For Democrats and Democrat Socialists: "The Founders knew that a democracy would lead to some kind of tyranny. The term democracy appears in none of our Founding documents. Their vision for us was a Republic and limited government." - Walter E. Williams "Most of the great problems we face are caused by politicians creating solutions to problems they created in the first place." -Walter E. Williams "(F)or 50 years, the well-meaning leftist agenda has been able to do to blacks what Jim Crow and harsh discrimination could never have done: family breakdown, illegitimacy and low academic achievement." ~ Walter E. Williams “You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.” -Thomas Sowell “Socialism is a wonderful idea. It is only as a reality that it has been disastrous. Among people of every race, color, and creed, all around the world, socialism has led to hunger in countries that used to have surplus food to export.... Nevertheless, for many of those who deal primarily in ideas, socialism remains an attractive idea -- in fact, seductive. Its every failure is explained away as due to the inadequacies of particular leaders.”-Thomas Sowell "When the history of the 20th century is finally written, one of its key features will be the wanton slaughter of more than 170 million people, not in war, but by their own government. The governments that led in this slaughter are the former USSR (65 million) and the Peoples Republic of China (35-40 million). The point to remember is that these governments were the idols of America's leftists. Part of the reason for these and other tyrannical successes was because the people were first disarmed." -Walter E. Williams "Democracy and liberty are not the same. Democracy is little more than mob rule, while liberty refers to the sovereignty of the individual." -Walter E. Williams "There are people in need of help. Charity is one of the nobler human motivations. The act of reaching into one's own pockets to help a fellow man in need is praiseworthy and laudable. Reaching into someone else's pocket is despicable and worthy of condemnation." -Walter E. Williams

Garden Club of Virginia’s 3,400 members are deeply concerned and disappointed that the meeting was scheduled in a manner that effectively precluded testimony from interested stakeholders. Meaningful public participation was prevented, thereby excluding the perspectives of thousands of Virginians who devoted substantial time and effort to advancing this non-partisan, no-cost legislation in support of the environment.

While there was significant support for this bill in the Senate, there is no explanation for the choice of the brown-belted bumble bee as state native pollinator. There are nearly 500 bees known to occur in Virginia. Seventeen of these bees are in the genus Bombus. Of the latter species the brown-belted bumble is one of the most widely distributed in North America, ranging from the east coast to the Pacific coast states and into Canada. Why were the common eastern bumble bee, yellow-banded bumble bee, or the rusty patched bumble bee not presented or discussed. These are common eastern bumble species. Were any of the other bumble bees or other 400 plus bees considered? Were any other pollinators such as butterflies considered? The patron commented earlier in the Senate committee that the state pollinator, the western honey bee, is not native to Virginia. Neither is the Chincoteague pony. Shakespeare never wrote about Virginia or set foot on her soil. Yet the General Assembly designated a Shakespeare Festival in Williamsburg among the state emblems and designations. The close ties of the pollinator, pony, and festival to the state's heritage, culture, and economy warrants their inclusion among the Commonwealth's emblems and designations. Such ties between Virginia and the brown banded bumble bee do not exist. In fact, the species is not even unique to East Coast states like the striped bass. The patron and other supporters referenced buzz pollination, sonication, in the reason for designating the brown-belted bumble bee. Sonication is important for pollination of a number of native plants, blueberries in particular. But it is not unique to the brown-belted bumble bee or bumble bees in general. Solitary bees demonstrate sonication. The emergence and pollination activities of many of the solitary bees are closely tied to the blooming of specific native plants. Before designating a species as the state's native pollinator, the members of the General Assembly should be more diligent in determining the most acceptable and appropriate native pollinator in the Commonwealth. Look at all native pollinators before making a determination. If a bumble bee, why not Sanderson's Bumble Bee (Bombus sandersoni), Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola), or Confusing Bumble Bee (Bombus perplexus). These are at least known to only occur east of the Mississippi River.