Bacon's Rebellion

  • Some Small Victories for Good Government

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    James A. Bacon

    by James A. Bacon

    Image credit: Bing Image Creator

    Virginians can argue all day long about the proper size and scope of state and local government. But we should be able to agree upon one thing: that whatever it does, government needs to do its job as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

    So, it’s good news to hear that the state Office of Transportation has generated $105 million in savings, according to Dave Ress with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It’s not clear from the article whether the savings occurred in fiscal 2024 or the three years since Governor Glenn Youngkin set up the office. Either way, it’s not chump change, even in a General Fund that spends roughly $30 billion a year.

    On the other hand, the savings cited in Ress’ article come from administrative efficiencies that seem in retrospect to be no-brainers: reversals of practices that should never had been allowed in the first place.

    The biggest gains came from changes in procurement policy. For example, as described to Ress by Chief Transformation Officer Rob Ward, state agencies hire professional services, such as consulting services, without knowing (or caring) that other agencies have engaged the same consultants at lower hourly rates. Adjusting payments for all services to the lower rates netted $47 million in savings.

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  • About That $660 Million

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    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Sample of damage to Virginia Creeper Trail by flooding following Hurricane Helene.
    Photo Credit: Cardinal News

    Earlier this year, I had an article in Bacon’s Rebellion discussing the concerns of U.S. Senator Mark Warner about a possible hold-up of federal disaster funds meant for the repair of the damage to the Virginia Creeper Trail caused by Hurricane Helene. Several readers expressed their consternation, and rightly so, at the cost estimate of $660 million for the trail’s repair.

    It is a lot of money and seems an unreasonable amount to repair a walking trail, even if those repairs include replacing numerous trestles and relocating the trail in some areas. It was with some chagrin that I had to admit that I had not focused on the cost. Subsequently, I decided to find out the basis for that cost estimate.

    It has sometimes been a frustrating search but a fascinating one overall. Before going any further, some background might be helpful.

    Virginia Creeper Trail background

    The Virginia Creeper Trail is an example of the “Rail to Trail” movement in which abandoned railroad rights-of-way have been converted to trails—walking, biking, horseback riding, etc. The right-of-way was originally purchased and cleared in the 1880’s by a company hoping to build a rail line to haul iron ore out of the mountains east of Abingdon. That effort was abandoned.

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  • Solving the Greatest Mystery in History

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    James A. Bacon

    by James A. Bacon

    Easter, the holiest day of the Christian calendar, marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The historic underpinnings of Christian doctrine have long fascinated me, and I have spent many years of amateur study of Jesus’ life and times in an effort to achieve a greater understanding of this seminal moment in human history.

    The result is my new novel, The Mystery of the Empty Tomb, which tells the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in the year 33 C.E. (Common Era), his arrest by the temple priests, his trial and crucifixion by Pontius Pilate, his burial, and the disappearance of his body from the tomb. The story is narrated by Nicolaus, a Greek by culture, native of Caesarea, and aide to Pilate. Grave robbery was endemic in the ancient world and the purloining of corpses was forbidden by imperial decree, so Roman authorities would have immediately assumed that the body had been stolen. The conceit of the novel is that Pilate puts Nicolaus in charge of identifying the culprits and tracking them down.

    Nicolaus’ investigations take him from the palace of Herod the Great to the Temple of Jerusalem (the greatest of the ancient world), into the mansions of the high priests, through the streets and marketplaces of Jerusalem, and to the cities and villages of Galilee and Samaria. Through Nicolaus, the reader learns about the power struggle between Pilate and the priests, the rivalries between Sadducees and Pharisees (and among factions of Pharisees), the ethnic tensions between Jews, Greeks and Samaritans, and the revolutionary aspirations of the anti-Roman zealots. As Nicolaus probes deeper into the sects and doctrines of the Jews, he introduces readers to the mysteries of throne mysticism and arcane practices of sorcery.

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  • Jeanine’s Memes

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    James A. Bacon

    From The Bull Elephant

  • Who Should Lead Virginia?

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    James A. Bacon

    by Gordon C. Morse

    In roughly six months, Virginia will elect a new governor, and her name is Abigail Spanberger.

