"You vote for Republicans and you get a tax increase"

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax), who is running for attorney general next year, said Republicans have been spending like "drunken fools."

That confusion has crucial independent voters supporting Democrats and disgruntled Republicans planning to sit out Election Day.

"The base stayed home. Why bother?" Cuccinelli said. "You vote for Republicans and you get a tax increase."

Well, I suppose that's true if you count "abuser fees" (aka "taxes" by another name; thrown out after a huge popular revolt) or "regional authorities" (so that people can tax themselves; declared unconstitutional by the Virginia Supreme Court).  Sure, Virginia Republicans will support those.  But anything that's actually called a tax, particularly if it's on rich people (the estate tax) or corporations (hands off Dominion, Smithfield, the tobacco companies, the auto dealers, the construction industry, etc.).  Now, cuts to services on poor people, the middle class, children, public safety, etc.?  Those are just fine by Virginia Republicans.  But "taxes" on their best buddies who give them all those nice contributions?  Forget about it.

More broadly, this article is hilarious in the ridiculous diagnoses Virginia Republicans have for the woes they've experienced in recent years.  Thus, we have "Taliban Bob," about as far right wing as you can get, arguing that it's all because "We have done a lousy job telling our story."  Yeah, you tell your story, "Taliban Bob," and see how that plays with moderate voters in NOVA, Hampton Roads, etc. Good luck!

And Bill Bolling's kinda funny, talking about how "We have to get back to who we are."  And what would THAT be, exactly?  Is Bolling seriously advocating going back to the days of moderate, sane Republicanism, as practiced by people like Linwood Holton, Russ Potts, John Chichester, Vince Callahan, and John Warner?  Or by "who we are" does he mean a move to the hard-core right and away from that dreaded "moderation?"  I wonder what Tom Davis would have to say about, maybe something about "dogfood" that should be "taken off the shelf?"

Anyway, here's my advice to Virginia Republicans: keep moving further to the right, keep alienating moderates and independents, keep putting rigid, right-wing ideology ahead of practical results for Virginia, and see how that goes. I'll pull up a seat, crack open a nice brewski, and watch how it goes! :)

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