Category: Local Issues

2nd Amendment, Bill of Rights, Gun Control, Local Issues, Virginia Politics

Northam Proves Himself A True Jackass

I really do not like calling people names but after reading Gov. Northam’s statement late Monday regarding the VCDL rally in Richmond Monday I can’t help myself, a statement in which he takes credit for the peaceful rally that occurred earlier that day. His hubris has no limits.

This man spends weeks warning people about credible information concerning possible violence in Richmond and goes so far as to declare a state of emergency so he can ban weapons from capitol grounds. He then brings in the FBI, Richmond Police, State Police and of course the Capitol Police to further intimidate the people. The intimidation goes so far that they placed snipers on the roof of the capitol building. He has a perimeter set up around the buildings to further restrict the people with a gun free zone, a zone that tens of thousands of people refused to enter because they were not willing to give up their arms.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has been having this rally on lobby day every year for the last 26 years without ever having a problem and this year was no different. Yes, the gathering was considerably larger because the controlling Democrat Party wants to obliterate our 2nd Amendment rights but whether a few hundred or tens of thousands, law abiding citizens are law abiding citizens. I would be willing to guess that majority of the people gathered had concealed carry permits and were therefore better vetted than the bureaucrats that represent them. As a matter of fact, I believe that there are several state representatives that would be unable to pass a background check due to their involvement with our legal system.

Despite the above facts our esteemed Governor would like to take credit for a peaceful gathering. The reality is that these people were not intimidated by the Governor’s show of “power” but behaved in the way that they always do. Progressives are so used to violence from groups like Antifa, BLM and White Nationalist that they have come to expect the same from everyone because they do not understand true Constitutional Conservatives.  We want to have our voices heard, not through violence but through peaceful protest and the ballot box.  

2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, Bill of Rights, George Soros, Gun Control, Local Issues, Michael Bloomberg, Socialism, Virginia Politics

Sanctuary Counties Need To Stand Strong

It is hard to say how the left will react to the enormous amount of opposition that is occurring throughout Virginia concerning the proposed anti-gun legislation that is being put forth. We have heard that Governor Northam is considering some sort of “compromise” on the “assault weapon” ban by allowing for grandfathering but with forced registration. However, State Attorney General Herring has also come out in an interview published in the Washington Examiner in which he mentioned financial penalties against the offending counties as well as the possibility of using the Virginia National Guard to enforce any new gun laws.

In addressing the so-called compromise that Northam is proposing I would hope that all 2nd Amendment supporters will not be taken in by this. It is not much of a compromise at all considering that if you do not register your firearm you will be considered a felon. If you do register your gun, then what is to stop them from taking it when they remove the grandfather clause later?

When it comes to the warnings of financial penalties or use of the National Guard, I believe these to be empty threats. If the local sheriffs decide that they will not enforce these laws how will Richmond know that the laws are not being enforced? I am sure the sheriffs and their deputies will not be writing reports that indicate their refusal to confiscate an otherwise legal weapon. I do not foresee the local law enforcement agencies going door to door asking to look at your guns or going to the local gun range to see whose guns meet the legal requirements.

In mentioning the use of the National Guard, I must wonder does he plan on sending troops door to door searching for “illegal” weapons? I highly doubt that would happen after all Virginia is not Nazi Germany.  I believe that the governor is smarter than that and would know that any attempt to confiscate weapons in that manner would not only cause Virginians to revolt but would cause outrage throughout the country. In other words, even mentioning the Guard is pure rhetorical BS.

I believe the rhetoric coming out of Richmond now is more of a scare tactic than anything else. It will be hard for them to prove a negative when it comes to localities not enforcing these outrageous violations of our 2nd Amendment rights. They know this and are hoping that by using these empty threats they can somehow gain the upper hand in this fight for our freedoms. Conservatives have for too long given ground on these important issues and it must stop. Bloomberg and Soros have sunk a lot of money into this state in order to turn it blue. They have a socialist anti-gun/anti-freedom movement that they want to promote throughout our country. Virginia is a major battle ground for that movement and we cannot give up, to surrender any more of our God given rights will prove to the left that they can win this battle to turn our country into a socialist state. Many of our country’s founding fathers were Virginians, they gave up so much so we could have our freedoms, we cannot let them down.

