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Northam Shares His Vision For Education and Highlights Jackson’s Opposition To Public Schools

By
RalphNorthamForLG
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0

Richmond, VA – Today on a conference call with members of the media state Senator Ralph Northam spelled out his plan to strengthen Virginia’s public schools and announced the launch of Educators for Northam. In addition, Northam called out his Republican rival’s extreme agenda that would shortchange Virginia’s public schools.

The Virginian-Pilot evaluated E.W. Jackson’s plan as, “a policy designed to dismantle funding for public education, and its logical extension would be to provide the same relief to childless taxpayers” [Virginian-Pilot, 9.9.13].

Doctor Northam spelled out his priorities for Virginia’s education system. As Lt. Governor he is committed to expanding access to pre-K for all Virginians, raising teacher pay, making sure our student are prepared for high-paying jobs, and reforming the SOLs.  He went on to discuss how devastating E.W. Jackson’s plan to divert money from public school children and give it to homeschoolers would be for the Commonwealth’s public schools.

E.W. Jackson has proposed a constitutional amendment to give equal state funding to public school children and homeschoolers. His plan would mean a $110 million tax hike for Virginia families or the firing of 1,700 teachers and larger class sizes [Washington Post, 7.23.13].

“A strong education system is the foundation for economic opportunity across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Ralph Northam. “I am running for Lieutenant Governor because I want Virginia to be the top state for business again, and that starts with supporting our public schools. As a pediatric neurologist, I understand the importance of early childhood brain development and the need to have our kids ready to learn when they enter the classroom on day one.”

Northam added, “Mr. Jackson’s proposal is extreme and would damage Virginia’s public schools. Parents can educate their kids however they want, but it should not be at the expense of public education. My opponent’s plan will cost Virginia families over $110 million in new taxes or force teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, either one is unacceptable. On education and other key issues, there is a stark contrast between Mr. Jackson and I.”

Those interested in being a part of Educators for Northam can sign up here.

“When it comes to doing the right thing for students, and public education, hence our economic future,  Virginians can trust Ralph Northam. His opponent, E.W. Jackson has an extreme agenda that will do serious damage to Virginia schools,” said David L. Temple, former Virginia Deputy Secretary of Education.

“Ralph Northam is leading the way on issues like providing early childhood education for all of Virginia’s children.  Ralph understands that by investing in our children at an early age, we are preparing them to succeed in school and in the workplace,” said Mrs. Crabtree, an Elementary School Teacher from Northern Virginia.

See the growing list of educators supporting Ralph Northam for Lt. Governor.

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Video: Ken Cuccinelli Blows Off Voters from Wise, Russell Counties

By
lowkell
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0

Seriously, Ken Cuccinelli is just terrified to answer questions about how he screwed over the people of Southwestern Virginia, all to benefit a wealthy, out-of-state natural gas company that gives him boatloads of money. Priorities for Ken Cuccinelli: 1) money; 2) more money; 3) helping the well-connected who don’t really need his help; 4) screwing over the people who really DO need an Attorney General who will fight for them.

If We Had Our Act Together to Fight the GOP Wrecking Crew, Here’s a Move We Could Make Now

By
Andy Schmookler
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2

( – promoted by lowkell)

A number of the most extreme, most obstructionist, most destructive Republicans are planning to try to repeat their atrocious behavior from 2011,  abusing the need to raise the debt ceiling in order to extort concessions from the President — particularly their demand that Obamacare be defunded.

President Obama badly misplayed that debt ceiling crisis back in 2011, but apparently learned from that mistake.  He’s declared that there will be no negotiation over the debt ceiling.

This approaching showdown creates an opportunity that could be seized by a movement with the ability to put people into the streets and the goal of taking power away from the destructive force that’s arisen on the political right and taken over the Republican Party.

It would rally people to demonstrate — in Washington, and in major media areas around the country — around the theme:  “Tell President Obama to Stand Fast on the Debt Ceiling, and Not Give an Inch to Republican Blackmailers”

This could help accomplish two tasks important for winning the central battle of our times, which is to take power away from this force on the right that’s so systematically damaging our nation.

