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Another major bill had a less thrilling outcome today, setting the stage for a showdown in Senate Finance Wednesday. The Senate Courts of Justice Committee referred HB 652, the property rights bill, to the Senate Finance Committee on a 15-0 vote. It will be heard there Wednesday morning.

Ever since the middle of last week when COJ yanked the bill from its Civil sub-committee for a full hearing committee hearing, rumors have bounced off every wall and ceiling on every floor of the GAB: It’s going to pass because of this. It’s going to die, because of that. These guys are for it. Those guys are against it. Who’s to know what’s true? Oh, if I could say what I know.

Here’s what we do know: Big government forces continue to lobby against it and pressure senators (see video here). Their lobbyists have been in every committee room HB 652 has been heard in, waiting to ounce. In fact, the lobbyist for the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Municipal League, begged Committee Chairman Henry Marsh (D-16, Richmond) to let him and other opponents to speak today. Senator marsh told him to save it for Finance.

Think this is all stuff of a conspiracy? Check out the case of the mystery memo posted on Tertium Quids: A set of unattributed talking points opposed to the bill was found, apparently being dropped off at certain senators’ offices. Lobbying information is supposed to be identified, sort of like campaign mailers. Hmmmmmmm.

On the other hand, the good guys have an expanding coalition for the bill and three major editorial pages, of different political philosophies, have endorsed it since Thursday: The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star and the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.

In the meantime, do your part to protect property rights. Contact members of the Senate Finance Committee and ask them to pass HB 652 Wednesday morning.

The past 24 hours have been good for Virginia’s homosexual lobby, at least in the Virginia Senate, where two key legislative initiatives passed. But there also is positive news for values voters in the House of Delegates.

Yesterday, the Senate passed SB 66, legislation that would add sexual orientation (and “gender identity or expression”) to the state’s non-discrimination in hiring laws (see Richmond Times-Dispatch). Despite no evidence being presented anywhere in the process that discrimination is taking place, the bill passed 23-17, with one Republican, Fred Quayle (R-13, Suffolk), joining all 22 Senate Democrats who favored the measure.

Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26, Harrisonburg) argued against the bill during the floor debate, adding the fact that should this bill become law, the Commonwealth would open itself up for extensive litigation by those who claim they have been discriminated against regardless of their job qualifications.

Today, SB 451, legislation that would allow local governments to offer domestic partner benefits, and patroned by Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-31, Arlington), passed the Senate 26-14. This took place despite the fact that this legislation could have a significant fiscal impact on the Commonwealth through increased Standards of Quality funding. Republican Senators Quayle, John Watkins (R-10, Midlothian), Harry Blevins (R-14, Chesapeake), and floor leader Tommy Norment (R-3, Williamsburg) joined the 22 Democrats.

These bills still must be vetted in and voted on in the House. We encourage you to contact your delegates to defeat these unnecessary bills. If you do, we are quite hopeful that these bills will not find equal favor there.

In fact, earlier this evening, a House General Laws Sub-committee defeated HB 1116, mirror legislation to SB 66. It was patroned by Delegate Adam Ebbin (D-49, Arlington). The vote was 5-3 with Delegates John Cosgrove (R-78, Chesapeake), Bill Carrico (R-5, Galax), Ed Scott (R-30, Culpepper), Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock), and Rich Anderson (R-51, Woodbridge) voted against the bill. This indicates that SB 66 has little hope for success in the House.

Four years ago, only a few weeks after taking office and proposing (against his campaign promise) the largest tax increase in Virginia history, Congressional Democrats chose then-Governor Tim Kaine to deliver their party’s response to then-President George W. Bush’s State of the Union Address. Yesterday, it was reported (see Washington Post), that Congressional Republicans have chosen newly sworn-in Governor Bob McDonnell to give the GOP response to President Barack Obama’s January 27 State of the Union.

How about that for asymmetrical karma? But there’s more.

Yesterday, House Republicans brought to the floor Delegate Bob Brink’s (D-48, Arlington) HB 1155, legislation that would enact former Governor Tim Kaine’s proposed income tax increase (see Richmond Times-Dispatch). The bill was referred to the House Rules Committee, which alone has the authority to report bills to the floor without recommendation. Thus it did with HB 1155 in order to put Democrats on the spot — vote against their friend and national party chairman or be on record for higher taxes in a recession. Delegate Brink requested that the bill be pulled, normally a pro forma request that’s granted at the will of the patron. Not yesterday!

