Virginia GOP tries unity for a change, at least in appearance

By: Rob
Published On: 12/29/2006 2:42:37 PM

Today's Post has an interesting story up on the rift between the Republicans in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates:
Top Republicans in Virginia, including the state's attorney general and the party's former national chairman, have been holding secret meetings for weeks in the hopes of finding an end to the war among their party's lawmakers and reaching a compromise on funding for transportation, several participants said.
The "top Republicans" include Attorney General Bob McDonnell, Reps. Tom Davis and Frank Wolf, and new state party chairman Ed Gillespie. And, not-so-surprisingly, the Post was able to get on-the-record quotes from a variety of GOP leaders and aides on these so-called "private" attempts at unity. Can you say, "window dressing"?

But before you get your hopes up ...

[Republican Senate Finance Chairman John] Chichester, who said he has met with McDonnell privately in recent weeks, said the talks have not produced any real movement.

"What I gather, nothing is happening," Chichester said. "I think they are honest brokers. But until we get some new money on the table, we haven't really gone anywhere. [The House] is still holding their 'no new revenue' stance."

In other words, despite this not-so-private show of unity, the underlying discord and failure to act lives on.
Another thing I found interesting in this unity act was the timing. After years of inaction on this issue, what is finally bringing about this sudden desire to make nice for the cameras? You guessed it - pure survival politics:
Those involved in the meetings said the refusal to come together to confront the transportation crisis is becoming the kind of issue for Virginia Republicans that the war in Iraq has become for the GOP nationally: one that pushes independents and moderates to the other side of the political aisle....

"The equation is pretty simple," [Tom] Davis said. "If they come back empty-handed, the Democrats will say these guys can't deliver transportation. Up here [in Northern Virginia], it's going to be very tough sledding."

In other words, it's the fear of voter retribution in 2007 that's making an impact, not the freaking crisis itself. The transportation disaster goes untreated for years, but fear of losing one's job or majority turns into quite a motivator.

But, so far, not enough of a motivator for these talks to yield any results.

Nonetheless, having any discussion between these two sides in better than nothing. And at least nobody in these meetings called a fellow Republican "dumb as rocks" again ... well, as far as we know.

Comments



The presure is on (Teddy - 12/29/2006 5:51:37 PM)
to make the republicans look good for 2008, and Davis is obviously worried; so are Atty Gen McDonnell and Jim Gilmore, I suspect. The push will probably be to force the Senate Republicans to become no-tax clones of the House of Delegates Republicans as that is the bent of the Attorney General, and they certainly do not want to give Governor Kaine any semblance of a victory on transportation, and the hell with Northern Virginia.

My prediction: Somehow the Republicans will come up with a "plan" which will suck money out of the budget surplus and the general fund, a one-shot deal, and announce they have solved the non-problem of transportation by frugal management, and use that in their 2008 campaign. Part of the so-called solution will of course include devolution of responsibility and funding to localities, with no additional power or sources of income to go with it--- the classic Republican pose of non-governing seen in, for example No Child Left Behind, and in Kilgore's campaign plan of putting every tax up to referendum. 

God bless the Senate Republicans, who belong to the old school and really want to help govern the state. And a pox on the House Republicans, who belong to the Gilmore no-tax school and think all government i bad.



I gave them More credit (Gordie - 12/29/2006 8:11:35 PM)
When I read the story it was written in a way that said theyhave learned their lesson after this election. It sounded like they might do something and finance transportation. But the people wwo would not talk could mean they have not learned.
Teddy if what you say becomes true, then they will be in trouble. The business people who are being hurt because of roads will be in an uproar and just may finance a moderate challenger, even if he is a D. This will be interesting.