Bob +9 over Deeds

Yesterday we saw the PPP and Survey USA polls come out for the Governor's race and the difference in the polls was quite large. If you follow political polls Rasmussen has been proven to be the most accurate poll of any of them and the one we should probably pay closest attention too. Today's Rasmussen poll shows Bob McDonnell leading Creigh Deeds 51% to 42%. This is huge as yesterday was five weeks to election day and shows that swing, independent voters are leaning towards Bob as well as the fact that Deeds has failed to appeal to the base of Dem voters while the GOP is strongly and surely standing with Bob in additon to the fact that Bob is now leading by a higher margin than he was in the most recent Rasmussen poll before today.

To read the poll in full click here.


GO BOB GO!!!!

Carter Turner Doesn't even vote yet he wants to be our delegate?

Check out the Roanoke Valley Republicans blog for more

Ken Cuccinelli unveils Mental Health plan

Today in a confrence call with reporters, Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli unveiled their plan to improve Virginia's mental health system. Here is the plan from Sen. Cuccinelli's website:

After more than a decade of working within the mental health system, I have a great appreciation for its many complexities and how it affects individuals, their families and the community. I have also come to believe that we in Virginia must help improve the current system for the benefit of the mentally ill and society at large.

My Record

• Since 1997, I have worked within the Commonwealth's mental health system in a number of capacities, first by serving as a court appointed attorney for individuals in Virginia's involuntary mental commitment hearings.



• I have been a frequent participant in the informal Temporary Detention Order (TDO) taskforce in Fairfax County where representatives from all aspects of the mental health and law enforcement systems work to continually improve the mental health system in Fairfax.



• In 2008, I worked in a bipartisan manner, pushed through bills to ease the process for involuntary commitment, to restrict gun ownership rights for those found mentally ill and to help break down barriers for sharing information between doctors and our court system.



• In 2009, I successfully worked with law enforcement to reduce their transportation burden by allowing family members transport mentally ill individuals in lieu of law enforcement when the mentally ill individual is not dangerous. This conserves law enforcement resources and results in more humane treatment for the mentally ill in Virginia, thereby giving them better long-term chances for success.

As Attorney General, I will propose a five point plan to help reform Virginia's mental health system:

1. Transfer mentally ill prisoners to mental hospitals: It is estimated that up to 1/6 of all inmates in Fairfax jails are mentally ill. Jails are becoming mental health facilities of last resort. We need to move these people into the correct facility so they can receive proper treatment.



2. Allow for "step-down" treatment: Right now, a person who is found to be mentally ill and is committed to a facility is placed in either in-patient or out-patient care, but that person cannot be transferred between the two without a new hearing. This makes little sense, given that as a patient progresses through their treatment, that person should be easily removable by the doctor from in-patient to out-patient care. This reform should be accompanied by long-term case worker oversight for at least six months, since all studies show that the oversight is necessary to have a real impact on the patient's life. This is an opportunity to save money and get Virginia's mentally ill better treatment.



3. Require that Temporary Detention Order's be issued between 24 and 72 hours: There should be a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours from detention to TDO hearing. The 24 hour minimum is necessary because at least 24 hours is needed for all of the mental health professionals with responsibilities to be able to do their work and communicate their findings. The maximum is necessary for two reasons: 1) because evidence shows that there are very significant decreases in both commitments and in court "voluntaries" (those who volunteer for treatment instead of a contested hearing) over a longer time period, and 2) because smaller jurisdictions in Virginia only hold hearings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.



4. Allow for non-lawyer representation: In the foreseeable future, there will not be enough money in the system to provide all petitioners with legal help, but we do need to do everything we can to help find alternatives for families that are at the end of their rope and don't know where to turn for help. We should allow those law students who have a background in evidence and trial advocacy and who are interested in mental health issues to represent willing petitioners in court.



5. Overhaul the Virginia Statutes regarding mental health: There are currently three different sections of the Virginia Code that deal with the mentally ill – §19.2-169.6; §19.2-176; and §19.2-177.1 – and these statutes are largely antiquated and inconsistent in language and scope. Therefore, we should both modernize these statutes and make them legally consistent with one another, and group them in one section under §19.2-169.6.

And from McDonnell's website their record of results:

Bob McDonnell’s Record of Results

Bob McDonnell has a background in healthcare as a Medical Service Corps Officer in the U.S. Army, and as a manager with the American Hospital Supply Corporation. Bob has an extensive record of leading on mental health reform issues, including major reforms to move to a more community based system (HB2596 2001; HB995 2002), and championing legislation to require a state and community consensus and planning team for any restructuring of the system of mental health services involving existing state mental health facilities. McDonnell was Co-Chair of the Virginia Supreme Court Mental Health Task Force from 2007-2008, helping to create major reforms in the system.

As Attorney General Bob issued a landmark opinion to end the terrible policy that forced some parents to surrender custody of their seriously mentally ill children to access state-funded services. He subsequently worked to improve the Comprehensive Services Act to better serve children in need of services.

Responding to the challenges facing Virginia’s mental health system over the past few years, particularly in the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007, McDonnell worked with Governor Kaine to issue Executive Order Number 50 instructing all executive branch agencies to immediately begin including the names of individuals found dangerous and ordered to undergo involuntary mental health treatment in the database accessed before the sale of firearms by licensed gun dealers to ineligible individuals. During the 2008 General Assembly session, Attorney General McDonnell supported legislation to ensure access to mental health information and modify standards for involuntary commitment of the mentally ill.

Ken Cuccinelli’s Record of Results

A member of the State Senate since 2002, Ken Cuccinelli is the recognized expert on mental health issues in the General Assembly and is a leader in reforming the system. As a private attorney, Ken Cuccinelli has served as a court appointed representative for the mentally ill and worked with mental health professionals and patients and their families for over a decade. Ken has also worked for many years with Fairfax County’s TDO Taskforce to improve the delivery of services in Fairfax.

In the State Senate, Cuccinelli has been working to reform Virginia’s mental health system from the moment of his arrival in the Senate, with too many bills to mention since 2003 - long before others recognized the deficiencies in Virginia’s mental health system. Among his accomplishments are reducing the requirements for admission to Virginia’s mental health system, establishing the ability of school systems to share mental health information with our universities once their students go to college, and creating more humane transportation alternatives for patients while reducing the burden on law enforcement, among others.

Look out, huge partsian appointment coming for US Attorney

Since John Brownlee resigned as US Attorney from the Western District of Virginia in 2008, to run for the Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia, the Western District has had a temporary US Attorney sitting in. Well folks at the recommendation of Sen. Jim Webb (it still blows my mind how you could go to the Naval Academy and be that liberal) and my boy Sen. Marky Mark Warner, Barry has nominated Timothy Heaphy to fill the vacancy of US Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. Heaphy is a partner at McGuireWoods' Charlottesville office and previously served as Deputy Managing Assistant United States Attorney for the Charlottesville Division of the Western District of Virginia. In my first look at Mr. Heaphy I thought this wouldn't be too bad of an appointment, he is a partner at McGuireWoods which is a very respected firm and is a graduate of UVA. Doesn't look to bad right. Well turns out that this guy is a huge partisan hack and someone I really wouldn't want to see confirmed by the Senate by that is looking very unlikely. If Sotomayor gets confirmed this guy definitely gets confirmed. Mr. Heaphy was hired as Assistant US Attorney for the District of Columbia in April 1994 by guess who, current Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder who, if you have kept up with the workings of the DOJ since Barry took office, has made some extremly bad judgement calls and peeved off a lot of Republican members of Congress to the extreme. Mr. Heaphy considers Holder "a friend and mentor" ever since he was hired to the Assistant US Attorney job in DC. The following is quoted from the questionairre Mr. Heaphy was required to fill out and return to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary:

In the summer of 1987, I was first a volunteer then a paid staff member on
Senator Joseph Biden's campaign for President. I worked as a Press
Assistant on the campaign staff in Washington, DC. I was compensated for
approximately 3 months of work before the campaign ended in September of
1987. I subsequently joined Senator Biden's Senate Staff (as described
above).

