finance Committee hearing.")
*Effort to strike Virginia's fornication law fails
*Judge in Virginia gay marriage case has a resume of diversity
*Virginia General Assembly takes a stand on Asian geography (Why are we getting involved in this? Total political pandering, nothing else.)
*Curb Virginia's FOIA exceptions
*Va. GOP chair seeks investigation of Marcus appointment ("Chairman Pat Mullins said putting endorser in plum post amounts to selling a state job.")
*Republican senator proposes expansion of health coverage ("John C. Watkins avoided saying 'Medicaid expansion' - but skeptical House Republicans didn't." Of course not.)
*Abortion-related laws get another look in Richmond ("Newly configured with a majority of Democrats, the committee pushed through two bills to repeal abortion-related legislation that became law during the previous two years of Republican control...But the current configuration of power between parties - Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans dominating the House of Delegates - effectively renders passage of the repeal bills as largely symbolic.")
*Judge restricts release of documents in McDonnell case
*Va. electric chair bill delayed, placing doubt on passage this year (Good!)
*Panel endorses cap on number of fox pens (Abolish this barbaric practice!)

Please join Patrick Hope on February 16th for an official campaign kickoff.

Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014

Time: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location
At the home of Ingrid Morroy
1501 South Pollard Street
Arlington, VA 22204

Additional information or to RSVP info@HopeforCongress.com

Contributions accepted at the door.