In an act of extremist desperation reminiscent of the tactics of nazi Germany, communist Russia and of secret cults, the VA GOP decided on Monday to REQUIRE people who vote in the primary to sign an oath of allegiance to their chosen candidate.
As the Huffington Post reports: "The Virginia GOP has found an interesting way to discourage non-Republicans from voting in their presidential primary. Voters will be required to sign an oath pledging to support the party's nominee for president.
Sen. Harry Byrd Jr. (D-VA) famously bolted from the Democrats and became an independent in the 1970s due to such a loyalty oath being imposed on candidates, but this goes an extra step by putting the the oath to voters. Oddly enough, the state Board of Elections has approved the request, even though it would be impossible to enforce the contract not only practically, but probably in legal terms, too — as contracts requiring a party to vote a certain way in an election are illegal."
Attorneys agree that this oath is non-binding and unenforcable, but do the voters know that?
Between the radical candidates and extremist policies the VA GOP is losing touch with mainstream republicans and perhaps with reality in general. But must they embarass the rest of the state too?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Operation: Show We Care
INVITES YOU TO JOIN US
AS WE SHOW REAL SUPPORT
FOR OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
SERVING THE UNITED STATES
IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
PLEASE HELP US SEND THEM A BIT OF HOME
WHILE THEY ARE SO FAR AWAY…
We are in the process of collecting food, magazines, DVDs, CDs, snacks, personal items, toiletries, and many other such items to enrich their lives and to remind them that we remember and love them and hold them always in our thoughts and prayers.
Your help with this effort will make a great difference!
Email me for list of the types of items our young people in combat zones would greatly appreciate.
Please, as you shop, keep in mind that individually packaged servings work best for things like cup-a-soup, mac-n-cheese etc…
Also,
Small personal sized toiletry items can be more readily packed and stored as they carry on their misson.
Stores like Sharp Shopper, Costco, the Dollar Stores etc… are good places to find things mentioned on the list.
How do you know what to buy?
Think about the little things that you enjoy, and perhaps take for granted, and let’s be a blessing as best we can to these wonderful young people!
Write back to me at this email address and I will provide you with either a drop off location or arrange for our local young people from 7Gpac to pick up your contribution at your home!
Keep in mind that we also need to raise money for postage and shipping to get our care packages delivered.
If you can help with a small contribution to help cover the shipping costs,
Please make your check to:
Seven Generations PAC
And mail to:
7Gpac
11830 Fort Turley Trail
Linville, VA 22834
Put Operation Show We Care in the memo/for line of your check.
Your help with this effort can make an enormous difference!
Remember, many hands make light work.
One more very important part of this operation…
Please include a card or message with your donated items letting our young soldiers know that you care and that you appreciate the sacrifices they are making on our behalf. They need to know that no matter what,
We love and support them…
Thank you ever so much for your help!
Lowell and Dianne Fulk and Family
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Charting Our Energy Future, Part 1
Wind Power---The Future is Now
Not In My Back Yard, NIMBYism is taking a stand! Against what we thirty years ago thought was a good and clean direction to take towards renewable energy, just as soon as the technology was developed to make generation of electricity by wind mills economically possible.
That time is here...
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Obenshain/Marshall double thrust...
Delegate Bob Marshall is putting forward a resolution of "No Confidence" in the House Republican Caucus [today], Sunday November 18, where Republican delegates will select the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Whip, and Caucus Chair.
In the House Republican CaucusRichmond, VirginiaSunday, November 18, 2007Mr. Marshall, (Bob), for himself,
RESOLUTION
Expressing a sense of no confidence in the policies of the current House of Delegates Republican Leadership as pursued from 2002 to the present, and urging a change in policy.
Whereas even though the House Republican Caucus was in charge of the 2001 Delegate Redistricting, Republican Caucus strength has decreased from 67 (65 R, 2-Ind.) to 55 members (53-R, 2-Ind.) in the four and one-half years of the present House leadership since the Summer of 2002; and
Whereas The Republican leadership has failed to pursue efficient government spending by:
1. Including in the 2008 budget nearly $50 million for a Fine Arts Museum in Richmond while at the same time proposing Abusive Driver Fees as a necessary component of the state road funding;
2. Refusal to demand fiscal accountability from Governor Warner by ignoring the will of the House in failing to follow up on properly passed resolutions seeking an accounting by Governor Warner and his Cabinet on implementing the recommendations of the 2002 Wilder Commission report on Efficiency and Effectiveness in Government Spending. (See HR 12 approved 61-35, March 1, 2004, requesting Gov. Warner’s Cabinet to disclose the efficiency and cost savings measures adopted pursuant to the Wilder Report and other efficiency measures; and HR 13 approved 62-33, March 1, 2004 requesting the Governor to provide the House with detailed facts relating to implementing the Wilder Report.)