I have never had an official role in a political committee or campaign or been
a member of any campaign committee. In the interest of full disclosure, I feel
compelled to add, however, that I have held fundraisers for candidates for
public office and volunteered my time on political campaigns over the years.
Since leaving government service in 2005, I have held or cosponsored
fundraising events for Congressman Tom Perriello and Virginia State
Legislators R. Creigh Deeds, David Toscano, Brian Moran, and Steve
Shannon. I also raised money for President Obama and volunteered my time
to the voter protection and GOTV efforts of the Obama campaign in 2008, in
both South Carolina and Virginia.


When somoneone is a supporter of Barack Obama, Tom Perriello, Creigh Deeds, Steve Shannon, and Brian Moran I begin to question their ability to make sensable judgements because those are some of the main people looking to destroy Virginia and America right now. God help the Western District of Virginia.

Mr. Heaphy's full questionairre can be found at this link

And more information about Mr. Heaphy and his appointment can be found here

Ken Cuccinelli Twitterview with RSLC

Today Ken Cuccinelli did a "Twitterview" (an interview using twitter) with the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC). For those of you that don't know the RSLC has been a huge help to the Cuccinelli campaign donating $200,000 to the campaign last week which allowed the campaign to finally get on TV today. Here is the Twitterview:
*Some things have been abbreviated by Sen. Cuccinelli and RSLC due to the 140 character limit per tweet by Twitter.

RSLC: Welcome to our 9 in '09 Twitterview with Attorney General candidate @kencuccinelli of Virginia

RSLC: What is the top issue you are hearing on the campaign trail?

Ken Cuccinelli: There r 2: public safety & getting our economy going again (incl protecting Va's economy from feds, e.g., card check)

RSLC: How do you gauge momentum in the campaign?

Ken Cuccinelli: Great rt now, & growing on the ground - which doesn't show up in polls, but they get our msg out via vols - much cheaper & more reach!

RSLC: Do u support President Obama’s efforts to expand charter schools and institute performance pay for teachers?

Ken Cuccinelli: Yes! & frankly, it's nice to be able to agree w/him on something, as i disagree on cap n trade; card check; and health care

RSLC: What is biggest difference between you and your opponent?

Ken Cuccinelli: Independent leadership, e.g., fighting taxes & regs, prop rts, mental health, rt 2 work, & confidence of crime fighters (FOP endorse)

RSLC: Our last 4 questions will be fun questions. What book are you reading now?

Ken Cuccinelli: Actually, I'm in the market. Just finished M.Levin's "Liberty & Tyranny," & I'm listening to western civ lectures in the car. luv2read

RSLC: What are your favorite songs on your iPod playlist?

Ken Cuccinelli: Got to Stand for Something -Aaron Tippin; American Made-Oak Ridge Boys; I'm Already There-Lonestar; & Stars n Stripes-also Aaron Tipin

RSLC: For a vacation – beach or the mountains?

Ken Cuccinelli: Beach.

RSLC: #9 of 9 in '09 Who was your favorite teacher in grade school and why?

Ken Cuccinelli: Alan Lengel-5th & 6th grade. Engaged each kid INDIVIDUALLY, pushed me to do more than i thought i could, & encouraged imagination

RSLC: @KenCuccinelli Thanks for joining us for 9 in '09

One of many reasons I won't be voting for Creigh Deeds

Marky Mark Warner raised taxes. Timmay Kaine raised taxes. Creigh Deeds wants to continue the economic policies of his buddies Timmay Kaine and Marky Mark Warner. It took me two weeks of Econ 101 last year and I realized these guys along with 99.9% of Dems were morons. It's truly hard for me to believe that Timmay Kaine got a BA in economics from the University of Missouri. Guess they were bigger fans of John Maynard Keynes than Milton Friedman, Ludwig von Mises, and Ayn Rand. I'd also like to point out that neither Timmay Kaine, Marky Mark Warner, or R. Creigh Deeds the "blue dog senator from Bath County" attended college at either the undergraduate or graduate levels in Virginia. What a sorry bunch.

Presidential Poll Results

After the FRC Action PAC Values Voters Summit a few weekends ago I posted a poll on the blog asking who would you have voted for if you had the opportunity to attend the conference and vote in their straw poll. Unfortunately not many people voted in the poll, but what can you do?

Here are the results:
1. Rep. Ron Paul- 18%
Gov. Mitt Romney- 18%
Gov. Sarah Palin -18%
4. Gov. Mike Huckabee- 12%
Rep. Mike Pence- 12%
6. Gov. Tim Pawlenty- 6%
Sen. Rick Santorum 6%
8. Rep. Newt Gingrich- 0%
Gov. Bobby Jindal- 0%

Other candidates received 6% of the vote as well though no one specified who under the original blog post.

This poll proves a point that I have believed true for the GOP and even for the Dems. In 1996 Bob Dole won the GOP nomination for President over Pat Buchannan and Steve Forbes. In 2000 George W. Bush, then-Governor of Texas won the nomination over John McCain. The GOP was successful when it looked to a rising star in the party who had done an outstanding job as Governor for the nomination rather than looking back at our runners-up from 1996. George Bush went on to win the presidency which most likely wouldn't have happened if we had nominated Pat Buchannan, Steve Forbes, or even Dole's running mate Jack Kemp. In 2008 the GOP nominated John McCain, runner-up to George W. Bush for the nomination in 2000, for President. John McCain was the #2 in 2000, had been known to be a RINO in the Senate, and failed to appeal to the base really until Sarah Palin was named his running mate. Needless to say McCain lost the general election to Barack Obama.

I think we need to look elsewhere, we shouldn't get stuck on our #2's from last time around. We need to look to people like Bobby Jindal and Tim Pawlenty who have seen success as Governors smilar to George W. Bush's in Texas. We also need to look to people like Haley Barbour who has been a proven leader for our party. Gov. Barbour lead us to take back the VA Governor's mansion in 1993 with George Allen and leading us to take back Congress in 1994 with Newt Gingrich and company as RNC Chair and he has now stepped up to Chair the Republican Governor's Association. Gov. Barbour has proven once again the type of leader he is as we look to have a repeat of 1993-1994 in 2009-2010. Why keep Gov. Barbour restricted to being a leader within the party? Is it time to push Gov. Barbour to the top and prove that he can lead more than just our party, that he can lead our nation? We should also look to our patriots in Congress.

Mike Pence has started to make some noise especially at the Values Voters Summit and with social conservatives and has been a leading fighter for us in the House this year. I would like to see Michelle Bachmann and Jim DeMint thrown out there some more as well. Other than Ron Paul and Joe Wilson no one has openly faught for conservatism in Congress more than Rep. Bachmann and Sen. DeMint. Will they recieve any mention during our speculation?

