Category: General Assembly
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Virginia’s Nursing Homes – Central Region Update
by James C. Sherlock This article was revised on November 16 to provide a better view of the data. The format the author chose wasn’t getting the job done, so he revised it. Changes in the text are made only to reflect the updated spreadsheet. It should provide more clarity. This is the second article…
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Virginia’s Nursing Homes – Eastern Region Update
by James C. Sherlock This article was revised on November 16 to provide a better view of the data. The format the author chose wasn’t getting the job done, so he revised it. Changes in the text are made only to reflect the updated spreadsheet. It should provide more clarity. This will be a sub-series…
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San Francisco on the James
A look at some of the far-left laws Virginia Democrats will enact in 2026 now that they have full control of the General Assembly and governor’s mansion. by Victoria Manning Democrats have been in control of at least one branch of Virginia state government since 2013, with complete control in 2020 and 2021. Although Republicans…
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Now the Hard Part Begins
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Overlooked in all the news around the election was some sobering budget news for the next governor. As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Virginia Dept. of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) has forecast that Virginia’s Medicaid costs will increase by $3.2 billion over the next three years. That increase consists of an additional…
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Virginia’s Worst Nursing Home Chains – Part Six – A Picture of Deceit
by James C. Sherlock “This nursing home information is confusing, mindbending, and scary. Please draw us a picture to clarify.” Well, readers are right. It is all three of those things. It is meant to be so by some people in the system. Virginia has some excellent nursing homes and chains, but those are not…
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Enhanced Trifecta Gives Democrats Full Control of Energy Laws
By Steve Haner, The return of the political trifecta Democrats enjoyed during the 2020 and 2021 General Assembly sessions – now bolstered with a 64-36 majority in the House of Delegates – leaves the question of how to deal with Virginia’s energy issues entirely in their hands. Only if the Democrats suffer a significant…
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Redistricting: Risky for Spanberger but Win-Win for Scott
By Paul Goldman We finally smoked out the truth about redistricting. As I have written, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, the presumptive Governor-elect, could win or lose depending upon how the politics play out. But House Speaker Don Scott wins no matter what. I didn’t think he had the cajones to do it. My bad. Not going…
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Virginia’s Dreadful Nursing Homes – Part Four – Recommendations For 2026 Legislation
by James C. Sherlock This series is being constructed specifically to support legislation in the 2026 General Assembly. To reiterate the legislative recommendations from Part 3: Recommended legislation Consumer protection. Right now, citizens in Virginia Beach and in other communities have no defense against poor and badly staffed nursing homes that charge too much. The…
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Redistricting Won’t Accomplish What Don Scott Wants
Look at the calendar. Amending the state constitution to draw new congressional districts will be a drawn-out process. by Paul Goldman I get what Democratic Speaker Donald Scott, D-Portsmouth, wants to do. When I was Democratic Party Chair, I helped create the districts that elected the first Black member of Congress and the first female…
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Virginians’ Dreadful Nursing Home Dilemmas Part One – Assessing the Information
by James C. Sherlock Disclaimer. The author is a member of the Virginia Nursing Home Oversight and Accountability Advisory Board established under Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 52. Nothing in this series should be taken to represent the opinions of the Commonwealth or that Board. This series will explore the dreadful and dangerous choices faced by…
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The Constitutional Amendment Democrats Should Be Pushing
by Paul Goldman House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, has done independent minded challengers to the political status quo like me a real “solid.” Inadvertently, of course, since I have been one of his leading critics. I admire Don’s political skills. His daring takedown of the previous Democratic Speaker is textbook Machiavelli. The man is a stone gamer.…
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Democrats Rush Back to Gerrymander Virginia, If We Let Them
By Chris Braunlich, You have to be pretty confident – no, make that “arrogant” – to tell 2,770,704 Virginia voters that you’re willing to stick it to them. But that’s exactly what Virginia House and Senate Democratic leaders appear ready to do at 4:00 pm on Monday, all in the cause of enhancing political power and rejecting…
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Did Speaker Don Scott Just Elect a GOP AG?
by Paul Goldman Have Democratic Speaker Don Scott and Democratic General Assembly leaders thrown Democratic Attorney General nominee Jay Jones under the bus? Talk about the proverbial October surprise: Scott has announced an unprecedented move to do a super-partisan redrawing of the state’s congressional districts. Is this legal under the new Virginia Constitution redistricting provisions…
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Panicked Virginia Democrats Embark on Naked Power Grab
by Kerry Dougherty Dems in Virginia are in a panic over the Republican momentum, which increases with each new Jay Jones scandal. So they’re yanking Winsome Earle-Sears off the campaign trail and forcing her to stop raising funds during a “special” General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Monday. It’s special all right. It’s a…
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What Democrats Will Pass First if Given Full Political Control
By Steve Haner, Predicting how Democrats will transform Virginia should they gain full control of state government in November’s election is easy. Just look through the list of 400 plus bills vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, most of them from 2024 and 2025. The progressive bills which reached Youngkin’s desk with unanimous or near…