All of Virginia – and much of the country – now knows that we have elected, not a conservative, but a radical to be our Attorney General.  It is already clear that Ken Cuccinelli does not have a mainstream, sensible, moderate bone in his body.  No, this man is determined to twist our government into a tool to realize the most extreme right-wing fantasies that only the looniest Tea Partier could ever dream up.  After only two months in office, General Cooch has:

– Attacked the integrity of science and the necessity of environmental action by legally challenging the US EPA’s finding that climate change represents a threat to human health;

– Attempted to reverse decades of American progress against discrimination by threatening Virginia colleges and universities that they have no right to enact policies of anti-discrimination against gays;

– Challenged the power of the Federal government to make our health care system work for people rather than insurance companies, by suing the Obama administration over the constitionality of the just-signed health care reform act.

There’s no question that this guy is nuts and will do all he can to make Virginia the laughing stock of the world.  The only question left for me is:  HOW DO WE FIGHT HIM.

We must do all we can to fight this tinfoil hat tyrant in order to:

– Limit the damage he causes – and the waste of our tax dollars at a time of budget crisis;

– Show the world that Virginia is full of good, sane people – and that we are not some clueless, backwards, Tea Party haven that no cutting-edge business or hip individual would ever want to move to;

– Get our leaders energized to stand up for their consituents; and

– Constructively channel our anger and frustration into peaceful, effective action.

So I am planning a series of posts on the best ways to fight the Cuccinsanity.

Today starts with a bow to Virginia Democratic leaders who per the Richmond-Times dispatch have filed a Freedom of Information Act request to demand that the Attorney General reveal how much of Virginia taxpayers’ money is being wasted on the health care lawsuit, including:

• records of Cuccinelli and the attorney general’s office staff in preparing the suit;

• records of costs to taxpayers of staff work on the lawsuit;

• a list of conference calls or written correspondence that the attorney general’s office had with other states’ attorneys general or any national conservative groups in planning the lawsuit;

• the names of any outside firms contracted to assist on the lawsuit;

• and the attorney general’s full schedule since taking office.

As citizens of this state, we have a full right to know how much of our hard-earned money General Cooch is wasting on frivilous lawsuits.  Therefore, please contact your state Delegates and Senators to demand that they keep the pressure on the Attorney General to account for every penny he is spending on this nonsense — until we can put an end to it.

Also please sign the Democratic party petition here that reads:

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has filed yet another frivolous lawsuit against the federal government, this time challenging federal health care reform legislation.

We, the people of Virginia, call on Attorney General Cuccinelli to stop wasting our tax dollars on his personal political agenda.

Every year, we pay Attorney General Cuccinelli’s salary — and the salaries of all of his employees. We demand that the Cuccinelli recognize that the Office of the Attorney General is our law firm, not the piggy bank for his political agenda.

We call on the Attorney General to focus on the issues that face Virginians every day — such as rising utility costs, home foreclosures, and predatory loans — rather than filing frivolous lawsuits against the federal government.

Remember that General Cooch is taking all of these steps in your name and with your tax dollars.  It is therefore your  responsibility to fight him – and stop his crazy schemes before they go any farther.  Act today!

We have heard little snippets about the Health Care bill signed by President Obama, not to mention more distortions from outraged Republicans, but fortunately Speaker Nancy Pelosi has, with her usual efficiency, listed key provisions which take effect this year (http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=2214). You might find this helpful if you have occasion to talk with a nervous and mis-informed voter. Here is a condensed version:

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE:

* Prohibits discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions, effective 6 months after enactment—- in 2014 this applies to adults as well

* No rescissions, that is, health plans cannot drop people from coverage when they get sick, effective 6 months after enactment

* No lifetime limits on coverage, effective 6 months after enactment

* Tightly restricts new plans’ use of annual limits, as defined by HHS, effective 6 months after enactment; by 2014 any annual limits will be prohibited in all plans

* Requires new plans to cover preventive services with no co-payments and exempts those services from deductibles, effective 6 months after enactment

FOR SENIORS:

* Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010, and

* Beginning in 2011 provides a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs in the donut hole, closing it entirely by 2020

* Eliminates co-payments for preventive services; exempts these from deductibles under Medicare beginning 1 January 2011

* Creates a temporary re-insurance program for early retirees (aged 55-64) effective 90 days after enactment

FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS:

* Offers tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable, effective immediately; by 2014 the tax credit will cover 50 percent of premiums

Obviously there are a few hundred pages more in the bill, including things like covering offspring under their parents’ plan until age 26 if necessary, but this pretty well puts to rest some major distortions. Oh, and absolutely no death panels.