Author
Let’s rethink the immigration debate
By Unni Kirandumkara This month, Americans began the process of selecting the next president of the United States. The Iowa caucuses kicked off Feb. 3, and Super Tuesday will be here before we know it. As Virginians consider who to vote for, we need to start thinking smarter about immigration. That’s especially true in Richmond, where […]
Why Virginia needs the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
By Jenny Oren Driving down a country road winding through the countryside of eastern Virginia, I see my home in a new light: a valuable area with high ecological value, with land for people to enjoy and for wildlife to call home. It makes me wonder why there aren’t more areas like this, both in […]
Why are Virginia Democrats using their majority to undermine the ACA?
By Timothy Stoltzfus Jost Like many Virginia Democrats, I worked hard to elect Democrats last fall and rejoiced when we flipped both the House of Delegates and Senate. Like many Virginia voters, high among my priorities was protecting Virginians from President Trump’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I am thus disappointed to see […]
Virginia Senate should support rail innovation, not freeze it
By Ian Jefferies The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill last month (HB 440) that would mandate all freight railroads to operate with two people in the cab of a locomotive now and forever. The bill heads to the Senate after crossover Wednesday, and while legislators in the state’s upper chamber may be tempted […]
Support excluding cattle from streams
By Bobby Whitescarver Farmers with 20 cows or more would have to exclude cattle from perennial streams. That’s the purpose of two bills moving through the General Assembly — SB704 and HB1422. I am a cattle farmer in Augusta County and I support these bills. I gaze down at the river flowing through our farm. […]
Protect Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act
By Terry White I attended the State of the Union on Tuesday as Sen. Mark Warner’s invited guest. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am grateful for the opportunity. I never expected to be in a room with the most powerful people in our government; however, it also helped me realize we need more […]
Payday and car title loans need reform
By Rabbi Gary S. Creditor When my wife and I applied for our first credit card, I waited with trepidation until it arrived. By the time we applied for our first car loan I had no doubt that we would be approved. When we applied for our home mortgage, I was also certain, but amazed […]
Governor’s plan to boost access to community colleges would benefit people and businesses
By Susan Gooden State lawmakers have the opportunity in the next few weeks to approve a plan that could improve the lives of tens of thousands of our fellow Virginians. When he laid out his agenda for the 2020 General Assembly, Gov. Ralph Northam offered a proposal he calls G3, “Get a Skill, Get a […]
What does gerrymandering have to do with civil rights?
Virginia has an important decision to make. Its General Assembly should pass the constitutional amendment for redistricting, signaling to other southern states a new era of nondiscriminatory access to the ballot box. Gerrymandering, where legislators draw district lines to benefit themselves and preserve their seats, is a form of voter suppression because it takes power […]
With redistricting reform, we can be stewards of our own communities
By Golden Bethune-Hill For the past decade, manipulated maps and unfairly drawn district lines have watered down the power of too many Virginians’ votes. Politicians, who were more interested in amassing power than improving life for everyone, gerrymandered the commonwealth and left poorer folks out in the cold. I’ve seen this first-hand in my communities […]
Setting a deadline for farm conservation practices would be a major step for Virginia water quality
By Matt Kowalski As a restoration scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, I’m often out in the field with Virginia farmers putting projects on the ground that benefit both stream health and farm operations. I also follow state policy in Richmond that could lead to more conservation practices on farms. Legislation proposed in the General […]
Don’t be fooled by small steps. We must do more to combat climate change.
By Chris Wiegard As we enter a new decade, Virginians are witnessing public concern about climate change rising along with the temperatures, sea levels and extreme weather events. But, while the Virginia General Assembly will take some steps toward climate solutions in 2020, the United States government will not. General Assembly efforts will help build […]