tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23403245751783018662012-01-16T08:53:25.854-05:00Commentary and Analysis about how politics and issues affect REAL PEOPLEBarry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.comBlogger2401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-9477990073182347442012-01-11T21:48:00.000-05:002012-01-11T21:48:59.618-05:00

What's that?  Did I hear what I think I heard?  Could it be a change of heart within the field of GOP Presidential candidate about "class warfare".  After months of belittling and bashing the Occupy Wall Street movement for bringing attention to concentrated wealth and income inequity, Newt Gengrich, John Hunstman, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry are all channeling some form of populist outrage

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-61240026429080311032011-11-23T14:03:00.000-05:002011-11-23T14:03:10.970-05:00

A few days ago, someone I went to High School with and haven't spoken to in over 20 years (but none the less is one of my Facebook "Friends") posted a picture on Facebook of some National Guardsmen with a sign that said - Occupy Bagram: Quit your bitchin' and get back to work.  This set off a response from me and a little back-and-forth about the OWS movement.  Needless to say, I was put-off,...

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-75416341027077441192011-09-24T10:07:00.000-04:002011-09-24T10:07:29.688-04:00

A few weeks ago, the United States Census released their latest report on Poverty in America.  It showed that the official number of people who now live in poverty rose to 15.1% in 2010 from 14.3% in 2009.  This is the highest level since the Federal Government started tracking it in 1959.  This breaks down to a little more than 46 million Americans that are living in poverty.  While these

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-34709487231267550632011-09-21T16:40:00.001-04:002011-09-23T00:24:40.089-04:00

Forget the 12% approval rating of Congress, and the 6 out of 10 people polled that are not willing to re-elect their own Congressman.  And let's just ignore the fact that back at the end of July and beginning of August, we had a very small group of House members who couldn't find common ground with the President on the Debt Ceiling, even if they fell out of a tree and landed on their heads.  This

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-43722831957358072832011-08-29T11:14:00.000-04:002011-08-29T11:14:16.174-04:00

How many different ways can the GOP shoot themselves in the foot?  Here are a few examples from just this past week: In response to the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled Virginia and states up and down the eastern seaboard, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor commented that in order to assist those people affected, “those monies” need to be “offset with appropriate savings or cost-cutting

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-75322216720931689592011-08-15T08:03:00.000-04:002011-08-15T08:03:26.917-04:00

I'm not the biggest fan of MoveOn.org, but this is one of the easiest to understand videos about the current state of the economy I've seen.  Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich does an excellent job of "Keepin' It Super Simple" explaining the truth about our economy.  Take a look: 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-35742124272882038852011-08-04T15:05:00.000-04:002011-08-04T15:05:07.089-04:00

Just when people were catching their collective breath from the drama that was the Debt Ceiling Crisis, the Dow has dropped over 400 points.  This hasn't happened since December 1, 2008.  The day's not over yet, and stocks could claw their way back, but this is a bad day on Wall Street.  I sure hope holding the nation hostage over no tax increases for the wealthy and the Balanced Budget

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-2193708998001225472011-08-02T06:43:00.001-04:002011-08-02T09:18:40.683-04:00

There's no other way to say it, but this vote stinks!  While I'm sure that there are plenty of Republicans that held their noses or had one hand over their eyes, this one didn't sit well with the Democrats either.  There's still the vote in the Senate, and they have to get 60 to cut off debate to even have a vote.  But it will likely just be a process matter.  What else can be said about this

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-91879355428246043942011-07-29T16:49:00.000-04:002011-07-29T16:49:30.166-04:00

For years, Congressman Bob Goodlatte has been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, champions of the BBA (Balanced Budget Amendment).  According to CNN this afternoon, one of the reasons why Speaker Boehner pulled the vote last night was that the bill didn't have the BBA in it.  It pretty clear now that Goodlatte is at the center of this mess, as one of the lead hostage takers of the nation,

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-49576094025745434622011-07-29T08:55:00.000-04:002011-07-29T08:55:04.224-04:00

No matter how many ways you slice it, President Obama has bent over backwards to work with the GOP and their Tea Party leadership to address: 1) raising the Debt Ceiling, and 2) making painful cuts to entitlements.  Even when the GOP gets what they want, which is massive, massive cuts in entitlements and other government programs, they are still not willing to concede the other part to the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-84256869102005144432011-06-02T09:48:00.000-04:002011-06-02T09:48:45.859-04:00

On Tuesday, May 31st, the GOP controlled House of Representatives voted down a "clean" bill to increase the Federal Government's Debt Limit by $2.4 trillion.  By a vote of 97 - 318, the symbolic vote on the "clean" bill went down to defeat as expected.  All House Republicans voted against it and were joined by 82 Democrats.  The current debt limit is set at $14.3 trillion and if the bill had

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-55610533324192409452011-04-18T08:44:00.002-04:002011-04-18T08:51:40.454-04:00

Some would liken Donald Trumps second flirtation with a Presidential run to that of Ross Perot.  But then again, Trump has taken several steps that indicate he is more serious this time than in the past.   There's no question that Donald Trump is a media darling, but the conventional wisdom from the "eye rolling" political establishment is that he's not a serious candidate.  Or is he? 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-34771959651166065942011-03-22T09:49:00.001-04:002011-03-22T15:12:34.543-04:00

