If Move On Organizes A Protest Against Mitt Romney And No One Show Up, Does It Still Happen?

Sometimes I get emails.

Dear MoveOn member,

News broke this morning in The Boston Globe that Mitt Romney may have been in charge of Bain Capital for three years longer than he'd previously reported—a bombshell that could change the trajectory of the presidential race.1 The press is all over the story, and people everywhere are wondering what Mitt is hiding by not releasing his tax returns from this period.

When George Romney, Mitt's father, ran for president in 1967, he released 12 years of tax returns. He said, "one year could be a fluke, perhaps done for show."

But that's all Mitt has released, one year. He willingly provided 23 years of tax returns to the McCain campaign in 2008 before being rejected for the vice presidential slot. Now he wants to be president—but he's unwilling to release the same information to the American people.

Why? That's the question—and the only way we'll find out is if Romney releases his returns.

That's why MoveOn members are showing up at Romney campaign offices all over the country on Friday to turn the heat way up and deliver a simple message: Release your returns now!

There's a Romney office in Chester [Virginia]. Can you stop by TOMORROW at NOON to drop off our "Release Your Returns" letter to make sure they, and the media, get the message?

That was Thursday.  I checked my calender, it was clear save for taking my daughters to the park to play.  Sure, I can swing by to see who will show up.

I arrived on scene at the campaign office about 12:30.  I figured I should give them some time get arrive and get organized.

Where the office is at is a pretty modern office park with ample parking and a few posh restaurants with some apartments  nearby.  The idea behind it all is to work, eat and play all within a few hundred yards of where you live. It's nice.

I wasn't sure on the exact location of the campaign office so I started to look for a group of people carrying around the same mass produced sign.  No luck.

It was a beautiful day out.  Not too hot in the mid eighties range.  So the weather shouldn't have been an issue for these true believers.

I double checked the address on my phone and found the place.

It really wasn't that difficult to find.  

There wasn't anyone is sight.  To one side of the building.

Or to the other side. 

I don't know if it was because it was Friday the 13th or that it was the second Friday of the month and the welfare Living Assistance checks came in the mail that day or what was the reason. There wasn't anyone from Move On there. 

I went inside and talked to Matt (I apologize if I got his name wrong, I didn't write it down at the time) and he told me that no one from Move On has showed up to picket. 

I didn't wait too long as I had my kids with me and they were anxious to get to the park and why wait on nothing? 

As I left the office complex, I checked to see if there were any protesters out near the busy street, trying to catch eyeballs as people drove by.  Nope.  Nothing there either.

I don't know how the others went but the protest in Chester, Virginia was a bust.

I did pick up a Romney bumper sticker so there's that. 

Breaking: Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli To Run For Governor

Interesting:

Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will be announcing his bid for Virginia Governor in the coming days, possibly as soon as the RPV Advance this weekend.

One more reason why the blogosphere trumps the MSM.

Bob McDonnell Cuts Like A Knife Through The State Budget

The things that warm the cold, cold cockles of my heart.

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell has used a powerful executive tool to further his goal of phasing out state funding for public broadcasting.

After two efforts to get legislators to cut more funding than they would agree to, the governor moved closer to his objective Tuesday when he signed the amended 2012 budget and included one line-item veto that will result in 25 percent fewer dollars for educational programing for public radio and TV stations.

Given that the cuts make up a very small percentage of the balanced budget legislators had already approved, the governor’s veto is more symbolic of his ideology than of his budget concerns.

“In today’s free market, with hundreds of radio and television programs, government should not be subsidizing one particular group of stations,” Mr. McDonnell said.

Cutting funding for public broadcasting is one of those issues that liberals seem to carry two very different and opposing ideas in their little head at the same time. On one hand, public funding is a small percentage for NPR and PBS so it doesn't make much of a difference. But yet cutting that same funding is akin to burning the first amendment and the death knell for free speech.

Besides, it's only the state budget. Public broadcasting will still go on with help from federal funding and "Viewers like you". They can handle a few extra days of fund-raising to make up the difference.