    That appears to be the consensus view and, based on the circumstances (money, history, money, Trump, and money), the logic favoring Spanberger, a Democrat, appears convincing.

    So where does that leave Spanberger’s GOP opponent, current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears? In need of a compelling, un-risk-averse message. She will have to take some chances. A formulaic, by-the-numbers campaign will likely not get it done for Earle-Sears.

    Let me first attempt a description of the overall situation.

    “Virginia does presidential reactions,” a seasoned, wise and experienced chum said on Thursday, while we sat eating lunch in bucolic Charles City County. It’s less and less about Virginia, per se, in other words.

    My friend pegs the shift to year 2016, when Donald Trump first ascended to the White House. America suddenly and urgently needed to channel its response – as felt by those, of course, who did not care for Trump – and Virginia promptly offered an electoral opportunity to do so the following year.

    The theory behind Virginia’s offset elections, so we’re told, once sat in the notion that the commonwealth should avoid entanglements. No one in Virginia (if it was to remain Virginia) would benefit from state politics getting too tied up in national politics. Keep the two separate.

    Well, so much for that.

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  • Bacon Meme of the Week

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    James A. Bacon

  • Talking Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths

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    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, (R-2)

    Two members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-2nd District) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-1st District) seem to be in a bind over how to handle budget decisions coming up later this year in Congress.

    As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, they joined ten other Republican members of the House of Representatives in a letter to the Republican House leadership stating their strong support for Medicaid and warning, “We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill
    that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.” They did say that they supported “targeted reforms to improve program integrity, reduce improper payments, and modernize delivery systems to fix flaws in the program that divert resources away from children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and pregnant women – those who the program was intended to help.”

    U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-1)

    However, earlier in the spring both Wittman and Kiggans supported the House budget resolution that would have required an $880 billion cut over 10 years in federal programs under the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As demonstrated in a letter issued by the Congressional Budget Office, it would be impossible to cut that much out of the programs under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee without substantially cutting Medicaid benefits. The targeted reforms they referred to are not going to produce $880 billion in savings.

    It would seem that Wittman and Kiggans first supported legislation that would have resulted in significant Medicaid cuts, but then sent a letter to the House leadership saying that they could not support a final bill that included cuts to Medicaid.

  • Where’s the Local Media on This National Story?

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    James A. Bacon

    Norfolk house at the center of a national controversy. Image credit: The New York Post

    by James A. Bacon

    A big national story has landed in Virginia, and state media, which could help the public sift through conflicting charges and countercharges, have been totally silent.

    In a 2022 trial heard around the world, New York Attorney General Letitia James famously secured a $354 million judgment against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization for submitting inflated property valuations to secure favorable loans. Trump and his defenders claimed that the valuations were subjective, the loans were repaid, and the prosecution was purely political.

    Now Trump is president, and he’s retaliating against his tormenters. In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William Pulte accused James of playing fast and loose in a real estate transaction of her own. It appears that in a 2023 application for a $220,000 mortgage, James declared that she intended to occupy a Norfolk, Va., house as her “primary residence.” But she lives in New York, and she has conceded that her niece lives in the modest, single-family dwelling. Read the details in this New York Post account.

    Most recently, a report of irregularities has surfaced of James’ involvement in a 2008 real estate transaction in Martinsville, Va. Documents show her as a co-purchaser of a single-family home on a “final foreclosure accounting” (her name was misspelled as Lititua) but her name did not appear on the deed as it should have. The report could not identify a connection between James and the other buyers but noted that her mother resides in Martinsville.

    So, James stands accused of submitting inaccurate information in real estate-related legal documents — just as she charged Trump of doing, though on a much smaller scale. As with Trump, there is no evidence that anyone was harmed from the alleged (though heavily documented) misstatement.

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  • A Quiz

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    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Can you identify the following:

    1. The company whose LinkedIn description is “________Company has been providing commercial and residential work on appliance repair and installation, plumbing, and electrical services for over 34 years. We give you quality work at reasonable prices, and the best service! Work is performed for businesses, private individuals, warranty companies, and in subcontractor capacity. As a female-, veteran-, and minority-owned company, we are able to help federal contractors meet their diversity requirements.”
    2. The young business executive who, upon assuming co-leadership of a major national firm lamented the lack of racial and gender diversity in his industry and lauded the efforts of his firm to to address those disparities. “The second we stepped into this role, we emphasized that this approach was not only going to continue, but it was going to be one of our key priorities.”

