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Sunday, December 28, 2008Your Four Minutes of Civilization"Voce di donna o d'angelo" from the opera La Gioconda. It was the best way I could think of kicking off the last week of 2008. If an Asteroid Hit EarthTo Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky":That is particularly awesome. Red NoVAThe 8th District GOP takes up the call for new media integration and is blogging at Red NoVA. Excellent start! Tuesday, December 23, 2008Kenney Family TraditionsEvery year since the extended version of the trilogy came out, my family and I manage to watch "The Lord of the Rings" over a three day period over Christmas. Not a bad deal, especially if your are a Tolkien fan. I won't bore you with any of the details, the Catholic references, the moralistic prose or how much better the book really is than the movie (if that can be imagined). The short version is that as a family, we'll sit down and enjoy about three hours of collective story-telling an evening. I probably enjoy that more than anything else over Christmas, with the exception of a Sunrise Mass. Sunday, December 21, 2008RCP: The Growing Case for InflationSo argues Steve Chapman: The best part of inflation is that it avoids the need for the government to embrace vast spending initiatives and micromanage capitalist enterprises it is not equipped to run. And unlike government programs, inflation doesn't last forever.An interesting theory, though such a solution would absolutely destroy the value of the dollar overseas. Deflationary pressures would encourage savings, reduce the cost of many items, and force firms to innovate better products and methods. Inflationary pressures allow the same mediocre system to persist. Of course, the real elephant in the room -- a vast reduction of government spending -- hasn't even been discussed much less contemplated. Saturday, December 20, 2008Anchoress: Slouching Toward BethlehemMight not be the best titled post in the world, but take about five minutes of your time and watch how a single good example can make a difference:Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller fame) is probably the hardest of the hard core when it comes to atheism. That he was this visibly moved tells me a lot, not just about the character of the man proselytizing, but also about Jillette's character as well. Now this was the effect of just one good example. Imagine if it were hundreds? And do you and I live our faith in this way? In my brief experience in this world, I have discovered atheists to have just a devout "search for God" as some of the holiest of men and women I've met. Rarely do I meet the "lazy atheist" (more properly termed an agnostic) who just doesn't believe in at least the idea of a higher being. I have found more often than not that otherwise well-intentioned yet rigid individuals will present their faith in terms of fanaticism, which has more to do with coercion than anything else. I think this video is quite awesome. That Jillette had the courage and intellectual honesty to post his reflections is pretty amazing unto itself. Let's hope it leads somewhere interesting. (h/t to The Anchoress) BD: Ordered Chaos or Chaotic Order?Amit Singh asks your preference between the two in the form of an essay contest. Winner gets to test their hypothesis on 25 scratch-off tickets. SMB: Is Senator Lucas trying to influence City Council?...and when Scott's doing the asking, there's going to be an answer: Senator Louise Lucas’ two corporations, Victory Conference Center LLC and Victory Conference Center Hotel LLC, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Portsmouth for failing to give her access to 38 million dollars in bonds for a business venture.That's a pretty damned hardcore strongarming tactic if you ask me. Let's hope the MSM gets to the middle of it (before the blogosphere does anyhow). Tuesday, December 16, 2008Your Three Minutes of... Civilization?Not quite civilization, but few things really beat Beaker singing Coldplay's Yellow. Monday, December 15, 2008Bearing Drift: Christmas in WilliamsburgJim Hoeft muses on modernity, liberty, and it's untimely (and perhaps exaggerated?) demise: Long after Merchant’s Square had turned their last deadbolt, we sojourned after dinner into the colonial city. Each little house and each little window had a candle. In front of the governor’s mansion burned cauldrons welcoming guests for an evening of dancing and dining. And, the streets were as silent as the crunch of our footsteps on pea-gravel.Great post, and better conversation in the comments section. Jefferson's Revolving BookstandI want one of these. More than I desire one of these. So what's the catch? Well... they cost $600. Furthermore, while there are all sorts of pictures online, there are no plans for these pictures... and a Google search tantalizes you with plans that lead you to site with malware. Wonderful. Of course, if anyone stumbles across plans... P.S. -- Doogman: You got an address? svkenney -at- shaunkenney.com -- got an Xmas card for ya!
