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He did it over the summer. Now, President Barack “Barry” Obama (as he called himself today when calling in to Governor Tim Kaine on WTOP radio, per Rosalind Helderman of the Washington Post) is about to do it again: ruin a small business with his vacation plans. It’s horrible enough that he’s destroying all business with his nationalization of the health care, financial and energy industries. (One estimate shows that if all his plans go through, 71 percent of GDP will be under government control, per U.S. Representative Michelle Bachman, a Minnesota Republican.) But does he also have to destroy local small businesses while he’s enjoying himself on the beaches of Hawaii while the rest of us suffer from climate change on the freezing, snowy East Coast?

You may remember that when he summered in Marxist Martha’s Vineyard in August, he put a small air tour company out of work, and killed the business, since it relied on the short annual late summer tourist window for customers. But with the POTUS coming to town, security prohibited any local aircraft from going airborne. The same thing is happening in Hawaii, “Barry’s” Christmas (or does he prefer “holiday”?) vacation spot. According to KITV’s Web site, several local air tour businesses are going to get hurt, and hurt real bad.

From the article:

However, Pat Magie’s seaplane tours will be sunk by the restrictions.

“We can’t fly tourists. We can’t train. We’ve got an enforced two-week vacation without pay,” Magie said.

But Barry, family and friends will have a great ol’ time on our dime. Never mind the little people. That’s what we call a very Barry Christmas.

Clever little video from our friends at The Family Research Council. With apologies to Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and a host of others.

Let’em spend, let’em spend, let’em spend!

Rumors have been swirling since Election night that Governor-elect Bob McDonnell was seeking to entice a Senate Democrat to take an appointment in his administration, opening an opportunity for a Republican perhaps winning the resulting open Senate seat, thus ending Democrat control of the Senate, making that chamber 20-20. That would lead to power sharing, new committee make up and an entirely new political dynamic in Richmond.

Of course, adding to the intrigue are two state Senate special elections that will not take place until January 12 — the 37th district seat that Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli will vacate and the 8th district, where newly elected Virginia Beach sheriff Ken Stolle will leave his seat.

At his press conference today announcing several new cabinet secretaries, the Governor-elect stated that he would complete his appointment of cabinet secretaries the first week of January. If that’s the case, then the appointments will be done prior to the January 12 special elections.

It would be very risky for the Governor to appoint a Democrat to his cabinet hoping to win the seat, and then potentially losing either the 8th or the 37th, leaving McDonnell and the Republicans right where they started. Risky, but not impossible of course.

So, does the one line Governor-elect McDonnell dropped today end the possibility of a change in the Senate? Or are there other administration opportunities that could be available? Just one of the more intriguing questions revolving around the new administration.

Stay tuned.

Annotations & Elucidations

Jesus’ Home Found?

Not much regarding state news today. So slow, in fact, that even Barack “Barry from D.C.” Obama had time to call in to WTOP radio to chat up Governor Tim Kaine. So we’ve loaded up, mostly, on what everyone is talking about: the health care bill — and the News Stand is loaded today, complete with news, analysis and commentary on health care, but other topics, too, including some thoughts on Christmas. In addition, Matt Friedeman, at Rightly Concerned Blog, takes a look at an archaeological find in Nazareth that could be a home in the village in which Jesus grew up! Pretty exciting news at any time, especially now, especially with all that is going on. 

One reason for the large News Stand is that it will take a break after today until January 4. So read up! Starting then, we’ll have all the news concerning the countdown to General Assembly session as well as the pending inauguration of the McDonnell-Bolling-Cuccinelli administration. Until then, we’ll continue to update the blog with comment and content throughout the Christmas season, with the expected breaks here and there to enjoy the Holy Season.

News:

Senator Newman to propose infanticide law change (BearingDrift.com)

McDonnell to announce Connaughton as transportation secretary (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Mark Warner Falls 31 Points Among Republicans And 43 Points Among Independents In One Year (NotLarrySabato.com)

‘Barry from D.C.’ calls WTOP to thank Va. Gov. Kaine (Washington Post Politics and Policy Blog)

National News:

Jesus’ Narareth home found? (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Abortion could still roil the health bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Reid brags about deals cut for votes in Senate health bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Democrat’s special deals life blood of health care bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Senate gears for second critical health vote (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Sunrise vote nudges health care bill forward (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Blacks say Obama notdoing enough for them (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Europe feels left out in cold on climate deal (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Analysis:

Concessions Democrat lawmakers won in health care bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Worst reporting of 2009 — who made the cut? (OneNewsNow.com)

Abortion — a ‘choice’ issue for Democrats (OneNewsNow.com)

Senator Nelson ‘betrayed’ pro-lifers back home (OneNewsNow.com)

