“We recognize taxes when we see them”

That was the response of Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-York County) to the McDonnell Administration’s assertion that no tax increases are in his ABC privatization plan.  Much of the Washington Post‘s coverage of the rollout centered on Republican anger about the tax increases.

None of it should surprise.  However, it also gives me cause for optimism.  The more grief McDonnell gets from within the GOP, the more likely the tax increases go away, leaving a clean get-the-government-out-of-the-liquor-business bill.

The House GOP, including Speaker Bill Howell, has seen this movie before.  They remember how sickness and rage turned into sweetness and light when they took tax hikes out of their transportation plan two summers ago.

Now the question becomes: can the House Republicans save the McDonnell Administration from itself?

Cross-posted to BD