Bacon's Rebellion

  • The Surreptitious Disappearance of the Capitol Square Preservation Council

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    A bronze statue of a historical figure on a stone pedestal, surrounded by a circular chain fence and large trees, with a historic building in the background.
    Source: The Virginia State Capitol History Project (www.vacapitol.org

    by Don Smith

    Breathtaking. Unsettling. Healing. Those meant-to-catch-your-attention words come from an article by the British newspaper The Guardian on the “reimagined” statue of Stonewall Jackson, currently on display at a contemporary “art” museum in Los Angeles.

    Now, as members of The Guardian’s target audience — progressives — take full control of Virginia’s state government, is another prominent Stonewall Jackson statue in peril of being sent to the chopping block? (Literally, as we’ve seen in Los Angeles).

    At the beginning of 2026, legally, the answer appeared to be: not immediately. But that has changed. Quietly, but drastically, changed.

    Virginia Democrats and progressives complain constantly about the Stonewall Jackson statue that stands on the grounds of the Virginia Capitol. 

    Those of us who follow Virginia heritage news, or use Google regularly, took comfort in the fact that Jackson’s statue, and all the other monuments in Capitol Square, had a legally-established, extra level of protection from activists: the Capitol Square Preservation Council.

    All of the statues on Capitol Square came under the authority of the Capitol Square Preservation Council.Title 30, Chapter 28 of the Virginia Code lists in detail the roles and responsibilities of the council. This is an excerpt from the Virginia Code (eEmphasis added):

    With regard to the architectural, historical, archeological, and landscape features of Capitol Square and antiquities contained therein, the Council shall…[r]eview all plans or proposals for alterations, improvements, additions, renovations, or other disposition that is structural or architectural in nature. No implementation of such plans or proposals shall take place prior to review by the Council.

    (more…)

  • It’s Not Just an Act

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    James A. Bacon

    Loudoun School officials really do think unhappy parents are potential terrorists.

    Don’t go — there’s more!

    (more…)

  • Dominion Opposes Battery Mandate on Fire Safety Concerns

    Posted on

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    Steve Haner

    by Steve Haner

    Utility scale battery on fire in Australia

    Today a Senate committee is scheduled to take up the bill directing Virginia’s two investor-owned utilities to propose huge battery installations which will cover square miles of ground, cost ratepayers billions of dollars and which will produce zero energy to power our homes and businesses.  The bill has Governor Abigail Spanberger’s endorsement.  

    So far, legislators have been in a “see, hear and speak no evil” posture on the issue, almost disinterested in the proposal’s overall cost, impact on ratepayer bills, or any challenges to the batteries’ safety or energy benefits.  

    If the Senate discussion mirrors the brief presentation (there was no debate) on the House version of the bill last week, which was approved by a subcommittee with a new substitute, it will shed no real light.   

    During the House subcommittee discussion Thursday, a lobbyist for Dominion Energy Virginia made it clear the company does not support the substitute as it stands and cited safety concerns. They want to use tougher fire protection rules than now in the bill, but the language explicitly prevents that. She stood at the podium waving the red flag of fire safety and not one legislator asked her why Dominion is nervous.  

    (more…)

  • Jeanine’s Memes

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    James A. Bacon

    A satirical tweet from The Babylon Bee commenting on journalists being laid off from The Washington Post, set against a background of the newspaper's nameplate.

    See more memes at The Bull Elephant

  • Bacon Meme of the Week

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    A stack of eight bacon grilled cheese sandwiches on a plate, with a humorous quote about trying to solve problems.

  • Bill & Ed’s Excellent Richmond Adventure, Part 2

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Jon Baliles

    A middle-aged man with glasses and short brown hair, wearing a suit and tie, smiling at the camera.
    Bill Martin

    As mentioned in Part 1, Richmond lost two giants of history and change at the end of 2025 when Ed Slipek died after a brief illness and soon after, Bill Martin was struck by a car in the crosswalk on Broad Street, only two blocks from The Valentine Museum, which he had led for more than 30 years. The opening third of Part 1 (which you can read here) highlighted how both Bill and Ed embraced this city’s history and saw using it as an adventure to start conversations, open people’s eyes, and change their minds by learning more about the city around them. They were human time machines of Richmond history and could instantly transport anyone back to a specific neighborhood, year, or historical event and almost instantly convey what happened and what it meant in context of that time and where we are today. Where we are today, sadly, is that we have lost two men who possibly did more than any other two to expand the knowledge of this city’s history and never stop searching for more stories about it.

