The 100 Percenters

All four Republican incumbents running for re-election in the Augusta Free Press/New Dominion Magazine reader/circulation area received 100 percent scores on The Family Foundation Action’s 2008-2009 General Assembly Report Card.

“A perfect score on the Report Card demonstrates to Virginia families a commitment to the principles upon which our Commonwealth stands,” said Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation Action. Or depending on your point of view, the 100 Percenters, whose ranks include 20th District Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton, 24th District Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, 25th District Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and 26th District Del. Matt Lohr, R-Rockingham, are about as far to the right on the social-policy spectrum as you can be, considering the votes that were included for measurement in the Report Card.

The issues included in the Report Card included:

– A recommended Yes vote on a budget amendment that would have eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood from the state budget. The measure passed both the House and the Senate but failed in the House-Senate Conference Committee.

– A recommended Yes vote on a budget amendment defunding embryonic stem-cell research that passed the House but failed in the Senate and again in the House-Senate Conference Committee.

– A recommended Yes vote on a budget amendment defunding abortions for low-income Virginians that passed the House but failed in a Senate committee and again in the House-Senate Conference Committee.

– A recommended Yes vote on HB 2579, which would have required that a woman seeking an abortion be offered the opportunity to view an ultrasound. The measure passed in the House but failed in a Senate committee.

– A recommended Yes vote on HB 2634, which would have required abortion centers to provide information concerning the possibility that unborn children feel pain. The bill passed the House but failed in a Senate committee.

– A recommended No vote on HB 2385, which would have added sexual orientation to the Commonwealth’s nondiscrimination in hiring policy. The measure failed in a House subcommittee.

– A recommended No vote on HB 1726, which would have expanded Virginia’s domestic partner benefits law to include life insurance. The bill failed in a House subcommittee.

Copies of the Report Card are available by contacting The Family Foundation Action at 804-343-0010 or at www.tffaction.org.

 

– Story by Chris Graham