Abbitt and Goode: Old Pals on Healthcare?

In my recent post, I was discussing the flyer that Watkins Abbitt had sent to his 59th District constituents. One of the items I listed caught my eye, and I started thinking about Abbitt and his good buddy, Virgil Goode.

Works with Congressman Virgil Goode to lower prescription drug costs and makes sure Social Security and Medicare are preserved.

First, prescription drug costs are hardly the purview of a backbench state Delegate. This is an issue for a Federal representative of ours, to protect us and make sure that we are able to get prescriptions at a decent price. Know anywhere we can find anyone like that?

Seriously though, Virgil certainly hasn’t been that for us. From the Republican-branded programs like Medicare D, which left most people scratching their heads until the ‘donut hole’ arrived, we got capitulation to big industry. Also in that horrible arrangement is the provision that the US Government will not allow for negotiations for the best price on those prescription drugs. (January 12, 2007 HR4)

Of course, there is a connection here nobody has talked about. I will only mention it here because it is germane: Watkins Abbitt’s wife is a lobbyist for pharmaceutical firms.

Since Watkins and Virgil are friends (and I am sure they have a great friendship, they probably get along well. Nothing wrong with that.) and Watkins claims that his relationship with Virgil has been good for the Fighting 59th, I would just ask if he could flesh that out somewhat for me.

I also am not aware what difference a state Delegate like Watkins has to do with Social Security. Although some benefits are managed by the Commonwealth for the Federal Government, by and large, policy is made in the Congress.

I will be looking in future articles at what the history of Virgil’s votes is on these matters, as well as whatever Watkins has/had to do with them. I will be sure to let you know.

Last time I said that these talking points sound overwhelmingly Republican. They do, and you don’t get more Republican than Watkins Abbitt and Virgil Goode.

Watkins Abbitt is a Republican

When Watkins Abbitt declares in his recent flyer, “Voting to protect our common sense Virginia values”, does he realize the rest of his publication sounds like he is 100% Republican? He may say he is an ‘Independent”, but the rest of the flyer is pure Republican hot-button issues.

This is a sample, verbatim, from his latest mailer that reached my house today:

In the Virginia House of Delegates we’ve been able to count on Watkins Abbitt to do the right thing:

Voted to eliminate the Death Tax that hurts so many central Virginia families, small business people and farmers.

Works with Congressman Virgil Goode to lower prescription drug costs and makes sure Social Security and Medicare are preserved.

Helped lead the successful effort to define marriage as the union between one man and one woman. He knows Virginia should not recognize homosexual marriages.

Consistently votes to crack down on illegal immigration — supporting legislation denying bail for illegal aliens arrested in Virginia and voting to deny in-state tuition for Virginia universities to illegal immigrants.

Some of this is a subjective opinion, but the large percentage of this is nothing but disinformation.

Watkins left the Democratic Party, much like his buddy, Virgil Goode. Did he get his seat on the Appropriations Committee because he became an ‘Independent’? Abbitt meets with Republicans, espouses Republican values, and legislates like a Republican.

He is not what we need in the 59th District.

Connie Brennan for Delegate.

Mark Warner’s Pig Roast, Part Two

Mark Warner’s basketball injury, which didn’t seem to bother him very much.

Vivian Paige gets a video clip from Shawn O’Donnell.

Shawn goofs around, making a pronouncement on Vivian’s video.

Secretary Viola Baskerville (and friend) bask in the afternoon sunshine.

Katherine Turner and Ann Burks of the Chesterfield Committee enjoying themselves.

Delegate Brian Moran talks with friends in the shade.

Future Senator Mark Warner talks with some of the attendees.

Trent Armitage (Longwood University Young Democrats) and Dominick Gabello (thanks Isaac!) of the Young Democrats take a break for food from manning the Mark Warner volunteer sign-up table.

Brian Moran talks with another supporter, his lovely wife Karyn. (Thanks Kris and Vivian!)

I had a great time, and I can’t wait to welcome Mark Warner to our county as soon as he can get here!

Mark Warner and a Few Thousand of his Closest Friends

Fresh from his announcement that he is running for the US Senate, Mark Warner threw a party Saturday at his farm. It was the second year that I have been to this event, and, like the first year I went last year, it was not to be missed.

The food was fantastic, and there were so many friends to talk with. Vivian Paige has a great article up about the party, I recommend you take a look.

Here are some of the scenes from yesterday.

