CatHouse Chat

Ralph Northham, your callous depravity is astounding

Yeah, I know I haven't been posting - but the Democratic (I mean, "DemonRATic") Party candidate for [EDIT2: Yeah, I HATE it when I skip my third editorial scan before I post! Northam is running for LIEUTENANT Gov. *grf* Missing a darned "Lt." and I didn't catch it. [email protected]] Governor in Virginia seems to have set a new nadir for campaigning.

Watch this:

 

Oh. My. GAWD!!!! I cannot believe this moron is running on "4 out of 10 unplanned pregnancies end in termination - but that's okay"....

Really? It's "OK"?? It's "OK" that babies are "terminated"? It's "OK" that they're killed before they might have a difficult life? It's "OK"?!

However, it's "cruelty" to insist that a woman have an ultrasound and have the abortion procedure completely explained BEFORE she chooses to abort, because she shouldn't be guilted into parenthood??? THAT'S "cruel"????

[EDIT: I should add that this point is particularly hypocritical for Northam. After all, the DemonRATs are all about "empowering" women, right? Well, what could be more empowering than making sure that women have ALL the information they need to make an informed, intelligent decision? But, no! DemonRATs are really all for making sure women are "empowered" only so long as women fall in line and vapidly follow all the directives/actions/opinions hand fed to them by their liberal overlords. Yeah, now there's real empowerment for you!! Dear God in Heaven, I do fear deeply for this country. /EDIT]

Northam and his crew ought to be horsewhipped for this disgusting, amoral, selfish, and depraved view of pregnancy and the unborn - and that's "OK," because I'm truly not sure whether or not these guys have any shred of their God-given conscience left, much less any morals.

This country has a government that as designed to be run by moral people serving moral citizens. Northam ain't it.

Thanks (I think?) to Shaun Kenney over at Bearing Drift.

Uranium mining issue plagued by myths and misconceptions

Lt. Gov. Bolling swung though Pittsylvania County on Friday, 14 December, to announce his opposition to lifting the "ban" on uranium mining at the Cole's Hill property. Sadly, he seems to be more concerned with the myths and fears surrounding uranium than he is in the facts:

...even though two well respected organizations have completed reviews of the efficacy of removing the ban on uranium mining and milling, I believe there are still too many unanswered questions regarding the potential impact that an incident at the mine might have on the environment and, subsequently, citizens in Southern Virginia and beyond.  Given these legitimate environmental concerns, I believe the ban on uranium mining should remain in place.

It's quite sad that he still has questions, because Virginia Uranium was available and willing to answer him:

In a statement, Virginia Uranium complained that Bolling has refused its invitation to tour the so-called Coles Hill site of the uranium deposit and attempts to brief him on the scientific and technical aspects of its mining and milling plan.

"We took Lt. Gov. Bolling at his word when he claimed to support the expansion of Virginia's nuclear power sector and an 'all of the above' approach to energy policy," Patrick Wales, the company's project manager, said in a statement. He added that Bolling is "clearly pursuing a 'some of the above' energy policy that is the antithesis of free enterprise and free markets."

While this doesn't really surprise me, considering Bolling's political implosion over the past few weeks, I do find it very irritating that Bolling seems willing to sacrifice the economy of Pittsylvania to draw some thin support for the sinking possibility of a "possible" independent  run for Governor.

Sadly, as Jim Hoeft notes over on Bearing Drift, this also indicates an incredible lack of leadership, as well as quite a bit of hypocrisy on Bolling's part. The website for his gubenatorial run (and here's a screenshot, in case the site is taken down) clearly states Bolling's support of nuclear energy:

Governor McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling believe in an “all of the above“ approach to energy policy. They strongly support the expansion of traditional forms of energy, such as coal, natural gas and nuclear power; but they also support expanding renewable forms of energy in Virginia, such as wind, solar and biofuels.

Well, Mr. Bolling, nuclear energy requires fuel - and at the moment, we IMPORT most of the fuel for our nuclear energy plants. Many of the countries which supply uranium have governments which are unstable or hostile to the United States, which would, of course, jeopardize our supply if something untoward should happen to these governments. Have we not had - do we not continue to have - for this reason, the debate about using our own resources for oil and gas?

The National Academy of Science report (summary downloadable as a .pdf here, full report available here) is one of the reviews to which Bolling referred. The report is quite dense, and neither I nor Mr. Bolling are qualified scientists on this subject, so let's see what one of the panel's members has to say in summary.

Dr. Corby G. Anderson was a member of the NAS panel which wrote the report, and his op/ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 09 September has this to say:

Virginia legislators and residents should keep in mind that much of the NAS report focused on the impacts of uranium-mining practices dating back to the 1950s, '60s and '70s, long before any of today's strict regulations were put in place or modern industry practices were adopted.

Fifty years ago, we had neither the technology nor the understanding about the effects of radiation to mine uranium safely. That is not the case today. The NAS report affirms that and provides a "starting point" for Virginia by identifying internationally accepted best practices and regulatory standards for uranium mining.

Uranium is mined safely with minimal environmental impacts throughout the world. Studies conducted by leading epidemiologists demonstrate that today's uranium workers and the public living near modern uranium mines are as healthy as the general population.

Consider that about one-fifth of the world's uranium is mined in nearby Canada, largely in Saskatchewan. Since a government study panel concluded in the 1990s that the environmental impacts of uranium mining could be minimized, the Saskatchewan government has fully embraced the industry and still boasts an enviable record of environmental stewardship.

Today the uranium-mining industry there supports thousands of high-paying jobs and is rigorously regulated by the provincial and federal governments. Virginia would be well served to draw upon the Saskatchewan experience. [emph. mine]

Dr. Anderson rightly reminds us in this op/ed that he is speaking as a private citizen, and not as a representative from the NAS panel, but is remarks should be taken seriously. Technology has made tremendous strides since the moratorium on uranium mining, and the NAS report, while carefully examining the problems associated with uranium mining and acknowledging the difficulties associated with it, mainly concludes that is can be done - assuming proper regulation and oversight is in place.

(As an aside, please remember that "ban" is actually incorrect, while "moratorium" is more accurate. The relevant portion of the Virginia code states

§ 45.1-283. Uranium mining permit applications; when accepted; uranium mining deemed to have significant effect on surface.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit applications for uranium mining shall not be accepted by any agency of the Commonwealth prior to July 1, 1984, and until a program for permitting uranium mining is established by statute. For the purpose of construing § 45.1-180 (a), uranium mining shall be deemed to have a significant effect on the surface. [emph added]

So there is no "ban," as such; rather, no mining may be done until proper statutes are drawn up for regulating uranium mining.)

I have met with several people at Virginia Uranium; they all seem quite above-board and truly interested in the economic health and future of Pittsylvania County. Now, certainly I can be fooled - we can all be fooled at one time or another - but if these men and women are truly the nefarious reprobates intent on destroying the culture and environment of our county (as the anti-uranium folks are wont to picture them), then why are they all so willing and eager to be subject to the regulations Virginia would have to enact? Why are they so willing to dig in and hold on to their ownership, when it would be far easier to sell out and let one of the big companies shoulder the headaches that crafting, editing, and passing the regulations - and then the whole, nightmareish process of actually getting permitted under those regulations! - entails?

Heck, if it were me, I'd be sitting on a beach somewhere, sipping mai tais rather than attempting to inform people of the FACTS about uranium and slamming my head against the brick wall of people who just don't care about facts!

One of the most common myths I've heard promulgated is that, appaerntly, Virginia has a climate that is wet with lots of rainfall, and is thus utterly unique in all the world, so mining couldn't possibly be done safely here. (Yeah, tell that to the farmers who are currently lacking about 16 inches of rainfall this year...)

Uh-huh. Well, it seems to me that Canadian mines seem to be doing quite well. Rabbit Lake (Cameco) is practically surrounded by water, plus it has to deal with snow and snowmelt far greater than anything we'll ever see (oh, and it's won several safety trophies, too!). Or take a look at AREVA's operations in France (which, by the way, is not at all an arid country). Cleanup and proper shut down of old mines is extremely important in protecting the environment, of course. Note that AREVA is very concerned with complying with regulations set up by the French government!

Oh, did you mean that Virginia has no experience with this "wet climate" mining? How about I refer you back to Dr. Anderson?

The report emphasized the effectiveness of runoff and wastewater collection systems, as well as buffer zones and groundwater monitoring wells surrounding the site to detect the slightest elevations in contaminant levels and prevent contaminated water from escaping the site.

Virginia does not have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to uranium mining and milling. It can draw from the international best practices reported in the NAS study as well as borrow from effective regulatory regimes established in other states and countries.

We do not live in a vacuum, people. We do not live in the 1970's or 80's. We live in 2012 (soon to be 2013), and in an area where we have the chance to help supply America's energy needs. We have a chance to be part of it - and whether we go ahead and use this resource or not, let's make the decision with our brains and not our emotions!

