Danville Register & Bee Defends Rep. Perriello (updated)

Two days ago, the Roanoke Times applauded Rep. Perriello for his "principled stand" on ACES, and today, the Danville Register & Bee defended Perriello for his vote. The Letters to the Editor against him have been relentless, and the editorial staff shares these writers concerns. But:

But anyone who thinks Perriello — a man who has worked in this community’s soup kitchens — would blindly support a bill that would add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to our energy bills just doesn’t know our congressman. No member of Congress would vote to do that.

This bill, continues the editorial staff, would create and foster a new green energy economy, already budding in parts of Southside. The NRCC, "smell[ing] political blood," won't mention these local projects; they are obfuscating the truth with "wildly fluctuating costs estimates" and the fear of a national energy tax. Concludes the Register & Bee:

It took a lot of political courage — and guts — for Perriello to support a bill that’s so widely misunderstood. Maybe voting to give money to NASA in 1962 cost some congressmen their jobs, too.

How smart was that?

Update: The Bedford Bulletin offers their opinion on the matter. While I can not claim to be an expert whatsoever on ACES, this opinion is utterly devoid of both basic background knowledge of the legislation and its positive effects for Southside. Wow. Just wow.

Happy Independence Day

Declaration of Independence, signed July 4th, 1776:

When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the Present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

British Poll: Compatibility of God and Evolution?

The British Council and a marketing research firm, Ipsos MORI, asked 10,000 individuals in ten different countries asking, among other things, whether or not one can believe in God and evolution simultaneously (data here). Press release money quote:

Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker, Head of the British Council Darwin Now programme, said: ‘The international Darwin survey has thrown up some very interesting results, especially as it includes data from countries not previously covered before. The most encouraging aspect of the survey shows that whilst there are diverse views on Darwin’s theory of evolution, there appears to a broad acceptance that science and faith do not have to be in conflict. Whilst the results show that there is some way to go in communicating the evidence of evolutionary theory to wider audiences, it is evident that there is clear space for dialogue on this sometimes complex area of debate.’ (emphasis mine)

According to the results, 53% of Americans believed that it is possible to believe in God while believing life has evolved over time. 27% think that these beliefs are irreconcilable, obviously those from either creationistic or scientific backgrounds. India overwhelmingly believes in the compatibility of these belief systems, while Egypt is almost evenly split. Importantly, in each of the countries polled, a majority of respondents stated that the belief in God can co-exist with the belief in evolution.

The blog Science and the Sacred argues:

While surveys are not always accurate representations of a larger population, the results of this study offer some interesting ideas about the international debate over religion, evolution, and origins.

On one of those interesting ideas, like Elsdon-Baker, I think that these results, overall, underscore the general (and international) acceptance that science and faith can co-exist, can offer each other fruitful guidance and dialogue.

Palin: Unorthodox Presidential Maneuver? Quitter? Scandal Ridden? Tired?

By now, you have most likely heard the news that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has resigned her position (text here). She says that she can best help Alaskans outside of the political system. Pundits and commentators, however, are less certain, utterly baffled, and without clear answers, speculation is ensuing. Marc Aminder, Nate Silver, and Mark Halperin each offer their theories, but by reading and listening to the news, several theories seem to have emerged.

Some are suggesting that Palin resigned so that she could better position herself for a run at the presidency. Here, she would need to stay visible and need to start putting together a national campaign team in order to focus full-time on the 2012 presidental nomination. Even throughout the recent drama, her favorable ratings among Republican activist is still high. Here, she can ride her popularity, without the confines of the governorship, into a strong position for the Republican nomination. Importantly, Alaska is too far away to effectively campaign in Iowa, New Hampsire, and South Carolina, and this resignation allows her to campaign more efficiently, clearing away the field of flawed GOP contenders.

But, as someone who has been criticized as a political novice, unprepared for the prime time, she foolishly truncates her political development. You don't run for higher office while resigning, especially this early, your current office. In effect, she quit. Palin quit on Alaskans and as such, she dashed any aspirations of higher office. She's finished.

