From the Jeff Barnett for Congress campaign:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 October 2010

Candidates Clash in First Campaign Forum

Hundreds Gather to Question Barnett and Wolf on Issues

GREAT FALLS, VA – Jeff Barnett and his Republican opponent Rep. Frank Wolf, candidates for Congress in Virginia’s 10th District, met last night at a candidate forum in Northern Virginia. The forum, sponsored by the Great Falls Civic Association, was the first such meeting of the campaign.  

Hundreds of residents from Great Falls and the surrounding area packed into The Grange to see the candidates discuss their vision for the future of Northern Virginia. Spirits were high, and supporters of both candidates interjected loudly, asked pointed questions, and broke into applause at regular intervals. Bill Redpath, libertarian candidate for Congress, also participated in the forum.  

“We’ve been working hard on this campaign for nine months, and I know voters were grateful for the chance to finally see both candidates on stage, and to ask them questions,” Barnett said on Wednesday, referring to Wolf’s previous refusal to attend candidate forums. “That kind of apples-to-apples comparison is so helpful to voters. After last night, the contrast between Mr. Wolf and myself is abundantly clear. As he said repeatedly, Frank is running on what he’s done in the past. I think that’s the wrong approach. With so much at stake, we must look to the future. That’s the only way to meet the challenges we face. We need anticipatory leadership, and our 30-year incumbent has made it very clear that he won’t provide it.”  

Sarah O’Neil, a resident of Great Falls, agreed. “It seemed like Frank Wolf highlighted a laundry list of small accomplishments, things like post offices and road preservation. I thank the Congressman for his help on those matters, but we’re facing billions of dollars in deficits and high unemployment, thanks in part to his failed economic leadership. We need big solutions and transformative ideas, but Frank Wolf would only talk about the little things. His solution to everything, including fighting the deficit, seemed to be to convene an outside commission. Don’t we elect Congressmen to make the tough decisions? Jeff Barnett stood out for the clarity of his ideas and the courage of his convictions.”  

Herndon resident Cesar del Aguila was worried by the Congressman’s attitude. “Some of Mr. Wolf’s remarks bordered on being outright discriminatory. When explaining his support for closing a local Islamic school, Frank Wolf seemed to conflate peaceful Muslims with hateful extremists. Northern Virginia is an increasingly global and diverse community, and the Congressman’s aggressive attitude towards religious minorities is way outside the mainstream.”

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It’s not surprising that Wolf is only taking credit for token legislation, and not taking ownership of the fact that for the past 2 years, all he has done is say “no” to his constituents’ needs. No to health care reform; No to reform of the financial services industry; No to equal pay for equal work; and No to just about everything else proposed by President Obama or Congress that would move the 10th District of Virginia, and this country as a whole, forward.

We deserve better. We deserve a man like Jeff Barnett, who served his country admirably in the United States Air Force for 26 years while Frank Wolf was roaming the halls of Congress keeping himself hidden from view (and pretty much his M.O. since Jeff launched his congressional campaign).

Vote Jeff Barnett for Congress on November 2nd.

The following is a press release from the Jeff Barnett for Congress campaign:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12 October 2010

Frank Wolf Dodges Another Joint Appearance

Refuses to Attend Fairfax Chamber of Commerce Debate

Fairfax, VA – Jeff Barnett, Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, appeared this morning in a candidate forum hosted by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce at George Mason University. Rep. Frank Wolf, Barnett’s opponent, did not attend the forum, continuing his longstanding refusal to engage in public debate.  

Frank Wolf was the only major party candidate from the three congressional districts in Northern Virginia who failed to attend the forum.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Frank Wolf has ducked another opportunity to debate our plans for the future of our District and our Country,” said Barnett. “Instead of agreeing to have an honest discussion on resolving the problems we face, Frank did the same thing he has been doing for years Congress: he just said ‘no.'”  

“Frank Wolf’s decision to skip the Chamber of Commerce forum is an insult to the business community of Northern Virginia,” said Barnett spokesman Patrick Dorsey. “Wolf claims to support small business, but he won’t share his ideas with them. Even after 30 years in office, a public servant has an obligation to work with the leaders of his community. Wolf’s refusal to do so is very disappointing. It’s a clear sign that we need new leadership in the 10th District.”

Barnett addressed the members of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of the day’s events. He spoke about his plans to help small business and his vision for grow the next generation of jobs in Virginia. Barnett also promoted the value of lifelong education. “I am tremendously optimistic about the future of our economy,” Barnett said, complimenting the ingenuity and perseverance of the area’s businesses.  Barnett concluded his remarks expressing his certainty that the Country’s best days lie ahead. He thanked the Chamber of Commerce for their hospitality, and expressed his eagerness to work with the membership as a Representative in Congress.

Bill Maher, in this linked column, is rude and crude, with attitude, but he knocks it out of the park.

Under Eisenhower, the top tax rate was 91%. Under Nixon, it was 70%. Obama just wants to kick it back to 39 — just three more points for the very rich. Not back to 91, or 70. Three points. And they go insane.

That’s the tame stuff.

