Campaign Crawlers
Why I’m Running for the U.S. Senate in Virginia
The former governor and senator explains his candidacy.
During our history, Americans have risen to face many challenges. Traveling throughout the Commonwealth listening to the voices of Virginians, I hear growing concern and frustration that today’s challenges are being made worse by the federal government in Washington. It’s difficult for our neighbors and family members to find work in a sputtering economy. People are worried about paying their bills due to rising energy and health care costs. And parents are fearful that Washington’s out-of-control spending and rising national debt will rob our children of the same future opportunities our parent’s generation handed to us.
I am respectfully asking that the voters of Virginia hire me on for six years to fight on behalf Virginia voices and values which are being ignored by Washington today. The 2012 election will be pivotal in determining the trajectory of our country: Will our children and grandchildren know the full blessings of freedom in the promise of America? Will they see their opportunities to achieve the American Dream continue to decline or will America’s best years lie ahead? We can spark an American comeback, but only by listening to the owners of our government, “We the People,” adhering to our foundational principles, reining in federal spending, and creating conditions for more opportunities for jobs.
While attending hundreds of town halls, rallies and meetings across Virginia, the message I heard consistently was that the people of Virginia want a leaner, less burdensome and more accountable government. Our nation’s budget ought to be executed with the same discipline that small businesses and families use across the country. That is why was one of about a dozen other Senators to vote against funding the Bridge to Nowhere. Washington needs to show it has the discipline to ensure there is no more wasteful spending on Bridges to Nowhere, orchid gardens in Pittsburgh, and indoor rainforests in Iowa. It is past time to rein in government. And while earmarks may be a small part of the budget deficit, they need to be stopped until the overall budget is balanced, and then a two-thirds majority should be required to pass any earmark.
Congress also needs to enact a real budget reform plan that includes a balanced budget amendment, line item veto and a “Paycheck Penalty” that would withhold Members of Congress salaries if they don’t pass appropriations bills on time. It’s their job, and it’s what they are paid to do. And, if they do not get this job done on time, then withhold their pay. The only way to rein in federal deficit spending is to change the way Washington operates.
Our leaders in Washington need to be willing to fight to repeal or defund the unfair, harmful, unconstitutional federal government takeover of health care. In the Senate I will stand up for the Virginia voices who oppose the dictates and mandates of this anti-jobs health care monstrosity and fight to replace it with reforms that will deliver on the promise to make health care more affordable and accessible, including personal health savings accounts, and expand competition and choice by allowing health insurance to be acquired across state lines.
Virginians are worried that skyrocketing electricity, fuel and food costs that are diminishing the quality of life and causing thousands of jobs to be moved overseas. To reduce energy costs for our families and small businesses, we need a winning American energy plan that encourages practical conservation and innovation; utilizes all of our plentiful resources including clean coal technology, natural gas and oil; and removes outdated regulatory barriers to the next generation of nuclear power. America is blessed with more energy resources than any country in the world and it is time to unleash our resources and creativity, not bury them under stifling EPA regulations.
Today America and Virginia face many challenges. The looming tax hikes, spending sprees, and government mandates from Washington are stifling the source of American innovation — free people and free enterprise. Virginians are ready for Washington to stop being part of the problem and start implementing real solutions to the issues confronting our families and businesses. If given the honor and responsibility of serving Virginia in the United States Senate, I pledge to work hard for the voices, values and prosperous future of all Virginians.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (56) | Leave a comment
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RT| 1.27.11 @ 6:41AM
Sir, you'll have my vote.
MikeD| 1.27.11 @ 7:44PM
A bit of advice Mr. Allen: Anticipate the vultures in the media and make THEM YOUR target! Go after them at every turn, expose their lies and tactics. Do everything you can to destroy them. You found out last time how low they will stoop; so get out in front of them and jump on every single thing they have said; and haven't said, about important issues over the last 10, 20, 30 years, or more.
GO AFTER THEM AND BURY THEM. The media has established their own position as the 'propaganda wing' of the demoncrap party. Come out swinging and demand that they do their real job; reporting the news, not making it, shaping it, or selectively ignoring it.
Stephanie| 1.27.11 @ 6:59AM
Mine, as well. But please be careful with the media vultures hanging about~they will be looking for anything to remove you from the race. Again.
vtwin| 1.27.11 @ 10:35AM
The “media vultures” didn’t “remove” Mr. Macaca it was the voters of Virginia.