The second report Bolling may have referred to could have been either the Chmura report or the George Mason study (links go to .pdfs). The summary at the beginning of the GM study (pp. 2-5) reviewed the circumstances of Pittsylvania County and also examined the impact of existing mines in communities in Texas, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. It concluded:

• The fiscal impact analysis of the proposed mine and mill on Pittsylvania County found a substantial net fiscal benefit for the County.
• The regional housing market analysis found that economic and demographic factors have the greatest impact on housing sales and values with recent housing trends showing gains from the 2008-09 recession.
• Spending from the uranium mine and mill construction and operation would also be expected to increase demand for housing in the County.
• The analysis of how uranium operations have affected the economies of other counties have found that uranium has had a positive economic impact on these communities with no effect on business attraction and retention.
• The business climate analysis concluded that recent gains in the housing market and multiple business attraction successes indicate that the proposed mine and mill do not create a stigma that negatively impacts the County's economy.

When looking at other communities and reviewing recent changes in the housing and business sectors, the George Mason report indicates that this would be a definite positive for Pittsylvania. I would suggest you download the report and at least read the four page summary at the beginning.

A look at the Chmura report's summary will quickly demonstrate that, while it appears to have a more cautious view of the possible socioeconomic stigmas many citizens are concerned about, overall the mine will have a positive impact on the county. Of the four scenarios Chumra looks at, only one - the one where current federal standards on uranium mining are not met - has no positive impact at all.

Chmura is also quite blunt about the fact that the local community is very skeptical about whether federal or state regulation would, in fact, be able to keep the mine operating within safe environmental standards. The report puts forth a suggestion

... that several steps could be taken to mitigate some of this skepticism and bolster the public’s confidence in VUI as well as in state and federal regulatory agencies. These steps include the signing of an “Impact-Benefit Agreement” between VUI and Pittsylvania County, the establishment of permanent Environmental Quality Committees, and the utilization of “adaptive management” practices by VUI. [page 10]

You see? Yes, there are problems associated with the uranium mine - there are problems associated with any type of heavy industry like this - but they are not insurmountable. If we step back and look at the facts with our BRAINS, and do not succumb to emotional impulses based on myth and fear, uranium mining could be a positive development for us all.

America has historically been a place where people dare to do great things and reach out to better themselves and their communities. Of course we have failed at times; that's part of life. However, failure is only an opportunity to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and learn from your mistakes so you can make it succeed the next time you try.

Does uranium mining have the possibility of failure? Of course it does! However, when you step back, look at the facts, and evaluate them carefully with your intellect rather than your fears, I believe that the chances of success far outweigh the chances for failure. 

Allen focuses on jobs - Kaine would rather play hooky

And by "play hooky," I really mean "play the race card."

Let's get a little background, here. Last week, Virginia and West Virginia got the news that quite a few coal mines - which are a big part of our economies - were going to be idled, causing the loss of around 1200 jobs. George Allen realizes how critical these jobs are to Virginia, its economy, and its citizens, and is pointing out Kaine's ties to people and agencies which are hostile to fossil fuels.

Kaine, of course, has little to stand on, as you see in this article from this Washington Post (certainly no friend of sound energy policies) article, which attempts to puff Kaine up by listing his support for alternative energy:

On the campaign trail, Kaine also boasts of having adopted the state’s first comprehensive energy plan, which sought to achieve a balance between coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind and biofuels. He reminds people that as governor, he kept an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia’s shore.

Kaine said he understands the historical importance of coal and its future potential as technology reduces its impact on the planet. But he is also a believer in green energy that can produce jobs such as those at a General Electric plant in Salem where 700 workers build components for wind turbines and solar arrays.

“A third of new power in this country since 2007 that’s come online has been wind power,” Kaine said during a visit to Bristol’s Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival this month.

Yeah. I really love the line about "[keeping] an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia's shore." Keeping an open mind is very effective in creating new jobs, opening up new areas for energy production, and moving Virginia forward as an energy-producing state (yeah, yeah, "Commonwealth," I know). Really, it is!

Funny how nothing actually happened to meet those goals... Plus, at the moment, alternative energy is quite dependant on fossil fuels - both to make various pieces-parts as well as to, you know, provide the POWER to make and assemble those parts - and is also, comparatively speaking, far more expensive than fossil fuels.

Truth to tell, folks, I would totally LOVE to get my power from solar, wind, and geothermal energy, but right now the technologies are too expensive, too inefficient, and too far out of the average person's reach for a real changeover in the next twenty years or so. Keep up the research, keep up the development, absolutely - but at this time, alternative energy powering our economy in any meaningful way is a pipe dream for people suckered in by enviro-idiots (why, hello, Solyndra!)

Anyway, so George Allen is focusing on jobs ("It's the economy, stupid!"), reining in DC's insane spending, and getting this country back on track to being the economic powerhouse we naturally should be... And Tim Kaine wants to talk alternative energies and...

... "Macaca"?!!

 Well, his AFL-CIO attack dogs want to, anyway:

Workers' Voice is putting $54,000 into web ads hitting Allen in Northern Virginia over a range of race-related controversies. One ad says Allen "hung a Confederate flag in his living room," another that he "voted against MLK Day" and another that he "kept a noose in his law office." One ad just says "Macaca."

A Workers' Voice official said the ads will focus on voters in Northern Virginia and Richmond, both union members and non-union members, and particularly African-American and Latino voters.

Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine and his campaign have not attacked Allen in these terms -- at least not yet. But there's no question that the Democratic strategy for winning the Virginia Senate race involves casting Allen as a throwback to an earlier, more conservative and less diverse Virginia, and racking up support among women and the minority voters who have become increasingly influential in Virginia politics.

Seriously, guys? Y'all are union people; one would think that you would be concerned that your brothers in the coal mining industry were losing jobs and asking Kaine what his jobs plan is.

That reminds me - hey, Tim Kaine, what *IS* your jobs plan?

*crickets*

How about your plan to reduce government spending and invasive regulation?

*crickets*

Ah. Well, let's make this a little easier. How about your plan to promote solid debate about issues?

*crickets*

Yeah. Thought so.

Of course, Kaine does have to support and follow his Bestest Buddy, doesn't he?

Of course, that might not be such a good thing; Kaine is on record as saying that there might be more important things to focus on than jobs.

Like this?

Additional reading:

• Washington DC-based partisan group blast Kaine on coal (nice, unbiased headling, don't you think?)
• Tim Kaine's union allies ignore jobs, focus on race card in Virginia Senate
• Dems go for the race card; Allen (and everyone else) talks coal jobs, energy independence
• Virginia Black Consevative Forum calls on Tim Kaine to repudiate ads attacking George Allen as racist

 

Conservative Virginia bloggers demand revocation of Laura Vozella's press credentials to the RNC

The Honorable Pat Mullins
Chairman
Republican Party of Virginia
115 East Grace Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Chairman Mullins,

On August 20th, 2012 the Washington Post launched a scurrilous, yet sadly typical, attack on Republican U.S. Senate nominee George Allen.

While Allen had made a statement repudiating Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin's remarks, the Washington Post's Laura Vozzella chose to take the opportunity to attack Allen by linking him to a vote for a judicial appointment -- a connection so bizarre, it could only have come from a DSCC opposition research book, not to mention far beyond the scope of her article.

Vozzella has a long history of bashing conservatives, so naturally the Washington Post is a perfect home for her.

What strikes the bloggers and readers of the Jeffersoniad as bizarre is this: why would the Republican Party of Virginia grant this vitriolic and anti-conservative "reporter" with credentials at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida?

Bloggers have long been up front and critical about the difference between real journalism that presents perspectives and the sort of op-ed reporting the Washington Post has long engaged in against Virginia conservatives -- particularly George Allen.

Therefore, the members of the Jeffersoniad Blog Alliance demand the Republican Party of Virginia immediately revoke Laura Vozzella's credentials for the 2012 RNC Convention in Tampa, Florida as an example and a warning that while journalism will be respected, copy-and-paste hatchet jobs courtesy of the Kaine/DSCC machine can no longer be treated as journalism and is unworthy of such respect.

Regards,

Jim Hoeft
Bearing Drift

Jim Riley
Virginia Virtucon

Tom White
Virginia RIGHT!

D.J. McGuire
The Right-Wing Liberal

Trent A. Barton
Virginia Virtucon

David Shepherd
Virginia Gentleman

Lynn Mitchell
SWAC Girl

Brian Kirwin
Bearing Drift

Jeanine Martin
Virginia Virtucon

Dean Settle
The Bulletproof Monk

Kat Wilton
Cathouse Chat

Michael Fletcher
The Write Side Of My Brain

Brian Schoeneman
Bearing Drift

Krystle Weeks
Crystal Clear Conservative

Shaun Kenney
ShaunKenney.com

Steve Thomas
Virginia Virtucon

Terrence Boulden
Virginia Virtucon

 

references:

Bearing Drift - "WaPo's Laura Vozella Sure Knows How to Slant the News"

Washington Post - "George Allen criticizes Akin for ‘legitimate rape’ comments; voted to confirm judge who once held similar view"

God bless Kyle Busch and M&Ms - NASCAR #18 car!!!

Tomorrow night, September 10th, the Richmond International Raceway is hosting the NASCAR Wonderful Pistachios 400 (??? OK, crazy name...), and my Beloved and a friend of his are up there enjoying a guys' weekend out. Well, earlier today, they tweeted this photo to me:

Kyle Busch, who drives #18 (sponsored by M&Ms), is apparently the favorite to win, and I pray he does! Because not only is he racing in the Red White and Blue, M&Ms and Busch have stripped ALL corporate sponsorship logos from the car so that she can race in honor of the fallen of 9/11.

