Comstock Weak . . . Strong Kids

Fairfax County School Board Member Pat Hynes (Hunter Mill) letter to the editor, "Strong schools depend on informed voters," in the August 23-25 Fairfax Times hit the nail on the head urging "readers to get involved in this year's elections."  For me, two statistics cited on the Strong Kids, Strong Virginia website stand out:  148,000 Virginia children don't have health insurance and 300,000 are "food insecure."  

According to the recent Fairfax County whitepaper "Medicaid expansion could dramatically increase health care coverage for 25,000 to 30,000 Fairfax County adults and children."  This is because the expansion of Medicaid eligibility -- a key component of Obamacare -- increases to 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.  Costs of the expansion are 100 percent paid by the Federal government through 2016 and decreases to 90 percent Federal government funded for 2020 and beyond.  Pretty good deal, all in all.

Barbara Comstock voted against Medicaid Expansion and uninsured disadvantaged children.  Frank Wolf continues to vote for the repeal of Obamacare.  

"Food insecurity" means that family food intake was reduced and eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources for food.  A 2005 Journal of Nutrition study found that "food insecurity affects children’s academic performance in reading and math" that is probably caused by "compromised dietary quality and quantity."  The Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) "is the cornerstone of the nation’s safety net and nutrition assistance programs" according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  

With Frank Wolf's July 11, 2013 "aye" vote on House Agriculture Bill (H.R. 2642) he helped defund SNAP and keep some of Fairfax County’s most vulnerable children hungry.  No doubt, his protégé and presumptive successor, Barbara Comstock, would vote the same.

Obviously, disadvantaged children are not much of a budgetary concern to Barbara Comstock and Frank Wolf.  

Visit www.comstockvotes.com for a shocking history of Barbara Comstock’s legislative votes.  Maybe in her mind she supports the citizens of the 34th House District, but it is the special interests at the National Rifle Association, Susan B. Anthony List (anti-women’s rights in a BIG way) and American Legislative Exchange Council who she really supports. 

On the other hand, Democratic candidate Kathleen Murphy will better represent the overwhelming pro-women’s rights and pro-common sense gun regulation voters of the 34th.  Want proof?  For every anti-women’s rights voter in the 34th there are sixteen pro-women’s rights voters.  And, for every pro-NRA voter there are four pro-common sense gun regulation voters.

Let’s restore commonsense in Richmond and get someone down there who actually shares our opinions – Kathleen Murphy!