Gov. Bob McDonnell issued a statement today supporting House Speaker John Boehner's plan to raise the debt ceiling and urged Virginia's Congressional delegation, as well as Congress as a whole, to pass the legislation.
Here is McDonnell's statement from a press release.
“It it critical that the United States Congress immediately pass the best possible bill that will resolve the ongoing debt limit impasse. It would be catastrophic for the United States, and for Virginia, if we defaulted on our obligations. For far too long, Congress has overspent and now the bills are due. Washington must start doing what governors are doing around the country – making serious cuts to get their fiscal houses in order. Speaker Boehner’s bill cuts spending, doesn’t raise taxes and ensures that we do not default on our debt. I urge the members of Congress, including Virginia’s delegation, to vote in support of this measure.”
Boehner's two-tier plan would raise the debt ceiling by $1 trillion dollars for six months and would include $1.2 trillion in spending cuts, followed by a second increase tied to an overhaul of the tax code and cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
The House is expected to vote on the Speaker's proposal this evening. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said the Senate would immediately vote on and defeat Boehner's plan if it passes the House.
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Congressman Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, said today he will vote in favor of House Speaker John Boehner's plan to raise the debt ceiling.
"This afternoon I'll be voting for the 'Budget Control Act of 2011,"Rigell said in a video posted on his Facebook page. "Though it's an imperfect bill, I know it's the right path and the right decision."
Rigell was a proponent of the Tea Party-backed "Cut, Cap and Balance Act" that passed the House last week but was killed in the Senate. That bill would have required a cap on federal spending, serious spending cuts and a balanced budget amendment that would have been sent to the states for ratification.
While he supported "cut, cap and balance," which was seen as the Republican hard line position, Rigell left his options open on another deal because he believes that default on the nation's debt is "not an option."
On Tuesday Rigell spokesperson Kim Mosser told the Daily Press that the Congressman was "studying the Boehner bill really closely and is hopeful that he can come to a decision that it does, in fact, move us in the direction of a better fiscal stability."
In the video, Rigell lays out why he believes the Boehner plan moves in that direction.
Rigell's announcement comes the day after Boehner, R-Ohio, told wavering House GOP members in a closed-door Republican conference meeting to "get your ass in line" behind his proposal.
Mosser said that Boehner's statement did not play a role in Rigell's decision, and that the Speaker made the comment "more in a ‘let’s go team’ manner."
" 'I've had no problem with voting against leadership,' Rigell said in an interview. 'I don't lose sleep over that, but as I look at where we are and the alternatives before us I think it's critical that we have given the president not one but two options,' he said, referring to both the cut cap and balance measure and the debt-ceiling measure being rewritten by Boehner.
Rigell said he thinks sentiment among Republicans is 'shifting over into supporting the bill.' He said that the argument put forward by leadership to 'be a team player is not persuasive to me,' but that 'it was the logic flow of what is the effect of this going to be on interest rates -- that was a principal concern because it would affect the cost of funds of every American.' He said that while rates still may rise even with the passage of a bill, 'it was certain to happen absent this bill.' "
Boehner's two-tier plan would raise the debt ceiling by $1 trillion dollars for six months and would include $1.2 trillion in spending cuts, followed by a second increase tied to an overhaul of the tax code and cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
The House is expected to vote on the Speaker's proposal this evening. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said the Senate would immediately vote on and defeat Boehner's plan if it passes the House.
Follow Daily Press Political Reporter Todd Allen Wilson on twitter at twitter.com/tawilsondp.
The current governor of Virginia and two of his predecessors weighed in on the growing national debate regarding the debt ceiling Tuesday. On Tuesday, Gov. Bob McDonnell slammed President Obama's plans for deficit reduction. Politico.com says McDonnell told WTOP-FM radiothat "The inability of this administration to pay its bills ...” jeopardized the country's AAA bond rating.The report says McDonnell also criticized Obama's demands that any debt ceiling deal comes with additional revenues.