God bless you, sir. Thank you, M&Ms (I am so glad that they are my favorite candy already!)

My Beloved tells me that the tailgate reads,

 

"Never forget!"

Our first snake for 2011

This king snake is about 4 1/2 feet long, and we let him go out back byour storage shed so he can gobble up all the mice and such to his tummy's content!

Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors: Constitutional Illiterates?

My dear friend Shaun Kenney, who is a member of the Fluvanna BOS, was the sole dissenting vote - 

The owner of The Fluco Blog, a Fluvanna County-based news site, has filed a lawsuit over an ordinance limiting the use of the official Fluvanna County seal.

Bryan Rothamel is accusing the county of violating the First and 14th Amendments by adopting the ordinance, which allows use of the seal only with permission from the Board of Supervisors. Under the county code, a violation of the ordinance is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. [link]

It seems that Mr. Rothamel irritated the BOS with one of his blog posts criticizing their actions (I'm not sure which post yet, but here's a link to the Board of Supervisors category), and they have retaliated in a truly petty and childlike manner - 

The motion for the ordinance was adopted 4-1 after a Sept. 15 public hearing during which Rothamel asked about fair use of the seal during news reporting, according to the meeting minutes. Shaun V. Kenney, the vice chairman of the board, voted against the ordinance. He said that he thinks the ordinance was a “remedial action” against the blogger for writing something that a supervisor didn’t agree with.

“This seems like a simple First Amendment, slam dunk, common sense situation,” Kenney said. “I’m still appalled, with all of the other issues facing us in Fluvanna County, that somehow we chose to focus on this.”

Hey, Fluvanna BOS members? I'm going to join up in support of Fluco Blog's First Amendment rights and imitate my blog-brother JR Hoeft at Bearing Drift:

First Amendment rights: NOT just for governmental toadies!

Herman Cain

Video introduction playing now... His website is here.

... later....

WOW! Very inspiring speaker; I'll have to check out his radio show. I was able to get his speech on video (yay for charged batteries!) in two parts, and I'll see if I can get it up from the Convention.

We're rolling!

Jim Hoeft (Bearing Drift) is here (hey, dude - bumps shoulders), as is Jim Bowden. Rick Sincere rolled in last night, and Tom and Lynn are already here, of course. I also met Just a Conservative Girl, who also got fedora'd yesterday..

I've got to remember to try and get a group photo.... ;-)

Ready for Day Two of the Virginia Tea Party Convention

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of attending a seminar with Del. Bob Marshall and Jim McKelvey (former candidate for the Republican nomination for the House in VA-5),moderated by Pat McSweeny, and I didn't post anything about it... It was quite interesting, and I wish I had video, but my battery wasn't properly charged (*facepalm* - and that little issue is fixed now).

However, both of these gentlemen made some excellent points which really stuck in my mind. They're not terribly complex at all, but they are very much part of the foundation of the Tea Party movement. Mr. McKelvey pointed out that there are two simple questions which should direct elected officials in every decision they make:

1. Is this according to the Constitution?
2. Can we afford it?

Yes, folks, it really IS that simple!

Del. Marshall said, "As an elected official, we are supposed to serve you with the power you give us." I wish that more of our men and women - heck, ALL of them! - would have this attitude! After all, they are our employees, and we are not their subjects. Unfortunately, far too many people in government service think they're in office to rule over their fellow citizens - which should be a very dangerous assumption.

Finally, both these men stressed that it is each individual's responsibility to stand up and vote "NO!" when their representatives do not live up to their constitutional responsibilities.

I am enjoying myself immensely - lots of good information, friendly people, blog family, and a great deal of interesting things to see and learn!

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

The blessings of blog family

I just got back to the hotel from a small gathering of my blog family at Angelina's restaurant in the north side of the Richmond area... 

My lovely driver, Kristin Forrester (accompanied by her charming and adorable munchkin), Jason Kenney, Tim Watson, and Ashton Gilmore and I spent a gloriously delicious evening consuming sinfully delectable food whilst discussing, debating, and deliberating political people and policies.

I am so blessed and honored that God has graced me with friends of good character and courtesy. These men and women listen to me, educate me, discuss with me, and help to make me a wiser, more thoughtful person.

Thanks, people - I am humbled and graced by our friendships!

Tea Party Convention update

Well, folks, I'm having a wonderful time here - I've met up with Tom White of Virginia Right! as well as Norm Leahy of Tertium Quids. Tom is wonderful fun, and Norm, of course, is his charming self ;-) (Hi, guys! *waves*) 

Lynn Mitchell - SWAC Girl - is manning the table at Bloggers' Row (so to speak), but I came back up to the Media ready room because I feel much better leaving my laptop alone here while I wander. Lynn seems to know everyone

The opening was wonderful - Bishop Jackson gave the opening prayer, and then also gave the initial keynote welcome. I've never heard him speak before, and WOW! His church is truly blessed to have a man of such eloquence, passion and faith in the pulpit. He began by asking us all whether the Tea Party is racist or hateful (an obvious and resounding NO!"),but ended by inviting anyone who loves our country, who loves our Constitution, who loves our Declaration, and who loves the Judeo-Christian foundations of our nation to join up with the Tea Party movement and get involved.

It is not about color, it is not about race. It is about cherishing and honoring and protecting our Founders' vision for a free country of citizens who will self-govern and do not want the government bureaucracy interfering with the liberty given to us by our Creator.

I hope that I will have the opportunity to get at least some of these speeches on DVD; someone is filming in the central exhibition hall... ;-)

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Ready to PARTY!

OK, I'm all checked in at the Convention, set up in the Media Room (E21b), and have done my initial pass through the outer hallway. Quite a few organizations set up with a LOT of items which will be quite dangerous to may wallet.

I've also met Jim Bacon, founder of Bacon's Rebellion and author of Boomergeddon (a very worthwhile read - please go BUY IT!)

Our first breakout sessions starts at 11a.m. and although I'm probably going to be at "First Principles and the Founders' Constitution: How to Think About America and Spread the Message" by Matt Spalding, I'm also tempted by Robert Rector's "A Nation at Risk - Illegal Immigration," and John Taylor's "Private Property and Eminent Domain Reform."

The second session at noon and the third at 3pm also present some excellent choices, so I'm obviously going to be dithering for a bit before I make my choices. ;-)

So, I'm ready and waiting for my blog buddies to come on in so we can get to work and cover this Convention and spread the word!

Time to (Tea) Party!!!!

After dropping my beloved daughter off at school, I packed up my bag and began the trek up to Richmond for this weekend's Virginia Tea Party Convention.

I stopped at two wonderful quilt stores along the way, JoJo's and Quilting Adventures, and then swung by the Penzey's Spices store on West Cary Street. Penzey's was a real treat, because I've never been in one of their stores, even though I've been ordering from their wonderful catalog for years. My only disappointment - even though it was probably a good thing for my sinuses - was that the rich scent of the spices and herbs didn't waft deliciously through the store...

Of course, that didn't stop me from spending a bit *ahem* more than I'd originally planned!

So, here I am at the Hilton (lovely property, and definitely living up to the high standards of Hilton hospitality!) and about ready to go over to the Convention Center and get registered. God willing, I'll have some great photos, video and commentary to post!

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Largest Tea Party Convention to Assemble in Richmond (theroot.com)
• Tea Parties Forge Alliances to Push Agendas (foxnews.com)
• Tea Party Getting Its Act Together (newser.com)

We have another guest in the house!

Pantherophis alleghaniensis, the eastern ratsnake, decided to come into our basement and give my husband a brief scare last night (thought he was a copperhead at first!).

This little guy is very cute and docile; my Munchkin and I have been exclaiming about how adorable he is, and how smart he must be to slither his way into the house.

We're going to see if the biology teacher at school wants to host this little guy for a while :-)

UPDATE - we've had his family visiting before, of course. This guy stayed outside, but this one came in to visit us as well!

"Illegal alien/immigrant" DOES NOT EQUAL "illegal person"

(UPDATE: My latest comment on this issue, and I would urge you to read the whole thread. Although there are some supporters, most of the comments lean heavily in favor of enforcing the law.)

How. Many. Times. Does. That. Have. To. Be. Said?!

I'm very tired of seeing this argument, but even more so from someone whose opinion I respect. Usually.

We neglect for a moment that 20 million people are within our borders because they want a better life for themselves and their family.  20 million people willing to work hard, build businesses, make money, and be a part of the community.  You know, the things America used to stand for?

That's wonderful! GREAT! America also stands for - or it used to - the rule of law. You want to come here? Do it legally!

Oh, but, Kat, those poor people are in such dire economic straits, they only want to better themselves, and it is great for the free market! Where's your Christian compassion?!

That's the logical fallacy of the appeal to pity. It's exactly the same fallacy as, "Baby, if you love me..." that some unscrupulous people use to get something to which they have no legitimate claim.

Folks, I have compassion for them, but compounding the wrong THEY do by flouting the law when entering this country with simply giving up on enforcing that law is insanity. Two wrongs do not - and can never - make a right!

