2004
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December 13, 2004 -
Driving
Around in Circles. Virginia's
transportation system is bad and getting worse. Clueless
on how to fix it,
Virginia's political leadership is like the guy who's
totally lost and refuses to ask for directions. by
James A. Bacon
No
Waiting for Huang. Virginia's
new Secretary of Technology has lost little time
putting his imprint on Virginia's high-tech
policy. Eugene Huang's priorities include life
sciences, nanotechnology, broadband and IT. by
Douglas Koelemay
Capitalist
Commune. DuPont
operates one of the leanest manufacturing facilities
of its globe-straddling
empire in Richmond, Va. The secret: a
high-performance work system that obliterates
management-worker distinctions and treats everyone
as equals. Sponsored content.
Followship
or Leadership? Virginia
has plenty of risk-averse leaders willing to peddle
more-of-the-same solutions, but very few courageous
enough to
articulate the hard truths or push for innovative solutions.
by Patrick McSweeney
A
Bad Idea that Just Won't Die. Once
again we're hearing that Virginia needs two-term
governors to carry out long-term reforms. But sound
ideas don't require a cult of personality to be put
into effect. by Patrick McSweeney
A
Summing Up. No
one disputes the facts regarding the debilitating
impact of dysfunctional human settlement patterns
-- but Virginia opinion leaders ignore them all
the same. Ever optimistic, we suggest some light
holiday reading. by E M Risse
Weighing
the Pig. The
idea of launching a "Marshall Plan for
Transportation" has its limitations, but you
have to give Steve Baril credit for taking the lead
on transportation funding when no one else will. by
Barnie Day
What's
the Rush? Granting
Virginia's "Big Three" universities
charter status would make them less accountable to
the public. Such an irrevocable step needs to
be thoroughly debated. by Barnie Day
Governing
by Network. A
quiet revolution is transforming the way
government delivers public services. Instead of
doing everything itself, governments are out-source
more work to the private sector. by Michael
Thompson
Warner
and the Wild One. Doug
Wilder won the mayoral election in Richmond with
80 percent of the vote. You'd think that would
make him a hero in the Democratic Party. by
Steven Sisson
Warner's
White House Adventure. The
Warner-for-President movement is gaining momentum
as Virginia's governor positions himself as the
blue-state candidate with red-state appeal. Hang
on to your wallet! by Steven Sisson
The
Taxpayers' Nemesis. Delegate Jim Dillard, a
Democrat in Republican clothing, has consistently
supported higher taxes. Fortunately, Michael
Golden will oppose him next year. by Phillip
Rodokanakis
More
of the "Same Old, Same Old".
Last
week's conclave in Richmond dedicated to
generating "creative" discussion on
transportation solutions served up the same half
truths, mistruths and stale ideas. by Skip
Stiles
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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November 29, 2004 -
Triumph
of the Political Class. Despite gushing
state revenues from economic
growth and tax hikes, the special interests still want
more. Don't believe their spin on the budget. Here's the
straight story. by James A. Bacon
The
Right Message. A great weekend for Virginia
collegiate football started with handshakes on the
50 and the defense of final exams.
by Doug Koelemay
Kaine
Shapes His Campaign. Virginia
may be a red state in presidential politics but
Democrats are still competitive at the state level.
Tim Kaine is getting out front on visible issues of
concern to Virginians. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Bill Is Coming Due. Government
policy over the decades has fostered an
auto-dependent transportation system. Virginia can't
afford to pump more money into that system without
fundamental reform. by Patrick McSweeney
From
Myth to Law. The
Private Vehicle Mobility Myth and Myth of the Big
Yard induce citizens to make millions of
small decisions that lead to dysfunctional
settlement patterns. Only by spreading the obverse
of those myths--natural laws--can we reverse the
trend.
