Steve Shannon's Going All Out During GOTV

Steve Shannon is picking up a lot of momentum in the homestretch here, which is perhaps what the campaign was hoping for as it has a large cash on hand advantage during these final days. When you combine that with the fact that he appears to have a strong GOTV program, he could potentially make this race a lot closer than the polls are suggesting. Having said that, a double digit lead is EXTREMELY difficult lead to overcome even in a race that the public isn't following closely. If Steve's going to win, his campaign needs to have as many people helping out as possible in these final few days. If you can spare a few hours and were looking for a statewide candidate to help, I highly recommend volunteering for Steve's AG campaign.

If you need a reminder of what's at stake, here's a video that Steve's campaign put together.

Ken Cuccinelli's Bigotry Should Be Embrassing For Virginians

At a time when you didn't think there could be much more bigotry coming out of a statewide ticket, it looks like Ken Cuccinelli has proven that the Republican Party of Virginia is lead by a bunch of wignuts. In an interview with the Virginia Pilot, Cuccinelli said that it's appropriate for the country to have laws against homosexuality. As the Washington Post pointed out in an editorial today that said Cuccinelli's sentiments "retrofit the old rhetoric of racism, bias and intolerance in a new context," these statements are absolutely horrible and its a shame that Cuccinelli even has a chance of being elected as Virginia's next Attorney General.

Homosexual acts, said Mr. Cuccinelli, currently a state senator, are "intrinsically wrong. And I think in a natural law-based country it's appropriate to have policies that reflect that. . . . They don't comport with natural law. I happen to think that it represents (to put it politely; I need my thesaurus to be polite) behavior that is not healthy to an individual and in aggregate is not healthy to society."

Putting aside what Mr. Cuccinelli has to say about homosexuals when he's not trying so hard to be polite, let's call his comments what they are: bigotry. Bigotry is as pernicious today, applied to homosexuals, as it was a century ago or less, when immigrants and minorities were its main victims. And it is just as familiar. Appeals to "natural law" and "intrinsic" rights and wrongs were the usual cliches deployed to justify the old-time religion of hatred then directed at African Americans, Jews, Italians, Irish and other immigrants.

When you combine Cuccinelli's statements with the fact that Bob McDonnell has said he won't renew the executive order that bans LGBT Virginians from being fired by state agencies solely based upon their sexual orientation, I think it's quite clear where the GOP statewide ticket stands on discrimination. They think it's okay and appear to have no problem admitting it.

I actually feel as though it's truly embarrassing that people like Ken Cuccinelli and Bob McDonnell might be elected to the highest positions of state government even though they believe people should be to fire people based solely upon who they love. While we definitely had a lot more work to do in regards to equality, I thought Virginia was better than that. With all the extremist rhetoric that's already been used by the leaders of the GOP on both the state and national level, however, I supposed we shouldn't be too surprised to hear this kind of bigotry promoted by a candidate.

Polls Indicate Virginia Gubernatorial Race Isn't A Referendum on Obama

The Republican leadership has been trying to claim that the gubernatorial campaign here in Virginia is going to be a referendum on the Obama Administration. While there might be some people who are going to cast their vote to either express their support or opposition to Obama, only a relatively small number of people will be using their votes in that manner. In fact, a poll conducted by the Washington Post suggests that 7 in 10 voters have said that what they think of Obama won’t be impacted who they vote for as governor.

Seven in 10 Virginia voters said their views of Obama will not be a factor in their choice for governor, according to the poll. The rest are about evenly divided between those who say their vote will be motivated by their desire to express support for the president and those who want to voice opposition to him.

In other words, only about 10 to 15 percent of voters are likely to vote against Creigh Deeds because they oppose Obama. Furthermore, the majority of the voters who fall into that category were not going to vote for a Democratic candidate to begin with which means that opposition to Obama has an even smaller impact than those numbers suggest.

In another sign that this isn’t a referendum on Obama is the plain and simple fact that even after George Bush overwhelmingly won Virginia during his reelection campaign in 2004, Jerry Kilgore still lost the gubernatorial campaign to Tim Kaine in 2005. As the Post points out, this is despite the fact that Bush had stumped for Kilgore in the final weeks of the campaign. This ultimately means that while it doesn’t hurt to have a popular president as a member of your party, recent history suggests it still isn’t going to have a strong influence on the outcome of the gubernatorial campaign.

All that being said, don’t be surprised when all of the Republicans try to claim Virginia rejected Obama. Members of the GOP’s leadership have a history of ignoring what’s actually taking place, so this will just be another example of how their arguments are clearly contradicting the facts on the ground.

Jane Hamsher Discusses Joe Lieberman With Rachel Maddow

Jane Hamsher was on Rachel Maddow's show talking about Joe Lieberman's announcement that he would filibuster health care reform if the legislation included a public option. As Jane points out, this is brings up the question of whether it actually means anything that the Democrats have a so called filibuster proof majority in the Senate. After all, if Harry Reid isn't able to get his caucus to prevent Republican filibusters then we don't actually have a filibuster proof majority.

What I think's worth noting here is that a lot of people won't blame Lieberman for preventing this legislation from moving forward. In the end, if there is no meaningful health care reform that's passed, all many voters will remember is that Obama and the Democratic leadership were unable to get the legislation passed. It's therefore in the White House's best interest to make sure that Lieberman votes for cloture.

Furthermore, Obama most definitely has the upper hand in negotiations with Lieberman on this issue. In addition to having the bully pulpit of the White House when trying to get Lieberman's vote, Obama also can remind Lieberman of the fact that he stood up for the Senator when many Democrats were considering stripping him of his Chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Harry Reid has taken the step of presenting a bill to the Senate floor that includes a public option and now the White House has a responsibility to work with him to ensure that health care reform is allowed an up or down vote in the Senate.

Open Thread

There's obviously been a lot of developments in the races here in Virginia as election day is a week away. Unfortunately, the polls suggest that Creigh Deeds is down by double digits -- PPP has him down by 15 points and SurveyUSA has him down by 17. On top of that, the Republicans are leading in the other two statewide campaigns by similar margins. If there's any good news, I have been talking to voters about some of the delegate campaigns and many of the Democratic incumbents in Northern Virginia do have the support of their constituents, but it looks like the GOTV programs in the final weeks are going to be even more important than usual.

