The Hall of Justice

REAL COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

2010-05-11T18:22:00.002-04:00

When I was at the Department of Homeland Security we were trying to expand something called E-verify. E-verify would have required employers, federal departments at first, to match
Information from an employee's Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 against government records. This was/is an inexpensive and easy means by which employers can determine if a potential employee is in the country legally.

Maddeningly, bafflingly, we dropped our efforts under pressure from not only liberal interest groups but conservative business organizations like the Chamber of Commerce!!! In my opinion that’s the biggest obstacle we face on the issue of illegal immigration. It’s simple supply and demand, so long as employers exist who are willing to offer illegal immigrants low-wage jobs with no benefits they’ll continue to stream across our border. The solution is to cut off the jobs.

A simple plan and true comprehensive immigration reform would be the implementation of E-verify or an equivalent program; the implementation of tough penalties against employers who hire illegal immigrants; and repeal minimum wage laws to allow employees and employers to allow workers and bosses to negotiate truly competitive wages.

If those three things are done I can guarantee the flow of illegal immigrants to the United States will stop. With E-verify the government would actually be giving employers a tool to aid them in following the law. By increasing the penalties for employers who fail to abide by the law, employers should get the message that the days of cheap, foreign labor are over. And finally by repealing minimum wage laws and allowing wage negotiation would allow for Americans to take many of the jobs now being done by illegal immigrants.

2009 African American Heritage Festival

2009-09-30T18:23:00.000-04:00

Happenings in the 20th HOD

2009-09-30T18:22:00.001-04:00

I was reading over the latest candidate financial disclosure reports a few weeks ago and came across a curious item. There was a donation from Delegate Saxman to 20th HOD candidate Dickie Bell for $9000 (along with a donation of 5,000 in cash). Curious because it wasn’t a cash donation but an in-kind donation to the Bell campaign for polling work conducted for Delegate Saxman’s re-election bid. As you may recall Delegate Saxman withdrew from his race for re-election this summer after two distinguished terms in the House of Delegates.
What makes the in-kind donation even more curious is the fact that there are reports that Delegate Saxman had upwards of $60,000 left in his campaign re-election when he withdrew this July. This leaves many local Republicans to scratching their heads over where this additional $60,000 will be going, money that was supposed to be spent toward to re-election of the Republican candidate in the 20th House District.

Pull the Lever for Bob, Bill and Ken

2009-09-30T18:21:00.001-04:00

I get my hair cut at Lomax on 2nd Street during the school year in Richmond. Lomax is owned and operated by one of the founders of Richmond’s premier black, activist organization – the Richmond Crusade for Voters. It also happens to be the same barbershop where a certain Democratic congressman also gets his haircut. I happened to stop by the shop on the same day this “distinguished gentleman” was getting his haircut and we struck up a conversation about the gubernatorial campaign. He lamented the fact it was after Labor Day and Creigh Deeds’ campaign still hadn’t gotten around to getting Lomax’s shop a sign for his window. He also went on to criticize Deeds for not having an overarching campaign theme, “We all know Bob’s for Jobs but what’s Creigh for?”

Welcome news for Virginia Republicans – the wind is at our backs. When a prominent, Democratic elected official is so open and honest with his feelings at this stage of the campaign you know the other side is in trouble.

Bottom line – if you’re tired of a budget “crisis” springing up every two years that “requires” higher taxes, if you’re tired of ballooning budget deficits, if you’re tired of pot holes on I-95, 66 and 81 – PULL THE LEVER FOR BOB, BILL AND KEN.

They’re the only ones who have come up with comprehensive budget, tax and transportation plans.

Oliver J. Tate

2009-09-08T08:29:00.001-04:00

I have met Governors and Presidents but no man has been as important to me as him. I have worked with diplomats and Ambassadors but none have taught me more about tact and class.

When others discouraged, he encouraged. When others said no, he said yes.

I watched this lifelong Democrat denounce high taxes, city hall regulations and municipal red tape that first made me skeptical of government. And learned to be a Republican.

I watched him attend church on Sundays at Augusta Street United Methodist Church in Staunton, loyally never missing a Sunday. And I learned about faith.

I watched him work, hard, long days into his eighties – doing work that men in their 40’s, 30’s, even 20’s would shun. And learned about having a work ethic.

I watched him devote hours upon hours to his VFW Post, Thomas Field 7814, and country. And
I learned about duty, honor and love for country.

I watched him save his money, spend wisely, and faithfully give to the Church. And I learned the value of a dollar.

I watched him face trials and tribulations from outside forces with a smile. And learned compassion and forgiveness.

I watched him get sick and persevere for two years. And learned about courage.

I watched him stay married to the same woman for sixty years and raise seven children but haven’t seen my own father in twenty years. And I learned how to be a man.

I watched people’s eyes light up when they discovered I was his grandson. And I learned the value of a good name.

