Teiro, Protect Your Family Against Ken's Whimsy

by: Dan Sullivan

Sat May 18, 2013 at 20:33:30 PM EDT

I am afraid you may not comprehend that for a time Ken's entire investment portfolio consisted of a single position in a rather murky business venture that was certainly high risk. That's not the kind of investment philosophy a more business savvy person with seven children would employ. It is certainly not the kind of philosophy a Governor should operationalize, say with investments made by the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). It's probably not a coincidence that at almost the same time Bob's pals were risking the future of the VRS investing in high risk derivatives (we should demand a report on specific outcomes from those investments. It is quite possible they did very well; but we usually hear about such things). Ken may just have wanted to have some of that action too. But you really want someone in charge of the family treasure who knows something about business and investments.

You see, with Star Scientific, Ken was disqualified on two fronts when he let emotion rule his decision to invest. First, Ken has a history of misjudging people. Maybe you remember Bobby Thompson who gave your husband a lot of money stolen from veterans. Ken bought the whole scheme, hook, line, and sinker. This also speaks to his ability to critically think, something a lawyer should be able to demonstrate; worrisome. But that's not the second issue. No, the second is Ken's casual approach to science. When investing in a company with the word "scientific" in its name, it might pay to actually be able to discern how science works. We already know that Ken would rather deny something he does not want to believe rather than analyze the evidence. Of course, he's burned his bridges with a significant portion of the scientific community, so the people from whom he is likely get advice are probably only those who are "like-minded." Not being a good judge of character, maybe he shouldn't be allowed to choose an investment advisor either. He might reach out to his pal Bob Purkey, who, self-proclaimed investment genius that he is, let that whole VRS derivatives position blow right by him.  

Campaign Finance: A Winner for Terry McAuliffe

by: kindler

Tue Apr 30, 2013 at 22:09:22 PM EDT

Terry McAuliffe presently faces a problem and an opportunity that both can be solved by his own "trip to China."  The problem is that his reputation is that of a big-money inside-the-Beltway fundraiser.  By sheer coincidence, the opportunity also involves campaign cash -- the Star-gate scandal that is presently eating both Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli alive.  This whole scandal has exposed how weak and ineffective Virginia's campaign finance laws really are -- and how unlikely it is that Republicans will be the ones to change them.  

The solution is one that Terry's campaign has just begun to hit on -- make him the leader who finally brings real campaign finance reform to the Commonwealth.  What better person to lead that charge than one of the great fundraisers in recent political history?  By making this a major campaign issue, Terry can leave his past behind him and embrace a future as the reformist governor that Virginia so desperately needs.  

And this is one of those happy instances where good policy also represents good politics, since every mention of the legal and ethical woes of the current Republican governor and the AG who seeks to replace him only helps make the Democrats' case.  

Help Name the Star Scientific Scandal!

by: kindler

Wed Apr 10, 2013 at 19:03:25 PM EDT

So we should welcome all the continuing revelations about the close ties between Gov. McDonnell, AG Cuccinelli, former AG Kilgore, Star Scientific owner Jonnie Williams and a cast of thousands.  The drip, drip, drip of juicy new details continues every day -- Cuccinelli "forgot" to report his donations from the company! The CEO paid for part of  McDonnell's daughter's wedding!  He also paid for Cuccinelli's political trip to Kentucky!  The company sells tobacco products geared to minors!  It just keeps getting better.  Since Gov. Bob has been such a booster for flim-making in the Commonwealth, I think we should find a few liberal Hollywood types willing to come to the state and start filming "Star Scientific: the Movie."

But every great scandal needs a great name, and this one is still struggling in that regard.  Help this scandal out!  Here are a few suggestions -- please vote for your favorite, or come up with a new one.  Whoever comes up with the best alternative wins a free subscription to Blue Virginia -- delivered right to your screen!

- Star-gate (has that science fiction-y ring to it)
- Sci-Fi (short for "Star Scientific Financing Scandal")
- Quid Pro Tobacco (for those who like stuff in Latin)
- L'Affaire Jonnie (for those who like stuff in French)
- Supplement-gate (if just works)
- Wed-her-gate (okay, I admit that's lame so never mind...)