Or, has something happened in the last few days, prompting her to resign the office? Are we going to see an ensuing investigation in the near future? An indictment? Some other type of scandal? The recent article in Vanity Fair has caused a storm of Republican in-fighting. But, are these leaked stories prelude to something larger?

Or, Palin could just be tired of public office. Here, the constant barrage of negative media wore Palin and her family down. That level of scrutiny, certainly, is tough for one person to handle, not to mention her family.

We are all speculating, and as Waldo states, this is a futile exercise. The truth is, at this point in time, we don't know Palin's motivations. More information, surely, will be forthcoming.

What are your thoughts? Got any ideas?

Faith Groups respond to ACES (updated)

On the note of ACES, I wanted to highlight how differing faith communities are responding to the legislation. Naturally, reaction to the bill divides down the conservative-progressive fault-line, centered around the belief or disbelief of the existence of human-made global warming. While important and theologically significant, the derivative claims of taxes and jobs only serve as supportive justification to the group's overall stance on the issue.

Citing skepticism of global warming and a regressive tax, conservative Christians are "sounding the alarm bells":

[T]he Cornwall Alliance – a conservative Christian coalition – has described its cap and trade provisions, which allow companies that pollute less than their limit to sell some of their permits to others struggling to meet such green requirements, ”as the largest tax hike in history.” Analysts have said such arguments may appeal to voters especially against the backdrop of the current recession.

Conservative Christians are distributing an online petition called We Get It! which reads in part: “Our stewardship of creation must be based on Biblical principles and factual evidence. We face important environmental challenges, but must be cautious of claims that our planet is in peril from speculative dangers like man-made global warming.”
[...]
Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and a leading figure in the social conservative movement, devoted much of his nationally syndicated radio show on Saturday to the topic, calling cap and trade a “regressive tax to the max.” Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said in his blog last week that it “would increase an already staggering national debt by 26 percent by 2035” — a figure taken directly from the Cornwall Alliance’s estimates.

Progressive faith groups, on the other hand, are lauding the legislation. For example, a couple of Jewish groups hail the bill's passage:

"This is a crucially important issue -- the most important issue for the whole planet," said [Jewish Council for Public Affairs] Washington director Hadar Susskind. "If we don't do this, none of the others matter."

Rabbi David Saperstein, the director of the Religious Action Center, said that while the measure does not go far enough, it "creates an important framework for drastically reducing global warming pollution, creating hundreds of thousands of good, green jobs and increasing access to clean energy."

After lobbying for and winning the insertion of a provision to allow retrofitting to faith-based and other nonprofits, one influential coalition of religious groups is also content.

Update: According to the Wall Street Journal, several other progressive religious coalitions are going up on the airwaves, television and radio, to raise awareness of climate change, underscored by a biblical perspective. In the article, Rep. Perriello is quoted:

"It's important for people to see that it's not just [Democrats] saying this is important, but people who are coming at it from a moral background," said Rep. Tom Perriello ....

Perriello, ACES, Response, Counter-Response (updated)

As you well know, Rep. Perriello voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), and the NRCC responded by cutting a television ad hitting Perriello for his vote (ad here). The Danville Register & Bee caught up with Perriello and asked his thoughts on the ad:

"I think it’s hogwash and cowardice,” Perriello said of the new television ad. “We have had an oil dependence probably since the day I was born and I think this bill is going to be a big winner for central and Southside Virginia. For biofuel, for our farmers.”

Perriello supported converting tobacco farms into future biomass producers and turning farm and municipal waste into power. The bill aims to create millions of green jobs through alternative energy sources, but Republicans claim the legislation would actually cut jobs and depress real estate prices.

“It’s just false,” Perriello said. “We’re already losing the jobs. This is what (critics) don’t get. We are hemorrhaging jobs in the energy sector. The status quo that they support is a job-loss strategy. We have a job-winning strategy by making investments in the future of technology.”

