Bacon's Rebellion

  • Out-of-State Donors Push Nursing Home Campaign Contributions to New Heights

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    Out-of-State Donors Push Nursing Home Campaign Contributions to New Heights

    by James C. Sherlock

    “Organizing for Virginia Seniors” has jumped to number two on VPAP’s list of Top Political Donors in Virginia behind Dominion Energy.  

    The funding for “Organizing for Virginia Seniors” comes from New York and New Jersey nursing home chains, about which this author has been less than complimentary. And then there was the Colonial Heights scandal. They apparently feel the need to influence politicians.  

    So far, it has cost them $159,000 to reach Virginia’s key General Assembly members. They also gave $100,000 to Governor Spanberger’s Inaugural Committee and $25,000 to that of Attorney General Jones.  

    The donations in 2025 totaled $239,500 to Democrats and $44,500 to Republicans.  Plus whatever they paid to a consultant to tell them how to spread the money. It was all cash. Organizing for Virginia Seniors has $172,000 on hand, so we can estimate they have budgeted $500,000 for political influence in Virginia this year.  

    That effort aligns with New Jersey-based Eastern Healthcare Group’s lead sponsorship of the lobby fest in Richmond a couple of days ago by the Virginia Health Care Association (VHCA), the nursing home industry’s suits. 

    Bottom line

    It appears that, in this no-campaign-contribution-limits state, paying politicians and lobbyists is much cheaper than paying nurses and physicians to care for nursing home residents.

    There is no law, however, requiring politicians to accept the money, no questions asked.

    The author thinks he can speak for many when he says he hopes the nursing home barons do not get their money’s worth.

  • Dominion Wind Price Jumps to $11.5B, Trump Blamed

    Posted on

    by

    Steve Haner

    Dominion photo of installation ship Charybdis

    Dominion Energy Virginia now expects its offshore wind facility, which has returned to full construction activity off the coast of Virginia Beach, will cost $11.5 billion. That is up about $365 million from the last report. 

    It really wasn’t that long ago that Bacon’s Rebellion was aghast that the price had reached $8 billion. Oh, those halcyon days of old (2019). 

    The utility blames the policies of President Trump for the jump. Some of the additional costs are due to the interruption of construction work by a December 22 stop order from the Department of the Interior, and the rest are due to the price increases caused by tariffs on the imported components.   

    “If the current tariffs were to remain in effect through early 2027, the expected project costs for offshore wind and onshore electrical interconnection equipment could increase by an additional approximately $215 million for a total possible tariff exposure of $795 million to the project. Through the end of December 2025, the project had incurred actual tariff costs of $295 million,” Dominion told the State Corporation Commission in its January 30 report.

    Completion of the 176-turbine installation is now projected for February 2027, but some power may start to flow soon. That assumes no more interference from the Trump Administration, which may not be finished with efforts to overturn the Biden Administration-issued permits. 

    Under the cost-split agreement the utility made with the SCC to get its approvals, most of the cost overruns will be absorbed by the utility and the private investor fund that shares ownership of the facility. Only about $72 million is added to the construction bill to be collected from customers over the coming decades.  — SDH

  • Upholding the Rule of Law Is Everyone’s Responsibility

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by J. Kennerly Davis

    All Virginians, regardless of their political affiliations, should welcome the decision issued this week by Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley to block and void the Democrats’ brazen attempt to defy the clear requirements of the Virginia Constitution and unlawfully redraw the Commonwealth’s congressional districts to their disproportionate advantage. We all win when the courts uphold the rule of law.

    The redrawing of legislative districts always has the potential to unleash partisan overreach and lead to a one-party dominance that saps the vitality of representative government. This danger can be avoided, or at least lessened, if the redistricting process is structured to ensure the bipartisan participation needed to protect the fundamental interest that all citizens have in genuinely competitive elections.

    In 2020, Virginians voted overwhelmingly to do just that. By a roughly two-to-one margin, we approved an amendment to the Virginia Constitution (Article II, Sections 6 and 6-A) that established a bipartisan 16-member Virginia Redistricting Commission to update the map of congressional districts in 2021 and every ten years thereafter upon completion of each decennial U.S. census.