Poll appears after the flip -- vote early and often...

Governor McDonnell's Legacy: A Lower Bond Rating

by: Dan Sullivan

Thu Mar 07, 2013 at 16:56:37 PM EST

The sorry fact is that Governor McDonnell has added billions to the debt of the Commonwealth. Holding him responsible only for the two full fiscal years that he owns completely (2011 and 2012), debt has risen $ 4.29 billion from $ 31.8 to $36.1 billion. That is a whopping 13.5% increase in only 2 years. And his budgetary genius will continue to daunt the Commonwealth for the next two fiscal years. That could mean that McDonnell would leave office with the legacy of a full one-quarter of all Virginia debt obligated during his single term. Who is a burden on our children's future?

The next Governor faces a situation that was a red herring in the last gubernatorial race: increased costs of elevated debt rising from a reduced bond-rating. While there is no reliable metric for determining the risk threshold for bond ratings, the ratio the state has used to mitigate that risk is sounding a warning that that threshold is about 2 years out. As Republicans like to say, the market will be the final arbiter. And as Democrats in Virginia have learned, the consequences of Republican policy always occur on the Democrats' watch (See Mark Warner).

What that means is that despite a victory of sorts for the transportation funding, other areas of government spending will remain tight until the economy improves dramatically unless we continue to borrow or we raise taxes. Increased taxes are probably not going to happen before any calamity. Of course, borrowing will lead directly to breaching the bond rating threshold, increasing the cost of debt and threatening the funding for already underfunded programs; a vicious cycle.

With the threshold two years away and limited influence over the budgets for the intervening fiscal years, Terry McAuliffe wants to deal with this mess? And what exactly would Cuccinelli do? The prospects are onerous.

Transportation Deal Highlights the Spending/Revenue Raising Side of the Republican Party

by: Progressive86

Sun Feb 24, 2013 at 14:22:14 PM EST

In the paradoxical world many call Virginia, there are a group of legislators who claim to strongly dislike government spending while spending large amounts of government money on their own favorite programs. Saturday's 'deal' on the commonwealth's new transportation package offered more of the same big spending reality that doesn't appear to phase legislators in the Republican Party or their fans.

As was pointed out in an earlier post by Lowell Feld, the Democratic Party came out a winner in the negotiations over the soon-to-be-signed-into-law transportation bill (although it never quite seems like a victory to me...). Democrats not only kept the gas tax, they also cajoled Old McDonnell out of his no Medicaid expansion farmhouse. E-I, E-I, O. These two victories in and of themselves are quite remarkable, but they were just two out of many.

For Republicans in the General Assembly, the transportation bill may become the next whipping boy after the smoke has settled and constituents get a whiff of the tax increases that will be going into effect as a result. I can hear it now, 'You see, those Democrats just want to tax Virginians to death. To death, I say!" Of course, the same legislator saying this will be one of the same legislators who voted in favor of the bill.

And here we have the paradox surrounding many, if not most, political conversations with conservatives (and many liberals): conservatives are the non-government spending party, right? No!!

The myth, this gigantic lie, has seemingly shaded the rational process of millions of otherwise intelligent and knowledgeable Americans. It is a testament to how effective the conservative propaganda machine is that so many Americans can truly believe that Republicans from across the country do not spend government money. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't hear some form of this argument made.  

Schools Doing Their Job Well Get a "D"

by: Elaine in Roanoke

Sun Feb 24, 2013 at 09:35:06 AM EST

Westside Elementary School is the largest in the city, with more than 700 students. About 87 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. The student body represents 19 foreign countries and has a 33 percent mobility rate (students moving in and out of the school). With that population, one would expect relatively poor academic results. However, in the past three years, Westside has seen its passing English test scores rise from 71 percent to 83 percent. Math passing scores went from 81 percent to 90 percent. The school has an active and involved PTA, an award-winning debate team and a competitive student dance group. So, what caused that D grade?

Westside is being punished because it received a School Improvement Grant, part of the reason for the achievement gains. That grant automatically triggered the D grade. For some ungodly reason, if a school seeks funding to help it increase educational success for its disadvantaged students, that is being taken as proof that it is below average. What nonsense!

