When I went to Carl Genthner‘s campaign website, I found myself shocked. What is the point of running for office with endorsements like that?

Genthner is running against Delegate Bob Marshall. Marshall has never been the world’s greatest fundraiser — because he is honest, perhaps? Check the record. In his last run, his opponent raised quite a bit of money. Even then, because he talked to (and listened to) the folks in his district, Marshall still won handily.

Genthner is not listening. For example, he includes this picture of himself with Congressman Gerry Connolly front and center on his website.

Genthner wants to be associated with that guy’s voting record?

And what endorsements does Genthner trumpet?

Because there are no perfect people, we elect imperfect people to public office. Sometime we even elect people who do not seem to understand what they suppose to be doing there. Here in an email he sent to supporters yesterday, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter provides an example.

Clueless

When I awoke this morning to draft this week’s campaign update, I had planned to simply remind folks that the Election is just 2 weeks away, we need poll workers, etc. (you can go to our website and send us a note www.va31st.com or email us at va31st@gmail.com). But then I made the mistake of reading the news and came across this item in The Hill newspaper. Opining on the state of our jobless economy and the Obama “pass it now” jobs bill that no Democrats were willing to co-sponsor, Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid had this to say.

“It’s very clear that private-sector jobs have been doing just fine; it’s the public-sector jobs where we’ve lost huge numbers, and that’s what this legislation is all about…”

 Take a moment and read that again, folks. Reid and his Democrat pals think private sector jobs are just honky dory and the PUBLIC sector needs help. Does this guy even LIVE in the same world you and I do?!

Friends, you have heard me say many times that “elections matter” and when you don’t vote, you get people like Reid in office who are simply oblivious to what is going on around them. As I have gone door-to-door, I have heard your stories personally.

• The welding business owner who can’t find work;
• The career landscape engineer who is jobless;
• The software technician who is highly skilled but highly unemployed;
• The store owner who had to close his operation because of a lack of customers;
• The farmer who sold his cows;
• The construction supervisor who has no prospect of work;
• The recent college grade with an architecture degree but no job to design anything; and
• The combat veteran who left the Marine Corps, but can’t find work.

The Democrats in Washington just don’t get it. They reflectively always look to solve our problems with more government. They just don’t understand that it’s the private sector, not the public sector that grows jobs, the economy, and yes, the revenues that fund our core services like public safety, education, and transportation, etc.

And here in Virginia, the Democrats in the Senate and the House of Delegate parrot the same nonsense: more government spending and more taxes to go with it.

Well, I’m not buying that line and will continue to fight to keep spending under control, taxes low, and polices that make it easier to grow and run a small business. In other words, focus on JOBS. That’s the answer, not more government.

In two weeks you have a chance to send a message to those who think it’s smart to explode spending and taxes. You have chance to make your voice heard that you want responsible government that balances budgets and actually then has surpluses like we do right here in Virginia under the leadership of our Governor, Bob McDonnell. You have a chance to send a message to Washington that will say to a clueless Harry Reid “Here in Virginia, we think you are dead wrong in your policies and we’ll be there a year from now to make THAT point clear too”.

Folks, elections really do matter. I hope you will come out on November 8^th and elect commonsense conservatives here in Virginia and pave the way to do the same in 2012. I need your vote and want your vote so I can continue to be your voice in Richmond. I hope I can count on you.

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Did Senator Harry Reid really say that? Unfortunately, he did. Reid: ‘Private Sector Jobs Have Been Doing Just Fine,’ Government Jobs Should Take Priority provides a video clip. In addition, the same report observes the following.

According to an analysis by the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, since the beginning of the recent recession (Dec. 2007), there have been 6,257,000 private sector job losses (a 5.41% decline) and 392,000 total government (federal + state + local) job losses (a 1.75% decline).

Just in case you have not heard, many of our leaders, Democrats in particular, are in the pockets of public employee unions. See here, here, and here.

Today I attended a rally at the party headquarters for the Prince William County Republican Committee. I found myself astonished by the number of dignitaries at the event. In addition to most of the Republican candidates running for office with voters in this county, the following elected officials attended (and spoke) at the event.

• Governor Bob McDonnell
• Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
• Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
• Speaker Bill Howell
• Senator Tommy Noment

These gentlemen uniformly stressed the importance of the upcoming election and the difference a few votes make. With relatively few votes, Republicans can take control of the Virginia Senate. That Senate now stands as a road block to the wishes of the citizens of Virginia (see WHY WE EACH NEED TO DO OUR PART). They emphasized that getting out the vote in Prince William County is critical. If Prince William votes Republican, we have an excellent chance of winning four Senate seats, bringing four new Republican senators into the Senate.

• Dick Black
• Tom Gordy
• Jeff Frederick
• Miller Baker

Need more reason to vote? Then read the following email from Dick Black.

The election is this Tuesday, November 8th!
Please remember to vote!

There are three days left before Tuesday’s election, and I wanted to update you on a few important developments.

Fighting Obamacare

News broke yesterday that Delegate Bob Marshall and I filed briefs in support of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in stopping Obamacare.  You can read about it here.

My opponent, Democrat Shawn Mitchell, who has previously stated he “absolutely supports Barack Obama,” attacked me for this, calling the effort to stop Obamacare from destroying the economy “a frivolous lawsuit.”

The American people overwhelmingly oppose Obamacare, and anyone who dismisses it as “frivolous” is clearly out of touch. Voters will have a clear choice on Election Day. I will fight against overreaching government takeovers of the private sector and will work for policies that promote job grown — not those that hurt our economy.

Labor Unions Enter the Race

My opponent has benefited greatly from labor unions which have poured tens of thousands of dollars into his campaign. The labor unions have seen big handouts from the Obama administration, even when everyday Americans are struggling to find a job.

Now the unions want my opponent to help overturn Virginia’s Right to Work laws and force the Metro to Dulles Extension project to operate under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which would prohibit any contractor that is not a union contractor from working on the Metro expansion.  This would eliminate any real competition and add hundreds of millions of dollars to the cost of the project. That would guarantee higher tolls for commuters.

We can’t let that happen. The cost of this project has already increased dramatically. Government should be frugal with taxpayers’ money. We can’t let my opponent take more money out of our pockets, just so he can pay off his union donors.

