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Virginia GOP Somehow Not Embarrassed To Be Seen with Shutdown Cheerleader Bobby Jindal

By
lowkell
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0

From the DPVA:

Virginia Republicans have no shame marching straight to the right wing this week. From their extremist chair-apparent to an influx of Tea Party primaries, the Virginia GOP is exploding with extremism. And to cap off this right-wing week, the Republican Party of Virginia will host Bobby Jindal tonight, a governor infamous for building up to a presidential run while simultaneously running Louisiana into the ground.
“Bobby Jindal is the consummate obstructionist, and it's sad to see Virginia Republicans embracing his Tea Party tactics,” said Morgan Finkelstein, press secretary for the Democratic Party of Virginia. “His hyper-partisanship and extremist policies have been disastrous for Louisiana, from gutting education to denying hundreds of thousands of citizens health insurance. Virginia Republicans should be moving toward finding solutions for the Commonwealth, not doubling down on failed Tea Party ideas.”

Bobby Jindal is the perfect example of how not to run a state, especially when it comes to the issues that matter to Virginians. Is this who Virginian Republicans want to model themselves after?

  • Jindal On Shutting Down the Government:  “We Absolutely Should Use Whatever Opportunity And Tactic We Can To Repeal And Replace Obamacare.”  “At least one Republican governor here, though, voiced support for the effort to tie spending on the health care law to the broader measure that finances the federal government: Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, the head of the Republican Governors Association and a potential 2016 presidential candidate who most likely does not want to cede any space to his right.  'We absolutely should use whatever opportunity and tactic we can to repeal and replace Obamacare,' said Mr. Jindal, deeming the prospect of a shutdown nothing more than ‘a false threat’ and ‘scare tactics’ from Mr. Obama’s administration.” [New York Times, 8/4/13]

Jindal's Tea Party policies are costing his state billions of dollars and have already left hundreds of thousands of citizens without health insurance. Sound familiar? Speaker Howell is already all too eager to follow his example. 
  • Jindal Said Support For The Medicaid Expansion Was “Foolish, Shortsighted, Short-Term Position.” “But Jindal, who once served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, said that if Medicaid were expanded in Louisiana, the number of people who would move to Medicaid from private insurance would exceed the number of uninsured residents who would gain coverage. 'I told my hospitals I thought that [supporting Medicaid expansion] was a foolish, shortsighted, short-term position,' he said.” [Washington Times, 9/22/14]
  • HEADLINE: “Refusal Of Medicaid Money Is Hurting Louisiana.” [Editorial, Times-Picayune, 9/7/14]
  • Louisiana Ranks 48th In Overall Health. [America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation, 2013]
As if denying quality healthcare to his own constituents wasn't bad enough, thanks to Jindal, Louisiana families won't be able to afford quality schools, either. Virginians demand and expect a world-class education, not drastic cuts at every single level. 
  • 2014: Louisiana's Superintendent Of Education Claimed A “Cash-Flow Issue” Was To Blame For Louisiana's Public Schools Being Short $55 Million Of What Was Needed To Cover All Of The State’s Students This Year. “State financing for Louisiana's public schools is short $55 million of what is needed to cover all the state's students this year, Superintendent of Education John White told lawmakers Tuesday. White said $35 million of this year's shortfall is tied to having higher-than-estimated student enrollment for the 2013-14 school year. The rest of it he described as a 'cash-flow issue' that he said Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration could explain.” [Associated Press, 4/8/14]
  • Since Bobby Jindal Reduced State Support For Higher Education, Students Have Had To Pay 70 Percent Of The Cost Of Attending College, Reversed From Six Years Ago When Louisiana Paid 70 Percent. “Increasing tuition hasn’t helped campuses because every time it goes up, the administration of Gov. Bobby Jindal reduces state support, he said. Six years ago, the state paid 70 percent of the cost of attending college, but now students pay 70 percent and the state pays 30 percent.”[Shreveport Times, 1/7/14]

The extremist ideals and bad policies, espoused by Bobby Jindal and guiding today's Republican Party of Virginia, couldn't be worse for Virginians. Republicans should reject Jindal's example and instead come to the table and work to get things done. 