More to come later, but feel free to treat this as an open thread in the meantime.

Great Reminder of What the Equality Movement Is All About

It's easy to get caught up in the politics of the struggle for equality, but I think Philip Spooner's testimony serves as a great reminder of what the movement is all about.

Peggy Frank Endorsed by Local Educators

I strongly believe that we need to make sure that Virginians have access to a high quality education. Not only will this allow students to better themselves, but a well educated workforce will also attract businesses which will result in more jobs for the local community. That is why I'm pleased to see that Peggy Frank, who is running for the House of Delegates from the 7th District, is announcing the group "Educators for Frank" that's comprised of 29 educators who work in the 7th District (which includes Radford and part of Montgomery and Pulaski Counties).

“I am proud to have the support of these educators who share my commitment to our children’s future,” said Frank. “As a graduate of Virginia’s public schools and the mother of three children who attended Virginia’s public schools I am a strong believer in public education. Unfortunately, Virginia ranks 37th in state per pupil education funding and our teachers are paid almost $5,000 below the national average. Protecting public education funding will be one of my priorities in the House of Delegates,” Frank continued.

“As an educator, I am confident that Peggy Frank is the best education candidate for the 7th District. She shares our commitment to serve our children and I am proud to endorse Peggy Frank today,” said Bonnie Sumner, a Montgomery County educator.

“The contrast between Peggy Frank and her opponent, Dave Nutter, could not be any clearer,” observed Frank’s Campaign Manager, Brandon Bull. “Nutter’s average rating from the Virginia Education Association over the last two years is 63%. If he were still in school that would be a D-minus. Peggy Frank’s support for public education is unwavering, as represented by her strong support today from educators who work serving the 7th House District,” Bull concluded.

Over at NLS, Ben ranked this race as "Likely Republican" and claimed that "a miracle" was needed for Frank to win the race. I'd agree that as it stands right now the race is leaning Republican, but I don't think it would take "a miracle" for Frank to win this race. In the final weeks of this campaign a good GOTV effort could really prove to make the difference, especially since I expect there to be relatively low turnout in the district. With things such as "Educators for Frank" being formed there is no doubt in my mind that Peggy's message is resonating with folks and now the struggle is simply to make sure enough of her supporters get out to the polls. I therefore strongly encourage people who live in Southwest VA to do what they can to help Peggy's campaign.

Washington Post Endorsed Steven Shannon for AG

The Washington Post has endorsed Steve Shannon for Attorney General. While the post has made it clear in several of its past endorsements that they faced a difficult decision over who they should endorse, this editorial seemed to suggest that there wasn't much struggle. The Post correctly highlights how Ken Cuccinelli has made it clear that he would take his extremist philosophy with him into the AG's office while Steve Shannon would actually lead the AG's office in a nonpartisan manner.

Mr. Shannon, who has a weakness for wonkish legalese, may not come across as a worldbeater, but there is no doubt he would run the attorney general's office, with its 166 lawyers, as a serious, nonpartisan agency. As a prosecutor in Fairfax County, Mr. Shannon focused on busting purveyors of child pornography. With his wife, he had previously founded the Metropolitan Washington Amber Alert program, a local chapter of a nationwide system for locating abducted children. As attorney general, Mr. Shannon would steer a responsible course on consumer protection, the environment and the advisory legal opinions that the office is frequently asked to render.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Post's endorsement in this race. I've known Steve for years and have publicly supported him for AG since before he even officially started his campaign. In these next few weeks, however, it's critically important that people get out and work hard for Steve's campaign. With most of the attention going to the gubernatorial race, not as many people know a whole lot about this race and that's why the final GOTV efforts are going to be extremely critical. If you want to sign up to do some volunteer work for Steve's campaign you can sign up by filling out the form out his website. The volunteer page also has the contact information for his field director if you prefer to call.

UPDATE: Interestingly enough, this endorsement comes on the same day that Shannon's campaign manager will be live-blogging over at Blue Virginia. So if you want to dive more into some of the details of the campaign while making your decision about who to support I'd highly recommend heading over to Blue Virginia at 2pm to ask Mike Henry some questions about the race.

Video:Gerry Connolly Goes After GOP on American Clean Energy and Security Act

I strongly believe that we need to elect officials who will stand up for the best interests of their constituents once they're in office. Fortunately for the residents of Virginia's 11th District, Gerry Connolly has been doing that during his time in Congress. In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives earlier today, for instance, Connolly went after the Republicans who are trying to stand in the way of the American Clean Energy and Security Act by spreading misinformation.

It's important to note here that Gerry highlights how this piece of legislation would not only help our environment but it would also spur our economy by creating investment in new technologies and green jobs. In a time when people are being laid off left and right, this could prove to be an integral part of the country's economic recovery. Furthermore, Gerry mentions how the Republicans and special interest groups have been using misinformation to stop progress on the legislation. This is yet another example of how there are some people who appear to be more loyal to special interests than their actual constituents. This is further evidenced by the fact that Gerry was able to highlight several large companies that have suspended some of their actions with the Chamber of Commerce because of its opposition to the legislation.

While this speech was made earlier today, Gerry has been taking the lead with programs to help the environment and economy for years in his role on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Now that he's in Congress, he has the ability to bring a lot of credibility on the issue to the work that is being done on a federal level. I therefore strongly encourage his colleagues to pay attention to the what Gerry had to say today on the floor and what he'll bring to the table in future discussions.

Local Democrat Takes on Bill O'Reilly

My friend Mark Levine, who hosts the "Radio Inside Scoop" every weekday and the federal version of the Inside Scoop every Monday in Fairfax, was on Bill O'Reilly the other day talking about the Afghanistan strategy. Of course, O'Reilly was ridiculously wrong by claiming that the left wants the taliban to win back control of Afghanistant but that still didn't stop him from using Arianna Huffington's recent comments about Biden to make it sound like some evil conspiracy was taking place.