It looks like the American Taxpayer will finally get to see which banks got the bailout.  The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by the Banking Industry to keep secret the details of who got what from the TARP.  Thanks to Bloomberg News filing a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, the Federal Reserve will have to disclose the "names and details of the banks that borrowed money from

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-13812287200954301982011-02-16T06:37:00.000-05:002011-02-16T06:37:34.376-05:00

President Obama's proposed budget doesn't cut deep enough for the GOP.  If the GOP gets their way with the austerity ax, the jobs of the Federal workforce are on the chopping block.  According to CNN, during a news conference today, Speaker of the House John Boehner said that, "Over the last two years since President Obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-42556119346673209832011-02-14T07:02:00.002-05:002011-05-29T14:05:45.318-04:00

There's no getting around it.  Religion is serious business, it matters, and is relevant to everyone (beliver and  non-beliver alike).  According to the many scholars and people that advanced the concepts of Secularization Theory, the United States and much of the world should have let go of their attachments to spirituality and faith by now, replacing it with critical thinking and rationality. 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-32822183124612099632011-02-13T18:19:00.000-05:002011-02-13T18:19:12.143-05:00

The Virginian Pilot has issued a correction on former Governor and current DNC Chair, Tim Kaine, regarding his interest in running for Virginia's open U.S. Senate seat.  According to the Virginian Pilot, "Kaine previously said that he wasn't interested in the office if Webb didn't seek re-election."  So, the real question is will Kaine run?  The Virginian Pilot does a good job, for the most

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-16961639273219501392011-02-12T08:42:00.001-05:002011-02-12T09:06:00.419-05:00

According to a story on the Virginian Pilot's website, former Governor and current Democratic National Committee Chairman, Tim Kaine, has indicated that he is not interested in running for the now open U.S. Senate seat in Virginia.  Perceived by many on the left to be the strongest candidate to run against either of the declared GOP candidates, Kaine's announcement will keep the speculation going

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-46852978770184750332011-01-25T08:33:00.000-05:002011-01-25T08:33:02.589-05:00

Times like these are very few and far between when you have bipartisan legislation in the Virginia General Assembly that takes on the Banks.  On the House side you have Bob Marshall (R) Manassas (yes, that Bob Marshall), Betsy Carr (D)-Richmond, and Vivian Watts (D)-Annandale who introduced HB 1506, and on the Senate side, Chap Petersen and Don McEachin are carrying the companion bill, SB 836. 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-48019001504547734682011-01-20T13:54:00.000-05:002011-01-20T13:54:04.854-05:00

While it might be unfair comparing the jobs of the Attorney General of the United States to the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, but this merits the comparison.  U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, announced the arrests of 110 out of 127 people connected to organized crime in New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.  According to the FBI, this is one of the "largest single-day

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-8468362135316409572010-12-28T16:08:00.000-05:002010-12-28T16:08:51.179-05:00

If you don't know by now, or haven't heard, we're a FAT NATION.  This ain't a good thing.  We have the highest rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity among advanced democracies, if not the entire world.  While we bask in the glow of our American Exceptionalism, we are also exceptionally FAT. This is a major concern for our Federal Government and our Armed Forces.  So much of a concern 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-46672543342476714492010-12-23T10:34:00.000-05:002010-12-23T10:34:47.387-05:00

Critique and analysis are coming in on the "Lame Duck" session of the 111th Congress and the consensus seems to be saying is that it was anything but lame.  Whether it be a campaign promise kept to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", or the deal with the devil that was struck between the President and Senate Republican Leadership to extend the Bush Era Tax Cuts for everyone (including the wealthy)

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-85028565363891383332010-12-22T10:47:00.000-05:002010-12-22T10:47:14.303-05:00

These two statements go into the file of "What planet are you on?"  First we have Governor Haley Barbour (R) Mississippi, saying that he didn't remember the Civil Rights era "being all that bad."  While his hometown of Yazoo City, Mississippi banned the Klan, they did have segregationist Citizen Councils.  He has "clarified" his statement as of Tuesday, but come on man!  Of course things were

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-64298583043330365112010-12-19T12:17:00.000-05:002010-12-19T12:17:16.208-05:00

So, an "internal memo" comes out this week that directs the on-air personalities of Fox News to utilize language that is more favorable to conservative sensibilities (Shocker, I know).  For example, when discussion is centered around healthcare reform, instead of referring to the key part of the Obama Administration's healthcare reform proposal as "the public option", the preferred terminology

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-85976712499086028352010-11-20T10:35:00.000-05:002010-11-20T10:35:50.291-05:00

There are some schools of thought that say if you are going to discipline, reprimand, constructively criticize someone you focus on what they did wrong and end it with something they did right.  Well, I'm not going to do that.  So, let's start with what Conservatives did right this week. On Friday (November 19, 2010), by unanimous consent, the United States Senate finally passed the long awaited

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-86160590687228991722010-11-10T11:48:00.000-05:002010-11-10T11:48:23.591-05:00

Evidently, YES. This is why PolitiFact, a project of the St. Petersburg Times, rocks! In the November 5th Richmond Times Dispatch, former U.S. Senator George Allen stated in his op-ed that since Barack Obama became President on January 9, 2009, the National Debt has exploded by nearly $6 trillion. To read the entire op-ed, click here. Because of that stated-as-fact dollar figure by Allen,

