FamilyFoundationBlog.com

We’ve staged a coup. Unfortunately, to the liberal collective’s the sigh of relief, we didn’t stack the Supreme Court with Matt and Victoria Cobb.

However, the four top ranking members of Virginia government, conservatives all — certainly to the chagrin of the liberal collective — Governor Bob McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and House Speaker Bill Howell, all will speak at this year’s Family Foundation Advisory Council Legislative Briefing on Wednesday, February 17.

This is an exclusive annual event for our Advisory Council members. However, it shows how important Virginia’s top officials view The Family Foundation and its most generous donors (click here for the complete benefits of Advisory Council membership).

Our Advisory Council is more than just perks; its instrumental partnership significantly funds the work of the organization during the General Assembly session and year round: The legislative call to action and subsequent victories, The Truth Project training, Pastors For Family Values, local grassroots networks, your voice in the mainstream media, and much more.

For more information about The Family Foundation Advisory Council, The Advisory Council Legislative Briefing, or any of our development activities, contact Dan Thompson at 804-343-0010 or at dan@familyfoundation.org. To donate to The Family Foundation at any level, you may click here.

The American Legislative Exchange Council is an organization of state legislators that  promotes conservative and free market legislation throughout the 50 state legislatures. Its immediate past national chairman is Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Bill Howell (R-28, Fredericksbug). Its Virginia Chairmen are Delegate Chris Jones (R-76, Suffolk) and Senator Steve Martin (R-11, Chesterfield).

As a driving force for free market solutions to remedy health care, it provides model legislation to its state legislator membership, research and other tools, and tracks the progress of bills across the country. This year, health care freedom is one of ALEC’s  priorities as 30-plus states have introduced such legislation. It’s had a busy time in Virginia this session of the General Assembly as five bills protecting the health care freedom of Virginians have advanced rapidly through Mr. Jefferson’s capitol and Virginia races to become the first state to stand up to the federal government’s over reach into the health care decisions of individuals.

Recently, Christie Herrera, director of ALEC’s health and human services task force, spoke with World Net Daily Radio about the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act, as the national media continues to pay attention to Virginia’s lead as the first state to define the limits of the federal government’s powers.

To hear the seven minute interview, click here.

Here’s part two of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling’s speech January 18 to the hundreds of grassroots activists who attended our annual Family Foundation Day At The Capitol or, in General Assembly parlance, “lobby day.” In part two, you will hear him address education reform, economic development and even Virginia’s plans to become the energy capital of the East Coast, with responsible off-shore drilling for oil and natural gas. You can see part one here.

Remember, Lt. Governor Bolling also will do a live blog interview here for an hour starting at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, February 11, as part of our annual Virtual Lobby Day. To leave a question for him, post it on this thread or click and post it here. We’ll have more information about our activities and ways in which you can participate in the next day or so.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling speaks to hundreds of values voters about the value of The Family Foundation as well as policy goals of the new administration in Richmond.

Per Friday’s unemployment report, via Richmonder Kent Engelke, chief economic strategist and managing director of Capitol Securities Management, and one of the country’s leading stock market commentators:

Regarding the establishment or nonfarm payroll survey, I believe a major reason why jobs declined by 20,000 instead of rising by the expected 15,000 were that state and local governments eliminated 41,000 workers. The federal government added 33,000 for a net loss of 8,000 jobs.

So, President Obama is serious about reducing federal spending? Can he pronounce “corpsman”?

The Republican Party of Virginia released a new Web ad today. It has a decidedly winter theme and two specific targets. According to a written statement by RPV Chairman Pat Mullins:

Virginians all over the Commonwealth are bracing for yet another blast of winter weather, which will no doubt keep roads hazardous and schools closed for days. Forecasters from Bristol to Winchester are calling for more than a foot of snow.

With so many people stuck indoors around the heater, lots of folks will have the opportunity to watch the news. We thought that it might be a good time to remind them that Democrats Rick Boucher and Tom Perriello not only voted to make their heating bills far more expensive, but also to kill thousands of more jobs around the Commonwealth.

Dreaming of a white Valentine’s? The Old Dominion is experiencing its third big snow this winter and one more may be on the way. Good thing Perriello and Boucher are working on that global warming stuff!

Legislation introduced by Senator Donald McEachin (D-9, Richmond), SB 66, seeks to add sexual orientation to the state’s hiring policy of non-discrimination. The bill was scheduled for a vote in the full Senate earlier this week but it was delayed, likely due to grassroots pressure. Certainly, thanks to concerned Virginians, there are some senators feeling the heat from home.

After Senator McEachin withdrew an attempted floor amendment, SB 66 made it through the second read on the floor of the full Senate and is up for a final vote on Monday. If this unnecessary legislation is successful, it would be the first time in Virginia history that sexual orientation would be elevated to a protected class. Furthermore, there is no evidence that discrimination is taking place.

Even if you have e-mailed your senator, it is critical that you contact him or her again over the weekend and urge a vote against this impractical bill. We can prevent this legislation from crossing over to the House if we work together to stop it now. Additionally, the impact of defeating this bill on the Senate floor, rather than in the House, a more likely scenario, may provide needed momentum to defeat the rest of the pro-homosexual agenda. Click here for your senator’s contact information or here to determine who your senator is.

We borrow today’s QOD from the The Daily Press’ Shad Plank Blog. It happened yesterday, and actually I was in the room when it happened, but not paying attention. Glad I was alerted to the particulars. It features a QOD regular. It goes like this:

Del. Joe Morrissey was testifying before the House Commerce and Labor Committee Thursday when he made a slip of the tongue as he addressed the panel chairman Del. Terry Kilgore.

