Find out how Cooch took $55,000 from the disgraced "U.S. Navy Veterans Association," in apparent exchange for his promise to get the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs (which had "notified Thompson's group that it no longer qualified for an exemption from state registration requirements") off the group's back. Can we say "pay-to-play?" Find out more.
Richmond, VA - Virginia Democrats spoke out today against former-Senator George Allen's reckless and hypocritical rhetoric on the possibility of building more oil and natural gas pipelines in Virginia without giving them the proper environmental and public safety review.
"If there were an issue, gosh we'd put a natural gas pipeline, or should we put an oil pipeline through Virginia, it wouldn't be worrying about gosh, lets have a study, let's determine the danger of this." He continued, "if Virginia were trying to hold up a gas pipeline, or oil pipeline, it simply wouldn't happen because we have them."
House of Delegates Democratic Leader David Toscano (Charlottesville) condemned Allen's dangerous suggestion that new pipelines would not require study because "we have them:"
"Building a pipeline through Virginia without conducting a single study or review is not in the best interests of our citizens. While a decision to build may ultimately make sense, the failure to conduct a comprehensive review sets a dangerous precedent.
"George Allen's suggestion that we can build an oil pipeline through Virginians' backyards without a thorough review of the consequences demonstrates, once again, that he puts the oil industry's interests before public safety and the good of the Commonwealth."
Virginia Senator Adam Ebbin (Arlington), a member of the Argiculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee continued:
Seriously, this is not a joke. Bob McDonnell really "stand(s) with Scott" Walker, who just had more than a million people sign a petition to remove him from office for his war against working people, his war on voting rights, his alleged favoritism and patronage, his love affair with the Koch brothers, etc., etc. Basically, Scott Walker is one of the worst governors in America, and one of the most unpopular, and Bob McDonnell is leaping to his defense - standing with him, in fact. That really says it all about Bob McDonnell, I'd say.
The Virginia polls showing George Allen with a 60-point lead in GOP Senator nomination fight are hugely misleading based on the results of the Iowa Caucus. Mr. Allen wasn't the only incumbent Republican Senator to lose in 2006: so did Mr. Santorum. Both men, once rising stars in the GOP, are trying to get "back in the game" this year. Mr. Santorum decided to try is luck in Iowa, as opposed to running again for his former Pennsylvania seat. Now that the voters have spoken, the results appear to suggest
the VA pundits are missing some real - but not yet tapped - weaknesses in former colleague George Allen's hopes for a rebirth here in the Old Dominion.
Bottom line: The current strategy by the Allen for Senate campaign to run as the "old" Allen from his gubernatorial days is out of sync with the Iowa results.
But you say: "Come on Paul, how can Dr. Sabato and all the others be wrong about Allen being a sure winner, with a likely margin of 60 points over his nearest GOP competitor this June?"
They aren't wrong in the sense it is the way the conventional wisdom plays out all things being equal.
But to the extent they believe this is how the campaign should play out, then I say this: They are wrong, the "old" conservative coalition is dead, there is a "new right" conservative coalition that is out of step with Allen's record: or I suppose it should be that Allen's record is out of step with it.
The Iowa results make it clear: George Allen has real weaknesses this year which he can not paper over against a credible "new right" challenger running to his right.
In Eric Can'tor's hyper-ideological, immune-to-facts world, Ronald Reagan is a mythological hero who never compromised on his principles. In reality, as pointed out on The Ed Show, Reagan raised taxes 12 times in his presidency, including a 3-year, $100 billion tax hike (largest since World War II) and the largest corporate tax hike in history to that point. Reagan, of course, also backtracked and ended up negotiating with the Soviet Union (offering to give up all our ballistic missiles, no less!), which he had earlier called "the Evil Empire." Reagan also signed a large-scale amnesty for "illegal immigrants" into law, expanded government greatly, racked up huge amounts of debt, and pretty much violated every "principle" Eric Can'tor and his merry band of Teahadists holds dear. It's truly astounding that someone this hollow, this ignorant, and this mindlessly ideological can be House Majority Leader, in line to possibly be the next Speaker of the House. What an embarrassment (to Virginia, humanity, etc.).