    Perhaps what is so astonishing about Bill’s legendary career and life in Richmond is that his tenure at The Valentine almost ended before it really began. Bill, who had been serving as Petersburg’s Director of Tourism, was hired in 1994 to be the museum’s marketing director just as it launched the ambitious and very expensive project called Valentine Riverside. The $23 million project (centered around Tredegar Iron Works and where the American Civil War Museum is today) was an interactive history park with live re-enactors and used what was, at that time, pretty cutting-edge sound and light shows as well as offering bike and river tours, and shuttles to Hollywood Cemetery and Shockoe.

    The project failed spectacularly within 16 months as the crowds never materialized and suddenly the ship was in a storm. As the failure of Riverside became evident, so did the magnitude of the trouble. Debt mounted to $10 million, most of the staff were laid off (out of 85 staff, only 12 remained), the Director was ousted, and the endowment slid from $4 million down to just $500,000.

    (more…)

  • Say Socialized Cost, Not That Other S Word

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    Steve Haner

    by Steve Haner

    The PIPP Acorn Now an Entitlement Oak?

    A House of Delegates committee has approved expanding a state-managed program to subsidize electric bills for some lower-income Virginians, hoping to reach more people and offer them more assistance. It also approved a new plan to grant lower-income homes lower water rates.

    The utility companies involved will not absorb the cost of giving these customers discounts. They will instead be allowed to collect the subsidy money from all their other customers.

    As advocates lined up to praise the two bills in testimony last week, the word “affordability” escaped their lips too many times to count. A member of the State Corporation Commission staff used the term “socialized cost.” Economists refer to “transfer payments” that move money from one person to another. Just call it energy welfare, Virginia.

    The electricity program involved is the Percentage of Income Payment Program, or PIPP, which was first created by the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act. The House Labor and Commerce Committee approved House Bill 884, with the amended version expanding the program to Dominion Energy or Appalachian Power customers with a household income of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). 

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  • A Month in Your Wallet

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    Steve Haner

    Image item

    I have no idea who started that circulating around the Capitol, but boy that is effective. Showed up in my inbox yesterday. That bill officially has a fever.  — SDH

  • “Affordability” Watch: Mandatory AC for Rental Units

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    by

    James A. Bacon

    From LoudounNow:

    “Legislation by Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) that would add air conditioning to the list of services labeled “essential” when supplied by landlords has received approval from a House committee. 

    “Essential services for rental units are regulated by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and must be maintained by the landlord. Currently, the list includes heat, cold and hot running water, electricity and gas. 

    “During a House subcommittee review of the bill last week, Martinez said air conditioning is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.” Continue reading.

  • Stacked Local Taxes Make Virginia Less Affordable

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Derrick Max

    A large stack of paperwork, including forms and documents, organized in a messy pile.

    — Virginia’s restaurant and lodging sector is still in a fragile post-COVID recovery, yet local governments across the Commonwealth are piling on new and higher taxes that make affordability worse for families and survival harder for small businesses.

    A new statewide analysis of meals, lodging, and related sales taxes across all 133 Virginia localities by the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) shows just how uneven and burdensome these taxes have become. The findings should serve as a warning to policymakers who claim to prioritize affordability while repeatedly targeting the same vulnerable industries.

    According to the 2025 Meals & Lodging Tax Study, Virginia’s hospitality tax landscape is now “highly fragmented,” with wide variation by region and governance structure (cities tax more than counties). There is also a clear trend to increase rates — putting concentrated pressure on restaurants and hotels. According to the study, meals taxes reach as high as 10 percent in some jurisdictions, effective lodging taxes climb to 15 percent, and nearly one-third of localities exceed the statewide 5.3 percent sales tax rate through these tax add-ons. Just as concerning, roughly 43 percent of Virginia localities have raised at least one of these taxes since 2016.

    That is not affordability, it is instability.

    (more…)

  • Spanberger Signs Bills to Send Constitutional Amendments to Voters 

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    James A. Bacon

    Governor Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after signing legislation to set referendums on proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution (my bold, JAB):

    “Virginia voters deserve the opportunity to respond to the nationwide attacks on our rights, freedoms, and elections. Everyone deserves the freedom to marry who they love — and Virginia’s Constitution should affirm that all families are welcome in our Commonwealth. Women in Virginia deserve the freedom to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions without politicians dictating their choices. When Virginians have paid their debt to society, they deserve to regain their right to vote. And when other states take extreme measures, I trust Virginia voters to respond.” 

