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Annotations & Elucidations

Hope For Hollywood?

Almost all the news today is national in scope, and much of that is about culture. It appears now that the same-sex marriage drive in the Northeast has stalled. Starting with Maine’s decisive ballot victory November 3 (another conservative victory that historic night almost unnoticed by the media), now the legislatures in New York and New Jersey have ground to a crawl their moves to put the issue to a vote. In the nation’s capital, however, the city council there most certainly will approve a same-sex marriage measure. But a reluctant hero is emerging in Catholic Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, who is telling the D.C. government that if you force this immorality on my faith, you can forget about Catholic Charities’ help. The liberal hysteria is amazing.

In another battle in the culture war, Virginian Lisa Miller has been ordered, incredibly, by a Vermont judge, to cede full custody of her daughter to her former lesbian lover. Meanwhile, Pastor Rick Warren asks liberals if they think abortion is so bad it should be “rare,” why not ban it?

In other news, the global warming hoax scandal is shedding still more light on the motives and evil mentality of its perpetrators (celebrating a man’s death, for example) and we see a school without God. Yesterday, we posted a link to an article about Angelina Jolie calling President Obama a “socialist.” Today, we find one about Sandra Bullock’s “blessing to meet a Christian,” (the woman she portrays in her hit movie Blind Side). Who knows? Maybe there’s hope for Hollywood yet. 

News:

Jan. 12 Va. Senate elections to fill Cuccinelli, Stolle seats (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Marshall to propose ‘healthcare freedom’ constitutional amendment (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

GOP in 5th District to meet, choose route for ‘10 election (Roanoke Times)

National News:

Gay marriage vote stalls in N.J., N.Y. (Washington Times)

Lisa Miller Ordered to Hand Custody of Daughter to Former Lesbian Lover  (LifeSiteNews.com)

D.C. Council poised to legalize same-sex marriage (Washington Post)

Archbishop takes a reluctant turn in the spotlight (Washington Post)

Evangelical Pastor Rick Warren on abortion, sexuality and Obama (Politico.com)

Sandra Bullock: A blessing to meet, portray a real Christian (OneNewsNow.com)

E-mail reveal more than global-warming scam (OneNewsNow.com)

Tax increases may stall healthcare vote (OneNewsNow.com)

Long, bitter debate ahead in health care bill (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Huckabee’s White House hopes hurt by commutation (Washington Times)

Commentary:

Global Warming Hypocrisy (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

A School Without God (David P. Smith/Rightly Concerned Blog)

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)

It’s one thing to be thrown under the bus, but quite another when the driver drives over you, then puts it in reverse and flattens you again. Even if the driver feels guilty and gets out to see if he can help, it’s still rubbing salt in the wound — which is how Creigh Deeds must feel after President Barack Obama agreed to campaign for him this week after this article Friday in the Washington Post pretty much undermined what’s left of his gubernatorial campaign.

The president wants plausible deniability that he and his policies have nothing to do with the sinking Deeds ship, yet he’s still coming to campaign for him. Part of his legendary ego? Who knows? Pretty strange, even for this crowd, and disturbing to Virginia Dems, as this Post follow-up concludes.

The White House says Deeds has been too negative. This from the crew compiling an enemies list that includes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of all people. Plus, it’s helped New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine shred Republican Chris Christie into confetti with a television assault never before seen. Bill Pascoe of CQ Politics’ In The Right blog struggles with the difficult task of trying to make sense of it all.

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Debate/Mason-Dixon Edition

The news is almost all campaign, with several national articles (including the New York Times, which has two pieces — one specifically on Virginia, in the News section, and one on Virginia and New Jersey and their national implications, in National News) continuing to shine the national flood lights on the commonwealth. Tonight is also debate night, the first live televised one. Will Democrat Creigh Deeds apologize for his negative campaign? Will he finally explain his transportation and tax increase plans (his last attempt at explaining the latter was called “embarrassing” today by his patron, the Washington Post, and now has been turned into a new ad, which will begin running tonight).

Now the Dems, including DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, are targeting Senator Ken Cuccinelli. He began an ad they say is unfair and misrepresents Democrat attorney general candidate Steve Shannon’s position on the special session that remedied a Supreme Court decision that would ceased prosecutions on drunk drivers and drug offenders. Hmmm. How do you misrepresent Shannon’s view? Calling it a “political stunt” is pretty hard to misinterpret.

