Virginia

Earlier this morning the President canceled the proposed drilling lease off the coast of Virginia. Here's what the Director of the Virginia Sierra Club had to say about the announcement.

“The economic and environmental disaster that is currently unfolding on the Gulf Coast underscores the inherent and unavoidable risks that would come with drilling off Virginia’s coast – risks that have been well known for many years. It’s unfortunate that it took a disaster such as this to finally bring to light just how mistaken it would be to drill off Virginia’s coast.”

From Maryland, an attempt to adjust how the Census counts prisoners to result in eventual redistricting and revenue distribution that reflects where they come from, rather than where they are being incarcerated. From Democracy NC's Link-of-the-Day:

Maryland became the first state to adopt a new method for counting prisoners for purposes of drawing equal political districts after the 2010 Census. The Census counts people in prison as residing at the prison, but that method deprives the prisoners’ home neighborhoods of much-needed tax money and political clout.

If our Party is indeed interested in serving the interests of the Citizens of this great country of ours, it may be time to consult the Founder and greatest Democrat to ever grace our soil, Thomas Jefferson. What Would Jefferson Do?

Looks like the Old Dominion and the Palmetto State have us Tar Heels caught in the ol' squeeze play. Adulterers and bigots to the south, birthers and morons to the north. I sure hope this crap isn't contagious.

Today the LA Times reported that Virginia could become the first state on the Eastern Seaboard to open it's coast to offshore drilling. Republican Governor Robert McDonnell and a bipartisan coalition in the state legislature hopes that the Obama administration will permit the sale of drilling leases at the end of the year. Its time to face one fact though, the projected amount of oil off the coast is around 130 million barrels. In the U.S. alone, we consume 20 million barrels each day so if we do the math, the oil off the coast could supply us for only 7 days! That's just not a logical investment.

From the Virginia Democratic Party:

Bob McDonnell: "Working women are detrimental to the family."

Last week Virginia's Orange County Board of Supervisors vote to approve the building of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter within the historic boundaries of the
Wilderness Battlefield - and one of the most significant battlefields of the Civil War. The Civil War Preservation Trust has been fighting Wal-Mart on this location for over a year - seeking an alternative location and compromoise - and after last week they desperately need everyones help to stop Wal-Mart from moving forward and opening the door to further destructive development.

Even State Senator Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for Virginia Governor, has written a letter to the president and CEO of Wal-Mart pleading with him to move the location off the historic battlefield. Wake-Up Wal-Mart is helping in this fight and you can too by also writing a letter on the Civil War Preservation Trust's website and also help spread the word yourself.

More from Blue Virginia and the Washington Post below:

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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Many have been concerned that we shouldn't pay too much attention to the polls. I agree, and present...Obama's Virginia Headquarters. Now get to work!
(h/t RaisingKaine)

...

Two polls have confirmed it! Obama over 50%, and Clinton under 40%

SurveyUSA has Obama up 59-37. The poll was conducted of Democratic Primary voters in Virginia.

The second poll is Insider's Advantage, which shows Obama up 52-37.

More below the fold, focusing on our neighbor to the North.