The Scott County Republican is the twin brother of former Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore and a emerging power broker in his own right especially on business issues. Morrissey, D-Henrico, was attempting to make a point about his bill on gift cards when he stumbled on his words and inadvertently nominated Kilgore for the top spot in the House of Delegates.

“Mr. Speaker…” Morrissey said before recognizing the mistake and trailing off.

“Not yet,” Kilgore quickly replied, drawing a round laughter from the packed hearing room.

After all the reporting we’ve done this week on SB 504, Senator Ralph Smith’s (R-22, Roanoke) coerced abortion bill, and the Senate’s mischief with it, the in-box has been flooded and the phone lines burned up with questions. We are grateful for your interest and for your desire to get involved. With all the interest, we decided to compile a FAQ list, of sorts. Here goes:  

Who hires the Clerk of the Senate?

Mrs. Susan Schaar is the Clerk of the Senate and has held that office since 1990. According to Senate Rule 8a:

A Clerk of the Senate shall be elected by the Senate for a term of four years and shall thereafter continue in office until another is chosen.

Among the Clerk’s duties are the maintenance of all Senate records and the referral of bills to committees. In different circumstances, we would provide you with Mrs. Schaar’s contact information and ask for you to contact her to encourage judicious bill referrals. However, since Mrs. Schaar is not elected by the populace and instead is elected by the Senate — and instructed to strictly follow its rules — contacting her to encourage changes to bill referrals is not the most appropriate course of action.

When can “the rule” be changed?

According to Rule 54 of the Senate, the Senate rules are adopted at the beginning of the first General Assembly session upon the election of the Senate. The Rules were last adopted in January 2008. Amendments can be made any year; however, January 2012 is the next year rules will be adopted.

What can I do?

Contacting legislators really does make a difference. In the past, we’ve seen that even as few as two or three e-mails or calls from constituents can cause a legislator to reconsider his or her vote. Concerning this bill, there are two things you can do:

1. Contact the Senate Courts of Justice Committee members (see below). Thank those who supported SB 504 for their principled stand for life. For those who opposed SB 504, let them know that you were monitoring this bill and that you were disappointed with their vote.

2. Contact the Senate Education and Health Committee members (click here) and encourage them to support SB 504.

How can I express thanks/disappointment to senators on their SB 504 vote?

Below are the names and contact information for the Senators on the full Senate Courts of Justice committee. E-mailing or calling is the best way to contact these senators to express your thanks or disappointment.

Senators to thank for voting to add penalties for coerced abortion:

Fred Quayle (R-13, Suffolk), district13@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7513

Tommy Norment (R-3, Williamsburg), district03@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7503

Roscoe Reynolds (D-20, Martinsville), district20@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7520

Mark Obenshain (R-26, Harrisonburg), district26@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7526

Ryan McDougle (R-4, Mechanicsville), district04@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7504

Robert Hurt (R-19, Chatham), district19@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7519

Senators voting against adding penalties for coerced abortion:

Henry Marsh (D-16, Richmond), district16@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7516

Dick Saslaw (D-35, Springfield), district25@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7535

Janet Howell (D-32, Reston), district32@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7532

Louise Lucas (D-18, Portsmouth), district18@senate.virginia.gov, 804-98-7518

John Edwards (D-21, Roanoke), district21@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7521

Toddy Puller (D-36, Mount Vernon), district36@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7536

Creigh Deeds (D-25, Charlottesville), district25@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7525

Don McEachin (D-9, Richmond), district09@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7509

Chap Petersen (D-34, Fairfax) , district34@senate.virginia.gov, 804-698-7526

We’ve been told repeatedly since 2008 that Barack Obama is a genius. He is the smartest man ever to hold the presidency. Sure enough, he proved it almost immediately after he was sworn into office — he won the Nobel Peace Prize! (Even though he couldn’t deliver the Olympics for his hometown of Chicago.) Yes, he is fawned over by the elite. Chris Matthews told the nation he gets a “tingling sensation up my leg” when Mr. Obama speaks. His adorers consider him the “anointed one” or some type of secular “messiah.” He even has the power to redefine “success,” as he continues to label his “stimulus” bill even though it has saddled us with debt and the loss of four million jobs. He is worshiped and glorified by people who have no frame of reference. He does nothing wrong.

Except say the U.S. has 57 states (YouTube.com), confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day or any number of other gaffes that would’ve left Conan O’Brien in business if it was a conservative president making the embarrassing pronouncements. Now comes this: We know he can’t give a speech without a teleprompter, but a teleprompter can’t pronounce words for you. So, just the other day, even with the ‘prompter working, the commander-in-chief showed his ignorance of the military he leads by mispronouncing “corpsman” as “corpse-man.” Watch and hear for yourself. With what kind of feeling does it leave you?

He’s commander-in-chief, but can he create a new rank? Maybe a “corpse-man” buries the dead?

We are very pleased to announce that Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, the Commonwealth’s Chief Jobs Creation Officer, will be our special guest for our annual Virtual Lobby Day on Thursday, February 11. Lt. Governor Bolling will answer questions posted by you and our thousands of blog readers live for one hour (exact time to be determined).

Simply post a question on this thread, or at this one, and he will answer as many as time permits. From his past blog interviews with us, we know the Lt. Governor likes to give detailed answers, so expect a great read. When we finalize the time, we will let you know and you can follow along, live, as he posts his answers in real time. Of course, the interview will be archived at the conclusion of the interview for you to read and comment on at your convenience. In addition, we have several other major plans for our virtual lobby day. So expect more exciting announcements here and in future e-mail alerts (sign up for our alerts here).

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling at our in-person lobby day, Family Foundation Day at the Capitol, January 18. He’ll also take questions from you on our Virtual Lobby Day February 11.