Merry X-mas President Obama, Here's a PR Victory!

by: Progressive86

Sat Dec 24, 2011 at 17:09:10 PM EST

All the talk on the right about "class warfare" would make you think that Karl Marx has risen from his grave to finally lead the proletariat revolution in the most industrialized country in the world. So what is the right trying to do, anyways? Who's fears are right-wing demagogues like Karl Rove attempting to stir? Logically, it would appear that such fear-mongering is an attempt to turn the 1% into an extremely determined anti-Obama segment of our society (assuming they aren't already).

But there has to be a broad constituent appeal to this argument, right? Strangely, it would appear so. It seems that the "class warfare" argument aimed at our president is perceived by different groups in the U.S. in different ways. For instance, the 1% take the class warfare argument to clearly mean class warfare aimed at them, the top 1% of the U.S. population in terms of wealth.

Those on the right of the political spectrum in the middling class of the U.S., on the other hand (those a part of the 99%), seem to interpret the class warfare argument as one that is aimed at themselves. That is, President Obama is attempting to steal from the middle class and give to the poor, a modern day Robin Hood. Appealing to reason doesn't seem to be the solution to this messaging quagmire.  

National Academy of Sciences Report: "Steep Hurdles" to Uranium Mining in Virginia

by: lowkell

Mon Dec 19, 2011 at 15:37:01 PM EST

*"[I]f Virginia lifts its moratorium, there are 'steep hurdles to be surmounted' before mining and processing could take place within a regulatory setting that appropriately protects workers, the public, and the environment, especially given that the state has no experience regulating mining and processing of the radioactive element."
*"Should the ban be lifted, uranium mining and processing are unlikely to begin for at least five to eight years after the initial granting of a license, the report says.  This period of time should be used to build a robust regulatory and management culture focused on safety and citizen involvement."
*"[S]uch activities in Virginia would have the potential to impact water, soil, and air quality.  The degree of impact would depend on site-specific conditions, how early a contaminant release is detected by monitoring systems, and the effectiveness of mitigation steps."
*"While it is likely that tailings impoundment sites would be safe for at least 200 years if designed and built according to modern best practices, the long-term risks of radioactive contaminant release are unknown."

In sum, uranium mining in Virginia is highly questionable at best, would require a large number of steps to be taken over 5-8 years, and would still leave long-term risks that are "unknown." In other words: Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

P.S. If Virginia Uranium would just send me to France for a week or two, all expenses paid, I might just reconsider my opposition to this. (wink wink, just kidding -- obviously I'd never do that, but I'd sure love a free trip to France like they offered to all our legislators! LOL)

Building Rational Expectations for Virginia Democrats

by: FreeDem

Sun Dec 18, 2011 at 23:42:38 PM EST

First, 800 pound gorilla in the room is the Junior Senator from Virginia, soon to be Senior Senator, and former "His Excellency" Mark Warner.

There is a push in the party to get Warner to return to Richmond in 2013 as the only way to reverse the party's fortunes after setbacks in 2009 and 2011. You can see my comment on this possibility here. For this diary I'll just say that until we get a clear statement from Warner one way or another I wouldn't count on the Democratic lead up to 2013 to come alive with announcements.

Next, to borrow from Lowell, "why would any sane Democrat WANT to be governor of Virginia?"  

The Senator and Political Party That Knew Too Little

by: Progressive86

Mon Dec 12, 2011 at 17:08:54 PM EST

When Sen. James Inhofe recently quipped that a recent EPA study drawing potential connections to hydraulic fracturing and groundwater pollution was "not based on sound science but rather on political science," my first thought was what scientific credentials does Sen. Inhofe have to question this study by the EPA? It turns out that Inhofe's forays into insurance, field aviation, and real estate don't constitute scientific expertise. This leads me to the question: shouldn't members of Congress who deal with scientific issues be required to undertake some form of formal scientific education?  

It seems like a situation out of a dystopian novel: well-respected EPA scientists conduct scientific analyses, make qualified and careful conclusions after rigorous research, and then have their results refuted by an insurance executive in the U.S. Senate. Not to be outdone by himself, however, Inhofe is also a climate change skeptic who apparently thinks that the overwhelming agreement within the scientific community regarding climate change is some left-wing conspiracy.

