The following two videos from earlier today in the Virginia House of Delegates succinctly summarize the difference between Democrats and Republicans these days.
First, check out the speech (video and transcript below) by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington, Fairfax) which describes, ACCURATELY AND FACTUALLY (I know, what a concept for Republicans!), the devastating impacts of the “Trump shutdown” – again, accurate, although one could also throw in Congressional Republicans like Mitch McConnell as well – on tens of thousands of “real people in Virginia.”
The bottom line, as Del. Lopez puts it, is that “The 2019 Trump Shutdown is putting VIRGINIA families who receive basic needs assistance at risk. It is threatening the lives and dreams of thousands of Virginians.” Again, this is indisputably factual. Which must be why Republican Del. Bobby Orrock is so upset (see video, below), because he knows he has no counter-argument or “alternative facts” (per the ever-Orwellian Kellyanne Conway)? Or perhaps it’s also because Orrock is a YUGE Trump fan (see here for a photo of the two buddies and also the article “Del. Bobby Orrock visits President Trump at the White House“) that he throws such a pathetic hissy fit? Either way, check it out…
In sum, Del. Orrock’s “argument” (in air quotes, because it’s not a serious or fact-based argument in any way/shape/form) is that: a) calling it the “Trump shutdown” is “the problem…each side trying to blame the other” – wild lie, of course; b) “it is not more a Trump shutdown than it is a Pelosi shutdown” – hahahaha, right dude; c) this would NEVER happen with the “Virginia Way,” because that “doesn’t play partisan games with people’s lives” – except, of course, for the viciously partisan games Virginia House Republicans like Bobby Orrock have played for years, whether on Medicaid, the ERA, energy/environmental policy, redistricting reform, ethics reform, or whatever else you care about; and d) here in Virginia, Republicans are (supposedly) not like they are in Washington, but are highly amenable to compromise – totally ignoring reality here, which is that Virginia House Republicans have been as hyperpartisan as anyone in “Washington.” It must be nice to live in the Fox/right-wing echo chamber…or at least comforting, in a pathetic kind of way, for folks like Bobby Orrock. Maybe some day they’ll join the majority of Americans in the reality-based community, but that day was clearly not today.
There are 178,000 federal employees in Virginia.
Over 35,000 Arlingtonians and tens of thousands of Fairfax citizens work for the federal government – and countless Federal Contractors.
Thousands of my constituents – my neighbors and my friends in the 49th – haven’t been paid in over a month and are struggling right now.
Families’ livelihoods are at stake with this gov shutdown.
Our economy and thousands of Virginians are dependent upon federal spending, and when the government shuts down, that is jeopardized.
From small business owners to farmers, the shutdown has hurt folks in every corner of the Commonwealth. Everything from processing tax refunds to food inspections to loan approvals are being affected.
What does this mean for real people in Virginia?
The Dept of Ag. doesn’t have funding to pay food stamp benefits come March – including 736,000 Virginians.
Public housing inspections have stalled for 15,600 Virginia families in subsidized housing where faulty elevators, moldy air ducts, and broken washers and dryers won’t be fixed.
Section 8 rental assistance vouchers are being delayed for 29,000 Virginia Families and there is a backlog on homeless assistance grants.
Without resources domestic violence shelters are imperiled.
Several airline associations recently wrote: “In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented.”
Would-be homeowners cannot reach the federal programs that can help make that dream a reality.
USDA rural loans are on hold until further notice.
Schools are not receiving needed funding.
Some fed workers are choosing between paying for their medicine or mortgage.
It has been 34 days – and folks are missing another paycheck – and they are scared.
People not being paid means they don’t buy, which means creditors and retailers don’t have income, which means they can’t pay their employees, and so on.
Adding insult to injury: The 800,000 federal employees affected by the shutdown were warned yesterday that they must pay their dental and vision premiums beginning this week or they could lose their coverage.
The 2019 Trump Shutdown is putting VIRGINIA families who receive basic needs assistance at risk.
It is threatening the lives and dreams of thousands of Virginians.
We owe it to them for all of us Republicans and Democrats to call on the President to finally end this nonsense, once and for all.
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