by
E M Risse
Faith
and Values. Barnie
Day offers some friendly advice to the Rev. Jerry
Falwell on how to staff his Faith and Values
Coalition. by Barnie Day
Gawwwn
But Not Forgotten. They
don't make 'em like Hardaway Marks anymore. by
Barnie Day
Mother,
May I? Public
universities squander untold millions running
routine proposals through administrators in
Richmond. A chartered university law would spare
them much of the red tape. by Chris Braunlich
Dead
End. Philip
Shucet and Trip Pollard approach transportation
policy from different viewpoints. But they agree
on this: Virginia will never address traffic
congestion until it also reforms land use. by
Steve Sisson
Our
Valley, Our Road. The
special interests want to run a concrete
monstrosity the length of the Shenandoah Valley to
expedite truck traffic -- and stick us locals with
much of the bill. Thanks but no thanks. by
Steve Sisson
The
Warrenton Miracle. George
Fitch, mayor of Warrenton, proved he can cut
spending and lower taxes. Jerry Kilgore, who's
seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination as
a status quo candidate, better watch out.
by Phil Rodokanakis
Put
the "Trust" Back in Trust Fund. The
General Assembly is giving serious thought to
protecting the Transportation Trust Fund from
fiscal raids during hard times. by Steve Haner
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November 15, 2004 -
Teaching
Old Dogs New Tricks. Mark
Warner isn't just shoveling money into Virginia's public
schools -- he's raising standards and holding
administrators accountable for results. by James A.
Bacon
The
Bio Rush Is On. Staking
its claim in the biotech turf, California will issue $3
billion in bonds to invest in stem cell research. The
initiative leaves Virginia -- and
everyone else -- flat footed. by Doug Koelemay
In
Defense of A
Strange Notion. Every
four years we hear the cry to abolish the electoral
college. It's worth remembering why Virginia's founding
fathers adopted it in the first place. by Patrick
McSweeney
Oops.
Instead
of the "structural budget deficit" cited
to justify $750 million in higher taxes, the state
is running a massive budget surplus.
The failure of Virginia's political class is
complete. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Skycar Myth. Small
airplanes have their uses, but the idea of
subsidizing their development as personal mobility
vehicles is unsound. There is no substitute for
functional human settlement patterns. by E M
Risse
He's
Baaack! Coming
out of political retirement, Doug Wilder is back in the
public spotlight as Richmond's new mayor -- with a
mandate to kick butt and take names. by Barnie Day
Taking
PART. If
Virginia wants to promote efficiency in state
government, it should adopt the Performance
Assessment Rating Tool that President Bush is
using to tame the federal bureaucracy. by
Geoffrey Segal
The
Roadman's Hammer, Part I. The
Blue Dog has a bone to pick with VDOT efforts to
engage the press and the public in its public
hearings. But he will credit Commissioner Philip
Shucet with being open to criticism. by Steven
Sisson
The
Roadman's Hammer, Part II. VDOT's
"citizen meetings" amount to little more
than showcases for road construction
projects. Citizens are mostly
powerless to derail projects they don't like. by
Steven Sisson
Surplus?
What Surplus? You'd think tax advocates
would be embarrassed by the state's impending $1
billion budget surplus. Not so. Won't last, says
Mark Warner. Still need to raise taxes, says John
Chichester. by Phillip Rodokanakis.
Hoo-ah!
A
solid majority of Virginians voted for George
Bush, with the Peninsula leading the way.
Celebration is justified, but Republicans need to
learn the right lessons from their victory. by
James Atticus Bowman
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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November 1, 2004 -
Saving
the Mill Town. Globalization
is undermining the economies of small factory towns
across the South. Some say they’re doomed. If so, Danville hasn’t gotten the message.
by James A. Bacon
Self
Inflicted Bio-Terror.
Former
Gov. Jerry Baliles has a $12 billion plan to clean
up the Chesapeake Bay. That's a lot of money, but
we'd spend it if al Qaeda had done the damage
instead. by Douglas Koelemay
Getting
a Grip on State Spending. Gov.
Warner has yet to fulfill his promise to streamline
wasteful spending in state government. He could
start with his own office. by Patrick McSweeney
Teach
that Man Some Economics!
