Was this what Gillespie et al had in mind?

“I once tried middle of the road. I was knocked down by traffic in both directions” – Prime Minister “Red Harry” Perkins, A Very British Coup (1989)

When Not Larry Sabato can put up a press release from the Club for Growth without a trace of irony, something is very, very wrong in Richmond, and it’s neither NLS nor the Club.

Here’s what the Club had to say (via NLS):

Gov. Kaine should veto HB 3202

We agree with Governor Kaine that the House Transportation Compromise bill is “bogus”, “irresponsible” and “a very bad idea.” It raises taxes and introduces another layer of unelected and unaccountable government. We implore the Governor to do the right thing and veto this bill.

Phillip Rodokanakis, the President of the Virginia Club for Growth said: “A man’s word used to be his bond; unfortunately, one can no longer trust the word of Virginia politicians even when they sign a pledge guaranteeing to the voters that they will not raise taxes.”

“Like a bad chapter from George Orwell’s novel ‘1984,’ a pledge against taxes has been reduced into a newspeak quote: ‘Tax is prosperity, unaccountability is freedom, collective voting is strength” said Rodokanakis.

Although we obviously disagree with the Governor on the root issues that make this a bad bill, we agree with him in principle and urge him to veto this abomination of a bill. At a time of unprecedented budget surpluses, Virginia families do not need to be saddled with another tax increase.

Rodokanakis said, “Virginians are sick of the same blatant lies from politicians year after year. We strongly urge members of the General Assembly to consider funding a transportation plan that does not include a tax increase, but instead allocates more money for roads from the General Fund and allows for building of smart roads through public/private partnerships that are funded through tolls and congestion pricing.”

There is no justification for enabling unaccounted and unelected regional authorities. This is particularly dangerous, given that they may end up controlling funds larger than the budgets of some local governments. “If anyone thinks that unaccounted and unelected authorities are desirable, they should take a look at the cronyism and unaccountability that goes on with the Commonwealth Transportation Board” said Rodokanakis.

As a result of this vote, we have lost all means of holding elected representatives accountable for what they do in office. If we can no longer rely on a politician’s signed pledge, how can anyone trust what they say when they are knocking on doors asking for our vote?

As expected, nearly everyone imaginable is screaming at CFG (see Bearing Drift and the comments at the NLS link). There are a lot of people who are too deeply vested in this year’s tax increase. This is going to be a deeply painful election season. I can already hear General Buford (well, OK, Sam Elliot as General Buford) ringing in my ears:

An odd, set, stony quality to it. As if tomorrow has already happened and there’s nothing you can do about it. The way you sometimes feel before an ill-considered attack, knowing it will fail, but you cannot stop it. You must even take part and help it fail.

Are Bowden, Bacon, Rodokanakis, and I really the only people who can see this?

About these ads