Bob McDonnell in Survey of Gubernatorial campaign websites, 2001-2009
On Corporations:
Small businesses are the backbone of Virginia's economy
Small businesses are the backbone of Virginia's economy, accounting for 97.5% of all existing business establishments in the Commonwealth. As Governor, Bob McDonnell will continue to support policies that help small businesses, and in turn the worker
they employ.- Commit Virginia government to approve most routine business applications within 48 hours
- Significantly enhance the "The Virginia Business One Stop" website into a "First and Only Stop" by increasing the information, resources, and
assistance available to ensure that only one stop is necessary to get a new business up and running with minimal delay
- Work with Virginia localities to get all necessary paperwork and forms for small business start ups online
-
Fast track the permit process for small businesses
- Make it easier for businesses in good standing that are expanding within Virginia, or moving into the state, to operate under temporary licenses while awaiting official approval.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Drugs:
Mandatory minimum sentences for career drug dealers
McDonnell will work closely with our local public safety leaders to ensure that they have the resources they need to protect our families and our children:- Cracking down on career drug dealers by proposing tougher mandatory minimum sentences for
repeat offenders
- Breaking the cycle of addiction by supporting and encouraging the use of drug treatment court programs
- Increasing mandatory fees for convicted criminals
- Strengthening the juvenile justice system.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Energy & Oil:
Cultivate green energy and renewables
Currently, Virginia is the second largest importer of electricity behind California. This is unacceptable. Green energy must be cultivated to make it commercially practical and affordable.
Renewables will certainly play an integral role in our energy future, but now we must take a comprehensive approach. We must create an environment to keep a ready supply of low cost energy. Our economy and quality of life depend on it.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Environment:
Establish "Green Jobs Zone"; protect the Chesapeake Bay
As a legislator, Bob McDonnell supported several efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay, including establishing an income tax refund for contributions made to help restore the Bay. Bob also supported the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997 to
dedicate funding to address water pollution, as well as the Open-Space Lands Preservation Trust Fund. McDonnell is committed to protecting our environment using innovative technology, pollution prevention programs and holding polluters accountable.
His key priorities will be to:- Protect the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's Watersheds
- Preserve 400,000 new acres of open space
- Establish Virginia as a "Green Jobs Zone" to encourage renewable energy technologies
The
Chesapeake Bay is a marvelous estuary and one of our nation's greatest natural resources. We must ensure that we are responsible stewards so that future generations may enjoy it as we have.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Jobs:
Strongly opposes federal Card Check legislation
We need to send a clear message that Virginia is open for business, with a pro-free enterprise climate that stands out because of low taxes, incentives for job creation, limited and sensible regulation, a predictable litigation climate, and a fiscally
sound and efficient government that lives within its means. We must also recognize that our strong Right to Work law is a powerful magnet for business investment in Virginia and an essential tenet of worker freedom. It is now in real danger as a result o
federal proposals like Card Check, which would deny the secret ballot to workers and replace contract negotiations by businessmen with binding arbitration by bureaucrats. To ensure that new jobs continue to come to Virginia, Bob McDonnell will defend our
pro-free enterprise Right to Work Law, the cornerstone of our economic prosperity. And Bob will strongly oppose "Card Check" legislation at the federal level and fight to keep Virginia the best place in America to do business.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Technology:
Make Wallops Island the top commercial Spaceport in America
The further development of Wallops Island Spaceport will continue to attract highly-skilled and high-paying jobs to the Eastern Shore, and in other locations around the state. In addition, it will generate millions of dollars in revenue for the region
and state. Creating the top commercial spaceport in the country will also increase tourism to Virginia and boost the hospitality industry--a major economic driver in Virginia. Highlights of McDonnell's Plan to make Wallops Island the top commercial
Spaceport in America include:- Supporting a ten-fold increase in base funding for the spaceport operations, bringing them to $1 million annually
- Creating an aerospace business roundtable to bring experts together to plan for
Spaceport development and future projects
- Aggressively recruiting and growing new and existing aerospace companies
- Supporting scholarships and investment in aerospace related educational programs and workforce training opportunities.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Nov 3, 2009
On Abortion:
Pro-life; anti-partial-birth; pro-parental-notification
Bob McDonnell is pro-life. As Attorney General, Bob supported numerous bills to protect the unborn and defended the Commonwealth's ban on late-term partial birth abortion.As a legislator, Bob
McDonnell helped lead the effort to ban late-term partial birth abortion (House Bills 2513 & 1541, 2003), fought to successfully enact parental notification and informed consent (Chief Patron, House Bill 1110, 1992; HB 2570, 2001), and encourage adoption
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Civil Rights:
Authored amendment protecting traditional marriage
Bob McDonnell believes marriage is the union between one man and one woman. As a legislator, Bob McDonnell was author of a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage (Chief Patron, HJ 187, 2004). As Attorney General, Bob supported
