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People from all over the Commonwealth of Virginia are – some already have – descending on Richmond for the inaugural activities for the Old Dominion’s 71st governor, Governor-elect Bob McDonnell, re-elected Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, and Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli. Many of you may be on your way here for the swearing-in and the many parties and events, such as our Patrick Henry “Liberty or Death Speech” program.

We want your impressions of all the celebratory activities. Let us know! There are so many events and stories to tell: Whom did you meet? What did you think of the inaugural address? Did you like the parade? Any great photos? Maybe you were at one of the events during the week you can tell us about. What do you think of the food and clothing donation program? Even if you can’t be in Richmond, feel free to comment on the television coverage and your impressions from afar.

Check it out and compare notes with friend and others. Post as much as you like. We look forward to reading about all the great times. As an advance notice, we’ll do the same thing for our Lobby Day Monday, when several hundred more of you will be in town to lobby your legislators on behalf of traditional family values. Until then, have a safe and celebratory weekend, and we’ll see you in Richmond and online!

Speaking of Virginia’s budget process and Governor-elect Bob McDonnell’s idea to reform the process whereby the lame duck, outgoing governor proposes the next two-year budget, more is needed to be done. For one, zero-based budgeting. Even Creigh Deeds supports that. As it is now, agency budgets are based on the previous year’s budget. They normally get an increase, however small (and usually not small), despite its performance (see the Department of Education).

Zero-based budgeting starts from scratch each year and determines what money is needed to achieve that year’s objectives. But even with zero-based budgeting some unnecessary government programs remain intact. So, instead of reducing some agency budgets, some should be merged (as the House tried to do two years ago) or, better yet, eliminated. Still, zero-based budgeting would be a nice starting point for reform. Two planks out of the McDonnell-Bolling budget and spending reform platform released in September are along these lines: agency performance audit reviews and evidence based budgeting. We hope this at least moves us toward reducing the scope of spending in Richmond, if not actually significantly limiting state government’s ever expanding reach (and we haven’t even touched on SOQ reform).

While the budget cycle and agency appropriation formulas are the headline grabbers, there are many needed common sense reforms. Some have been proposed form time to time in the General Assembly only to be shot down for reasons serious and not. For example, one bill last year from Senator Tommy Norment (R-3, Williamsburg), oddly enough, would bring more transparency and probably scare off lawmakers from voting in pork. It would have required that anything budget conferees stuck in their final budget report — which the two chambers must vote up or down — that was a non-state appropriation, an item not included in either chamber’s budget, or an item that represents legislation that failed during session, would have to be announced as such in letters to all 140 members by the chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees.

Another idea last year came from Senator Ralph Smith (R-22, Botetourt) which would require at least a day pause for reading the budget before it could be voted on. That, too, went nowhere fast.

Getting ourselves into a fiscal mess was pretty simple — the legislature and the executive over the years simply saying yes to every plea for help and imaginary solution that supposedly only money can provide. Getting ourselves out of it is pretty simple, too. But it’s amazing how many simple, time tested ideas there are that can save taxpayer money and provide efficiency that never get anywhere (not to mention just saying “no”).  

Many of these ideas have been studied or have worked elsewhere. There’s no need for delay. The need is great to reform. The moment, with newly elected officials and a teetering economy, is now. Delay, for any reason, no longer is necessary. No that it ever was.

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.

Don’t you just love all the media pundits, mainstream media types and liberal political consultants who have spent the last 10 days backpeddling faster than Michael Phelps swims to anyone and everyone who will listen that the Virginia Republican earthquake/landslide/nuking wasn’t a conservative win when they spent the last two months spending millions of dollars and filing scores of stories trying to paint Bob McDonnell as a right wing Pat Robertson acolyte, Bill Bolling as an evil capitalist insurance executive, and Ken Cuccinelli as an 1860’s states rightist?

Not that those caricatures define conservatism but you can’t say your opponents are far outside the mainstream then claim they won only because they did a better job getting to the middle than your guys did. Not to mention the six seat gain in the House of Delegates in areas of the state liberals thought they owned. When 74 percent of McDonnell voters said they were “unhappy with the direction they (Obama administration) are taking Washington and the country” there’s every reason to believe they expect a good dose of Virginia conservatism to counter Washington’s hyper liberalism. November 3 was a conservative upheaval.

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Earthquake Edition

That wasn’t a landslide last night, it was a full blown eruption. Unimaginable margins for the top three elected officials in Virginia and a massive pickup in the House of Delegates, shooting the GOP number there from 55 to at least 60, is no mere landslide. It’s The World Turned Upside Down. Only four years ago, Bob McDonnell eked out the closest election in Virginia history, by 300-plus votes. Now, he’s a national figure.

In a similar way, Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli won re-election to the Senate by 92 votes in 2007. He’s always been the number one target for Democrats, liberal victimization and special rights groups, and left-wing special interests. They didn’t get him when they had the chance. Now, they must be horrified. 

