Bacon's Rebellion

  • Spanberger in Full

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Now we’re getting somewhere.

    A confident woman in a black suit points while holding a blueprint labeled 'Virginia's Future,' addressing a diverse group of children and adults outside a government building.

    by Gordon C. Morse

    Turns out Virginia may have a governor, after all.

    You always wonder how long it will take before they get mad. Being inundated with poorly thought-through legislation — much of it portentous and progressive (abundantly so) — may have tested, with telling effect, Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s patience.

    She realized that she was being had by her own Democratic Party lawmakers. They were taking her for granted. In such circumstances, even when you’re dealing with members of your own party, you either act like governor or you do not.

    Spanberger has not cut the Democrats loose. Far from it. But they will now have to reckon with a new reality. Spanberger thinks for herself and that, frankly, is very good news for Virginia. We’ll see where it goes from here.

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  • Guv’s Paid-Leave “Fix” Doesn’t Touch Biggest Problems

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    A woman in business attire poses next to a large, industrial machine spewing smoke and sparks, with an American flag in the background. The machine has gauges and features a sign that reads "higher taxes, lost jobs, disrupted classrooms." The woman is holding a cloth and appears to be cleaning part of the machine.
    AI-generated image credit: Grok

    by Derrick A. Max

    Earlier this year I warned that Virginia’s proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave Act would create one of the most expansive and expensive paid leave programs in the country.

    I had hoped the Governor’s new amendments issued just before midnight last night would fix those concerns.

    They don’t.

    The legislation still would establish a statewide insurance system funded by mandatory payroll contributions from workers and employers while offering unusually generous benefits — up to 12 weeks of paid leave replacing about 80 percent of wages.

    The Governor’s substitute trims some provisions and clarifies others, but it does not address most of the concerns raised in my earlier analysis. In short, the Governor’s substitute polishes the edges but leaves the underlying policy unchanged.

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  • April 21: District Madness

    Posted on

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    James A. Bacon

    Artistic illustration of a government building with grand steps and a dome, showcasing classical architecture under a blue and golden sky.

    by Gordon C. Morse

    The “Yes” and “No” signs on the April 21 referendum to amend Virginia’s Constitution are getting mixed up with the “Yes” and “No” signs on the data centers. It’s all very confusing.

    And not.

    The answer on overhauling Virginia’s congressional districts is “No.” Just go in there and vote “No” and stop thinking about it. Doing so doesn’t send a love note to Donald Trump.

    Look at all these crazy people announcing campaign bids for districts that yet do not exist.

    My argument for the day: Jesus (he’s been in the news lately and you know why) wants you to vote “No.” I tried this argument on my brother, who voted “Yes.”

    In historic and mainstream Christian teaching, you do not do evil on the proposition of doing good. A good end cannot morally justify sinful means.

    That is essentially the way that Democrats justify this effort to upend Virginia’s congressional districts. It will stop Trump, they say. We must fight fire with fire. We must meet him in the road and whack his wagon, because that’s the Chicago Way.

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  • Ending Data Center Exemption – Wrong Policy, Wrong Time

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Chris Saxman

    Wise words from former Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte”

    In politics, timing is everything.

    Timing also matters when it comes to the economy. Virginia is approaching a pivotal moment in its economic strategy—and it is happening at exactly the wrong time.

    Line graph showing the decline in valuations of tech stocks from 2006 to 2026, comparing Forward P/E ratios of the S&P 500 and S&P 500 Information Technology sectors.
    A humorous GIF of two men reacting with surprise, with the text 'DAAAAMN!' displayed prominently.

    As global markets reassess the value of technology companies, one thing is becoming clear: the era of easy capital is over.

    Investors are demanding discipline.

    Massive spending on AI infrastructure—data centers, energy, and computing power—is now under scrutiny. In that environment, where companies choose to invest matters more than ever.

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  • Good News for Medical Research in Virginia

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    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Remember that edict by the Trump administration capping the indirect costs portion of grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at 15 percent? There was vigorous discussion of that announcement on this blog, with many commentators supporting the move.

    Well, the Trump administration has given up on that effort.

    As soon as the new policy was announced, several state attorney generals challenged it in court. A federal district court issued an injunction prohibiting the implementation of that cap. In January, a federal circuit court of appeals agreed with the district court. In its opinion, the appeals court pointed out that the action by the administration violated regulations  of the Dept. of Health and Human Services. It also was in direct violation of a Supplemental Rider to the Appropriation Act that Congress had first passed in 2018, during the first Trump administration, and had adopted in each appropriation act since. The appeals court concluded, “In summary, Congress went to great lengths to ensure that NIH could not displace negotiated indirect cost reimbursement rates with a uniform rate.”

    The deadline for the administration to appeal the decision of the appeals court to the U.S. Supreme Court recently passed without action or comment by the administration.

    (more…)

  • TJI and Yorktown Foundations Combine Forces

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    ***** Sponsored Content *****

    I’m excited to share some important news with you.

    Today, the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and the Yorktown Foundation for Public Policy are joining forces to create a new organization: Jefferson Forum.

    This merger brings together the Thomas Jefferson Institute’s 30-year record of serious policy research with Yorktown’s newer energy and innovation in advancing education freedom and strategic initiatives.

