WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Jim Webb today announced that the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board (SVWIB) has received a $5 million investment from the economic stimulus package to fund a new program to train workers for jobs in the region’s emerging “green” technology manufacturing and renewable energy industries. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor, will provide workforce training opportunities for an estimated 1,000 Virginians across 10 counties and six cities in the Shenandoah Valley.
Breaking story - From west of the Blue Ridge, this story is getting some national attention for Nixonian dirty tricks played by Todd Gilbert (R-15th) against formidable Democratic challenger, John Lesinski (Col. USMC Retired).
Typical dumb crook ... bragging about his crime or at minimum ethics breach. Bad form for an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney. Legal proceedings and SBE inquiry may be in order.
We call them tea-baggers, astro-turfers, right wing-nuts, whack-jobs, etc. As with most derisive, dismissive labels applied to our fellow human beings, we reduce our humanity by reducing theirs. A new study by Democracy Corps gives us some experiential focus group data to better measure and understand our opposition. A good summary article was posted today on the Huffington Post. To beat our opposition it's best to seek to understand their motivation, and not regard them too lightly.
The CARS program came to a close Tuesday night with nearly 700,000 clunkers taken off the roads, replaced by far more fuel efficient vehicles. Rebate applications worth $2.877 billion were submitted by the 8 p.m. deadline, under the $3 billion provided by Congress to run the program.
Cars made in America topped the most-purchased list, from the Ford Focus to the Toyota Corolla to the Honda Civic. "American consumers and workers were the clear winners thanks to the cash for clunkers program", said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Manufacturing plants have added shifts and recalled workers. Moribund showrooms were brought back to life and consumers bought fuel efficient cars that will save them money and improve the environment. "This is one of the best economic news stories we've seen and I'm proud we were able to give consumers a helping hand", Secretary LaHood said.
Well it appears a tipping point has been reached. Paternal patience has worn out... enough of the childish Republican domestic terrorist malarkey at congressional rep town hall meetings and being the predictably Party of No How, No Way. (Was that really a surprise?)
"I spend 40 percent of my time away from my patients doing paperwork and getting prior authorizations," said Jim King, MD, a family physician in Selmer, Tenn. "We need to start taking the barriers that are between me and my patients away."
The U.S. has a catastrophically fragmented system that provides incentives for sick care instead of prevention. The system is in dire need of reform - reform to save lives, to save families and to save money for both patients and the American health care system.
It's time to put our health back where it belongs, out of greedy insurance companies' grasp and back into your and your doctor's hands. It's time to stand with more than 450,000 doctors who support health care reform.
The American Academy of Family Physicians(AAFP) and the Herndon Alliance (a nonpartisan coalition of more than 200 health-care provider organizations including the AARP, Mayo Clinic and Families USA) have produced this video featuring the doctors your family relies on for care. They are urging Americans to 'Heal Health Care Now'. from Brave New Films
Greg Marrow (HD candidate, 25th) and Jody Wagner (Lt. Gov. candidate photo credit: Crystal Graham, Augusta Free Press
Today, Jody Wagner, Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor, made a opening foray into the Valley of Virginia in what will be a full-contact battle for the hearts and minds of voters in the "rest of Virginia".
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold from Centerfold, 1982, J. Giles Band
Cold Data Reality. My idealized image of health care reform seems to have been sold to the highest bidder.
Obama in the WH, Democrats with a formidable majority in Congress, this time ... real health care reform is highly probable event ... right? Well maybe not.
The Deeds campaign is letting no moss grow under their feet in these lazy days of summer...
At a mid-day media event, earlier today in NoVa, US Senator Mark Warner pulled out some big guns from the Virginia business community, in a powerful show of support for Creigh Deeds, from a sector that has traditionally been seen as a solidly Republican base. Not so much anymore. After successive pro-biz Warner and Kaine administrations, Warner's popularity is clearly evident in his sustained clout with many in the commercial and industrial business sectors. The Warner pro-biz coat-tails are now carrying over to Deeds. Chris Graham at the Augusta Free Press covered the subsequent tele-conference.
