Virginia Right!

This report has exit polling showing that the German Pirate Party won 7.5% of the vote in the largest state of Germany, North Rhine Westphalia!

Unlike the City State of Berlin, and small states like the Saarland and Schweizig-Holstein, this is a major win for the new liberty party in Germany.

The reporter here has five reasons for the rise of the Pirate Party.  Here’s number four:

The fourth reason is the Piratenpartei‘s early broadening of the party platform. In Sweden, we learned the hard way in 2010 that not enough people will vote a party with a narrow platform to the general parliament. The European parliament was fine, but not the Swedish one. While we were busy running an election campaign, the German pirate party were busy discussing if – and if so, how – their program should be broadened. This was rewarded with 15 seats in the Berlin parliament, which leads me to…

I wish to add a sixth one:  The Pirates are not Tweedledee nor Tweedledum and they will have to at some point take on the EU, its elites and the empire.  When that happens, watch out!  Liberty is on the march.  Remember, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.”  (II Corinthians 3:17 [KJV])

I am not entirely sold on the Greek Pirate Party.  But it is not hard left, hard left, neo-Nazi, or communist!  The Tweedledee Tweedledum parties:  Furgetaboutit!  No way!

Greece brought democracy to the world!  Now Greece can again bring democracy to Europe – the Pirate Party is a great choice.  So, the answer is:  The Pirate Party.  They only need three percent to enter Parliament.  Don’t waste your vote on totalitarian/statist parties.

My friends over at Bearing Drift have a vote up now for the Virginia Senate race featuring George Allen, Jamie Radtke, Bob Marshall and E.W. Jackson.

Who do you support in the primary?

Click here to cast your vote and see the results.

Here’s a great ad for Sonja McNally, the UKIP candidate in the March 29 by-election in Bradford West:

“Let’s send a message to Westminster with Sonja!”

I agree.  It’s way past time the PM and the MPs got the message:  Liberty and Sovereignty is non-negotiable.

McNally also supports pubs, too:

“Four pubs close everyday, which is killing local communities and destroying jobs – they need help! UKIP have run a save the pub campaign in Bradford for many years.”

Sonja will be joined by UKIP party leader Nigel Farage MEP on a pub crawl Sunday night to talk to publicans and customers across Bradford West about the future of their industry and local issues.

What’s up, Sandy?  Hawai’i independence?  American Samoa, too?  Are you nuts? Hear me out!  I am not advocating independence.  But I was concerned about this article about American Samoa.  This attitude concerns me:

According to the AP, local GOP chairman Victor T. Tofaeono, a superdelegate, is hopeful caucus attendees will agree to commit all nine delegates to one candidate.

“That will be the aim of our caucus,” he said.

I can see one reason why many in American Samoa might like Romney (The islands are 25% Mormon) but a bit of history might offer another darker reason:  Colonial mentality.

The history of American Samoa is not pretty.  Basically, foreign powers decided that this group of islands should be divided into two colonies:  Western Samoa (Ceded to Germany and later New Zealand and now the independent nation of Samoa) and American Samoa (we know who got this colony).  Both Germany and New Zealand suppressed moves for independence:

The Mau was a non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule during the early 1900s. The word ‘Mau’ means ‘opinion’ or ‘testimony’ denoting ‘firm strength’ in Samoan. The motto for the Mau were the words Samoa mo Samoa (Samoa for Samoa).

The movement had its beginnings on the island of Savai’i with the Mau a Pule resistance in the early 1900s with widespread support throughout the country by the late 1920s.^[1] As the movement grew, leadership came under the country’s chiefly elite, the customary matai leaders entrenched in Samoan tradition and fa’a Samoa.^[2] The Mau included women who supported the national organisation through leadership and organisation as well as taking part in marches. Supporters wore a Mau uniform of a navy blue lavalava with a white stripe which was later banned by the colonial administration.^[3]

The Mau movement culminated on 28 December 1929 in the streets of the capital Apia, when the New Zealand military police fired on a procession who were attempting to prevent the arrest of one of their members. The day became known as Black Saturday. Up to 11 Samoans were killed, including Mau leader and high chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III with many others wounded. One New Zealand constable was clubbed to death by protesters.^[4]

So what did the United States do – surely an election to determine the fate of their section of Samoa, right Sandy?  No, the US authorities banned the Mau leader from coming to American Samoa:

After World War I, during the time of the Mau movement in Western Samoa (then a League of Nations mandate governed by New Zealand), there was a corresponding American Samoa Mau movement,^[7] led by Lauaki Namulauulu Mamoe, a World War I veteran who was from Leone village. After meetings in the United States mainland, he was prevented from disembarking from the ship that brought him home to American Samoa and was not allowed to return because the American Samoa Mau movement was suppressed by the U.S. Navy. In 1930 the U.S. Congress sent a committee to investigate the status of American Samoa, led by Americans who had had a part in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.  (emphasis added)

Allowing the folks who overthrew the Kingdom of Hawaii to oversee what should happen to American Samoa is like letting the fox watch the hens.  I’ll have more to say on this matter below.  But here’s a fascinating and potentially disturbing account of how the Navy suppressed independence in American Samoa.  There has never been a vote in American Samoa concerning its status.

