Are you ready for a good, old fashioned Tea Party protest?

If you think you have to look to Washington, DC for politicians who vote for bills they haven’t read, think again. We have one right here in Roanoke – our very own State Senator John Edwards.

We will be protesting at noon on Tuesday (2/8), outside of his downtown Roanoke office, located at the corner of Franklin Road and Jefferson Avenue.

SunTrust Plaza Building
10 East Franklin Road
Suite 510 Roanoke, VA 24011

Senator Edwards voted for last year’s state budget without reading the bill. The way the process worked last year, the Senators on the Budget committee had 45 minutes to review the telephone book sized budget and cast a vote. Given those set of circumstances, Senator Edwards still voted for the bill.

We know how citizens feel about politicians who vote for bills they haven’t read. But if it makes you feel better, he told us that he did so “reluctantly.” Doesn’t that make you feel better?

In an interview that ran in this week’s edition of the Virginia Tea Party Network radio show, he said that he reviewed the important parts. I’m glad to know that the Honorable Senator has a Kreskin-like ability to review a telephone book sized bill in 45 minutes to determine what is important.

Senator Edwards had a chance to rectify this by voting for SB 867, which would require that the state budget be posted online for 72 hours prior to a vote. If Senator Edwards where truly “reluctant” to vote for bills he hadn’t read, he might have have voted for this bill in sub-committee.

The bill was simplicity itself…

“Provides that no legislative action may be taken on (i) committee amendments to the budget, (ii) any conference committee report on the budget, or (iii) any Governor’s recommendations on the budget until each has been posted on the General Assembly’s website for at least 72 hours. The bill provides that each house may vote by two-thirds majority to override the posting requirement.”

But he voted against it.

So it’s time we let Senator Edwards know our displeasure. SB 867 has been killed in the full committee now, and Edwards voted against it again there.

This is unacceptable to the Roanoke Tea Party.

Our members and supporters will be protesting outside of his office on Tuesday, February 8 at noon. Those who are unable to join us downtown on Tuesday, are urged to contact Sen. Edwards’ office to voice their displeasure.

Every voice counts!

About Tom White

Tom is a US Navy Veteran, owns an Insurance Agency and is currently an IT Manager for a Virginia Distributor. He has been published in American Thinker, currently writes for the Richmond Examiner as well as Virginia Right! Blog. Tom lives in Hanover County, Va and is involved in politics at every level and is a Recovering Republican who has finally had enough of the War on Conservatives in progress with the Leadership of the GOP on a National Level.

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