Healthcare mandate: Get insured . . . or else (OneNewsNow.com)

Commentary:

Obamacare Hazardous to America’s Health (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

The ‘Science’ Mantra (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

Al Gore and the Wizards of Climategate (Tom Borelli/GOPUSA.com)

A Cool Wind Braces theHot-Air Crowd (Debra Saunders/GOPUSA.com)

The Realities of Christmas Time (Richard Olivastro/GOPUSA.com)

‘Tis The Week Before Christmas (Henry Lamb/GOPUSA.com)

The War on Christmas — it’s a Commie thing (Matt Barber/OneNewsNow.com)

Away with the manger (Chuck Norris/Rightly Concerned Blog)

When All Else Fails, Accuse Opponents of Being Racists (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

A Tasty Recipe for Conservative Victory (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Should GOP Adopt a Conservative Litmus Test (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Fast and pray until Christmas Day (Janet Porter/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Minister tells his flock to go steal (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Sen. Gregg: ‘A government run by community organizers has taken over’ (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Reid bought off votes with $1.2 billion in kickbacks (Elijah Friedeman/The Millennial Perspective, Rightly Concerned Blog)

How to stop the healthcare bill (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

It’s only a few days until Christmas and the last thing that you want to do is put one more thing on your calendar right now. But this is for your 2010 calendar. It’s our annual Family Foundation Day at the Capitol. Just keep this in mind:

It recently cost $19,600,000 to win the Governor’s mansion.

Our current state budget has a $3,500,000,000 deficit.

But attendance at Family Foundation Day at the Capitol is priceless.

It’s also free, and with all the money we spend on friends and family during this holiday season, free opportunities come January are very enticing. Especially, since they can make such a dramatic difference in ensuring Virginia continues to be a great place to raise our families.

With that in mind, please make plans now to join us in Richmond for Family Foundation Day at the Capitol on Monday, January 18, 2010. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (registration begins at 9 am) at the new Hilton Garden Inn, 501 East Broad Street, just down the street from the Capitol and General Assembly Building. (The hotel is in the historic Miller & Rhodes building.)

This will be a fantastic day for you, or even the whole family, to learn what’s happening in the 2010 General Assembly, and actively engage your legislators on the family issues that are most important to you, as well as see the Commonwealth’s government in action. As always, we will meet in the morning where you will hear from key elected officials and then we will prearrange a meeting with your own delegates and senators for the afternoon.

To make a reservation, please contact John Smith by e-mail, john@familyfoundation.org, or call him at (804) 343-0010. Space is limited so don’t delay and we look forward to seeing you on January 18.

Annotations & Elucidations

Like Deeds, Like Marsden; Like Kaine, Like Marsden; Like Deeds, Like Kaine

We’re keeping the news to a minimum today: the snow is melting and people are less captive and not as inclined to be in front of the computer as they get back to last minute shopping and other Christmas preparations. Most of the news around the state concerns Governor Tim Kaine’s outlandish income tax increase proposal. Easy for him to do — he leaves office in three weeks. Governor-elect Bob McDonnell and the majority House Republicans already say it’s a non-starter. So perhaps the big story, or at least the most intriguing, is the turn taken in the special election in the 37th Senate district (in Fairfax County) to replace Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, between Republican Steve Hunt and Democrat Dave Marsden, currently a delegate. Democrats think, because of recent trends in Fairfax, they can win the seat; the GOP, with its reverberating rebound last month, sense the tide has turned back their way, even in Northern Virginia, where its candidates did exceedingly well in the recent election.

Delegate Marsden, who moved into a friend’s house to establish residency in the district, now has pro-abortion allies railing against some old literature a crisis pregnancy center stopped distributing some time ago. Hunt used to serve on the center’s board.

Two things are absolutely peculiar about this: First, Delegate Marsden, must not have paid much attention to the top of his own ticket last month as Democrat standard bearer Creigh Deeds (remember him?) clamored about abortion and social issues while the rest of Virginia concerned itself with jobs. Marsden, himself, considered to be in a safe House district, barely escaped to re-election. Now, Governor Kaine wants to repeal the car tax cut and raise the income tax, and Delegate Marsden, given his record, is most likely right there with him. Again, just like Senator Deeds, who recommended raising taxes during a recession (see Jeff Schaprio’s analysis in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, below).

The second oddity is that while the pregnancy center has ceased distributing the information, those attacking it and Mr. Hunt are providing this type of sick information (see video of Planned Parenthood abortionist and counselor talking to prospective patient),where “patients” are advised that abortions are safer than giving birth. So, it’s mini-campaign redux featuring residency, raising taxes in a recession and old flyers versus jobs and sticking up for the unborn.  