It is in light of this when I read this sort of quote associated with the election of 2012:

Electability is on voters’ minds in this race. Party Chairman Victor Tofaeono said his group is not yet committed to any candidates. Tofaeono says he wants to make sure American Samoa’s votes count.

“We don’t want to vote for somebody who will not be the nominee because then our votes will be wasted,” Tofaeono said. “So we have to pretty well decide by Tuesday who that nominee will be so that we can back the right person.”

In 2008, the GOP in American Samoa voted to send all their delegates to support John McCain.  Perhaps, with all due respect to the residents of American Samoa, this sounds like a “please the leader” colonial mentality.  Don’t rock the boat; find out the winner and vote for them.  It is reported that American Samoans have disproportionate causalities in Iraq and Afghanistan:

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that a recent report published in USA Today on the death rates for each state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories since the start of the Iraq war shows American Samoa continuing to have the highest rate of deaths per 1-million populations in all of the United States.  Published on March 18, 2009, the report (A Statistical profile of America’s war dead in Iraq) shows American Samoa leading the United States with a death rate of 138.8 per 1-million population, more than twice that for U.S. Virgin Islands which has the second highest death rate of 54.6, and more than four times that for Vermont with a death rate of 32.2 – the highest among the 50 States and fourth highest overall.

I realize that small groups can cause skewed statistics.  But economic hardship has affected American Samoa.  Peter Schiff argues in this video that minimum wage laws destroyed the American Samoan economy.  Maybe this is evidence of the colonial mentality.  Is this right?  Is it right to encourage this sort of thing?  Yes, American Samoa has an extensive local government.  But, are we encouraging dependency?  Why not let the Samoans decide local issues like the minimum wage?

I respect the American Samoans too much to go along with that.  The GOP in American Samoa should have voted for the clear anti-imperialist candidate: Ron Paul.

Now we turn to Hawai’i.  Hawai’i was an independent nation until annexed by the United States.  Not like Texas, where the people wanted to join the US right from the beginning.  It’s not pretty here either.  Here’s the story from Aloha Magazine:

In 1887, during the reign of Lili`uokalani’ s brother, King Kalakaua, a group of planters and businessmen, seeking to control the kingdom politically as well as economically, formed a secret organization, the Hawaiian League. Membership (probably never over 400, compared to the 40,000 Native Hawaiians in the kingdom) was predominantly American, including several missionary descendants. Organizer and fire brand of the league was Lorrin A. Thurston, a lawyer and missionary grandson, who would later be a leader in the overthrow of the monarchy, with many of the same men.

***

Kalakaua was compelled to accept a new Cabinet composed of league members, who presented their constitution to him for his signature at `Iolani Palace. The reluctant king argued and protested, but finally signed the document, which became known as the Bayonet Constitution. As one Cabinet member noted, “Little was left to the imagination of the hesitating and unwilling sovereign, as to what he might expect in the event of his refusal to comply with the demands made upon him.”

The Bayonet Constitution greatly curtailed the king’s power, making him a mere figurehead. It placed the actual executive power in the hands of the Cabinet, whose members could no longer be dismissed by the king, only by the Legislature. Amending this constitution was also the exclusive prerogative of the Legislature.

The Bayonet Constitution’s other purpose was to remove the Native Hawaiian majority’s dominance at the polls and in the Legislature. The righteous reformers were determined to save the Hawaiians from self-government.

The privilege of voting was no longer limited to citizens of the kingdom, but was extended to foreign residents — provided they were American or European. Asians were excluded — even those who had become naturalized citizens. The House of Nobles, formerly appointed by the king, would now be elected, and voters and candidates for it had to meet a high property ownership or income requirement — which excluded two-thirds of the Native Hawaiian voters. While they could still vote for the House of Representatives, to do so they had to swear to uphold the despised Bayonet Constitution.

The Hawaiians strenuously opposed the diminution of their voice in governing their own country and resented the reduction of the monarch’s powers and the manner in which the Bayonet Constitution had been forced on him. Hawaiians, Chinese and Japanese petitioned the king to revoke the constitution. The self-styled Reform Cabinet responded that only an act of the Legislature could do this – though their new constitution had never been put to a vote.

Now, we have a new sovereign in Hawai’i – a woman – Queen Lili`uokalani.  She was about to restore self-government for Hawaiians:

On Jan. 14, [1893] the first of four crucial days in Hawai`i’s history, the queen presided at noon over the legislative session’s closing ceremonies at the Government Building. She then walked across the street to `Iolani Palace for a more significant ceremony. She was about to proclaim a new constitution which she had written, restoring power to the throne and rights to the Native Hawaiian people.

