What I learned

A year ago today was a special election in Virginia for the 45th District House seat. I was one of the candidates in that election.

Often the first question people ask about that experience is, "What did you learn from that?" It's an especially appropriate question during this, another back-to-school week. My answer has become consistent.

I learned how to weep for my city.

Medicaid Expansion Bad for Virginians

Could expanding a program for the poor hurt the poor?  When combined with mandates on both citizens and doctors, yes, expect the program to become more expensive and less valuable for both the poor and increasingly the middle class.

John Kerry Farewell: The Senate runs on relationships

I have witnessed what we all have, a loss of simple comity, the respect that we owe one another, and the sense of common cause that brings all of us here. The Senate as a body can change its rules to make itself more efficient, sure. But only Senators, one by one in their own hearts, can change the approach to legislating which Henry Clay correctly defined as the art of consensus.

—Senator John Kerry

Tweet of the Month - by @JimGeraghty

So to clarify, Obama says, we have to raise the debt ceiling to borrow more, to reassure the world that we can pay our debts.

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 14, 2013

Improving the Ultrasound Requirement

Cuccinelli backed failed bill to ease ultrasound rule

RICHMOND — When a Senate panel on Monday killed a bill to soften the state’s controversial ultrasound-before-abortion law, the move disappointed someone besides the usual Democratic suspects: Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II.

Geography Correction

@MichaelLeePope Geography Correction: http://t.co/Tw5K0yPt cc @KenCuccinelli

— Tim McGhee (@TimMcGhee) January 4, 2013

Let us be clear about where there is a real war, on women.

One person considered for TIME's 2012 Person of the Year was Malala Yousafzai. Malala is a Pakistani girl, 15, who pursued an education. As TIME points out, "On Oct. 9, 2012, Taliban gunmen boarded her school bus, sought her out and shot her in the head."