1) It would strengthen the president’s resolve (and his position in being resolved).  This is important because, as disappointing as President Obama has been at fighting that battle, the president is by necessity our champion in the fight, the one in far and away the best position to fight it, and Barack Obama is the only  president we’re going to have until 2017.

2) It would call attention to the scandalous nature of what the Republicans are doing, which is important because the more the agents of this destructive force are discredited in the eyes of the electorate, the more the people will drain away their power.

Calling attention to this Republican blackmail will discredit them because:

1) It would show them to be the very opposite of patriots. They show themselves to be blackmailers, holding a gun to the head of the country and saying, “Meet my demands or we’ll hurt America.” No real patriot would ever make that kind of threat.

2) It would show them to be the opposite of conservative, as they trample on our American traditions on how to deal with the debt ceiling.  These are traditions established by previous generations of leaders of both parties because they understood that maintaining the full faith and credit of the United States was too important to play politics with.

3) It shows them to be the enemies of our democracy.  Their refusal to accept the legitimacy of a law — the Affordable Care Act (a law, incidentally, that’s really quite mainstream, however imperfect, with nothing extreme or reckless or inconsistent with reasonable American values about it)– duly passed by Congress, signed by the president, and upheld by the Supreme Court, demonstrates a contempt for the system our founders gave us.

The public should be able to see, this is not the kind of spirit that should be entrusted with a say over our national destiny.

Is there anyone able and willing to get such a campaign to organized and moving quickly?

Are there people out there with the talent, time, connections, and motivation to use demonstrations and media coverage to help get “Stand Firm on the Debt Ceiling, Mr. President” to become part of the national conversation, thereby helping to buck up Obama and put the Republican blackmailers in the spotlight?

Video, Conference Call Rip Mark Obenshain’s War on Contraception at JMU

By
lowkell
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2

This morning, the Democratic Party of Virginia held a conference call to remind everyone of GOP Attorney General nominee Mark Obenshain’s time as a member of the James Madison University Board of Visitors, and specifically his crusade to ban birth control on campus. The call included two former JMU faculty members (Dr. Violet Allain, Debra Fitzgerald) and a current and former student (Carter Black Kai Degner, respectively). Also check out the video by the Mark Herring for AG campaign, in which Jamie from Arlington talks about the importance of the Virginia Attorney General’s race – and specifically, of defeating anti-women’s-reproductive-freedom extremist Mark Obenshain – to all women in the commonwealth.

Now, a few highlights from the conference call.

*Dr. Violet Allain said that, back in 2003 when Mark Obenshain was a member of the JMU Board of Visitors, he “made it his personal agenda to limit access to birth control on JMU’s campus.” Apparently, Obenshain “felt it was appropriate that he decide – not women or their doctors – what they should have access to on campus.” Allain added that in her 25 years as a faculty member, she never saw a Board of Visitor member be “more intrusive to the personal decision making of students.”

*Debra Fitzgerald said that Obenshain “has a long history of imposing his extreme views on others,” and “it seems as though enforcing his position was more important than allowing women to make their own health care choices.” Fitzgerald added that Obenshain’s actions made JMU students and faculty feel like “the Board of Visitors was prying into their personal lives,” and they “reacted really really strongly…students were very upset, as were parents, alumni, and people throughout the state and nation about this very extreme action.”

*Kai Degner said that Mark Obenshain’s actions on the JMU Board of Visitors “embarrassed our university and our community…made JMU a less desirable place for students to attend, and for employers or researchers to take seriously.” Degner recalled the “outrage at the Board’s decision.” He compared it to Ken Cuccinelli’s lawsuit against UVA, noting that “students don’t want their school to be dictated to by people imposing their radical beliefs.”

