A look at one of the fifteen policy proposals put forth by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell in his thesis and the extent to which he attempted to implement the proposal during his career as a legislator and attorney general.
Demonstrate a commitment to advocating the traditional family by using one-minute speeches, floor debates, extensions of remarks, committee testimony and press release to imbue the public with the idea that the traditional family is still normative.
Bob McDonnell took to heart this proposal, especially the floor speeches.
One in particular stands out:
1930, we had 1.1 divorces per 1000 Virginia residents. In 1970, before the advent of no-fault divorce, we had about 2.4 divorces per 1000 residents. And I tell you that is to say that in some 70 years in Virginia, that we’ve had about a 4-fold increment in the number of divorces. And there are situations where divorce is absolutely necessary, but I am telling you that the trend over time has led to an increased dissolution in the basic institution in society, and that is the marriage.
This was a floor speech that McDonnell made on 2/14/00 regarding his Covenant Marriage bill (HB1534). No doubt similar speeches were made on behalf of his other attempts to enact covenant marriage (HB1056, HB2736, and HB2793).
I took a look back through the press releases from part of his tenure as Attorney General. (I don’t have all of the press releases issued via email by his office. However, an archive of some of the press releases is available here.) Given the opportunity, McDonnell advocated on behalf of the family, such as in this 12/11/07 release (which is not on the website):
Richmond- Attorney General Bob McDonnell released the following statement today regarding the Governor’s proposals for improvements to Virginia’s Child Services:
“I applaud Governor Kaine’s initiatives to serve Virginia’s most vulnerable children, and particularly the commitment to fund more community-based services through the Comprehensive Services Act. Community-based care allows troubled children to be treated locally, with the daily support of parents, rather than in residential facilities that may be many hours away.
My opinion in December 2006 held that the Comprehensive Services Act does not require parents to relinquish custody of their children to access needed services. It was apparent then that parents wanted services to be available in their own communities, so they wouldn’t even have to consider giving up custody to obtain expensive residential treatment. I was pleased that Governor Kaine agreed with that analysis, and he has taken effective steps subsequently to help these families.
Furthermore, offering community-based services, while best for Virginia’s families, also is good stewardship of our tax dollars. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission reports that community-based treatment for troubled children costs $11,360 per child each year, while residential facilities cost more than four times that amount — $48,129. Surely the Commonwealth should take all possible steps to incentivize community-based care. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Kaine and Secretary Tavenner to advance these common-sense proposals.”
So this is another of the family policy proposals McDonnell has implemented or attempted to implement.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
It all sounds good to me.
Is Deeds opposed to this stuff?
No, Mouse, Deeds just thinks married couples shouldn’t be arrested for using condoms. Why does Bob McDonnell disagree?
McDonnell was in the HoD for many years. Did he ever sponsor such a bill? If not, and there is no chance of such a bill’s ever reaching the governor’s desk, what does it matter?
Sure, I said it. Sure I meant it. But other people will stop me from putting such a crazy idea into law. So vote for me.
Bob McDonnell
Just pointing out the irrelevancy of the whole issue. And no, he did NOT say that people should be arrested for using condoms.
Read the thesis.
“Virginia Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced his support today for legislation encouraging couples to seek counseling before marriage or divorce, a proposal long championed by Republicans but strongly opposed by many of Kaine’s fellow Democrats.
“Kaine, who plans to run for governor in 2005, said a ‘covenant marriage’ law encouraging counseling before marriage or divorce would ‘benefit the commonwealth by making our families stronger.’ ”
(The Washington Post, January 15, 2003)
Maybe Bob could demonstrate his commitment to his values by giving a quick one minute speech in support of the folks who blew up a girls’ school in Pakistan, today. They both seem committed to the proposition that women should stay at home.
The funny thing is that is you read the Koran the purpose behind veils is actually to benefit the woman. Islam has just twisted it. They wear the veil because men are supposed to fall in love with them for their personality, not their looks, unlike the west.
Bob thinks women should stay home because they are undeniably better at raising children. You all just twist it to say he thinks women should not work because women should not be able to work. Care to argue that 2 parents don’t raise better children? Plenty of stats to back it up.
Read the thesis, Max. Bob McDonnell doesn’t talk about working mothers, he talks about working WOMEN.
And once again, children whose mothers work HAVE TWO PARENTS. Just because one or the other or both parents are at work, does not mean that they are not the children’s parents, in every sense. Get a clue.
They are the children’s parents, but often in absetia, leaving the actual raising of the children to others.