Fairfax County Schools Face $176 Million Budget Shortfall

Especially during the tough economic times that we’re currently facing, it’s extremely important that we have a top notch school system that can prepare students for the 21st Century job market. This is crucial because a high quality school system not only results in a brighter future for children in the community, but also attracts more businesses which in return creates more jobs for people who are either in the workforce or looking to join the workforce. Nonetheless, it looks like there are some extremely tough decisions that are going to be made by the school board and other officials in the coming months as our school system in Fairfax.

While the final proposed budget won’t be presented to the school board until January, the Washington Post is reporting that the projected $176 million budget shortfall could result in the “most dramatic reduction in services in more than 20 years.” What ads to the situation is that there have already been some budget cuts that were made this year and the student population is continuing to grow. Of course we’re lucky to have one of the best school systems in the country (if not THE best) here in Fairfax, but the budget cuts still raise some concerns as there are some significant changes that might need to be made.

The list includes increasing class size by one student for a savings of $19 million, removing foreign language instruction from elementary schools to save $2 million, and rolling back full-day kindergarten from 101 schools to 34 schools in disadvantaged communities, yielding $13 million in savings.

The board will also consider eliminating summer school to save $8 million and undoing a special staffing formula that provides extra teachers for high-need schools, which would save $20 million. Also on the table are reductions in school technology specialists, guidance counselors and social workers and higher activity fees and test fees for Advanced Placement courses.

Now there are several things that I believe are worth taking away from this news. First is that these recommendations aren't set in stone and members of the community will have the opportunity to learn more about the situation and potentially even give their two cents at upcoming community meetings. As of right now, there are meetings scheduled for October 29 and November 14. As part of the work I was doing with working class families at the time, I worked with a large number of community members who were interested in the school system’s budget while the previous rounds of cuts were being made. I bring this up only to say that I know the members of the School Board truly do value what the community's input so I highly recommend attending these meetings if you have the time.

It’s also worth noting that residents of Providence District will be electing a new School Board member when they head to the polls on November 3. Considering the budget crisis that the school system is currently facing, the results of this election are extremely important. I have already expressed my support for John Jennison in this race and his experience as a graduate of FCPS, a parent with children in the system, and a long time community advocate will greatly benefit him if he were to become the newest member of the School Board.

Although there are a few months before the final budget will be proposed, January will be upon us quicker than you think. I therefore want to hear from folks about the school system’s budget. There are endless amount of questions, but here are just a few that come to mind. What programs, if any, should be cut? Would you consider paying more taxes if it meant more funding for our schools? Will the handling of this situation impact how you vote in future races? How will the budget shortfall impact the students? Will the freeze on teacher salaries impact the quality of the teachers FCPS attract? I’ll be following the situation in the coming months so please send me your thoughts on the topic.

Great Video from No on 1 Campaign

I think this video, put out by the No on 1 campaign up in Maine, really highlights exactly what's going on in the debates over same-sex marriage. Supporters of same-sex marriage often speak about how this is a simple civil right and don't want to take away rights from anyone else. Many same-sex marriage supporters have even made an extra effort to make it clear that they aren't forcing any churches to conduct ceremonies that go against their institution's religious beliefs. The folks who are promoting the anti-equality measure in Maine, however, seem to have an agenda that is very much focused on preventing groups of people from having their basic civil rights.

McDonnell Won't Renew Ban on Discrimination Against LGBT Workers

Bob McDonnell has already run into a lot of trouble because he wrote that working women are "detrimental" to society, but it now appears as though he's still refusing to stand up for equality. In an interview with a local paper in Lynchburg, McDonnell said that he wouldn't renew the executive order that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation for people seeking employment. In a prime example of how extreme McDonnell truly is, he even claimed that "it would be illegal to carry [the executive order] forward."

While considering just how extreme McDonnell's remarks are, it's important to note that all the executive order says is that a qualified candidate shouldn't be denied a job solely based on the person's sexual orientation. It wouldn't force state agencies to hire anyone if they were unqualified or if there were better candidates, but simply says that a person's sexual orientation cannot disqualify someone for receiving the position. Nonetheless, McDonnell claims that protecting someone from discrimination "would be illegal." That is simply inexcusable and truly helps to illustrate how McDonnell has not changed since the arguments he made about working women.

In addition to the news that we have yet another example of his extremism, it's also worth noting that McDonnell has once again been the person to make the story about his controversial views. When the news about his thesis gained attention for arguing that working women are "detrimental" to the family, reporters investigated the thesis because he brought it up in an interview with the Washington Post. Now that we learn that he thinks it "would be illegal" to stand against discrimination, it was once again McDonnell's own response to reporters that drew attention to his extremism. This indicates that he's simply proud of his comments and beliefs on these issues even though the vast majority of commonsense Virginians find them offensive.

Another interesting aspect of his comments is that it clearly indicates how he would govern if elected. When you looked at his record as Attorney General and previous legislative experience it was painfully obvious that he was implementing the blueprint for government that he laid out in the thesis that called working women "detrimental" and would likely do the same thing if he became governor. After all, he hadn't done anything that would suggest otherwise. In these remarks calling it "illegal" to stand against discrimination, however, he admits that he would specifically break the tradition of issuing an executive order that bans discriminating against job applicants.

While McDonnell tries to cast himself as a moderate when talking to voters, it's becoming increasingly clear that he is still the same extremist that claimed working women are "detrimental" to society. Virginians went to the polls last year to express their support for a presidential candidate that spoke about hope for all Americans. Now it appears as though Bob McDonnell wants to be governor and implement practices that would specifically take away hope for hard working and highly qualified Virginians.

Congress Has a Role to Play, But the White House Needs to Lead on the Issue of GLBT Equality

Part of what we talked about last night when I was on the Inside Scoop was how there are a lot of activists who are disappointed with the way the Obama Administration has been handling gay rights. He ran on a promise of change, which included doing things such as repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell which prevents members of the LGBT community from serving in the military and passing an inclusive Employee Non Discrimination Act, which would prevent people from getting fired based solely upon their sexual orientation or gender identity. While he's continued to express his support for these actions, I took the opportunity last night to express my belief that Obama isn't moving quickly enough on these issues.