Remember this is not a political magazine, it is a magazine for reading on an airline in Hawai’i!  But the new constitution was thwarted by those who wanted Hawai’i to be part of the USA – without the consent of the Hawaiian people:

In early 1892 Lorrin Thurston and a group of like-minded men, mostly of American blood, formed an Annexation Club, plotting the overthrow of the queen and annexation to the United States. They kept the organization small and secret – wisely, since they were talking treason.

Thurston went to Washington to promote annexation, and received an encouraging message from President Benjamin Harrison: “You will find an exceedingly sympathetic administration here.”

The Annexation Club went into action and secured the support of a gunboat in Honolulu harbor:

Alerted earlier of the queen’s intention by two of her Cabinet members, the Annexation Club sprang into action. A 13-member Committee of Safety was chosen to plan the overthrow of the queen and the establishment of a provisional government. As they plotted revolution, they claimed that the queen, by proposing to alter the constitution, had committed ”a revolutionary act.”

The American warship USS Boston was in port at Honolulu Harbor. With an eye toward landing troops, Lorrin Thurston and two others called upon the American minister in Hawai`i, John L. Stevens, an avowed annexationist. Stevens assured them he would not protect the queen, and that he would land troops from the Boston if necessary “to protect American lives and property.” He also said that if the revolutionaries were in possession of government buildings and actually in control of the city, he would recognize their provisional government.

The queen was overthrown by the combination of the plotters and US military power:

Simultaneously, at the mass meeting called by the Committee of Safety at the armory, the speeches were incendiary. Lorrin Thurston vehemently denounced the queen and asked the crowd to empower the committee to act as it deemed necessary. The resolution passed amid cheers. No one had mentioned overthrowing the monarchy, but the unspoken was apparently understood by all.

The Committee of Safety delivered a letter to Minister Stevens requesting him to land troops from the Boston, stating that “the public safety is menaced and life and property are in peril.”

At 5 that afternoon, 162 fully armed troops from the Boston came ashore. A few of the marines were posted at the American Consulate and Legation, but the main body of troops marched through downtown Honolulu past `Iolani Palace. They were quartered less than a block from the Government Building and the palace. While the troops were ordered ashore ostensibly “to protect American lives and property,” their placement close to the palace was threatening. Members of the queen’s Cabinet hastened to Stevens to protest the troops’ presence, but it made no difference.

The queen came to America and found a sympathetic ear in the new anti-imperialist President, Grover Cleveland, who investigated the facts and sent this message to Congress:

“This military demonstration upon the soil of Honolulu was of itself an act of war; unless made either with the consent of the government of Hawai`i or for the bona fide purpose of protecting the imperiled lives and property of citizens of the United States. But there is no pretense of any such consent on the part of the government of the queen … the existing government, instead of requesting the presence of an armed force, protested against it. There is as little basis for the pretense that forces were landed for the security of American life and property. If so, they would have been stationed in the vicinity of such property and so as to protect it, instead of at a distance and so as to command the Hawaiian Government Building and palace. … When these armed men were landed, the city of Honolulu was in its customary orderly and peaceful condition. … “

But Congress cravenly refused to restore the queen and the annexationists set up a Republic.  After defeating a local rebellion to restore the queen, the native Hawaiians begged the US not to annex Hawai’i in a petition signed by 29,000 natives.  But William McKinley, an ardent imperialist, did annex Hawai’i in 1900.

You do not to take the Aloha Magazine’s word for it:  Try our own Congress here in this law [42 USC 11701 (7) through (11)]:

(7) In the year 1893, the United States Minister assigned to the sovereign and independent Kingdom of Hawaii, John L. Stevens, conspired with a small group of non-Hawaiian residents of the Kingdom, including citizens of the United States, to overthrow the indigenous and lawful Government of Hawaii.

(8) In pursuance of that conspiracy, the United States Minister and the naval representative of the United States caused armed naval forces of the United States to invade the sovereign Hawaiian Nation in support of the overthrow of the indigenous and lawful Government of Hawaii and the United States Minister thereupon extended diplomatic recognition of a provisional government formed by the conspirators without the consent of the native people of Hawaii or the lawful Government of Hawaii in violation of treaties between the two nations and of international law.

(9) In a message to Congress on December 18, 1893, then President Grover Cleveland reported fully and accurately on these illegal actions, and acknowledged that by these acts, described by the President as acts of war, the government of a peaceful and friendly people was overthrown, and the President concluded that a “substantial wrong has thus been done which a due regard for our national character as well as the rights of the injured people required that we should endeavor to repair”.

(10) Queen Lili’uokalani, the lawful monarch of Hawaii, and the Hawaiian Patriotic League, representing the aboriginal citizens of Hawaii, promptly petitioned the United States for redress of these wrongs and for restoration of the indigenous government of the Hawaiian nation, but this petition was not acted upon.

(11) In 1898, the United States annexed Hawaii through the Newlands Resolution without the consent of or compensation to the indigenous people of Hawaii or their sovereign government who were thereby denied the mechanism for expression of their inherent sovereignty through self-government and self-determination, their lands and ocean resources.

And from this Apology, passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton.