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-16266379543513619522010-11-08T11:14:00.000-05:002010-11-08T11:14:41.670-05:00

If the Sunday morning Talk Shows are any indication of the GOP's plan for governing (at least from the U.S. House of Representatives), they haven't learned a thing.  Time after time Sunday morning, GOP House Leaders were pushed to provide specifics on what their plan was for balancing the budget and cutting the deficit.  All they could say was "repeal Obamacare and cut spending."  But what

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-53619207697081679792010-11-05T07:59:00.000-04:002010-11-05T07:59:57.164-04:00

So, Anderson Cooper of CNN was interviewing Congresswoman Michele Bachmann a couple of nights ago and was asking her some questions about specific things she would cut to reduce the National Debt and get the Federal Budget under control.  Here's the interview...  Not sure if the cool response Bachmann received from the GOP Leadership (establishment) was a result of this interview, but I'm

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-49517858402208469892010-11-04T20:21:00.000-04:002010-11-04T20:21:22.997-04:00

In all due deference and respect to Guns 'n Roses classic, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", the first real test of the Tea Party's influence is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's bid to move up into the GOP Leadership.  Click here for the story from Politico.  If there's a poster child for demagoguery and evangelical nationalism, Michele Bachmann fills that role perfectly.  Let's see if the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-42115567596722248122010-11-02T08:37:00.001-04:002010-11-02T08:39:30.832-04:00

Despite the demagoguery of TARP and the Stimulus by establishment Republicans, and the Tea Party movement that is being co-oped by the GOP, one of the things that is keeping people fed is TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).  So, with Tea Party candidates poised to have a better than noticeable presence in both the House and Senate, banging the drum of "No Compromise" with Democrats

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-42240348962605327572010-10-25T13:04:00.000-04:002010-10-25T13:04:12.081-04:00

Two very good Op-ed pieces today from the New York Times.  The first from Nobel Prize winning Economist Paul Krugman, countering charges from Republicans that the Stimulus was too big, it spent too much, and didn't deliver, is a bunch of baloney.  As Kruman explains, "If Democrats do as badly as expected in next week’s elections, pundits will rush to interpret the results as a referendum on

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-82712135389010357392010-10-14T15:16:00.000-04:002010-10-14T15:16:15.501-04:00

According to CNNMoney.com, as banks raced to repossess or foreclose on scores of homes, shoddy paperwork could be compounding the problems for the U.S. housing market already struggling to recover.  The revelation of hundreds of thousands of inaccurately processed foreclosure documents has prompted almost every major bank to freeze all foreclosures and nearly every state in the United State have

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-14545839208270190312010-10-11T15:00:00.000-04:002010-10-11T15:00:05.386-04:00

Yes, that's right.  NOT QUALIFIED.  This according to Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), who is holding up the nomination of Peter Diamond, MIT Economist, to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.  Peter Diamond is on of three who are sharing the Nobel Prize for Economics this year, for their work on "how economic policy affects the job market," by understanding "the ways in which unemployment, job

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-33365147336359601492010-10-10T07:45:00.000-04:002010-10-10T07:45:06.948-04:00

There are relatively normal years when "partisan bickering" meant the back and forth between Democrats and Republicans boiled down to tax cuts, social programs, and national defense.  But, if this were any other year..., we wouldn't be talking about "nullification," repeal of certain parts of the 14th Amendment, prosecuting academics for research that doesn't jive with a particular ideology, or

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-23402789088535162782010-10-06T12:11:00.000-04:002010-10-06T12:11:35.606-04:00

As conservatives, anti-tax advocates, and anyone with wealth continue to assert that increasing taxes on high income earners (those making over $250,000 per year as defined by President Obama) will kill any economic recovery, there's new data to the contrary that effectively shoots this claim out of the water.   Thanks to the watchful eyes of a progressive tax reform group, Citizens for Tax

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-78278791119687887982010-10-03T17:57:00.000-04:002010-10-03T17:57:14.743-04:00

If these allegations by former Virginia Department of Environmental Quality groundwater expert Allen Brockman hold up, the effects could be far reaching.  It would call into question every ruling or favorable report issued by the Va. DEQ for energy producers and even bio-solid companies.  While fly ash (byproduct of burnt coal from coal fired power plants) is used widely in construction

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-78323816268891881772010-10-01T10:39:00.000-04:002010-10-01T10:39:53.211-04:00

What a novel idea.  This is so simple that a 5th Grader would understand.  First reported by NPR, Third Way (a moderate to progressive Think Tank based in Washington, DC) has published an Idea Brief proposing the Federal Government provide taxpayers with a receipt for the taxes they pay.  It would detail a list of Federal Programs that are funded by the taxes we pay.  While not an exhaustive

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-35225228578740408872010-09-29T10:10:00.000-04:002010-09-29T10:10:05.682-04:00

The law to regulate Car Title Lenders takes effect today.  While any regulation is seen as an improvement over the previously non-regulated industry, most Consumer Advocates and opponents of Car Title Lending view the changes as hollow and at best only symbolic.   This is yet again another example of what our collective society is willing to allow to promote the principles of free markets and

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-17157780199144642392010-09-28T16:36:00.000-04:002010-09-28T16:36:01.112-04:00

