2011 Arrives With Text Message From President Obama

“The Change we fought for in 2010 will benefit millions of Americans. I look forward to continuing that work with you next year. Happy new year. — Barack”

DPVA Holiday Reception Rescheduled for Thursday, January 6th

DPVA’s Holiday Fun-Raiser and Chair Meet and Greet

Date and Time:  1/06/2011, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Location:   Richmond Marriott Hotel

500 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219

Contact:  allison@vademocrats.org

For More Info Click Here

Feliz Navidad Y Prospero Año Nuevo!, Sretan Bozic i Nova Godina!, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Obama and Democrats – DNC Video Covers “Two Years of Progress”

DPVA’s Video Update “Values in Action”

Senator Webb Votes to Adjust “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy

December 21, 2010	Stay Connected: http://webb.senate.gov/

On Saturday, December 18, 2010, the Senate voted 65-31 to adjust the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Before the vote, I made the following statement on the floor of the Senate:

“I rise in support of the notion that we need to make adjustments to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. I say this after many years of thought and consideration and also in light of the analysis that has been provided by the Department of Defense to the Armed Services Committee on which I sit. I would say to my friend from South Carolina, I take the points that he has made about small unit cohesion. This has gone into the formula that I have used, myself, in order to come to my conclusion.

“We need to, first of all, understand what this is and what it is not. The question is not whether there should be gays and lesbians in the military. They are already there. According to General Ham, who conducted this extensive study, approximately the same percentage of the military is gay and lesbian as in our general population.

“The question is not about whether anyone should be able to engage in inappropriate conduct as a result of this policy, because we will not allow that and we will be very vigorous in our oversight of the Department of Defense to make sure that does not occur.

“The question is whether this policy, as now enacted, works in a way that on the one hand can protect small unit cohesion–or to sort that out–and on the other, allow people to live honest lives.

“Here’s what we have: We have a Secretary of Defense who served in the Air Force and who implemented a policy of nondiscrimination when he headed the C.I.A., coming forward strongly and saying he believes that the alteration of this policy will work. I would remind my colleagues that he began as Secretary of Defense in the Bush Administration. We have a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, who had an extensive career in surface warfare starting with small destroyers and up to commanding fleets, saying he believes the policy should change and that it can work. We have the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, a Marine, saying he believes this policy should change and it can work. Most interestingly, we have General Ham, who conducted this study—an infantry officer and former enlisted Army soldier whose religious beliefs caused him concern about homosexuality—at the same time saying this policy can be changed and that it should be changed.

“That is what we are seeing here. The question is whether a change in policy will create difficulties in small unit cohesion. That depends, as I mentioned during the hearings, on how the policy is implemented. I wrote a letter yesterday to Secretary Gates to reaffirm my understanding that this repeal would contemplate a sequenced implementation of the provisions for different units in the military as reasonably determined by the service chiefs, the combatant commanders in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He responded to me this morning saying, ‘This legislation would indeed permit’ it, and ‘The specific concerns you raise would be foremost in my mind as we develop an implementation plan.’

“Without this, Mr. President, I would not be voting to repeal this. I have spent my entire life in and around the military, including five years in the Pentagon. With this understanding and with the notion that we need to be putting a policy into place that allows an open way of living among people who have different points of view, I’m going to support this legislation.”
Senator Webb served as highly-decorated combat Marine in Vietnam and is currently chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee.

Click here to read Senator Webb’s letter to Secretary of Defense Gates

Click here to read Secretary Gates’ response to Senator Webb

Asking Voters/Citizens to “Protect the Protectors”

Note:  The following is from a December 20th Press Release and directed to Mr. Peter Frost and Daily Press … but the contents are important to every public servant across the Commonwealth and to every Virginian …
…

In response to the Daily Press article “Virginia’s Pensions Problem” printed in Sunday 19 December 2010; York County & City of Williamsburg Professional Firefighters would like to send this email in response to the article written by Peter Frost and commend him for using these true facts about the Virginia Retirement System and the Governors and Virginia House of Delegate Leadership plans to create a new TAX on current VRS members.

Your words used are much appreciated; it’s always nice to have the voting community be able to read the facts about an issue and not someone’s opinion. The voters need to know that local Fire Fighters, Paramedics, Law Enforcement Officers and state employees are suffering from this economic crisis. These proposed changes to the Virginia Retirement System would have devastating long lasting negative effects on your fire fighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers, teachers and other employees and their families across the state.

Speaking from a local fire fighters perspective; we and our families have suffered for roughly 3 years, not receiving earned years of service raises, Cost of Living / Market Adjustments, and increases in health care cost with benefits being reduced year after year.

