The latest rankings on the nation’s wealthiest counties is out from Forbes magazine. Lots of Virginia counties rank in the Top 25.

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While a rematch between former state Sen. Jay O’Brien and current state Sen. George Barker has long seemed inevitable, another Republican candidate has emerged — GMU Assistant Dean Scott Martin.  The article states that Martin “has detailed several planks of his campaign platform on his Web site,” but said web site isn’t showing up in any Google searches.  We’ll keep our eyes open for it, though.

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Further cementing their irrelevance, the WashPo published a column today by Robert McCartney criticizing Gov. Bob McDonnell for being “slow to fulfill campaign pledges.”  They cite no action on road funding or funds to expand college degrees over the next 15 years.

Then, wait for it, here it is…

He had relatively little experience with money issues in his earlier career as a state legislator because he was so focused on social issues — remember the thesis?

Unbelievable.  And you thought it was bad that the Obama administration hasn’t learned a single lesson from the failures during the first two years of the Clinton administration.  The WashPo is turning itself into a bad joke with this.

Now, on to the substance here.  First of all, to deal with such a major issue as transportation funding, a special session is needed.  Had the General Assembly chosen to take it up during the current session, it would have sucked all the oxygen out of the room for anything else and nothing else would have gotten done (one need only take a look at Congress to see how the singular focus on health care has put a stop to nearly everything else.)  McCartney is either being disingenuous for partisan purposes or else is a fool.

Next, let’s look at some of the legislative accomplishments that McDonnell can already point to as legacy items (compare these to Gov. Timmy!’s legacy of banning smoking in restaurants and Gov. Marky Mark’s legacy of unnecessarily raising taxes to meet a phantom budget shortfall.)

• Signing into law the ability for Virginia to drill for oil and gas offshore with 70 percent of the royalties going to the transportation trust fund.
• Increasing the state speed limit to 70 MPH on certain stretches of interstates that are currently posted for 65 MPH.
• And 30 of their 34 legislative proposals relating to jobs and economic development have passed.

I’d go so far as to say this may well prove to be one of the most fruitful General Assembly sessions in years.

So, while the WashPo continues to yell “THESIS!,” the people of Virginia are seeing results.

Now if McDonnell would only pass that 100 percent tax on newsprint used in Springfield, Virginia…

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Norm @ TQ has the gory details on the House side:

Lastly, the Lt. Gov., Bill Bolling, has offered his thoughts on all the fees and in the process, we learn that the House baked-in a tax increase:

In his Executive Budget, Governor Kaine recommended making various changes to Virginia’s tax code to conform our state tax code to the federal tax code. As a result of these changes, certain taxes on manufacturers based in Virginia would increase by $60M.

Interestingly, the Senate removed this “manufacturer’s tax” increase from their budget, but the House accepted the Governor’s recommendation, which would, in effect, increase taxes on manufacturers by $60M.

Ah, the anti-tax label. So easy to apply, even easier to remove.

Indeed.

I must confess this hits a bit closer to home than it would for most.  Here in Spotsylvania, industrial land was the only class of property that rose in value during our most recent assessment.  Thus, amidst all the proposals for new tax rate (equalization is 83 cents, the county administrator wants 86, the Board advertised 88), any rate above the curren 62 will be a tax increase for them.  Now, there about to get another tax increase slapped on them – by nearly all of the very people who were supposed to prevent this.

That said, please note, “nearly.”  For Bill Bolling himself (the words Norm cited were from the LG’s column on the budget) takes a dim view of the idea:

I would also encourage the conferees to reject Governor Kaine’s proposals that would result in higher taxes for retailers and manufacturers. I believe that these proposals would also violate our promise to avoid general tax increases.

Nicely done, Mr. Bolling.  We can only hope your fellow Republicans in the House (and the Governor’s office) will listen to you.

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Someone sent me a copy of a flier for the Caroline County Optimist Club’s Winter Sports Festival. For those unaware, the Director of the Optimist Club is County Administrator Percy Ashcraft and the club’s President is Percy Ashcraft’s wife. Its Recording Secretary is Karen Jenkins, who is the county’s “public information officer” as well.

Now, if you look at the sponsors of this event, you might recognize some of the names:

• Amerigas
• Jarrell Properties, Inc.
• Utility Services, Inc.
• Diversified Ambulance Billing
• Clark’s Cut II
• World View Solutions
• E.M. Gray & Son, Inc.
• Dominion Resources, Inc.
• Massey Enterprises
• Purvis Ford
• Rosner Toyota
• Virginia Sports Complex
• Computer-Telephone Technologies
• Linda Perry Taxes

Jarrell Properties, Inc., whose commercial rezoning application was approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 26th of this year.

