Governor McAuliffe Statement on Upcoming Special Session

Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today on this week’s special session of the General Assembly to consider proposals to expand access to health care for Virginians:

“As legislators prepare to come back to Richmond to consider proposals to expand access to health care for Virginians who need it, I hope they will join me in moving past the partisan division that has characterized this debate so far. To that end, Delegate Tom Rust has introduced a conservative compromise proposal that will get Virginians the care that they are already paying for, without exposing our Commonwealth to undue fiscal risk. I hope the General Assembly will pass the Rust bill this week so that I can sign it right away.

“This special session is an opportunity to continue to prove to Virginians that Republicans and Democrats can work together on common sense solutions to make their lives better. I am ready to negotiate and sign any proposal that brings our taxpayer dollars home to expand access to care, and I invite my friends in both parties to join me at the table.

“Virginia families, businesses and hospitals will be watching the actions that we take here this week. We owe it to them to bring our tax dollars home to expand health care access, create jobs and bring savings to our budget. We cannot afford to fall short of that goal.”

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Governor McAuliffe and First Lady To Open Executive Mansion in Celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Governor Terry McAuliffe and First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe today announced that the Virginia’s Executive Mansion and its gardens will be open to visitors on Tuesday, April 29^th in celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week.  Built in 1813 as a residence for Virginia’s governors, the mansion is the oldest in continuous use in the United States. Included in the walk-through tour will be the first floor public rooms featuring floral arrangements especially created for the occasion the backyard garden designed by noted landscape architect, Charles Gillette; and the rarely viewed North walled garden.

“It is our pleasure to welcome guests into the oldest occupied governor’s mansion in the United States,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The Executive Mansion has served as the residence for Virginia governors and their families for more than 200 years, and we are excited to share that history with our fellow Virginians in celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week.”

First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe said, “The Governor and I are thrilled to welcome visitors to the Mansion and to offer them the opportunity to explore its beautiful gardens.  This celebration of Garden Week is an ideal occasion for us to open the doors to this magnificent home, which is truly the people’s house, and to provide the public a chance to learn more about its rich history.”

Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Cost: Event is free. Reservations are not required. 

Parking: A limited number of metered public parking spaces (2 hours) are located on the west side of 10th Street, between Main and Bank Streets; on Bank Street, between Governor and 14th Streets; on the south side of Main Street, between 9th and 12th Streets; and on 12th Street between Main and Bank Streets. Garage parking is available at St. Paul’s deck on 8^th and Grace for $5.00.

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Governor McAuliffe, Mayor Sessoms Offer Bipartisan Support for Closing the Coverage Gap

McAuliffe (Photo credit: mou-ikkai)

Governor Terry McAuliffe, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, and Cox Communications Vice President of General Operations in Virginia Gary McCollum on Thursday urged members of both parties in the General Assembly to work together to negotiate a budget that closes the health care coverage gap. The bipartisan group – McAuliffe a Democrat and Sessoms and McCollum Republicans – said it is smart business for Virginia to bring its own taxpayer dollars back to the Commonwealth to provide healthcare coverage to up to 400,000 Virginians and lower insurance premiums on Virginia businesses.

“If we close the coverage gap, we can save Virginia taxpayers $1 billion over the next eight years, provide 400,000 Virginians with access to quality health insurance, and create as many as 30,000 jobs,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I put forth a proposal last week that protects Virginia by closing the coverage gap in the form of a pilot program, where we accept federal funds for two years, while the money is 100% paid for, and then we evaluate if we want to continue with the program.

“I believe this plan sets forth a pathway for the House and Senate to come to a compromise and pass a budget that funds our core priorities and brings our federal money home to close the coverage gap. As you can see at this press conference today, this is not about Republican or Democratic politics – it’s about doing the right thing for Virginia families and for our economy.”

Mayor Sessoms continued, “If the General Assembly acts to close the coverage gap, over 14,000 people in Virginia Beach would be eligible for coverage. The business case has been made – now is the time to act. Virginia needs to move forward with a plan to close the coverage gap. Our leaders in Richmond have forged bi-partisan consensus on difficult issues in the past and I know they can do the same now.”

McCollum added, “As a large employer in Virginia, Cox Communications understands that a healthy workforce is our most important asset. Having a strong healthcare provider network in a community is critical to economic development. In the Hampton Roads region, some of the largest employers – outside of the military and other federally funded operations – are Sentara, Riverside and Bon Secours. It is time for our representatives in Richmond to come together, in a non-partisan manner, and find a way to “yes”, a way to a solution that protects taxpayers, draws down federal funds and closes the coverage gap in Virginia.”

Governor McAuliffe last week released a budget that includes a two year pilot program to close the coverage gap and offers Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly a platform for negotiations about how best to structure a plan to use Virginians’ federal tax dollars to cover hundreds of thousands of people and create as many as 30,000 jobs. The McAuliffe budget includes $225 million in savings over the biennium from closing the coverage gap and invests those funds in long-term healthcare spending reserves, a 2% raise for all full-time state employees, and the increased funding for the Virginia Retirement System. 

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Governor McAuliffe Signs Caboose Budget Bill

English: Photo of the Virginia State Capitol before renovations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today after signing House Bill 5001, the Caboose Budget Bill, which funds state government through the remainder of this fiscal year:

“Today I signed a budget bill that funds state government for the remainder of the year, and proves that Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly are capable of working together to get things done for the Virginians who sent them to Richmond.

“This budget is the product of earnest negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly, with whom I was pleased to work to ensure that a final product came to my desk that I could sign.

“This budget is a compromise – it is not perfect. Today I signed it over reservations that I have expressed to Republicans and Democrats in the legislature about spending over $300 million on a new General Assembly building at a time when some legislators continue to refuse to use our own tax dollars to close the health care coverage gap.