“Our trust was misplaced.” Or, as anti-rape advocates call it: Doomsday

By
FisherShannon
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0

( – promoted by lowkell)

Yesterday, I posted what now seems like a rather ironic tweet: “If you’re tired of seeing SexualAssault cases in the news, GOOD! News of this epidemic is finally reaching people! UniteAgainstRape” I tweeted it proudly, thinking maybe I in some small way helped to raise public awareness of the epidemic of sexual assault in our society through UniteWomen.org’s Unite Against Rape program, which I co-founded. The fact that reports of sexual assault are rising is welcome news to those of us who work to fight sexual assault. Instances of rape aren’t increasing, but rates of reporting it are, which means we are making progress.

Then, I signed onto my computer today to find a retraction of the Rolling Stone story about an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia due to what Rolling Stone editors now believe are discrepancies in the victim’s story. My first thought was, “Oh, sh!t!”

Just when we have finally reach a spot where sexual assault is out from behind a veil of shame and secrecy – and it seems we are finally shedding a light on a problem that plagues our society – one of the most high-profile victims of collegiate rape in recent history has (rightly or wrongly) now been publicly deemed untrustworthy. Whether trust was or was not “misplaced” in her by Rolling Stone is beside the point; either way, the legacy that will linger from this story is that women lie about rape.

The perception that “crying rape” is a common occurrence largely thwarts our efforts to stave sexual assault. In most cases, the assumption is that the victim is lying or seeking attention, as was suggested by George Will who asserted that being a rape victim is a “coveted status” on college campuses (to which I had a very strong retort).

Following Rolling Stone’s retraction, Mother Jones published an almost immediate “let’s-not-lose-sight-of-the-bigger-issue” piece that is filled with staggering statistics about sexual assault on college campuses.

While false reports of a crime, any crime, are heinous, the public focus must remain on the genuine reports of sexual assault and (more often than not) those that are not reported at all. For a moment, forget about Cosby; forget about Rolling Stone; forget about everything that has been in the media lately about rape – and let’s think for a moment about one of the most common scenarios of sexual assault.

A young girl is at a party in Anytown, USA. After getting separated from her friends, she finds herself alone and suddenly very drunk. A seemingly concerned upperclassman puts his arm around her and says, “Let’s get you home.” She feels appreciative, as it is clear she is ready to curl up and go to sleep. The next thing she remembers is opening her eyes to find this man on top of her, having sex with her. She feels panicked but fades back into unconsciousness, still deeply affected by the alcohol (or the drug she was given). The next thing she remembers is waking up at home alone, feeling terrified with a pit in her stomach and pain in her loins.

This happens every day. Every. Single. Day. And THIS IS RAPE! Above all else – is the message that I want everyone to hear: the most important fundamental aspect of a sexual encounter is that there must be consent. If consent can’t be given, it is rape.

We indeed live in a culture that reinforces the acceptance of non-consensual sex, and our sense of right and wrong in these circumstances is often…misplaced. While there are some who take joy in victimizing others, I honestly do not think that is the case in the majority of isolated (non-serial) rape cases. The much larger problem is that the 8.4 % of men who account for 95% of the rapes, these perpetrators being serial offenders according to a Lisak & Miller study, choose not to understand or care care about the definition of rape and the importance of consent.

To all the men and women out there: if a woman is intoxicated, please make sure she is safe. Is it your personal responsibility? No. But why weigh one’s legal responsibility against what is ethically right? An argument I’ve heard countless times from men is, “If a woman wants equal rights, why should I then treat her with any kind of special care? Either you don’t need special treatment, or you do – but you can’t have it both ways.” An unfortunate extension of that line of thinking is, “Why should I take responsibility for a drunk girl’s well-being when I wasn’t responsible for her getting in that condition?”

Because it is the right thing to do – and if anyone out there doesn’t know that, your parents did you a great disservice. It’s on us, folks. Teach your kids about consent. Teach yourselves about consent. And practice it.

Democratic Strategist: GOP “embrace of extremism as calculated political strategy worked perfectly”

By
lowkell
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2

On Thursday, ACDC Chair Kip Malinosky forwarded me this memo by “The Democratic Strategist” on what Democrats should learn from the 2014 election. Here are the key points, which I strongly endorse.