Not only does Perriello find the ad false, but one important non-profit group supports his claims. Importantly, FactCheck.org, ya know, checked the facts and declared, "[T]he NRCC is wrong," especially regarding the household costs. In light of these claims, one Roanoke television station, WDBJ-TV, decided that it won't run the attack ad, citing factual inaccuracies.

Other feedback has been positive for Perriello. The Environmental Defense Fund themselves made an ad, thanking Perriello for his vote (ad here). And, this morning, in the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne wrote a positive editorial on why Perriello and other vulnerable Democratic representatives voted for the bill. Money quote:

Hours before the House passed its cap-and-trade bill last week, freshman Democrats Tom Perriello and Frank Kratovil were pondering the political fallout of the votes they were about to cast in favor of a plan Republicans were denouncing as "cap-and-tax."

"Maybe we should be called the conscience caucus," said the 34-year-old Perriello ...

Update: Today's Roanoke Times editorial applauds Perriello for his principled stand. The Politico is also running a story in which Tom is selling his vote to Southside business leaders and farmers.

Current Southside Unemployment Rates (updated)

Another month, another set of abysmal numbers for the Southside. For the month of May, Martinsville leads the state with an unemployment rate of 21.9% up almost 2%, followed by Henry county at 15.2% up about 1%. Danville has an unemployment rate of 13%, the highest for a metropolitan area.

To put these numbers in perspective, Virginia hosts a 7.1% jobless rate, while the country as a whole is 9.4%.

For trend lines, here are January's numbers, February's numbers, and March's numbers for the Southside. Note: I did not catch any contemporary articles citing April's numbers.

Update: Kenton Ngo, with distressing visuals, argues how Martinsville suffers from the GOP's anti-stimulus posturing.

Quote of the Day (updated)

Responding to how his vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act will illicit NRCC attacks, Rep. Perriello said:

“If I have to choose between national security and reelection, for me that’s easy. It’s national security,” he told POLITICO. “I can deal with losing reelection. I can’t deal with being a coward.”

Amen. Thank you, Tom!

(h/t Lowell)

Update: Here is an article on the NRCC planned television attack ads.

Archaeological Finds of the Apostle Paul

The Vatican just announced several amazing Pauline discoveries. First, archaeologists have uncovered the oldest known image of the Apostle Paul, over 1600 years, uncovered in Roman catacombs. This fresco is was discovered during restoration work on the Catacomb of Saint Thekla.

Second, tradition has long held that the remains of Paul lie beneath the main altar of the Basilica of St. Paul. Several years ago, archaeologists excavated parts of the floor of the basilica and found a large white marble sarcophagus. Recently, archaeologists opened a sarcophagus, believed to hold the remains of of Paul, and they found surviving bone fragments. After doing DNA tests, the Vatican has confirmed that the bones are actually those of the Paul, as the bones date back to the first century.

Whether or not you are skeptical with the claims of these discoveries, you still have to find them somewhat remarkable.

Podcast: Interview with Robert Wright

Our interview with author Robert Wright is up over at Homebrewed Christianity (the audio player is at the bottom of the post). Tripp and Chad have a little fun in the introduction, and then our good times roll with Bob. I hope that you enjoy the interview.

It seems that I have picked up a Southern draw from my time here in Southside - very long, drawn out vowel sounds.

Obama's New Church (updated)

Fun fact: Obama has chosen his church. Obama has chosen to worship at Camp David at the non-denominational Evergreen Chapel, generally open to military personnel and camp staff. The Chapel, dedicated by Bush I and attended by Bush II, provides a spectacle-free opportunity in which a president can worship. Money quote:

A number of factors drove the decision - financial, political, personal - but chief among them was the desire to worship without being on display. Obama was reportedly taken aback by the circus stirred up by his visit to 19th Street Baptist in January. Lines started forming three hours before the morning service, and many longtime members were literally left out in the cold as the church filled with outsiders eager to see the new President. Even at St. John's, which is so accustomed to presidential visitors that it is known as the "Church of the Presidents," worshippers couldn't help themselves from snapping photos of Obama on their camera phones as they walked down the aisle past him to take communion.
[...]
White House aides say that security measures required by the Secret Service have become stricter since 9/11 and would cause significant delays for parishioners - and at significant cost to taxpayers - on Sunday mornings. Given Obama's popularity within the African-American community, the President also worried that if he chose a local black congregation, church members would find themselves competing with sightseers for space in the pews.