It’s all election coverage and postmortems today, including a late breaking update from Lynchburg where Delegate Shannon Valentine finally conceded to Delegate-elect Scott Garrett, despite his margin of victory being within her right to call for a recount.

Our own Victoria Cobb is quoted in the Washington Post on how Governor-elect McDonnell will govern. That’s at the top. We bookend the News Stand with another social issues story: Maine, of all states, protects traditional marriage. It truly was an earth shattering night.  

News:

*Now, the hard part: Continuing to straddle the center and the right (Washington Post)

McDonnell beats Deeds, wins governor’s race; now it gets harder (The Daily Press)

McDonnell leads GOP sweep of statewide races (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

GOP reclaims Virginia (Washington Post)

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling wins second term (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Bolling defeats Wagner, holds on to No. 2 post (Washington Post)

Cuccinelli elected attorney general (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Cuccinelli’s sound win rounds out GOP sweep (Washington Post)

Republicans retaining control of House of Delegates (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Republicans boost dominance among Va. Delegates (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

UPDATED: Valentine Concedes: Barrett wins in 23rd District (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Liberty delivers votes by the busload (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Republicans keep 17th House of Delegates district on Election Day (Roanoke Times)

Newcomer Robin Abbott beats veteran incumbent Phil Hamilton (The Daily Press)

Sen. Ken Stolle to become Va. Beach’s next sheriff (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Exit Poll: Virginia Voters Older, Energized (FoxNews.com)

Governor’s agenda flagging, but not ratings (Washington Post)

Analysis:

Analysis: GOP sweep shows policies, not parties, are paramount in Va. Politics (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National:

Gay marriage vote fails in Maine (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

You have to give it to Republican attorney general candidate Ken Cuccinelli. Although always expecting a last minute barage of gutter negativity by liberal attack machines, it’s never pleasant. But he has a keen wit that never fails to throw his opponents off balance. While on a last weekend tour of the state with running mates Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling, he decorated a broom and christened it “McBollenelli.” It had the uncommon affect of gaining him several quotes in newspapers (see T-D) and sound bytes on television (see CBS6), almost unheard of when almost all focus is on the gubernatorial candidates. 

Meanwhile, his weak opponent was absent from print media and seen on televisions across the commonwealth standing meekly by the side of his fumbling running mate. Quite the contrast, not to mention a superior antidote, to the paid negative media launched at Senator Cuccinelli this past week.  

Will we see “McBollinelli” tomorrow night? Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli (above) hope to use it in a sweep of Virginia’s statewide elections.

Annotations & Elucidations 

Election Eve Edition

Will tomorrow be the dream come true for exiled Virginia Republicans? Or will the vaunted Democrat machine of Obama, Warner & Kaine pull a dramatic upset? The Mason-Dixon Poll, the Gold Standard of Virginia political polls, has always called the winners, usually with remarkable accuracy. In 2006, it called it for Jim Webb by one percent. Yesterday’s results, in the Times-Dispatch, have it 53-41 for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell. It also has his running mates, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, and attorney general candidate Senator Ken Cuccinelli, up by double digits. 

What of the House of Delegates? Only months ago, Democrats were hopeful of a takeover. Now, projections run anywhere from a two to 12 seat gain for the GOP (see the Washington Times below). Expect at least one shocker. Maybe two. Today, of course, the News Stand (even the National and Commentary sections) is all about  the election.

News:

McDonnell extends advantage in Times-Dispatch poll (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

3 Points in 3 Months: VA Gov Contest Polling Ends Just About Where It Began, with GOP Sweep of VA Races (SurveyUSA.com)

McDonnell maintains large lead (PublicPolicyPolling.com)

Republicans Unleash “McBollinelli” (WTVR.com/WTVR-TV)

Virginia candidates step up efforts in waning hours (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Now it’s a sprint to Tuesday (The Daily Press)

Virginia governor candidates hold last-minute rallies (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

McDonnell, Deeds push key campaign themes as race nears end (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Welcome to work, governor. It’s time to slash the budget. (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

McDonnell and Deeds mostly mum on how to fund their ideas (Washington Post)

Virginia Republicans expect to make gains (Washington Times)

Republicans hope to gain House seats (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

Palin records calls urging Virginians to vote (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

LU hoping for strong voter turnout on Tuesday (Lynchburg News & Advance)

National:

A few elections, a few clues about our politics (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Scorn for property taxes drives NJ governor’s race (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Third party challenges in NJ, NY are warning sign (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Limbaugh says Obama ‘in over his head’ (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary:

Republican Leaders Seeing the Light and Going Conservative? (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Annotations & Elucidations 

Close Of Business, October 2009

Another month, another campaign draws toward conclusion. Where does the time go? Where does life go? A sign of the times: Campaign news is light today. Everyone is expecting an anti-climatic GOP blowout. But will it be? What about New Jersey and the special Congressional election in upstate New York? If the Dems pull those out will that blunt any GOP resurgence nationally otherwise gained from a Virginia sweep? If the numbers hold, how many Republican delegates will win? Retirements alone guarantee a large freshman class in January.