Sunday, December 14, 2008AFP Wins -- Transparency in the Virginia HouseAmericans for Prosperity in Virginia started this campaign a week ago to record subcommittee votes for the House of Delegates. Looks as if a combination of this effort and the new 15-bills only rule in the House has effected change, as noted by the WaPo: Americans for Prosperity, a group that supports limited government and free trade, had pushed Republicans to make the switch and submitted hundreds of signatures of those who supported a change.The rule was primarily designed to get bad legislation off the books quietly and without embarassment. Unfortunately, some of the legislation was designed specifically to do this. Think back to the "Motions to Recommit" in the U.S. House regarding body armor for the troops that were essentially a Catch-22. Vote for it, and it's a vote to send the bill back to committee (a vote against the troops); vote against it, and the bill fails on the floor of the House (and troops really don't get body armor that year). The Democrats used the tactic masterfully in 2006 through 527s like MoveOn.org to embarrass Republicans. And because you couldn't boil it down to a five-second clip, it sticks. House leadership reacted with closed door meetings. Damn shame at the time. Transparency kills off so many bad things... including this deplorable tactic. In 2007, the Democrats resorted to videotaping every subcommittee vote where they thought they could catch a contested candidate in the House of Delegates off-guard. Now, the work is done for them. Hopefully a more skeptical electorate will be wise against the tactic, and in the end, who knows? Folks just might be a bit more knowledgeable about how their state legislature works. In 2009, too many people would love to play politics with the ignorance of others. Saturday, December 13, 2008Lee TrueLee True, Chairman of the Fluvanna Taxpayers Association, passed away today: I have the terrible duty of telling you that our wonderful leader, Lee True, died today of a sudden and fatal heart attack. I want to assure you that his work will not die with him. We are going to continue with the FTA and try as best we can to advance the Mission and Vision that were Lee’s creations.Our community has lost a truly good and decent fellow today. I did not know him personally, but professionally he was about as decent and giving a person as you could have met. There aren't too many people who give of their time during their retirement to fight as hard as he did for taxpayers' rights. Lee did it all, and will be remembered. Resquiat in pace my friend. Nude Virgin Mary Pic -- What, No Riots?If you subscribe to the idea that the lowest, most base offenses create the most buzz, then this latest stunt should probably have taken the cake. Of course, its OK to offend Catholics. The line about comparing it to offending any other group -- Muslims, homosexuals in the Castro district of San Francisco, or challenging a adamantly secular viewpoint -- is both valid and extraordinarily old hat. Naturally, you can't force anyone to be good. Even if you could accomplish this, the results would be artificial, a methodical response to right action that drains the life out of most things, be it faith or law or rules. That images such as the Mexican edition of Playboy evoke something contrary to what typically happens in the world. There were no riots. No one was harassed. No child was expelled from a publicly-funded school. Yet the Catholic response typically results in a respectful yet forceful condemnation, one built around an example. That it is uniquely set apart from an otherwise worldly response says more about our faith than it does about anything else. Images like these (or at least stories about them) trouble me intensely. Setting aside the respect Catholics reserve for the Blessed Mother, the intent is disrespectful to both Catholics and women alike. Those who hate the Catholic Church (and there are many) will continue to poke, prod, cajole, criticize, offend, and provoke the faithful. To what ends do they provoke us? Well... to behave and react as they would and do. That Catholics do not riot at offenses such as these is a testament that -- at least in the quarters where the faithful still believe -- we are indeed set apart. As Christians we have something the rest of the world wants, but easily. And because Christianity is not bought, turn on at the flip of a switch, or done in any other way other than through a little something called grace which is a gift from that all-too-forgotten being called God -- too often it's discarded for the strum und drang of things; gifts, gossip, money, investments, feelings, holiday lights, or worse just tearing something beautiful down. So friends, take it in stride. It's called Advent for a reason, you know. Thursday, December 11, 2008BobMcDonnell.com is LIVE!Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has just unveiled his new website, and boy does it look good. Already there are a handful of stories up. For instance, did you know that McDonnell scored a touchdown against the Titans while he played at Bishop Ireton? Yeah... these Titans. How incredible is that?! Great looking website. This certainly raises the bar for campaigns in Virginia.