Fiscal/economic debt, that is, money; and
Ecological debt, that is, our land
In both cases it is clear that we are:

Spending far more than we’re taking in;

Using up our savings, that is, eating away at the capital needed for future prosperity; and
Steering most of the benefits of this deficit spending – wealth – to trickle up while the costs – foreclosures, lost jobs, degraded land – largely trickle down.

Specifically, my core values include:

Fairness, in personal relationships and in public policy
Hard work, entrepreneurship and self-reliance that helps families and communities meet their own needs

Sustainability, of farms and food, of businesses and of communities

Education that prepares students for productive work and for citizenship

Balancing individual needs with responsibility to the community — what the Founding Fathers called “the general welfare”

Honesty and a commitment to the truth, grounded in facts

Experience
Moved to district 27 years ago to work in community development

Raises fruits and vegetables on an old tobacco farm

Director of SCALE, Inc, a consulting firm building strong local economies and farm and food systems throughout Appalachia and the nation.

Worked with the UMWA mobilizing volunteers during the Pittston strike of 1989 – 90.

Started or helped start a number of farming, business and community programs over the past 20 years, including:

A homeownership program for low-income people that has now built nearly 200 homes in the district

Appalachian Sustainable Development, which started food, farming, forest and wood products enterprises around the region

Appalachian Harvest, which has helped more than 60 farmers (including many former tobacco farmers) to increase profits and sell to supermarkets

The Abingdon Farmers Market, one of the strongest in the state, and several other farmers markets around the district

A local merchants association, after successfully stopping the development of a WalMart Supercenter in Abingdon

Healthy Families, Family Farms, which provides local organic produce to families in need, while helping local farmers

A local green building coalition which helped promote businesses in energy efficient building, solar and wind energy, and geothermal energy.

“You’re just trying to get a good deal, so that was part of it,” Kaine said with a smile when asked about the spacious yet unremarkable office building off North Hamilton Street, adding that it was close to home.

A Richmonder who could face fellow former governor and GOP front-runner George Allen in the general election, Kaine offered up an energetic stump speech, pledging to run a positive and forward-looking campaign.

Kaine spent the bulk of his half-hour speech preaching his now-familiar message of “winning the talent war” by focusing on education and workforce development. But he eventually got to Allen.

“I listen to the rhetoric … of my opponent and folks in these presidential debates and, boy, they just make it seem like it’s doom and gloom time for America,” Kaine said. “I reject that. I reject any doom-and-gloom notion about this nation.”

The former Democratic National Committee chairman stressed that his campaign would rely heavily on volunteers.

“The other guy will have more super PAC secret money TV ads than me, but he will not have the grass-roots support that I have,” he said. “This campaign is going to be about the personal touch.”

Kaine added that he expected both his race and the presidential contest in Virginia to be decided by “razor thin” margins.

To those that ran a hard fought campaign against great odds and came up short in the votes, we wish you well and your efforts were greatly appreciated. Much success in the future to Vern Presley, Jay Rife, Tim Potter, Frankie Landreth and Berlin Viars.