Issues

I support women's reproductive rights.

I believe that women and their physicians should be in control of their bodies.

The November 2023 elections are important to preserve women's reproductive rights.

Republicans have introduced several unsuccessful bills restricting women's reproductive rights recently with the support of Governor Youngkin. 

Women should have a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Strengthening our public schools and Universities

Education is the fundamental reason that the US and Virginia have been leaders in innovation for our society. 

Virginia K-12 schools have consistently been ranked as number 4 or 6 with the 50 states. A group representing 133 superintendents across Virginia condemned a report from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration outlining the reversal of education equity initiatives.  Virginia universities are ranked great in higher education:  UVA #3; W&M #13; VT #23; Geo Mason #64.

It is imperative that we properly fund our treasured public schools and universities and not attempt to micro-manage the teaching at our excellent schools.

I believe in Protecting our environment.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program puts a cap on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that will get stricter over time across 11 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

Virginia's RGGI law just held polluters responsible and forced them to pay $78 million in Q4 alone; to be used to pay down climate change costs; And, all the while, Governor Youngkin's budget would make taxpayers pay instead.

Virginia’s biggest air polluters just sent the Commonwealth another $71 million dollars to help pay down the Commonwealth’s exorbitant climate costs and spiking energy bills. Perversely, the very same week, Governor Youngkin proposed Virginia taxpayers instead shoulder the burden of paying for climate damage to our coastal real estate and inland communities.

I believe in Making our communities safer.

We should be at ease interacting with law enforcement. Law enforcement members should be properly trained and monitored to assure they have the necessary training and equipment to keep them safe while they protect us and our communities.  Our law enforcement personnel and agencies need to be funded properly so they can perform their duties without wanting for education or proper equipment.

Gun violence has become an everyday occurrence.

Innocent men, women and children are killed, hurt, maimed, or emotionally traumatized by the constant use of weapons by people who do NOT seem to have the ability nor understanding of the harm they inflict on the families and the lives they change forever.

The issue is complicated for some people. However, it is NOT so complicated that it cannot be improved upon to protect the innocent.  I believe in the 2nd amendment, but there are limits to how it is applied and adopted.  We need reasonable commonsense rules and laws that control the out-of-control use of deadly weapons by those who should not be allowed to use them.  Prayers and thoughts are not the answer.  The problem is not limited by political party, viewpoint, race or religion.  I am convinced that we can help improve our unbridled tragic situation with gun violence.

The November 7th election is important for Virginians

First day of in-person early voting at your local registrar's office: Friday, September 22, 2023

After the election of Governor Youngkin & the loss of the Democratic majority in the House of Delegates, 

the Senate Democratic Caucus one-vote majority prevented numerous bills from passing, including attempts to:

GOP tried to Reinstate the Death Penalty;

GOP tried to reinstate unnecessary abortion ultrasounds, a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, biased abortion “counseling,” restrictions on nurse practitioners from providing abortion care, and authorizing hospital-level regulations on outpatient abortion clinics;

GOP tried to repeal Virginia’s ban on guns on Capitol Square and churches or allow local bans in libraries, parks, farmer’s markets, and marches;

GOP tried to repeal no excuse absentee voting, same day registration, drop boxes or reduce Virginia’s early voting period from 45 days to 10 days;

GOP tried to repeal Virginia’s minimum wage increase, collective bargaining for local government workers and authority for local governments to require prevailing wages in procurements;

GOP tried to repeal reforms allowing sealing of minor criminal convictions, good time credits for prisoners, the admission of mental health evidence in criminal cases;

GOP tried to repeal the Virginia Clean Energy Act, legislation authorizing Virginia’s joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or the California Vehicle Emissions standards to facilitate electric vehicle sales; and

GOP tried to allow discrimination against any group protected under the Virginia Human Rights Act including LGBTQ individuals.

Donate to Walke for Virginia @

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/walke-for-virginia-1 

Some family history

Under contract with the young United States Government under President Thomas Jefferson, Elzy Burroughs (my 4th great grandfather) built three lighthouses along the Virginia coast, at Old Point Comfort (shown above) at Fort Monroe in 1802, at Smith Point in Northumberland County around 1803 (moved further inland and rebuilt by Burroughs in 1807), and at New Point Comfort, in Mathews County in 1804.