Tom Garrett and Ben Cline are AWOL on Educational Funding for Amherst County students as Republicans turn away in this time of Crisis.
Tom Garrett, The Missing Man, Generally seen around election time begging for votes.
Gov Bob McDonnell has just one idea and that is to borrow money from the woefully underfunded Virginia Retirement System that supplies the state’s teachers among other public employees with retirement. Gov Bob wants to be Vice President on a Mitt Romney ticket and desperately wants to say he didn't raise taxes, not even by a thin dime. McDonnell is a phoney playing with smoke and mirrors while letting our state suffer from his incompentence and neglect as our next generation is shorted on a good education.
If the Republicans and Gov Bob spent as much time on educating our kids and providing funding for the school system as they do trying to take complete control of a woman's body and denying her health care and attempting to control her every action we would not have a shortage of funds for public education. Gov Bob would be happier too and would have the nickname " Bob Vaginal Probe McDonnell". If Romney does choose Bob to run for VP the first thought to cross everyone's mind will be his nickname and not vice president.
The governor and the General Assembly “borrowed” money from the VRS in 2010 to balance the final state budget. That was done in lieu of raising state taxes to balance the budget. Bob and the republicans have hit rock bottom as there is no one else to borrow from so now they dump the problem on the localities. I hope borrow is the correct term and that the retirement fund gets a return of its funds. When you deal with republicans you never really know.
So where is the governor going to get the $2.2 billion to pay back the VRS? He is proposing that the localities ask the teachers to increase their share of their retirement pay or that the localities themselves absorb their share of the additional retirement costs. Neither of those two proposals actually pays the retirement fund back. Gov Bob is blowing smoke and if you're dumb enough he'll blow it up one of your orifices. What position do Tom Garrett and Ben Cline take in reguards to this issue? If you see either one
of them be sure to ask.
Ben Cline votes the way the Leader tells him to. He could save time and phone his vote in.
What McDonnell will do is kick the can down the road and leave the problem to be handled by the next in line. Tom Garrett and Ben Cline are foot servants for the Tea Party will play along and let the problem fester until a Democrat is elected Gov. and then they will moan and complain about the situation daily even though they created the problem. Republicans refuse to work with Democrats to solve problems and the back country areas of the state continue to be held in a death grip by the Republican party. Later when the Republicans blame this problem on the Democrats please be smart enough to remember who did what to who. To those of you
partisans who would rather have republicans lying to you than good government all I can say is Wise Up and stop playing the GOP dummy.
Instead of being able to call on Senator Bert Dodson who is an experienced local man who cares deeply about educating the next generation and has plentiful experience working with the state on local budget issues the voters threw their support to the Tea Party and elected a man you won't see again until he needs your vote for
reelection. You got just what you voted for NOTHING. No Help. It is the same with Ben Cline who could mail his vote to Richmond since the GOP Leaders instruct him how to vote and he complies.
So now you find yourself cutting 19 positions in Amherst County Schools and closure of the Monroe Education Center. You have devalued the future of all the children in Amherst County who go to public school and you have done it by supporting a political party that refuses to do the things that make our system function. You must be elephant proud of yourself.
School Board Chairman Jones H. Stanley could have been speaking to the governor or the legislature when he said, “I hope that someone … sees what kind of trouble we’re in.” Chairman Stanley needs to come to grips with the cold hard Republican Tea Party facts, Republicans could not care less about spending money on education for our kids. Their main function in life is defunding social programs and shifting money to bigger and bigger tax breaks for business. One of the board members actually said “Education begins at home and ends at home,” (Frank Campbell said, echoing what Pugh said at the previous supervisors’ meeting).
Perhaps Campbell and Pugh could explain exactly what they mean. Are they refering to home schooling? Are they taking the Tea Party line and endorsing ending public education? Are they taking us back to a much earlier time when education had much less value than it does today? What does “Education begins at home and
ends at home,” mean? Sensible people realize that givernment requires enough income to fund the needs of the people. If there were no schools, no roads and bridges to maintain, no police departments and no social services then taxes could be lower and this seems to be the republican tea party dream. It is just a dream,
Wake Up and reach the accomodations needed for our government to function on behalf of its citizens.
