Inauguration 2009

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...

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

Time to Circle the Wagons…

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

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

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

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

"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