This brings me to my next point. We often hear that both parties are to blame regarding our country's economic and political roller-coaster ride. Both sides are to blame to some extent, to be sure, but the Republican Party takes the prize for stepping outside the bounds of reasonableness into the netherworld of ideological zealotry.  

A Generation Lost

by: Progressive86

Tue Nov 29, 2011 at 15:09:28 PM EST

In 2008, the U.S. witnessed a blitz of young people involved in the political process, a demographic which by and large catapulted President Obama into the Oval Office. As many posts on Blue Virginia have either implicitly or explicitly touched upon, some (if not a lot) of this voter enthusiasm has dissipated among the "youth generations." This is in part a result of the politics of pragmatism, a political strategy that left the Obama vision of "Change" and "Hope" behind for a pragmatic assertion of "it's the best we could do." There are, of course, a multitude of disparate reasons that could be cited.

The end result has, however, been unequivocal: a comprehensive sense of apathy, disillusionment, and frustration on the part of the youth generations (those under 30). When political conversations are initiated in my own circle of friends (rare as it might be), a pervasive sense of negativity and frustration becomes readily apparent, with blame being directed in all directions of the political sphere.

The Democratic Party, then, had an opportunity to retain an entire demographic. Instead, like a corporation that has lost the confidence and loyalty of its one-time faithful customers, the Democratic Party will have to spend a good deal of political, economic, and individual capital to bring this segment of the US population back into the fold.  

Attention DPVA: Washington Capitals Fire Coach As Team Struggles

by: lowkell

Mon Nov 28, 2011 at 09:50:43 AM EST

Bruce Boudreau was fired as coach of the Washington Capitals on Monday, two days after his team was humbled, 5-1, in Buffalo by an injury-depleted Sabres team that was without nine regulars.

[...]

In four-plus seasons behind the Capitals' bench, Boudreau posted a regular season record of 201-88-40 in 329 regular season games, recently becoming the fastest coach to record 200 regular season victories.

But the team's recent struggles, the decline in captain Alex Ovechkin's play and repeated postseason failures forced General Manager George McPhee to make a change.

Now, to be fair here, all the problems Virginia Democrats are facing do not trace back to Brian Moran or to any one individual. However, right now it seems that the Democratic grassroots has largely lost faith in the ability of DPVA management to formulate - let alone execute! - a plan to turn around the disastrous situation we find ourselves in at the moment. That seems to cry out for a change in management, a change in approach, a change in skillsets, a change in chemistry, you name it. In the case of the Washington Capitals, they just fired a coach who had achieved great success, but simply was not demonstrating the ability to connect with his players or to turn around the team's fortunes.

In the case of DPVA leadership, first and foremost Brian Moran, there is basically ZERO track record of success, at least going back to 2009 (and it's hard to be impressed with the results in 2007, either), let alone a plan to turn things around. Which leads to one, obvious course of action to take. If the "powers that be" in the Virginia Democratic hierarchy can't see that, then they're not nearly as smart as Caps' General Manager George McPhee.  

Another Cop-Out by Democrats: "Super" Committee Concessions

by: Progressive86

Mon Oct 31, 2011 at 15:00:07 PM EDT

The Democratic Party has turned its back on the working and middle-class people of the United States once again in its recent "concession" to Republican members of the so-called "super committee" established to reduce America's debt by $1.5 trillion over the next decade.  Democrats in the debt reduction committee have proposed cuts to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars towards Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits. Not to be outdone, Republicans proposed even bigger cuts to these vital social programs.

Is it that our elected representatives don't "get it," don't care, or truly think they are the only ones who can put America's economic genie back into the bottle? As if the Occupy protestors needed anymore verification of their concerns, the latest political cop-out by the Democratic members of the super committee is an additional piece of irrefutable evidence. What's next, one has to wonder, eliminating benefits for wounded veterans?

A Time for Real Change

by: Progressive86

Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 13:54:55 PM EDT

It seemed like only a matter of time before the "Grand Ol' Party" began villainizing the peaceful "Occupy" protests across the U.S. and indeed, the process has begun. From a political standpoint, it makes sense that the Republican Party would attempt to debunk a protest movement that firmly challenges the "free market," "small government," set of beliefs shared by the Republicans and their elite corporatist cronies. But what started out as a peaceful movement of demonstrations aimed primarily at Wall Street greed has continued to be a peaceful movement, much to the chagrin of the GOP. The GOP has however attempted to capitalize on a small number of incidents such as the "kill pigs" graffiti in Oakland, CA.

