I have seen the future . . .

. . . and for Virginia Republicans, it is very ugly.

Thanks to Ed Gillespie et al coming out foursquare for the transportation tax hike, this is now for all practical purposes the “Republican” plan. Gillespie, Howell, Stosch, Norment, and even Bolling have lipsticked the “R” on this pig.

Mason Conservative is arguably one of the most effective advocates for the thing within the blogosphere, and he once again made the argument (namely: this plan isn’t perfect, but at least it’s a plan as it does have some good things). His first commenter gave us an idea of what’s to come: “I hope you will be consistent and exhort your party colleagues to support the Governor’s substitute.”

Get ready to hear that over, and over, and over again. Kaine may have chosen to keep his cards close to his vest (or left in the poker set in his desk) until now, but once he puts them on the table, the main political benefit of the “Republican” plan will vanish. It will become, as I’ve said before, a battle between two plans, and the “Republican” plan will be the less popular one in both northern Virginia (Bacon’s Rebellion), while it continues to weaken the GOP in Hampton Roads (Deo Vindice – Bowden’s Blog).

The Republicans will then be forced with a choice of three options:

1. Cave in to the Governor, accept his substitute, incur the unfettered wrath of the base, and make abundantly clear that there is no longer a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties on state issues,
2. Stick to the “Republican” plan, which Kaine will likely veto, get hit by Democrats and MSM for gumming up the works (you don’t seriously think they’ll blame Kaine, do you?) over an argument not about raising taxes, but which taxes should be raised, still have the base upset at you, and at the end of the day, get stuck with the very “do-nothing” label you were trying so desperately to avoid when you went down this slippery slope in the first place, or
3. Come to your senses, abandon this monstrosity, vote down Kaine’s substitute, and present a plan that relies not on new taxes but on the state budget ending it’s bullet-train rate of growth in spending

The first plan will make Chichester and his little band happy, while the base will wonder what’s the use of trying to get the Republican majorities re-elected; the second will leave most Republicans deeply relieved, but still untrusting of the legislators, while the rest of the state will wonder about all the fuss and just think the Republicans are trying to mess Kaine up no matter what the price (again, MSM won’t blame Kaine). The last option will re-establish (at least in part) that the Republicans are the party of limited government after all.

As for me, I’m dreaming about #3, hoping for #2 (on account that I don’t see #3 happening at all), and expecting #1. Like I said, the future is ugly.