Southwest Gateway

Birds of a Feather Not Flocked Together

2011-06-21T12:54:00.001-04:00

Chalk me up as being one of those folks who thinks the media helped get John McCain the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. While they may have done it in a few subtle (and non-subtle) ways last time around, they're back at it in full force.

In 2008, a good percentage in the media (pundits and anchors alike) were questioning whether Republicans would have trouble nominating a Mormon. Obviously, they were talking about Mitt Romney. This seems to have been a double-edged sword against not only Romney but the Republican Party as a whole.

The media harped on and on about how out of all the candidates Romney was the "black sheep" when it came to his Mormon faith. Then, to no great surprise, questioned whether his own party could overlook his religion in order to vote for him, implying that the Republican Party was bigoted. This coming from a media that focused exclusively on Romney's religion and nothing else.

Today doesn't look to be very different... at least for Romney, that is. What's quickly becoming interesting is that while the media still likes to bring up the Mormon faith to knock Romney, they have been fairly mum when it comes to John Huntsman's faith which is, ironically, Mormon.

Coincidence? I think not.

We can ill afford to let the media continue to choose our nominees.

Montgomery County's High School Woes: Blacksburg Edition

2011-06-10T21:35:00.001-04:00

Today there was a meeting at the Blacksburg Middle School (now called the Blacksburg High School) to discuss potential plans for building the new High School. Unfortunately, not many attended. A slight majority of those who did attend seemed to be teachers with some students and parents in the crowd. Also of note, there didn't seem to be a single county supervisor there.

As expected there was a bit of sparing between concerned taxpayers and school teachers over the budget, and possible size, allotted for the new school. However, most of the questions asked were fair with the most enlightening ones coming at the end of the meeting. One came from a student who would be attending the High School in the future, the other from (assumingly) a parent.

The student's question: "Why are there eight practice fields on the map?"

Now, I was wondering the same thing myself. The count of the football, baseball and softball fields alone was an astounding 14. Add in the other sports areas (not to mention the two separate indoor basketball courts) and we're talking about a major chunk of land...and potentially more money.

Unfortunately for the student, he was mocked by the guy with the microphone. Admittedly, the question was already answered earlier on in the presentation.* That being said, whether the kid wasn't there at the time or whether he was and couldn't hear because they didn't want to speak into the microphone (or speak up period), to actually mock the student was over the top and out of line.

The second question was from the supposed parent and dealt with nudging the kids in certain directions when it comes to green technology and other lifestyle choices. The presenter was overjoyed at the thought and included his own statements on that particular subject as well. This had a few of us slightly concerned and visibly so.

On another interesting note: Brenda Blackburn, the county's school Superintendent, wasn't very pleased with all the questioning. Rather than helping answer the questions about the plans or the overall process, she took a backseat and pushed to end the questioning and to continue on with the presentation. And this came after the fellow presenting said for us to jump in and ask anything we would like. Mrs. Blackburn not only continues to disappoint, but seems to be steeling some individuals resolve to get someone, anyone else into her current position.

Montgomery County needs to get its act together, not to mention a new set of Supervisors and School Board members. But first thing's first: citizens need to be more involved in their governments, in this case, local.

*We were told that the extra fields were just in case the town wanted to add any sporting areas to the plan. Which sort of begs the question: why are you adding things that aren't called for when the county is all ready in a huge amount of debt?

Innocents Lost

2011-04-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

53,310,843 is the number of abortions between 1973 and 2010. That's roughly 15% of our nation's citizenry. Can you imagine?

Why someone would rather kill one of the most innocent beings on the face of the earth rather than give them up for adoption is truly beyond me. After all, not every child who has seen the inside of an orphanage turns out to be a Tom Riddle (that's Lord Voldemort for those of you who haven't read or seen Harry Potter).

However, even as the pro-life movement continues to grow, I just want to share some of my thoughts on the issue:

Many of us see this as immoral for the simple fact that it is the destruction of an innocent life. But something many of us forget, both on our side and the opposition, is just how much harm we are doing to ourselves and our nation.

Imagine, if you can, just what we are missing. Family and friends? A new style of art or music? Possibly a cure for cancer, a new type of energy, even a flying car? Maybe a President of the United States who could have made all others blush? Not to mention the extra capital that could have been generated for programs like Social Security, among others.

Each of us should remember: as every individual ultimately reaps what they sow, so do nations made up of said individuals. Just something to think about.

The Golden Goose

2011-02-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

If a certain group of people professes to love their government, why then does said group profess in needing a union to protect them from their beloved government?

As the union "crisis" continues full steam ahead, it's important to understand just what is going on in states like Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. Unfortunately, with everything from biased news reporters to wacky letters to the editor, misinformation is spreading like wildfire.

