Visiting with Goochland County Democratic Committee

On September 26, 2010, State Senator Donald McEachin visited with Goochland County Democratic Committee during their annual Ice Cream Social.

Senator McEachin introduces Krystal Ball

On Sunday September 26, 2010, State Senator Donald McEachin introduced congressional candidate Krystal Ball at a fundraiser for Ball in Henrico County, Virginia. McEachin spoke briefly in support of Ball, who is challenging Congressman Rob Wittman in Virginia's 1st Congressional District. Ms. Ball then delivered a rousing stump speech in which she gave an update on the progress of her campaign and laid out her plans for defeating Wittman.



Please visit Krystal Ball's campaign site and show your support by volunteering and/or donating.

Senator McEachin's statement on McDonnell Civil War speech

State Senator A. Donald McEachin today released this statement in response to the Governor’s speech about the Confederate History Month Proclamation:

"I would like to take this opportunity to commend the governor for his promise about next year’s Civil War month. As someone who has not hesitated to comment when I believed the governor is in error, I want to also praise him when I believe he is right.

"Here in Virginia, we can only truly commemorate and remember the Civil War by honoring the memory of all those who suffered during those horrific times. The Commonwealth that we all love ran red with blood and suffering in those times. Young men on both sides of that confrontation were killed, wounded and maimed here. Civilians, both black and white, free and slave, also suffered and died. The losses here were staggering, not only of family members never to be seen again, but of homes that families had spent years building and creating and, with the loss of those homes and their loved ones, dreams were lost. Those losses were suffered by people of all colors, slave and free.

"Let me thank the governor again for acknowledging this universal suffering and for putting in place the process for us as Virginians to remember this time and to learn from it. As we study this conflagration, let us remember that freedom and liberty are a universal human rights and that we Virginians must rededicate ourselves to ensuring that all people are able to live free."

"Opinion: The GOP Doubles Down on Bush's Agenda"

U.S. Representative and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer gives us his take on what the Republicans are offering Americans this November:

Today, congressional Republicans announced their policy agenda -- the direction in which they want to take America. But America got a sneak preview this summer, when the Republican congressional campaign chairman, Rep. Pete Sessions, spelled out his party's plan in a national interview on "Meet the Press," saying, "We need to go back to the exact same agenda" of the Bush administration.

The agenda Republicans announced today contains the exact same Bush policies that led to the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, left the middle class behind while the wealthy accumulated more and more, and exploded our national debt. Across the spectrum, these policies are proven failures for the middle class and for America's security -- and there's no reason to think that this time will be any different.

Read the complete article at aolnews.

Senator McEachin Commends Senator Webb’s National Criminal Justice Commission Act and Urges Its Passage

State Senator Donald McEachin has released the following statement regarding U.S. Senator Jim Webb's National Criminal Justice Commission Act:

Senator McEachin Commends Senator Webb’s National Criminal Justice Commission Act and Urges Its Passage

Richmond-Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today released this statement in support of Senator Jim Webb’s (D-Virginia) National Criminal Justice Commission Act:

“I want to urge the United States Senate to quickly pass Senator Webb’s hallmark legislation that will create a blue ribbon commission to study every aspect of our criminal justice system and will be tasked with finding concrete, usable suggestions to address the serious deficiencies in the system. As we all know, our criminal justice system is in crisis. We have 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s incarcerated individuals. Moreover, in just the last thirty years, the number of drug offenders who are imprisoned has soared 1200%. Four times as many of our mentally ill are in prisons rather than mental hospitals.

“Perhaps most disturbing, our re-entry programs are haphazard and all too frequently non-existent. This undermines public safety and makes it much more difficult for an ex-offender to succeed outside of prison, raising the recidivism rates and endangering our families and communities.

“I recognize that the best method for reducing the prison population is to have the best public school system, eliminate poverty and provide opportunity and job training. While these solutions may seem apparent, I realize that they are extremely difficult to implement, a situation worsened by our perilous economy. However, Senator Webb’s commission will have the chance to study these sobering statistics, and determine real solutions that can be reasonably executed .

“His bill has had bipartisan support and sponsors in the both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Let me take this opportunity to commend legislators from both sides of the aisle for coming together for this very important legislation and to note that Virginia’s other Senator, Mark Warner, has also signed on as a co-sponsor.

