Virginia’s Democratic Contender

Governor Warner and the co-opting of the GOP

There’s quite a buzz about George Will’s column the other day. Many Republicans are asking themselves what’s gotten into Will. Most conservatives understand quite perfectly what has happened. The “17 Republicans” (or collectively referred to as they in conservative circles) have given strength not to their ideals, but to the ideals of the Democratic Party:

Warner has driven through a sizable tax increase, but could do so only because he had the support of Republican leaders of the legislature, who were responding to broad public anxiety about education. The tax increase does not seem to have hurt: Virginia’s economy is growing at a rate of 5.9 percent, faster than the national average of 4.8 percent. Virginia is ninth on the Federation of Tax Administrators’ ranking of states in terms of the lightest state and local taxes measured as a percentage of personal income. And Warner says he has made ‘more cuts in state government than anyone in Virginia history.’

I was always taught you could tell a tree by its fruits. Here are the fruits of your labor gentlemen.

George Will is absolutely right, not in terms of causes, but in the effects of the $1.2 billion tax hike last session. What’s more, it is a further black eye on Virginia Republicans, and moreso than the eavesdropping scandal.

At some point in time, Virginia Republican leadership needs to point in a direction that either combats or converges with the ideals of tax-hiking moderates. I hate to say it, but it’s really that simple.