Update: According to Press Secretary Gibbs, there is not much truth to the fact that Obama has chosen his church. He is still in process of deciding, but, it is true, that he does not like to disrupt worship services.

The Political Underpinnings of The Transformers

Michael Yglesias points out that Hollywood director/producer Michael Bay uses Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as subtle anti-Obama political commentary. Bay, according to Yglesias, hits hard on Obama's political appeasement of enemies, now the Decepticons, and how Obama's strategies have destroyed our international allies. Money quote:

After all, though the film doesn’t dwell on the point, one critical turn in the storyline comes when a heroic Major in the United States Army (or possibly Air Force) decides to disobey orders and mutiny against a civilian operative specifically sent by POTUS to take command of the operation. But what’s more, this is no rogue special forces officer, he’s clearly supported in his action by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who elects to turn a blind eye, and leave President Obama (who’s named specifically) in the dark as he cowers in fear in an underground bunker. Obama, you see, has ordered American forces to attempt to appease the Deceptecon threat by halting all collaboration with the Autobots, and agreeing to turn Sam Witwicky over to the forces of evil. By defying Obama and staging what amounts to a coup, the military saves the day.

What’s more, the film appears to indicate that Jordan and Egypt share a border right near the tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. For this to be the case, of course, Israel would have to be wiped off the map. The film doesn’t specify how this horrific turn of events took place, but I think we can take for granted that Obama’s cowardly of a settlement freeze is ultimately responsible.

I haven't seen the movie - I enjoyed the first - but everything I have read gives this sequel less than stellar reviews. Now, I am even less inclined to go.

Similarities in Religious Belief Between Straights and Gays

A new poll found that, in general, gays and lesbians hold very similar religious beliefs with their straight counterparts. Although there are some significant differences in belief between the two populations, the Barna Group, a conservative evangelical polling firm, found that many religious assumptions about gays are, in fact, unsubstantiated. Saith George Barna:

“People who portray gay adults as godless, hedonistic, Christian bashers are not working with the facts,” declared the best-selling author of numerous books about faith and culture. “A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life, consider themselves to be Christian, and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ active in their life today.
[...]
“Although there are clearly some substantial differences in the religious beliefs and practices of the straight and gay populations, there may be less of a spiritual gap between straights and gays than many Americans would assume.”

I'm not surprised at all with the results of this study, but I am shocked that there was even a need to commission the poll. Responding to these results, one ReligiousDespatches contributor, a lesbian, while offering strong criticism to the analysis, says, "Well, duh."

Cantor's 2010 VA Predictions

Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-7th) predicted that Republicans would pick-up three House seats here in Virginia next congressional cycle, specifically those of Nye, Perriello, and Connolly. Of course, Cantor must speak as if from a position of strength, but the ease in which Republicans believe these districts will flip is naive at best, laughable at worst.

Within the Fifth District, as we well know, all eyes are on Virgil Goode:

Another possible rematch could be brewing in Perriello’s 5th district where Cantor said former Rep. Virgil Goode (R) — who was defeated in one of the biggest upsets of 2008 — is close to making a decision on whether he’ll try to win back his old seat.

Reached on Tuesday, Goode would only say that he hopes to make a decision “in the not too distant future,” but most Republican insiders expect he’ll eventually join the race.

And, the end of this fundraising quarter (June 30th) will provide better clarity on Goode's position to run against Rep. Perriello.

Will Recent Scandals Turn Off Conservative Voters?

The Los Angeles Times speculates how recent scandals among leading Republican officials will disillusion conservative evangelicals with politics in general. Money quote:

A series of sex-related scandals over the last few years has undercut the party's assertions of moral authority and, worse, may serve to reinforce the doubts that many evangelical voters have traditionally harbored about the unholiness of the political realm.