3) apologizes to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the people of the United States for the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893 with the participation of agents and citizens of the United States, and the deprivation of the rights of Native Hawaiians to self-determination;

(4) expresses its commitment to acknowledge the ramifications of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, in order to provide a proper foundation for reconciliation between the United States and the Native Hawaiian people;

This has been a long blog slog today.  But it reveals how one of our early interventions in foreign affairs went very wrong.  But for Grover Cleveland (one of my favorite Presidents due to his personal integrity and anti-imperialism) annexation would have been done with no conscience.

Our policy toward our territories needs review.  I would like to see Ron Paul speak out about it.  I would suggest that the self-government for American Samoa and statehood for Hawai’i is an important step in the right direction.  I would think the standard of living is better in American Samoa than its sister republic and certainly in Hawai’i it is so.  Samoa (and maybe Hawai’i, too) was saved the fearful consequences of Japanese invasion and occupation.

It’s doubtful the Hawai’ians will ever vote to leave the Union but if they did, they should have that right.  (Hawai’i did vote twice on the issue but independence was not a given option) We stole their nation from them.  It may be foolish, just as the Southerners were foolish to try to break the Union, but there is a difference between foolish and illegal.  The Lincoln Doctrine that the Union can never be broken is anti-historical and anti-libertarian. What American Samoa and our other territories probably need is more power over their own local matters.  There are benefits, both material and political, to being part of the United States.

Let’s remember Hawai’i when we debate what sort of government Iraq or Afghanistan should have or what leader a nation should have or what civil war to intervene in.  It’s wrong to intervene where the compelling US interest does not require such intervention.  It’s imperialism to deprive other nations of self-determination and sovereignty.  As a great man once said recently, “We just plain don’t mind our own business!”

Here’s the video from the Ron Paul rally in Champaign, IL.

It was estimated that 5,000 cheered Ron Paul’s message of liberty and personal responsibility.

Paul spoke for about an hour before an estimated 5,000 people, many of them chanting, “President Paul, President Paul,” Wednesday night at Huff Hall on the University of Illinois campus.

The organizers had to move it from one place to a larger place due to demand:

The event had to be moved to Huff from Foellinger Auditorium because demand for tickets exceeded the seating capacity at Foellinger.

Paul won at least one vote:

Lisa Grady of Bolingbrook said Paul’s speech convinced her to vote for him.

“He cares about getting us out of war and bringing jobs to American families,” she said.

It’s great to see the message of liberty spreading throughout the nation!

The Tennessee anti-ICLEI bill was withdrawn by its sponsor and the anti-smart growth bill defeated in committee, according to the Tennessean:

Womick took House Bill 3571 off notice Wednesday, meaning it will not be considered again this year. That bill would ban local governments and other entities from taking part in programs with ICLEI or a few other groups.

Another he proposed, House Bill 3572, was deferred. That bill says property rights means not having to follow any “smart growth” plans, including accommodating greenways or bike lanes.

The anti-Agenda resolution, that is non-binding, appears to be headed to a House vote.

The separate House Joint Resolution 0587, which passed the full committee Tuesday, is expected to go to the House floor for a vote as early as next week.

There is a Senate bill that bans ICLEI that has not yet been acted upon.  If you live in Tennessee, contact your state senator and ask him/her to vote YES on SB 3407.  Here’s the text and here’s the legislative history. I’ll keep you informed!

I have it on fairly good authority that the Governor’s office keeps up with this and other political blogs so let’s use that for this purpose:  I encourage Governor McDonnell to sign the HB1160.  Send a message.  Virginia will not cooperate with unconstitutional indefinite detention without legal counsel.  I believe Governor McDonnell will do the right thing.  I have been acquainted with him for many years.  So I encourage him to sign HB1160.  Send the message:  Virginia says no.

On a different note, while I have the Governor’s ear:  If the legislature adjourns without approving a judge for the Court of Appeals, the best candidate, the ONLY ONE with 11-0 vote of Highly Qualified of the Virginia State Bar is Monica T. Monday of Roanoke.  She would be evenhanded, she’s a great writer and appellate advocate and WILL be an asset to the Court.  I would appoint her without delay.

On the eve of the week-long Maine caucuses, eleven members of the Maine state House of Representatives have ENDORSED Rep. Ron Paul:

1. Representative Aaron F. Libby
2. Representative Larry C. Dunphy **Veteran**
3. Representative Jeffery A. Gifford
4. Representative R. Ryan Harmon
5. Representative David D. Johnson **Veteran**
6. Representative Lance E. Harvell **Veteran**
7. Representative Michael D. McClellan
8. Representative Beth A. O’Connor
9. Representative Heather W. Sirocki
10. Representative G. Paul Waterhouse **Veteran**
11. Representative Michael J. Willette **Veteran**

Here’s the video:

<script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/embed.js?id=1430285276001&w=466&h=263″></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at <a href=”http://video.foxbusiness.com”>video.foxbusiness.com</a></noscript>

Here’s the story from the Daily Paul today!  Get out there in Maine today and vote Ron Paul!  DIRIGO!  (I direct!)  Maine can direct the nation toward the right by voting for Ron Paul.

