2006
--
December 18 -
Design
by Fire Truck. Why
can't developers today create walkable communities like
the small towns of the 1920s? Go ask your fire marshal. by James A.
Bacon
Spirit
of History. The
family stories we all share add up to the real
history of our communities. It took 83-year-old Jac Walker of
Franconia to show us how. by Doug
Koelemay
Neighborhood
Values. If
you want to promote family values, dispense with
cultural wedge issues like abortion and gay marriage and
focus on creating supportive dooryards and
neighborhoods. by EM
Risse
Road
Map. There
is no need for legislative gridlock in Virginia. Two new
publications outline priorities and detail solutions
that a consensus can build around. by
Michael Thompson
Writing
Rightly. I
am driven to write -- partly as a form of self
expression, but mostly in defense of values
threatened by secular humanists and totalitarian
jihadists. by
James Atticus Bowden
Can't
We All Just
Get Along? GOP
leaders want to paper over philosophical divides in
pursuit of power. But they miss the fact that electoral
victories are achieved only through visionary policies
and strong leadership. by
Phil Rodokanakis
Nice
& Curious Questions. Virginia's
Alma Maters: Halls of Public Ivy in the Old Dominion. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
December 4 -
No
Such Thing as "Free" Parking. "Free"
parking is like a free lunch: Someone pays,
whether they know it or not. Trouble is, the hidden
subsidy increases driving and worsens traffic
congestion. by James A.
Bacon
Blueprint.
Northern
Virginia localities have the transportation plan should
the General Assembly ever stop dithering and decide to
fund it. by Doug
Koelemay
Clueless
Parties.
Politicians
talk about protecting the "American
Dream." What they refuse to tell voters is that the greatest threat to an
unsustainable American way of life is... the
American way of life. by EM
Risse
William
& Mary vs the Cross. Multi-cultural
expression is great for everyone -- except Christians.
The removal of the cross from William & Mary's Wrenn
Chapel is just one more reminder of academe's hostility
to Christianity. by
James Atticus Bowden
Good
Government Is Good Business. Virginia
may have the top-rated business climate in the country,
but lawmakers could make it even better by addressing
transportation and making the legislative process more
transparent. by
Clayton Roberts
Nice
& Curious Questions. Mailbox
Ballots: Absentee Voting in Virginia.
by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
November 20 -
Big
Grid. Monster
power plants and transmission lines provide
Virginians with relatively cheap, reliable electricity,
but they have hidden risks and costs. It's time to
transition to a system of distributed generation. by James A.
Bacon
Wind
Shear. Virginia
is an energy-rich state, and the mother lode sits off
the coast. Electric power generated by off-shore wind turbines
could slice our dependence on polluting fossil fuels
within a decade or two. by
James A. Bacon
Making
Government Work II.
Virginia
business executives must define leadership in a
"purple haze" state. by Doug
Koelemay
Moldy
Bread, Lame Circuses. November's
elections decided only this: that the two-party duopoly
would remain in power, that fundamental change would not
occur, and the nation would continue its slide down an
unsustainable path. by EM
Risse
Four
for NoVa. Republicans
have lost Northern Virginia for three statewide
elections running. Here are four ideas that could
tilt the vote-rich region back to the GOP. by
Chris Braunlich
Freedom
of Association. A
lawsuit challenging the open primary system that
protects Virginia RINOS is working its way through
the federal courts. by
Phil Rodokanakis
Election
Speed Bump. The
2006 elections were bad news for Republicans but
not necessarily for Conservatives. by
James Atticus Bowden
Vote
For Me -- We're Better Off than Mississippi! That
attitude won't cut it anymore. If Republicans want
conservative votes, they'd better live up to
conservative ideals. by John Taylor
Nice
& Curious Questions. Oh,
Say Can You See? Lighthouses and Lookouts in VA. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
November 6 -
Focused
Growth. To
tame scattered development and the ills it creates,
Frederick County concentrates growth in an Urban
Development Area. The idea works so well that House
Republicans want to take it statewide. by James A.
Bacon
Making
Government Work. Whatever
the results of Tuesday's election, the underlying issues
for Northern Virginians are competence and problem
solving. by Doug
Koelemay
Bread
and Circuses. The
philosophy of "Buy More Stuff" does not make
Americans particularly happy, and it definitely is not
sustainable. But politicians of both parties still
peddle the fantasy. by EM
Risse
Time
for a "Citizens Initiative". Virginia's
budget has doubled in size over 10 years and growth
continues unabated. We need constitutional and
procedural safeguards to keep the spending in check. by
Geoffrey Segal
Are
Republicans Listening? The
pollsters are predicting a disaster for the GOP
tomorrow. Could the 2006 national elections
presage the same for Virginia in 2007? by
Phil Rodokanakis
Ten
Reasons to Vote Against
Jim Webb. They
all start with, "He can't be trusted." by
James Atticus Bowden
The
Day After Tomorrow. As
the 2006 elections rush to a conclusion, the stars of
the season – political bloggers – would be wise to
think about what lies ahead for their vibrant, sometimes
vicious community. by
Conaway Haskins
Nice
& Curious Questions. Oh,
Say Can You See? Lighthouses and Lookouts in VA. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
October 23 -
The
Devolution Solution. Any
meaningful transportation reform would make fast-growth
counties responsible for their secondary roads. The
trick is coaxing them into going along. by James A.