Take for example this Letter to the Editor in the Roanoke Times:

"It's all about the money. Republicans give the money to the wealthy and corporations so they, the wealthy, etc., will give it back for reelection. Democrats give the money to the working class so they in return will give it back for the same reason. No advantage to Democrats except for unions."

Just let that sink in for a moment. Is that not one of the most asinine quotes you've ever heard? While the writer outs himself as dishonest and hypocritical in his very first paragraph, the rest of the letter is far more inflammatory.

First, and contrary to what most Democrats, liberals, and this pleasant letter writer wants us to think, it isn't a vast majority of Republicans who have voted for things like the auto and banking bailouts. In fact, it's precisely the opposite. Second, cutting taxes is not tantamount to "giving money to the wealthy." After all, it is "we the people" who pay for the government in the first place, not the other way around.

The letter goes on to blame everyone but unions, union leaders and Democrats for getting the state of Wisconsin (indeed the country) into the financial mess it is in. The writer does blame Wisconsin's new Governor Scott Walker and any of the poor who may have voted Republican (the writer also tells us that these people would have been brainwashed into voting that way... if they had brains to begin with).

Let's shed some light on a few things public unions, and most definitely Democrats, don't want anyone to know.

The money allocated for the stimulus bill didn't go to "shovel ready jobs" like the Obama Administration claimed, as President Obama himself is quoted saying there is no such thing as a "shovel ready" job. Regrettably, this was long after the bill was passed. Adding even more insult to our economic injuries, there was only a small amount of funding for our infrastructure, another point the bill was sold on. Further evidence shows that a large portion of the stimulus funding went to (drum roll, please?) unions!

The stimulus money was also being billed as a way to help local governments hire more teachers, firefighters, police, etc. Not only do these "professions" tend to be union strongholds, but they also give an overwhelming majority of their political donations to Democrats. Here is a donor list from opensecrets.org that shows just how much unions give to their Democrat buddies.

Because of the various funding and donating practices that are coming to light, some on the right liken this seemingly unethical behavior as money laundering:

State taxpayer money goes to pay public unions; the unions then take mandatory dues and then donate to certain politicians/parties, mainly Democrats (Example: Wisconsin takes dues straight from pay checks and gives to unions)
Federal taxpayer money disguised in the form of bills/etc. to pay unions who then donate to certain politicians/parties, mainly Democrats.
Unions silencing their own members because of differing ideologies, mainly Democrats. (Example: Republican leaning teachers' "union rights" being cut off.)

If a public union worker wants to donate to a politician or party, that's fine. No one is saying they can't. However, taxpayer money (like dues that are taken out of a public unions pay check) should be prohibited from going to individual politicians or parties.

It isn't about breaking the backs of unions. What this is about is making political parties more competitive; it's about getting rid of corruption; it's about what is right and wrong in moral terms. With the Democrats' unethical golden goose put to pasture, or pond rather, Democrats will finally have to court the folks who actually make jobs: private businesses.

Let The Light Shine!

2011-02-07T19:12:00.000-05:00

As some of you all ready know, last year I threw my name into the ring with the rest of those who wanted to unseat our longtime Democrat Congressman Rick Boucher. And while I didn't win the Republican nomination to become the candidate to face him, it was still great being able to meet so many good people all across Southwest Virginia. I can honestly say that one of them is our new Representative, the Honorable Morgan Griffith.

But now it's a new year: a time when we are able to send our state Delegates and Senators back to Richmond or send them back home.

Today, I am pleased to announce that my good friend Adam Light is running for the nomination to be the Republican candidate to take on Democrat Sen. Phillip Puckett in the 38th Senate district.

I first met Adam on the campaign trail last year as he was another candidate running for the Republican congressional nomination. Not only have our families been close friends for almost a year now, but it's hard to put into words just how good a friend Adam and his wife Jennifer were and still are. Adam is the type of person who, when he shakes your hand, it stays shook. In other words when Adam makes a promise, he means it and does his very best to keep it. A nobler candidate for the 38th Senate district you wouldn't be able to find.

I'm proud to support Adam Light for Senate. Please, join me.

Light for Senate

"Chill Outs" and Pipelines

2011-02-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

As the world sits on pins and needles waiting for what comes next for the Arab states, none of us can be as concerned about the future as Israel. It has been almost two weeks since the massive upheaval in the Middle East began, and the rioting in Egypt is only getting worse.

An Egyptian pipeline supplying Israel seems to have been attacked by militant Muslims seeking to further destabilize the region. While the protests in Egypt have been billed as "pro-democracy," one must worry that it's being morphed into something else entirely, because the role of the Muslim Brotherhood still remains to be seen.

The NYT reports:

"Obama administration officials have been on the telephone almost daily with their Israeli counterparts urging them to 'please chill out,' in the words of one senior administration official, as President Obama has raced to respond to the rapidly unfolding events."