Again, this is about funding. Which political party will the editors and producers favor in their story? The party who would budget them more money or the party threatening to cut the purse strings?

Rep. Jim Moran Gives Ammo To His Next Opponent In Townhall

Sitting congressman tells disabled veteran to sit down, shut up or leave. New tone!



Again, it goes back to messaging. Republicans need to keep pounding the point home that Democrats had control of the both Houses of Congress and failed to pass the budget which brings us to these Continuing Resolutions we have today.

This isn't the first time that Rep. Jim Moran (D- Ickhead, VA) has shown contempt to the troops either.

More: Okay, I read someplace about that this is Moran's last term in office but I closed that tab and can't find it now. So the title might not be completely accurate but I liked the sound of it and didn't want to change it.

Update: Charlie Wrangle (D- Irty, lying crapweasel) said that the budget was a hot potato. I guess Presidenting isn't the only difficult job in Washington.

It's Official: Tim Kaine For Senate

The man who presided over the largest political bloodbath (blah, blah, blah, new tone blah, blah) in Congress is now the chosen boy to run for Senate in Virginia.

Remember, this logo was Tim Kaine's most significant contribution to the Democrat Party while he was the head of it.

One Thing About The Republican Race For Senate. . .

It looks like it can get very nasty fast.

. . . I was shocked to learn when sources told me (which I was able to confirm yesterday) that Jamie Radtke has hired Jon and his company CRAFT Media to take on her primary challenge to George Allen.

This is a big move for Radtke who will now have every possible piece of dirt against Allen at her disposal.

I know this is almost a month old. Trying to clear out a few older-- but still relevant-- bookmarks.

Webb Is Out:? Updated With Appropriate Musical Number!

One Term Jim Webb is looking to retire.

Or as I read between the lines, Webb's chances for reelection are between slim and none.

Not sure who is going to step up for the Democrat Party to run just yet.

It's tough to imagine Democrats having trouble fielding a candidate to replace Webb. Democrats had a rotten 2009 and a rotten 2010 in Virginia, and they're fighting uphill to hold the State Senate this year. But former Gov. Tim Kaine, now DNC chairman (yes, he presided over those bad years), only ruled out a bid when failure to do so would have fired up speculation about Webb.

Forgive me for failing to do this earlier:

George Allen To Run For Senate

Again.



Nothing against Allen but I'm not a big fan of rerunning politicians. I would rather inject some new blood into the system. More state level senators and delegates could step up.

And speaking of new blood, Senate Candidate Jamie Radtke had this to say about Allen throwing his hat in:

“It’s been great to hear from conservatives and Tea Party supporters across Virginia who are supporting my run for the U.S. Senate in 2012. They want a new generation of predictable, dependable conservative leader whose positions are clear and straightforward.

“I welcome George Allen to the campaign. Last week I invited Mr. Allen to join me in meeting with the voters in monthly Town Hall meetings around the Commonwealth, and today I am extending that invitation again.

“Twelve years ago when George Allen was running for the U.S. Senate, he pledged his
commitment to a balanced budget, reducing spending and reducing the debt.

“Then he went to Washington and voted for spending measures that increased our national debt by $3.1 trillion and voted for $90 billion in earmarks.

“Now, 12 years later, George Allen is making the same promises again. George Allen must explain his record on deficit and pork barrel spending, as well as gun rights, abortion, and his endorsements of Republicans such as Arlen Specter.

“Senator Allen was part of the Washington establishment, and he still is. If we want to change Washington we need to change the people in Washington, and elect a new generation of strong leadership to the Senate who will make principled decisions. I look forward to proving I am that person for Virginia.”

Dave Weigel and Erick Erickson have more about George Allen's issues.

I'm not endorsing either one yet. There are issues with both. Allen has his history and Radtke has, well, none. But that's what blogs and primaries were invented for, right?

What Ever Happened To The "Pump Patrol"?

Gas in our area had just hit three dollars per gallon after a relative lull from last summer and fall. But I seem to remember watching the local news a few years ago and every night they would feature, "The Pump Patrol". Where someone would be the designated reporter to go out and find the cheapest price at the pump. This was all before Jan. 8, 2009. If I recall correctly.