Some of the other panelists thought that he was doing what he could to address the issue and were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was also mentioned that legislation needs to be passed on these issues as Obama cannot do these things by executive order. Therefore, Congress has an important role to play in the struggle for gay rights. Based upon an editorial in today's Washington Post, it appears as though the other panelists weren't alone in thinking that Obama was taking too much heat and more pressure needed to be put on Congress.

Frustration with Mr. Obama and the lack of progress in fulfilling his pledges on gay rights were evident at Sunday's National Equality March. But why is he the only target? Overturning "don't ask, don't tell" and DOMA require legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) have been content to sit on the sidelines while Mr. Obama takes the hits. This can't continue. Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid must exert the necessary leadership in their respective chambers to pass bills the president has promised to sign. Until then, they deserve as much criticism and blame as Mr. Obama for impeding the long march to equality.

Now I agree that it's important for people who support equality to put pressure on Congress. Congress, after all, does have a role to play in the process. But as I said last night on the Inside Scoop, Obama has something that members of Congress don't -- the bully pulpit of the presidency. Obama could help move the issues forward if they truly were a priority for the White House. Harry Reid even seems to realize that he could use some more help on the issue from the President as the Majority Leader sent a letter to Obama and Secretary Gates asking for a position on how to move regarding Don't Ask Don't Tell. While we need more action than a simple letter from Congress, the move clearly indicated that the Senate wants Obama to take a lead on the issue.

We've all seen how health care legislation ran into problem after problem when Obama simply handed the situation over to Congress. When we're talking about basic human rights we cannot afford to allow a repeat of that situation -- especially when this time around the Senate Majority Leader has already called for Obama to take a more prominent role in moving forward. That is why I felt it was important to express my disappointment with the President while I was on the Inside Scoop last night. It's great that he's willing to engage in a dialogue with supporters of equality and Congress definitely needs to feel some pressure too, but the White House needs to take leadership on the issue of equality. It's simply the right thing to do.

Video: Cleve Jones Speaking at the National Equality March

Olympia Snowe to Vote In Favor Of Finance Committee Bill

Perhaps the biggest bit of drama expected in the Finance Committee's vote today on the Baucus bill would be whether or not Olympia Snowe would vote for it. In the last few weeks, it has become clear that she has been the one Republican who might actually vote for the bill and she just announced that she will be voting in favor of the legislation -- at least in committee. After the White House has been focused on trying to get a bipartisan bill through Congress, I'm sure that they are very pleased to hear this news. While I agree that it's always nice to have bipartisan support for a bill and commend Olympia Snowe for being willing to break from her party if she'll stand up for real health care reform on the Senate floor, I'm not fully convinced that she's going to be fighting for what we really need in the bill and I therefore wonder what her impact will be on the final legislation that emerges from the Senate.

By breaking from her party and even considering voting for reform Snowe has lost some favor with the Republican Party. With the public pressure to get a bill passed and on the President's desk, there was some movement among Democratic officials to get the bill passed without catering to Snowe's every demand. Rep. Alan Grayson even went to the floor of the House of Representatives to remind his colleagues that "Olympia Snowe wasn't elected president last November." What could keep her influential in the discussions though would be to vote for the bill in committee because the Democratic leadership wouldn't want to lose the one Republican vote that they were already able to get.

What this essentially means is that Olympia Snowe will have a lot of power in the next few weeks and that the general public needs to remind our Senators that we strongly support the public option and providing everyone with access to affordable health care. This is important because while there can be some changes to the bill in conference (to settle differences between the House and Senate bills), the smaller the differences the better. That is why I strongly encourage everyone to call their Senators and tell them that you support the public option. In Virginia, the Senator who could really use an extra reminder is Mark Warner and his office can be reached at 202-224-2023.

I'll Be On TV Tonight Discussing the Gay Rights Movement

I'm going to be a guest on tonight's Inside Scoop with Mark Levine as we talk about the National Equality March and the state of the gay rights movement in general. The show is from 7pm until 8pm and folks in Fairfax County can watch it on channel 10. The show will also be live-streamed and I will post a viewer below here as we get closer to airtime.

Video: Rabbi Beifield of Richmond Speaks About Jewish Values and Health Care Reform

One of the thing I enjoy the most about my job as an organizer is that I'm able to speak with people from various walks of life and work with them on ways that we can all come together to improve our community. In recent months I've had the opportunity to speak with many members of the faith community who have pointed out that they believe they have a moral responsibility to stand up for social justice issues. Of course the prime example of this in regards to current events is that people believe everyone should have access to affordable health care.

With that in mind, I found it very interesting to hear Rabbi Martin Beifield of Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond speak about Jewish values and health reform. I highly recommend watching the video below of his speech as I believe his message is very powerful, especially towards the end when he speaks about how it's in the best interest of everyone to look out for those who need some help and not just think of ourselves.



Thanks to the folks from the Virginia Interfaith Center for the video.

National Equality March

I will be downtown for the National Equality March and I certainly hope that my readers will be too. Feel free to email me if you're planning on going and want to meet up during the event. More importantly, I think Cleve Jones hits it on the nail during his interview with Anderson Cooper. The march alone won't change everything, but it's an important part of the process and will energize a lot of activists who will go back to their districts and run phonebanks, write letters, and organize local action. It's because the event's organizers want people to continue the work back home, after all, that they've organized trainings to go along with the march.

Alan Grayson: Olympia Snowe Wasn't Elected President

In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives last night Rep. Alan Grayson hit on some points that a lot of health care reform advocates have been stressing for quite some time. We elected a Democratic majority because we wanted real leadership on issues like health care. The Republicans had their opportunity and simply let it slide as they were promoting their bitterly partisan agenda. Therefore, it's deeply disappointing to hear some leaders talk about gutting reform in hopes of getting one or two Republicans to sign onto the bill. Fortunately, I think more and more people are beginning to realize that the Republican members of Congress are more interested in playing political games than getting things done. Hopefully that means we'll actually see the legislative process move forward.