Last year was an extremely difficult year for your public safety officials; however, 2011 will be an even tougher fight. Your Firefighters, Paramedics, Law Enforcement Officers, Teachers and other dedicated employees will again see our healthcare insurance increase. The budget process just began for our locality and it is rumored that we are not receiving any Cost of Living / Market Adjustment and our earned years of service raises will still be frozen.

The Governor and House Leadership is once again attempting to place the entire state financial problems on the backs of the people who put their health and lives on “The Line” every day for all Virginians. They once again will attempt to add a NEW TAX on our pay checks to make up for loses created by years of underfunding by our elected officials.

Firefighters, Paramedics and other local/state employees continue to live in fear of losing the American dream. Morale is plummeting and we must ask ourselves when the “Bleeding” will stop. The only way these officials will stop the attacks is if the voters we protect everyday stand up and “Protect the Protectors” by ordering their elected officials to Stop the Attack on us.

Your Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics thank you again for your support by writing this article which states only the FACTS.

Drafted by: York County & City of Williamsburg Professional Fire Fighters Public Relations Committee and released by President Dinse

Donald M. Dinse, President
York County & City of Williamsburg Professional Fire Fighters

Cc: International Association of Fire Fighters
Virginia Professional Fire Fighters
VEA
Virginia Fraternal Order of Police
VCOPS
Virginia PBA

Modern Communications …”The Digital Story of the Nativity”

“Ghosts of Past Budget Debates Still Haunt Congress”

by Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott issued the following statement upon Congress passing H.R. 4853, the tax cut compromise reached by the President and Congressional Republicans:

“As the 111th Congress winds to a close and families across America are struggling this holiday season, I am deeply disappointed that one of our last acts was to pass an irresponsible bill that, in the long run, will only hurt hardworking Americans and their families.

“This bill adds more than $800 billion to the deficit over two-years – more than the cost of TARP and more than the cost of the Stimulus Bill.   It costs about the same over two years as the 10-year cost of the Health Care Reform bill, which we paid for.

“Next year, when the 112th Congress convenes, one of our first priorities will have to be addressing the national debt.  By passing this package, we will essentially have to cut Social Security, let Medicare wither on the vine, cut federal college student aid programs, and gut the Education and Labor Departments in order to pay for this.  In fact, we know that’s the plan of the incoming House Republican Majority – all you need to do is look at the so-called Road Map for America’s Future, introduced by the incoming Republican Chairman of the Budget Committee.

“The nation’s fiscal crisis did not happen overnight; it is the result of several years of fiscal irresponsibility.  In the six years that the Republicans held both Congress and the White House, they enacted $1.3 trillion in tax cuts in 2001 and another $350 billion in 2003 without offsets.  They created a trillion dollar prescription drug entitlement program without paying for it.  We also shouldn’t forget that they financed two wars overseas with borrowed money.

“In 2003, I asked the question:  How bad does it have to get before we start doing something about this ever-growing deficit?  There is an old adage “If you don’t change direction, you will eventually get to where you are headed.”  We are headed towards fiscal disaster.

“It is my hope that in 2011, Congress will work to seriously tackle fiscal responsibility without placing more burdens on hardworking Americans and their families.  But because of the passage of this tax cut package, that work will be significantly more difficult.  Nevertheless, I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to help put our nation back to work and back on track toward a healthy and prosperous future.”

Check out what Congressman Scott said seven years ago on the State of the Fiscal Nation:

Wal-Mart Recalls 2.2 Million “Made-in-China” Electric Heaters Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2010 Release #11-069

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 925-6278 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Wal-Mart Recalls Electric Heaters Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze & Comfort Essentials Heaters

Units: About 2.2 million

Importer: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas

Hazard: The heaters can malfunction resulting in overheating, smoking, burning, melting and fire.

Incidents/Injuries: Wal-Mart has received 21 reports of incidents, which included 11 reports of property damage beyond the heater. Injuries were reported in four incidents, three of which required medical attention for minor burns and smoke inhalation. The remaining incidents included smoke irritation, sparking or property damage beyond the heater.

Description: This recall involves Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze and Comfort Essentials 1500 watt heaters. The heaters are grey with a metal handle on the top with vents and grey control knobs on the front. The model number is 1013 and can be found on a label on the lower left corner of the back panel of the heater.

Sold Exclusively at: Walmart stores nationwide from December 2001 through October 2009 for about $18.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heater and return the product to any Walmart store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Wal-Mart toll-free at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.walmart.com

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx