B-day (budget day) in Virginia? Cliffhanger ending in offing

Richmond Times-Dispatch ^ | 04/27/2004 | Jeff Shapiro

[cogitator]

The General Assembly is poised for a possible breakthrough in the 105-day standoff over taxes and spending and votes today on a $979 million revenue plan that freezes the popular car-tax-relief program and raises the sales tax by a half-cent.

[Gabz]

It definitely needs heavy duty FReeping............

[Gabz]

My district split....Rerras-NO.......Lewis-YES.

[iceskater]

Freeped but needs more freepin' It's at 75% for tax reform" legacy.
I'm gonna puke.

[iceskater]

Stosch's head should roll on this.
Traitor.

[iceskater]

Janis, Louderback and Cole - really need to be put on notice. If these idiots had shown up to that meeting, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

So they look good for voting no on the tax increases even tho their failure to attend a meeting resulted in the tax increases coming to the floor.

This just really boils my oil.

At least O'Bannon voted yes - he's at least an honest tax increaser.

[Corin Stormhands]

Stosch's head should roll on this.

Is that your campaign announcement?

[Corin Stormhands]

If these idiots had shown up to that meeting, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Still, they did that at the request of the Speaker. They thought they could stop it on the floor of the House.

[CJ Wolf]

Mims, Loudoun

He ran un-opposed last year. Even the democrats don't challenge him.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=29751&paper=79&cat=167

"William "Bill" Mims (R) of Sterling, incumbent and a former 32nd District delegate, ran uncontested in the 33rd District where he has served as senator since 1998. "This is the first time I'm unopposed," Mims said. "I'm grateful for the vote of confidence. I'm looking forward to spending four more years in Richmond working to serve this district." Mims pointed to the importance of "the budget situation" in the county and the state's continuing to fund schools while trying to balance its own budget, along with his work on transportation safety. "

Well, if anyone want's to draft me I'll run, but it wont be for another 3 years...

[Corin Stormhands]

Well, if anyone want's to draft me I'll run, but it wont be for another 3 years...

Okay, that's one. iceskater, gonna make it two?

[Mudboy Slim]

"Lib'rals!!"
(To be sung to the Rolling Stones' "Angie")

Lib'rals...my FRiends...
When will yer hatred disappear?!
Leftists...my bro's...
Help tell Dem zealots, "NEVER HERE!!"
With good intents in their souls...
IGNORANT FOOLS...EVIL Goals!!
Please explain why Clinton Lied!!
But Lib'rals...my FRiends...
'Tis fer FReedom that FReepers Fight!!

Lib'rals...are ignorant...yeah...
Minion DOLTS...put HATE aside!!
Lib'rals...we'll still love ya...
MLK ain't fer gen-o-cide!!
All Left's dreams they were so close...
But they all went up in smoke!!
Let me whisper in Slick's ear,
"Osama...bil Clinton...YOU SHALL BE DETHRONED THIS YEAR!!!"

(Haunting keyboard solo)

So...daughters, gently sleep...
Fer yer futures, Right does FReep!!
Avenge Slick Willie's shameless crimes!!
And soldiers...Our Sons, please just know that "WE ARE RIGHT!!"

'Cuz there's lovin' in our souls...
And there's Honor in our goals!!
Fer yer FReedom we shall fight!!
'Cuz Lib'rals...FReepers love ya, baby...
Everywhere Left looks, they'll fear our Might!!
We won't let DemonRATS git their claws in you...
C'mon FReepers, Join OUR Fight!!
Lib'rals...Dimwits...ain't it good to be alive?!
Sosh'lists...my FRiends...you can't say MUD never tried...

Revised today...MUD (11/16/2002)

[cogitator]

Janis, Louderback and Cole - really need to be put on notice. If these idiots had shown up to that meeting, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

If they hadn't done what Speaker Howell probably indicated was in their best interests to do, they would probably not get a single bill for their constituents' interests passed for the rest of their terms. It's not nice to mess with the Speaker.

There's a very simple political arithmetic here. The GOP was getting increasing heat for the lack of a budget deal. Howell let the mavericks (not him and the no-new-taxes group) put their necks on the line to make a budget deal -- they're the ones that might get targeted for defeat by low-tax opponents in the next primaries. But he also knows that most of the districts have been drawn to be reliably Republican if they have Republican incumbents. If the deal goes through, the heat for not having a budget, and the potential real problems that engenders starting in May, go away, as does any minimal damage that the lack of a budget might have caused GOP candidates. So they no longer have to worry about the [small] possibility of actually losing control of the Assembly; lack of a budget will not be an issue that the Democrats could have run on. It's actually better for almost everybody; the moderates get credit in their more-moderate (NoVa) districts for getting the budget deal done, and the conservatives voted against it, so their constituents can't complain either.

That's why Howell permitted this to happen. The three guys who didn't show up for the meeting were just following orders. In fact, it was pretty astute politics by Howell to make those calculations and step in where it made a difference.

[cogitator]

They thought they could stop it on the floor of the House.

I read it differently (see post 31). I think Howell realized that the best-case scenario, once it was clear that public opinion was strongly favoring a budget deal, was to allow the "maverick" Republicans to make it work. The last place it could have been stopped was that committee hearing; he made sure that didn't happen.

[Corin Stormhands]

I read it differently (see post 31).

Perhaps. But my comment was based on an email I got from one of the four.

[iceskater]

I do not have the energy this morning to argue with you.

You can put all the Warner-esque/Clintonesque spin you want on this, boy-o. But at the end of the day, your wallet and mine are going to be a whole lot slimmer because Gov. Warbucks got his wish. The Republicans caved. Period. There's no way, in my mind, to pretty up that picture. And they aren't called the Stupid Party for nothing.

This just makes Warner a more viable VP candidate for that other moron, John Effn Kerry. If the VP nod gets that carpetbagger out of my state, then all I can say is, "let me help you pack."

[iceskater]

I know. I know. But that's what they get for thinking.

[cogitator]

Perhaps. But my comment was based on an email I got from one of the four.

They may have underestimated the solidarity of the "mavericks". I still tend to think that Howell realized that a compromise brokered by the moderates in the state GOP wouldn't be a real bad thing overall for the Republicans, and it probably would insure continuing control of the Assembly. (And I suspect he was getting tired of hearing things like "the Republicans control both sides of the General Assembly and they can't even agree on a budget" from the media.)

[iceskater]

So, which of these criminals are going to vote to give us our money back when the truth FINALLY gets more play that TAX REVENUES ARE COMING IN AHEAD OF PROJECTIONS THIS YEAR!!!!!!! They absolutely did not "need" to raise our taxes by $1.3B when revenues are coming in like they are.

[insert Howard Dean scream][louder]

[Mudboy Slim]

I believe Kilgore should run on the platform of rescinding these unnecessary tax increases...MUD

[Corin Stormhands]

So, which of these criminals are going to vote to give us our money back when the truth FINALLY gets more play that TAX REVENUES ARE COMING IN AHEAD OF PROJECTIONS THIS YEAR!!!!!!!

You new around these parts?

BTW, I heard it from an "unnamed source" that not only may John Hager (just resigned his position) be considering offering himself as the "Main Street Republican" candidate (alternative to Kilgore), but that Jim Gimore already has...

Get used to saying "Governor Kaine."

[iceskater]

Assuming he gets the nomination.
Assuming the base isn't so annoyed with him and the rest of the stupid party, that they all stay home and sit on their hands on election day.
Assuming he has a freakin' back bone.

I am not happy - can you tell???