  • The most important lesson: “the GOP’s embrace of extremism as a calculated political strategy worked perfectly. It has invalidated key elements of Democratic political strategy and it is urgent that Democrats now face this reality.
  • “This extremist political strategy of the GOP-reflected particularly in legislative paralysis and stealth campaigning-is a central force behind the two major challenges that face Democrats  today: the enthusiasm gap and the inability of Democratic candidates to expand the current Democratic coalition.”
  • “Up until now the combination of stealth candidates concealing the extremist nature of their agenda until elected and the 40 year campaign to discredit the Democrats as culturally alien representatives of minorities and the educated elite has left more moderate Republicans with what they perceive as an completely unsatisfactory choice-to vote for Democrats they deeply distrust or else for GOP candidates with whom on many issues they disagree.”
  • “The key to successful persuasion and mobilization of Democratic base voters against the GOP will be to convince them that apparently separate individual issues that motivate them are all profoundly endangered by a coherent and coordinated national extremist agenda that directly threatens all progressive values and goals.“
  • “The essential problem this group presents for Democratic strategy is that while they clearly see the consequences of extremist strategy-near complete legislative paralysis and gridlock-they still apply out-of-date concepts to interpret the causes of this problem rather than clearly perceiving the new and unique role of GOP

    extremism. Some, more leftwing drop-off voters, for example, perceive both political parties as equally capitalist in nature and dismiss all Democratic and Republican politicians as equally puppets of big business. Other less radical drop-off voters blame more amorphous notions of “corrupt politicians” and “special interests” in

    general. Still others assume the fault lies in an ethical failure of all politicians as a class to be willing to put aside their personal hubris and to compromise for the greater good. In each case the result is a cynicism about politics in  general rather than an energetic opposition to the extremist strategy of the GOP.”
  • “The mainstream media has not only accepted without question the view that the unprecedented political extremism of the GOP is simply ‘the new normal,’ but has even proceeded to blame Obama for the legislative paralysis caused by the political strategy followed by the GOP. This means that in 2016 and beyond Democrats will find the mainstream media repeatedly excusing, supporting, justifying and enabling the profoundly dangerous extremism of today’s GOP.”
  • “The most indefensible group of rationalizers and apologists for the new GOP extremism is the mainstream media. The extent of their journalistic ‘dereliction of duty’ can be seen by comparing it to the behavior of the media in previous circumstances when right wing extremism posed a serious threat to America’s political institutions” – the McCarthy era, when the mainstream media played a vital role in finally rallying public opinion against the ‘witch hunt’ atmosphere and the hysteria that McCarthy’s false accusations generated

I’d just add a few points. First, Andy Schmookler has written insistently, here and elsewhere, about the rise of a radical, extremist force in U.S. politics — the Tea Party of course, but more broadly the Republican Party, exemplified as it is by ignorance, fear, greed, intolerance, anger, and other “lesser angels of our nature.” The question is, what do we do about it? Clearly, the first step is to call it out for what it is. The second step is for Democrats, Independents and moderate Republicans to turn out at the polls to reject it.

Second, many of us have called out the media for their brain-dead, cowardly “both sides” false equivalence “reporting,” but one thing by now is clear: the media is FAR more intimidated, even terrified, of the right wing than of the progressive center (or the “left,” such as it is) in this country. Why do I call it the “progressive center,” by the way? Because, on issue after issue, progressives are in the (large) majority. I challenge you to find one major issue where progressives are NOT in the majority, whether it be huge majority support for clean energy and climate action; 92 percent of gun owners support universal background checks; Majority support SCOTUS gay marriage decision; 7-in-10 Americans Support Goals of Obama’s Immigration Action; 56%-36% advantage for the pro-choice side in the abortion debate; 32%-50% unfavorable view of the Tea Party; only 32% of Americans want “Obamacare” repealed (“Fifty-six percent favor keeping Obamacare with perhaps ‘small modifications,’ while 10 percent would leave it as is.”), etc.