What about Jeb Bush? Bush was a much better Governor than Charlie Crist, who has basically sold out and is now buddy buddying with the BHO administration, was extremly popular in Florida, and now seems to be only hampered by his last name. In Florida, Jeb proved he wouldn't govern like his father or brother. Gov. Bush is somone who can appeal to the base extremly well, but can also pull in enough moderates and independents to win a general election.

I like Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Sarah Palin but all those three have done since the election is prove they can talk the talk. We need to look to someone who is walking the walk as well as talking the talk. The only 2008 candidate I would support would be Ron Paul, because he has walked the walk in Congress and continues to do so. We need someone new and fresh who has consistantly walked the conservative walk through out their time as elected officials and I don't really see that with the people who are trying to run for President right now other than T-Paw and Ron Paul.

Could Huckabee fix our economic problems? What about Romney instituting virtually socialized medicine in Mass? Palin has proved she can campaign, but up and left office in July. In my opinion if she wants to be President then she needs to prove she can govern and resigning from a term which would have ended with plenty of time for her to run for President afterwards doesn't do it for me. I want someone who can get a job done as president, not someone who quits halfway through.

Despite my reservations about who is looking to run right now, I feel with time we will realize who on the GOP bench will be successful and rest assured, it won't be someone who ran in 2008.

Ken Cuccinelli Endorsed for Attorney General by 77 Elected Law Enforcement Officials

Releases first television ad highlighting his work fixing the Melendez-Diaz problem

Richmond, VA. -- Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37) accepted the endorsement for Attorney General from 77 different elected law enforcement officials from across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"I am honored to announce the endorsements from 77 law enforcement officials, both Sheriff's and Commonwealth Attorney's, of my candidacy for Attorney General of Virginia," Senator Cuccinelli said. "These individuals, all of whom have the trust of their communities, and many of whom are politically independent, are supporting me because they know that as Attorney General I will advance tough strategies for fighting gangs, drugs, and other crime." He continued, "I am humbled by such widespread support among Virginia's Sheriffs and Commonwealth Attorneys, in addition to the Fraternal Order of Police, which itself represents more than 8000 law enforcement officers and is the largest law enforcement organization in the Commonwealth."

Standing in support of Senator Cuccinelli at today's press conference were Sheriff Thomas D. Jones (Charlotte), Sheriff Danny Diggs (York/Poquoson), Sheriff Bob Deeds (Williamsburg), Sheriff Charlie Jett (Stafford), Commonwealth's Attorney Lisa Caruso (Dinwiddie) and Commonwealth's Attorney Billy Davenport (Chesterfield).

While unable to attend, Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), a recognized expert on gang problems in Virginia, stated, "I respect the work that Ken Cuccinelli has done on the Courts of Justice Committee to combat gangs here in Virginia. His legislation to pro-actively put a halt to gang recruitment and initiation has helped keep Virginia's families and communities safer. As Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli will continue to crack down on gangs and gang violence wherever it exists."

Additionally, State Senator Ken Stolle, candidate for Sheriff in Virginia Beach, had this to say about Senator Cuccinelli, "For the past seven years, I've had the pleasure of serving with Ken Cuccinelli on the Senate Courts Committee. His commitment to law enforcement is unquestionable. With Ken Cuccinelli as our next Attorney General, the law enforcement community will have a tireless advocate at their side. It's no wonder Ken has received the support of so many Sheriffs and Commonwealth Attorneys, all in addition to the Fraternal Order of Police."

Commonwealth's Attorneys enthusiastically joined Senator Cuccinelli's campaign when he showed true leadership in the wake of the Melendez-Diaz decision by the Supreme Court this summer. Senator Cuccinelli quickly realized that drug offenders and drunk drivers could go unpunished due to this ruling and requested that Governor Kaine call a special session. Governor Kaine followed Senator Cuccinelli's lead and on August 19th, the Virginia House and Senate convened in Richmond and passed much of the legislative fix to the Melendez problem that Senator Cuccinelli had proposed.

Commonwealth's Attorney Billy Davenport (Chesterfield County) commented, "When justice was denied here in Virginia this summer, Ken Cuccinelli stepped up to the plate. His leadership in the wake of the Melendez decision should be commended. His ability to work across the aisle with Governor Kaine proves that he will make an effective Attorney General. He has my full support."

Sheriff Danny Diggs (York/Poquoson) spoke on Senator Cuccinelli's work as a State Senator and his leadership on issues relating to the law enforcement community. Sheriff Diggs commented "Sheriffs in Virginia could not ask for a better candidate than Ken Cuccinelli. I have known and respected Ken for a long time now and I completely trust him to tackle the tough issues Virginia faces like gangs and internet predators."

Today Senator Cuccinelli also reiterated some of the highlights of the McDonnell/Cuccinelli Public Safety plan they unveiled on August 12th, including:

• Cracking down on a career drug dealers by proposing tougher mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders;
• Requiring a form of intensive lifetime monitoring (such as GPS tracking) of violent sexual predators not eligible for civil commitment but who continue to pose a danger to society;
• Including ALL law enforcement in the capital-eligible victims list;
• Pushing for the statutory fix to the Moore v. Commonwealth case (from April of 2008), which would allow police officers greater flexibility in making an arrest in misdemeanor cases;
• Utilizing the multi-jurisdictional grand jury approach to gang prosecution that the Attorney General's office has used with exceptional success with the Commonwealth's Attorneys in the Shenandoah Valley. Ken wants to replicate that model in other parts of VA.
• Proposing that the penalty for a convicted sex offender who fails to register for Virginia's Sex Offender Registry be elevated to a felony.

In conjunction with today's Law Enforcement Coalition rollout and Senator Cuccinelli's plans to keep Virginia safe, Senator Cuccinelli also announced the release of his first television ad to begin airing statewide on Tuesday. The ad can be viewed here.

The full list of endorsements can be found on our webpage .

Cuccineli campaign releases first TV ad

Two new Bob McDonnell ads

Two great new ads. In other news click here to donate to Ken Cuccinelli so he can get on TV soon.

Pat Toomey for Senate in PA

I strongly urge all Pennsylvanians to support Pat Toomey for Senate. I am glad we finally got that RINO Arlen Specter out our party. Toomey just released the following web ad and I'll just say this. I liked Toomey before this ad, but I like him even more for using the Allman Brothers Band in his ad. Right on brother.

FOP endorsement for McDonnell, Bolling, and Cuccinelli

As reported, the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor, Bill Bolling for Lt. Governor, and Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General of Virginia this morning in a news conference at the Capitol building in Richmond this morning. This is a huge endorsement for the whole ticket but especially for Ken Cuccinelli. Steve Shannon is really trying to push his public safety record and so forth on TV now. Yes, he did help bring AMBER alert to VA which was a great thing but in the General Assembly he really hasn't been a person who supports public safety or law enforcement. The special session was a huge example of this. These police officers, who have now endorsed Sen. Cuccinelli, are working hard everyday to keep these drug dealers and drunk drivers behind bars and the Melendez-Diaz v. Mass. case in the Supreme Court really put a damper on the job that they are doing and Ken Cuccinelli stood up and wanted to create a positive solution so that the public can be safer and these police officers' good works for the people would not be done in vein. Steve Shannon called this a "political stunt" and I have a feeling that this could have possibly had a lot to do with him not getting this endorsement. This is great for Ken and proves that he is the candidate who will have public safety as his first priority.