The weather was perfect. Despite fog and rain earlier in the day, it was 72 degrees and sunny at the party.
There were games to play: volleyball and other games; swimming, and hay rides.

The pig was perfect, and as a matter of fact, there were two of them!

There were also hot dogs and hamburgers for those who didn’t want pig.

The salads were great. There was cole slaw and cucumber/tomato salad, one of my favorites.

There were several of these lemonade stands, and several coolers full of ice with water and sodas.

The rest of these pictures are of people, so I will just say it was wonderful to see so many smiling, friendly faces. Vivian was taking video clips of people, and I was taking pictures of Vivian while she took pictures of others. It was a great time, and one of the things that really pulls the Virginia Democratic party together.

Part Two will be along shortly, and will contain photos only.

Vacation for Cumberland County Administrator; World Screeches To a Halt

I inquired recently about my favorite subject, with the Cumberland County government: Open Government. I have asked sporadically over the last year and a half about notices for public meetings. I began to get told by Judy Ownby, County Administrator, that they had received advice from VACO (Virginia Association of Counties) that said if the meeting was continued, the only public notice that was required was the announcement at the regular meeting.

This brings several terms into this discussion. When a body decides to adjourn to, that means there doesn’t have to be any further notice of a subsequent meeting. Likewise with recess. This is my take on these terms, plus what I have been told by the county government, so please feel free to correct me.

If the meeting is adjourned, then the next meeting is required to be noticed.

You might ask yourself why this is important. A meeting is supposed to take place in public, by law. If important matters are discussed at the meeting and no one was told it was going to be held, then the body can still vote on items. Public participation in and of itself is not required for the process of governing. Too many people assume that their representatives have their interests at heart. in almost every case, that is not true.

Take Cumberland County for instance. Allied Waste, a large mega trash hauler and landfill owners, have set their sights on Cumberland County. As of now, there is little that can be done to stop it. However, 19 months ago, the Board of Supervisors were having as many as 3 and 4 meetings a week to plan the selling of the landfill to the citizens.

Some people were paying attention, so they were at some of the meetings. Not only has the county welcomed the dump to this county, but have told some whoppers along the way to sell it. But I digress.

I went in and talked with Jill Mathews, Assistant County Administrator, about some figures I had talked to her about before. She looked up the figures for me, and I went to say hello to some people that work in the building. When I came back, she gave me the paper, and I asked her about notice for the meeting next Tuesday, September 18th. She said there would be no notice.

What proceeded was more than a discussion, less than an argument. I was trying to get a straight answer, and it was not working. She got very exasperated, and spewed the VACO ‘opinion’ at me again She was clearly annoyed when I asked her if she was in charge since Judy was on vacation. If so, I reasoned, the other excuse being used (no time to advertise) could be proven false as well. She stated that she was not in charge of public notices, and that Judy had called to speak to her today. I made the analogy that if she is in charge while Judy is away, she shouldn’t have had to wait for instructions on whether to advertise a meeting, as is required by law.

We left it at an impasse, she was clearly not happy. But you know what? Too damn bad. She works for me as a county employee. I told her that it really isn’t my problem that a meeting was scheduled so soon after the last one. It also isn’t my problem that they have two excuses for why they don’t post some public meeting notices.

All this is a reflection of the lack of leadership of the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors and their Chair, Bill Osl.

Please feel free to leave a comment if i got any of the legal and parliamentary stuff wrong. ~m

Where is Watkins Abbitt?

None of us outside a select few know where Watkins Abbitt will turn up next. I imagine there is a super-secret mailing list so the true followers can get the schedule. I would like to hear him speak, but I am not in the upper circle. As a constituent, I would like to hear him speak on the issues that face our Commonwealth, like transportation for instance.

I doubt Watkins Abbitt wants to talk with anyone about opposing a ban on all indoor smoking for 17 years now. Is this a part of Watkins Abbitt carrying on the family legacy? His father fought long and hard in Congress to see that tobacco was not targeted by the health freaks of the day.

Don’t get me wrong, I smoke, unfortunately. I have always been aware of others that are around me, and never smoked in the house or the cars when my daughters were growing up. I try to be respectful of others rights to not breathe foul, smoke filled air.

Where is Watkins Abbitt? According to an email I received earlier today, he will be talking this weekend to those at the Albemarle GOP Breakfast. Will he get any hard questions, being that he is, you know, an Independent? Does he identify more with the GOP? When can we expect to hear him or see him at a Democratic Breakfast to talk?

Well, I already know the answer to that question. Never.