Instead, it was put to a vote while Democrats vehemently protested. As if they couldn’t have anticipated it. Remember, last year Republicans did the same thing on a bill that would have repealed Virginia’s Right To Work Law (see post here and video here). They forced a vote by bringing that equally controversial bill through a no recommendation vote on the Rules Committee. The Democrats reacted by abstaining, but through a parliamentary procedure that says if a member is in his seat but not voting, and another member points that out, the vote must be recorded in the negative. Thus, Majority Leader Morgan Griffith (R-8, Salem) forcibly recorded no votes against the bill which put Democrats at odds with their Big Labor allies.

With this as background, certainly they knew something was coming with a monstrous tax increase bill, and they knew they couldn’t abstain. On the first day of session, when the rules package is adopted, Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D-10, Martinsville) said as much when he objected to the Rules Committee exception. As it turned out, it was a unanimous blowout, with the House voting 97-0 (with Delegate Brink abstaining) to reject one last Tim Kaine tax increase, sending it down with all his others, this one posthumously, in the political sense.

So, the question is, why file the tax increase bill to begin with? Only Delegate Brink knows for sure, but we suspect some members of the General Assembly like to give a peek of their colors to satisfy certain constituencies, but seek to conceal them altogether from the greater electorate. Increasingly, however, these lawmakers get found out.

Annotations & Elucidations

Even On New Year’s Day . . .

The News Stand is back after a Christmas/New Year’s break. Not much comment today. With a new administration and two months of General Assembly upcoming, there will be plenty of news upon which to comment in the days and weeks ahead. For now, take a look at some articles of interest to ween you back into the Virginia political mindset: The Wall Street Journal’s Brendan Miniter profiles Governor-elect Bob McDonnell while the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Roanoke Times bid adieu to Governor Tim Kaine; the Washington Times examines McDonnell’s call to eliminate the governor’s one term limit; the Washington Post looks areas of the Virginia budget that may no longer be sacrosanct from cuts; and the AP reports that 13 attorneys general, including outgoing Virginia AG Bill Mims, are  threatening a lawsuit over the pending nationalized health care legislation — and they are not all “red” state AGs, either. We anticipate that Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli will continue Virginia’s participation in the proceedings should the legislation become law.  

But, just to show you it’s always something around here, in case you missed it, CNN called us for a New Year’s Day interview regarding the Isabella Miller custody case. So, below, we posted the video of the report which includes reporter Mary Snow’s interview with Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb.

News:

Back to GOP Basics (Wall Street Journal Online)

Parts of Virginia’s budget may no longer be off-limits (Washington Post)

Kaine had wins but took some lumps as governor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

A term of crisis: Gov. Tim Kaine exit interview (Roanoke Times)

Va. GOP names new executive director (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Va.’s McDonnell seeks end to term limit (Washington Times)

Va. mom fails to hand over daughter in custody dispute (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National:

13 attorneys general threaten suit over health care (AP/Roanoke Times)

Video:

*Lesbian Custody Battle (2:13) (CNN.com)

Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb speaks to CNN on New Year’s Day about Lisa Miller apparently running away with her daughter, Isabella. 

The biggest mystery since the Easter Island must be the myth the Mark Warner (contact) is somehow a “fiscal conservative,” not to mention these famous remarks (click here). Starting with his Virginia record tax increase (breaking a campaign pledge) in 2004 to his 50 percent increase in state spending while governor, it’s unfortunate that too many in Virginia’s business community helped perpetuate the myth.

Now, please, can we do away with it once and for all? Senator Warner voted for $787 billion stimulus last winter in his first major vote. Then, he voted for the omnibus spending bill (”stimulus 2″). Now, within the last two weeks, he’s voted for a $1.1 trillion spending bill (”stimulus 3″) (see Richmond Times-Dispatch) and for the trillions-dollar-plus socialized medicine bill. Please tell me how this is fiscal conservatism?

Of course, don’t tell that to the Washington Post, which published a feature Saturday on the senator’s first year. Poor baby. He’s frustrated that he can’t get more of his Democrat colleagues to take a more centrist course. It’s pretty frightening to think of Senator Warner’s definition of “centrist” after stacking up centuries of debt on us. His early record shows little sign of centrism and almost every sign of way-out-on-the-left-wing-Barbara Boxer-Harry Reid-John Kerry-(pick your favorite liberal here)-leftist-elitist-liberalism. Let the lie die now, please.