Positive Ideas vs. Negative Smears

During these past months I have campaigned on a positive message of creating jobs and growing the economy. I have talked about the need for energy independence which will bring jobs and transportation funding to Virginia. I have talked about keeping taxes low by controlling government spending. I am ready to go to Richmond and work with Governor Bob McDonnell to keep Virginia one of the best places to do business in the Country.

In contrast, my democratic opponent has focused all of his attention on spreading lies and distortions to scare voters. Instead of giving people a reason to vote for him, he has decided to spend all of his time and money trying to scare voters into voting against me.

Here is a sample of his most recent attacks:

• My opponent has accused me of not debating him, despite the fact that we have debated three times and he backed out of attending two other candidate forums — including the largest ever Loudoun County debate, which was held at Cornerstone Chapel.

• My opponent accused me of not releasing a 2nd Amendment survey to his campaign, even though he refused to fill out their survey at all.

• My opponent has accused me of lying about his relationship with his previous employer, Parrish Services, claiming his boss said nice things about him. Mitchell’s last boss did say kind things about him until he had to sue Mitchell for stealing the company’s most valuable property. For Mitchell to defend his reprehensible actions by quoting his bosses kind remarks before the alleged theft is the height of dishonesty. To be clear, his former employer has never said any kind words about him since the lawsuit. In fact, he has endorsed my candidacy in this race and donated most generously to my campaign.

• My opponent even accused me of supporting spousal rape! But I am the only legislator who had ever successfully prosecuted a case of spousal rape, and Democrat Mitchell conveniently failed to mention that, after I discussed the bill on the floor, I then voted to make spousal rape illegal in Virginia

My opponent’s desperation to win at any costs took his campaign to depths never seen in local politics. My opponent mailed voters a photo depicting a woman in a hospital gown with her feet in stirrups, about to have an abortion. This outraged voters, demonstrating that there isn’t a level Shawn Mitchell won’t stoop to.

While I’ve focused exclusively on Jobs and the economy, Shawn Mitchell has focused almost exclusively on advocating his radical social views.

Despite these daily attacks, my campaign has been knocking on doors and reaching out to voters to help get out the vote on Tuesday. But we need your help. Please join me in this historic election on November 8th. Join me in declaring that politics of fear and hate will not win the day. Join me in supporting a positive, pro-business platform that will put Virginians back to work.

I need your help to change the direction we are headed. Please volunteer for two or more hours on Election Day. Donate generously to our campaign, ore request a yard sign by calling our office at 703-468-1342 or email Mail@dickblack4senate.com

Victory is close but we mustn’t let it slip away. My opponent is desperate; he will stop at nothing so we must have every single person out on Nov. 8th. Be a part of the solution and return the power to the people. Together we can send a message — America is the greatest nation on earth and we will fight to take it back!

You may wonder why Delegate Bob Marshall‘s campaign for the U.S. Senate has been so slow to start. Well, the law is an awkward thing. Even when it puts him at a disadvantage, an honorable man usually decides he must obey it.

What does Title 24.2 – of the Code of Virginia say about elections? Chapter 9.4 puts severe limits on campaign fundraising when the General Assembly is in regular session. In fact, the National Conference on State Legislatures classifies Virginia as a state that prohibits any contributions during a session (see here).

Moreover, Marshall has focused on getting some major legislation passed.  Well, we have some good news.

Dear Fellow Patriots,

On July 1 of next year, a new law will take effect to protect Virginians against abuses of federal power. My Anti-NDAA Detention bill, HB 1160, overwhelmingly passed both houses yesterday afternoon. Together, you and I can claim this incredible victory for Virginia against an ever-encroaching federal government.

Virginia is telling Congress “No Thanks,” to any participation in the unconstitutional “detention” of American citizens without trial, legal counsel, specific charges, or the right to face an accuser as authorized under the 2012 Defense Authorization Act signed by President Obama this past December.

This victory would not have been possible without strong grass-roots support for my bill from Virginians of all political backgrounds and persuasions.  I want to thank the many liberty-minded citizens across Virginia who took the time to write letters, send emails and make phone calls to the Governor and Assembly members.

And I am proud of the Assembly’s response.

Virginia is the first state to pass a law which places a legal bar between all state agencies and any federal effort to use Section 1021 of the 2012 NDAA to suspend habeas corpus rights which go back centuries.  I hope that Virginia’s enactment of HB 1160 will be replicated in other states.  States still have a significant role and duty to resist federal overreach. In the words of the Richmond Times Dispatch editorial in support of HB 1160, “Congress and the President should be made aware that their contempt for fundamental constitutional rights does not sit well with the American public.”

For Liberty,

Bob Marshall

P.S. If you want to do more to stop bad laws like NDAA — I need your help in my run for the U.S. Senate. Would you take a minute right now to donate to my 2012 campaign? While my bill HB 1160 was successful in getting Virginia to withdraw its consent from such detentions, wouldn’t it be so much better to see the entire program repealed? I could never have gotten HB 1160 through the General Assembly without you, and it is certain that I cannot get elected to the U.S. Senate without your support. Please contribute now. Thanks

Do you think Delegate Bob Marshall would be the best person to represent us in the U.S. Senate? Then please find a way to help his campaign. Please donate your time, your money, or both. If we want our public officials to support us, then we must support the election campaigns of the people we believe most qualified.

Consider a quote often attributed to Edmund Burke.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. (from here)

Wikiquote suggests this quote may have been adapted from these lines in Burke’s Thoughts on the Cause of Present Discontents (1770):

When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.

Will we stand by idly? Will we let bad men combine, destroy our heritage, enslave our children, and never oppose them? Will we fall one by one, or will we associate and protect each others liberty?

I got home last night late, and I am not good at sleeping late. Therefore, I am tired. So I am just going to make a few cynical observations about sausage-making and thank God sausage still tastes good.

What I Did Yesterday

Yesterday, I attended the Republican Party of Virginia convention in Richmond, VA.  That made for a L-O-N-G day.

John Godfrey Saxe. Library of Congress description: “John Godfrey Saxe”. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made. — attributed to John Godfrey Saxe (from here)

For the most part, government is disgusting work. Even structured as a constitutional republic, government still reeks of abusive power and incompetence. Hence, we think of sausages, something we find increasingly less delectable the more we learn more about it.

The Poor Acoustics

To nominate its candidates for statewide sausage-makers, the Republican Party held its convention in the Richmond Coliseum.