*Carter Black said it is “outrageous” on a campus that’s “60% female…to think that a member of the Board of Visitors, particularly a male, would work so hard to impose his extreme views on the university.” Black argued that “college students and women across Virginia should take note of what happened here in 2003, and imagine what our Commonwealth might look like if Mark Obenshain becomes Attorney General.”

Scoop: Why Cuccinelli Did “The LaCivita” on Jonnie Williams’ $18K

By
Goldmanusa
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3

by Paul Goldman

In the textbooks of the future, “Doing The LaCivita” will become the phrase used to describe the ultimate public relations screw-up by a professional campaign guy. The phrase is in honor of Chris LaCivita, the guruless guru behind the Cuccinelli for Governor (NON) effort. While a candidate is ultimately responsible for his campaign, this much is true: if Chris were a lawyer, his malpractice carrier would simply write a check for the maximum amount to Cuccinelli, to be used to give the AG a fresh start after he leaves the AG’s office in a few months. The carrier would not contest the matter, it being “res ipsa loquitor” as they say in the law, the thing speaks for itself.

“Blame It on the Bossa Nova” is one of those hit dance songs out of pop’s past. “Doing The LaCivita” may catch on too as a dance song, especially at Virginia Democratic Party rallies. It is simply impossible for a campaign to have handled an issue – the $18K Jonnie Williams gift issue (which was not illegal, indeed had been “cleared” by a Democratic prosecuto) – any worse.

In 1989, for example, Doug Wilder faced a problem with failing to report some stuff. In 2008, Hillary Clinton had to return some money to a donor. In 1996, the DNC had to off-load huge sums of illegal foreign cash. And those are just the Democrats: this stuff happens all the time, to both parties. You deal with it, no big story, and surely not one that lasts this long and keepts getting fresh legs through total campaign malpractice.

Like I say: “Doing The LaCivita” is going to be taught for years in Dr. Sabato’s UVA class on politics, among other places. If Chris gets a competent lawyer, he might be able to claim copyright fees. I mean, seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.

MOREOVER: The real reason – and this is, as the teenagers say, “sweet” – Cuccinelli refusal to pay back the $18K is due to something the average voter doesn’t know, the way gifts are required to be disclosed in Virginia. In fact, the gifts weren’t worth $18K — not even CLOSE!  

That’s right: the $18K value is based on how the law works in Virginia. That is to say: the Cuccinelli gift value is different than all those cash gifts from bad boy Jonnie Williams to the Governor’s real estate firm, the First Lady, the daughter’s weddings, the shopping sprees, etc. The 18K value to Cuccinelli reflects NOT CASH ACTUALLY GIVEN, not the CASH actually spent by Williams, but rather the estimated fair market value of in-kind gifts.

In-kind gifts are NOT cash gifts, thus their value is set by estimation as required by the equation in the Virginia Code. For example: you spend a week at a friend’s house in the most exclusive resort in the world. It would otherwise be vacant. What’s the value to you? What is the cost to your friend?

Virginia law requires the value reported on a politician’s disclosure to be based on what such rental would have likely cost a hypothetical vacationer renting it for a week. But: There is no such person since the house is not rented out.

So what happens? Politicians love to show how much money they can raise and so. Since the newspapers just focus on the top line number (cash and in-kind combined), the politician’s staffers try to put the highest value possible on in-kind stuff even if it has no relationship to reality.

MEANING: Cuccinelli has been rankled for months now at being forced to come up with $18K for stuff he knows didn’t cost Williams anything of the sort!!! Does Cuccinelli have a financial point? Let’s assume, arguendo, he does. But does he have a political point? NADA.

Bottom line: Cuccinelli initially refused, at least this is my analysis, in good measure because he didn’t think the $18K was fair given the facts since his gifts were not the cash and carry given to McDonnell.

The conclusion at 200-Proof: Mr. Cuccinelli’s picture is going to be in the political Hall of Fame next to the adage “Penny wise and pound foolish.” Got to “man up,” bro. So maybe you are being forced to overpay, it’s the price of doing business. Besides, you put the value on it right. “Doing the LaCivita” is now the most expensive dance tune in the history of the Commonwealth.  