Possible cuts to be considered include field trips; activity buses; support staff such as custodians, instructional assistants and secretaries; professional staffers such as administrators; extracurricular activities; and additional elementary, middle and high school teachers.
“It’s going to affect every student in some way,” Ratliff said. “We’re getting ready to lose a lot of unbelievable people. These are essential positions.” You folks should be working with Senator Garrett and Delegate Cline to solve these problems. They claim to represent the people of Amherst County. Ask them to do their job.
Non-personnel cuts included reduction of money for athletic travel and events, elimination of stipends for indoor track and an assistant football coach; field trip money; a visual and performing arts program; and a school resource officer position filled by the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, for a savings of $183,565.
If personnel cuts had been used exclusively to alleviate the deficit, eight more positions would be eliminated, including an elementary-level assistant principal and two school counselors.
Where will Amherst County get that additional money? Unless it decides to cut teacher salaries or to cut programs that have already been cut to the bone, the county will have to raise taxes or find some other new revenues. That’s something Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, who represents most of Amherst in the House of Delegates and freshman state Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Louisa, who represents the county in the Senate, will have to think about. Actually they will have to do more than think about it, they need to deliver help for Amherst County. If we had representatives in the Delegate and Senate positions help would already be on the way.
When will the people of Amherst County realize that Republicans are their good time friends? How many times have the republicans disappeared when you needed them? Looked the other way when you needed help? The public school system is one of the most important functions of society. It prepares our children to meet the
challenges of the future and to get a job, earn a living and contribute to the tax base so the next generation can be educated. When you break that chain you kiss the future goodby. Your fixation with voting Republican is wiping out the future for the young people in Amherst County. Republicans don't believe in government and
they are only too happy to tell you that they want to defund everything. Why vote for a party that openly tells you their goal is to kill government?
Bob "VP" McDonnell
Are they comfortable opposing state tax increases knowing at the same time that the localities will have to raise taxes to maintain the same level of services they currently have? Republicans could not care less about anything but creating a bigger tax break for big business and the rich.
Mittens the Bully and Bob VP McDonnell
Dreams of Tommorow
And while the governor’s budget has proposed additional money for K-12 public education, Ratliff said most “of the money will go to funding the VRS.” It may look like there is more money for K-12, but that is not accurate, he said. McDonnell needs to put the money back in VRS he took out to balance a budget. Once again
Republicans are spending the resources that working people put away for their future so they can maintain that they didn't raise taxes. Robbing funds from someones retirement is worse than a tax increase because the owner of that retirement will be older and less able to deal with the problem when they retire. It is time for these Tea Party Republicans to act like grown mature men and solve these problems.
Other school systems in Central Virginia are undoubtedly looking at the same problem. Larger systems, such as Lynchburg and Bedford, could be looking at far greater deficits than the one facing Amherst. Sadly Lynchburg is saddled with Tom Garrett as their state Senator just like Amherst County and Appomattox County. They will hear from Tom when he once again needs a vote at re-election time. Even the Tea Party must be beginning to feel shorted by the Republican they supported. Maby Not, the tea party is only loosely connected to reality.
for a service as important as public education. Republicans are still pulling the wool over the voters eyes.
Senator Garrett and Delegate Cline need to address and solve these problems. If the other members of your party refuse to help then stand against them and represent the people you asked to put you in office. Holding the political positions you got elected to is not a ticket for a free ride and we are calling on you to solve these
problems. Do your job or turn in your letter and step down so we can find someone who will do the job.
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Romney Addreses Gay Marriage Issue at Liberty University
Mitt doesn't know himself what positions he will take on any given day.
Mitt Romney delivered a commencement speech Saturday at Liberty University in which he focused largely on a message of faith, family, voting republican, hard work and avoiding military service, but he also addressed the emerging same-sex marriage issue by saying "marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman and one more woman and later some younger women." Mitt said that the most important thing was that it would be a "some sex marrige".
Liberty teaches its students that the Morman religon is a cult and not a christian religon but all the rules and teachings go out the window when it comes to right wing republican politics. Other things go out the window also but those decisions are made on a case by case basis which is the evangelical way. The Morman religon teaches that Baptist won't get to ride the space ship to the blessed planet but Mitt put that aside as he chased votes. I guess both of these outfits have a lot of flexibility when dealing for themselves. They only toe the line when judging others.