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008Gordon Brown Saves the World!That's hilarious. (h/t to Reason and Revelation) Saturday, December 06, 2008Liveblogging the AG DebateJust before the Republican Attorney General debate here at the Homestead, and the Kenney Bros. are in the very back of the room, having cleared off a section of a table and access to a plug to create our own special little "Bloggers Row". Of course, there are no accomodations for press or bloggers... no web access either. This won't be the traditional liveblogging session, but through the miracles of MS Notepad we'll still be able to hammer away. A few observations from last night's comings and goings: ** Jeff Frederick is in serious trouble. Executive Committee was tense, the State Central Committee meeting was worse, and the press noticed mightily. What's more, retaliation against Jim Rich and Mike Wade was evident, with a handful of people calling for their resignation for challenging Jeff's leadership. Ouch. ** Talk of the RPV Advance? The "Jeff Frederick's Downfall" video... cheesecake and "to squeeze midgets like this" are in high demand. No lollipop sightings (yet). ** 300 actual attendees, 200 Brownlee straw poll supporters. Those are ballparked numbers, but in order to vote in the straw poll, you have to register for the entire advance. One bus has shown up thus far, but those extra straw poll voters are certainly helping the bottom line for attendees this year. ** Cuccinelli had the best spread of the hospitality suites -- bar none. The AFP suite had an excellent smoky back room, while Cantor's security detail was equally impressive. "Eric? Secret Service? You mean our Eric Cantor? C'mon..." ** Cost to have wi-fi at the Advance? Jason tells me that it would have cost "a couple hundred dollars" to take care of folks. No one thought to spring for it... ** Back to hospitality suites, a bit sparse... Not much to speak of in the way of good food. Bad economy? Or poor organization? The latter is blamed. ** The Homestead miraculously found extra rooms at the last minute. So all these folks travelling 15 mi. to get back and forth? Completely unnecessary. Thanks, Homestead! Onto pregaming the debate! 10:19 AM: Folks still trickling in... Brownlee is circulating a small flyer outlining three blogs (no names, all pseudonyms) talking about "Virginia Bloggers on John Brownlee." Three. Stinking. Blogs. That's hilarious... 10:23 AM: SWAC Girl joins our veritable Bloggers Row! 10:23 AM: Still a great deal of conversation about the previous night's dealings. A lot. 10:26 AM: Bloggers banned from this morning's breakfast. Bagels and cream cheese (and not the traditional fare of a very nice breakfast) were the order of the morning. Not exactly the way to reach out to new media... RPV staff is working on the web access though. 10:27 AM: Chairman Frederick is introducing former Governor Jim Gilmore. 10:28 AM: Gilmore greeted to a standing ovation. Room is about 35% full... 10:29 AM: Web access up! The power of the blogosphere (or making up for this morning's ban on blogs). 10:31 AM: Gilmore has some tough words for the party, but has nothing bad to say about the grassroots. Talking about how he worked with the rank-and-file, working polls, working in the Victory Phone banks... one of the bright things about the party are our grassroots. About Frederick, "there wasn't a thing that I asked Jeff Frederick to do that he didn't do. Jeff Frederick did everything I asked him to do." Very proud of this. Roxanna and Jim enjoyed the race. 10:33 AM: Palin mentioned. Very loud applause. Room about 45% full.... 10:33 AM: AFP circulating petitions... 10:34 AM: Gilmore wants to talk about the race. One of the difficulties with the race are how folks were going to undo Warner's popularity: Either through debate or pushing issues, which Warner would not do or the press would not accommodate. 10:35 AM: Alton and Crystal are here... not much room on the little table (Lynn and I have commandeered what space we have)! 10:35 AM: Gilmore is blaming the race on George Bush, his lack of popularity, and the popularity of Barack Obama. Obama overlayed on these races. Gilmore believed firmly even three weeks before the election that Virginia was going to go Republican, and was shocked at the results. Gilmore believed firmly that the race was on gas prices and energy prices, and Republicans and Democrats were hurting. Gilmore believes he was getting traction in the campaign on the energy issue right until Wall Street hurt the campaign, gas prices came down, and now we're in the middle of bailouts. Gilmore opposed the bailout, and seriously doubts whether government can add enough value to the economy to turn things around. Government is not playing with their money, they are playing with our money. Moving on to money and technology in a federal campaign, gotta win by having enough money to get on television. Not happy about McCain-Feingold's restrictions. 10:39 AM: Room about half full... 10:39 AM: Alton says Lynn is here to keep me honest. Probably right! 