3. Allowing government spending to increase at new record levels of spending without making road and transit improvements a priority, and instead providing for tax increases by appointed governmental agencies as provided in HB 3202 (2007);
Whereas The Republican Leadership makes policy decisions in a small closed group and in a secretive manner without benefit of wide Caucus input or knowledge and in late 2006 prepared a transportation bill which Caucus members were expected to accept without discussion or critical input, i.e. HB 3202, which bill placed the responsibility for increasing taxes on appointed officials selected by statute, and included a first time ever tax on services, a tax on home sales during a declining housing market, and enacted severe Abusive Driver Fee penalties;
and which violated the principles of George Mason’s Declaration of Rights and Magna Charta (1215) that citizens "cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses without their own consent, or that of their representatives so elected." (Contrast this with the unprecedented claim supported by the Governor, the Attorney General and the Speaker of the House that, "The General Assembly's ability and power to delegate taxation is not constrained."); and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has failed to act in a Parliamentary manner by:
1. Accepting the Budget proposed by Governor Warner in 2003 which included bothrevenue spending measures and revenue raising measures in violation of the Single Object Provision of the Virginia Constitution rather than return the budget to Governor Warner and inform him that tax and spending measures may not be combined in a single bill.
2. Directing House staff to not record for the public the Privileges and Elections Committee vote on HB 2797 taken on 2-2-07, while making NO objection to all other measures reported from this same committee on the same day until strenuous objection was made insisting on the normal practice of the House, the requirements of Rule 18, and the problems this would produce for the expeditious discharge of business then pending before the House of Delegates; and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has compromised and sought to coerce the independent judgment of Caucus members and their commitment to constituents by using the authority of office to advocate, urge and insist that certain Republican members of the House Finance Committee relent in their opposition to what became the 2004 sales tax increase. Such actions are inconsistent with principled opposition to tax increases; and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has adopted the practices which it criticized Democrats for using, namely failing to appoint sponsors and publicly recognized advocates of legislation as members of House-Senate Conference Committees in at least the instances of the Constitutional Marriage Amendment in 2005 and theTransportation Trust Fund Constitutional Amendment in 2007;
Now, therefore be it Resolved,
that because of the above concerns and the distinct likelihood that the new majority Democratic Senate leadership will propose an unjustified growth in the size of government, increased government spending, and the imposition of new taxes and other policies at variance with Republican principles,
that the House Republican Caucus has lost confidence in the policies of the present Republican Leadership, and request that a new policy direction be undertaken consistent with traditional Republican principles."
In the House Republican CaucusRichmond, VirginiaSunday, November 18, 2007Mr. Marshall, (Bob), for himself,
RESOLUTION
Expressing a sense of no confidence in the policies of the current House of Delegates Republican Leadership as pursued from 2002 to the present, and urging a change in policy.
Whereas even though the House Republican Caucus was in charge of the 2001 Delegate Redistricting, Republican Caucus strength has decreased from 67 (65 R, 2-Ind.) to 55 members (53-R, 2-Ind.) in the four and one-half years of the present House leadership since the Summer of 2002; and
Whereas The Republican leadership has failed to pursue efficient government spending by:
1. Including in the 2008 budget nearly $50 million for a Fine Arts Museum in Richmond while at the same time proposing Abusive Driver Fees as a necessary component of the state road funding;
2. Refusal to demand fiscal accountability from Governor Warner by ignoring the will of the House in failing to follow up on properly passed resolutions seeking an accounting by Governor Warner and his Cabinet on implementing the recommendations of the 2002 Wilder Commission report on Efficiency and Effectiveness in Government Spending. (See HR 12 approved 61-35, March 1, 2004, requesting Gov. Warner’s Cabinet to disclose the efficiency and cost savings measures adopted pursuant to the Wilder Report and other efficiency measures; and HR 13 approved 62-33, March 1, 2004 requesting the Governor to provide the House with detailed facts relating to implementing the Wilder Report.)
