The Opt Out Resolution, that call to arms by Corey Stewart passed the BOCS on Tuesday, not with a bang but  a whimper. What passed in a 6-2 vote, was a resolution that directs the county staff to find out how much new federal health care regulations will cost Prince William County. Both Supervisors Jenkins and Principi voted against this Resolution because they felt it was taking the staff off their regular jobs and that staff was already short.

From the News and Messenger:

With a vote of 6-2, Prince William supervisors Tuesday passed a resolution that directs staff to find out how much new federal health care regulations will cost the county.

The resolution also requires staff to report these costs to the board and to alert state and federal authorities if there’s a problem—that is, if the regulations amount to unfunded mandates that will require supervisors to raise taxes or cut essential services.

Supervisors John Jenkins, D-Neabsco, and Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, voted against the measure after attempts to amend the document—to set up a committee to study the issue and to direct staff to research and report on tax-saving benefits of the federal health care plan—failed.

The actual resolution that passed is a watered-down version of what was originally proposed, and is in not a call to opt-out of the federal health care plan. It does not support, or even mention, the state’s lawsuit against the federal law, either. Rather, the resolution, which is available online at the county government’s website, http://www.pwcgov.org, is a directive to staff.

This Resolution is a far cry from what was originally proposed for our county by Corey Stewart, early in April at a political rally down in Stafford County. Stewart originally  said he was proposing a resolution that would direct the staff not to honor new medicaid claims that were to be ushered in January 1, 2014 as a result of HCR. By April 15, Stewart was handing out fliers at a Tea Party Tax Rally calling his proposal an Opt Out Resolution. By the time Moonhowlings.net received a copy, there was no ‘Opt Out,’ just a directive for staff to study the costs and report back to the board. Funny how that all worked out, isn’t it?

Good work, citizens of Prince William County. It looks like we avoided another Stewart Folly.  Hats off to the supervisors who voted no.  As our regular, George Harris,  has stated, he found out much of what he needed to know by making a couple phone calls.  Why can’t the county do the same thing rather than turning every issue into a circus?

17 Thoughts to “Not with a bang but a whimper….”

  1. Starryflights

    Once again Mr. Stewart’s call to arms ends in failure and humiliation. The longer he serves, the more he comes across as a rather silly, inane, juvenile and effeminate individual.

  2. IVAN

    I wonder what this does to the Stewart for Lt. Gov. campaign? Good work George, more citizens like you need to get involved.

  3. George S. Harris

    My hope is that the citizens of Prince William County will see through Stewart’s charade. I had a lot of support from friends, MH, Elena, Bob, Moe. I think we may well have pulled some teeth and put the BOCS on notice that we are watching. I am thankful to John Jenkins and Frank Principi for their efforts to head this thing off. The citizens of this county didn’t just fall off the turnip truck–we will forge ahead.

  4. Need to Know

    Cooch is now demanding research records from some former global warming professor at UVA. Corey’s original “opt-out” resolution was in response to Cooch’s suit against the Federal Government over health care. How is Corey going to try to one up Cooch on global warming?

    The primary for Lt. Governor in 2013 is shaping up to be very interesting!

  5. PWC Taxpayer

    @Need to Know

    Two excellent candidates! Can you see either one of them running against that idiot party tool congressman from Fairfax Jerry – what’s his face?

  6. Elena

    I am pleased that the Board at least derailed the most heinous and stupid portion of Corey’s original intent, the “opt out” portion that would have directed staff to break the law. I wonder why the other 6 Board members were completely resisitant to determining the cost savings of the health care measure? What is so ridiculous is that without the full picture, you are not actually determining the cost of the new medicare applicants on the county, clearly half the equation is missing. I almost feel sorry for the Republicans on the Board (excluding John Stirrup though), they seem to be held hostage by Corey’s antics, trying to figure out ways to not directly confront him but still minimize his impact on the county.

    George, you were truly determined in your efforts and you motivated the rest of us to try to do our part. Thank you!

  7. Need to Know

    @PWC Taxpayer
    Smart money is that Jerry Connolly loses this November. Cooch or Corey won’t oppose an incumbent Herrity or Fimian (unless they like the idea of political suicide for their careers). That leaves Lt. Gov. in 2013 for them.

    Cooch recently moved to Nokesville, however, which is in the 11th district (Jerry Connolly). Don’t ask me how you do a full-time job in Richmond and live in Nokesville. Corey lives in Woodbridge, which is also in the 11th. You might be right that they are posturing for a run for the 11th district Congressional seat, but I don’t think either would win.