News:

Antiabortion pregnancy center figures in state Senate race (Washington Post)

McDonnell, GOP lawmakers assail Kaine’s budget plan (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Kaine proposes 1% rise in state income tax (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

From deep in the red, Gov. Kaine proposes a brutal state budget (The Daily Press)

‘Painful cuts’ part of Kaine’s Virginia budget proposal (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Kaine proposes replacing car tax with income one (Washington Times)

Virginia governor proposes an income tax increase (Washington Post)

At least 7 GOP candidates eager to take on Perriello (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Analysis:

With budget, Kaine leaves tough task for both parties (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Here is the text of the letter sent today by Lt. Governor Bill Bolling to Virginia’s two United States Senators, Mark Warner (contact) and Jim Webb (contact), concerning their votes in favor of the Senate health care bill last night. In the letter, Lt. Governor Bolling outlines his opposition to the legislation and why it is bad for Virginians, and asks the two senators to vote against its final passage. A news release from Lt. Governor Bolling is posted here.

December 21, 2009

The Honorable Mark Warner

The Honorable Jim Webb

RE: Federal Healthcare Reform Legislation

Dear Senators Warner and Webb:

I have been following with great interest the important debate currently taking place in Washington with respect to the proposed reform of our nation’s healthcare system.

While I certainly agree that we face serious problems with respect to the affordability and availability of healthcare for many Americans, it is important that any reform legislation address these issues without creating other problems for American consumers and businesses or jeopardizing the quality of our healthcare delivery system, which is currently the best in the world.

For many reasons, I strongly oppose the healthcare reform legislation that is currently pending before the United States Senate and I encourage you to vote against this legislation and any procedural votes that would allow this legislation to come to a final vote.

In my judgment, the legislation currently pending in the Senate will ultimately increase the cost of healthcare and result in higher health insurance premiums and higher taxes for the vast majority of the American people.

In addition, I believe that this legislation will jeopardize the quality of healthcare that is currently available in our country and take important healthcare decisions out of the hands of consumers and turn these decisions over to government bureaucrats.

Perhaps most importantly, I am concerned that the cost of this legislation will be much higher than currently estimated, and it will inevitably add significantly to the cost of our federal deficit, which is, quite frankly, out of control and threatens the long term financial viability of our nation.

If these concerns were not reason enough to vote against this misguided legislation, I am writing to you today to let you know that I am outraged by reports that surfaced this weekend regarding concessions that were made to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson to secure his vote in support of this legislation.

As you know, one of our major concerns with this legislation is the potential impact it could have on the cost of Medicaid for Virginia’s state government. Many reports have suggested that this legislation could result in much higher Medicaid costs for state governments across the nation, costs that state governments simply cannot bear.

Against this background, I was amazed to hear that the Senate’s Democratic leadership had made concessions to Senator Nelson that would hold his home state of Nebraska harmless as to any additional Medicaid costs that might come about as a result of the enrollment of new Medicaid recipients after 2017.

I find these reports particularly troubling since they come on the heels of similar concessions that were given to Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana to secure her vote in support of this legislation just a few weeks ago.

In addition to the “pay offs” that were offered to Senators Nelson and Landrieu, unconfirmed media reports over the weekend have revealed that other Senators may have negotiated similar special treatment deals for their states. If these reports are accurate, this type of quid pro quo is unacceptable, and you and your colleagues should object strongly to the practice, which I have no doubt the American people will find offensive as well.

If the Senate’s leadership is so desperate to obtain votes to secure the passage of this legislation that they would make these types of concessions to these Senators, I would ask that you demand that the same concessions be extended to Virginia, and for that matter, to every other state in the nation.

Allowing key provisions in this legislation to be used to essentially buy votes from Senators Landrieu and Nelson at the expense of other states such as Virginia should be as offensive to you as it is to me, and it should give you all the reason you need to oppose this misguided legislation.

Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia and for considering my views on this important issue.

Very Truly Yours,

William T. Bolling

Lieutenant Governor

Commonwealth of Virginia

Below is the text of a news release issued today from the office of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling concerning the votes by Senators Warner (contact here) and Webb (contact here) in favor of a procedural motion that will allow the Senate health care bill to proceed to a final up or down vote, where it is all but assured of passing. The text of the letter referenced in the news release is posted here.

BOLLING CALLS ON WARNER AND WEBB TO VOTE AGAINST FEDERAL HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION

RICHMOND – Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today sent a strongly worded letter to Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner expressing outrage over special concessions given to certain states to obtain support for federal healthcare legislation from their Senators and asking them to oppose this legislation, which Bolling called “misguided.”

“As you know, one of our major concerns with this legislation is the potential impact it could have on the cost of Medicaid for Virginia’s state government,” wrote Bolling. “Many reports have suggested that this legislation could result in much higher Medicaid costs for state governments across the nation, costs that state governments simply cannot bear.”