    (more…)

  • Jeanine’s Memes

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    by

    James A. Bacon

    A woman dressed as a winter queen with long white hair, a sparkling crown, and a white fur coat stands in front of an audience, raising her right hand. She is surrounded by other people in formal attire, with a focus on her regal appearance.

    See more memes at The Bull Elephant.

  • Followup: Canadian Owner of Hanover Warehouse Pulls Out of ICE Deal

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Warehouse in Hanover sought by ICE for processing center

    Jim Pattison Developments, the Vancouver-based owner of the warehouse in Hanover County which the Dept. of Homeland Security was proposing to purchase and renovate into an ICE processing center, has pulled out of the deal, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

    The company issued a brief statement, “The transaction to sell our industrial building in Ashland, Virginia, will not be proceeding.”

    There had been reports that one of the Canadian political parties was calling for a boycott of a supermarket chain owned by the same company.

  • Political Activism Over ICE Creeps into Virginia’s Public Schools

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    The anti-ICE crowd is taking the fight against federal immigration enforcement to a school near you.

    A collage of images featuring individuals wearing blue shirts in support of the #IceOutSchools movement, showing solidarity against ICE presence in schools.
    Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CGjx4eFsB/

    by Shelly Norden

    Political activism attacking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasingly showing up inside Virginia’s public schools, raising questions about where education ends and national political campaigning begins.

    In recent days, union-aligned posts have encouraged educators to oppose ICE through protests, national “days of action,” and activist trainings. Social media shared by the Virginia Education Association (VEA) shows educators holding “ICE Out of Schools” signs, wearing blue as a show of anti-ICE solidarity, and taking part in these activities during what appears to be the regular school day and inside school buildings.

    In one post, VEA shared photos of educators with the caption, “We stand with our brothers and sisters in Minnesota and across the country in opposing ICE presence in our schools! Did you wear blue in solidarity with Education Minnesota today? Share your photo in the comments! #ICEOutSchools.”

    Person holding a sign that reads '#ICEOutSchools' in a classroom setting.

    Several of the images appear to be taken inside classrooms, hallways, and other school spaces, suggesting organized political messaging taking place in publicly funded facilities.

    Other posts show how coordinated the campaign has become. VEA promoted an event titled “Eyes on ICE: Document and Record,” described as a “Know Your Rights” training hosted by MoveOn and the NEA. The graphic encouraged participants to “get the tools you need to exercise your rights as federal agents terrorize our communities,” and urged members to join a national call to action. Another post encouraged supporters to “shine a light for Minnesota” by lighting candles on street corners in solidarity with anti-ICE efforts.

    Not everyone within the union welcomed the approach. Some members questioned why union resources were being used for political activism at all. “What a waste of time,” one member wrote. “Why not send out a survey to us paying members to find out our opinions on the topic.”

    (more…)

  • Bacon Meme of the Week

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    by

    James A. Bacon

    A man with a mustache holding a glass, with a humorous message about stocking up on bacon and alcohol instead of essential items.

  • A Chance to Lower Electric Bills the General Assembly is Ignoring

    Posted on

    by

    Steve Haner

    by Steve Haner

    Ignore what they say. Watch what they do. The Virginia General Assembly could cut the bills of Dominion Energy customers a bit, but instead will give the company another ten years to take your money and spend it on someone else (after skimming off its healthy profit). 

    A ten-year program using money from all ratepayers (business customers included) to bury the tap lines of a few of the utility’s (residential only) customers is about to get another ten years to run, through 2038. This happens with an intentionally opaque enactment clause at the end of companion bills House Bill 1393 and Senate Bill 253.

    The most recent phase of the “strategic undergrounding program” (SUP), phase eight, cost $318 million and worked out to just under $800,000 for every mile of buried lines and just under $11,000 for each customer served. “Served” includes both the home that got the new lines and any homes down the line which benefit if that one connection fails less often. 

    Without question the 155,000 houses upgraded or downstream from upgrades have shown a dramatic reduction in outages since. But a cost versus benefit analysis on whether this is a good use of more than $3.4 billion for the other 2.6 million customers is lacking, and the State Corporation Commission staff highlights that void in its comments on the pending phase nine proposal.