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)

On Tuesday, the Virginia Crime Commission decided to recommend no legislative remedies regarding “sexting,” an obscene and predatory version of text messaging. The same day, The Family Foundation participated in a Capitol press conference (see coverage at  Richmond Times-Dispatch) with Attorney General Bill Mims, Enough is Enough and the Interfaith Center for Public Policy to announce a joint venture to educate churches on Internet safety.

The Internet is an expanse of exploration and offers a joy of discovery and learning, but it also has a dark side populated by hardcore pornography and sexual predators. Keeping children safe while they explore the Web is a full time job. To help parents, Enough is Enough produced “Internet Safety 101,” a DVD program that helps parents understand the dangers of the Internet and how to protect their children.

As technology advances, the threats to children have moved far beyond chat rooms and My Space, to cel phones and even game systems like PS2 and Xbox. Unfortunately, too few parents are equipped to monitor everything that their children see online, or on their cel phone. “Internet Safety 101″ provides the tools necessary for child protection.

At the news conference (see WHSV.com), we announced a joint effort between ourselves, the Attorney General’s office, Pastors For Family Values (our pastors outreach ministry), and the Interfaith Center for Public Policy, where we will distribute 1,000 Internet Safety kits, upon request, to churches across Virginia. Churches can then use the material to train their congregations to better understand the threats that exist and how to combat them. We also will conduct a joint training for pastors and other church leaders on Thursday, March 4, 2010, in Richmond.

Here’s a quote from Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb from the news conference (see WTVR.com/CBS6):

Over the years, The Family Foundation has urged the General Assembly to pass stronger penalties for child pornography and to do as much as possible to protect our children and our families on the Internet, but with the freedom that exists on the World Wide Web, we know that this goes far beyond anything government can really do. We as parents must take the necessary steps to protect our families. With the assistance of churches, we can educate and inform thousands more families, protect thousands more children, and hopefully, even save some lives. The materials produced by Enough is Enough are timely, they are effective, they are powerful, and they will absolutely help families in Virginia deal with the dangers that lurk on the Internet.

Clearly, these issues go beyond simply passing new laws (see WWBT/NBC12.com). We as parents, families and churches must do more to ensure that the experiences our children have on the Internet are safe. Our hope is that churches in our network will take advantage of these free resources and help their congregations learn the ins and outs of Internet safety.

If you’d like more information about this material for your church please call John Smith in our office at 804-343-0010 or e-mail him at john@familyfoundation.org.

(Photo courtesy of the Office of Attorney General.)

Annotations & Elucidations

Ooops. We’re Taking You To Court, Instead.

Of all things: The mysterious Know Campaign, which planned on a mass mailing, prior to the election, telling recipients that their neighbors vote, so why don’t you? last week told the State Board of Elections it would cooperate with its investigation and disclose who made available to it a Voter Vault list, of which only certain people — including elected officials — have access, but now says it is going to court to block having to supply said information. Hmmm. As Jerry Seinfeld would ask, “Who arrrrrrrre those people?”

Meanwhile, the GOP celebrates, the Dems deliberate and Jeff McWaters will be the new senator from the 8th district. Also, some are floating the idea of ending the car tax reduction to balance the budget. That takes a lot of nerve, but, unfortunately, it’s not surprising. Some never can read election results, even when it hits them in the face.

In Analysis and Commentary past and future elections are evaluated, as the Washington Post picks Virginia’s own, U.S. Representative Tom Perriello (D-5) as the fifth most likely incumbent/defender of a party’s seat, to lose in next year’s Congressional elections, and former Governor Doug Wilder explains why Creigh Deeds lost. (Why isn’t ever why Bob McDonnell won?) Also, the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Jeff Schapiro takes a look at one of the most powerful men in the General Assembly — Delegate Kirk Cox (R-66, Colonial Heights) — and the many cards he has to play.

News:

McDonnell and GOP celebrate victories (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Victory bash: GOP rallies in Williamsburg (The Daily Press)

Kaine tells Democrats not to dwell on the past (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Deeds thanks Dems, exhorts party to keep fighting (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

End to car tax relief on table to plug budget hole (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

McDonnell watches cash during transition (Richmond Times-Dispatch) 

GOP picks McWaters to run for Va. Senate (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Nonprofit sues to avoid disclosing donors (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Analysis:

Spotlight centers on Cox (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Change you can count on: Five key districts (Chris Cillizza/Washington Post)

Commentary:

Wilder: Why Creigh Deeds Lost (Doug Wilder/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Annotations & Elucidations

Back From Break

The four day Thanksgiving break is universally good for everyone. With so many events converging in November, it’s good to hit the breaks, take a rest, then gear up for the non-stop onslaught that is December (Christmas season and preparing for the General Assembly) and January and February (which is all General Assembly all the time).

