November 22, 2009
NYC Trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Represents Failure of Judgment
The Obama administration has elected to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a civilian court just a few blocks from New York City’s Ground Zero. The decision has left millions of Americans bewildered as to why we would not prosecute him in a military tribunal. The administration portrays the move as a pain-free step forward for America’s image around the world. But treating terrorism as if it were a matter of domestic law enforcement is more accurately a step backward that only invites pain. Any marginal benefits in world popularity must be weighed against the risks to national security and legal complications that will arise by importing suspected foreign terrorists and affording them the same rights as U.S. citizens who commit crimes.
November 14, 2009
Gov.-elect McDonnell announces senior advisers to transition team
Senior advisers to Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell’s transition team include former members of Congress, veterans of former Gov. George Allen’s administration, and representatives of key constituent groups, from business to the National Rifle Association and The Virginia Family Foundation. The senior advisers, announced yesterday, are:
November 08, 2009
Two Virginia Democrats vote against health bill
Two of the six Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation last night voted against President Barack Obama’s 10-year, $1.2 trillion health-care reform plan. Reps. Glenn Nye, D-2nd, and Rick Boucher, D-9th, were the only Virginia lawmakers to break ranks with their parties. Nye, who serves Hampton Roads, said in a statement that the bill does not sufficiently cut health-care costs that are harming families and small businesses.
October 31, 2009
Week in Review
WEEK’S END This week Chesterfield let die a proposal for rental-property inspections. The idea—which would have allowed county officials to inspect the exterior and interior of rental properties, and to charge a fee for the courtesy—raised questions regarding property rights and privacy. The Board of Supervisors made the right call. Midlothian Supervisor Dan Gecker asked good questions about another topic. Bow-hunting is one way to thin a rapidly growing deer population. Gecker wants to see if “the safety statistics” justify restricting the practice in certain residential neighborhoods. We agree with him. If facts indicate that restrictions would be wise, then enact restrictions. But if facts say problems with safety do not exist, then leave things as they are.
October 28, 2009
Diradour drops bid to unseat Cantor
One month after announcing his bid to unseat Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, Richmond businessman Charlie Diradour is bowing out. He cited dedication to his family and to Richmond in a statement released yesterday announcing his withdrawal. Diradour, who doesn’t live in the 7th Congressional District, was seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Cantor in 2010.
October 08, 2009
Cantor to talk over health care policy with Hoyer
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor says he’s going to sit down with Democratic leader Steny Hoyer and try to narrow their differences over health care.
October 07, 2009
Cantor: Obama faces ‘tough decision’ in Afghanistan
Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, said after meeting with President Barack Obama yesterday that he hopes the president will send more troops to Afghanistan—as the military wants—but he is not sure what stance the president will take. Cantor and other congressional leaders from both parties discussed the war with the president at the White House.
September 29, 2009
Virginians back U.S. Iran policy
Iran’s missile tests demonstrate the importance of U.N. inspections and of muscular diplomacy by additional world powers, according to Virginia’s U.S. senators. “Iran’s latest missile test is part of a pattern of provocative behavior that underscores the need for Tehran to open up its newly discovered nuclear fuel sites to international inspectors,“ Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., said in a statement.
September 27, 2009
Public Square: Digging Deeper into Health Care Reform
- Editor’s note: On Monday morning, The Times-Dispatch held its 26th Public Square at its offices downtown. The topic was health care reform and the crowd exceeded our capacity to seat everyone. The conversation began with presentations from Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat from Virginia’s 3rd District, and Rep. Eric Cantor, a Republican from Virginia’s 7th District. Afterward, audience members asked questions and made comments. Tom Silvestri, the newspaper’s publisher, moderated. Below is an edited transcript of the Public Square. To watch the entire event online, go to TimesDispatch.com and type in the keyword “Public Square.“
From the Moderator: A Few More Public Square Answers
Leftovers from Monday’s Public Square include these questions received during and after the program: Why the unprecedented 10 a.m. start? It was the only time we could schedule both Rep. Eric I. Cantor and Rep. Robert TOM
SILVESTRI
“Bobby” Scott. Congress is in session, limiting options. Normally, the Public Square starts at 7 p.m. on either a Monday or Tuesday.
September 22, 2009
Public Square: Civility Rules
There’s been much ado about the death of civility. The impassioned debate about health care reform has added a few highlight films to the archive of bad manners displayed in public places. So it might come as a surprise to some that yesterday morning’s Public Square about health care at The Times-Dispatch was intelligent, informative—and almost unfailingly polite. Given the right forum, Americans can disagree agreeably. That’s especially true in Richmond, as we’ve learned at previous Public Squares.
Public Square participants show up looking for answers on health care
They lined up early. They listened without booing. And they left in an orderly fashion—without shouting, fighting or the escort of law enforcement. Given the partisan sound and fury in recent town halls on health-care reform, attendees said yesterday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch public forum was just what the doctor ordered. “What you see on TV as far as trying to get messages across from our congressmen has just been a spectacle,“ said Thomas Francis, 66, a retired truck dispatcher from Richmond and one of 225 people who attended the forum at the newspaper’s offices in downtown Richmond.
At Public Square, calm crowd discusses need for health-care reform
On the way from the town hall to the public square, a polite and bipartisan conversation began about the future of health care in the United States. Civility reigned in a 90-minute Public Square forum yesterday at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The forum featured two local congressmen on opposite sides of a political fight over health-care reform that grew nasty at town-hall meetings across the country last month.
September 21, 2009
Health-care reform achievable, congressmen say
A leading opponent of proposed health care reforms in Congress predicted at a Richmond Times-Dispatch Public Square today that differences could be bridged to produce acceptable legislation.
September 20, 2009
Public Square: Healthy Talk
The Times-Dispatch will hold a Public Square on health care reform tomorrow at 10 a.m. in our downtown office at 300 East Franklin St. Two of the Richmond area’s congressmen—Republican Eric Cantor and Democrat Bobby Scott—will discuss their views and take questions from the audience. It is an opportunity to gain deeper knowledge about one of the most complicated issues facing the country.