    Ten more years of this will easily cost ratepayers another $3 billion plus. It is reasonable to assume the utility in the first phases of projects targeted 4,000 miles of homes with the worst reliability records. The lowest hanging fruit is done.   

    (more…)

  • Who Owns Virginia Mercury?

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    by

    sherlockj

    Who Owns Virginia Mercury?

    by James C. Sherlock

    The author just read a news article by the prolific Markus Schmidt in the Virginian-Pilot. It was a reprint of an article Mr. Schmidt wrote for his employer, the Virginia Mercury. His full-throated support of Virginia Democrats is his right. Examples abound:

    Virginia AG Jones joins 21 attorneys general condemning DOJ pressure on Minnesota.
    Jan 29, 2026, 11:31 AM
    Coalition warns Trump administration demands for resident data and policy changes threaten state sovereignty.

    ’Not the right location:’ Hanover supervisors, residents oppose DHS ICE facility
    January 29, 2026, 5:28 AM
    Hundreds pack meeting room as board cites land-use conflicts and lack of consultation over detention proposal.

    Democrats push restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Virginia
    January 28, 2026, 12:52 pm
    Package of bills would limit cooperation, protect sensitive locations and new Democratic control of state government.

    Mr. Schmidt would consider it his obligation to write such articles. It is the Virginia Mercury’s and the Virginian-Pilot’s right to publish them.

    But readers should know the sources of the news that arrives on their stoops. We’ll look.

    (more…)

  • Affordability or Gerrymandering?

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Governor Spanberger campaigned on affordability. Her party is delivering gerrymandering.

    by Chris Saxman

    A massive, mythical dragon with a textured, cracked skin emerges from behind a large government building, creating a dramatic and fantastical scene.
    Gerrymander monster. Image credit: Chat GPT

    Virginia Democrats ran up huge numbers led by now Governor Abigail Spanberger who defeated former Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears by an astonishing 15+ points.

    The House Democrats gained 13 seats and now will have a 64-36 majority – a dramatic switch from the House Republican majority of 66 seats just 8 years ago.

    Momentum can change so quickly.

    The central theme of Spanberger’s campaign was affordability. That was also the running theme of every Democratic campaign last year. From Zohran Mamdani’s stunning mayoral victory in New York City to Mikie Sherrill’s campaign for governor of New Jersey – it was ALL about affordability.

    Pocket book issues. The Democrats won everything last year.

    The year before?

    The 2024 presidential election came down to Immigration and Inflation.

    Trump closed the Border, but now his lead on immigration has turned negative due to that all-too-common trait of political winners – Over Reach.

    They went too far, too fast. Off narrative. No one likes a bully or being bullied.

    (more…)

  • A Vapid Performance

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), chair of Labor and Commerce Subcommittee 2

    Out of curiosity after reading Derrick Max’s article on the family and medical leave act, I watched the video recording of that subcommittee meeting on HB 1207.

    Derrick Max raised legitimate questions and objections to the bill. There were two Republican Delegates on that subcommittee. Neither asked a single question of the bill’s patron nor made a single comment.

    Beyond the non-engagement of the minority party, this subcommittee meeting is a perfect example of how the legislative process is broken.

    Now I get to play the role of the old fart talking about the good old days. 

    When I was involved in the legislative process in the General Assembly in the 1970’s and 80’s, both as staff and lobbyist, subcommittees were the venue in which important, complex bills were subjected to a thorough review.  There was often a lively debate between proponents and opponents.

    (more…)

  • “I Can Say VMI Is the Most Inclusive Environment I Have Ever Been a Part of”

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Two VMI cadets sitting side by side in military uniforms, discussing funding cuts to their school.

    Is the Virginia Military Institute a racist institution that warrants General Assembly intervention? Maybe the Virginia legislators should ask these two young men.

  • Cold? Who’s Cold?

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Kerry Dougherty

    A person shoveling snow off the hood of a gray SUV parked in a snowy residential area.

    It was late Sunday night when my son blew in the back door. I was standing just inside, fleece, rain jacket, hat and mittens on, leashes in hand, about to walk the dog.

    “Wanna come with me?” I asked.