Insurance Companies Consider Pregnancy A Pre-Existing Condition

It’s amazing to me that there are people fighting against health care reform when we are constantly hearing about the horrible things that insurance companies are able to get away with. As Gerry Connolly pointed out in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, for instance, anti-reform advocates are essentially supporting horrendous policy that allows some insurance industries to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence because they consider the violence someone else committed to be a pre-existing condition. Just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse, it appears as though there is more information that needs to be discussed. As Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently pointed out, women often are discriminated against on the individual insurance market.

We will be finalizing a bill soon, and among its provisions, it will address the issue that women are charged nearly 50 percent more than men for the same coverage when they purchase insurance in the individual market…We will eliminate co-pays and deductibles for recommended preventive services, such as early screenings, mammograms, well baby care, well child care, and maternity services…Did you know that having had a pregnancy was a pre-existing medical condition? I found out that myself. I had five children, and they told me I was a poor risk. I said: ‘I thought I proved my strength?’ If you have ever had a c-section, pre-existing medical condition. Or being a victim of domestic violence. Think of this, you have survived domestic violence and now you are discriminated in the insurance market because you have a pre-existing medical condition. Well, that will all be gone under this legislation.

Over on Pelosi’s blog there are some more details on how the legislation being considered would help address these issues and I highly recommend reading it. What’s also important to remember is that there are some people in Congress who are working against this legislation, which is why people need to let their voice be heard on the topic. It simply should not be acceptable that women can be denied coverage simply because they had a c-section or survived domestic violence. If you share this belief, then call your members of Congress and urge them to support the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. You can call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you to your representatives.

Cynthia Neff Answers Questions During Live Blog at NDP

Cynthia Neff participated in a live blog earlier today at the New Dominion Project. For those of you who don't know, Neff is running for the House of Delegates from the 58th District which is in the Charlottesville area. She answered a large number of questions on a variety of topics so I highly recommend checking out the full discussion, but I did want to highlight the answers that she gave to the questions that I asked. My first question had to deal with the fact that there are a lot of students who, for whatever reason, simply don't go on to college. I therefore wanted to know what Neff thought could be done to help prepare high school graduates for the 21st century job market.

My Question: While a higher education is something that is considered a pre-requisite for many career, college isn't for everyone. What, if anything, do you think should be done to make sure that a person who has graduated from high school in Virginia has the skills necessary to enter the 21st century job market as a valuable member of the workforce?

Cynthia Neff's Answer: We need to have good choices for all kids. Not everyone will go to college, but everyone needs to be able to build good skills. My education plan has an expansion of dual-track and vocational programs, which I hope will help. I think that one of the problems with our primary school education system right now is that the United States is continually falling behind other countries in math and science. We also need to support our community college system if we want to have the high quality workforce that employers look for when opening businesses.

As I've talked to leaders throughout Virginia I am constantly hearing about how the community college system could be a very productive way to prepare people for the 21st Century job market. This has especially been the case in some of the more rural communities in Virginia and those who have been facing tough economic times such as Danville. A few months ago I toured the campus of the Danville Community College as part of a small group there to learn about a program in which students would receive job training in an accelerated program at DCC and, upon graduation, would be guaranteed an interview at some of the local businesses. This program gave people the opportunity to get ahead and provided local businesses with an educated workforce. The program has been very successful and serves as a great example of why Cynthia's correct that we must support our community college system.

Since House of Delegate candidates are on the ground knocking on doors and talking to potential constituents, they often times have a good idea about what is important to the local community. I therefore thought Neff would be a good person to ask about what's important to people in the people in the Charlottesville area.

My Question: As you've been talking to potential constituents, is there any topic that has emerged as the most important issue to your constituents? What would you do in the House of Delegates to address the issue?

Cynthia Neff's answer:One of the things that people talk about to me the most is the ineffectiveness of government. Instead of getting together and hammering out a solution to transportation or other big issues, they spend months talking about whether we can take guns into bars. There's too much emphasis on small issues at the expense of the really important ones. They're "majoring in the minor", if you will.

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I do not hold my opinions to myself. I won't go to Richmond, sit back and watch the inactivity get worse. I'm not running for Delegate to start a career - I've had one of those, and a good one. I just want to help solve some problems.

What I think is important here is that people aren't saying they don't want the government to help people out, they are saying that they don't like it when our elected officials bicker about "small issues." With the Republican leadership in the House of Delegates spending so much time on "gotcha" tactics instead of the real issues it's not surprising that people are frustrated with what's going on. Even when Congress is finally discussing important issues like health care reform, we see so many Republicans spreading misinformation about socialized medicine and death panels. I'm therefore very pleased to see that Cynthia Neff seems prepared to stand up to these career politicians and work to "solve some problems."

Specifically focusing in on the partisanship that has prevented the House of Delegates from addressing some of the important issues, I wanted to know what Cynthia would do to help address that issue.

My Question: Anyone who's followed Virginia politics recently knows that the House of Delegates has been stuck in partisan gridlock for the last few years. This obviously has prevented a lot of meaningful legislation from being passed. What would you bring to the table that would help to ease that partisanship and could allow some of the key issues in your campaign platform to be addressed.

Cynthia Neff's answer: When I was at IBM, I was often surrounded by people with vastly different points of view from my own. Working with people I disagree with isn't new to me. The key is sitting down and hammering out compromises and staying practical and focused on solving problems.

In the long term, there are three things that are crucial: redistricting reform, campaign finance reform, and term limits. Career politicians sitting on huge war chests in completely safe districts don't have any incentive to compromise and work across the aisle.

Neff's answer to this question really shows something important -- she's already thinking in terms of immediate steps to get things heading in the right direction and has some long term issues she'd like to see addressed. In other words, she isn't just trying to score some quick political points but has ideas that could truly help Virginia in the long term. Contrast that to some of the political "gotcha" games that the career politicians in the Republican Party are playing and I think you have a prime example of why people should vote for Cynthia Neff on November 3.

Keith Olbermann Speaks Bluntly About Health Care Reform

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AG Debate Provides Clear Example of Campaign Themes

Last night’s debate between the two candidates for Attorney General was one that actually did get into a fair amount of discussion on the issues that are relevant to the AG’s office. Whether it was discussing databases used to help law enforcement, guns on college campuses, or making college more accessible, Steve Shannon wanted to work with people from both sides of the aisle to create the best policy while Ken Cuccinelli wanted to promote a partisan agenda.