Allow me to entertain a different idea.  Conservatives ideally believe in the power of the free market.  Instead of rounding up and deporting every non-English speaking Hispanic, why don’t we encourage work visas?  Extend business opportunities to Central America?  Take those 20 million “illegal” persons (as if such a concept existed) and recognize that 20 million potential Americans who believe in hard work and free enterprise are ready to enlist in the American Experiment?

As I said over in the comments, I have never heard of any conservative put forth the idea that people who have entered this country are "illegal persons" (i.e. - just so I'm absolutely clear - persons whose very existence is illegal). To phrase the argument that way is disingenuous and commits the logical fallacy of equivocation.

When conservatives refer to "illegal aliens/immigrants," we mean that these people have arrived in this country by illegal means - they have broken our law. That is, by definition, illegal. Period. Shall we try to keep that in mind?

Now.

Are our immigration laws broken? Yup.

Is enforcement of those laws a joke? Yup.

Are there opportunities for people from other countries to come here and work for a better life? Yup.

Would I - or any conservative - welcome people who show respect for our national sovereignty and culture by coming here legally? You bet yer shiny-white-hiney!

The answer is NOT to have open borders: there are people who want to come here so that they can - effectively - rape, pillage, burn, murder and destroy. They hate us. It would not be a good thing to let them in; on the contrary, it would be wise to make all efforts to keep them out.

Are all illegal aliens "out to get us"? No, of course not - but by the same token, not all passengers flying planes are terrorists. Does that mean we can have "open boarding" for everyone who has a ticket? Yeah, I know, TSA screening is a joke, too - does that mean we just throw our hands up in disgust and give up?! Good Lord, no!

Geeze, people, show a little common sense! (Oh, yeah, "oxymoron" - right [headdesk])

I have no idea who this commenter is, but when - in response to my comment, which is the first on that post - he says

Kat seems to again stumble into the legal positivism, rejecting natural law. Kat says “But I do not want, as a citizen, to welcome people who deliberately and intentionally break our laws”. Is one’s desire to come to America and live a better life now equated to a desire to deliberately break the law? Or is the breaking of the law the unintentional side effect of seeking self betterment in this case? One must assume from Kat’s comment that the position being taken is that the driving goal of illegal immigrants is NOT to live in land of opportunity, but to break laws. Seriously? That’s fundamentally ridiculous. Respect for the law is key. Love for your fellow man is far superior.

he sets aside the fact that

1. allowing your love for your fellow man to negate your respect for a law that does not contradict God's law (and shall we use the Ten Commandments, just to make this simple?) is allowing every man to do what is right in his own eyes - and leads to anarchy and total disrespect for your fellow man
2. I never said that the driving goal of immigrants was to break laws, but rather that they do so knowingly and intentionally to achieve their driving goal of entering this country
3. seeking self betterment is wonderful and breaking the law (again, I refer to laws which do not directly contradict God's law) may be a side effect, but the fact is that they DO break the law intentionall - and the ends do NOT justify the means
4. natural law requires that we have open boarders? Really? To which "natural law" does he refer? What "natural law" am I rejecting? Even when our Founders said out unalienable rights were "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," they did not set aside the LAW so that everyone could do as they darn well pleased!

Good Lord, I've seen clearer thinking from rabid liberals!

... OK, maybe not, but it's a pretty close call.

People. There are a lot of proposed solutions out there, and I would love to see this broken system fixed, but rolling over and giving up is not reasonable, rational, wise, frugal, profitable OR compassionate. No market is completely free, no borders are completely secure. But one of the mandates of our Federal government is to protect the lives and rights of American citizens first.

Our laws can be changed by legal means. If you feel that passionate about the plight of the poor, beleaguered people who come here by illegal means, then use the existing system to change the laws and fix the bloody problem!!!!

But do not set aside existing law just to soothe your hurted widdle feeewings and make yourself feel better and morally superior because you waved your hand and helped those law-breakers in their lawlessness.

And, yeah, this is a pretty harsh post with strong language. I can do that you know - just because I prefer not to smack people upside the head doesn't mean I won't.

And, Shaun, I still love you.

But will he hold is ground?

Shaun Kenny links to a Politico article about Rep. Tom Perriello. Shaun seems rather optimistic, but from the article, I detect some possible waffling on Perriello's side:

"A spokesman with the National Republican Congressional Committee accused Perriello of “flip flopping” after Perriello faced questions from televangelist Pat Robertson on MSNBC on Thursday morning.

In that appearance on “Morning Joe,” Robertson questioned Perriello about where he stands on the issue. 

“The Stupak amendment [in the House health care reform bill] outlawed funding for abortion,” Robertson said. “I understand funding for abortion is back in the Senate bill. If it comes in the bill over in the House and they’re going to fund abortion, would you vote for that healthcare bill?”

Perriello replied: “I’ve got a lot of problems with the Senate bill. The fact is that getting universal health care — moving in that direction — is a very pro-life position. Providing pre- and post-natal care for women is one of the greatest ways we can reduce the number of abortions.”

“What you’re saying is, without the Stupak amendment, I can still vote for it?” Robertson asked.

“Well, we’re going to see how that plays out here in this process but that’s not the problem I have,” Perriello said. “I think taxing middle-class benefits is not a good idea.”

Mmm, I dunno. I hope Perriello holds his ground on this, but I don't really think of him as having that sort of moral fortitude. (Actually, these days, I don't think of ANY politician as having that sort of moral fortitude.)

We'll see. I hope he holds. But... We'll see.

It's rather amazing to find such idiocy on a casual search

I was poking around the Internet yesterday, looking at State parks in reasonable driving distance. We have a lovely RV that hasn't been anywhere in too long, and I thought I'd look around and see if anything piqued my interest. I remember that may years ago we stayed in the general area of Phohick State Park -Westmoreland, I think - and had a great time.

So, I was googling around, and saw that in the Pohick area (or at least, I think it was in that area, I wasn't looking at maps) is also Mason Neck. And for some reason, I came across this blog post, essentially saying that Gov. McDonnell doesn't love our State parks, because he's closing five of them.

I see that Blue Virginia has also jumped on the bandwagon, with an approving mention of that post by Benny-Wenny over at Not Larry Sabato (get your own link to that reprobate).

Now, Norm over at Tertium Quids as well as Krystle at Bearing Drift have already chimed in on this - and far more eloquently than I might - but I do want to ask the leftosphere something. A few somethings, actually.

Do you really think that, after only a month in office, Gov. McDonnell really holds a particular animus for these parks? Or do you think that, maybe, in an attempt to look over the budget snarl the recent *ahem* Democratic *cough* governors have bequeathed to the Commonwealth and bring some sanity to spending, Gov. McDonnell reviewed various proposals by the many departments of government to see where they said they could cut costs? Perhaps - possibly - the Governor saw that the Department of Conservation and Recreation said that these parks were losing money for the State due to low visitation revenue vs upkeep expenses... And, perhaps, the Governor saw this as a way to cut costs with the least impact possible to jobs?

I realize jobs will be lost in this move - but I didn't realize that Virginia had a policy of guaranteeing jobs so long as there were breathing bodies to occupy them. I'm sorry some people will be out of work, but what if it's a case of 100 jobs in the recreation section vs 500 jobs in education or health?

Folks, everyone is having to tighten their belts in these difficult times, including the Commonwealth.

Would you rather we keep spending money we don't have, placing more of a burden on future generations and eventually teetering on the edge of bankruptcy like, oh - California? Hard times mean hard choices. Get with the program, pare down non-essential services as much as possible, make wise spending decisions, and get inside sensible budget restrictions, and we'll weather the storm and come out better.

But as long as y'all keep whining, things are just going to get worse.

C'mon, Virginia Democrats - don't be like your big brother.

 

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Well, it's a snow day...

... and if I'm smart, I'll spend some time taking pictures.

More likely, though, I think I'll be figuring out how to make sure I can get OUT of my driveway tomorrow without the use of a tractor tow.

My Beloved Husband returned home from a business trip yesterday, and got stuck at the end of our lane. It took a bit of pushing, shoving, pulling and sheer determination to get his truck up to the house! At one point (admittedly only briefly), I thought we'd have to leave it there over night. At any rate, he said that the main roads were pretty clear, but our little county roads were still fairly snowy and icy. Last night's low got to about 12°F, and so everything is VERY icy this morning. Definitely not good driving weather.

However, this afternoon's high should be up to 44°F, we should have enough melt to open things up.

I'm glad I did my shopping on Friday - but I'd better be able to drive out tomorrow so I can get to work!

Creigh Deeds: Listen to the world's smallest violin playing "My Heart Bleeds For You"

Seated behind a modest desk in the two-room law office he occupies next to Genia's Beauty Salon on Main Street in downtown Hot Springs, Deeds didn't refer to McDonnell by name during an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It's an indication, perhaps, that devoting years of your life to a dream that doesn't come true warrants a longer recovery period.

"I'm surviving, doing the best I can," he said. "I mean, what choice do I have, right? You got to keep going. You just have to keep moving."

In the weeks after the election, Deeds, 52, hasn't spent a night outside his home in rural Bath County. Public appearances have been rare -- a couple of visits to Charlottesville, a Christmas shopping trip to Roanoke, a drive to attend a funeral.

