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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN
@vaplan.bsky.social
1.2K followers 100 following 660 posts
Virginia Progressive Legislative Alert Network: tracking and reporting on the Virginia General Assembly sessions
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Mar 12
🥁🥁2025 scorecard is out! Most progressive:
H: @ebpforva.bsky.social, @henson4virginia.bsky.social, @delegatecallsen.bsky.social, @adelemcclure.bsky.social & @ireneforva.bsky.social
S: Sen Bagby, @adamebbin.bsky.social, @pwcdanica.bsky.social, @creighdeeds.bsky.social & @scvanvalkenburg.bsky.social
It's here: the 2025 VAPLAN scorecard! - VAPLAN
Every year VAPLAN’s legislative tracking culminates in a scorecard, ranking legislators from most “progressive” to least, across policy areas. We score votes on dozens of ....
vaplan.us
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Reposted by VAPLAN
bluevirginia.bsky.social
Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · 2d
Possibly the worst aspect of this debate was the NexStar "moderators" allowing Earle-Sears to keep interrupting, which she did the entire debate, then to admonish BOTH CANDIDATES for talking over each other, when it was ONLY Earle-Sears doing so! Insane. bluevirginia.us/2025/10/live...
Live Blog: Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears Face Off in the Sole 2025 VA Governor’s Debate, with Just 26 Days Until the Election
CLOSING STATEMENTS: Spanberger says she'll always put Virginians first, especially now with the attacks on Virginia's workforce, Trump's tariffs; will work to strengthen schools, lower costs, etc. Ear...
bluevirginia.us
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ashleighcrocker.bsky.social
Ashleigh Crocker @ashleighcrocker.bsky.social · 2d
I can tell Abigail Spanberger is a great mom because she didn’t let Winsome Earle-Sears’ rude and erratic behavior get to her. I was ready for her to start gentle parenting her. “You’re having some really big feelings, Winsome. It’s okay to have big feelings but we can’t interrupt. Catch a bubble!”
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 2d
I didn't hear very much of what @abigailspanberger.com said tonight--there was some really annoying loud feedback noise in that room every time she spoke--but she seems to have the experience, demeanor, and actual plans to make an excellent governor.
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 2d
I may possibly be shouting obscenities at my tv.
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 2d
I'm just gonna say, no male candidate could have kept their cool through these INCESSANT interruptions and talking over. @abigailspanberger.com has the infinite patience of a mom.
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Reposted by VAPLAN
marcussimon.com
Marcus Simon @marcussimon.com · 2d
Winsome Sears is unhinged and doing her best Trump impression in this debate. Abigail Spanberger is remarkably poised and disciplined. The contrast is undeniable. Only one candidate is fit for office, Abigail Spanberger!
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 3d
Okay, fam, what substantive policy questions are you hoping will be asked tomorrow during the gubernatorial debate between Sears and Spanberger?
a cartoon drawing of a tv screen with the words debate watch party on it
ALT: a cartoon drawing of a tv screen with the words debate watch party on it
media.tenor.com
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 3d
Awww, thanks! I'm here, just trying to mostly stay in my lane (policy) and not veer too much into the election-side. But dang they make it hard sometimes!
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 3d
How, exactly, is Mamdani--someone born in 1991 in Uganda the "twin" of Sen Hashmi, who was born in 1964 in India? Or is this just some bigoted nonsense from the N@zi-porn-loving guy whose own party leaders avoid being seen with him and who's trying to pretend he's some moderate?
Screen cap of tweet from John Reid, reading "Just wondering has anyone bothered to ask Ghazala anything about her NYC twin’s socialist agenda and which parts she embraces and which parts she doesn’t? Is that not a fair question given their party affiliation, their radical “progressive” alignment, and their religious connection? "
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 5d
I've heard some things for sure...
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 5d
💔 Our hearts grieve with @candimundonking.bsky.social; losing a child like this is horrific, we are holding your whole family in our thoughts. Candi has worked for years to improve awareness, tracking, and treatment of sickle cell disease, passing 4 bills this year: www.wtvr.com/news/local-n...
How four new Virginia laws impact those living with sickle cell disease: 'This will raise awareness'
On July 1, four new laws go into effect that directly impact those living with sickle cell disease and those who are unaware that they may have the disease and/or be a carrier of the trait.
www.wtvr.com
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bluevirginia.bsky.social
Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · Sep 11
Video, Highlights: “TL:DR of House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts: Virginia’s economy is screwed” – Federal job cuts, SNAP & Medicaid cuts, etc. (For his part, Youngkin seems to think this is all a "positive externality," "good news") bluevirginia.us/2025/09/vide... h/t @vaplan.bsky.social
Video, Highlights: “TL:DR of House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts: Virginia’s economy is screwed” – Federal job cuts, SNAP cuts, Medicaid cuts, etc.
See below for video and a few highlights from this morning's Joint Meeting of the Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions and the Appropriations Committee. Also,...
bluevirginia.us
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
@lopez4va.bsky.social asks at House Emergency Committee mtg (joint w Approps): What does expiring farm bill & programs plus tariffs do for agricultural jobs, businesses, and prices etc. in Virginia? Agriculture is single largest sector, billions of dollars of economic activity in Virginia.
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
A fiery Delegate Torian (Approps Chair) says in Joint House Emergency Committee mtg: We will NOT run to our reserve funds. We will work hard to appropriate the resources where they are needed: healthcare, education, increasing our workforce, protecting vital interests.
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
.@Lopez4VA asks at House Emergency Committee mtg (joint w Approps): What does expiring farm bill & programs plus tariffs do for agricultural jobs, businesses, and prices etc. in Virginia? Agriculture is single largest sector, billions of dollars of economic activity in Virginia.
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
@candimundonking.bsky.social
cites the number of people just in her district losing SNAP funding and replies "For the families facing these cuts, the sky IS falling."
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
"How much is the sky actually falling," Del Hodges asks at House Emergency Committee mtg. Spouts Youngkin talking points re: surplus (which ofc wouldn't even BEGIN to cover VA's losses).