I'm sure this calmed down government officials in a country surrounded by madness, don't you? While comforting an ally is needed, they could at least be a bit more sympathetic about it. Of course, this coming from an administration that bashes Israel on a constant basis, it would probably tend to fall on deaf ears anyway.

Update: There are conflicting reports coming out that it was a Jordanian pipeline attacked, not an Israeli pipeline. In my opinion, this sounds like someone messed up their targets and hit the wrong one. Either way, this still seems to have been concocted by a group in order to further destabilize the region.

Obama Sells UK Defense Secrets To Russia

2011-02-04T18:55:00.000-05:00

While President Obama gently scolds our enemies around the world, he seems to have an excellent backhand when it comes to slapping our friends in the face. Thanks to Wikileaks, the United Kingdom has learned of a secret deal the Obama administration made to Russia to help get its START treaty off the ground.
For two years, allies like Australia, Israel and Poland have been getting snubs and cold shoulders from the Obama administration, but none of them seem to be treated as poorly as the UK. However, sending back a Churchill bust, giving the Queen an iPod with Obama speeches, among other things, pales in comparison to what is now being reported. This is nothing short of a security breach for the British government.

Not only has Obama sold out our friends from across the pond, he's alienating us from our closest friends, even going so far as to turn them against us. Our countries may not see eye to eye very often, but this is inexcusable. The White House should apologize immediately, with Obama being the mouthpiece.

Imagine if a close ally either deliberately "leaked" or sold high-level defense information and weapon secrets of ours. Someone would, at the very least, have some explaining to do.

The Telegraph has more here.

Obama + Immelt = Friends Forever

2011-02-03T16:53:00.000-05:00

It's pretty safe to say that the Obama administration holds dear to the old saying "do as I say, not as I do." As you are bound to know, almost 800 waivers have been issued to various companies and unions to avoid the socialized healthcare laws the Democrats passed last year. What you may not know is that Obamacare isn't the only legislation that warrants a waiver these days.
President Obama's EPA looks to have been given instructions to overlook a new power plant project starting up in the San Joaquin Valley. The same power plant would be using several high valued pieces of machinery from GE. Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of GE, has recently been handpicked by Obama to replace Paul Volker as head of the president's economic advisory panel. I'm sure that with all the things Immelt has done for Obama (ranging from being an ardent supporter of his to shielding him from flak with the help of MSNBC), his presidential buddy status had nothing to do with the White House's new waiver. Do I need a sarcasm tag for that last sentence?

Not only is this president openly hostile towards the judicial branch, but now he seems to be at war with the legislative branch as well. Obama says he will veto any bill from congress that restricts the EPA; however, it is important to point out that it is his own administration that is handing out all these waivers. In other words he wants to have his cake and eat it, too.

If these bills and regulations are so great, why are waivers being given out like candy on a Halloween night?

This is plain and simple: it's a case of crony capitalism meets crony Government(ism). With this president breaking promise after promise (i.e. not hiring lobbyists, no more bailouts, and more government transparency), this should come as no surprise to anyone.

Boucher: Out of Touch in WSLS Debate

2010-10-21T19:54:00.001-04:00

In a stunning 30-minute debate (more like 20 minutes because of the commercials) 9th district voters may have found out at least one thing: their congressman is an arrogant individual who doesn't seem capable of simple addition and subtraction.
From the eyes of a 9th district voter, 30 minutes for a debate is bologna. With so much going wrong with the district, indeed the nation as a whole, this was a slap in the face. Boucher, no doubt the reason for the short debate, and subsequent lack thereof for others, has thumbed his nose at his constituents for the last time.

Statements such as social security being "sound" and the current "post-recession period" coming from 28-year incumbent Boucher; he seems to have truly gone off the deep end. Clearly, Boucher hasn't travelled much through his district in a while. If I may, congressman, take a ride through Giles county and see how many "closed," "owned by bank," "for sale by bank," and "for lease by bank" signs you can come up with. The economy in your district is downright deplorable. Not to mention that Social Security came dangerously close just this year of going in the red.

And while Boucher was claiming the district is diverse, which is about the only truth he uttered during the debate, he drew attention to his district becoming bigger every 10 years. Why is this? Because individuals have to leave the district to find good jobs or, rather, jobs in general.

The last question asked was about Cap and Trade, with Boucher touting the disastrous bill for a few minutes. Following Boucher's "answer," Griffith was able to counter with a few mere seconds before being cut off and the "debate" ended. However, for Boucher, those few seconds were just enough for Griffith to make some pretty good points. Griffith went on to say that not only does neighboring Democrat congressman Rahall say that Cap and Trade (Co-Authored by Boucher) is devastating to coal jobs and the industry itself, but the Democrat Gov. of West Virginia, who's running for the open senate seat, shot the bill with a gun for a campaign ad.

