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A measure proposed by Sixth District Congressman Bob Goodlatte that would set into motion a process to amend the United States Constitution to require that Congress pass a balanced budget fell short today of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. “It is a simple concept – you can’t spend more than you take in,” Goodlatte…
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The Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus today announced its unanimous opposition to the Senate Republican attempt to claim a Senate majority even though 10 days ago Virginians elected 20 Democratic senators and 20 Republican senators. The Senate Caucus believes that with a chamber evenly divided between political parties, power should be divided as well. Sen. Dick…
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Congressman Bob Goodlatte trumpets his Balanced Budget Amendment as his big idea. It’s a bad idea, offered in bad faith. Rep. Goodlatte’s rules would mean inevitable cuts to Social Security and Medicare –programs seniors rely upon for security and dignity. The funds that have been built up over years in the Social Security Trust Fund,…
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Word is, the congressional supercommittee may fail in its quest for $1.5 trillion dollars in federal spending cuts. I don’t know why we are so pessimistic. After all, the task before the Committee of Twelve is actually miniscule. By statute, it must reduce $1.5 trillion in existing and projected deficits over the next 10 years. …
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Republicans regained control of the State Senate in yesterday’s elections, and in the process now have the power in both houses of the General Assembly and all three statewide offices. Looking at the results from Tuesday’s state elections that way, then, you’d think, Well, going to be tough for a guy named Barack Obama and…
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It wasn’t exactly a Republican wave, but the GOP did pick up two State Senate seats in Tuesday’s state elections to wrest control of the senior legislative chamber from Democrats. Bryce Reeves slid past Democratic incumbent Edd Houck at the wire in a tight 17th District race to post an unofficial 86-vote victory in the…
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I’ve known Dickie Bell for more than a decade. And the Dickie Bell that I know, I like a lot. This other Dickie Bell, the one who comes across as a hard-core social and fiscal conservative, I don’t know him that well, but I understand what’s going on there. Back when Dickie first got the…
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A recent Quinnipiac University poll of Virginians has residents generally happy with the direction of state government – making us sort of one-of-a-kind in that respect. The only state legislature in the nation to get a positive approval rating from its residents is the Virginia General Assembly. According to the Quinnipiac poll, 47 percent of…
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If you live in the 25th Virginia Senatorial District, Creigh Deeds has earned your support for another term. We all know that Creigh fell a little short wishing to be our governor. But please do not judge our man by that miserable gubernatorial campaign that was run for him out of a temporary White House…
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The Virginia House Democratic Caucus on Tuesday launched a campaign to put job creation first in Virginia. The Caucus launched a website, www.VAJobsFirst.com, designed to highlight their focus on Jobs First and make the public aware of the Republican’s dismal job creation record in Virginia. “Virginia needs strong leadership to create the high-paying jobs that…
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