The next election is almost a year away, but the business of governing never stops. Moreover, government has become such a preponderant influence in our lives there are alway people thinking about the next election.
CAMPAIGN REPORTS
In fact, in the nearby First Congressional District House, we have an election to fill the seat left vacant by the passing of former U.S. Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. The party nominees have been selected (see here). Robert J. Wittman, the Republican, will compete in a race against Philip Forgit, the Democrat. The election is on December 11. So the report was brief. If you want to help, get cracking.
POST CAMPAIGN COMMENTS
Various people stood up to thank the volunteers who helped them in the past election. Such included Bob FitzSimmonds and Michele McQuigg. Scott Lingamfelter added that he had written guest column (here) for the Washington Times. It seems that with recent election losses (and his own personal close call) Lingamfelter is remembering his conservative roots. The column is a fun read; some of the lines are priceless.
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Next came one of those opportunities that is hard to find in any part of the world except America. Prince William County has the good fortune to have four Republicans in the House of Delegates representing its precincts. All four of them showed up at this meeting, and they spoke about their legislative agenda. In addition, they asked for citizen comments and accepted questions.
Presentations
The presentation began with a discussion of the PWC GOP legislative priorities (see here).
Scott Lingamfelter: Lingamfelter began by noting that the Virginia Republicans suffered election losses because they have wandered off the Reagan path. His agenda will include:
- Getting rid of abusive driver fees.
- Revising the transportation funding formula so that it is based on population.
- Holding landlords accountable for renting to illegal aliens.
- Party registration.
- Making English the official language.
- Parental notification when children are treated by medical facilities. With respect to this issue, Lingamfelter mentioned the shootings at Virginia Tech. He justified this proposal by stating that “parents are the solution”.
- Campaign finance reforms intended to shine the light on the secret money going into political campaigns.
- An audit of the Virginia budget (see Lingamfelter column here for more details).
Bob Marshall spoke next. He has a diverse, but thoroughly conservative agenda.
- Fighting the taxation authority given to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) by that rotten transportation bill, HB3202.
- Authorizing some individuals beyond security official the right to bear arms on campus. Professors with concealed carry permits, for example. Marshall made the point that there are not enough security officers to do the job that needs to be done.
- Increasing the share of transportation funding. The Virginia budget has grown immensely and so have the taxes we pay, but transportation has not gotten any of this money.
- Fighting for the right to life, abstinence education, and against Merck’s aggressive marketing campaign for their HPV vaccine (see here and here). He repeated a quote you may have seen in the press: “Democrats cannot think straight when it comes to sex. Double entendre intended.”
- Requiring a birth certificate to attend college in Virginia (illegal immigrant issue).
- Revising the transportation funding formula.
- Fighting corporate welfare. Virginia paying to acquire factory.
Jeff Frederick then took his turn. Frederick is still honing is agenda and seeking citizen preferences. His comments included:
- The definition of the challenge ahead for Republicans. What is the Republican agenda? He pointed out that a Hillary Clinton candidacy would be good Republicans. Frederick apparently agrees with Lingamfelter that too many Republican officials have acted like watered-down Democrats.
- A reference to a Ronald Reagan quotation. He noted President Ronald Reagan’s statement that the party “must raise a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all the issues troubling the people.”
- The statement of his intent to focus upon the passage of a few bills.
Jackson Miller then took his turn to present his plans for the upcoming session. His presentation included:
- A defense of immigration reform. Miller referenced this article in the Potomac News and made essentially the same points I made in this post. Miller used the article to stress the point that illegal immigrants raise the costs of running our schools, medical systems, and social welfare programs. He added that sending illegal immigrants back to their home country does not separate families. Nothing stops them from taking their children with them (Author’s note: More families are separated when husbands and “boyfriends” come here for jobs.).
- A contrary view on abuser fees. Miller does not like the current implementation, but he favors the idea of abuser fees. He wants to moderate the fees and to apply the penalty to out of state drivers as well as instate drivers. In this context, he mentioned his experience as a police officer.
- The intent, like Frederick, to focus on a few bills, particularly immigration bills. Miller added that a multitude of bills just bogs down the legislative system.
- Immigration reforms. Miller said he would work on statewide implementation of the 287 g program, try to reduce the tax dollars going to illegal immigrants and perhaps try to yank the licenses of the businesses that hire illegal immigrants. He noted that with respect to immigration law Federal law preempts state and local laws.
