Two top Republican contenders for governor discount sexual orientation as deciding factor

In an unusually agreeable set of public statements, two of Virginia’s top Republican contenders for the governorship said Wednesday that an individual’s sexual orientation should not be the overriding factor that decides their fit to be a judge.

The public statements came in the wake of the kerfuffle over Tracy Thorne-Begland’s[1], an openly gay prosecutor in Richmond, failed nomination to a general district court judgeship after social conservative legislators and advocacy groups fought successfully to rebuff his bid, stirring another controversy in Virginia between liberals, libertarians, and conservatives.

On Tuesday, Gov. McDonnell also publicly stated that “the individual’s ability to do the job well” should be the primary basis upon which judicial candidates should be considered.[2]

Thus, three of Virginia’s most politically ambitious politicians have distanced themselves from the more socially conservative sphere that has come to dominant the headlines over the course of the 2012 General Assembly session for their less-than progressive views[3] on women’s rights to gay rights.

Conservative legislators who voted to block Thorne-Begland’s nomination have argued that the Richmond prosecutor’s support for gay marriage and gay rights would slant his judicial decisions were he to become judge. However, the judicial nominations for a labor union supporter and gun-rights advocate were not questioned, leaving the argument with little force.

The fact of the matter is that virtually every judge comes with some “baggage,” some more so than others. But usually it’s taken for granted that the judge in question will rule impartially on the cases before him or her.

For what it’s worth, one positive is resulting from this latest controversy stirred by Virginia’s conservative legislators: it is cogently highlighting just how “out of touch” these individuals are with the times and what most Virginians, and Americans more generally, believe. 

Now the question is whether or not voters in Virginia will “throw out the bums.”

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[1] http://www.equalityvirginia.org/outstanding-virginians/63

[2] http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-politics/2012/may/17/tdmet01-gop-leaders-demur-on-judge-rejection-ar-1920377/

[3] http://www.nbc29.com/story/16591712/controversy-over-personhood-legislation-in-general-assembly

A fitting farewell to the 2012 GA session: gay prosecutor is rejected for judgeship

In a fitting move by the Virginia General Assembly in the waning hours of its raucous and fractious 2012 session[1], lawmakers rejected the Richmond judgeship of Tracy Thorne-Begland, an openly gay man[2].

Over the course of the 2012 session, legislators dealt with such integral issues such as what kind of instrument should be used to undertake a transvaginal ultrasound and how Virginia should combat voter fraud[3] before anyone in the General Assembly was aware investigations were being conducted on cases of voter fraud. In other words, the 2012 General Assembly session in Virginia has been a boon for comedians and commentators looking for signs of backwardness in the U.S.

The last day of the 2012 session proved to be no less impressive in its hatefulness. In order to justify their decision, Republican legislators argued that Thorne-Begland’s public positions on gay rights[4] disallowed his impartiality as a judge. But for anyone who has listened to the Republican Party, whether it be statewide or nationally, knows better than to fall for this argument.

The GOP has made it a policy priority to send every homosexual in the U.S. into hiding at a moment in our history that finally seems ripe for a progression on the issue of gay rights. GOP lawmakers, in fact, appear to revel in their own bigotry, whether it pertains to minority groups, women, or homosexuals.

In Virginia, there is a twisted sense of what constitutes a protected freedom. In the near future, you may be able to kill or injure another individual for invading your home[5] but you cannot be an openly gay judge. This sounds like Medieval law, not the law of a state embedded in the United States in 2012.

So we have a ways to go in Virginia before the commonwealth can truly throw off the less-than-savory baggage of its hateful past.

Fortunately, these Republican legislators are fighting a losing battle. The winds of change have been blowing for some time now regarding equality for homosexuals and the defenses of these Republicans have become timeworn, like most of their other views. 

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[1] http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/22/beyond-budget-fight-politics-a-vital-issue/

[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-politics/virginia-general-assembly-rejects-openly-gay-prosecutor-for-richmond-judgeship/2012/05/15/gIQAvZKSSU_story.html

[3] http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/amid_voter_id_debate_virginia_reports_no_in-person_voter_fraud_in_2008.php

[4] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/virginia-delegate-vows-to-block-gay-judge/2012/05/14/gIQA75SuOU_blog.html

[5] http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/08/us-virginia-intruders-law-idUSBRE82709V20120308

Dominion hit with “white” safety violation week after independent commission rejected

A week after Dominion’s shareholders rejected 12 energy-related proposals[1], including a “report on the special review of nuclear safety policies and practices” by an independent committee, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced Monday[2] that Dominion VA Power had been hit with a “white” safety violation at their North Anna Nuclear Power Station[3] for maintenance problems pertaining to its emergency diesel generators.

