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…

The AFP on WREL: Fueling up for the Senate race

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks business and politics on WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a look at gas prices. Expected to be at record highs by the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, they’ve actually been on the retreat in recent weeks. Why, and what impact will declining prices at the pump have…

The AFP on WREL: Politics in season

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks Virginia politics with WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a discussion of the ongoing back-and-forth on legislative redistricting. The clock is ticking with the November 2011 elections getting closer every day. Will state legislators and Gov. McDonnell get a deal done soon? The talk wraps with an…

The AFP on WREL: Senate Madness

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks news and sports on WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a review of Virginia politics news. The focus in that sector is still on what Tim Kaine will or will not do regarding a potential run at the 2012 Democratic Senate nomination. A look at the Virginia…

Virginia Democrats sting McDonnell on VP interest

Chris Graham

Most recently it was Tim Kaine being criticized by Virginia Republicans for considering a spot on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2008. Now Democrats are throwing up their arms at a suggestion by Gov. Bob McDonnell that it would be hard to turn down the second spot on the GOP national ticket in 2012 if…

Chris Graham: Draft Perriello?

Chris Graham

It seems to me that Tim Kaine is the logical choice for Virginia Democrats looking for a Senate candidate in 2012 – and I wouldn’t call myself a political genius for thinking that way. The conventional wisdom isn’t stopping a group of Virginia Dems who are pushing recently unseated former congressman Tom Perriello for the…

The AFP on WREL: Endgame

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks Virginia news and politics on WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a look at the endgame of the 2011 Virginia General Assembly session. Will legislators be able to meet their Feb. 26 deadline for getting a budget approved and on the way to Gov. Bob McDonnell? Chris…

Webb will not seek re-election in 2012

Chris Graham

It’s official: U.S. Sen. Jim Webb will not run for a second term representing Virginia in the United States Senate in 2012. “After much thought and consideration, I have decided to return to the private sector, where I have spent most of my professional life, and will not seek re-election in 2012,” Webb said in…

Subcommittee blocks Fusion Center expansion

Chris Graham

A House of Delegates subcommittee on Friday struck from its docket a bill to authorize Virginia’s secretive Fusion Center to expand its scope from collecting information on terrorist threats to also collecting data on ordinary crimes. The ACLU of Virginia had led an effort to publicly oppose the bill, saying that a heavily criticized 2009…