The title of this post is Emmett Hanger's slogan. At this point, the slogan is more of a theory than a reality.
Ten years ago Emmett Hanger chaired the task of finding a new Virginia state song- a task which he supposedly thought was very important. Now, ten years later, there is still no Virginia state song.
"Hanger provides leadership," you say? "Hanger will be placed on more committees and chair the finance committee so he can help us out more," you say? "Hanger is a leader," you say?
Hanger has been the 24th district's senator for 8 years. During that time the Valley has become one of the most prolific Meth manufacturing and distribution zones on the East Coast, while our state troopers remained under-manned and under-funded. I81 has become a traveler's nightmare, with major wrecks happening frequently and lives lost, while no transportation fixes have taken place. Illegal immigrant population has continued to rise and gang related violence has continued to increase, while no proactive measures have been taken to prevent or control these crisis.
How can we expect Hanger to take care of these problems when he cannot even provide a state song after a DECADE??? Where is the "LEADERSHIP" that people are talking about?
Leaders get things done, despite difficulties. What has Hanger gotten done? Well, raise taxes, talk about raising more taxes, try to get illegal immigrants into our state colleges with in-state tuition benefits, try to give some convicted felons back their voting priviledges, make big-money friends in Richmond, and spend our state budget money like crazy.
If all that is negative, then Hanger's facts are negative, bacuse those are the F.A.C.T.s
If you don't like them, well, that's your problem, 'cause you can't make facts go away... Even if you run an expensive advertising campaign to cover 'em up.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
He Started It
Don’t tell me to stop making negative remarks about our rhetorically-challenged incumbent senator. He started it.
After all this talk I hear from the Scott Sayre campaign about keeping this race positive and based upon facts and real solutions for our valley, Hanger goes off like a Dick Cheney shotgun.
What prompted it?
Hanger again accuses Scott Sayre’s supporters of being anti-tax, anti-government “extremists”; and he bashes the Republican grassroots which got him elected; and he insinuates that the Sayre campaign will be utilizing outside funds; and he throws potshots, like “I don’t need a consultant to tell ME how to think; and… Well, you know the rest.
And then, when the Sayre campaign says anything about Hanger’s record (the FACTs) they get accused of “negative campaigning”.
Hanger’s tax increases were the largest ever and were during a time of surplus --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
Most of Hanger’s own money is from outside the 24th District --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
Hanger supports raising the gas tax, giving illegals loopholes to get in-state tuition, and giving certain convicted felons back their voting rights --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
As Charlie Brown would say, “Good grief!”
All I have to say is: He started it.
After all this talk I hear from the Scott Sayre campaign about keeping this race positive and based upon facts and real solutions for our valley, Hanger goes off like a Dick Cheney shotgun.
What prompted it?
Hanger again accuses Scott Sayre’s supporters of being anti-tax, anti-government “extremists”; and he bashes the Republican grassroots which got him elected; and he insinuates that the Sayre campaign will be utilizing outside funds; and he throws potshots, like “I don’t need a consultant to tell ME how to think; and… Well, you know the rest.
And then, when the Sayre campaign says anything about Hanger’s record (the FACTs) they get accused of “negative campaigning”.
Hanger’s tax increases were the largest ever and were during a time of surplus --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
Most of Hanger’s own money is from outside the 24th District --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
Hanger supports raising the gas tax, giving illegals loopholes to get in-state tuition, and giving certain convicted felons back their voting rights --- “Oh, but that’s negative campaigning.”
As Charlie Brown would say, “Good grief!”
All I have to say is: He started it.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Read the Letter
From the Staunton News Leader (yes, they actually printed it):
Hanger a Democrat playing Republican
Wednesday's edition of The News Leader published an article regarding the primary challenge by Scott Sayre to incumbent state Sen. Emmett Hanger. Among other things, the article suggested that this challenge would tear apart the local Republican party opening the door for a Democrat to take the seat. Mr. Hanger also suggested that his vote for a huge tax increase in 2004 would help prevent an increase in property taxes. Have you seen your new property tax assessment? How did this work out for you? Are your property taxes going down? I don't think so. (Ironically, within weeks of the vote for the tax increase, ostensibly needed because of the coming terrible budget deficit, the state announced a huge budget surplus totally unrelated to the tax increase which hadn't yet taken effect.)
