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A free and fair vote is the bedrock of our political system. Voting is the one instance where all of us no matter how rich or poor, influential or humble are completely equal because there is no cost involved. Voting is the great equalizer, of course, assuming it is free.

However this week the state of Virginia joined a growing number of states that have implemented or are pending implementation of a voting system that taxes voters. In other words, Virginia has implemented a poll tax. Governor Bob McDonnell signed into law a bill that requires voters to present a valid photo identification in order to vote.

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The following press release is from Arlington Streetcar Now. I'll have more later, but for now I'll just say that the County Board and staff thoroughly, patiently, and comprehensively answered every question about whether or not to build a streetcar, and overwhelmingly confirmed my view that this is not just the best way

It's kind of ironic that I've been spending so much time talking about Howard Dean this week. Why ironic? First, because I was a big supporter of General Wesley Clark - not Governor Dean - for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2003. Second, because two of the biggest stars of the Draft Wesley Clark movement - both of whom get major shoutouts in my book,

From Progress Virginia:Continue reading...

I just got off a conference call with former DNC Chair Howard Dean; Democracy For America's (DFA's) Purple to Blue Project Director Nick Passanante; 86th House of Delegates district candidate Jennifer Boysko; 87th House of Delegates district candidate John Bell; and Virginia House Democratic Caucus Executive Director Jody Murphy. The purpose of the call was to discuss the launch of DFA's Purple to Blue project ("a new effort to win state legislative house and senate chambers"), and also to introduce DFA's fir

It's almost 9 pm, which means that Gov. McDonnell has 3 more hours to decide what to do with transportation legislation, Medicaid expansion, etc. In the meantime, he's made some changes to the texting and drone bills that came to his desk. Pretty exciting, huh? Or not...Continue reading...

Cold Dead Hand with Jim Carrey from Jim Carrey      Continue reading...

As I've pointed out many times, it's not as if the Washington Kaplan Post ever cared about giving credit/linking to other news outlets for stories the other news outlets scooped them on. But now that they don't even have an Ombudsman anymore, they certai

From the latest (3/24/13) Northern Virginia Tea Party Newsletter, these people are seriously - as in, this apparently isn't parody - opposing the proposed Arlington County streetcar project because of...wait for it...Agenda 21. What is this evil known as Agenda 21, you ask? How about "a non-binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development?" Crazy, I know. And speaking of tinfoil-hat crazy, Glenn Beck opposes it because..."This used to be

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, March 24. Also, here's one of the ads by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, "featuring a gun owner who understands that support for background checks goes hand in hand with support for the Second Amendment and defending their families."Continue reading...

According to our fine Attorney General (and his office), the two main accomplishments of the 2013 Virginia General Assembly are not constitutional.Continue reading...