Senator Cuccinelli Live Blog Here NOW! Welcome, Senator!

March 7, 2008

Senator, we understand session is in recess until 3:00. Thanks for squeezing the interview in now. So, without further delay, the floor is yours!

5 Responses to “Senator Cuccinelli Live Blog Here NOW! Welcome, Senator!”

admin says:

March 7, 2008 at 2:56 pm

admin’s note: We decided to put all questions and answers in one response for ease of reading and consistency of format; so we reformated the questions and answers in a precise manner in the order in which Senator Cuccinelli answered the questions. He had supplied the first few answers without referencing the corresponding questions. So we reformatted the interview with each question prefacing his answer. Nothing else was changed and he answered every question. (For the original order of questions see http://www.familyfoundationblog.com/?p=159.) It was our pleasure to host Senator Cuccinelli today and are very sure you will thoroughly enjoy this interview and see why he is so admired across the Commonwealth.

Nick Howard Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Senator Cuccinelli,

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I imagine that the failure to pass the transparency bill would rank high on the list of disappointments – any other big disappointments this year? Any pleasant surprises?

Thanks,
Nick

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:05 pm e
Nick,
The defeat of my effort to make the state budget transparent, i.e., to allow you to access all of our budget and spending information via the Internet from your home computer, was a major disappointment. The effort to kill this good idea was led by Sen. Edd Houck.

I would have to say that the other big disappointment has been the budgeting we’re seeing this session. There is NO EFFORT by those in control of the Finance Committee to slow down the budget increases in other areas of the budget in order to shift money over to transportation WITHOUT RAISING TAXES! The result intended by our Dem Senate majority is to push us in the direction of a statewide tax increase, but I’m not going to bite on that.

Veritas Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Senator: What’s the future of conservatism in Va.? Do you think Conservatives can win statewide with NOVA seemingly lost?

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:13 pm e
Veritas,
NOVA isn’t lost, after all, I won in a district entirely within Fairfax County without taking a single step back on any issue of principle. However, it is tough and getting tougher. To win in NoVa, Republicans need to connect their core principles to the real-world problems faced by people in NoVa and educate voters why our way is the best way for them and for Virginia. I.e., explain the evidence why life begins at conception and why our laws should move in the direction of protecting that life… as we value life more and more, what positive benefits does that have for our society? Or for transportation, why does it make more sense to move away from a tax-based transportation system toward a more free-market-based transportation system (e.g., public private partnerships to build new roads financed by tolls).

Virginia-wide, conservatism really needs leadership that is committed to making the case for our common sense positions. As your question notes, we can’t get beaten so badly in NoVa that there’s no way to make up the loss elsewhere in the Commonwealth. The campaign goal should at least be to run even in NoVa with a hard-working grassroots effort that makes our case one voter at a time. If we can do that, I am confident that such a hard working campaign can win the rest of the state. It’s a simple formula, but it’s hard work. The advantage of fighting for foundational principles is that there are still many good people in Virginia who will put in the work necessary to advance those principles.

admin says:
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:21 am
Senator Cuccinelli: Thanks a million for joining us today! Let me start off with the questions.

Can you tell us what it was like during the vote on your budget amendment banning funding to Planned Parenthood? For example, there were some long recesses called by the other side to sweat out Senator Colgan and perhaps sew some disaray in the GOP caucus. What was it like trying to hold everyone together?

Also, do you think that amendment and some other positive developments in the Senate this year (for example, defeating Senator McEachin’s sex-ed bill) would have happened if the Republicans remained in the majority?

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:21 pm e
Admin,
I’m going to start repeating the questions in my answers so people don’t have to jump around to connect the dots . . .

(admin’s note: See above note.)

During the vote on the Planned Parenthood amendment the Dems brought the Senate to screeching halt for about 4.5 hours. During that time, they were looking for procedural maneuvers to keep my amendment from coming to a vote. I think they concocted 4 different approaches. Two of them were just plain old not allowed (though it took some convincing to get them to back off these), their best shot was to compare my language to language in the House amendments that had been rejected to argue it’s already been considered (you can’t consider something on the same bill when it’s already been rejected earlier). So, to parry this thrust, I scrambled back to my notes and re-wrote the amendment. That’s why it now EXPLICITLY names planned parenthood – that is an unusual approach, but it worked.

Now we’ll have to see if the House conferees are able to keep it in the budget.

The pressure that many grassroots folks brought to bear on Sen. Colgan the prior week when he walked rather than voting on my abstinence amendment seemed to convince him to stick it out and vote. He crossed the aisle to vote with the Republicans, even though he seemed to be taking a beating from his strongly pro-abortion caucus members.