"Maybe he [Gov. McDonnell] doesn't really know about Westside because I think Westside is a great school," 11-year-old Treazure Taylor said when RT editor Christina Nuckols visited.

"If the governor actually came here as a student, his mind may change," said 10-year-old Cameron Peters.

Out of the mouths of babes...Bureaucrats in Richmond thinking up ways to pad Bob McDonnell's resume for his next run for office know absolutely nothing about school improvement. Nor do the for-profit corporate types lusting after a chance to break into the newly-created Virginia market for managing "failing" schools. And, Westside is not the only school in Roanoke given a unfair D for seeking help for its students.

McDonnell's No Education Governor!

by: Elaine in Roanoke

Thu Feb 14, 2013 at 20:21:38 PM EST

I would be glad to tell Bob McDonnell some facts about what's wrong with the public school system in Virginia. For starters, the state has cut tens of millions of dollars in state aid to education to balance the budget during the Great Recession. Because state funding doesn't even cover, on average, half of the requirements for quality education, local governments have to fill in the financial gaps. That builds in one reason for some school to fail. Wealthy school divisions fairly easily make up for the shortfall using property taxes. Poor divisions can't. Our schools become automatically stratified by economic class.

Areas with high poverty rates and poor families that are more likely to be dysfunctional send students to public schools where teachers are expected to work miracles by somehow eliminating all the problems caused by their students' social and family situations.

We don't want to admit it, but Virginia is a highly stratified society. Property taxes, the main ingredient in local taxes, will be lowest in areas of high poverty and highest in areas of high income. While Virginia is ranked 6th in wealth among states, take out the incomes of NoVA and you will see a far different income picture. Fairfax County is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. Check out the average income in places like Buchanan County and Lee County, and you'll see the disparity. Remember that these places have to fund school systems, too.  

McDonnell's Louisiana Education Model Comes With Few Results

by: ProgressVA

Fri Feb 08, 2013 at 10:27:20 AM EST

• Recent Education Week evaluation ranked Virginia 4th nationally for educational policy and performance. In contrast, Louisiana, whose model McDonnell is following, scored significantly lower and was ranked 23rd overall. Education Week 2012 State Report Cards


• The recovery school district model, which McDonnell has labeled "Opportunity Educational Institutions", remove community decision makers from oversight over local schools while opening the door for for-profit and charter operators to take over with little accountability.


• Research conducted by Kristen Buras of Georgia State University's Department of Educational Policy Studies found student achievement did not improve in Louisiana's Recovery School Districts (RSD). National Education Policy Center


• A separate legislative audit report found the RSD did not effectively monitor performance of the charter school operators. National Education Policy Center


• Louisiana's RSD was sued because charter school operators were not admitting low-income and special education students. National Public Radio


• The Georgia State University study also found lawmakers continually changed the goal posts for failing schools, shunting more schools into the RSD and into the hands of charter school operators. National Education Policy Center

On Untolled Congested Highways, Every Day is Free Cone Day

by: TheGreenMiles

Tue Feb 05, 2013 at 18:01:20 PM EST

Build a useful road and you'll find that space on the road at peak times is a valuable commodity. And yet it's also a commodity that's generally either available for free or else available for a price that's unrelated to the demand for space on the road. Naturally an underpriced valuable commodity leads to overconsumption. Traffic jams, in other words.

Every once in a while Ben & Jerry's holds a "Free Cone Day" that invariably leads to long lines. Roadways in dynamic metro areas are basically holding Free Cone Day five days a week. Charge people enough money to eliminate routine congestion and you'll find yourself with fewer traffic jams and an enormous pool of revenue that can be used to maintain your basic infrastructure and upgrade your bus service.

