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Norman
Leahy is vice president for public affairs at
Tertium Quids, a conservative, nonprofit advocacy
organization. He's still
recovering from a bad case of anti-Potomac Fever, having
been infected with the condition while working
for the Cato Institute, the Drug Policy
Foundation, Citizens for Congressional Reform and U.S.
Term Limits.
He is a graduate of Colorado College, Johns Hopkins
University and was a 2006 Fellow at the Sorensen
Institute for Political Leadership. From 2002-2007,
he published One Man's Trash, a blog devoted to politics,
media criticism and advertising.
A Colorado expatriate, Norman and his family live in
the leafy suburbs of Henrico County.
Columns
April
21: And
Now, a Kind Word about Tolls.
The
public prefers tolls to taxes as a method to fund
transportation improvements -- as long as the public
sees a clear benefit and politicians do not divert
revenues to other projects.
April
7: You
Call This Conservative?
A
self-proclaimed "conservative" transportation
plan appears to be animated by the conviction that
Virginians really don't know what's good for them. When
did conservatives become central planners?
March
24: Pork
and Transparency.
The
Commonwealth is slowly, grudgingly opening up its books
to citizen scrutiny. Putting credit-card bills on a
Web-accessible database is a big step forward, but it
raises more questions than it answers.
February
11: Virginia
Is for Lovers - Behind Closed Doors.
Virginia
has been roiled of late by a sex workers' show, mildly
racy Abercrombie & Fitch displays and trailer
hitches that look like bull testicles. What's going on?
January
28: Baptists
and Bootleggers.
When
good intentions collide with self interest, self
interest almost always wins. You can't go wrong betting
on politicians, whatever their high-minded principles,
to do what's expedient.
January
14: Rooting
for Hillary. Hillary
Clinton has friends in strange places. Among the
millions of Americans who reveled in her New Hampshire
primary comeback, there were quite a few in Virginia's
Republican Party.
-
2007 -
December
27: The
Rhetoric of the Tax Debate.
Mark
Warner knew how to beguile Republicans lawmakers who
didn't like to raise taxes. Tim Kaine doesn't have the
same knack: He's just getting them mad.
December
10: Heed
the Guy Who Stayed Home. Jim
Gilmore has a near-lock on the GOP nomination for
U.S. Senate next year. But he would be wise to
listen to Chris Saxman, the up-and-comer who chose
not to challenge him.
November
12: Truth
in Packaging.
The
CW says Republicans lost General Assembly seats
last week because their candidates were too
conservative. But look closely:
"Moderates" were evicted, while those
who stuck to their principles survived.
October
29: Still
Time for Surprises.
The
U.S. Senate race is shaping up as a match between Jim
Gilmore and Mark-not-John Warner. But Gilmore doesn't
have a lock on the nomination yet: There is running room
to his right.
October
15: Election
Pre-Mortem.
It's
looking grim for General Assembly Republicans in this
November's election. Here's why they're likely to lose
-- and how losing can be the best thing that happens to
them.
September
17: Virginia
Values. State
Republicans don't have to apologize for
"Virginia values" like liberty, limited
government and the primacy of civil society. They
just have to articulate them in a way that
resonates with voters.
September
4: Nasty,
Brutish and Short
The
life of the pit bull is marked by violent struggle
and death. The only creatures more bloodthirsty -- a
long line of them, since the time of the Romans --
are the humans who fight dogs for sport.
September
4: Castles
of Sand
America's
love of sea and sand is leading to rapid
over-development of the East Coast barrier islands.
Mother Nature is fighting back.
July
16: The
Politician Surplus.
George
Allen, Mark Warner and possibly even Jim Gilmore could
be eyeing a race for governor in 2009. Virginians would
be better off with fresh faces and fresh ideas.
July
2: Annoy
a Politician.
Bypass
the political establishment: Support an Initiative
& Referendum amendment to the state
constitution.
June
19: It's
All Our Fault!
Don't
blame
the politicians, blame the voters. According to
Bryan Caplan, they can exercise their irrational
biases -- against foreigners, oil companies, the market, whomever --
with no fear of retribution.
May
28: The
Challenge of a Challenger.
In
running against Sen. Walter Stosch, Joe Blackburn
is taking one of the most powerful figures in the
GOP establishment. But disillusioned rank-and-file
Republicans may be ready for a change.
April
30: What's
Eating Middle America?
Illegal
immigration tops the list. The United States will have
illegals as long as a strong economy inspires foreigners
to sneak across the border. The only
"solution" -- recession -- is not one we
really want.
April
16: I
Think We Should See Other People. Libertarians
have lost patience with big-government Republicans. But
it's not clear where they'd feel more welcome.
April
2: The
Party's Over? Some
conservatives are looking for a way out of the Grand Old
Party.
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