THe Future of Virginia

Virginia will continue to become a more progressive state. As long as the rural, conservative population continue to out-number the liberal population in the northern, urban areas of Virginia, there will be a balance between of political culture. Virginia consistently has one of the best performing governments among the other states, partly due to the laws regarding term-lengths for governors and various department heads. I believe Virginia will continue to be at the front of the political debates, both on a state and national level, continuing to have an influence on neighboring states.

Taxes

Taxes are the one thing everyone hates. Everyone hates paying them but want more services provided by the state. I think toll roads, in the short-term, could help alleviate some of the deficit that states face but I don't think it is the answer. I also don't think that a flat tax is a long-term solution either. A flat tax takes a top to bottom approach to redistribution of wealth. That relies on a big assumption that wealthy people spend more money since they have more, which isn't always the case. There is no efficient way to assume how people spend money, because every person is different. I think the best way, which also appears to be hardest, is to find a way for the state to operate in a more streamlined, efficient way that reduces spending.

Virginia Education Charts

State vs. Local governments in VA

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, the state government holds most of the power. Local governments do enjoy some power because that state government provides them with it. There have been several cases over the past 30 years where the state government has taken the power and control of a city/town and combined it with a neighboring city/town. For the most part, local governments in Virginia are successful and enjoy a lot of power within their respective districts, providing citizens with adequate protections and services.

Book Review

Parties and Politics: How the American Government Works is a collection of 14 essays written by David Mayhew spanning over 30 years. Mayhew essentially combines political parties, politicians, elections, and policy making procedures to determine why American policy is the way it is. The essays cover time periods beginning with the Reconstruction Era all the way up to the Clinton and Bush Administrations. Some of the issues we talked about in class, like global conflicts, financial crises like the Great Depression, and natural disasters are all examples of why the American Government is as powerful as it is and why it operates in a certain way. In one of his essays, he touches on the two-party system and some of the limitations they impose as well as making comparisons to other countries like Germany and France.

Prison Problems

The easiest way to deal with the prison issue of over-population and budget cuts is to make the system smoother and faster. You might remember a few years back (late 2002) the D.C. sniper attacks. John Muhammed and Lee Mavlo are still alive. They killed 10 people and seriously injured 3 others in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. They have each tried to appeal their prison sentences and have requested multiple stays of execution. Really, they're still alive? These two terrorists should have been strapped to a chair and electrocuted back in 2003. This is where the system is broke. I woud like to find out how much money is wasted keeping murderers and rapists alive for 10-15 years waiting for the death penalty. People like them don't deserve the same rights that we do. If you kill ten people, you get the chair, problem solved.

Administrator

A good administrator is someone who has the knowledge and experience to make the lives of the citizens in their state better. He/she needs to be able to make the tough decisions on policies, regardless of what the media says. Being able to relate to both the poorest and richest people in the state and understanding what their needs are is extremely important. It's been a while since I was last in Virginia, but I remember an adminstrator named Robert Antozzi, who is the director for the Parks and Recreation Department. A few years back he made huge improvements to some local Fredericksburg camp sites and lake fronts.