Instead, Deeds has set to work rebuilding the life he left behind when he became a candidate -- resurrecting a dormant law practice, repairing fences on the family farm, getting a cranky stove to provide warmth on a winter's day in the Allegheny Mountains.

"The toll on my family . . . there are things I'll never get back and that hurts a whole lot," he said. "A lot of personal stuff that I'm just not going to go into.

"Going forward, I've got a responsibility to represent people in the state Senate and rebuild a life that I had, that I have left," he said. "There's still a lot of figuring out to do. I've got to get back to basics.

via www2.timesdispatch.com

Oh, just cry me a freakin' river!

Deeds, you ran an unfocused, disjointed and bumbling campaign that avoided real debate about any pertinent issue. Your responsibility, your proven lack of leadership and charisma.

Step up to the plate, own it, and quit whining...

Oh, wait - that's what DemonRATs do. Well, I guess we can start the count down timer for how long it takes you to pack up your toys and go home in a sulk, or to start throwing fits on the senate floor when you can't get your way.

Good lord, man, how old are you?! Man up and grow a pair!

Update on VA-5 candidates

Well, I'm quite disappointed with Robert Hurt: his website is still only very basic, and has nothing up on the issues of taxation, immigration, health care, the War on Terror, government bureaucracy, jobs, etc. Not good, especially since I'd like to completely support my "hometown guy." Sen. Hurt, you are experienced at campaigning (albeit at the state level), and you should know that you have GOT to get this information out and on the record. Also, I am still concerned for your vote in favor of increased taxes when you were in the House of Delegates.

Ken Boyd also has an extremely simplistic website, and whoever is coding it is not doing a very good job. Just as an FYI, your front page (at the minimum!) should not show up as "Main" on the browser tab; it should at least display the candidate's name! Mr. Boyd is also not showing where he stands on the important issues that interest Virginians. His home page has only a very cursory mention of a few issues, but no specific statements on where he stands and how he intends to implement his positions. Also not good.

Feda Morton now has a real web presence (she used to only have a FaceBook page), and it seems to be nicely straightforward and clear. Her issues page is also very simple and blunt, which I rather like, and her positions match up very well with my own. I have very little patience for flowery rhetoric when gathering information, and the no-nonsense approach is quite attractive, however I would like to see more detail about how she plans to carry out these policies.

Ron Ferrin is a new name to me, and he's GOT to disable the autoplay for the first video on his site (a personal peeve). I very much like his style and stances on the issues he mentions on his front page (his support for the Second Amendment is particularly notable *grinz*), but it quite possibly comes across as a bit too "cowboy" for many. I would like to see a lot more written detail about who he is and what he's done so far because there is no bio. Plus, it might be nice if he started Twittering or FBooking. His videos are quite informative, however, so it's a "fault" I can forgive.  He's not terribly polished - which is not a ping - but he is well-spoken. I'll have to keep an eye on him.

Lawrence Verga's site is well-organized, and he has clear and detailed descriptions of where he stands on the issues. I might quibble that he needs a new favicon, but then... that's a quibble! He is a self-described constitutionalist and has vowed to self-limit to serving only three terms as our Representative. He is a businessman, not a lawyer, according to his bio, and is very involved with charity development. He does have  a health issue (polycystic kidney disease), which I assume requires careful management, but does not appear, at first glance, to be a large barrier. He's definitely an interesting candidate, and I like his positions on the issues.

Finally, there's Mike McPadden. He's a retired Navy pilot (hey! He flew the same airframe my Beloved did!), which is certainly a plus in my mind *grinz*. Mr. McPadden, like Verga, is NOT a lawyer (thank God - I do confess to being very tired of lawyers going to D.C.). He likes the Fair Tax - it seems most of these candidates do - and also has excellent statements on energy and conservation. I like his military experience, which might put him up a bit in a field of candidates who do not seem to have a lot of practical familiarity with national security issues. 

All of the last four candidates are pro-life, all support lower taxes and less government interference in some way. All of them support our Second Amendment rights (again, make sure you watch Ron Ferrin's video!), a strong national defense, and fiscal and governmental conservatism.

Sen. Hurt - although I was inclined to support him after his initial announcement - has not kept current on the issues on his website, and still has much explaining to do on his previous votes in the House of Delegates. Mr. Boyd joins with him in being the most "non-present" pair in the web arena. At this point, I'm kinda leaning for 1) McPadden, 2) a Verga/Morton tie, 3) Ferrin, 4) Hurt and 5) Boyd for my order of preference to go against Perriello.

(UPDATE: Rees? Rees who? C'mon, get serious!)

For the THIRD YEAR: On to State Competition!

The Woodlawn Academy Mini-CougarBots and Scream Team pull it off the third year in a row: we advance from the Regional Tournament (held today) and go to the State competition in December. James Madison University will be our host (third year for them, too), and both teams are looking forward to it.

These competitions are sponsored by USFIRST, an organization which seeks

"To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes."

Dean Kamen, Founder

Mission 

Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Our kids compete in the FIRST LEGO League, which uses the LEGO Mindstorm brain and programming to run 2.5 minute "missions. FIRST LEGO League is for kids from 8 to 14, in grades 4 through 8. The "missions" are only one part of a four piece puzzle: team project (a presentation on what they have learned about the mission topic), robot design, teamwork, and, of course, the timed run on the table. It can get quite exciting, and if the kids are even somewhat diligent, they learn quite a lot.

I suppose I ought to clarify something: two years ago, the Scream Team was a Division 1 team (the younger teams), and our sole entry to advance to State level. At the State competition, their excitement and *ahem*enthusiasm*cough* made the Master of Ceremonies nick-name them "the Scream Team." Last year, in Division 2 (the older kids), they decided to run with it and allow the junior team to take the name of the Mini CougarBots while they as the senior team officially became the "Scream Team." (It does help that they're an all-girl team. I think. For the screaming, anyway...)

Here's a small sample of their, ah, style...

It's much more... piercing... in person, believe me!

So, their hard work paid off and we brought home the First Place in Robot Design for the MiniBots in Division 1, and both First Place for Presentation and Second Place Champions for the Scream Team. Both teams, as I said, advance to State competition!

Well done!

But, now we REALLY have to polish things to do well at State! [headdesk] Oh, well... I'll get my Saturday sleep-ins back - eventually. ;-)

 

"Republicans say Kaine is neglecting his duties"

With his state under an emergency declaration because of heavy rain and floods, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine headed to Arkansas for a Democratic fundraiser.

via www.google.com

Well... Ya think?

Tim Kaine: GINO (Governor in Name Only)... From an *ahem*unnamed source*cough*

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

OK, now, HOW many Republicans are aiming for Perriello so far?

Besides Robert Hurt, who I just mentioned...

Let me see. There are five others so far (in no particular order)

1. Laurence Verga. Mr. Verga is a second generation (I think) American, and is a self-described "conservative Republican/Constitutionalist." That's good... Looks like he's very pro-national security, pro-life, pro Second Amendment. Excellent! I note he also favors term limits, and has pledged to serve no more than six years in the House. Hm. Oh, and FaceBook page here.
2. Feda Kidd Morton. I'm not seeing a website for her yet (she does have a FaceBook Fan page), here's a Google search on her name. Lots of information, and she certainly looks like an excellent candidate... She has a good background in the grassroots, so I daresay she's pretty well in touch with the majority of the party that's disgusted with RINOs...
3. Bradley Rees. Maybe not such a great candidate... But, then again, he does say he's a Fair Tax guy. Nevertheless, he doesn't look like a serious candidate to me at the moment.
4. Ken Boyd. He's served on the Board of Supervisors and School Board in Albemarle County and presents himself as a fiscal conservative (that's good!). Hm. I see he's also got an extensive background as a banker - well, hopefully that ought to encourage a determination not to overdraw the government bank account!
5. Michael McPadden. Mr. McPadden is also a supporter of the Fair Tax, and looks to be what I call an "Environmental Steward," which is what I would consider to be a reasonable, logical and godly stance on environmental issues. He is a Naval veteran, and certainly appears to be very pro-military. His blurb states "Individual Liberty. Sound Money. Constitutional Restraint."

An interesting group, and from what a friend conversant in Virginia politics has told me, I haven't even scratched the surface: there are apparently over 20 candidates! Yikes...

Come 2010, Perriello is in for a world of HURT!!!

(big kittipurrs to Jim Riley for the post title and the heads-up... )

Go Dan River (which is apparently the Danville Register Bee's online presence) is reporting that Robert Hurt, Virginia's Senator for the 19th District, has decided to campaign for a seat in the House of Representatives:

Confirming what many political pundits have been assuming for months, state Senator Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, filed the paperwork Tuesday to run for Congress in 2010 against Rep.Tom Perriello, D-5th District.

Hurt, a lawyer and Pittsylvania County native, said he and his wife began seriously discussing the idea after former Rep. Virgil Goode opted against another run earlier this year. Hurt said he would wait to make a formal announcement of his candidacy until after the November election, but filed now “because there’s so much to get done.”

Sign me up, Sen. Hurt!

His website, though incomplete at the moment, is live - so go sign up and show your support!

Creigh "Dirty" Deeds

via www.youtube.com

Yup. Deeds has run a lazy campaign which refuses to speak to the issues and prefers to attempt to smear McConnell with half-truths and lies. Classic finger-pointing campaign to attempt to keep the spotlight off himself, excoriating his opponent without offering concrete and sensible solutions of his own.