2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, Bill of Rights, Gun Control, Immigration, Local Issues, Virginia Politics

The Law Is The Law, Except When It’s Not

Mark Herring stated in an article from the Washington Examiner, “So when Virginia passes these gun safety laws that they will be followed, they will be enforced.” When it comes to the leftist in Richmond it is do as I say not as I do. State Attorney General Mark Herring is proposing the legalization of marijuana in Virginia in opposition to Federal Law.  Governor Ralph Northam vetoed legislation this past spring that would have banned sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants, thus making it possible for localities to ignore federal immigration laws. However, when it comes to the left restricting the right of the citizens to protect themselves you better obey their laws.

There is talk from Richmond about the possibility of cutting off funding to counties that refuse to enforce unconstitutional gun laws, there is even the threat of calling out the national guard to enforce these laws. What would Richmond do if the Federal Government were to cut off all funding to our state because they refuse to follow federal law? What would happen if President Trump were to take over the Virginia National Guard and make them enforce Federal Laws at the state level? I would guess there would be hell to pay.

Well Herring and Northam better beware because if they try to enforce any gun laws that violate the people’s 2nd Amendment rights they better understand the consequences. Having attended several 2A sanctuary rallies as well as keeping abreast of all the others being held throughout the state, I can guarantee that these people will not go quietly. The governor and his cronies will be pitting Virginian against Virginian and it will not be pleasant. These leftist liberals that have taken over our legislature need to realize that this is Virginia not California or New York. Give it up now before there is blood in the streets.

As a final note I am not calling for violence, this issue can be solved without physical confrontation. All it takes is some common sense from the left unless of course it is there intention to create civil unrest. In which case they may get what they ask for.

2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, Bill of Rights, Gun Control, Local Issues, National Politics, Socialism, Virginia Politics

Red Flag Laws: Confiscation Not Protection

Most red flag laws that have been proposed both on federal and state levels rely on statements form people that accuse someone of being a danger to others or themselves. No actual evidence is needed besides statements from others about an individual. A judge can issue a warrant for the seizure of a person’s firearms without the need for probable cause. The person whose rights have been violated must then go to court to prove his innocence and hopefully be able to retrieve his property.

 How many Constitutional rights do red flag laws violate? Although I am not a Constitutional scholar I can read and from what I can see these laws violate at least four of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights.

2nd Amendment:  … “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

4th Amendment: … “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by Oath or affirmation…”

5th Amendment: … “nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.”

6th Amendment: … “to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witness against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnessed in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”

The politicians and organizations that support this Extreme Risk Protection Orders are not in the least bit interested in protecting others. If they were interested in protecting the person from himself or society then there would be something written into these laws to allow for the person in question to be put into protective custody. Although without due process this would also be a violation of the person’s rights but at least it would show that the law is meant for the protection of others and not just about the confiscation of one’s private property.

Red Flag laws like most “common sense” gun legislation is not about making society safer but only about control. The left’s only interest is to disarm the population because a disarmed populous is much easier to manage.  Once the population is unable to defend themselves many of their other God given rights will be restricted as well. We only need to look to Venezuela to see what happens when Socialism takes over and the population is disarmed.

2nd Amendment, Gun Control, Local Issues, Virginia Politics

Greene County BOS Ignores “We The People”

The problem with our so-called representatives is that they think that they are so much smarter than the people they are supposed to represent. For some reason once these people get elected to a position, they seem to believe that their IQ is automatically increased. What really happens is that in many cases it is their common sense that changes, their narcissistic tendencies push out whatever common sense they had and takes over all their decision making. There is much truth in the statement that power corrupts, we see it continuously in our local, state and federal government.

Last night at the Greene County Board of Supervisors meeting several hundred local citizens showed up to express their support for a 2nd Amendment sanctuary resolution. Our county sheriff was there to lend his support to our right to bear arms as guaranteed by the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions.  Of course, as expected our local board ignored the wishes of the citizens. The gathering of close to 300 people had little to no effect on our representatives. One of them even had the audacity to claim that not all these people were from Greene, a manufactured excuse for ignoring the wishes of the crowd.

I am so tired of seeing these people sitting behind the dais with their smug looks acting like they are dealing with a bunch of spoiled children. Our supervisors do not want to represent the people, this group of narcissists who think that they are so much wiser than the people they represent, once again chose to ignore those who voted them into office.