Here’s also Cong. Paul’s last word to the faithful in the Silver State:

Both the RP Campaign and the Daily Paul (Isn’t Michael Nystrom great!  When Paul wins, he needs a Presidential Medal of Freedom!) both report that you can still call in today to Iowa!  GET OUT THE VOTE!

Here‘s the details excerpted from the campaign email!

I need your help to make history.

The countdown is on until voting begins in Iowa.

And my campaign is hard at work carrying out the most important part of our Iowa strategy so far – Get Out The Vote (GOTV).

Can I count on you to participate in our Phone From Home Program to help with our GOTV efforts IMMEDIATELY?

Kelly Clarkson, the very first American Idol winner and a monster pop singer (also attractive to boot!) sent this tweet out to her many fans:

I love Ron Paul. I liked him a lot during the last republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican party in 2012 he’s got my vote. Too bad he probably won’t.

It did not go without both positive and negative comments!  I intend to track this blog post back to her to express my support.  The amazing thing for some of my readers is that I even know about Kelly Clarkson!

Clarkson won the AI title and immediately produced an album (Thankful) and a single record (a Moment Like This).  (I actually bought the album at the time!  Some of my readers may have to lay down for a minute.)

What Clarkson did with that album and single was amazing.  The single went from 52 to 1 in one week – beating a record set by that little known rock group from the UK, the Beatles.  (Clarkson beat that record in 2009 going from number 97 to 1 in one week!)  The album DEBUTED at NUMBER ONE!  ( I am told that neither the Beatles nor Elvis Presley ever did that but I cannot confirm it!)

It’s great to have Kelly Clarkson on our side; show her some love readers – buy her record if you can!

This is an interesting nexus of the UKIP fight against EU and world government and Ron Paul!  Lord Monckton, climate change skeptic and foe of world government, has for all practical purposes endorsed Ron Paul for President:

“If people want to vote for Ron Paul, that is thier choice, and they should have the absolute right to excercise it.”, said Monckton. He continued. “If Ron Paul is the only one who isn’t buying into all this enviro-garbage, then he’s the one you should vote for.“

RAH for Lord Monckton.  Listen to him.  He is fighting our battle.

Virginia Right! had the opportunity to ask US Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) a couple of questions on the Keystone XL pipeline that will create more jobs from private sector funds than anything else on the table.

Unfortunately, President Obama has bowed to pressure from the environmental extremists and killed the deal until after the election, when he no longer cares about or needs the vote from environmentalists.

Senator Barrasso currently sits on the Senate Energy Committee as well as the Environment and Public Works Committee which makes him (almost) uniquely qualified on the pipeline.

Keep in mind that this is not a publicly funded endeavor. It is entirely private, will create many union as well as non union jobs. The goal is to bring Canadian oil to the refineries in the Gulf region of the South.

It seems that Obama has calculated that the jobs created by this project will turn into fewer votes than appeasing the environmental groups, which is not the way decisions should be made.

Senator Barrasso delivers a short statement on the pipeline and I have edited the tape to include my question and a followup question to the Senator out of the nearly 20 minute call.

Podcast: Play in new window

How can I help Ron Paul right here in Virginia or wherever you are (assuming you are not in Iowa and/or NH):

• Buy a Iowa precinct where you can have the supervoters in that precinct be sent the Ron Paul Superbrochure!
• Pledge to give money to the RP campaign on December 16, 2011 (Boston Tea Party anniversary)!
• Make calls into Iowa for the campaign!
• If you are an independent or Democrat voter, see this site for how to become a Blue Republican!  (Any voter can vote in the Virginia Republican Primary if they express an intent to vote for the winner in the general election)
• If you are maxed out in giving to the RP campaign, go to the RevolutionSuperPAC site and give as much as you want!
• If you have time, go to Iowa or NH and campaign for Paul!  Go to the Youth for Paul site for details!
• Here is a site in regard to flyers for RP based on Pearl Harbor Day; see if you like this!
• Buy your Amazon materials through the Daily Paul!
• You can get for the price of postage some RP stickers but you need to put the bumper sticker on your car:  Go here!

I am sure there are many other things to do but this is a good list – thanks to the Daily Paul!  Pick one to do if you can!

It had looked like the race in Senate District 17 was close, but incumbent Edd Houck (D) had pulled it out, giving the Democrats continued control of the Senate, but a late adjustment shows Republican opponent Bryce Reeves in the lead 22,536 votes to 22,450 giving the Republican a margin of victory of 86 votes with 100% of the precincts in.

If this holds, the Republicans will take effective control of the Senate. With a 20-20 tie, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling will cast the deciding vote.

This is indeed welcome news for Virginia’s future if the results hold!

The Associated Press has a different total than the State Board of Elections, but the SBE is the final authority.

Interesting, indeed!