Former Gov. Tim Kaine, who is running for Senate, said on Tuesday Washington needed to come to a compromise. Kaine also expressed concern about the nation's AAA bond rating. Here's what Kaine said in a news release:
“The 11th hour negotiating tactics in Washington have brought this country to the brink of another economic crisis. Failure to raise the debt ceiling and enact substantial spending reductions would result in unacceptable, completely avoidable economic calamity. Those who have attempted to use the debt ceiling negotiations as a bargaining chip have put us at extreme risk and their political games have likely rendered a short-term fix unacceptable to credit rating agencies."
Kaine's likely opponent for the Senate seat, George Allen, put out a release criticizing an op-ed Kaine penned in the Daily Press advocating additional tax revenues. Allen is a former governor and U.S. senator, who is now running for his old seat.
He was defeated in 2006 by now retiring Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat. While Kaine's release played up his experience as a Virginia governor, Bill Riggs, a spokesman for Allen made sure to note Kaine's affiliation with Obama as former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Here's the statement from Riggs:
“As top advocate for the Washington’s explosive spending policies that made trillion dollar deficits the norm, it’s not surprising that Chairman Kaine is the one of last Democrats still standing with President Obama on massive tax hikes. Job-killing tax increases and more government spending won’t solve our debt crisis, it will only jeopardize jobs and hurt an already anemic economy. It’s clear that Chairman Kaine will be a Senator for President Obama and his Washington allies, while George Allen will be a Senator for Virginia.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LERYBwsaesY With 15 months to go until the 2012 presidential elections the Republican National Committee launched a television ad campaign in Virginia today "in order to ensure Barack Obama is a one-term president."
RNC political director Rick Wiley said in a conference call the ad will run for one month in Virginia and five other states, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Florida, that are seen as crucial for the still-undetermined Republican presidential nominee to win in order to win the White House.
The ad campaign, called "Change Direction," highlights what the RNC sees as Obama's "failed economic policy," Wiley said.
The RNC believes the president is vulnerable in Virginia where Obama's approval rating has dropped from 51 percent to 47 percent since May, Wiley said.
The ad shows a young girl flipping through news programs on TV on Jan. 20 2017 - Obama's last year in office after serving two terms. The focus of the news is the country's bleak economic situation due to Obama's eight years at the helm. The jobless rate is through the roof, images of homeless citizens abound and China may be on the verge of owning the US.
If you don't want to wait to see the ad play during one of your favorite TV programs you can view it here.
The TV ad campaign is part of a "larger package to defeat Obama," and includes use of social media websites like Facebook and a text messaging campaign known as the "GOP Mobile Army," Wiley said.
"Our goal is to lead Obama back to surfing in Hawaii," Wiley said.
Follow Daily Press Political Reporter Todd Allen Wilson on twitter at twitter.com/tawilsondp.
Del. Harvey Morgan, R-Gloucester, announced he is endorsing Sherwood Bowditch to replace him in Virginia's 98th House district after holding the seat for 32 years.
“I have known Sherwood and his family for many years, and am confident that he will be an outstanding representative for the Middle Peninsula,” Morgan said. “Sherwood is a successful businessman with a heart for his community. He demonstrates wisdom and judgment that will serve him well in the General Assembly. I am pleased to support his candidacy.”
Bowditch is a Gloucester native and businessman who worked as a legislative aide to Morgan in 2000.
“It is indeed humbling to have the support of a man many know as ‘the conscience of the General Assembly,” Bowditch said. “He has been such an important leader for the Middle Peninsula, on environmental issues and on issues directly affecting our quality of life. Every day I serve in the House of Delegates, I will strive to live up to his example.”
Bowditch will face three other candidates, Kenneth Gibson, Catesby Jones and M. Keith Hodges, in the Aug. 23 Republican primary election. Bowditch has raised $72,498 to date for his campaign. This is $16,599 more than his nearest competitor M. Keith Hodges.
He has also garnered endorsements from Senate minority leader Thomas Norment, R-Williamsburg, Del. Glen Oder, R-Newport News and Del. Brenda Pogge, R-Yorktown.