10:40 AM: Gilmore: The Republican Party cannot go the way of the Whigs. We have to be the party of the future. Nice battle plan... wish someone would write a 14-page memo on that. 10:40 AM: Gilmore has moved into talking about himself in third-person now. Car tax cut, suburbs, talking about issues that reached out and brought in independents and Democrats into our party. Gilmore also put money into education, put money back into their pockets. "This is the kind of Republican Party that has the ability to ring up big numbers." Gilmore says we can't be the liberals... Democrats will take care of that for us. Our job is to offer conservative solutions to the problems we face in the Commonwealth. As the Democrats get things done, we have the right and responsibility to be critical of what they get done. Energy, economy, taxes... 10:44 AM: Gilmore certainly doesn't sound like a guy that is fading away from the Virginia Republican political scene. 10:44 AM: Cuccinelli has stopped by to say hello. Turns out most (all?) of the row is backing Cuccinelli... heh. 10:46 AM: Gilmore: "I'm not going anywhere." Starting a PAC. Cuccinelli is going to put him on the prospect list. Outstanding. 10:46 AM: Gilmore is talking about the 10,000 small donors that have contributed to his campaign, and he wants to keep them energized. 18,000 e-mails, which Gilmore ID's as "modern technology time." At the end of the day, Gilmore got more votes running for Senate than he did running for Governor. Gilmore is going after logistics, talking about energizing the ranks and keeping folks energized and giving them a reason to vote. Gilmore is thanking the grassroots. Doesn't want to look to the problems of the past, wants to look to solving the problems of the future. End remarks, seated applause. 10:48 AM: Frederick is announcing the main event, going over the format. Jason's getting chatted up by Ford O'Connell and Gary Byler. 10:50 AM: Kilgore introduced. Standing ovation. Room about 55% full... looking very sparse. 10:50 AM: Brownlee (light applause), Cuccinelli (heavy applause), Foster (polite applause). 10:51 AM: Kilgore is running through introductions about why the AG's office is so important. 10:51 AM: First question: Who is your favorite past attorney general and why? Not really... Kilgore's daughter recommended against it... funny. 10:52 AM: Brownlee goes first, thanking his family for coming out and supporting him. Thanks Dave and Ken for participating. Talking about a family murder... a bit difficult to follow the logic, but Brownlee it talking about the importance of prosecuting violent crimes. The AG is the top law enforcement officer, to keep children safe, families safe, and that when violent crimes happen, we need the right AG. Focusing on life, immigration. Respected member of law enforcement seeking a lifetime devoted to justice. Will spend every waking moment protecting conservative values and prosecuting terrible crimes. 10:55 AM: Cuccinelli second. Thanks Kilgore, thanks the crowd, debate a "wonderfully constructive way to campaign" and pleased to be here. Thanks Foster as a friend he knows, and Brownlee as someone he's getting to know. Focuses on life, defunding Planned Parenthood (applause), focusing on low tax fight, goes straight into his record as a conservative and will continue to push for smaller government in the AG's office. Protecting the Second Amendment, carrying that fight into Fairfax County. Advanced good legislation protecting the Second Amendment, talks about his record and his efforts to "expand the rights of law-abiding citizens" and take on Kelo. As AG he will fight for property rights against special interests. Campaigned for the marriage amendment in Virginia (applause) and says the AG will see that case in court. Member of the Courts Committee in the Senate, and will continue to lead on the issues we believe in as conservatives. As a conservative in Fairfax, he is covered by the endangered species act (laughter), but keeps winning there because he believes in grassroots campaigning and conservative principles. Says we must get back to grassroots campaigning to rebuild the right kind of majority (strong applause). Looks forward to earning folks support. 10:59 AM: Foster last. "People's Republic of Arlington" veteran having successfully run for school board in NOVA. Wants to keep to our core Republican principles. Deep family roots in the Commonwealth, having first landed in Williamsburg in the 17th century. Introduces his wife Martha (applause) and has deep roots in Virginia politics as well. For 25 years he has been a member of the Arlington GOP, and last year travelled around the Commonwealth for GOPAC and helped Ken Cuccinelli raise money in 2007 (?) as evidence of his support for GOP principles. Talks about his school board record, diversity training, reducing debt burdens to keep the bonds down, Arlington had the lowest amount of bonds. Talks about the Pledge of Allegiance not being said in his board meetings, so he introduced saying the Pledge -- they've been saying ever since. 11:03 AM: Richard Crouse: "I believe the children are our fyooturrr..." 