    Simply put, we are combining our strengths to build a bigger, stronger voice for freedom in Virginia.

    The timing could not be more important.

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  • Virginia Slouches Toward State-Sanctioned Euthanasia

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Virginia Democrats push to decriminalize suicide. What could come next?

    A healthcare professional in a mask holds a blue syringe, preparing to administer a vaccine.

    by Bronson Winslow

    Virginia Democrats are working to legalize suicide in the Commonwealth, with a bill already on Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) desk—but the legislation won’t stop there.

    If Spanberger signs HB 43 into law, it would open the door to a cultural and legal transformation that Virginia may not have the ability to reverse. The next step: state-sanctioned euthanasia.

    “HB 43 has passed the General Assembly and is waiting for the governor to enact. This is step one of a two-step process to make physician-assisted suicide legal in Virginia next year,” said attorney Tim Anderson. “Part 2 comes next year. If you are old—and your kids don’t like you—you might want to think about moving out of Virginia before next year.”

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  • Fairfax Schools’ Stonewalling of Title IX Data Invites Mistrust

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Stephanie Lundquist-Arora
    Republished with permission from IWFeatures

    Last month, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is investigating Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to determine whether the district discriminated on the basis of sex by failing to respond to multiple reports that Israel Flores Ortiz, an 18-year-old illegal immigrant enrolled as a junior at Fairfax High School, sexually assaulted female students at school this academic year.

    An inside source who works for the district told IW Features it was unlikely that school officials filed Title IX complaints against Ortiz, though they should have, given the allegations against him. The source further claimed that principals are under significant pressure from district leaders to keep their Title IX complaint numbers low. 

    (more…)

  • Hakeem Jeffries Now in for $33 Million to Gerrymander Virginia

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Point of reference: Candidates in hotly contested House races typically spend $8 million to $15 million, according to CoPilot AI.

  • UVA’s New Quarterly Compliance Report

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by the Jefferson Council

    The second quarterly compliance report from the October 22, 2025 agreement between the Department of Justice and UVA is the first certification done by President Scott Beardsley, signed on March 31, 2026. It’s worth noting what’s new and what’s not in this installment. 

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  • Jeanine’s Memes

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    NASA pilot Victor Glover speaking about being the first black man to visit the moon, emphasizing the significance of the achievement as part of human history.

    View more memes at The Bull Elephant.

  • Who is Making the Money?

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Source: AAA of Virginia

    President Trump recently declared, “The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.” 

    I am not sure who “we” is. I filled up the tank on my pickup a couple of days ago.  It has a 26-gallon tank. It cost me close to $100. I sure did not feel like I was making money.

  • Bacon Meme of the Week

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    A comic strip depicting a conversation about existentialism, featuring a cup of coffee, two fried eggs, bacon, and toast. The dialogue includes questions about belief in chicken and statements regarding the simplicity of life.

  • Family Exodus

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Line graph showing net migration of married families with children from Blue states to Red states from 2008 to 2024, indicating a cumulative increase from approximately 85,000 in 2008 to 713,000 by 2024.

    From Brad Wilcox and Grant Bailey with the Institute for Family Studies:

    The 2026 Family Structure Index spotlights red states’ growing dominance on the family front. Take family migration. From 2019 to 2024, there has been a steady exodus of families from Blue to Red America—370,000 families from blue to red states. In fact, going back to 2008, a net total of 713 thousand married families with children left blue states for red states over 16 years.

    Here are the specifics for Virginia:

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  • Good News for Virginia Republicans

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Governor Spanberger’s repudiation of the political center combines with national trends to give redistricting opponents a massive boost in Virginia.

    A stylized depiction of turbulent waves resembling The Great Wave off Kanagawa, featuring bold red and purple colors with distant mountains and small boats in the foreground.

    by Shaun Kenney

    Former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) emerges from the mists and announces that he has more to give in the political arena, which is welcome news to Virginians who are staring down the immediate threat of the looming redistricting amendment on April 21st as well as a bevy of state amendments in November.

    A late entry into the redistricting fight, Youngkin has hoovered in a solid six-figure donation to Virginians for Fair Maps, one of the three efforts to turn back the $50 million left-wing dark money campaign to rig the lines from non-partisan redistricting to a 10-1 Democratic gerrymander.

    Meanwhile, Brian Cannon — architect of the Virginia 2021 non-partisan redistricting effort which carried the day by 2-1 margins — writes in the pages of Cardinal News how the rigged gerrymandering effort by the self-styled defenders of democracy is ill-placed and off-center:

    (more…)

Now Available

Book cover of 'Dust Mites: A Second American Revolution' by James A. Bacon, featuring astronauts planting a flag with a blue and white emblem on a lunar landscape, with Earth visible in the background.
For sale on Amazon.com

The year: 2075. The American colonies on the Moon are getting restless under Washington’s tyrannical rule….

This second edition of “Dust Mites” has a snazzy new cover, includes helpful lunar maps, and is 5,000 words tighter than the original. The sequel, “Trogs,” is scheduled for publication this summer.

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Bacon’s Rebellion is Virginia’s leading politically non-aligned portal for news, opinions and analysis about state, regional and local public policy. Read more about us here.

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