The Campaign Has Begun! Welcome to the Year 2013
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Vol. 38, No. 1 www.arlingtondemocrats.org January 2013 Celebrate The campaign has begun! Welcome to the year 2013. Gentlemen, start cycle so that voters could focus on state issues and your engines. The election season has now begun! not get tangled in federal topics. Unfortunately, it New Year’s Yes, we just finished a barnburner of a cam- doesn’t always work that way. paign with an outcome we will savor for four more Bob Holesworth, a former professor at Virginia years. But this is Virginia, and we have statewide Commonwealth University, said, “At one time, Vir- Day with campaigns for three state offices this year. ginians wanted to ensure that we held elections on Don’t move to New Jersey if you are too off-years because we didn’t want to be contaminated pooped from campaigning. It also has statewide by the national mood. Ironically, now the entire fellow Dems elections this year. In fact, Virginia and New Jer- attention of the national political insiders focuses sey are the only states to work that way. It will be on Virginia—the attention, the visibility, the quiet elsewhere. money.... It all goes up.” at Chez Virginia and New Jersey decided to elect their (New Jersey has a good reason for its sched- governors out of the normal even-numbered year Mary Hynes continued on page nine See Page 11 for Edna made your vote count all the details President Obama finally got Virginia’s vote in Horner, the chair of the Eighth District Democratic mid-December, six weeks after everyone thought Committee from Arlington, Peg Willingham a he had won it. former Arlington precinct captain who now lives in And the election wasn’t close this time. In fact, Falls Church, and Wanda Howard, a Falls Church Obama won unanimously—13-to-zero. Democratic activist. The four of them drove down We are talking here of the Electoral College to Richmond together. vote in Virginia, the only one that counts legally. Since the first row of the chamber holds eight Hardly anyone noticed when Edna Frady, desks and seats, Edna, as the representative from longtime Democratic chair in Falls Church, cast her the eighth District, literally got a front row seat. vote from the Eighth Congressional District of Vir- Edna reports that the event was completely ginia, along with 12 other electors in Richmond on scripted. As a result, she notes, most photos show the appointed election date, which is the Monday the electors with their heads bent over as they read after the second Wednesday in December. the script. This was the first time Edna had served as an The scripting is partly because no one wants elector and she said she found it “exciting and over- this high point of our democratic system to be in whelming.” any way democratic. Everyone lives in fear that Each elector was allowed to bring two guests some elector may decide to go off the reservation into the chamber of the House of Delegates for the and cast what is called a “faithless” vote, rather than Electoral College vote. Edna brought three—Margo continued on page ten ACDC Voice, January 2013, Page 2 Report from Chairman Mike Lieberman Division Republican Ken Cuccinelli is wrong for tions that could significantly limit a woman’s As we wind up 2012 and get ready for Virginia. His right wing values are simply right to choose in Virginia. He authored a 2013, it will therefore be incumbent on each not our values. He demonstrated this during legal opinion instructing Virginia colleges and one of us who care about this Commonwealth his time in the legislature. He doubled down universities not to protect gay and lesbian stu- to make our voices heard. These voices must on this radicalism as Virginia’s attorney gen- dents from discrimination. And he recently come not only in the form of vocal challenge eral. And if his campaign to date is any indi- signaled that he would be open to proposals to Mr. Cuccinelli’s ideas and tactics, but also cation, we can rest assured he will continue to allow armed teachers and administrators in the form of action – phone calls, door his destructive course if elected governor in in Virginia’s schools. knocks, and retail outreach – to expose Mr. 2013. In none of these actions has Mr. Cuccinelli’s record to the mainstream and alert Indeed, through his work to date, Mr. Cuccinelli represented my views or the val- people that there is an alternative. Cuccinelli has demonstrated that he not only ues of Arlingtonians affected by these poli- I am confident that the voters of Virginia welcomes division within the Common- cies and proposals. Yet he has not only pro- will recognize Mr. Cuccinelli for the destruc- wealth, but revels in