Mind you, it was tense in our caucus too, but to our folks’ credit, they hung together.

I do think we’d have defeated McEachin’s “how to” sex ed bill last year in a GOP majority, thankfully we were also able to do it from the minority. Enough Dems were uncomfortable with that for us to prevail.

Dr. Marietta Brown Says:
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Thanks Senator for your work with your budget amendment banning funding to Planned Parenthood.Thanks for your great work for the State. You, your family and staff remain in our prayers.Have you found this year to be a different year as compared to most with the Bills that were presented this year.?

Dr. Marietta Brown

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pm e
Dr. Brown,
Thank you for your prayers. Please keep them up, as they are very meaningful and helpful to me and my wife and our family. We do need them, and occasionally we see real fruit from those prayers, but we always draw strength from them, so please keep up your prayerful support.

This year has been unusually quiet so far, relatively speaking, but with transportation thrust back to the forefront again, I think we’ll see a special session that isn’t so quiet!

While the pro-life bills are even worse off this year b/c the Dems stacked the Ed & Health committee with Senators that oppose anything that smells like a pro-life rose . . ., 2nd Amendment legislation is being dealt with much more favorably. Also, mental health is something I’ve worked on for 5 years, and while it took a tragedy to move the Governor and General Assembly, we have now begun taking some positive strides to fix our dilapidated system.

POTUS No.4 Says:
March 4th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Senator Cuccinelli: Thanks for taking my questions.

My first one is, a lot of people talk about issues, but not many politicians talk about principles. I find it refreshing that you talk about principles in every speech I hear you make. Why is that important? Don’t people just want to know you’re getting the streets fixed and the police paid, and don’t care how or why you do it? (at least that’s what many want us to believe.)

Along those lines, I really appreciate the work you and others did on eminent domain reform last year. That bill took more twists and turns but still, as important as it was, got little media attention. Why are property rights so important for our society — what is the principle behind that? Also, what are the odds of getting a good eminent domain constitutional amendment on the ballot within the next two years?

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:41 pm e
Wow – ‘why is it important?’ Great question. Our founders were truly inspired individuals, the most brilliant and accomplished political philosophers in history. All working on a natural law slate, acknowledging God’s role in the founding of our Republic. What they left us in the form of the collection of founding principles is a national treasure and a beacon for humanity. Unfortunately, those principles and the sacrifice necessary to make them a reality are much forgotten or ignored these days, but I view those inspired founding principles as the path for our nation and Commonwealth to a faithful and greater country.

As a Senator, there is no substitute for doing the basics, i.e., getting the streets fixed and the police paid, and there are many things we deal with that don’t implicate core principles, but it is those few issues of principles that I find so motivating. But, to fight for my principles, I have to be good at serving my constituents as best I can. As my friend Del. Bob Marshall says, “if you want to fight abortion, you have to fill potholes.”

Re property rights, that is one of my proudest accomplishments here in the Senate. It is so important b/c it is one of the most blatant situations where our principles protect an innocent minority (the property owner) from the desires of the majority. You want my property to build your grandiose new mall? Then buy it from me! Don’t just take it. Our bill of rights emphasized protecting individuals against government and the majority and we need to once again value not just individual rights as our founders intended. Can you IMAGINE what James Madison or George Mason would have thought about the deplorable state of our property rights in Virginia until we got my bill through last year after a three year fight? Ugh. It makes me cringe to think.
And remember, our current majority leader said TWICE on the Senate floor that he doesn’t think property rights belong in the Constitution. You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqjaWVPKFMo

Peter Foster Says:
March 5th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Senator Cuccinelli,

Thanks so much for taking all of our questions today. My question is, in light of the Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of unelected boards having taxing authority, what do you think the upcoming Special Session will decide to do in order to make up for the funding shortfall that causes?

–Peter Foster
Chester, VA

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm e
Mr. Foster,
That is very unclear at the moment. What is clear is that the Dem majority in the Senate is going to push for a statewide tax increase, and equally clear is that I will oppose that effort.

Again, my preferred solution is to slow the growth of all of our big programs and start funneling that money (literally hundreds of millions of dollars a year) over to transportation. You will see an effort in this direction too at a special session.
Finally, I will try again to get a constitutional amendment passed that locks up the transportation trust fund – an effort that has been defeated in the Senate in years past.

Georgia M. Edwards Says:
March 5th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Dear Senator Cuccinelli,

I am grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made on behalf of ALL Virginians. Thank you for being the epitome of what a true Public Servant is all about. William Wilberforce would have been honored to serve with you, I am sure.

