Real Virginians are hurting. Instead of providing relief to families and businesses, the Republican-dominated House of Delegates turned their backs on us. Last week, following the lead of gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, they rejected $125 million in federal money aimed at stimulating our economy and helping struggling Virginians. Stand up for displaced workers and our tax money: Tell lawmakers to go back to Richmond and do the right thing.
Nearly 300,000 Virginians are unemployed — with unemployment rates in places like Martinsville as high as 20.2%.
Yet on Wednesday, April 8, Virginia’s Republican-dominated House of Delegates followed the lead of gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and rejected $125 million in federal unemployment funds for Virginia.
As news media reported GOP gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell “favored rejecting the jobless money” and “McDonnell opposes unemployment stimulus,” all but two House Republicans voted to reject expanding unemployment benefits for struggling Virginians.
The $125 million is money from the federal government paid for by Virginians’ tax dollars. These funds, which are part of President Obama’s stimulus plan, would have gone to displaced workers in Virginia and helped to stimulate our economy.
Despite the highest unemployment rates our state has seen in decades, the Republican-dominated House chose to play political games instead of protecting our future.
“When are we going to tell the Congress of the United States that they don’t set the public policy of Virginia on a state administered and a state run program like unemployment insurance,” said Republican Delegate William Fralin in remarks from the floor of the General Assembly (Watch on YouTube).
In these tough economic times, rejecting $125 million will hurt both businesses and families in Virginia. As the state unemployment trust fund approaches insolvency, these funds could have delayed rate hikes for businesses. At the same time, the funds would have helped Virginians who have been laid off get the job retraining they need.
It’s not too late to fix the problem. Demand the General Assembly go back to Richmond, fix this mistake, and do what’s right for Virginians. It’s time for our elected leaders to stand up for Virginia and vote to accept the economic relief we deserve.
Sign the petition now (top right of this page) —and tell the General Assembly to Stand Up for Virginia.
Somewhere in Washington there is $125 million set aside for out-of-work Virginians. But the wisdom of taking that money has become a growing election-year issue.
On Monday, a trio of local Democrats hammered on state Republicans, along with gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, for opposing the federal unemployment assistance.
When Albemarle County resident Alexa Bergen Farber was laid off from her job at a healthcare publishing company in February, she immediately sought unemployment benefits…
“They have turned their back on thousands of Virginians like me who have lost their jobs,” Farber said.
"Rob Bell and the General Assembly had an opportunity two weeks ago to provide additional support to laid off workers and Virginia families and they chose not to do that," said Cynthia Neff, (D) VA 58th delegate candidate.
There is a petition going around Virginia calling on Lawmakers to head back to Richmond. News/Talk 960's Timothy Martin says it has to do with unemployment benefits and $125 million.
“Republicans in Richmond are digging in their heels, and we don’t like it,” Armstrong said Thursday while standing in front of the former Tultex Corp. plant on Franklin Street.
Citing Yogi Berra’s quote, “It’s deja vu all over again,” Armstrong said the current situation with the stimulus funds reminded him of a similar fight a decade ago when Tultex went out of business and the city’s unemployment rate “soared to 19 percent overnight.”…
The tour will continue in other areas today, including Charlottesville, Roanoke and parts of Northern Virginia, according to Jared Leopold, a spokesman for the Virginia Democratic party.
For more information about the petition, go to www.standupforvirginia.com.
F. Seward Anderson, who’s challenging Del. Danny Marshall of Danville for his seat, signed a petition during a news conference at the Virginia Employment Commission on Thursday demanding that the General Assembly reconvene and reverse its rejection of $125 million in federal stimulus money…More than 10,000 people in Virginia have signed the petition…
Earlier this month, Republican lawmakers blocked a move to accept $125 million in additional federal unemployment money. "Let's do the right thing," Delegate Ward Armstrong said at a news conference. "Let's have a special session. Let's approve this stimulus money. Let's help the people that are unemployed and need it the most."
(DANVILLE) -- Seward Anderson, the Democrat running for the 14th District house seat, yesterday called on Republicans to reverse their stance and accept $125 million in federal funds for the unemployed. Republicans and the business community maintain the requirements for the the stimulus money would obligate the state to continue paying the unemployment benefits after the stimulus money runs out in 2011. House Speaker Bill Howell has asked Virginia's Congressional delegation to remove requirements that led house republicans to reject the money three weeks ago. Anderson says that's "just shifting the focus," and he called on his opponent, Delegate Danny Marshall, to urge GOP leaders to go back to the table. Anderson says he spoke with Gov. Tim Kaine this week and the Governor is willing to compromise. Democrats are taking their case to the people as part of a week long "Stand Up Virginia Tour," which stopped in Danville and Martinsville Thursday. Anderson says he expects this to be a major campaign issue in the November elections.
Lawmakers who opted to reject the $125 million in one-time federal stimulus dollars may want to reconsider their actions. Folks are hurting in Virginia — especially those who are unemployed.A standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Virginia over the award of more than $125 million in one-time federal stimulus dollars must be resolved — and resolved soon.
