Dominion, Bernie, and anti-Amanda Chase PAC.
No supply problems with informative news stories this week. Definitely needed a solid Friday recap! #Business Climate Change.
As we review the week in business and politics, let’s pick up the action in Southside Virginia following Dominion’s decision to forego building a power station in Berry Hill. The proposed station would have been a boon to the beleaguered region.
(Reminder - for those playing at home on the board version - Dominion is an energy company. That’s what they do. They decided NOT to do what they do even though there is market need.)
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The Danville (VA) Register & Bee (12/3, Crane) reports Dominion Energy spokesperson Jeremy Slayton said of Thursday’s decision, “We no longer believe it is possible to build the units planned in Pittsylvania County despite the economic and reliability benefits for our customers. ... We plan to conduct a further reliability study to determine how best to move forward to maintain the around-the-clock service our customers need.” Emphasis added.
We call this “no longer believe it is possible” reality - Business Climate Change. At least the good people of Southside will have memories of economic growth they can share with their kids and grandkids, who long ago left the region, as they gather over Zoom for the holidays.
Speaking of power, we recall the generation of political power by Monty Python:
Speaking of Business Climate Change, Hewlett Packard announced this week it was moving its global headquarters from San Jose, California to Houston. Why? Well, it wasn’t for ACTUAL climate. That’s for sure.
Also, in California news this week worth sharing is this very interesting political battle forming in Los Angeles worth watching - L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva versus the L.A. Board of Supervisors. This could be the frontline of the “Defund The Police” political drama heading into the 2022 Midterms as that is when Villanueva, a Democrat who unseated a Republican sheriff, is up for re-election.
Nationally, former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal writes in the WSJ an op-ed hilariously titled "What are the GOP's Views on Health Care?" Last paragraph reads in full:
Republicans must learn to win elections on health care, not merely avoid losing. They can start by figuring out what they support, not just what they oppose.
Reminder - The Democratic Party started down this path in the 1991 Special Election to replace Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Heinz who was killed in a plane crash outside Philadelphia on April 4th of that year. Harris Wofford upset Dick Thornburgh, US Attorney General and former Governor, largely on the issue of health care. Paul Begala and James Carville ran the Wofford race and would later join the presidential campaign of Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. Clinton won on…health care.
30 years ago this coming summer.
Well done GOP and well done Jindal. The coffee sprayed across my laptop when I read the op-ed title created a cleaning opportunity. #CleanScreensMatter
Aides to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who ran against Mr. Biden in the Democratic primary, have been in conversation with Mr. Biden’s team about his interest in becoming labor secretary.
#BusinessClimateChange
AP article on President Trump saying he will leave if the Electoral College seats Biden. Look for the battle to continue until Congress takes up its final role in this drama in early January less than one day after the January 5th Georgia Senate runoffs on January 6th at 1pm during a Joint Session of Congress: From Wikipedia:
After the vote, each state sends to Congress a certified record of their electoral votes, called the Certificate of Vote. These certificates are opened during a joint session of Congress, held in the first week of January, and read aloud by the incumbent vice president, acting in his capacity as President of the Senate. If any person receives an absolute majority of electoral votes, that person is declared the winner.[86] If there is a tie, or if no candidate for either or both offices receives an absolute majority, then choice falls to Congress in a procedure known as a contingent election.
Incumbent VP is? Mike Pence.
Members of Congress can object to any state's vote count, provided objection is presented in writing and is signed by at least one member of each house of Congress. An objection supported by at least one senator and one representative will be followed by the suspension of the joint session and by separate debates and votes in each House of Congress; after both Houses deliberate on the objection, the joint session is resumed.
Also in the news this week, is a brand new PAC launched in the Commonwealth called Unfit Virginia PAC. It takes direct aim at state Senator and race baiting gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase. Unfit Virginia is being organized by Mike Snesavage, Chief of Staff to Senator Bryce Reeves, a Republican colleague of Chase.
Here’s my interview with Snesavage on Virginia FREE radio from Thursday. Jump to around the 24:00 mark to pick up the interview.
Times Dispatch columnist Jeff Schapiro writes about a growing effort to expand the role and size of Virginia’s Court of Appeals from 11 to 15 judges. Apparently, some business groups are behind the effort. (News to us)
Virginia Republicans politically will welcome the opportunity to turn this into a “soft on crime” and “pack the court” narrative. The 2020 election results seem to have been lost on the new majorities - and some business groups.
Back to Business Climate Change is the big news in Virginia about Green City's upcoming $2.3 Billion development in Henrico Country with a 17,000 seat arena and an:
estimated 2.2 million square feet of office space, two 300-bed hotels and conference center space, 280,000 square feet of retail space, 230,000 square feet of residential.
Apparently, the business climate in Henrico is much better than neighboring Richmond which turned down this opportunity in a project previously known as Navy Hill.