Old Virginia News

On Tuesday night, Governor Bob McDonnell signed the bill to approve the newly-redrawn congressional districts in Virginia that were passed last week by the General Assembly. The [...]

Va Senate bill to curb teen cell phone use while driving

By JULIAN WALKER

Virginian-Pilot

Teen drivers who use cell phones while operating a vehicle can now be ticketed for that behavior if police stop them for another offense. A bill that cleared the Virginia Senate today would tighten the restriction on cell phone use by provisional license holders, meaning authorities could stop them simply for using their phone while operating a vehicle.

What is to keep the kid from putting the cell phone down if they are getting pulled over? This bill makes no sense.

After seeing studies about distractions while talking on the phone, it might be time for a bill restricting cell phone use while driving, regardless of age. Anyone caught texting while driving should be dragged out of their car and beaten soundly about the head and shoulders.

Virginia needs to stop ignorning the cell phone/texting problem and legislate some serious laws with teeth. Too many accidents are a result of people fiddling with their technology. Eyes off the road, even for a second, can be deadly.

One gun a month going away?

The Senate Courts of Justice committee voted 8-7 to repeal the state’s one gun per month law: Proponents, including the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Charles W. Carrico Sr. [...]

Virginia drug testing bill advances

tricities.com:

Richmond-

One of several Virginia Republican bills–which aims to require drug tests for welfare recipients–may be one step closer to becoming law.

The bill would require initial screening of people seeking benefits under Virginia’s Temporary Aid for Needy Families Program. Those who screen positive would have blood drawn for more definitive tests. Those who fail would forfeit their benefits for at least a year.

For those alarmed about illegal search and seizures, this bill might cause some heartburn. Additionally, for those who test positive, what about their children who rely on those benefits? Will they also be punished? What drugs would ‘big brother’ be looking for? If an individual is supposed to be taking rx drugs for mental health, would they be denied benefits if they were NOT taking their meds?

Would this bill be Constitutional? Does the Federal government allow such drug testing? Where do funds come from for Temporary Aid for Needy Families Program? Are these federal funds?

I see a lot of problems with this kind of government intervention. This bill might drive the libertarians nuts.

Senate moves to lift Sunday hunting ban

Numerous bills that would allow some form of Sunday hunting have been proposed in this session. One of them has now passed the Senate: The state Senate [...]

Why You Can’t Debate Liberals

They are, in a word, blockheads.

Take Roanoke Times columnist Dan Casey for instance (please).

In his latest exercise in byte-waste (see "There's no good future in unsustainable practices"), he goes after the Roanoke Tea Party.

Why?

Because the Roanoke Tea Party - as a collective - sees no good in Roanoke County's participation (at an annual cost of $1200?) in a bosomy international kumbaya society that goes by the acronym ICLEI.

So why is the Tea Party wrong for opposing ICLEI?

Here's Casey's reasoning:

ICLEI is for "sustainability." ? ? ? The Tea Party opposes ICLEI. ? ? ? Therefore the Tea Party opposes sustainability. ? ? ? Therefore the Tea Party stands for "unsustainability." ? ? ? And who is for unsustainability?

What?

How do you even argue that?

Who would even want to?

You'd be better off arguing with a potted plant.