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Tag: Politics

Virginia Primary Childishness (Current Edition)

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On March 19, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

Mike over at Blueweeds says what ought to be said:

I have been trying to stay away from the increasingly odd temper tantrums promoted by the MacAuliffe “netroots” supporters over at Blue Commonwealth and  Blue Virginia.  There is a level of self importance which I do not understand, which is bad for the party, and which makes folks like myself, whom I would describe as true neutral grassroots Democrats who have zero interest in being employed by any campaign, want to do anything other than support the candidate jammed at me by the self-described progressive netroots bloggers.

This sort of childishness has happened every cycle since the Miller-Webb primary, and every time, it does a little more damage.  If you’re part of it, stop it.  If you’re in the audience, get up and leave.  And for fuck’s sake, Virginia Democrats, stop rewarding it.

Think That New Car Is Yours? Not Quite.

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On February 19, 2009

In Policy, Politics, Virginia

I’m coming late to this, but Vivian Paige brings our attention to a bill that I couldn’t quite believe, the first time I read it.  As Vivian describes it:

Very simply, the change [to the law] would make it easier for the seller of the vehicle to take possession of [a vehicle which you have contracted to purchase, made a downpayment/trade-in on, and have taken possession of, but for which the dealer has not yet made an application for title on your behalf]. Where’s the problem? Well, what about returning the trade in and the downpayment of the purchaser? Shouldn’t those things occur at the same time? This bill doesn’t take that into consideration.

Another concern of consumer protection activists is that it will open the door for the filing of criminal charges – as opposed to civil charges – against buyers who don’t, for whatever reason, turn over the vehicles immediately.This is despite the fact that Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code says that these are civil cases.

It’s a ridiculously bad change to the law (something that Del. John Cosgrove, sponsor of the bill, seems to be fond of attempting), and is up for hearing today.  Follow the link from Vivian’s place for information on

Related: Mark Brooks follows the money.

Eric Holder Is Right

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On February 19, 2009

In Personal, Society

Yesterday:

In his first major speech since being confirmed, the nation’s first black attorney general told an overflow crowd celebrating Black History Month at the Justice Department the nation remains “voluntarily socially segregated.”

“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards,” Holder declared.

He is absolutely right, and anyone who says otherwise is almost unbelievably naive or pushing an undeclared agenda.

West Virginia: Seceded Where Others Failed

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On February 12, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

kanawhamap

Here’s another map from Strange Maps (one of my favorite places on the internet). It shows:

the seceding part of Virginia as Kanawha (as yet still without its eastern panhandle and some of its southeastern territory). It is a Map of the States of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, as Proposed To Be Re-Organised by the Secretary of War. In this proposal, Delaware expands to include all of the Delmarva peninsula, including its Virginian part in the south, but more importantly, Maryland annexes all of Virginia between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the sea. As a consolation prize, Virginia gets Maryland’s western protrusion, making Hagerstown a Virginian city. But then there’s Kanawha seceding, leaving what remains of Virginia proper to look like an unseemly leftover.

Follow the link for more of the historical context.

Rep. Eric Cantor’s (R-Va) Office Has a Little Problem With Context

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On February 11, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

From Greg Sargent:

This isn’t going to make the big unions very happy. GOP House leader Eric Cantor’s office has come up with an intriguing response to the AFSCME ad bllitz targeting GOP leaders: Sending over a video that portrays AFSCME union members as 1970s-era goons.

Cantor spokesperson Brad Dayspring emails me the vid, stressing that it’s meant as a joke:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3mw49mk_x0[/youtube]

Now, I think that’s a pretty funny parody.  I saw it sometime last year, and might have even passed it along.  But you know who I’m not and what I wasn’t doing?  I’m not the spokesman for a member of the GOP leadership, and I wasn’t sending to the press as a response to a legitimate issue ad.   Cue Republican whining in 3, 2, 1 . . .

The Best Write Up of the State of Virginia’s Democratic Prospects

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On February 10, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

If you care a whit about Virginia Democratic politics, you should read Hank Bostwick’s What we learned about the VDP at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner right now. I’ve not seen – anywhere – a better write up of what Democrats are facing in this year’s gubernatorial primary and general elections.

So Ralph Northam, Jeff Frederick, and Tim Kaine . . .

By

On February 10, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

walk into a bar.

Anyone want to tell us more about the rest of this joke?

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