We are not ‘Fake’ News

This week, BD was referenced by the Richmond Times-Dispatch for an article about Tom Perriello. The week before we were quoted by the same publication regarding advertising that we run on our site. This is not bragging (okay, maybe a little), but the reality is that we are committed to being fair, honest, and transparent; if we are not, I’m sure most media would avoid us.

More on this will be forthcoming in an op-ed that we’re drafting, but here’s the bottom-line: We’re in an era where people are trying to discern what is truth and what is fiction (especially when the president thinks anything negative is false). We certainly have an opinion (and we even have favorites!), but, rest assured, we’re committed to the truth. We owe it to you. We owe it to ourselves. We’re not a “fake news” site. We’re a group of politically-minded conservative activists who not only disagree with one another (see this Facebook thread featuring Brian, Shaun and myself), but, more importantly, present information from a variety of conservative perspectives.

We also offer a place for all of us to get together in a virtual coffee house to have a conversation.

All I ask is that you just be mindful of what you put in the coffee (and be sure to save some for me) and please, don’t throw the cups. We hope that what we do brings some value to the ongoing conversation.

Miyares on Cuba
This is a couple of weeks dated, but did you happen to catch Del. Jason Miyares speech on the floor of the House of Delegates regarding the McAuliffe administration’s new Cuba policy?

See video by clicking image or here.

From a Washington Post report:

McAuliffe announced a bipartisan task force called Engage Cuba, convened to build economic ties with the island after relations were re-established by former President Barack Obama.

Miyares, whose mother fled the Castro regime, was not a fan. As his words grew more emotional, his colleagues began to pay more attention.

“What separates us from Cuba and from many other countries in the world is what I call the knock on the door,” Miyares said, then leaned forward and rapped seven times on his desk.

It was a sound that’s usually only heard when the Speaker of the House raps his gavel. Delegates are programmed to respond to that sound

“Here, when we hear that, that means a neighbor has come over to say hello,” he said. “But in Cuba, when you hear this,” and he leaned forward and rapped again, “it means something entirely different.”

The bottom-line is that the McAuliffe administration is leaning way out in front on this one with the Engage Cuba movement.

Perhaps there might be some economic advantage for Virginia, but at what cost and with what sense of morality?

Frankly, this is the same question we need to be asking with respect to China and other trading partners. Sure, free trade can be great with lower prices and “comparative advantage.” But at the expense of nearly slave labor? Political persecution? Hazardous and damaging environmental practices?

Sometimes what looks good in an Economics textbook might have, as some of my Econ professors would say, “externalities.”

These are your Engage Cuba Leaders:

• Honorary Chair: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe
• Ross Butler, President & CEO, Wanchese Seafood
• Tom Capozzi, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of Virginia
• Henry Chiles, Owner, Crown Orchard
• Dr. Greg Fairchild, Professor, UVA Darden School of Business
• Katie Frazier, President, Virginia Agribusiness Council
• Jeffrey Ganthner, Mid-Atlantic Manager, Burns & McDonnell
• David Glaize, Glaize Packing
• Phil Glaize III, Vice President, Glaize Packing
• Basil Gooden, Secretary, Virginia Department of Agriculture & Forestry
• Joe Haggerty, President & CEO, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
• Todd Haymore, Secretary, Virginia Department of Commerce & Trade
• PJ Haynie, Owner, Haynie Farms LLC; Treasurer, National Black Growers Association
• Jason Heckathorn, CEO, Forever Oceans Corporation
• Susan Jennings, President, Virginia Forest Products Association
• Alex Nyerges, Director, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
• Wayne Pryor, Virginia Farm Bureau
• Mark Treadaway, Vice President of Business Outreach, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority
• Dawson Williams, Turkey Knob Growers 
• Dr. Richard Wokutch, Professor, Virginia Tech Pamplin Business School
• Dr. Van Wood, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University 

Of Hospitals and Drugs
Two interesting pieces of information entered my email inbox this week. The first was from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (BD advertiser). They relayed to us their economic impact on Virginia.

“In 2015, community benefit as defined by the Internal Revenue Service totaled $1.43 billion. With other forms of community support including Medicare losses, taxes paid, and bad debt expenses absorbed by Virginia hospitals, the total benefit to Virginia communities in 2015 was nearly $2.92 billion.

In addition to their role as providers of essential health services, local hospitals and health systems are economic cornerstones in their communities, employing 125,674 people, generating nearly $40 billion in economic activity, and supporting local businesses and vendors.”

The second is that the Partnership for Safe Medicines wants you to know that Senator Bernie Sanders has a proposal to have open borders for non-FDA approved prescription drugs.

With examples dating back to 2011 and as recent as 2016 (Black Market Drugs in Virginia), the organization demonstrates how lax standards and poor administration have had a fatal impact on drug recipients here in the commonwealth.

Thirteen Democrats disagreed with Sanders position for the open importation, but ten Republicans thought maybe the standards should be lowered (See The Observer).

This is a developing story and I’m interested to see where it goes.

What’s the point with both these examples?

Health care is not black and white. There’s a whole lot of gray.

Cruzers Looking to Draft Cuccinelli for Senate
So, the Virginia Ted Cruz for President Facebook Page turned this week to “Draft Ken Cuccinelli for Senate.”

Of course, Cruz is still very much prominent as of this writing (see above image). Just an observation, page designers. I know people who can help with things like this. I’m one of them.

Parting Shot: Your Senior Senator, Mark Warner
In almost every press release regarding the confirmation of a Trump cabinet member, Sen. Warner has had this to say:

“I intend to hold [nominee] accountable”

And then he goes on to say why he voted against them.

The interesting thing about democracy is that Senator Warner can also be held accountable too. Particularly as to why he repeatedly voted on depriving the executive branch the leadership necessary to govern when, in previous administrations, this has generally been pro forma.

Survey: Are you satisfied with the first month of the Trump administration?

Results will be released via our weekly newsletter, “The Last Word” on Friday, Feb. 24. You can subscribe by following this link.