Category: General Assembly
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Rosalyn Dance Can Help Interpret Democratic Election Laws
by James C. Sherlock Governor Youngkin has appointed former state Senator Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg, as vice chairman of the state Board of Elections. As vice-chair, she is the highest ranking Democrat on the board. She will perform an absolutely vital role. She will be asked to help interpret the complete overhaul of Virginia’s election laws conducted…
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Virginia Republicans Should Run in the Fall on the Virginia Senate Silencing of Suparna Dutta
by James C. Sherlock Virginia Republicans, not noted for organization, common approaches or dexterity, have been granted a gift by Democrats if they will accept it. The Democratic majority in the General Assembly rejected the appointment of Suparna Dutta, a mother, engineer and an immigrant from India, to the Board of Education. This happened because Senate…
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“Cheap” Solar Costs More Than Offshore Wind?
by Steve Haner In preparing for the latest round of new additions to its solar generation assets, Dominion Energy Virginia rejected eight privately- developed projects which were substantially cheaper than the projects it wanted to build on its own with ratepayer money. Just how much more expensive the company-owned projects will be is not clear,…
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Meet Abrar Omeish, Exhibit A in the Woke Army
by Asra Q. Nomani Exclusive: In 2019, Abrar Omeish canvassed for support at a fundraiser for the anti-Semitic group American Muslims for Palestine and said she wanted to change the “narrative” on Palestinians. She was elected to office and launched a tirade against the state of Israel, which she smeared as an “apartheid” nation,…
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Virginia Hospitals Under Pressure on Finances and Personnel
By James C. Sherlock I have written for years about Virginia hospitals and their state oversight, including Virginia’s monopolistic Certificate of Public Need (COPN) law and its administration by the Department of Health. Virginia hospitals, and indeed those across the nation, are now under more stress than in generations. Hospitals nationally are under financial pressures…
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Election Musical Chairs
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Redistricting and the death of U.S. Representative Donald McEachin have voters in the Richmond area feeling as if they are in a combination of musical chairs and “Who’s on first?” We need a program to keep track of who is running for what. For those readers of Bacon’s Rebellion who don’t read…
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Black Students Disappearing from Classrooms Disproportionately in Ten of our Largest School Divisions
by James C. Sherlock For those who support local control of schools no matter what, I will offer you a “what” to consider. For those who are nervous about even discussing why some jurisdictions in Virginia have failed to ensure “an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained” for Black children, that works…
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Soft-On-Crime Va. Democrats’ Offal Proposal
by Kerry Dougherty Oh look. Another garbage bill courtesy of Virginia’s soft-on-crime Democrats! Want to see what’s coming our way if Dems regain control of the General Assembly and Governor’s Mansion? Check out SB1080. Yep, a gaggle of Virginia’s leading lefties pushed a measure that would classify felons younger than 21 as JUVENILES. Virginia law…
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Virginia, School Choice and Charter Schools – The National Map
by James C. Sherlock One of the most curious aspects of discussions about Virginia, school choice, and charter schools is that Virginia progressives attack both as a conservative plot. And mostly get away with it. The claim is demonstrably preposterous, but effective so far because Republicans don’t offer an organized response. I offer a map…
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A New 800-Pound Gorilla in Virginia Politics
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Ivy Main, in a recent commentary in the Virginia Mercury, identified a change in the power dynamic of Virginia politics that is taking place: “Amazon is the new Dominion.” Amazon’s presence in the Commonwealth has grown significantly over the past decade. It has taken place in three areas— distribution facilities, the second…
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Sen. John Edwards Calls It Quits
by Scott Dreyer In a highly-watched move, Democrat State Senator John Edwards announced this week he will not seek re-election after his current four-year term ends in January, ending his 40-plus-year run as a politician. Edwards, who will turn 80 in October, has been the subject of much speculation as to his intentions. Reportedly, he…
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Putting Victims First. For A Change.
by Kerry Dougherty Imagine for a moment that you are the victim of a violent crime. The perpetrator has been arrested and you thought he was about to go on trial when you learn that your local prosecutor — one of those squishy soft-on-crime types who was bankrolled by George Soros — already entered into…
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Universal Recognition Will Help Stem Virginia’s Migration Woes
by Conor Norris and Edward Timmons From pristine beaches to rolling hills and picturesque mountains, Virginia has a lot to attract residents. Combine that with a strong economy and Northern Virginia’s close ties with Washington, D.C., Virginia should be an attractive destination. But surprisingly, that’s not the case. Despite strong economic performance and a high…
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Virginia Emergency Management During COVID – A Well-Documented Scandal
By James C. Sherlock We could see it wasn’t right as it unfolded. Virginia’s flawed response to COVID was slow for all Virginians. Fatal for some. But the public just saw the broad stroke external effects. We saw executive orders that seemed sudden, sweeping, and disconnected from the information we had. It turns out that…
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SCC, SMR Nukes Caught in Energy Wars Deadlock
by Steve Haner What the 2023 General Assembly didn’t pass is also an important Virginia energy policy story, starting with failure on its part to fill the two open seats on the crucial State Corporation Commission. This follows its failure last year to fill one open seat on the three-judge panel. As reported yesterday, advocates…