http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:42:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I'll be wortking the polls later today in Eastern Fairfax.County. I swung by the precinct before running errands.A few quick observations: 1. Dramatically lower early morning voting. In the Obama-McCain election there was a line of several hundred people waiting as the doors opened at 6am. Today I hear there ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/11/03/polls-open-in-virginia-a-blog-from-the-polls/ This has updated a bit since I posted the other day. Not trying to be too optimistic, but this could be very bad for the Democrats...especially if the strong shift to McDonnell translates down to the House of Delegates races. Currently the House is 53 GOP, 43 Dem, ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/11/02/va-governor-race-polling-trends-and-house-gop-gains/ The national news is focusing on the McDonnell-Deeds race for governor in Virginia.  This is the nicest representation of the polling trends I've seen so far ... I note the late tailing off for Deeds. If the embedded gizmo doesn't work, go to Pollster.com to see it.  But here is some polling ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/10/30/bob-mcdonnells-coat-tails-virginia-down-ticket-in-fairfax-county/ Tonight was a Halloween fun fair/PTA fundraiser at the elementary school. The halls are bustling with hundreds parents and kids in costume. Apparently Star Wars characters are very popular this year. In any case, as I'm wending my way from the Cake Walk to the Potty Pitch, ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/10/23/northern-virginia-news-the-money-has-dried-up/ It is the start of the get out the vote effort in Virginia.  It is just over 2 weeks to the election.  It's well known that McDonnell, Bolling and Cuccinelli are leading the Democrat opponents in every credible poll.  As I've noted before the entire House of Delegates is up for election ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/10/16/urgent-2009-election-northern-virginia-get-out-the-vote-kickoff/ Tonight one of the kids has a friend over for the night.  They are hogging the TV with video games, so in order to do something productive, I connected to the office network and started doing some work.  When I work at home, I put on my over-priced, capitalist-inspired, noise ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/10/11/the-new-glamour-boys-of-the-cult-of-personality/ I've posted before here about the apparent trend towards GOP candidates in Fairfax County, Virginia since the November 2008 election.  In quick recap, the GOP almost took the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairmanship in February and did take the Braddock District Supervisor seat in March. Then here, I posted an ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/09/11/virginia-2009-meet-jay-mcconville-candidate-for-va-44-house-of-delegates/ This was originally a response to Swamp Yankee's call for people to read the healthcare bill and publicize problems.  See Swamp's orignal post here.  I'll try to look at other portions tomorrow.  I'm really interested in the employer mandate to provide coverage; employee mandate to buy coverage and the end of ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/07/16/the-sec-102-promise-to-let-you-keep-your-existing-health-coverage-you-didnt-expect-them-to-let-you-keep-it-forever-do-you/ Promoted from the diaries by Erick. As I mentioned here, the Virginia 44th House of Delegate seat is now AN OPEN SEAT.  The sitting multi-term Democrat incumbent has quit the race.  I strongly think that the fund raising numbers from last reporting period made the decision for her.  This is now one ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/06/30/urgent-virginia-44th-house-of-delegate-race/ This year we have an election in Virginia.  Obviously, the national focus is on the three state-wide races.  However, I'd like to remind everyone that the Virginia House of Delegates is up for election as well.  The Democrats are only a handful of seats away from taking over the House.  ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/06/27/2009-virginia-elections-fairfax-county-report-pt-1-not-as-blue-as-you-think/ I was thinking of going to cast a vote in the Virginia Democrat gubernatorial primary next week.  For the longest time I was thinking of just voting for the one least likely to give McDonnell trouble.  So my choice was between: McAuliffe - very annoying, very liberal, very elitist and very much ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/05/28/virginia-governor-democratic-primary-race-write-in-mcdonnell/ I may be mistaken, but it doesn't seem that a massive privately funded organization (like George Soros or Moveon.org) funded all these hand made signs. We are the grassroots. Celebrity Appearances (top to bottom: Laura Ingraham, Tobin Smith and Urkel) Capitalism The Joy of Reading Free Stuff TARPs and Taxes Binkies and ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/04/16/pictures-from-dc-tea-party-thematically/ Previously I have chronicles my short road to conservative activism here.  [That is "a-c-t-i-v-i-s-m" Ms. Napolitano, not "t-e-r-r-o-r-i-s-m".] Yesterday, I attended the DC Tea Party ... my first protest rally.   Judging from the comments I heard, I was not the only protest novice.  Check another thing off of my "getting into conservative ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/04/16/continuing-the-tea-party-in-fairfax-county-va/ I just learned from James Parmelee at NorthernVirginiaGOP.com that two Tax Day Tea Parties are being organized in Northern Virginia. There are still indicators of an Annandale Tea Party on April 25 here. First, from 5pm to 7pm there will be a Tea Party at the Merrifield Post Office located at 8409 Lee ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/31/tea-parties-northern-virginia/ [crossposted at fairfaxgardener.blogspot.com] UPDATED 3/31  -  The TV stations that covered the Fairfax County, Virginia tax protest at the3 Government Center aired some of the interviews the made at the rally and have a write up on their web pages. I can't get the embedded video to work but here ar ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/31/fairfax-county-tax-protest-today/ I'm just testing the waters here.  I'm pondering the idea of having a good old fashioned back yard barbecue for any Fairfax County Redstaters out there.  Maybe try to see if any of our Fairfax GOP elected folks (Pat Herrity, John Cook, Michael Frey) or Fairfax GOP leaders (Anthony Bedell, Doug Jones) or ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/29/fairfax-county-redstater-get-together/ It was a good day.  [Some of the below was in a comment I posted to another Redstater's diary.] Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling formally kicked off their campaign for Virginia' governor and lt. governor in Annandale.  Nice turnout, which the Fairfax GOP numbered at 700.  The crowd was quite receptive ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/29/yesterday-and-tomorrow-in-fairfax-county/ I am a Conservative.  I always have been.  I believe in self reliance, self determination, individual responsibility and personal liberty.  If I fail at something, I innovate and try harder.  If I succeed at something, I capitalize on it so as to obtain the maximum benefit.  I suspect that most Redstaters ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/26/my-journey-to-conservative-activism/ In no way should the U.S. government regulate, oversee, limit or otherwise intrude in the field of executive pay, bonuses or oher compensation.  I do not care that the Democrat-controlled Congress has intruded into private business and now feels entitled to run those businesses.  The Congress was not designed by the ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/03/22/dear-congress-re-executive-bonuses/ Please do not support the stimulus plan currently before the Senate.  Throwing money around will not solve anything.  It did not work for Hoover and Roosevelt in the 1930s.  It did not work for Japan in the 1990s.  It will not work now. If we must have a stimulus package, a ... http://www.redstate.com/ddstrain/2009/02/07/a-request-for-sens-specter-collins-and-snowe/