From the FOP:

These candidates were chosen by the members of the FOP of Virginia. Every member had the opportunity to vote for the candidate they thought would do the best job for their respective offices. These candidates have proven and pledged to support the FOP of Virginia in keeping our state safe and secure for all Virginians.

The Washington Post reported this on their blog this morning and so far the following is the only comment on the post and was posted by a user under the name HumbleGovWorker at 9:42 am:

Wait a minute. The FOP endorsed Cuccinelli over Shannon? Incredible.

They endorse an ambulance chasing attorney who prefers representing criminals--most of whom were arrested by police--over a former former Fairfax County prosecutor????

Stupid FOP. Really, really stupid.

Well HumbleGovWorker, you obivously haven't researched your facts at all. This is the attorney profile of Ken Cuccinelli directly from the Cuccinelli & Day PLLC website:

Ken Cuccinelli is a litigation and business law attorney who serves as an outsourced general counsel to small and mid-sized companies. His wide range of experience includes litigation, licensing, financing, employment, advertising, branding, corporate formation and acquisition, business transactions and contracts for both domestic and international clients.

Wow! And you called Ken Cuccinelli an ambulance chaser and criminal defense attorney? Obivously not my friend. And to say that Ken Cuccinelli is an ambulance chaser is even more puzzling than the saying he is a criminal defense attorney because he has been one of the biggest supporters of tort reform during his time in the General Assembly. Why would someone be an advocate for tort reform if he was a medical malpractice lawyer? They wouldn't because then they wouldn't be making any money. And to say that it is a bad thing to be a criminal defense attorney is a statement which undermines the legal system of our Commonwealth and our nation. Every criminal is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and has their right to a fair trial. To say that being a prosecutor qualifies Steve Shannon for Attorney General more than Ken Cuccinelli is wrong too. In the Attorney General's office the Attorney General rarely does any prosecuting himself. The Attorney General's office is one of the five largest law firms in the state of Virignia and has many lawyers who do the actual prosecuting for the Attorney General. Additionally, Steve Shannon was an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Fairfax County. I have been unable to find how many Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys there are in Fairfax but I was able to find that Roanoke City employs eleven Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys. So that means Steve Shannon was one of hundreds or more people in Virginia who do more or less the exact same job. I am not trying to make an attack on Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys becuase I know that they do a great job keep our state safe and representing the people in court. But to say that he is qualified to be Attorney General of Virginia, the top lawyer in the state, because he was Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney is just ridiculous. It requires much more legal experience, legislative experience, as well as an extensive knowledge of the law. If you are going to be making statements like this I suggest to cease to involve yourself in promoting Steve Shannon for Attorney General because you obivously don't understand the legal system of Virginia or the job of the Attorney General.


For further reading please check out this letter to the editor of the Burke Connection of a Fairfax Police officer in support of Ken Cuccinelli.

Fraternal Order of Police to Come out for GOP Ticket tomorrow

I have just received word that the Fraternal Order of Police will be endorsing the GOP ticket of Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli.

Check out this link for more information

Look out for an update around 9:30 am from us tomorrow commenting on the endorsement specifically dealing with what kind of boost this will be to Senator Cuccinelli as he looks to prove himself for a job as one of Virginia's top officials in regards to public safety.

Details:

WHEN: Thursday, September 24th at 9AM

WHERE: House Briefing Room in the General Assembly Building in Richmond

My Letter to the Editor to the Hampden-Sydney Tiger newspaper

Click here to read my letter to the editor of the Hampden-Sydney Tiger newspaper in support of Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General of Virginia.

BREAKING: KEN CUCCINELLI ENDORSED BY RON PAUL

Dear Friend in Liberty,

The 2009 elections in Virginia promise to be very important for the direction of our Country. America has taken a dangerous turn away from Liberty and toward big, oppressive government. We must elect leaders who will help right our ship and return us back toward freedom and prosperity.

Ken Cuccinelli is just such a leader. In the Virginia Senate, Ken fought tirelessly against tax hikes and big spending. He was a a great ally in our fight against Dangerous ID, and will defend property rights, gun rights and the tenth amendment. We need Ken Cuccinelli fighting for us in Richmond.

That is why I am proud to endorse Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General in Virginia. Please support Ken in any way for you feel comfortable. You can visit his website, www.Cuccinelli.com, to donate, volunteer or get information to share with your friends and familiy.

And. most importantly, please be sure to vote for Ken on Tuesday, November 3rd. Together, we can elect a true defender of Liberty in Virginia.

In Liberty,

Ron Paul

This is HUGE for Ken to get an endorsement from someone who has such a huge national following and is the third Presidential candidate to throw his support behind Ken following Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson. The endorsement also shows people that Ken is a person who supports liberty and freedom and limited government. I can not express how absolutely thrilled about this I am.

BREAKING: Fairfax Chamber of Commerce endorses Bob McDonnell

Northern Virginia is the area of Virginia with the largest population and is the area of Virginia which is least like the rest of Virginia due to large ammounts of non-native Virginians taking residence there. Over recent years the differences between Northern Virginia and the rest of Virginia have stuck out specifically with who they have elected into public office. With these factors coming together it has become the most highly contested area in statewide elections year after year in recent history and was a huge battleground the the 2008 Presidential election garnering multiple visits from John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden and was also the location for the National HQ of the McCain campaign. Northern Virginia has continued to be a battleground area in the 2009 Virginia elections for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General as we have seen Bob McDonnell, Creigh Deeds, and their running mates hit NOVA hard throughout this campaign. Today the most prominant business group in Northern Virginia, the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor of Virginia. This is huge for McDonnell who has been doing much better in NOVA than Deeds has. Being a huge area that has seen tons of expansion as well as addition of a large number of new businesses due to Governor George Allen's policies as that allowed the area to grow at such a large rate, this endorsment should prove to business owners and employees at all levels of business in the NOVA area that Bob McDonnell will be a Governor who looks out for the interests of businesses including the businesses in the NOVA area. In addition to the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce other business advocacy groups that have endorsed McDonnell include the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Virginia Farm Bureau, the Virginia Credit Union League, and The Virginia Association of Realtors.

Chamber Press Release:

NOVABizPAC endorses Bob McDonnell for Governor of Virginia

Endorsement strictly based on McDonnell’s support for Fairfax County Chamber’s legislative priorities and policy agenda

Published Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:00 am

by Robby Demeria>

Vienna, VA – NOVABizPAC, the political action committee of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, today announced it has endorsed the candidacy of former Attorney General Bob McDonnell in his bid to become Virginia’s next Governor.

NOVABizPAC’s trustees voted to support Mr. McDonnell’s candidacy because during this campaign he demonstrated stronger, more consistent support for the pro-business policy agenda and legislative priorities of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.

The PAC trustees made their decision following an exhaustive research and interview process, during which the records, positions and statements of the two Virginia gubernatorial candidates were closely examined. The trustees conducted face-to-face interviews with both candidates and the Chamber hosted a Governor Debate marking a two decade long tradition as northern Virginia’s premier political event.

In the interviews conducted by PAC trustees, the two candidates were asked about the priority business competitiveness issues on the Chamber’s policy agenda: improved transportation infrastructure, economic development and tax policy.

“Mr. McDonnell earned the support of NOVABizPAC because of his overall stronger support for the Fairfax County Chamber’s priorities, specifically for identifying a plan for transportation. I commend the trustees for the hard work they put into examining the records and positions of these candidates, and for their commitment to making a decision that best supports the policies of this organization and the businesses it represents,” said NOVABizPAC Chair Fran Fisher.

“I also want to thank both McDonnell and Deeds for the time and effort they put into meeting with the PAC trustees and for their cooperation in helping us reach this decision,” Fisher concluded.

Established in 1925, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce is a privately operated, nonprofit membership organization that represents northern Virginia’s premier businesses. The Fairfax County Chamber leverages its access, influence and relationships to advance the economic vitality and quality of life in the northern Virginia region. For more information about the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, visit the Chamber’s Web site at www.fairfaxchamber.org.

# # #

UPDATED: NRA Endorsment Controversy in the 8th HOD District

There has been some controversy over the NRA endorsement in the 8th House of Delegates District race. Salem Republican Committee Chair Greg Habeeb brought the fact in this blog post that Dem. candidate Carter Turner had not even turned in the questionnaire that the NRA sends out to candidates before they give their endorsement. Well today Turner issued this press release claiming to be pro 2nd amendment etc. etc. and claiming that he did turn in the questionnaire. I'd just like to point out two things about this and then direct you over to Greg's response with the facts on the Roanoke Valley Republicans blog.

1. Carter Turner failed to turn the questionnaire in on time. Do you really want someone representing the people of Salem and Roanoke County who can't even meet a simple deadline? I am guessing that this questionnaire was not that extensive, and probably wouldn't have taken much time out of Carter's day teaching B.S. classes at Radford with 200 people in them that probably have 2 tests, no papers, and no quizzes.

2. The Virginia Shooting Sports Association which is the official VA association of the NRA claimed their support for Del. Griffith on 8/18/09 about a month before the official endorsement. This proves that Del. Griffith has been a true champion of 2nd amendment rights during his time as a Delegate and truly has the backing of gun owners throughout the 8th and the rest of Virginia.

9/22/09 Update:
So after Carter Turner issued that little "pro gun rights" press release the NRA issued the following statement:

Important NRA-PVF Grading Information for House District 8!

Attention VirginiaNRA Members: It's Your Freedom -- It's Your Vote!

The National Rifle Association-Political Victory Fund gives all filed candidates for office equal opportunity and the same deadline to respond to our candidate questionnaires, as we have for decades.

Morgan Griffith's questionnaire was returned on time, and was flawless, serving as a reflection of his record in the House of Delegates, and thus, rightly earning our A+ rating and NRA-PVF endorsement. At the time we communicated this endorsement in a flyer to Virginia gun owners, Carter Turner, had not returned his questionnaire, which as we note, is often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility to the Second Amendment rights of Virginia gun owners and sportsmen.

We have since received Mr. Turner's questionnaire, and he has earned a grade of D-, which clearly shows his opposition to Virginia's gun owners and sportsmen. (empahsis added)

WOW! A D- minus. That's really pro 2nd-amendment buddy. I bet you wish you hadn't issued that press release and ended up with crap in your face. Man, I thought the Deeds campaign was the poorest run campaign we had seen but I think that title now goes to Carter Turner. CONGRATULATIONS!

For further reading on this topic please direct yourself to Roanoke Valley Republicans blog.

FRC Action Straw Poll at Values Voters Summit

I have a love/hate relationship with presidential candidate speculation for many reasons. I feel that it takes away from the tasks at hand such as elections in VA and NJ this year, the 2010 mid-term elections, as well as fighting Barack Obama and the leftist agenda. I also love it because there are so many different scenarios one can come up with and it allows me to spice up conversations with fellow conservatives rather than agreeing with each other 95% of the time.

I have posted a poll where you can choose who you would have supported in the FRC Action PAC straw poll this past weekend at the Values Voters Summit. In the actual straw poll at the Values Voter Summit this past weekend Mike Huckabee won decidedly with 28% of the vote. Mitt Romney took 74 votes and 12.4%, Tim Pawlenty Pawlenty 73 votes 12.23%, Sarah Palin 72 votes and 12.06%, and Mike Pence 71 votes and 11.89%. Newt Gingrich, Bobby Jindal, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum were also on the ballot. If you support somone who was not in the straw poll than please comment on this post elaborating on which other potential candidate you would support. The poll will be open for 7 days. Please spread the word to your friends, I would like to see who fellow conservatives support as we inch closer to 2010 CPAC and the CPAC straw poll. The poll on the blog is at the top on the right side of the blog.

NRCC web ad for VA 2nd Congressional District

BREAKING: NFIB GETS BEHIND CUCCINELLI

NFIB/Virginia Endorses Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General

RICHMOND, Sept. 18, 2009–The National Federation of Independent Business, Virginia’s leading small business association, said today it wholeheartedly endorses Ken Cuccinelli for attorney general.

“Ken Cuccinelli clearly understands the challenges facing Virginia’s small businesses,” said Julia Ciarlo Hammond, state director of NFIB/Virginia. “We have absolutely no doubt that Ken will protect the people of Virginia while also protecting the right of entrepreneurs and small, family businesses to own, operate and grow their businesses.

The endorsement comes from the NFIB/Virginia SAFE (Save America’s Free Enterprise) Trust, the political action committee for NFIB/Virginia’s membership. NFIB’s political support is based on interviews with the candidates and a review of their positions and records on small business issues.

“Sen. Cuccinelli has distinguished himself as a true friend of small business. He was a leader on the eminent domain issue–a core concern to so many small businesses and family farms. Ken Cuccinelli’s near-perfect track record on our issues earned him the prestigious Guardian of Small Business Award in 2007,” Hammond said.

“We need an attorney general who understands the challenges small business owners, their employees and their families face when it comes to issues such as legal reform, property rights and taxes,” she said. “We are proud to endorse Ken Cuccinelli for attorney general.”

Cuccinelli said, “As a small business owner myself, I am proud to accept the endorsement of the NFIB.

“I understand that small businesses are crucial to growing our economy,” he said. “Small businesses are the engines that produce–on average–about two-thirds of net new jobs. For that reason, as attorney general of Virginia, I will work to prevent the over-regulation of small businesses, which would prevent any economic recovery in Virginia.”

NFIB’s endorsement will put the considerable grassroots support of Virginia’s largest small business organization behind the candidate’s campaign. “We have 5,500 members throughout the commonwealth,” Hammond said. “Our members vote, and they encourage their friends, families, employees and other business owners to vote.”

“We will do everything within our power to help Ken Cuccinelli become Virginia’s next attorney general,” she said.

###

When I found out about this endorsement this morning, my only reaction was "finally". When the NFIB originally came out only endorsing Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling I was quite puzzled to why Ken was left out because he is obivously the most "pro-business" candidate on the ticket. To me this absolutely solidifies what Ken has been saying the whole campaign: If you are a small business owner he will be your guy in office.

Ken Cuccinelli web ad

CREIGH DEEDS ADMITS IT: HE'S GOING TO RAISE YOUR TAXES

Reps. Eric Cantor and Ron Paul on Economic Situation

Cantor on Economy & Financial Markets

“I believe that all returned TARP funds should be used to pay down America’s exploding debt instead of on new pet projects
as some in Congress propose."

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) today issued the following statement after President Obama spoke in New York City about the economy and America’s financial markets:

“It is important that our financial markets are sound, and it is clear that we need smarter regulation – not necessarily more regulation. The culture of bailouts must end, and instead of adding yet another layer to the current patchwork regulatory system, we need to bring stability and security back to the market so credit starts flowing again, the housing market is revitalized, and jobs are created.