On July 30, 2009 – Oliver J. Tate, my grandfather died. And I learned that there was so much more I needed and wanted to learn from him. We miss you, Pop-Pop. R.I.P.

Why We Lose And Deserve To

2009-08-28T22:09:00.001-04:00

Complete and Utter Garbage.That's what this is. This has no place in our Party but sadly it's a viewpoint held by too many of our members.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090827/ap_on_re_us/us_jenkins__great_white_hope

Why should I go out and face predominately African-American audiences, get booed and jeered - when the leaders of my own party cut me out at the knees?

How many of you are called race traitor? Sell-out? Oreo? And other despicable names just for espousing a point of view shared by millions of other Americans.

How many of you have heard of Audra Shay? She's the new chair of the Young Republican Federation, who had no problem laughing when a friend of her's referred to blacks as coons. She was elected to her position by a comfortable margin.

How about Trent Lott and his idiotic statement praising Strom Thurmond - stating that our country would have been better off if Thurmond had been elected President in 1948 as a Dixiecrat. Nevermind the fact that Thurmond split from the Democrats because of civil rights.

And after every insensitive remark and stupid statement, I stand by my beloved Party. Not this time. Enough is enough. I have paid enough dues to the Party with my vote against the first black President and I am drawing a line in the sand. The racial insensitivity, the prejudice, the good ol' boy system must come to an end NOW.

This party has a choice to make - either we can be the Party of Audra Shay or Abraham Lincoln, one that looks ahead or one that longs for the America of Strom Thurmond. We can have a Party that includes me and other young professionals or one that searches for a "great white hope."

Summer Musings

2009-08-09T14:31:00.002-04:00

Wow! What a summer, eh? So Chris Saxman’s promising political career has seemingly come to an end. Some would say too soon – most would say unexpectedly and at a most inopportune time for local Republicans. Well, Mr. Saxman, I bid you Godspeed and adieu. Best wishes, my friend.

Moving on, like a good Republican should and does…
So I’ve spent a good deal of the summer in D.C. working for Congressman Bob Goodlatte and the House Judiciary Committee. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a lot of interesting people and working on a great many interesting issues. The research I did on the role of the Obama administration in the Chrysler and GM bailouts was quite revealing. Ladies and gentlemen, our own government is strong-arming private lenders into bad deals and handing over publicly held companies to labor unions.

And don’t even get me started on the issues of gangs – I staffed a Judiciary Committee hearing in which a prominent Democratic Congresswoman said gangbangers needed to be hugged and loved. This all came during a debate about a piece of legislation that would add billions of dollars more to the federal budget. Apparently, In D.C., the Democratic solution to gangs is to throw money at the problem, which is actually better than the Democratic solution down in Richmond, which is to do nothing. We have got to find a way to reinforce the missing link in the lives children who join gangs, we have got to encourage and strengthen the two parent homes that were once so prevalent but not nearly extinct. No amount of money or after school programs or boot camps will every replace the discipline and support that a two-parent home provides. Two parent homes are the most effective preventive measures out there.

In the category of interesting people I’d have to put Iowa Representative Steve King – a fiery anti-illegal immigrant advocate, who is passionately committed to ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King. We had a lengthy discussion on reaching Dr. King’s goal of a color blind society and he spoke with the same passion and vigor that he usually reserves for his speeches in which he implores us to enforce our immigration laws (look him up and you’ll see what I’m talking about). I also got to meet Mike Pence, a real conservative stalwart and 2012 hopeful.

Before I close this edition of Tate’s Take, I’d be remiss without mentioning the closing of all these rest stops along interstate. I travel down I-66 and 81 often, escaping from the captivity of NOVA often and have been disappointed to find my regular pit stops taken away. The Department of Transportation says it doesn’t have the money to keep them open but our gubernatorial candidates are vowing to reverse course, one 90 days after taking office, the other 60. But with what money? Here’s a novel idea – why not follow the example set by Delaware and New Jersey (yea, sometimes good things come out of Jersey, think Sinatra) and privatize the rest areas! We could lease the land to fast food chains like McDonalds and Popeyes and allow motel chains to operate.

The idea has the potential to bring in billions of additional revenue that can all be earmarked for transportation projects. Whoever ends up replacing Mr. Saxman, I hope you’re listening.

A Fine Mess

2009-04-22T09:14:00.000-04:00

Well, isn’t this a fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into? It was often said that the “successes” of the Clinton administration led to a Republican Congress and White House. So, what are we to make of the “successes” in the Bush administration?

After eight years of compassionate conservatism, that was neither compassionate nor conservative, our country is being run by the most liberal, radical President with an equally obnoxious Congress in toe. After eight preceding years of record deficits and government spending, Obama and company are looking to fulfill every Democratic dream – from universal healthcare to raising taxes on the “wealthy.”

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you President Obama is right – this is Bush’s fault. How can Republicans legitimately oppose the excesses and splurges of the new Democratic ruling class when we ourselves engaged in the same reckless behavior? Weren’t we the ones to push through the largest expansion in government run healthcare since the implementation of Medicare? Weren’t we the ones who teamed up with Ted Kennedy to enlarge the role of the federal government in public education? Wasn’t it our majority leader who stated the federal budget could not be cut further?