Republicans have been successful reaching out to religious voters, not just with their focus on conservative social issues but "by promoting an image of greater virtue and more godliness." With the confessions of Sanford, Ensign, Larry Craig, and Mark Foley, among others, however, conservative evangelicals feel betrayed:

"Episode after episode like this makes it relatively difficult for Republicans to say with a straight face that they're a party that stands on moral issues that evangelicals care about," said Dale Kuehne, an associate political science professor at Saint Anselm College and a pastor in Nashua, N.H. "You look at Mark Sanford and Larry Craig and say, 'Is there anyone we can trust?' "

But, obviously, this does not mean that Democrats will see a windfall of disaffected voters:

A sudden and overwhelming shift of Christian conservatives from the GOP to the more secular-minded Democratic Party appears unlikely. As Laura Olson, an expert on religion and politics at South Carolina's Clemson University, put it: "The Republican Party is still going to be, at a minimum, the lesser of two evils."

But in politics, subtraction can be just as important as addition. If large numbers of evangelicals were to stay home on election day, or channel their activism into outlets other than politics, the GOP could suffer grave consequences; over the last generation, devout churchgoer voters have become an increasingly vital part of the shrinking Republican base.

One Republican congressman offers his thoughts on how the party can regain the trust of voters:

"We really do need to cut loose this stinkpot of self-righteousness," said Bob Inglis, a GOP congressman from South Carolina who once served alongside Sanford on Capitol Hill. "I see a real opportunity for a more accurate presentation of the Gospel in presenting fact rather than the fiction . . . that we're paragons of virtue."

However you want to theologically intimate human sinfulness, the recognition of our flawed and broken natures necessitates Inglis' call for humility. We inevitably fall, and as such, the trumpeting of moral superiority becomes a double-edged sword - the negative effects, in light of scandals, being an increased intensity of public anger, charges of hypocrisy, and legitimate threats of voter abandonment.

I wonder, however, contrary to the LA Times, how much Republicans have to worry about the latter effect. The one factor providing potential cover? The political realtime between now and the next election cycle. An eternity. In the end, I think, voters will care much more about the economy, jobs, threats of religious extremism, and other unforseen circumstances. And, while a politician's funny-business is newsworthy, this is how it should be.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

No Ociffer, you're looking for the other naked ex-mayor:

A former mayor found sitting naked and holding a beer at a Rabun County campsite told police he wasn’t the same naked man seen walking around earlier.

Mark Musselwhite, 43, said he was hot and had been in the creek, according to a Georgia Department of Natural Resources incident report. He apparently didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.
[...]
[DNR Ranger Brandon] Walls and a deputy sheriff went to the campsite Saturday evening after a complaint of a man walking naked in Earls Ford Road, according to the report. Musselwhite appeared to be intoxicated, and several alcoholic beverages were at the campsite, Walls said.
[...]
“I said the complainant had specifically said his campsite, and the fact that he was still nude made me think it was him,” Walls wrote.

Musselwhite denied that he was the nude man identified in the complaint.

(h/t TalkingPointsMemo)

Southern Baptist Church in Decline, Affects Republican Party

Rueters has an interesting article on the decline of the Southern Baptist Church. Currently, the SBC comprises over 16 million members and is the second largest denomination behind the Catholic Church, if Catholicism can be considered a denomination. But the SBC leadership is alarmed by current trend lines:

[The SBC's] research arm LifeWay Research released the following projections this week at the convention’s annual meeting in Kentucky: it said its numbers would fall nearly 50 percent by 2050 “unless the aging and predominantly white denomination reverses a 50-year trend and does more to strengthen evangelism, reach immigrants, and develop a broader ethnic base.”

