Where: Board Room at the Government Center

When: 7:30

Special guest: Tony Howard of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce. He’ll give a talk and then take questions!

Stevens and other members of the BOS will talk about the Chesapeake Bay Protection act and will take questions. By the way, did you know that the LCRC is against the CBPA? Resolutions against things that will help the environment that start out with

WHEREAS, the Loudoun County Republican Committee strongly supports clean air and clean water,

And then goes on to say, basically, but not if it means we have to personally do anything about it. always strike me as amusing.

Someone from Jeff Barnett’s campaign will be there to give us an update, but Jeff himself will be at Herndon’s Town Hall Meeting.

As always, LCDC meetings are open to the public, with published agendas and minutes and whatnot.

I will not be in attendance tonight, as it is Back to School Night at my son’s school! But if you can attend, I’m sure you’ll be in for an interesting and dynamic meeting.

Thank you Peter, Paul & Mary!!

NOM’s been playing Peter, Paul, & Mary’s version of “This Land is Your Land” at their gatherings.

Peter Yarrow has written a letter asking them to stop. I’ve signed the letter thanking Peter, Paul & Mary at that link.

Read more about it here

JEFF BARNETT FOR CONGRESS PUBLIC SCHEDULE: 8/30 – 9/4

Monday, August 30th

Town Hall Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM (Press Availability)

Public Safety Building, 1080 Coverstone Drive, Winchester, VA 22602

Tuesday, August 31st

Shenandoah University Political Mixer, 6:15 – 7:30 PM

Clement Dining Room, Shenandoah University, Winchester

Wednesday, September 1st

Town Hall Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM (Press Availability)

Warrenton-Fauquier Visitor Center, 33 N. Calhoun St., Warrenton, VA

Thursday, September 2nd

Town Hall Meeting: 7:00 – 8:30 PM (Press Availability)

Herndon Fortnightly Library, 768 Center St., Herndon, VA

Friday, September 3rd

Jeff Barnett’s 10th District Walking Tour, Day 1: Gore to Winchester

Telephone Press Conference, 9:00 AM (Call Patrick Dorsey for Information)

Winchester Campaign Office Grand Opening: 5:45 PM (Press Availability)

Corner of Braddock and Wolfe Streets, Winchester, VA

Meet-and-Greet Reception, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Eugene B. Smith Gallery, 25 N. Loudoun St., Winchester, VA

Saturday, September 4th

Jeff Barnett’s 10th District Walking Tour, Day 2: Winchester to Berryville

Dinner Meet-and-Greet, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Camino Real Restaurant, 16 Crow St., Berryville, VA

I hope to see you at one or more of these events!

From the Washington Post:

An Albemarle County Circuit Court judge has set aside a subpoena issued by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) to the University of Virginia seeking documents related to the work of climate scientist and former university professor Michael Mann.

Judge Paul M. Peatross Jr. ruled that Cuccinelli can investigate whether fraud has occured in university grants, as the attorney general had contended, but ruled that Cuccinelli’s subpoena failed to state a “reason to believe” that Mann had committed fraud.

Finally, there’s hope that maybe we can finally start seeing the end of these harassments being undertaken by the office of the Attorney General.

Of course, we can most likely expect the lunatic fringe to criticize this prudent ruling as an act of “judicial activism”.

“The Court has read with care those pages and understands the controversy regarding Dr. Mann’s work on the issue of global warming. However, it is not clear what he did was misleading, false or fraudulent in obtaining funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Peatross wrote.

End of story. We hope.

The newest entry in the “we’re not surprised” column is this nugget that’s been dug up:

http://officialdickblack.com/

The site was registered on August 8, 2010. No official word from the demagogue potential candidate, but apparently he believes he can unseat one of the strongest Democratic senators in the Commonwealth with his divisive and hateful rhetoric.

Loudoun voters repudiated (not “refutiated”, thank you) Mr. “Baby Pesticides”  5 years ago – rest assured we’re not about to go back to the dark ages again.

EDIT: I did not realize that there was a post on another website with the same title as mine. My apologies.

http://blackout2011.com/

That great site lists ALL of the reasons leading to Mr. “Plastic Fetuses” being defeated.

Bryan Fischer, in his continuing effort to rid the “American Family Association” of any remaining shreds of legitimacy, has been making some rather astonishing statements. Exhibit A might be his recent assertion that, because they failed to convert all Muslim Iraqis to Christianity, the 4,403 US servicemembers who lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom died for nothing. For no reason other than the constitution of Iraq as an Islamic Republic, Fischer calls the conflict “a tragic waste of American blood and American treasure.”

Here he is again, having a hissy fit because a high school football team in Dearborn, Michigan has altered its practice schedule to accommodate the religious practices of Muslim students (who are the majority on the team) during the month of Ramadan. Evidently, the Apocalypse is nigh:

Let’s be clear here. Dearborn, Michigan has now become a Muslim enclave, a Sharia enclave encircled by sovereign U.S. soil.