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  • Case Study: How to Slant a Routine News Story

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    James A. Bacon

    Image credit: ChatGPT

    by James A. Bacon

    The Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors yesterday named Thomas “Teddy” Gottwald as interim president of the school’s governing body, succeeding former president John Adams who resigned for personal reasons last week.

    Gottwald disclaimed any desire to continue serving as president beyond June. Although VMI has been embroiled in controversy — most recently the board declined to renew the contract for Superintendent Cedric T. Wins — the appointment does not signal a change in direction for VMI.

    Of greater interest is how The Washington Post treated this routine story. The new reporter covering VMI, Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff is… I can’t bring myself to say he is more “objective,” so I’ll say… less subjective than his odious, agenda-driven predecessor Ian Shapira. But he’s still a creature of the left, with all of its biases and preconceptions.

    Let’s start with the headline: “VMI selects controversial Youngkin donor as new interim board president.” Sub-head: “Teddy Gottwald, who quit the board days ahead of its 2020 vote to remove a Stonewall Jackson statue, was reappointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022. He will serve through June.”

    The headline sets the Post’s narrative-driven context right off the bat. Gottwald, whatever his other attributes, is “controversial.” How so? He quit in 2020 days before a board vote to remove the Stonewall Jackson statue from post. Thus, for readers, the five-year-old Stonewall Jackson controversy becomes Gottwald’s defining characteristic — even though he never voted on the issue himself!

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  • Business Needs Certainty. So Do Voters.

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    James A. Bacon

    by Chris Braunlich

    Asked nearly 40 years ago what he needed most, less regulation or lower taxes, a small manufacturer of machine tools replied: “We need both,” he said, “but the thing we need most is certainty.”

    “Businesses have to plan out months and years,” he said. “We have to plan for employee salaries, tax rates, benefit costs, energy prices, selling cost, and the value of the dollar if we export or import. There’s a huge risk of failure trying to know what all that will be two years or even two months down the road, and if we’re wrong our businesses and our employees get hurt. The worst thing for a business is uncertainty.”

    Nothing about that has changed.

    Economists are free to argue about the viability of tariffs, although most conservative and even liberal economists tend to line up with the legendary Thomas Sowell over Paul Navarro.

    But one thing about which there should be no argument: imposing massive tariffs with a heretofore unknown formula that is defective, even on countries with which the U.S. has a trade surplus, on products we cannot make (think:  coffee, chocolate, and bananas), and on islands populated only by penguins does not inspire confidence in the process.

    Nor does watching the bottom drop out of the stock and bond markets, and its effect on the 61 percent of American adults holding stocks in personal or retirement accounts.

    It might be comforting if these actions were explained coherently. But they aren’t: those advising the president seem to have tested a variety of themes to justify them, almost as if the evidence was gathered after the decision had been made. Only after a week had passed did the White House even unite on the message that it was all just a masterclass in trade negotiation.

    So, putting a “pause” on most tariffs (but keeping them on neighbors Mexico and Canada) while making clear the goal is not abandoned and we have to do it again in 90 days creates chaos for American businesses who hire Americans to make or supply products to Americans.

    Which is why your retirement account remains volatile.

    It is no different for Virginia business owners. 

    (more…)

  • Virginia Beach Dems Oppose Ending Discrimination in Schools

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    James A. Bacon

    Republicans vote to uphold civil rights laws by committing to end DEI.

    by Victoria Manning

    On April 8th, the Virginia Beach School Board adopted a resolution with a 6-3 vote committing to end discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. They must still vote to formally remove DEI policies at a future meeting. The Democrats on the board opposed ending discriminatory equity practices in schools with one member, Alveta Green, doubling down and belittling students of “European descent.”

    Not only is the DEI agenda a violation of civil rights laws, it’s also harmful to academic progress for all students.

