novatownhall blog

Flyers are coming in the mail and phone calls with tele-conferences abound.  Elections are getting into full swing.  Herring wants me to join in but I never hear from him until election time.  So many others do the same.  Wolf writes to me often (at taxpayer expense, of course) to tell me what he is working on to help us.  It’s good but just a pittance of the things he votes for: subsides and plenty of pork/earmarks.  You will never get Wolf to abide by the Constitution fully–especially 2nd Amendment rights and he will NEVER cut his pay or stop the increases Congress regularly gets.  And he has proven that many times.  But I want to get local with a national understanding.  I really hate to pick on just one individual but Scott York got to me with his mailers.

It seems that everyone wanted to bring the Chairman back into the Republican fold as it would help strengthen the ticket.  I completely understand that as I completely understand Monk.  It just makes good political sense.  Parties aside, what are the people of Loudoun getting here?  We have Anikin Skywalker in the guise of Scott York.  I shook Scott’s hand and talked with him for awhile when he first wanted to be supervisor of our district.  Nice guy, great ideals and alot of hope for good change.  That didn’t materialize.  If I want to talk to Scott or shake his hand now, I have to find HIM because he’s become too busy/important.  So what happened?  Scott got prestige with aspirations of power.  Scott made friends with those that could help him evolve/excel/grow/move up.  That surely wasn’t me; the common citizen.  Scott’s focus got blurred and then became refocused but away from the cause.  Scott was starting to be influenced by the dark side.  Then came the gang of 5 where politicians were playing politics with each other.  We all know how that turned out.  The Jedi were all but eliminated and Scott was now a minion of the Emporer.  As history would have it, we, the taxpayers, have been under the shackels of some cruel and unusual punishment and haven’t been able to break free from the grip of the empire……including this years tax bill.  The empire doesn’t care about what are needs are; only about its complete dominance of its SUBJECTS (man, do I hate that word).  Now in the tale of the Empire, Darth Vader kills the Emporer and the Republic is restored.  This only happened because Darth Vader still had a tiny spark of good in him.  Now Scott seems to have had an epiphany as to the error of his ways (which he has not, to date, apologized for his bad decisions that cost Loudoun taxpayers dearly) but I just don’t think so and here’s why.

Scott says he has conservative values.  What?  Really?  Have they been in your pocket all this time and the mouse just wouldn’t let the people see them?  I’m all for those politicians who truly do have epiphanys and come to the conservative side but in the case let me just say;  I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.  Have your nearest Southerner translate that for you if’n you don’t understand.

Scott wants to bring business to Loudoun so it will take the tax burden off the residents.  Are you kidding me?  Every board from time infinitum has promised that AND had their chance to prove it but end up failing miserably…….to the point where we give businesses TAX BREAKS to come and stay here.  Why do businesses come here?  Because of our premier educational system.  You know, the one that costs Loudoun taxpayers 70% of collected taxes and is STILL growing.  Of course, that is only because of all the new residents we have coming to the county.  Yes, ILLEGAL residents are what I refer to.  Which has been addressed many times to the Board and Scott.  Prince William did all the work and all Scott would have to do is adopt their approach to the matter here in Loudoun.  Why hasn’t he done that yet?  Why hasn’t business relieved the residents of this county in their tax burden?  Why are major businesses LEAVING Loudoun?

I could go on about parks we build; land we buy that we don’t need; insane junk science initiatives; etc. that cost the taxpayer yet give nothing in return, but I won’t.  Everyone here should know all about these things.  40 years is much to endure without having anything to show for my Loudoun existance.  I so liked it better when we were 150 years behind the times and farm country with rich people scattered about.  Times have changed and the mission of “We want to be better than Fairfax County” surely has materialized.  Why anyone would want that is beyond me.  I would rather my quality of life without even being on the map.  Now that is living in my mind.