I say all this not beat up on our Republican elected officials but to shed light on why we’re in the position we’re in. As an active Republican I am disheartened by how soon we voters forget our recent history. We go out, day after day, night after night, and cheer on many of the same leaders who put us in this predicament. We let those same “go along to get along” politicians stand up at our rallies, tea-parties and meetings and claim, straight-faced, that they have our interests at heart. Where is the accountability?

It’s time Republican voters demand our elected officials actually serve our interests. Bailing out banks and automobile companies is not a Republican interest. Neither is rolling over while Emperor Obama raises our taxes and denigrates our country overseas. If our Republican “leaders” can’t find the courage to fight our battles then maybe they should step aside…or be pushed aside. Pat Toomey, of the Club for Growth, just announced a primary challenge to long serving, liberal Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Perhaps, it’s time to find more Pat Toomey’s, perhaps it’s time to find more leaders willing to stand athwart history yelling stop.

Ladies and gentlemen, no longer are we slouching towards Gomorrah – we’re on a bullet train to Hell. Taxes will be raised, the scope of government will be expanded and we’re being monitored by the federal department that was set up to protect us. Now more than ever, we need our Republican leaders to act like Republicans.

The Case for Ken Cuccinelli

2009-03-23T22:57:00.001-04:00

55%. 60%. And 65%.

Those are the percentage of voters Governor Kaine, President Obama and Senator Warner carried in the 37th state senate district. While this northern Virginia district became one of the most reliably Democratic strongholds Ken Cuccinelli continued to win. Ken won while the other Republican state senators from the region lost. Ken won as the Democrats put him in their crosshairs, time after time after time. Ken won being the most principled, consistent conservative in the state senate.

Ken leads the fight against abortion rights — combining personal compassion with a rigid resolve to defend the unborn.

Ken is a stalwart opponent of tax increases – standing forthrightly against then-Governor Warner’s reckless 2004 plan to raise taxes on hard-working Virginians.

Ken fights every year to protect the property rights of those in the Commonwealth having sponso red and passed legislation protecting personal property from government confiscation.

Ken proudly stands up for 2nd amendment rights, held the line against illegal immigration and pushed for open government reforms that will hold our elected and appointed officials accountable for their actions.

And remember, Ken does all this representing a district that has overwhelmingly supported statewide Democrats – 55%, 60%, 65%. He’s able to do this because he works hard and stands for what he believes, never bending to the leveling winds that have blown away so many of his erstwhile senate colleagues. Ken is committed to knocking on every door, calling every number in winning over thousands of independent and Democratic voters. It’s that commitment, coupled with his conservative record on the issues, which makes Ken the best choice for Attorney General.

I close by relating a narrative that entails everything you need to know about Ken. This is a story that shows Ken fighting for the values and principles that cut to the heart of what it means to be a Republican. The day had finally come for the state senate to take u p its version of the state budget. As the afternoon session opened Ken sprang from his seat and offered an amendment to strip funding for Planned Parenthood. While Ken’s amendment failed – due in part to many of his fellow GOP colleagues voting incorrectly – Ken showed the courage and resolve that has defined his entire political career. Ken ended voting against the final budget, not only because it maintained funding for Planned Parenthood but also because it was riddled with over spending and provided no tax relief for hardworking Virginians. So there you have it in a nutshell, Ken the pro-lifer, Ken the tax-cutter, Ken the principled and tireless fighter holding the line on out of control spending.

Please join me in supporting Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General and let’s take our fight to every corner of Virginia.

All Jokes Aside....

2009-03-22T19:24:00.002-04:00

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20322.html

I am really getting a little tired of the jokes about Obama being Jesus.

What scares me though is the fact that you have liberals who are pretending as if they're in on the joke but they really believe the man can save us. It reminds me of Henry Kissinger circa 1973, when he would make the same type of self-deprecating jokes that served to subletly re-inforce the impression that he could walk on water.

I understand it takes a high level of self-confidence to participate in public life but there is a difference between arrogance ad self-confidence. And the line between the two, contrary to popular belief, ain't that thin.

Jeff Frederick

2009-03-22T19:22:00.000-04:00

Ideally, members of the RPV state central committee should have come to Chairman Frederick privately and laid out the charges.

Ideally, our statewide candidates would have stayed clear of this mess.

Ideally, if there were inaccuracy, oversights or mistakes RPV leadership should have all worked together in correcting them.

Ideally, if there was no meeting of the minds no action should have been taken until after the November elections.

But, of course, we don’t live in an ideal world and now ten charges threaten to displace not only Chairman Frederick from RPV but Bob McDonnell from the Governor’s Mansion. It would appear as if we have learned to emulate the Democrats in their uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Once again, we find ourselves embroiled in a controversy that threatens to split this party – what are average voters supposed to make of this? When will we learn? Why does this party always take our feuds and internal struggles before the press?

