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…

Letters to the Editor

AFP

– Guns, guns, guns! – Transparency     Guns, guns, guns! Letter from Linda Bartlett, Farnham     Have Virginia lawmakers gone crazy? Where were they when Virginia Tech students were slaughtered? Guns, guns, guns! I am so tired of being in a state that approves gun laws that were prevalent in the old west. We took…

Lawmaker Dispatches: Monday, Feb. 15

AFP

Featured: Mary Margaret Whipple, Rob Bell Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple: Crossover www.vasenatedems.com Tomorrow is “crossover day” down here in Richmond, meaning each chamber must act on all pending legislation if they want it considered by the other. Consequently, your Senate Democratic Caucus is working hard to pass our priority legislation and send it to our…

Political Blogs: Sunday, Feb. 14

Chris Graham

Featured: Jim McKelvey, Bill Bolling, Creigh Deeds Jim McKelvey: Senate Bill 481 www.mckelveyforcongress.com Once again politicians at every level of government do not get it. State Sen. Robert Hurt introduced SB 481; this bill essentially lowers the number of new employees a business must hire to be eligible for a tax credit. We need to…