Bacon
Catching
Crayfish Craig. Understanding
how Virginia grew a Nobel Prize winner can inform
everything from budget discussions to economic
development strategies. by Doug Koelemay
Big
(Gray, Brown) Sky Country. Afflicted
by global climate change and energy- inefficient human
settlement patterns, my home state of Montana is on an
unsustainable growth path. by EM Risse
New
Ideas, New Leaders. Transportation,
education and the environment... We can solve
these problems without throwing money at them. It
just takes fresh ideas and bold leaders willing to
implement them. by
Michael Thompson
Conservative
Dilemma. Some
choice. Conservatives in the 10th district can
vote for Frank Wolf, a 26-year incumbent who has
drifted leftward in recent years, or a former
Clinton-era bureaucrat. by
Phil Rodokanakis
My
Votes in the First District. I
know you've been waiting breathlessly to hear how
I'll be voting in November. The suspense is over
at last. by
James Atticus Bowden
When
Journalists Attack. As
the 2006 political season comes to a head,
journalists are becoming more hostile to bloggers
who invade their space. by
Conaway Haskins
Lighting
a Fire Under the Mule. Barnie
Day planned to deliver this speech to a Sorenson
Institute event earlier this month, but the
program changed. Rather than waste a perfectly
good speech, he shared it with Bacon's Rebellion. by
Barnie Day
Nice
& Curious Questions. Left
Out, or What Happened to Zachary Taylor? by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
October 9 -
Seventy-Five
Years. Virginia's
system for building and maintaining roads has changed
little in three quarters of a century. Some people think
it needs more money. Others think it needs an overhaul. by James A.
Bacon
Fair
and Friendly? Or
rigid and regulatory? Voting for an amendment that
discriminates against unmarried households is no
way to improve Virginia's business climate. by Doug Koelemay
Grow
Your Spinach! Food
safety is like water -- it's one of those things you
take for granted until you don't have it. A food
distribution system based on regional produce would be
far easier to keep safe than what we have now. by EM Risse
First
Things First. If
you want Virginia children to improve their reading test
scores, stick with the basics, like phonics and... more
time reading.
by Chris Braunlich
Vote
Yes to Marriage! Here
are ten reasons to protect the institution of
marriage in the Virginia Constitution. by James
Atticus Bowden
Recycling
Discredited Reforms. Tim
Kaine's pre-school initiative is just the latest
in a series of educational "reforms"
that won't work. The only one that will: Empower
parents to select their childrens' schools. by
Lil Tuttle
-
September 25 -
The
Swedish Solution.
If congestion pricing works in Sweden, why not in
Virginia? Tolls that vary by congestion levels
could dampen demand for added roadway capacity
while raising new revenue. by James A. Bacon
A
Congestion Pricing Primer. Answers? You want
answers? I asked the U.S. Department of
Transportation about its congestion-pricing
policies. The answers were so good I had to
reproduce them whole. by James A. Bacon
Future
Still Shocking. In our age of accelerating
change, some institutions adapt more quickly than
others. Insights from the Tofflers' new book help
explain the challenges facing Virginia. by
Doug Koelemay
Jackpot
Winner. Americans are like the overweight
Lotto winner who squanders his winnings. The
discovery of oil deep in the Gulf of Mexico will
do little to halt the coming energy crash. by
EM Risse
A
New Transportation Equation. Virginia once led
the nation in seeking private- sector solutions
for transportation problems. We will have a chance
in few days to burnish our tarnished capitalistic
credentials. by Geoffrey Segal
Pouring
Water on Sand. Virginia legislators propose
increasing subsidies for the Washington Metro --
an unaccountable organization plagued by
operational blunders and financial mismanagement. by
Phil Rodokanakis
No
Regional Government! If
you like the idea of taxation without
representation... if you're looking to enrich your
cronies without public oversight... you'll love
the idea of regional government. by
James Atticus Bowden
Who's
Watching the Richmond Media? Part
I: Community weeklies diverge on news council
idea. by Conaway Haskins
Who's
Watching the Richmond Media? Part
II: Blogs to the Rescue? by Conaway Haskins
The
Five-Legged Dog. Asserting
that Rail to Dulles is an effective solution to
Northern Virginia's transportation problems does
not make it so. The project is broken, and it's
time to re-think mobility solutions for the Dulles
corridor. by William Vincent
The
Bridal Path to Nowhere. How
Virginia can beat its traffic woes: Stop wasting
money on dumb projects, establish performance
measures and don't give municipalities more power
over land use! by
Ron Utt
Nice
& Curious Questions. A
Heartbeat Away: Vice Presidents from Virginia.
by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia
-
September 11 -
The
Dog that Didn't Bark. Like
the hound of Holmesian lore, former VDOT Commissioner
Philip Shucet is keeping unusually quiet. That's a clue
for deciphering the shifting momentum of the
transportation debate. by
James A. Bacon
This
Time, Pull Together. September’s
special session on transportation gives delegates and
senators another chance to meet public expectations. by
Doug Koelemay
Two
Steps Backward. Tim
Kaine has made two decisions that will aggravate
Virginia's dysfunctional human settlement
patterns: He nixed the tunnel for the Tysons METRO
extension and he picked a traditional highway guy
to run VDOT. by
EM Risse
When
Pachyderms Fly. The
white elephant has sprouted wings: METRO rail through
Tysons Corner will run overhead, on pylons, not
underground. Bus Rapid Transit could handle more
commuters at a fraction of the cost. by
Michael Thompson
Ten
Reasons to Vote for Allen. From
taxes and immigration to judges and World War IV, Sen.
