VA GOP Caucus Blog Ruffles Some Feathers

There's a new blog on the block, and some Virginia bloggers are slightly discomfited by it.

Yes, once again Virginia's blogging ethics police are on the prowl. It seems that Waldo gets his undies in a wad whenever his own ethical lapses are on display, so it may be time to refresh some memories. Some time back I visited this issue, check out this article and all its attendant links and then come back here, I'll wait.

Waldo's latest problem seems to be with the VA GOP Caucus Blog. It's a perfectly partisan blog created and maintained by a writer (or writers) on behalf of the House Republican Caucus, somewhat in the manner of its counterpart on the left, Assembly Access.

His problem? He seems to think that since Republicans object to the added expense, time, and overall inefficiency involved in broadcasting all sub-committee meetings they should not broadcast any video on their blog. Or only floor video. Or only Democrat friendly video. Or something. Other than that, there is very little difference in the blogs operated by each Caucus.

There also seems to be a problem with some on the left (and in Waldo's family) with the unsigned nature of the blog's posts. No mention is made, however, of the fact that AA is also an anonymous blog.

J. Kenny also weighs in with a few suggestions. J apparently thinks that those who use Blogspot have no way of tracking comments by IP address. Guess what? I use Blogspot and I can easily track comments by IP. Sorry J, WordPress and a hosting service is not the only legitimate blogging platform available, especially to those who do not wish to sink real dollars into a simple blog. We are conservative, after all.

J also suggests that the VA GOP Caucus Blog include a blogroll. Guess what? It does. As a matter of fact, this blog proudly occupies a slot on that blogroll. I'm just above Not Larry Sabato.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Waldo is the creator of Richmond Sunlight, a very useful website that takes most of the information available on the General Assembly's website and re-formats it into a more user friendly, more colorful and generally better platform. If there is anyone in Virginia more capable of setting up a site to showcase all General Assembly video, I don't know who it would be.

Letter From Cuccinelli To Houck

Pretty straightforward and self-explanatory I think (emphasis added).

Monday, February 11, 2008

The Honorable R. Edward Houck
Virginia Senate
General Assembly Building, Room 326

Dear Senator Houck:

Thank you for sharing your perspective of Data Point when you spoke against my SB585 in the General Laws and Technology Committee on January 30. SB585 directed the Auditor of Public Accounts, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and the Director of Virginia Enterprise Applications to work together to coordinate efforts to use Data Point to provide a more citizen friendly, more searchable, less state-lingo oriented presentation.

Given your hearty endorsement of the efficacy of Data Point being sufficient for budget, expenditure and performance transparency for ordinary citizens, I would like ten minutes of your time for a meeting with me and a group of reporters, perhaps some time after crossover. Given a typical question or two from a reporter about our state budget or expenditures or performance, we would like to have you show how both the process of asking a question in Data Point and the resulting response can be commended to our citizens as effective and easy to use.

Please let me know if you are willing to participate in such a demonstration and when you would be available and I will help issue the invitations.


Sincerely,
Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II

Voting to kill this bill and opposing transparency in the budget process;
* George Barker
George Barker (D-39)
Served: 2008–
(D-39)
* Chuck Colgan
Chuck Colgan (D-29)
Served: 1976–
(D-29)
* Mark Herring
Mark Herring (D-33)
Served: 2006–
(D-33)
* Edd Houck
Edd Houck (D-17)
Served: 1984–
(D-17)
* Mamie Locke
Mamie Locke (D-2)
Served: 2004–
(D-2)
* Don McEachin
Don McEachin (D-9)
Richmond, VA
Served: 2008–
(D-9)
* John Miller
John Miller (D-1)
Newport News, VA
Served: 2008–
(D-1)
* Walter Stosch
Walter Stosch (R-12)
Suite 110 Glen Allen, VA
Served: 1992–
(R-12)
* William Wampler
William Wampler (R-40)
Suite 308 Bristol, VA
Served: 1988–
(R-40)

Welcome Jody Wilcox to ODBA

Today the Old Dominion Blog Alliance welcomes its newest affiliate, Jody Wilcox of The Contemporary Conservative.

http://thecontemporaryconservative.blogspot.com/