For Pete Snyder

When I first heard Pete Snyder was running for lieutenant governor, I thought, “so, the guy who just blew RPV’s Victory operation is now gonna offer himself up as a candidate. If this isn’t the best example of the Peter Principle, I’m not sure what is.”

Not long thereafter, he invited me to lunch. We talked about the things that are important to me: rights restoration, education, and how to reach out to minority voters. It was a good discussion, and I left wanting to know more about him; wanting to see if the “big ideas” were really there, or if that was just another catchy slogan that would soon be forgotten.

Virginia’s lieutenant governor has a relatively recent, important, and somewhat unofficial role: serving as the Commonwealth’s Chief Jobs Creation Officer. The LG’s supposed to help attract businesses to the state, and keep those that are already here. It would help, then, if the person who fills Bill Bolling’s shoes has some ideas on how to do that-and probably more importantly, the experience of having done it.

Pete Snyder has that. His story, by now, is somewhat known: launched one of the first social media companies in the nation, grew it into a successful business. Fast forward to today, when you’ll find Pete already working to bring businesses to Virginia, even in the midst of his campaign; he’s actively working to bring Berretta USA to Virginia, following Maryland’s decision to strengthen their gun laws.  That he’s willing to take on this task, regardless of victory or defeat in Richmond, says a lot to me about his character.

In talking with Pete about education, you begin to see some of his big ideas: wanting to get rid of teacher tenure, cutting back on school administration, and aggressively helping to turn around failing schools. On rights restoration, he believes as I do: that non-violent felons should be able to show themselves as productive citizens and be given their right to vote back. As far as his thoughts on minority outreach, he says he’s willing to go to areas where Republicans traditionally don’t, and to engage in the discussions Republicans traditionally don’t. Having found nothing in his record to indicate otherwise, I take him at his word.

Pete Snyder-as his signs say-is different. He’s not a politician in the sense of having been elected to something before. He doesn’t have the record of having to make hard decisions in the political world.

I like that about him. He brings a new energy to a party of, well, old guys. When we look at where those with experience have gotten us-and that’s not just the Democrats!-maybe it is time for something different, for someone to come shake things up, for someone who doesn’t know what “business as usual” is and therefore, isn’t tied to it.

Pete Snyder is that guy. And I look forward to supporting him at the convention in Richmond.

The Search…We gonna find you

The disgusting email written about LG candidate Susan Stimpson yesterday (no i refuse to repost this garbage) has set the Blogosphere on fire… This is the lowest of lows..and this person needs to be outed

http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/were-coming-for-you-next/

 

YRFV does what RPV…just doesn’t understand

Looks like the new generation of the Republicans in Virginia get it. Namely YRFV Chairman John Scott. There may be hope for the future of the Republican Party Yet. Check out this email from First Vice Chair Dan Webb :

Friend,

The YRFV convention has passed and we are now only 17 days away from the Republican Party of Virginia Convention. Things are going to heat up after that and we are looking forward working Ken Cuccinelli and the rest of the ticket so that we can have a decisive victory.

But before all of that, I wanted to let you know of a few new initiatives the YRFV has committed to. The board recently voted to approve Chairman John Scott’s appointment of Terrence Boulden as Diversity Development Director (he currently serves as the Virginia Black Conservatives President and is a member of the Prince William YRs). John has also formed a working committee on Diversity Development, which will be chaired by Terrence. Members include Alexandria YR Chair Brittney Morrett, Fairfax YR Chair Jorge Reyna and 2nd Congressional District YR Representative Coby Dillard. I am excited to have the opportunity to serve on the committee as well.

This committee is devoted to creating and implementing a strategy of engagement in diverse communities. We have hit the ground running. Some of you may have already been contacted by a few of our members.

However, we cannot change the tide in these communities without your help. Here are a few things you can do:

-This summer and fall there are going to be a ton of festivals where we can start building relationships in communities where Republicans are severely lacking friends. We need your help in keeping an eye out for events in your community where you think we should have a presence. Please let us know if there are events like the Hardee’s Latin Fest in your area so we can make sure to be there.

-Language skills are particularly helpful. If you or anyone you know speaks Spanish and would be willing to volunteer at some hispanic and latino events we would be more than grateful.

-The Virginia Beach Hardee’s Latin Fest is June 7th and 8th. It is one of the largest Latino festivals in Virginia with a likely attendance of 10,000 people. If you would like to help out with this or other events please let Terrence know (You can e-mail him at tjboulden@gmail.com)- if you speak Spanish please note that in your e-mail.

We have much more work to do but we are excited to start making inroads in communities that have been overlooked for far too long.