“As negotiations on the next biennial budget move forward, I hope those legislators will recognize the message their actions send to 400,000 Virginians who need access to health care, not a new building for 140 state legislators.

“The bill I signed today is proof that the General Assembly is capable of negotiating and passing a budget that reflects the varied values and political views of its members and their constituents. There is no reason that the House and Senate cannot bring that same approach to the biennial budget I introduced last week. The sooner the General Assembly puts politics aside and negotiates a way forward, the sooner we can end this gridlock, close the health care coverage gap and give Virginians the budget they deserve.”

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Dems launch “a series of blistering attacks against the Kochs and their ads.

Friend -- The Kochs’ deceptive attacks are working: A new PPP poll shows that $8.3 MILLION in Koch lies have erased Kay Hagan’s (D-NC) 15 point lead. She’s now tied with all eight GOP challengers in Nate Silver’s “tipping point state” -- what he calls the GOP’s “best option [for] ... a 51-49 Senate majority.”

We’re urgently fighting back with our Koch Accountability Project -- and launching new ads to counter their deceitful attacks, turn this around, and win. If we can get this off the ground, the New York Times reports that we will expose the TRUTH: “the fundamental purpose of the Kochs’ spending is to rig the economic system for their benefit.”

But if we fall short, the Kochs will buy the Senate for the GOP in an agonizing defeat for Democrats. We still need you and 7,000 more Democrats on board -- will you step up today?

Supporter Record: VN96CBPMRQ5
Deadline: 48 hours
Suggested Support: $3 (Contribute)

Will you pitch in $3 to the Koch Accountability Project to reveal the truth about the Kochs’ disgusting lies and STOP a Republican Senate takeover?

Thanks for your support,
DSCC Breaking News

P.S. We can’t let the Kochs’ despicable lies cost Democrats the Senate. Will you step up before Friday to stop them?

Our Notes:  The game continues to be played at all levels and both sides.  These same tricks are played by the democrats and now that it's being played against them, they are crying foul?  Please.  It's all fixed at every level.  Most decent people will not run because the game is so fixed and dirty.  Instead, people are forced to run for one reason or another in so many campaigns from what we have uncovered.  We pulled out the links from the above.  

  Expose the truth?  Who's truth?  Are the democrats going to illuminate us all?  We have shown you what illumination is and where it comes from.

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Senator John McCain, A Strong America

English: John McCain official photo portrait. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Friend,

A secure world relies on a strong America. And a strong America relies on a robust military.

Yet, sadly under President Obama, America's military strength has been weakened and our country's leadership in the world has been questioned.

As a result, the world's most dangerous players are flexing their muscles. Extremists are gaining ground. And these conflicts are becoming more dangerous by the day for our allies—and for us.

My friend, what we're seeing across the world, particularly with the situation with Russia, is the ultimate result of Obama's reckless and feckless foreign policy.

From the beginning, when he refused to criticize the Iranian government, all the way through his incredible misreading of Vladimir Putin, the tyrant hell-bent on restoring the Soviet empire, Obama has led from behind.

If you want to see where Obama and the Democrats' priorities lie, look at how much they've slashed the defense budget yet found ways to pay for every item on their liberal wish list—the pinnacle being ObamaCare.

What kind of message are we sending when we slash defense funds and shrink the size of our military?

On national defense and international security, Democrats just don't "get it."

That is why we must take back the Senate to put a check on Obama's feckless foreign policy in the final two years of his presidency.

We must return to our best traditions of American leadership—for the sake of the cause of freedom, for the sake of the brave Americans who are willing to give their life for this cause, for the sake of our nation's peace and prosperity.

We must be committed to peace through strength to protect our national security in this dangerous world.

And we must support those facing brutal tyranny by their oppressors and our enemies.

That's why we must elect more Republicans to the Senate who will fight for freedom and will promote peace throughout the world.

Thank you,

Senator John McCain

Our Notes:  The Republicans are coming on strong right now.  A strong military is needed for DEFENSE.  Not to police the world.  We do not need to be the world police.  That is the job of the UN and even then , we do not need to be the world police for the UN.  How many trillions of dollars have now been wasted on being the world police from the US taxpayers?  And we should spend more why?  At least there is a good point on why we are wasting so many tax dollars on a health care system that was designed to fail from the start in our view.  Anyone in the political mafia ever here of the US Constitution?  We didn't think so.

Obama Can't Get Dems To Back Horrible Trade Deal

*U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman -- President Barack Obama's top trade official -- ventured into it Tuesday evening, meeting with a group of liberal leaders in a ritual known as Common Purpose -- an off-the-record weekly gathering that features an administration official and representatives of the Democratic coalition, from labor and environmental groups to consumer advocates and online progressive groups.

Froman's appearance was part of a stepped-up charm offensive the U.S. trade representative is waging, hoping to soften liberal opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the free trade deal Obama is attempting to cut with Asian nations. The same day, Froman spoke publicly at the Democratic-aligned think tank Center for American Progress. GOP leaders in Congress support the trade pact, which is still being negotiated. But Democratic opposition is broad in both the House and Senate, making Froman's mission critical if the Obama administration hopes to clear the agreement through Congress when it is finished. And if the reception at the Common Purpose gathering is any indication, a lot more charm will be needed. The liberal coalition was unusually unified -- against the administration...* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

Our Notes:  Sorry, republicans won't claim him and do not want him either.  He's a democrat.  Not that either party is worth anything anyway.  They are really both the same that play the people and the people can't figure that out.

  The overall arguments given are on the right track but still misguided as to party politics.  It's just part and parcel to the New World Order.  It's not a good deal for anyone.  It just takes away more rights and leaves less for the people.

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