I must remind all citizens to be proactive in all areas of government; local, state and federal if they want to stop the abuse of power. We are all busy but unless we take time out of our hectic schedules, we will find that control of our lives will be given to those who care more about power than “we the people”. Freedom is precious and once lost it will be very difficult to regain.

2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, Bill of Rights, Gun Control, Local Issues, Socialism, Virginia Politics

Virginia On The Precipice

I believe we are facing a very challenging time in our Commonwealth. Will it be as bad as we expect during the next legislative session? Probably not. However, I do believe that this will be the beginning of a very slippery slope. I have heard people say that maybe it’s time to move to a state that will respect our Constitutional rights, I have said this myself. That is wrong for the simple fact that we cannot surrender here in Virginia because if we retreat from here eventually there will be no place left to run.

About 29% of the population of Virginia own guns, we need to tap into this group. With a population of 8.5 million we are looking at about 2.4 million gun owners in our Commonwealth, that is significant. If we could get 1/3 of this group to become somewhat involved, we would be looking at a lobbying group of over 800 thousand people.

What is needed to fight these far-left politicians in Richmond is a strong grassroots organization composed of not only 2nd Amendment supporters but those people who do not want their other rights taken away from them. We need to get the word out about how the proposed red flag laws attack our 2nd ,4th, 5th and 6th Amendment rights. If they can use these types of laws to confiscate guns, then nothing is safe from state. If these four amendments can be attacked how long before our 1st Amendment rights are obliterated as well?

Granted we are fighting against a well-funded leftist movement but remember several hundred years ago a rag tag group of patriots were able to defeat the most powerful country on the planet. This war against our freedoms can be won but it will not be easy.

Economy, Local Issues, Virginia Politics

White Elephant In Greene County Part 3

To all the citizens in Greene County Virginia it is time to get off your couches and come out and let your so-called county representatives know that you are tired of having your tax dollars being wasted.  This coming Tuesday, June 4th at 7 PM the EDA will be having a public presentation on their purposed investment of almost ONE MILLION DOLLARS for a new Greene County Visitor Center. This meeting will be held in Stanardsville at the county administration building.  However, if you are okay with the SIX MILLION DOLLAR short fall in the current county budget and have no problem adding another million dollars to that deficit then by all means stay home. But if you don’t want your taxes going up again next year then come out and let the EDA know that this purchase will not fly.

One must ask themselves how is spending this amount of money beneficial to the citizens of Greene. The county is struggling to put on a July 4th event and can’t afford to have a county fair, two things that are definite tourist attractions, yet they are considering a purchase of this size that will not only cost big dollars up front but will be a drain on our resources for years to come. Another question we must ask ourselves is who does benefit from this purchase if not the local citizens? For more background on this see my previous posts here and here.

Does the county need to do something to encourage tourists and businesses to come to Greene, of course it does? There are so many ways that our tax dollars can be spent more wisely then by taking a prime piece of real estate off the market to put a county building on it. This prime lot on Rt. 29 in front of Lowe’s would be a perfect spot for a restaurant, with its great visibility and road frontage it would even be a great spot for a Chic-Fil-A, a much better prospect than a visitor center. So if you don’t want your taxes to increase more then they already have and like the idea of a new place to eat in the county like a Chick-Fil-A, then show up Tuesday night and let your voice be heard. After all who wouldn’t want a Chic-Fil-A in Greene?

Economy, Local Issues, Taxes, Virginia Politics

White Elephant In Greene County Part 2

Does Greene County really need a million-dollar tourism center?

In late March I blogged about a real estate transaction that would be taking place in my home county of Greene. At that time, it had become known that a building and property on Route 29 in Ruckersville was being looked at as a possible home for the Greene Economic Development Authority. This land and building owned by a member of the Board of Tourism has been empty for quite some time. The initial projected use for this purchase was to be a new location for the Chamber of Commerce, an enterprise center for developing businesses and a new office for the EDA director Alan Yost. However according to a recent article in the Greene County Record it will now be the new home of the Greene Visitor Center.