As Gov. Bob McDonnell touted Virginia's $311 million surplus Tuesday, Moody's Investment Services announced it will be reviewing Virginia's AAA bond rating.
The rating agency said it may downgrade Virgina's rating, and those of four other states with AAA ratings, if the federal government fails to raise the debt ceiling and goes into default.
Moody's said it will be reviewing Virgina's rating, along with those of Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee and New Mexico, for possible downgrade because these states may be most adversely affected if the federal government defaults on its debts.
Moody's said it would not automatically lower the rating of Virginia and the four other states if it downgrades the U.S. rating, but would look at each state on a case by case basis.
Paul Hirschbiel, a Virginia Beach businessman, announced Monday he is exploring a 2012 run for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.
Hirschbiel, a Norfolk native, released a statement saying he has filed the paperwork to explore running for Congress as a Democrat.
Hirschbiel is a long time ally of U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. He and Warner helped to foundthe Virginia Beach investment firm Eden Capital in 1999. While Warner was governor, Hirschbiel served as a member of the Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness. He is also a regular contributor to political campaigns.
“If we are going to bring people together and keep America strong we need less rhetoric and more action--less bickering and more discussion, and less finger-pointing and more common-sense solutions," Hirschbiel said in the statement. "I’ve put these principles to work by helping Governor Warner forge a bi-partisan consensus to save taxpayer dollars by making government more efficient."
If Hirschbiel wins his party's nomination, he will be pitted against freshman Republican Rep. Scott Rigell, of Virginia Beach, in the November 2012 general election.
In response to Hirschbiel's announcement, the National Republican Congressional Committee released a statement questioning the long-time contributor to political campaigns' credentials as a Democrat. The NRCC pointed out that Hirschbiel has donated $33,250 to GOP candidates in the past, including $1,000 to George W. Bush in 1999 and $1,000 to Mitt Romney in 2007.
"Paul Hirschbiel may be making his first bid for office, but he already has a long record as a flip-flopping career politician who routinely puts principle aside to do what's best for himself," NRCC Spokesperson Tory Mazzola said in the statement. "Even as he says he is running as a Democrat, Hirschbiel has donated over $100,000 to help defeat members of what he says today is his own party. Hirschbiel may be dressing up as a Democrat for his announcement today, but who knows what costume he'll be wearing come Election Day."
Catesby Jones, running for the Republican nomination for the 98th District House of Delegates seat, is adding his name to a no-tax increase pledge sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform. Jones is one of four GOP candidates in the district looking to replace retiring Del. Harvey B. Morgan, also a Republican. Morgan has held the seat for over 30 years.
“Increasing taxes is not the way to solve Virginia’s budget problems or America’s,” Jones said in a statement from his campaign office. “If we are going to create jobs and grow our economy again, we need to keep taxes low.”
The pledge, espoused by prominent conservative Grover Norquist's organization since the 1980's, has become a conservative litmus test. At times it has also caused future headaches for candidates elected to office when politics and the realities of governance clash.
If Jones' name isn't familiar, you might be familiar with his company, Peace Frogs Inc., based in Gloucester. Its logo, a frog displaying a peace sign, has become a ubiquitous staple at tourist shops and convenience stores.
Also lined up to run in the 98th District race on the Republican side are Sherwood H. Bowditch, Ken Gibson, and M. Keith Hodges.
Andrew Shoukas, of Tappahannock, is the sole Democrat to file paperwork to run in the district.
The 98th District includes Mathews, Gloucester, Middlesex and Essex counties and parts of King and Queen and King William counties.
Gov. Bob McDonnell is getting more buzz as a possible Republican vice-presidential option after getting some good news this week.
A recent Quinnipiac poll showed that voters approve of his performance by a 2-1 margin. And CNBC stoked his economic credentials this week by naming Virginia the best state for business in a recent study.
In a Washington Examiner piece on Wednesday, political analyst Bob Holsworth says, "At the moment, he has too much going for himself not to be considered."
McDonnell himself hasn't been coy about what he would do if offered a spot on the Republican national ticket. When asked in February by a local television station in Richmond he said he would "probably" accept, according to Politico.com.
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