11:03 AM: First Q to Brownlee. If your spouse had a page devoted to you, what would it say? 11:04 AM: Brownlee -- Not sure Kilgore was a good idea (laughter), but doesn't know what she would say, but would hope she'd talk about his accomplishments. Army experience, Ranger school, Airborne school, law school, clerked for a conservative judge, engaged, private practice, became a prosecutor in Washington D.C. and saw first hand the despair that comes from violent crime (I detect a "violent crime" pattern here), and how gun control in D.C. is a failure (applause). When it comes to the Second Amendment, this candidate -- Brownlee -- has the experience and the credibility to go into a PTA meeting and tell them that if they want more gun control in their schools, it will not work. So he hopes she might include some of those things in there, talk about his faith. Best things in his life are his family. God's blessing he'll be thankful for. 11:08 AM: Cuccinelli -- Wish he'd ask that before she arrived (laughter). Legislature is a part-time legislature, but family is a full-time job. Wife is pregnant with #7 due in April, but this effort to pursue our principles we share wouldn't happen without her. "I have 100,000 voters/constituents, but just one veto." Mrs. Cuccinelli would say that Cuccinelli is stubborn, and more than willing to argue with everyone except the veto carrier (laughter). What you see is what you get, which isn't the path most politicians would choose, but I present to you what I believe and will fight for it as I have in the past. 11:11 AM: Foster -- Worst thing about Foster is that he keeps running for public office (laughter). Early conversation about whether the press was being fair to Nixon, worked for Bill Crane, and would hope she would say that the best thing about Foster was that his passion for running for office never interfered with his devotion to family. Mrs. Foster insisted that he continue to coach, that his daughter would go to recitals and that Dad would be there. Family comes first, Sundays come for church. 11:13 AM: Second Q -- AGs office has a pretty high profile role. What is the proper role for the AG's office in the Commonwealth? 11:14 AM: Cuccinelli -- Certainly an old issue, but one that is certainly coming to the forefront. Tobacco settlement being the most high profile. Would draw the line in not being a plaintiff's lawyer for the citizens of Virginia, but would interact especially in interstate crimes. But we have to be careful not to turn the AGs office into a way to create revenue for Virginia (applause). His predecessors have consistently refused to engage in the "herd mentality" and get on board, the issue won't go way, but appreciates the question that you ultimately take on a case-by-case basis. But -- the reason should not be revenue, it should be obeying the law. 11:16 AM: Foster -- AGs office is the third largest law firm in the state. Foster's background give him the opportunity to tackle a variety of issues, and he believes he can handle any aspect that would be thrown at him. If you believe in protecting life, and we need people who know how to argue those cases and run a law firm. That's what he'll do as AG. Death penalty cases a big part of the job too. 11:17 AM: Brownlee -- AG's job is to protect the Constitution of Virginia and the people of Virginia. The best model? Kilgore... and our other AGs. Back on violent crime. Talks about the benefits of these large cases, able to distribute $45 million back to the citizens of Virginia. Not taxpayer dollars, but bad guy's money. Another case of Medicaid fraud with a dentist, worked with McDonnell to put the guy in federal prison. As AG, his standard will be whether the conduct has violated the Constitution of Virginia and whether the well being of the citizens of Virginia are being protected as well. Partial birth abortion is bad too. 11:20 AM: Third Q -- Transportation plan, was HB 3202 unconstitutional? 11:21 AM: Foster -- Won't challenge the sitting AG, but we all know who caused the train wreck -- Tim Kaine. And we need to force Kaine to explain why we're in the bind we're in. We can fix the unconstitutionality of HB 3202, we can give localities as local elected officials rather than unelected officials the power to make changes, we need to invest in public-private partnerships, and projects like the Dulles Toll Road. That's the approach we need to fix Tim Kaine's problems. 11:22 AM: Brownlee -- HB 3202 has structural flaws, and the abuser fees were a horrible idea in their inception and unworkable. The second component was how the structure and how the General Assembly and Governor created the framework. If you're a politician, and you're going to raise taxes how they did, they need to stand up and be held accountable. We have some folks who have stood up and voted for HB 3202 while signing No New Tax pledges, and that revokes the trust of Virginia taxpayers. As a prosecutor, he had to stand up and prove his case. May not have won every time, but he never shifted blame. We need strong conservative leaders who we can trust, and that's what makes his campaign different. He's been a prosecutor, stood up against violent crime, and that's what we need in Virginia. 11:25 AM: Cuccinelli -- One of the advantages Cuccinelli has is that you don't have to believe what he says about himself, you can look at his record. When the Governor sent back the bill with the abuser fees in, Cuccinelli stood up and said the bill was unconstitutional and voted against the bill (applause). When the Virginia Supreme Court voted 7-0 that it was unconstitutional, it's worth taking note. For an AG candidate, the constitution comes first, and Cuccinelli will continue to do this as AG. On transportation projects, a beltway project took 18 months where it should have taken six. We need a free-market approach to transportation, and we need an AG candidate who not only understands this but has supported reforms in the past. Tolls are one way of doing this -- hates tolls, hates taxes even more, and users pay their way (applause). Every year you wait on a transportation project, the costs go up 8-10%. 