Faithful in the fight,

Dan Webb
First Vice Chair, Young Republican Federation of Virginia

This my friends is a step in the right direction…lets make it happen

TB

Open Letter to the President of the United States

Mr. President Barack Obama,

 

As the leader of the free world I’m sure you are a very busy man, so I will try and make this brief.

 

I am a young mother of six beautiful children.  I am a Pro-Life wife, a devout Catholic, and an Army veteran.  I know you have very little respect for the opinions or values of pro-lifers like myself, and I’m sure that what I have to say will not move you in any way whatsoever towards the plight of the unborn.  However, since we still have free speech in America, I cannot stand by and say nothing.

 

For the first time in our history, a sitting president addressed Planned Parenthood.  I understand why you support an organization that makes its profit off of the murder of innocent babies.  They send you great sums of money for campaigns.  I am very disturbed by your “God Bless You” statement to them however.  God would never bless an organization that has been responsible for millions of deaths since Roe V. Wade.  You call yourself a Christian man, but support the wholesale slaughter of the weakest among us. I was dismayed by your statement to Planned Parenthood in 2008 stating that if your daughters became pregnant before they were ready, that you would view your grandchild as “punishment”.  I became pregnant at 18 years old.  I was a scared Private still in Advanced Individual Training.  I was 19 when my daughter was born, and not once has my father called her punishment.  I have had 5 more children since then, and again no one in my family has called them punishment.

 

I noticed that you did not mention Kermit Gosnell in your speech, but he has carried out the very thing you supported while a Senator.  The Born Alive Infant Protection Act that would have protected the baby born alive from an abortion, you voted down, because it was the will of the mother that she wanted her baby dead.  I did not hear you give accolades to him, or others like him.  The horror of the Gosnell trial is happening many times over in this country, and yet you support an organization that recently admitted that it does not normally take measures to help a baby who survived an abortion attempt.

 

You have demonized those of us that believe a little baby has the RIGHT to see the light of day, the right to life, that punishing the baby is not the answer, and then tell us that we need to find common ground when it comes to abortion.  Mr. President, there is NO COMMON GROUND!!!  Your healthcare law will impugn the rights of the religious all over this country, and you have given us no respect to our faiths and beliefs.  Abortion is not healthcare!

 

You have supported an organization whose founder, Margaret Sanger, was an avowed racist and eugenicist.  An organization whose very focus was the depopulation of Black, Hispanic, poor, or disabled communities.  As the leader of our great nation you should want to help those mothers who feel driven to have an abortion, by telling them that they have help.  That there should be hope for their little baby, not death and destruction.

 

“If there is even one life we can save, we’ve got an obligation to try!”  Those were your words Mr. President when addressing gun violence.  Why do you berate and belittle those that feel the same way about the unborn?

 

You say God Bless You to them, but I hate to believe you mean that.  Jesus said, “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.” (Matthew 19:14).  That should be our guidance, not the blood money from abortions!  I will pray for you Mr. President, that your heart will be softened to the cries of the unborn, and that you will have compassion for the torn lives of their parents.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Danielle Denise Hollars

E.W Jackson Second tier candidate?

Not at all.
It has been said lately in many circles around the Commonwealth that Jackson may shock the world at the convention this May.
E.W. Jackson has been giving folks shivers throughout the Commonwealth with his unsurpassed oratory skills and life story. This is a man who came to being a Republican through his own life struggles, growing from poverty to having a law degree from Harvard and serving a stint with the Marines. Jackson and his life story is something we should all stop and take notice of as it’s a story that can relate to so many we want to reach out to who would never otherwise consider themselves Republicans or conservative.
I am a fan of Mr. Jackson’s views on individual liberty as well as his one of a kind love of America. I would also point out that he does speak strongly against unfunded state mandates on local governments which is a huge issue and something you don’t hear much about from other candidates:
“It is wrong for the state to make local residents financially obligated for policies they neither asked for nor approved. There must be a permanent ban on unfunded state mandates and a roll back of these burdens on local taxpayers.”

In my previous posts I have defended two candidates that I see come under brutal and unfair attack. With Mr. Jackson I rarely hear much negative – except for the beginning of this contest where we heard that Mr. Jackson had no chance and would not be able to raise money. Well that was changed in the last finance report showing him with more donors than any other candidate and his reported momentum in delegate allocations.
I do believe if Mr. Jackson wins the nomination for Lieutenant Governor he will be a great and unrivaled cheerleader and messenger for the True Republican Party. Hell, he already is. I also hope that in the party he is treated the way he wants and deserves to be treated: as an equal and not as a trophy. This is a man of great integrity, intelligence, and optimism and win or lose he should be seen as one of the new faces of the Republican Party of Virginia

Defending Pete Snyder #bigideas

Let me be frank: at the beginning of the race for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor Pete Snyder was my number one target to bashing, mock and downright dislike.
I am here today to tell you that that is no longer the case.

