All results / Stories / Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum, State Delegate (D-36)
Commentary: Words of Wisdom
Folks back home where I grew up in Page County, Virginia were not known to have a lot to say about events.
Commentary: What Can I Do?
In a previous column I addressed in part the question I get from more and more constituents about what they can do to be more active in public service.
Commentary: Voter Suppression
As fundamental as the right to vote is to a democratic republic, free and open access to voting continues to be a contentious issue. From the earliest days of our nation’s history when only white male landowners could vote to recent history when the Voting Rights Act was intended to ensure that voter registration processes were open and fair, there have been expansions of the suffrage followed by efforts at retrenchment. While the Emancipation Proclamation may have freed the slaves, African Americans and other minorities have seen a steady stream of legislation and intimidation to keep them from voting.
Opinion: Commentary: Black Lives Matter
We are on the verge of making the statement a reality.
Black lives matter. Period. No further explanation or expansion of the phrase is needed.
Commentary: Paying for Our Schools
The recent tension between the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the School Board over approval of the budget for the public schools left one big factor out of the equation for funding schools—the role of state government in financing public education in the Commonwealth. Public education as defined in the state constitution is a partnership between state and local governments.
Column: Repeat of a Sordid History
The Virginia General Assembly may be about to repeat an unfortunate chapter of its history by passing bills that will have the effect of suppressing voter participation.
Commentary:The Meaning of the American Revolution
In May I attended the cornerstone dedication for the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
Opinion: Commentary: A Progressive State if We Can Keep It
To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin who when asked at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia what kind of government had been formed replied, “a republic if we can keep it!”
Column: General Assembly Goes Off a Cliff
The General Assembly adjourned sine die last week with a great sigh of relief from most everyone who participates in or follows its deliberations. Pre-session survey and hearing results suggested that the session would be about traffic congestion relief, expanding job opportunities, and strengthening the economy.
Commentary: Making College Affordable
Members of the college graduating class of 2013 will average more than $35,000 in total debt, according to a study reported recently by CNN. The bulk of the debt is in government loans, but private, state and personal and family loans along with credit card debt contribute to the total.
Opinion: Commentary: Keep History from Repeating Itself
So traumatizing were the colonists’ experiences with King George as a strong executive that the Declaration of Independence is filled with grievances against him, and the writers of the first state constitution in Virginia limited the governor’s term to one year with a maximum of three terms.
Commentary: Children and Outside Learning
Research highlights the benefits of outdoor and environmental education for children—ranging from increased academic achievement, improved social skills and interest in school, and boosted health, according to environmental education leaders who have organized NoVA Outside: An Alliance of Environmental Educators (www.novaoutside.org). I attended their School Environmental Action Showcase last week at George Mason University, and I was impressed by the students and their projects. The showcase is like a science fair but with the emphasis on environmental science.
Commentary: The Battle to Insure Everyone
Last week saw the beginning of a federal government shut-down—at least a partial shut-down. Even the most ardent of the angry fringe element that subverted the Congressional legislative process to cause the partial shut-down seemed willing to admit that there were some “essential” services of government that needed to continue. To be able to use the words “essential” and “government” in the same sentence is a step forward for some people who severely criticize government for whatever it does or does not do and for whatever happens or does not happen. There is still a wide chasm to bridge between what is considered necessary for the government to do and what should be left to individuals. Health care is at that juncture. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the law of the land that has been passed by the Congress, signed by the president, reviewed and approved as constitutional by the Supreme Court, and was a key issue in a campaign in which the president was re-elected by more than five million votes. While some would argue with the details of the Affordable Care Act, it is clear that as a country we have taken a stand that each individual is entitled access to health insurance regardless of whether their employer provides it. A small but vocal minority in the Republican Party disagrees and has decided to block the ability of the federal government to pay its bills as they try to get their way on stopping a law they have been unable to overturn in 40 attempts.
Column: The Weather is Changing
Politicians speaking at outdoor events on a pretty day invariably and jokingly take credit for the weather. But no one has stepped up to take credit for the weather lately. Records are being broken; new highs are being set.
Column: On the Agenda
One of the most frequently asked questions of me this time of year is, “What will the General Assembly be doing when it meets?” The question is understandable with the regular session of the legislature scheduled to begin on Jan. 14, 2015.