Of course, the Occupy movements have never advocated any such beliefs and those among the Oakland Occupy constituency have denied that the "kill pigs" graffiti was done by anyone belonging to the movement. Unfortunately, perception is reality in the post-modern era of meaning and the Republican Party have proven themselves adept at turning the most unequivocal piece of logic or scientific certainty into just another discredited "opinion" (e.g. global climate change). Fortunately for those of us who support the Occupy movements, however, Republican members of Congress in particular have become so discredited in the eyes of the U.S. public that their distasteful political tactics will only serve to appeal to their voting base and those who oppose the Occupy movements outright.  

Regulatory Inroads into Uranium Mining

by: Progressive86

Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 22:16:08 PM EDT

Don't let the brilliance of this suggestion made by VA Sen. John Watkins (R-Midlothian) blow you away: the VA General Assembly may analyze VA's regulatory structure of the uranium mining industry before a decision is made to lift the "moratorium" on uranium mining. Brilliant indeed! Well Sen. Watkins, first things first. If special permits are to be granted for uranium mining operations and a strict regulatory structure is to be promulgated, the agency(s) in charge will actually need the appropriate funds and manpower to undertake these charges. In our current political environment, who in the General Assembly is willing to spend extra on these important components of a lift on VA's uranium mining moratorium? Further, how long will this budgetary largesse last?

Perhaps, instead, the General Assembly decides to shift money from other, no less important programs, to fund the regulation of uranium mining. Where will the money be taken from, children's cancer research, infrastructure upgrades, afterschool programs? The possibilities are limitless!

New Report Confirms "Pervasive" Flooding of Uranium Mining Site

by: Progressive86

Thu Oct 06, 2011 at 14:14:17 PM EDT

Unless you're a member of the Cole family or one of Virginia Uranium Inc's (VUI) underwriters, you've probably noticed the intense rainfall VA has received over the past two months. In line with these precipitation numbers, a report released on September 26, 2011 confirms what many Virginians have suspected: "pervasive flooding regularly occurs throughout the proposed mine and mill site at Coles Hill." Surprise, surprise, you may say. However, it doesn't appear that everyone looks at the scientific facts in the same way that those of us in the real world do.

Indeed, the study requested from the National Academy of Sciences has been seen by some Virginians as a political smokescreen that members of the General Assembly can hide behind when they cast their "Yes" vote to lift the uranium moratorium in VA. For better or for worse, though, you cannot hide behind the human and environmental effects that such a legislative move would inevitably bring to those in southern VA (and maybe elsewhere). The only problem for Virginians is that many of these "Yes" legislators will have long since left public office when the disasters strike.

Maybe members of the General Assembly and VUI will use the straw-man argument of jobs. I asked Senator Steve Martin about how many of these alleged jobs would be created and still have not heard back. This isn't a shocker. Even if there were copious numbers of jobs to fill, Virginians, on the whole, don't even have the expertise to undertake many of the more technically demanding uranium mining jobs. So what would be left by way of jobs for Virginians? More than likely the most menial, technically non-demanding jobs will be open to Virginians. Not exactly a rosy job picture. But a job is a job right? Wrong.  

Maybe this time, the middle and working classes will win: A new chapter for America's future

by: Progressive86

Sun Aug 14, 2011 at 20:28:06 PM EDT

America for the wealthy may be the slogan for the 21st Century in the U.S. Sure, maybe the history of the US reveals a not too dissimilar narrative. But Americans, since the end of World War 2, had come to expect a growing standard of living relative to their parents and a chance to reside within the now seemingly elusive middle class.  Most disconcerting perhaps is that there seems to be no clear champion of the middle and working class of America at present.

Instead, our libertarian friends, the majority of which are far from socioeconomically destitute, call for a rollback on "big government" alongside their conservative friends. The conservatives themselves add a strongly moralistic flavor to their calls for "starving the beast," a call which continuously contradicts itself by expansive military spending and Fortune 500 tax loopholes. The Democratic Party, the purported bulwark of the middle and working classes of America, appears more convinced that a "move towards the middle," and consequently away from middle class principles, is the light at the end of the tunnel of their political future.  

