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.

Budget Allocation

1. Transportation - Public safety on the roads is an important aspect in any state, most of this funding should come from the state but I will allocate 10% to transportation.

2. Public Safety - This is a major concern for the state. Law enforcement and and other emergency services deserve the best quality equipment and training neccessary to keep us safe. 25%

3. Education - Number 1 priority. Schooling and education for the youth in the state is what will power our state/nation in the future. 40%

4. Social Services - It's important to keep struggling families afloat, but stricter requirements for recieving and maintaining welfare/unemployment should be implemented. 10%

5. Research - Developing ideas for new jobs, public constructions and creating ways to making a more positive quality of life the citizens is priority. 15%

Ideal Governor

I think that the current governor of Virginia is an ideal governor. I feel that Tim Kaine (D) does an excellent job of taking the politics out of politics and makes decisions based on what he feels is best for the citizens of Virginia. Governor Kaine takes stances on controversial issues based on what he feels is right, not what his party wants him to do. Governor Kaine is a Roman Catholic and personally opposes any type of abortion, same sex marriage and executing death sentences. Kaine, however, puts his personal and religious views aside and opposes overturning Roe vs. Wade, opposed an amendment that would suggest marriage is between a man and a woman and is in favor of 2nd Amendment rights.

Influential Media Sources in Virginia

There are two main sources of political media sources, print and television, in Virginia. The Washingston Post is a very prominent newspaper that has been around since 1877. The Post covers all things regarding Virginia politics as well as national level news. The Richmond Times Dispatch and the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star are also among the most popular print media sources. The most popular television station is WRLH-TV, which is a Fox company. WRLH-TV takes a somewhat conservative approach to news coverage. The following are links to the media sources I will be endorsing throughout the course of this class.

The link to the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star is (http://fredericksburg.com)
The link to WRLH-TV is (http://www.foxrichmond.com)

Virginia State Legislator

Mark Warner (D) was elected in 2006 as a state senator. Warner attended college at the George Washington University and later earned a law degree from Harvard, but never practiced. Warner first ran for the Senate in 1996 but lost to incumbent Jim Warner (R), no relation. In 2001, Mark Warner was elected Governor of Virginia and was very successful. He worked to reduce taxes and improve funding for public education. Throughout his tenure as governor, Warner attained one of the highest approval ratings in Virginia with 80% and left the office with an overall 71%. in 2006, many believed that Warner would try and run for president but turned down the oppurtunity because of an opening in the state senate.

Mark Warner has been extremely successful throughout his career in politics. He was elected with 66% of votes in 2006. Warner is pro-choice, eliminated family rule so unrelated people can buy homes together, favors the death penalty, strongly believes in the second ammendment and believes qualified individuals should receive some form of free health care. Overall, Mark Warner is in a very strong position to keep his seat in the senate.

Convicted Panderer Running for Office in Va.

William Smith, a 37-year old convicted panderer, is running for s House of Delegates seat in the 19th District. Really? I thought this was a joke when I first read it. For those of you that don't know what pandering is, it is when an individual acts a go between or liason for hooking people up with prostitutes, a pimp basically. Smith was an employee at a lingerie shop called Shooter's 44 in Roanoke, Va. in 1997. At the time, local police believed that Shooter's 44 was a front for an illegal prostitution ring, allowing men to wach ladies model lingerie so they could then buy which ones they liked. Undercover police officers went to the establishment and asked the guy at the front desk if they could buy more than just lingerie. The man at the front desk? That's right, you guessed it, William Smith. He then told police that for a fee of $325 he would get two girls together and get them to a nearby hotel. Smith was convicted of felony pandering and sentenced to 6 years in prison but only served one. He also had his voting rights revoked, although they were recently restored this earlier this year. I don't know what is more comical about this guy, getting caught hooking two police officers up with hookers for $325 or thinking he actually has a shot at winning a seat in the Va. House of Delegates? I guess he is a born again christian, his campaign website says he is big on family values.