When it comes right down to it, there aren't a lot of differences, policy-wise or otherwise, between George "Baby Newt" Allen and Newt Gingrich. In other words, if you don't like Big Newt, you certainly won't love "Baby Newt!" Heh.
Six years, almost to the day, after the launch of Draft James Webb - by a few of us crazy, progressive, netroots activists - how has it all worked out? Here are a few positives and negatives, six years later.
Positives 1. We defeated George Allen, at a time when all the "smart" people in the Virginia Democratic establishment felt that it was absolutely hopeless - no chance whatsoever - that we could beat Allen in 2006. That's why they picked a wealthy guy as a placeholder candidate. I never bought that analysis. Why not? Because I looked at Allen's 2000 election numbers (not impressive - just 52% over a severely weakened Chuck Robb), his poll numbers in late 2005 (mediocre), his record in the U.S. Senate (96% voting with Bush, no accomplishments to speak of), and the Republicans' declining poll numbers across the country. With the right candidate, why couldn't Allen be beaten? I didn't buy it, nor did others in the "Draft James Webb" movement, and we acted accordingly.
2. We defeated slimeball lobbyist, conservadem, and unethical hack Harris Miller, despite being outspent something like 6:1 (Miller used that money to savage Webb in mailers as essentially a racist, misogynist, and of course Reagan Republican). That, in and of itself, was a huge accomplishment, for which I'll forever be proud to have participated in.
3. We built a 14,000-strong "ragtag army" of Webb supporters across Virginia. That was one of the coolest things I've ever been involved with, and probably ever will be involved with. It also proved that "people power" can win out over money, the "powers that be," etc.
4. As a U.S. Senator, Webb's done some great work. First and foremost, of course, was his modern-day GI Bill. Second, Webb has been a voice for our fighting men and women, as well as our veterans, across the board. Third, Webb has done great work on East and Southeast Asia, including helping pave the way towards a possible breakthrough with Myanmar/Burma. Fourth, Webb has relentlessly pushed for criminal justice reform, has built a large, bipartisan coalition supporting it, and has not given up despite outrageously absurd obstacles put in his path. I hope he gets this one before he leaves the Senate in a bit over a year. Fifth, I'll never forget Webb's awesome response to George W. Bush's State of the Union address on January 23, 2007. Finally, for those who think Webb hasn't been a strong enough Democrat, it's important to point out that, in the end, Webb has voted approximately 94% of the time with his party -- about the same as Mark Warner, who's voted 95% of the time with the Democrats.
5. We took back the U.S. Senate in 2006, with Webb's election tipping it to the Democrats. That, in and of itself, made it all worthwhile.
6. We arguably prevented Felix Macacawitz from getting the Republican nomination for president in 2008. Remember, in early 2006, Felix was busy running, but not for Senate so much as for president. That's why he was hanging out in places like...oh, Iowa and New Hampshire...and not "real Virginia." Heh.
7. Before I get to the "negatives' below, let me just conclude by pointing out that Webb's been infinitely better than Felix Macacawitz, who would have been a disaster on every issue. So, yes, overall I'd say that in many ways, Draft James Webb worked out extremely well. But now, the negatives...(you knew those were coming!).
There is increasing chatter among the chattering class about the possibility of Senator Mark Warner running for governor in 2013. This type of thing doesn't help Terry McAuliffe or the party right now, but given the wipeouts of 2009, 2010, the loss of the Senate in 2011, and worries over the President's re-election chances, such speculation is understandable. The recent PPP poll showed Terry running even with Bolling Alone and the Ken Doll, but MarkNotJohn is the big dog of VA politics. He would likely win easily, if not by a record margin in the two party era. In the past, such landslides have elected one or both ticketmates as well. This could give Democrats control of the State Senate, although the GOP would maintain a comfortable House of Delegates majority. There hasn't been a Democrat elected AG for over a generation.