President Obama: The Cave-in President

by: Progressive86

Mon Aug 01, 2011 at 19:02:42 PM EDT

Assuming that the current budget deal is rushed through both chambers of the Congress, a terrible precedent has been set that may have negative effects for many years to come. The precedent is this: hold the American economy hostage or any other integral systemic feature of American society, and you'll have your policy demands met! Responsible governing, that's a phenomenon of previous congress's.

As progressives, we have ourselves to blame as well. We didn't do enough to stop this madness! While the Tea Party put boots on the ground and sent multitudinous phone calls to their legislators, progressives sat back bemused by anxiety, misunderstanding, and frustration. Why is "our" president not defending our policies?

The open secret about politics is that to be heard you have to speak! Maybe we didn't speak enough or loud enough. Whatever the answer, we know we have to do more from here on out because our current strategies obviously didn't work.  

Which Vision of America Do We Want?

by: Teddy Goodson

Sat Jul 23, 2011 at 17:35:26 PM EDT

"A deal was never reached, and was never really close....In the end, we couldn't connect. Not because of different personalities, but because of different visions for our country."

Each has been convinced that only their vision reflects the true tradition of the American Revolution---- but only the Republicans have codified their developing vision, promoted and propagandized it, understanding exactly what they were doing. The Democrats appear to have wandered along in an inarticulate fog, assuming that the Grand Old Party shared with them the same traditions from the Age of Reason about the rights of man and self-government, wherein political parties might be a little to the right (more "conservative" and business-oriented) or a little to the left (more "populist" and labor-oriented) but willing to alternate as a result of free elections in the roles of leadership and of loyal opposition. They never noticed the gradual pulling away of the counter-party, and, beyond babbling occasionally about "Democratic values," they never promoted a clear vision, their alternative view of the world. They even avoided challenging the Republicans' relentless propaganda, supposing that this political courtesy would make it easier to get the opposite party to co-operate in governing.  

Republican Congress Destroying Human & Environmental Health

by: Progressive86

Tue Jul 19, 2011 at 12:21:29 PM EDT

As if any more evidence were needed to demonstrate the purely ideological basis upon which so many within the Republican Congress have based their policy decisions upon, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act is another ringing example. Eric Cantor (R-VA) voted against this act, an act that would have phased out the energy inefficient incandescent light bulb in favor of more efficient light bulbs like LED's. Thus, making the U.S. a less energy intensive country appears to be a low priority for many within the Republican controlled House.

The irony of the situation is that while most Republicans in the House call for "energy independence" and "energy security," they continually vote down what they apparently perceive to be "liberal" acts that would, in fact, promote more efficient energy use in the U.S. Even in this toxic political environment, what is best for the country shouldn't be a matter of where the ideas come from. But the Republican Party, in both houses of Congress, has epitomized the idea of irresponsible governance.

Not only has this morose party attacked more efficient energy use, they have attacked one of the few agencies whose mission is to protect environmental and human health, the EPA. The Republicans in Congress claim that the EPA is simply attempting to increase its power, totally ignoring the facts on the ground. What the Republican Party is really saying is that their friends and campaign contributors in Big Business feel ill at ease in complying with environmentally friendly business practices. God forbid if big businesses have to also focus on protecting the ecosystems and human populations that surround them!

This is, of course, where we are at right now, a battle between big business and environmental stewardship. What is often lost in the raging debates is that environmental health is also part and parcel with human health. If the former is sick, the latter will no doubt be as well. The Republican Party is in effect destroying human health with their assault on environmental protection.  

Cantor: symbol of 'new' broken politics

by: Progressive86

Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 08:43:04 AM EDT

Majority Leader of the U.S. House, Eric Cantor (R-VA), recently stated that before a deal between the White House and Republicans in congress can be reached, "reforms to the system" must be included to avoid a perception by the American public that Washington cannot manage America's money (too late?).

Cantor also conceded on NBC's "Today" show that "special interest loopholes" in the tax code disrupt economic growth.

He went on to conclude that "there was a fundamental disagreement over whether we should raise taxes right now. I believe it's counterintuitive."

What is counterintuitive is Cantor's ability to garner enough constituent support to remain in public office.

Rep. Cantor is indicative of the counterproductive political atmosphere that has taken hold of politics in Washington and spread, in some ways, to politics in Virginia.