PWC, Stafford and Loudoun are all in the nosebleed seats on one side while Fairfax is on the other. Horrible acoustics in the Richmond Coliseum. (from here)

Of course, I sat with Prince William County’s delegation, and the acoustics were awful. Since my hearing is already poor, I had difficulty understanding the speeches.  Therefore, I cannot recall being inspired by any of the speakers — just frustrated by my inability to hear them clearly.

Could the party have made a better choice than the Richmond Coliseum? With about 10,000 people in attendance, I guess not, but I don’t know why anyone would bother paying money to attend a concert in that place.

Crummy Reporting On The Balloting

There were various shenanigans at the convention (Chesapeake bishop surprises, wins Va. GOP lieutenant governor nomination), but here is something that has not gotten much coverage. In RPV convention updates, Chelyen Davis of Fredericksburg.com had this report.

Stafford supervisor Susan Stimpson was eliminated in the second round of balloting for the Republican lieutenant governor’s nomination. But her staffers say they tried to protest the vote because delegates were misled into thinking she did poorly in the first round.

What happened is Stimpson finished second in the first round of balloting (see Tech Problems Slow GOP Convention Results). However, when convention chair Delegate Tim Hugo gave the preliminary results, he provided the convention incomplete, therefore misleading, information. When Hugo said which candidates would be on the ballot in the second round of balloting, he gave Stimpson’s name last. His choice of words, that is, the order of the names, implied Stimpson had finished in fifth place, thus barely making it into the second round. That was unfortunate. In second place in the first round of voting, Stimpson still had a real chance of winning in subsequent rounds of voting. In fifth place she had almost none.

Apparently, Hugo just wanted convention delegates to know which candidates remained eligible on the second ballot (The first ballot eliminated two of the original seven.), and he communicated more than he intended.  However, if that is the case, then Hugo misunderstood the process. Because each round of balloting allows the delegates to shift their support to another candidate, the delegates must know which candidates are garnering the most support. Even though E.W. Jackson may have been the most popular first choice, Stimpson still might have won. If the delegates thought she had a chance of winning, then the delegates might have selected her as their second or third choice. In fifth place, Stimpson had no chance of winning.

Why mention this? Although it may first appear otherwise, Stimpson made an excellent effort. Events beyond her control brought her campaign to a halt. That suggests she has no reason to give up her quest for statewide office. Instead, her supporters should take heart; Stimpson has good reason to consider running again. Even Ronald Reagan had to run more than once.

Overall Assessment

Undoubtedly, relatively few people, particularly Susan Stimpson’s supporters, left the convention satisfied with the process.

English: Sir Winston Churchill. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. – Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (from here)

Churchill spoke these words after WWII. Even though his party led the United Kingdom to victory in the bitter struggle that was WWII, in 1945 the people voted for that other party. What might have infuriated a lesser man, Churchill accepted with surprising grace. Thus, Churchill continued to serve, eventually serving a second term as Prime Minister.

Churchill accepted the imperfection of humanity. Perhaps he just understood why better is the enemy of good.

In spite of the imperfections of the process, the delegates to the 2013 RPV Convention still managed to select three good candidates. Please check out their websites.

• Candidate for Governor: Ken Cuccinelli
• Candidate for Lieutenant Governor: E. W. Jackson
• Candidate for Attorney General:  Mark Obenshain

None of these men are perfect. What matters is whether each will do the job better than the guy they are running against. If you think they will, then please lend them your support.

Here are some blog reports.

• The Jackson Revolt (The Mason Conservative) From the point of view of a Jackson supporter.
• Republicans cure convention boredom with paper airplanes (watchdog.org) It was not all boredom. I had fun with the paper airplanes too.
• Live Blogging the Virginia Republican Freak Show…er, Convention (Blue Virginia) What amazes me is the title. Undoubtedly, the author actually thinks he is a tolerant soul, but don’t you dare disagree with him.

Here are some biased news media reports (it is all biased.)

• With convention over, VA GOP has big job ahead (watchdog.org)
• Ken Cuccinelli nominated for governor by Virginia GOP (wjla.com)
• Tea party hero Cuccinelli is Va. GOP gov nominee (democraticunderground.com)
• Cuccinelli is Va. GOP gov nominee (politico.com)

To give you an idea how partisan the news media can be, consider John Whitbeck wins Republican nomination for Herring’s senate seat. What’s the story about? Half of it is about a supposedly anti-Semitic joke. Of course, The Washington Post has the video. They made use of this “anti-Semitic joke” to attack Ken Cuccinelli during his gubernatorial campaign.

Is the joke anti-Semitic? No, at worst it was just stupid, but by focusing on such nonsense the corporate news media seeks to distract us from far more substantive issues. So let’s focus on something more meaningful. Let’s take the time to check out John Whitbeck‘s Issues Page and his Education Plan.

Whose Candidate is John Whitbeck?

When we elect someone to public office, don’t we want him or her to represent us? What is a good indication of who the candidate will represent? As it happens vpap.org gives us a clue. Check out who is backing John Whitbeck and his two opponents.

• Joe May: See Money In – List Donors — Although Jennifer Wexton has the most money, Joe May comes in a close second. While serving as a member of the House of Delegates, May apparently managed to establish numerous “business relationships.” That probably explains why Republicans do not want him in the House of Delegates (see In decisive fashion, LaRock ousts May in GOP primary). One other unsurprising fact is that Speaker Bill Howell is one of May’s donors. Howell is a Republican, but like May, Howell cannot be trusted to resist tax increases. What’s puzzling about May’s VPAP page is that it doesn’t show an “alert” for May’s large contributors.
• Jennifer Wexton: See Money In – List Donors — In addition to funds from unions and environmental lobbies, Wexton got huge donations from interests in the Democratic Party. Oddly, however, it is Whitbeck who set off an “alert” for the much smaller donation he received from the Republican Senate Caucus. I suppose I will have to research how these VPAP “alerts” work.
• John Whitbeck: See Money In – List Donors — Of the three candidates in the race, Whitbeck has the least amount of money.  Contrary to the conventional wisdom promoted by the corporate news media and the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party is the party of the rich.Who are Whitbeck’s donors? In addition to the Republican Party of Virginia, most are Conservative Republicans or Conservative organizations.

What Are Others Saying About John Whitbeck?

