An isolated incident or something more?
The deadline for registering to vote in the November election has passed – but not without some drama that has brought Virginia, once again, into the national spotlight. A Pennsylvania man, working in...
View ArticleDon't lose sight of local elections
Between Sunday and Monday, I probably watched more television than I had for several months. Glued to the set for coverage of the storm, I was inundated by political ads. Such is life in Virginia...
View ArticleThose long, unnecessary lines
"I want to thank every American who participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time. By the way, we have to fix that." - President Barack...
View ArticleFollow the legislature in action
Eight weeks from today, the Virginia General Assembly will convene. Already, there are 375 bills to be considered in this, the shorter of the legislature's two sessions. (It meets for just 30 days in...
View ArticleA day of memories and gratitude
When I was a child, my understanding of Thanksgiving revolved around some vague notion of Pilgrims, Indians and food - admittedly, more of the last than the first two.
View ArticleCuccinelli's chances depend on turnout
In 2008, Virginia voted for a Democratic president for the first time since 1964, helping to elect Barack Obama to his first term. Just one year later, Virginia elected Republican Bob McDonnell as...
View ArticleThe root of the divisiveness in our politics
The election was held more than a month ago, but the votes are still being counted. As of Monday, results have been certified in 44 states, including Virginia. On Dec. 17, electors representing each...
View ArticleTransportation, mining and more
As holiday lights dot the landscape and we prepare for the season, the Virginia General Assembly is preparing for its upcoming session, which starts Jan. 9. A few things will likely dominate the...
View ArticleNorfolk's growing lack of transparency
Just days before Christmas, we learned that the Norfolk city attorney has stopped releasing records of inspections of restaurants conducted by a task force. Talk about a lump of coal in our stockings!...
View ArticleVirginia's many budget challenges
As we watch Washington lurch from one fiscal crisis to the next, it is easy to overlook the problems that states, including Virginia, face. Concern over long-term fiscal sustainability and structural...
View ArticleThe clear benefits of expanding Medicaid
We are often encouraged to take a business-like approach to government. Many candidates tout their success in business as a reason to elect them. They say that government would do better to apply...
View ArticleLimiting citizen involvement
At 8 a.m. Monday, a subcommittee of seven legislators met to decide the fate of 10 bills. Reports say the room was packed, verified by the few pictures that emerged, despite that notice of which...
View ArticleRepublicans did more than take state Senate
Jan. 21, 2013. The day "The Virginia Way" died. It's been a long time coming, actually. Observers have watched its slow demise as Washington-style politics have gradually replaced the genteel way in...
View ArticleAre Virginians paying attention?
"Politicsis the art of the possible," Otto von Bismarck is said to have remarked. Nearly halfway through the General Assembly session, we are able to see what is possible in Virginia.
View ArticleThe integrity of the institution
Non-germane. It has been a long 16 days, waiting to hear that word. Day after day, House Bill 259, as amended by Republicans in the Virginia Senate, appeared on the floor calendar of the House of...
View ArticleAnother delay rolls down Capitol Hill
On Jan. 2, Congress finally got around to passing legislation that affected the filing of 2012 federal income tax returns. The delay in passing the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 forced the...
View ArticleFending off discriminatory voting practices
One of the most important pieces of legislation to come out of the civil rights era was the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It outlawed discriminatory practices that had prevented blacks from voting.
View ArticleMore deception from Richmond
The Virginia General Assembly session ended with a flourish Saturday as two major bills - transportation and the budget - were approved and sent to the governor for his signature. The passage of the...
View ArticleBig plans in need of big explanations
An outsider observing the news coming out of Norfolk over the last 10 days or so might wonder exactly what's going on. Plans for a new hotel-conference center, which will require more than $70 million...
View ArticleA rapid and welcome shift in perceptions
When Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio announced his support for gay marriage, it was a conclusion he reached as the result of learning that his son is gay. Knowing someone who is gay - a family member or a...
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