Unwilling or unable to point the finger at oneself, politicians like Cantor prefer to sweep party and policy tensions under the rug and blame "the other side" for allegedly spoiling a relatively admirable across-the-aisle attempt at doing what's right for the country.

To be sure, this kind of finger-pointing is not reserved to one party or one political candidate alone. The Democratic Party has many "Cantors" of its own.

But at the end of the day, what really matters is putting the U.S. back on a healthy footing again.

If your goal is to stay in office, why not attempt to find suitable answers to some of our most pressing problems?

It shouldn't seem like a radical question, but for some reason it is in the current political environment. "Cantorism" has spread while America waits to see if there's a short-term cure.  

Election Defection: Re-Alignment, Ideologues, and the Message

by: Teddy Goodson

Sat Nov 06, 2010 at 20:07:36 PM EDT

Here's the Change We've Been Waiting For!

by: Teddy Goodson

Sat Oct 02, 2010 at 23:49:32 PM EDT

1- Immediate Wall-to-Wall TV Ads, Internet Videos, and Appearances Hammering Who the H**l Put Us in the Misery We're In. This is necessary because Americans have short memory spans. Moore says "I don't know a single person in Hollywood who wouldn't shoot those spots for you for FREE. Dems: Do not pull a single punch on this.... the public will be astonished that you've found your courage and your spine."

Pander to Your Base, Obama

by: Teddy Goodson

Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 15:43:39 PM EDT

More Endorsements for Susan Mariner

by: lowkell

Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 17:13:55 PM EDT

*Phil Burnette, 5th CD Dem Committee Vice Chair, who says, "Susan Mariner is one of the hardest working, most effective, and most dedicated Democrats I know, as highlighted by her attendance at the 5th CD Democratic Committee's nominating convention for Tom Perriello this past weekend. In addition, Susan's commitment to Democratic committees and communities across Virginia, including in rural parts of the Commonwealth, is unsurpassed. I strongly endorse Susan Mariner for the DPVA 1st Vice Chair position and urge others to vote for her!"
*Lovely Lall, Catoctin District Chair and Asian American Community activist
*Thom Beres, Potomac District Chair
*Joe Fitzgerald, Vice Chair 6th CD
*Elaine Owens, Secretary 6th CD
*Lorene Martin, 5th CD Treasurer
*Sam Crockett, 10th CD Chair
*Linda Wyatt, 6th District Committee Chair
*Mike Lieberman, Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair

Thanks to everyone for their endorsements, can we say "momentum?" :) Go Susan!

P.S. Also, thanks to the 368 people who have joined the Susan Mariner for DPVA 1st Vice Chair Facebook page.

Susan Mariner Meets With Loudoun County Democrats

by: lowkell

Fri Jun 04, 2010 at 12:31:54 PM EDT

Well beyond this particular election, what Susan is committed to doing is listening to Democrats doing the hard work "on the ground."  That's why she's traveling around the Commonwealth, asking for people's thoughts, meeting with local elected officials and party leadership, and learning firsthand what's happening with the Democratic Party in key battleground counties like Loudoun.  

Susan points out that many Democrats "downstate" tend to think of Loudoun as Northern Virginia, which to many people is synonymous with Fairfax County.  That, of course, is not the case.  And, Susan adds, it's important that the 1st Vice Chair have the time to commit to understanding and representing all of the state, not just one part.

Susan reports that last night, in speaking with the Loudoun County Democrats at their meeting, nobody could remember any members of the DPVA leadership attending any event other than a fundraiser. Having worked on campaigns professionally (Susan served as the general election Political Director in Hampton Roads for Barack Obama, also as an advisor on Senators John Miller's and Ralph Northam's tough Red to Blue election victories in 2007, etc), she understands numbers, campaign strategy, and tactics.  Even more importantly, perhaps, Susan also understands how critical it is for campaigns to listen to Democrats who know their communities and their voters better than any staffer.  

Last but not least, Susan believes that a key aspect of the 1st Vice Chair should be to interface between the DPVA and statewide campaigns, which makes understanding the entirety of the state absolutely critical. Fortunately, when Susan is elected DPVA 1st Vice Chair in 8 days, we will not only have someone who understands Virginia and meets the other criteria cited above, we will have a committed, hard-working, dynamic, inclusive leader who takes the DPVA to another level of excellence. Go Susan!