What are others saying about John Whitbeck? Most people are so disgusted with his opponents they are saying relative little about him. Instead, they are complaining about his oponents. I suppose that’s a good thing for Whitbeck’s candidacy. I also suppose that is why Virginia Virtucon (here), BearingDrift (here), and The Bull Elephant (here) like Whitbeck’s TV ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-hbMs39O_g

SteveRossie at The Family Foundation‘s blog provides an analysis of Jennifer Wexton’s strange ad in With Control Of The Senate At Stake, Over The Top Wexton Ad May Cause Blowback For Dems. Similarly, in Wexton Compares “Tea Party Republicans” to Rapists, Thor’s Hammer did the same at Virginia Virtucon.

In Joe May Supports More Development and More Traffic in Loudoun and Fairfax, Jeanine Martin at The Bull Elephant focuses on Joe May.

You think the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is pro business? Think again. Consider their BizVotes Questionnaire Results- 33rd Senate District Jennifer Wexton (D) / John Whitbeck (R) / Joe May (I). Believe it or not, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce has supported higher taxes, including special taxes on Northern Virginia (that is, H.B. 2313), and they support Medicaid Expansion under Obamacare. Can you guess which candidates agree with them? A Mar. 19, 2013 article, Northern Virginia lawmakers recap transportation, Medicaid expansion by LoudounTimes.com, makes the point that these positions are not new for Joe May. That probably explains why he lost his seat in the House of Delegates.

Virginia Virtucon, in particular, has researched Joe May’s and Jennifer Wexton’s backgrounds.

• Bill Introduced in House of Delegates Targeting Drive-by Candidates points out that Jennifer Wexton really doesn’t live in the 33rd Senate District.
• Where Do Wexton and May Really Live? notes that Joe May does not actually live in the 33rd Senate District.
• Jennifer Wexton – Tougher On The Tea Party Than The Rapists She Compared Them To notes that Wexton does not have a good record as a prosecutor. That suggests she is something of a hypocrite.  The TRUTHABOUTWEXTON.COM provides more details.

The following is from an email from John Whitbeck’s campaign.

The news these days can be quite depressing.

The recent decision made by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen declaring Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional has compelled a Va. state delegate to publicly announce he is gay.

Mark D. Sickles (D-Fairfax), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, emphasized as much in an opinion piece for the Washington Post on Friday. (continued here)

Sickles wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post. He announced: I am a proud, gay man. Think about that simple statement. Is the worst part the term “gay” or the fact Sickles is “proud.” If we google “I am a proud”, we will find many people who are proud of their associations.  Some are proud of being a Daddy or Mommy. Others take pride in their nationality, but why should anyone be proud of abusing their sex organs?

Consider gluttony. Yes, that too is a sin. Do we sometimes enjoy eating an excess of good food? Yes, but how many fail to understand that giving in to our appetites does not give us cause for pride? When we don’t regard poor diet choice with respect, why should we regard the foolish use of our sex organs with respect?

When someone routinely eats to excess, we know that is problem and not to be encouraged. Nonetheless, some of those suffering from obesity do try to justify their gluttonous appetites. Some even boast of their fatness. In some cultures some even hold the fat in esteem. Yet most Americans understand an undisciplined diet creates health problems.

Similarly, when someone boasts he does not know how to use his sex organs properly, why shouldn’t we regard that as foolishness? What is socially redeeming about an undisciplined sex-life? Why should we allow the glamor that the corporate mass media uses to package such stupidity to fool us? Don’t we know that if Sickles too proud to admit having sex with another man is wrong, then that man’s judgement will also fail him in other matters? Therefore, how can those he represents trust his judgement as an elected leader?

Want an example? Check out the following:

Delegate Bob Marshall’s statement on court decision

Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, author of the 2006 voter approved one man, one woman Virginia Constitutional Marriage Amendment, issued the following statement denouncing Judge Wright-Allen’s court decision:

The decision issued by federal district Judge Wright-Allen appropriately issued in the cover of darkness is a syllabus of errors, a compendium of ineptitude, and a farce claiming authority. Legislating through the Courts against the will of the people is lawless disregard for our representative form of government.

Federal Judge Arenda Wright-Allens’s decision:

1. Confuses the Declaration of Independence with the United States Constitution (Page 2). Judge Wright-Allen took an oath to uphold the Constitution and yet she seems to be unable to even identify it;

(continued here)

Men like Sickles will promote others who think like him, people who have misplaced their pride within themselves.  Thus, they will appoint judges such Judge Wright-Allen, and calling what is good evil and what is evil good such judges make ludicrously dishonest decisions.

Support Bob Marshall

Delegate Bob Marshall supports limited, constitutional government. He supports America’s traditional values, and he needs our support. If you live in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, he also needs your vote.

Marshall is running to replace Congressman Frank Wolf. To select its nominee, the 10th Congressional District Republican Committee will hold a firehouse primary on April 26, 2014.

A firehouse primary is open to all voters who live in the 10th District. To be eligible to vote, a resident must be a registered voter and sign a certificate declaring to be a Republican. Voters in Virginia do not register by political party. (from here)

Do you vote Republican? Do you vote Conservative? Do you live in the 10th Congressional District. Then be a good citizen, meet with other good citizens, and have some fun. Participate in the process. Show up at one of the voting locations on April 26 and vote for Bob Marshall.

The Tenth Congressional District Republican Committee has scheduled a debate, and they have invited all the candidates. Here is the announcement.
Of course I have a favorite. I support Bob Marshall.

Here is the place, map and registration links, and the date and time.

Candidate Debate

Millbrook High School
251 First Woods Dr. Winchester, VA 22603
Map Link

http://www.vagop10.org/debate1/

Saturday, March 15

Registration/Social 3:30-4:30 PM
Call to Order – 4:45 PM
Event Conclusion: 7:00 PM

Please make certain you get the word out to your friends and neighbors.

Because there is no such thing as a perfect human being, there is no such thing as a perfect politician. In fact, because We the People choose our leadership, we have very difficult time electing good leaders. That’s because we vote for people who look and think like us. If what we say about the unwashed masses is true — and we unwashed masses have nothing to brag about — why should the leaders we choose be any better than us?

That said, Delegate Bob Marshall has done a great job in the Virginia House of Delegates. Instead of trying to buy his constituent’s votes by spending “other people’s money”, Marshall has worked to protect the rights of his family, friends, and neighbors to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

What follows is an email from Bob Marshall for Congress. It is an email that’s effective because it simply says what Marshall has done.