Jeff Frederick should be allowed to defend himself and given the benefit of the doubt on most of the charges leveled against him. If he is guilty of the violation of a law, he should be removed. No state central committee member has publicly, on the record, accused Chairman Frederick of such an act.

But if he is guilty of the violation of party rules he should be reprimanded, the state central committee should keep a closer eye on what he does but he should not be removed.

I am not pro-Frederick nor am I anti-Frederick. I am pro-Republican. I want to see this party reverse its lackluster performances in recent statewide elections. I want to see this party expand its base and reach out to all voters, across the Commonwealth. This mess prevents us from doing that.

The people who elected Chairman Frederick last year, yearn for change in this party. They want to see this party grow and prosper just as much as those who oppose Chairman Frederick. If we are to have the 10,000 delegates to the state convention in May it will come from those voters. Bill Bolling and Bob McDonnell need their votes just as badly as they need independents and swing voters. That being said, how energized do you think our base will be in November? How many of Jeff’s supporters will be willing to brave hot August afternoons or cold October evenings going door to door this year? Have we turned off our most loyal backers with this imbroglio? I hope not – for if it has we don’t stand a prayer of a chance of winning in November.

With each passing week, as the charges and counter-charges are leveled, the hopes of leaving the May convention united get dimmer and dimmer. I hope and pray that one day we will realize that we all belong to the same party and work together on expanding its base, reaching out to every community, etc. That won’t be accomplished unless our own base feels welcome in this party.

This party is bigger than Jeff and will survive but the change that Jeff’s election symbolized will have to come eventually. This party cannot continue to operate with a late 1990’s mentality and expect to win. This party will not succeed on the back of the legacy left behind by the Allen governorship. No matter what happens with Jeff, fundamental problems will still exist. This party needs to start addressing them – we need a 21st century game plan.

LEGACY

2009-02-09T13:57:00.001-05:00

http://arturdavisforcongress.com/

Now who what have thought it? A black man with a credible chance of becoming Governor of Alabama and it ain’t Charles Barkley.

Reading that announcement bothers me though. It actually makes me really angry. Why isn’t it a Republican running? What happened to the Party of Lincoln, the Grand Old Party whose members would fling the bloody shirt to remind us all we were the party that backed the Union and freed the slaves? What happened to the party that fought year after year to protect blacks from the lynch noose?

Why don’t more than 12% of black Americans feel comfortable voting for a party that was founded to free men and women of color still being held in bondage? Why do we allow Democrats and liberals to hijack our legacy? It was the greatest President this country has ever seen, Abe Lincoln, who satisfied the broken promise of the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal and yet it is the other side that speaks of a post-racial society. It is the Democrats who celebrate the election of the nation’s first black President, one of them. I would imagine Lincoln, Thaddeus Stevens, Everett Dirksen and the rest of the conservative Republicans who spent their careers and risked their very lives at times would be weeping with both joy and sadness. Happy that a nation born with the birth defect of slavery would one day elect a man of color President but also grieving over the fact that their party turned its back on such a wonderful history. Now is the time to turn to our history, to re-claim our legacy.

This February, two important events are occurring simultaneously. The celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People. This organization was founded by profoundly conservative, profoundly Republican African-Americans. The second event is the celebration of the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln started it all for us, without that man there would be no Republican Party.

Let us commit to taking our message of limited government, low taxes and social responsibility to all corners of society. Let us recognize that the crippling grip of over-regulation destroys both black-owned and white-owned businesses. Let us recognize high payroll taxes take money out of the pockets of both black and white consumers. Let us recognize that terrorism threatens white lives as well as black ones. Let us recognize abortion affects black women the same way it does white women – a precious, young life is prevented from seeing the light of day. If we can recognize these things that will be the first step in making our party truly national and truly inclusive.

Inauguration 2009

2009-01-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

I was at the Inaugural today - bird's eye view to history. I was overwhelmed by the overflow of emotion, the hope in people's eyes that Barack Obama would cure our nation's ills. Although the temperature barely hovered above freezing I still was able to feel the warmth of the crowd's enthusiasm. The word of the day was unity and that theme was only broken once - when members of the crowd booed and hailed catcalls on President Bush as he walked out to "Hail to Chief" one last time. It was a sad display from a crowd that clearly drew inspiration from a new President who held out the hope of bringing Americans together, regardless of party affiliation.

As I stood in the crowd, the purple section, I was struck by the thought that it was a mere generation ago that men and women of color were being denied their right to vote, that it was 30-40 years ago that blacks were being physically dragged out of restaurants, hotels and busses all because of the color of their skin, it was fifty years ago that a little black boy was brutally murdered for the mere act of whistling at a woman with white skin - and I was proud of how this great nation managed, on this day, to wipe those stains away and now we can finally look to fulfilling the deferred dream that Dr. King had. Maybe we can begin to look past the color of man's skin and judge him on the content of his character. That's my audacious hope, my wish for this still young and maturing country.

