Larry Sabato suggests ways to attain A More Perfect Constitution

There are two ways to change the U.S. Constititution, according to Article 5.

First, Congress can propose amendments, which would then have to be ratified by two-thirds of the states. That’s been done 27 times since 1787. But, there’s also a provision for there to be a Constitutional Convention, something that can be done if two-thirds of state legislatures call for one. So far, that’s not been done, but U.Va Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato’s new book is perhaps the beginning of a call for one.

A More Perfect Constitution lays out 23 ideas to reform the Constitution, which Sabato says was never intended to stay static. Sabato recently appeared at the U.Va bookstore to talk about the work, which dates back his days teaching at Oxford.

VQR: South America in the 21st Century

When I took Keppra I used to buy it online at https://www.buykeppra.com/. There are very good prices for the generic Keppra and good reviews about it.
Ted Genoways is the editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review, which has just published its Fall 2007 edition. The issue takes a look at South America in the 21st Century, and Genoways stops by “WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now!” to talk with Coy Barefoot about what readers can expect.



Bob Gibson on Libertarian ethics, the 59th House race and other political news

Bob Gibson is the political reporter for the Charlottesville Daily Progress, and he joins Coy Barefoot on “WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now” to talk about the way Libertarians run their campaigns, Arin Sime’s television ads, the race for the 59th House District between Connie Brennan (D) and Watkins Abbit (I), Virginia Republicans’ decision to use a convention to select a nominee for the U.S. Senate, and the recent passing of Representative Jo Ann Davis, who represented the Tidewater area in Congress.

Charlottesville-based science writer Ackerman on 24 hours in the life of your body

Charlottesville resident and science writer Jennifer Ackerman’s new book is Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body. She joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!” to talk about her career, her latest work, and what happens in the body over the course of 24 hours.

Virginia GOP Chair John Hager joins Coy Barefoot

John Hager is the chair of the Republican Party of Virginia. He joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to talk about the party’s decision to use a convention to nominate its candidate for the U.S. Senate being vacated by Senator John Warner. Among other topics, Chairman Hager also talked about the recent passing of Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis and the fact that her husband has already stepped forward to succeed her in a special election. John Hager is the former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and a former State Chairman of the Sorensen Institute.

UVa’s Cheryl Gomez on reducing energy and water usage on Grounds

Cheryl Gomez is the Director of the Utilities for the University of Virginia, and she joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!” to talk about UVa’s efforts to conserve energy and water. For instance, the University reached its peak water consumption in 1999, and has reduced usage by a third in that time. Gomez discusses that and other initiatives on this installment of the show.

Rivanna Rambler #62: The Rivanna TMDL is Underway

The autumn sunlight warms the group gathered around the table. The air is collegial and cooperative: the Virginia Department of Environmental QualityGuv,!v,,us TMDL Coordinator has come with three consultants from the Lois Berger Group, specialists in the process. TheyGuv,!v,,uve set up a poster presentation on an easel to one side that summarizes the Rivanna TMDL meeting in March with colorful charts and lists.

[To read the rest, visit the Rivanna Rambler’s blog]

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms on government regulations and farming

Richard Bean and Jean Rinaldi run Double H Farm in Nelson County. They were working on their farm recently when ten Department of Agriculture and Consumer agents, a state trooper, and the Nelson County sheriff swarmed their property, handcuffed them, hauled them away in separate cruisers, confiscated their computers, and doused all of the meat with bleach. The charge, according to the state, was that the pair were using incorrect labels on their products. The meat had not officially been certified as organic, even though Bean and Rinaldi contend it was. Local farmer Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms has had similar run-ins with state officials, and he joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!” to talk about the regulatory obstacles local farms face.

Read the discussion at cvillenews.com.

Bob Gibson: George Allen goes to work for Fred Thompson

Bob Gibson of the Daily Progress joins Coy Barefoot each Monday to talk about Virginia politics. Former Senator George Allen has joined the presidential campaign of Fred Thompson as co-chair. Bob talks about what that might mean for Allen’s political future. What implications might that have for the Governor’s race in 2009, and what else might happen two years from now? Also, the race for the House of Delegates 59th District is heating up, with Independent incumbent Watkins Abbit Jr. facing a tough race with Democrat Connie Brennan. That and more on this installment of WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!”

Laura Flanders and Norman Solomon address Charlottesville audience

On Sunday evening, October 7th, national radio host Laura Flanders (host of Radio Nation on Air America and Pacifica) and nationally syndicated columnist Norman Solomon spoke at an event in Charlottesville organized jointly by the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice (CCPJ) and AM 1450 WVAX.

CCPJ Board Member David Swanson MC’d and made opening remarks. He then introduced Jay James, program director at WVAX who spoke briefly. Next Swanson introduced Tina Richards, CEO of Grass Roots America and the mother of a veteran of the occupation of Iraq. After brief remarks by Richards, Swanson introduced Norman Solomon and Laura Flanders, who both spoke at length. Following those two speeches, Flanders, Solomon, Richards, and Swanson took four County Administrator seats (the event was held in the Albemarle County Office Building), and members of the audience asked questions.

Solomon spoke along the theme of his recent books, War Made Easy (also a film narrated by Sean Penn and shown in Charlottesville) and Made Love, Got War. Flanders spoke about and read from her recent book Blue Grit: True democrats Take Back Politics from the Politicians. Solomon described the habits of thought and language that the mass media has employed over the last half century when discussing war. After that depressing presentation, Flanders sought to provide grounds for optimism by describing ways in which people have been organizing for change at the local and state levels and beneath the radar. Those who asked questions had a variety of perspectives and priorities, but none were happy with the current state of US politics, none favored the continuation of the occupation of Iraq, and none came to the defense of the corporate media. Many puchased signed copies of the speakers’ books after the event.

Nobel-winning economist Robert Solow addresses Jefferson Society

Dr. Robert Solow, recipient of the 1987 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics,
gives a lecture on his recent work with the Russell Sage Foundation on the
economics of low wage workers in high wage countries.

Dr. Solow coordinated an international team of researchers looking at economic differences in five leading European nations with respect to their low wage earners. Among the more interesting findings Dr. Solow feels the study has uncovered are the wide variations in the percentages of low wage living in first world nations as well as great differences in these workers’ ability to move on to higher paying work. Smaller, more homogeneous nations such as Denmark were much more successful in transitioning their low wage workers to better employment compared to larger, more heterogenous nations such as France.

Perhaps the most interesting obesrvation Dr. Solow makes is how the United
States would exhibit the least amount of social mobility if compared to
these other nations. With careful discussion on productivity, education, and
economic theory Dr. Solow gives a serious and engaging speech on the state
of economic inequity in the 21st century.

Another write-up from this lecture is available at the U.Va Sentinel.