Watch Jonas Eliasson, Director of the Centre for Transport Studies at Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology, explain how congestion pricing can improve traffic patterns - and drivers may not even realize they've been nudged out of their congested routine:

What's the Worst Bill in Richmond? You make the call!

by: kindler

Sat Jan 26, 2013 at 11:40:08 AM EST

This round's contenders include:

- Del. Bob Marshall's "Funny Money" bill (HJ 590) -- Sideshow Bob is the Rocky Balboa of freaky legislation, and he never fails to disappoint. This worthy contender, to study whether Virginia should print its own currency, is one for the ages -- I encourage you to read it in full, while enjoying such lines as "WHEREAS, many widely recognized experts predict the inevitable destruction of the Federal Reserve System's currency through hyperinflation in the foreseeable future..." Needless to say, this bill has been approved in subcommittee.

- Del. Marshall's "Cold, Dead Hands" bill (HB 2340), which would prohibit state employees from helping to enforce new Federal gun laws. Whaditellya? Like Michael Jordan, Sideshow Bob never just takes one shot at the basket. Of course, this bill is too mild for our friends at the Virginia Gun Owners Coalition, who point out that it fails to include a provision to arrest Federal officials who themselves try to enforce Federal laws. Well, good point, but Rome wasn't brutally massacred in a day. This bill, needless to say, has been reported out of committee.  

Monday 1/14: Fate of Thousands of Voters in the Hands of Seven Men

by: frankoanderson

Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:29:06 AM EST

As you have probably heard, Gov. McDonnell recently announced his support for an automatic process for restoration of rights for Virginians convicted of nonviolent felonies.  

This session, Delegates Greg Habeeb and Peter Farrell have introduced bills to address this issue, and I urge you to support legislation for the automatic restoration of rights for non-violent felons.

These seven Subcommittee members will be considering the proposed restoration of rights amendments on Monday morning.  If you have a moment, please contact them now:

Preposterous Proposals Proliferate

by: Dan Sullivan

Fri Dec 21, 2012 at 13:36:19 PM EST

Governor McDonnell legitimizing the concept of arming more personnel inside schools demonstrates his narrow experience and linear, attritionist approach to the issues raised by the violence at Sandy Hook and Virginia Tech. This is understandable. As an army intelligence officer raised and trained in the era of a set piece battlespace, he is comfortable with templates and minor tactics against local threats. His cohort, Delegate Bob Marshall (R-13th), lacks even that experience with conceptual threats. Marshall's hobbies, weight lifting, gardening, and photography, might give him time to contemplate but do nothing to qualify him to defend our children or us. But both of these fellows do demonstrate the ability to push hot buttons even if they are unconcerned about the consequences they initiate.

Nattering nabobs such as them attract attention. Some of that from Democrats who either think they must say something or are afraid of saying nothing even if they have nothing to add. At least the Republicans are expressing a core value, no matter how wrongheaded it is. The Democrats on board with this idea sound as hollow as their self-serving position. Disappointing.

Reducing the security of children to talking points about arming teachers and adding resource officers limits the debate, ignores the broader issues, and potentially places children in substantially greater danger. Look, I have the greatest respect for teachers but they are not public safety employees and many are unsuited for this responsibility. Adding a resource officer to the soup definitely secures the few square feet occupied at any given moment, but has McDonnell, Marshall, or any of them actually been inside a school lately? Those resource officers are there for and deal with a lot of student issues not related to invasion; issues that do not occur in elementary schools. Unless we go back to one room schoolhouses, these ideas are just lipstick on a pig.  

Guns, Butter, and a Lot of Love

by: Progressive86

Thu Dec 20, 2012 at 16:54:01 PM EST

I know, let's clone Jesse Ventura and station a Ventura clone at each school across the country! Sound a little south of practical? If so, it's actually an idea with more rationale than arming "certain teachers" across the country, an idea that has been increasingly proposed by members of the Republican Party as a remedy to the recent school killings in Connecticut.[1] The logic is as follows: fight gun violence with more guns! Brilliant! If only we could use this strategy with nuclear weapons, then the world would truly be MAD!

You've got to hand it to some Republicans, they really know how to turn the improbable into the highly likely. For instance, who would have thought that any party would have been audacious enough to openly propose probing a woman's private parts? Brilliant! But the encore has been even more brilliantly mind-boggling in its utter absurdity.