But the big news was the release of Mason-Dixon’s first poll this campaign season. Mason-Dixon is the gold standard in Virginia political polls. The last poll it conducts, the Sunday before each election day, has never predicted the wrong winner, so it is awaited with baited breath. Its 2009 debut has all three Republicans leading: Bob McDonnell up by eight for governor, Lt. Governor Bill Bollingup by 13, and Cuccinelli up by seven. Not to be outdone, however, is SurveyUSA, which conducted another poll last week for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke and WJLA-TV in Washington (its fourth consecutive weekly poll). It was mostly drowned out by the Washington Post poll results, which showed all three Republicans up by nine. SurveyUSA has the three Republicans up by 11, 17 and 10, respectively. Details on everything mentioned above, and more, are below.

News:

Mason-Dixon Poll: McDonnell up by 8 points over Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch/Lynchburg News & Advance) 

Mason-Dixon Shows McDonnell by 8 (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Poll: GOP’s Bolling, Cuccinelli lead (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Virginia: 4 Weeks Until Votes Are Counted, Republicans Remain Poised to Win 3 Top Statewide Contests (SurveyUSA.com)

Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll (SurveyUSA.com)

Va. Candidates Meet Tonight in First Live TV Debate (Washington Post)

Debate a major moment in Va. governor’s race (AP/The Daily Press)

Two State Races May Put Lens on Obama (New York Times)

GOP Launches New Ad on Deeds and Taxes (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Cuccinelli Airs New Ad; Shannon, Kaine Protest (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog) 

Kaine says Obama supporters key for Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Biden calls Virginia race winnable for Deeds…. (The Shad Plank Blog)

Debate in House race heats up over transportation question (Lynchburg News & Advance)

8th District candidates debate in Roanoke Co. (Roanoke Times)

Sexually explicit novel pulled from Roanoke school libraries (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News:

Democrats May Lose Two Governors Races (Reuters/New York Times)

McDonnell Holds GOP Comeback Hopes in Virginia; Dems Hope Deeds Bet Pays Off  (PoliticsDaily.com)

House Votes to Add Sexual Orientation to Law on Hate Crimes (Washington Post)

Analysis:

Republican sweep looking likely in Virginia (Josh Kraushaar/The Scorecard Blog Politico.com)

Annotations & Elucidations 

Dems Abandoning Deeds? Surprisingly Close House Race?

Articles of note in today’s large News Stand: At the top of the News section, as well as at the top of the National News section, are articles in which leading national Democrats  sound as if Democrat gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds is in the bottom of the ninth, with at least one out. New Jersey is the name of the game, now, they say (see this QOD if you haven’t yet).

Meanwhile, Republican attorney general candidate, Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37, Fairfax), was the only one of the six statewide candidates to speak at the traditional Jefferson Assembly at Poplar Forest. (Virginia pols turning down a chance to appear Jeffersonian?) The Richmond Times-Dispatch looks at 10 House of Delegates races that may decide its control. Most interesting, it includes the 69th district race. The 69th is a majority-minority district and is overwhelmingly Democrat. But Republican Ernesto Sampson is giving Democrat Betsy Carr more than she wants.

Aside from campaigns, the Life issue continues to confound liberals, who don’t seem to understand that people have a natural instinct to preserve it. First, a new Pew Research poll confirms a Gallup survey earlier this year — support for Life continues to rise. Those supporting abortion are stagnant or falling. See the Analysis section. Then, for all the stereotype of college students being pro-abortion, there are Students for Life groups springing up all over Virginia campuses and around the country. The James Madison University Dukes for Life are profiled in the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record. 

News:

Schweitzer: Dems Have Better Shot in New Jersey (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Deeds: From Patching Fence to Straddling It (Washington Post)

McDonnell Tops Deeds On TV Ad Spending (Washington Post)

In cash race, businesses back Va. governor candidate McDonnell (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

RPV Blasts Deeds for GOP-Backed Bill (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Deeds, McDonnell each claim endorsements (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

DNC giving Deeds additional $1 million (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Politicians stump at Poplar Forest event (Lynchburg News & Advance)

TV ad wars heat up in governor’s race (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

House of Delegates control up for grabs (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Gilbert Boosts War Chest With $19K Fundraiser (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record)

Newcomers compete for Del. Kenneth Melvin’s seat in 80th House district (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

JMU Group Joins Abortion Protest (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record)

High court rejects ‘Choose Life’ plates case (Washington Times)

National News:

Democrats see rise in New Jersey, fade in Va. governors’ races (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot/Politico.com)

Same-sex marriage close to D.C. approval (Washington Times)

Analysis:

Support for abortion slips (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press) 

Poll Check: A Shift on Abortion? (Jon Cohen/Washington Post Behind The Numbers Blog)

This coming Monday, October 5, is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in the November election. If you are not registered, or if you have recently moved, be sure to go to your local voter registrar’s office and register to vote. You may also download the Virginia voter registration from the State Board of Elections’ Web site by clicking here.