Friends,

I think that we’d be hard pressed to find any serious Republican candidate for office in the Tenth Congressional District running on a platform that includes accolades for Obamacare. So when one of your candidates releases a statement on Obamacare on the fourth anniversary of that terrible legislation, restating its obvious negative impact on our healthcare system, one can only reply: Who among us would assert otherwise?

But there is a candidate in this Tenth District race who already has an actual proven track record of authoring legislation aimed at muting Obamacare…and that is Bob Marshall. As Bob indicated on his healthcare platform, he wrote the law Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli used to sue Barack Obama’s misnamed Affordable Care Act. He successfully amended a bill in the House of Delegates to curb abuses of the ObamaCare law. And he has participated in amicus briefs for federal appellate and Supreme Court cases examining and challenging the unconstitutional aspects of ObamaCare.

So when Bob says that as your Representative in Congress, he will offer amendments to legislation and Appropriations bills to reduce and eventually eliminate ObamaCare from the statute books, you know that this promise is made far more reliable in the light of what he has already done!

Promises are fine; but when there’s a history of prior performance backing up those promises, the promise means a whole lot more.

Bob Allen
Campaign Manager

So how is Marshall’s campaign doing? He could win.

10th Congressional District Candidates Forum Straw Poll 

Marshall Takes Vote; Hollingshead Second

Manassas Tea Party conducted a Candidates Forum on April 1 for the 10th Congressional District seat, which is currently held by retiring U. S. Representative Frank Wolf. Wolf’s district is large but locally includes Manassas City and a portion of Prince William County. (Find out if you are in this district HERE.) Six Republican candidates are running in their primary. The Democrat Party has already determined their candidate for the November election.

A nearly packed City Council chambers audience turned out wanting to hear from these candidates and to ask them where they stood on issues that matter to them. This was the only appearance in the area of all candidates in one setting, before the April 26 firehouse primary. (from here)

Will Marshall win the nomination? Will he win a seat in Congress. That’s up to We the People. If we want good and honorable leadership, we have to do our part. We must do our best to be good and honorable citizens.

Other Views

• Marshall Wins MTP Forum Straw Ballot (manassasopenforum.wordpress.com)
• Comstock Poised to Unlock Trove of National Money and Contrast on Medicaid Between 10th District Candidates (thebullelephant.com)
• Howie Lind’s Endorsement Of Barbara Comstock (In 2010) (virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com)
• Howie Lind has gone off the deep end (bearingdrift.com)

More Debates Are Scheduled

• Sunday, April 13, 2014.  Doors open at 1:00. Event: 2:00 – 4:00 pm.  Check out New VOTER TOWN HALL – VA/10TH.
• Thursday, April 17, 2014. 7:00am Coffee and Networking; 7:30am Breakfast. NORTHERN VIRGINIA REPUBLICAN BUSINESS FORUM

We all belong to some sort of political group or faction. Some of us affiliate with divisive groups. Others work for the betterment of the entire country. Some of us see the gain of others as a good thing. Others see the gain of anyone else as their lost. Thus, we have many world views, and we each display our world view in our choices as we interact with other people.

• Attitude. We can be optimistic, pessimistic, apathetic, or so forth.
• Standards. We can take pride in our work, making others work, avoiding work, begging or some other scheme for providing for our material needs.
• Morality. We can base our behavior on Christian love, free love, the situation, societal expectations, our wants, or something else.
• Political parties. We can actively support the Democratic, the Constitution, the Green, the Libertarian, the Republican, the Tea Party, some other party, or no party at all.

We can work to make our country better, get all we can out of our country, cheer on others as they work for our country, or curse the darkness.  Whatever we do or don’t do is a choice. Doing nothing is a choice.

Would you like to get involved? Would you like to do something for your country? Then perhaps you would like a suggestion.  Here is one from E. W. Jackson.

After considerable prayer and deliberation, I am enthusiastically endorsing Bob Marshall for the Republican nomination for Congress from the Tenth Congressional District.  I appeal to every one of you who believes as I do in our Constitution and what Virginia represents to the history of our nation, to do everything in your power to get him nominated on April 26^th!

I am well aware that Republicans of the Tenth District have an array of good candidates to choose from, but I am firm in my conviction that Bob best personifies our values.  His 23 year legislative record in the House of Delegates serves as the most reliable predictor that the promises he makes in his campaign will be kept when he gets to Congress.  We can rest assured that Delegate Marshall will adhere to his core principles no matter the opposition because he has a record of courage and unwavering faithfulness.

Friends and foes alike agree that Bob Marshall will be a refreshing change from the political powerbrokers and dealmakers in Washington.  He is exactly the person we need standing up for us in Congress at this critical time! Congress needs a conscience and Bob Marshall will provide it, even to Republican leaders when necessary.  We know that Delegate Marshall will never trade away his conscience.

Please know that I am not making this endorsement lightly. For the most part, I am remaining neutral in nomination contests. However, I endorse Bob Marshall because he is that rare bird in the aviary of politics who is dependable and predictable on the full gamut of issues important to conservatives: adherence to the Constitution, protection of religious liberties, keeping taxes low and government limited, preserving the traditional family in society, upholding the sanctity of life and maintaining fiscal responsibility and accountability.  Bob is without peer in the record he has established over many years.

Please join with me in supporting Bob, and if you reside in the Tenth District, be sure to make plans now to vote in the Firehouse Primary which takes place for five hours only (from 10am to 3pm) on Saturday, April 26^th.  For most folks the polling place will be at a different location from the one where they usually vote. Details on polling locations are available on Bob’s website at www.bobmarshallforcongress.com. Please email Bob and let him know after you’ve voted. We want to recognize and thank those who take the time to fulfill their civic duty in this pivotal election. Finally, whether or not you live in the Tenth District, I appeal to you to give generously of your time and treasure to help achieve this critically important nomination of Bob Marshall for Congress!

For God and Country,

E.W. Jackson

Because we have not been paying enough attention, we have not picked good people to represent us Washington D.C. Those people are doing a bad job, and we need to send them home.  Nonetheless, we cannot vote for perfect human beings to replace them. There are no perfect human beings. Yet we must vote for someone. Standing by and not supporting anyone is not a better choice. It’s apathy. So if you cannot support Bob Marshall – if you live in another congressional district – find someone you can support and do your civic duty.

In our day we are sadly caught in a trap generations the making.  That’s one reason on Saturday we nominated the Republican Party’s Establishment candidate.

