Today, George Allen continued his ongoing conversation with Virginia families and small businesses in Clarksville in Mecklenburg County, South Boston in Halifax County and Danville in Pittsylvania County, where he toured several small businesses, held discussions with local small business leaders and held a town-hall style meeting at Mary’s Diner, a local restaurant in Danville hit hard by high gasoline prices and uncertainty about the future.  George Allen has been travelling throughout Virginia listening to the concerns of hard-working men and women and speaking about proven solutions in his Blueprint for America’s Comeback.

“The families, farmers and small business owners in Southern Virginia from Mecklenburg County, South Boston, Danville and Pittsylvania County are the ones who feel the pain of punishing energy policies and burdensome regulations from Washington,” said George Allen.  “We need to send a message that ‘America is Open for Business Again’ with a more simple, fair and competitive tax system and reasonable regulatory and productive energy policies to empower small businesses – America’s job creators – to expand and hire.  Having affordable, reliable electricity matters a great deal to attracting investment in new data centers where electricity rates can make up the majority of their operating costs.”

Allen began the day with a small business roundtable discussion sponsored by the Mecklenburg Chamber of Commerce. He then toured the Microsoft Data Center in Boydton and Lindstrand USA in South Boston before holding a town-hall style lunch at Ernie’s Restaurant in South Boston. Allen concluded the day by touring the JTI Leaf Services facility and hosting another small business roundtable at Mary’s Diner in Danville.

Delegate Tommy Wright (R-Lunenburg) joined him at the Mecklenburg Small Business Roundtable Roundtable and spoke about the impact of Washington’s policies and his support for George Allen’s strong leadership.

“I’m proud to join George Allen in meeting with the hard-working, inspiring people of Southside Virginia,” said Delegate Tommy Wright.  “Our region feels the pain of lost jobs and higher prices as small businesses and families struggle to balance the books and fill up their gas tanks. Washington’s taxes and regulations are standing in the way of more energy and more jobs, and we need George Allen’s strong leadership and record of results in the U.S. Senate to fight for less government – not more.”

Talking to tobacco farmers in Mecklenburg County, and JTI Leaf Services, a tobacco procurement and processing company in Danville, Allen reflected on the pride he took as Governor in promoting Virginia’s agricultural products. Allen also addressed the possibility that the Obama Administration would exclude tobacco from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement.

“If the Obama Administration excludes Virginia and American grown tobacco from trade agreements, it would hurt farmers here in Virginia and make all American tobacco growers less competitive around the world,” said Allen.  “As Governor, I took pride in promoting Virginia agricultural products, from tobacco to peanuts to poultry, and businesses throughout the world. The federal government should be looking to expand opportunities for Virginia farmers and businesses in the global market, not discriminate against them.”

As George Allen concluded the day at Mary’s Diner where he discussed how high gas prices touch every sector of the economy, owner Elene Farlow said that she sees every day how her business and employees are suffering with these high fuel costs.

“High gas prices are a huge detriment to our business,” said Elene Farlow, owner of Mary’s Diner in Danville.  “Not only do we see fewer customers going out to eat, but because of the increased cost of food and fuel, we couldn’t compete with the other bids for service to Martinsville.  George Allen understands how high energy costs impact a small business like ours, and I know he’ll work in Washington to reduce gas prices and give us some relief.”