With Boucher sitting slumped, sulky, and irritable, Griffith seemed confident, excited, and willing to talk about the issues of what the 9th district so desperately wants, and needs, to hear.

Update: It is also interesting to note that Boucher only made it a few minutes into the debate before he laid all his district's problems at former President Bush's feet. While Boucher didn't specifically mention Bush's name, it was evident by the way he formed a few of his answers as to who he was alluding to.

Boucher's Little Pawn?

2010-10-18T15:47:00.000-04:00

Any incumbent is bound to have more than a few "aces" up his/her sleeve when it comes close to election time. You can certainly include 28-year incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher among them. Not only does Boucher have an exorbitant amount of campaign money and PAC after PAC to either line his coffers or place ad after ad on the airwaves, but he seems to have another pawn that an increasing amount of Democrats seem to be picking up as well.

For most candidates, naturally, money comes as number one. But what do you do when you're faced with your very own liberal voting record (96.4% of the time with Nancy Pelosi) in a strong conservative district, you supported President Barack Obama during the primary, and you're now running against the most well-funded Republican candidate you've ever had during your congressional career? Why, plant another "Independent" candidate in the race, of course!

A handful of congressional and senate races around the country have had political "tricksters" coming out and running for office. The "Tea Party" candidate in the Nevada senate race and another in one of New Jersey's congressional races are just two examples. Oddly enough, for months now there have been ongoing questions about "Independent" candidate Jeremiah Heaton... and not by your everyday politicos. On more than a few occasions there have been times when 9th district voters have scratched their heads asking: "If he's an Independent, why is he bashing Griffith so much, especially on unfounded points? Wouldn't he want to attack the incumbent just as much, if not more so?"

While there is no indication, at least not for now anyway (it really would do for some good journalism these days, wouldn't it?), that Heaton is trying to help Boucher stay in power, some information may raise voters' eyebrows. Heaton, who owns the Damascus General Store, employs none other than Mrs. Boucher herself to play music on some weekends. The store also sells products made/sold by Mrs. Boucher. To be fair, there is no proof of wrongdoing by either Heaton or Mrs. Boucher, however, why has this not been made known to the public? The local media should, at the very least, make the acquaintanceship known.

Just a short note about Heaton's fizzling candidacy:
Aside from a few photo ops, Heaton has been gallivanting about, trying to garner as much support from the local Tea Parties as he can. Not only does Heaton bash Griffith in most of his speeches (no matter which group he's addressing) saying relatively little about 28-year incumbent Boucher, but what he conveniently leaves out of his Tea Party speeches in specific detail is that he has been endorsed by the independent Green Party. Just a little tidbit that Tea Partiers should take note of...as Green Party ideology is far left of conservative institutions like most Tea Party groups.

Much of this seems to be in vain for Heaton, as most voters I come across tend to think that, ultimately, he is trying to split the vote. Not surprisingly, most of these folks think that he's trying to split the vote in Boucher's favor.

Given that Heaton employs Mrs. Boucher and sells her goods, it is at least somewhat conceivable that Heaton has, or at least had, the bend of Congressman Boucher's ear. The closeness that Heaton shares with Mrs. Boucher cannot go unnoticed; indeed it should be looked into.

Could it be that this is just another race where the Democrats are trying to intervene by propping up another candidate to siphon votes away from their conservative opponent? With as many false candidates running as there are, and in light of information of this connection, at least one Q&A session needs to be held between the Independent and Democrat candidates in the 9th district. We may very well find out that these two are far too close for comfort...theirs and ours!

Who's Telling the Truth: Obama or Boucher?

2010-10-12T22:50:00.001-04:00

Many people I talk to here in Southwestern Virginia are worried: worried about losing their job or finding one, worried about not being able to put food on the table for their family, worried about how much they pay for gas and their home energy bills, worried about how much they pay for everything in general. The root of many folks' concerns stems from a single piece of legislation often mentioned on this website: Cap and Trade.

Authored and supported by our own Rick Boucher, the bill mandates that carbon emissions be reduced by more than 80%. As most of us know, this will not only raise taxes, but the cost of every good or service will go up. President Obama himself has said that "energy rates would necessarily skyrocket" with his Cap and Trade bill, even going so far as to say that it will "bankrupt" coal-fired power plants. However, Boucher claims that it will only help support coal jobs, increasing their amount of jobs and only raising electric rates by about the cost of a "postage stamp" a day. Even putting aside the fact that the cost of a postage stamp is constantly going up, this still has many of us on edge. Rather than dealing with the national implications of this bill, let me address the local implications instead.

Boucher's district includes thousands upon thousands of coal jobs. Indeed, coal is among one of the last resources that the southwest produces. In light of this, many consider the vote for Cap and Trade alone to be a betrayal of not only coal jobs, but people's livelihoods. Mines, whether active or not, are literally everywhere throughout district. Heck, I live in Montgomery County (not exactly the first place people think of when it comes to coal) and pass an abandoned coal mine every time I leave my house.