As reported by CNN's Belief Blog and The Washington Post's On Faith blog, most Americans fail in a test of religious/faith knowledge.  A report published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that those who are the least religious are the most knowledgeable about religion.  Here are some of the key findings:  Atheist and agnostics answered and average of 21 questions correctly out of

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-50424100944888171452010-09-25T15:17:00.001-04:002010-09-27T12:10:44.000-04:00

Time, after time, after time, Republicans hammer away at the "fact" that most Americans didn't want the health care reforms that are now law.  It's clear, the polling done over the last six to eight months has been pretty consistent in the opposition to the new health care law that began to go into effect in earnest just a few days ago.  But when you dig deeper, opposition to health care reform

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-52947645476740827842010-09-24T12:05:00.000-04:002010-09-24T12:05:43.572-04:00

It's Duck-n-Cover for Democrats on Tax Vote It seems that Democrats are so shell shocked from the legislative and policy battles of the last two years, they're even afraid to pull the trigger on an issue that works for them.  Democrats decided to take a pass on a vote to extend the Bush Tax Cuts for everyone except the rich.  All the recent polling points to massive support for letting the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-77577805912595033952010-09-22T16:48:00.000-04:002010-09-22T16:48:29.526-04:00

All than can be said is that the GOP's efforts to distort and misinform the public about the overhauls to the nation's health care system and Health Insurance Industry, have worked.  As reported by the Associated Press, in a poll commissioned by AP and conducted by Stanford University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,  People were asked whether the Congressional Budget Office had ruled

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-32831326653472422932010-09-21T11:35:00.000-04:002010-09-21T11:35:29.065-04:00

Republican Congressman Bob Inglis of South Carolina, who is as conservative as they come, was defeated for re-election in the Republican Primary.  No chance that seat was going Democratic, but he just wasn't conservative enough.  Why?  Listen to the interview by CNN's John Roberts:  This hard, hard turn to the right in the GOP is going to devastate this party, if not relegate it to permanent

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-48250153200876509142010-09-20T14:07:00.000-04:002010-09-20T14:07:52.463-04:00

Last week the government released the latest number on poverty in America, and as expected there are more people living in poverty because of The Great Recession.  One in seven (1 out of every 7) people in this country are living below the poverty line.  Over 14%.  The next day, the U.S. Census Bureau releases its report on the richest and poorest states in the country.  The Top 10 Wealthiest

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-18860396498233096122010-09-17T13:28:00.000-04:002010-09-17T13:28:33.603-04:00

In a year where any type of candidate with a pulse laying claim to the Republican mantle has a chance, former campaign aides to Christine O'Donnell during her 2008 trouncing are coming forward with more damaging insights into the Tea Party phenom.  According to Politico, campaign staffers during here second stab at statewide office remember Christine O'Donnell as, "a candidate who was less

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-44553654368001100952010-09-16T16:02:00.000-04:002010-09-16T16:02:28.947-04:00

The Associated Press is reporting on a new survey by the Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier.  It reveals that most Americans haven't read the entire U.S. Constitution, but they think it's important.  The survey didn't breakdown party identification or if respondents identified as conservative or liberal.  But, I am curious to know how many of the participants support the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-6652393735420450002010-09-15T16:58:00.000-04:002010-09-15T16:58:52.586-04:00

The 2010 Primary Season is officially over and victories by Tea Party back candidates have rocked the GOP establishment to their foundation.  Look no further than Delaware and Christine O'Donnell's victory over Congressman Mike Castle.  Up to this point, Republican Mike Castle had never lost a political contest in this deep, dark blue of blue Democratic strongholds.  This is a span of more than

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-51158493098009018582010-09-12T13:00:00.001-04:002010-09-12T13:04:47.746-04:00

Demagoguery seems to have taken hold across the nation as we mark the 9th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks. What is different now compared to nine years ago? For starters, our economy is limping along and there is stubbornly high unemployment. With 9.6% of the nation's workforce looking for work (and this number is misleadingly low considering those out of work well beyond

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-85987275786648451102010-09-09T13:28:00.000-04:002010-09-09T13:28:47.348-04:00

According to Wednesday's article on Politico, the "Fail-Safe Plan" for Democrats is to go on Offense?  Click here for the story.  As for me, taking body blows until your opponent gets tired is not a plan.  Too little, too late for Democrats?  Image found at:  http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_01/aliDM0212_468x305.jpg 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-22013625148520703592010-09-06T12:59:00.001-04:002010-09-06T13:16:40.433-04:00

Several revealing reports came out last week debunking GOP claims that illegal immigration is up.  Most notable of those reports was the Pew Hispanic Center's showing an overall 8% drop in illegal immigrants living in the United States.  More significantly the annual inflow of new illegal immigrants dropped sharply, from a peak of 850,000 in 2005 to around 300,000 in 2009. The Pew Hispanic

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-30254122433281539132010-09-02T15:41:00.000-04:002010-09-02T15:41:07.582-04:00

Earlier in the week, just after the much advertised and publicized "Restoring Honor" spectacle, Robert Parham posted his thoughts on the rally.  In one of his observations, Parham writes:  "No amount of Bible reading, sermons masquerading as prayers and Christian hymns can cover up Beck's civil religion that slides back and forth between the Bible and nationalism, between authentic faith and

