Ed. Note: Another in our series of personal statements of support for Democratic presidential candidates. Incidentally, Sen. Warren will appear in Arlington on Thu., Feb. 13. Click here for event details By William Berkson: Ok, I’ll admit it. I’m a Warren fan-boy—or, more accurately, a fan-oldster. I think she’s the best political leader of my lifetime, and that includes JFK.…
By Tom Goodwin: Natasha McKenna died five years ago this past weekend, February 8, 2015 — naked, cold, frightened, shackled, muzzled, and black — after a rough afternoon at Fairfax County jail. The social and racial inequities that contributed to her death still loom as the OneFairfax policy is extended throughout county government. I wasn’t thinking about racial inequity when I…
Editor’s Note: We welcome personal statements of support for Democratic presidential candidates. Here, a Joe Biden supporter make his case. By Marcus R. Motta: Nov 4, 2020, 6:00 A.M., I wake up groggy since I was up late the previous night watching the election returns, even though it was a week night. I stayed up later and later hoping to…
By Susan Boggs: Some of you may know me from my Thursday morning shifts at the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. Others of you have handed out sample ballots and back-to-school-night literature with me. I’d like you to see my other side—that of a former Foreign Service spouse. I spent 14 years living in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal with my…
Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) has taken a position in the controversy over whether to go forward with a gerrymandering reform first passed when Republicans were in the majority in Richmond. After spirited debate at the monthly FCDC general membership meeting on Jan. 28, members passed a resolution not to support the current redistricting amendment. Instead, FCDC supports a non-partisan…
By Steve Aoki: The international reputation of the United States is at a post-World War II low, according to a former senior diplomat. But instead of passively complaining, Tom Countryman is doing something about it – working on voter registration drives to counteract Republican voter suppression efforts. Countryman, who held the top arms control and nonproliferation job at the State…
By Karen Kirk: Several hundred Democrats turned out for the Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) Reorganization Meeting Tuesday night and chose new leaders, revised bylaws and approved a resolution not to support a “flawed” Virginia redistricting plan. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring kicked off the meeting at Madison High School in Vienna by thanking Fairfax County Democrats for all that…
By Brad Swanson: Virginia’s citizen boards will retain control over pollution emitters for at least another year as a bill to transfer this authority to a state agency has been downgraded to require passage by two consecutive annual legislatures. In the interim between the current session and the next, beginning in Jan. 2021, the bill would require the state Department…
By Susan Laume: Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) announced Virginia’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) on Monday, Jan. 27. In her official statement, she said, “We stand today on the shoulders of the thousands of women — and men — who have fought for the last 97 years to secure the ERA’s ratification. Finally, women have a…
By Bob Burnley: A current bill in the Virginia House would seriously weaken environmental protection by transferring power from citizen boards to a state agency. This is a terrible idea. I should know — I am a former director of that agency. When I served in 2002-2006 as director of the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), I willingly followed…
The 50+ Committee of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee spent a busy day in Richmond on Jan. 16 meeting with state lawmakers on issues that are key to seniors. Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35), the Senate’s majority leader, recognized the group from the floor of the Senate, and numerous other legislators also made time for this important constituency. Issues discussed included…
By Marcus R. Motta: Am I sick of Republican gerrymandering? Yes, and I am proud that I helped Democrats win control of both houses of the Virginia legislature last November. I wish I could have done more, like a lot of other volunteers did, but to the point, I don’t want that work to be squandered. The problem is that…
As the Virginia state legislature opened for business this week, Northern Virginia legislators scored more than half the standing committee chair positions – as well as providing the Senate Majority Leader, Speaker of the House, and House Majority Leader. Senators and delegates from our region will hold 14 of the 25 committee chairs, covering topic such as agriculture, commerce, transportation,…
Gun rights advocates interrupted speakers frequently with boos, shouts and chants as the Fairfax County state legislative delegation held its traditional public forum on Jan. 4, four days in advance of the opening of the General Assembly this Wednesday. Gun supporters, many with orange “Guns Save Lives” stickers, were prominent in the audience at the Fairfax County Government Center auditorium…