Of the amount of energy we use in our homes, more than half of that power comes from coal. Boucher himself claims that approximately 80% of our energy comes from coal. With an 83% cut in carbon emissions and with no energy source able to fill the void, it's time to give President Obama some credit for something he said: Energy rates will definitely "skyrocket."

Last winter, almost every household's electric bill went up dramatically. Some people's electric bills were more than their mortgages/house payments. Eventually it came down to many people weighing whether they wanted to be (at least somewhat) warm, pay their housing bills, and/or keep their families fed. For those families who had no fireplace, it made things even harder. The upcoming taxes make current energy rates look dirt cheap.

Currently, at least 6 localities in the 9th district have an unemployment rate of over, in some cases well over, the 10% mark. Emissions will be cut so deep, jobs will "necessarily" have to be cut as well. The unemployment rate, clearly an area we are already hurting in, will climb to disastrous levels. One needs to look no further than language in the legislation itself. It actually notes what should be done with "displaced" workers. In a bill that Boucher says will help sustain and create even more coal jobs?

Home foreclosures would also rise thanks to the newly unemployed. Along with job loss and foreclosures, this will do nothing but increase the amount of people leaving the district, be it for other jobs or a new place to call home.

Another quick note: Many things that Boucher has promised us, and by all accounts President Obama and the Democrats as well, either turn out not to be true or just plain faulty. Spending massive amounts of money bringing home "pork" has not only put us deeper in debt, but some of the money has become fruitless. Boucher may be there for the ribbon cutting, but where is he when the jobs are lost? Perhaps Boucher is busy golfing with President Obama these last campaign days, hatching up another plan to make life harder for the folks in his district and kill more jobs all with one flick of a legislative pen, while the rest of us are signing checks with our own "common" pens determining which bills we can afford to pay next month...

November certainly can't come fast enough...

A Griffith Smackdown and a Boost from a Political Heavyweight

2010-10-10T00:57:00.000-04:00

The Griffith campaign has released a new Cap and Trade ad that could have Boucher seeing red on Election Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxj_ko_Uz3g

Shown in the ad is nothing but average citizens (and of course, the obligatory "I approve this ad" from Griffith) slamming Boucher because of his vote in favor of the aforementioned Cap and Trade bill. All the complaints of the lady and gents featured were accurate. The fellow at the end who will "never vote for him (Boucher) again," was icing on the proverbial cake.

Adding fuel to Griffith's ever-growing fire is political pundit and Guru Dick Morris. In his latest update Morris singles out 7 congressional races that could use just a bit more money to put them over the top. Griffith was placed at number four. From DickMorris.com:

"4. Morgan Griffith, Virginia
His race was featured in Friday’s Wall Street Journal. Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher voted for cap and trade, a cardinal sin in this coal mining district. As a result, Griffith will defeat Boucher if he gets even a little extra funding. Boucher has been in office for more than a decade even though this district went overwhelmingly for McCain. Griffith is a solid conservative who proved himself in the Virginia House of Delegates. He had real guts to take on Boucher and deserves our support. He has Boucher under 50% of the vote and, if he gets his name out there, he will beat him."

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/give-to-the-neediest-house-candidates/

With the wacky antics Boucher and his Democrat friends have been getting into, it is possible that there wouldn't be as many people focusing in on this race. However, they seem to have given just enough rope to hang their political necks come November.

Boucher himself has asked (or should I say demanded?) that television stations remove unfavorable ads against him. The Democrat Party of Virginia has even stooped so low as to send out mailings that say: because of Griffith energy rates will "skyrocket." Trying to pull the wool over southwest Virginian voter's eyes, they actually used a quote from Democrat President Barack Obama and attributed it to Republican candidate Morgan Griffith!

As Dick Morris, the Wall Street Journal, and others are pointing toward the 9th District for conservative change, we have indeed become a national race. Time will tell whether Boucher and the Democrats hypocritical backhandedness will be another nail in their Party's southwest Virginia coffin.

How Neighboring Districts May Influence the 9th's Congressional Race

2010-10-07T17:48:00.000-04:00

As some of you may already know, Virginia's 9th District is the second largest district in Virginia and is slightly bigger than the state of New Jersey. Considering its enormous size and where it's located within the state (perhaps more importantly, surrounding states), there is a chance neighboring district races may play a part in our own.

The overwhelming majority of the 9th District is nestled between eastern Kentucky, northwestern North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and southern West Virginia. Currently, almost every congressional district of these states, that touches our own, has a Republican Representative, save for two. Of these two Democrats, I will focus on just one: Nick Rahall.