“The President missed an opportunity today to outline an exit strategy from the TARP program. I believe that all returned TARP funds should be used to pay down America’s exploding debt instead of new pet projects as some in Congress propose. Finally, the Administration did not give clear indication about their plans for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or provide tangible benchmarks for the return of GM and Chrysler to private ownership.

“Since President Obama took office, over three million Americans have lost their jobs, including 2.5 million people since his stimulus took effect. At the time of its passage, the Administration argued that the stimulus would not only halt job loss, but create jobs and get the economy back on track in the short term. That has not occurred, and the President’s agenda has failed to create jobs.

“Beginning in January, House Republicans laid out a serious and substantive agenda that put jobs first, but unfortunately House Democrats, along with the White House, instead took an unfocused, ‘go it alone’ approach that puts too much emphasis on Washington, and too little upon people. ”

###

I am a Republican too.

I'm a Republican from SCGOP on Vimeo.

Awesome new ad from the South Carolina Republican Party.

BREAKING: NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION ENDORSES BOB MCDONNELL FOR GOVERNOR

The National Rifle Association, which without question is the most effective and largest gun rights group in the United States having 120,000 members in Virginia alone, endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor today. I believe this is another huge boost for McDonnell who missed this endorsement four years ago when he ran for Attorney General. I believe this along with the Virginia Farm Bureau endorsements are huge blows to Creigh Deeds who in the past has been able to identify with rural voters but these two endorsements along with his tactics to appear more liberal are just solidifying Deeds as the sell out that he is. Bob McDonnell is standing strong with Virginians from all walks of life and is especially a person who will look out for citizens in rural areas. Here are some quotes from campaign's press release:

Speaking about the endorsement, McDonnell remarked, “Over the course of my career in public service, I have worked to protect and uphold the Second Amendment rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution. The Second Amendment rights of law abiding Virginians must be respected and protected. That is what I did while serving as Virginia’s Attorney General. We worked to stop unauthorized attempted straw purchases by outside agents operating in the Commonwealth. We moved quickly to make the Commonwealth one of the first states to file an amicus brief in support of the individual right to bear arms in the historic Supreme Court Case of District of Columbia v. Heller. As governor I will continue to defend the individual right to keep and bear arms, and stand on the side of Virginia’s law abiding gun owners. The National Rifle Association is committed to protecting our constitutional rights and I am honored to receive this endorsement.”

Chris Cox, NRA Institute for Legislative Action executive director, noted, ““Bob McDonnell is an effective leader for Virginia hunters and gun owners. His opinions and actions as an attorney general have protected and enhanced the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians. His zero-tolerance attitude toward criminals makes him the best choice for governor. We ask every Virginia hunter, gun owner and Second Amendment advocate to vote McDonnell for Governor this November.”

Remembering September 11

I've been thinking all day on what I would share on the blog today in remembrance of September 11, 2001. Once again I found no one puts it in words better than Ken Cuccinelli. I would like to share with you today's Cuccinelli Compass as September 11, 2009 comes to an end.

September 11, 2009

Dear Fellow Virginians,

Today is the eighth anniversary of the attacks on 9-11.

At 8:46 a.m. that day, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower. The tower collapsed later that day.

At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower. This tower also collapsed.

At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon.

At 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The intended target of this hijacked flight was either the United States Capitol Building or the White House, but the passengers on board - having heard of the earlier attacks - courageously rushed the terrorists in the cockpit. As a result, the plane crashed before reaching its target, and hundreds of other Americans were probably saved.

In total, almost 3000 Americans died on September 11, 2001, including all of the passengers of those four planes.

The 19 hijackers were Islamic fundamentalists who belonged to the terrorist group al Qaeda, led by Osama Bin Laden. They believe that all non-Muslims must either convert, or "submit" to Muslim control. They also oppose our democratic values, including virtually all of our constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Since September 11, 2001, our nation has pursued al Qaeda and its allies all over the world. When the Islamic fundamentalist controlled nation of Afghanistan refused to hand over Bin Laden and most of al Qaeda's membership, America deposed this tyrannical regime.

Unfortunately, Bin Laden himself evaded our forces, but most of

al Qaeda's leadership and membership was not so lucky. Because of our actions, almost 30 million Afghani people found themselves with more freedom than they have ever had before.

Since September 11, 2001, our nation has pursued a new national defense strategy. When any nation threatens our security, we act - unilaterally if we have to - to protect our citizenry.

Over 5100 American troops have been killed in the ongoing liberations of Afghanistan and Iraq, and thousands more have returned home injured.

Today, I will honor and pray for all of these Americans, and the cause for which they have sacrificed their lives. I will also pray for all the other Americans who have experienced a loss as a result of these events.

Today, I will remember those members of al Qaeda and other Islamic fundamentalist groups who are on the run, but have not yet been brought to justice. America must remain diligent in her pursuit of such terrorists, regardless of who our President is or will be in the future.

And along those lines, today I will pray that President Obama and future Presidents do not relent in this struggle between the forces of liberty and the forces of oppression.

I hope you will join me in all these prayers.

Sincerely,

Senator Ken Cuccinelli II

McDonnell, Bolling and Cuccinelli Focus on Health Care

McDonnell for Governor Press Release

Ticket Unveils: “Future of Health Care in Virginia: Smart Health Care Choices”

-Candidates address concerns with federal legislation and lay out principles that will guide reforms including prevention, controlling costs, and market-based solutions -

Vienna - Bob McDonnell, Republican gubernatorial nominee and former Attorney General of Virginia, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and Senator Ken Cuccinelli, Republican candidate for Attorney General, today laid out their vision for health care reform in Virginia. The Republican ticket mates laid out a vision for health care system reform based upon six key principles.

1. All Virginians should have access to affordable and high quality health care, even those with pre-existing conditions.

2. Incentives for coverage of wellness care and prevention must be provided to reduce the occurrence of much more expensive care later on.

3. Government should concentrate its resources to ensure those Virginians most in need have access to high quality health care, while also providing incentives to Virginia employers, employees and citizens to obtain affordable health insurance.

4. Virginia should focus on reforming the health care system to lower the cost of health care and reduce the growth in health care spending.

5. Virginia should provide encouragement and resources for family members that provide care and support for their loved ones.

6. Reform should be bi-partisan, promote innovation, quality and cost-effectiveness without adversely affecting employment opportunities and economic growth.

The plan includes the following highlights:

• Help Individuals and Employers Afford Low-Cost Health Insurance
• Encourage and Expand Health Savings Accounts
• Give Incentives to Families to Prepare for Long Term Care Needs
• Expand the Supply of Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Physicians
• Expand Assistance For and Through Safety Net Providers
• Controlling Cost and Improving Patient Safety and Health Promotion through Health Information Technology
• Maintain the Current Cap on Medical Malpractice Insurance
• Focus on Prevention
• Reform Medicaid by Auditing the Department of Medical Assistance Services

Speaking about reforms for the health care system, McDonnell remarked, “The health care debate going on in Washington will directly affect every citizen in Virginia. Candidates for our state’s highest office have an obligation to make it clear where they stand on this crucial issue. I am doing that. While my opponent would unfortunately spend the next four years advancing the agenda of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, on this issue and so many others, I will be focused on doing what is right for the people of Virginia, regardless of who runs Congress. The health care proposals being discussed in Washington could raise costs for those who already have insurance and harm small business owners, making it harder to create jobs. It could shift millions of Virginians from their private insurance into a government run system, raise taxes and increase our deficit even further. Mandates for increased eligibility may increase Virginia’s Medicaid budget by hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years. Governors from across the country, and from both parties, have expressed concerns about these mandates that could cripple state governments already reeling from layoffs and deep cuts to critical services. As Governor, I will support bipartisan solutions that protect jobs, protect access to affordable healthcare and that don’t force costs back on consumers or our state budget. In today’s economy, Washington D.C should not place yet another burden on our struggling businesses, families and state budgets.”