553am -Sandy the blogger is out to support his supervisor candidate – Sean Davis – if you are in the Henry district – vote today for DAVIS!

Excitement occurs in the Sanders home every election day.  Gotta run.

Remember – vote for Mary Jones in James City County and Kenneth C. Boyd in Albemarle County!  That’s a vote against ICLEI!

UPDATE:  552 PM

In Orange County and other places with hot races, local or otherwise, the turnout seems higher.  Will Berger pull it out in the CA’s race?

I will finish the polls at my polling place (yes I voted!) and then an errand or two including Sean Davis’ victory party.  Will Sean win?

Be back about 745 or so…

UPDATE:  819 Pm

VA SENATE:

The unopposed races are 11 Rep and 3 Dem so far.

Now let’s turn to other races:

Dist 1 – Chohany v. John Miller – slight lead 53/46 for the Dem – too close to call

Dist 2 – Dem Locke seems to have a safe lead over GOP Harmon – now 11 to 4 GOP

Dist 6 – Dem Northan has a 1000 vote lead over Rep Loyola – Can’t call it

Dist 10 – In a surprise but still early Dem challenger Bernard has a 2/1 lead over incumbent Watkins but only about 20% of the vote is in

Dist 13 – In early returns, Republican Black has a lead of few hundred votes over Dem Mitchell

Dist 17 – Reeves v. Houck – Houck is a 200 vote leader with 21 of 69 precincts in’

Dist 19 – Rep Smith has a 2500 vote with about 33% – looking good but not for sure yet

Dist 20 – GOP Stanley has a 500 vote lead over Dem Reynolds.

Dist 21 – Looks like John Edwards is probably re-elected – so that is 11 GOP to 5 DEM

Dist 22 – A safe lead is developing for Tom Garrett (Yea Tom!) over Bert Dodson – about 4000 votes with 50 of 85 precincts in – 12 GOP to 5 Dem

Dist 23 – Incumbent Republican Newman is crushing his Dem opponent – 13 GOP to 5 DEM

Dist 25 – Looks like early returns with about one third of vote is in but Deeds is in good shape – 13 GOP to 6 DEM

Dist 27 – GOP Sen. Vogel is cruising to victory – 14 GOP to 6 DEM

Dist 29 – This is an interesting race – a favorite of mine from Prince William County, Senator Colgan is opposed by GOP Gordy and it’s too close to call with 21% in; Colgan has a 400 vote lead

Dist 30 – Dem Ebbin is going to win this one – 14 GOP to 6 DEM

Dist 31 – Dem Favola is also going to go to Richmond!  14 GOP and 7 DEM

Dist 32 – Dem Howell is coming to town as well – 14 GOP and 8 DEM

Dist 33 – Two close to call with early returns between GOP Phillips and Dem Herring

Dist 34 – Dem Petersen has a nice lead on his GOP opponent but not quite ready to call it yet

Dist 35 – Alas Senator Saslaw will win re-election – 14 GOP and 9 DEM

Dist 36 – Former GOP party chair Frederick has a slight lead on incumbent Dem “Toddy” Puller.  Only 19 % in

Dist 37 – Too close to call between Flanary (R) and Marsden (D)

Dist 38 – Puckett (D) has a close lead on Light (R)

Dist 39 – It’s still early but Dem Barker has a 2-1 lead over GOP Baker

Dist 40 – GOP Carrico is cruising to victory – GOP 15 – DEM 9.

Magic number is 20 for the GOP and 21 for the Dems (due to Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling)

Now let’s look at other races – Incumbent Diana Wheeler turned back my friend Gil Berger by about 2-1 vote.  I had the unenviable task of telling him that.  No fun! 

Buchanan CA race:  Another friend running is ahead of his opponent:  Dem Gerald Arrington has a 400 vote lead over Tamara Neo with one precinct left.

Louisa CA race:  Still another friend has won CA in Louisa – 90% of the vote!  Congrats Rusty McGuire!

Albemarle Co:  Kenneth Boyd has a slight lead in his race with Cynthia Neff in a race with ICLEI implications!

James City County:  In another ICLEI-influnced race:  Mary Jones may have turned back her opponent – 400 vote lead with one precinct left to go.

So it is: 15 GOP and 9 DEM – now let’s go back to Senate races!

Dist 1 – DEM Miller looks like a winner over GOP Chohany – let’s say leans DEM

Dist 6 – Think we can call it for Northan – 15 GOP and 10 DEM

Dist 10 – Watkins GOP has a narrow lead over Bernard DEM

Dist 13 – Too early but Black has a narrow lead

Dist 17 – WAY WAY TOO CLOSE TO CALL between Houck and Reeves – Houck by FOUR votes with 9 precincts left

Dist 19 – GOP Smith appears to be the winner over DEM Ind Bell – 16 GOP and 10 DEM

