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The
majority of Republican Senators in
Virginia’s General Assembly will shut down
the government because they can. These
Republicans are RINOs. But, since that term is
tossed too quickly and easily dismissed,
let’s call them the Royal Republicans. They
think they’re in the House of Lords.
Especially, His Lordship Sir John Chichester.
Like all Royals they think power is their
birthright and theirs alone.
The
Royals know the first principle of power: Use
it or lose it. Acting naturally, they’d
stomp their feet, hold their breath until they
turn blue, and whine loudly. But, that won’t
get them their Transportation tax raise.
Shutting down the government can create a
crisis. Maybe that’ll work for them.
Indeed,
it might work because the General Assembly
Democrats and Democrat Gov. Timothy M. Kaine
will go along enthusiastically. The Democrats
and the Royals will shout that it’s the
fault of the House Republicans. Like President
Clinton, who refused to sign the federal
budget in ’95, they’ll deny blame and
shift responsibility. Like Clinton, the Royals
have most of the Mainstream Media shilling for
them. The MSM will go nuts blaming the House
Republicans for not raising taxes... as if the
House passing a fat budget which spends every
penny coming in didn’t meet the letter and
spirit of Virginia’s Constitution and
Code... as if the Royals' budget that embeds
tax increases in their revenue estimates
isn’t unconstitutional. But the Royals count
on few Virginians knowing or caring about the
Rule of Law.
The
Republican Senators count on Virginia’s
voters to stay stupid about the law, passive
about more taxes and cowed with hysteria to do
anything to fix transportation problems. After
17 Republican Delegates rolled over and raised
taxes in ‘04 – creating a $1.4 billion
SURPLUS -- only six candidates challenged
these tax and spend apostates in the
Republican primaries. The ’05
Republican candidate for Governor endorsed
every incumbent. The Royal Republicans are
counting on weak challenges in the Senate, if
any, in ’07.
Mostly,
the RINOs expect Virginians to not get smart
on the issue. The MSM won’t report
comprehensively and accurately. Furthermore,
the Senators will fuzz facts to say the House
is cutting essential services. The Senators
will pull their pet trick to challenge any tax
critic with a thundering, “What would you
cut from the budget?” Yet, they never expect
to be challenged with “What does your extra
spending buy – specifically?” For example:
Both
Houses spend $11.6 billion on Education (the
House increase is 19 percent), but the Senate
pumps in an extra $64 million. For what?
Both
Houses spend $3.7 billion on Higher Education
(the House increase is 20 percent), but the
Senate loads on an extra $47 million. For
what?
The
House spends $3.34 billion on Public Safety
(up 15 percent), and the Senate adds $8
million. For what?
Both
House and Senate spend about $800 million (up
18 percent) on Health. They spend about the
same on the Environment. After all those
spending increases – there is another, new
$1.5 billion surplus. Yet, the Royal
Republicans insist you peasants cough up
additional $1 billion a year for
transportation. They’ll shut down
Virginia’s government to make sure you
knuckle under.
While
the Royals are at it, they’ll stick you with
an unelected regional taxing authority.
Virginians rejected this twice at the polls.
These taxing authorities are a new level of
government. You wouldn't elect regional
officials directly but they could raise your
taxes to pay their salaries, staff,
perquisites and friends for legal,
environmental and engineering services, etc.
-- even though the Governor, the General
Assembly and VDOT have all the authority in
law they need to plan major projects,
institute tolls, and manage the results –
right now!
Passive
peasants won’t fault the Royal Republican
Senators. Energy prices to heat homes and
drive cars can rise without relief. Property
taxes can soar with little or no relief from
greedy city and county governments. Count on
the peasants to swallow the last tax increase
and eat another.
When
the Senate’s Royal Republicans and Democrats
refuse to pass the budget without new taxes,
the news will explode with alarm. The Senate
Royals count on the weak Republican delegates
of '04, the turncoats, to roll over again. Can
the Republican Royals pull their shell game
twice? It’s really up to Virginia’s
peasants, you, whom the Senate Royals hold in
such contempt. Your voice in ‘06 and your
votes in ‘07 will speak across the centuries
and past the graveyards of the Founding
Fathers. Are Virginians Patriots or Peasants?
--
April 17, 2006
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