So today, there were no Republicans or Democrats, no blacks or whites, just a throng of proud Americans. Two-Hundred plus years after our founding, one seemingly insurmountable barrier has been overcome. President Reagan called us the bless the last, best hope for the human race and I like to think that today that became a little more true. God bless America.

Oh...

2008-08-21T18:38:00.000-04:00

And the same goes for the "Republicans for Obama."

Time to Circle the Wagons…

2008-08-02T21:10:00.002-04:00

You know over the past few months something has been really bothering me and I had to get it off my chest…ever since I read about former state delegate Vince Callahan endorsing Warner for Senate. Delegate Callahan has been followed by former state senator John Chichester, former state delegate Preston Bryan, and I am sure more
so-called “Republicans for Warner” are to come. But there’s the rub for me…when do these guys shed the Republican label? Does being a Republican elected official mean anything anymore?

Back in the heady days of the late 1990’s when Governor Gilmore carried many of these “Republicans for Warner” into power they were all too eager to grab a share of the credit for cutting the car tax and balancing the budget and keeping the Commonwealth the most business friendly state in the nation – yet now when the going gets tough these “Republicans for Warner” abandon our candidate and Party when they’re needed most.

With Warner leading Governor Gilmore in cash on hand by a vast margin, with Warner vowing to keep us dependent on foreign oil and natural gas, with Warner telling half truths and outright lies about his record on the budget (see the $6 Billion canard) these “Republicans for Warner” are trying to hand a Senate seat over to what would become the most liberal occupant in the Commonwealth’s history.

Now some call these “Republicans for Warner” Republicans in Name Only…I’m not even that kind. Being a Republican in Virginia has got to mean something…at minimum you have to support the candidate who was duly nominated by our state party. If you can’t bring yourself to do that then have the decency to discard the Republican label and join the other party.

Economic Politics

2008-07-27T00:38:00.002-04:00

Stimulus packages and checks, housing bills, bailouts for Fannie and Freddie Mac?

Doesn't anyone remember this....

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'
-President Ronald Reagan

I was at a very well attended economic forum put on by the Staunton and Augusta County Republican committees on Tuesday, July 22 and the consensus from all the speakers was the same...government should get out of the way.

Energy Independence for Virginia

2008-07-26T19:48:00.002-04:00

The Commonwealth may very well be the best case study for the debate over energy independence in the United States.

The Wall Street Journal <http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB121702806468386311.html> has a wonderful article on the uranium mine we having sitting down in Pittsylvania County. There's also the deposits of natural gas and oil sitting off our eastern coast.

Now you would think that with all these resources at a disposal Virginia would be sitting pretty...well you'd be wrong. The problem is none of it is at our disposal. Because of liberal enviro-paranoia the uranium can't be mined, the oil can't be drilled, and natural gas can't be drained.

$5 a Gallon Gasoline provides cash for the treasuries of the Saudis, Kuwaitis, Iranians, Venezuelans, and Russians while we sit on the means to control our own destiny....right here in the Commonwealth.

I don't know about you but I think it may be time Virginia empowers our energy companies to do what our Federal government won't allow them to do.

8 Weeks

2008-06-09T01:00:00.002-04:00

Eight weeks until my self-imposed exiled in Northern Virginia is over and I can rejoin my southern Virginia community....ahhhhh, fresh air, open roads, and clean living.

It will be nice to see a pretty smile from a pretty lady without there be an ulterior motive behind it and all without the aid of an adult beverage...never thought I'd have to write or say that in my life.

Richard M. Nixon

2008-06-08T21:56:00.001-04:00

"The greatness comes not when things go always good for you, but the greatness comes when you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes; because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain... Always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember: Others may hate you. But those who hate you don't win, unless you hate them. And then, you destroy yourself."
-Richard M. Nixon

SWAC Area Unity

2008-06-08T19:28:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading a Newsweek book review of Rick Perlstein's "Nixonland" (http://www.newsweek.com/id/136156/page/1) - yet again we have another hit piece on the man from Yorba Linda but more on that in a later post. I only bring up the review because the divisions of the 1960's GOP reminded me of the troubles and tribulations facing the Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County GOP units - it was at the 1960 GOP convention where Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona shouted to his supporters "Grow up!"

I think it's once again time for Republicans once again to be reminded of what politics is...a game/profession of compromise. Now I don't mean every position is open to compromise, our leaders must believe in something...they must work from a core set of unwavering values. One of my unwavering values is a commitment to the unborn with few exceptions; I wear the little baby feet on my lapel, I contribute whatever I can to the pro-life organizations, and I hope and pray that one day the judicial abomination of "Roe" is finally overturned...but I am willing to accept incremental, temporary victories in pursuit of my ultimate goal...it's time consuming, it isn't glamorous, but each step moves me closer to victory.