Third, here in Virginia, we just had an example (by the Mark Warner for Senate campaign) about how NOT to get the Democratic “base” excited to vote. Recipe: a) “dis” the base at every turn; b) even use the phrase “Democrat Party” just to demonstrate how much contempt you hold us in; c) constantly prattle on, falsely, about how it’s “Washington” or “Congress” that’s “broken,” how “both sides” have to “compromise,” blah blah blah, instead of calling out the Republicans/Tea Partiers for their almost 100% responsibility for said problems; d) cozy up to extremist forces like the NRA, anti-environmental forces like the coal and oil industry, etc.; and e) spend a huge amount of your time campaigning in deep-“red” Virginia (formerly known as “Warner Country”), instead of focusing on the urban/suburban “crescent,” where most Democratic votes come from.

Finally, of course, Democrats need to give people strong reasons to vote FOR them, not just against the extremist Republicans. Sure, the latter should be reason enough in theory, but in practice it isn’t. Regardless, Democrats need to stand for something, and it’s basically what Elizabeth Warren (and Jim Webb, with the egregious and utterly unacceptable exception of the environment) have been talking about: social justice, economic fairness, fighting for working people as opposed to coddling the wealthiest 1% or even 0.1%, for criminal justice reform, for voting rights, for civil liberties, for “equal pay for equal work,” for science, for the environment, for “protecting Social Security, Medicare and pensions.”

Have Democrats been doing that? Put it this way: how much of that kind of talk did you hear in Virginia in 2014 from Mark Warner? John Foust? Uhhhh. Did you hear it from Mary Landrieu (about to lose by a landslide) or the other conservadems who also lost badly? Uhhhh. Can we all please not repeat that same mistake yet AGAIN in future elections?  

Virginia News Headlines: Saturday Morning

By
lowkell
-
5

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, December 6. Also see President Obama’s weekly address, in which he highlighted the 10.9 million (!!) new jobs created over the past 57 months – the longest streak of private sector job growth on record (also !!). Yeah, those Democrats and their crazy “socialist” policies (like tax cuts and infrastructure spending) really killed the economy, as Republicans said they would. NOT.

*Hagel: American hostage killed in failed rescue bid

*Pakistan says top al-Qaida militant killed in raid

*Kerry Puts Brakes on CIA Torture Report (This needs to be released and torturers – and those who ordered it – need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.)

*Kaine sees climate change as a key issue for Congress (“The impact when sea levels rise in Hampton Roads? Sen. Kaine says Congress needs to ask.” And act!)

*Bill aims at better coordination of Chesapeake Bay cleanup

*Warren Liberals Eye Webb to Pressure Hillary (“Liberals are taking a wait-and-see approach to Webb, who is difficult to pin down ideologically.” That’s for sure.)

*After shake-up, New Republic staffers resign en masse (Sad.)

*Tousman: State and local asthma coalitions endorse new carbon standards from EPA

*Hits and misses | Fairness in clinic regulations (“The methodical rollback of onerous regulations singling out clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions per month continued this week, with members of the state Board of Health voting to reconsider the rules.”)

*McAuliffe names Virginia’s first climate change chief

*As Republicans gather for Advance, Bolling offers ideas on party’s future (“Bolling’s view of time for a change, which comes from the deposed establishment wing of the party, is not shared by all.”)

*Blame Rolling Stone (“Whether Jackie’s account is truthful or not, the magazine failed her, its readers, and rape victims everywhere.”)

*Va. engineer tried to leak aircraft carrier plans to Egypt, U.S. says

*McAuliffe outlines economic proposals (“McAuliffe said his proposals are meant to help grow and diversify the state’s economy so it can adapt to cuts in federal spending.”)

*Key aspects of gang-rape claim at U.Va. now in doubt

*How Rolling Stone failed in its story of alleged rape at the University of Virginia (“Journalists are paid to be skeptical and to distinguish facts from assertions: Don’t get too close to your sources and check what they tell you.”)

*Rolling Stone’s disastrous U-Va. story: A case of real media bias (Of course, bias of all kinds – particularly “both sides” false equivalence – is rampant in the media, but they almost never call THAT out.)

*Our view: Lessons learned from Rolling Stone (“Even before the Rolling Stone article came out, the governor had appointed a commission to look at sexual violence on college campuses. One way or another, there’s still a lot to talk about.”)

