I just read some remarks that the communists just took over Virginia and are close to taking over other states. What happened and is this an exaggeration? Let my ask my friend ChatGPT.
======================================
Yes — what you’re referring to in Virginia really is a kind of “quiet revolution” in its politics and government, and it’s several related developments happening at once rather than just one headline-grabbing law:
🧑⚖️ 1. New Governor and Historic Democratic Wins
• Abigail Spanberger (D) was sworn in on January 17, 2026 as Virginia’s first woman governor after winning the 2025 election. Her inauguration was historic not just for her gender but also because Democrats also placed Ghazala F. Hashmi as lieutenant governor and Jay Jones as attorney general — both historic firsts in their own right.
• Democrats also expanded their majorities in both chambers of the Virginia legislature (House of Delegates and Senate), giving them a trifecta (control of the governor’s office and both legislative chambers).
This shift in control is widely seen as a big political change because for much of the last decade Virginia was considered a swing state with tightly contested government.
🪑 2. Legislative Control — Democrats in Charge
With the trifecta, Virginia Democrats are now in a much stronger position to pass their priorities — and that’s part of what people mean by a “quiet revolution.” Under unified control:
-
The legislature moved forward on constitutional amendments that voters will decide in 2026 — including a Rights to Reproductive Freedom Amendment and other measures related to voting rights and same-sex marriage.
-
Another proposed amendment would give Virginia’s legislature the power to redraw congressional districts mid-decade, a departure from the independent commission process.
🗳️ 3. Voting Law Changes & Amendments
While not all have taken effect yet, the legislature has taken steps toward other major shifts:
• A proposed voting rights restoration amendment — to automatically restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated people upon release — passed the session and is moving toward the ballot.
• Work continues on other election law changes, including studies on things like ranked-choice voting and election scheduling.
⚖️ 4. Gun Laws (and Political Debate)
There hasn’t been an immediate dramatic overhaul of gun laws — but this is a major point of contention:
• In the recent past, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed many gun-control measures passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature.
• Now with Democrats in unified control, there is expectation among advocates on both sides that new gun legislation may be put forward once the legislative session fully gets underway under Gov. Spanberger (with some online political commentary predicting potentially significant changes).
📌 Summary — So What’s the “Quiet Revolution”?
It’s not one single law. It’s a shift in the political balance of power in Virginia with:
-
A new governor — Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and first woman in the role.
-
Democrats now controlling both legislative chambers and the governor’s office — enabling policy changes that were previously blocked or vetoed.
-
Major constitutional amendments being advanced on ballot questions on reproductive rights, voting rights, and redistricting.
-
Ongoing policy shifts and debates on elections, civil rights, guns, and more.
So the “quiet revolution” phrase you saw likely refers to this broad transformation in how political power and priorities are shaping policy in Virginia, especially compared to the state’s recent history of more divided government.
==============================
Conclusion: So the Democrats are now firmly in control in Virginia, the same as in 17 other states. And 23 states have Republicans firmly in control. So it seems like the headline is an exaggeration. But I will update this if I see something else.
No comments:
Post a Comment