Stephanie| 1.27.11 @ 12:08PM
No, vtwin, the lamestream leftie media made such an issue of the macaca incident that it was indeed they who removed him. You knew exactly what I meant.
MikeD| 1.27.11 @ 7:54PM
They were the same ignorant, misinformed voters who were so lazy that they let the media make their decisions for them. The absolute stupidity, and self-imposed "White guilt" of the voters have made us the laughingstock of the world. I have good friends around the world, in all of the 78 countries I've worked and lived; and they all say the same things: "THEIR MEDIA IS AS BIG A PROBLEM AS OURS IS."
Media types are the same all over the world. We read all the crap about the people in other countries hating America; but it is their media; the same as it is here. The people I know, from every country, and ever part of their societies and economies, simply think we are collectively a bunch of morons for electing barry to the most powerful office in the world. They actually like us, they just can't believe how stupid we can be.
Throw off the influence of the media. They lie, steal, cheat, and defraud. Gee! Sounds just like the democrats!
This is the time to rip off the emperor's nonexistent clothes. Barry is a fraud being propped up by the media. Ultimately, we must take responsibility for our own actions and correct our mistakes. Correct the most colossal mistake we've ever made: Throw the bums out; and that means barry the muslim and reid and every other senator and representative in 2012. It's only our future at stake. Look at your kids and grandkids and think of what we're doing to them. We still have time, but not that much.
jags4ever| 1.28.11 @ 1:31PM
The voters removed him because the MEDIA took an honest mistake in his choice of words and hammered it into the ground that he was racist. These were probably the same voters who voted our socialist President into office, and you wonder why our country is in the state it's in. Get a clue.
Pete| 1.27.11 @ 7:26AM
Good.
Amereica does not need an Obama-voting Jim Webb in office.
But watch out. With the tide turning conservative, don't be surprised if Webb switches parties for a THIRD time and runs as to Tea Party candidate. Webb is a man with honor or a sense of shame.
MoeBlotz| 1.27.11 @ 8:04AM
Without honour or sense of shame,nez pas? Mr.Allen wants a second pension and the senatorial power. Tea Party Patriots will decide.
buckeyeman| 1.27.11 @ 10:01AM
"n'est-ce pas" It has nothing to do with your nose (nez).
jags4ever| 1.28.11 @ 1:34PM
The Tea Party wouln't have Jim Webb!
Shamus| 1.27.11 @ 7:37AM
The return of Macaca.
uncle curmudgeon| 1.27.11 @ 8:49AM
Ah yes, Macaca: the trained, one-trick monkey of an itinerant clown. You pegged him, Governor, and pegged him well. It was the follow-up that did the damage. The clown became one of my senators and the monkey became a disciple of Dr. Sabato. The Commonwealth and the country got double-tapped. Your principles are sound, Governor Allen. Trust your gut. Tell it like it is. And then tell us why. We aren't breakable. Any speech which is filled with the old, "I come before you to stand behind you!" boiler-plate should go to the shredder. Any adviser who would steer by the momentary breeze should be fired (with any luck they may go to work for Jim Webb). This is a time for principled action. Nothing else will do, and we, the people, will accept no less. As in each of your previous outings, you'll have my vote, Governor.
Steve A| 1.27.11 @ 8:40AM
As a VA resident all I can tell you is beware. This guy has had a shot in the past & what did he do?? He did not vote against one single Bust spending increase that I am aware of & in fact voted in favor of bills tacking on over 3 Trillion in additional debt onto the deficit.
He did not have the guts to stand up to a Republican President with a Progressive spending philosophy. Why should I believe things have changed?
Purpleguy| 1.27.11 @ 8:45AM
This guy's a loser and a has-been and was a budget-busting Bush follower. Not to mention a bigot. No way he's wanted.
Ralph Novy| 1.27.11 @ 1:20PM
Bingo ... except you forgot "colossal, shameless, self-serving liar."
baseballguy2001| 1.27.11 @ 7:23PM
In Texas we have a similar situation. Kay Bailey Hutchinson retired rather than run again because she knew she would lose in the primary. She voted for every bailout that came her way. If Senator Allen is running just to 'get his seat back', he needs to realize the game has changed. That seat belongs to the people, not the senator.