11:28 AM: Fourth Q -- Death penalty, what role will it play in your campaign and how will you expand (?!) it's use? 11:29 AM: Brownlee -- I have asked juries to prosecute violent crimes and ask them to take the life of a criminal. It's not fun, but it's necessary to protect innocent lives. AG needs to understand this, and needs an effective and efficient death penalty. Need to eliminate the triggerman rule. Every Republican in the House and Senate -- save one -- voted over the veto of the repeal. 11:31 AM: Cuccinelli -- Every year, the Senate deals with death penalty issues, either to it's expansion or restriction. Cuccinelli supported a timeline for an efficient process despite Democratic opposition. Has supported laws where if a witness is killed in a criminal trial, that is a capital offense. Been aggressive on fighting gang violence, and supports the death penalty. Strikes the right balance between a death penalty that works and an overstretch of government power, especially when it involves the momentous decision of taking another life. 11:33 AM: Foster -- Thought about this extensively, because he was on the School Board when the "Beltway Sniper" was around, and had to deal with the decisions about whether to keep schools open or not. Triggerman rule never made sense to him because of this, and Foster makes no distinction between the sniper and the driver. Will support and defend the death penalty. Questions whether the AGs office deals with the death penalty are moot (zing on Brownlee), but we need to defend the practice. 11:35 AM: Fifth Q -- What role will Virginia's AG play in policies coming from an Obama Administration? 11:36 AM: Cuccinelli -- The point of federal/state conflicts come right through the AGs office. Right to work being one of them. The AGs office has a responsibility to define -- and in cases resist -- overstretches of federal government. Our right to work laws are the bedrock of our economic engine in Virginia, in contrast to our northern neighbors. The unions expect a lot out of Obama. But it's important to remember that if we don't have a legal basis for resisting changes, we don't chase every change -- that's what elections are all about. But we need to have a strong comittment to states rights (strong applause). Obviously in Virginia, we have a dark history with segregation, but will explore the opportunities to fight for the substantive differences that matter in our state constitution. We ought to be the ones to reassert our rights that have been squashed by the federal government, and looks forward to that fight as AG. 11:40 AM: Foster -- Need to be on guard against the lobbyists. If Obama Administration took a position contrary to our constitutional rights, he would hope we would be on the right side of that debate. Need to limit union's influences and defend the right to work laws in Virginia. Thanks Gilmore for his defense of our right to work. Cuccinelli's right -- we have a right and responsibility to protect our rights under the 10th Amendment. 11:41 AM: Brownlee -- When he was sworn in as a U.S. Attorney, he took an oath to protect the constitution. As AG, he will take the same oath. He is well prepared to stand up in court as he's done his whole lifetime to stand up for our rights. Obama will strip all of our rights, especially with abortion and gun control. It's coming. We need an AG who can go into our courts and defend our constitutional rights. Need an AG who can go to court and challenge the federal government, and why it is vital to have an AG who has the experience in a courtroom and who can run an office. His office was identical to that of the AGs office. These assaults on our values are coming, the AGs office is uniquely suited to defend those values, and I will as AG. 11:44 AM: Sixth Q -- What is the appropriate balance between the public's right to know and the state's legal counsel? 11:45 AM: Foster -- State has the right to know where our money is being spent, consumer rights, transparency. There are a lot of good reasons at times not to give information as well; personal privacy for instance. Comes down to where you have a bona fide reason not to reveal information, we owe it to the public to explain exactly why. 99% of the time, the public will understand. 11:47 AM: Brownlee -- Transparent and open government is vital to a democracy, and as a U.S. Attorney he has always run an open office. There are certain circumstances where under the law you can't reveal information. Congratulates Cuccinelli on opening up government, and it's important that we remain transparent, and will continue that path as AG. 11:48 AM: Cuccinelli -- Thanks John. Talks about the inspector general's role as vital, and moving in that direction is important. The AG's role is important in that. Back to the question, the AG gives legal advice to every arm of Virginia government. All advice is privleged, unless the client believes that information be made public. As much as I believe in openness in government, at times it doesn't apply to legal advice -- that's a tension that exists for good reason. But as AG, I will remain committed to open government (applause). Important not to confuse the activities of the client with the AGs office -- George Mason and concealed carry is a good example. It's important to remember that part of what you get in an AG is their judgment, and real world situations will arise where that judgment must be exercised. There's an ethical obligation to that client, but we should never forget that our ultimate loyalty lies to the real clients -- the citizens of Virginia. 