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling remarked, “Our health care reform program puts its emphasis on the things that matter most. By getting more Virginians insured and improving health care access for the uninsured we can make certain that quality health care is more available and more affordable for more Virginians. By promoting wellness and disease prevention and reforming Medicaid we can reduce costs and make certain that we are spending our limited health care dollars more efficiently. And by placing a greater emphasis on mental health care we can address important issues that have been neglected for far too long. These are common sense reforms that will improve health care in Virginia, while enabling consumers to remain in charge of their health care choices. We can improve access and affordability to quality health care without turning our health care system over the federal government and destroying the choice and quality that consumers rightly demand.”

Senator Ken Cuccinelli noted, “As Attorney General, I look forward to working with Bob to develop performance measurement standards for Medicaid to weed out inefficiencies, to decrease our costs while increasing the quality of care, and to hold government accountable by showing how our tax dollars are being spent. I will also continue and expand the work of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the AG’s office to reduce fraud, thereby lowering healthcare costs for Virginians.”

Bob McDonnell’s Record of Results

While serving in the U.S. Army, McDonnell was a medical service corps officer. After the Army, Bob worked as a manager for American Hospital Supply Corporation. As a Delegate, Bob served on the health, welfare and institutions committee, and he fought to preserve physician, nurse, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner scholarship and loan repayment programs. He also patroned legislation to add a representative of health care employers to the Virginia Workforce Council. He worked to secure funding for trauma care at hospitals with trauma units and sponsored legislation to extend a tax credit to individual physicians who provide health care through a free health care clinic.

As Attorney General, McDonnell worked to pass legislation codifying Virginia’s Secure Commonwealth Panel and ensured there are at least two physicians with knowledge of public health on the panel, and his Government and Regulatory Reform Task Force Healthcare Working Group reviewed nearly 2,600 pages of regulations governing various aspects of health care, and made approximately 100 recommendations for change to the regulations.

Bill Bolling’s Record of Results

As a member of the State Senate, Bill Bolling was regarded as one of the General Assembly’s health care experts. He sponsored legislation that created the children’s health insurance program in Virginia, and served on the Senate’s Committee on Education and Health. Bolling also chaired the Senate’s Subcommittee on Health Care and the General Assembly’s Joint Commission on Health Care. As Lieutenant Governor, Bill Bolling has continued his emphasis on health care, sponsoring major health care initiatives that dealt with cervical cancer, asthma awareness and cardiovascular fitness.

Ken Cuccinelli’s Record of Results

Ken Cuccinelli has been a member of the State Senate since 2002, representing western Fairfax County. Senator Cuccinelli has been a staunch supporter of medical malpractice reforms and consistently supported free market solutions to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, using mechanisms such as the legislation he sponsored in 2009 to allow businesses and individuals to purchase more affordable health insurance plans across state lines (SB1331, 2009).

Ken Cuccinelli is a small business owner and partner in the law firm of Cuccinelli & Day, PLLC, in Fairfax. In the State Senate, he serves on the influential Senate Courts of Justice Committee, Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee, Transportation Committee and Local Government Committee.

Is Creigh Deeds A Ratard?

For those of you who saw the hit movie this summer "The Hangover" you probably remember the character Alan (Zach Galifianakis) using a unique pronunciation of the word retard: "RAtard". When I watched this short RPV video I immediately started laughing and thought one thing: Creigh Deeds is either a liar or a ratard.

Follow us on Twitter

If you would like to receive updates about posts and other articles about conservatism and the VA Statewide elections this year follow us on twitter: @WilliamABurton or @nokecondaily

We will tweet whenever there is a new blog post and will post some of best articles from other news sources and blogs.

McDonnell for Governor Press Release: McDonnell vs. Deeds on the Economy

McDonnell: Endorsed by Virginia’s Small Business Owners; Voted for over $2billion in Tax Cuts; Carried Legislation to Kill Death Tax

Deeds: Endorsed by Teamsters, SEIU and AFL-CIO; Voted for over $3.5billion in Tax Hikes in last 5 Years; Richmond’s Biggest Spender

Creigh Deeds:

“People are worried about how they are going to pay for their retirement, worried about how they’re going to keep their kids in colleges, worried about feeding their families,” Deeds said. “There’s bad economic news everywhere. Those issues are just dominating.”
The Washington Post. July 12, 2009

The Records, The Endorsements

The Records

• As a Delegate, Bob McDonnell received a 91% rating from Virginia’s small business owners [NFIB Rating]
• Creigh received a 94% rating from big national unions[AFL-CIO Blog, July 28, 2009]
• Bob voted over 50 times to cut taxes by over $2 billion
• Creigh voted for the two biggest tax hikes in Virginia history
• Creigh voted for 19 separate tax hikes on just one day last year
• Creigh voted to raise the gas tax by 30% at a time when gas was already over $4 a gallon [Washington Post]
• And Creigh has voted for $3.5 billion in tax hikes in just the last 5 years!
• As a delegate, Bob McDonnell carried legislation to eliminate the death tax [HB2490, 2003]
• And Creigh voted against it[link]
• Bob McDonnell led on tort reform and stopping frivolous lawsuits that penalize hard working Virginians and hurt the ability of small business to create jobs [HB1127, 2004; HB1126, 2004]
• Creigh co-sponsored legislation to triple the medical malpractice cap and he voted against a bill designed to prevent frivolous lawsuits from going to trial, opposing the interests of Virginia’s job creating small businesses [HB2628, 1999; HB1218, 2000]
• Bob McDonnell’s lifetime business rating from Virginia FREE, a pro-free enterprise organization, was consistently in the top 10 [link]
• Creigh’s Virginia FREE ratings have been in the bottom half of the State Senate every year [link]
• As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell cut his budget by 14%, gave back his state car, and took a pay cut
• Creigh…... bragged about being the biggest spender in Richmond[link]

The Endorsements

• Bob McDonnell has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the voice of Virginia’s small business owners
• Creigh Deeds has been endorsed by the Teamsters Union [link]
• Bob has been endorsed by Virginia’s farmers
• Creigh is bankrolled by big national unions [link]
• Bob McDonnell has been endorsed by Virginia’s Realtors
• Creigh has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO

Dems go about as low as it goes in Buena Vista

I was unable to attend the annual Buena Vista Labor Day parade today due to the only downside of attending a school not run by our all intrusive government: class is held on many major federal holidays. Even though I wasn't there I was able to hear about the ridiculous antics of the Democrats during the sign wars. I am going to post the pictures which all were taken by Matt Wertman and let you decide for yourself what you think of this. Before this I thought that as Virginians, even though we may disagree on the issues, we had mutual respect for each other but today I unfortunately found out that this was not true.