As a result, Dominion confronts extra inspections by the federal government at its North Anna plant.

Officials with the NRC said that one of the diesel generators failed to perform its proper function in the aftermath of the earthquake in August[4]. The gasket was reportedly replaced the same day but North Anna did not have proper procedures for installing the gasket.

While officials with Dominion said that the violation didn’t pose a safety risk, the utility would have gone a long way in silencing its critics if it had encouraged and successfully lobbied for an independent commission to review its nuclear safety policies. Now many Virginians such as myself are asking, what is Dominion hiding, what other problems are present at the North Anna Nuclear Power Station?

Given the seriousness of safety problems at nuclear power plants, it should be required that nuclear power plants receive independent reviews on a biannual basis to ensure the safety of the nuclear plants.

The NRC must also be split into two bodies, advocacy and regulation, to ensure that the agency’s mission doesn’t conflict with itself and that Americans are protected from nuclear disasters.

As America’s nuclear plants continue to age beyond their originally intended lifespans[5] and CEOs continue to push for maximal profits for their shareholders, independent safety inspections are paramount to maintaining America’s confidence in the safety of nuclear power plants.

Dominion is, as usual, playing the “we’ll do it alone” card. But particularly in a post-Fukushima world, this stance will no longer suffice.

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[1] http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2012/05/shareholders-ask-energy-firms-to.html

[2] http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2012/12-035.ii.pdf

[3] http://dom.com/about/stations/nuclear/north-anna/index.jsp

[4] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/06/north-anna-nuclear-earthquake_n_1078870.html

[5] http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-20/news/29680385_1_nuclear-plants-age-nrc-reactors

Nearly $2 million is allocated to clean acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines

When you cause damage to another individual’s property or leave behind acid drainage that precipitates an ecological disaster, you’d expect to be on the hook for paying for these damages, right?

Wrong if you’re a coal mine operator in Virginia.

The Virginia and federal governments are shelving out $1.69 million of our taxpaying dollars[1] to clean up damage resulting from acid mine drainage from coal mines abandoned in southwest Virginia.

Ever one to lend a major taxpayer-funded helping hand to his friends in the coal industry[2], Gov. Bob McDonnell stated that the allocation is the final step in a “project” set to restore water quality in the Powell Valley watershed, an area that is home to numerous threatened or endangered marine species.[3]

The project to restore water quality includes erosion control and stream bank stabilization.

An obvious question arises, why are taxpayers paying for the negligence and/or lack of foresight shown by mining companies who mined in the area of the Powell Valley watershed?

In Virginia, the business philosophy goes something like this: businesses should be saddled with minimal legal constraints, including legal guidelines ensuring that coal mines left behind won’t cause ecological problems in the future. In other words, economic growth at almost any cost.

As taxpayers and environmentally conscious Virginians, we should be outraged, especially when we consider that Gov. McDonnell and his administration have made it clear that they’re more concerned with the interests of their largest campaign contributors than with the average Virginian.

No one gets a free pass to destroy the earth or their fellow men and women, especially on someone else’s dime.

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[1] http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-politics/2012/may/14/va-coal-mines-get-169-million-cleanup-ar-1913156/

[2] http://www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1251

[3] http://www.fws.gov/northeast/virginiafield/pdf/contaminants/20110120_final%20LMPI%20NRDAR%20fact%20sheet.pdf

Ben Tribbett for Democratic National Committee

By Ben Tribbett, 


Virginia is one of a small number of states where political parties have the power to cancel primaries and instead hold conventions to select their nominees for office.  This decision is usually made the year in advance of an election.  Which means this September will be when the vote is held on whether Virginia Democrats will have a primary or a convention in 2013.

There is a large contingent in the Democratic Party of Virginia who are already campaigning to cancel our primary and have a convention.

You might be wondering- what does this have to do with a candidate for the DNC?  Good question!  Virginia's DNC members sit on the Steering Committee of the State Party and have one of the few votes that will be cast on the method of nomination that will be brought to a final vote at the State Central Committee.  In other words- this DNC election may decide what type of nomination we have.

Right now, I am the only DNC candidate who has pledged to support a primary in 2013.  In fact, I am a supporter of primaries in every statewide election and will always vote to have a primary to select our statewide candidates. 

Here's why I will vote for a primary.

1)  Primaries bring out much bigger electorates than conventions.

2)  Poor and working class voters don't have the resources to go to whatever area in the state we decide to hold the convention in and participate.