One year ago, the SWAC area had a primary that pitted our state senator against a local businessman who was egged on unfortunately by local unit chairs. The primary boiled down to the issue of taxes - with the senator standing for tax reform and the other side demanding strict adherence to a no new tax ideological line of thought. Our state senator's program called for the increasing of some taxes and the lowering of others, but the bottom line was his proposal taken as a whole would have meant Virginians pay less in taxes.....his opponent presumably would have pushed for straight tax cuts, a proposal that would have meant lower taxes for Virginians...so here we had a choice between two candidates who essentially stood for lowering the tax burden for Virginians, but you would never have known it from the rancor and bitterness of last summer. The incumbent won.

Fast forward a year from and the area party is still not united. Why? Because some still push for ideological purity and that's the bottom line. Some still refuse to see the picture when it comes to the issues, some still refuse to adhere to President Reagan's advise that when someone agrees with you 80% of the time that person is your friend and not your enemy.

And it has annoyed me to no end for a year to see our state senator being insulted by the sight of his primary opponent being paraded around and promoted by people whose calls for party unity I find hard to believe. People that I have admired and respected for a very long time, people who have had nothing but kind words for me whenever I see them, people who it pains me to disagree with...because I know they want to build the party up but they're doing it the wrong way.

So I say a year of division is enough, a year of pointless squabbling and back and forth bickering is enough. Where has it gotten us? As I've stated on here before our area is being laughed at because of inability to get along. And I just keep going back to what Senator Goldwater said in Chicago during the 1960 Republican convention, "Let's Grow Up...!"

Ted Kennedy

2008-05-21T20:39:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignent brain tumor. While I disagree with everything this man has stood for during his more than forty years in the Senate, my prayers and best wishes go out to him and his family.

With the sad news out of Boston yesterday it occurred to me that the passing of Kennedy wasn't the only impending loss the country was about to suffer. The Kennedy news reminded me of Senator Warner's retirement, of the days when gentlemen joined the "most exclusive club" in the world and referred to each other as the Honorable Gentleman from Such and Such (and meant it).

With the passing of Kennedy we lose another key to a bygone era, when deals could be made with handshakes and a slap on the back. We lose part of our connection to an America where one colleague can make a heartfelt tribute to another <http://youtube.com/watch?v=CCwwCCQozPM> and make a Nation feel the power of his words.

Again, from the issue of life to healthcare to taxes and the role of government in the lives of ordinary Americans, I disagree with the ol' Liberal Lion, but he is from the era where that makes him my opponent, not my enemy. I think that's a subtle. but important point that's missing in American politics today.

May God watch over you, Edward Moore Kennedy.

Death of the Golden Age

2008-05-20T22:31:00.000-04:00

He was the original one, the one lifting the car on the cover of the most famous comic book in history, the one who made you believe a man could fly, the one who first made you want to put on a cape, the one who leaped tall buildings at a single bound and ran faster than a speeding bullet.

It was three years ago that DC comics brought the original Superman back from a twenty hiatus, to co-star in their celebration of the groundbreaking mini-series Crisis on Infinite Earths...and it was seven months later that they mercilessly killed him off for a quick buck.

Like their counterpart, Marvel, and its equally disturbing move to kill Captain America, DC comics chose the almighty dollar and sensationalism over the preservation of an icon.

I have to say that in an age of comics premised on anti-heroes, gritty noire dramas, and zombies...there is nothing wrong with a little Truth, Justice, and the American Way.

SWAC Happens, Part II

2008-05-20T22:12:00.000-04:00

IL-14, LA-06, MS-01….VA-06?

First we lost the seat of former Speaker Denny Hastert, then we lost the seat of long serving Representative Richard Baker down in Louisiana, last week it was the seat of former Congressman and now Senator Roger Wicker, whose district went for President Bush in 2004 by 25 points over John Kerry….could the sixth district of Virginia be next?

Congressman Goodlatte hasn’t had serious opposition since he became our Representative in 1993 and no one can dispute the excellent job he’s done for us in Washington, but with the intraparty squabbling in the district (Bob “only” scored a 92 with the American Conservative Union for 2007 so I’m surprised he isn’t facing a primary opponent) and a well-financed opponent this year (it’s nice to have a source of out of state money!), we can’t be complacent.

SWAC Happens

2008-05-20T22:10:00.000-04:00

Is the ongoing political drama in the SWAC area affecting the overall mood of the polity?

The biggest newspapers in the area, the Staunton News Leader and the News Virginian, have had a great deal of fun chronicling the odyssey of the “dueling chairmen” in Augusta County. The local GOP unit chairs turned themselves into laughingstocks by mounting an unsuccessful effort to unseat the sitting state senator. The most Republican district in the Commonwealth seems to be tearing itself apart all front of a statewide audience…from Staunton to Harrisonburg to Lexington to Richmond our family feud is on everyone’s lips.

