Dear Friend of TJI, “If I could paraphrase a well-known statement by Will Rogers that he had never met a man he didn’t like, I’m afraid we have some people around here who never met a tax they didn’t hike.” -- Ronald Reagan Meanwhile ... 1.) Governor Glenn Youngkin has thrown down the gauntlet, calling the General Assembly back into session on April 4 to complete the state budget and action on four dozen bills in conference committee (here). Youngkin also released a TV commercial as part of a six-figure ad buy (here). The time to identify and write your legislator is now (here), and you can sign the Thomas Jefferson Institute’s tax petition by clicking here. 2.) In today’s Bacon’s Rebellion, Institute Senior Fellow Steve Haner reminds us that in the coming weeks, the State Corporation Commission will take up Dominion’s $10 billion investment in wind turbines and that you can comment by clicking here, providing plenty of facts in the column you can use (here). In the past week alone the prolific Institute Senior Fellow Steve Haner has noted that key data about Dominion’s wind and solar projects remain secret (here and here), that the cost of solar will likely be shifted onto non-users (here), and dug out the filing of Attorney General Jason Miyares urging that some solar projects be rejected because of the cost (here). 3.) Miyares, meanwhile, has more often focused his attention on criminal justice issues, teaming up with GOPAC (here) to elect conservative prosecutors by defeating the lenient district attorneys elected with the massive financial support of George Soros (here). He started by sparring with prosecutors in Arlington (here) and Fairfax (here). 4.) The rush to “defund police” two years ago worked its way into school systems, where efforts were made to remove school resource officers, despite the pleas of the students themselves (here). The Alexandria City Council last year withdrew funding for SROs (the School Board here fought the action) until it had to reverse course after incidents involving students and guns (here). The School Board has again requested funding for the coming year (here). Those seeking security in the schools should make certain it is in city council and boards of Supervisors budgets, who supervise police – generally, they are not in school board budgets. 5.) Also in the schools, Albemarle County Public Schools has started down the path of offering monopoly union contracts through collective bargaining (here) ... joining Richmond City, Prince William and Loudoun County schools. Passed at the height of union control of Virginia’s General Assembly, the law permitting such bargaining offers few protections for workers who want to leave a union, or for taxpayers who will be footing the bill for the agreements. That’s why the Thomas Jefferson Institute offers elected officials a “Collective Bargaining Tookit” for elected officials (here). The Institute is also mailing letters to teachers in the affected school divisions, reminding them of their rights under federal law and directing a social media campaign through YouTube (here) and Facebook (here) reminding them of their choices. 6.) In addition to adding to the teachers union’s political power, a bipartisan 2021 General Assembly passed laws that burdened teachers and undermined Virginia’s standards, says Matt Hurt, director of the Comprehensive Instructional Program in Wise, Virginia (here). Writing in the Roanoke Times, Hurt also argues that the McAuliffe-Northam Board of Education hurt student performance by lowering expectations, even though students benefit more from higher expectations (here). 7.) What is the value of a conservative Governor? Leadership in the regulatory committees creating new regulations. When Ralph Northam’s workplace safety rules were made permanent, the Jefferson Institute warned the inflexible regulations would outlast Covid (here). Following instructions from the new Governor, those rules have now been dropped (here). Referring to King George III, Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people ...” We are glad the 74th Virginia Governor has acted on the words of the second (here). 8.) Will Mike Pence be cancelled at UVA? The former Vice President is scheduled to speak on campus April 12, courtesy of Young Americans for Freedom. Our partner, Jim Bacon, reports in his namesake blog (here) that the editorial board of The Cavalier Daily is having none of it, declaring that Pence’s remarks “threatens the lives of those on the Grounds.” Sarita Mehta, the student representative to the Board of Visitors disagrees, arguing “The duty of a university is to present the world unfiltered, allowing students to determine for themselves what is wrong and right and to engage with the discomfort of difference.” Bacon has become a champion of free speech on campus, whether it is defending the rights of loathsome people (here), those who want national health insurance (here), or an All American swimmer protesting transgendered biological males with male muscle mass who compete in women’s sports (here). This is a role once taken on by the ACLU, but those days are gone (here). We wish Jim the best in his crusade and will lend a hand where we can. 9.) And its never too soon! One way to learn about free speech rights is through the Bill of Rights Institute, now sponsoring their national civics contest, the My Impact Challenge, with $40,000 in contest prizes. Learn more by clicking here. Happy Sunday, Everyone. Talk to a liberal today.
Cordially, | |
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