This transaction stinks of cronyism. I have a few questions about this whole deal. The first question I have is how long has this property been on the market? I live not to far from this parcel and have passed it dozens of times over the last year in my many visits to Lowe’s. I have never seen a for sale sign in front the building which makes me wonder was it ever listed with a realtor? If not, was the owner just waiting for the right time to sell it to the county? There are at least four commercial land parcels on Rt. 29 in Ruckersville that are up for sale and have been for quite a while without any movement. I guess the owners of these properties just don’t have the right connections.

The next big question is why would the county want to waste tax dollars generated by the transient occupancy tax on one building? This million-dollar debacle will not do anything to increase tourism in Greene. Yes, we need to do something to generate more tourist driven revenue in our county, a million dollars would go far in attracting events and then advertising those events which in turn would attract visitors. No one is going to come to Greene just to visit a visitor center. I don’t believe that many people have visitor centers on their list as destinations, they come for other reasons and may drop in as an after thought. Interesting happenings like wine festivals, craft fairs, car shows and almost anything else besides a boring building would bring people to our county. Tying up a million dollars in taxes over the years will not benefit anyone besides the people directly involved in this scam. The Board of Supervisors need to put a stop to this and need to pull their support for this transaction. If they don’t, they should all be voted out of office for this obvious malfeasance of tax payer dollars.

Local Issues, Virginia Politics

Virginia Legislators: Bigger Government is Good Government

After this fall’s election the state of Virginia could very well continue its slide into the Blue if the Republicans lose any more seats in the House of Delegates or State Senate. Things have already gotten worse with all the bills that were past in 2018 that increased government regulation and oversight, with more Democrat control this will continue to head in that direction.

If you visit the American Conservative Union website, you will find a host of bills that were passed in the state by our legislature that further increases spending and regulation. These bills range from increased licensing fees, to tax credits for select businesses and Medicaid expansion. Virginia has to many legislators that seem to think that more government is good government.

I am always amazed at the number of bills that are passed by our legislature every year. It would seem after a while that we would have everything covered, but no, every year dozens of bills make their way to the Governor’s desk. The one thing I can say is that it is a good thing that our representatives are only in Richmond for a short time, otherwise think of the damage they could do if they were there for longer periods.

The citizens of Virginia need to stop this downward spiral of bigger government and higher taxes that our representatives continue to promote. I fail to understand how some people think that government is always the answer.  Ask just about anyone how they feel about their visits to the DMV, a government run institution, and they will complain about the excessive paper work, poor service and inconvenience. Yet these same people seem to think the state should be controlling our medical care as well as having control over every aspect of business and our personal rights.

If you look at the ACU rankings of our state legislators you will see that only six delegates and zero Senators on the Republican side received a 90% or higher grade, the highest democrat rating was 35%. On the Republican side Senator Emmett Hanger received the lowest ranking of all Republicans with a 61% well below the average of 76%, which I think should be closer to 90 . It is Republicans like Hanger that must go, and we have that chance this coming June when he is primaried by Tina Freitas who will bring conservatism back to the 24th Senate District.

It is the early primaries through out the state that will be key to how our fall elections turn out. Primary turn out is always low but that needs to change if we are to see real transformation in our legislature. Encourage your friends and neighbors to get out to vote and impress on them the necessity of limited government, and if they question you ask them about their last visit to the DMV.

Gun Control, Local Issues, Virginia Politics

Virginia’s 24th, June 11th, A Defining Moment

This coming June 11th will be the day when true conservatives will have a chance to change the direction our state is headed. On that day a Republican Primary will be held to determine who will run for the 24th District Senate seat.  We can stay with the same state senator who has sold out his party on numerous occasions or we can select someone to represent the district’s constituents and Republican Party.

Senator Hanger is the epitome of a Republican In Name Only, here is a quote taken from the Culpepper Democrats Facebook page posted on October 20, 1915.

“In the 24th State Senate Race, Republican, Emmett Hanger is running unopposed because Democrats came out in the republican primary to make sure he won the nomination. He votes 90% of the time as a Democrat would in that seat“.

Fortunately, we have a clear choice to make in June, stay with the RINO or place a vote for Tina Freitas a true Constitutional Conservative. Freitas will represent her constituents and not big corporate donors. She is pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment and a proponent of smaller government. Visit her website at Tina4Va.com and see what she stands for, and if you can, please donate to her campaign. Unlike her opponent she is not receiving contributions form big business and can use all the help we can give her.