Ed Gillespie, a former advisor to Mitt Romney and chairman of the Republican National Committee, has been selected by the GOP to be their candidate for the Senate race in Virginia.

Mr. Gillespie will face off against Senator Mark Warner, an incumbent Democrat and former governor who is serving his first term in Congress.

“He’s got the resources and I think he’s got some name recognition,” said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.

Mr. Gillespie is an “establishment choice” with a “broad base” of support, the kind of candidate the GOP seems to have been favoring in the most recent primaries, Mr. Tobias said.  (continued here)

So why is Ed Gillespie a bad choice for the Republican Party? As an attendee of the convention, I could tell I was in the right place. I always find plenty of people who share my political views at a Republican convention. Yet these folks knowingly chose The Establishment’s candidate. Why?

The Sin of Partiality

What do I mean by The Establishment? That is something I wrote about in this series: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CHALLENGE THE ESTABLISHMENT — PART 1. So I won’t try to define the expression, “The Establishment,” again.

Why did the folks at a Republican convention vote for the Establishment’s candidate? There are a number of reasons.  In this post, we will consider the moral issue. In the following verse the Apostle James speaks to the sin of partially.

There are several candidates in the race to replace Wally Covington as Brentsville District Supervisor. These include:

• Jeanine Lawson (R)
• Scott Jacobs (R)
• Don Shaw (D)

As this article observes, No election yet, but Brentsville campaign signs still stir controversy, no election has been scheduled yet.

But the next election for the county board won’t be held until November 2015, though Supervisor Wally Covington, the current Brentsville Magisterial District representative, is widely expected to be appointed to a district judgeship, which would trigger a special election to fill his seat.

Right now, though, there’s no state budget, no judgeship appointments and no special election.  And that’s causing problems for Scott Jacobs, a Republican who recently took his campaign for Covington’s seat up a notch by posting campaign signs around Nokesville. (from here)

Nonetheless, the candidates seem eager to get started.  On Saturday, Jeanine Lawson sent out an email announcing her candidacy. Here is an excerpt.

Throughout the nineteen years that I have lived in this beautiful county, I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet, listen and work with many of you to help make our community a better place to live. Many of you have seen me on the front lines improving our county, from advocating for balanced growth to lobbying for improved schools.

Leadership begins with listening.  I believe you want your local government representative to be proactive, responsive, open to listening and sharing information, and to never forget they serve the public.  I pledge, if I am elected to represent you as Supervisor of the Brentsville District,  I will always strive to have your best interest govern my actions.

As Supervisor I will advance conservative fiscal policies with a common sense approach.  Growth needs to be responsible and it’s important that we manage our future residential growth in a manner that does not continue to overcrowd our schools and roads.  Also, I support protecting the Rural Crescent, revising our proffer guidelines to ensure new developments are tax neutral and infrastructure needs are met in a timely manner.  As a conservative, I am committed to the taxpayer, which is why I support zero based budgeting to hold bureaucracy accountable for their spending.  And last but certainly not least, I strongly believe business growth must be a top priority to bring jobs and expand the tax base.

Rest assured, Lawson is a hard worker, a great candidate, and she will be asking for you vote.

Check out the candidate’s websites. Consider that these people are our friends and neighbors. They know us and our community. If we want America’s government to start working again, we need to put focus of government back on local government.

Susan Stimpson, the past Chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, and a candidate last year for Lt. Governor, is like any other Conservative these days. She busily tilts at what some think windmills. Are her battles pointless and unprofitable?

I cannot predict the future. I just know quitters never win, and I can read fundraising letters. Here is one she wrote on behalf of Delegate Mark Berg.

The Inner Ring

C.S. Lewis is the author of the well-known children’s book series “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” He was also a brilliant philosopher and joined the faculty at Cambridge University as a Literature Professor.

He delivered a speech at Kings College called the “Inner Ring.”  It sums up the desire each of us has to be drawn into the inner ring, where we are popular and accepted by our peers.

Stay with me…

I’m writing to you today on behalf of Delegate Mark Berg and am asking you to please consider donating to his campaign before the June 30th  deadline because I believe he is unique and worthy of our support. I also believe he’s motivated toward truth and transparency, not toward the Inner Ring. But that also makes him a target.

After years of being involved in politics, watching many people (including myself) at times be dazzled by the allure of power in D.C., Richmond or in local politics, I’ve decided that I will be very select in those individuals on whose behalf I will ask people to give financially.

If you have the time, C. S. Lewis’ speech is well worth reading. Stimpson’s application of that speech to corrupt politicians is certain something to think about.

Note also that C. S. Lewis’ speech has a lesson for all of us, not just politicians.

Should we contribute to Delegate Mark Berg‘s campaign? That’s what Stimpson is writing about. If you live in his district, and you are happy with his performance, contributing to Berg’s campaign is a good way to let him know. And it is certainly much cheaper than letting a Democrat replace him.

Note: After getting scout’s comment, I decided I should have included more of Stimpson’s email. So here is a bit more.

Mark Berg is someone worthy of a portion of your hard-earned treasure. He won his seat in the House of Delegates just this past November against all odds. He was up against a popular incumbent who was very much a part of the Inner Ring. He is a quiet warrior. Humble. And very dedicated to doing what is right and what is just. Without his help and knowledge, we would not have been successful in our #BlackorBust effort, where we used our grassroots unity of effort to add transparency to the budgeting process, stopping games that were being played by our leaders to leave a back door open for Medicaid Expansion.

C.S. Lewis talks about the desire which draws us into the Inner Ring where we are popular and accepted. How terrible to be left out. The fear of being on the outside is often what is leveraged by others to compel us toward measures we might not normally take.

He describes this desire as “one of the great permanent mainsprings of human action.”

And in that rare case, you find the man who is willing to be the “sound craftsman.” Willing to just work hard and try to do what is right.

I don’t profess that Delegate Mark Berg is perfect. But I can vouch for him that in his first six months of office, this “sound craftsman” has been indispensable in our fight for liberty. He possesses that rare quality of quiet dignity, intelligence, skill and determination that I believe is what we need to see more of in our elected officials.

Can you imagine a special election scheduled to take place on December 23, 2014? That is just two days before Christmas, but here in the Brentsville District of Prince William County, we will have one. Will anyone pay any attention?