“Using U.S. Census projected population figures, SBC membership could fall from a peak of 6 percent of the American population in the late 1980s to 2 percent in 2050,” said LifeWay director Ed Stetzer. (emphasis mine)

The author, Ed Stoddard, believes that this denominational decline would seriously affect the growth and stability of the Republican party:

If the SBC is in decline, one also has to wonder what the long-term political implications could be for the Republican Party. Conservative white evangelical Protestants have become its most reliable base. In recent election cycles it has relied on this base to deliver the vote in part by galvanizing opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage.

And the conservative SBC, one could argue, is the core of that base.
[...]
But Republican strategists will probably not take comfort by the fact that the SBC’s demographics in many ways mirror that of the party itself. Old, white, and Southern (one could add male and rural), with expansion dependent upon attracting immigrants and other ethnic groups, notably Hispanics. It is perhaps no coincidence that the core of the Republican base looks a lot like the party itself. (emphasis mine)

Both the flipside to and the result of these trends is that younger generations are becoming, religiously speaking, increasingly unaffiliated and, politically speaking, increasingly Democratic.

Rep. Perriello, ACES, and the Anatomy of a Smear

The American Clean Energy And Security Act (ACES) just passed the house, 219-212. Rep. Perriello voted for the bill. In a statement released by Perriello, he emphasized the positive effects of the bill with special recognition of the Southside. Saith Perriello:

Today we declare America’s energy independence and provide a blueprint for building the energy jobs and technology of the future right here at home. America can still out-innovate any other country on earth, and we cannot give in to those who doubt America’s ability to lead once more. Perhaps once in a generation we have the opportunity to revolutionize our economy in a way that creates for future generations the kind of jobs and opportunities that we inherited through the sacrifices of our parents. Today we reverse not only the hemorrhaging of energy sector jobs, but also the flood of our citizens’ dollars to those who would threaten our security.
[...]
Southside Virginia will be one of the winners under this bill, accelerating its ascendance to being the future energy capital of Virginia. In a carbon-constrained economy, we will see a resurgence of nuclear power. We can convert former tobacco farms into future biomass producers. And we can see farm and municipal waste turned into power. This bill, particularly the elements those of us from rural districts negotiated, will spur investments in biomass fuels that can flourish on former tobacco farms. We can convert manure on our cattle and poultry farms into power and finally get some profits back to our hard-working farmers. We will not turn this economy around by hiding from our problems, but by having the courage to reinvent our competitive advantage.

Today is a vote for America over petro-dictators. It is a vote for innovation over the erosion of our jobs. It is vote for demanding American leadership rather than settling for a slow slide behind India, China and other competitors. A vote against this bill is a vote to weaken this country, put our people at risk, and sit on the sidelines while we hemorrhage jobs. A vote for this bill is a vote for America’s security, her innovative spirit, good jobs for our citizens, and the future of our country.

Perriello's statement also included quotes from a local green energy businessman, the President of the National Farmers Union, and an Iraq war veteran who works for Veterans Green Jobs. Because of the proximity to my house and the location here in Southside, I want to highlight one other quote. Dean Price, owner of Red Birch Energy, a closed-loop biodiesel gas station a couple miles from my house, said:

“This legislation will allow more American entrepreneurs and farmers like me to grow and sell our own energy. These kind of jobs can’t be outsourced and will be a huge part of a new economy and business model in Southern Virginia. I applaud Congressman Perriello for his brave stance and leadership to make our nation energy independent.”

On a similar note, Lowell and Lloyd Snook dissect today's development of a right-wing smear against Perriello, specifically regarding Perriello's vote on ACES. I can't really offer more than them, except to say that, while I was listening to Rush Limbaugh today, I actually heard Limbaugh regurgitate this claim.

Bradley Rees Officially Announces Candidacy Against Rep. Perriello (updated)

I attended Bradley Rees' announcement for the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Perriello. I, unfortunately, could listen in for the first 15 minutes, as my co-worker had a time-sensitive emergency. So, fairly, I can only offer my initial impressions and my thoughts on his lengthy speech, as I was handed a hard copy.