All photos courtesy of Matt Wertman

Ken Cuccinelli Speech from Buena Vista Labor Day Parade

New Bob McDonnell Ad with family

Creigh Deeds: Governor of California

Yesterday the Washington Post wrote a follow up article to the thesis article talking about how Bob McDonnell and the campaign are trying to move on from the controversy and continue to run a positive campaign about the economy, jobs, education, transportation etc. First off I would just like to say I was quite thrilled that my friend, Franklin County Republican Committee Chairman Bill Stanley, was quoted towards the end of the article. But there is one thing and one thing only that Virginia voters should take from this article:

"Deeds made no direct comment Tuesday; he was in California raising money for his campaign."

So Bob McDonnell is in Virginia spreading a positive message about creating jobs, running a positive campaign, driving all around Virginia in an RV, and working his tail off while Creigh Deeds is out in California courting the Hollywood left and their money so they can impact a Virginia election where they are completely out of touch with the people, their lives, and their values. So if you are looking for an awesome candidate to get behind I suggest you check out the Creigh Deeds for Governor of California campaign. 

George Allen comeback?

There's been a lot of talk on the net and throughout the blogs about a George Allen comeback sometime soon which was capped off yesterday by the release of a PPP Poll  which states President Obama's approval/disapproval at 47/49 while the good Governor's sits at 50/38. I personally am a huge fan of George Allen, think he has been one of the greatest public officials that we have seen in Virginia history, and would really like to see him run for office again. I'd like to get your feedback on this so leave a comment stating 2 things: 1. Weather or not you'd like to see Sen. Allen run for office again and 2. If you would like to see him run again, what office should he run for?

I think a lot of us would like to see George run for Senate again either against Webb or Warner. I would love to see him comeback and beat Webb, but a race between the two Governors of Virginia who are without a doubt the most popular in recent history would be quite the race to watch. The only other thing I could really see George running for is President which I see to be a bit of a long shot at this point, but without a doubt I would support 100% a George Allen for President campaign. If it means anything Sen. Allen was leading the polls in 06 for the 08 race before the macaca debacle. These are the two offices that make the most sense. We really need to put up a strong candidate to run against Webb in 2012 and George would be one of the strongest we could find. Additionally along these lines other than the President, or Vice President George Allen has basically done it all. Running again for the Senate I could see happening but George has been a member of the House of Delegates, a United States Congressman, Governor of Virginia, and a member of the United States Senate so in my mind he can either go back to the Senate and basically return to where he was or he can look up and look ahead and the only place you can look ahead to from the United States Senate is the Oval Office. 

Bob McDonnell +9 over Creigh Deeds in Rasmussen Poll

Read more here

RPV Press Release in response to DNC Chairman Tim Kaine's Partisan Rhetoric

- DNC Chairman Drops Pretense of Being Governor of All Virginians -
- Formerly Praised McDonnell, Now Spouts Partisan Rhetoric -


RICHMOND - Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine has apparently completely abandoned his elected role as governor of all of the people of Virginia and now spends his time tossing political rhetoric at Republican candidate for governor Bob McDonnell. Kaine inserted himself into the story about a decades-old thesis McDonnell wrote as a graduate student, sending out a political press release and offering partisan quotes for news articles on the subject.

Just this February: Good Relationship

"Kaine said that he and McDonnell had a good working relationship before McDonnell resigned last week as attorney general to campaign full time," reported the Washington Post.(http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/02/post_153.html)

Kaine & McDonnell: Working Together

"After years of shrugging off the problem, the General Assembly finally addressed it last month, thanks to the bipartisan efforts of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat, and Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, a Republican. With scarcely a murmur of opposition, lawmakers approved a measure to raise the caps for court-appointed lawyers handling adult felony cases -- and, far more significantly, to allow the caps to be waived with judicial approval." (Washington Post, March 5, 2007)

Kaine Signed McDonnell Bill on Sexual Predators

Kaine signed McDonnell's legislation that changed the way Virginia monitors, incarcerates, and treats violent sexual offenders. Kaine and McDonnell issued a joint press release on the occasion. (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/NewsArchive/0406_Sexual_Predator_Legislation_Becomes_Law.html)

Kaine, McDonnell Signed Joint Letter on NIETC

Kaine and McDonnell declared their opposition to Virginia's inclusion in the proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor in a joint letter (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/KaineMcDonnellNIETCJuly2007.pdf) sent to the Secretary of Energy. The two objected to federal preemption of Virginia's historical, and necessary, control over transmission siting issues. They argued that Virginia knows far better than Washington the unique issues and concerns when it comes to placing transmission lines in the Commonwealth.

Worked Together in Wake of VA Tech Shootings

McDonnell provided legal advice as Kaine issued an executive order to instruct all executive branch agencies to immediately begin including the names of individuals found dangerous and ordered to undergo involuntary mental health treatment in the database accessed before the sale of firearms by licensed gun dealers to ineligible individuals. The two issued a joint press release. (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/NewsArchive/043007_Loophole.html)

*

"Gov. Tim Kaine made precisely the right call yesterday when he issued an executive order closing a loophole in state gun laws. Attorney General Bob McDonnell provided legal advice for the governor. A Democrat and Republican cooperated to put Virginia first." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 1, 2007)


But then Something Changed


"McDonnell, who talks frequently about how well he and Kaine worked together, said he knows things are about to change," wrote the Post. (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/02/post_153.html)

"‘Our relationship will change a little bit because his main mission in life is to beat me,' McDonnell quipped. ‘That will probably strain our friendship.'"


Kaine Dons DNC Hat

"But I do not believe that this philosophy, which Bob has worked strenuously to implement as an elected official, is the right direction for Virginia," Kaine wrote in an e-mail sent by his Moving Virginia Forward Political Action Committee Monday. "In fact, I think it would take us backwards and jeopardize much of the success we have achieved in the Commonwealth in recent years."

Kaine: Serial Partisan E-mailer

"... Kaine, who is supporting Democrat Creigh Deeds against McDonnell, does not think McDonnell can explain the paper away so effortlessly," reported the Daily Press (http://hrblogs.typepad.com/the_shad_plank/2009/08/va-gov-kaine-calls-mcdonnell-thesis-accurate-reflection.html). "Instead he's sending out e-mails through his political action committee saying that the thesis should be a ‘grave concern.'"

"Orchestrated Pile-on" 

"The orchestrated pile-on continues, as DNC Chairman and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine -- in an email to his own Virginia list -- says Bob McDonnell's twenty-year-old thesis is an "accurate" picture of the Republican's views ...," reported Politico. (http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0809/Kaine_McDonnell_thesis_an_acccurate_reflection_of_views.html)

"Organized Party Assault"

"DNC chairman and outgoing Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is now hopping on the organized party assault against Bob McDonnell, the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia, over the thesis McDonnell wrote 20 years ago," wrote the Talking Points Memo. (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/tim-kaine-blasts-mcdonnells-right-wing-thesis.php)

"Broadside"

"Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds and allies of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate launched a broadside Monday against opponent Bob McDonnell's 1989 master's thesis ... Gov. Tim Kaine on Monday called the paper a ‘grave concern,'" wrote the Washington Examiner. (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Democrats-leap-on-McDonnell-thesis-8179270-56402492.html)

"Tim Kaine has finally fully revealed what all of us already knew - he is a pure partisan, who would rather throw elbows than try to work together to solve the serious problems that have erupted in Virginia under his administration," said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins. "At least it's good to know that he was actually in Virginia long enough to see what the local newspapers were writing about in this race for governor."

-30-