Column: Elections 2012—Role of Big Bucks Going Forward
Happy post-election to you all. Before I return to our discussion of our flawed election process and the role of the big bucks, I want to congratulate a good friend and fellow Restonian. Aaron Williams recently resigned after three years as director of the Peace Corps, one of America’s finest organizations. When this Reston resident, a former PC Voluneer himself, took over the Corps, it faced some major issues.
Column: Weight For It
This reference is not about pounds, per se. It is about the two largest tumors in my lungs, inoperable in that they are located between the two halves which make up the whole lung.
Letter: Morality and the Budget
Sister Marge Clark discussed "morality and the budget," and argued that "unmet needs" must be the starting point of building any budget [“Discussing Budget Morality,” Reston Connection, Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2012]. Sister Clark is exactly right that budgets and morality are intertwined, but she is precisely wrong on the problem and the solution.
Editorial: Feeling Important
Presidential campaigns traverse Northern Virginia on last days, mark the importance of every vote.
The images from the last weeks of the presidential Election of 2012 make it clear that it would be hard to overstate the importance of voting, especially in Virginia, especially in Northern Virginia.
First-time Voters Viewpoints: "Who are you voting for and why?"
"I'll be voting for Barack Obama for several reasons. First of all, I've been pretty liberal all my life and I've grown up overseas in France, Belgium and Greece and it's no secret that Europe is pretty liberal also. It put American politics into perspective for me and helped shape my views. Also, I'll be going to college next year and it's increasingly expensive..."
Column: Elections 2012—The Best Money Can Buy?
Independent Progressive.
Nope! The vast majority certainly won’t get the best! Elections are awash in cash—incumbents and challengers selling “access” and big contributors buying influence.
Editorial: In Wake of Sandy, Still Plan to Vote
Variety of choices in political landscape.
Hurricane Sandy means that the week preceding the election will not be what we were expecting. This editorial is being written Sunday night, Oct. 28, as forecasters predict five inches of rain and 65-mile-per-hour winds over the next two days. With some predicting that power could take a week or more to restore, we have to worry about the likely condition of the Eastern seaboard will be on Election Day, Nov. 6. Absentee voting in person had been cancelled for Monday, and most government offices were closed in anticipation of the storm. What will this mean for voter turnout, for access to voting places on Election Day?
Opinion: Be Part of the Children's Connection
Call for student artwork and writing; deadline Dec. 3.
During the last week of each year, The Connection devotes its entire issue to the creativity of local students and children. The results are always remarkable. It is a keepsake edition for many families.
Commentary: Also on the Ballot
With all the buzz about the presidential election, some voters may be surprised to learn that there are other electoral contests and issues on the ballot. At the request of many people, each year I write about the ballot facing voters and share my intentions on how I will be voting. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I will be voting for President Obama for re-election. This campaign as much as any has been about the clear role of government, and President Obama reflects views that I hold that our society must be open to opportunity for all and not to a privileged few. There is no reason to stay home from this vote. It does not get any more fundamental than this one.
Editorial: Pick Your Own Election Day
It's called “absentee voting in person,” and there are a lot of reasons why you should.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. The deadline to register to vote is past, although in Northern Virginia, it's clear that a very high percentage of eligible voters are registered. Four years ago in the presidential election of 2008, there were 5,034,660 voters registered in Virginia, and 3,752,858 actually voted. Just in the month of September 2012, Fairfax County saw more than 6,000 newly registered voters, for a total of 646,881 active voters. Arlington registered more than 3,300 new voters in September, with more than 130,000 active voters total. Alexandria added more than 1,300 new voters last month alone, with 81,847 active voters.
Letter: Vote Yes for Area Parks
As Connection readers know, the upcoming election is a pivotal one. What readers may not be aware of is that a park bond referendum question is on the ballot for Fairfax County residents. I'm writing to ask readers to vote YES for the 2012 park bond.
Editorial: Cancer Awareness
Success with breast cancer awareness should help other cancers.
October is breast cancer awareness month. Anyone connected to media of any variety already knows this. A massive marketing success, we all know that pink shows support for breast cancer prevention, especially in October.
Column: “Less Fluid, Most Nodules Stable, Minimal Growth.”
Given how I feel now, three-plus years later, and considering the results of this most recent scan, the future may simply be what it is: not now, but later. At least, that’s the way I see it, subjectively speaking. (Now whether “subjectively speaking” is just a euphemism for “unrealistic” is likely a topic for a “future” column.)
Editorial: Last Week to Register to Vote
To vote on Election Day, you must be registered at your current address no later than Oct. 15, 2012. Registered voters should have received a new voter card in the mail by now. You can check your registration status online by visiting the State Board of Elections website at www.sbe.virginia.gov. There you can also download a voter registration form and mail or fax it to your elections office address.
Letter: With Great Confusion
It was with great confusion that I read John Lovaas' recent column (Opinion: Who is Running to Represent You in Congress, Sept 20). Mr. Lovaas, whom I consider a friend, helpfully reminds us that Congressman Jim Moran no longer represents Reston in the House of Representatives because redistricting shifted Reston into the 11th Congressional District, currently represented by Congressman Gerry Connolly. Mr. Connolly faces three opponents from across the political spectrum. That much I understood, but several other points in the column confused me.