Thanks to 29 Democrats For Protecting Health, Education, and Public Safety

By: Lowell
Published On: 2/7/2007 8:30:27 AM

I would just like to say "thank you" to the Virginia state delegates who yesterday voted "NAY" on the transportation monstrosity known as HB 3202.  The following 29 Democratic delegates (and one Independent) voted to protect vital funding for health, education, public safety, the Chesapeake Bay, and much more.  The 29 Democrats (three of whom are pictured to the left) also voted against giving Republicans desperately needed political cover in an election year:

Abbitt (I), Amundson, Armstrong, Barlow, Bowling, Brink, Caputo, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Englin, Hall, Hull, Joannou, Jones, D.C., McClellan, McEachin, Melvin, Miller, P.J., Moran, Phillips, Plum, Scott, J.M., Shuler, Sickles, Spruill, Toscano, Tyler, Valentine, Ward, Watts

Unfortunately, 61 delegates, including (astonishingly) 9 Democrats, voted FOR this "partisan and poorly written plan meant to salvage GOP hopes in 2007."  Why?  I don't know for certain, but I sure hope they have a rationale other than "better to do something, even if it's deeply flawed, than to face the voters this November with nothing."  Anyway, not it's time for the State Senate to do its job and kill this atrocious bill, dumping it in the trashheap along with so many other atrocious bills sent over from the House of Delegates this year.

[UPDATE:  See James Martin's new information on this.  Apparently, the 9 Dems who voted for this deal were mainly trying to keep alive the possibility, however slight, of a transportation deal this year.]

Comments



Abbitt (Gordie - 2/7/2007 8:39:24 AM)
Kept his promise. He replied to my email that he would vote NAY, that he was against raiding those programs. good for him.
Shame on all that voted Yes. May their political days be over by 2008.


Contraception????? (PM - 2/7/2007 10:19:34 AM)
According to http://www.richmonds...
Del. Amundson's bill HB2221 to state that birth control shall not be considered abortion for the purposes of Title 18.2 was defeated in committee.

Anyone know what this is all about?



HB 2221 (Kris Amundson - 2/7/2007 12:59:34 PM)
We don't define birth control anywhere in the code. We are seeing a continuing effort to define some forms of birth control (e.g., the IUD) as abortion. So I continue to try to make it clear that abortion is NOT birth control with a series of bills introduced over the years. They continue to be killed ... but I will keep trying. The Republicans who voted no (and that would be, well, all of them) are out of touch with the mainstream Virginia voter.


Thank you for your reply (PM - 2/7/2007 1:05:04 PM)
And keep trying.  I think the flow of history is on your side.