Graham's commentary and audio recording of the presser can be found here at the Augusta Free Press
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DEEDS PRESS RELEASE
DEEDS ANNOUNCES “BUSINESS LEADERS FOR DEEDS”
~ U.S. Senator Mark Warner helps launch bipartisan group ~
~ To be led by Caps owner, ex-AOL executive Ted Leonsis ~
ARLINGTON -- Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds today announced the formation and leadership of “Business Leaders for Deeds,” a broad-based group of bipartisan, statewide business leaders who have agreed to advise and promote Deeds’ candidacy. “Business Leaders for Deeds” will be led by Ted Leonsis of McLean, the majority owner of the Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics. Leonsis also is a former AOL vice chairman, a venture capitalist and philanthropist. U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner joined Deeds and Leonsis at today’s announcement. Warner is a former telecom executive who’s pragmatic approach during his term as Virginia Governor (2002-06) resulted in Virginia’s designation as the nation’s “best managed state” and “best state for business.”
On June 25th, 2009, thousands of grassroots people will descend on Washington, DC to lobby every Member of Congress in support of quality, affordable health care for all. We will also have a rally at 11:30 in Upper Senate Park and following there will be lobby activities in various locations.
In testimony before Congress, Tuesday, major health insurers admitted to using all the tricks in the book to dump policy holders when they are in the most need for major medical coverage. If you think major health care insurers are looking after your best interest, think again, and learn about something called RESCISSION. It's about our health care coverage failing us, at the most important times in our lives. Health insurers refuse to limit rescission of coverage - LA Times
With the primary election behind us, it's time to look toward the general election. In addition to excellent candidates in our three statewide races (Creigh Deeds for Governor, Jody Wagner for Lt. Governor, and Steve Shannon for Attorney General), the Democratic Party is running candidates in most of the state's 100 House of Delegates districts.
Even in the Shenandoah Valley, which the Republicans have considered safe in the past, we're running candidates in every House of Delegates District touching the 6th Congressional District. The purpose of this post is to make sure that we remember (and that the Republicans remember): The Democrats are Everywhere! And no matter where you live, there are volunteer opportunities for a Democratic candidate near you. (Click the names below for more information, to volunteer, and to donate.)
Dr. Greg Marrow's campaign fieldwork paid off. Results from the June 9th Democratic primary for the nomination of a candidate to run against Delegate Steve Landes for the 25th House of Delegates seat, show that where Marrow and his team focused their modest resources, they got statistically significant results. Concentrated efforts in several Albermarle precincts, which have been historical supportive of Democrats, resulted in a nearly 80% vote for Marrow. This was followed closely by a 73% results in Waynesboro city, where Marrow's folks had a solid canvassing, phone banking and poll worker effort. Marrow won by narrower margins in Augusta and Rockingham Counties. Some precinct-by-precinct data parsing suggests that there was likely a bit of coin-flipping in the minds of some rural county voters, where results showed a nearly 50-50 split, appearing to be a random event rather than an informed choice. Where there was a significant effort to post yard signs for Marrow, those precincts went more strongly for Marrow.
Charlottesville 6/9/09 - Omni Hotel - Creigh Deeds did it. His fundamental blocking & tackling style of grass-roots politics got the job done. Down-state political pro, Deeds, took the lion's share of the undecided with a going away victory with nearly 50% of votes in the three-way race for the Democratic Governor nomination, leaving 26% for McAuliffe and 24% for Moran (99.8% precincts reporting).
To the delight of supporters, rocking out to Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac, Creigh Deeds lit up the room with his short speech reflecting on his own American success story, another improbable journey, for a kid from modest means.
“The problems facing Virginia and this country are so urgent, that they demand strong, courageous leadership to carry us forward. Mike sees the office of Lieutenant Governor as more than just a placeholder position, but rather an opportunity to seek progress on the most pressing issues. Mike is focused on the future of Virginia, not the past. His approach to the office and his leadership on every issue from jobs and the economy to veterans issues and moves to the strengthen our democracy make Mike the clear choice on June 9th.”
General Wesley Clark (US Army, ret.) was a four star general in the U.S. Army and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. He was a 2004 presidential candidate for the Democratic nomination.
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