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-81656602150828312792010-08-31T10:28:00.000-04:002010-08-31T10:28:50.162-04:00

Controversies continue to dog members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).  First was former Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangle (D-NY).  Next was Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA).  This time the controversy relates to more than $25,000 of  scholarship money from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) to relatives of a member of the CBC and a staffer.   According to the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-10468386228879107842010-08-29T20:13:00.000-04:002010-08-29T20:13:31.648-04:00

If there is any better example of why comprehensive Health Care Reform was needed, 5th Congressional District candidate and Tea Party Activist Jeff Clark is it.  One problem,... Clark didn't support it.  And as far as anyone can tell, neither Clark or Republican candidate Robert Hurt have said what would be better.  Click here for the News Advance story.  While being in debt resulting from

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-79922606661902009642010-08-28T09:45:00.001-04:002010-08-28T09:46:08.782-04:00

Time is growing nigh and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has put out the word to its candidates to make their case, show how they're going to win in November, or they're pulling the plug on money and support.  "At the end of the day, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will look at races we can win,” said DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen, as reported in Politico

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-85239196262752408902010-08-27T10:16:00.001-04:002010-08-27T11:08:04.469-04:00

Never let a crisis go to waste.  At least the United States wasted less energy last year, and significantly increased it's use of renewable energy sources (specifically wind energy).  Too bad it wasn't an enlightened response to a long overdue change in our consumer mentality, but I'll take an economy related behavioral change.  How much did we reduce our overall energy consumption?  We went

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-87137393491138630722010-08-25T22:45:00.000-04:002010-08-25T22:45:17.933-04:00

What else can be said, except WOW?!  Click here and here for the related stories. 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-3028550375109814212010-08-25T15:59:00.000-04:002010-08-25T15:59:28.474-04:00

What appeared to be a ho-hum line-up late season Primaries turned out to be quite dramatic in several.  Here's a quick look at some of them:  Florida The Republican Primary for US Senate went as expected with Marc Rubio winning by a wide margin.  In the Republican Primary for Governor, Rick Scott (former head of Columbia/HCA hospitals that paid a $1.7 billion fine for Medicare and Medicaid

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-36523634953338024522010-08-24T16:35:00.001-04:002010-08-25T08:46:42.849-04:00

I would really like to see the polling that GOP House Minority Leader John Boehner is seeing that indicates Americans have totally forgotten that their social and economic agenda drove this nation into a ditch.  Click here for Politico's coverage.  What's even better, he is calling on the President to fire Treasury Secretary Geithner and Economic Advisor Larry Summers.  Two people, who have

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-70404478049237474062010-08-23T16:09:00.001-04:002010-08-23T16:10:34.097-04:00

Two stories, one from Politico and one from CNN, on what Obama needs to do in order for Democrats to hold on to their majorities in the House and Senate.  The message is pretty clear from both stories:  1.  Tell us where we are going and how we get there as a nation.  2.  Use the Bully Pulpit of the Oval Office.   3.  Lead, Lead, Lead.  If Obama does these things, Democrats will fair far

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-78657987764017675742010-08-22T09:37:00.001-04:002010-08-22T09:38:15.233-04:00

With all the uproar around the proposed Islamic Center in lower Manhattan, it appears that religious freedom has come under attack again.  This time from within the United States Army.  According to an Associated Press story on August 20, 2010, the Army is investigating if Fort Eustis soldiers who did not want to attend a Christian Rock concert on base were forced to stay in their barracks.  To

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-18669733663392688772010-08-17T17:36:00.000-04:002010-08-17T17:36:59.214-04:00

While President made the right call regarding the construction of the mosque and Islamic Cultural Center a few blocks away from Ground Zero (citing that if it conforms to the local building codes, ordinances, and laws, there is no reason why it shouldn't be built), his retreat from his statement, that he didn't say it was a wise decision for it to be build there, has opened the door for the GOP

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-33254147170131350282010-08-15T10:32:00.001-04:002010-08-16T05:40:39.950-04:00

Independents that delivered the overwhelming Democratic victory in November of 2008 to the tune of 52 percent, propelling them to control of the White House and both the House of Representatives and the Senate, only a third are supporting Democrats now.  This according to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll, where 32 percent of Independents support Democrats to keep control of Congress heading

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-23556152958741672602010-08-13T21:03:00.000-04:002010-08-13T21:03:52.619-04:00

This is the right call.  Freedom of Religion in America doesn't mean the freedom to only practice the Christian faith.  If anything, this is more of a poke in the eye to the Taliban that feeding into their propaganda of American hypocrisy and intolerance.  This is what Jeffersonian Democracy looks like.  Religious tolerance is an American Value.  This mosque will be on private property and

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-7404601565278249852010-08-12T09:19:00.000-04:002010-08-12T09:19:57.305-04:00

If Robert Hurt thinks the voters of the 5th Congressional District are just going to give him this seat without working for it, he's fooling himself.  Media General News Service: Perriello, Clark debate without Hurt  Hurt, quit sucking your thumb and debate all the Candidates on the ballot. 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-29196698427610592652010-08-10T09:24:00.000-04:002010-08-10T09:24:21.976-04:00