Congressman
Bobby Scott trashes President Bush's economic
policies, but he shows no understanding of the
factors driving economic growth and budget deficits.
by Patrick McSweeney
Dying
Young in Traffic. Why
are so many teenagers dying in auto accidents?
Because the lack of walkable, balanced communities
means young people have to drive a car to go
anywhere or do anything. by E M Risse
Fig
Leaf Bait and Switch. Culpeper
supervisors offered a novel justification for
closing a meeting to the public: They wanted to get
their stories straight. Incredibly, a judge bought
it. by Barnie Day
A
Cheap Lesson, As Lessons Go.
Score
one for the Republicans: Gov. Warner deserved to get
his hand slapped for the way he accounted for staff
expenses. Now, get over it -- it's not a big deal. by
Barnie Day
Keep
the Ball Rolling. Gov.
Warner has initiated important reforms to improve
efficiency in state government. It's imperative
that the next governor and General Assembly pick
up where he left off. by Michael Thompson
That's
"Jeffrey" -- With an "J".
The
Valley Democratic Party apparatus didn't see fit
to nominate a candidate to run against Bob
Goodlatte. But that's not stopping Martin Jeffrey
from running as a write-in candidate. by Steven
Sisson
Adventures
in Warnerland. Have
all the rules of common sense been suspended? The
Blue Dog reels from the illogic surrounding Demos'
positions on getting out the vote, state
accounting tricks and SOLs. by Steven Sisson
Misinformation
Campaign.
It's
bad enough that Fairfax County wants to issue $325
million in bonds to cover past fiscal
recklessness. But the county is spending tax
dollars to dupe taxpayers to go along. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Not
Your Father’s Old Home Town. The Richmond
region has seen a sweeping turnover in
its business and civic leadership. Far
from being a haven of bluebloods, the city is wide open
to newcomers.
by James A. Bacon
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October 18, 2004 -
The
Small Aircraft Revolution.
Fasten
your seatbelts, folks, the commercial aviation system
built around big planes and big airports is in for a
bumpy ride. In the aviation of the future: Small is
beautiful. by James A. Bacon
Risky
Business. Virginia
has a promising base of biotech enterprises and
research institutions that could make it a player
in the life sciences -- if government and business
leaders can learn to live with the risk. by
Doug Koelemay
Hush
Little GOP, Don't You Cry.
Demos gonna sing you a lullaby... The "leak" that the Kerry campaign has
written off Virginia may be meant to put Republicans
to sleep. by Patrick McSweeney
Vote
or
Die... Or Maybe Catch Some Extra ZZZs.
High
voter turn-out doesn't help democracy if it's
greased by fraud or reflects the ill-informed
passions of the mob. by Patrick McSweeney
Rethinking
Metro.
Investing
in the METRO is the single best bet for improving
mobility and access in the National Capital
Subregion -- but only if it serves the interests
of citizens, not Business As
Usual. by E M Risse
Right
Wingers Get One Right.
Agreeing
to pay Michael Moore $35,000 was an atrocious
idea. The man can say whatever he wants -- but not
on the state's dime. by Barnie Day
Ham-Handed
in
Lynchburg.
Lynchburg College
has confiscated all copies of the student-run
newspaper. The 1st Amendment doesn't cover private
colleges, but I've got a plan... by Barnie Day
Regulation
Rollback.
Del.
Chris Saxman is promoting a flexibility-in-regulation
law that should curtail the spread of useless,
job-killing regulations. by Geoffrey
Segal
Baseball Been
Very
Good to Me.
But
not to Gov. Mollycoddle, who
just struck out in his bid to bring a major league stadium in Northern
Virginia. by Steven Sisson
Sucker
Punch.
The
Kerry campaign has baled out of Virginia, leaving
only a token presence. So much for Gov.
Mollycoddle's vow to make Virginia competitive in
the presidential race. by Steven Sisson
Readers
Respond
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October 4, 2004 -
Das
Humankapital. Karl
Marx would never recognize the 21st century
world in which human capital trumps financial capital.
