BlogNetNews--Virginia JeffersoniadIn honor of classic rock and NASCAR Saturday nights, this edition is dedicated to one of the most amazing southern rock bands in the world…Lynryd Skynyrd with “Sweet Home Alabama.” Enjoy!
By the way, in honor of NASCAR, is anyone else bummed about Kyle Busch’s win tonight in Darlington?
For many who know me, they know that I hail from the State (i.e. The People’s Republic) of Maryland (born, raised, then kicked out after I declared that I was a Republican, New York Yankees Fan and an unapologetic Pittsburgh Steelers Fan…my AFC Team). When I was living in Maryland, I had the privilege of witnessing the dynamic duo of then-Governor Bob Ehrlich and then-Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele. Both of these men led with dignity and gave Maryland a glimpse of prosperity, lower taxes and gasp, a governor’s office without scandal.
However, one part of the dynamic duo began to shine after he declared that he was running for the U.S. Senate to replace Paul Sarbanes. Steele showed that he had fresh ideas and a dedication of being a strong, principled leader who was determined to bring conservatism back to the halls of Congress. With such a strong commitment to party building and returning the country back to the ideals on which it was founded, Steele became a rising star amongst Republicans across the United States. Although he lost his race in 2006, he has now become a celebrity in the GOP through his leadership of GOPAC.
Steele would not only bring diversity to our ticket, but he brings back the enthusiasm and energy that our party has been lacking recently. McCain would be wise to choose Steele, who is a strong leader with much charisma. If Steele were McCain’s running mate, there would also be much crossover appeal as well as the energized Conservative base. While there are many cons to Steele being selected as VP, the pros far outweigh the cons. McCain/Steele has a nice ring, doesn’t it?
May 15th marks a significant day in Virginia’s history, as we declared our independence from the British crown and by sending Richard Henry Lee to be one of its delegates to Philadelphia to the Second Continental Congress, not just to propose independence for Virginia, but for all of the colonies. This paved the way for the Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.
So, let’s send one of Virginia’s strongest defenders of the Constitution to the United States Senate. On May 15th, let’s donate some money to Bob Marshall and send someone who will not back down from the liberal powers that exist in Washington. Let’s celebrate Virginia and freedom on May 15th.
**Cross Posted at Bloggers 4 Bob Marshall**
Great News! Rep. Ron Paul endorsed Amit Singh for the 8th District Congressional Seat. For many who have read this blog in the past may remember that I did not have warm and fuzzy feelings for Ron Paul’s candidacy for President, however, times have changed. Ron Paul is a strict follower of the Constitution, and our country would be better off if we had leaders who would strictly adhere to the Constitution instead of following the commands of lobbyists. Check out the YouTube Video featuring Ron Paul’s endorsement of Singh:
On May 15th, please feel free to donate some money to Amit’s campaign, so he can join Ron Paul for lunch as the next Congressman from the 8th District.
Well, I am back in the area after a whirlwind trip to the Midwest. One thought came running across my mind as the plane touched down at Dulles. There’s No Place Like Home. From the time that I could see the mountains in plain view and look at the fast pace of traffic in Northern Virginia, I came to the realization that I really missed this place. While it is nice to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, I was homesick for friends, family and yes, the intermix of traffic and politics as usual. The East Coast (specifically, the Mid-Atlantic) has always been home, and I can never fathom the thought of leaving for any other part of the country. It is good to be back home in Virginia again, because I am not a fan of the country and cornfields.
Since I am in Indiana on business for the next week and a half, blogging will be sporadic. However, I have decided to return the Rock On segment to keep songs from getting stuck in my head. This segment features one of my favorite bands, Pink Floyd and their song “Wish You Were Here.” The song “Wish You Were Here” was written to describe the impact of one of their leading members departing for a brief time from the group. Although it is a melancholy song, I would like to think of it as a postcard from Indiana, wishing that y’all were here with me to add excitement in my travels.