The message is clear and the calls are growing louder from professional Economists.  Let The Bush Tax Cuts Expire.  Not only is this coming from former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, but others that generally favor tax cuts like former Reagan White House Budget Director David Stockman, former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil (who was fired for opposing the Bush Tax Cuts in the first

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-10015345162291569192010-08-08T21:56:00.001-04:002010-08-09T16:02:42.528-04:00

It's that time of year again when scores of kids head off to college.  From small colleges to major universities, friends and classmates will reconnect, socialize, and renew their efforts to earn that undergraduate degree.  The difference this year is that the price has gone up, making that piece of paper more of a luxury that only the rich can afford.  Just as Virginia's transportation

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-76289425230162733812010-08-05T17:46:00.000-04:002010-08-05T17:46:10.736-04:00

On a 63 to 37 vote, former United States Solicitor General and Supreme Court Nominee, Elena Kagan, will be the newest member of the United States Supreme Court.  While the ideological make-up will be relatively the same, this will mark the first time in the history of the United States no members of the High Court will have a Protestant faith affiliation.  The only Democrat voting against her

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-56719462304954905592010-08-04T14:08:00.000-04:002010-08-04T14:08:32.346-04:00

As November approaches "Law and Order" Conservatives continue to demonstrate they're not serious about illegal immigration.  Rather than take on the business community, who primarily bankrolls GOP political  operations, these same champions of "enforcing the laws that are on the books" prefer to focus that attention on immigrants who are here illegally.  The most recent proof of this is

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-30883173547495063832010-08-03T15:29:00.002-04:002010-08-03T15:35:23.531-04:00

Several colleges and universities in Virginia were among The Princeton Review's list of The Best 373 Colleges in America.  Liberty University was NOT one of them.  Those making the list from Virginia were UVA, VA Tech, JMU, George Mason, The College of William & Mary, Hampton University, Hollins, Randolph College, Lynchburg College, and Sweet Briar College.  While there are some surprise

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-49558643705517664312010-08-02T09:18:00.000-04:002010-08-02T09:18:22.331-04:00

There are two things that you can say about the GOP without being wrong: They're predictable and consistent.  Realizing that the battle cry of "Repeal and Replace" will require more muscle than they can hope to muster, a new and more realistic campaign theme for the Mid-Term Elections is taking shape.  Choke off the funding to healthcare reform.  Conservatives opposed to Healthcare Reform

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-72642789632161775902010-07-30T12:03:00.000-04:002010-07-30T12:03:43.320-04:00

Thousands of people came with heavy hearts to remember and honor two of Rocky Mount's finest on Thursday, July 29, 2010.  For those of us that have not heard this story, Rocky Mount, VA Fire Chief Posey Dillion and Firefighter William "Danny" Altice were responding to a call on Tuesday, July 27th.  As they crossed an intersection, one that they both had crossed hundreds if not thousands of times

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-43214956337599489352010-07-29T13:17:00.000-04:002010-07-29T13:17:45.690-04:00

Conservatives can say what they want, and we will continue to haggle over what the real unemployment rate is (9.5% or at high as 16.5%), but the consensus among leading economists and financial experts continues to support the actions taken by both the Bush and Obama Administrations to prevent Great Depression 2.0. In a report released on Wednesday, July 27, 2010, Mark Zandi (Chief Economist for

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-37202357947372042182010-07-28T13:04:00.002-04:002010-08-01T08:57:58.183-04:00

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes.  Its that dirty five letter word that elicits grumbles and raises blood pressure.  So, lets face it, nobody likes to pay taxes but most realize that it's the price we pay to live in a democratic and free society.  Our taxes provide the lubrication for interstate and intrastate commerce by building and paving our roads and a few other intangibles tied to our national economy.

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-59421152372700114112010-07-27T15:02:00.001-04:002010-07-28T08:29:09.228-04:00

For anyone following the BP Oil Spill Disaster, the news that BP is cutting CEO Tony Hayward loose should begin to bring a small sense of vindication to residence of the Gulf of Mexico.  As Hayward made one PR gaff after another, paving the way for his exit, Hayward's statements and actions began to reveal the massive disconnect between everyday people laboring to make a living and the lifestyles

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-46637536978493292462010-07-22T14:16:00.000-04:002010-07-22T14:16:55.366-04:00

The phrase "teachable moment" continues to be repeated ever since the last "teachable moment."  It seems that no one, not even White House staffers or Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, learned from the Henry Louise Gates incident.  ENGAGE BRAIN BEFORE OPENING MOUTH.  VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY.  I have come to expect this type of behavior from conservatives and the various forms of right-wing

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-20300551803297169552010-07-21T11:24:00.000-04:002010-07-21T11:24:15.988-04:00

A new WDBJ 7 (CBS-Roanoke) poll has Tom Perriello down 23 points to 5th Congressional District GOP nominee State Senator Robert Hurt. While the 2010 Mid-Term elections are still months away, this is further proof that being an incumbent will not give you and advantage in this political climate. This could also mean that, while Tom Perriello has sponsored more legislation and done more as far

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-57935306681247344572010-07-20T17:12:00.000-04:002010-07-20T17:12:51.047-04:00

There have been casualties on both sides of the Tea Party-NAACP dust-up.  As a result of the Tea Party Resolution the NAACP passed last week, The Tea Party Federation (the defacto governing body of the movement) have expelled the Tea Party Express and it's leader, Mark Williams, because of a racist satirical blog post in response to the NAACP resolution calling elements of the Tea Party Movement,