Nick Rahall represents West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District. We all know Rick Boucher is having the toughest congressional race he has had in decades. As for Rahall? Not so much. So, why is Rahall not having as hard a race as Boucher's having? It's simple, Rahall voted against one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in the past two years: Cap and Trade. Take a look at one of the ads that Rahall has on the airwaves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFNu0RDhazg

In short, the Democrat congressman next door is slamming Cap and Trade while our local Democrat congressman is defending it. The ad that Rahall is airing is seen by a handful of counties in the 9th District. Will Boucher be affected by Rahall's ad? Only time will tell. Perhaps the ad is indeed permeating some leaning Democrats to go a different route.

The flipside of this coin won't seem to hurt Rahall. Boucher is out there, albeit quietly, claiming that Cap and Trade will "help" the coal industry, coal jobs and lower energy rates. And although he voted for it, he doesn't exactly mention it in his ad (thus my evidence that he won't be damaging Rahall):

http://www.youtube.com/user/BoucherForCongress#p/u/7/Yr-zFEW3nuM

Among all the inaccuracies in this deplorable ad, I will stick with the "energy bill" segment. It doesn't mention that he votes for the bill, rather it says Boucher "took on his own party to protect coal jobs." This is completely false. Not only did Boucher vote for the Cap and Trade bill, but he helped write it. As stated in the ad, Boucher says that he is "protecting coal jobs," but how exactly is he protecting them? Boucher claims that for the two years after the legislation is passed into law, our coal jobs in the area will have less regulations put upon them rather than the strenuous ones everyone else will start out with. What he doesn't say is that after two years of "protecting" these coal jobs, our regulations will match everyone else's. On top of that, part of the legislation talks about what to do with all the workers that have lost their jobs because of the new regulations.

So, the question I ask is: Boucher is saving what exactly?

When and if Cap and Trade is enacted:

An overwhelming amount of coal miners will lose their jobs
Unemployment will rise
More homes will fall into foreclosure
Entire counties will become desolate
The price of coal, gas and oil will "skyrocket"
Home energy rates will "skyrocket"
Poor and lower middle classes will likely freeze in the winter months, and burn up in the summer
Food prices will rise
The cost of every single thing we pay for (whether it be want or need) will rise

Just some of the things you can look forward to thanks to "Representative" Rick Boucher.

New 9th District Poll Shows Mixed Signals

2010-09-30T22:20:00.000-04:00

A new SurveyUSA poll shows Rick Boucher gaining support, but poll sampling shows a far different story for the 28-year incumbent Democrat.

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=9210496d-27d2-4288-9a52-e92c21d979e6&c=77

The 9th District has one of the most concentrated populations of Republican constituencies, not only in Virginia, but in the whole nation. Looking over the samples that SurveyUSA has given, something smells fishy. The poll breakdown is as follows:

Republicans: 33%
Democrats: 38%
Independents: 29%

Anyone see anything wrong with this picture? If not, let me be so kind as to point it out. Democrats are being polled at 38%, in a heavy Republican leaning district. So what exactly does this poll tell us? Well, obviously, not much since there has been over-sampling. However, I will venture to make just a couple more observations.

If Boucher has only gained 3-5% more support than what he had last time, with the same company having done the polling (and taking into account that they have over-polled Democrats and cut the Republican head count), this is nothing short of massive. This shows that Boucher is either remaining stagnant or he is downright losing votes.

Finally, given the amount of ads that Griffith has put out, along with at least two to three groups helping him, there have been more district voters seeing the opposition's message than ever before (possibly in all of Boucher's congressional lifespan). I am certain this is helping Griffith rather than hurting him.

Boucher Votes to Go Home

2010-09-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

Today Rick Boucher voted to end the House session and go home. Which home he's going back to (his D.C. home or his district home) remains to be seen.

The problem with this is that he's leaving his job and not giving the Bush Tax Cuts an up or down vote. As you may have read, one of my previous posts mentioned that a number of Democrats sent a letter to House leaders asking to extend the cuts. Boucher was among the group who signed the letter.

What makes no sense is that both of the times the Bush Tax Cuts were voted on in years past, Boucher was a "No" vote on both of them. Given this pivotal flip-flop, who knows how his actual vote will come down? Unfortunately, we will have to wait for the lame duck session to find out.

Boucher Plummets in Latest Poll!

2010-09-29T12:49:00.000-04:00

A new poll must have put a very long face on incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher.

http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/248152/gop-sees-three-virginia-challengers-leading-one-trailing-just-bit?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4ca357f6955e7b16%2C0

The 28 year incumbent's support has dropped like a stone, pulling only 42.6% of the vote in the poll! Talk about a "wake up call." For an already-seated candidate who has ads constantly running on every TV station in the district, things have to be looking mighty grim. History, and a little speculation, says that this coming election is going to be a blood bath...and for a particular party in general. Voter turnout is expected to be high...for conservatives and Republicans, that is.