For his announcement, Rees chose a small park in Danville, a block or two away from the closed Dan River Mills industrial complex. Walking up, you couldn't help but notice that Rees, presumably unchanged from work, was wearing blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a button-up shirt ... to the official announcement of his candidacy. These images, naturally, symbolized Rees' desire to be seen as a working man, one of us, fighting against the "pretension of politics" and the (governmental) ills affecting our families. Rees and his campaign manager, Michael Ernette, who has commented on this blog before, were very cordial and easy to get a long with, guys with whom you would want to grab a brew.

In an unorthodox start to his speech, Rees declared his relative distaste for the current political landscape. His message, in my opinion, was seemingly (or better?) fit for an Independent candidacy, especially given his previous thoughts on a third party candidacy and his reluctance to claim the Republican party as his own. Rees begins:

I can't stand politics, or most politicians. There are a few statesmen left, but not nearly enough to stem the erosion of core principles that has been taking place for nearly a century. Americans are tired of the same old choices. And you shouldn't have to hold your nose when you pull that lever in the voting booth.

Rees never aspired to office and has not held office, though his employment history "is replete with accolades from former employers, supervisors, et cetera." It wasn't until last year's campaign cycle, that Rees was agitated enough to consider public office:

In televised ads last October, Congressman Perriello, in typical political-posturing fashion, blatantly lied about the FairTax, an issue I've dedicated the last 5+ years of my life to. That and my years of research on the subject of the FairTax were my initial reason for running.

At this point Rees highlighted the major platforms of his campaign, the FairTax and reversing the onslaught of governmental intrusion, and he circuitously navigated between these two issues. To his latter platform, Rees stated:

Our political system has created a bureaucracy so large, pervasive, and downright insidious, that the average working family feels helpless to stop the wrecking ball that is swing toward them. our entire political structure has been reinforced over the last several decades, not to serve the people who foot the bill, but to reign over us in perpetuitiy.

On the FairTax, Rees existentially argued:

Why do I enthusiastically endorse the FairTax? Because a human being's life span is finite. You only have so many minutes, hours, and days on Earth. When you go to work, whatever time you spend there is a portion of your life that you can never reclaim. You are trading those hours of your life for a monetary compensation, with which you can purchase whatever you choose to enhance and/or sustain your life, and that of your family.

When your government forcefully confiscates any portion of that money, before you can even use it for sustatining the life of yourself and your family, your government is, essentially laying claim to a portion of your life. The framers of the Constitution knew this, which was exactly why they expressly prohibited direct taxation of a person's income. The 16th Amendment changed that. It's time to get rid of that amendment. And, yes, you guessed it: the FairTax will do that too.

Rees reiterated his anger at the current political atmosphere, aimed at both parties, and how his previous political organizing, complemented with new technology, can overcome this disenfranchisement:

Through the social edia revolution, massive numbers of ordinary people are being mobilized ot take on the corruption of the political machines run by both major parties, and their crony counterparts in Congress.

Through paralleling his rhetoric with his intended image, Rees concluded:

The paradigm must shift, but it will take some loud voices raised in opposition and some heavy lifting. Luckily, I'm bringing a bullhorn and a forklift with me.

Update: Catherine Amos, of the Danville Register and Bee, reports the event. Notice the interesting quotes from Ernette and Tucker Watkins.

Quick Perriello Points

It's hard to keep up with my congressman these days. Come home from work and my inbox is flooded with news of new legislation he writes and supports. This is from the last two days.

On veteran's issues, Perriello first voted for two important bills and introduced legislation. He voted to improve how VA's get funded, thus allowing for better transparency and planning purposes, and he voted to expand and improve VA healthcare benefits for the women who have bravely served our country. Perriello also introduced legislation to extend healthcare benefits from the VA to family members who act as caregivers to disabled veterans.

Today, Perriello announced his support for the Trade Act, which will review existing trade negotiations and will reform our country's approach to such negotiations, specifically with four higher standards. You can watch his press conference here.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Bradley Rees will officially announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Congress in Danville. I actually have a meeting there earlier, so time permitting, I'm going to try to check it out.