*U-Va. struggles with latest twist in traumatic fall semester

*Dems in 34th District race push for easier absentee voting (“Parisot’s campaign agreed that every vote should count, but supported the Loudoun County decision.” Not good.)

*Hampton mayor’s participation in protest march angers officers

*Mosby jockeys to become next Richmond council president

*A soggy Saturday’s in store, then sparkling but breezy on Sunday

DPVA: “Virginia Republicans To Promote Extremist Best Known for Anti-Semitic Remarks”

By
lowkell
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2

From the Democratic Party of Virginia:

The race to lead the Republican Party of Virginia is all but settled and somehow, Virginia Republicans see no issues with elevating one of the most polarizing and insensitive figures in the Commonwealth. They couldn't find a single candidate more qualified than John Whitbeck, whose unique brand of extremism, obstructionism and of course, anti-Semitism shows Virginia Republicans couldn't be less interested in working to move Virginia forward. 

“It says a lot about Virginia Republicans that they would welcome as chair someone as extreme as John Whitbeck,” said Morgan Finkelstein, press secretary for the Democratic Party of Virginia. “From his offensive anti-Semitic comments to his extreme positions opposing abortion even in cases of rape and incest, Whitbeck blatantly puts his ideological Tea Party agenda ahead of the citizens of Virginia. By backing someone so polarizing, the Republican Party of Virginia is sending a clear signal that they're only interested in being the party of 'no.'”

From his offensive positions to his far-right friends, John Whitbeck represents a major step in the Tea Party takeover of the RPV. Here's a few highlights of what makes John so special:

  • John Whitbeck told an anti-Semitic joke at a rally… “This time around, the Pope says, 'I gotta find out what’s on this piece of paper.' So he actually takes it from the head of the Jewish faith, he opens it, he looks at, and he closes it, he grimaces. And his Jewish counterpart says,  'What was it?' And he says, 'Well, that was the bill from the Last Supper.' So, on that note, we’re waiting for Ken Cuccinelli and he’s on his way.” [Video, 9/17/13]
  • …and tried to blame Democrats instead of apologizing. “Whitbeck said today any “alleged outrage” over the joke he told has been manufactured by American Bridge, a political action committee founded by journalist and author David Brock… 'AtTuesday’s rally, I told a joke. I did not tell an anti-Semitic joke. I told a joke I heard from a priest at a church service.'” [Leesburg Today, “Whitbeck defends 'joke',” 9/19/13]
  • He finally issued a half-hearted apology only after extensive pressure. “Earlier this week, I made a lighthearted attempt at humor to which some have taken offense… It was certainly not my intent to offend anyone and I sincerely apologize to those who were.” [Washington Post, “Whitbeck apologizes for anti-Semitic joke at GOP rally,” 9/21/13]
  • John Whitbeck opposes abortion even in cases of incest or rape. [Video, 7/23/11]
  • He's not interested in bipartisanship. “We need people in Richmond who are going to…resist the temptation to raise taxes or compromise just a little bit in your principals for the interest of getting along with the Democrats.” [Video, 8/6/11]
  • John Whitbeck's backers are a parade of ideologues. Supporters include extremists like Mark Obenshain, Senator Dick Black (who compared Roe v. Wade to the Holocaust), and Loudoun County Supervisor Eugene Delgadio, head of an anti-LGBT organization classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. [JohnWhitbeck.Com, “Endorsements“]

With voices like these leading the Republican Party of Virginia, it's no wonder that even hard-line conservatives are finding that they're not right-wing enough. Tea Party extremist Susan Stimpson has already announced a primary challenge to Speaker Bill Howell, Dan Moxley is primarying Senator Emett Hanger and of course, David Brat has already replaced Eric Cantor in Congress. John Whitbeck's rise to Chair is further proof that Virginia Republicans are bolting to the right wing extremes.

US Economy Creates 321,000 Jobs in November, Obama Jobs Boom Continues

By
TheGreenMiles
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4

The private sector created 321,000 private sector jobs in November, making 2014 the best year for job creation since 1999. Businesses have now added 10.9 million jobs during the six-year Obama administration (though that number is partially offset by the elimination of 1 million public sector jobs via misguided austerity policies). Compare that to just 1.1 million net jobs created during President George W. Bush’s entire eight years in office.