Bob McDonnell Touts New Fairfax County Interchange; Fails to Mention Federal Funding

By
lowkell
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0

It’s typical for hypocrite Republicans to gleefully take whatever federal tax money they can get (e.g., massive net subsidies for most “red states” for agriculture, water, power, roads, health care, you name it) with one hand while relentlessly bashing it with the other. Oh, and they also love to take credit for things that they either had nothing to do with, or even occurred in SPITE of them. For instance, here in Virginia, we benefited tremendously from the Economic Recovery Act of 2009 – which passed with basically ZERO Republican support, and played a huge role in allowing us to recover economically from the Bush/Republican Great Recession – yet you’ll never hear a word about that from Bob McDonnell, Ken Cuccinelli, etc. Instead, THEY take credit for Virginia’s economic recovery, when in fact they made matters much worse via their austerity policies at the state level. One thing these guys have is chutzpah, that’s for sure.

Anyway, this morning we had another example: Bob McDonnell touting “the new $69.5 million interchange at Fairfax County Parkway and Fair Lakes Parkway.” According to Grifter (and Federal Government Basher) Bob:

The 66,000 motorists who travel through this area each day are now shaving valuable minutes off their trips to work, school and shopping…Motorists now have an interchange that smoothes traffic flow and will accommodate future growth. A world-class transportation system is key to both economic opportunity and to the quality of life of every Virginian.

Ain’t that lovely? The only problem is, T-Bob forgot to mention something: according to Rep. Connolly’s office, “More than half of the $70 million cost of the project was funded with a total of $40.8 million in federal funds, which made it possible for VDOT to advance the project by two years.” In fact, “The project remained in VDOT’s ‘unfunded’ category until the Commonwealth received the needed federal funding through the Recovery Act.” Details, details, huh? 🙂

So, did Bob McDonnell just “forget” to mention any of that highly pertinent information? Or, more likely, did he decide to remove it from his talking points, as obviously it interferes with the narrative he’s trying to construct, that he – and only he – is responsible for any accomplishment that takes place in Virginia (didn’t ya know, the economic recovery here was ALL BOB! lol). Well, sorry Bob, but that little thing called “reality” simply doesn’t back you up. To the contrary, as Rep. Connolly says, “As [Fairfax County Board of Supervisors] Chairman, I worked with my colleagues here on the Board of Supervisors and VDOT to set aside money and advocate for this project.” And, Connolly adds, “In Congress, I was proud to support the Recovery Act, which provided the final $13 million necessary to complete this important traffic improvement project.” Hmmmm.

So, maybe now that Bob McDonnell has all the facts, he might update his website accordingly to provide a fairer picture of how this project came about? Naaaaaaaaah! Who am I kidding?!? Heh.

P.S. From folks who were at the ribbon cutting, I hear that Fairfax County Board Chair Sharon Bulova DID point out the “stimulus” funding for this project, and also reminded the crowd that federal funding played a part in finishing the Fairfax County Parkway as well. She particularly made a point of thanking Rep. Connolly for his help. In contrast, Gov. Grifter (aka, “T-Bob”) blabbered on and on, but didn’t mention federal dollars (e.g., OUR tax money!) at all. Shocker, huh?

Ken Cuccinelli: Attorney General of the Tea Party

By
ir003436
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1

People for the American Way has released an analysis of Cuccinelli’s positions and his political background.

Here’s a link to the PFAW document:

http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-foc…

Read it online, download a PDF and print – – – whatever you do, spread it around.

New Video: Ken Cuccinelli — Lessons Unlearned (and Bells Unrung?)

By
lowkell
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0

From American Bridge:

Once again, Cuccinelli put his flawed ethical judgment on full display. Not only did Cuccinelli own stock in a company his office was fighting in court, he received more than $18,000 in gifts, flights, meals and vacations from its CEO. After waves of bad publicity forced him to admit a conflict of interest and recuse himself from two separate court cases, Cuccinelli still maintains his actions were “certainly not unethical.”

