The GOP gubernatorial candidate has spent six months trying to modify his image. Looking at his ads, one might even think he's a moderate Democrat. But, under the veneer is the heart and soul (soul... really?) of Jim Gilmore. Yep, that same fellow who by broad consensus was one of the worst modern governors of our great Commonwealth, Gilmore crashed the budget during good economic times, was a ultra-partisan forcing legislative gridlock, and pushed a hard right agenda out of touch with most Virginians.
If you listen to Bob McDonnell, you will hear much of the same Gilmoronic budgeting couched in tones you might associate with a smiley face. The most glaring example: bobbing for transportation funding would be easy under his plan - saying a gas tax increase wouldn't work because cars get better MPG (does he think this was a Democratic conspiracy?), he'd "raise" an additional $1.4 billion annually for roads from the state's General Fund.
All sounds good! Painless! Potholes fixed and congestion relieved and we don't have to pay for it. Just a matter of moving a few dollars here and there. Bob... for your next trick, what will it be? Check out the new BobbyMc charge card - it is as good as Virginia's bond rating (yeah, the same bond rating endangered by Gilmore)?
A reality check on Bob's math. Most of that $1.4 billion would come out of public schools, police and sheriff departments, healthcare, fire and rescue services, and other essential services. He'd be robbing Peter to pay Paul (a trick he learned from Jim), drawing off school funding just as the federal stimulus funds (which helped keep most school divisions functioning and solvent) come to an end. He'll smile and reassure us that kids will still learn and police will still come when called. Bob McDonnell is lying.
The world has changed, but Republican campaigns have the same rhetoric. Like his mentor, Jim Gilmore, Bob McDonnell will say about anything and make any hollow promise to win. Virginian's bought Gilmore's big lie and we paid a long hard price for it.
I'm reminded of the Who's, Won't Get Fooled Again:
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old bossThings change but Republicans haven't. VIRGINIANS WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN.
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6 comments:
Warner claims when he left office we had a surplus in Va if that is true Kaine has really been a failure. We don't have the money to cut the grass in the median strips of Va highways or keep all of the rest stops open but somehow Kaine found over 3 million dollars to spend on laptops. I think when Nov. gets here the people of Va will be ready for a CHANGE.
Of course, the Kaine budget got an "assist" from the Bush recession. But I guess you didn't notice anon.
How did Bush make Kaine spend over 3 million dollars on laptops ?
I just bought a new laptop. Because I bought it I didn't get the new riding mower, even at an end of summer sale. Need the laptop more. We all set priorities and give up one thing to get something else. Gov does it too. Sometimes we don't agree on the priority order, but hey, that's the way it goes in a family or a government. Kaine admin felt computer upgrades were a higher priority than mowing medians (which cost way more anyhow). Choices made. The Econ 101 principle of opportunity cost kicks in.
We could have had Medicare for all for the cost of the Iraq war. So, Anonymous1, ya wanna talk about misplace priorities, that's a biggie that keeps on costing us. As the joke says--PRICELESS. at least Obama put it in the budget--Bush tried to defy the econ laws of opportunity cost by keeping all that expenditure "off budget."
How many of the Democrat senators voted against going to Iraq ?
Obama also put bonuses for A.I.G. in the stimulus package who ever heard of CEO's getting rewarded for doing a bad job.
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