Jody Wagner’s Problems Now Extend To Single-Digit Math

Bearing Drift points out that Jody “Financial Fantasyland” Wagner doesn’t only have problems when it comes to dealing with ten-digit math figures (as in a billion).  It seems that her issues with math also extends down to the single-digits where she has a difficult time counting to six.

Perhaps she learned to count by watching Monty Python.

1, 2, 5!!!

Timmy! — Our Gov. Just 2/3 of the Time

The WashPo has the breakdown showing that Gov. Timmy! is spending nearly 1/3 of the work week on DNC business rather than doing the job that Virginians elected him to do.

No wonder he is doing his best to keep the public from finding out where he has been and when he has gone there…

More Bizarre Behavior From Jody Wagner

Just days after basically conceding the LG race to incumbent Bill Bolling, Jody “Financial Fantasyland” Wagner issued a truly bizarre statement criticizing Bolling for the “failed economic policies” of Jim Gilmore, George Bush, and Sarah Palin.

HUH?

Jim Gilmore hasn’t been governor for 8 years.  Bill Bolling neither served in the U.S. Congress nor the Bush administration (and he certainly played no part in the lax Dem oversight of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.)  And as far as I know, Bolling has never even been to Alaska (plus it seems that Alaska has weathered the nation’s financial crisis much better than most states.)

I’m sure that many Democrats are already feeling embarrassed by Wagner’s strange behavior and nonsensical comments.  But they should be even more ashamed of her actual record.

Bolling’s campaign manager Matt Wells summed it up pretty well in saying with regard to Wagner –

But if I were part of an administration that actually lost 165,000 jobs in the past 4 years, that saw unemployment go up 130%, and was directly responsible for creating a $5 billion budget shortfall through missed revenue estimates, I’d probably be tossing up smoke bombs too.

Welcome to Jody Wagner’s Financial Fantasyland!!!

Scott Rigell Joines The Race Against Glenn Nye

Scott Rigell has announced his campaign to unseat first-term U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye.

Along with announcing his candidacy Wednesday, Rigell announced the endorsements of Drake, state Sen. Frank Wagner, state Del. Sal Iaquinto, state Del. Bob Purkey, Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey Bryant, Virginia Beach City Councilmen Ron Villanueva and Bill DeSteph, and Robert Martinez, the state’s former secretary of transportation.

Rigell, 49, is founder and president of Freedom Automotive and owns car dealerships throughout the Virginia Beach area. Republicans feel his business background and name ID from his dealerships make him formidable in the race against Nye.

A former Marine, he has been a consistent supporter of Republicans over the last decade-plus (with the notable exception of a contribution to President Obama last year) and was appointed to the state’s Motor Vehicle Board by then-Gov. George Allen (R).

Rigell won’t have a clear primary, though. Businessman Ed Maulbeck and Ben Loyola have recently filed for the race, and Marine veteran Chuck Smith has been in the race for months.

It will be interesting to hear how Rigell explains the Obama contribution and whether he regrets it now that The Teleprompted One has taken over the domestic auto industry.

Creigh Deeds Provides Evidence That He Thinks What’s In Your Wallet Belongs To Him

Rick Sincere has up a great post asking the question, “Is Creigh Deeds a secret millionaire?”

What led Rick to pose the question?  The following statement from Deeds’ own campaign spokesman.

“He has already invested millions in higher ed and it’s something UVA has seen,” Leopold says. “He has a particular affinity for the University.”

That does sound as if Deeds personally has done this.  Alas, that is not the case and is the strongest evidence to date that Creigh “What’s In Your Wallet?” Deeds does indeed believe that what is in your wallet belongs to him.  That is a very dangerous mindset for any elected official to have and Virginians cannot afford to have that in their next governor.

ALL YOUR MONEY ARE BELONG TO ME

Obama Approval Ratings in VA Tanking

The Teleprompted One’s approval ratings in Virginia are tanking.  And this comes from Public Policy Polling, a Dem polling firm.

Obama is down to 48% approval with 46% disapproval in Virginia.  Among independents, Obama gets the thumbs down from 52% with only 38% approving of him.  That almost mirrors Bob McDonnell’s ratings among indies in the poll released yesterday where McDonnell leads Creigh “What’s In Your Wallet?” Deeds 54% to 33%.

Looks like Barry won’t be much help to Deeds this November after all.

Mark Warner Raising Money for 2014 Already?

Yes, it is true.  Marky Mark is already raising money for 2014.  In fact, he’s having a breakfast tomorrow morning in Washington, D.C. for the 2014 race hosted by former Virginia Congressman L.F. Payne at the offices of McGuireWoods. A copy of the invitation can be found right here.  (Note that it says nothing about debt relief for his 2008 race, therefore the money has to be for 2014 unless he is secretly building a warchest to challenge The Teleprompted One in the 2012 primaries, which I doubt.)

