The Latest

Chris Graham

Friday, Aug. 7 – State News: New online resources for teachers Thursday, Aug. 6 – Local News: 40th anniversary of Camille disaster this month – Elections ’09: Wagner releases statement on Bolling’s absence from revenue meeting Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Local News: Harrisonburg traffic alert – State News: ACLU of Virginia weighs in on sectarian…

Erik Curren | Religion and politics in the 20th District race

Chris Graham

“Almighty God hath created the mind free.” So Thomas Jefferson opened his Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. In that founding document of our Commonwealth, Jefferson went on to decry fallible religious or political leaders who would try to influence freedom of conscience through social or political pressure, begetting “habits of hypocrisy and meanness.”

News from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Chris Graham

Friday, July 17 – Press briefing by Tony Blinken, national security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, on the vice president’s upcoming trip to Ukraine and Georgia Thursday, July 16 – Press gaggle with Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton – Vice President Biden highlights Recovery Act progress in Virginia – Statement from the president on…

Charles Goldstein | A Fourth of July for everyone

AFP

This Fourth of July, America celebrates its 233rd birthday. Concurrent with the celebration, over 6,000 immigrants were naturalized as citizens in commemoration programs throughout the United States (including New Jersey’s Liberty Island and Betsy Ross House in Pennsylvania). Unfortunately, millions of American residents who are “yearning to breathe free,” who work hard, pay taxes, and…

Stop the Presses | Equal protection under the law

Chris Graham

You’ve heard this song before – an appeals court has overturned the attempt of a Virginia woman to avoid complying with Vermont orders requiring her to grant visitation to her former lesbian partner to the couple’s child. Question – at what point does this case go from the realm of the civil in terms of…

Kent Willis | Remembering Jack Kemp for another passion: Voter-restoration reform in Virginia

Chris Graham

Much has been written about Jack Kemp since his passing a couple of weeks ago. Kemp was a former football star turned congressman who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the first President Bush and was the 1996 Republican vice-presidential nominee. He was a pragmatist who became well known for reaching across…

In the News

Chris Graham

– Capitol Hill: Warner introduces bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing TARP transparency, posted Tuesday, 4 p.m. – Capitol Hill: Webb backs Senate measure aimed at strengthening government oversight in mortgage, corporate fraud cases, posted Tuesday, 4 p.m. – State News: Kaine signs agreement with Germany on climate change, posted Tuesday, 4 p.m. – State News:…

Raining cats and dogs

AFP

A dog wearing a top hat, a cat wearing a pulled-back veil and holding a bouquet. The dog saying, “Then we said, ‘What the heck … if gays in Vermont can get married, why can’t we?’” And then the kicker – when the News Leader’s Jim McCloskey is pressed on what he was trying to…