11:53 AM: Seventh Q -- What is one major area you will focus on as AG? 11:53 AM: Brownlee -- Consumer rights. It is the duty of the AG to step up and protect consumers in the Commonwealth. Obama will attack our Second Amendment rights, our right to work laws, and we need an AG who is willing to protect those rights and protect the citizens of Virginia. 11:54 AM: Cuccinelli -- As you may notice, most of the time we agree on the issues -- it's the nice thing about being amongst Republicans. But this is where Brownlee and I disagree. I will not violate our free market principles. For instance, one gas station hiked the price of gas to $6/gal! You know what we did? We stopped going to that gas station. Same with ice prices during a hurricane. Property rights need to be increased, not decrease. We in Virginia need to protect that right to property in our constitution, and as AG will continue to lead the fight on property rights in Virginia (LOUD APPLAUSE THROUGHOUT). 11:56 AM: Foster -- Agrees with Cuccinelli. Also needs to expand to protecting our children against sexual predators, especially online. Public safety is a changing involving concept that will require new weapons to protect Virginians. 11:58 AM: Eighth Q -- With 20,000 troops being deployed for domestic security, what are the boundaries? 11:58 AM: Cuccinelli -- I'm concerned. What does 20,000 troops deployed for domestic security sound like to you? I know what it sounds like to me? What is the connection between Real ID and domestic security? There shouldn't be one folks. Will be introducing a bill to keep Virginia out, and an internal security force is the most onerous idea I've heard. If you had mentioned it a year ago, you'd be called a nut. No one is calling the WaPo a nut now. I think our police should be doing our policing, and they do a wonderful job. Our soldiers do a wonderful job outside of our borders, they don't need to do that same job inside our borders. 12:00 PM: Foster -- Collaboration is the key, and look where it has worked. Immigration. Whatever you think about the tough issues we face, when federal and state authorites co-operate, things get done. 12:01 PM: Brownlee -- ...about price gouging, Brownlee can't believe Cuccinelli wouldn't want price controls. I believe in a free market, but not during those tough times. On domestic security, this is why it's important to nominate a U.S. Attorney and a veteran, who served as a JAG officer and knows how to work with military authorities and who can work with our federal government. I'm troubled by the report, but I can work with these issues. 12:03 PM: Last Q -- Do you agree or disagree with the party's position on immigration? 12:03 PM: Foster -- First, I want to thank folks for staying here so long listening to the issues! We're not a party of anti-immigrants, we're a party of immigrants. But we have to be a people and a party who obeys the law. As a school board member, I have run in minority districts, and I too share their values and we need to empower our communities to work with immigrant communities to fight illegal immigration and work with federal authorites -- all the while respecting the foundations of our nation based on immigration. 12:05 PM: Brownlee -- First, we are a party that believes in the rule of law. Second, we are a Christian party, we are a party of family values, and we have so many great programs that we can enhance that can protect our families. Those programs can help keep illegal immigrants out of Virginia. I am the only candidate who as U.S. Attorney have prosecuted illegal immigrants, and am the only candidate with credibility to do anything about this issue. 12:07 PM: Cuccinelli -- Immigrant communities have strong families and are small business owners, and are areas where we should be more than willing to engage. They are natural believers in our principles. Now I would agree that this is the party that must believe in the rule of law, but I have also passed laws that protect those who are trafficked into the United States, those who are "cyotes" who are pushed across the border and respecting their human rights as individuals. You have to take the time to go to the churches and go to the festivals to reach out to immigrant communities. We should be reaching out, I have consistently done so, and will continue to do so. 12:09 PM: Closing remarks. 12:10 PM: Brownlee -- The question is, which candidate has the credibility to run for AG. Looking back on our history, four of the five former Republican AGs have been prosecutors. In our race, there is only one prosecutor. I'm a U.S. Attorney, appointed by the president, and have spent 25 years of my life seeking justice. Voters should ask: Who is there to protect them and seek justice? Select a former prosecutor, a former military officer, and I appreciate your support. 