Rick said Mitt was the worst possible candidate and he really told the truth
Mitts remarks, jokes and stories drew loud applause for the likely GOP presidential candidate who faces a big test in trying to win over tepid evangelical voters. With Rick Santorum's warm and deeply felt endorsement the job should be easier, especially since Newt Gingrich got on board and voiced his love and support so strongly.
Newt said Mittons is what he is, we aren't running a real conservative you know. He's the closest thing to a Republican we have in this race.
Mitt said his whole life changed after he met his wife Ann in that he got out of the gang he was leading and stopped beating up and bullying long haired kids who he could not remember. The Liberty students would never have to fear a beating from Mitt as their rules require that their hair not extend down their necks or over their ears or be long enough to get in their eyes. Pony tails are completely out and a big No-No. It is good to have lots of rules for these young students to live by. Who could guess what they would do if they encountered freedom and the real world and made decisions for themselves.
Romney delivered his speech at the largest Christian college in the world and the heart of conservative Virginia. It followed President Obama’s recent announcement that he personally supports gay marriage. Liberty had planned to sacrifice a gay but word of their intended action got leaked to the media and gays near the school became as rare as virgins. Don't we all miss a good virgin sacrifice to the gods?
In the keynote speech at the Lynchburg, Va., school, founded by Baptist and TV evangelist and showman Jerry Falwell, Romney appealed to the graduating class -- along with their families and others -- largely by sticking to the argument that he is the best candidate to improve the economy.
“For you and so many young Americans, our current troubles can be discouraging,” said Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. “Millions wait on the day when there are jobs for everyone willing to work, and opportunities to match your hopes and your goals. You waited thru 8 years of GW Bush so don't lose heart, because that day is coming.” Stephen Colbert is championing this issue and assures you he is building a better tommorow, tommorow.
All across America a Christian Mob is forming and with a feeding frenzy that sharks would be proud of they are attacking President Obama for expressing the opinion that he would support gay citizens rights to marry. For some strange reason the Christians think they own marriage and that is one really silly and uninformed thought.
Marriage can be recognized by a state, an organization, a religious authority, a tribal group, a local community or peers. It is often viewed as a contract. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution irrespective of religious affiliation, in accordance with marriage laws of the jurisdiction.
This couple used to get the Christian Ministers fired up to deliver a good sermon
Marriage (also called matrimony or wedlock) is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. The definition of marriage varies according to different cultures, but is usually an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. Such a union is often formalized via a wedding ceremony. Many cultures limit marriage to two persons of the opposite sex, but some allow forms of polygamous marriage, and some recognize same-sex marriage. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or compulsory before pursuing any sexual activity.
From the early Christian era (30 to 325 CE), marriage was thought of as primarily a private matter, with no uniform religious or other ceremony being required. However, bishop Ignatius of Antioch writing around 110 to bishop Polycarp of Smyrna exhorts, "It becomes both men and women who marry, to form their union with the approval of the bishop, that their marriage may be according to God, and not after their own lust."
Wedded Bliss
In the 12th century women were obligated to take the name of their husbands and starting in the second half of the 16th century parental consent along with the church's consent was required for marriage. During the Middle Ages marriages were arranged, sometimes as early as birth, and these early pledges to marry were often used to ensure treaties between different royal families, nobles, and heirs of fiefdoms. In some jurisdictions, such as Brazil, New Zealand, Uruguay, France and the U.S. states of Hawaii and Illinois, civil unions are also open to opposite-sex couples.
Marriage, as we know it in our Western civilization today, has a long history with roots in several very different ancient cultures, of which the Roman, Hebrew, and Germanic are the most important. Western marriage has further been shaped by the doctrines and policies of the medieval Christian church, the demands of the Protestant Reformation, and the social impact of the Industrial Revolution.
Same Sex Couples
When we look at the marriage customs of our ancestors, we discover several striking facts. For example, for the most of Western history, marriage was not a mere personal matter concerning only husband and wife, but rather the business of their two families which brought them together. Most marriages, therefore, were arranged.