Let’s put it this way – the 2014 election is so far away that I had to just create a new category for “2014 Elections” here on the blog.  You know who should be furious about this?  Creigh “What’s In Your Wallet?” Deeds.  Marky Mark is out there sucking up cash that Deeds could otherwise try to get hold of for his race this year.  Is this a sign that even Warner knows that Deeds doesn’t have a shot come November?  Or does Warner know that he’s already pissed off much of the business community that had been with him in his two successful races and realizes that he better build up his cash now since he won’t have them in his corner next time.

Uh Oh in LoCo…

Crystal Clear Conservative is breaking the story of a scandal ensnaring the Loudoun Co. transportation planning board.  It seems that one of the board members has been a naughty girl and in an attempt to spike additional roads that would help unclog the congestion choking LoCo (she has ties with an anti-growth environmental group), she was urging board members not to attend a planning board meeting.  (Dereliction of duty anyone?)

Head on over to 3C to find out the full details.

SCIENCE!

What is YOUR science IQ?  Head on over and take the Pew Center’s quiz to find out and then see how your scientific knowledge stacks up against the general public.

Best Coverage of Jackson’s Passing and His Historic Career

For the best coverage of Jackson’s passing and his historic career, check out this article.

More Fallout from Post-Gate

There’s more fallout today from the WashPo / Obama admin. lobbying pay-to-play scandal.

The Post publisher has promised an internal inquiry into how this could have happened — after all, she only knew that this was going on, but had expected there would have been more “sponsors” at $25K per pop.

And now additional information has surfaced that shows this whole debacle was in the works for much longer than we were initially led to believe.

Who at the Post knew about this and when did they know it?

McDonnell +6 (+21 Among Indies), Bolling +6, Cuccinelli +7

GOP Ticket Leads in New Poll

- Public Policy Polling Shows Clears Leads for McDonnell, Bolling, Cuccinelli -

RICHMOND – Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today
noted the results of a new poll released by the firm Public Policy
Polling, which shows each of the three Republican statewide candidates
with a clear lead following the Democratic primary election.
Candidate for governor Bob McDonnell leads Creigh Deeds by a 49-to-43
margin; Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling leads Jody Wagner by 46-to-40; and Sen.
Ken Cuccinelli bests Steve Shannon 45-to-38 in the race for attorney
general.

“Several polls conducted immediately after the primary had
shown Deeds moving into the lead but it appears his bounce has worn
off,” reported PPP in a press release from Dean Debnam, president of
the firm.

Additional good news for McDonnell in the poll is his
21-point lead among self-described independents: 54-to-33.

“It’s pretty clear that any boost the Democrats may have
gotten from the publicity surrounding their primary election has
disappeared,” RPV Chairman Mullins said. “It’s also obvious that the
more Virginians tune into the race, the more they like our impressive
slate of candidates.”

The poll was conducted between June 30th and July 2nd and
contacted 617 likely voters. It has a margin of error of plus or
minus 4 percentage points.

“It’s clear that voters are hungry for candidates who have
innovative ideas for how to bring jobs to Virginia and inject some
energy into the economy,” Mullins said. “Our Republican candidates
best represent those ideas.”

Details of the poll can be found here:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_VA_707.pdf

“While this is good news, we are aware that this campaign
is a marathon and not a sprint,” Mullins said. “We intend to run hard
and strong and continue to spread our optimistic message of jobs and
economic opportunity for all Virginians.”

-30-

Jody Wagner Concedes in LG Race 4 Months Before Election Day!!!

Jody “Financial Fantasyland” Wagner has just essentially conceded in her race for LG against incumbent Bill Bolling.

Bolling has been hammering Wagner on her massively off-target revenue projections.  So, how does Wagner fight back?

By blaming Bolling for opposing tax increases.

Good night, Jody.  We have some lovely parting gifts for you.  Thanks for playing, but you won’t be coming back tomorrow…

If Bush had done this…

…you’d never hear the end of it.

From The Teleprompted One, his latest OOPS!

In a slip of the tongue, U.S. President Barack Obama described Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday as president

Virtucon Announces Online Health Care Q&A Forum

Update: Former Congressman Coehlo’s responses below.

Former Congressman Tony Coehlo (D-Calif) will be answering your questions on the current national debate over Health Care Reform right here on Virginia Virtucon.

Now through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday evening, we are asking our readers to ask their questions via the comment section of this post for Congressman Coehlo. Approximately 10-12 of these will be selected by the Contributors here at VV and those questions will be answered this Friday by the former Congressman, House Majority Whip, DCCC Chairman, and primary author and sponsor of the Americans for Disabilities Act.

