AntiBVBL

First of all, there was already an exemption worked into the “requirement” for health care coverage, so is Bob just grandstanding? States rights vs federal rights is an ongoing fight, in many ways the civil war seemed to address that ying and yang, didn’t it?

How about those who are opposed to social security or medicare being taken out of their pay checks because they oppose that “government” intervention into their lives. There are credible arguments for ensuring that all Americans are insured, my issue with the requirement, is that you are just lining the pockets of insurance companies if you don’t also allow for a non profit public option! Anyway, there are lots of federal laws that we all abide by, and I would say that if the state can opt out of healthcare, what else can the state legislative body, at the behest of whichever party is in control, “opt” out of, if the opposing party happens to be in power at the Federal level.

Many extemists argue that the income tax is “unconstitutional”, but that argument has been resoundingly rejected!

The Culpeper County school superintendent said Monday that the school system had never formally removed a version of Anne Frank’s diary from classrooms following a parental complaint that some passages were objectionable.

Director of instruction James Allen last week told The Washington Post that the definitive edition of the diary would not be used in the future and that the decision was made quickly, without adhering to a formal review policy for instructional materials that prompt complaints. The remarks set off a hailstorm of criticism online and brought international attention to the 7,600-student school system in rural Virginia.

It’s bad enough to suffer such devastation, loss of your family, but to be at risk of being kidnapped for exploitation is just too horrible to think about, these poor little children.

DEMAND transparent government!  I, along with many citizens, were SHOCKED to find out that Corey Stewart, as the Chairman who controls the Agenda, would attempt to circumvent open democracy and put Avendale on the 2 p.m. agenda today.  Additionally, John Stirrup is out town, so the fate of the Rural Crescent relies on Mike May, Maureen Caddigan, and Frank Principi.  Please, e-mail these supervisors and ask them to vote against any last minute addition to the Agenda and stand up for transparent democracy!  Corey needs a majority vote to allow Avendale on the agenda for today.

Citizens are sending in e-mails, please, write one and send it in by 1:00 this afternoon! 

cstewart@pwcgov.org

Mike May said it best last night in response to Corey’s cowardly move to defer the Avendale vote when he stated “citizens invested their time, from BOTH sides of the issue, and deserve a vote, up or down”. Maureen Caddigan was right there with Mike, voting against the deferral. Last minute deferrals are a sleazy way to ensure a Developer can live to “fight” another day. Wow, too bad citizens aren’t afforded the same right when we are on the losing end of a land use decision!

I don’t know why Frank P voted in the majority to allow the deferral as he was clearly arguing with Mike Lubely about this bizarre premise that Avendale wasn’t “really” in the Rural Crescent. Hmmm, if that’s the case then why is the application a Comprehensive Plan AMENDMENT. Amendment being the operative word! The board has NEVER voted to take Avendale out of the Rural Crescent and Frank was absolutely right when he challenged Lubely.

I cannot tell you how incredibly disappointed I am in Corey. His leadership role was critical, and he chose the wrong direction. Avendale ONLY benefits the Developer and is a drain for every county resident who pays taxes. The Rural Crescent is a valuable land use tool, not simply from a “green” perspective, but from a planning approach. If the last five years has taught us one thing, it is that you can’t build homes as a means of supporting an entire county economy, or for that matter, and entire country!

I don’t know about everyone else, but I am tired of being soley responsible for supporting the budget of an entire county. We HAVE to diversify the base of our County income, and living more than 80% on real estate taxes, is simply crazy from a financial perspective.

Once again, developers are proposing to solve our transportation problems by building more houses. Once again the target area is the Rural Crescent, where the Avendale development would increase residential densities from 12 to 295 homes if approved by Supervisors.

Let’s do a recap of the recent financial bloodletting in the real estate market for Prince William County. With thousands of homes still in foreclosure and more than 30 THOUSAND approved new homes still unbuilt, it’s fair to say that a lack of housing is NOT an issue for Prince William County.

Adding insult to injury, these unneeded new homes are proposed for the County’s “protected” rural area. Why is the Rural Crescent the most valuable land use tool this County can claim? Because it establishes a rural area with lower population densities, reducing the need to invest precious limited tax dollars for infrastructure.

Every citizen benefits, from west to east, by NOT having to invest tax dollars to build new roads, new schools, new hospitals, etc. in areas far from the County’s population centers. Instead, the County should invest our resources in areas where we get the biggest bang for our buck – the development area.

Read more…

WHAT? Who is Brit Hume to tell anyone that their faith is basically  inferior and that Christianity is the only religion with REAL forgiveness and redemption.  How self righteous and pompous can one person be?

Virginia Association of Counties’ (VACo), Position Statement on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

VACo maintains a strong commitment to ensuring the security and safety of our communities. Legislative reforms must recognize the contributions of immigrants to a complex economy as well as the costs associated with welcoming immigrants into our communities. The U.S. Congress must enact comprehensive immigration reform that provides a funding stream sufficient to address the fiscal impact on state and local governments for any guest worker program and earned legalization program. The states and local governments require a national immigration system that is fully funded at the federal level, recognizes the realities of the marketplace, eases the fiscal stress on states and localities, and properly secures our borders. It is important that the federal government establish a clear and understandable path to citizenship for those who are eligible.