    Problem is that if Connolly does manage to get reelected this November, he will be much more difficult to defeat in 2012 as a two-term Congressman running on the same ticket as his party’s incumbent president. I don’t see Cooch or Corey beating Connelly in 2012 if he is still in Congress. Aside from a stronger Connolly (if he wins reelection this year) the 11th district includes a lot real estate closer in to DC. Only Democrats or Republicans to the center or left of their party (i.e., Tom Davis) are competitive there. Centrist or liberal are certainly not characteristics I think of in regard to Cooch or Corey.

    Lt. Gov. in 2013 is much more likely to remain Republican than Connelly is to lose in 2012. That’s where I see Cooch and Corey ultimately fighting it out. If one of them runs against an incumbent Connelly in 2012 (and goes down in flames as would be likely) the other would be much more viable for Lt. Gov. in 2013.

    The bottom line is that Corey’s silly “opt-out” resolution, which is now watered down to nothing but a waste of County staff time, was nothing more than public posturing against Cooch. I expect to see more of this nonsense as we move closer to 2012 and 2013, and embarrassment for mainstream Republicans who want to win and govern responsibly.

  8. Need to Know

    @Elena

    You are being far too generous to Wally Covington. He has a longer track record of pushing politically-motivated, meaningless resolutions than does Corey or John. Recall that Wally fired the first shot in the immigration debate with a resolution to send an invoice to the Feds for reimbursement of the cost of services provided to illegal aliens, directing staff to expend time and energy determining what those were (much like the version of Corey’s resolution that passed yesterday on calculating the cost of administering a Medicaid program that won’t appear for four years, if ever).

    When Corey saw that the immigration issue had a lot of traction in PWC, he stole it from Wally and ran full speed ahead with it. The only difference between the two is that Wally has somewhat more self-control than Corey when someone puts a microphone to his face.

    Wally – did you ever get your check from the Feds 🙂

  9. PWC Taxpayer :

    @Need to Know

    Two excellent candidates! Can you see either one of them running against that idiot party tool congressman from Fairfax Jerry – what’s his face?

    Idiot party tool? Do you mean the person who could beat the current AG or Corey Stewart? Don’t forget that both of these folks have a long paper trail.

    We would also prefer the name calling to stop.

  10. Had that Opt Out non opt out Resolution not been watered down, I don’t think that Stewart would have had the support from those in his own party.

    I would have preferred the plan to have a committee to study the preliminary changes rather than have the staff running around studying something that is bound to change on a daily basis over the next 3.5 plus years simply because the demographic and the economy is changing.

    I supposed they are still geared up for meaningless impact studies after the Immigration Reolution, however. Let’s not forget the undetermined about of money wasted, no, squandered over that debacle that was another re-election tool. County staff time lost was immeasurable.

    Good job George. You presented our elected officials with fact after fact and even showed them how to obtain the information they needed by picking up the telephone. Hell, you gave them the person’s name and telephone number.

    I am not sure why the Republicans want to claim to be the party of less government. That sure isn’t how it works in our county. Just watch the BOCS meeting which is now posted @
    http://pwcgov.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=347 10 H

  11. Rick Bentley

    This thing’s a joke … attempting to collate costs but not savings … I do have to admit that Stewart’s making local politics into a circus.

  12. Moon-

    I looked at the video, but I didn’t see anything about more or less government.

  13. Food, it doesn’t beat you over the head. However, why put your staff to work on analyzing something when you can make a phone call to get it. Just direct Melissa Peacor to do it. Resolution? Isn’t that like a law? Do we need more laws?

    Go back and listen to Mr. Jenkins. He spells out less government without saying it.

    Our county staff is overworked and they haven’t had a raise in 2 years. many of them worked hundereds of hours of overtime jumping through hoops during the immigration reslution ‘study.’

  14. Did Melissa Peacor say that she could get the information requested from a phone call? I did not catch that part.

  15. Okay, I just watched it again and I guess it was Jenkins who said that…but then he asked for some kind of a task force/study as an alternative to the resolution. Doesn’t this fly in the face of the “Jenkins is for less government” argument? It looks like all of the supervisors are for “big government.”

  16. Not if the task force is volunteers….citizen taskers.

    I don’t know. Peacor’s comments confused me.

    I think Marty and Mike had some pearls of wisdom. I need to listen again though. Often once is not enough.

  17. Citizens participating in government always seems best to me. I guess that makes me a RINO or a PINO or maybe something else.

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