I drive the same way to work every day – Leesburg to Herndon, Route 7 to 28 to 606. To break the boredom, I try to notice things that are different.

Yesterday, I noticed something different – Jeff Barnett signs in the Town of Herndon, where Spring Street meets Van Buren Street. Not a lot; maybe 3 or 4, and there were a few signs for the Incumbent Congressman as well. And it wasn’t overwhelming, as political signs in Herndon tend to become.

Today I noticed something different at that same spot.The Barnett signs were gone, replaced by even more signs for the Incumbent Congressman.

I was angry for a few seconds, then I remembered to laugh. Because it suddenly came to me – the Incumbent Congressman and his supporters are scared. They’re scared to debate Jeff. They’re scared to meet with the voters. They’re scared to discuss his worthless record over the past 30 years. And they’re scared that nationally, people are beginning to take notice of Jeff Barnett, his campaign, and what he stands for.

And it made me laugh again, even harder, to know that I’m supporting someone who the opposition is really taking seriously.

Someone who can actually beat the Incumbent Congressman. Something that hasn’t been done in 30 years.

They’re really scared.

From AlterNet, via Oliver Willis – this guy really wants to be county treasurer:

Laugh riot!!

EDIT: Apparently the viral nature of the video prompted someone to pull it off of YouTube. Sorry – it was a classic.

Here’s a link to it on Huffington Post.

President Obama is scheduled today to unveil a new economic package, part of which will be to make permanent the Research & Development Tax Credit that expired at the end of last year. This tax credit was instituted in President Reagan’s Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, has expired 8 times, and been extended 13 times, most recently in 2008 by President Bush.

The tax credit, a one-for-one write down of qualified R & D expenses, is hailed by businesses as an incentive for companies to create jobs in the U.S. and remain competitive in the global economy. So much so that Tech America runs an ongoing calculator on its’ website that shows how much the lapsed tax credit is costing our economy in lost jobs and revenue. The numbers are simply astounding.

We know where Jeff Barnett stands on the issue of R & D and job creation. He believes that the key to creating jobs in this economy is working with “technological innovators”,  just the sort of entities that can benefit from a R & D tax credit.

We also know how our current incumbent congressman stands with regard to R & D.  Oh, he talks big on his House website about it:

I have been a longtime champion of job creation through export promotion, domestic manufacturing, and high-tech research and development. Ninety-five percent of the world’s customers live outside the U.S.  These markets provide an opportunity to grow American businesses and create American jobs.

Unfortunately, his actions speak louder than his words. When the R & D tax credit came up for reauthorization in 2008 (HR 6049), our 10th District representative voted AGAINST reauthorization.

Republicans have generally been behind the R & D tax credit since its introduction in 1981, as have Democrats. It’s a common sense method to spur innovation, keep businesses competitive in a global economy, and create jobs, since many of the labor costs can be recouped through the credit. But judging by the reactions of the “Party of NO”, it seems like they will be in lock-step opposition to the reauthorization and/or permanence of the credit. Because Republicans in Congress and the Senate, along with our do-nothing and hypocritical representative, are all about playing politics right now, now in helping the economy.

Jeff Barnett is below petty politics. He truly desires to keep the country moving forward by investing in the people and companies that are the lifeblood of the economy.  

I’m done.

It’s taking up too much of my energy. I’m done being angry at Republicans/Conservatives/Tea-baggers.

I read Lowell’s story yesterday morning on Blue Virginia about the woman in Maryland who was verbally abused on the highway by an angry Obama-hater.  I thought to myself how I would handle such a situation. I have a short temper, and I’m prone to argument, but I decided that, for the sake of my family, I’m taking a new tack.

I’m going to laugh.I’m going to laugh at juvenile imbeciles who go on local newspaper comment boards, and, in a manner not germane to the issues being discussed, go on a taunting spree that is on a 12 year-old’s level, and “nanny-nanny-boo-boo” Democrats (or the “boys up the river”), just to make their point.

I’m going to laugh at the good ol’ boy I occasionally see driving his pick-up truck on the Dulles Toll Road with all the anti-Obama, anti-Democratic, pro-Palin bumper stickers.

I’m going to laugh at the people who think they are informed because they watch Fox News 24/7, and take the word of people like Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity as gospel.

I’m going to laugh at people who think the President is a Muslim (with all the evidence against it) or wasn’t born in this country (with all the evidence supporting it). And at the people who think that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are to blame for companies making money hand over fist but not hiring or giving their workers raises. And at people who want to repeal the health care reform bill because they think that allowing people to get care for pre-existing conditions, or for allowing people to join pools to purchase health care represents a “government takeover of health care”.

I’m going to laugh at the low-information nut-cases who wish to deny Americans their First Amendment rights granted by the Constitution simply because they aren’t Christians. And who are against building a “Ground Zero Mosque”, even though it’s not at Ground Zero and it’s not a mosque.

I have to laugh, because as hard as we try, it’s difficult to get through to the 60% of American voters who refuse to educate themselves fully on the issues and use logic and reason when doing so. Really, though, it’s more like 40%, because you have the 20% of rock-heads who are solidly in the right-wing tin foil hat brigade.