George Allen stands on the right side of the issues. by
James Atticus Bowden
Taxpayers
Can't Afford "Affordable Housing". Can't
afford to buy a house? Try saving. Or working two jobs.
Don't ask the City of Virginia Beach to take it out of
my hide. by
Robert Dean
Nice
& Curious Questions. Virginia's
Oldest Institutions: From Shirley Plantation to
Burke & Herbert Bank. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
August 28 -
Extreme
Makeover. Burrell
Saunders has mastered a skill vital to Virginia's future:
transforming suburban decay into urban cool. His talents
are on display at Virginia Beach's Town Center. by
James A. Bacon
Sportsmanship
Matters. In
politics, as in baseball, there is a way to play
the game. by
Doug Koelemay
Someone
Has to Pay. Virginia's
transportation system needs more money, but not all
fund-raising schemes are created equal. Some perpetuate
the status quo while others encourage innovation. by
Patrick McSweeney
The
Whale on the Beach. The
era of massive over-consumption of the earth's natural
capital is coming to an end. The only prayer for
sustaining our quality of life is to adopt more
efficient human settlement patterns. by
EM Risse
Backgrounder:
Quantification
of Land Resources and the Impact on Land Conservation
Efforts. by
EM Risse
Saving
Money, Helping Kids. Tuition
Assistance Grants of $10,000 would help disabled
children to attend private schools with programs
tailored to their special needs -- and save public
schools money in the bargain. by
Geoffrey Segal
When
Bureaucrats Rule. Our
legislators can enact all the laws they want, but their
implementation is easily thwarted if they fun afoul of
our state bureaucracy. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
The
Real Race Problem. Which
is worse: calling someone "macaca" or painting
whites as racists in order to perpetuate the cult of
victimhood and keep minorities on the liberal
plantation? by
James Atticus Bowden
Nice
& Curious Questions. Up,
Up and Away: Ballooning in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
August 7 -
Growth that
Pays for Itself. Greenvest's
proposed $1.3 billion development in Loudoun County
would contribute $1 billion toward roads, schools and public
facilities. A great deal for the public? Not everyone
thinks so. by
James A. Bacon
Beach
Week. Reading
might be a lot safer than swimming outside of Virginia
this year. by
Doug Koelemay
Soft
Consumption Paths. Energy
consumption in the United States is growing at an
unsustainable rate -- and we're running out of
time before a crash landing. We need to think
seriously and comprehensively about conservation. by
EM Risse
The
Croesus Trap. More
money won't fix a broken transportation system.
But the combination of privatization and tolls can
build a lot of roads in Virginia. by
Geoffrey Segal
Metro
Monomania. Tom
Davis is taking big political risks to funnel $3
billion into the Washington Metro. Why? by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Putting
Taxes to Work. Let's
use the state budget surplus to set up Commonwealth
Trust accounts, funds every citizen can use to offset a
portion of their health care expenses. by
James Atticus Bowden
Save
the Planet -- Stay Home! In
an Internet-friendly state like Virginia, there is no
excuse for so many people clogging the roads when they
could be telecommuting. by
Joanna Hanks and Fred Williamson
Ozzie
and Harriet Were Idiots! And
so were our teachers 50 years ago. The issue isn't school funding formulae:
The entire big government
school culture must go! We must return to family-based
schooling. by
Mike Smith
Nice
& Curious Questions. Emu
in Virginia: Exotic
Beasts in the Old Dominion.
by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Blogology.
Commonwealth
Conservative: Chad Dotson. by
Conaway Haskins
-
July 24 -
Loudoun
Lightning Rod. VDOT sparked a storm last week when
it released a
traffic-impact analysis of development planned in
Loudoun County. Agree or disagree with the findings, the
debate is healthy. by
James A. Bacon
Break
the Tax-and-Spend Cycle. Many
politicians, and the reporters who cover them, regard
bloating state budgets as inevitable. But that's true
only if voters settle for the same-old, same-old. by
Patrick McSweeney
Summer
Budget Savings. As
we while away the long days of summer, let's give some
thought to creative ways of getting more for our tax
dollars. Here are some suggestions, some old, some new. by
Michael Thompson
The
Politics of Cake. Tom
Davis and other GOP moderates in Congress want to have
their cake and eat it too -- hold onto a Republican
majority while voting with the Democrats. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Never-Ending
Racial Wrongs. The
choice is simple: Does Virginia want to treat all
citizens equally or does it want to treat Virginia
Indians as a special classes of citizens to assuage
white guilt? by
James Atticus Bowden
The
Rail to Nowhere. Tom
Davis has engineered the largest Congressional earmark
in industry, a subsidy for the Washington Metro, that
dwarfs the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. by
Ron Utt
The
J,A,Bs of Marriage. Jim
Bowden is right when he says marriage is a vitally
important institution. But he's wrong to say that it
should be denied to same-sex couples. by
Bryan Drake
Marriage
and Gender Polarity. Opponents
of same-sex marriage confuse the rigid biological roles
that males and females play in procreation and the far
more flexible roles they play in parenting. by
David Weintraub
Nice
& Curious Questions. Crossing
the Waters: Ferries in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
--
July 10 --
CDAs,
TIFs and TDMs. Lawmakers
are overlooking a huge source of revenue to underwrite
new transportation projects -- the increase in property
values made possible by the transportation improvements
themselves. by
James A. Bacon
Connecting
the Crescent. The
Northern Virginia economic engine isn't powering
growth only in metro Washington, it's creating
jobs in Hampton Roads and Richmond, too.