    “Sure,” he replied to my surprise.

    It was about 38 degrees and drizzling. The exact sort of raw weather that makes me wonder why anyone thinks Virginia Beach is a 12-month destination.

    It’s not.

    “Grab a jacket,” I said, gesturing to the coat rack bursting with an assortment of foul weather gear.

    “I’m fine,” he said, adding the obligatory, “I went to school in Buffalo, remember?”

    That again. 

    Every time my kid ventures out – underdressed – into the cold, he reminds me of the four years he spent in God’s refrigerator.

    And as usual, my 20-something son was wearing his year-round uniform: T-shirt and shorts.

    I didn’t glance at his feet. But a few minutes into our walk, when he stepped into a deep puddle and let out an involuntary WHOA, I realized he was wearing flip-flops.

    In January. In an icy rain. Continue reading.

  • Pending Paid Leave Bill Among Most Generous in U.S.

    Posted on

    by

    Steve Haner

    by Derrick A. Max

    Governor Abigail Spanberger

    Governor Abigail Spanberger campaigned on a promise to sign “paid family and medical leave” when it reaches her desk. But popular vote-getting concepts often ignore the damaging impact such policies have once they are implemented. Virginia’s paid family and medical leave program (Senate Bill 2/House Bill 1207) is a case study in how expansive design choices can turn a popular benefit idea into a long-term economic liability. 

    SB2 appears straightforward: a state-run insurance program providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave, funded through payroll contributions. Look closer, however, and the bill reveals a combination of unusually broad eligibility, weak gating mechanisms, near-universal employer obligations, and a built-in funding escalation clause that sets the stage for rising costs and growing burdens on employers — particularly small businesses. 

    The House version of the bill was cleared by a subcommittee yesterday and will be considered by the House Labor and Commerce Committee Tuesday.  The Senate version is on the docket for Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Monday.

    A Generously Designed Program, Ripe for Growing Utilization 

    SB2 offers wage replacement at 80 percent of a worker’s average weekly wage, capped at the state average weekly wage (a generous $1,463 in 2025). That provision places it among the most generous state PFML programs nationwide. Generosity does not stop with benefit levels. 

    (more…)

  • Excluding Social Studies from Accountability to Preserve Inquiry Is Mistaken

    Posted on

    by

    Todd Truitt

    Created by Grok

    America’s Teachers Are “Drunk” on Inquiry-Based Learning: Why Virginia Should Include Social Studies in its Accountability Standards

    by Jaime Osborne

    I attended the recent National Council of the Social Studies (NCSS) annual conference in Washington, D.C., an event that draws thousands of educators from across the country. Unsurprisingly, inquiry-based learning dominated the agenda. Even sessions not explicitly labeled as such framed inquiry as the preferred—if not superior—mode of instruction. The message was unmistakable: Inquiry-based learning is no longer one approach among many. It has become the orthodoxy in social studies education.  

    For those unfamiliar with it, inquiry-based learning is a way of learning that starts with questions instead of answers. Rather than a teacher just saying, “Here are the facts,” they ask questions like, “Why do you think this happens?” They encourage students to explore, ask questions, try things out, and find answers on their own, with the teacher acting more like a guide on the side.

    My skepticism of this trend had been building for years. It crystallized at the NCSS conference in Nashville, Tenn., two years ago, when I stopped by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) booth and spoke with a representative about widespread learning losses, particularly among economically disadvantaged students. One exception stood out; namely Catholic schools. “Everyone is wondering what Catholic schools are doing differently,” the NAEP representative remarked.

    E.D. Hirsch (Source: Core Knowledge Foundation)

    As an adjunct professor in a school of education, I wasn’t surprised. Catholic schools tend to emphasize direct instruction and content-rich curricula. Their success aligns with decades of cognitive science research—most notably the work of E.D. Hirsch—showing that background knowledge is a prerequisite for reading comprehension and higher-order thinking. Critical thinking is not a generic skill that can be taught in the abstract; it is domain-specific and depends on what students already know. Yet many schools have become so enamored with vague “21st-century skills” that they have sidelined content knowledge, despite clear evidence that knowledge still matters.

    (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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