As a matter of fact, this theme even started to emerge before the debate even started. Cuccinelli’s supporters were outside of the auditorium holding up “Don’t tread on me signs” while Steve Shannon’s supporters were holding up signs that focused on how he’ll work on issues like public safety. Since both campaigns played a role in organizing their supporters this is very telling because it illustrates what each campaign values. With that being said, Cuccinelli’s campaign decided to associate with the teabaggers on the extreme right while Shannon’s campaign wanted people talking about ways to keep our communities safe.

Perhaps one of the most noticeable aspects of the debate was the fact that Ken Cuccinelli clearly doesn't like labor and consistently bragged about receiving a 0 rating from the AFL-CIO. I think this is important to note because the AFL-CIO gives out ratings that really focus on how an official votes on issues that largely affect working class folks. This essentially means that if you receive a poor rating from the organization you are voting against the best interests of the hard working people who do things like maintain our roads, build and maintain the buildings that business is conducted in, and keep our communities safe. You can claim you're pro-business, but if you are voting against these folks then you are also voting against the people who make it possible for business to succeed.

What makes Cuccinelli's 0 rating even more remarkable is that you have to work hard to get a 0. This means the senator didn't just vote the wrong way a few times; he was actively supporting an agenda that is anti-worker. The fact that Cuccinelli would continuously brag about his 0 rating and use it as an example of the policy he would promote as AG therefore truly goes to show that he's more interesting in attacking labor unions and the working class than actually making Virginia a better place to live.

Shannon, on the other hand, has received support from both business groups like the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and some labor organizations. As Steve highlighted during the debate, the Chamber of Commerce usually endorses Republican candidates. This year is no different as the Chamber has already endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor. Ken Cuccinelli’s is so out of touch, however, that groups like the Chamber are consistently deciding to forego endorsing his candidacy and are supporting Steve Shannon. The fact that he’s getting support from both labor and the Chamber of Commerce suggests that he truly is the candidate who would be able to lead in a direction that’s best for our economy

So there you have it. Based on the policy being promoted by the two campaigns you have a chance to decide between a candidate who got involved in politics to protect our communities and one who is proud of being anti-worker. In my opinion the choice is very clear. Vote for the candidate who has public safety experience and would work to improve our communities -- Steve Shannon.

Teabaggers to Protest AG Debate Tonight

There will be a debate tonight between the two candidates for Attorney General -- Steve Shannon and Ken Cuccinelli -- at the Verizon Auditorium at GMU's Prince William Campus. The debate will be starting at 7:30 and will be live-streamed by the Inside Scoop as long as there aren't any unforeseen technical errors on the show's website (www.insidescoopproductions.com).

I have been told by several different sources that the teabaggers will likely be there in force protesting. This wouldn't surprise me too much when you taken into consideration that Ken Cuccinelli is one of the most conservative members of the General Assembly and has a following of many people who make the teabaggers look like moderates. Furthermore, this is right in the heart of Greg Letieqc's base of support and he seems to enjoy rallying up some of his extreme right wing followers in desperate attempts to hamper any real discussion of the issues.

What this means in the long run is that Ken Cuccinelli and his supporters will likely try to make it look like he has more grassroots support than Steve Shannon. After all, the teabaggers often times do make it into news reports as they shout hateful slogans and hold up signs filled with bigotry. Hopefully the reporters in attendance will be able to look past the hate that the protesters are preaching and concentrate on the real issues that are discussed during the debate.

Gerry Connolly Goes After Republican Health Care Policy on House Floor

We need more members of Congress to be vocal in their support of true health care reform and to stand up to the Republicans who will cheer when the US doesn't get the Olympics at the same time that they refuse to support health care reform that will truly benefit the general public. Fortunately, one of Virginia's own members of Congress was willing to aggressively go after the Republicans for promoting policies which would "“allow health care premiums to double over the next decade, add more than two-thirds to out-of-pocket expenses for individuals and families whose premiums and deductibles grew three times faster than their wages over the last 10 years, and push more families to the brink of financial ruin…”

During his speech on the floor of the House he also said Congress "must deliver reform that will make health care more affordable and accessible, cap out-of-pocket expenses, stop cherry-picking based on pre-existing conditions, and protect our small businesses from crippling costs.” He also highlighted how the Republicans have a policy in place that which would allow discrimination based upon pre-existing conditions. What makes this absolutely horrific is the plan and simple fact that in 8 states this means companies could continue denying coverage to survivors of domestic violence because they consider being a victim of domestic violence a pre-existing condition.

The Republicans who support these types of policies deserve to be called out on their tactics. I'm glad to see that my Congressman, Rep. Gerry Connolly, was willing to call them out on their despicable behavior.

National Equality March Brings Along Important Message

After so many years of the Republicans trying to use the legislative process to promote hatred and discrimination, this march is designed to draw attention to the fact that people deserve to be treated equally. While there were a lot of promises made to the LGBT community during the campaign and it appeared as though we were heading towards “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and the Defense of Marriage Act being repealed and an inclusive ENDA being passed. As things have progressed, however, there hasn’t been anything done and the rhetoric from the White House has often suggested that LGBT equality was being placed on the back burner. There are therefore going to be thousands upon thousands of people marching on Washington this weekend during the National Equality March to make sure that our leaders realize that discrimination has no place in America.

As the march is approaching it appears as though there are several members of the Congressional leadership who realize that someone must take a step towards standing up for basic civil rights. Sen. Harry Reid, for instance, appears to be moving forward with a plan to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and sent a letter to President Obama asking for his recommendations on how to move forward. This comes after months of the Obama Administration claiming that it’s simply waiting on Congress to act, which means Reid’s letter is essentially telling the president that he can no longer simply brush off the issue.