I've yet to see that on my nightly news around the Richmond, VA area.

Maybe if it the price get's higher, the news will act.

Anyone else notice this?

If You Happen To Live In The Powhatan, Virginia Area. . .

Be sure to consider voting Todd Rojcewicz for the Board of Supervisors.



Todd is a good man, a Marine and is stepping up to be a citizen legislator. Sure, he's wearing a Boston Red Sox ball cap in the above video when a Detroit Tigers cap would have been more preferable. But we aren't going to agree on every single issue and that's okay.

It's not too early to start eying up a good candidate for next year.

Whitey Need Not Apply

Yes, this is rhetorical but why is it when minorities express interest in hiring people whose skin is a certain shade (Or, more accurately, not hiring people because of the shade of their skin) it's not considered racist?

If Chesterfield County [In Virginia] is going to offer a truly global education to its 58,000 or so students, the School Board and administration officials heard yesterday, it needs to do something about the wide gap in minority representation between students and teachers.

While 44 percent of the student body is nonwhite, only 13 percent of the teaching corps is, said Traci E. Teasley, the system's director of research and planning, during the board's quarterly work session. The immediate goal is 15 percent, with plans to top 20 percent in the long term.

"What gets monitored, gets done," Superintendent Marcus J. Newsome told the board, explaining the impetus behind including minority hiring among the five "Key Success Measures" for the school year.

The four other areas involve standardized test scores and student attendance.

The issue has been a priority for Matoaca representative U. Omarh Rajah, a one-time county teacher who became the board's first elected minority member when he unseated incumbent Thomas J. Doland in 2007.

So much of this is political correctness more than anything. And bonehead thinking.

If the school system really wanted to offer a 'global education', simply hiring minorities won't do it. To start with, minorities won't be able to offer the global perspective. Not if the teacher has live their entire life here in the US.

What happens when the Chesterfield school system can't find enough qualified candidates to hire? Do they buckle down and hire the white people? Or relax their standards to allow more 'preferred' teachers in to work? For the alter of Political Correctness, no wall is too high to make sure the right quotas will be filled. Of course standards will be relaxed.

What's more important? Making sure there are enough of the right kind of teachers or the quality of your children's education?

Hire the best teacher for the job. Regardless of skin color. At least that's how I understood Martin Luther King.

Virginia Elections Information

There's more than a couple of candidates up for election next Tuesday. A couple of ballot initiatives are on the ballot as well.

The Richmond Tea Party has the 411 on that.

It helps at times because many initiatives are worded in such a way where, "A yes vote will negate the validation of the proposed legislation by not allowing it go forward with. . ." and so on and so forth.

I blame the lawyers.

More From The Tea Party Convention

The Tea Party has grown up.

They are still an independent group operating on a local level in many aspects but have enough heft to pull off a national convention if needed.  

I talked to a few people, some who didn't want to go on record, about the movement today. One concern was that the Tea Party has moved beyond its humble grassroots starts and has become a bit more automatized.  That was necessary and inevitable though.  It needed to compete with Move On and other George Soros funded activist groups.  

For such a young organization, it's amazing to see how it's grown.

Long before the Tea Party had its name, many people were dissatisfied with how government was working way back in the George W. Bush years. With the growth of government under the Bush years-- coupled with the bail-outs, TARP and the other mini-stimulus**-- that happened, disillusionment was bound to set it among conservative voters. And John "Amnesty" McCain winning the nomination next didn't help either. Many people didn't see much difference between McCain and Obama other than scale and the letter after the names.

It wasn't until Rick Santelli gave his rant and said "tea party" that people were able to rally behind. The Tea Party name had the historical context that anyone with a 4th grade education in history can understand.* Bush heated up the water. Obama brought it to a boil.

Enough about that, pretty much anyone who has been really following the movement knows how it started. I needed something write about and post some more pictures of the event.

Ron Paul.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, former Sen. George Allen, Jamie Radke of the Richmond Tea Party, U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa and former Sen. Rick Santorum.

The RT was there.