Well, we, the citizens of Prince William County’s Brentsville District, should be paying attention. We will be replacing our member on the Board of Supervisors.

When I looked up the Ballot Information, here are the candidates I found listed at the Virginia State Board of Elections.

As the table shows, we have a contested election.

Oddly, Scott Jacobs does not have his website listed at the Virginia State Board of Elections, but he does have one => http://www.scottforbrentsville.com/.

Perhaps Jacobs tendency to foul up administrative details is part of a pattern. Earlier, he attempted to secure the Republican Party’s nomination. However, he could not get the paperwork in on time (see Scott Jacobs disqualified in GOP primary for Brentsville seat). Therefore, Jeanine Lawson secured the nomination, and the convention turned out to be a celebration with over 600 of Lawson’s fans in attendance. That was a huge turnout, and the nomination wasn’t even contested. So there is not much doubt Jacobs would have lost the vote.

Nevertheless, Jacobs has not given up (see Jacobs Launches Independent Bid for Supervisor Seat). Instead, he launched a campaign as an independent candidate. Since Jacob was still on the roster of the Prince William County Republican Committee, and he had signed a statement that he would not oppose the party’s nominees, at its last meeting party members voted to remove him from the roster. If he did intend to abide by the party’s rules, he should have joined the party.

What about the Democratic Party’s candidate? If Democrats actually bother to look beyond the label and check into his politics, I expect they will find Eric Young something of a political opportunist.

Young will run as a Democrat in the Dec. 23 special election. He was the only candidate to enter the local Democratic committee’s selection process, which means he’ll automatically get the party’s nod, committee chairman Harry Wiggins said Wednesday.

Wiggins said Young is a member of both the Brentsville and Prince William Democratic Committees, but when asked about his involvement with the local party, Young declined to elaborate.

“I’m going to refrain from commenting on that because I don’t think it matters what party you belong to,” he said.

Young also showed little interest in talking about some traditionally Democratic issues, such as affordable housing and alleviating homelessness. Affordable housing, he said, is not a top-tier concern among Brentsville residents. (from here)

If you don’t take what the party stands for seriously, then what is the point of running as a Democrat? If Jacobs can, at the last minute, decide to run as an Independent, what is stopping Young from doing the same thing?

Anyway, on December 9, 2014, we will have a great opportunity to meet the candidates and hear what each of them has to say. The Bristow Beat and Potomac Local have sponsored a debate 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Linton Hall School in Bristow. Here are the announcements from each publication.

• Brentsville Supervisor Candidates to Debate at Linton Hall School (potomaclocal.com)
• Brentsville Supervisor Candidates Agree to Debate (bristowbeat.com)

Greg Letiecq recorded the debate.  Here is his video.

Letiecq has the video and some commentary here.

Bristow Beat summarizes the debate in this story:Brentsville Supervisor Debate Highlights Distinctions between Candidates. In this story, Local Republicans Revoke Scott Jacobs’ Membership in their Party, the Bristow Beat confirms a comment I made in an earlier post.

The Potomac Local has a couple of articles related to the debate.

• Brentsville candidates differ on development, want larger businesses in Prince William
• Brentsville candidates differ on Bi-County Parkway, oppose Metro expansion

I watched the debate, and I thought it quite interesting. Linton Hall School relaxed the mood with a little Christmas music courtesy of their Fife & Drum Corps. The children are really quite good, and everyone enjoyed the diversion, but then we got to the business at hand.

Generally, the candidates came well prepared.  All have lived in the area for years.  Eric Young and Scott Jacobs grew up here. Young spoke from the perspective of someone who has served on multiple community boards. Jacobs leveraged his experience as a successful businessman. Jeanine Lawson, who has lived Prince William County for 19 years, spoke from with perspective of a grassroots political leader. Lawson has a long record of being involved in community affairs. Of the three candidates, she is probably the most well-known to our community.

My personal impression is that Lawson and Young got the most out of the debate. Jacobs made no secrets of his ties to and sympathies for the developers in Prince William County. For example, Lawson and Young successfully made the case that the Stone Haven development would cost the citizens of Prince William financially and further overcrowd our schools. On the other hand, Jacobs failed to provide a convincing argument for approving Stone Haven. That left the impression his first loyalties would not be with the citizens of Prince William County.

Young made, perhaps, one strategic mistake.  He came out in support of a pre-kindergarten program for financially disadvantaged children. Although his position probably pleased the members of our local teacher’s union, both Lawson and Jacobs promptly slapped down his proposal. Even if Young’s proposal made sense, the county does not have the money to pay for it. That’s why we already have a high student to teacher ratio. Thus, with his support for a pre-kindergarten program, Young undermined his credibility as someone who can be counted upon to balance the budget and keep taxes further increasing.

Here is an excerpt from Ken Cuccinelli‘s Cuccinelli Compass.

Please join me in voting for Jeanine Lawson for Brentsville District Supervisor TOMORROW, Tuesday, December 23rd between 6 AM to 7 PM at your local polling location.

Jeanine has not only been a great friend, but a stellar voice for Brentsville District residents.

I know Jeanine will bring conservative leadership we can trust to the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

Click here to find out where to vote between 6 AM to 7 PM TOMORROW.

In Liberty,

The Hon. Ken Cuccinelli, II

Ken Cuccinelli is also available on facebook.

Government Spending in the US
There are three levels of governments in the US: federal, state, and local. The following table shows current spending for federal, state and local governments, and also total overall spending. Federal spending includes grants and transfers to state and local governments. State and local government spending includes “direct” spending on programs only.

Because we are stupid, we don’t pay enough attention to state and local elections. Yet state and local government still has the most day-to-day significance in our lives. When did that thought occur to me? When I had a conversation with Chris Crawford, he pointed out that it is state and local governments that police our communities, run our schools, and build and maintain our roads. Except for a huge tax bill, the average American (We who live around our nation’s capital obviously have a different experience.) doesn’t see nearly as much evidence the Federal Government is doing anything. Yet we vote in relatively large numbers in presidential elections, and turnout in local elections tends to be pathetic.

Even though I am a longtime observer of politics, it occurred to me that Chris had observed something fundamental that I had missed. After spending a little more time with him, I decided Chris is both thoughtful and a hard worker. Therefore, when Chris announced his intention to run as a Republican for Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, I decided to give him my support.

Meanwhile, we have an electoral snafu that has made Republican incumbents, especially Corey Stewart, anxious.