Introduced in November 2009 by County Board Member J. Walter Tejada, Arlington, VA

VACo approved and adopted in November 2009 as VACo’s Position Statement on Immigration Reform

My first question is this….Does Corey know? This “Position Statement” seems purposefuly vague, vague enough that I don’t think any elected official would be willing to stand up in opposition.

Who could be against “securing the safety of our comminities” ?

So, what I am wondering, is how does this “statement” turn in to actual meaningful legislation?

Also, I am wondering, who actually affirmed our vote from Prince William County, do they have the authority to sign onto such a statement?

Captain of famed Exodus refugee ship dies at 86
By ARON HELLER (AP) – 5 days ago

JERUSALEM — Yitzhak “Ike” Ahronovitch, the captain of the Exodus ship whose attempt to take Holocaust survivors to Palestine built support for Israel’s founding, has died. He was 86.

He died Wednesday in northern Israel after a long illness, his daughter Ella said.

The Exodus 1947 ship left France in July 1947 carrying more than 4,500 people — most of them Holocaust survivors and other displaced Jews — in a secret effort to reach Palestine. At the time, Britain controlled Palestine and was limiting the immigration of Jews.

The British navy seized the vessel off Palestine’s shores, and after a battle on board that left three people dead, turned the ship and its passengers back to Europe, where the refugees were forced to disembark in Germany.

The ship’s ordeal was widely reported worldwide, garnering sympathy for the refugees, especially because they were taken to Germany, where the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews during World War II originated.

THIS is a story of strict immigration restrictions and its aftermath.  The Johnson-Reed Act in 1924, spearheaded by the KKK,  was intended to greatly reduce the number of immigrants from certain areas in Europe, mainly the undesirable eastern Europeans, and of course, the Jews.

When Hitler threatened to kill the Jews of Germany and Eastern Europe, fifteen years after the passage of Johnson-Reed, American Jews pleaded with Roosevelt to amend the immigration quotas.

When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president in 1933, Americans were struggling to survive the greatest economic depression the country had ever seen. Many Americans feared that needy immigrants would take precious jobs or place an added strain on an already burdened economy.

Hmmm, sounds familiar doesn’t it?

America’s immigration laws have always placed quotas on the number of people allowed to enter the United States from other countries. For example, in 1939 the quota allowed for 27,370 German citizens to immigrate to the United States. In 1938, more than 300,000 Germans —mostly Jewish refugees —had applied for U.S. visas (entry permits). A little over 20,000 applications were approved. Beyond the strict national quotas, the United States openly denied visas to any immigrant “likely to become a public charge.” This ruling proved to be a serious problem for many Jewish refugees who had lost everything when the Nazis took power and might be in need of government assistance after they immigrated to the United States.

In May 1939, only a few months before war began in Europe, a passenger ship called the St. Louis left Germany carrying nearly a thousand refugees, most of whom were Jews. Many of these people had already qualified for, but had not yet received, American visas. They arranged for temporary Cuban tourist visas that would enable them to wait outside of Germany for U.S. visas. By the time the St. Louis reached Havana, however, the Cuban government had changed its visa regulations. It refused to allow most of the refugees to land.

Forced to leave Cuban waters, the St. Louis sailed up the Florida coast. The U.S. Coast Guard followed close behind to prevent any passengers from swimming ashore. The State Department refused to allow the refugees to land without special legislation by Congress or an executive order from the president. Efforts by American Jewish organizations to work out a compromise failed. The desperate passengers aboard the St. Louis sent President Roosevelt a telegram pleading their case; he never replied.

Finally, the St. Louis returned to Europe and several nations granted asylum to the refugees. But when Hitler’s troops marched through Europe, most of the St.Louis’ ill-fated passengers were eventually caught by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps.

I am not suggesting that the immigration issue facing this country today is akin to Nazi Germany, what I am suggesting, is that immigration law is MAN-made and so it will forever be a work in progress. Rule of law is relevant only as it applies to the man making the law in the present day. As we all know, many laws have changed, with much strife, throughout the history of this country.

Father Creedon says it best in this interview.

Nothing will bring Luis Ramirez back to his family, but the wheels of justice have finally begun to turn in the correct direction. I was truly shocked to hear of charges levied against the very people who are suppose to uphold the law.   As reported by CNN:

Washington (CNN) — Five people, including three police officers, have been indicted on charges related to the beating death of a Latino man in rural Pennsylvania in July 2008, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Two indictments charge the five with federal hate crimes, obstruction of justice and conspiracy in what authorities are calling a racially motivated attack.

  Read more…

The PWCA blog has information about an opportunity to open Lake Manassas to the public. After being closed for years and years, it’s about time!