I would also like to commend the many and varied organizations that have taken a lead on supporting this Commission, including almost 100 varied organizations such as the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Social Workers, the NAACP and many faith based organizations and religious groups. Only by taking this unique opportunity to work together and find real solutions can we address this serious problem. Our families, our children and our neighborhoods will be the true beneficiaries.”

Mark Warner's pig roast

A beautiful day on the Rappahannock River with lots of old friends.

"Liquor privatization insufficient for transportation"

This is information that Virginians need to know:

If Mr. McDonnell's calculations are correct, selling off liquor licenses and other assets would produce a one-time windfall of $458 million. That sounds like a substantial sum -- but it is paltry compared to the state's annual unmet needs for transportation. It would be a onetime gain, when the state needs a steady stream of new revenue. To put it in some perspective, $458 million doesn't even begin to cover the cost of maintaining Virginia's roads for six months, let alone constructing new ones.

You can read the rest of the article at The Washington Post.

Senator McEachin's response to McDonnell's ABC Privatization Plan

State Senator Donald McEachin released the following statement regarding Governor Bob McDonnell's plan to give Virginia's ABC Stores to McDonnell's supporters for a song:

I appreciate the governor releasing his plan so that we will have the time and opportunity to study it. I have, however, some questions that I very much believe need to be addressed. The governor has said repeatedly that we cannot raise taxes, that tax increases are a job and economy killer. So, I would ask him, how and why, in these extremely perilous economic times, he would consider raising taxes on small business, the engine of job creation here in the Commonwealth and in the country. I would ask him to address how and why he would consider raising taxes on the backs of those mom and pop businesses that create 80% of the jobs which are so desperately needed in this economy.

Moreover, I am troubled by the idea of issuing 1,000 licenses. As we can well surmise, this number of licenses means there will be an inordinate number of stores selling hard liquor. These stores could end up across the street from a local high school, or next door to the ball fields or in other places where our underage youth will find uncommon temptation. I also fear that too many of these new stores will end up in low income neighborhoods, taking advantage of those who already struggle, those who are most vulnerable and those who can't make ends meet. Those are the very individuals, suffering without jobs and without a secure future, who will find themselves turning to alcohol which could now be all too available on every block in their community.

I would hope these questions can be addressed as we move forward and as we all continue to study the governor's proposal.

Watch "Jan Brewer's Dismal Debate Performance"

From State Senator Donald McEachin: "Wow . . . I encourage you to watch both videos."





Read more about Jan Brewer's dismal performance at AOL News.

An incumbent Governor who won't debate?

An incumbent Governor who won't debate anymore...one and she is done?

Incumbent Republican Jan Brewer said Thursday she has no intention of participating in any more events with Democrat Terry Goddard. She said the only reason she debated him on Wednesday is she had to to qualify for more than $1.7 million in public funds for her campaign.

I don't believe that things come out in proper context in an adversarial atmosphere," she said. And Brewer said she is available for interviews.

So she did it just so she could get public funds for her campaign? Amazing.

You can read the entire article at the Washington Post.

Will Glenn Beck sit down with Jim Wallis?

Jim Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, speaker, and international commentator on ethics and public life, and he has been the target of attacks by Glenn Beck. In a recent blog post, Wallis asks Glenn Beck to sit down for some dialogue:

I think we got off on the wrong foot. I listened to your speech last Saturday and heard a lot of things that we agree on. In fact, I have used some of the same language of our need to turn to God, and the values of “faith, hope, and charity” (love). What I would like to find out, and others would too, is what you mean by that language. Until last weekend, you have consistently described yourself primarily as an entertainer, and the public has known you as a talk show host. But last Saturday, you sounded more like an evangelist or revivalist on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I know we disagree significantly on many issues of public policy, but you said that people can disagree on politics and still agree on basic values and try to come together. Maybe we should test that. Instead of my being up on your blackboard and a regular target of your show’s rhetoric, why don’t we finally have that civil dialogue I invited you to months ago? Your speech on the Mall suggested and even promised a change of heart on your part, so why don’t we talk?

You can read the rest of Wallis' open letter to Glenn Beck by clicking here.