Author Archives: matt ohern

Virginia Retailers should see holiday sales higher than the national forecast

Posted on November 18, 2019 by matt ohern

The kickoff to the holiday selling season starts this month. It is an important time of year for retailers as holiday sales represent about 20% of the retail industry’s total sales. Despite businesses having uncertainty over tariffs and seeing somewhat … Continue reading →

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Express Toll Lanes’ Expanding Track Record

Posted on November 18, 2019 by matt ohern

With the opening of Virginia’s I-395 Express Lanes now open up to the Potomac River, its worth asking: “How many express toll lane projects are in operation in the United States today?” As of mid-summer, according to a tally provided … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation | Comments Off on Express Toll Lanes’ Expanding Track Record

Demography is Destiny

Posted on November 6, 2019 by matt ohern

“Demography is Destiny.” It was a phrase first popularized in the 1970 bestselling book The Real Majority by Democrats Richard Scammon and Ben Wattenberg in which they argued that the Democratic Party was veering leftward (particularly on social issues and … Continue reading →

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The Message is the Game

Posted on November 6, 2019 by matt ohern

You know Virginia has changed when being labeled a socialist by your opponent is less damaging than being labeled a Republican. Republican candidates all across the commonwealth sought to link their opponents with the national Democrats running for president on … Continue reading →

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Republicans Must Find a New Way Forward

Posted on November 6, 2019 by matt ohern

Virginia is a blue state now. Not only do Democrats occupy all statewide elected positions — two U.S. senators, governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general — with yesterday’s election, they control both houses of the General Assembly. Republicans got their … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 1 Comment