McDonnell signs Healthcare Freedom Act

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   Gov. Bob McDonnell signed the Virginia Healthcare Freedom Act in a mid-afternoon ceremony today in Richmond. McDonnell, a Republican, was joined at the bill signing by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, State Sens. Steve Martin, Fred Quayle and Jill Vogel and Del. Bob Marshall, all Republicans. “We all agree that…

Two GOP hopefuls pledge fight for health-care repeal

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected]   Fifth District Republican nomination candidates Robert Hurt and Feda Morton are both saying this week that they would work if elected to Congress to repeal the federal health-care reform signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday. “I have pledged to the people I’m seeking to represent that…

Jim Gilmore: Financial catastrophe for the United States

Contributors

Column by Jim Gilmore Submit guest columns: [email protected]   The passage of the health care bill continues to dig the American public deeper into a financial hole. No matter how it is characterized, this is a vast new entitlement program, with no limits on the cost to the taxpayers of the future. Today our economic…

House passes health-care reform

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected]   The House of Representatives voted Sunday night to pass a health-care reform bill mirroring legislation that had passed the Senate in December. Democrats were able to muster a 219-212 majority to pass the legislation, which will extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, expand prescription drug coverage under Medicare,…

GOP candidates press Perriello – and each other

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected]   Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello is facing a full-court press from the Republicans gunning for the chance to knock him off in November. The press might work better if the GOP’ers weren’t trying at the same time to steal the ball from each other. “My opponent Jim McKelvey put…

The new, new conventional wisdom on health care

Chris Graham

Report by Chris Graham [email protected]    Jody Grogan thought, like a lot of hardcore health-care reform advocates, that Congress was thisclose to passing … something. “I’m one of these real cynics about Congress now,” said Grogan, a retired teacher who lives in Staunton, and worked locally last summer as an organizer on the reform effort,…

The AFP Show: Health-care reform, Congress, emotional balance

Chris Graham

The AFP Show [email protected]    Items for The AFP Show for Thursday, Feb. 25, include: – Remarks from New York Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner on the ongoing health-care reform debate in Congress. – An interview with Isaac Wood from the University of Virginia Center for Politics to discuss a recent report from UVa. political-science professor…

Chris Graham: What do they have to hide?

Chris Graham

City Council debates transparency, and transparency isn’t faring too well right now Column by Chris Graham [email protected] Let’s just say it like it is. Government is supposed to be of the people, by the people, for the people. I had no heartburn when the critics came out of the woodwork to criticize President Obama and…