With Boucher down at least 10 points overall, he may be wanting to find himself a new job just in case his current one falls through. Over the years Boucher, with the help of newspapers and local TV stations, has been able to portray himself as a Moderate, and sometimes even a conservative, Democrat. As his mask is slipping, this image is starting to wear off...and not a moment too soon.

Anyone who votes with Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama 96% of the time is not "Independent," certainly not a moderate, and is definitely not a conservative. For the voters of a fairly conservative district to be finding out that their "Representative" is so liberal, it's heartbreaking, but the truth needs to be made known. There is little doubt that their anger will show through come election day.

It's time to send this lap dog to the pound and his masters to the back of the unemployment line.

Boucher Runs from Voters!

2010-09-28T22:23:00.000-04:00

Another one bites the dust: the ever-growing number of Congressional debates and forums, which Rick Boucher has declined to attend, just grew...again. This time it's the ladies of the Montgomery County League of Women Voters who were snubbed. Oddly enough, this a group in which any Democrat should feel right at home with.

Incumbent Rick Boucher isn't only squandering opportunities to tout his "greatness" to his constituents; he's completely stonewalling his opposition (opposition being not only a term for his challenger, but district-wide voters who are sick of him as well). Boucher isn't a no show, not at all. He just doesn't answer the invitations he's received which, in turn, causes the debates and forums to be cancelled. He seems to simply reject that anyone would question him on his agenda and voting record. Perhaps these institutions should have the events anyway? If a candidate is rude enough to not even acknowledge an invitation, what does that say to the voters/taxpayers/group that asks?

Question: With all the good things Boucher has supposedly done for his district, why not show up and tout it?

Answer: Because, he's scared. Not just scared to show his true colors, no, this man is quaking in his boots.

Heaton Bashes Tea Party!

2010-09-24T22:53:00.000-04:00

With just over a month left to go until Election Day, Jeremiah Heaton accepted the Montgomery County Tea Party's invitation to speak at one of its meetings. Heaton, who has been attending Tea Party meetings around the District trying to garner their support, ended up bashing the local Tea Party from the start along with most of its attendees.

For background context: Morgan Griffith, who had been two blocks away at the Grand Opening of the Blacksburg Republican Headquarters before the Tea Party meeting, was on his way to a fundraiser in another part of town. Having already committed himself to this event before being informed that the meeting was going to take place, Morgan stopped by to share a few words at the beginning of the Tea Party. Heaton's time addressing the attendees followed.

Heaton started out with a bit of history about himself and then went right into attack mode. A little less than half of the Tea Partiers who were attending had lapel stickers on that said "Griffith Congress" (having just came from the Grand Opening). This appeared, very noticeably, to irritate Heaton. His first attack wasn't directed at the 28-year incumbent Dem, but toward his other opponent. "Griffith is a career politician," he said. At once there were murmurs heard from around the room. The loudest was "That’s not true." Eventually, Heaton did cede that Griffith is a conservative. After much fanfare (including childishly jumping up and down and a hissy fit or two from Heaton) they proceeded to the Q&A time, which is where things got really interesting.

The questions ranged from border security and Obamacare to Cap and Trade and redistricting. While mostly giving no answers, and posing the questions back to the questioners, he came off as a bit arrogant and rude to most of the individuals there at the meeting. After interrupting several people's questions, appearing demeaning to women, and having made smarmy comments towards at least two of the attendees, three members walked out, enraged at how he was treating everyone and clearly offended.

Perhaps if he would have come out of the gate with a less aggressive and offensive tone to those favoring the opposition (who were actually willing to listen to him), he may have been able to cast himself in a better light. Perhaps so much so that members, who favor the other candidate, may have backed him further down the road should he run in another election. Instead, he decided to go down the path of "No Return" to bash the lot of them. And so ends the road to Congress for Mr. Heaton. Truly, if Heaton was ever considered a factor in this Congressional race, he has become the ultimate nonfactor in this Congressional race.

Rule number one for anyone running for elected office: You can't slap your possible (in Heaton's case now impossible) constituents in the face and then expect them to vote for you. After all, haven't we had enough of that from the current Congressman?

Dems Letter on Bush Tax Cuts

2010-09-24T10:38:00.000-04:00

A growing portion of House Democrats have sent their leaders a letter asking to maintain all levels of the Bush tax cuts.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/15/more-democrats-break-with-obama-on-tax-cuts/

For years Democrats in both the House and Senate have railed against the Bush tax cuts saying that the only tax cuts that were given were to the wealthy. Clearly this is not the case as Democrats from all across the country are signing on to this letter asking that all tax cuts (meaning to all classes, not just the wealthy) should be maintained.

