What’s funny in this isn’t Jeff Schapiro’s description of the pre-General Assembly fundraising sponge, but the description of the Republican takeover:
The election that further divided Virginia government is two months behind, but the campaign cash machine is still hungrily sucking up millions. It will continue doing so until noon Wednesday, the opening of the 2008 General Assembly.
Then, and for the duration of the legislative session, campaign fundraising is illegal under state law. This prohibition, not unique to Virginia, was imposed by Republicans after they completed their sack-of-Rome-like takeover of the statehouse in 2000.
At first, a student of history might be offended. But he’s right.
When Republicans remember why we brought ourselves to “sack Rome” in 2000, we’ll be trusted by the vast majority of Virginians again. But so long as half of that majority is disillusioned by watered-down or “big government” conservativism, the radical minority of progressives and liberals will beat us through organization and vitriol alone… as the last three years have demonstrated.
Let’s keep in mind that Rome herself was sacked many, many times in her history. Sometimes, those who sacked her to begin with became quite comfortable with the power and prestige of the Eternal City and tended to stay there… only to be sacked in turn.
And those who forget history… well, you know.