So much for a "civil" campaign.

DIRTY Deeds, indeed!

Oh, and don't forget to listen to the parody by Jim Hoeft and Brian Kirwin (hey, don't knock 'em - *I* could have been the one singing!!!)

I PROMISE to raise your taxes!

R.CREIGH DEEDS, the Democrat running for governor in Virginia, has now unequivocally committed himself to support higher taxes to rescue the state's sclerotic road system. His stance is nothing more or less than common sense: Virginia needs tens of billions of dollars in new revenue for roads, and it will not materialize without asking taxpayers -- the same taxpayers who rightly groan about traffic -- to foot a good part of the bill. Still, by articulating that position in plain English on the opposite page Wednesday, Mr. Deeds showed political guts, which is more than one can say for the smoke-and-mirrors, wing-and-a-prayer approach to transportation endorsed by his opponent, Republican nominee Robert F. McDonnell.

via www.washingtonpost.com

Yeah. Thanks. Raised taxes, poor economy, rising (skyrocketing!) unemployment, tight budgets, and Creigh "What's In Your Wallet" Deeds is going to raise taxes.

The WaPo, of course, is carrying the DemonRATs' water and proclaiming that raising taxes is "common sense" - after all, the DemonRATs (hey, and the RINOs, to - let's be fair) never saw a tax they didn't love. Meanwhile, I'd wager that at least 30% of the average person's wages goes to pay taxes, both hidden and otherwise. More taxes, more government waste, more government intrusion, more government strangulation of personal liberty and business opportunity.

The WaPo calls McDonnell's transportation plan a "smoke-and-mirrors, wing-and-a-prayer approach," but certainly - even if true - that's better than Deeds' plan, right?

Plus, the WaPo slips up and betrays their smarmy, elitist attitude toward the unwashed masses right there in the second paragraph:

True to form, Virginia Republicans are betting that an easily misled electorate will be too shortsighted to notice that the state has completely run out of road-building funds.

"Easily misled," huh? Yeah, I suppose the WaPo ought to know: they've been leading the more gullible among us down the primrose path for years, right into the grip of economic disaster and enslavement to the Nanny State government.

Plus, from Douglas Wilder - whose endorsement is positively coveted by DemonRATic candidates - 

The overriding “issue” in this year’s Governor’s race will be the judgment the voters make about which candidate is most capable of managing tough times and establishing the right priorities for when the economy begins to recover.

Throughout my entire involvement with public service, I have tried to be a voice for those most often left out when decisions are being made which affect them in their everyday lives.  As a state senator, I fought to get rid of the sales tax on food. As Lt. Governor, I fought to get rid of the sales tax on non-prescription drugs and opposed the increased sales taxes for transportation, because they are regressive taxes, meaning the poor pay at the same rate as the rich.  I have lived long enough not to assume that these voiceless people can always count on someone articulating for them.

This is not the time in our Commonwealth to talk about any kind of tax increase, especially those that are fundamentally regressive and will hit hardest those who are struggling.

And another clip from Mr. Wilder, not transportation/tax related, but *ahem* interesting:

Furthermore, In my conversations with the people across the state, I have not encountered anyone who has listed as their priority the need for them to have more handguns.  The present law permits anyone of sufficient age, who is not a felon, to be able to buy one gun a month; twelve a year, twenty four a year for couples etc..  

Mr. Deeds thinks that’s not enough and signed a pledge to repeal that law.

[...]

I do not see how endorsing a proposal to have more handguns brought into our cities and suburban areas qualifies as any type of urban renewal plan.

And -

The requests, made of me, have been to endorse Mr. Deeds,  the Democratic Candidate, for Governor.  I refrain from doing so and will leave that choice to the voters.

Hm... Well, golly-gee-darn! Don't think you're gonna get his endorsement, Creigh-baby.

(kittipurrs to Riley for the image)

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Creigh Deeds' transportation plan - REVEALED AT LAST!!!!

Right here.

(kittipurrs to Brian Kirwin)

McDonnell's crew has a great sense of humor!

I love it!!! This is in the window of the new Republican Part of Virginia office here in Chatham. They opened, um, two weeks ago. And, like I said, I LOVE their sense of humor! This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless! To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture. Note: To play video messages sent to email, [email protected] 6.5 or higher is required.

Learn The Facts About Uranium

via vimeo.com

(with kittipurrs to my blog-brother, Jim Hoeft at Bearing Drift)

Very interesting video, and quite encouraging.

Look, folks, it's not that I'm so pro-uranium that I want it to go forward no matter what - that's madness! What *I* want is a good, solid, scientific study - oh, like the one being done by the National Academy of Sciences - to determine if it can be done safely.

And, by "safely," I mean "within acceptable risk." The anti-uranium hardcases who insist on 100% safety are being hypocritical. If they truly want 100% safe things, they ought to be sure that they don't drive, don't fly, don't swim, don't cross the road, and don't drink water.

Nothing is 100% safe - even water can be harmful if you consume too much!

Now, if the study comes back and says that the risks are unacceptable, then of course I'm going to be against uranium mining! But the activists who are lobbying so fiercely against mining here at Cole's Hill seem to be blind to the advances in science and mining techniques (they appear to give a 1985 study almost biblical authority), and also like to use red herrings like demonizing the Cole family and insisting that a study funded by Virginia Uranium and conducted by the NAS would, ipso facto, be tilted. I think that's a spurious argument - as does the NAS - as the activists have yet to present solid evidence that this would, indeed, be the case.

Hey, I have a dog in this fight: I live within five miles of Cole's Hill! If the science says it's unsafe to mine, then I want absolutely no part in it! But, if it can be done safely, then this venture will bring much needed jobs and revenue into our impoverished and shrinking population, and be beneficial to solve some of America's energy needs.

By the way, you know what I hear most as an argument against mining uranium around here? "Well, Chatham [the county seat] just doesn't want to become a *snobby sniff* mining town!"

Oh, really?

Would Chatham prefer to become a ghost town? We're losing population because we have few job opportunities for our young folk. We have very little to attract new families to the area, other than our rural beauty, and the kindness and decency of our residents (think "salt of the earth," folks - the people are wonderful here!).

Why not look into uranium as one possibility to revive our county? 

To refuse to even consider it, to dismiss any study (which is what the activist would do) of whether it can be done safely, is equal to the madness of going ahead without counting the cost at all!

C'mon, folks, be reasonable: let's see if it can be done properly before we argue about whether we will do it, OK?

UPDATE: Here's a Pittsylvania resident who took the personal responsibility to do her own research. She decided NOT to be swayed by the emotional impact of the word "RADIATION!!!1!!!!OMG!!!!!" and find out facts. Kudos and brava to her!

A gracious invitation...

... that I am honored to accept.

Last night, Jim Riley, of Virginia Virtucon, blessed me with an invite to join his warped and twisted crew (his words, not mine! LOL) over at VV. I still need to wrestle with the WordPress login for some reason [irritated Kat-glare], but as soon as that's straightened out, I'll be pleased to join in all the "warped and twisted" fun.

Currently, I'm planning on bringing the occasional "home and hearth" type post to the round up, but I'm sure someone is going to truly piss me off at one point or another, in which case I daresay there will be some sharing of political snark.

But I want to say thank you, again, to Jim and his crew for the very flattering invitation... Now let the assimilation begin!

The Roanoke Times: News, sports and entertainment stories and information from the Associated Press

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said people feeding deer unnaturally increases the state's deer population, which leads to damage of natural habitat. More deer also means more human-deer conflicts on the roads.

via hosted.ap.org

Wow. I didn't know about THIS rule... I guess that means I won't be able to lure the wild turkeys, either. Not that I'm interested in shooting them; I just like the wild critters wandering through our "park." LOL

Speaking of role-playing, check out Creigh Deeds' newest

Now presenting our newest not-so-super hero: Creigh Deeds as

CAPTAIN ME TOO!!!!

Congressman Perriello: Answer the question "Yes" or "No"

via www.youtube.com

But he can't answer the question directly. All he can do is hem and haw and toss in red herrings. This is NOT what I want in my elected officials! When you are asked a simple, direct question, you need to give a simple direct answer and NOT babble on about the party line!

Congressman Perriello: If the Health Care Bill is passed, will you pledge to enroll yourself and your family in it? Yes or no?

Because if YOU are not willing to submit yourself to the same restraints and conditions you're willing to impose on your constituents, then you cannot, in good conscience, vote in favor of this bill!!!!

Man up, Perriello. Do the right thing and vote against the bill.

Hey, southwest Virginia - do you remember Obama's promise in Martinsville last August?

You know, this one:

"I'm not going to say all the jobs in Martinsville are going to come back if I'm elected president," Obama told about 300 invited guests - most of them blue-collar workers - who gathered at Patrick Henry Community College.

"I'm not saying the schools will be fixed," he added. "What I'm saying is that I'm going to wake up every morning thinking about you."

I seem to recall that I noticed that article, and was absolutely breathless with awe at Obama's concern for Virginia's most economically depressed areas:

Oh, how sweet! [pauses while everyone coos "Awwww!"] While he's raising our taxes, while he's pandering to terrorists, while he's supporting infanticide, he'll still be thinking about Martinsville every morning. My, that's so... comforting! So... inspiring!