Just two weeks after their vote, it is clear already that in rejecting federal aid, Republicans misjudged the mood of Virginians, who recognize those dollars were intended to ease the suffering of their neighbors. Holding GOP lawmakers - and their titular leader - accountable for that vote is only right.
The Democrats shot right back. In an afternoon conference call, House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong and former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer were joined by a Richmond businessman and a laid-off worker to press their case that the vote hurts thousands of unemployed Virginians. How unpopular do they think the Republican move was? They repeatedly compared it to the widely panned abusive driver fee program.
"It was just a horrendous vote and a vote against working people," Armstrong said.
But Howell said he is convinced voters will stand with Republicans on the issue in the fall.
The April 8 vote is becoming a marquee issue on the campaign trail…
House Republicans are backing away from a possible compromise with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine on expanded jobless benefits that the GOP killed this month.
Democrats have hounded Republicans over their rejection of the $125 million since the House defeated the plan this month and are expected to make it an issue in the fall elections.
… House Democratic Leader Ward L. Armstrong of Henry County accused legislative Republicans of opposing the enhanced jobless benefits partly out of partisan frustration.
Republican legislative leaders on Thursday defended their decision to reject $125 million in enhanced federal unemployment benefits… But Democrats show no signs of letting up on the issue as they gear up for elections to statewide offices and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates…
"All of the excuses and all of the press conferences in the world aren't going to change anything," said House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County, who accused Republicans of partisan motives for rejecting the unemployment benefits.
Valley Democratic House candidates called on local Republican representatives to reverse their position on rejecting an expansion of unemployment benefits that could have provided the state $125 million in federal stimulus funds.
Democratic challengers in the four House seats that represent the city and Rockingham County publicly signed a Virginia Democratic Party petition requesting that Republicans go back to Richmond and reverse their April 8 vote to reject $125 million in stimulus money. The funds would go to expand unemployment benefits for the state's growing number of jobless.
“These hardworking families aren’t looking for a handout. They’re looking for a hand up. But what they got from the Republicans in the House of Delegates, including my opponent, Del. Chris Saxman, what these hardworking Virginia families got was the back of the hand. They were told to talk to the hand,” Curren said.
John Lesinski, 49, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel now living in Washington, Va., joined a Democratic press conference on Thursday and called Gilbert to task for voting against an expansion of the commonwealth's unemployment benefits.
No matter where he is, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine continues to press Virginia Republicans to expand state unemployment benefits to more idled workers in order to access $125 million in federal stimulus dollars.
Our legislators in Richmond need to get their heads out of the sand and recognize the seriousness of the economic downturn that is causing havoc for real people and real families. So thinks a new group, “Stand UP for Virginia,” which has been knocking on Stafford doors and doors around the state seeking signatures on a petition aimed at Stafford’s own Del. Howell and others who need a wake up call.
In knocking on doors in Stafford, perhaps “Stand UP for Virginia” will come across a candidate willing to run against Speaker Howell in the November election. It’s an insult to our democracy that every two years when the House of Delegates seat is up, the Republican incumbent gets no serious opposition.
Democrats called on Republican gubernatorial nominee Robert F. McDonnell today to clarify comments he made last week about being "sort of unemployed”…C. Richard Cranwell, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, told reporters today that McDonnell's comments were "disingenuous" and puts him out of touch with the 300,000 unemployed residents in Virginia.
Virginia Democrats today assailed Bob McDonnell for off-the-cuff comments he made at a political gathering last week in which he described himself as "sort of unemployed.”… Seizing on those words, Virginia Democratic Party chairman C. Richard "Dickie" Cranwell said McDonnell, a Republican running for governor, is "out of touch" with the roughly 291,000 unemployed Virginians.
Business leaders expended much energy recently giving Republican legislators cover as they turned away the hand of the federal government offering the state $125 million in jobless aid... In the process, they have left thousands of families to struggle with their own financial instability, and those families won't have three years to get prepared.
Virginia Democrats are going door-to-door in the districts of nine Republican delegates who voted to reject $125 million in stimulus money for unemployment insurance. Among the targeted delegates is John M. O'Bannon III, who represents the 73rd House district in western Henrico County and northern Richmond.
An online petition launched Monday has been signed by more than 6,000 people while nearly 1,000 members have joined a Facebook group.
The former Danville mayor (Seward Anderson) challenging Del. Danny Marshall for his House of Delegates seat has signed a petition demanding that the General Assembly reconvene and accept $125 million in federal stimulus money for unemployment benefits it rejected last week.
Almost 5,000 Virginians, including all three Democrats running for governor, signed a petition calling for GOP gubernatorial nominee Robert F. McDonnell and House Republicans to support an effort to collect $125 million in federal stimulus money for jobless Virginians.