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-58402906917750964412010-07-16T11:01:00.000-04:002010-07-16T11:01:04.760-04:00

There's more evidence that the 2010 Campaign Season is in full swing.  Invoking the mantra of "Repeal" used as a call-to-arms for Health Care Reform and reason to turn the keys to the Federal Government back over to them, the GOP is now using this same campaign theme on Wall Street Reforms.  Seizing on the broad dissatisfaction with President Obama's first major legislative victory with Health

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-64959641889950708942010-07-14T10:43:00.000-04:002010-07-14T10:43:54.886-04:00

The NAACP has passed a resolution labeling the Tea Party Movement as racists.  The Tea Party has denounced it calling the resolution "unfair."  Sara Palin, darling of the Tea Party Movement, has quickly fired back calling the NAACP resolution "false, appauling, and a is a regressive and divisionary tactic to change the subject at hand."  The real simple way to prove the Tea Party Movement isn't

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-60607407355817979992010-07-10T10:24:00.001-04:002010-07-10T10:29:36.341-04:00

It seems that political rivals and opponents of the famous/infamous Arizona Sheriff from Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio, get the same type of attention as his prisoners.  Sheriff Arpaio is under investigation for Abuse of Power. Arpaio is known for his boasts about how tough he is on prisoners under his watch, like housing prisoners in Army Tents, dressing them in pink underwear and pink/black 

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-52430123866345961502010-07-08T12:20:00.000-04:002010-07-08T12:20:18.622-04:00

As reported on Politico's Morning Money section, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (a.k.a. TARP) has turned a profit.  According to a new report issued by the Financial Analyst firm Keefe, Bruyette & Woods on July 6, 2010,... "Overall, TARP CPP investments appear to provide positive returns to the Treasury."  Additionally, for the 61 banks that have fully repaid their TARP loan the average Return

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-64920817291279675092010-07-06T09:27:00.002-04:002010-07-06T11:34:52.311-04:00

After taking a long break, Off K Street is back to ponder, question, comment, opine, and address issues of injustice and absurdity that affect large cross sections of our community.  To that end, one that issue that has received increased attention over the last few months but continues to be under-reported, the Federal Government's complicity for years of discrimination in the USDA Farm Loan

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-56910988674225095122010-03-31T14:54:00.000-04:002010-03-31T14:54:15.146-04:00

Only a couple of weeks ago, Liberty University Chancelor Jerry Falwell, Jr. was singing the praises of Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster, touting her as a person that Liberty University could work with.  Then only a week later Jerry Falwell Jr. releases to the local press his interest in recending a Conditional Use Zoning Permit ordinance that was supported by the entire Lynchburg City Council on a 7-0

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-9614624443249378832010-03-28T07:27:00.002-04:002010-03-28T09:29:51.470-04:00

Thank the Lord there is still such a thing as Investigative Reporting at the Associated Press.  In a throwback to a sound bite that killed Senator John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential race, the GOP was for the Health Insurance Mandate before they were against it.  They weren't just for it last year or even during the previous three Presidential Administrations (G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, G.W. Bush),

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-24113808291925340632010-03-24T13:08:00.006-04:002010-03-24T14:40:41.061-04:00

Washington and Lee Law Professor Timothy Jost breaks down the frivolity of the lawsuits challenging the Federal Government's enforcement of the new Health Care Reform legislation signed into law on Tuesday. I agree, this is totally silliness. Anyway, I thought the GOP was in favor of Tort Reform and that frivolous lawsuits filed against Doctors were one of the main reasons that Health Care costs

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-42172845763839474542010-03-15T17:31:00.005-04:002010-03-15T17:51:20.344-04:00

I posted on this a while back and there has been little movement until recently. This issue is of significant importance because if the science is not done objectively and the treated sewage sludge is not applied correctly, it can contaminate drinking water. The following is from Lorraine Potter, who is part of a local group following the process relating to the DEQ and Nutri-Blend's application

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-83757558485964366242010-03-12T21:47:00.003-05:002010-03-12T22:23:32.536-05:00

If anyone was wondering what it would look like if ideologues and extremists got control of a School Board (at the State level), then here's a peek. The Texas State Board of Education vote 10-5 to for preliminary approval for new standards for textbooks. This is really scary stuff. When a group of people can get together and replace actual history for a version of history that is more opinion

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-12767564247787022102010-03-06T08:27:00.012-05:002010-03-06T10:44:27.290-05:00

I received this release from the Virginia Young Democrats late yesterday:Virginia Young Democrats Call on Governor Bob McDonnell to Repudiate Bob Marshall’s Remarks and Live Up to His Promises to Youth with Disabilities By Cancelling Devastating Budget Cuts to Proposed Safety Net ServicesI've known Delegate Marshall for nearly 20 years and I'm sure he regrets saying that. I think those are wrong

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-30003197067179907222010-03-04T21:41:00.006-05:002010-03-04T22:26:50.260-05:00

It only took the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and Budget Proposals from the Governor, State Senate, and House of Delegates that cut so many state jobs for there to be any kind of consumer protection bill to reign in PREDATORY CAR TITLE LENDERS! SB 606 reported out of the Virginia House of Delegates Commerce and Labor Committee with 21 yeas and 1 nay (21 Y - 1 N) and will head