The timing of this letter is very interesting because it shows that members of Congress are publicly urging the President to move forward on supporting equality at the same time that thousands of people are going to be coming to DC in order to show that people from all across the country believe in equal rights for all. Once again Reid seems to realize the importance of this as he wrote a letter to the steering committee of the National Equality March which stated that he believed the LGBT community’s “struggle for equality as part of a larger movement for peace and social justice.” His letter read:

As you prepare to come to Washington, DC, for the National Equality March, I write to join in your commitment to ensure equality under the law. As senate Majority Leader, I will continue to work tirelessly to pass the Mathew Shepard Hate Crimes Act and the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, as well as to repeal the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. I will also continue to advocate for funding of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, research, and housing programs.

I believe that every American should be treated equally under the law regardless of religion, sexual orientation, gender, race, or other forms of identity. I see your struggle for equality as part of a larger movement for peace and social justice.

Because I strongly believe that discrimination has no place in America, I will be attending the march this weekend and encourage others to do the same. I strongly believe that we have a duty to stand up and let our voices be heard when we see something that needs to be addressed. The National Equality March is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

UPDATE: If you want more information about this weekend’s activities, you can visit the National Equality March’s website. Some of the key highlights are that the March will start on the corner of 15th and 'Eye' Street at noon on Sunday and will end at the West Lawn of the US Capitol where there will be a rally starting at about 2pm. The day before there will also be a grassroots organizing training from 2pm to 6pm.

Rep. Jim Moran Told Creigh Deeds He Should Be Using A Postive Message

Almost everybody that I've spoken with who knows Creigh Deeds agrees that he's an extremely nice guy who brings a lot to the table. The fact that he's not afraid to be himself and admit that he's a "work in progress" on things such as gay rights is one of the reasons that he was able to pull off a come from behind victory in the Democratic primary. Anyone who was in Blacksburg for the netroots debate, for instance, might remember that Creigh simply would step back and let Moran and McAullife go after each other before he'd step up to the microphone and put forward a plan that made a lot of sense and avoided the negativity that was consuming the debate.

What a lot of progressive activists are concerned about is the fact that for some reason we haven't seen enough of that candidate recently. Instead we are hearing a lot about McDonnell's thesis. Now don't get me wrong, I agree that the campaign should give some attention to the fact that McDonnell argued that working women are "detrimental" to society but the average voter also wants to know why he should be voting FOR Creigh on November 3. I know several people have brought this up recently with the campaign and, according to the Washington Post, it appears as though Rep. Jim Moran has mentioned this directly to Creigh.

"We had a conversation last night," Moran said. "I said: 'All your consultants are going to tell you to go negative, just like they told my brother. And spend all your money on negative because positive ads don't move anything.' ... I said: 'You've got to go with your instinct. You're a genuine guy. People relate to you.' "

"That's how Creigh won the primary and I think that's how he'll win the general, by showing that he's very decent guy," Moran continued. "People know about the thesis -- the people who care about the thesis, they're in Northern Virginia and they read The Post and they know. But there's got to be more. He's got to give people a reason to vote for Creigh."

As we're heading into the final month of the campaign, it's important to note that at this point in the primary there weren't too many pundits who thought Creigh had a chance of winning. The Washington Post endorsement then gave the campaign the positive momentum changer that Creigh needed to win the nomination. With the polls showing that the race is relatively close, Creigh's campaign could use another positive momentum changer to help him win on November 3. I strongly believe that a good ad that carries a positive message people in the field can also carry when talking to voters will help remind voters of why Creigh should be our next governor. Based upon conversations I've had with folks in the campaign, it appears as though they are listening and I'm optimistic that we will be hearing a more positive message in the near future.

State of the Races Video

Roanoke Times Editorial Addresses the Need to Reform our Criminal Justice System

The Roanoke Times published an editorial yesterday that discussed the closing of the Natural Bridge jail, which had housed some prisoners who had committed nonviolent crimes. What sparked the writing was the many people in the community who were concerned about prisoners being transferred from an institution with programs that helped them transition back to being a productive member of society to ones that simply focused on the punishment of incarceration rather than rehabilitation. The editorial argued that this concern was legitimate and also suggested the solution should be to look into other alternatives instead of simply reinvesting in the Natural Bridge facility.

The response, though, should not be to pour money back into Virginia correctional facilities that the governor closed to balance the state's budget. The response should be to rethink corrections, and how the commonwealth goes about trying to reduce crime and recidivism by turning around the lives of far more people than Natural Bridge could help.

One way is to make more use of advancing technology to allow sentencing alternatives that keep less serious offenders from behind bars in the first place and give them the incentives to stay that way.

I agree with the editorial board here. Our corrections system should be focused on addressing the issues that lead to criminal behavior and creating a system in which people can be given a chance to succeed in life while keeping our communities safe. Sitting in a jail cell for an extended period of time isn't the most efficient way for a person to contribute to society. In fact, systems that are designed for incarceration instead of rehabilitation frequently result in people being put back into society with no thought to how they could actually obtain the skills necessary to avoid making the same mistakes that caused them to be arrested in the first place.

Allowing a person to improve their lives through being gainfully employed while addressing their issues and being monitored through various methods, however, has a much better chance of creating a situation where the person will no longer engage in illegal behavior. In the long run this means that the community would be safer because people wouldn't turn to crime. Furthermore, it will save the Commonwealth the administrative costs of jailing someone -- something that could be extremely beneficial during a time when Virginia's facing tough economic times.

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done in this area and the process could take awhile since so many politicians avoid the topic because they don't want to be accused of being soft on crime. Fortunately, there are some organizations that are willing to help get the message across that prison reform is something that needs to be addressed. Between that and some of the work that Jim Webb is doing on the topic, there could potentially be some reforms made relatively soon that would ensure people are treated in a just manner while also helping to decrease criminal behavior and keeping our communities safe.

Krugman: Repulicans Dislike Anything Obama Proposes, Even if it's Good for the Country

In his column yesterday Paul Krugman pointed out that the Republicans cheering about Chicago not getting the Olympics didn't do the country any harm, but did serve as a prime example of the current state of the political discourse. You see, Krugman argues that the Republicans have become so bitterly partisan that they will dislike any policy that the President proposes even if it would be good for the country -- and that includes health care reform. In fact, the Republicans have become so obsessed with opposing anything Obama proposes that it even goes against what it has claimed to represent for decades.