“November was the 50th consecutive month of positive job growth – the best stretch since 1939 – and the 56th consecutive month in which we’ve seen private-sector job growth – the longest on record,” says MSNBC’s Steve Benen, who created the chart below. “It remains very difficult for President Obama’s critics to explain these numbers: the hiring boom is underway after tax increases and full implementation of the Affordable Care Act.”

Virginia News Headlines: Friday Morning

By
lowkell
-
11

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, December 5.

*Research casts alarming light on decline of West Antarctic glaciers (We need to treat this as the emergency it is.)

*A Deficit of Dignity (“From the day [Barack Obama] took office, his legitimacy has been challenged, his American birth has been suspect, and he’s been personally insulted, lectured, yelled at and disrespected in public, by public figures, in a way that few if any American presidents have ever faced.” Word.)

*If Eric Garner Were White (“His death would be a Tea Party crusade.”)

*Tensions spike as Holder takes on Cleveland police

*White America’s moral disaster: From Eric Garner to Mike Brown, a destructive view of “justice” (“Eric Garner is just one example of black life devalued. Here’s how white victimization is tearing the nation apart”)

*The 4 most bizarre right-wing reactions to the Eric Garner decision (“Fox News’ Gretchen Carlson is worried about a Christmas tree, while Peter King blames Garner’s obesity”)

*#CrimingWhileWhite Is The Only Thing You Need To Read To Understand White Privilege (“White people can get away with crimes that would land a black person behind bars – or worse.”)

*Senate hearing set on role of Congress in military actions

*Jim Webb’s Nostalgia For a Pre-Diversity Democratic Party (“Other than nominating a white guy like him, what does he think is the thing the Democratic Party should do to convince voters it’s a place where white guys are welcome, too?”)

*A visit and conversation with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine

*Brat win inspires challenge to speaker of Virginia House

*Virginia needs to coordinate and educate on climate change, report says

*One report puts Dan River coal ash spill damage at $295 million (Coal is filthy in every way. Nothing “clean” about it, despite the industry’s Orwellian propaganda.)

*Our view: Virginia waits, and does nothing (“The lawmakers can wait indefinitely; they have insurance. If they worried one whit for the people affected by this ideological intransigence, though, they could look and see how fellow conservatives view the impact in Republican-led states that did accept the money to expand Medicaid.”)

*Dan Moxley To Challenge Emmett Hanger (Ultra right winger challenges far right winger.  Yep, that’s today’s Republican Party of Virginia!)

*Va. health board agrees to review of abortion clinic rules (Elections have consequences, in this case in a good way!)

*Wilder’s legacy as complex as the man

*Protests over Garner decision spread from New York to Roanoke

*Hampton crowd at Virginia Air & Space Center witnesses Orion’s failure to launch

*Hampton University students stage peaceful protest of recent national police incidents

*Prosecutors say Va. murder suspect had hatred for ‘enforcement class’

*Forget about sunshine. Cloudy skies and rain will rule the day.

Chuck Todd: “Right and left unite to condemn chokehold death”

By
lowkell
-
0

Check it out.

Right and left unite to condemn chokehold death… Does this create a political consensus to reform law enforcement’s treatment of African Americans?…Politically, there’s been one key difference between the reactions to the two recent decisions of grand juries not to indict white police officers for killing an unarmed black man. Unlike in Ferguson, conservatives have united with liberals to criticize the decision out of Staten Island, NY. Maybe the biggest reason for this unity: the videotape that exists of the killing…There were two notable exceptions, however: Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), who represents Staten Island, called the grand jury’s decision “fair and reasoned.” And GOP Rep. Peter King (R-NY) also defended it. But that was pretty much it. And in this era of increased polarization — especially when it comes to matters of race and law enforcement — it’s rare to see this kind of unity.

