George Who? REDUX
In July 25th's Washington Post, E.J. Dionne points out a trend in Republican candidates for reelection, where they are stressing Pork, Not Party in their campaign ads. Its almost as if you were to ask them about their President and they were to respond, George who? The right wing bloggers have been and will be quick to accuse the left of hypocrisy, however they cannot run from the fact that their own people are distancing themselves from a damaged president, or that running on pork underlies the TOTAL LACK OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY evidenced by this regime.
Dionne starts his essay describing an exchange between Jim Webb and incumbent porker George Allen in last month's Virginia senatorial debate. The Senator asked his much more worthy opponent if he knew about about Craney Island. If I were him, I would not be so smug about busting the budget. Of course, for George Allen, bringing financial ruin is par for the course. As Governor, he laid the groundwork for the fiscal mess which Jim Gilmore created and Mark Warner brought under control. Is anyone in Virginia really surprised that he would revert to his big spending ways?
UPDATE: Last night, Jim Webb returned the favor and asked Senator Allen about the Senkaku Islands off the coast of Taiwan. Allen did not know. Considering the fact that Allen and is crowd is mortgaging our future to China, who may start a war over those same islands, this is not a good sign of Georgey's abilities.
posted by Michael Bindner at 1:05 PM
5 Comments:
Say What?
When George Allen finished his term as our governor, the budget was balanced as required by law. Revenues were growing and the Virginia economy was still picking up steam along with the national economy. The state bond rating was AAA with no negative outlook.
What fiscal mess are you referring to?
3:15 PM
Are you saying that Jim Gilmore bears sole responsiblity? I find that a bit hard to believe.
Come on here. George Allen never met a prison he did not want to build, nor a highway project he did not want to plan. The budget for the year he left was balanced, but his yen for spending doomed his successors.
He is certainly part of the culture of borrow and spend in the current regime - which no one can dispute with a straight face.
3:42 PM
I have yet to offer my thanks to you for your thoughtful contributions here at your blog, keep up the good work
10:53 AM
I wonder if true fiscal responsibility is a mirage incapable of realization. Especially considering all the pork flying around, but then this is what I was talking about with respect to corruptive influence and power within government.
Also thanks for your incredible contribution to MH and our recent discussion - how do you find the time to do all this?
12:03 AM
Insomnia.
See below for more about taxes and fiscal responsibility - as well as the companion blog for the Iowa Center for Fiscal Equity. There is also an article that puts pork in perspective.
9:28 AM
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