One wouldn’t think there’d be much news over the break, but there is. The Richmond Times-Dispatch profiles Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, who is ready and eager for his new job (to the horrors of liberals). Virginia’s financial woes continue to make news as the commonwealth borrows more to meet its unemployment insurance obligations, but it may just yet reap a windfall (see the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot and Washington Post, respectively). Speaking of the GA, ethics reform will be big this year, per The Daily Press. Speaking of ethics, the State Board of Elections is demanding some answers this week from a group that wanted to mail you information about your neighbors voting habits. Only certain people can obtain Voter Vault lists, such as elected officials, so the supplier (or willing supplier) to the Know Campaign is a case for the curious. The Virginian-Pilot has the details. In some good news, because we believe the more people can understand that the Founding Fathers intended America as a land of limited government and religious liberty, it’s now easier than ever to read their words as they wrote them (see the T-D).

Nationally, more fallout from the leaked e-mails documenting the “global warming” hoax, the GOP looks for more orthodoxy, a boycott of Gap and Old Navy ends, a Hollywood superstar calls President Obama a “socialist,” while said POTUS leaves out God in his Thanksgiving proclamation. Finally, speaking of Hollywood, the latest “feel good movie of the year,” Blind Side, has some troubling aspects about public education and government influence on families that shouldn’t go unnoticed, as writes Star Parker. Whoa! Told you it’s full steam ahead. Hope the break got you ready for what’s coming at us.

News:

Cuccinelli digs in to set course for AG’s office (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

GOP to hold firehouse primaries for both open Senate seats (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Va. to borrow $1.26 billion for depleted unemployment funds (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

U.S. sitting on $17 billion in unclaimed war bonds (Washington Post)

Lawmakers expect focus on ethics reform in wake of Phil Hamilton (The Daily Press)

Officials tell nonprofit to reveal voter history data source (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Founding Fathers’ papers go online (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News:

Global-warming data sets ’simply made up’ (OneNewsNow.com)

Divided Senate opens health care debate (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

GOP purity test proposed (OneNewsNow.com)

AFA ends boycott of Gap, Old Navy: Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods make AFA’s “Naughty” list (American Family Association)

Commentary:

Obama Doesn’t Use ‘God’ in Thanksgiving Proclamation (Bryan Fischer/Focal Point Right, Rightly Concerned Blog) 

Angelina Jolie Thinks Obama Is A Socialist (Elijah Friedeman/The Millennial Perspective, Rightly Concerned Blog)

Obama invites a nightmare (Peter Heck/OneNewsNow.com)

‘The Blide Side’ should trouble as well as inspire (Star Parker/OneNewsNow.com)

So Much For Obama’s Pledge to Remove the Influence of Lobbyists (Bryan Fischer/Focal Point Right, Rightly Concerned Blog) 

The Bible is an acceptable source for young people to look to for greater educational understanding? Yes!

Educating young people in sexual abstinence and securing their physical health as well as emotional and relational well being as a result. No!

These answers colorfully highlight the great juxtaposition of worldviews that currently are playing out in America today. However, don’t think for a moment, as many in the punditry class stress, that the “Yes” answer is a red state exclusive, while the “No” answer is a blue state domain. Both answers were given right here in The Old Dominion recently by people elected to guide the education of our children.

On Tuesday, November 10, the Chesterfield County School Board voted unanimously to allow county high schools, as one supporter said, “to teach the Bible as an elective from an academic perspective.”

On the other hand, on Tuesday, November 17, (as we wrote here), the Richmond Times- Dispatch reported this about a Henrico County high school:

The scheduling of an abstinence-only speaker today at Douglas Freeman High School has drawn protests from some teachers, an abortion-rights organization, and a gay and lesbian education network. (The speaker’s engagement was upheld by the principle and school district, thankfully.)

Simply put, this isn’t a red versus blue thing. These issues are the very seasonably unfashionable colors of black and white. Some in our commonwealth are working to stay the forces of secular progressivism and others are looking to promote it. Two questions face each of us:

Am I managing to see the actual worldview that the children in my public school district are being taught?

And

Am I encouraging those leaders who stand up for truth in spite of the criticism?

If your children attend public schools, please take some time to uncover what dominant worldview they are being taught. Find out what they are being told Yes! and No! to. From that color spectrum, the answers will quickly emerge from a hazy purple to a very poignant “Yes” or “No.”