Dist 29 – Sen. Colgan has about a 1000 vote lead with 20 precincts in

Dist 33 – Herring (D) has a small lead over GOP Phillips

Dist 34 – Petersen looks like a winner here – 16 GOP and 11 DEM

Dist 36 – Linda “Toddy” Puller is now ahead of Jeff Frederick

Dist 37 – It’s early but Dem Flanary is ahead of GOP Marsden

Dist 38 – Dem Puckett is beginning to pull a bit away from GOP Light but enough to call it

Dist 39 – DEM Barker is slightly ahead of GOP Baker

That brings us to 16 GOP and 11 DEM with 9 left to go.  If all trends go as expected – it will be 17 GOP and 22 DEM and one too close to call.  9 40 PM

Hanover BOCS races:

Via is winner in Ashland

Stanley is unopposed

Kelly-Wiecek wins in Chickahominy

Wade easily wins in Cold Harbor

Davis turned back Jackson in Henry

in a mild upset, Canova Petersen won over Debbie Winans (formerly Coats)

In a HUGE upset, incumbent Supervisor John Gordon was defeated by Wayne Hazzard.

Lots of new faces on Hanover BOCS!

Looks like the unions won in Ohio; but no word yet on the health care bill.

Back to senate races:  9 53pm

Dist 1 – DEM Miller is winner – 16 GOP to 12 DEM

Dist 10 – GOP Watkins is winner – 17 GOP to 12 DEM (only three left to get control!)

Dist 13 – GOP Black ahead of DEM Mitchell

Dist 17 – Edd Houck has a slight lead with three precincts to go.

Dist 29 – Looks like Sen Colgan should win – 17 GOP to 13 DEM

Dist 33 – DEM Herring is ahead in still early returns

Dist 36 – No change in Puller lead

Dist 37 – Still early but DEM Marsden ahead

Dist 38 – only 12 precincts left and DEM Puckett has 2000 vote lead.  He’s almost there, I am afraid

Dist 39 – DEM Barker is 1300 votes ahead of GOP Baker but still votes left.

Now – 17 GOP to 13 DEM with ten races left

Still not very good for GOP control.  We need a flip on Frederick (36) and Reeves (17) and hold Dist 13 or get some others to flip.  Not likely for 38 to flip.

Back – 1052 pm

Some good news:  Looking more like Dick Black should win in Dist 13 – let’s call it for GOP – 18 GOP and 13 DEM

Some not so good news:  Looking like Edd Houck will be reelected – let’s call it for DEMs – 18 GOP and 14 DEMs

Dist 33 – DEM Herring still has a narrow lead with plenty of votes left

Dist 36 – Looking bad for Jeff Frederick – I’m calling it for the DEMs – 18 GOP and 15 DEMs

Dist 37 – DEM Marsden has a growing lead on GOP Flanary

Dist 38 – DEM Puckett will go back to Richmond – 18 GOP and 16 DEMs

Dist 39 – DEM Barker still ahead of REP Baker with about 50% in.

( I forgot about Dists 16 and 20 – Sen Marsh is a winner in 16 and GOP Stanley in 20 – 19 GOP and 17 DEMs

Still remotely possible to get a tie and control but not likely.

UPDATE:  Bill Janis was defeated in his bid for Henrico CA by Democrat Shannon.  This was a shocking upset.

Arrington wins in Buchanan County!

Boyd turns back Neff in Albemarle (Rivanna Dist) – so even though the Dem won in the Scottsville race, ICLEI cannot be brought back unless one of the other two yes votes to dump ICLEI switches.

Mary Jones wins in James City County – so the ban on ICLEI is safe here, too.

Loudoun County BOCS is not clear on ICLEI but the GOP is about to sweep the BOCS with only Broad Run too close to call and the REP is ahead.  We’ll see if this new board will dump ICLEI.

Please feel free to comment on this election.  It is a disappointment that we did not flip the Senate but maybe we can do more this term.

Signing off until tomorrow!  Sandy the live blogger!

HUGE UPDATE!  Looks like maybe some bad numbers may have come in in the Reeves Houck race (Dist 17) and if the small lead (Reeves has 50.01 percent and Houck has 49.82%  – never say every conservative/libertarian vote counts!) holds up (86 votes!) the GOP will have 20 seats!

Other undecided races:

Dist 33 – Herring DEM is the apparent winner

Dist 36 – Puller DEM won

Dist 37 – Marsden DEM narrowly defeated the GOP Flanary

Dist 38 – DEM Puckett won

Dist 39 – DEM Barker won

So it is 20/20 or 21/19 DEMs!  The Times-Dispatch reports that if the Reeves win holds up – the GOP will CONTROL the Senate!

Here’s the RTD’s take on the House of Delegates:

Republicans also made strides in the House of Delegates, fattening their already healthy majority and knocking off its top Democrat — outspoken House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry.

Republicans now hold 66 seats in the House to the Democrats’ 32. One seat is held by a GOP-leaning independent and one House seat was too close to call.

Also, my old delegate, Bob Marshall (Dist 13) cruised to victory in his race.

On the Henrico BOCS, the same five had won election since 1995, the longest serving group of BOCS in Virginia (this has to be close to a national record but I do not know how to find that kind of record) but Varina Supervisor Donati was defeated by Dem Tyrone Nelson.

