The following is from Progress Virginia. Bottom line: Bob McDonnell is completely off the deep end, yet AGAIN disproving any pretense of being a "moderate." Wow.

P.S. McDonnell reminds me of Republican Keith Fimian, who lost an election (to Gerry Connolly in 2010) after saying publicly, "I think at Virginia Tech, if one of those kids in one of those classrooms was packing heat, I think it would not have happened." Apparently, that’s always the answer from Republicans: turn our schools into armed fortresses and prison camps. Great vision for a free society, huh?

P.P.S. Oh, and to make matters even worse, McDonnell also wants to slash funding for mental health services. Wow, can you come up with any WORSE a combination of proposed policies than the ones McDonnell’s proposing?

Governor McDonnell calls for consideration of arming teachers and principals

In response to questions about the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary on his "Ask the Governor" segment on WTOP Radio this morning, Governor Bob McDonnell suggested Virginia arm teachers, principals, and other school staff. Yesterday, when asked about the tragedy, the Governor said it was "way to early" to being talking about new gun policies. For audio of the exchange, click here. 

"One of the reasons this tragedy has hit us so hard is because in America we hold our schools sacred as safe places for learning, opportunity, growth," said ProgressVA Executive Director Anna Scholl. "There is just no reason for there to be guns in schools. Period. Instead of forcing our teachers to carry weapons and our children to live in fear every day, we should let them focus on teaching and learning and demand that our leaders worry about keeping dangerous weapons off the streets and out of the hands of criminals."

Contrary to assertions by the National Rifle Association and their allies, the evidence shows more guns equal more deaths and more tragedy. Nearly ninety percent of NRA members — actual gun owners — agree that support for Second Amendment rights goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. 34 Americans are murdered with guns every day. 

Our leaders have watched the bloodshed for years without taking any of the common sense steps that we know will reduce gun violence — requiring a criminal background check for every sale; banning military-style assault weapons and high-cap magazines; and making gun trafficking a federal crime. These are the kinds of steps Americans have been clamoring for leadership on, and this is what our leaders should do now. 

Federal law doesn't currently require a background check for private gun sales at places like gun shows or over the internet — which account for forty percent of sales. Eighty percent of inmates surveyed got their guns through private transfers.  According to law enforcement, closing this loophole is the single most important thing to do start saving lives. One quarter of gun crimes and one third of police murders involve high capacity magazines.  

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ProgressVA is a multi-issue advocacy organization communicating progressive values across the Commonwealth. We engage citizens around issues of immediate state and local concern. www.ProgressVA.org 

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, December 18.

*Obama offers fiscal cliff tax concession

*Obama, Boehner move close to ‘fiscal cliff’ deal (Ahhhh…the making of sausage, isn’t it lovely? Or not.)

*A ‘fiscal cliff’ deal is near: Here are the details

*President calls for proposals on guns

*Lock up the killing machines (Why was the assault weapons ban ever allowed to expire?!?)

*McAuliffe calls for assault weapons ban (Good job by T-Mac.)

*Gerry Connolly: Politicians With Courage Can Win (“We have been lulled into a passivity and fatalism with the logical fallacies and thuggish tactics of the gun lobby at a terrible cost…It is time for our outrage to return us to action and reshape our gun culture. It is in our hands.” Well said by Rep. Connolly!)

*McDonnell outlines budget proposals for lawmakers

*Warner ready to back tougher gun laws, says “enough is enough” (Good to see, although I’m not sure why it wasn’t “enough is enough” after the Virginia Tech shootings…or Columbine, Aurora, Tuscon, etc, etc.)

*Editorial: Virginia doesn’t need 140 governors (“A proposed constitutional amendment would let legislators circumvent the regulatory process.”)

*The math problem on state highways (“Within the next few weeks, Virginia will see whether its governor is willing to negotiate a lasting remedy, or if this is another losing hand.”)