This historic shift changes all the rules – including
those of economic development. by James A. Bacon
Let
the Camera Roll. George
Mason may or may not have agreed with film-maker
Michael Moore, but he would have been outraged by
the move to run him off from the university that
bears his name.
by Doug Koelemay
How
Conservatives Win and Lose.
Conservatives
are right to push an anti-tax agenda for Virginia. But
it's a mistake to appear negative and vindictive. by
Patrick McSweeney
High
on the Hog.
Flush
with higher taxes and a growing economy, the Warner
administration is expanding state government again.
Does Virginia really need a secretary and a
commissioner of agriculture? by Patrick McSweeney
Chasing
out the Mouse.
Fending
off the Disney's America project 10 years ago was
a victory -- but only a temporary one -- against
the relentless spread of dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Letter
to Jim Gilmore.
Frankly,
Virginia Republicans have been a mess since you
left. Who else but you can put the pieces back
together again? by Barnie Day
Huntah.
Hunter
Andrews was vain and quick-tempered, but also principled,
brilliant and a undisputed master of the Virginia
state budget. His legend will live long after he's gone.
by Barnie Day
The
Looming Teacher Shortage. Virginia's recruitment
and compensation practices are aggravating the
shortfall of math, science and special ed
teachers. Schools could learn
some lessons from the private sector. by Chris
Braunlich
Richmond
Road Warrior.
When
talking to environmentalists last month, Tim Kaine
came across as an advocate of smart growth. But in
2002, he backed regional tax increases for
building more roads. by Steven Sisson
Dirt Road to Hell.
It's
tough pinning down Jerry Kilgore on where he
stands on transportation and taxes, and for good
reason: The Republican Party is split, and he
needs a unified party to win in '05. by Steven
Sisson
The
Mom Who Beat the
Mob. Whether
she's defying the Russian mafia or battling to
preserve her beloved Virginia piedmont, Cate Magennis
Wyatt is a force to be reckoned with. by James A.
Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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September 20, 2004 -
Silicon
for Asphalt. It's
no surprise that the state highway commissioner thinks
Virginia needs more money to build more roads. But
Philip Shucet also entertains heretical thoughts on how
the state can use technology to improve mobility. by
James A. Bacon
Posses
and Vigilantes. Virginians
may have to ride hard to keep their politics
local. by Doug Koelemay
Setting
the Standard. Virginia First's proposed public-private
partnership would deliver world-class IT services
to state government -- saving money,
improving security and promoting economic development in
Southwest Virginia. Sponsored content.
The Gay Agenda.
There is a gay agenda, and the tactics used to
advance it have become as hateful as the attitudes
of the alleged bigots that gay activists oppose. by
Patrick McSweeney
Asleep
at the Switch?
The
GOP may not think that Virginia is in play in this
year's presidential election, but a big push for Kerry
could help Mark Warner if (when) he challenges
George Allen in 2006. by Patrick McSweeney
Spinning
Data, Spinning Wheels. Traffic
congestion is actually worse than stated in the
widely touted 2004 Urban Mobility Study. And the
only real solution -- fundamental land use reform
-- is downplayed for reasons of self interest. by
E M Risse
Limiting
Out on Opening Day. Me
and Ol' Dawg Are Done. by Barnie Day
Fix
VDOT First. Don't
entrust VDOT with more money until the state
highway department can demonstrate it can deliver
projects on budget and on time. by Michael
Thompson
Virginia's
Least Wanted. The
Virginia Club for Growth has pledged
to campaign against the 34
Republican members of the General
Assembly who voted in favor of the
biggest tax hike in Virginia
history. by Peter Ferrara
Working
Papers, Shirking Papers. Public
officials shouldn't be distracted by citizen
requests to view their working papers. But once
documents are archived, they should be available
to the public. by Becky Dale
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September 7, 2004 -
The
Shucet Shake Up. Highway
commissioner Philip Shucet has transformed VDOT with his
financial and managerial reforms -- but there's still a lot
of roadwork ahead. by James A. Bacon
COVITS.
ko'-vits.