Diversified Ambulance Billing? Those are the folks responsible for billing county citizens for the EMS fee program. It also turns out that they’ve fleeced county residents out of $39,000 over the last two years.

In addition, while I can’t find any connection between “Massey Enterprises” and the county, their offices are one suite over from where Diversified Ambulance Billing is located in Virginia Beach.

Clark’s Cut II is the controversial sand/gravel extraction site off of Route 17 whose approval by the Board of Supervisors has prompted legal action against the company as well as the Board (full disclosure: I supported that special exemption permit application and still do).

World View Solutions? They’re a geographic information system (GIS) provider…who just happens to be doing the county’s GIS project.

Virginia Sports Complex, who in 2009 was granted a special exemption permit to serve alcohol at their facility.

So, when does the “goodwill” from these companies become a conflict of interest (or create the appearance of a conflict of interest), especially when the group receiving the money is ran by the County Administrator and his wife?

And as a side note, is the County Administrator’s Office so pressed for work they are selling tickets to an event for a third-party, non-governmental organization? I smell some room for budget cuts there, maybe we can rededicate that money to something important, like education.

Cross-posted at “I’m Surrounded By Idiots”.

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From AP:

President Barack Obama said Tuesday he’ll bring in high-tech bounty hunters to help root out health care fraud

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With Catherine Crabill jumping into the race for the 1st Congressional District, I would like to just pause a moment and imagine the possibilities.

Virginia First District has a possibility of the craziest candidates in the country going to battle.  On the left you have the ever extreme liberal Krystal Ball and on the right the conspiracy theorist Catherine Crabill.   If these two are the nominated candidates to go head to head for the November election, I suspect Virginia just might become the laughing stock of the country.

If this becomes the match-up in the 1st District – it might just be time for Ham Sandwich to step up to run for Congress.

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Catherine “The Oklahoma City Bombing Truther” Crabill (R-Mulderville) posted the following on her Facebook page:

I am in the process of collecting signatures to run in the Republican Primary for the nomination in the 1st Congressional District. If anyone would like to help in this effort I look forward to your contacting me. Thank you.

Uh, huh.  Congressman Rob Wittman has built up a mainstream conservative record during his time in Congress, converting former hardcore skeptics such as Virtucon contributors D.J. McGuire and Timothy Watson.  Apparently, Crabill doesn’t like the fact that Wittman gives no credence to the various conspiracy theories that she espouses such as the federal government was behind the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and her belief that there was a government coverup in the Kennedy assassination.

Nanoo nanoo. Take me to your leader!

Since she is appealing to the conspiracy theory crowd, how many paranoid individuals will actually sign a petition with their own name on it and how many will bear the name of Rusty Shackleford as their alias?  This could prove problematic in her getting enough signatures to be on the ballot. (Note the results of the 2009 election for Delegate in the 99th Dist. — the closer to where she lived, and presumably more people there would know her, the fewer votes she got.)

UPDATE:

From: Catherine Crabill [mailto:ccrabill@verizon.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 11:54 AM
To: Catherine Crabill
Subject: Running for Congress….

Dear Friends,

I am currently collecting signatures to run in the Republican Primary against Rob Wittman. I wrote the following email to Allen Webb, Chair of the 99^th & 28^th District Committee in response to his asking what my future plans are. So I submit this to you to understand why I am pursuing this effort. If you have any interest in helping collect signatures or sending a donation to help fund the filing fee expense of $3,480 it would be greatly appreciated. Whether my efforts stand a snow-balls-chance-in-you-know-where it is still an opportunity and a platform to change the debate from the fruit of the problem to the root of the problem. We must demand integrity from those who swear a sacred Oath to uphold and defend our Constitution. We must demand courage that stems from profound and unshakeable convictions. We must support someone who is not willing to sell his soul and his constituents down the river in the name of political expediency. Our beloved nation is much like the Titanic, the danger to our liberty could not be more compelling, this is no time to be rearranging political deck chairs.

Catherine Crabill

Dear Allen,

I have started collecting signatures to run against Rob Wittman for the Republican Nomination . I was asked by three different people to consider it and I said I would have to seek the Lord’s Will about it. The Lord has sent His confirmation with many signs and wonders, so I have the peace I needed to pursue it. Why? You might ask. The primary reason is Wittman’s complete lack of character, leadership, and willingness to stand up and fight for our nation. His go-along-to-get-along position within the Republican party is evidenced by what he did to me last year.

