The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Thrown on the defensive by November's elections, left-leaning interest groups are joining forces in hopes of magnifying their voices in the 2012 Virginia legislative session.
"We Are Virginia," a new coalition of progressive organizations greeted the 140 General Assembly members with signs and goodie bags as they arrived at the state Capitol on Wednesday for the session's opening day.
The disparate groups have worked separately in the past, each pushing its own agenda, said Jenny Lawson, executive director of the Virginia Civic Engagement Table, "but we just had an election that changed things. Progressive organizations think we need a united front now."
In November, Republicans padded their already large majority in the House of Delegates and gained a 20-20 split in the state Senate - an effective majority thanks to the tie-breaking role of Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. With Republican Bob McDonnell in the governor's mansion, the GOP now controls all the levers of power in Richmond.
The progressive coalition includes unions, abortion-rights groups and environmental organizations, among others.
Speakers at a Wednesday morning briefing pledged to oppose McDonnell's proposal to shift $110 million in spending from the state's general fund to transportation, saying it would hurt core state services such as education and health care.
They also expressed support for setting up a state health benefits exchange under the federal health care reform law and opposition to repealing Virginia's 30-year-old ban on uranium mining.
Bill Sizemore, (804) 697-1560, bill.sizemore@pilotonline.com
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This is welcome news, we
This is welcome news, we cannot sit by and let the reactionaries dominated the conversation. This is long overdue and by reading the comments from the right, it's clear that this has the potential to level the playing field.
What a joke
I am sick of this entire attempt at class warfare with this 99% tripe. I can guanantee you I do not fit into the so called 1% and I can also guarantee you that the so called " 99% " do not speak for me. I and many, many others are quite capable of thinking for ourselves. So get off the 99% thing. It is used up.
And while I am at it. Many of the so called 1% are not Wall Street types, they are not greedy bankers and they are not trust fund babies. They were hard working people who were successful. Included in this group would be many entertainers, sports stars and entreprenuers. Why lump them in with the criminals?
One size does not fit all.
Russ
We at least seem to agree that, "Wall Street types", "greedy bankers" and "trust fund babies" are akin to criminals. And they are indeed very different from sports figures, entertainers and entrepreneurs.
Unfortunately for all of us sports figures and entertainers are NOT the ones that have usurped the government - it is the criminals that you speak of that have done that.
I wish I'd said that!
Most of the so-called "99%" doesn't want to be lumped in with anyone. We have individual opinions on everything from education to abortion to food stamps and labels that attempt to classify us as some kind of mob are only further divisive and counterproductive. Personally, I'm tired of being forced into "community service" from January into May each year by legislators who stand up program after program and then move on without giving the slightest concern to long-term efficiency or efficacy. They are indeed wasting our lives. Whatever label that gives me, I couldn't care less.
“We Are Virginia,” a new coalition of progressive organizations
A group of whiney liberal bufoons. Exactly what is their point? Were they giving shoe shines to all the republicans?
Maybe they can ask Obama, campaigner in chief, grifter at large, to give them a new government job. I hear they are hiring campaign workers, welfare counselers, food stamp workers, and unemployment counter workers.
Your racially tinged posts
like this one tend to re-inforce the perception that the hatred of President Obama from folks like you springs from deep emotional and historic roots in the Old South. In fact, such posts are so unattractive that one wonders if you are some sort of Commie Socialist plant trying to make the good people of the Tea Party look bad.
Where do you
Where do you see anything racial in my post? Please explain. You liberals have some insecurities to go along with a wild imagination.
First I am not associated with any political organizations. Second I am from the west coast and know little about the old south.
You need a new crystal ball.
Shoe Shines?
Plus a litany of racially charged "wedge issue" code words. You may be fooling yourself but not anyone else.
food stamp workers?
And where did you hear this from, Limbaugh, Beck?
Uppity college folk might listen to talk radio all day...
but those of us in the working class are busy....WORKING.