Nearly ten percent of the vote in Dist 9 (Sen. McEachin) voted a write in ballot.  That is a huge accomplishment considering; candidate recruitment should begin in earnest (and no I am not moving to run for Senate!) and that might be a winnable race.

Finally, we have a foreign election to report:  Whatcom County Washington:  pro-ICLEI former County executive Pete Kremen has a narrow 51/49 vote over ICLEI-skeptic Tony Larson.  In another County Council race, the incumbent has a similar lead over a more progressive challenger.  If Larson and the incumbent win, ICLEI may be OUT in Whatcom County!

This encouraging report from the Roanoke Tea Party on ICLEI in Roanoke County:

Roanoke Board of Supervisors member Ed Elswick has requested to put the question of severing ties with ICLEI on the agenda for the November 15 board work session. While no public comment is allowed in this session, this puts us one step closer to getting the question of ICLEI removal up for a vote. More on this meeting Thursday night.

It is tough in Roanoke to be against ICLEI with the Roanoke Times making fun of you!  But liberty/sovereignty activists continue unabated and I am honored to cover them on this blog.  Keep it up!

C

In light of the previous two posts, I urge people if they can to sign up for the Veteran’s Day Moneybomb for Ron Paul 2012!

Here‘s the website!

Ron Paul leads in military contributions in this election cycle (and led in the last one, too).  Don’t rearrange the deck chairs:  Vote and support Ron Paul!

s home.

By the Numbers:

There are 7 seats on the Hanover Board of Supervisors

There are 7 Republicans running for the 7 seats.

There is 1 Democrat running

There are 6 Independents running.

Only 1 seat is uncontested.

Only 1 Democrat?

A word on “Independents”.

There are several reasons to run as an Independent instead of as a Republican or Democrat. Some are legitimate reasons, some are circumstantial, and some are downright deceitful.

The legitimate reason to run as an Independent is because you are truly independent of the ideology of either major party. This is easily the most noble of reasons to run as an Independent, but what it really means is that you are unable to take a strong and committed stand on any ideology. These candidates rarely win because voters are looking for someone to lead, not be indecisive.

There are no true Independents running in Hanover County.

The second reason to be an Independent is if you try and lose a Primary contest for your party, yet still believe you have a chance to win. Or worse, you are hoping to split the vote and cause your party to lose the seat. A sour grapes Independent. Hardly noble.

There are no Sour Grapes Independents running in Hanover.

The third reason to run as an Independent is to avoid the expense (and effort) of a primary contest. Not exactly ignoble, unless you are not honest with voters as to the true reason you are running as an Independent. Half of the Independents running for a seat fit into this category. Of these three, only one, Jeff Kyte, running in the Cold Harbor District was truthful. He said would never defeat incumbent Elton Wade for the Republican nomination. Which is true.

The other two “Independents” are actually, or have been, Republicans. Both became Independents to avoid a primary contest. South Anna incumbent John Gordon has been a Republican for years. Rather than face a primary challenge from Republican Wayne Hazzard who has raised over $32,000 to Gordon’s $6,000. Given the opportunity to explain his party change, Gordon used the usual platitudes of representing all of the citizens. I feel that is less than honest.

The third in this category is Debby Winans. She was a Republican and, in order to avoid a primary she likely couldn’t win, became an Independent, much the same as Gordon. And she echos the same platitudes about representing all of the citizens. That is an explanation that rings hollow. In 2008, the Democrat’s shining moment, Hanover voted for Republican Candidate McCain 66.5% and in 2009, Republican Bob McDonnell received 76% of the Hanover vote. Is Hanover Independent? Hardly. The lack of candor from Gordon and Winans is disappointing.

The final reason I will mention for running as an Independent is the most deceitful of all. That is the two Democrats who are pretending to be Independents because Democrats have no chance at all in Hanover, even in the best of years for Democrats – like 2008. Jim Ellis is running in the Chickahominy District as an Independent. This is not Ellis’ first run for this seat. In 2007, Ellis resigned as a Democrat to run for the same seat. After losing the election, he rejoined the Democrats, resigning again to run as an Independent this year. Is there any doubt after the election that he will rejoin his party? Ellis is a Progressive Democrat and has not been just a member of the Democratic Party, he has held ledership roles. Hanover voters should not be fooled.

The second in this category of Independent is Patti Jackson, running in the Henry District. While Jackson does not have the long and established Democratic leadership record of Ellis, she has voted as a Democrat in primaries and is an obvious Liberal.

The final Independent, Carol Cash, running in the Cold Harbor district has a background in education, which may make her more towards the liberal end of the scale, and her answers at a recent forum seem to confirm her leftward leanings. But there is little political activity available in her background.

Hanover is unlikely to elect a Democrat for Board of Supervisors in 2011. That is a given.

But…

Honesty is important. If we can’t find honesty in a candidate’s choice of political party, can we expect something different if they are elected?