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Published: October 7, 2009
Updated: October 8, 2009
Writer: Valentine serves area well
As the country watched the raucous congressional town meetings this summer, one message was loud and clear: America’s voters want their elected representatives to listen to them. Certainly, responsible voters know it isn’t practical or possible to expect elected officials to always agree with each of us. However, when people feel their their opinions aren’t given due consideration, then they get frustrated and angry, and they want to “throw da bums out!”
However, in the rush to get rid of “da bums” we need to be careful that we don’t get rid of those officials who actually do listen to their constituents. One of those officials is Shannon Valentine.
Since the day she was elected our delegate, she has dedicated herself to representing her constituents first and always. The News & Advance has been filled with letters from her constituents of varying political persuasions who have offered specific examples of the way she has listened to their concerns and worked diligently to help obtain a resolution.
Central Virginians have long said that improved transportation options in our area were critical for future economic development. Del. Valentine led the bipartisan effort that established intercity rail service from Lynchburg and Richmond to Washington, D.C. Politicians talked about this for years; Shannon Valentine got something done.
Lynchburg politicians keep saying we need to do something to encourage business growth but don’t say exactly how they would accomplish this goal. Del. Valentine sponsored a bill that allows local governments to create arts and cultural districts by offering tax incentives and regulatory flexibility to new and expanding businesses which is an effective revitalization tool that creates jobs, increases revenue and encourages new capital investment. Politicians keep talking about finding ways to help small businesses; Shannon Valentine got something done.
Shannon Valentine represents the people of Lynchburg and Madison Heights; she doesn’t work for the politicians in Richmond. We will never get a mailing from a gubernatorial candidate asking us to send Shannon Valentine to Richmond because he needs her vote. She has proven time and again that she is in Richmond to represent the people of the 23rd District and answers to no one else.
Shannon Valentine listens to us. She hears us. And she represents us with great dignity, compassion, and diligence. I believe she has earned our trust and our vote to continue as our delegate.
JIM ACKLEY
Lynchburg
A bit confused?
Scott Garrett does not inspire confidence in his ability to understand complex legislation and serve the voters of the 23rd District. Last Friday, Garrett declared that Del. Shannon Valentine favored raising several state taxes related to transportation. Where did he get this information? He misread the questions and Valentine’s responses to a Virginia FREE questionnaire.
Then he sent out a news release detailing his confusions.
Garrett is running on a “cut taxes” platform. When asked which specific statewide taxes he would cut to honor this campaign promise, he stated that he couldn’t currently name a tax that he could cut, but when he gets to Richmond “he will find one.”
Del. Valentine understands the issues and is an open and honest communicator. She can answer questions truthfully and with specifics. She will receive my vote Nov. 3.
RINA SHERE
Lynchburg
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Reader Reactions
As far as referring to the comments about the dinner being childish, grandma, that says much more about you than it does about us.
It’s reflective what what your obvious problem is. You keep yourself in this deceptive echo chamber, unwilling to reach out to learn new things and new people. That’s your privledge, sad as it is, but I’m not afraid to meet new people. You know why? That’s what adults do. It’s the childish ones are the ones who are really afraid of new people.
“Not “, if you are talking to me, I was referring to the comments, or I should say childish conversation, about some gathering they had at a restaurant. Instead of talking about the topic, they went on and on with their disgusting and childish description about having a meal at some restaurant. This took up to at least three-fourths of the day’s comments.
That’s what I meant when I said INTELLIGENT conversation. Sorry I didn’t explain myself better.
grandma wrote:
You are correct in your assessment of the military report. Never before has a President NOT followed the commanders on the ground’s request NEVER!
You see folks, this is what happens when all one can do is say “duhhhhh ditto”, and have no desire to educate one’s self.
Not only is this wrong, but it is a blatant lie repeated by the right to decieve the weak minded.
I remind you that Bush didn’t listen to Colon Powell’s warning before he went to war in Iraq. Not only that, but he fired two Generals in succession because they reported the war not going well and asked for more troops ect.
Get that grandma?? Fired them because he didn’t WANT] to hear what they had to say.
Bush, the gop god, did not listen.
I’ll tell you the reason why you and jedi post this nonsense so readily grandma. Perhaps you’ll recgonize the words:
...it is apparent the people on this blog cannot carry on an intelligent conversation. Lack of knowledge, I guess
Never has a self proclamation been proven to be so true.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people will totally ignore the comments presented by others. I see one side presenting their own honest opinion, whether it is right or wrong, and another side regurgitating the sentiments of a certain news channel. Talk about sheep being lead for a fleecing. Who’s showing their intelligence here? The ones who see the world around them and voice their own opinion? Or…The ones who sits in front of the Same News Channel every day and see the world only as presented by this ONE source?
Have a good day, and people…get out and see the world as it really is… It might make you a better person.
Hey grandma, I think its more like, Man created god in an evolutionary manner.
I just heard that Obama will have a “basketball shoot” today with Geitner and others. Gee, maybe that will help him in his decision on Afghanistan.
Jedi, it is apparent the people on this blog cannot carry on an intelligent conversation. Lack of knowledge, I guess.
You are correct in your assessment of the military report. Never before has a President NOT followed the commanders on the ground’s request. NEVER! Obama is stalling until the Health Care debacle is passed…or trying to, but that may not work.
By the way, Scott Garrett will be on WLNI’s “Morning Line” this morning. Valentine was on yesterday. Let’s see if Garrett performs “as usual”.
I think you are missing jedihunter’s point Clare. The fact that he only has one and it doesn’t happen to be connected to anything even remotely rational makes it easy to miss. If you are interested, here it is. Nothing President Obama or any Democrat does can ever be any good. That’s it. It would be a mistake to think there is more.
Poet… You honored US with your company.
There we all were, as different as apples and eggs, but the infinite space between us that is so obvious at this site disappeared in a flash of bright smiles and handshakes when the rubber met the road.
It was everything I hoped it would be when the idea first popped into my head. A “face to face” rather than a continual face-off. A meeting, as opposed to a “meating”.
As informative and entertaining as internet posting and poking at keys can be, it’s still cold and disconnected and private. There is nothing warm about it and that’s a fact. Putting a face and a smile and a personality to the words changes all that in profound ways.
I think the five of us showed up on tuesday night for just that reason. To change it, if only for ourselves, in some small fashion from black and white words to warm flesh and bones. It happened and I don’t think it can be explained other than to say… you had to be there.
And Poet, you brought with you perhaps more than you realized. You left me richer for knowing you in more ways than one.
I thank you all for your good company.
The first meeting of “The Corps of Discovery II” has happened, so let me say this as even Jedihunter will understand it. As Yoda would put it… “Again we will do this.“
Clarification:
McChrystal submitted a request to Robert Gates, in writing, on September 21st.
The Pentagon and NATO has a process by which such requests become classified as “formal”. In said process, the request comes from the leader in the field and goes through a series of offices, where other commanders can comment on it.
The request is classified as “informal” until it goes through all of those offices and the commanders have input.
So I’m not seeing where this is coming from the Obama administration. It appears to be a military classification of “informal”, as designated by the Pentagon.
I referred to McChrystal’s report (see link below) available Sep. 21, not the “request” for the report - http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/Assessment_Redacted_092109.pdf?sid=ST2009092003140
So the Commander-in-Chief can’t expect to see a critical report and recommendation from his hand-picked Afghanistan commander, but has to make an “informal request”, waiting for “vetting” and to “work it(‘s) way through the chain of command”? Maybe his Annointedship - too busy holding pep rallies and jetting hither and yon, apologizing for past Administrations and underwhelming our allies – should act as Commander.
Unbelievable!
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