I never asked Wittman to support me, yet he felt compelled to tell people who were upset with him about not supporting me that the reason he didn’t was because I “insulted” him at a fund raising picnic. A lie that he knew was a lie because he tried telling it to people that he forgot were there that told him it never happened. When challenged further by Barbara & Frank Sherman who told him that was no excuse because his betraying the nominee meant that he betrayed the entire 99^th district Republican voters, to which he replied that I had sent him a “bunch of nasty emails too.” He even had his press secretary corroborate that lie. I wrote him demanding he produce those emails (as you recall I included you in the soap opera…) or apologize. Of course, I heard nothing back.

Considering how “popular” he is in Westmoreland Co and throughout the district, I can’t help but wonder how many of the 1,031 votes he personally, (either by first hand or someone repeating his lie) turned against me and by extension all of those who donated their time and  money to invest in the hope of Constitutional, conservative representation for our district and our state. You’d have to ask him why he did it. I think he was told by the party to denounce me, so did he blindly followed orders? That is speculation. I have no earthly reason why he did what he did, but it shows a pathetic lack of character and trustworthiness, period. You can’t campaign for the public trust as a conservative on one hand while trying to destroy a conservative nominee and depriving the people you purport to represent on the other of a conservative vote in the State House. I know in the military and in the corporate world enlisting a subordinate to become complicit in lies, fraud, or other crimes of character or fact has its own distinct violation. For Wittman to enlist his Press Secretary to corroborate his lie is truly beyond the pale. I think there may be an ethics violation in that.

In conclusion, in my mind and for what I am looking for, he is not fit for office. I know this puts many of you, my new dear friends, in an awkward position. I understand this. But the reason we have liars, cheats, thieves, and other criminals in office is because We the People tolerate them. I intend to offer the voters a choice, regardless of my chances, between political-liars-as-usual, or someone who cannot be bought or sold or told what to do contrary to doing their Utmost for our Nation. Wittman has proven he will do what he is told.

You are free to share this info. I am not trying to go under cover or secretly undermine. I am not being coy, clever, or cute. For those who possess the character to be direct, they will be rewarded with directness in return. I have neither the time nor the interest in playing political games, and I so appreciate that you don’t either!

Your friend no matter who you chose to support!

Catherine

Catherine Crabill

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Irvington, Va. 22480

804.xxx.xxxx  (home)

804.xxx.xxxx  (mobile)

www.catherinecrabill.com

“SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS”

Sword of Truth  ~  Shield of Faith  ~  Unfeigned love for God & Country

“A constitution of government, once changed from freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”–John Adams in a letter to his wife, Abigail, 7 July 1775

“Not until I went into the Churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness, did I understand the reason for her genius & power. America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good America will cease to be great.” Alexis de Tocqueville

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” – Samuel Adams

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.” -Thomas Jefferson

“Government is not reason; it is not eloquence, it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” George Washington

“I encourage you to take on the mantle of fearless, thoughtful, but loyal dissent when the situation calls for it,” Robert Gates, Sec. of Defense

“Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them if we basely entail hereditary bondage on them.” -Thomas Jefferson

“Whensoever the General Government (Washington) assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force.” Thomas Jefferson

“Sword of Truth”?

Any relation to the commenter “The Sword of 1,000 Truths” who was a big Patrick Muldoon backer?

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McLaughlin and Associates is a solid polling firm that doesn’t B.S anyone.  If they are saying these are their results, then those are the results (and they are pretty accurate from my personal experience having worked with them on a campaign in the past.)

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There was a lot of talk after the Super Bowl about the idiotic TV ad that we all paid for to promote the census.  Well, add more wasted taxpayer money to the list.  Today in the mail we received a letter from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Admin., Census Bureau informing us that we will be receiving our census form in the mail in about a week.  Yes, the government sent us a letter telling us they would be sending us a letter.  Only in Washington would someone come up with a brilliant idea like that…

On a side note, at the bottom of the paper, there was information about a web site individuals could go to to get help completing the form.  This information was written in six languages — English, Spanish, three Asian languages (at least I believe they were all Asian as two used symbols and the other the standard English alphabet) and the last one was Russian.  I guess that the government just assumes that immigrants who speak French or Italian or German must also be sufficiently proficient in English.

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