Yeah. Right. You want to know what he's gonna be thinking? He's gonna sit up in bed at the White House every morning, have a good stretch, and think

I can't believe those schmucks actually bought it!

How interesting that Martinsville remembers Obama's comments, too:

Dear President Obama,

A year ago, shortly before you became the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, you made a campaign stop in Henry County, Va. You vowed to work every day to make life better in Henry County and Martinsville if you were elected president.

“If you give me that opportunity, if you give me that chance, I will fight for you every single day,” you pledged. “I’ll wake up every day in that White House thinking about those people in Martinsville.”

In an interview afterward, you told me that if you had been in the White House when the area’s dramatic job losses occurred, you would have dispatched a team from many parts of government — Commerce, Labor, Small Business Administration and others — to try to devise a strategy for rebuilding the community. Better yet, you said, you would have some of those same agencies working with governors to anticipate changes in the economy. A year later, the situation here has deteriorated, and on behalf of the community, I am writing to ask for your help.[...]

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and Gov. Tim Kaine are well aware of the past and potential of Henry County and Martinsville. We hope you will talk with them and then return with a strategy for our future. I believe you will find a community that is receptive to any help and will work hard to make that vision a success.

Thing is, Ginny-dear - Obama didn't promise to actually help, he only promised he'd be thinking of you. And I'm sure he's been thinking of you as he and a DemonRAT/RINO congress has quadrupled our deficit; are working on passing Cap and Trade, which would raise energy costs while wiping out the coal industry (among others); and is scheming to jam a health care package down the throats of citizens who are mostly against it. Just to name a couple of things off the top of my head.

Just like I said before: Obama is an empty suit making empty promises. And you blind liberal nutcases can stick that in your hat and smoke it!

(kittipurrs to Jerry for seeing the Martinsville Bulletin article - and you should read HIS comments, too!)

I'm SURE this has absolutely NOTHING to do with yesterday's flag fumble

Right on schedule, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds -- suddenly trailing badly in poll after poll -- has shaken up his staff. Thirty-something wunderkind Joe Abbey, Deeds' manager for his upset June primary victory, has been shunted aside. (That victory was engineered by the Washington Post's editorials, not Abbey or even Deeds.) Party activists have blamed Abbey, fairly or not, for Deeds' listless campaign. Abbey will apparently retain a title and a role in the campaign, but the decisions will be made by Monica Dixon (a close associate of Sen. Mark Warner), longtime Democratic party staffer Kevin Mack, and Mo Elleithee.

via politicalwire.com

Yep. Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.

Mheh.

And they think he's still relevant?! (UPDATE)

Benny-wenny, who blogs over at Not Larry Sabato (no, I'm not going to link him), seems to think that he can use blatant lies and poor reporting to promote his candidate, Creigh Deeds, over Bob McDonnell to govern Virginia. While Deeds is gallivanting off on an excellent adventure (well, he did use the word "daring") and trying to use the abortion issue to disguise the fact that he's following McDonnell on every issue...

While Deeds is busy playing catch-up and being irrelevant, Benny-wenny tries to trip up McDonnell for supposedly displaying the Confederate flag at a gun show (see comments from Bearing Drift [UPDATE: See Jim's commentary this morning, 12Aug09... OUCH!], Shaun Kenney, SWAC Girl, and the Write Side of My Brain). Unfortunately for Benny-wenny, he's in such a rush to be "relevant" that he can't be bothered to check his facts (note the Bearing Drift post in particular).

Benny-wenny has participated in shoddy attempts at journalism before, and has promoted smear campaigns and included me and several conservative Virginia bloggers in one in particular ( - yeah, Joey Stanley was his hatchet man, but Benny was behind him all the way).

It's not surprising that - even today - political bloggers are regarded with some suspicion and disdain by the general public when this sort of muckracking and ad hominem idiocy seems to run rampant. And, while I know there are more than a few right-leaning bloggers who really like to pile on, it seems to me that it's the lefty blogs that love to wallow in hypocrisy, double-dealing, and character assassination.

But then, with hacks like Benny-wenny on "their side," I suppose one would expect a cesspool of lies, obfuscation and the twisting of facts. I was taken in by Benny once, a looooong time ago. But, as the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!"

I would suggest that my readers approach anything he has to say with the same skepticism.

UPDATE: Oh, and the hits just keep coming!

• Redstate

  The other day, the Deeds campaign decided to stop talking about the economic downturn affecting Virginia, taxes, education, and other issues a majority of voters pay attention to in order to fixate on baby killing. That’s right. Deeds decided his winning issue in Virginia would be that if Bob McDonnell were Governor of Virginia less babies would be aborted than if Creigh Deeds were Governor.

  It didn’t work.

  So the campaign rapidly moved from abortion to the Confederacy.The other day, the Deeds campaign decided to stop talking about the economic downturn affecting Virginia, taxes, education, and other issues a majority of voters pay attention to in order to fixate on baby killing. That’s right. Deeds decided his winning issue in Virginia would be that if Bob McDonnell were Governor of Virginia less babies would be aborted than if Creigh Deeds were Governor.

  It didn’t work.

  So the campaign rapidly moved from abortion to the Confederacy.

• I'm Surrounded by Idiots
• Virginia Virtucon

  Tribbet, Abbey and Deeds can save the phony outrage. Were any of them complaining about Democrats who employed the Confederate flag or spoke of it with reverence such as Sen. Jim Webb or Ben “Cooter” Jones who ran for Congress?  Didn’t think so.  (In fact, Tribbet brags about how he ran Jones’ losing race where Jones went around in the “General Lee” car from “The Dukes of Hazzard” with a big Confederate flag painted on the roof.)

• J's Notes
• Right Wing Liberal (who skewers Benny - I mean, "WHAM!" Love it!)

  But noooooo, Ben decides to dig himself even deeper with a hilarious reach for – you’ll love this – geometry [...]

  AAAACK! THE DREADED MEDIAN POINT! WE’RE DOOMED!!!

  Now, I have no idea what mathematical genius allowed Tribbett to determine the “exact median point” from the picture, but allow me to use this to establish Blogospheric Rule # Um, we’re supposed to be counting? – When you are forced to resort to a syntactical precision best suited for a college-level dissertation, you lose the argument.

• Crystal Clear Conservative

Oh, and LOOK! The Deeds campaign and Benny-wenny even get slammed by the Washington Post (hardly the bastion of conservative thought...) when they actually do the research and get the story RIGHT:

"The flag was not in our booth,'' McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said. "However, there still is an actual story here. The fact that Creigh Deeds' campaign is actively pushing this falsehood demonstrates their desperation is greater than anyone expected. And it also will cost them a lot of credibility right as the campaign enters the home stretch. Not a good day for them."

"To mispresent a photo for political gain is the worst kind of politics,'' Martin said.

Of course, Benny-wenny whines and refuses to man up about the whole thing:

Not Larry Sabato posted the photo on its blog last night. Ben Tribbett Benny-wenny, who runs the blog, said he received the photo by email but would not reveal from whom. He said he was not himself present at the event and though he believes the photograph shows that the pole of the flag is indeed in the McDonnell booth, that it is troublesome even if the flag was at the next table.

"If a confederate flag was placed at the exact median point between the McDonnell booth and a confederate booth and the McDonnell campaign was not smart enough to demand that it be taken down or that their booth be moved, that's almost as bad as if the flag were at their booth," he said. "Either way, it shows a real insensitivity to what the flag means."

Aw, cry me a river. It's an issue of personal responsibility, Benny. PERSONAL responsibility. I am not responsible for your actions, just as you are not responsible for MINE. To try and smear McDonnell (or anyone) through the actions of someone else with whom they had no connection is low-down dirty dealing and reprehensible behavior.

But then, that's what I pretty much expect from you...

('Nother UPDATE) And, yeah, the Deeds campaign tried to promote this-

- until it got smacked down pretty hard by several people... Including the WaPo article cited above:

"It was Joe's [Joe Abbey, Deeds' campaign manager - ed.] personal retweet, not the campaign's,'' said Mo Elleithee, Deeds spokesman. "Today we're focused on drawing a contrast between Creigh's vision of moving Virginia forward and Bob McDonnell's record of hurting southside Virginia and his support of the Bush economic agenda. If the McDonnell campaign would like to answer for that, we're all ears."

"Creigh's vision of moving Virginia forward"??? May I direct my readers' attention to the video at the top of this post? Who's actually "moving Virginia forward"? It sure ain't Deeds...

Related articles by Zemanta

• McDonnell Leads By 8 in Virginia (politicalwire.com)
• McDonnell Holds Wide Lead in Virginia (politicalwire.com)
• VA-Gov: Deeds has some ground to make up (dailykos.com)

BAT!!!!

The Beloved Husband has returned home from the work wars, and look what he just found out in our "hanger" -

 

 

We're going to keep him for the next hour or so, and then let him go when it gets darker.

Will Virginia reassert its Tenth Amendment rights?

Last month, I referred to a post over at And Rightly So which discussed several states which had taken measures to take back their 10th Amendment rights from the Federal Government.  I wondered why Virginia, which is the Mother of Presidents, hadn't gotten on the bandwagon, and several of my Virginia blog-brothers reminded me of the Virginia Resolution of 1798 (actual text here).