Now, of course it is more fun to be Governor than Senator -- and you get more perks. But you can't change the country from Virginia; you can from Washington. Indeed, from the Governor's Mansion, you might not even be able to change Virginia all that much under the best of circumstances, which is what Warner said in advocating a Constitutional change to allow a Governor to run for re-election.
There is no chance the House GOP is going to allow the Constitution to be changed to let Governor Warner run again in 2017. So in practical terms, Mark would be giving a safe gig in DC, for the same four-year straight jacket he was in a few years ago.
(Glen Besa is Virginia Chapter Director of the Sierra Club. - promoted by lowkell)
Just yesterday, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that he was throwing more state money at the Coalfields Expressway in Southwest Virginia, a boondoggle road project of the first order. Worse yet it is an abuse of the state government's power of condemnation to benefit coal companies like Alpha Natural Resources. Local property owners will see their land condemned so that coal companies can get at the coal under their land using the pretense of building a road. Governor McDonnell is directing VDOT to condemn land for the benefit of private coal companies.
The proof of this abuse is evident in the Governor's announcement in which he discloses that the developer of the Coalfields Expressway is not a highway contractor but the coal company Alpha Natural Resources. It is also important to note that Alpha Natural Resources made over $270,000 in campaign contributions in 2011, $192,000 to Republicans including $50,000 to Governor McDonnell's Opportunity Virginia PAC and $77,000 to Democrats. This is the kind of shameful abuse and back dealing that erodes public confidence in the integrity of government.
Wait, wasn't this Patrick Forrest dude, crushed by Janet Howell in the election results yesterday, supposed to be a "moderate" or even a "liberal" Republican? Guess not.
I wanted to pass along to you one of my favorite quotes from Ayn Rand:
"Throughout history, no tyrant ever rose to power except on the claim of representing 'the common good.' Napoleon 'served the common good' of France. Hitler is 'serving the common good' of Germany.Horrors which no man would dare consider for his own selfish sake are perpetrated with a clear conscience by 'altruists' who justify themselves by-the common good. The American system is founded on individualism. If it is to survive, we must understand the principles of individualism and hold them as our standard in any public question, in every issue we face. We must have a positive credo, a clear consistent faith."
Uh huh. Right. Sure. Whatever you say, Mr. Forrest. (quick, someone call the men in the white coats) As one Virginia Democrat said to me in an email: "I think we should all be thankful the man who thought this post-election campaign email was a good idea is not an elected official. Hopefully, we don't see him again." I'd just add the words, "for both selfish reasons as well as for the common good!" :)
P.S. For more on the sociopathic extremist (and horrible writer) Ayn Rand, click here.
As usual, Corey Stewart makes absolutely no sense, except that he demonstrates how he's an utterly Machiavellian, principle-less politician who will say and do anything for his own political advantage. In sum, Corey Stewart is exactly what the vast majority of Americans say they do NOT want in their leaders. No wonder why he endorsed Felix Macacawitz, they're two peas in a pod!
Dee Jacobson from Cantor's district speaking in Philadelphia yesterday:
I came up here today...to stand in solidarity with you because I am disgusted with what my Congressman, Eric Cantor, is doing. I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today. I know there are thousands of Virginians who wish they could be here standing beside us. It's an outrage that I had to travel 300 miles to another state just to seem my Congressman. And then he has the nerve to cancel. This doesn't surprise me. Representative Cantor rarely holds public meetings in his district and does not put out a public schedule. I once went by his district office 5 different times in 1 week...