12:11 PM: Cuccinelli -- As before, this is a great way to campaign. Thank you Jerry Kilgore for moderating the debate. I am the only 100% pro-life candidate in this race, and I've proved it in the Virginia Senate. I've fought for property rights. I've fought tax hikes, and defended my position in Fairfax where that's tough to do. I've defended the Second Amendment, and I haven't given one inch. We've defended the marriage amendement. Those are the issues our AG candidate will have to run on, and I've defended those issues in Northern Virginia where it is not easy to do. We need to get back to core principles, and we need to get back to those core principles. We've fought for them, and some have given their lives on. I believe those principles are worth building a party around, and in this race for AG, I need your help. We need to rebuild our grassroots ability and we need to be able to win where I've been winning, and I need your help to do that not only today, but over the next 11 months. 12:14 PM: Foster -- If you conclude that I am a strong candidate for AG, then we have three strong candidates for AG, because I am standing next to two excellent candidates. I have proven ability to get elected in the toughest areas, am an experienced prosecutor, and would be honored to carry the nomination. Our faith compells us to give back to our Commonwealth and Country. Let us have the faith that might makes right, and if we have the faith to stand by our principles, we will take back Virginia for our party. 12:17 PM: Game over! Straw poll commences! 12:27 PM: Just voted for Cuccinelli... place cleared out very quickly for lunch. 12:35 PM: Wow. Apparently, my site really doesn't come up if you're at the Homestead Resort (at least if you want to see the site -- RSS feeds still come streaming through). Apparently upon investigation, someone asked for it to be blocked, then spoke too much and now won't tell me a thing... interesting.
Friday, December 05, 2008Liveblogging the AdvanceAs I can, when I can, I'll be offering comments during the three-day event. For a foretaste, Anita Kumar with the WaPo highlights the centerpiece of this weekends drama, with some none-too-interesting quotes from specific GOP leaders, most notably former Attorney General Kilgore: State Central Committee members who were interviewed said it is unlikely that Frederick will be removed Friday when hundreds of activists gather at the posh mountain resort for the annual GOP Advance. The committee did not put a discussion of Frederick's future on its agenda. If 75 percent of members agree to waive the rules, they say, they could add it.Gubernatorial candidate and current Attorney General Bob McDonnell's comments were even less direct: McDonnell, the likely Republican nominee for governor, would not say this week whether Frederick should stay. He said the "party apparatus" would decide the future of the chairman's job and that "effective candidates," not a chairman, are the most important factor in next year's elections.Partially true, IMO. If the last three years have shown us anything, we need both strong candidates and strong, mobilized grassroots. McCain is an excellent case-in-point: the GOP ran their "best candidate" and got hammered. So what should we expect this weekend? That depends on two factors: (1) How well is the RPV Advance actually run leading into a pretty dismal setup, and (2) what Frederick has to say to the Executive Committee behind closed doors. Rank-and-file Republicans will never know the answer to the latter, but on the former there will be many judges. We shall see. Wednesday, December 03, 2008Bob McDonnell Schools Brian MoranThis is worth watching, even if you're not keen on watching these things. Bob McDonnell absolutely eviscerates Brian Moran on education and tax hikes:2009 is going to be a fun, fun year with a gubernatorial candidate like McDonnell leading the GOP. Heh. The Kenney Memo: A Modest Proposal for Virginia Republicans
From the introduction: We know this, whether we are prepared to admit it publicly or not. The Republican Party of Virginia is broken, but not on ideas or principle. The Republican Party of Virginia logistically is a wreck. Talk of throwing any part of our coalition overboard is both premature and unsound. Good candidates will no longer be able to paper over the severe disadvantages we have placed ourselves under. Until Virginia Republicans recognize and correct this problem, we will continue to slide further into a minority status. Quick reforms are needed. This approach – even if taken in parts over time – will allow RPV’s infrastructure to make immediate strikes into our 2009 races now, while allowing Virginia Republicans the “long game” to re-ignite the entrepreneurial spirit we have arguably lost.
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JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?1) John Brownlee2) Ken Cuccinelli AboutShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia.ContactThe Jeffersoniad
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