Loudoun Bully Pulpit

US Department of Education website advises that the address will be moved up to 12pm EDT.

On our way to the public library this evening with my family, we passed by a very peaceful demonstration of approx 30 people in downtown Leesburg.  I noticed the signs for “Support Public Option” (or something very similar).  As I passed by the group and turned north on 15, I adamantly shook my head in disagreement.  That’s when I saw the other signs (most likely the opposite side of the sign I first saw), “Health Care for All”.  So, by expressing my disagreement with the public option, I am also displaying by my opinion AGAINST Health care for all? 

These two are obviously not synonymous; the public option has to do with insurance not the providing of health care.  No one ever states that anyone (with cash or without) can get health care from almost any emergency room across the country.  Regardless, the goal seems to be to link the Public Option with an emotion triggering idea such as “Health care for all.”  Anyone who opposes the public option surely opposes health care for all, right? Ummm….not really.

It’s the same emotional carrot that is dangled in front of the public when politicians/activists promote higher funding for educational programs; it’s FOR THE KIDS, you hate monger!   Sure does generate an emotional response.   I don’t want to be thought of as an uncaring unenlightened schnob that thinks that if you can’t pay for health care, then tough titties.  Who does?  And that’s the bitch of it.  It allows the debate to never talk about the basic fundamentals for each argument. 

In one corner, we have a group that believes that the government is the solution.  Government control is best; government knows best.  Through the government’s intervention, we can provide everyone healthcare.  Popular thoughts:  “Why doesn’t the other side care about the folks who are hurting and struggling; we’re a rich country so we should do something.  If it meant health care for all, I would pay more taxes.”  The rub:  By providing everyone healthcare, the only way to reduce cost (to even sustain this coverage) is to limit access.

In the other corner, we have a group that believes in limited Government.  The Government has its place for regulation and removing barriers to competition (if they actually do this, seems rare now a days doesn’t it?).  It’s only through competition that you can lower costs.  Besides if there more completion, there’s more options and more choices.  Popular thoughts:  “If the other side is so willing to pay higher taxes to provide health care for all, how many people’s health care are they currently paying for (my guess is zero)?  If I feel that I have a case against my insurance company, I can bring them to court.  I can’t bring my government to court if I suspect wrong doing, unethical behavior or otherwise.  How can a private company compete with the government?  Why doesn’t the government allow insurance companies to compete against each other across state lines?”  The rub:  It’s easy to give power to government and it’s hard to give people responsibility for their own well being.

Since these fundamentals do not readily fit on a sign that any person can hold on the corner of a street or in a town hall meeting, I guess we will never get down to brass tacks.

On the first day of school, public school kids will have a treat:  they will be addressed by the POTUS for the first time “about persisting and succeeding in school.”  While I can’t imagine anyone having a difference of opinion regarding the importance of persisting and succeeding in school, I can foresee difference of opinion in how this is to be accomplished.  As it stands now, I feel that the current and previous administrations believe that such success is not possible without the government.  Loudoun County School District has not published this unprecedented piece of news; I can only assume that all schools will air this broadcast.  My questions are:

1.  Will they air the broadcast?
2.  Will participation be mandatory?
3.  Will students receive a diffing perspective or will only one be presented?
4.  Is this the first of many addresses to students? 

There are some who are calling for boycotting the address by keeping kids home from school that day and others who will politely and boldly asking these questions from their local school board.  What will you do?  While I feel that the government has it’s uses, like creating opportunities for success it is not their responsibility to ensure such success.  The broadcast will broadcast live on the Whitehouse website September 8th at 1pm.

Here’s a study in Hong Kong where half of health care workers would refuse swine flu vaccine.

If this happens in Massachusetts, then half of the health care work force could face a $1000 fine and land in jail. 

How’s this for irony:  Robin Starr’s 16 year-old blind and deaf dog died after accidentally leaving him in her hot car. Who’s Robin?  She’s the CEO of the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Virginia.

Meanwhile, Republican representative Thaddeus McCotter (MI) introduced the “HAPPY Act” or Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years.  The bill allows for pet owners to take tax deductions for their care up to $3500 per year.  You should be proud as this is some really ground-breaking legislation that will make a huge impact in our lives!  Makes me think of a news story about the “Cat Lady” found dead in her home with 258 80 cats and their feces.  She should’ve taken better care of herself; she could’ve gotten $280,000 in tax deductions.  Somehow I suspect that this legislation will not result in the promoting of the welfare of animals (or Americans for that matter).  Wonder what Robin Starr would say?

Also from DC:  Bill Richardson will not be indicted for pay-to-play accusations.  “The decision not to seek indictments was made by Justice Department officials in Washington, they said, speaking on condition they not be identified because prosecutors had not disclosed results of the probe.  ‘It’s over. There’s nothing. It was killed in Washington,’ one of the people told The Associated Press.”

Seems Metro is having more troubles here in the DC area:  A rail car struck another train in West Falls Church (no one seriously injured).  Meanwhile, NoVa are awaiting toll road hikes to pay for this nonsense to be extended out to the Dulles Airport.  Remember the hikes introduced in 2005?