Prince William County’s electoral board decided Wednesday against allowing a Republican primary for candidates for the Board of County Supervisors after the local party committee missed a deadline for requesting it.

The 2-to-1 decision — with the board’s two Democrats siding against the Republican — means that board Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), three other Republican supervisors and Sheriff Glenn Hill must seek renomination through unpredictable individual caucuses or party canvasses.

The officials, however, said they are preparing to contest the electoral board’s decision in Prince William County Circuit Court. (continued here)

The electoral board met March 11, 2015.  The minutes are interesting (see here, H/T to http://www.tooconservative.com). The court date has been scheduled.

A hearing to determine whether Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart – and three other local Republican incumbents – can defend their seats in the June 9 primary has been set for this Friday at the county courthouse.

According to Supervisor Marty Nohe, R-Coles, retired Judge Paul Sheridan, formerly of the Arlington County Circuit Court, will hear the case. Nohe is a plaintiff. (continued here)

What happens if there is no Republican primary. Well, there is a viable alternative that will not cost the taxpayers anything. On April 25, 2015 (The official call is here.), Prince William County, City of Manassas, and Manassas Park of the Republican Party of Virginia will hold party canvass. The Republican Committee of Prince William County had intended to request primaries as well as hold the canvass, but if the primary option is not available, then the party canvass can be made to work to nominate all the party’s candidates.

So why the anxiety? There are basically two issues.

• Running a party canvass takes lots of volunteers. However, it also takes volunteers to man the polls. So that is not an insurmountable problem, but we Republicans each must make a personal commitment to making the party canvass work.
• Fewer people participate in party canvasses. Generally, only those most interested in politics will show up. That tends to make those candidates who depend upon big donors and campaign advertisements more nervous.

As a result the electoral snafu, many who might not have taken Chris Crawford‘s candidacy seriously gave him a second look. Generally, most have been impressed. Therefore, whether there is a June primary or not, it looks like Corey Stewart has a serious opponent.

Other Views On Chris Crawford

News Papers

• Crawford to primary board Chairman At-Large Stewart for ‘lack of leadership’ (potomaclocal.com)
• Chris Crawford, candidate for PWC board chairman, puts focus on economic development (www.bullrunnow.com)

Blogs

• Corey Stewart draws a Primary Challenge (virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com)
• 10 Questions: Chris Crawford, Republican Candidate for PWC Chairman (www.tooconservative.com)

When?

Four candidates for elected office in Prince William County will meet for two separate debates Saturday, April 11.

First at 5:30 p.m., incumbent Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman, At-large Corey Stewart will meet his Republican challenger Chris Crawford to debate local issues concerning governance of Prince William County and the task of leading its Board of Supervisors. Both men are candidates in an April 25 party canvass, also known as a “firehouse” primary where Republican voters will decide who will go on to face Democrat challenger Rick Smith in November. (continued here)

Where?

The debates will be held at the Dar AlNoor Islamic Community Center on Hoadly Road in Woodbridge. The event is co-sponsored by the Coles District Civic Association and Potomac Local. (from here)

Who is Chris Crawford?

Opinion Piece: written by Chris Crawford, Republican Primary Candidate for Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors.  

Another Outrageous Display of Poor Leadership by Mr. Stewart

Last night I was reminded why I am running to replace Corey as Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors. At their weekly BOCS meeting Tuesday night, a hot topic during Citizen’s Time was the decision by the school board to designate the Ferlazzo Elementary school as a new building for the Porter School and not a “community school” as originally planned. (continued here)

Come to the debate. Listen to the candidates. Support your candidate. Hear their positions. Find out what they want to do. Let them defend what they have said and done. Take the time to participate of the local governance of the place where you live.

At the Virginia Dept. of Elections, what happens if we click the center-top button? We get Presidential Primary Information. That page contains a table with dates. What are some of the critical dates?

• Presidential Primary Election Day. — Tuesday, March 1, 2016
• Deadline for presidential primary petitions and the combined Consent/Declaration of Candidacy to be filed with the State Board of Elections. — Thursday, December 10, 2015 (5:00 p.m.)
• First day on which presidential primary petitions may be circulated. — Tuesday, June 23, 2015

In Virginia, those farseeing activist who wanted to get their candidate on Virginia’s Presidential Primary ballot started circulating petitions. Why that soon? Lots of signatures must be collected. Deadlines, Duties and Ballot Access Requirements describes the requirements. Here is the big hurdle. The petitions to be on the ballot:

Must be signed by not less than 5,000 qualified voters in Virginia, including at least 200 qualified voters from each of Virginia’s eleven congressional districts, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary of the same political party as the candidate named on the petition.

Because many people who are not registered to vote will sign a petition, it is recommended that 7,500 – 10,000 signatures be obtained with at least 300 signatures from each congressional district. (from here)

That’s why in Virginia’s 2012 Republican Presidential Primary Election only two candidates made it on the ballot: Ron Paul and Mitt Romney. Both men, because they had run before, started early, had the money, and had the organization, were able to get on the ballot. The rest? Well, their supporters did not step forward, volunteer, and get the job done (see AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT UPDATED WITH OTHER VIEWS).

Well, since the establishment likes Virginia’s stupid rules for getting on Virginia’s Presidential Primary ballot, we still have those stupid rules. So what do we do? We get to work.

I have a friend who is a dedicated political activist. What is he doing? He is out collecting signatures for a couple of his favorite presidential candidates. Others are doing the same. When I was at the Prince William County Fair on Saturday (August 22, 2015), I stopped by a booth for Ben Carson and signed a petition for him.

What do you have to do?

• We have to decide which of our favorite candidates have a real chance of winning, and we have to give them our support.
• We must carefully read the rules (Deadlines, Duties and Ballot Access Requirements ), print petitions (PETITION OF QUALIFIED VOTERS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY), and collect signatures.
• We must find out how to get our petitions to the campaigns we support. We must go to their websites. We must find a local office. We must let them know we want to volunteer, but we cannot wait to hear back from them. They still don’t have the people. We don’t have the time. We must get to work now.

Will it be easy? No. Will our favorite candidates be well organized in Virginia? Probably not, but that is why we need to help. We are electing human beings. By ourselves, none of us can do what needs to be done. The best we can do is to set a good example.

Donald Trump just beat all those other guys, and NOW the news media says his campaign is imploding. What is he doing different? Nothing.