There was more foreign press at the convention than domestic. Obviously, the local stations covered the event.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Canada
Suomen Kuvalehti - Finland News Magazine Finland
STT (Finnish National News) and MTV3 (Finnish Television News) Finland
Radio-France (French Public Radio) France
DIE ZEIT (The Time) Germany
German National Radio Germany
ARD German TV Germany
Freie Presse | Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung | Die Rheinpfalz Germany
ZDF German Television Germany
Fuji Television, Japan's largest broacast network, partners with ABC Japan
Horizontes Online.com Latino
Dutch TV Netherlands
Russian news portal www.slon.ru Russia
RT America Russia
LA GACETA and the magazine ÉPOCA - European Mass Media Intereconomia Spain
Swiss TV - the primary public broacaster for Switzerland Switzerland
The Guardian UK

Thanks to Chuck from the Richmond Tea Party for the listing.

Bitter clingers everywhere you see.

*Unless your name is Gwen Ifill and happen to live in Washington DC. Then you're an ignorant gutter trollop who has cruised through life thanks to affirmative action who can't pick up a historical reference when it slaps her in the face. Much like a pimp slapping his ho because she doesn't have his money.

**It was a mini-stimulus by comparison with today's standards. Again, this highlights the problem with Big Government Republicans. Why vote for someone who will do the job half-assed when you can vote for the liberal and show you how real wasteful spending is done.

At The Virginia Tea Party Convention

Richmond VA-- Dick Morris was speaking while I was trying to write this out. But I was having trouble connecting with the wireless and couldn't do the live blog of his speech. And it wasn't just me.

The most I could do was take pictures and update an occasional Tweet.

Morris was laying out how the Tea Party can help to take back the Government this fall.


It's really take back America to put it in general terms but some people on the left like to use that as a bludgeon by asking, "What do you mean, 'Take back America?'" Leaving that as an aside. Most reasonable people know what "Take back America" means.

I did have to leave early in order to pick up my kids. Bad timing because it was right when Gov. McDonnell and Lt. Gov. Bolling were just introduced for their seminar onstage.

Have to find a balance between life and activism. I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Let's See Now

Shaved? Check.

Clean shirt? Check.

Teeth brushed? Be right back. Check.

Paperback copy of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Check

Whiskey flask of ether? My attorney has that. Check.

Laptop? Check

Fast and easy way to post pictures directly to the internet from my phone? Check.

Roadmap to the Virginia Tea Party Convention? Check.

Fedora? Whoops. Knew there was something I was forgetting.

This Should Be A No Brainer

Yes! Upon Odin's one eye, privatize the ABC Stores!

Why is the Commonwealth of Virginia doing in charge of these stores to begin with? Besides the obvious. They want the money from the sales and, more importantly, the ability to control the public's access to the stores.

The governor's plan for privatizing liquor sales was endorsed yesterday by all members of his commission on government reform, except for three Democratic legislators who think it will hurt the state budget and lead to more underage drinking.

McDonnell, speaking after the commission vote, said he will soon decide whether to call the assembly into special session next month to vote on his plan for privatizing liquor and other reforms recommended by the special panel he appointed.
[. . .]
McDonnell defended his decision to drop proposed taxes in his plan and abandon an assurance made in his gubernatorial campaign that a privatized liquor industry would generate at least as much money for the state as ABC.

"I said it would be substantially equivalent," he said. "I think we're in the ballpark."

The political challenge for the governor is building enough support to overcome opposition by Democrats, as well as concerns among Republicans about the loss of revenue in tight budget times; the potential social consequences of ending state control of liquor sales; and the fierce opposition of wine and beer wholesalers.

If the Democrats and some of the Republicans are concerned about revenue, the private sector can do a much better job of selling booze than the state government can. Private stores will have more access for the public, better hours and many stores already deal with selling beer and wine. What's one more shelf item that has the same restrictions? And the state will still collect whatever sales tax from the transactions of selling alcohol.

There will be the added benefit in savings. The state won't have to operate the ABC stores. Let the private store worry about personal and the liabilities running a liquor store. The privates store will have better hours and the ability to specialize for the area. Meaning more sales and more sales tax.