3. Allowing government spending to increase at new record levels of spending without making road and transit improvements a priority, and instead providing for tax increases by appointed governmental agencies as provided in HB 3202 (2007);
Whereas The Republican Leadership makes policy decisions in a small closed group and in a secretive manner without benefit of wide Caucus input or knowledge and in late 2006 prepared a transportation bill which Caucus members were expected to accept without discussion or critical input, i.e. HB 3202, which bill placed the responsibility for increasing taxes on appointed officials selected by statute, and included a first time ever tax on services, a tax on home sales during a declining housing market, and enacted severe Abusive Driver Fee penalties;
and which violated the principles of George Mason’s Declaration of Rights and Magna Charta (1215) that citizens "cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses without their own consent, or that of their representatives so elected." (Contrast this with the unprecedented claim supported by the Governor, the Attorney General and the Speaker of the House that, "The General Assembly's ability and power to delegate taxation is not constrained."); and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has failed to act in a Parliamentary manner by:
1. Accepting the Budget proposed by Governor Warner in 2003 which included bothrevenue spending measures and revenue raising measures in violation of the Single Object Provision of the Virginia Constitution rather than return the budget to Governor Warner and inform him that tax and spending measures may not be combined in a single bill.
2. Directing House staff to not record for the public the Privileges and Elections Committee vote on HB 2797 taken on 2-2-07, while making NO objection to all other measures reported from this same committee on the same day until strenuous objection was made insisting on the normal practice of the House, the requirements of Rule 18, and the problems this would produce for the expeditious discharge of business then pending before the House of Delegates; and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has compromised and sought to coerce the independent judgment of Caucus members and their commitment to constituents by using the authority of office to advocate, urge and insist that certain Republican members of the House Finance Committee relent in their opposition to what became the 2004 sales tax increase. Such actions are inconsistent with principled opposition to tax increases; and
Whereas The Republican Leadership has adopted the practices which it criticized Democrats for using, namely failing to appoint sponsors and publicly recognized advocates of legislation as members of House-Senate Conference Committees in at least the instances of the Constitutional Marriage Amendment in 2005 and theTransportation Trust Fund Constitutional Amendment in 2007;
Now, therefore be it Resolved,
that because of the above concerns and the distinct likelihood that the new majority Democratic Senate leadership will propose an unjustified growth in the size of government, increased government spending, and the imposition of new taxes and other policies at variance with Republican principles,
that the House Republican Caucus has lost confidence in the policies of the present Republican Leadership, and request that a new policy direction be undertaken consistent with traditional Republican principles."
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Mark Obenshain seeks power, no mention of doing good work for Virginia...
In a November 13, 2007, letter to Sen. Walter Stosch, Sen. Mark Obenshain writes:
Difficult as it is to address this issue, I believe that it is time for a change in the leadership of the Senate Republicans.
I believe that we need a new leader who will help us come together as Republicans, stop the infighting, focus on the ideas that unite us as a party, and set about rebuilding for the future.
Any student of military history understands that dividing an army is undertaken only at great peril and when absolutely necessary.
Since I joined the Senate, our leadership has consistently divided Republican ranks. Examples abound, including doing battle with House Republicans, dissolving the joint Republican Legislative Caucus, the functional dissolution of the Senate Republican Caucus and the establishment of the Republican Senate Leadership Trust.
It is imperative that we immediately refocus our attention on the ideas that brought the Republican Party to power in the 1990s.
We must look for common ground, not just with a majority of our colleagues in the Senate, but also with our colleagues in the House.
Towards that end, we must immediately move to reestablish the Joint Republican Legislative Caucus.
Last, but not lease it is important that the Virginia Senate Republican Leadership Trust, with its exclusive membership and loyalty oath, be retired.
It is my hope that you will agree with my observations and that you will agree that it is time for a change in direction and new Republican Leadership in the Senate as we adjust to last week's setback, and prepare again to resume the majority in four years or sooner.
I ask that you have a positive and productive dialog as we promptly make it known as to whether you plan to step aside as Republican Leader so that we can prepare for our meeting on November 26.
Difficult as it is to address this issue, I believe that it is time for a change in the leadership of the Senate Republicans.
I believe that we need a new leader who will help us come together as Republicans, stop the infighting, focus on the ideas that unite us as a party, and set about rebuilding for the future.