Moreover, the wife usually had much fewer rights than her husband and was expected to be subservient to him. To a considerable extent, marriage was also an economic arrangement. There was little room for romantic love, and even simple affection was not considered essential. Procreation and cooperation were the main marital duties.
On the other hand, it may surprise many modern couples to learn that in earlier times divorce was often easily granted. Here again, men usually had the advantage when they could simply dismiss their wives, but in many instances women could also sue for divorce. In ancient Rome couples could even divorce each other by mutual agreement, a possibility that has not yet returned to all European countries. Another notable historical fact is the nearly universal stress on the necessity of marriage and the resulting pressure on single persons to get married. This pressure was partially lifted only under the influence of Christianity which, at least for some time, found a special virtue in celibacy. Christian doctrines have, of course, also had their effects on marriage itself, and some of these will be discussed below.
In ancient Greece marriage was seen as a fundamental social institution. Indeed, the great lawgiver Solon once contemplated making marriage compulsory, and in Athens under Pericles bachelors were excluded from certain important public positions. Sparta, while encouraging sexual relationships between men, nevertheless insisted on their marrying and producing children. Single and childless men were treated with scorn.
However, while marriage was deemed important, it was usually treated as a practical matter without much romantic significance. A father arranged the most advantageous marriage for his son and then had a contract signed before witnesses. Shortly thereafter a wedding celebration was held and the young couple (who might
never have met before) was escorted to bed. All marriages were monogamous. As a rule, the bridegroom was in his thirties and the bride was a teenager. In addition to this disparity in ages there also existed an inequality in education and political rights. Women were considered inferior to men and remained confined to the home.
Their main function as wives was to produce children and to manage the household while their husbands tended to public affairs. For their erotic needs, men often turned to prostitutes and concubines.
As Demosthenes, the orator, explained it: "We have prostitutes for our pleasure, concubines for our health, and wives to bear us lawful offspring." Many men also cultivated intense emotional and sexual relationships with male adolescents (paiderastia). The legal inequality of the sexes was further reflected in the divorce
regulations. It was always easier for a husband to divorce his wife than vice versa. However, since a divorced woman could take her dowry back with her, men normally asked for a divorce only in cases of female adultery and infertility.
So when a religous leader speaks of the 5000 year history of marriage as between a man and a woman that leader is misinformed, ignorant or lying. Possibly all three.
Founded by John Noyes in 1948, the Oneida colony in upstate New York cultivated a form of group marriage called "complex marriage" in which theoretically every woman was married to every man. The community also practiced "scientific breeding" in which potential parents were matched by committee for physical and mental health.
The members of the Mormon church were relentlessly persecuted, harassed, and ridiculed because of their polygamy. Finally, they were forced to abandon the practice but other renegade groups in the US still practice polygamy and there is even a reality TV show starring one man and his several wives.
Until well into the 19th century marriage was still basically an economic arrangement. Moreover, the husband was usually the one who profited most, because he was the "head of the household" and controlled his wife's property. He also had many other rights denied to his wife and was favored by a moral double standard that
allowed him considerable sexual license. Under the circumstances, women continued to press for further reforms, a process which even today has not yet fully reached its goal. Who would have thought? Women want control of their own bodies, Republicans object to such foolishness.
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Tim Kaine for Senate
Amherst Virginia Democratic News
Sen. Mark Warner likes to tell a joke when he’s on the trail with Tim Kaine, and lately he’s been telling it a lot.
The Virginia Democrat crisscrossed the state with his fellow former governor last week for a two-day, nine-stop tour. They ended the trek at a rally in this historic college town on Thursday, exactly one year after Kaine entered the race for the seat of retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D).
“So it is with great affection that I turn over the mike to my friend of 32 years ... and, with your help, the future junior Senator from Virginia, Tim Kaine,” Warner said, with an emphasis on “junior,” to a crowd of nearly 400 just before the sun set on the downtown pedestrian mall.
The remark invited a roar of laughter at the rally, as it did an hour earlier with a small gathering of community members at a nearby state workforce center, which both Democrats helped launch as governors in the past decade.
ACVDN
Warner is three years older than Kaine, preceded him as governor and now is working to help his fellow Harvard Law School graduate join him in the Senate. Warner will surely have a similarly strong presence on the trail in the waning weeks of Kaine’s expected general election matchup with George Allen (R), a former Senator and governor.