The Manassas City Council is considering opening Lake Manassas to the public for fishing, paddling and wildlife watching. They’re discussing options to provide public access to Lake Manassas at a special work session on Monday, Dec. 7, at City Hall. Read more here and attend the meeting if you can so that the Council knows people want public access to Lake Manassas.

This report came out November 5th.   I am not going to post the entire report, but you can click here to read it in full.

What jumped out at me, immediately, was the fact that overall, the sudden demographic change, i.e. the influx of Latinos, to specific neighborhoods, resulted in a sense of community loss. Residents who had lived in fairly homogeneous populations, were quite suddenly faced with dramatic changes to their perception of what was “comfortable” and secure in their own neighborhoods.  

I am not suggesting there were not real issues of quality of life, but it is clear, the orchestrated deliberate attempt to equate all hispanics as “illegals” was meant to facilitate targeted removal of a specific population.   Many hispanics left, not because they were lacking proper documentation, but because they were afraid of being harrassed. 

FAIRFAX, Va.—A study by George Mason University researchers has found that a majority of residents in two Manassas neighborhoods express deep-seated anti-immigrant sentiments, though fewer than half say immigration has affected them personally. The survey, which included life history interviews, was conducted from Spring 2008 to Summer 2009 to attain an in-depth understanding of the forces inciting a local movement to adopt legislation to “crackdown” on illegal immigration in Prince William County.

Forty-six percent of those surveyed indicated that immigration had had either no effect on them personally or has had a positive effect. A total of 79 percent stated that they like their neighborhoods and 56.9 percent said that they planned to stay in their neighborhood in the next 5 years.

Yet, 53 percent of residents in the Weems and Sumner Lakes neighborhoods surveyed stated that the U.S. should take decisive action to deport illegal immigrants, and/or blamed them for depleting local resources such as health care and education. Some expressed strong anti-immigrant sentiments as indicated by the statements: “The place is being barraged with Latinos…Everywhere you go, there are swarms of them,” and, “Can I send them on a bus and load it up until they all speak English?” Others were more moderate in their sentiments, citing the issue of immigrants having entered the country illegally as a key concern.

“Our research suggests that the changes that have taken place in Manassas in the last 20 years have been unsettling for some residents,” says Debra Lattanzi Shutika, assistant professor of English at Mason. “Many of these residents seemed to be experiencing what I have identified as a type of ‘localized displacement’—they feel out of place in their home community. In some cases, residents told us that they found it difficult to adapt to the changes taking place around them, and that these changes that made their ‘home’ seem unfamiliar.”

 

“Homeowners naturally want their investments to appreciate,” says Cleaveland, a faculty member in Mason’s Department of Social Work. “What becomes problematic is turning this discussion into one about the presence of a particular group of people, and creating a social issue in which a certain segment of the population is targeted. We would have hoped for a debate and response that concerned trash pick-up, parking and overcrowding, instead of one in which a particular group is singled out as problematic.”

[EDITOR NOTE:  Thread moved to current location because of continued interest. M-H 11/22/09]

John Stewart say s of Fox News , “we finally had a literal manifestation, of what we feel, is the metaphorical methodology of the entire fox network, which of course, is the subtle altering of a reality to sell a preconceived narrative”.

Translation, Fox News sells propoganda, plain and simple. Do I believe this is some “unfortunate incident” as Sean Hannity would have us believe? No way! Does Sean forget he was heard DISTORTING what President Obama said about the health insurance execs?

I believe it went a little something like this:
Sean “Obama said that all insurance execs are bad” vs reality, which is Obama actually said ” he does NOT believe insurance execs are bad, but that the industry is driven by profit only”

Imagine, even a thief was inspired to be a decent human being on Veterans Day! A weird feel good story on Veterans Day.

MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee Army reservist’s military identification earned him some street cred Tuesday, when he says four men who mugged him at gunpoint returned his belongings and thanked him for his service after finding the ID.

The 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student said he was walking home from work about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday when he was pulled into an alley and told to lay face down and with a gun to his neck. Four men took his wallet, $16, keys, his cell phone and even a PowerBar wrapper from his pants pockets, he said.

But the hostile tone quickly changed when one of the robbers, whom the reservist presumed was the leader, saw an Army ID in the wallet. The robber told the others to return the items and they put most of his belongings on the ground next to him, including the wrapper, the reservist said.

“The guy continued to say throughout the situation that he respects what I do and at one point he actually thanked me and he actually apologized,” said the reservist, who asked not to be identified Tuesday because the robbers still had his keys.

The reservist said he asked the men, who all had hoods or hats covering their faces, if he could get up and they said he could before starting to walk away.

“The leader of the group actually walked back, gave me a quick fist bump, which was very strange,” he said.

Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said the reservist is credible and that officers still were looking for the suspects Tuesday.

The reservist didn’t realize until later that his keys were not with him and he doesn’t know if the robbers intended to keep those, he said. Still, he said he feels lucky.

“I’m just kind of awe struck that everything was given back to me due to just being in the military, ” he said. “I realize in pretty much every other situation that wouldn’t happen

.”