(21c) n. Commonwealth of Virginia Technology
Symposium. v. to acquire knowledge about
technology. By Doug Koelemay
Holding
the Ugly Baby. Debbie
Kurtz launched a business doing what her economic
development clients didn’t want to do: Work
the phones to develop leads. Now her
growing company is providing
turn-key marketing services. Sponsored content
1/30th
of a Loaf... is
better than none. Gov. Warner's one-time, $28
million tax give-back is welcome, even though it's
increasingly evident that his $1.5 billion-per
biennium increase was never called for. by
Patrick McSweeney
Stepping
Over the Line.
The
gay activist who "outed" Congressman Ed
Schrock engages in political extortion. Is there no
limit to the politics of personal destruction? by
Patrick McSweeney
Looking
for Mr. Goodgrowth.
The
time is ripe for a gubernatorial candidate to defy
the Business As Usual special interests and take
the case for Fundamental Change to the
voters. by E M Risse
The
Spectra Spectacle. Military
and industrial demand for Spectra is, well, spectacular.
There are so many applications
for the
high-performance fiber
that Honeywell
is running flat-out to keep up. Sponsored content
Tuesday
Morning Coming Down.
Ruminations
on Ed Schrock, Virginia's torrential rains and the
Republican Party convention in New York. by
Barnie Day
Beyond
SOLs.
Standards
of Learning represented the first step in holding
public schools accountable. The next step is "value added assessment" that tracks
performance of individual students and teachers. by
Chris Braunlich
Reality
Check.
Pick your own state budget surplus figure:
$677 million, $324 million or $0.
All three can be valid depending on what
you are trying to prove -- or obfuscate. by
Steve Haner
Lessons
in Leadership.
A
handful of Republican delegates defied the
tax-cutting zealots running the House of Delegates
to do the right thing: raise taxes to pay for
fundamental state services. by Jesse Ferguson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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August 23, 2004 -
Shockoe
Jocks.
Baseball
players in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom? A proposed
downtown stadium is the right project in the right place
-- if developers can pull it off without putting
taxpayers at risk. by James A. Bacon
Internet
Jobs, Not Taxes.
Virginia
shouldn’t
relinquish competitive
advantages in Internet retailing for unproven
theories of tax policy. by Douglas Koelemay
How
Far We've Fallen.
Americans
are losing their self reliance. Just compare the
life of hardworking, 102-year-old "Granny"
Grubb with Medicaid's latest: free stomach stapling
for the obese. by Patrick McSweeney
Trust
the People. Here's
a novel idea: Maybe politicians should tell people
what they really believe and let voters
choose the candidates whose views most reflect their
own. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Trap of Great Examples.
Good examples, even great examples,
of
development have failed to influence the descent
toward dysfunctional human settlement patterns and
chaos. by E M Risse
A
Second Letter to Kilgore.
It's
been a tough summer, hasn't it? That squabble with
your mama... Electronic eavesdropping...
The BIG money... Where do I begin? by
Barnie Day
A
Memo
to Kaine and Kilgore.
I'm
sorry, gentlemen, but when it comes to addressing
Virginia's transportation needs, your platitudes
just won't cut it. by Barnie Day
No
More Snake Oil!
The
truth isn't popular, but here it is: We cannot
improve our transportation system without raising
taxes. Anyone who says otherwise is peddling
poppycock. by Steve Haner
Make
Government Compete.
Corporations
don't do everything in-house, why should
government? Virginia could improve its process for evaluating outsourcing
opportunities by looking closely at Florida's. by
Geoffrey Segal
Sons
of a Laboring God.
Getting
Down and Dumb at Burt's Tavern. by Joe Bageant
Nice
& Curious Questions: The Fat of
the Land or: How Many Carbs in a Country Ham?
by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
August 9, 2004 -
Just
The
Tip of the Dipstick. Higher
gasoline prices hurt, but the big problem isn't OPEC --
it's the total cost of car ownership, made onerous by
the fact that Virginians drive 40 percent more than they did a
generation ago. by James A. Bacon
Broad
Horizons
in Nano Tech.