Members of my family and friends worked very hard to unseat Frank Nolen and elect Emmett Hanger in 1995. The centerpiece of this effort was Mr. Nolen's refusal to go along with then-Gov. Allen's tax cut.
Now we have Mr. Hanger betraying the people who supported him by crossing over and voting for the huge tax increase in 2004 virtually weeks after he had been re-elected using ads assuring us that he would not vote to raise taxes.
We don't need Republicans who vote like Democrats. Hanger pulled the same bait-and-switch in 1999. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I will be supporting and voting for Scott Sayre in the June Republican state senatorial primary. I urge others to do the same.
Staunton
STEVAN T. HANNA M.D.
(http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704220324)
Hanger a Democrat playing Republican
Wednesday's edition of The News Leader published an article regarding the primary challenge by Scott Sayre to incumbent state Sen. Emmett Hanger. Among other things, the article suggested that this challenge would tear apart the local Republican party opening the door for a Democrat to take the seat. Mr. Hanger also suggested that his vote for a huge tax increase in 2004 would help prevent an increase in property taxes. Have you seen your new property tax assessment? How did this work out for you? Are your property taxes going down? I don't think so. (Ironically, within weeks of the vote for the tax increase, ostensibly needed because of the coming terrible budget deficit, the state announced a huge budget surplus totally unrelated to the tax increase which hadn't yet taken effect.)
Members of my family and friends worked very hard to unseat Frank Nolen and elect Emmett Hanger in 1995. The centerpiece of this effort was Mr. Nolen's refusal to go along with then-Gov. Allen's tax cut.
Now we have Mr. Hanger betraying the people who supported him by crossing over and voting for the huge tax increase in 2004 virtually weeks after he had been re-elected using ads assuring us that he would not vote to raise taxes.
We don't need Republicans who vote like Democrats. Hanger pulled the same bait-and-switch in 1999. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I will be supporting and voting for Scott Sayre in the June Republican state senatorial primary. I urge others to do the same.
Staunton
STEVAN T. HANNA M.D.
(http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704220324)
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The FACTs Don't Lie
I did some serious digging.
Senator Hanger said he still has the support of the 24th District, except for some of the "extremists" who have taken over the Republican leadership. Well, how does Hanger prove that statement?
By raising money OUTSIDE of District 24???
Hanger apparently raised $68,250, not counting the $10,000 loan he got. Of that $68k, almost $60k came from outside the District!!!
The supposedly popular senator Hanger only received two individual donations from inside his own huge senatorial district. Only 2 individual donations! Is this the support Hanger has been talking about? More than 3/4 of Hanger's money came from outside the district.
But don't take my word for it. The FACTs don't lie:
Of senator Hanger's 28 donors, there were 10 PACs and 13 corporations. The PACs gave him $39,500, the corps. gave him $18,250.
I understand that every politician has friends who would give money to him, no matter where he is running. So let's take a look at Hanger's friends:
Apparently that's where Hanger's friends are.
I can't wait to break down Scott Sayre's numbers. Apparently 80% of his cash donations come from inside the district in which he is running. And with no PAC contributions.
But Hanger... well, FACTs are FACTs.
$59, 250 outside the 24th Senate District; $9,500 inside the District.
Senator Hanger said he still has the support of the 24th District, except for some of the "extremists" who have taken over the Republican leadership. Well, how does Hanger prove that statement?
By raising money OUTSIDE of District 24???
Hanger apparently raised $68,250, not counting the $10,000 loan he got. Of that $68k, almost $60k came from outside the District!!!
The supposedly popular senator Hanger only received two individual donations from inside his own huge senatorial district. Only 2 individual donations! Is this the support Hanger has been talking about? More than 3/4 of Hanger's money came from outside the district.