Tonight, Pennsylvania thinks that Hillary Clinton is the best choice to represent the Democrats in November. It looks like this race is headed to the democratic convention where superdelegates will decide either Hillary or Barack’s fate. With all of the hype about Barack’s elitist remarks about blue collar workers, I wonder if this will really hurt his chances of securing the nomination. Hillary showed that she was actually able to show how she relates to the people with one shot of whiskey chased by a beer. I believe she is really starting to craft her message and turning her inner robot off to allow a personality to shine through.
Let the bloodbath begin, because recent polls are showing Republican John McCain with a substantial lead over both of the democratic candidates. McCain is showing a 10-12% lead nationwide. Either way, I hope for a long, long fight in Denver for the superdelegates to decide who will represent the Democrats in November.
The Washington Capitals had a great season, but the magic is gone for these comeback Caps, as they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers (ugghhh). So close, but not close enough! Congratulations on a great season to the Caps!
With Earth Day and news of the increasing costs of fuel, I decided that I wanted to begin an investigative series on what is needed to address the current energy crisis and what we need to do to ensure a future that is not dependent on foreign oil, as well as using innovative technologies to ensure that we protect the environment with common sense. The first part of the series will focus on the advent and popularity of hybrid and partial zero emissions vehicles (PZEV).
Recent reports from various news sources (AP, Reuters, AFP) are all forecasting the prices of oil to reach $4.50-$5.00 before the end of summer. The rising costs alone are causing people to rethink traveling, find more cost effective measures, utilizing mass transit, and placing more financial distress on working families. With the rising costs, more people are starting to buy hybrid vehicles. Since the hybrid vehicle tax breaks were passed in 2005, there has been more demand for the limited number of these energy saving cars/SUVs. The technologies have improved significantly in hybrid vehicles with many of these cars reaching 35-40 miles per gallon on the highway. More studies are needed; however, to determine the longetivity of the battery life and other mechanical issues that may arise in these vehicles. Hybrids come with one downfall: the sticker shock, since most of these vehicles range from $20,000-$30,000. Even with the tax credit issued by the Federal government, it is often not able to compensate for the costs of owning these environmentally friendly vehicles. The question often posed by many hybrid owners is should the state government should issue tax credits for these vehicles due to the current state of energy in our country? It is a question that many conservatives and liberals might argue for or against, but it needs to be addressed for the future considering the energy crisis.
However, let’s take a look at a new innovation that incorporates the emissions lowering technologies of the hybrid vehicles and how it is being incorporated in standard vehicles. Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (PSEV) are vehicles that have zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system. These vehicles are tailored to California’s strict vehicle emission laws, and these cars are only sold in states like NY, CA, and some Northeastern states. Now, why aren’t these vehicles allowed for purchase in other states like Virginia or Maryland? If there are more PSEVs on the highways, then this will be better for the environment and these vehicles use less fuel. According to an MSN article about PSEV, the Clean Air Act is preventing these vehicles from being sold in other states due to California’s high emissions standards. It is a total travesty that the Federal government would regulate vehicles that are better for the environment and have better mileage standards than other vehicles.
When I was living in New York, I test drove the Ford Focus PSEV around the streets of Manhattan. Quite remarkable for a Maryland trained driver, who grew up near the farms and corn fields near Frederick. I loved the fact that the car was great on gas mileage and was more affordable than a hybrid. I own a Ford Focus, and it has the same great mileage as a PSEV. It actually makes me glad that I am protecting the environment every time I drive in my car because the emissions standards are higher than most automobiles.
The Federal and State governments need to work together to ensure that PSEVs are available for purchase by the consumers, because these vehicles are environmentally and energy friendly. If more of these type of vehicles were on the highways around the DC metro area, the air quality would be drastically improved and fuel prices might go down (since less fuel would be used).
This is an open thread question: Who do you think will win the Pennsylvania Primary tomorrow? Will it be Barack Obama (Elitist Pedigreeus) or Hillary Clinton? Do you think that it will boil down to superdelegates in the end or will it end in civility?