Virginia's marriage amendment and wrote an official opinion explaining that it would not affect the current legal rights of unmarried persons.In the House of Delegates, Bob McDonnell was twice named "Legislator of the Year" by the Virginia Family Foun
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Crime:
Make Virginia gang-free; with tougher penalties & prevention
McDonnell's "Making Virginia a Gang-Free Zone" plan is highlighted by the following proposals: - Appoint a new State "Anti-Gang Coordinator," at the deputy secretary level using existing resources
- Aid individual localities in replicating
Richmond's successful Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (GRIP)
- Expand prevention programs like "Class Action" and "Badges for Baseball"
- Expand the role of the State Police in Anti-Gang Task Forces, gang investigations, and the development
of gang intelligence
- Support Community Corrections efforts and require effective implementation of prisoner reentry plans
- Expand "gang-free school zones" into "gang-free zones"
- Toughen penalties for gang recruitment at all levels
-
Broaden gang recruitment statute to specifically include new electronic mediums
- Amend the gang participation statute to include "any felony" committed on behalf of a gang, as well as certain misdemeanors
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Energy & Oil:
All-of-the-above approach: coal, oil, nuclear, & renewables
We have the unprecedented opportunity to be the leading energy producing state on the East Coast and Bob McDonnell will spend four years making that happen. Bob McDonnell's plan for "More Energy, More Jobs" takes an "all of the above" approach to solving
our energy crisis. His administration will continue to support the traditional sources of energy that provide thousands of jobs for Virginians and help keep our electricity costs fairly low. He will also expand investments in renewable energy sources and
incentivize green job creation so that the future of Virginia remains bright.Bob McDonnell supports the safe offshore exploration and drilling of oil and natural gas which could, over a 10-year period, create 2,578 new jobs.
He will continue to
support Virginia's coal and nuclear industry to ensure affordable, reliable energy now.
Bob will push for expedited permitting and approval processes for energy facilities so that energy sources can be brought online faster.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Gun Control:
Fundamental individual right to bear arms
Bob believes that the Second Amendment clearly states that every law abiding citizen should have the right to own a firearm and that it is an individual right that must be protected.As Attorney General, Bob filed an amicus brief in support of the
individual right to bear arms in the case of Heller v. District of Columbia, which challenged the District's outright ban on personal handgun ownership. He was a vocal and active supporter of this position, and said the following when the Supreme
Court ruled against the District's ban: "I am pleased by today's historic decision. The Court has recognized that the Second Amendment clearly protects the individual right to keep and bear arms. This basic right was so important to our
Founders that they recognized it in the Bill of Rights. It is a fundamental individual right that government must respect and protect."
As governor, Bob will continue to defend the constitutional rights of Virginians to keep and bear arms.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Jobs:
Strong support for Virginia's Right to Work law
As Governor, Bob McDonnell will implement broad initiatives to help create new jobs in the Commonwealth in the years ahead. - Providing a $1,000 tax credit per job to businesses that create 50 new jobs, or 25 new jobs in economically distressed
areas
- Better incentives to attract new employers and keep economic development projects from going to other states and nations.
- Strong support for Virginia's Right to Work law, a cornerstone of our competitiveness.
- Provide more incentives
for employers to bring jobs to Virginia, and be more aggressive marketing the benefits of doing business with Virginia.
- Work to make Virginia the top state in America for tourism and film production.
- Set a goal of developing the top
commercial space port in the country at Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore.
- Provide support and leadership for the Craney Island Port expansion, bringing new jobs and development to the Hampton Roads region.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Tax Reform:
Kill the Death Tax; eliminate fraud & duplication
Bob McDonnell voted more than 50 times to cut taxes during his 14 years in the House of Delegates, resulting in over $2 billion in tax cuts.- Bob McDonnell was Chief Sponsor of legislation to kill the
Death Tax on family businesses and farms.
- As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell proactively cut his office's budget by nearly 15%. In 2008 he gave back his state car and cut his own salary--voluntarily!.
These cuts saved Virginia taxpayers close to $4 million.
- As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell fought to eliminate fraud in the Medicare system, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and efficiently.
-
As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell established the Government and Regulatory Reform Task Force to eliminate burdensome and duplicative government regulations and ensure that hinder free enterprise and job creation.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
On Welfare & Poverty:
Supports welfare-to-work & eliminate fraud
During his 14 years in the House of Delegates...- Bob McDonnell led the charge for major reforms such as welfare-to-work.
- Bob McDonnell received a
100% rating from the National Federation of Independent Business for his record helping small businesses.
- As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell fought to eliminate fraud in the
Medicare system, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and efficiently.
- As Attorney General, Bob McDonnell established the Government and Regulatory Reform Task Force to eliminate burdensome and duplicative government regulations and
ensure that hinder free enterprise and job creation.
- In 2007, Directorship ranked Virginia #2 in the nation for its pro-business climate-- due in part to Bob McDonnell's leadership on protecting companies from frivolous lawsuits that kill jobs.
Source: 2009 VA Gubernatorial campaign site, bobmcdonnell.com
Jul 21, 2009
Page last updated: Dec 02, 2018