The feud has divided the local party committees and may even account for results of a relatively recent statewide survey conducted by Christopher Newport University this past January . The survey states that while Richmonders and those who live who Northern Virginia believe the state is headed in the right direction, those in the Valley are pessimistic about the state’s direction.

Emmett Hanger...Conservative Republican....Period.

2008-04-26T17:12:00.000-04:00

Over the past year state Senator Emmett Hanger has faced some pretty unfair charges and I'd just like to set the record straight...

Taxes - Voted to eliminate the estate tax and car tax as well as lower the sales tax

Illegal Immigration - Drafted legislation requiring proof of citizenship before people in Virginia receive state benefits.

Gun Rights - Maintains an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association and just recently sponsored legislation allowing Virginia citizens to carry concealed weapons into bars.

Education - Consistently defends Virginia's attempt to improve the quality of its state schools and has led the fight against artificial and uniform standards imposed on the Commonwealth by No Child Left Behind.

Few in Richmond can match Emmett's commitment to the conservative agenda, while also addressing the needs of his constituents so adequately (more on that later).

Gilmore vs. Warner

2008-04-26T16:15:00.000-04:00

The Gilmore Record:

Cut taxes by $1.5 billion.
Enacted the largest tax cut in Virginia history.
Reduced state college tuition rates by 20%.
Signed into law Virginia’s first 24 hr. waiting period law; Virginia’s first parental notification law; and the current ban on partial birth abortions in the Commonwealth.
Signed into law the Commonwealth’s first policy governing the internet and opposed an internet sales tax.
Chaired the “Gilmore Commission” that studied terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

The Warner Record:

Broke his campaign promise and proposed the largest tax increase in Virginia history – $1.1billion.
Signed into law the largest tax increase in Virginia history – $1.4 billion.
Oversaw double digit increases at many state colleges and universities – including Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Opposed the 24 hr waiting period law and opposes any further attempts to “chip away at the rights” under Roe vs. Wade.
Supported the imposition of the national online sales tax.
Appointed Governor Gilmore’s Lt. Governor as his Secretary for Homeland Security.

The choice is clear. If the people of Virginia want a proven leader – who keeps his promises, who stands up for the sanctity of life, lowers taxes, and understands the issue of terrorism in this post 9-11 day and age.

So Obama Thinks We're Bitter? Don't They All?

2008-04-16T20:42:00.001-04:00

You know I got pretty fired up about Obama's latest faux paus...claiming low income people don't vote for Democrats because they "cling to their religion and guns" but I find it hilarious to hear Hillary feign disdain at the Boy-King's words when that's exactly what all the Democrats think. As a matter that's the basis for Thomas Frank's "What's The Matter with Kansas." Frank takes poor whites to task for voting against their supposed economic interests because of God, guns, and gays....or as Mr. Audacity of Hope would say "They bitterly vote against the Democrats while bitterly clingly to their religion and guns!"

The Republican Party and African-Americans

2008-04-16T20:36:00.001-04:00

The Republican Party and the African-American Vote By Carl Tate

I. The History

Any discussion on the subject of the African-American vote has to begin with the Republican Party and its efforts on behalf of early civil rights. It is odd that a political organization founded to abolish slavery and combat inequality is now vilified as racist and elitist. Indeed, there are only two options for this change in perception, either the organization has genuinely changed or it is the victim of gross mischaracterization. I believe in the latter and intend to prove it by refuting the former. From its very beginning the Republican fought for equality, coming into existence to combat “Slave Power,” (the influence Southern Democrats had over the nation). The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, took the nation to war for the cause of freedom. Republicans successfully executed the civil war and in response drafted the Constitutional amendments that, for the first time, gave African-Americans the right to vote, access to the justice system and equality under the law. It should be noted that these constitutionally guaranteed rights and privileges were curtailed by the Democrats and their allies on the federal and state judicial benches. Many Democrats and liberals of today love to whitewash the history of the Republican Party or they speak of the Republican Party betraying its history. Nothing could be further from the truth, the Republican Party continues to fight for equality and played a key role in the African American community’s struggle for real freedom in the twentieth century and beyond. The Party worked with prominent African Americans such as Booker T. Washington to establish an efficient black workforce which in turn made up the backbone of the black economy. The Party stood up for African Americans in the courageous fight against southern lynching, while success in the Democratic Party was measured by how much an individual opposed rudimentary civil rights for African Americans. While Republican Presidents, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, were speaking against racial segregation and Jim Crow laws in the very heart of Dixie, the Democrats were marching arm in arm with their brethren in white sheets. It was an economic depression that first changed the way African Americans voted and allowed the Democratic Party to claim that it had always been the defender of American blacks. It was a lie, but an effective one, that took advantage of a nation torn apart economically. With the end of the Great Depression and World War II, many African American returned to the Republican Party and a Republican President, Dwight Eisenhower, created the nation’s first civil right’s commission, granting prominent African American leaders their first opportunity to push for real civil rights reform (the commission was first chaired by then Vice-President Richard Nixon).