Politicians need to get with the program. by
Doug Koelemay
Burned
Out. The
story of Bill Downey, a Fauquier County supervisor
who declined to run for re-election, is more than
the tale of one man's frustration: It's emblematic
of spreading dysfunction as non-urban communities
begin to urbanize. by
E M Risse
Ozzie
and Harriet School Funding. It's
time to overhaul arcane educational funding formulas
that might have worked in the '50s but create endless
red tape today. Dollars should "follow the
child" to his or her public school. by
Chris Braunlich
Hold
on to Your Wallets! GOP
delegates are bragging that they held the line against
new tax increases. They are either disingenuous or too
naïve to realize that the next tax increase has been
set in motion. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Marriage
A,B,Cs. There
are good reasons for Virginia to define marriage
as between a man and a woman. It is the best
institution yet devised for raising healthy,
productive citizens. by
James Atticus Bowden
Nice
& Curious Questions. Blasts
from the Past: Virginia's Drive-In Theaters. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Blogology.
Too
Conservative: Vince Harris. by Conaway Haskins
--
June 26 -
Gottschalk
Got Game. Virginia's
new secretary of commerce and trade is eager to help Tim
Kaine put his own imprint on Virginia's economic
development policy. Likely starting points: energy and
workforce development. by
James A. Bacon
Ip,
Ip Hooray! Virginia
is conducting a 180-degree turn in its approach toward
intellectual property originating at state
universities. Lighter central control could
stimulate more commercialization of R&D. by
Doug Koelemay
A
New Political Laboratory. The
days are gone when Virginia politics were of local
interest only. Campaign themes and strategies
in the Old Dominion are increasingly visible on the
national stage. by
Patrick McSweeney
It's
Never Enough. Even
the next two-year budget, at $74 billion, isn't big
enough to satisfy some legislators. Spending
discipline isn't likely to be restored as long as
Republicans are divided. by
Patrick McSweeney
The
Free Ride is Over. The
General Assembly paid lip service this year to the
transportation-land use connection but it didn't
come close to Fundamental Change. Until it does,
Virginia's mobility crisis will only get worse. by
E M Risse
Envision
This! What
the "Washington region" needs is not another
visioning session -- it needs a rational definition of
the region, an understanding of the nature of its
problems and the political will to enact real
change. by
E M Risse
Failure
is OK - When It's Cheap. Virginia's
transportation system is a mess. But with state spending
hitting $74 billion, up 20 percent, in the next two-year
budget, Virginia government can hardly be described as
cheap. by
Geoffrey Segal
Dumb
as Rocks. If
the "fiscal conservatives" in the House of
Delegates think they held the line against spending in
the state's new $74 billion budget, John Chichester's
epithet may well be justified. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Why
Not Webb? Senatorial
candidate Jim Webb exerts a strong, gut appeal for many
Republican constituencies. He could give Sen. George
Allen a good run for his money. by
James Atticus Bowden
Want
Students to Learn? Try
Enforcing Truancy Laws. The
city of Richmond has among the worst attendance records
of any Virginia school system -- and is doing very
little about it. by
John Butcher
Nice
& Curious Questions. Behind
Bars: Virginia's
Jails and Prisons.
by Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Blogology.
Caught in the
Webb: Lowell Feld. by
Conaway Haskins
-
June 12 -
Parking
Madness. Virginians
spend multi-millions paving parking spaces. Most of
the investment in asphalt sits idle. Worse, sprawling
parking lots destroy any sense of community or place. by
James A. Bacon
Hunting
Dogs and Disclosure
Documents. The
knowledge economy could give Jeff Foxworthy a lot of new
material. by
Doug Koelemay
The
Politics of Seeming to Care. American
politicians pander to the populace, telling them what
they want to hear, not what they need to hear. In this
year's transportation debate, Virginia's lawmakers are no
exception. by
Patrick McSweeney
Let's
Have a Televised Debate. We
can't trust the media to fairly characterize the
transportation debate. The best alternative may be a
three-way debate between the major contenders. by
Patrick McSweeney
Creativity
Behind the Scenes, Despite
budget disagreements that grab the headlines, Virginia
lawmakers are coming to quiet agreement on several ways
to make government work more productively. by
Michael W. Thompson
"June
Will Come Soon". June
is a time to celebrate life, youth and rites of passage
-- and a time to count our blessings as free men. by
James Atticus Bowden
Nice
& Curious Questions. Grave
Matters: Cemeteries
in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Blogology.
Teen
Spirit: Kenton Ngo. by
Conaway Haskins
-
May 30 -
Don't
Worry,
Be Happy. We
Virginians grumble a lot, nothing ever quite suits us.
