McDonnell Petitions Feds for Immigration Enforcement Deal

Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) has petitioned the federal government to allow some Virginia State Police officers to perform some immigration enforcement duties.  This would fall under the “287g” program.

Currently, state police policy gives troopers the option of asking about immigration status when it is relevant to a criminal investigation.

"Our policy does not mandate that it be asked," state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. "If it’s relevant to bringing an investigation to a conclusion, then the question will be asked."

McDonnell disclosed his continued effort to secure an agreement during a news conference in which he was asked to comment on this week’s opinion from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that police in Virginia may inquire about the immigration status of people they stop or arrest.

The governor said Cuccinelli’s opinion generally tracked one McDonnell issued as attorney general in 2007.

Under current Virginia law, law enforcement officers are required to inquire about the immigration status of all persons taken to jail for another suspected crime.

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Fear the Cooch

It seems that the national GOP establishment is a tad squeamish about Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli.  Little wonder.  Virginia went for Obama in 2008.  The establishment GOP types thought anti-Obama backlash might yield victories by nice, safe, MODERATE Republicans.  Instead, Virginia elected Bob McDonnell AND Cuccinelli.

“We agree with his positions, we don’t like his style,” said a senior official with a national Republican organization. He spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of antagonizing Cuccinelli allies.

Why do they fear the Cooch?

Cuccinelli offers no apologies for his stands, which delight the tea party wing of the GOP. His federal lawsuits are just a way of making good on his campaign to fight what he views as unconstitutional federal usurpation of states’ rights.

“What we have started on in these first two months is … reasserting the state’s role vis-a-vis the federal government in determining its own destiny and in pushing back on the growing, overreaching federal power,” Cuccinelli said during a recent interview with The Associated Press. “And that isn’t just a Democrat occurrence. That happened under Republicans, as well.”

The 41-year-old Cuccinelli is a pugnacious, ruggedly handsome champion of the right who is able to publicly articulate its beliefs and aims without sounding shrill or mean. And he has clashed with what he considers apostates within his own party as much as he has Democrats.

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Bill Bolling Is Point Man on McDonnell Jobs Package

When Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was elected governor last November, and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling was re-elected, McDonnell stated that Bolling would be in charge of McDonnell’s plan to bring more jobs to the Commonwealth.  In order to finance the plan, McDonnell’s administration has put forward a $50 million plan to finance more economic development in Virginia.  Bolling will now also be in charge of shepherding McDonnell’s plan through the legislature.

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Bob McDonnell – Expressing America’s TRUE Values

On Wednesday Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell delivered the GOP response to Barack Obama’s 2010 State of the Union address.  You can view the speech here:

McDonnell’s message will prove important because he expressed the ideas upon which this great nation were founded and those ideas which have made our nation the greatest on earth.  While Obama wishes to continue throwing hard earned tax dollars (and even more money borrowed from the likes of Communist China) at problems, McDonnell’s message was one of self-reliance, self-sacrifice, liberty, and innovation:

Good government policy should spur economic growth, and strengthen the private sector’s ability to create new jobs.  We must enact policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation, so America can better compete with the world.  What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation, and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class.  It was Thomas Jefferson who called for “A wise and frugal Government which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry ….and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned…” He was right.

Today, the federal government is simply trying to do too much.

While most Democrats and far too many Republicans seek enhanced personal and corporate power through the overreaching hand of government, McDonnell’s message was one reminiscent of Ronald Reagan:

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McDonnell Proposes End to Term Limit

Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell has proposed amending the Virginia constitution to allow a governor to succeed him (or her) self).  Currently, Virginia is the only state that prohibits a governor from serving two (or more) consecutive terms.

While I whole heartedly support McDonnell and his proposals to change the Commonwealth’s budget calendar and his request to the US Department of Interior to allow oil and gas exploration off of Virginia’s coast, this proposal needs to move to the FAR back burner.

Virginia’s practice goes back to the time of Mr. Jefferson.  There is no evidence that enacting such a change would better serve the citizens of the commonwealth.  We then must ask the questions, “Why?”.

Will the citizens be better served by our new governor expending political capital on a proposal that is doubtful to yield meaningful results?

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McDonnell – Drill Here, Drill Now

Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell does not want the federal government to further delay the granting of leases off the Virginia coast.

"It is time to develop our offshore energy resources to create new jobs and provide necessary new revenue for schools, roads, public safety and alternative energy research and development in Virginia," McDonnell wrote to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Gov. Tim Kaine has been less than supportive of exploration off of Virginia’s coast.  In February, he asked the Dept. of the Interior to postpone the process of awarding exploration leases.

Here is a link to the text of McDonnell’s letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

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McDonnell Proposes Change in Budget Process

Virginia’s Governor-elect Bob McDonnell has proposed a change in Virginia’s budget cycle.  McDonnell proposes to move the biennial budget to begin in odd numbered years.

Under the current system, Virginia’s biennial budget is adopted in even number years.  Because of this, a Virginia governor (who may not succeed him or herself) has the opportunity to craft only one budget during his term in office.  The second budget is introduced after the current governor’s successor is elected.

Currently, a governor proposes a budget days before leaving office, and the succeeding governor has little time to make what could be sweeping changes before presenting it to lawmakers.  McDonnell said the current arrangement means one out of every two budgets submitted requires no accountability or management from the governor who proposed it.

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Let’s Talk About the Issues … Not

Democrats, and their cohorts in the media, love to accuse Republicans of “going negative” and “not talking about the issues”;  that is, until issues aren’t on their side.  Two cases in point – the New Jersey and Virginia governors’ races.

New Jersey -

Gov. John Corzine (D-NJ) has a record that any self-respecting politician would be ashamed of.  Unemployment is the highest it’s been in a generation.  Property taxes are spiraling out of control.  Is Corzine talking about how he’ll help make New Jersey better IF voters are stupid enough to re-elect him?  Absolutely not!

 

 

Virginia -

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League of Conservation Voters Shows True Stripes

Was there ever any question that the Virginia League of Conservation Voters was merely an auxiliary of the DPV?  If there was, it went by the wayside in this year’s gubernatorial election.

The VLCV has endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds.  No surprise there.  However, to claim that “Mr. Me Too” is a true enviro champion in comparison to GOP standard bearer Bob McDonnell is a shameless farce.  McDonnell supports offshore drilling.  Deeds says “me too”.  Bob is for coal-fired and nuclear power.  Creigh says “me too”.

What are the core environmental differences between McDonnell and Deeds?  McDonnell has bothered to make concrete proposals.  Deeds simply says, “ME TOO”.

Yet, the VLCV has this to say about Deeds:

"There are pretty stark differences" between Deeds and McDonnell, said Lisa M. Guthrie, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters.

Yes there are Ms. Guthrie.  Creigh Deeds is a Democrat.  The next time the VLCV portrays itself as “non-partisan”, have a hearty laugh and take their words for what they are – LEFT WING, DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA.

Now, if were were talking about taxes there would be some “pretty stark differences”.

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Creigh “Me Too” Deeds Agrees to Pay Cut

Does leadership require original thought?  If so, it would appear that Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds is wholly unqualified to become Virginia’s next governor.

Again, Deeds has followed GOP nominee Bob McDonnell’s lead in the policy arena.  This time Deeds has agreed to take a pay cut if elected governor.  Fortunately for Virginians, McDonnell has already proposed the cut.  If not, we’d still be waiting.

H/T – Jim Hoeft @ Bearing Drift

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