 While back in February Peter Orszag (Obama’s Budget Director or Budget Czar as Glenn Beck likes to call him) states in this video (at 4:36) that Obama will half the deficit by the end of his first term, Mr. Orszag recently raised the 10-year deficit projections to $9 Trillion (many think this to be a very conservative estimate).  Later in the video (6:00), Maddow asks the “Budget Czar” (her words, not mine) to address the accusations that Obama is “soaking the rich” to pay for all of this spending.  Orszag replies that “This is exactly what the President campaigned on…through shared sacrifice.”  I don’t see where the sharing comes in…at least not sharing of sacrifices.  We all know what happens when the rich feel the squeeze of taxes:  they jump ship .  Wonder where our rich will go when the tax collectors come a calling?

I just love used book sales!  Wonderful way to “recycle” your books and pick up a few for you and the family for very cheap…all the while supporting your local libary.  This one is at the Cyr Gates Community Center, 300 Parkview Drive, New Iberia on November 6th.  Check it out!

Here is one in McLean, VA, a little earlier in September.  We’ve found some good ones here!

Better yet, check out this Book Sale Finder website to find one near you!

Here’s the only video I’ve seen so far. 

I heard that union members got there around 3pm then the constituents were allowed (wonder if those union members were constituents as well).  Howard Dean was supposed to speak as well.  All I saw were the super duper lines outside, which made me proud to know that so many people came out to voice their opinion, whatever it may be.  Would love to hear your thoughts, experiences or related links.

Update:  Thank you for the first-hand reports coming in from those who attended.  Please keep them coming!  The news outlets are now reporting on the town hall:
Washington Post
MyFox5 (includes videos)
Washington Examiner (reports that it “Descended into Chaos”)
ABC News 7 (Very meager reporting here!  Step up ABC!)

Here are some “Tweeters”:
Jim Geraghty

Meanwhile Wolf will have a Town “Call” meeting (which I think is pretty lame, but pretty much in line with most VA Republicans).

Loudoun Independent reports on Deed’s latest speech this week delivered at GMU.  Common themes throughout were:

• Tax credits for small business.  Here, here!  Well it was a brief mention, but I grab onto these ideas when I hear them. We need lower taxes as well as tax credits!
• Not taking/reducing funding monies from Education.  Even though he says that he supports zero based budgets (Traditional budgeting only increases need to be justified.  Zero-based budget requires justification of all budgeted dollars), he says that he disagrees with reducing Education monies.  This doesn’t quite jive, but who’s holding him accountable for that?    In fact he seems to support Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!  In “2004, I voted for the largest investment in education funding in the Commonwealth’s history.” 
• Government is best way to provide opportunity.  This should be taken away as the over-arching theme and the one with which I am most concerned.  “…it’s the people we elect who have the biggest impact on your educational and economic opportunities.”  I disagree whole-heartedly with this assessment.  In fact, it’s this governmental impact that I’d like to reduce….give the power back to the people. 

Ok, so Loudoun County has advertised that it spends $12,780 per student in 2009 (this is approx. $7k less than the amount spent in Arlington or Alexandria).

Private schools are providing an education at approx $8k per student, as is the case at Dominion Academy in Leesburg.

Shouldn’t we demand more from our local government?  They are spending 50% more per student than their private counterpart.  Perhaps government should get out of the education business?

What’s even more depressing is the reported $13k spent per student for the Loudoun Head Start program that is only half a day.  Compare that with approx. $7k at Dominion.

While not sure how accurate it is, Wikipedia reports that Loudoun County serves 50,000 students from K -12th grade.  If Loudoun County issued vouchers to attend any school and we assume that the chosen schools had same/similar tuition as Dominion, that would be a savings of approx $4500 per student. If only 20% (10,000 students) chose to participate in the voucher program, that would save the county…hmmm…10,000 x $4,500 = $45,000,000.  Not too shabby.

Many of the 879 laws passed in the recent 45-day General Assembly session come into effect today.  I am very thankful for the no-writing/reading of texts/e-mails-while-driving law, but I don’t think it goes far enough.  Based on my own experiences, I think an amendment should be added that prohibits the following activities while driving:

• Putting on makeup
• Writing
• Eating
• Playing electronic games or use of cell phone apps
• Drinking (no more cupholders, car costs would go down)
• Getting Dressed/Changing Clothes (admit it, you’ve done this!)
• Going to the bathroom (Guys, you can’t deny you’ve done this at least once!)
• Reading the newspaper or anything else
• Reading a map (of course if this is a law, they have to provide everyone a free GPS)
• Operating a DVD player (for the kids, right)
• Distracting communications that would ultimately divert drivers attention away from driving–this includes arguments with your significant other or any other member of your family, breaking up fighting kids in the backseat, and any stressful cellphone conversations wtih clients, co-workers, bosses, HR, payroll, security, banker, parole officer, etc. 

Of course additional ammendments may be added as new hazards are discovered or made up.

Wooohooo!!! Loudoun County made the Drudge Report!!!  With what?  Zig zag lines that were added by VDOT to roads with high traffic pedestrian areas.

“It is a low cost strategy to get motorists to slow down as they approach the bike trail and pedestrian path,” says VDOT’s Mike Salmon. “While at first motorists may be a little disoriented, the main point is to get them to pay attention and slow down through that area.”

Hmmm…Why not lower the speed limit?  Just a thought.