My advice to Herring: Show up anyway. Invite the press and the public. And open fire. Give a speech that addresses the important issues that Staton is ducking. Explain that voters should not entrust their faith in a man who won't trust them. In this era of Republican mismanagement that turns government "for the people" into government "for the lobbyist," a person who rejects open discussion in public while he's still applying for the job certainly can't be trusted to govern for the people once he has the job.
If you want to help Herring this weekend, the address for his field office is 44115 Woodridge Pkwy suite 240, Leesburg. His phone number is 703-669-1361.
That would poke a big hole in his new image within his climate controlled environment, where he's talking about trasportation and education and trying to sound like David Poisson.
Herring should use it as an opportunity to have people pose questions to Staton, and then answer them.
Witness the way the Bushies have bent over backward to ensure that Iran gets nuclear weapons . . .
I have been a psychotherapist inside the beltway in D.C. for over 25 years. I know how to listen and report back to people a description of what I have noticed, and help them change their perspective on life and their ability to take charge. (I wrote Radical Honesty, a nation wide best seller plus 5 more books, available in 9 languages, www.radicalhonesty.com ). Out of gratitude and outrage I have made the decision to devote the remainder of my life to public service.
I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about human families my career has provided me, and furious about how our economic, educational and political systems abuse people from the womb to the tomb in the name of the almighty dollar. The major mental illness of our times is a pandemic of righteous moralism combined with greed.
Representatives are making decisions to benefit corporations at the expense of citizens. Jobs are being sent overseas and millions of Americans are without healthcare. Corporate interests have been running politics for too long. Too many of us are struggling to get by while a few continue to line their already well lined pockets. Our government is accumulating a massive debt and things are spiraling out of control. Isn’t that enough? Haven’t we had enough?
I intend to use my professional expertise and my enthusiasm for radical honesty to win a seat in Congress and articulate the will and wisdom of the people who have been being ripped off.
If you believe that we are a nation that helps one another, that an honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay or that the principles of liberty our country was founded on can still work in modern times—then vote for me.
If you believe we can overcome problems together through open and honest sharing and come up with brilliant solutions we can all agree on—then vote for me. If you believe it is time for a New Majority, made up from a wide range of views and perspectives but dedicated to each other’s mutual well being—then vote for me.
If you like things the way they currently are, vote for the other guy. I feel sorry for your alliance of sick puppies, but at least you have each other for consolation in your miserable misery making lives. It will remain my greatest wish to rescue you from each other. One of the reasons I am running is to put you out of your misery and to put your misery out of me. Brad Blanton
Has anyone ever driven on the Virgil H. Goode highway or had a meeting in the Virgil H. Goode building?
Umm, yeah, since Meredith Richards got 36.5% of the vote two years earlier, in 2002.
Right, no one has gotten over over 36% in a long time.
The key here is not to let Virgil slink away from his responsiblity and play the good ol' boy. I'll mention 2 points.
1. The Pentagon has provided 2nd rate personal armor to combat soldiers for years. As a consequence over 300 combat soldiers died of wounds they may not have if they had state-of-the-art armor. While Virgil was cutting his deals with MZM, the Appropriations Committee was letting sweetheart deals go through for sub-standard armor. Where was Virgil when our men and women were counting on him? He should called to explain VERY publically.
2. Jobs are a serious issue for the Southside. Has anyone ever heard of a plan from Virgil..I mean other than that self serving MZM fiasco? What is his plan for jobs when Martinsville loses its NASCAR franchise? We know that's coming what's Virgil's"plan B"?
The key to this election is to draw a link between the incompetent and corrupt Republican leadership and Virgil. Its there. Virgil's negatives are low because he is not challanged on things he is responsible for. Its time to take off the gloves.
The Democrats will, not only, have to show Virgil for what he is but also come up with a convincing plan for Jobs, ethics reform and competency in effective government - from foreign policy to natural disasters. I think that's where Bern edges out Al. He's got that track record
If you live in this district, or are not sure you do, you would do well to support Blanton with your work and your money. If you think elections should be competitive---even if only to make them more interesting and entertaining and newsworthy!---this is the time and place to support Brad Blanton.
Besides, he's WAY more fun than the other guy.
Virginia Rockwell, Orange County, VA
But I disagree with the choice of Ewert as the Dem nominee. A few thoughts on that:
1) Al is a leader. Al has helped to start community, regional and state organizations, and has served in leadership roles in virtually every organization with which he has been involved.
2) As a decorated combat veteran Al is also a “Fighting Dem†and can take Goode to task for the direction him and Bush have led the nation.
3) Following the 2004 campaign Al founded the progressive think-tank Public Policy Virginia and has been active in Democratic and progressive circles.
4) Getting over 36% of the vote in the 2004 election was equal to or better than all but one Democratic challenger in VA. Greater than 36% is also the best performance against Goode in a long time.
5) The campaign has already raised and spent a half-million dollars on name recognition.
6) Following the 2004 campaign Al maintained his intimate involvement with the 5th district. Additionally, through his work with Public Policy Virginia, OpEd pieces and talks to Democratic groups around the District and State, Al has maintained and strengthened his political visibility.
7) Al already has a wide base of volunteers on the ground and ready to help again. These folks are as valuable as the multi-thousands of dollars he will end up raising.
8) Al has the donor list and fundraising ability to raise at least as much money as he raised in 2004 and put him on par with Goode.