- Strengthening the power of the police to arrest and detain potentially dangerous suspects. He gave as an example a peeping Tom. If an officer catches someone staring in your window, the officer can give the peeping Tom a citation, but he cannot detain him. If it was your house he was staring into, how would you feel about such a peeping Tom immediately running loose?
- Tax reform. Miller wants Virginia to remain the number one state to do business. He proposed the need to streamlined BPOL taxes.
- Drawing the battlelines. The Republican majority in the House of Delegates will be on the defensive. Since Democrats have the Governor’s mansion and a majority in the Senate, Republicans will have little opportunity to push their own agenda. The best Republicans can hope for is to forestall the Democrat agenda.
Question and Answer
Question: What about education? Education is a big priority for the state government.
- Frederick has a proposal. He mentioned that he wants to require 65 percent of the money spent on education to be spent in the classroom. The last time he checked the Prince William County School system spent about 61 percent.
- Frederick noted recent legislation enabling students completing a two year degree program at one of the state’s community colleges to continue on at a four college at community college prices.
- Miller brought up something Republicans will have to fight. Democrats will push for universal pre-kindergarten. Lingamfelter pointed out that universal pre-kindergarten is universal daycare in disguise. Democrats, he said, are more worried about your trans-fats than the fat in government.
Question: Why don’t Republicans report on the bad behavior of Democrats?
- Frederick noted that with respect to political ethics Virginia law is not bad. The law for the most part requires public disclosure of where one’s campaign funds are coming from. It is then up to the public to decide.
- Marshall brought up his proposal that political party ads be approved by candidates. He apparently thinks there is too much dissing of the candidates as it is. He also mention a defamation lawsuit that is in the works as a result of one of the Democratic Party’s campaign ads.
- Lingamfelter mentioned one of his opponent’s ads that left him aghast. His Democratic Party opponent actually used a photocopy of his signature (that is, Lingamfelter’s) in his campaign ad suggesting Lingamfelters endorsement. Apparently, this is just barely within the law.
Question: What about the RINO leadership?
- Lingamfelter mentioned in response to this question that we are not recruiting enough conservatives to run. We need a PAC dedicated to this.
- Frederick added we need conservatives who will stand their ground. We also need a better strategy, something he says he is work on.
- Marshall noted his effort to unseat Speaker Howell.
- Miller stated that we have a conservative leadership. He added that we should not judge the leadership based upon one bill (apparently HB3202). (Author’s note: Why not? Was not HB3202 the signature accomplishment of the last legislative session? Until it blew up in their faces, didn’t Republicans intend to run on that rotten transportation bill?).
Question: Why isn’t the Northern Virginia delegation united?
- Lingamfelter noted that the Republican Party label is in tatters.
- Frederick gave Governor Kaine (and Bob Marshall) credit for putting adequate public facilities legislation up front and center as an issue. He also noted Governor Kaine cannot be trusted on the issue.
- Frederick elaborated that the problem is a bit complicated. The state decides funding, but local officials have more control over what get built where. VDOT makes long range plans, and then local officials approve developments where VDOT never intended to build any infrastructure.
- Marshall added that the adequate public facilities legislation included in HB3202 is unconstitutional. There is nothing in the legislation that requires the money appropriated from developers be spent in connection with their developments.
Question: How does the General Assembly pass unconstitutional laws? Why the House of Delegates vote on Governor Kaine’s amendments HB3202 in one big bundle?
- Marshall said the speaker runs the show. He note that HB3202 itself bundles so many different objects into one bill that that in and of itself makes it unconstitutional (Author’s note: See Article IV, Section 12 (here). Then look at HB3202. By any measure, this bill inordinately complex.).
- Miller pointed out that the Generally Assembly does not determined the constitutionality of bills (Author’s note: That is naive nonsense. Every branch of government has a role in determining what is constitutional. The members of the General Assembly are under oath to recognized the limits of their authority. They should avoid passing unconstitutional legislation. In fairness, however, Miller also recognized that each branch of government has a role in correcting the other branches.).
Question: What about a National ID?
- Lingamfelter expressed disgust that it is easier to vote than it is to buy cigarettes. He wants a photo ID requirement to vote.