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-59518327254051654562010-02-02T12:04:00.002-05:002010-02-02T13:07:44.219-05:00

Politico is reporting that a year long study by Gallup concludes that most states still prefer Democrats over Republicans. Despite major GOP victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, the apparent resurgence of the GOP may not be what it seems. While the Democrats have lost appeal across the board, the GOP has not seen a reciprocal increase in support. Almost to a poll, the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-55454878005601217772010-01-07T23:23:00.003-05:002010-01-07T23:42:18.295-05:00

The only thing that is keeping the GOP from a redux of 1994,... THEMSELVES! RNC Chairman Michael Steele can't keep his mouth shut. The GOP Congressional Leadership can't offer one, ONE real solution that the rest of the country can get behind to improve the economy and win the War on Terror. Oh, and the Tea Party whack-jobs are trying to purify the GOP for "real" conservatives. Right now, the

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-25851609995469923252009-12-15T09:41:00.003-05:002009-12-15T10:20:31.352-05:00

At first, I read the CNN article on the $447 billion spending bill that the Senate passed this weekend and then I came across an AP article on the Lynchburg News Advance web site that listed the same story as a $1.1 trillion spending bill. Why the massive discrepancy between the two stories on the same spending bill? The CNN article highlights the domestic, non-Defense spending while the AP

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-41579560244125857052009-11-28T09:34:00.002-05:002009-11-28T09:51:57.829-05:00

What will we remember from the first decade of the 21st Century? Time Magazine concludes that it was one of the worst post-World War II, peacetime, decades ever. Quite a bit was pure nature unleashed but most of it was self inflicted. An excellent article by Time’s Andy Serwer hits the highlights spanning the decade from 2000 to today. Even though we haven’t even reached 2010 yet, and 2011 is

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-65370259648184109512009-11-24T21:35:00.005-05:002009-11-24T22:47:22.014-05:00

I don't know if I should laugh, shrug it off, or be fearful that the Republicans have a list like this. This has the scary ring of "Party Loyalty" that Communist Totalitarianism (or National Socialism) demands. In similar fashion, the Republicans are PURGING the Party of anything that whispers of cooperation, bi-partisanship, or a moderation of Conservative Ideology.In case you missed it, in

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-27301905233751283132009-11-10T06:56:00.001-05:002009-11-10T07:04:02.629-05:00

In case you missed it, Gov-Elect Bob McDonnell made the Sunday morning news circuit to crow about last Tuesday’s sweeping victory in Virginia. When asked about the U.S. House of Representative bill that was narrowly passed (220-215) just before midnight on Saturday, Gov-Elect McDonnell admitted that he hadn’t read the entire bill but that “either way my preference would be not to have Virginia

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-41090289906545683342009-10-15T05:53:00.004-04:002009-10-15T06:34:23.419-04:00

The calls are growing louder to repeal a little known law that exempts the Health Insurance Industry from Federal Antitrust laws. On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the competitive advantage that the Health Insurance Industry has due to the exemption that the McCarran-Ferguson Act gives the industry from Federal Antitrust

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-16037687180266129082009-10-09T05:56:00.004-04:002009-10-09T06:23:42.558-04:00

Certainly a surprise choice, but if you can't land the 2016 Olympics not a bad consolation PRIZE. Sooo... TAKE THAT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE!!!!President Obama is only the third sitting United States President to wind the prize, joining Presidents Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt and President Woodrow Wilson. Wilson won his in 1919, after the end of World War I. This is truly an exclusive club and also puts

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-24785612597431049362009-10-07T06:58:00.004-04:002009-10-07T07:27:18.896-04:00

I've had many conversations over the last year about the bench strength of the Republicans in the 5th Congressional District. Nearly 15 people have either announced or indicated their intent to run, but the strongest among them has now indicated he intends to challenge Tom Perriello. According to the Lynchburg News Advance, State Senator Rob Hurt (R-Chatham) will file papers with the Federal

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-45878889588971654482009-10-06T07:18:00.006-04:002009-10-06T10:27:34.077-04:00

While promoting is new book today on CNN's American Morning, former U.S. Senator and Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) gave a wink to the Public Option. In his interview with John Roberts, Senator Frist acknowledged the out of control cost associated with the current Health Care System, $15,000 per year Health Insurance Premiums for a family of four in the United States that continue to rise, and

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-49575891904268362542009-10-01T10:59:00.004-04:002009-10-02T08:20:30.991-04:00

How can people claim they are taxed to death when 47% of households will pay no Federal Income Tax? According to the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, nearly 71 million households will pay no Federal Income Tax during 2009. Now, this isn’t to say that these same household don’t pay sales, property tax [renters pay a portion of this through their rent], various forms of state taxes, or payroll taxes

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2340324575178301866.post-26279736547352582992009-09-21T08:21:00.003-04:002009-09-21T08:37:47.234-04:00

This past Thursday, September 17th, TEA Partiers gathered in Lynchburg and in other communities across the nation in honor of “Constitution Day,” to make a symbolic point as they continue to press their anti-tax, less government stance. There is no question that our national debt is massive and we cannot continue to live beyond our means. But, for all the anger and the animosity being fired at

Barry Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592682987112614815noreply@blogger.com0