Now I’m not sorry for bringing this up and I do want to apologize to Scott for him being the scapegoat of this post but he just happened to be readily available.  As campaigns go, we are going to hear promises, lies, mis-direction and ideology.  Some don’t have records and need to be judged by your gut and personal meets and assessments.  Others DO have records and speak very loudly of how they feel and who they are.  I would rather have a campaign flyer that reads “I’m John Doe and I’m running for county dogcatcher”.  It’s truthful, concise and it leaves it up to the individual to vote either name recognition (sheep) or do their own homework.  Those politicians that frill their campaign ads with outright lies just make me vote elsewhere.  Roger.  Out.

It never stops — the lies of the left.

Yesterday at his press conference, President 0bama stood in front of the press and the nation and repeated the lie that increasing the debt limit means defaulting on our national debt.

By August 2nd, we run out of tools to make sure that all our bills are paid.  So that is a hard deadline.  And I want everybody to understand that this is a jobs issue.  This is not an abstraction.  If the United States government, for the first time, cannot pay its bills, if it defaults, then the consequences for the U.S. economy will be significant and unpredictable.  And that is not a good thing.

We don’t know how capital markets will react.  But if capital markets suddenly decide, you know what, the U.S. government doesn’t pay its bills, so we’re going to start pulling our money out, and the U.S. Treasury has to start to raise interest rates in order to attract more money to pay off our bills, that means higher interest rates for businesses; that means higher interest rates for consumers.  So all the headwinds that we’re already experiencing in terms of the recovery will get worse.

Uh, no.  If we don’t pay our debts, then the people lending us the money will stop lending us money, or charge us a much higher price for it.  But hitting the debt limit will not force a default any more than a person who has maxed out his credit cards will default on them if the bank doesn’t raise his credit limit.

President 0bama goes on to address this point with another bald-faced lie.  (Is that why politicians don’t have beards, because then their lies would not be bald-faced?  But I digress.)

Point number two, I want to address what I’ve been hearing from some quarters, which is, well, maybe this debt limit thing is not really that serious; we can just pay interest on the debt.  This idea has been floating around in some Republican circles.This is the equivalent of me saying, you know what, I will choose to pay my mortgage, but I’m not going to pay my car note.  Or I’m going to pay my car note but I’m not going to pay my student loan.  Now, a lot of people in really tough situations are having to make those tough decisions.  But for the U.S. government to start picking and choosing like that is not going to inspire a lot of confidence.

Moreover, which bills are we going to decide to pay?  These guys have said, well, maybe we just pay the interest on — for bondholders.  So are we really going to start paying interest to Chinese who hold treasuries and we’re not going to pay folks their Social Security checks?  Or we’re not going to pay to veterans for their disability checks?  I mean, which bills, which obligations, are we going to say we don’t have to pay?

Bills are not obligations.  Obligations are those things that one has to pay to avoid being in default.  Mortgages, car loans, and student loans are debts. Things like next month’s bills — cable, trash, water, power — are not obligations.  If you cannot afford them, cancel them or reduce your usage to lower your costs.  He gives more bad examples to reinforce the lie:

And last point I want to make about this.  These are bills that Congress ran up.  The money has been spent.  The obligations have been made.  So this isn’t a situation — I think the American people have to understand this — this is not a situation where Congress is going to say, okay, we won’t — we won’t buy this car or we won’t take this vacation.  They took the vacation.  They bought the car.  And now they’re saying maybe we don’t have to pay, or we don’t have to pay as fast as we said we were going to, or — that’s not how responsible families act.  And we’re the greatest nation on Earth, and we can’t act that way.

Congress has not already spent the money on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, defense, courts, etc.  Congress has promised to spend that money, but it is under no obligation to do so.  If we hit the debt ceiling, the Treasury Secretary decides which bills to pay first.  If the nation’s top tax cheat chooses not to make our debt payments, then we will default on our national debt and our Treasury Secretary will be solely to blame for the default.  Congress should immediately pass a bill requiring that our debt obligations be paid first.