This is, to say the least, interesting. a) As I said before, the Democrats have not told the truth about who the tax cuts were for. Instead they have drilled into the mindset of middle and lower class voters the tax cuts were only for the wealthy. b) History shows us that when we cut taxes and spending together, it does several helpful things. Cutting taxes leaves people with more of their money. They then tend to spend more which not only helps grow the economy, but helps bring in more tax revenue to the government. Cutting spending, along with the new economic growth we would have, would help get us out of debt much faster. c) Why don’t they make the tax cuts permanent? After all, whenever they do come to an end, it will be an automatic tax increase for everyone.

Boucher's Lack of Respect for Closed Businesses

2010-09-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

Incumbent Congressman Rick Boucher and his supporters have been placing campaign signs in, what seems to me at least, the most unusual places. Several times while driving I’ve noticed Boucher for Congress signs in and around closed businesses. They have ranged from just a sign or two to a complete plasterization (yes, I made a new word) of the vacant buildings.

Imagine, if you will, that you are an incumbent. Not just any incumbent, but a 28 year incumbent. You have only ever had major competition for a few races of your congressional life. During your time in office you have managed to create 5,000 jobs, yet the job market in your district has been decimated (in other words thousands upon thousands of jobs have been lost). In a political climate that is hostile to incumbents for all sorts of reasons, foremost among them being high unemployment and a bad economy, riddle me this: Why would you dedicate tons of campaign signs in order to plaster closed businesses with?

Would you not think that it would send the wrong message to your constituents? Would that not show just how bad of a job you are doing? Perhaps you don’t care that so many businesses have closed under your “watchful” eye? Or that it’s disrespectful to former owners or former employees who have worked there? And in the case of closed stores, what about making the former shoppers mad?

Often times it really is the little things that come back to bite you in the end…

Boucher's Worst Fears

2010-09-23T15:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7t8b42ZiTo&feature=player_embedded

He’s been outed. Morgan Griffith’s first hard hitting ad against Rick Boucher is about none other than the controversial Cap and Trade legislation and Boucher's irresponsible spending habits.

The Cap and Trade bill, which Rick Boucher not only voted for but helped write, would do untold damage to his our district. Coal is one of the last things southwest Virginia actually produces. Devastating the coal industry, ending thousands of jobs for his constituents, and raising energy prices by “skyrocketing” amounts is not in the least going to help. Cities and towns in the far reaches of the western part of the district would literally die on the vine, creating a mass exodus of its residents to other parts of the Commonwealth and surrounding states.

To add to that, a good part of the folks in this region’s electric rates have not only doubled or tripled, but they’ve rivaled or surpassed their mortgages and house payments. Can anyone say “more home foreclosures”?

As for Boucher's spending? With our economy in the tank here in the 9th District, massive pork spending by our Representative doesn’t seem to be doing much good. Rather, it’s driving us deeper into this “quagmire” that has come to be known as our country’s debt. Mr. Boucher’s bailout votes add fuel to the already fuming fires of anger when it comes to inappropriate spending and Government intervention.

It’s time to stand up and say "No" to the policies that this man has been voting for. Voting him out will send a strong message to Washington: We the People in Southwest Virginia mean business.

Boucher is Scared!

2010-09-23T13:33:00.000-04:00

I just got this from Pat Mullins at RPV:

Dear Friends in the 9^th District,
I wanted to write to update you on the critical Congressional race in your district between our candidate, Delegate Morgan Griffith and Democrat Congressman Rick Boucher.

Delegate Morgan Griffith is making fantastic progress, reaching out to voters all across the 9^th with his solid, conservative message of keeping taxes low, government small, building local businesses and bringing jobs to the Southwest.

On the flip side, Rick Boucher's record can't stand up to public scrutiny. This week, a third party group aired an ad, which you can see here, which stated the facts — Rick Boucher votes with Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 96.4% of the time. But Rick Boucher didn't like that. In fact, he asked one TV station in the Tri-Cities not to air the ad.

In desperation, he wrote a letter, which you can read by clicking here, claiming that the ad was "obviously false," begging the station to check out his record on http://www.opencongress.org. Go ahead and take a look for yourself — click here to go to the site — the very site he pointed them to clearly states that Boucher votes with his party 96% of the time. Even the Washington Post will tell you- "Rick

Boucher has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 96.4% of the time during the current Congress."
Rick Boucher doesn't want you to know about his record. But we want to make sure you know about it, and we ask you to pass the message on to all of your family and friends: Rick Boucher can't hide from his record of aligning himself with members of his party who want to raise taxes, support Cap and Trade and promote massive government overreach in all aspects of our lives.

We're only 6 weeks away from elections where we have the opportunity to take back Congress, but we need your help. Take the time now to send this to everyone you know who needs to know the truth about Rick Boucher.

Looks like Rick is getting scared. Good.