Archive for November, 2009

Virginia Redistricting Part 2

Part one was a summary of the redistricting process in Virginia now we learn the pro’s and con’s of the arguments for and against partisan redistricting. The second part of the William and Mary Election Law Society blog discussion of our redistricting process.

What is the process for redistricting in Virginia?

There may be a bill to form a bipartisan redistricting commission rather than have the General Assembly develop the plan. Some educational links that are quite interesting.
Here’s one link to information.

Or this one.

Green Roof Legislation in VA

A recent bill that authorized cities and counties to provide incentives to businesses to install green rfoof's.

Read more...

GMU Study Shows Deep Anti-Immigration Sentiment in Pockets of Prince William County

This is a really interesting and yet troubling report from GMU Click here to read more.

October November Newsletter Available

Click here to read the latest news about The Gainesville Group.

Frightening Post from Daily Kos

Evangelicals appear to be using violent biblical language to provoke extremists against the president. Click here to read the story.

1st Anniversary Party

The Gainesville Group will celebrate the end of our first year and the start of an even more exciting second year on Saturday December 12th at 6349 Retriever Lane, Gainesville, VA 20155. All supporters and members, past and present, are welcome. Please RSVP to thegainesvillegroup@gmail.com or call 571-233-8593.

Adopt-A-Highway Pickup

We’ll meet in the Heritage Village Plaza parking lot off Heathcote Blvd and spread out along the route. Should take a couple of hours tops. All gear is provided and a training video must be watched first. Please RSVP The Gainesville Group at thegainesvillegroup@gmail.com if you wish to help.

A great experience

I want to thank John Bell and his campaign staff for the wonderful campaign they ran. Though bucking a considerable political headwind, John ran, what in my limited experience, was a masterful campaign. Everyone I talked to knocking doors or making phone calls who had met John was won over by him. His willingness to talk to them and listen to them made each voter feel like he was their personal candidate.

I came on board in July and I learned so much I will need some time to digest it all. Though the outcome was not what we wished for, the experience of working with a first class team and a first class candidate was worth every minute.

I hope that one takeaway from Tuesday will be an understanding of how important it is for Democrats to remain involved. That regardless of who might top the ticket a lot of good candidates went down to defeat in part because Democrats did not appreciate the need to work at the local level regardless of the state-wide ticket.

I believe it was the late Tip O’Neil who said all politics is local. Now we need to make local politics ours. We need to build the party infrastructure, build links to the community, and look to the 2010 elections.

The Gainesville Group needs to grow as well and increase our ability to positively affect the lives of people in the Western end of PWC. We need to rededicate ourselves to serving our community and to our mission of supporting our candidates and committees in every way possible.

We have the choice to either sit back and point fingers, or to step up and make ourselves heard. Call Bob Marshall on his cell as he requested when he introduces bills you don’t like. Challenge him to live up to his campaign promises on roads and schools.

Do not allow the disappointment of Tuesday to drive us from the field. Perhaps after last November we sat on our laurels and this November we paid the price. Not only in the loss of John Bell, but in the Paul Nichols and Chuck Caputo losses as well as others. Too many good candidates went down to defeat when there was more we could have done to win those races. We must never allow that to happen again.

Monthly Meeting Monday

Our monthly meeting will be at the usual location, Taste of Asian, 7920 Heritage Village Plaza.

This months agenda will include:

Guest Speaker – Kelly Parris from the Red Cross Blood Services
Election results discussion and lessons learned.
Planning for 1st Anniversary celebration
Planning Adopt-a-Highway trash pick-up
Discussion of short-mid-long term planning for the group

If you have ideas for the agenda please send them to me at thegainesvillegroup@gmail.com