Think about just how bizarre it is for Republicans to position themselves as the defenders of unrestricted Medicare spending. First of all, the modern G.O.P. considers itself the party of Ronald Reagan — and Reagan was a fierce opponent of Medicare’s creation, warning that it would destroy American freedom. (Honest.) In the 1990s, Newt Gingrich tried to force drastic cuts in Medicare financing. And in recent years, Republicans have repeatedly decried the growth in entitlement spending — growth that is largely driven by rising health care costs.

But the Obama administration’s plan to expand coverage relies in part on savings from Medicare. And since the G.O.P. opposes anything that might be good for Mr. Obama, it has become the passionate defender of ineffective medical procedures and overpayments to insurance companies.

So there you have it. The Republicans don't have a plan for real health care reform and are going back on their own values if they think it might make it easier for them to go after Obama. What's the most revealing factor about this tactic is that in the end it's not Obama who really suffers, but the millions of American families who cannot afford health care because the Republicans are so intent on destroying the president that they'll try to prevent the passage of any real reform. Of course, as Rep. Alan Grayson pointed out, while the Republicans are continuing to stand in the way of real reform there are 44,000 people who die every year due to not having health insurance. Now you tell me which party has a legislative agenda that truly values human life.

The World Needs to Know

Check out the website 350.org as there is going to be a day of action on October 24 because "the world needs to know." There's going to be a big rally in DC, which you can find information about here, but there's also little things that can be done if you can't make it out to the event. Some people will be riding their bikes to work that day, others are trying to get their math professors to devote the day's lesson to mathematics surrounding global warming, and there are plenty of other ideas that people are suggesting over at the website.

Video: Mark Warner On Need for True Health Care Reform

Mark Warner has been one of the Senators who has been receiving a lot of attention during the health care debate because it hasn't always been clear where he stands on issues like the public option. On the floor of the Senate earlier this week Warner spoke about how we literally cannot afford to pass true reform. This is important because it suggests that Warner doesn't want to pass something just for the sake of getting a bill passed. Of course, the real question now becomes what Warner believes is necessary for true reform. With that in mind, here's a video that highlights part of Warner's speech.



h/t Blue Virginia

Perriello Wants To Extend Unemployment Benefits Across the Board

Although there are many economists who say that the economy is on its way back up, they also frequently mention how there is usually some delay between when the economy starts recovering and when businesses start hiring in full force again. This means that there are some people who are still unemployed due to conditions beyond their control. In order to help many of the people who have lost their jobs, the house passed legislation that would extend unemployment benefits in states that have an unemployment rate of 8.5% or higher.

While that legislation will be very helpful for people living in the 27 states that qualify, it unfortunately doesn't help people in almost half of the country who just need a little help to stay on their feet while they're doing their best to find a new job. Virginia, for instance, has a 6.5% unemployment rate and therefore didn't qualify for the unemployment extension. It's for that reason that most of the Democrats from Virginia voted against the legislation. According to the Martinsville Bulletin, however, Tom Perriello has now written a letter to the House leadership suggesting the benefits in all states be extended for six weeks.

On Tuesday, Perriello sent a letter to Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, asking for his support to immediately extend the benefits to all states for six weeks. The letter also asks Rangel for help in developing a new formula for future laws that would take regional unemployment rates into account.

“As illustrated by my district, some localities have a much higher need than those in neighboring areas,” Perriello wrote. “An alternative measure that takes regional unemployment rates into account may serve as a better measure for eligibility, and I believe it could lower costs by helping those most in need.”

Perriello’s letter asks Rangel to support adding the six-week extension to the bill when it is in conference committee. That is the point when legislators from both the Senate and House iron out differences in their two versions of the legislation before it goes to the president, assuming both bodies pass the legislation.

According to what I've been told, many of the members who voted against the bill that just passed the House also have questions about the regional eligibility measure. As one staffer said to me earlier today, "A person who lost their job in a region with a large group of people out of work doesn't suffer any more than the person who lost their job in a community that doesn't have a high unemployment rate. They both lost their job because of a poor economy all across the country."

The question therefore becomes whether or not there would be enough support for the measure to get the leadership to fight for the extension during the conference between the House and Senate. Whatever the final decision is, Congress needs to act quickly because the benefits for those on unemployment have already started to expire.

Gerry Connolly Sponsors Bill to Protect National Forests

Gerry Connolly has a history of fighting for our environment through projects like the cool counties program that he started when he was the Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. At Centreville Days, we also heard about his interest in historic preservation. It now appears as though he's combining the two as his office just released a statement saying that Gerry is joining with several of Virginia's other Members of Congress by supporting a bill "that would permanently protect 58.5 million acres of America’s most pristine public land in national forests in Virginia and across the nation."

In the Southeast, the legislation would protect approximately 723,000 acres of roadless areas in the Southern Appalachians, including more than 383,000 acres in Virginia’s George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. While protecting the last one-third of our threatened national forests from most logging and road-building, the bill allows new roads when needed to fight fires and ensure public health and safety.

Only 1 percent of Virginia’s timber yield comes from the national forests within the Commonwealth’s borders, Connolly said. “It is important that we protect the beauty and the natural resources in these public lands for future generations to behold and enjoy.” The national forests provide many recreational opportunities and provide clean water for many communities.

Passage of this legislation codifying the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule would ensure that roadless areas are permanently protected and policy would not change with successive Presidential administrations. In 2005, President Bush suspended the rule. A federal appeals court reinstated it in August, calling the Bush administration’s 2001 action illegal.

More than 150 members of Congress have cosponsored the legislation. Along with Connolly, Virginia Congressmen Rick Boucher, Jim Moran, Glenn Nye, Tom Perriello, and Bobby Scott sponsored the bill.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this legislation is that it moves to make the protection of the land permanent. This is noteworthy because it means protecting our environment won't be left up to politicians who might be willing to sell our national parks in exchange for campaign donations from the logging industry (and, yes, the logging industry does have lobbyists who are active up on the Hill). While this is just one piece of legislation, I am pleased to see that Virginia has Members of Congress from all across the Commonwealth who are making the right decision to support the environment and our national forests. Hopefully that will be the same case other important environmental bills that are currently being considered by Congress.