  • Tim Kaine Wants to Erase Robert E. Lee

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Kerry Dougherty

    Black and white portrait of a man with a beard and military uniform, overlaid with a red 'X'.
    Image created by Chat GPT

    You can always count on Democrats to engage in vacuous virtue signaling, especially during Black History Month.

    This year it’s Sen. Tim Kaine offering proof that attending Harvard Law School doesn’t automatically confer knowledge on students.

    As our country struggles with immigration, election integrity and budget matters, Kaine is consumed with something else: He wants to strip Robert E. Lee’s name from the house the Civil War general owned with his wife until the Civil War.

    If you’ve visited Arlington National Cemetery you’ve seen Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. The stately mansion with the massive columns rests on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River. It was built between 1802 and 1818 for George Washington Parke Custis, grandson of Martha Washington. He built it as a family home and a memorial to honor his step-grandfather, George Washington. Continue reading.

  • This is Overreach

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Congressional District map proposed by Virginia Democrats Image courtesy of Virginia Political Newsletter

    The redistricting map presented by Democrats is outrageous, embarrassing, and just plain outlandish. I can’t think of other words to describe it. It certainly violates the state constitution’s requirement that districts be compact. The traditional ideas of respecting communities of interest and jurisdictional boundary lines to the extent possible were thrown out the window.

    The most outrageous examples:

    First District: From King William County, east of Richmond in the Middle Peninsula, the district snakes northward all the way to Alexandria. For most of its journey, it is only one county, part of one county, wide.

    Fourth District—From Prince George and Surry Counties south of Petersburg, it goes southwest and then west all the way to Pittsylvania County.

    Seventh District—From Powhatan County, just west of Richmond, this district goes north to Orange County, then splits. One branch continues west and includes parts of Rockingham and Augusta Counties in the Shenandoah Valley. The other branch heads northeast, picking up parts of several counties all the way to Arlington. Whoever represents this district will have constituents from the Richmond suburbs to the Shenandoah Valley to Northern Virginia.

    Of the state’s 11 members of Congress, five would would have a portion of Fairfax County in their districts.

    I could support the proposal to have a mid-census redistricting to tweak some districts to pick up a couple of Democrat seats as an answer to Trump’s manipulating the redistricting in Texas and other states to gain Republican seats. However, Virginia Democrats have gone too far.

  • Virginia Nursing Home Laws Avoid Chains and Subverted by Weak Sanctions

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    Virginia Nursing Home Laws Avoid Chains and Subverted by Weak Sanctions

    by James C. Sherlock

    Delegate Rodney Willet, D-Henrico, is trying to do the right thing for the right reasons.

    He has introduced HB 605 to amend § 32.1-127. (Effective January 1, 2026) Regulations.  He added a new section B. 35 to establish staffing standards for Virginia nursing homes. Del. Willett is joined by many members of the General Assembly of both parties who were stunned by the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center scandal of a year ago. Discussions are underway to determine the exact staffing figures.

    Whatever those staffing figures may turn out to be will prove irrelevant.

    The nursing home lobby is on the other side of the negotiating table. But the author suspects that, after the negotiations, they are laughing over drinks at the bar. They know that, if passed, the bill would refer to the sanctions set forth in § 32.1-27.2. Administrative sanctions.

    To the question of what sanctions a nursing home will face for failing to comply with the new staffing law, the answer is, as a practical matter, none.  

    Chains, which are by far the biggest issue in nursing home performance, are not even in the conversation, much less addressed in Virginia law.

    That will remain the case even if Del. Willett’s bill passes.

    (more…)

  • The Washington Post Is an Unprofitable Disaster

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Kerry Dougherty

    When did legacy journalists and the politicians who love them become such a squawking bunch of overwrought socialists?

    When news broke yesterday of a bloodbath at The Washington Post – 300 employees were laid off – a chorus of imbeciles rose up to demand that owner Jeff Bezos prop up the losing enterprise with his own pocket money.

    The Washington Post has been unprofitable for decades. The newspaper was losing $49 million in the first half of 2013 when Jeff Bezos rescued the paper by buying it for $250 million in cash.

    Bar graph showing the average daily and Sunday circulation of The Washington Post from 2004 to June 2013, highlighting a gradual decline in readership.

    This year The Post is on track to lose $100 million.

    “We are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. I can’t sugarcoat it anymore,” WaPo CEO and publisher Will Lewis told staff on Monday.

    Their reaction? Not shame that their product is poor, but a general sense of entitlement to their owner’s personal funds. Continue reading.

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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