All results / Stories / Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum, State Delegate (D-36)
Reinvigorating Virginia’s Economy
Virginia is well on its way to economic recovery for many families, but working families across the state are telling me and other legislators that they feel like the recession never ended. Even in Northern Virginia, home to some of the wealthiest localities in the country, too many families struggle to earn enough to pay for basic necessities despite having full-time jobs.
Commentary: Justice for Juveniles
I often quote from papers written by the staff of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis; they provide the most fact-based, nonpartisan, clear analysis of key issues facing Virginians (http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/).
Commentary: The Right to Bear Arms
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is one sentence long: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Commentary: How a Bill Does Not Become a Law in Virginia
Most people can remember the flowchart from high school civics class that graphically showed how a bill becomes a law.
Opinion: Commentary: Virus of Racial Injustice
The image of a man in a uniform pressing his knee down on the neck of a hand-cuffed black man while being protected by three other uniformed individuals is so revolting and repulsive that I cannot get it out of my mind.
Commentary: Public Trust above Party
Shifting from a relaxing vacation back to work is always challenging, but my return this past week from the mountains, streams and lakes of Glacier National Park to a special session of the General Assembly has been a particularly stark contrast.
Commentary: Keeping Tabs on the Commonwealth
Last week I attended my first meeting as a member of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC).
Opinion: Commentary: Schools As a Political Football
When I graduated in January 1965 from the newly named Old Dominion College (now University) that had previously been the Norfolk Extension of William and Mary, I found the job market bleak for persons with history and political science majors.
Column: Reversing Bad Fortune
The Virginia General Assembly is not having a very good year. After making the national evening news shows and late-night comedy programs for weeks about which ultrasound to require of women, the Assembly joined many other states in passing voter suppression bills that might affect the outcome of the presidential election.
Column: Never Say Never
Column: “Never say never” is an old admonition that suggests we do not know what the future holds that might predict our future actions.
Column: Community Educational Resources
As a former teacher and educator, I like what I have been seeing recently of the vast array of educational resources in our community.
Commentary: Voting Rights Need Protection
The Supreme Court had an historic week recently with major decisions on gay marriage, immigration and voting. I am particularly concerned about the decision that I believe does major damage to the Voting Rights Act.
Commentary: The Politics of Fear
Fear can be a powerful influence in our lives. A healthy fear of something that is harmful may keep us safe. Fear of the unknown can cause helpful caution or limit our perspective. Too often fear can be misused to manipulate the actions of others. In Richmond, as elsewhere, fear is evident and at work in many aspects of the legislative process.
Impasse in Richmond
Commentary
One essential step in successful negotiations is to anticipate what the other side needs or wants and attempt to come as close as possible to that position to arrive at a compromise. This process is followed effectively on a daily basis in businesses, families, and legislatures. While the rhetoric has been harsh from the Republican majority in the House of Delegates about not approving an expansion of Medicaid in the state, I understood their partisan and ideological stance but was confident that some middle ground, or as Governor McAuliffe calls it “common ground,” could be reached. My optimism is starting to wane.