In his letter, Bolling cited reports from this past weekend that the Senate’s Democratic leadership had made concessions to Senator Ben Nelson that would hold his home state of Nebraska harmless for any additional Medicaid costs that might come about as a result of the enrollment of new Medicaid recipients after 2017, while all 49 other states would be required to pay a portion of the increased costs. This reportedly would save Nebraska $45M per year, while passing these costs on to other states.

Additionally, similar “sweet heart deals” were reportedly made to Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and other Senators to obtain their support for the healthcare bill, while the citizens of Virginia and other states were not afford the same benefits.

“I am outraged by reports that surfaced this weekend regarding concessions that were made to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson to secure his vote in support of this legislation,” stated Bolling. “If these reports are accurate, this type of quid pro quo is unacceptable, and you and your colleagues should object strongly to the practice, which I have no doubt the American people will find offensive as well.”

“If the Senate’s leadership is so desperate to obtain votes to secure the passage of this legislation that they would make these types of concessions to these Senators, I would ask that you demand that the same concessions be extended to Virginia, and for that matter, to every other state in the nation,” continued Bolling.

In addition to the outrageous “pay off” tactics employed by Senate Democratic Leadership, Bolling encouraged Senators Webb and Warner to vote against the substance of the legislation, citing concerns that it will result in increased healthcare costs, increased insurance premiums, increased taxes on family and businesses and fewer options for individual patients.

Planned Parenthood talks a lot about “choice.” However, undercover video after undercover video has exposed the nation’s leading abortion provider as anything but an organization concerned with providing options, women’s health or even upholding the law, covering up potential sexual abuse (see video here) and statutory rape cases (see video here) rather than notify law enforcement, all to procure paying customers.

Now, another shocking undercover video recently released by Live Action shows — as if we didn’t already know — that Planned Parenthood personnel will lie about health and medical issues, straight to a woman’s face, in order to suck in another check. To do that, Planned Parenthood “counselors” and abortionists attempt to dehumanize babies through manipulative word play. It’s an attempt to sever all cognitive, rational and loving connection between the mother and her baby, specifically by refusing to use the word “baby,” even correcting the “patient” (i.e., victim) when she says “baby.” Instead, they euphemistically call the baby a “pregnancy” or “fetus” and say it’s not a baby “until it’s born.”

Planned Parenthood even lies about heart beats, instead saying the the unborn baby has ”heart tones” up to a certain point, whatever that might mean. But perhaps the most apalling lies come from the abortionist himself, when he tells the “patient” that abortions are “very safe. Safer than having a baby, actually.” Which doesn’t exactly explain why a New Jersey woman went into a coma after a botched abortion and recently won $1.9 million in a settlement (see LifeNews.com).  

Perhaps more disturbing, and something to look into for an enterprising Wisconsin attorney (where the undercover video was taken), is that the abortionist admits to performing abortions for 40 years, which means he started four years before Roe v. Wade legalized it. Jeremy Wiggins adds his comments on the video and the New Jersey case at Rightly Concerned. (You can see all of Live Action’s Planned Parenthood undercover videos at its YouTube channel, here.) 

It all points to Planned Parenthood’s reason for being, succinctly stated by Lila Rose, Live Action’s president:

Planned Parenthood, while claiming to support patient self-determination, operates with an ‘abortion-first mentality.’

Nothing proves it more shockingly and vividly than this video:

Disconnecting the mother from her baby rhetorically and emotionally by dehumanizing the baby: Remember, it’s “heart tones,” NOT “heart beats;” it’s a “pregnancy,” NOT a ”baby.” Not to mention an abortionist who says he’s performed abortions longer than they’ve been legal.

Senator Jim Webb, Virginia’s senior senator, wrote an op-ed piece of the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record in which he says he is undecided (see here) on which way he will vote when it comes time for the final, up or down, yea or nay. He takes pride in the handful of votes he has cast in opposition to his party’s leaders, but then offers this on perhaps the most controversial part of the bill:

On the issue of abortion, I studied the bill closely to ensure that no taxpayer dollars will be used to fund abortions. I am convinced that this legislation strictly adheres to the requirements of the Hyde Amendment. It also includes clear conscience provisions for providers and consumers who elect to reject a plan that offers such coverage.

Most pro-life policy analysts don’t think that’s right, and Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) doesn’t think so, either (see David Brody of the CBN Blog). But Senator Webb ends with this statement that can be taken in no other way in that he is undecided on the entire piece of legislation:

As we continue to debate the bill and amend it, I remain hopeful that the Senate can reach consensus on fair and effective health care legislation. Whether this is so will determine my vote on final passage.

Fair enough, to the senator. So, then, why don’t we convince him what way he should finally conclude his thinking? Click here to contact him.