But don't take my word for it. The FACTs don't lie:
Of senator Hanger's 28 donors, there were 10 PACs and 13 corporations. The PACs gave him $39,500, the corps. gave him $18,250.
I understand that every politician has friends who would give money to him, no matter where he is running. So let's take a look at Hanger's friends:
$42,250 came from Richmond.
Apparently that's where Hanger's friends are.
I can't wait to break down Scott Sayre's numbers. Apparently 80% of his cash donations come from inside the district in which he is running. And with no PAC contributions.
But Hanger... well, FACTs are FACTs.
$59, 250 outside the 24th Senate District; $9,500 inside the District.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Humorous Quote of the Day...
"The difference between death and taxes is death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets."
- Will Rogers American humorist, (1879 - 1935)
...Or maybe not so humorous around here. It hits a little to close to home. I wonder when we will elect a representative who will ease the pain... Maybe June 12?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
The un-Constitutional FACTs
Stewardship should not only be a primary responsibility of government, it should be a general principle which spans party lines. But Virginia’s current government has thrown the principle of stewardship in the wastebasket.
Our Commonwealth’s Constitution clearly states: "No other or greater amount of tax or revenues shall, at any time, be levied than may be required for the necessary expenses of the government, or to pay the indebtedness of the Commonwealth."
Yet listen to American for Prosperity’s legislative report from February: “While Senate Finance approved $14.7 million in earmarks, House Appropriations approved a staggering $22.5 million in earmark projects. Both of these amounts are in excess of the nearly $37 million in pork-barrel earmarks approved last year.... Over the past decade, already over $200 million in taxpayer dollars has been spent on these pork-barrel earmarks for non-state agencies.”
This is why our taxes keep going up! Not because our government “needs” more revenues, but because our government is SPENDING more revenues. I am frustrated with this out-of-control budget, but excited that there is an alternative.
R. Scott Sayre, a new candidate for Senate in our district, has signed the America’s for Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” a direct commitment to the taxpayers of our district that taxes do not need to be raised in order to balance our budget. The ’04 tax increases were imposed upon us during a time of a surplus, and then generated a new $1.3 billion surplus, but where has that gotten us? Where are the road improvements, the education improvements, the law enforcement improvements?
New taxes are not the answer, and are certainly not “reform”. The answer is prioritized spending, cutting unnecessary spending, and obeying the Virginia Constitution. The answer is Scott Sayre’s answer: “No new taxes.” We can run a budget on the same principle that we run a budget in our homes and businesses: Stewardship.
Our Commonwealth’s Constitution clearly states: "No other or greater amount of tax or revenues shall, at any time, be levied than may be required for the necessary expenses of the government, or to pay the indebtedness of the Commonwealth."
Yet listen to American for Prosperity’s legislative report from February: “While Senate Finance approved $14.7 million in earmarks, House Appropriations approved a staggering $22.5 million in earmark projects. Both of these amounts are in excess of the nearly $37 million in pork-barrel earmarks approved last year.... Over the past decade, already over $200 million in taxpayer dollars has been spent on these pork-barrel earmarks for non-state agencies.”
This is why our taxes keep going up! Not because our government “needs” more revenues, but because our government is SPENDING more revenues. I am frustrated with this out-of-control budget, but excited that there is an alternative.
R. Scott Sayre, a new candidate for Senate in our district, has signed the America’s for Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” a direct commitment to the taxpayers of our district that taxes do not need to be raised in order to balance our budget. The ’04 tax increases were imposed upon us during a time of a surplus, and then generated a new $1.3 billion surplus, but where has that gotten us? Where are the road improvements, the education improvements, the law enforcement improvements?
New taxes are not the answer, and are certainly not “reform”. The answer is prioritized spending, cutting unnecessary spending, and obeying the Virginia Constitution. The answer is Scott Sayre’s answer: “No new taxes.” We can run a budget on the same principle that we run a budget in our homes and businesses: Stewardship.
[Please copy the above and send it to your local paper! People need to know the FACTs]
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