Could Virginia
be where the metal rubber meets the polymer road?
by Douglas Koelemay
The
VEA Shows its Hand.
The
teachers union wants it all: $1.5 million per
biennium from tax hikes plus the $1 billion a
year Gov. Warner claims he can save through greater
government efficiency. by Patrick McSweeney
Media
Myopia.
Articles
and editorials in Virginia's newspapers
consistently obscure the origins of traffic
congestion and legitimize the special interests
that benefit from raising taxes/building more
roads. by E M Risse
What
We're Up Against. Virginia
faces a $100 billion - with a "b" -
shortfall in transportation funding over the next 20
years. What do our presumptive gubernatorial
candidates have to offer? by Barnie Day
Paging
Paul Harris.
The
Democrats unveiled a new African-American superstar,
Barack Obama, at the national convention. A Virginia
Republican, Paul Harris, could be his match. by
Barnie Day
Keep
Regulators' Mitts off
Telecom.
Everyone
wants to stimulate investment in
telecommunications technology and broadband
infrastructure. Free markets will do it best. by
Michael Thompson
Copyrighting
Public Records.
Can
state and local governments copyright their own public records? The
idea may sound crazy, but a General Assembly
committee is studying that very issue. by Becky
Dale
Just
the Facts, Ma'am.
Ever
wonder about the claims made by environmental
groups? TSAugust, staffed by volunteers, sets the
record straight. by Donn Dears
Virginia
Pundit Watch
Readers
Respond
-
July 26, 2004 -
Alms
for the Arts.
Brad
Armstrong wants to raise $163 million in public and
private funds to support Richmond's performing arts and
downtown revitalization. The causes are worthy. But is
he asking too much?
by James A. Bacon
Getting
From Point T to
Point D. In
a testament
to a rare bipartisan effort, Virginia has finally
started moving on the Tysons-to-Dulles Metro rail
project. by Douglas Koelemay
Where's
the Watchdog? Republicans
have failed to wield their budgetary powers to
control the size of state government. It's time for
the General Assembly to exercise more
oversight. by Patrick McSweeney
Out
of Chaos.
There
is only one solution to intensifying traffic congestion --
Fundamental Change in human settlement patterns.
Other touted remedies only tinker at the edges. by E M Risse
The
Marriage Thing. Marriage
is a religious rite, not an institution that should
be regulated by government. The traditional American
family is in free-fall, and denying equal rights to
gays won't change that. by Barnie Day
1957.
It
was simpler then. It was a time for heroes, a time
of optimism, a time when vital truths were uttered.
Pay heed, Mr. President. by
Barnie Day
Goals?
Measures? Accountability? Public
education advocates characterize the $330 million
in new SOQ spending mandates as an
"investment." What return on
investment can taxpayers expect? No one can say
because no one is even asking the question.
by John Taylor
Results-Based
Government.
Taxpayers
should insist that government programs accomplish
what they're set up to do. Measuring results is a
powerful tool for holding agencies accountable.
by Geoffrey Segal
From
Competence to
Creativity. Leading Richmond
companies need a lot
more than technical competence these days. They’re
looking for employees who can thrive in
high-performance, high-creativity work environments.
by James A. Bacon
Nice
and Curious Questions: She’s Got
a Ticket to Ride, or: The Stock Car Ballet &
Other Virginia Art. by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
July 12, 2004 -
The
Network of Space. Technology
is transforming the relationship between people and
where they work. To fulfill the promise of telework, the
Commonwealth needs to invest less in asphalt, more in
bandwidth. by James A. Bacon
More
than Money. If the Commonwealth isn't
prepared to pony
up an extra $400 million a year to support higher
education, it must give universities more financial
flexibility and regulatory freedom. by Douglas
Koelemay
Republicans
Need a Bold Agenda. The
next House election will likely be a referendum on
taxes. Gov. Warner and the Democrats will speak with
a unified voice. Will the Republicans? by
Patrick McSweeney
Gays Discriminate, Too.