Really? This might be more convincing if it didn’t sound just like some 1920s screed targeting them dang fur’n Catholics and their treasonous loyalty to Rome. But it does, and to quote Mr. Fischer, it was published on a blog “right here in the United States of America.” Isn’t he fortunate to have our First Amendment protecting his right to say stupid things?

He goes on to explain that Islam “is not a religion so much as an entire, totalitarian ideology that is determined to control every aspect of life, right down to when you can practice football.”

Can you imagine? A faith tradition that actually expects you to think about what you’re doing even when you’re not sitting right there in church? One that requires the faithful to practice certain rituals and diets at certain times of the year, and provides rules for conduct in every aspect of your life? I can only conclude that Bryan Fischer is one of those “Sunday Christians” who doesn’t let his religion interfere with his real life too much (although he seems to have established a career based on letting it interfere with other peoples’). This notion of “separation of church and life” as what defines a bona fide religion as apart from “an entire, totalitarian ideology” will come as a surprise to many Christians, including certainly the ones at my church.

It will also come as a surprise to Christian Nationalists like Michael Farris and Chuck Colson, who I think would argue that their “biblical worldview” is comprehensive and inseparable from their political activism, work and family life. So comprehensive, in fact, that it’s used as justification for being rude to strangers, denying established scientific fact, bearing false witness about legislation, controlling adult children’s dating relationships, physically abusing and silencing young people, crushing academic dialogue, demanding special exemptions from normal job requirements, dehumanizing minorities, and generally using litigation and the legislative process to withhold basic rights from other citizens. There is literally no aspect of life where these busybodies don’t think their religion entitles them to intrude, including inside other people’s bodies. You might even call it an entire, totalitarian ideology.

(I shamelessly stole this from a friend on Facebook, it’s brilliant. -P13)

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong (reposting Mitchell Sturges)

01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can’t marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren’t full yet, and the world needs more children.

07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.

09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

The Washington Post’s Virginia Politics blog has started reading the tea leaves for the 2013 statewide races. And Loudoun’s own Sen. Herring is mentioned in the article.

Other Democrats being talked about for statewide office are Sen, Mark Herring of Loudoun County for attorney general, former Del. Brian Moran, who ran for governor last year, and former Del. Steve Shannon, who ran for attorney general and recently opened a PAC. But expect Moran and Shannon may end up back in the General Assembly before they make another run at statewide office. – The Washington Post

This article follows along a long string of speculation that the Senator is looking to run statewide in 2013, and one of the main pieces of evidence cited is his hosting of an event at an otherwise uneventful JJ dinner this year.

Each year, candidates seeking higher office in Virginia host hospitality suites after the Democrats’ annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner.

But so far, only state Sen. Mark Herring of Loudoun County is hosting one after the black-tie fundraiser Saturday night in Richmond.

We hear Herring is considering a run for attorney general in 2013, but in an interview this week he said that 2013 is a “long way off” and that he’s focused solely on his re-election to the Senate next year and being the best senator he can be. – The Washington Post

In the interests of full disclosure, I’m a strong supporter of Sen. Herring and believe he would be an excellent candidate for higher office, and more importantly, an excellent Attorney General or Governor.  I spoke with someone who works with the Senator, and he reminded me of the following:

“I think it’s important that you know Senator Herring’s position regarding the speculation and that is that he is 100% focused on his reelection in 2011. 2013 is a long way off, and he is very flattered to mentioned as someone people think would be qualified to seek statewide office.”

Senator Herring is public service at its best. Oh, and he makes a fantastic grilled ear of corn.  

The Executive Director for NARAL Prochoice Virginia was on the Rachel Maddow show last night to talk about Cuccinelli and his opinion that abortion providers can be regulated far more than an ordinary OB/GYN’s office. Abortions are already hard to get in Virginia, especially if you live in a rural area.

I am on the NARAL Prochoice Virginia Board, and I’m proud of it, and of Tarina.

The video is after the jump.

More unionbusting in New York, and David Waldman leads the way on filibuster reform.

• Tell Xerox: No More Unionbusting! – Motts in upstate New York, and now Xerox in Staten Island.
• Filibuster Reform – Remember when David Waldman came to the LCDC and talked to us about Filibuster Reform? Well, he’s leading the charge with a petition you should sign.
  

• Meet My Senators for Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is setting up meetings with critical Senators to advocate for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Both Senators Webb and Warner are key to this effort. You can sign up to help.
• Turn Off Fox – This is a campaign to get citizens to ask businesses with TVs in them (think barber shops) to turn off Fox News. I love it, because Fox News funds terrorism, thus watching Fox supplies money to terrorists.
• Can The Catfood Commission – The Social Security reform commission chaired by Sen. Simpson is a stalking horse for cutting benefits even though Social Security is solvent. Sign the petition to tell President Obama not to cut this critical element of our safety net.