In direct conflict with his months of criticizing the stimulus, George Allen spent the last two weeks touring and touting the economic successes of two Virginia firms that received millions in stimulus grants. One of them, Ennis Electric Company, Allen visited last week and left out of his praise for the company was the fact […]
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McDonnell’s Cuts-Only Budget Won’t Solve Virginia’s Serious Problems
As the Virginia General Assembly discusses the budget for this year, it is clearer than ever that Governor McDonnell’s cuts-only approach to Virginia’s enormous budget shortfall is unrealistic and impossible. More than 90% of the proposed $880 million in cuts are to education and healthcare. We cannot rob the citizens of Virginia of such vital services because […]
VA’s Legislature Would Be Wise to Follow A State of the Union Message
Last night in his State of the Union address, the President spoke of a better America and better government. Guided by the belief that government “should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more,” the President has led our government to govern better, implementing historic initiatives such as the Affordable […]
Richmond Conservatives Rubber-Stamp Anti-Union ALEC Bill at Safety’s Expense
Conservative lawmakers in Virginia’s House and Senate are so eager to attack working Virginians, they’re throwing smart business protections for taxpayer dollars out the window–and they’re doing it with the help of the national, pro-corporate greed group ALEC. Legislation that has been approved by House and Senate committees seeks to prohibit Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), […]
Remember the Benefits of the Affordable Care Act
Today marks the one-year anniversary of an attempt by U.S. House Republicans, including those representing Virginians, to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The ACA’s benefits are substantive, extensive and more than impressive. A few of the ACA benefits by the numbers… 45,000 Americans with pre-existing conditions have health insurance 2.5 million of America’s young adults […]
Conservatives Push Virginia Voter Suppression Bills
Voting is a fundamental American freedom. Conservatives in the General Assembly are trying to erode that freedom by passing legislation that essentially amounts to a poll tax–requiring specific forms off ID in order to cast a vote. Though Republicans claim they are trying to prevent voter fraud, they are trying to rectify a problem that […]
Sen. Steve Martin’s Legislative “Mistake” – For the 3rd Year In a Row
State Senator Steve Martin told CBS 6 yesterday that the requirement in his bill, SB 1 (the very first bill prefiled in the Senate), that voter registration cards no longer be an acceptable form of identification when voting was a “mistake.” That’s quite a mistake considering this is the 3rd year in a row he […]
Better Choices for Virginia Rallies for a Better Budget
The Better Choices for Virginia Coalition, of which ProgressVA is a member, gathered in Richmond today to tell Governor McDonnell that Virginians need a budget plan with a balanced approach that cuts tax loopholes and not jobs. Their release reports, “With the Governor preparing to unveil his plan for the upcoming budget next week, the more than 40 […]
Legislators Lining Up in Opposition to Marshall’s Anti-Labor Bill
Opposition to a blatantly anti-labor bill is beginning to build in Virginia, and State Senators Dave Marsden and Chap Petersen and Delegate David Englin are among those voicing criticism. House Bill No. 2, introduced by Delegate Bob Marshall, would prohibit Virginia from providing funding for Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metro Project if it […]
3 Health Care Corrections for George Allen
George Allen’s latest campaign ad, released yesterday, included three blatantly false statements, and Protect Your Care’s statement in response does a great job in correcting them. The statement shares: Wrong fact #1: The Affordable Care Act is “hurting Virginia’s families and small businesses.” Correction #1: The ACA benefits small business and Virginia’s families – According to a recent study by […]