3)  Anyone who works a job on the weekends won't be able to participate.

4)  Virginians stationed overseas in the military or state department won't be able to participate. 

The choice here is very clear.  Are we going to limit participation and exclude key parts of the Democratic base- or are we going to hold an inclusive primary that is accessible to all Democrats?  

Help me win on June 2nd and I will fight for your right to a primary every time.

via notlarrysabato.typepad.com

Former Congressman Goode spews bigotry at Romney ahead of his visit to Liberty U.

Former 5^th District Congressman Virgil Goode’s recent bigoted comments calling Mitt Romney “the father of homosexual marriages”[1] in a statement released to the media before the Republican presidential nominee’s visit to Liberty University over the weekend is as telling as it is unconscionable.

It is a rare moment when I feel Romney needs to be defended against his opponents. But in the face of such blatant inflammatory political rhetoric, a change of course is warranted.

First and foremost, there isn’t a single shred of evidence that Romney is “the father of homosexual marriages,” if such a ridiculous claim could even be objectively tested.

What is most interesting about Goode’s public statement to the media is his foremost rationale for restricting the rights of marriage to heterosexual couples. Goode states that “If homosexual marriages become normal across the country…State taxpayers will have to pay for the expanded health insurance costs and State retirement costs.” Essentially what Goode is saying is that fundamental human rights can be denied to individuals if the economic costs outweigh the economic benefits. Welcome to the conservative version of capitalism in the 21^st Century U.S.

In a similar vein, would Goode have also argued that slaves in the U.S. should not have been freed because of the supposedly huge economic burden this would have on the U.S.? One shivers to think of his answer.

Goode is far from alone in making these types of economic arguments.[2] It is a line of argument that has all but captured many on the far right of the political spectrum, a line of argument and a way of viewing the world that allows for nothing less than “economic growth” and “job creation” at almost any cost.

I once heard an instructor say that “Everything has a cost.” But individual freedom and dignity do not have a price tag because they are the essential constants of our society without which our entire notion of politics, economics, and social life would collapse.

I would urge however that we as progressives, liberals, fair-minded individuals, and some libertarians not focus exclusively on drilling individuals like Goode for their bigotry and utter absurdity. Rather, we must continue to champion a vision of our own that encompasses a brighter future for all Americans: poor and wealthy, business owner and employee, young and old, civilian and non-civilian, retiree and employed, and so on.

We take back our country’s future by advancing a brighter pragmatic path forward.

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[1] http://augustafreepress.com/2012/05/12/goode-romney-father-of-homosexual-marriages/

[2] http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011062630/republican-economic-anti-government-argument

The gift that keeps on taking away: VCU Board of Visitors hikes tuition & fees again

On Friday, Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Board of Visitors approved a $920 million operating budget that will tack on a 3.87% tuition and fee hike. The hike equals out to $368 and yearly total of $9.885 for the “typical” undergraduate.[1]

For VCU schools not fortunate enough to live at home during their college career, the mean yearly expense for an in-state undergraduate with a meal plan living in student housing will increase by 2.59%.

Non-resident undergraduates also have the fortune of incurring a 4.2% tuition and fee increase while master’s students will witness a 3.95% increase.

What does it say about a school’s board of visitors, and ultimately the school itself, if it continuously pushes a degree in higher education further out of reach for many Virginians? What does it say about a board of visitors which reasons that it’s OKAY for their students to incur more debt as a matter of course?

In its rush to be Virginia’s hottest university, VCU seems more than ready to sweep aside some of the principles which have been the school’s bedrock for many decades: serving Virginian’s of all stripes and colors.

With seemingly indefinite hikes in tuition and fees would it be surprising to find that more individuals from economically disadvantaged communities are choosing to forego a college education, individuals predominantly located in the city of Richmond?[2]

Opponents may respond that the tuition and fee hikes are minimal and are not a financial overburden for VCU students. This is however an easy argument to make when you live in relative affluence. A few extra hundred dollars here, a few extra hundred dollars there, no big deal!

It is of course big. If nothing else, some kind of pledge by the board of visitors to put a ceiling on tuition and fee hikes would signal to VCU’s students and Virginians in general that VCU is truly concerned about the welfare of its student body. What VCU’s board of visitors has instead indicated is that VCU is a business, the students are the customers, and either pay or get out.

Unfortunately, many students may choose the latter.[3]

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[1] http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-politics/2012/may/11/vcu-to-raise-in-state-tuition-fees-by-387-percent-ar-1908262/

[2] http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Richmond-Virginia.html

[3] http://chronicle.com/article/Graduation-Rates-Fall-at/125614/