Cuccinelli says he’s learned lessons from this ordeal, but since he STILL maintains he never did anything wrong, he has a lot left to learn.

So, are those bells Cuccinelli said you can’t “unring” now “unrung” or what? Who knows, but just don’t ask him about it, or you’ll get the “NO NO NO!” treatment he’s given other reporters. LOL, what a joke this campaign – and this candidate – is, just flailing around, apparently without a strategy, a plan, or a clue. #FAIL all around.

“Fight For Tomorrow?”

By
ir003436
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1

On page A17 of today’s WashPost (12 Sep) is a 3/4 page ad from an organization calling itself “Fight For Tomorrow.”  The ad is strongly anti-McAuliffe.  While most of us will chuckle at the charges against McAuliffe and the “Gang of 5,” we need to realize this will play well with a portion of voters.

Here’s a link to their website where you will find the WashPost ad prominently featured.

http://fightfortomorrow.com/

Looks like Koch brothers money.

Virginia News Headlines: Thursday Morning

By
lowkell
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2

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, September 12.

*Exclusive: U.N. Report Will Point to Assad Regime in Massive Chemical Attack

*Exclusive: The Koch brothers’ secret bank (“An Arlington, Va.-based conservative group, whose existence until now was unknown to almost everyone in politics, raised and spent $250 million in 2012 to shape political and policy debate nationwide.”)

*House Republicans delay vote on bill to fund government (“GOP leaders concede a lack of support on the bill to keep federal agencies open.” Get your crazy/out-of-control Teahadists in line, Speaker Boehner, or you won’t be Speaker for long!)

*Conservatives use Sept. 11 to attack Obama (Speaking of crazed Teapublicans!)

*Cuccinelli, trying to quiet Star controversy, stirs it up

*Cuccinelli confirms interview with feds investigating gifts

*The reluctant do-righter (“Is it better to be late than never? Ken Cuccinelli hopes so.” But he STILL says there was nothing unethical about taking those gifts from Jonnie Williams!)

*Sunshine  at the SCC (“A Fairfax lawmaker wants to place the State Corporation Commission under the Freedom of Information Act.”)

*Ken Cuccinelli exploring 30-minute ads (I can barely watch this raving lunatic for 30 seconds, let alone 30 minutes. Who on earth would actually sit there and watch Ken Cuccinelli for a half hour of their life they’ll never get back?!?)

*How did Cuccinelli choose the charity that received his donation? (“Richmond lawyer Richard Cullen, who is listed as a board member at CrossOver Healthcare Ministries, has given Cuccinelli almost $10,000 for his governor’s race…There is another layer to this relationship. Cullen’s son works as communications director on Cuccinelli’s campaign staff.”)

*Gov. Robert McDonnell shouldn’t stick Va. taxpayers with his legal bills in gifts case (This is Ken Cuccinelli’s responsibility as well…)

*McAuliffe claims Cuccinelli plan would raise property taxes, GOP cites ‘faulty logic’ (What’s “faulty” about it? The localities themselves are worried about this very thing.)

*Rigell backs idea of Syrian war crimes tribunal

*Virginia Supreme Court to hear appeals in Tech shooting case today

*Va. invests with firm linked to anti-Cuccinelli green donor

*At Va. Supreme Court, toll opponents have a final say

*Panel: U.Va. should break many ties with state, operate like private school (“Such an arrangement would allow Virginia’s flagship public school the freedom to more easily increase tuition. It would need state lawmakers’ approval”)

*Bomb threat leads to inspections, gridlock at region’s bridge-tunnels

*Metro map details Silver Line path

*Summer swelter today, but refreshing autumn preview arrives Friday (The weather this week has absolutely sucked.)

*Nats top Mets for fifth straight win (Probably too late for a miraculous comeback, but the Nats sure are making the end of this baseball season a lot more fun than the first few months of the season were!)

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