it. Through his actions, ceeded unchastened, but is now being re- tive force he is in our Commonwealth, and he has sown seeds of controversy on nearly warded for his divisiveness with a Republi- ultimately, that Mr. Cuccinelli will not be suc- every issue he has touched. can nomination for the governorship that is cessful at the ballot box in November. But As the Commonwealth’s top legal of- now all but his. we have our work cut out for us between now ficer, Mr. Cuccinelli filed a law suit seeking Should Mr. Cuccinelli be elected gover- and then, and ultimately, that outcome rests to overturn Obamacare. He filed amicus brief nor, I hope that he, like his predecessors, will in our hands. in support of Arizona’s new law allowing learn that good government comes from the So as we approach the new year, get pretextual searches of suspected immigrants. middle, not from the extremes, and he will some rest, get some energy, and get ready. He used public resources to investigate a temper his views and advocacy accordingly. 2013 is going to be a bumpy ride. University of Virginia professor for deigning But if Mr. Cuccinelli’s campaign to date is to research and write about the science un- any indication, his move away from the main- derlying climate change. He strong-armed the stream is likely to get worse before it gets Herring speaks state Board of Health into adopting regula- better. at 2013’s 1st 2nd Jerry Botland Sat Breakfast At the first Second Saturday Breakfast Computer Consulting of the New Year, Arlington Dems will get a Troubleshoot and resolve computer and chance to meet and hear from the brand new chair of the state party, Charniele Herring. computer related problems. Without opposition, Del. Herring was Perform upgrades, set-up wireless routers and print servers. elected the new chairman of the Democratic Transfer old files, address book and emails Party of Virginia (DPVA) at the State Central from an old computer to a new one. Committee meeting in December. Herring, 42, of Alexandria succeeds Phone: (703) 933-0558 — [email protected] Brian Moran of Alexandria, who served two years in the post. Herring occupies the seat in the House of Delegates that Moran held before retiring Published monthly by the to run for governor in 2009. She doesn’t Arlington County Democratic Committee have far to drive 2050 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington VA 22201 (enter at rear) from her Alexandria P.O. Box 7132, Arlington VA 22207 home to attend the Tel: (703) 528-8588 Fax: (703) 528-2321 Second Saturday http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org Breakfast, January Chair: Mike Lieberman —(703) 408-3940 (h), [email protected] 12, at the Busboys Editor-in-Chief: Warren L. Nelson —(703) 243-7867 (h), [email protected] and Poets in Deputy Editor: Eric Wiener — (703) 524-6899 (h), [email protected] Shirlington. Hungry Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the ACDC Dems gather at 8:30 unless expressly approved by an appropriate committee resolution a.m. And remember, Copyright ©2013, ACDC, All Rights Reserved please, to bring cash. HERRING ACDC Voice, January 2013, Page 3 Va Dems have Next Monthly Meeting own ball for All Dems Invited Wednesday, January 2, 2013, 7:00 p.m. inaugural NRECA Building, 4301 Wilson Blvd. Corner of North Taylor and Wilson, just east of Glebe and Wilson Virginia Democrats will be holding their Free parking under building; enter from Taylor Street own Inaugural Ball to celebrate the start of the second term of President Barack Obama. We start off the new year with a program devoted The ball is right here in Arlington. And tickets are still available. to immigration reform. Our panel of experts will The black tie-preferred be facilitated by County Board Member Walter event is being held Tejada, who is co-chair of the Immigration Task Sunday, January 20, from 7-to-11 p.m. at Force for the National Association of Counties the Westin Arlington (NaCO). We will also hear from Treasurer Frank Gateway, 801 North O’Leary about the new Navy vessel USS Arlington Glebe Road. The special and the county contribution to its new namesake. guests at the ball in- clude Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine plus Terry McAuliffe, the only candidate declared for the Democratic nomination for governor. A whole bevy of elected Democrats from $4Dems shatters record throughout Northern Virginia is expected. There is a wide range of tickets avail- The ACDC 2012 Dollars for Democrats of getting above $30,000. able running from General Admission at $250 drive has broken all records. In fact, it didn’t The problem was that everyone was talk- each on up to Inaugural Sponsor tickets priced just break them, it shattered them.