*Southside Va. not yielding for gov’s I-95 toll idea

*McDonnell to headline Cuccinelli fundraisers (“T-Bob” yet again shows his true colors – Pat Robertson’s student all the way, but hiding in a moderate’s clothing.)

*Virginia electors formally select Obama, Biden

*Cuccinelli, environmental group find consensus on Va. renewable energy law (That’s…different.)

*Toscano: Tough choices about coal tax credits

*Legislative panel calls on AG, power companies to compromise on ‘adders’

*Gov. McDonnell to order Virginia schools to review safety plans

*Plan for new U.S. 460 to be cleared despite lingering concerns(“When the Army Corps of Engineers said improving the current highway would do less wetlands damage than building a new toll road, VDOT released an assessment that showed otherwise”)

*Holiday exodus to be largest in decade

*Arlington bicyclists want paths plowed when it snows

The following press release is from Sen. Donald McEachin – thank you!

The following press release is from Sen. Donald McEachin – thank you!

( – promoted by lowkell)

Even when we’re done with the “fiscal cliff,” it looks like we’ll be compelled, early in the new year, to face another totally unnecessary, Congress-made crisis– over the debt ceiling.

In a news conference on December 13, House Speaker John Boehner declared that the Republicans in Congress would insist on holding onto their ability to compel the U.S. to default on its credit, saying that Congress would never give up its “power of the purse.”

But the legitimate congressional powers of the purse are about spending, and this has nothing to do with that. The debt ceiling isn’t about spending.  The money has already been spent. This is about paying one’s bills.

Paying one’s bills is what responsible people-and governments-do.  The power that Boehner wants is the power to make the United States an irresponsible country.

In recent generations, the debt ceiling has been raised eighty-some times.   Never before — until the summer of last year- has any Congress seriously balked at raising the debt ceiling.

It has been understood that we don’t jeopardize the full faith and credit of the United States.  It has been the American tradition not to threaten to break promises made to people who bought U.S. credit secure in the knowledge that the debt of the United States has long been the safest place in the world to put money.  

We Americans have benefitted greatly from Uncle Sam’s impeccable reputation.  It allows our government to borrow at very low interest rates.

But if the Republicans compel the U.S. to ruin our reputation, investors at home and around the world will demand a higher rate of interest to induce them to buy United States government debt.

That would make the federal deficit — which the Republicans claim to care about – still worse.  



The power that Boehner insists on keeping cannot be used without damaging the nation.  Even the mere threat to make the U.S. default on its debt is damaging.

Last time around, in 2011, the Democrats and President Obama gave in to Republican demands in order to avoid default. But even without default, serious economic damage was done. The uncertainty, and the spectacle of such unprecedented and irresponsible political behavior, rattled the world of markets and business, and set back our economic recovery.   Good studies show that this episode of blackmail cost the United States billions of dollars, as a country and an economy.

The damage is political as well as economic. By making such a threat, the Republicans would compel the Democrats to make one of two terrible choices.  

1) Either give in to blackmail, which we as a nation say should never be done.  (“We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” the United States has always declared.  And what else is the Republican extortion  –Meet our demands or we’ll hurt America–  but political terrorism?)  

2) Or refuse to meet the blackmailers’ demands and wait to see whether the hostage-takers kill the hostage.

These are not the choices you give your opponent if you want your democracy to be healthy.  A great nation cannot chart a proper course if its political leaders are forced to choose either to give in to blackmail or to  expose the nation to the real harm the blackmailer is threatening to inflict.

America doesn’t have to be this way.  We should insist on political behavior that serves the country, rather than makes a fight over everything, even when that means damaging the country.  

We need Republicans to work to find cooperative approaches to solving genuine American problems, not create “fiscal cliff” and “debt ceiling” crises that are wholly the result of their own destructive behavior.  

It’s up to us, the American people, to let them know that we’ve had enough of this game of chicken.

Andy Schmookler, formerly a candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 6th District, is the author of many books on the challenges facing America, and humankind generally, including Debating the Good Society: A Quest to Bridge America’s Moral Divide.  He lives in Shenandoah County.