(Response: revenue ok for now but job losses are in VA's highly productive core industries.)
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
@marcussimon.com in House Emergency Comm mtg: If you know there's an accident up ahead, you don't barrel ahead at 80mph hoping it clears before you get to it, you plan ahead, slow down. That's what we need to do here, prepare for impact. And rainy day funds aren't for a crash you KNOW is up ahead.
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
Important policy suggestions coming from House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts:
✅ Allow fired workers to end leases early
✅ Eviction reduction program
✅ Temporarily extend & increase unemployment benefits
✅ VA re-employment bonus
✅ Workforce training
✅ Hiring tax credit
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
TL:DR of House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts: Virginia's economy is screwed. Unemployment rising, job growth slowed, falling labor force participation rate (discouraged workers), and we are just beginning to feel the impacts of tariffs, on prices & small business closures.
Slide titled Key State Economic Metrics Are Concerning; Overall Impact Unclear, cites unemployment rate rising, employment growth slowing, labor force participation rate decreasing and unclear what impact tariff policy changes will have.
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
9,500 Virginians who lost their federal jobs between January and July. A "positive externality" and "good news" according to Youngkin.
Graph shows federal government and state government jobs in Virginia between 2023 and present, with a steep drop in federal jobs between January and July of this year.
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
The 5 main areas where federal budget bill HR1 will affect Virginia's costs:
🟥 SNAP cuts
🟥 Medicaid cuts
🟥 premium tax credit
🟥 higher education access and affordability
🟥 federal tax policy changes

Many are not one-time but ongoing costs--so cannot replace using rainy day funds.
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
Stat from today's presentation at House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts (Joint today w House Approps): 24% of Virginia's economic activity is reliant on the federal government, as an employer, a consumer, and an investor.

Federal government spending is inextricably linked to Virginia's economy.
vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 11
Unemployed after long career in federal public service?

Lost funding for critical life-saving research?

In letter to House Emergency Committee members, Youngkin calls that "good news" and "one of many positive externalities resulting from federal decisions to reduce spending."
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vaplan.bsky.social
VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · Sep 10
While Del Feggans and @philforvirginia.bsky.social have "passed new laws that SUPPORT active-duty military members, veterans and their loved ones...

"HR1 creates barriers that will take food and health care away from those who have served this country in uniform, and their families..."
philforvirginia.bsky.social
Delegate Phil Hernandez @philforvirginia.bsky.social · Sep 9
In the Richmond Times Dispatch today:

A joint op-ed authored by me and Delegate Michael Feggans explaining how Trump's cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will do harm to Virginia's veterans & military families.
Link to the op-ed is here: https://richmond.com/opinion/column/article_8c8803ab-87ec-4bd0-9ff9-17c47ce928eb.html
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