But the best single measurement of well being -- growth
in per capita income -- indicates that we're progressing
far better than the nation as a whole. by
James A. Bacon
Reinventing
Springfield. There
is more to Springfield than the massive interchange at
Interstate 95 and the Beltway. A wave of development
opens possibilities for creating a very different
community. by
Doug Koelemay
Time
for Genuine Leadership. Raising
taxes is not a serious transportation policy -- it's a
substitute for the creative thinking that the General
Assembly desperately needs to engage in. by
Patrick McSweeney
Preschool
Plan Doesn't Add Up. Tim
Kaine's proposed pre-school plan may make sense for
Virginia's most disadvantaged children but there's no
justification for making it universal. by
Chris Braunlich
Political
Landscaping. A
lawsuit filed by GOP conservatives stands to change the
political landscape in Virginia. Remarkably, the case
has yet to receive much attention. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Can
You Say "President" Allen? After
voting against the illegal-alien "Shamnesty"
bill, George Allen is all but guaranteed the GOP
presidential nomination. He stands with 60 percent of
the electorate on all the big issues. by
James Atticus Bowden
Nice
& Curious Questions. The
Humpback Bridge and Other Virginia Crossings. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Nice
& Curious Questions
The
Humpback Bridge and Other Virginia Crossings
by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
May 15 ,2006 -
Rail
Rip-off. Extending
METRO rail to Dulles Airport will enrich select landowners to
the tune of billions of dollars. Why, then, are Fairfax
County commuters being forced to pay so much of the
project cost? by
James A. Bacon
Sense
and Census. Opinions
about new and different Americans are fine. Facts
are better. by
Doug Koelemay
Shades
of Francis Nicholson. Like
the power-hungry royal governor of old, Gov. Tim Kaine
seems willing to misuse the powers of his office. But
his budget brinksmanship could backfire. by
Patrick McSweeney
Another
Grandiose Plan. Apparently,
$120 million to renovate the state Capitol complex
is not enough. The state Senate wants to spend
another $400 million. by
Patrick McSweeney
The
Problem with "Mass" Transit. Light
and heavy rail are expensive, inflexible
alternatives to the automobile. It's time to
consider a 21st-century solution to mobility in
New Urban Regions: Personal Rapid Transit. by
EM Risse
Learning
from Pocahontas. Gov.
Kaine smartly bailed out the Pocahontas Parkway project
by granting a concession to a private toll-road
operator. Too bad he didn't apply the same creative
thinking to the Dulles Toll Road. by
Geoffrey Segal
Republican
Blues, The
GOP has more than the Democrats to worry about this
November. The Party is struggling from internal
divisions, as seen in the convention battle in Virginia's
10th Congressional District. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Stuck
on Stupid. The
Senate Republicans who worked out a proposed regional
transportation authority are the same geniuses who
thought up the Transportation Tax Scam that voters
rejected in 2002. by
James Atticus Bowden
Nice
& Curious Questions: Have
You Ever Seen the Rain: Droughts
in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Blogology.
Ten
Questions for Will Vehrs. by Conaway
Haskins
-
May 1, 2006 -
Suburbia
Absurdia. Suburbs
are full of sidewalks that go nowhere and nobody uses.
What are people thinking? Why do we persist in building
this schlock? by
James A. Bacon
Take
a Piece of Transportation. Since
being named to the Commonwealth Transportation Board,
this e-zine columnist is trying to stay on time and on
budget. by
Doug Koelemay
"I
Don't Give a Rip". Editorial
pundits are blaming Bill Howell for Virginia's budget
impasse. But John Chichester is the one who's repeatedly
used the threat of a government shut down to get his
way. by
Patrick McSweeney
Discord
in the Axis of Taxes. Tim
Kaine has split with the state Senate over increasing
the gas tax. That gives the House of Delegates a chance
to seize the initiative in the taxes-and- transportation
debate. by
Patrick McSweeney
Let's
Make a Budget Deal. The
General Assembly can make big improvements to the
transportation budget even without a special session and
new taxes. Here are some ideas to get budget negotiators
started. by
Michael Thompson
The
One Object Rule. Determined
to raise taxes, the State Senate is trampling the
"one object rule" of the Virginia
Constitution. Thankfully, House Speaker Bill
Howell appears determined to hold the line. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Economic
Law and Order. One
law the politicians can't repeal is the law of supply
and demand. If legislators want lower gasoline prices,
they must increase supply or moderate demand. Nothing
else works. by
James Atticus Bowden
Teaching
our Teachers. Virginia
seems ill-prepared to deal with a looming teacher
shortage. One solution might be to re-think the policies
of its education schools. by
Conaway Haskins
Where's
Waldo? Waldo Jaquith, a pioneer of Virginia political
blogdom, has
just launched an aggregator. Now you can get Virginia
political commentary around the clock. by
Conaway Haskins
A
Community in Formation. The
UVa students who got arrested for their sit-in last
month may not have won the battle over a living wage,
but they did help build a movement. by
Barbara Ehrenreich
Nice
& Curious Questions. "I've
Got Bingo" -- Charitable Gaming in Virginia.
by Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
April 17, 2006
On
the Chopra Block. Cutting
costs in the Medicaid system may sound an odd task for
Virginia's Secretary of Technology. But
that's only if you don't know Aneesh
Chopra. by
James A. Bacon
Making
the Disaster Fit the Plan. The
Congressional analysis is in: The Katrina disaster
represented a failure at all levels of government, not
only to plan ahead, but to communicate and react to
unforeseen developments. by
Doug Koelemay
Howell
Gets Feisty. One
reason the House of Delegates is holding firm in the
budget debate this year is that House Speaker Bill
Howell is more assertive, even combative, than ever
before. by
Patrick McSweeney
Kaine
Reneges Again. Tim
Kaine has broken three important promises in a mere
three months: First transportation taxes, then land use
reform, and now the marriage amendment. by
Patrick McSweeney
Crippling
the Disabled. Virginia's
educational lobby upholds its own institutional
interests above those of the most vulnerable
members of our society, disabled children. by
Chris Braunlich
Governed
by Demagogues. Virginia
politicians are not simply spinning the truth —
they’re engaging in outright demagoguery. And
they will continue as long as the electorate
remains apathetic. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Time
to Choose: Are You a Peasant or a Patriot? The
royals running Virginia's House of Lords, er,
Senate, think the populace is too supine to
protest another tax increase. by
James Atticus Bowden
When
Democrats Attack. The
Democratic blogosphere has a problem with the fact
that U.S. Senatorial hopeful Harris Miller is a
rich Washington lobbyist. My reaction: So what? by
Conaway Haskins
Race,
Class and Affirmative Action. Jim
Webb supports affirmative action for
African-Americans to counteract historical
injustices of slavery and segregation. But
poverty, he notes, does not discriminate on the
basis of skin color. by
Conaway Haskins
Nice
& Curious Questions:
After
Monticello: Modern Architecture in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
April 3 -
Pod
People. By
stringing disconnected pods of development along our
main roads, local planning policies force Virginians into their cars and
aggravate traffic congestion. by
James A. Bacon
Getting
to Yes. Some
great values, respect, decisiveness and experience
were on display this week. by
Doug Koelemay
Democracy
as National Religion. Contemporary
Americans worship democracy and majority rule. They
forget that the United States also is a
republic, which imposes checks and balances against
the tyranny of the mob. by
Patrick McSweeney
Where
Have I Heard This Before? Tim
Kaine says his $1 billion tax increase will help relieve
traffic congestion. Sounds uncannily similar to claims
made in 1986. by
Patrick McSweeney
Warner
Watchdog. To
most Virginians, Mark
Warner may be out of sight and out of mind. But
the Blue Dog faithfully keeps tabs on the former
governor's national ambitions. by
Steven Sisson
Do
We Need It All? Virginia's
wish list of transportation projects fund includes
many that will do little to relieve traffic
congestion. Virginia needs to rethink the way it
sets its funding priorities. by
Geoffrey Segal
Taxing
Drivers. Desperate
for a new source of transportation revenues, the
House has passed a bill that is clearly
unconstitutional -- fining drivers for offenses
committed before the law was passed. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Funny
Money. It's
all play money to the economic geniuses in the
state Senate. The senators' transportation-
financing plan doesn't make a lick of economic
sense. by
James Atticus Bowden
None
of Your Business. No
need for Kaine and McDonnell to argue over the
governor's authority to bar discrimination by
sexual orientation. A Supreme Court ruling limits
government's discretion already. by
Becky Dale
Straight
Talk about Gay Rights. Nondiscrimination
in the state workforce should extend to
sexual orientation. The only criteria that should
affect employees' work status should be
professional performance. by
Jay Gandy
Nice
& Curious Questions: Happy
Trails to You: Virginia’s
Unbeaten Paths. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
March 20 -
Liberate
Mass Transit. As
an alternative to funding mega-sized construction
projects, Virginia should give entrepreneurs the freedom to devise creative
shared-ridership solutions. by
James A. Bacon
What
Hath God Wrought? From
the telegraph to BlackBerry, advances in technology define the challenges
to Virginia far better than does the squabbling in the General Assembly. by
Doug Koelemay
Promises
Made, Promises Broken. Gov.
Kaine and his allies are willing to do anything to
push tax increases through the General Assembly --
even if it means eroding the integrity of the
governing process. by
Patrick McSweeney
A
Sound Opinion. General
Bob McDonnell was right: Tim Kaine did exceed his
authority when conferring protected status upon sexual
orientation throughout state government. by
Patrick McSweeney
Words
Matter. There's
no hope of making progress on Virginia's most
intractable problems when our words only cloud
understanding. Our goal in 2006 is to introduce a
more robust Vocabulary. by
EM Risse
Culture
Wars in the Valley. Perturbed
by pornography, abortion, out-of-wedlock births
and other signs of moral decay, the Blue Dog has
begun attending the Family Forum’s Capstone
program. by
Steven Sisson
Porn
in Libraries? Whatever. Under
the guise of defending free speech, Virginia's
Senate sided with smut peddlers and sexual
predators to block applying common- sense filters
to computers in public libraries. by
Steven Sisson
Unanswered
Questions. GOP
factions are grappling over how much more money to
spend on transportation. But they're not
addressing critical questions regarding spending
priorities and the role of the private sector. by
Michael Thompson
Bottomless
Pit. The
Washington Metro is losing money and needs more
than $1 billion in
repairs.