The idea of putting weapons into the hands of individuals who are supposed to be seen by our country's youth as role-models to exemplify, who are professionals trained to enlighten others with the pen (not the sword), who have had little say (to my knowledge) in the matter is the same as asking Albert Einstein to strap a bomb to his chest in case the Nazi's attempt to kidnap him. The supposed solution could easily turn out to create even bigger problems than the initial quandary (i.e., armed individuals killing students).

Black Helicopter Wing on the Rise

by: Dan Sullivan

Wed Nov 28, 2012 at 19:47:43 PM EST

There is nothing substantive the DPVA can show as a response to the 2009 debacle. Republicans have a completely new wardrobe on order for 2013. OFA blew in, blew up, and blew out. Republicans still hold everything but the teetering state Senate (one special election away) and have an amazingly slick snake oil salesman in the Governor.

Note to all Democratic hopefuls: the OFA field organizers did nothing without guidance and were held on a short leash. Not a one was required or allowed to demonstrate initiative or individual competence. They followed a well designed call-center playbook; they might as well have been selling time shares. Political acumen was not in their terms of reference. They consistently alienated their local Democratic contacts. Check beyond their references before bringing them on.

Meanwhile, the Republicans are reining in the vitriolic. It will fade as we proceed through the 2013 General Assembly session. Delegate Rob Bell (R-58th), candidate for Attorney General, is already stepping up as a defender of the elderly. This despite his party's burial of a bill last session he now claims to champion. Republicans are moving back toward dog whistle politics. Remember, crazy is not an impediment to political success (See Hitler, Adolph). You just need someone to blame.

Assessing the gains from the OFA effort locally is difficult. At least in my locality, we know who volunteered. But the OFA walk list has not been fully harvested. The use of social media is not a DPVA strong suit despite Frank Leone's (who is now more focused on hockey than Virginia politics) promises, but OFA has been redirected to use that medium to sell policy rather than promote candidates and that may mitigate effectiveness of any DPVA mimic. Mimicry is not what we need. We really need professionals to determine the way ahead. Unfortunately, those professionals are persona non grata at DPVA.

King McDonnell attempts to subvert the democratic process in Pittsylvania County…again

by: Progressive86

Tue Sep 18, 2012 at 09:34:05 AM EDT

Uranium mining in Southside Virginia abruptly became headline news again when it was discovered that Virginia Sen. Bill Stanley had been recorded telling Pittsylvania County Supervisor, Jerry A. Hagerman, that Gov. Bob McDonnell had requested the former to lobby the Pittsylvania Board of Supervisors to table a resolution on uranium mining at its September 4th meeting.

Consequently, the proposed resolution on uranium mining was taken off of the board's Sept. 4 meeting agenda. Coincidence?

In effect, what Bob McDonnell and his crony surrogates attempted to do was bypass the democratic process in Pittsylvania County and for now, they appear to have succeeded.

It's the latest move in Gov. McDonnell's bag of get-around-the-voter tricks that began with his move to form the "Uranium Working Group" to "be certain that uranium mining can be conducted safely and responsibly."  But if McDonnell's goal, or that of the Republicans in the General Assembly, was to determine if uranium mining could be conducted "safely and responsibly," one would have assumed that the National Academy of Sciences uranium mining study group would have been allowed to make recommendations on whether or not to lift the ban, given their findings and their expertise.  No such allowance was made, however.

Republicans Compensating for their Sandusky Connection

by: Dan Sullivan

Fri Sep 14, 2012 at 09:07:03 AM EDT

In fact, if they were anything more than gimmicks, if they solved any threat to public safety, why weren't they passed as emergency legislation? And why did their effective date pass without fanfare? Instead, last Friday, they provided a photo op for Bell's campaign for Attorney General.

Over the last two years in Virginia there have been 215 adults convicted of these vile crimes, and only 10 cases have resulted in life sentences. The median sentence overall was only 13 years. I believe the only sure way to keep other children safe is to keep these convicted sexual predators locked up for the balance of their lives. - Delegate Bell's AG campaign E-mail

And who was Attorney General over the past two years and in the years just preceding? Who was governor during those same two years? And when did either Cuccinelli or McDonnell ever mention mandated reporting for public and private college employees before the Sandusky scandal? Or condemn the Republican Pennsylvania Attorney General's foot dragging in the Sandusky case?

