Opinion

Recently, a group of more than a dozen superintendents and school officials from around the 5th District had the opportunity to sit down with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to talk about the challenges and opportunities in our education system. I convened this roundtable to give school districts the opportunity to communicate directly with the Secretary about what’s working and what’s not in Virginia schools.

    There are times that call for standing your ground, no matter what, when you are right. There are other times when graciously backing off is the better choice.

    The reasoning behind Dr. William McIntosh’s decision to include a bust of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin at the National D-Day Memorial is correct. Dr. McIntosh sees all these sculptures as teaching tools and Stalin has an important lesson to teach us.

It is no secret that the American people are facing a very tough economic climate. Families and small businesses are cutting back on expenses.  As economic uncertainty continues, many across our nation are looking to the government for leadership during this difficult time.  In these challenging economic times it is even more important for government to control spending.

    We have less than three weeks to go before the Nov. 3 state and local elections. I hope you’re registered and intend to show up at the polls as these elections are important.

    Granted, the local picture in Bedford County isn’t exciting. The incumbents are running unopposed, so if each one gets his wife to vote for him and not too many people vote for Mickey Mouse, he wins. However, there are contested races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general as well as the 19th House of Delegates seat.

Grieving the loss

    The community grieves at the loss of Olde Liberty Station.  It has been a welcoming place to enjoy good food for so many.

    Happily Harry and Julie Leist are planning to reconstruct and reopen this well-loved restaurant and landmark.

This summer Democratic leaders in Congress introduced H.R. 3200, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act”, which sets the tone for a Washington takeover of the health care system —one defined by federal regulation, mandates, a myriad of new big government programs, and a significant increase in federal spending and debt. 

    The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a recent posting on the Facebook Web site that posed the following question: “Should President Obama be killed?”

    The choices for answers in this “poll” were telling: yes, no, maybe and “if he takes my health care.” According to news reports, more than 700 people responded before the posting was pulled. I’m not sure I want to know how many people voted “yes.”

While there aren’t any national races in this November’s election, there are still plenty of reasons for Bedford area residents to make sure they’re registered to vote. And, the fact is, this year’s gubernatorial race in Virginia is being treated by some as a national referendum on where this country is headed with the Democrats holding both Houses of Congress as well as the White House.

    So if you’re not registered to vote, you have less than a week to take care of that.

Last week, the Congress took an important action to protect seniors from increases in their 2010 Medicare Part B premiums. I joined with a bipartisan majority in the House to vote in favor of H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act. With Social Security benefits expected to remain at the same level next year, an increase in Medicare premiums would cut into seniors’ Social Security.