Tag: Dick Hall-Sizemore
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Republicans Still Fighting in the Fifth District
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Republicans are still fighting each other over the primary results in the Fifth Congressional District. As reported by Cardinal News, Bob Good is still contesting his loss in the Congressional primary and a candidate for Lynchburg City Council has filed suit to invalidate the results. According to the latest tally, Good, the…
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A Curious Appointment
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Governor Youngkin has appointed Banci Tewolde as director of the Dept. of General Services (DGS). She will fill the vacancy created by the sudden departure last December of Joe Damico, who had served as deputy director for 16 years and as director for the last six years. It is a curious appointment for a…
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A Taste of His Own Medicine or Hypocrisy at its Greatest
by Dick Hall-Sizemore State Sen. John McGuire (R-Goochland) is an ardent and vocal supporter of Donald Trump, who constantly questions the integrity of the electoral process and still peddles the lie that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen. McGuire attended the Jan.6 “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. McGuire challenged incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob…
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Another Learning Skill Abandoned
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Recently, I was listening to a story on NPR about the cyberattack of a company that provides software to auto dealerships across the country for managing sales and other services. This incident had significantly slowed activity in approximately 15,000 dealerships. Besides contemplating the implications of businesses in all parts of the country…
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Rambling: Guess Who He is Voting For
There is no doubt as to whom the residents in this house perched on the edge of Rt. 58 in Grayson County are supporting!
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An Answer for Jon Baliles: It’s the Constitution
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Shame on Jon Baliles for not knowing why cities and counties are treated differently in the Code of Virginia regarding the issuance of general obligation debt. The answer is simple; the state constitution requires the different treatment. Article VII, section 10, of the state constitution deals with the issuing of debt by…
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Is This What is Meant by Cult of Personality?
by Dick Hall-Sizemore The primary race for Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District seat is a microcosm of what the modern Republican party has become. Both candidates, Bob Good, the incumbent, and John McGuire, a member of the Virginia Senate, are ultra-conservative. There is probably not any substantive difference between them on policy issues. Yet, they and…
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An Alternative Interpretation of the EV Statute
by Dick Hall-Sizemore This is a follow-up to Steve Haner’s article on Gov. Youngkin’s announcement that Virginia will not be bound by California regulations on electric vehicles after this year. The Governor’s announcement is a lawyer’s dream. There are different ways to interpret the laws and regulations involved and, so, off to court we go.…
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Study of DEI at UVa is Shoddy Work
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Today I participated in a Zoom webinar with our Jim Bacon and Adam Andrzejewski of Open the Books. The title of the session was “How the Open-Government Movement Can Revolutionize Public Policy At UVA.” In reality, it was a rant against DEI and how UVa is “pushing this radical ideology.” The focus…
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Richmond’s Electoral Woes Continue
by Dick Hall-Sizemore The situation with the Richmond city registrar just keeps getting worse. For once, however, one cannot blame the city administration or city council. The registrar is appointed by, and answers to, the Richmond electoral board, which is comprised of two Republicans and one Democrat. Nevertheless, the city can exercise some control over…
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The Society that Guns Have Made
by Dick Hall-Sizemore A recent event in Ohio is a vivid illustration of what we are coming to as a society in which firearms are ubiquitous. Here is an excerpt from a long article in The New York Times in which the incident is described: Mr. [Jason] Keys and his wife, Charae Williams Keys, were…
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Off the Interstate: “God’s Thumbprint”
by Dick Hall-Sizemore I first encountered Burke’s Garden many years ago the first time I drove to Southwest Virginia. I was enchanted with it and visit it every time I go to Southwest Virginia. The latest visit was late last month when I was on the way back to Richmond from visiting my grandson in…
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Greasing the Skids for the Budget
by Dick Hall-Sizemore The Virginia General Assembly can be efficient when it puts its mind to it. Consider the 2024 Special Session that convened on Monday. The House convened at noon and adjourned at 3:15. The Senate stayed around a little bit longer. It convened at noon and adjourned at 3:51. (Technically, both houses actually…
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No Need to Call the Budget Bluff
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Governor Youngkin and General Assembly leaders have reached a deal on the budget for the next biennium. Based on press reports, it is difficult to say who won this battle. That’s the hallmark of a compromise. The process started off in December with the governor saying the state had more than enough…
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Ban Cellphones in Schools? It Can be Done!
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Schools around the country, including in Virginia, are beginning to effectively ban students’ use of cellphones in schools. According to available data, about 75 percent of schools in the country ban the non-academic use of cellphones during school hours. However, in most cases, the ban is enforced sporadically. Teachers are put on…