Welcome to the "Commonwealth"

Delegates Steve Landes, Dickie Bell, and Ben Cline are strong supporters of
Republican obstruction that is hurting people and sending our tax dollars to other states.

Medicaid Expansion in VA - It Makes Sense

Medicaid expansion makes sense for the Commonwealth of Virginia. More folks covered means a healthier community. Statewide it is estimated that over 200,000 Virginians will get needed health care and mental health services with expansion. That means good jobs at hospitals and other health care providers.

The federal government will fund the full cost for three years and 90% in subsequent years! These are tax dollars paid by Virginians that will go to other states if the General Assembly fails us on Medicaid expansion. Why is there even any debate on this? Because the GOP is playing partisan politics and their powers that be have decreed that they don't want anything that President Obama supports.

It is time to tell members of the House of Delegates who, on this issue, are misrepresenting Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro to listen to constituents, not party bosses. Here is how you can do it in just a few easy steps:

• Sign this petition calling on Delegate Steve Landes, Delegate Dickie Bell, and Delegate Ben Cline to support Medicaid expansion in Virginia.
• Email Delegate Steve Landes and remind him that expansion will help create health care jobs in his community.
• Email Delegate Dickie Bell and tell him that as a fiscally responsible Virginian you want your federal tax dollars coming back to the Commonwealth, not going to other states.
• Email Delegate Ben Cline and tell him that Medicaid expansion means a healthier community.

They say "silence is golden" but in politics your silence only empowers the party bosses. Speak up!

Del. Landes' word games

Delegate Steve Landes (R-25) often likes to parse, split, and confuse with words as he does in his final newsletter of the 2010 session. Though there are numerous examples of loaded words in his recent email, Mr. Landes really outdid himself with partisan word play when he discussed the "bipartisan support in winning approval from the Democrat-controlled Senate by a vote of 34 to 6 and from the Republican-majority House by a vote of 73 to 23."

Excuse me, Mr. Landes... so it is "Democrat-controlled" (sounds like the ABC's hit show V where aliens and sleeper agents who seemingly come in peace but really want to take over the world). But, over in the House of Delegates it is a "Republican-majority" (don't ya love the all-American everybody agrees with us ring to it?).

PS to Steve and other Republicans - it is Democratic-controlled. After all, if you insist on changing the name of the Democratic Party, we'll have to start calling you the Repugs... perhaps the name fits...!

Stand UP for VA

Republicans in the General Assembly made a mistake - Virginians know it, but some in the GOP just can't seem to admit it. Marching in lockstep with their gubernatorial candidate, "heartless" Bob McDonnell, House Republicans rejected $125 million in federal stimulus funds targeted to help unemployed Virginians.

The number of people without jobs is rising, affecting thousands of Virginia families. Nearly 300,000 Virginians are unemployed (and this doesn't count the underemployed) and the statewide unemployment rate is 6.6%. In the central Valley, it tops 7% in many localities, and the unemployment rate is over 10% in Waynesboro (Hello, calling Delegate Steve Landes... is anybody home?). The federal unemployment funds would have helped 8,000 Virginians in job training programs and seeking part-time work. In addition to helping families, money would have flowed into local businesses boosting those communities most hammered by the economic downturn.

So, what to do? The vote is done, the mistake made, right? Well, it is never to late for the let-'em-eat cake Republicans to admit a mistake and correct it. Governor Kaine wants to call a special session to focus on unemployment, but there is no point if no Republicans will man-up and agree to revisit the issue. We don't need all of them to change - just four or five reasonable Republicans would get the job done. Delegate Landes might answer that call - you can contact him at Del_Landes@house.state.va.us. It is less likely that right wing ideologues will even listen. You can Stand Up for VA and send a clear message to all House Republicans by signing the petition:

We, the undersigned, are outraged by the House of Delegates’ decision to follow the lead of gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and vote to send $125 million of our federal tax dollars back to Washington.

With nearly 300,000 Virginians out of work - and more people joining their ranks every day through no fault of their own - it’s clear that Virginia families are hurting.

We demand that the General Assembly go back to Richmond, fix this mistake, and do what's right for Virginians. It's time for our elected leaders to stand up for Virginia and vote to accept the economic relief we deserve.

Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over till its over." He was, of course, referring to baseball. The same is true in politics - this battle to do the right thing isn't over unless we sit silently on the sidelines. Sign the petition. Do it now!

Another bird in the flock

According to TippingPoint at Cobalt6, Jim Noel has formally announced he is running for the Democratic nomination for the 25th House of Delegates district. Noel will face Dr. Greg Marrow in a June 9 primary to select a nominee to take on incumbent Steve Landes. Noel is 42 and a facilities planner at Perdue in Bridgewater. He lives in Mt. Sidney with his wife and three children.

CCC previously reported that Noel was gathering signatures for the primary. He has visited several of the local Democratic committees and recently spoke at the reassessment hearing in Augusta County. After the hearing, Noel was seen talking to voters and gathering signatures for the primary on the steps of the Government Center.

Slay the gerrymander

CCC has previously posted about redistricting, gerrymandering, and the negative consequences for our democracy. Research across the nation clearly demonstrates gerrymandering reduces competition between the parties, heightens voter apathy while lowering voter participation, protects incumbents, reduces accountability of elected officials, and has other negative consequences.

About a dozen states have created independent commissions to draw legislative districts and several others have advisory or backup panels to help deal with the partisan bickering and gridlock redistricting often produces. For several General Assembly sessions, Senator Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) has worked on a constitutional amendment to create a redistricting commission. In 2008 this legislation passed with strong bipartisan support in the Senate, but was killed by Republicans in a subcommittee of the House Privileges & Elections committee. Among those voting to kill it was Delegate Steve Landes (R-Augusta). Because a constitutional amendment takes passage in two sessions of the General Assembly, with an intervening election, and approval by voters in a referendum, redistricting reform will not pass in time for Virginia's next redistricting following the 2010 census.

But, maybe something can be done over the next decade to assure that redistricting reform will be in place for the 2021 session of the General Assembly. The Virginia News Letter has an in-depth study of the negative consequences of this old political practice, Gerrymandering 's Long History in Virginia: Will This Decade Mark the End? From the introduction:

Every 10 years, a new U.S. census sets the stage for a round of political redistricting in Virginia and the nation. It also brings the likelihood that the boundaries of some newly drawn voting districts will be manipulated in an obvious effort to benefit one political party. This popular but unfair practice is called gerrymandering. Virginia, with a history of gerrymandering going back to the earliest days of the nation, should begin a reform process immediately to prepare for the redistricting that the 2010 census will require. Stroupe, chief of staff at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics and a member of the state Commission on Civics Education, recommends that the legislature strongly consider establishing an independent panel of current or former state judges to assist in redistricting.

Gerrymandering isn't always the reason for low political competition and low voter turnout. But, to the extent this form of political manipulation results in voter apathy and suppression, it serves as a significant limitation on one of the greatest exercises of liberty possessed by the citizens of this state and nation. Stroupe writes, “It is time the ‘Cradle of Democracy’ became the ‘Graveyard of Gerrymandering.’”

Kenneth Stroupe's essay should be required reading for candidates for statewide office and for the House of Delegates. Those who opposed the bill must be held accountable in November 09.

Cleaning up the smokehouse

The General Assembly agreed to a compromise bill to ban most smoking in restaurants. Governor Tim Kaine says he'll sign it quickly, although it won't become effective until December. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 27-13 with Creigh Deeds voting in favor and Emmett Hanger voting against. In the House of Delegates, the vote was 60-39 with Steve Landes supporting the ban and Chris Saxman and Ben Cline voting no.

Smoking will be banned in most restaurants, exceptions being private clubs and restaurants with separately ventilated smoking rooms. The ban does not apply to outside dining areas.

The battle over the compromise bill cut across party lines but the rifts were felt most keenly on the GOP side of the aisle. Many Republicans, favoring a "don't work with the governor on anything" mentality, were beyond miffed when Speaker Bill Howell appeared with Governor Tim Kaine to support a compromise earlier this month. Majority leader Morgan Griffin parted ways from the speaker and there was open talk of choosing a new speaker for the next session - if the GOP stays in control of the chamber.

Final passage in the House found 21 Republicans voting with the speaker and that pissed of the Americans for Prosperity. Ben Marchi, speaking for the right wing group noted:

"A lot of conservatives were surprised that the Speaker would go off on his own and have talks with the Governor without even consulting his caucus."

The divisions in the GOP ranks bode well for the Democrats this November who need to pick up six seats to gain control of the House of Delegates. Delegates like Steve Landes may find some conservatives hedging support because of his yes vote on this one issue. On the other hand, opponents of the bill will have to answer for voting against a reasonable and good policy that is supported by a majority of Virginians.

Gubernatorial candidates may find political smoke blowing in the wind this November, too. Senator Creigh Deeds voted for the ban and the other two Democrats say they support it (of course, they are bystanders to the General Assembly). Republican Bob McDonnell blew warm smoke up conservatives' skirts by opposing the ban.

Republicans, trying to dodge backlash, were successful at delaying implementation until after the election.

Delegate Chicken-Heart

Delegate Steve Landes (R-Augusta) was one of four Republicans on a subcommittee of the House Privileges & Elections committee that killed SB 926. The bill would have created a seven member commission to, beginning in 2011, draw General Assembly and congressional districts without regard to political considerations. The bill was sponsored by Senator Creigh Deeds and had passed the Senate by a 39-0 vote.

It is quite apparent to anyone who has observed the redistricting process that when legislators draw their own districts, they do so with their next campaign foremost in mind. To hell with drawing commonsense district lines that respect communities. To hell with good government. To hell with democracy. Legislators primarily think in terms of protecting their own neck or screwing the other party.

Landes, sticking his head deep into the sands of partisanship, denied the current system protects incumbents (how do you spell POULTRY LITTER?). Landes then dodged talking about the issue:

"One of the problems I've had in the many years I've been here is the legislative branch more and more gives up its authority to other groups or the executive branch..."

By the way, Landes' assertion is absurd and he's either not being forthcoming or didn't understand the bill. The General Assembly would have retained final say on districts created by the commission. Sure there would have been pressure on them to accept the commission's districts, but legislators could override if there was broad support to do so.

Delegate Landes, always the partisan on steroids, was marching to the party line that wants to deny Senator Deeds, a gubernatorial candidate, any legislative successes. Playing politics is more important than good policy. It is more important than democracy. It is apparently more important than the GOP's beloved tax breaks - the House killed another Deeds' bill (SB 1216) that would have created a sales tax exemption for renewable energy systems like wind powered electric generators and solar panels. The partisan chickens in the House didn't even consider the merits of the bill - they killed it on a procedural motion.

Senator Deeds responded to the defeat of SB 926 by saying he wanted an end to "bitter partisanship" in the State Capitol. He continued:

"I think you'll come out with a more moderate form of government. You'll end up with a more problem-solving, focused legislature, whether it's Democratic or Republican."

Senator Deeds has been working on building a bipartisan consensus on this legislation for several sessions. It is ashamed that four partisans on a subcommittee can undo that good work - but such is the legislative process. Deeds promised that as Governor he would appoint an advisory panel on redistricting and use his veto/amendment powers to help craft a plan to remove partisanship from the process.