Unlike many who still are bashing and beating up on Mr. Snyder I have gotten to know the man,and have actually spoken to him about his “Big Ideas.” I believe that he is passionate about what he wants to do for Virginia.

The number one attack on Pete is, “What are his Big Ideas?” Well, I will tell you one for sure: I have not heard anyone speak about school choice and about education reform as passionately as Pete Snyder has:

“By reforming education, we can transform lives and impact whole families and communities for the better, for generations to come.”-Pete Snyder

Other Big Ideas: eliminating the corporate income tax and pursuing wholesale tax reform that will lower the tax burden and make Virginia a haven for job creators and families. Pete has also spoken on restoration of rights as much as Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has.

The personal attacks on Pete have regularly been without much merit or explanation.
For example, contrary to some smear attacks, he is solid on his stance on the Second Amendment.
Another attack I once agreed with is, “Pete is so fake.” Not true. Pete is a real human being and if you speak to him you will figure that out. I would arguably call him a geek, but a funny geek who does know what he is talking about and he has always been straight forward with any question I have for him – and his availability on those questions has been around the clock. Very few candidates have been as accessible as Pete which is important in a seven-way race.

A third attack – The Romney campaign. Let’s face it, that was not Pete Snyder’s fault, not by a long shot. Let’s point the finger at the Republicans who stayed home and did not vote, blame the direction (or misdirection) from Massachusetts to essential ignore part of the electorate, any number of factors. Ultimately, Pete was not Romney’s Campaign Manager.

And the attacks that Pete is bringing out too many young volunteers? Are we really trying to call this a bad thing?

One of the seven will be our nominee. Pete has shown himself to be just as hardworking and qualified as the best of them. I just want everyone to remember that when obsessive and baseless attacks on our candidates are being perpetrated, you may very well be attacking our next nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

IN DEFENSE OF JMDD

As we creep finally to the end of convention season there have been a few things on my mind. I would first want to point out that one of the seven candidates for L.G will in fact be our nominee and I am pretty nervous about the mudslinging by Republicans about fellow Republicans coming back to bite us in the ass in the general election, and I’m pretty disgusted that no one has thought about that.
In the case of former Senator JMDD I am wondering if the attacks on her are merely personal, I have to admit I have laughed at the gun grabbing jokes etc. etc. but the question is , is JMDD a gun grabber or an advocate for back ground checks? I asked her campaign to respond to the charges once and for all to satisfy my own curiosity here is what I received:
• At gun shows, the State Police are set up to run an instant background check on anyone purchasing a gun from a dealer to make sure the purchaser is neither a convicted felon, nor has been ordered to a mental health institution by the courts, as our statute prohibits either from purchasing a firearm. From a practical perspective, as long as they are already set up she believes they should also run the check on anyone who is purchasing from an individual at the show. Her opponents have been suggesting that she supports all of Mayor Bloomberg’s agenda simply because he agreed with her on that one issue. And that is simply not true. She does not support universal background checks, nor does she support gun registration.

• While serving in the General Assembly, she voted many times to protect our gun rights. For example, in 1998 HB1258 would have allowed the City of Richmond and the surrounding jurisdictions to prohibit carrying any loaded firearm in public areas – meaning you could not leave your house with your firearm in any of these jurisdictions. In addition to taking away the rights of gun owners in these jurisdictions, the passage of this bill would have led to a hodgepodge of firearm ordinances throughout the Commonwealth. She made the motion to kill this bill, in Committee, and it did not pass. She also voted against increased fees for a conceal carry permit and voted to kill one of the Democrats favorite backdoor ways of attempting to kill the 2nd Amendment, which is to hold gun manufacturers civilly liable for certain crimes with firearms.
To me that does not sound like she is much of a gun grabber I again question if the attacks are personal in nature?
Attack two that I have been hearing around is her famous phrasing “ethnic”, I would admit it may be a bit too much, but I also appreciate that Mrs. Davis has made an effort to bring some diversity in to the fold. I think that should be applauded and not attacked as viciously as it has been. Unfortunately this is new ground for the party to make up and I’m glad to see folks like Chairman Stewart and JMDD doing these things, an effort that should be applauded. Let’s attack those instead who chooses to ignore the need for diversity in the party.
I am supporting Scott Lingamfelter for LG as he is a dear friend and an inspiration, but getting to know JMDD has been a pleasure and I hope many others will take a closer look at her record before they are quick on the attack..