Then what?  0bama does have a point that we need to make choices.  Well, that choice is actually quite simple — pay what we are contracted to pay.  Contracts, like debt payments, are obligations.  Defense contracts are — until the contract expires.  Employee salaries (including soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines) are — up until the employee’s contract is terminated.  Social welfare payments, however, are not contracts.

I don’t have time to blog, but let’s pause for a moment to appreciate those who do.

Today’s topics: The unbearable whiteness of Democrats, and gay marriage.

Exhibit A, a very funny post from a very funny blogger: Best blog post I’ve read this year. An excerpt -

…and the Number One thing Almost as White as the new College Democrats ad…

1. You know Dr. Smith from Lost in Space? Yeah, the guy he just curb-stomped for being such an up-tight narrow-ass honky

If Ace ever wonders about the wisdom of becoming a full-time blogger so many years ago, let me say: You chose wisely, sir, and we thank you. Read it all.

Exhibit B, a pretty straightforward post from a normally ridiculously funny blogger:

The main argument for gay marriage is holding these two conflicting statements true at the same time:

1. Marriage is a very special thing, so more people should be allowed to join in it.

2. Marriage is not a special thing, so changing its meaning isn’t a problem.

A bit of clarity on a topic that tends to get talked to a state of confusion. Thank you, Frank J. (and yes, read all of that one, too). Hat tip to Smitty.

This is Chicago’s new Chief of Police:

“So here’s what I want to tell you. See, let’s see if we can make a connection here. Slavery. Segregation. Black codes. Jim Crow. What, what did they all have in common? Anybody getting’ scared? Government sponsored racism.”

“Now I want you to connect one more dot on that chain of the African American history in this country, and tell me if I’m crazy. Federal gun laws that facilitate the flow of illegal firearms, into our urban centers across this country, that are killing our black and brown children,” he said.

Yes, McCarthy, you are crazy.  Our right to keep and bear arms makes no distinction of race.  In fact, some of those Black Codes made it illegal for Blacks to own firearms.  Is that what you want, sir, a return of the Black Laws, because Blacks simply cannot be trusted with guns?  That is crazy.

…tolly me banana.

Remember: He speaks that way so that we can remember he is not one of us.

Hey, the stuff about extending dignity and liberty around the world was awfully reminiscent of another recent president, was it not?

Sad news from a sad life: Larry “Wild Man” Fisher passed away this week.

For anyone who followed the Dr. Demento show back when it was nationally syndicated, “My Name Is Larry” will instantly recall the Wild Man – in case you were having trouble remembering where you knew the name from.

Wild Man Fisher – My Name Is Larry download

found at bombmp3 search engine

It’s the jingle Larry Roeder should have gotten.

NOVA TownHall is conducting interviews with the candidates for the office of Loudoun County Sheriff in the 2011 elections. The first interviews are with the Republican candidates. NOVA TownHall will offer the same opportunity to any Democratic candidates for sheriff who may enter the race, and also extends an open invitation to Sheriff Steve Simpson to be interviewed and to rebut any criticisms which may be leveled against him on these pages.

Click here to read the interview with candidate Mark Davis.

Click here to read the interview with candidate Verne Dickerson.

Click here to read the interview with candidate Ron Speakman.

Mike Chapman is a candidate for the Republican nomination for Loudoun County Sheriff. He will face off against two other candidates in the July 23 Convention to represent the Republican Party in the November, 2011 elections.

Click here to learn more about Mike Chapman at his campaign Web site.

NVTH: Why do you want to be Sheriff?

Mike Chapman: With young children at home and with plans to spend the rest of my life here with my wife Ann, I want to protect families and make Loudoun the safest county in the nation. I will be tough on traditional crime; drugs, gangs, and illegal immigration, but will also attack emerging crime issues like cybercrime, human trafficking, financial crimes, and crimes against the elderly.