Gays
want the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. But you
don't hear them arguing to sanctify polygamy, incest or
pedophilia. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Perfect Storm.
Virginia has
the ideal combination of a strong state
transportation agency, uninformed municipal
control over land use and a clueless public
officialdom to ensure a dysfunctional road and
rail system get worse with each passing day. by
E M Risse
"Sweet
Spot" Government.
Virginians
don't want too much government or too little. The
challenge of governing is doing a good job of
providing basic services -- but no more. by
Barnie Day
Murmuring
Margraves of Conservatism. The Democratic don of dialectical
discourse tips his
hat to the Richmond Times-Dispatch for its
characterization of Del. Steve Landes. by Barnie
Day
Medicaid
Realities, Tort
Absurdities.
Malpractice
insurance and Medicaid reimbursements are pushing
Virginia to the brink of a medical crisis. by
Barnie Day
Warner
for VEEP? Virginia
pundits and Warner advisors said the governor would
be the hot VEEP candidate once his taxes passed.
But the bubble burst. Why? by Paul Goldman
Reform
a Priority at Last. House
Republicans are exploring a host of ideas for
reforming state government. Judging by Gov.
Warner's actions and Sen. Chichester's recent
statements, they may have allies. by Michael
Thompson
We
Didn't Mean to Do That.
The
press scorched the
House for
passing a bill exempting itself from the
Freedom of Information Act. But delegates had good
reason for the legislation even if they got hung
up in the details. by Becky Dale
Give
It a Rest.
Concern
about the "day of rest" snafu is a bit
overwrought, but the legislation still needs fixing. The
law discriminates against religions that don't honor the
Sabbath on Sunday. by Claire Guthrie Gastanaga
Virginia
Pundit Watch
-
June 21, 2004 -
One
More Time... Free
trade, even out-sourcing, is good for Virginia's
economy. The losers from open markets may be highly
visible but the winners are far more numerous. by
James A. Bacon
Connected
Development. Southside
and the Tobacco Commission are patting each other
on the backbone for their just announced regional
fiber-optic initiative.
by Doug Koelemay
Tripwire
Trailblazer. The Wildlife
Center of Virginia doesn't just patch up birds and
turtles. It's developing a system to track
wildlife-borne diseases - and protect humans from the
threat of bioterrorism. Sponsored content.
The
Phony Car Tax "Cap". Moody's
may have been impressed when lawmakers capped car tax
reimbursements at $950 million forever, but there's
nothing to stop a future legislature from changing
its mind. by Patrick McSweeney
Death
and Taxes.
Your
tax dollars at work: More Americans have died in traffic
accidents than in all wars in U.S. history. Rather than
subsidizing our automobile dependency, we should be
taxing it. by E M Risse
A
Letter to the Speaker.
With
all due respect, sir, how does the Republican Party
propose to run on an anti-tax platform? Only eight
House Republicans steadfastly held the line against
taxes this past session. by Barnie Day
Hope
Against Hope.
Jim
Gilmore sounds like a man who wants to run for office
again. If you're a Democrat, cross your fingers and pray
that he does. by Barnie Day
Biting
the Hand.
Their
criticism of Virginia FREE puts William
Howell and Morgan Griffith neck-and-neck in the
running
for the Dimwit Hall of Fame. VA FREE donates to Republicans two to one over
Democrats. by Barnie Day
Privatize...
for the Kids, of Course. Privatizing
non-core services like transportation, food
service and cleaning/maintenance could save
Virginia schools millions of dollars a year. by
Geoffrey Segal
Can
We Start Reforming State Government Now? Virginia's
pro-tax forces got their pound of flesh, $650 more per
year from the average family of four. If we
don't get serious about streamlining state
government, they'll be back. by Michael
Thompson
Back
in Play.
Why
on earth is John Kerry running campaign ads in Virginia?
