Press Releases

Demo Memo: 3/21/08

Posted by Greg on Friday, March 21

March 14 - March 21, 2008
www.vademocrats.org

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INTRODUCTION

We all know the way Virginia's been trending in recent elections, but now the rest of country is starting to take notice. This week the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza ranked Virginia as one of the most likely states to flip from red to blue this year. But we can't do it without you. Sign up to volunteer today!

If you're interested in being a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, make sure to visit our Delegate Selection web page. Information on local caucuses and Congressional District Conventions can be found on the site, along with the initial details of the 2008 State Convention coming up this June.

Got pictures of Democrats in action? Help us fill our Flickr page! Just send your digital photographs to Greg Scanlon (greg@vademocrats.org) and he'll add them to the site. Our Flickr album powers the slide show on the front page of our web site, and there's even an interactive map that shows where most of the photos were taken. We've also jumped on the MySpace bandwagon, if you'd like to catch us there.

Unfortunately, I also have some sad news to report this week - our 6th Congressional District Committee chairman, David Layman, passed away on Tuesday. Details of today's services and an online guest book can be found on the Roanoke Times web site.

As always, if you'd like to add something to our next Demo Memo, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Best,

Levar Stoney
Executive Director

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Bud continues to do a great job as the voice of reason in the House Appropriations Committee. We try very hard to speak for the region, and he really did a great job this year."

- Sen. William Wampler (R-Bristol) on Del. Bud Phillips (D-Sandy Ridge) [Bristol Herald Courier, 3/15/08]

 

"We'll try to do a number of things in the energy and environmental area. I will still push Medicaid reform, the safety net, access to health care. I might want to focus on higher education affordability. That's a challenge. I have a list of things that I want to talk to each Cabinet secretary about."

- Gov. Tim Kaine, on his 2009 agenda [Daily Press, 3/17/08]

 

"If he wanted to have a political career, I probably would have found a way out of it."

- Money manager Axel Merk, on Jim Gilmore's involvement in a firm that marketed "high-risk securities" tied to the home mortgage industry meltdown [Associated Press, 3/18/08]

 

"The consensus is that Gilmore will win [the nomination], but that it may be more difficult than originally thought."

- U.Va. prof. Larry J. Sabato, on the GOP Senate nomination battle [Southern Political Report, 3/19/08]

 

"Only when our political leadership matches the high quality of our military performance will we be able to resolve our current occupation of Iraq.  And it is clear that we are not going to see that kind of leadership from the Bush administration."

- Sen. Jim Webb, on the 5-year anniversary of the Iraq War [Sen. Webb release, 3/19/08]

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HEADLINES

Gov. Tim Kaine

Sen. Jim Webb

Congressional Delegation

General Assembly

Election 2008

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EDITORIAL HIGHLIGHTS

"Lawmakers found $22 million to expand public preschool programs for poor children - one of Gov. Tim Kaine's signature initiatives, which had appeared in jeopardy. This infusion of funds will allow the state to help hundreds of additional children at risk of falling behind their well-off peers... the budget also preserves the state's school funding formula, which the House had sought to change in a manner detrimental to schools in this region. The change would have forced local governments to shoulder more of the burden of school funding, likely leading to property tax increases." [Bristol Herald Courier, 3/15/08]

"The Senate and the governor backed a nonpartisan, independent commission to draw the political districts for the General Assembly and Congress after the 2020 Census. This is the best way to put choice back in elections, but too many incumbents - in this case, especially the House Republicans - won't give up their ability to gerrymander districts that are perfectly suited to their virtually unchallenged re-election." [Daily Press, 3/16/08]

"This year's General Assembly has been extraordinarily snarled in minutia, what little was accomplished didn't seem to matter and what wasn't done in many cases didn't draw a lot of interest. Early on, in fact, members of the House voted to continue with subcommittee votes - without recording the votes. Did a bill of interest to you die in committee? If so, you'll have no idea who voted how." [Staunton News Leader, 3/16/08]

"Virginia House Republicans had the opportunity to take a stand for transparent government this year. Instead, they clung to their preferred method to dispose of the carcasses of unwanted legislation - a subcommittee system in which no recorded votes are ever taken." [Bristol Herald Courier, 3/16/08] 

"This year the Senate passed legislation to take partisanship out of redistricting. Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine and Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling embraced reform. Republicans in the House of Delegates spiked the bill without even bothering to discuss the issue. Their action occurred in a subcommittee, thereby denying the proposal an open debate and a public vote before the full committee. It is difficult to suppress suspicions that the GOP feared sending reform all the way to the floor... The action disgraces Virginia Republicans generally. There is no health in them." [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/16/08] 

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DPVA PRESS RELEASES

John McCain Supports a 100-year War in Iraq at the Expense of Virginia's Families (3/18/08)

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Local Caucuses

Congressional District Conventions

60th Annual Shad Planking
Wakefield Sportsmen's Club
Wakefield, VA
April 16, 2008 

Primary Elections (U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, state offices)
June 10, 2008 

Democratic State Convention
Hampton Roads Convention Center
Hampton, VA
June 14, 2008 

General Election
November 4, 2008

You can also find more events on our web site by entering your zip code here.

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Democratic Party of Virginia
1710 E. Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23223
(804) 644-1966

www.vademocrats.org

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