Category: Governance
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The Governor’s Tuition Freeze Request and the Board at UVa – It’s Complicated
by James C. Sherlock Much has been made of a recent request by Governor Glenn Youngkin to eliminate a tuition increase at the University of Virginia and the Board’s decision not to honor it. The tensions between means and ends that have to be resolved in producing a budget at any large and complex university…
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A Letter to an Old Friend
by James C. Sherlock This article is rendered as a letter responding to an old friend and mentor, the University of Virginia, my alma mater. I can imagine the University’s response to my last article on its culture: The changes we have experienced in the culture of the University, its pervasive progressivism, which some may…
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Virginia Strategic Imperatives: Train and Retain More Teachers and Nurses
by James C. Sherlock Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to make a lasting difference in Virginia. He wants to leave it better than he found it. In the years I have been writing about healthcare and education in Virginia, there is a recurring theme in both fields: not enough practitioners; specifically, registered nurses and teachers. I…
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Continuity in the State Finance Agencies
by Dick Hall-Sizemore The lead story in Tuesday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch was a curious one. Its headline promised great drama, which was not delivered, and it missed the real story. The headline, “Retirements Transform State Finance Agencies,” promises great drama. The primary agencies in the Finance Secretariat are the Department of Accounts (DOA), Department of the…
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Sen. McClellan Charges Racism as Va. Health Commissioner works to Improve Health of Black Mothers and Babies
By James C. Sherlock The left will not be swayed from invoking racism in every situation, everywhere. They deploy that charge especially disgracefully when conservatives attempt to help poor people be healthier, better educated, safer and more successful. Because those actually are not the objectives of the left. They simply don’t care about such things.…
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America’s Petroleum Refining Capacity in the News – What is Going On?
By James C. Sherlock This is a note about perhaps the highest profile national inflation issue, the price of gasoline and diesel. The President is demanding more supply from U.S. refineries. Headlines like this one blare at us today: Biden threatens oil companies with ’emergency powers’ if they don’t boost supply amid inflation spike. The…
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Democracy Dies in Sophistry
by James C. Sherlock All should note the article, “Average U.S. gas prices top $5 a gallon, as surging energy costs squeeze economy,” in The Washington Post. The same Washington Post that is the only newspaper for most Northern Virginians who get one. That article shows again the depths to which the progressive press will…
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Youngkin Signs Bill to Limit His Own Power
by Kerry Dougherty I was at dinner earlier this week with a cousin from out-of-state. We passed a pleasant night without talking politics, but he did want to know what I liked about Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Where to start? I pointed out that the new governor of Virginia is serious about getting the commonwealth’s public…
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Home Price Volatility and Virginia Property Taxes
by James C. Sherlock Housing prices have more than doubled since 2012, reflecting shortages of supply and the resulting speculation. The increasing slope of those curves above is not comforting. Prices have soared over 20% in a year. Mortgage rates are up. What could possibly happen next? Most can figure that out. But this article is…
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How are Virginians Preparing for the Coming Food Price Shocks?
by James C. Sherlock Virginians have only begun to experience price inflation at the grocery store. Price increases are in the food pipeline that will be a much bigger problem starting this summer. Farmers and ranchers invest up front. They borrow money to do it. They are incredibly efficient at what they do, but are…
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A Gun Owner’s Suggestion for Virginia Gun Laws
By James C. Sherlock I was a career military man. I am a conservative and a gun owner. As a younger man, I won competitive awards for marksmanship with both rifle and pistol. I own a semi-automatic Glock for home protection. I train regularly and at almost 77 can still hit what I aim at.…
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Fix One Thing — School Physical and Electronic Security
by James C. Sherlock I offer an apolitical suggestion. We know how to begin to fix school security. Do it. Step 1. Every school division has a security instruction. How many of them monitor whether that guidance is being followed? I will let them answer that. Step 2. The more complete solution is deployment of…
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Governor Youngkin’s Private-Sector Experience Appears to be Working in Government
by James C. Sherlock This article is about Governor Youngkin’s executive leadership and management, not his policies. The reviews so far are generally good. We normally elect Governors with little experience as operating executives. It is a rare gubernatorial resume that does not include experience as either a politician or a lawyer or both. That…
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Personnel Shortages that Plague Virginia’s Health Facilities Inspection Staff in the Hands of Budget Negotiators
by James C. Sherlock One of the most important responsibilities of Virginia state government is to inspect medical facilities and home care providers to ensure we are safe when we enter their care. It continues to fail in that responsibility thanks to years of Virginia budgets that have consciously ignored the need for increased inspector…
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Progressive Dogma Untethered to Results – Voter Laws Edition
by James C. Sherlock The armies of the progressive left are what the great political scientist George Edwards called “Prisoners of Their Premises.” Many persons and institutions are captives, to a greater or lesser degree. Lesser is better in this case. Mistakes flow from the best of intentions. You can learn from them or repeat…