You probably saw/heard the news stories this morning that Tim Kaine will not be appearing with President Obama during his bus tour of Virginia. This seemed to kickstart the meme that Kaine was distancing himself from Obama. Well, according to Tim Kaine for Senate campaign spokeswoman Brandi Hoffine on her Twitter feed, that's simply not the case. According to Hoffine: "Gov Kaine was w/POTUS @UofR just few weeks ago, will do other events w/him just as we imagine our opponent will do w/R nominee." Also, see the following statement. Clearly, Tim Kaine is NOT distancing himself in any way, shape or form from President Obama. Good to see, and I hope to see other Democrats not caving to ridiculous Republican't attacks and standing by their party, their principles, and their president.
Statement from Kaine for Virginia Spokeswoman Brandi Hoffine
Governor Kaine was happy to attend the President's event last month at the University of Richmond and we fully expect him to attend other events with the President throughout this election cycle, just as we expect our opponent will appear with the eventual Republican nominee for President. However, Governor Kaine won't be able to join the President on this visit as he has a full schedule of events in Northern Virginia, including events for legislative candidates who are up for election in a couple of weeks, which could not be rescheduled.
(So deeply disappointing. Wasn't Jim Webb's 2006 campaign all about fighting for those at the "base not the apex" of society? How is it wrong to put a surcharge on millionaires to pay for jobs programs for the working and middle classes? It seems that Jim Webb has lost his way after 5 years in the Senate. Sad. - promoted by lowkell)
In a Senate cloture vote last night, Senator Jim Webb voted to proceed with debate on the Americans Jobs Act, but noted he would vote against the President's plan to put 2 million Americans back to work. Senator Webb stated that he is opposed to funding the legislation by increasing taxes for the wealthiest 1 percent.
Senator Webb’s opposition to the American Jobs Act comes on the heels of a new report from the Commonwealth Institute on the state of working Virginia revealing the wealth gap between rich and poor in Virginia is the highest in 30 years, and the second largest in the nation. The President's jobs plan would help narrow the growing income gap by creating middle class jobs and strengthening the economy. The American Jobs Act includes tax credit for companies that hire new workers, investments in the nation's infrastructure, and tax credits to businesses hiring out-of-work veterans.
"A vote against the American Jobs Act is a vote to lay off 10,800 Virginia teachers, leave our veterans without jobs, and to continue the corrosion of our infrastructure by passing up hiring 16,000 Virginia construction workers. We are disappointed that Senator Webb joined obstructionists like Rep Cantor, by opposing the American Jobs Act," said Sandra Cook, Chairperson of Virginia Organizing.
The following press release from DPVA really says it all about George Allen's absurd policy ideas. In this case, Allen would have let the U.S. auto industry go belly up, along with "hundreds of thousands of associated jobs," including many right here in Virginia (and specifically "including jobs at Dynax in Botetourt County, where George Allen recently unveiled his anti-worker platform, Goodyear, the largest employer in Danville, and Continental AG in Newport News."). Yes, this is the kind of rabid, right-wing ideological "leadership" we could expect if George Allen ever got back into a position of power and authority. Let's all do everything we can to make sure that nightmare never comes to pass!
George Allen would have played politics with 14,000 Virginia jobs Ideological opposition to investment could have destroyed American auto industry
George Allen says that the government should have sat on the sidelines while the American auto industry and hundreds of thousands of associated jobs disappeared or went overseas. Despite overwhelming evidence that America's investments in its automobile manufacturers rescued the industry, George Allen thinks it was the wrong way to go. Instead, he would have put over 14,000 Virginia auto industry jobs in danger just to adhere to his anti-government ideology.
"I did not support the auto bailout,"-George Allen, "Ask George Allen" email to supporters.
Not many Virginians are millionaires. But, a whole lot of our congress members are - and they shouldn't be paying taxes at a lower rate than the rest of us. They shouldn't be making average Virginians pay more so that they can pay less:
Its been weeks since President Obama sent his Jobs Plan to Hill, along with a plan to pay for it by closing tax loopholes and making sure millionaires pay their fair share. But (surprise, surprise), Congress is dragging its feet. Every day Congress refuses to pass the President's tax cut and jobs plan costs small businesses and working Americans.