I feel I am the only candidate who can effectively produce results. With 32 years of continuous experience, I have had successful careers in local, federal, and private sector law enforcement. I can tie technology together with local and federal partnerships to provide high performance, efficient service and best value to our residents.

As a resident of the fastest growing county in VA and one of the fastest growing and wealthiest counties in the nation, I feel we deserve better. That is why I am in the race and why, early on, I introduced my Step Up plan to improve service, technology, efficiency and professionalism. Step Up has vision, goals, and a pathway to success.

I encourage our readers to visit my website to learn about my background – my work as a private sector expert consultant; my local experience that afforded me opportunities to serve in the functions of patrol, SWAT, and criminal investigations; and my federal experience as a DEA Special Agent that allowed me to partner with local counterparts to successfully disrupt the MS-13 gang, direct hundreds of agency employees and multi-million dollar budgets, and to arrest some of the most notorious drug traffickers who have ruined the lives of so many throughout the United States. Please visit: www.MikeChapmanforSheriff.com. Also, please take a moment to look at the endorsements I received.

NVTH: How long have you lived in Loudoun County?

Mike Chapman: I have been a resident in Loudoun County for two years; was born in Washington, DC; and spent the majority of my life in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I lived in Stafford, VA from 2000 to 2003, and maintained a permanent residence in Virginia until 2006. I lived in Maryland until age 28 when I began my national and international service to our Country with the DEA. My goal, once completing my service with the DEA, was to return to this area – specifically, Loudoun County. My wife and I consider Loudoun County our home.

NVTH: Why are you a Republican?

Mike Chapman: I have conservative values that align well for me with my family and religious beliefs. I believe in freedom, family, limited government, and that hard work is the key to success. A strong work ethic, I feel, enabled me to achieve an outstanding law enforcement career, an undergraduate degree and a Masters in Public Administration (all while working full time and raising a family). Freedom to pursue goals and achieve success is what makes the Republican Party appeal to me.

NVTH: Why do you think Steve Simpson should be replaced as Sheriff?

Mike Chapman: When I look at the growth of this county, changing diversity, and the lack of involvement the current sheriff has with other law enforcement partners, it is apparent to me that Simpson’s ability to remain effective has long passed. This county needs vision, fresh leadership and someone who knows how to tie the private sector, federal sector and local government together to bring about positive outcomes. It is time to break a pattern of behavior that does nothing to move this county forward and pursues agendas for reasons other than what is best for citizens of this county. We need fresh, innovative thinking and a Sheriff’s Office that is responsive to the needs of the community it serves.

NVTH: If elected, what are your top priorities?

Mike Chapman: My priority is to make Loudoun safer for families, and to have the most efficient Sheriff’s Office in the nation. Deputies serving one of the wealthiest counties in the nation should not be at the lowest end of the retirement spectrum, paid less than surrounding counties, or be in constant fear of losing their jobs. That type of environment inhibits success, facilitates turnover and costs Loudoun County residents more in the long run.

I would restructure the department for efficiency and apply the savings to our most important assets, our human resources. I would encourage, through incentives, continued education and training (mostly through cost effective on-line training) to further professionalize the Sheriff’s Office. Simply put, we need to take care of those who take care of us.

Next, we attack crime. We do it methodically, through research, partnerships and smart policing. We determine crime impact, danger, and frequency – we merge our findings with citizen concerns and we apply our resources appropriately. We also engage our community in highly interactive neighborhood “real time” watch programs so that they become part of the solution.

Crime and safety issues constantly evolve, require regular evaluation, and flexible strategies. Look at how much policing has changed since 9/11! I have spent eight months listening to the community and will continue to do so through weekly coffees our town hall meetings. I have talked with many deputies and I thoroughly reviewed the ICMA (independent consulting firm) study to determine what concerns the Board of Supervisors had regarding the performance of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. I will continue to reach out to our community, review crime statistics, and studies – and will channel our resources appropriately.