    According to the American Civil Liberties Union, it’s illegal discrimination “if a person or a company intentionally treats you differently based on your race, ethnicity, or national origin.” That’s exactly what has been happening in educational institutions across the nation in the name of “equity”—including in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS).

    On April 22, the Virginia Beach School Board will hold its next meeting. Far-left activists are already assembling to attend and oppose anti-discrimination laws from being enforced. Those opposed to racist, discriminatory, equity policies can email the school board at [email protected] and show up to the meeting at 6:00pm. Details can be found on the district’s website.

    The Department of Education has taken a firm stand against woke policies, warning districts that a lack of compliance with their updated standards could jeopardize their funding. Just a few examples of discriminatory practices in VBCPS that could cost the school district a loss of $75 million in federal funding:

    Continue reading.

  • Academic Armageddon

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    James A. Bacon

    by James A. Bacon

    The Trump administration has thrown the U.S. higher-ed sector into a blind panic by directing institutions to dismantle their DEI programs and limiting the percentage of federally funded research grants that can be applied to overhead.

    But you ain’t seen nothing yet, John Tomasi, president of the Heterodox Academy, told attendees of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA) today at its annual conference in Charlotte, N.C.

    The administration has several other levers to pull, including rewriting the rules for student loans, taxing endowments, and tightening immigration standards for overseas students, Tomasi said.

    “They’re just getting started,” he said. “Armageddon is coming.”

    Under pressure from the Trump administration, the boards of visitors at Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, George Mason University, and Virginia Commonwealth University have voted to eliminate their DEI programs. These and other institutions are also scrambling to adapt to an executive order restricting overhead to 15% of a federal research grant. Because most universities siphon off much larger percentages to cover their overhead costs, the order blows holes of millions of dollars in university budgets. UVA has already begun reviewing all new hires, capital projects, pay raises and bonuses.

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  • Big Church Vs. Little Church

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    James A. Bacon

    by Chap Petersen

    Image credit: Bing Image Creator

    Last Thursday, my law firm filed a First Amendment appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court to protect a small congregation in Fairfax County at risk of losing a $4 million dollar property due to an archaic legal principle favoring national denominations, which neither own nor invest in their members’ properties.

    Shalom Presbyterian Church was an independent church formed by Korean-speaking immigrants in 1988. Soon after forming, it bought land to build a future church home. As with most small churches, the deed to that land was held in the name of “Trustees” for the congregation.

    A decade later, Shalom Church joined a “regional presbytery” of Korean-speaking churches affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of the USA. They did not retitle their property. Nor did they accept any financial benefits. The engagement was merely social.

    In 2007, the Trustees borrowed $2.0 million to build a new church sanctuary. The mortgage payments were solely made by the congregation, who also paid for the insurance and upkeep. The Deed of Trust only mentioned the congregation and its Trustees.

    In 2016, the Trustees transferred title to a newly formed corporation, solely owned by church members. Again, the denomination had no role.

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  • DEI Enforcers Muscle VA Beach Schools

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    James A. Bacon

    Image credit: ChatGPT

    by Kerry Dougherty

    Oh look. Far-left Democrats in the General Assembly want to play FAFO.

    For those unfamiliar, that means “eff around and find out.”

    And they’re gambling with Virginia Beach public schools to do it. If you have kids in those schools you should be on the phone telling those radicals to back off and mind their own business.

    If they want to run the schools let them run for school board.

    Four members of the local delegation to Richmond: Sen. Aaron Rouse, Del. Alex Askew, Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler and Del. Michael Feggans fired off a letter last week to the Virginia Beach School Board, urging them to bow down at the altar of wokeness.

    They’re trying to shame and bully school board members into reversing their 6-3 April 8 vote to scrap DEI from their schools. This is to comply with the Trump administration’s directive to either jettison wasteful and counterproductive DEI programs or lose federal funding.

    By the way, Virginia Beach slurps up $74 million a year from Washington, making this a very wise decision,.

    “DEI initiatives are not radical – they are responsible” insist these political mid-wits who supposedly represent some of us in the state capitol.

    Fact is, these far-left Dem politicians don’t represent many of us. In fact, they are ideologues with a dangerous agenda. 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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