VP Issue Advocacy's blog

The idea of common wealth goes back to the very beginning of civilization, when humans first realized that a community could accomplish for the individual what no individual could do on their own. Over the course of millennia, religious and political leaders from Jesus of Nazareth and Mohammed to Thomas Hobbes and Franklin Roosevelt have suggested that humans bound together could fill the gaps of society.

The United States and Virginia governments have pursued such a philosophy for hundreds of years. Military defense, education, and social services for children and the elderly ensure the ideals of equality, general welfare, and prosperity laid out by our founding fathers. In 2010, Virginia’s Governor proposed that no bit of our common wealth is sacred, and today we face the very real possibility that government spending, or lack thereof, will exacerbate the gaps in our society that we as a species have tried for so many generations to eradicate.

Advocating for issues that affect young voters is one of the main charges of the Virginia Young Democrats. Our issues are not always so different from those of the general population, but our point of view is always unique. Our knowledge of education issues come from current participation in the system. The catastrophic impacts of climate change that we wish to stop in their tracks will come in our lifetimes. While the economy as a whole suffers, workers under age 20 must endure an unemployment rate 16.7% higher than the national average. The decade-long jump in deficit spending amounts to a multi-trillion dollar bill for our generation to pay.

Policymaking is a zero-sum game. The Virginia Young Democrats understand that if we don’t fight for our beliefs, we will lose ground, and a whole generation of progressives will suffer. We invite all like-minded individuals of any age to join us in this process of lobbying for our needs. If you want to help or know of any particular issues that you believe VAYD should support, please contact me – our Vice President for Issue Advocacy – at vp_issues@vayd.org. Thank you, and may you enjoy a prosperous and peaceful New Year.

Over the next month, the Issue Caucuses of the Virginia Young Democrats will be rolling out a series of blog posts regarding how their own issue relates to a broader theme that affects politics/life in general. This month's theme is the economy and jobs. Naturally there's a lot to talk about, but some of the specifics regarding areas like people with disabilities, equality, or rural issues (just to name a few) can get really interesting, so we'll hope you'll come back to read more as the project develops.

Bob McDonnell has an important message about an issue near and dear to him:

“This is vitally important in Virginia”

“We think it’s critically important”

“We’re very hopeful it will pass overwhelmingly”

“It’s the best way to raise children”

What key issue could deserve such strong language? Education? The economy? The environment? If only...

Shocking news from Charlottesville today as the Daily Progress breaks that a DC lobbying firm forged letters claiming to be from Virginian community groups.

Bonner & Associates dispatched at least six letters to Congressman Perriello's office using the logo and name of Creciendo Juntos, a local Hispanic outreach group and the Albemarle-Charlottesville chapter of the NAACP voicing supposed opposition to the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act. Both groups supported the legislation, and Tom Perriello boldly voted in favor of the crucial measure that passed the House of Representatives by a 7-vote margin.

So to recap: polluters, desperate to stop clean energy legislation, pay a DC lobbying firm to libel two Virginia community groups, all the while claiming the letters (all six of them, which were coordinated using a logo and name) were a "mistake." Their efforts fail, as "Patriot Perriello" (as we like to call him around here... at my house...) does the right thing and votes for national security and a clean future.

Sixty-five years ago, Five-star General, Nobel Peace Laureate, and VMI graduate George Marshall stated that "our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on one side and of overwhelming force on the other."

Four years later, President Harry Truman boldly ended racial segregation in the world's most powerful military, fulfilling General Marshall's prediction.

Today, the United States Armed Forces remains the largest employer in the country without a full anti-discrimination policy.