We’re hoping that some of your questions will include topics like the ‘public option’ plan, universal health care, the ‘insurance exchange’, the effects on private market insurance carriers, effects on insurance brokers, effect on small businesses, the price tag, and maybe when Coehlo thinks our own Virginia Delegation in Congress may get to vote on a reform package, along with a wide-range of other subjects that you find important.  Please keep your questions thoughtful and on-point.

Coehlo remains involved in health care issues and policy, currently serving as Chairman of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC).

From their website:

PIPC is a diverse group of healthcare organizations – representing patients, physicians and other health care providers, researchers and innovators, and other groups – that have come together to promote comparative effectiveness research that supports patient access and informed health care decision-making and fosters continued medical progress. PIPC is dedicated to supporting comparative effectiveness research that strengthens physician and patient decision making, improves health care quality, and supports continued medical progress.

Recently, PIPC was a major supporter of H.R. 2502, a bill introduced by Democratic Congressman Kent Schrader (OR-5) and co-sponsored by NOVA’s own, Gerry Connolly (VA-11), a bill that provides ‘patient protections’ for ongoing research should government propose to ever expand its role in health care decisions.

Given the current path of this administration, that sure seems likely.  Please leave a question or two for Congressman Coehlo.  Look for his answers this Friday.

Lee Talley, on July 7th, 2009 at 11:54 pm Said:

What in the the new healthcare bill will have insurers cover medically proven therapies for children with Autism. The rates of diagnosis is now 1 in 85 boys and 1 and 150 children. Has there been any thought to including the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act S.819 and HR 2413 in the Kennedy – Dodd bill?

Thank you
Lee Talley
Legislative Director – Virginia Autism Project
State Chapter Advocacy Chairman (Virginia) for Autism Speaks

Thanks Lee for your question.  It’s an interesting one.  In fact, I just read about these families working together to form support for each other in the paper this week.

There are many people in the patient community, like myself, who are concerned that valuable and proven treatments may be excluded or ignored if health reform and comparative effectiveness research isn’t patient-centered.

One of the things that we’re hearing from a number of folks is that there are “too many” choices out there.  In fact, I was on a panel at the National Press Club recently that was sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform – and participants on that panel actually argued that Americans are given too many choices in their healthcare.

I would argue just the opposite.  Americans should have choices.  We should be able to choose the doctor and the treatment and the coverage that best suits our needs.

As far as including the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act in the HELP Bill – I know that there is continued negotiation on all fronts and this Act is still being considered by the HELP Committee.

Riley, on July 8th, 2009 at 11:00 am Said:

Congressman, thank you for agreeing to answer some questions. What is your take on the so-called “public option” and how can anyone expect that this or any future Congress or administration will not take advantage of being the ones in charge of setting the rules so as to give the “public option” a leg up on the private sector health insurance companies?

Thanks Riley for this important question, as the debate over the future of insurance coverage is certainly a hot topic on Capitol Hill right now.

However, PIPC is not involved with – and will be taking no position in – the public option debate. The Partnership’s sole focus is ensuring that new CER proposals stemming from the recent stimulus package are patient-centered and protective of the patient-provider relationship. And while we wish the Administration well in solving the problem of America’s uninsured, we hope that any effort at reforming our health insurance system continues to ensure that patients have the best access to care.

Tim Maloney, on July 8th, 2009 at 11:29 am Said:

In less than a year, Government has gone into the business of regulating banks and buying up bad loans, buying automobile manufacturers that no one else in the world would purchase thus now producing cars and trucks, threatening to take over the Internet through various forms of net-neutrality, and now not only taking over the health care industry, but getting into the business of providing health insurance too. Based on a premise that ‘money is no object’ (believed by this Congress), exactly where and when do you see this pattern slowing or, if ever, coming to a complete stop?

As a follow up; how much is this piece of legislation supported by your organization and Congressman Gerry Connolly going to cost me and every other taxpayer?

Thank you Congressman for taking these questions.

 Thanks Tim.  Hopefully, comparative effectiveness research won’t cost you – but it will help save your life or at least make you healthier.

What PIPC supports is building out medical studies to include a diversity of patients and treatment options then making that research and its findings available to the public.  This will allow doctors and patients to have the best, most accurate information possible to help determine the best course of medical treatment.

CER has been going on for years.  And while the Stimulus Bill did have $1.1 billion in it for CER, we want to ensure that it’s used in a way that helps patients, not in a way that would actually reduce treatment options.

Tim, I think every body is different and, so we each may react differently to different therapies.  One that works for me, may not work for you.  But I want to make sure that we (and our doctors) all have the best information possible so that we both can live healthier, longer lives.