I’m glad to see Chuck Todd amend his initial, blanket statement by noting that Republicans Peter King and Michael Grimm were “two notable exceptions.” The problem is, Todd missed other “notable exceptions” (aside from Peter King and Michael Grimm) like:

Rand Paul Blames Cigarette Taxes For The Death Of Eric Garner

Republican Arizona Rep. Matt Salmon says the system worked and “justice was served”

EW Jackson, “Virginia Christian Alliance” Attack Transgender Health Commissioner

By
lowkell
-
5

With the Virginia Board of Health meeting this morning to reconsider the draconian, unfair women’s health clinic regulations put in place due to then-AG Ken Cuccinelli’s bullying, it appears that the anti-LGBTQ bigots are out in force. That would be EW Jackson, who doesn’t understand why he’s called hateful for his anti-LGBTQ ravings, believes supporting a woman’s right to control her own body makes one a “pro-abortion radical,” and can’t even spell “McAuliffe” correctly. It’s also something called the “Virginia Christian Alliance,” which falsely (and appallingly) claims that transgendered people like Virginia Department of Health Interim Commissioner Dr. Marissa Levine have a “serious mental illness.” And while I certainly do NOT believe (as Erin Matson tweets; see the “flip” of this post) that most (or even many?) people working against abortion are “driven by gender-motivated hate,” clearly some (like the “Virginia Christian Alliance” and EW Jackson) hold those views. And just as clearly, I hope we all can agree that type of intolerance and bigotry should be unacceptable in our society, whatever one’s views about abortion rights.



Virginia News Headlines: Thursday Morning

By
lowkell
-
6

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, December 4. Also see Attorney General Eric Holder announcing a federal civil rights investigation into Eric Garner’s death.

*Another grand jury. No indictment. More outcry: ‘Black lives matter’

*Former RNC chairman: ‘Black man’s life not worth a ham sandwich’

*The Eric Garner case’s sickening outcome (“The non-indictment of the police officer who killed him was shocking beyond belief.”)

*Wave of Protests After Grand Jury in Eric Garner Chokehold Case Doesn’t Indict Officer (And rightfully so!)

*The Perfect-Victim Pitfall (“Michael Brown, and Now Eric Garner”)

*Return of Focus Hocus Pocus (Yeah, this whole debate about “focus” is idiotic. For starters, the Obama administration did a TON on the economy, saving us from Great Depression Part Deux. Is the argument that they should have done nothing else BUT the economy, when we have many other pressing needs in this country? That’s just dumb.)

*Rolling Stone’s UVA rape story backlash: When narratives are so compelling that we don’t notice unbalanced reporting

*Officer Told Grand Jury He Meant No Harm to Eric Garner (Whether he did or not, it’s utterly unacceptable for a police officer to kill an unarmed person who poses absolutely no threat.)

*Obama courts his own party to fend off GOP attacks (What a concept.)

*Obama says he willing to defy Democrats on his support of Trans-Pacific Partnership

*Jim Webb says Democratic Party has turned into ‘a party of interest groups’ (Aren’t all political parties made up of various interest groups? Not sure about “turned into”…)

*Warner without regrets over his re-election campaign (He’s learned nothing.)

*Warner delays on CO2 rules opinion (Speaking of learning nothing…)

*Hazel says U.S. health care funds could narrow Va. budget gap (The problem is that Republicans aren’t budging from their “hell no” stance.)

*Morrissey rejects legislative exemption option in sex crime case

*Virginia needs these reforms (“Creating and empowering an ethics commission is a critical component in any effort to shore up Virginia’s porous ethics laws. Without it, lawmakers will simply perpetuate a system that has failed them and the public too many times.”)

*Va. health board to vote on review of abortion clinic rules

*UVa dean explains zero-tolerance comments in 2013 video

*Avoiding overreaction (“Despite our outrage, it’s important Virginia respond thoughtfully to sexual violence on campus”)

*Virginia ABC board delays, tweaks plan to increase booze prices (“Price increases on liquor, set to take effect Monday, will now be delayed one to three weeks. However, the ABC notched up the price increases by another penny or so.’)

*Norfolk couple who spearheaded same-sex marriage case in Virginia reflect on quest

*Va. governor: Plant’s opening ‘exactly what we need to do’

*It’s going to feel a lot like Seattle the next few days: Cool, damp and cloudy

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