Perhaps because the rapid growth of the state's
metro areas has changed Virginia's reliably Republican complexion.
by John Quintero
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
June 7, 2004 -
The
Death of "Live
and Let Live". The
Affirmation of Marriage Act shattered a
workable philosophy in Virginia that left gays in peace
but deferred to mainstream values. The legislation will
hurt our economy and do nothing to strengthen marriage. by
James A. Bacon
Promise
into Profit. ODU’s
wrestling match with maglev illustrates the
difficulty of engineering scientific principle
into a working product … and the necessity of
doing so.
by Doug Koelemay
Cleaning
Up With Clean Rooms. AdvanceTEC
is thriving in the business of designing
contamination-free work places. Its competitive
advantages: creativity
and a willingness to take risk. Sponsored Content.
Peoples
Republic of Virginia. In
passing the $1.4 billion tax hike, Virginia's
lawmakers started the long march down the road toward socialism
and serfdom. by Patrick McSweeney
Hijacking
the Language.
The
path to higher taxes and socialism begins by
co-opting the meaning of words. Look how politicians
today equate the word "invest" with higher
government spending. by Patrick McSweeney
Self
Delusion and Fraud.
Megaprojects
like the Springfield
interchange and Woodrow Wilson Bridge are
monuments to futility. They cannot improve
mobility in the face of dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Does
Moran Hate Jews? Of
course not. But the Washington Post surely
despises Moran and is using a tabloid journalism to
crush him with an unsubstantiated anti-Semitism
charge. by Paul Goldman
Plain,
Heathen Mischief.
Looking
for a good summer read? Pick up Martin Clark's novel
about the escapades of renegade Roanoke minister
Joel King. by Barnie Day
Dream
Team.
Fresh
after their recent legislative victory, state
Democrats are savoring the next election. A wealth
of talent could mean a strong ticket in '05. by
Barnie Day
Let
Me Spell it Out for You. Politicians,
like Dr. Watson, see but do not observe. Here's why
higher taxes in Virginia hurt economic growth and
job creation. by Gary Wolfram
In
Defense of Free Trade.
Critics
of free trade harp on the jobs that Virginians
lose to foreigners. They don't talk about the jobs
and business opportunities created by open access to the
world's markets. by Gerald L. Baliles
Two
out of Four Ain't Bad.
The
Budget Accord of 2004 funds
K-12 education and shores up Virginia's AAA bond
rating. But it provides no new money for
transportation and doesn't come close to reforming
the tax code. by Clayton Roberts
Nice
& Curious Questions: All
Shook
Up -- Virginia
Rumbles. by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
May 24, 2004 -
We
Are What We Build. The
United States is the richest country in the world. Why
aren't we enjoying our wealth more? Because, says New
Urbanism guru Andres Duany, we've made such a hash of our
man-made environment. by James A. Bacon
Open
and Shut. The
files on Virginia
campaign contributions are open, but the tax
records should stay shut. by Doug Koelemay
A
Crucible for Creativity. VCU's
expansion into the proposed Monroe Campus means more
than a bigger, better School of Engineering. It
represents the Richmond region's commitment to building
an economy based upon technological prowess and
entrepreneurial innovation. Sponsored content.
Built
to Last.
A
notable aspect of the Monroe Campus is the thinking
behind its architectural guidelines. The buildings will
be built for the ages and the streetscapes designed for
people, not automobiles. Sponsored content.
Constitution?
What Constitution?
Yes,
Virginia does have a state constitution, though you
wouldn't know it from the actions of the General
Assembly. by Patrick McSweeney
Budget
Wars: Phase 2.
With
tax revenues gushing -- even before tax hikes kick
in -- the pressure to cut state spending will
relent. The House of Delegates must keep the heat on
the Warner administration. by Patrick McSweeney
Where
the Jobs Are.
Despite
attention given to fast-growing counties on the
edge of the National Capital New Urban Region, 94
percent of new office space built in the Virginia
portion is within 20 miles of the urban core. by
E M Risse
We
Were Liberated.
What
Brown vs. the Board of Education meant to a
small-town North Carolina school 37 years ago. by
Barnie Day
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