About today’s headlines: The Richmond Times-Dispatch gets up close and personal with the LG candidates and the Washington Times already is analyzing where Creigh Deeds went wrong. Why is it always where Creigh Deeds went wrong? Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli have done a lot right. Meanwhile, political soothsayer Dr. Larry Sabato offers his predictions on the election.

Nationally: It’s unfortunate that several pastors in Washington, D.C., are supporting homosexual “marriage” there; the AP reports that, indeed, abortion funding is in the health care “reform” bill; and sociologist Brad Wilcox of U.Va., and The Family Foundation Marriage Commission, caught the AP’s attention with his research that faith helps marriages!

In Commentary, Dr. Thomas Sowell offers part two of his “Dismantling of America” exposition, the first part of which we posted earlier this week, and which drew considerable praise from Rush Limbaugh, among others. Also, a skin care company is using fetal cells in its product; Tim Kaine’s DNC has selected as a finalist in a contest promoting the health care bill a video that desecrates the American flag; and a high ranking Obama administration official reveals her “ultimate expression of self-righteous victimhood.” This is the weekend we move our clocks back and it gets dark earlier. How appropriate.

News:

Candidates for lieutenant governor come with different backgrounds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Republicans rally supporters in Lynchburg as Election Day nears (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Money, missteps cost Deeds in polls for gubernatorial race (Washington Times)

Deeds makes stop in Roanoke (Roanoke Times)

National News: 

Health care businesses at risk in House overhaul (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Believe it or not . . . abortion funding is in health care bill (OneNewsNow.com) 

Sociologist: Faith benefits marriage and family life (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Pastors unite to support same-sex marriage in D.C. (Washington Post)

Analysis:

So who’s going to win? (Dr. Larry Sabato/Center For Politics)

Commentary:

Dismantling America, Part II(Thomas Sowell/OneNewsNow.com)

Desecrated Flag Video Is Finalist In DNC Contest(Tasha Easterling/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Got Waste? No Surprises There (Jeremy Wiggins/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Skin Care Company Using Fetal Cells In Anti-Wrinkle Cream (Jeremy Wiggins/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Obama Advisor: We’re Just Speaking Truth To Power (Tasha Easterling/Rightly Concerned Blog)

As Virginia’s statewide campaign winds down, it’s a time for reflection . . . what’s been your favorite gaffe moment? There are many, to be sure. But we took the painstaking task of narrowing it down to seven. Creigh Deeds and Jody Wagner star in three each. All but one are below in video or audio form, and there’s a link to our original report for the other. If you need a refresher, feel free to review them again — or watch/listen/read them again for old times sake and a good laugh. Or, if they are burned indelibly into your mind, vote straightaway. If you have another nominee, feel free to cast a write-in vote in our comments section. However, as tempting as it is, votes for the Deeds, Wagner or Shannon campaigns as a whole are not allowed. It’s just not fair. Feel free to forward or share this link (especially to undecided voters).

The Deeds Dodge on taxes.

Marriage should be between a man and a woman except you shouldn’t discriminate against same-sex couples.

I feel strongly both ways on the public option.

Steve Shannon’s “Jeopardy!” moment. Where’s Alex to make him answer?

Jody Wagner will have a lot of time to spend looking for the Lt. Governor’s Mansion.

AUDIO CLIP (8:34): Jody Wagner’s Rambling “Let’s Be Clear” Interview With WRVA’s Jimmy Barrett (click here).

BLOG POST: Jody Wagner Sticking With A VEA Accusation Against Bill Bolling That Even The VEA Retracted And Apologized For (read here).

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Substitute

Filling in for Admin today, so the comments will be brief! In today’s news we have the White House beginning their tactical distancing from Creigh Deeds, that way the stories following November 3 are sure to say “Virginia Elections No Reflection on Obama.” But the most fun news comes from yesterday’s debate between candidates for Attorney General. Now, if Creigh Deeds is the Democrat candidate in this race that’s baffled by simple questions, and Jody Wagner is the most clueless, then clearly Steven Shannon is the angriest candidate on the ticket. I mean, seriously, I know the job of AG is important, but Steve, smile once in a while. Everyone knows that you are running for the job of the Commonwealth’s top prosecutor, even though the AG isn’t the Commonwealth’s top prosecutor, but lighten up. Yesterday Steve decided that Creigh couldn’t be the only one to run a nasty campaign, so he played the race card. I guess the only question remaining: Is anyone listening anymore?

News: