Pat Byington: Follow the scientists

AFP

Dr. James McClintock, a renowned University of Alabama-Birmingham marine biologist who has conducted research in Antarctica for more than 25 years, told me the following story. “You work in a scientific lab in the quietest place on Earth — Antarctica. “There’s a Crack! Boom! “You rush to the window of your remote lab with a…

Warner introduces spending accountability, transparency proposal

Chris Graham

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) today introduced legislation that increases federal fiscal transparency and accountability by establishing a single web-based platform to allow taxpayers and policymakers to more easily track all federal spending. The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) is a Senate version of legislation introduced earlier this week by Rep. Darrell Issa…

Ken Plum: Obamacare in Virginia

Ken Plum

President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obamacare, into law on March 23, 2010. On the same day Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed the first lawsuit in the nation to challenge the provision in ACA that most individuals be mandated to have health insurance. Eastern District Federal Judge Henry Hudson ruled in…

Allen talks up new jobs ‘blueprint’

AFP

Lower taxes, drilling and a balanced budget amendment – to George Allen, it’s a blueprint for economic rebirth; to his critics, it’s the boilerplate that sank the American economy during his term in the United States Senate. “The strength, skills and optimism of America’s workforce is our competitive advantage. By shedding the burdensome taxes that…

Webb, Corker issue joint resolution on Libya

AFP

Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today introduced a joint resolution requiring the Administration to provide a detailed justification of U.S. operations in Libya and prohibiting the deployment of U.S. troops on the ground there. It further calls on the president to request authorization for the continuation of U.S. involvement in NATO activities…