It has been decided! Here are the republican candidates you’ll see running for office in Virginia this November!
Congratulations to all of the candidates!
The main strategy (and likely the only strategy) that the democrats will use to win the election is to label this ticket as “extreme” and “out of touch”…nothing new, it’s just what they do. So let’s take a look at their platform and plan for Virginia to see how extreme it really is:
Starting with Ken Cuccinelli on Jobs…
The government does not create jobs, our people do. With the downturn in the economy and the growth of the federal government and taxes, the hope of entrepreneurship has been diminished. The best way to recover from a recession is to establish pro-growth policies that will provide incentives for the creation of new small businesses, expand midsize businesses, and help corporations create more jobs.
on Education…
I believe that every child in Virginia deserves an opportunity to receive a world-class education and that no child should be forced to remain in a failing school. Parents should have the right to decide what educational choices are best for their child and we should encourage them to do so. I also believe that education is the way to expand opportunity for every Virginian and we must find ways to prepare our children for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That means we need to focus on subjects like science, technology, math, and engineering. But we must also realize that not every child dreams of going to college, and so we must also expand vocation and high tech trade schools, as well as worker training, for those who wish to pursue other career choices.
on Taxes…
It is time to reform our tax system and make it easier for Virginia’s citizens to save their own money and encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their own businesses.
on Government Reform…
The people of Virginia deserve and expect an open and honest Government. They expect their elected leaders to be accountable to the people and do what they said they were going to do. As Governor, I want to find ways to make our government be more effective, efficient, and transparent – goals I worked toward while in the State Senate. Virginia’s citizens should be able to access information and get assistance easily whether in a crisis or trying to learn about establishing a business in their community. I want to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse from within state departments and agencies and find ways to ensure that each department is performing their mission in a responsible and accountable manner. And while every politician says they want to get rid of waste, fraud and abuse – as Attorney General, I’ve actually done it, and I’ll do more of it as your next Governor.
I bet you aren’t thinking about how extreme Ken Cuccinelli is right now, because he isn’t what the democrats are painting him to be. Now, let’s take a look at a few of E.W. Jackson’s platform positions:
First, a general statement about his candidacy…
As Lieutenant Governor, I will fight for policies that resist Washington and reign in Richmond. We must unleash the productive and creative capacities of our people to build, grow, and prosper. We need state leadership that will lessen the burden of government on our daily lives. Adherence to the principles of our state and federal Constitutions is the only way to protect the freedom of every citizen. The light of liberty burns dim today, but we will inspire and unite people from every corner of the Commonwealth to set freedom’s torch ablaze again. Virginians must lead the way. God will show us the way. Let Liberty Light the way.
On the 2nd Amendment…
While the second amendment specifically protects the right of an individual to “keep and bear” firearms, its purpose is deeper. That purpose is to protect our right to self defense. This is a fundamental natural right we are born with and no government has the authority to take that away. I will not only fight to stop any further efforts to infringe on this right, I will aggressively pursue eliminating the infringements that already exist.
On Abortion…
It is an act of grave injustice to force citizens to pay for the destruction of unborn babies, whether through state or federal taxes. All funding for abortion and the organizations that provide them must be halted.
On Taxes….
We must stop the unbridled growth of government in Virginia. A Taxpayer Bill Of Rights will limit the growth of state government and require permission from the people before exceeding certain prescribed levels of spending.
Not so extreme at all… Now let’s take a look at Mark Obenshain who’s running for VA Attorney General:
As both a lawyer and a legislator, Mark Obenshain understands the importance of the Attorney General’s role in protecting Virginians and defending their liberties. The Attorney General is the Commonwealth’s lawyer, called upon to advise the Governor, the General Assembly, state agencies, and others on the legality of policies and the interpretation of laws and regulations, and to represent the Commonwealth and its agencies in legal proceedings. The Attorney General is also called upon to assist localities in criminal investigations and prosecutions and defend Virginia law when it is challenged, and to enforce consumer protection laws and represent utility consumers before the State Corporation Commission.
He’s not so “extreme” either, but you can read more about where he stands on the issues here.
Really what it comes down to is that the democrats have one string to hang onto when it comes to elections, not their candidates, but their PR skills. They’re great at twisting words, stories, and positions out to be extremism and craziness. Instead of focusing on the name calling, please look into the issues and honestly research all of the candidates.
I have one more quick note in response to how the democrats will paint us in this election. Likely, they’ll target conservatives on two topics: Abortion and Gay Marriage. For the record, here’s how conservatives generally feel about on those issues (speaking for myself and others I know):
- We believe that the life of the unborn should be protected, because their voice can not be heard. A fetus has unique human DNA, a beating heart, unique fingerprints, etc…it IS life and should have the opportunity to live like the rest of us. The government should definitely NOT be using taxpayers money to fund abortions.
- We believe that people should be able to do what they want as long as they aren’t affecting anyone else. If two gay people want to be together, fine, do it. BUT, we also stand by the Virginia Constitution that states marriage is between one man and one women. Marriage is about family and only a man and women can truly create a family. This has been the social structure of society that created civilization.
Is that really too extreme? Or do the democrats just want to label any difference in opinion as extreme? It’s OK to disagree, but let’s try to do so without name calling! Let’s debate the issues, not how “extreme” something is. Look at the whole candidate, not just a position on a single issue. We have a lot at stake here, let’s not screw it up.
I proudly support all three 2013 VA Republican candidates!
God bless!