The Democratic Party of Virginia launched this morning a Website calling on Republicans to accept $125 million in federal stimulus money for additional unemployment benefits for jobless Virginians.
The (UI) funds are available to Virginia if the state agrees to extend unemployment benefits to idled part-time workers and those in job training programs.
But the Republican-controlled House of Delegates last week rejected a proposal by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to make those changes so Virginia would be eligible for the money.
The Democratic Party of Virginia launched a website blaming House Republicans for refusing $125 million in stimulus money to help unemployed Virginians. Last week, the Republican-controlled House of Delegates rejected Governor Tim Kaines proposal to extend unemployment benefits to part-time workers with the stimulus money… The website, www.standupforVirginians.com demands that the General Assembly go back to Richmond to fix this mistake, and do what's right for Virginians.
Find out the unemployment rate in your community by going to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website's Virginia page.
The Republican-dominated House of Delegates voted 53 to 46 to reject the $125 million in federal stimulus funds.
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Robert Sledzaus, Fairfax:
As a Person With Disabilities I experienced first hand how it is impossible to subsist, not live, subsist, on the current TANF and Food Stamp dollars currently allocated for low income Virginians. I almost lost my home, I did lose my health insurance, and my health deteriorated below what can be considered ‘acceptable’ in the richest nation on earth. How dare the Republicans play political games with the lives of people and families in dire need. How do these people sleep at night? Shame on them!
Larry Brantley, Accomack:
After retiring from the Navy in June 2004, after 26+ years of service, I found a job on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It seemed ideal. My wife and I bought a house and all was well until April 2007 when I lost that job. I was on unemployment for two months. I was unable to find another job nearby, but found a new job in the Atlanta metro area that started in June of 2007. My wife remained in VA with our house on the market. We took a home equity line of credit to cover some necessary repairs and updates. The housing market tanked. We were unable to sell the house. Then the other shoe dropped. I lost the job in GA. Now I was maintaining two households in two states on my Navy retirement and VA Disability. We liquidated all of our savings (IRA) just before the market crash. We paid off $20k on our equity line. The remainder has been augmenting our income since then. I have been unemployed for 10 months. My wife has a job working two days per week. Taxes are due and exceed what we have.
JD Simpson, Shenandoah:
I am one of those unemployed Virginians. Have been since Jan of this year after over 30 years in the labor force. Maybe those partisan Republicans who sent our much needed stimulus money would like to drop by my house and let me know how to make a dollar stretch further than I am already stretching it. Would be nice if they would think about the people of this state instead of their own selfish agendas without a thought of what the people need in this state.
Addy Alago, Staunton:
After moving to Virginia to be with someone I love, the call center I worked at was shut. I was one of the lucky few to transfer to a new job. Many at my call center are now looking at 2 hour drives to continue employment, or have no employment prospects at all. For an elected official to decline aid on behalf of his suffering constituents out of some misguided sense of principle is the pinnacle of arrogance.
Steven Ciallella, Westmoreland:
Our tax dollars are within the Federal funds that should be returned to those who are out of a job. It’s not like it’s in Virginia unemployed people’s interest to not get the benefits that their federal tax dollars paid for. What is the legislature thinking? Are they too out of touch and too rich to know what it’s like to pay taxes and have unemployed people in other states get our Federal dollars? Let one of them go without income for 6 months (no investments, no savings, no salary, no benefits, nothing!) and their votes would change.
Lolita Liwag, Norfolk:
I am currently out on disability, with no expectations to return to work because of several debilitating health conditions. Last January, my husband was laid off for what was supposed to be two weeks. He has now been out of work for 16 months. I have worked full time since I was 16 years old. I worked all during college and graduate school. It is not that I do not want to work: I am unable. My husband is a veteran who was in the U.S. Coast Guard and reserves. Between the two of us, we bring in under $3,000 a month. Our mortgage takes up half of that. My monthly out-of-pocket health insurance payment is $400 a month, and my numerous prescriptions are in addition to that amount. That leaves us with about $1000 to buy food for our family of four, pay for electricity, water, and car insurance. We haven’t had natural gas for almost a year because we were unable to pay our bill. We are regular, hard-working, law-abiding citizens just like anyone else.
We have families who are living in cars, people at grocery stores who are counting every penny and putting things back, and everywhere you turn, people have that hollowed-eyed look of desperation because they have lost their jobs, their homes, or fear that they may lose everything tomorrow.
In the next state election, I will do everything in my power to make sure that we can replace as many Republicans in the legislature as possible, even if it means traveling to small counties and knocking on doors. This kind of political posturing is inane. Exactly how is this decision by the Republicans benefitting Virginians? How are those in need who have turned to their government for help supposed to feel? That we do not matter enough? That our concerns are paltry in comparison to making a point to President Obama’s administration? That only those who are financially secure should be able to survive in this economy? I’ll tell you what I believe this posturing truly reflects: a complete and total disconnect with what the American public wants and needs, and in particular, a total disregard for the welfare of the constituents of Virginia.