The GOP Anti-Woman Double Down

by: ProgressVA

Wed Aug 22, 2012 at 09:24:26 AM EDT

Bob McDonnell Akin-izes Republican platform, Paul Ryan returns to VA to tout backwards policies

Putting to rest any doubt about conservatives' anti-woman agenda, Bob McDonnell's platform committee today approved language opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest. The move brings the official party position in line with Todd Akin and Paul Ryan's radical anti-woman, anti-family ideology. According to news reports, McDonnell, chairman of the platform committee, applauded the move as "affirming our respect for human life." The move fits squarely with McDonnell's own radical record, best exemplified by his support for the widely condemned "vaginal probe" ultrasound bill.

Virginians would be right to wonder whether conservatives are vying for some "Grand Poobah of Anti-Woman Conservatives" prize. Tomorrow, Paul Ryan returns to the Commonwealth, hoping Virginia voters won't pay much attention to his decidedly anti-family record. Never mind Ryan's support for federal personhood legislation, his refusal to support the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, or his scheme to end Medicare as we know it. A new report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund lays out that the Romney-Ryan ticket would be a disaster for women across the board.

Details below:

Bob's Bad Egg That Dwight Must Scramble

by: Dan Sullivan

Sat Jul 28, 2012 at 10:39:06 AM EDT

Mayor Jones has to wonder exactly how this political derivative pays off. He has appointed a panel to discover the obvious: Richmond cannot get there from here. It will take more prayers than even McDonnell's pal Pat Robertson can muster to deliver this miracle; better phone the Pope.

Although moving the camp to a spot within the city limits has been taken for a given, Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, interviewed Thursday at the team's headquarters in Ashburn, would only say a site in the city is "preferable." - Richmond Times Dispatch

Chesapeake Bay cleanup in Virginia well on track but pitfalls still remain

by: Progressive86

Sat Jul 07, 2012 at 19:01:41 PM EDT

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Friday that "significant reductions" of phosphorous and nitrogen stemming from wastewater treatment plants has put Virginia in line to reach pollution reduction goals towards cleaning the Chesapeake Bay.  

According to Virginia's secretary of natural resources, Doug Domenech, progress towards cleaning the Chesapeake Bay "clearly shows that a restored bay is possible."  How Domenech defines a "restored" Chesapeake Bay remained unclear. Restored to what?

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, one the leading nongovernmental groups pressuring Virginia's government to clean the bay, praised McDonnell's "recognition of the importance of a healthy and productive Chesapeake Bay."

Despite the progress that has been made so far, though, the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a D+ on a yearly report card issued in 2011. Thus, the Chesapeake Bay is clearly a ways away from the level of clean that I have in mind.

It should also be remembered that the McDonnell administration seemed reluctant to commit to the Chesapeake Bay clean up goals set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), goals which McDonnell is now boasting about having met.  

The Health Insurance Ball Still in McDonnell's Court, Will He Continue to Hand it Off?

by: Progressive86

Fri Jul 06, 2012 at 08:59:13 AM EDT

Is it shocking anymore to observe Republicans in Virginia doing nothing but obstructing or stalling important policies from being implemented? No, but even the stall tactics being used to weigh against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act seem stunningly mind boggling in their absurdity. Why?

If the Republican gamble doesn't pay off and Romney loses the presidential competition and the U.S. Congress does not fall squarely into the hands of the GOP, Virginia will lose millions of dollars and thousands of Virginians will be denied access to primary medical care. So not only does the GOP stall maneuver make little moral sense, but it also makes little sense on the front most sacred to Republicans, the economic front.

The Affordable Care Act requires every state to set up its own health exchange where small businesses and individuals can compare and contrast different health insurance options. McDonnell had the ball in his court, so to speak, but dropped the ball by failing to "push" the health exchange initiative through the General Assembly after some of the top GOP members in Virginia agreed to go along with it.

It should go without saying that the health of Virginians is not a partisan issue, or at least it shouldn't be. But McDonnell and some Virginia Republicans have made it just that, an issue that can help shape their message of excessive federal government overreach and their own roles as local guardians of their constituents.