So, Virginia has had this on the books, as it were, for a long time.

I didn't blog it then, but last week, the Old Virginia Blog pointed to some information that Del. Christopher Peace is the chief sponsor of HR 61, State Sovereignty. Virginia *IS* pushing back against the Federal Government's infringement of states' rights!

Full text of the bill is here, and I give my whole hearted support to it - and I pray that, once it passes (God willing), the government of this Commonwealth follows through and tells the Feds where to stick it when Uncle Sam (NannyState version) tries to meddle!

As with the Republican Party of Virginia, so with the National Committee?

With the Republican Party of Virginia making serious moves to oust its currant chairman, Jeff Frederick, will the National Committee be following suit?

*sigh*

Looks like the Republican Party continues to implode. Which is just as well - the RINOs need to be purged (yes, I know it's a strong word), and the Party needs to return to and promote its foundational values: small government, low taxes, economic power, strong national defense, combined with personal integrity and honor at every level.

Virginia senators Warner and Webb: Anti-religious bigots?

I dunno, what do you think? They both voted against an amendment to the soi-disant "stimulus" bill proposed by Sen. DeMint (R - SC). According to Sen. DeMint's website:

Pages 164-165 of the stimulus contain the following prohibitions on the use of $3.5 billion available for renovation of public or private college and university facilities.

(2) PROHIBITED USES OF FUNDS.—No funds awarded under this section may be used for—
(C) modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities—
(i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or
(ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission; or construction of new facilities.

Sen. DeMint proposed striking this language because it was a Congressional infringement of our First Amendment rights and that

“This is a direct attack on students of faith, and I’m outraged Democrats are using an economic stimulus bill to promote discrimination,” said Senator DeMint. “Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for siding with the ACLU over millions of students of faith. These students simply want equal access to public facilities, which is their constitutional right. This hostility toward religion must end. Those who voted to for this discrimination are standing in the schoolhouse door to deny people of faith from entering any campus building renovated by this bill."

Of course Virginia's senators voted against it - they're not interested in the Constitution; they're just like the rest of their DemocRAT(ick) cohorts: freedom of speech and religion are too good for the masses.

Sounds to me like Virginia's bitter, religious gun owners ought to band together and vote these reprobates out of office at the next opportunity. Then again, anything these idiots do to piss of their constituents just makes their tenure in Congress that much shorter... many more stupid moves like these, and Virginians wouldn't spit on Webb and Warner even if they were on fire.

(kittipurrs to Gateway Pundit)

Virginia's new smoking ban...

Well. *sigh* This is a difficult one.

Bearing Drift reports that legislation banning smoking in Virginia restaurants has, effectively, passed.  Speaking personally (and as a former smoker), I'm glad because I really really REALLY hate cigarette smoke, especially in restaurants.

However.

Speaking as a freedom-loving citizen of this Republic, I deplore this additional intrusion of the Nanny State into private business. I think that if such a ban is indeed so important and worthy, it ought to have been brought to vote by the residents of this Commonwealth.

Frankly, even though I'm in the heart of tobacco country, I'm seeing less and less smoking inside of restaurants, anyway; it's my opinion that these business owners were already reacting to the natural pressure from their clientele, and that the ban would have been unnecessary in a few years.

But then the government - pernicious and meddling as ever - just has to stick its nosy, interfering self into the mix...

Hey, Republican Party of Virginia - are you listening?

Because Shaun Kenney's got some things to say - and you would be wise to act on his suggestions!

Honored

One thing I didn't say in my previous post is something I don't mention often enough:

I am honored by the friends and allies I have in the Virginia blogosphere, in particular the members of the Jeffersoniad. Scott, Shaun, Jason, Mike, Leslie, Rick, Krystal, Jay, Jim, Jim, Jim and Jim, Jane, DJ - and I know I've left someone(s) out, but you get the idea. These men and women are true patriots, gracious and thoughtful, who can disagree without malice, and who are wonderfully able to explain political points without being dogmatic and arrogant.

These are men and women of character and integrity, and while we may not always agree, I know I can be confident in their honor and their friendship.

Thanks, guys. I am blessed that I'm associated with you!

It's a confederacy of dunces!

And Jason is merely pointing it out:

By organizing around the old guard, by being openly hostile to Republican bloggers, by failing to understand that you are not truly anonymous on the internet, by failing to grasp a basic understanding of new media, by having access to RPV dealings, these individuals are representing themselves as mouth pieces of the Republican Party Of Virginia and threatening the message and direction that the party so desperately needs if it is going to organize and pull itself out of the downward trend of the last few elections.

All of this shows a lack of understanding of the New Media on the part of the current Republican Party of Virginia leadership.  Efforts by bloggers to reach out to the RPV and help were met with invitations to blog for the RPV but no real avenue for input in how the RPV conducts its online outreach.  Serious questions are raised about the organization of the current leadership and the state of the future of this party, whether it belongs to new voices and new ideas or the same, old, bitter trends that have gotten the party to where it is today.

Leslie expands upon the theme:

I prefer the term social media (although a fair argument can be made that new media is more encompassing). What's special about blogs, micro-blogs like twitter, social networking sites like facebook, and most everything else that gets lumped under the rubric of "new media" is that it's interactive. People post something; other people respond; there's communication; knowledge spreads; ideas are refined. At least that's the ideal.

But if those who want to lead aren't engaged, well, then they can't really lead. The "Here's our content; you spread it, and otherwise don't bother me because I'm too important" days are over.

And several others have chimed in as well:

• Scott's Morning Brew
• Crystal Clear Conservative
• Virginia Virtucon
  
• Below the Beltway
• The Write Side of My Brain

They are all prominent conservative and right-leaning bloggers, and they all agree with Jason that the RPV's ham-handed handling of the blogosphere bodes ill for the GOP.

Hampton Roads GOP, one of the blogs Jason singles out for chastising, attempted to put their own two cents in, but with their first trackback (which is from a post that does not reference Jason's post in any way), displays their fumble-footed lack of savvy regarding the blogosphere. Their second trackback does link Jason's post (oh, look! They can learn - if you whap them upside the head enough.), but it's merely a plaintive "Can't we all just get along?" which doesn't address the foundational issue. (And, no, I'm not going to send those arrogant minions a link. Go find your own.)

What is that issue? Well, how about I quote Jeff Frederick's comment over on Jason's post?

As you may know, I rarely read blogs. Nothing personal, just a time management thing. But occasionally, people forward me links and I read. Thus, I landed here.

Before I address the critique of my leadership on new media in this post (I’m not going to get into the turf battle among bloggers), let me just say that I am surprised that a group of people who spend so much time communicating have failed to communicate with me directly regarding these concerns on the Party’s efforts with new media. I’m easy to get ahold of. Email me. Call me. As the many people that write me everyday will tell you, I respond.

Uh-huh. You rarely read blogs. Well, than, it's no wonder you are apparently so out of touch with the base! As for the time management issue, if you did some research and chose about 6-12 blogs to monitor (I'd suggest that Bearing Drift, for one, ought to be at the top of the list), you wouldn't overwhelm that poor, sore head of yours, and would still be able to keep up with what YOUR EMPLOYERS really want.

Yes, I said "YOUR EMPLOYERS." We, the citizens. We,  the right-leaning, small government, low-tax, secure-borders, fiscal-responsibility people who might actually VOTE for RPV candidates. Without us, Jeffy, you're gone, gone, gone, as is the RNC and RPC, and all the Republican organizations which have failed so spectacularly at fielding candidates who reflect OUR values and concerns.

Oh, and as for us contacting you? As a member of the Jeffersoniad, I have personal knowledge that we DID contact you, and the RPV appeared to immediately try to force us into the cookie-cutter image of what they thought would work. Nuh-uh. We are no one's yes-men here in the Virginia blogosphere. Give us issues, give us arguments, listen to our discussions and our refutations and suggestions, but - as I learned through a painful experience last year - you can't herd cats. You can guide them, you can sway them, but the moment you "put your foot down," you've lost them.

The GOP hasn't listened to its base for years. How's that working for you, guys?

So, Jeffy, you and the upitty-ups of the Republican Party need to get off the fence and ENGAGE.

Or your jobs will disappear faster than ice in the Mojave Desert at high noon - and so will the GOP.

(BTW, for those of you who think this is overly harsh, yeah, well, I'm sick, I'm feeling quite temperamental, and I just don't feel like "making nice." Deal with it.)

Well, here's some good news

The Virginia Uranium study is going to be done:

The Virginia Commission on Coal and Energy voted 12-0 for the study. A state House of Delegates committee killed a study proposal in March. But the commission’s chairman, Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, said that panel is probably the best group to oversee a study.

On Tuesday, outside the polls, I saw a couple of people who were taking signatures to stop any sort of study. I wanted to ask them why; after all, if their case is so strong, wouldn't the science and facts confirm that?

If the study shows that uranium mining cannot be done safely, then I will be among the first to step up and tell Virginia Uranium "No. Not here." But, if the study shows that it CAN - and I mean REASONABLY safely; don't ask for a 100% guarantee, because nothing comes with that level of safety - then Pittsylvania needs the jobs and the revenue desperately.