On Wednesday evening, I attended an event in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, entitled "Transforming the Gun Debate." The panel discussion was fascinating, including a talk by Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia's 11th Congressional District. Here's Rep. Connolly talking about how he narrowly won reelection in 2010 (by fewer than 1,000 votes over Republican challenger Keith Fimian), largely on the issue of "gun control." A few highlights from Connolly's remarks include the ones below. I found Connolly's comments particularly interesting, because they run diametrically counter to the common meme in the media that gun control is always a losing issue (despite polling that clearly indicates strong support among Americans for statements like, "gun control laws in this country should be more strict than they are now").
*"You are looking at a member of Congress who, I believe arguably can attribute his reelection last November to the fact that there were a plurality of people in his district who favor reasonable gun control laws."
*The NRA, which is headquartered in Connolly's district, considers reasonable, commonsense gun laws to be "radical."
*Fairfax County was hit hard by the Virginia Tech shootings, with 8 young people from Fairfax County dead. What was shocking to Rep. Connolly was how quickly the "PR machine of the more radical elements of gun advocates got to work right away...if they'd only been packing heat...they could have gotten the gunman faster."
Let's cut to the bottom line: The idea that somehow our political process and country would be better off by requiring Jamie Radtke and the others similarly situated in the Virginia GOP U.S. Senate primary be included in the Allen vs. Kaine AP debate is not the case. Radtke has been campaigning the longest of the Tea Party posse, with no discernible success in convincing even the wrongest of the right wingers to support her. She can talk the talk because she can pretend to be Sarah Palin-lite or a Tea Party "founder." But the truth is, as they say in Rick Perry country, "she is all hat and no cowgirl" even to the Teasters who aren't supporting her.
Radtke does have a legitimate point in saying the 15% polling threshold and additional financial litmus test are questionable as to their particulars. This is a primary contest, not a general election presidential debate. Those parameters are too high in my view. But, like the Attorney General's healthcare lawsuite, she simply doesn't have standing to argue the case.
The fundamental issue - does Radtke qualify to be in any or all debates because she has filed for to run - isn't changed by these particulars.
Remember: Radtke hasn't even qualified for the primary ballot. Kaine and Allen will definitely qualify for the primary ballot. There is also someone in the Radtke category claiming to be a candidate against Kaine based on news reports. True, this Democratic wannabe doesn't issue press releases every day like Radtke. But they both register the same in the polls: within the margin of error from zero.
More reading for this morning: Paul Krugman's New York Times Column on Eric Can'tor holding aid for victims of Hurricane Irene hostage, and more broadly on how Can'tor "has done more than anyone else to make policy blackmail - using innocent Americans as hostages - standard operating procedure for the G.O.P."
As Krugman points out, Can'tor may be a "hard man," "willing to endanger America's financial credibility, putting our whole economy at risk" and also "threatening to take Irene's victims hostage," he's also a Category 5 hypocrite. How so? Paul Krugman explains:
*Can'tor and his Republican fellow hypocrites "did nothing to offset the cost of the Iraq war, which now stands at $800 billion and counting."
*In 2004, "when his home state of Virginia was struck by Tropical Storm Gaston, Mr. Cantor voted against a bill that would have required the same pay-as-you-go rule that he now advocates."
I'd add that Can'tor and his Republican fellow hypocrites, people like George Allen for example, also voted time and again during the Bush Administration for tax and spending measures that first turned Bill Clinton's "surpluses as far as the eye could see" into deficits, then turned those deficits into a gargantuan mess (President Obama inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit the day he became president.
Let me repeat that: Barack Obama INHERITED a $1.3 trillion deficit from Eric Can'tor, George W. Bush, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, etc..