All eyes are on Virginia and New Jersey this November, as the only two states with statewide elections. The outcomes will be crucial and it is vital that your voice is heard. Will Virginia continue down the path of secular progressivism, the seeds of which are being planted by the Obama Administration, or will we say, “enough is enough,” and return to the proven principles of freedom, respect for life, traditional marriage and smaller, limited government? We are blessed in this nation to be able to choose our governmental leaders. We must do all that we can to ensure that we elect men and women who understand that the greatness our nation is in its Judeo-Christian foundation and that we must uphold those principles if we are to remain a great nation.

If you already are registered to vote, make sure your friends and family members also are registered. Offer to take them to the registrar’s office or help them download the registration form (you can also register at places such as libraries and the DMV). If possible, hold a voter registration drive in your church this Sunday.

Four years ago, the Attorney General’s race was decided by just 360 votes. Every vote counts!

In addition, the military deadline is approaching as well! If you are a Virginia resident serving in the military outside of the commonwealth or have a son or daughter deployed who needs to register, military personnel may use the Federal Post Card Application to register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot both at the same time. The application must be received by the local registrar by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 5. There is a provision for these to be faxed or e-mai as well as through the U.S. Postal Service. For more information, click here for the Virginia State Board of Elections page on the military.

The entire country is focused on the Commonwealth of Virginia this election season. Other than New Jersey, we are the only state holding statewide elections, which includes the campaigns for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates. Accordingly, The Family Foundation needs ongoing assistance in distributing General Assembly Report Cards and other voter education materials to help educate pro-family citizens around the commonwealth regarding the principles each candidate represents.

If you are a middle school, high school or college student needing to fulfill any community service requirements for graduation or any adult who would enjoy assisting us in our mission on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis — we need your help, especially until November! The Family Foundation headquarters is located across from the capitol in downtown Richmond. Parking is located only a few blocks from our office building.

Responsibilities and duties include:

» Data Entry (basic computer skills)

» Mailings (production and stuffing)

» Distributing Report Cards and other items to churches

» Database Management (basic computer skills)

» Making phone calls

Potential candidates include students in sixth grade through college, home-educated families, stay-at-home mothers and fathers, and retirees. If interested in volunteering your valued talent in order to advance the cause of traditional values in the commonwealth, then please contact Marie Edwards at marie@familyfoundation.org or at (804) 343-0010.

Non-profit and non-partisan, The Family Foundation of Virginia is the commonwealth’s oldest and most influential family public policy organization. Our mission is to strengthen the family through accurate research and education, prompting civic activism and affecting public policy outcomes. The Family Foundation is proud to be associated with Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family and its network of nearly forty independent state policy councils.

Since 1985, The Family Foundation has been on the forefront of critical public policy debates helping Virginia citizens, lawmakers and business leaders better understand and apply to law the principles of life, marriage, parental authority, constitutional government and religious liberty.

Non-profit and non-partisan, we are the Commonwealth’s oldest and most influential family public policy organization. Our mission is to strengthen the family through accurate research and education, prompting civic activism and affecting public policy outcomes. The Family Foundation of Virginia is proud to be associated with Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family and its network of nearly forty independent state policy councils.

The entire country is focused on Virginia this year. Other than New Jersey, we are the only state that has statewide elections (for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the entire House of Delegates). We will need ongoing assistance so we can distribute our 2008-09 General Assembly Report Card (to be made public within a couple of weeks) and other materials to help educate Christians and churches around the Commonwealth regarding the principles each candidate represents during this November’s elections. While candidates campaign for votes, we will educate citizens on the principles these numerous  individuals represent.

To pull this off, we need you! We have various needs that can be fulfilled by middle school, high school (homeschoolers welcome!) or college students. These activities are perfect to meet community service requirements for graduation or for adults (such as retirees or stay-at-home-parents) who would enjoy assisting us in our mission. We can use help on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis. Our headquarters is located across from the Capitol Square in downtown Richmond and we there is convenient parking. 