WTF| 1.27.11 @ 8:51AM
Clean coal?
richard ryan| 1.27.11 @ 8:52AM
I will be ok with Allen..he is a solid conservative. Spitoons and cowboy boots back in the Senate chambers-what could be better?
chris haynes| 1.27.11 @ 8:54AM
This is sillly.
Not a word about abortion. Can a sane person really think that the biggest holocasut in history is less important than clean coal technology?
Still, he has talent. I bet he could make a good living writing cliches for President Obama's teleprompter.
Steve A| 1.27.11 @ 9:47AM
Chris, Allen is 100% pro life based upon prior voting record. That issue, unfortunately, ranks about #10 on the list of voter priorities right now so it would not make sense for him to go out & campaign on it. You need to get elected first.
Derek Leaberry| 1.27.11 @ 9:06AM
George Allen is better than either Jim Webb or Tim Kaine so he should get any conservative's vote. Yet Allen is a disappointment, doesn't think out of the box, and isn't a real leader. I'd like to ask him a couple of questions. First, since Bush's foolish Iraq folly helped lose Allen his seat and will cost $ 2 trillion in the end, is Senator Allen still enamored with military adventures given that the country is broke and that military adventurism is a political loser? Second, why has Senator Allen turned his back on Virginia's Confederate heritage as the Left wants him to?
Steve A| 1.27.11 @ 9:51AM
Wow Derek! Maybe you should be his campaign manager. Get him an F-150 with a huge Confederate flag & tool around VA & win in a landslide. Are you serious?? Maybe he should drive the General Lee with Daisy Duke around Richmond to show his support. Genius.
loulou| 1.27.11 @ 3:32PM
Derek, precisely. Allen better not let the WaPo dictate how he should behave. He is a decent person. Somewhat mainstream but better than Webb (who wrote smut) and the leprechaun Kaine.
RCV| 1.27.11 @ 11:59PM
Good plan for success in 2011: the GOP should run on a platform of "restoring our Confederate heritage"!
MikeN| 1.27.11 @ 11:20AM
No answer to macaca? Granted not many Indians vote, since they are not citizens, but the impression hurts in the community. On top of which Webb is opposed to H-1 visas, and Allen is in support. So this little flap may have made an impact.
loulou| 1.27.11 @ 3:34PM
Indians vote but they are not into racial politics like the Hispanics and Blacks. Indians are a minority but they don't qualify for minority victim status because they are smart, hard workers and achievers.
MikeD| 1.27.11 @ 8:04PM
Any citizen of Virginia who was swayed in the least by the whole 'macacca' flap is as deeply STUPID as the morons who voted for obama. Wait!!!! Didn't a majority of the voters actually vote for barry?
Since I don't think that even the dems can steal THAT many votes; what does that tell us about the two "rocks" our (alleged) democracy is built on? ( "AN INFORMED, WELL EDUCATED ELECTORATE AND AN UNBIASED MEDIA". )
Isn't that what we have?
Richard Baker| 1.27.11 @ 11:30AM
George Allen needs some of the fever and emotion that his Dad had when he ran the Redskins. Good man but bland and sooo white-bread. He'd do well to watch some film of his Dad leading the 'Skins on a Sunday afternoon. The country needs fire to purge ourselves of the lefty ideas and I don't think Allen has it. Webb, however, is a disgrace to the Old Dominion.
John S| 1.27.11 @ 1:02PM
Forget it pal.! You are not your dad. Do you think he would turn and run like a sissy as you did from the "macaca" moment. The dems scared you, boo! You are not Tea Party but just an opportunist. Get lost.
John S| 1.27.11 @ 1:04PM
Sorry folks but George Allen's son removed himself!
Mary Moser | 1.27.11 @ 1:07PM
Do run, now for senator, and later for president.
Nancy in NC| 1.27.11 @ 2:36PM
Would someone explain the "macaca" reference?
vtwin| 1.27.11 @ 3:23PM
Sure, always happy to help an uninformed FOX NEWS viewer.
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=r90z0PMnKw
vtwin| 1.27.11 @ 3:27PM
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=r90z0PMnKwI
Franco| 1.27.11 @ 3:04PM
My dear friends,
My name is Curtis Pamlgrease. I'm running for (insert title and office) and I''d like to ask for your vote. The fact is, my friends, that I have no talent or skill apart from my charisma and I need a job--preferably a cushy one, with perks and benefits far above what my consituents will ever have.
