In a ruling yesterday, a three-member panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals allowed a website to publish the Social Security numbers of people on a website, The Virginia Watchdog. The site is dedicated to warning the public that various documents are being posted online by government officials that contain this information. In 2008, … Continue reading Opinion, please: posting Social Security numbers
Category: Local
2nd CD update
We are less than 100 days to November 2 and the race in the 2nd Congressional District is well underway. After winning the Republican nomination last month, Scott Rigell found himself a little short on cash. As of June 30, Rigell had a mere $227,000 on hand while incumbent Democrat Glenn Nye had $1.26 million. … Continue reading 2nd CD update
Portsmouth council: vote for yourself
Let me get this straight. Two of Portsmouth's council members want to be appointed mayor. So the four other council members will be interviewing the candidates, including those two. But when the deliberations start on who will be appointed, all six members of council will weigh in. What's wrong with this picture? Am I the … Continue reading Portsmouth council: vote for yourself
Congress: the millionaires club
Brian Kirwin has an interesting article up about the effect of campaign finance laws. He argues that they have created a millionaires club in Congress. Currently, 44% of all of Congress and specifically 48% of the Senate are millionaires. That compares with the general public, of whom millionaires are only a whopping 1%. There are … Continue reading Congress: the millionaires club
Finalists for Portsmouth mayor named
According to The Virginian-Pilot, the Portsmouth City Council will interview four candidates for the vacant position of mayor. The interviews will be conducted in council chambers Monday at 7pm and the session will be televised on the city's channel 48. The four candidates are current Vice Mayor Charles Whitehurst, current council member Elizabeth Psimas, former … Continue reading Finalists for Portsmouth mayor named
For Gov. McDonnell’s reform commission
My latest op-ed piece appeared in The Virginian-Pilot Tuesday. This week's topic: constitutional offices. I think it is an issue that is ripe for the governor's reform commission - just as it has been for prior reform commissions. That nothing has been done to seriously address them is a testament to the strength of the … Continue reading For Gov. McDonnell’s reform commission
Free to fight
The above is the title of an eight-part series that The Virginian-Pilot is running in the newspaper. Part 3 appeared today and you can read a part of it here. I grew up in Phoebus, just outside of Fort Monroe. Heck, I even worked there two summers, when I was 16 and 17. Nevertheless, I … Continue reading Free to fight
Democrat v. Democratic redux
A reprint of a post of mine from November 2006. Seems some folks need reminding. Posting a comment here is a privilege, not a right. And refusing to be respectful to others is one sure way to get banned. dem·o·crat (dĕm'ə-krăt') n. An advocate of democracy. One who believes in social equality or discounts distinctions … Continue reading Democrat v. Democratic redux
Upsides and downsides
When I started this blog more than four years ago, it was because I had something to say and felt like my opinion was not one of those being voiced elsewhere. Whether anyone read it or not wasn't an issue; it was just me putting it out there. As time has passed, I've learned an … Continue reading Upsides and downsides
Poor Portsmouth
As if the recall of its mayor wasn't enough, Portsmouth citizens are having to deal with the ongoing situation of Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson, which continues to deteriorate. The city attorney has told council to consider suing him to get him to do his duties, the U.S. Marshals Service has pulled prisoners from the city's … Continue reading Poor Portsmouth
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 