Any student of military history understands that dividing an army is undertaken only at great peril and when absolutely necessary.
Since I joined the Senate, our leadership has consistently divided Republican ranks. Examples abound, including doing battle with House Republicans, dissolving the joint Republican Legislative Caucus, the functional dissolution of the Senate Republican Caucus and the establishment of the Republican Senate Leadership Trust.
It is imperative that we immediately refocus our attention on the ideas that brought the Republican Party to power in the 1990s.
We must look for common ground, not just with a majority of our colleagues in the Senate, but also with our colleagues in the House.
Towards that end, we must immediately move to reestablish the Joint Republican Legislative Caucus.
Last, but not lease it is important that the Virginia Senate Republican Leadership Trust, with its exclusive membership and loyalty oath, be retired.
It is my hope that you will agree with my observations and that you will agree that it is time for a change in direction and new Republican Leadership in the Senate as we adjust to last week's setback, and prepare again to resume the majority in four years or sooner.
I ask that you have a positive and productive dialog as we promptly make it known as to whether you plan to step aside as Republican Leader so that we can prepare for our meeting on November 26.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Local Dems Drop the Ball…
Once again apathy, which seems to be so endemic among democrats these days, was directly responsible for the defeat of at least one of our candidates. One of the closest races this year was for Clerk of Court where Diane Fulk lost to Chaz Evans-Haywood by a paltry 220 votes. That amounts to about 7 votes per precinct. According to the State Board of Elections, approximately 36% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2007 election. For Clerk, that amounted to 19,853 total votes, 4,991 for Chaz, 4,771 for Diane, and 10,091 for “other.” Of the roughly 9,000-10,000 area democrats, Diane only got 4,771 votes. When you consider that many of her votes came from admitted republicans and independents, then the numbers become a more embarrassing indictment on democratic turnout and loyalty. I wonder how many of the “other” votes were cast by democrats? I’m willing to bet that there were many more than the 220 that Diane needed.
One of the things that democrats are good at is complaining about the need for change. Yet when they get the chance, they mysteriously become overcome with copious amounts of apathy, excuses and a profound lack of motivation. Where were you folks when the party needed you? The last time that this race was an open election was in 1959! With Diane’s crossover appeal, experience and strong campaign this election was the democrat’s to lose. And lose it for her you did. Congratulations.
Myron Rhodes said it well when he claimed, [sic] “the Democratic party in the Valley is just a social club.” Apparently, local democrats are democrats in name only. Attending the occasional fundraising event is fine, but actual voting is apparently left to the “lesser people.”
Your candidates, and their friends and families, poured their blood, sweat, tears and money into their campaign. At the very least they had the right to expect some party loyalty and sense of civic duty. You’d think that democrats would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election that all votes count, but apparently that was lost on the local party members.
To those who actually voted, and voted for our candidates, thanks. To those that had "other things to do,” or who wasted their vote on an unelectable candidate, you owe your party candidates an apology. You blew it. Political change does not happen by sitting on your butt and making excuses.
One of the things that democrats are good at is complaining about the need for change. Yet when they get the chance, they mysteriously become overcome with copious amounts of apathy, excuses and a profound lack of motivation. Where were you folks when the party needed you? The last time that this race was an open election was in 1959! With Diane’s crossover appeal, experience and strong campaign this election was the democrat’s to lose. And lose it for her you did. Congratulations.
Myron Rhodes said it well when he claimed, [sic] “the Democratic party in the Valley is just a social club.” Apparently, local democrats are democrats in name only. Attending the occasional fundraising event is fine, but actual voting is apparently left to the “lesser people.”
Your candidates, and their friends and families, poured their blood, sweat, tears and money into their campaign. At the very least they had the right to expect some party loyalty and sense of civic duty. You’d think that democrats would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election that all votes count, but apparently that was lost on the local party members.
To those who actually voted, and voted for our candidates, thanks. To those that had "other things to do,” or who wasted their vote on an unelectable candidate, you owe your party candidates an apology. You blew it. Political change does not happen by sitting on your butt and making excuses.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
What Now? Here's a clue...
Well I won’t back down, no I won’t back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell But I won’t back down
Gonna stand my ground, won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down
Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down.
Well I know what’s right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I'll stand my ground and I won’t back down
Hey baby there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
No, I won’t back down
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)