As well-known as both Kaine and Allen are, both are also counting on the help of the two most popular politicians in the state. Allen will soon have a strong surrogate of his own on the trail in Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), a possible vice presidential contender. Like Warner and Kaine, the two Republicans are old friends, and
McDonnell is expected to help Allen as much as possible.
Warner’s effect on Kaine is twofold. He’s highly popular across the state, scoring a 62 percent job approval rating in a Quinnipiac University poll last month, including 48 percent among Republicans and 66 percent among voters in the western part of the state, where Democrats have not performed well in recent years.
The first-term Senator also serves as a model for the kind of Senator that Kaine will be. Warner voted with his party an average of 91 percent of the time over three years in the Senate, according to CQ’s vote studies, but he’s also a member of the bipartisan “gang of six,” and the former businessman is remembered for working with
Republicans as governor in the state Legislature nearly a decade ago to balance the commonwealth’s budget.
“We’ve got to have more people like Mark Warner in the Senate who are willing to be proud Democrats — proud of their values, proud of their principles — but when the election is over you’ve got to be reaching out and building a bridge, and that’s the kind of Senator I’ll be,” Kaine said at the rally.
Warner was prominently featured in a video the Kaine campaign released Monday with clips from the two-day, economy-focused tour.
Republicans in the state say they don’t mind the comparison. Chris LaCivita, a GOP strategist and former Allen adviser, said Warner’s votes in favor of the health care overhaul and other Democratic policies are indeed a good example of what voters can expect from Kaine.
“This is a guy who is trying to hide from the fact that he was Barack Obama’s and Nancy Pelosi’s and Harry Reid’s chief cheerleader as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee,” LaCivita said of Kaine. “You can run from your past, but we will not let you hide from it.”
Kaine senior adviser Mo Elleithee said Kaine’s time as DNC chairman is only a small part of his record, and the campaign will continue to remind voters of his long record as a Richmond city councilman and mayor, lieutenant governor, and governor. Voters who spoke with Roll Call following the two Charlottesville events came away impressed and said they trusted the pair to work together with Republicans.
“I do believe they want to get things done,” said Ron Cottrell, 53, a self-described independent. “If we change some key players out, maybe we can build some momentum.”
“I think that Kaine and Sen. Warner, they both talk like adults,” Jeff Boecker, 59, said after the rally. “And I think we need more people like that up there. Neither one of them is a flaming partisan to me. They’re both willing to make the hard choices people need to make.”
Kaine’s not the only candidate in the race highlighting his willingness to work across the aisle. On April 4, Allen spoke to small gatherings of supporters in Culpeper and Madison, just up Route 29 from Charlottesville, which Allen represented in the House for about a year after winning a 1991 special election.
Allen focused his stump speech on increasing domestic energy production, which he said Kaine has worked against, while supporters at both stops voiced concerns about the effects of Obama’s health care plan and deficit spending. He promised to be a deciding vote to repeal the health care law, to push for a balanced
budget amendment and to unleash the state’s energy resources, one of the big issues he will focus on in the Senate.
The former Senator, who spoke more about what he will do than what he did in his one term in the Senate, said he sees potential Democratic partners on energy legislation in Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.). He called his 2006 loss to Webb “humbling” and said the party needs to welcome “independents and sound-thinking Democrats” in order to win.
“Let’s make sure we are motivating and inspiring people to what I like to say is: Envision a better future,” Allen said in Madison. “Envision a better future than what we’re having to endure these days. And I think we can get folks on our side.”
Allen is no doubt looking forward to the conclusion of the state’s legislative business, when McDonnell will have time to join him on the trail. The Kaine campaign took advantage of the Congressional recess, allowing Warner to spend two full days with Kaine.
“Voters know that these are two guys that they can trust to work across the aisle, two guys who are always going to put Virginia first, and two guys who are just honest and trustworthy,” Elleithee said. “Clearly they’re both proud Democrats, but they’re never going to put partisanship first. This is a year when that is of great value.”
There is a deficit of excitement generated by these two candidates and it is a toss up as to who will win. Visit the Tim Kaine Website and try to find the inspiration to vote for a milk toast Democrat.
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