Why should anyone believe the Rail-to-Dulles
project will perform any better? by
Philip Rodokanakis
The
Truth Shall Set You Free. Ever
wonder why life seems so hard? The problem isn't
outsourcing, or even automation. It's government
taking an ever-bigger share of Americans'
paychecks. by
James Atticus Bowden
Fix
VDOT First. Tim
Kaine wants to raise taxes by $600 per Virginia
family to fund transportation -- even though the
Virginia Department of Transportation is broken
and leaderless. by
Paul C. Harris
Poverty
Wages. The
presidents of Virginia's major universities are
doing little to ensure that all their employees
are paid a living wage. by
Steve Fisher
Nice
& Curious Questions:
Finding
One’s Way: Signs of Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
February 27 -
Seek
the Intersection. Innovation
can be managed, says Frans Johansson, author of "The
Medici Effect." And what individuals and
enterprises can do, so can entire communities. by
James A. Bacon
What's
the Big Idea? The
people at Play don't just talk creativity -- they live
it. When they advise clients to tear down
"walls" and "boundaries," they apply
the nostrum to themselves -- quite literally. by
James A. Bacon
The
Special Session Is Now. The
outline of a compromise on transportation funding
is coming dimly into view: Some new funds now, a
full-fledged plan later (maybe). by
Doug Koelemay
Legislation
by Extortion. The
state Senate is enacting spending programs
predicated on taxes that haven't been passed yet.
Will Chichester & Co. get their way again by
threatening another government shut-down? by
Patrick McSweeney
Standing
up for Property Rights. The
House of Delegates has passed legislation that will
protect property owners from unjust takings.
Unfortunately, the Senate's version of the bill
could do more harm than good. by
Patrick McSweeney
Goldman
Silenced? I Doubt It. Paul
Goldman hasn't revealed his plans since resigning
as Doug Wilder's senior policy advisor. But you
can count on one thing from the master political
tactician: He'll be back! by
Steven Sisson
$650
Million in Hiding. There
is a lot more new money for transportation projects than
commonly realized -- if lawmakers would only count it! by
Michael Thompson
Red
State Blues. Obsessed
with raising taxes, Republican leaders in the
state Senate risk transforming Virginia into a
blue state -- and losing their majority status in
the bargain. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Stop
Me Before I Tax Again. Not
content with imposing a record tax increase in 2004,
Virginia's Imperial Senate proposes outdoing its meager
effort with another, even bigger round. by James
Atticus Bowden
Little
Boy Blue. Like
the fabled farm boy who fell asleep while the farm
animals ran wild, Virginia voters appear oblivious to
out-of-control state spending -- surging 36 percent
potentially in just four years. by
Peter Ferrara
Nice
& Curious Questions:
Branded
Restrooms: What's
Next for Virginia's Rest Stops? by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
February 13 -
Breakthrough.
Newspapers
treated the House transportation plan as a routine story
about spending and taxes. It was so much more: House
leaders are shifting the debate to land use and
privatization.
by
James A. Bacon
A
World of Commonwealth. Immigrants
contribute many of the skills and ideas Virginia
needs for the future. So, if opportunity knocks,
why keep keep the door shut? by
Doug Koelemay
Another
Legislative Impasse? The
usual suspects are pushing hard for another tax
increase this year, but their position is weaker
than it was two years ago. by
Patrick McSweeney
No
Magic Beans. The
shell building approach to economic development is
obsolete. Communities like Martinsville must look to
education, entrepreneurship and unconventional
assets. by
Barnie Day
Mollycoddle
Mania. Hither
Mark Warner? Another run for governor... or a run for
president? Southern pro-business conservative...
or tax-hiking, soft-on-crime liberal? by
Steven Sisson
Dance
with the Devil. Rosalyn
Dance and other black legislators are supporting
ideas like charter schools and vouchers that would
have been inconceivable a decade ago. And
that's a good thing for the kids. by
Chris Braunlich
Ten
Reasons Not to Raise Taxes. Apparently,
some GOP legislators need to have it explained why
they shouldn't raise taxes. Here's a list of
reasons to start with. by
James Atticus Bowden
Thinking
Outside the Box. House
Republicans have released their transportation
package. Unlike competing proposals, this plan
would not raise taxes at a time of unprecedented
budget surpluses. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Nice
& Curious Questions: Families
in the Mansion: Life
in the Governor’s House. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
January 30 -
The
Waste in Maintenance. If
the General Assembly doesn't tackle the $200
million-a-year waste in road maintenance, lawmakers can't even pretend to be serious about
curtailing state spending. by
James A. Bacon
Transportation
Hold 'em. Most
of the cards on the General Assembly's
transportation table are lying face up. But it's
still too early to know who's got the winning
hand. by
Doug Koelemay
Kaine's
Plan Doesn't Cut It. Tim
Kaine's transportation plan will cost more money -
and it won't work. by
Patrick McSweeney
Rethinking
Education Policy. The
problem with Virginia schools isn't a lack of money
-- it's the rigid, bureaucratic policies that
dictate how the money is being spent. by
Patrick McSweeney
The
Big, Bad Warner. Mark
Warner is touring the country telling fables about
his fiscal conservatism, i.e. ramming through a
tax hike in a red state. Why, Governor, what big
lies you have. by
Steven Sisson
Not
Again (Sigh). Once
again, the General Assembly is talking about taxes
for transportation. You'd never know that a global
revolution in highway privatization and financing
has taken place. by
Geoffrey Segal
How
to Fund Transportation without Really Trying. These
six strategies will stretch Virginia
transportation dollars by billions of dollars --
and put off the need for tax increases for years. by
Michael Thompson
Tax
Fever. Just
like the flu, a tax-increase fever is afflicting
our legislators in Richmond. Unlike the flu, there
is no vaccine to protect Virginia families from
this malady. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Nice
& Curious Questions: The
Petersburg Pluton and
Volcanoes in Virginia. by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
January 16 -
The
ABCs of SOQs. Educational
spending in Virginia is driven by an arcane formula
known as the Standards of Quality. The system
deprives policy makers of flexibility and inflates state
spending. by
James A. Bacon
"Let
Us Begin". Gov.