After getting kicked out of the hotel where an "Advisory Council Meeting" (aka, a "town hall") with Rep. Eric Can'tor was being held today, a large number of Can'tor's constituents, demanding action on jobs and access to their Congressman, rallied in the parking lot across from the Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center in Richmond. Sadly, this is typical behavior by Eric Can'tor, who refuses to meet with his constituents (unless they're rich and powerful, or from the Tea Party), stonewalls on aid to his own district following Hurricane Irene, and holds the entire U.S. economy hostage to his absolutist demands. A always, heckuva job Eric!
Is it "game over" for the U.S. Senate candidacy of Teapublican Jamie Radtke? Based on this evisceration at RedState, as well as this article at Bearing Drift, it sure seems like it. First, a few choice quotes from the RedState article by Erick Son of Erick:
*"I was fortunate not to witness Jamie Radtke's speech at the RedState Gathering. Fortunate because . . . well . . . here are reviews of her speech from various witnesses to the train wreck"
*"She was a drunk rambling idiot that took 30 minutes to introduce a director who himself was confused."
*"It was beyond painful. At first, I was just embarrassed for her and felt a little sorry for her. But by the end of it - which I for while feared would never arrive - I was all 'OMG, I hate you, STFU.'"
*"Jamie Radtke is not a victim. She's a candidate. And clearly a bad one at that...Game over as far as I'm concerned."
*"For Radtke 2012, it's time to fold the hand, walk away from the poker table, and fight another battle in the war for the soul of America. There's plenty more to be done... just not in the U.S. Senate (for now, anyway)."
Looks like "game over" for Jamie Radtke, "game on" for George Felix Allen versus Tim Kaine. Should be interesting!
P.S. For anyone who thinks that Democratic primaries are rough, and that Democrats are so mean to each other, I refer you to the above skewering of Jamie Radtke. And guess what, Republicans somehow seem to survive this, just as Democrats do. It's amazing how that works. :)
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From the Democratic Party of Virginia, more criticism of George Allen's latest idiocy:
by Paul Goldman
Six years, almost to the day, after 
There is increasing chatter among the chattering class about the possibility of Senator Mark Warner running for governor in 2013. This type of thing doesn't help Terry McAuliffe or the party right now, but given the wipeouts of 2009, 2010, the loss of the Senate in 2011, and worries over the President's re-election chances, such speculation is understandable. The recent PPP poll showed Terry running even with Bolling Alone and the Ken Doll, but MarkNotJohn is the big dog of VA politics. He would likely win easily, if not by a record margin in the two party era. In the past, such landslides have elected one or both ticketmates as well. This could give Democrats control of the State Senate, although the GOP would maintain a comfortable House of Delegates majority. There hasn't been a Democrat elected AG for over a generation.
Just yesterday, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that he was throwing more state money at the Coalfields Expressway in Southwest Virginia, a boondoggle road project of the first order. Worse yet it is an abuse of the state government's power of condemnation to benefit coal companies like Alpha Natural Resources. Local property owners will see their land condemned so that coal companies can get at the coal under their land using the pretense of building a road. Governor McDonnell is directing VDOT to condemn land for the benefit of private coal companies.
You probably saw/heard the news stories this morning that Tim Kaine will not be appearing with President Obama during his bus tour of Virginia. This seemed to kickstart the meme that Kaine was distancing himself from Obama. Well, according to Tim Kaine for Senate campaign spokeswoman Brandi Hoffine on 
The following press release from DPVA really says it all about George Allen's absurd policy ideas. In this case, Allen would have let the U.S. auto industry go belly up, along with "hundreds of thousands of associated jobs," including many right here in Virginia (and specifically "including jobs at Dynax in Botetourt County, where George Allen recently unveiled his anti-worker platform, Goodyear, the largest employer in Danville, and Continental AG in Newport News."). Yes, this is the kind of rabid, right-wing ideological "leadership" we could expect if George Allen ever got back into a position of power and authority. Let's all do everything we can to make sure that nightmare never comes to pass!
by Paul Goldman
More reading for this morning: 
Is it "game over" for the U.S. Senate candidacy of Teapublican Jamie Radtke? Based on 