II. Civil Rights

The civil rights movement is generally believed to have begun during the 1950’s and ended sometime in the mid 1960’s, during which the Democratic Party claimed credit for killing southern Jim Crow laws. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. It was a Republican President who appointed a Republican ex-Governor Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who wrote the landmark civil rights decision in Brown v Board. It was a Republican effort in the United States Senate that gave the nation the first civil rights law since the end of the Civil War. As the 50’s made way to the 60’s the Democrats dug in their heels, and answered the Republican efforts on behalf of African Americans with a noxious document titled, “The Southern Manifesto.” The “Southern Manifesto,” called for massive resistance to civil rights for African Americans and proclaimed the supremacy of the white race; every one of the document signatories was a Democrat. The 1960’s broke open the floodgates and the Republican Party was effectively robbed of its legacy. The Democratic Party was able to take credit for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, although it was Republican support that broke a Democratic filibuster in the United States Senate. The Democratic Party tagged the Republican Party with the label of racist, and extremist, although it was our Party that introduced the first civil rights laws in the nation’s history. It was our Party that stood up to Al Gore, William Fulbright, Robert Byrd, and Fritz Hollings. It was our Party that established government programs to aid black economic growth such as the Minority Business Agency. It was even our Party that forcefully backed affirmative action, through Nixon’s “Philadelphia Program.”

III. The Why

Now the Republican Party has the opportunity to reclaim our legacy in the area of civil rights and compete among the African-American vote. It’s extremely important that the Party do so, not only for its own success but for the success of African Americans. The Party as of right now has established a majority based on its support in the South. The South has allowed us to cobble together a conservative coalition and so long as the South stays in our column along with a “swing state,” the Party will be assured an electoral majority. The African American vote should play a key role in a strategy for victory. Take the state of Ohio for instance; in 2004 the state was won by President Bush by a margin of 120,000 votes with 16% of the state’s black vote. In 2000, President Bush won the state by a similar margin but with only 9% of the black votes. Clearly blacks made up for the ground Bush lost between 2000 and 2004 in Ohio. Similar results can be seen in Florida, another pivotal “swing state.” The African American community needs the opportunity to have a real choice politically. Currently political realities have exposed blacks to the perils of being a marginalized constituency, completely shut out from influence and the reins of power. I liken the black today, to the union vote or the trial lawyers vote, all three have become pillars of the Democratic Party; political special interests that only receive marginal attention from a political party desperate to reclaim power. It amuses me when I read about the NAACP condemning Bush for refusing to meet with them because no one would say anything if he refused to speak before a convention of the AFL-CIO or the Trial Lawyers Association.

IV. The How

Hopefully, the reasons for a Republican outreach effort have been established, so what remains is the how. A few suggestions: 1) We must establish a set of policies, conservative policies, geared toward the African American community. A set of proposals modeled on the “Contract for America,” that includes: Jack Kemp Style Free Enterprise Zones: eliminate corporate taxes in urban, economically depressed areas while offering additional incentives for businesses to move in and provide jobs for residents. Faith-Based Initiatives: compile a list of the nation’s most successful faith based groups and tout their achievements in African American communities. Free Education Zones: an expanded school choice program that would allow public funding for private schools and charter schools and close public schools that don’t perform well. 2) Emphasize the shared values of our Party and the African American community. Not only do we share a history, we share values with a deep connection to churches. Our Party fights against government intervention while standing up for traditional family values. The gains the Party has made in the African American community has been directly connected to our Party’s opposition to gay marriage, abortion and high taxes. I can’t tell you how many people I have spoken with at church or at my barbershop who talk the talk of a Republican but because of forty years of misinformation still vote as a Democrat. 3) And lastly, the Republican Party must keep the faith in its outreach efforts. The Party must be willing to spend the effort and time needed to compete among African American voters. We must be willing to defend our history and correct common misconceptions, in forceful language. The Republican Party has a history it should be proud of and should never be afraid to defend its legacy. Much has been made of our southern strategy but that strategy allowed us to effectively integrate the south, electing President Nixon who swiftly enforced federal judicial rulings. Much has been made of “our” Confederate flag, but we were the ones who fought it when it was flown against union troops and we were the ones who fought it when Democrats hoisted it back atop their statehouse in the 1960’s. Both African Americans and the Republican Party have a historic opportunity and we both should take advantage of it.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

2008-04-16T19:23:00.000-04:00

It was one year ago when tragedy struck the campus of Virginia Tech. Prayers and much sympathy should go out to the students and staff. It is sad when a young man feels so utterly hopeless, so lonely and sad, that he feels that he must take the lives of the innocent...that he must make himself feel better by making others feel pain.

R.I.P. goes out to the 30 lives lost on that fateful day last year....

Welcome All!

2008-04-14T20:41:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my new blog dealing with politics, society, religion, as well as various and sundry issues. So sit back and enjoy!!

The VA Hall of Justice

2008-04-14T20:27:00.000-04:00