Am I calling people names? You betcha. Am I stooping to their level? Yup. But you know what?

I really don’t care.

Indications are showing that it’s possibly going to be bad news for Democrats in November, depending on which polls you read and trust. Them’s the breaks, I guess. I’m still going to work hard to get Jeff Barnett elected as our new congressman. I’m going to work hard in 2007 to get Senator Mark Herring re-elected and the ineffective Tag Greason defeated. I’m going to work hard to have a Democrat win the Supervisors seat in Broad Run next year, too.

But I’m not going to let the loud mouths bother me anymore. They’re not worth my time.

Hahaha.

The Washington Post has a new poll out this morning that has some interesting data. In it, the initial questioning of all adults seem to favor Democrats.  The difference comes when the questions are asked of only ‘likely voters’ – then the data skews heavily towards Republicans.

What can we derive from this? Of course, it’s that the Republicans (and right-leaning independents) are more motivated to vote this election cycle. For whatever reason, Democrats (and left-leaning independents) don’t seem like they’re going to come out in the magnitude that they did back n 2008, and that doesn’t bode well for us.

But there is a positive in all of this – there are 2 months to go before Election Day. If we as progressives can persuade enough uninterested Democrats and like-thinking independents to get out there on Election Day, maybe we can turn the GOP tidal wave into just a 3-foot swell.

We have people on our side, but we need to convince them that not voting in this election is equal to a vote for Republicans, which means:

• An attack on Social Security, possibly looking at privatization, and the potential for huge losses;

• Extensions of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which will increase the national debt by $1 trillion;

• An attempt to roll back the Health Care Reform Act, which, among other things, allows people with pre-existing conditions to not be rejected for care;

• A return to the days of not-so-long-ago, where, in the 6 years from 2000-2006, Republicans racked up trillions upon trillions of dollars in unfunded spending; turned a $268 billion budget surplus into a $800 billion deficit; and didn’t create one new net job;

• Continued assaults on the civil rights of gays and American Muslims.

There still is time, if we can get out the vote. Voting for a common-sense progressive like Jeff Barnett would be the first step.

From today’s Loudoun Times Mirror:

Loudoun County’s highest ranking judicial officials have asked supervisors to ban public displays from the courthouse grounds, saying the current policy could impede on the daily functions of the courtrooms.  

In an Aug. 31 letter to the board, judges from all of Loudoun’s courts asked supervisors to find a more suitable place for the displays to continue.

“We appreciate the Board’s interest in fashioning a policy that permits diverse individuals and groups to erect displays celebrating their beliefs, history, and traditions in a publicly owned place, and hope and believe they can be accommodated in an appropriate location within the County ownership. But we believe the courthouse grounds should be a symbol of the rule of law and a testament to the beauty and history of the County and its people,” the letter reads.

A sound, rational opinion.  

Last week, the eastbound interchange linking the Loudoun County Parkway with Route 7 was completely opened. Great news for commuters, except that there was still a traffic light just prior to the Route 28 South on-ramp.

Imagine my surprise yesterday afternoon as I was driving from Leesburg to my son’s school in Sterling and found, to my delight, that the aforementioned traffic signal at Richfield Drive/George Washington Blvd. had been completely removed and the crossover blocked.  So now, except for 3 remaining traffic signals, at Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn Village Blvd., and Lexington Drive, there is practically a free-flow of traffic from Battlefield Parkway in Leesburg to Route 28 in Ashburn.

The intersections at Belmont Ridge and Ashburn Village will probably be there for some time, as they are slated to be converted into interchanges with no traffic light, but there is no funding currently in place to do so.  But the light at Lexington is vexing. It would be impossible to make it an interchange, with its’ proximity to Ashburn Village Blvd., but you also just can’t block it off. Blue Mount Nursery is served with that interchange, and one would think that it would hurt their business if that light were removed.

Or would it?Here’s a possible solution – if the traffic light at Lexington Drive were removed, couldn’t eastbound drivers who wish to patronize Blue Mount Nursery simply drive the half mile or so to the Loudoun County Parkway interchange, cross over Route 7, and head westbound to make a right into Blue Mount? Surely that can’t take any longer than waiting for a left-turn signal at Lexington Drive, would it? What it would do is keep a freer flow of traffic both ways. The number of drivers inconvenienced by this, relative to the volume of drivers who drive Route 7, would be minimal.

There is also the issue of westbound drivers making the left on to Lexington to get to their homes and offices in the Ashbrook Commons area of Ashburn. Again, driving the quarter-mile or so to the light at Ashburn Village Blvd., and either making a U-turn and heading east to a right on Lexington or accessing Ashbrook Commons from Ashburn Village Blvd. would also keep traffic moving. The inconvenience factor would be slightly higher, but (I would assume) probably not much.

And there is already precedent for this, as eastbound drivers who seek access to the Holiday Inn on Route 7 West in Leesburg have to utilize the interchange at River Creek Parkway, as do golfers coming from the east who wish to play at Goose Creek Golf Club.

What we do know, though, is that we currently don’t have the funding to modify any of the existing interchanges, so we need innovative solutions to keep traffic flowing and keep congestion down to a minimum.