Great column by a Libertarian, supporting Ken Cuccinelli for AG (Roanoke Star Sentinel)

Story in Roanoke Star Sentinel ^

[Gopher Broke]

In less than six weeks, Virginians have an opportunity to make their voices heard in defense of the Constitution and the principles of individual freedom and limited government enshrined therein. Senator Ken Cuccinelli is running to become Virginia’s next attorney general, and your vote for him can send a strong message to politicians all across Virginia… and even the nation.

The message is that we are tired of politicians who are too spineless to defend our rights from an ever-encroaching big government. The message is that Founding principles matter, and that politicians who follow Founding principles unabashedly and unashamedly will get elected.

While so many politicians use the Constitution as their personal doormat, Ken Cuccinelli is one of the few who actually defends it – consistently. Of all the statewide candidates, he has the single best record of giving back to the people the power their government has usurped, and of defending our rights and our sovereignty over our government.

I usually don’t recommend putting much faith in politicians. My faith is in principles: specifically, those Founding principles of individual freedom and limited government. Politicians often let me down, but those principles won’t. But I have watched and frequently worked with Ken in the seven years he has served in the Virginia General Assembly, and I have seen a man who consistently bases his decisions on those principles.

He has fought to keep government from taking so much of the fruits of our labor. In every General Assembly session he has served in, he has always proposed more spending cuts than spending (proposing to shrink the budget, rather than expand it). This year, he sponsored a successful bill that put most of Virginia’s state budget online, so the veil is lifted and citizens can see how their tax dollars are being spent (and often wasted).

He has been a steadfast vote in favor of the Second Amendment as an individual right for law abiding adults, while his opponent supports overreaching gun control, apparently unaware that we have a right to defend ourselves against violent criminals and tyrants.

He has been a defender of our property rights and, after three years of work, he reformed Virginia’s horrendous eminent domain laws. This means the government can no longer force you off your land just to build a shopping mall or a bigger home, or create some other scheme to increase property tax revenues. His opponent has opposed these efforts, siding instead with the special interests that want to take your property for their own gain.

Ken has pledged that as attorney general, he will use the Tenth Amendment to fight back in court when the federal government oversteps its constitutional boundaries and interferes with state sovereignty, such as with right to work laws and cap and trade. The Tenth Amendment reads, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” When asked, his opponent would not make the same pledge.

Over the years, many have said that Ken Cuccinelli is too rigid on principles to get elected. That means many think the Constitution and our Founding principles don’t matter anymore or are “too radical” to gain public favor. Those of you who have participated in the Tea Party protests and have seen the massive turnouts have proven them wrong. And Ken has proven them wrong three different times by getting elected in liberal-dominated Fairfax County while not wavering on principles. He is the only conservative from Northern Virginia left standing in the Virginia Senate.

Even when members of Ken’s own political party strayed from principles, he publicly called them out – often knowing he would be punished by not getting choice committee assignments or not having party colleagues support his bills.

I am a Libertarian, and I have honest disagreements with Ken on a few social issues. But he is someone who will keep his word to defend our rights against ever-encroaching government. I have watched him first-hand fight for the people of Virginia with total disregard for his political future and his bona fides with the political class. That is something that’s rare in a politician. That is also a behavior that needs to be rewarded, so other politicians will take note and perhaps grow some spines and follow Cuccinelli’s example.

Ken deserves our support and our vote on November 3rd. The people deserve a leader like him in office.

You can find out more at www.Cuccinelli.com.

[Gopher Broke]

Written by Brian Gottstein

[KC_Conspirator]

The why is he running ads that he “reached across the aisle to Governor Kaine” in northern virginia. Is that Because I live in northern virginia?

[HokieMom]

http://www.bobmcdonnell.com/ for Governor

http://www.billbolling.com/ for Lieutenant Governor

http://www.cuccinelli.com/ for Attorney General