Please-vote Palmgrease come elction day.
Because he needs a job.
MattZ| 1.27.11 @ 3:16PM
" . . . federal government takeover of health care."
Takeover? Idiot.
MZ
PCP Smoker| 1.27.11 @ 6:32PM
Only an idiot like you would fail to recognize that this is takeover. When the government, the same government that regulates the industry joins in as a provider, that's a takeover. Pull your head out of your ass and get used to losing. We have targets on all you and will be pulling the trigger.
loulou| 1.27.11 @ 3:28PM
George Allen has to learn how to deal with the ambushes laid by the WaPo and other enemies. He should have known how to deal with the macaca silliness and not apologized.
I hope he's learned something and will not show weakness and get sidetracked this time. They WILL try it again.
WilliamInWien| 1.27.11 @ 3:37PM
RETREAD, plain and simple. Even if Webb does not run for re-election, Allen should not be the Republican standard bearer, but he probably will be. The Democrats should then be free to resurface Chuck Robb. Yuck!
Cato| 1.27.11 @ 3:47PM
George may be a decent enough fella, but I'm holding out for the Tea Party candidate.
That way, I'll know for sure that VA's next senator will not simply be a rubber stamp, if the Oval winds up red in '12.
Joe D.| 1.27.11 @ 4:00PM
"not bury them under stifling EPA regulations."
That's why, I for one, say we not only should get rid of the Dept. of Ed but the Dept of Energy who has never live up to it's original moto, "Cheaper and better energy".
jags4ever| 1.28.11 @ 1:43PM
Amen!
PCP Smoker| 1.27.11 @ 6:29PM
I'll send a check if (1) you promise to call scumbag liberals, and that includes all liberals, "scumbags" and not macaca, and (2) if you get flack for calling them scumbags, don't spend the whole campaign apologizing for it. I'll start out with $100 and go from there.
Now, go kick his ass.
Brian| 1.27.11 @ 6:48PM
I'm sure he's a nice guy but if this is the best Repubs have to offer we're finished.
Mike| 1.27.11 @ 10:52PM
By all means, George, take the advice of MikeD and Stephanie and don't utter your racism in the presence of the media.
m| 1.28.11 @ 7:06AM
Is there a Tea Party member is running for US Senate race in Viriginia? Allen probably will lose the primary election. Allen is not conservative.
Chef Schnauzer| 1.28.11 @ 7:13AM
These back-slapping republican hacks like Allen are going to attempt to be considered a part of the Tea Party effort 'by association'. A distinction must be maintained between the perennial candidate party losers (like Allen and just name a Kennedy) and genuine 'hold 'em to constitution' new bloods. Allen is the sort of 'Col. Frank Burns' politician who uses the royal WE and likes looking at 'official' pictures of himself. Ugh, Lord Save Us.
emo| 1.29.11 @ 10:43AM
In order for Allen to beat Webb, Allen will have to run AHEAD of who ever the GOP nominee is for President. There will be no Obama-Allen ticket splitters. If Obama carries VA, Webb wins....period
Jack in the Midwest| 1.29.11 @ 12:30PM
This guy is a loser. Let him stay retired. We don't need another Bush Republican in the Senate. It is time to get rid of the ones there now, Lugar, Hatch, Collins. Snowe, etc. This party needs new Tea Party blood.
shipley130| 1.29.11 @ 3:04PM
I don't see anything in this article that says he is going to put big federal departments on the chopping block. It's really the same old cr*p, balance the budget, but what budget? Outlaw the progressive caucus and other special caucuses. Socialists and commies not allowed to serve in congress.
Pelligrino| 1.31.11 @ 8:01AM
Virginia can come up with much better than former Sen. George Allen.
Yes, he is much better than Webb, and all effort should (and will) be made to unseat Webb.
I trust that no sincere, strong, Constitutionally-minded Tea Party candidate is now cowed by Allen's presence in the race.
No reason to be.
Conservative Virginians know that that the tide has significantly turned; no one has to settle for a mere half-measure like Allen. He just does not have the fiber the state and nation need.
Adidas | 8.11.11 @ 4:38AM
is good
العاب | 4.11.12 @ 3:25PM
thank you