Here is my question: Why did the budget transparency bill(s) fail? Are you hopeful we will have an opportunity to see our Commonwealth utilize the 21st Century’s technology, in disclosing how our government is spending OUR money? Do you think the Governor will establish it by executive order? Do you think he even wants the public to be aware of how OUR taxes are being spent?

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:51 pm e
Mrs. Edwards,
One of my goals since I got elected was to get in place sufficient budget transparency so I could set up citizen budget committees to pour over various aspects of the budget and spending of the Commonwealth to make significant proposals for changes with solid evidence to back it up. This sort of ‘accountability with a fine tooth comb’ is the LAST thing that the people running the finance committee, e.g., Edd Houck, want. The fact that no one else can figure out what they’re doing significantly increases their power. Information is power.

We are quietly succeeding in making some advances in budget transparency and by next year I expect to see VDOT’s budget put in a standardized format that will allow for a quick posting on the web… just as soon as we can require them to put it up on the web. What we really need to move ahead on this effort is a Republican Governor. Both Bill Bolling and Bob McDonnell are committed to this effort, so I know we’ll make progress eventually, I just wish it were faster. This is YOUR government and you should have full access to it.

By the way, I am a big fan of Wilbur Wilberforce.

Mildred Goughnour Says:
March 6th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Thank you for being and for this opportunity.

1) How close are we to getting vouchers for school
choice? And,how can we help this process?

2) How can we help support transportation funds to be dispensed for transportation needs only?

Ken Cuccinelli Says:
March 7th, 2008 at 1:59 pm e
Mrs. Goughnour,
1) We’re not close at all. We barely got a bill last year (Del. Cole’s bill) to allow (not require) local school boards to share their school buses. 27 states already use their school buses for all of their students. Unfortunately, in Virginia, the VEA and their legislative cohorts don’t view the goal of public education as educating the public, rather they view it as a huge public bureaucracy to be fed and grown, regardless of how it serves our children and families.

To overcome this impasse, we’ll need a candidate to run for Governor publicly extolling the benefits of choice so he comes into office with a mandate on the issue. Or at least it would help if our candidates didn’t shy away from the issue. It’s about elections after all.

2) Pound every Senator politely but constantly (and get others to do the same) about locking up the transportation trust fund with a constitutional amendment, and remember that it needs to be what is referred to around here as a “one way lock” not a “two way lock.” The two way lock is a poison pill, it says that not only can’t you take transportation dollars out of the TTF, but you also can’t put non-transportation dollars INTO the TTF. How does that sound for prioritizing transportation?

Thanks to all of you for your questions, but I have to go back to the Senate floor to see what mischief is going on over there! Please keep up your prayers and your advocacy, they both help.

Reply
admin says:

March 7, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Senator: That was terrific! Thank you so much for accomodating us with such a crazy senate schedule today, as well as for such substantative answers — and in only about 50 minutes time. Best of luck on the floor today, and I hope you’re not kept in there too long tonight (like last night). Also, thanks a million for the YouTube link of Senator Saslaw. People were astonished last year when we reported his remarks. For anyone who didn’t believe us, we’ll make good use of that link so that plenty of Virginians know for sure! Best of continued success in all your future endeavors, and you have an open invitation to come back any time you’d like.

Reply
Ann Hoover says:

March 11, 2008 at 10:28 am

Thank you for taking time to answer questions. I will be keeping up with what is going on in the Legislature. As a grandmother, I earnestly pray for school choice with vouchers, small government, no tax increase, rights of parents, property rights.

Reply
Marjorie F. Smith says:

March 11, 2008 at 10:44 am

Kudos to Senator Cuccinelli! It is so reassuring to know there really is someone within the government whose values and ideas about our government reflect my own and those of many people I know. Keep those taxes down. Self control is a foundational virtue and that includes being a good steward of the people’s money. Thank you also for working on mental health. My son has a brain disease(aka mental illness) and I don’t know what we are going to do. In addition to being the parent of a son with Bipolar, I have a master’s degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. I have 22 years of experience in the mental health field, both in the hospital and in outpatient psychotherapy as well as in authorizing psychiatric admissions. I would be happy to serve on a citizens’ board for mental health.

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FAMILYFOUNDATIONBLOG.COM » Blog Archive » To Our Virginia Blogosphere Brethren And Faithful Readers says:

April 8, 2008 at 10:46 am

[...] participated in his annual bloggers’ conference), Attorney General Bob McDonnell and Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37, Fairfax). We’ve had interviews with Delegates Jeff Frederick (R-52, Woodbridge) and [...]

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Senator Cuccinelli Live Blog Here NOW! Welcome, Senator!

5 Responses to “Senator Cuccinelli Live Blog Here NOW! Welcome, Senator!”

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