Some of the areas where we can use help include data entry and data base managment (basic computer skills) in office or at home; mailings (production and stuffing); and distributing General Assembly Report Cards and other items to churches. 

If interested in volunteering your valued talent in order to advance the cause of traditional values in the Commonwealth, then please contact Marie Edwards at marie@familyfoundation.org or call her at (804) 343-0010.

During this crucial time in our Commonwealth’s and nation’s history, we believe it is more important than ever to do whatever possible to secure the traditional values we hold dear and precious, while they are under heavy assault. Please consider helping us with what will be a rewarding experience.

It’s beyond lame, now . . . the automatic, reflexive response by Virginia’s liberals that not only do we need more taxes but that we can afford them. Regarding the former, it’s that the “government doesn’t have enough money,” as if the people it is sucking it from does. That’s the problem we’re facing now, right? People have less money. Too bad. Government elites want whatever it is you have left.

Regarding the latter, whether it’s Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D-35, Springfield) pitching higher gas taxes or now Governor Tim Kaine pleading  for higher unemployment insurance taxes on businesses, it’s always something about Virginia’s taxes aren’t as high as a neighboring state’s or the national average or states that begin with letters never chosen in the final round on Wheel of Fortune, therefore we can afford them. As if the fact that Virginia may happen to have a particular tax lower than North Carolina, Maryland or Utah makes a difference as to whether it’s justifiable on the merits to raise it .

The latest in this nonsense is the aforementioned tax on businesses that funds unemployment insurance for laid-off workers. Last week, during its veto session, the General Assembly rejected the governor’s attempt to accept federal “stimulus” money for extended unemployment insurance payments. The main argument against accepting the money was that, after the two year federal funding period, Virginia would have been obligated to continue the expenditures at a level necessitating a large tax increase on the people that create the jobs to begin with — businesses, including small businesses (often family owned) which create most jobs.

According to Governor Kaine, as reported in yesterday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch, ”Virginia employers pays the second lowest annual amount of unemployment taxes in the nation.” By that logic, let’s raise every tax in Virginia in which we are in the bottom 10 percentile. Or 20 percentile . . . or heck, make it the 50 percentile. Don’t want to feel too fortunate, here, do we?

In effect, they’re saying let’s give up our advantage in order to tax more people because other states are doing it. But isn’t the idea to create an economic environment to recruit new business to Virginia and to encourage start-ups? But these liberals are saying, “We’re not taxing our residents enough. If other states can do it, so can we!” Worse, they believe it!

Turns out though, Virginia isn’t such a low tax state after all, the perception perhaps perpetuated as a ready excuse to raise taxes (we’re under taxed, so ante up more). According to Scott Hodge of the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, Virginia’s overall tax burden is one of the nation’s worst, rivaling notoriously high-taxing New York, New Jersey, California and, even, ”Taxachussetts.” (So much for our low-tax advantage.) Hodges spoke recently on Freedom & Prosperity Radio and you can hear the interview here with other interesting statistics.

Either way — whether they believe there is “room” to raise taxes compared to other states or they selectively pick and choose taxes that are lower here by comparison in order to raise a sense that an increase won’t hurt — Virginia’s tax-and-spenders insist on following other states rather than leading. Never mind that it’s following them right off the economic cliff.

But it couldn’t happen here, right? That’s why there was no need for a Constitutional Marriage Amendment in 2006. Sure. That’s what the opponents said. 

Unfortunately, as we’ve seen in Iowa today (see New York Times), and in various states where courts force “civil unions” or same-sex “marriage” on its citizens by arbitrary decree, constitutional amendments absolutely are necessary.

The fact is, we have a judiciary that is no more interested in interpreting law than it is in giving up their salaries. Rather, they think of themselves as super legislators, not needing the imprimatur of the electorate as the legislature does, which is where law is made, which is why legislators are elected and judges are not. But, who cares about that?

Even though representative democracy was what this country was founded on, to certain judges — such as the ones in Iowa, New Jersey and Massachusetts — the electorate and its representatives don’t matter. If these judges don’t like something, they decree it and hand it down from on high, what the people think and expect be damned. If this doesn’t make the case for constitutional restraint through each state’s amending process, nothing does. At least in Virginia we’re safe . . . just as we told we needed to be.