A quick look at Mark Warner's record.

During the 2004 Presidential campaign President Bush so proudly stated that "results matter". I agree W, but I would argue that results can be both negative and positive - and positive results are what REALLY matter.

I found the "bullet points" listed below on the Draft Mark Waner 2008 site. These bullet points highlight many of the positive trends/results that the Warner administration can claim as their own.

Warner's Record

• Turned a $6 billion deficit into a $544 Million surplus
  
• Eliminated or merged more than 70 duplicative or unnecessary boards and commissions and eight state agencies
  
• Salvaged Virginia's threatened AAA bond rating
  
• Double-digit unemployment has plummeted in 12 of 13 of the most distressed counties
  
• 2nd lowest jobless rate in the nation
  
• 97% of all eligible children enrolled in heath care
  
• Single largest investment in K-12 education in state history
  
• Second largest increase in college and university funding in the nation
  
• Highest math SAT score increase in the nation
  
• The Council of Chief State School Officers Most Prestigious 2005Distinguished Service Award
  
• 700 miles of broadband connecting nearly 700,000 citizens and more than 19,000 businesses

Sure, politicians probably get too much credit when things go good, and too much blame when things go bad. I tend to agree with that general sentiment too. But when you consider the outright incompetence, smoke and mirrors management style, and fiscal mismanagement of Mark Warner's predecessor in the Governor's mansion, these "results" are welcome.

David Ashe is Virginia's Paul Hackett.

Here's a good read from our friends over at Raising Kaine discussing Virginia's 2nd Congressional District candidate David Ashe. It seems logical to compare David Ashe to former Ohio congressional candidate Paul Hackett. Both Ashe and Hackett are attorneys, Iraqi War Veterans, U.S. Marine Reservist, and former Democratic congressional candidates.

Unfortunately Ashe and Hackett lost their bids for Congress in 2004 to uber conservative "rubber stamp" (Hackett's description of his opponent) candidates in heavily gerrymandered Republican districts. The good news for both Hackett and Ashe is that they both did well enough last time around that both plan to run for office again in 2006. David Ashe will again take on Thelma Drake, whereas Paul Hackett is seriously considering running for U.S. Senate in Ohio.

Comparing Thelma Drake to David Ashe is akin to comparing a wheel barrel to a dump truck. Nevertheless, winning the 2nd Congressional District - which is home to Pat Robertson's media/religious/real estate business enterprises - will be an uphill battle for Mr. Ashe. Regardless, if the Democratic Party of Virginia can continue find candidates like David Ashe even partisan gerrymandered Congressional Districts - like the 2nd District - will not be enough to protect partisan "rubber stampers" like Thelma Drake.

Best of luck to David Ashe, we will be following this one closely.

BAD DAY FOR DEMOCRACY IN THE HEART OF VIRGINIA

It was an unusual day in a little community 70 miles west of the state Capitol of Richmond, Virginia.

A special emergency meeting of the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisor was called under a little used Code provision to address a matter of pressing urgency for the citizens of this little rural county. The emergency, it seems, was the question of fair representation on the Prince Edward County Planning Commission.

The special emergency meeting was held on November 22, 2005 at 12:15 PM, during what was normally lunch hour, during a typical work day. The Court room was tense. Security was tight with a heavy presence of armed police security personnel. It seems that the County Administrator Mildred B. Hampton expected trouble and ordered up deputies with enough guns and ammo to put down a sizable citizen insurrection.

However, given the fact that the meeting was not publicized and that it was being held in the middle of a work day, the few citizens in attendance (a half a dozen or so) were far out numbered by County elected officials, high level County administrators, the County attorney, and the armed guards.

The discussion was brief as was the meeting. Three Supervisors, Pattie Cooper-Jones, Sally Gilfillan, and Lacy Ward presented what seemed to be anything but seditious rhetoric. Their comments were measured, logical and simply asked that the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors be fair and to allow all electoral districts representation on the County Planning Commission. These three Supervisors came to make this seemingly reasonable request as a result of ongoing citizen complaints concerning the failure of the local Planning Commission to perform due diligence in the review of several important zoning questions.

After Supervisors Cooper-Jones, Gilfillan and Ward made their presentations, the other five Supervisors had their turn to speak. But there was no rebuttal. The five Supervisors, including Chairman William Fore, Vice Chairman Howard Simpson, and Supervisors Charles McKay, Bobby Jones and James Moore were silent.

This silence, however, belied the iron will of the silent majority. When the vote came to give fair representation on the Planning Commission, the five silent Supervisors took firm control of the situation and voted the measure down five to three.

Having grown up in Prince Edward County I maintain an interest in the affairs of the Community. This strange meeting was videoed and that video is now available for interested citizens to see.

No shots were fired. No arrests were made. Nobody got hurt. But this was not a good day for democracy in the Heart of Virginia. Fair representation on the County Planning Commission is still an elusive democratic ideal that is not available to citizens of Prince Edward County.

Why? That is a good question.

PHOTO CREDITS: Courthouse exterior and interior photos are from the Prince Edward County web-site. Police photo is a visual simulation of police security at the meeting from the Google archives.

Chavez makes good on promise of cheap heating oil

Here's an article detailing Venezuela's (i.e. Hugo Chavez) agreement with two Massachusetts heating assistance nonprofit organizations to provide below market value heating oil to qualified low-income residents.

Unfortunately, according to the above article this much needed heating assistance is something that our own Congress has been "reluctant to do".

It's nice to know that the low-income citizens of the United States can't count on their own government to offer help in a time of crisis, but they can always turn to the despotic Hugo Chavez for help.

Only in America!

That time of year again...

Ok, we know that Christmas must be around the corner because the right-wing-noise-machine is starting to run their annual "War on Christmas" talking points. Yep, the holiday season officially begins once the first "War on Christmas" salvo is launched!

I prefer to call it the "War on the Constitution" instead. This would seem more appropriate to me.

As always, the usual suspect - Jerry Falwell - is leading the annual charge to promote this "war" (along with Bill O'Reilly, James Dobson, et. al.). Here is a good article discussing just how Jerry and friends plan on going on the offensive so they will win this war in the name of baby Jesus.

Once again, I'm glad to have some help on this blog. It just might give me the motivation I need to start blogging again - even with college football season in full tilt and a new baby girl at home!