Kaine drew upon four centuries of tradition at his
Williamsburg inaugural, but he also pointed to a
new way forward. by
Doug Koelemay
Building
Not the Only Solution. State-funded
highway and rail projects are not the only ways to
address traffic congestion in Virginia. It's time to
tap the creativity of the private sector. by
Patrick McSweeney
Rethinking
Education Policy. The
problem with Virginia schools isn't a lack of money
-- it's the rigid, bureaucratic policies that
dictate how the money is being spent. by
Patrick McSweeney
Judging
Mark Warner. Mark
Warner left office with many positive accomplishments,
as reflected in his popularity ratings. But let us not
forget, he also violated campaign pledges and the state
Constitution. by
Patrick McSweeney
Hereby
Let It Be Resolved... The
Blue Dog dispenses advice and wisdom. by
Steven Sisson
Issues
that Can Make a Difference. The
state budget will grow $11 billion over the next
two years. Here are some ideas to ensure that
money is well spent. by
Michael Thompson
He’s
Baaack! By
protecting Russ Potts's power in the state Senate,
his fellow GOP senators showed they're closer to
their Democratic Party colleagues than the
Republican rank and file. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Drunk
on Spending. Still
don't believe there's room to cut the state budget?
Start with $68,000 on alcoholic beverages in the
Department of Education. And that's just the tip of the
ice cube. by
James Atticus Bowden
Mississippi
Returning. The
devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina was awe
inspiring. But so was the pluck and fortitude of the
people in Mississippi's Gulf
region we had the fortune to meet. by
Fred Williamson and Joanna Hanks
Three
Big Ideas. What's
not to like? These three transportation solutions are
inexpensive, could be implemented quickly and could make
a big dent on traffic congestion. by
William Vincent
A
Modest Plan. Here's
what Virginia's transportation system needs: more money,
a more rational pattern of land use, and a stronger
commitment to mass transit. by
Gary Johnson
-
January 3 -
Roads
and Reason. Virginia
is evolving toward a market-driven transportation
system. Let's pick up the pace. Here's what an
economically rational funding system would look like. by
James A. Bacon
"Then
Let Them Stand." With
the Virginia Capitol under construction, the Governor
and General Assembly will convene this month in
unfamiliar surroundings. by
Doug Koelemay
Caught
Between Extremes. Developers
and environmental activists have one thing in common: a
willingness to use government power to affect land use.
Consumers are the losers. by
Patrick McSweeney
A
Pricing Approach to Growth, Growth
in Virginia is inevitable but sprawl is not. The key is
not more government control but less -- in particular,
an end to transportation subsidies. by
Patrick McSweeney
Babble
Postscript. The
use of confusing vocabulary in the discussion of human
settlement patterns just won't go away. Here's an update
of uses and abuses since our last column. by
EM Risse
The
Devil's Dance. The
fiendish whirl of activity during the 2006 General
Assembly session won't come close to addressing the
fundamental problems facing the Commonwealth. by
EM Risse
Open
Letter to Tim Kaine. As
governor-elect, you get a fresh start. Don't follow the
path of tax hikers Jerry Baliles and Mark Warner. And
champion rail over the hideous Star Solutions for
Interstate 81. by
Steven Sisson
Year-End
Reflections. The
Blue Dog reviews 2005, a year of tsunamis, blogs and the
election campaign that never ended. by
Steven Sisson
Putting
a Price on Mobility. Congestion
tolls on Virginia’s highways would encourage motorists
to engage in economic thinking, changing their behavior
and reducing the rush hour crunch. by
Geoffrey Segal
Warner
2, Ostriches 0. House
Republicans could have stopped Mark Warner’s tax hike
in 2004. By looking the other way, they have encouraged
him to replay the same old trick. by
Philip Rodokanakis
Another
Good Year for Virginia. The
tax hikers and the secular humanists are
overreaching. They can't get away with much more
without pushing a majority of Virginians into
saying, "Enough is enough!" by
James Attucus Bowden
Communicating
for Health
and Safety.
First
responders can coordinate far more effectively during
emergencies when they can talk with each. Every
Virginian should agitate for communications
"interoperability". The patootie you save
could be your own. by
Fred Williamson and Joanna Hanks
Nice
& Curious Questions: Don’t
Cry Fowl: Virginia’s
Feathered Friends.
by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
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