Private stores can customize their inventory. Places in Petersburg will stock up on malt liquor in 40 ounce bottles while stores in Midlothian will have Grey Goose and Maker's Mark in stock. Location.

As for the strawman about "For The Children"? Again, many stores already sell beer and wine. Teenagers will drink Natty Light if they get their hands on it. It's not going to change their behavior. Wanting to go out on a Friday night and get drunk at a party can't be legislated away.

Why Virginia has taken on the responsibility of selling liquor when they can just as easily pass it onto the public and still receive the same benefits from the revenue is beyond me. Especially when you consider that beer and wine is already being sold in private stores. Government should be a regulatory agency, not retail. It's not about access to booze but principles of the free market.

I shouldn't have to close with this, really, but it's common sense.

Step One: Buy A Fedora

The Virginia Tea Party Convention is approaching in October and I'm going to have a chance to be covering it live, on the scene.

This year, I'll be better prepared. With a laptop in hand and a way to download pictures faster.

But that's not going to be enough.

Smitty and I ended up being mere observers of the 8/28 Restoring Honor rally. That's not going to cut it when, schedule permitting, Michelle Bachmann and Ron Paul might be there. Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarance Thomas is confirmed to be there too.

So I might have to take Robert Stacy up on his offer of a seminar:

Obviously, I need to start teaching seminars on how to b.s. your way past security: First, always wear a sports coat and a shirt with a collar.

Forget about comfort. If you’ve got an official full-access credential, you can dress like a fat tourist on vacation, but otherwise, it’s important to look like a legitimate member of the working press. And nothing says “legit” like a sports coat and button-down oxford.

Remember: There is no law against impersonating a journalist.

The first step will be to buy a fedora. Why? Because it's spreading like a fevor. Da Tech Guy is also a full fledged member and he's done his share of blog reporting.

Wearing a fedora screams, "I'm the press!" What's the point of being part of the press, be it new or old, if people don't know you're a member of it?

The second step would be hitting his tip jar. I doubt he would move onto step three without it.

Besides, if the man can score an interview by cold calling Todd Palin, then it should be well worth the seminar price.

Update: Linked in the headlines by The Other McCain. It's the fedora.

The World's Greatest Director Of Political Campaign Commercials Strikes Again

Via Robert Stacy.

Ladd Ehlinger Jr. hit gold with this commercial. It was effective enough to make Matthew Yglesias (Link to Think [heh] Progress) curl up in the fetal position and cry for 4 nights in a row and a "Funny or Die" spoof.

Ladd is back with this commercial for Les Philips in Alabama.



Scott Taylor, take note.

Eric Cantor Treats The Federal Budget Like Some Sort Of Game

Something a bit more than 'Let's Make a Deal' but less than 'The Price Is Right'.

Anyway, he's taking a pair of kids scissors to something that really needs a chainsaw.

A Tale Of Two Scotts. Taylor and Rigell in Virginia

LINKED: Smitty over at The Other McCain didn't need to be asked twice about giving Scott Taylor some linky love. NTTWAWWT.

In keeping focused on the Commonwealth, the Second Congressional District of Virginia is in a heated primary between Scott Taylor and Scott Rigell. The are set to duke it out in a primary contest on June 8th.

One thing that did stand out when I was researching this is how Rigell had donated money to Barack Obama in 08 (See here, one of these is not like the other).

Rigell's defense of the donation?

"Yes, I was moved by his rhetoric and by the prospect of seeing a minority rise to the highest office in our land. If we were to end up with a Democrat President I wanted that person to be Obama"

As a car salesman, you would think that he would be immune to rhetoric and B.S. If he was moved enough to donate to Barack Obama, I question the rest of his judgment.

He's not feeling much remorse over giving Barack Obama $1,000 as you can see.



If you need two reasons to vote for Scott Taylor? He's never donated to Barack Obama and he's Hampton Roads Tea Party Approved.

Donate now to Scott Taylor's money bomb because he can dot the i on a 'No Parking' sign from about a mile away.

To be honest, you can't be Scott Taylor's slogan. "Send a SEAL, not a RINO."