Lt. Gov. Bolling on Governor Kaine's Budget Mess-up

RICHMOND - Governor Tim Kaine released his revised budget forecast for the 2008 fiscal year and the 2008-2010 biennium. Because of declining revenue projections, the Governor has proposed making additional withdrawals from the Commonwealth’s Revenue Stabilization Fund (Rainy Day Fund) and scaling back previously proposed spending initiatives. In response to the Governor’s actions, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling issued the following statement:
“When Governor Kaine released his proposed budget in December of 2007, I expressed concern over the huge increase in spending that he had proposed for the upcoming biennium, as well as the manner in which he proposed to balance the state budget. I warned at the time that the Governor’s revenue projections would ultimately have to be revised and that reductions in his proposed spending initiatives would have to be made. Unfortunately, those warnings have come true, and we are now left with a budgetary mess.
“I am confident that the members of the General Assembly will do what has to be done to bring the state budget into balance without raising taxes. However, to do this we will have to make many difficult budget decisions in the coming days, including significant reductions in the Governor’s proposed spending initiatives, as well as the adoption of a realistic revenue projection for the upcoming biennium. Unfortunately, we are placed in this position because of the Governor’s failure to bring us a realistic and structurally sound budget to begin with.
“This will not be an easy task, but we remain committed to balancing the budget without raising taxes, adopting a budget that directs as many resources as possible to the Commonwealth’s highest priorities, and scales back spending in other areas. We ask for the patience and support of the people of Virginia as we begin making these difficult decisions.”
According to earlier reports in the Washinton Post, Kaine also plans to take money out of the transportation fund to make up the deficit, which he failed to acknowledge two years ago. Promises for such funding and improvemnts in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater by the governor during his campaign and since were apparently meaningless.

Budget Wonderland

Publication:The Oklahoman; Date:Feb 6, 2008; Section:Opinion; Page Number:10
OUR VIEWS
Federal spending avoids budget realities

SOMETIMES, Washington becomes Wonderland, with Alice and the Mad Hatter. Up is down, down is up. Someone’s always losing their head.

Money is spent like it grows on trees. Those elected to steward billions of taxpayer dollars go through it like there’s no tomorrow. There’s no shortage of illustrations. Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn’s list of wasteful spending earmarks will spin heads and turn stomachs.

Another example is this week’s convergence of President Bush’s fiscal 2009 budget and the economic stimulus package under consideration in Congress. The $3.1 trillion budget would add $407 billion to the federal debt, chiefly because of falling tax revenues in a slowing economy, increases in military spending — and about $160 billion to pay for the stimulus package.

That’s right, the cost of the stimulus stew now simmering on Capitol Hill — a hash of tax rebates, small-business incentives and other ingredients — would be added to the national debt.

We don’t lay all the blame on the green eyeshades at the White House. There’s no indication Congress has an alternative plan to pay for the stimulus package. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is part of Washington’s spending culture.

The stimulus isn’t the only problem. Bush proposes a 4.9 percent increase in domestic discretionary spending, mostly for defense, homeland security and veterans. Other programs are basically frozen, at less than 1 percent growth. The gorilla in the room is entitlement spending — Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — whose long-term growth will dwarf projected deficits of $390 billion in 2012 and $788 billion in 2018. Bush’s budget almost certainly is dead on arrival with the Democrat-controlled Congress. Democrats aren’t more frugal, they just have different spending priorities. The insult to injury will come when Democrats argue the growing deficit, including the tab for the Bush-backed stimulus deal, argues for letting Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire. Ah, Wonderland.

Book Review "American Creation"

In his usual inimitable style Joseph Ellis lays out history for us so vividly that we see how it is repeating itself in our own world today. In his new book "American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic", Ellis writes that Thomas Paine was a “...revolutionary presence in the radical camp.” John Adams was radical in that he knew complete separation was inevitable and he believe, rightly, that the moderates, who were still hoping for reconciliation with Britain even into 1776, would eventually agree. But, Paine, who was speaking of democracy (a hated concept at the time) saw the “...American Revolution as the opening shot in a radical transformation of political institutions throughout the world.” At the end of Common Sense, published in January, 1776 Paine wrote, “The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind...We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”
Paine decried the fact that the Founders did not deal with slavery. But, perhaps Paine would have seen the Civil War as another step in his idea of political evolution. Certainly, Woodrow Wilson and his League of Nations followed by FDR and the United Nations would qualify. It is undeniable that this strain of the idealism of popular sovereignty world-wide is an essential part of the idea of America. It is, after all, that idea that has propelled millions to our shores. This idealism has often been denigrated, but it persists as an integral part of the fabric our of nation.
I highly recommend this book for Ellis’ keen historical insights.

Terrorism and the First Amendment

Saudi billionaire banker Khalid Salim Ben Mahfouz successfully sued in the London court system Israeli-American Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld for libel over her book "Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed and How to Stop It," which was written, published, and distributed in the United States. The British judge, when he learned that ex-CIA Director James Woosley was involved in the production of the book, imposed a $225,000 fine, an obligation to apologize to Bin Mahfouz, and required that Dr. Ehrenfeld assure that no more of her books would be sold in Britain. The books that were bought in London, were purchased over the internet, and this judgment makes the American responsible for transactions on the Web.
Since Dr. Ehrenfeld could not afford to appear or defend herself in the London court, she appealed the decision to the New York Court of Appeals. This court ruled that it does not have the authority to protect American citizens on U.S. soil from suits filed in foreign countries.
In response to this situation, the bi-partisan "Libel Terrorism Protection Act" ( S.6687/A.9652), was introduced two weeks ago in the New York Assembly and Senate by Assembly Members, Rory Lancman (D) and Senator Dean Skelos (R). This bill would protect New York authors and journalists who expose terrorism and terror funding from libel lawsuits filed in foreign courts. The law would declare such suits unenforceable in New York unless the law in the foreign country provides the same free speech protection that is guaranteed by the First Amendment in the United States.
British courts have been the system of choice for the over forty such suits that have been filed since 9/11 because they posit that an author is guilty and must prove innocence. This is a nearly impossible task, particularly from long distance.

There is a call for the U.S. Congress to legislate a national response to this threat to the First Amendment, because it involves terrorists and their backers using western legal processes to create the same effect their own governments normally apply to any sort of defiance or protest. (www.standupamericausa.com) This brings up some questions about the role of our legal system and the protections our laws should afford in the War on Terror.
1. Given that several of our Supreme Court Justices believe international legal systems should inform the decisions they render on U.S. law, what would their opinions and recommendations be concerning a legal response to these suits.
2. Does this attempt to punish American citizens with the legal systems of other countries pose a significant obstacle to the prosecution of the war and the tactics used to do so?
3. Does this situation have anything to tell us about the possible chaos that could develop if Guantanamo is closed and anyone picked up off any battle field is required to be charged and prosecuted in the U.S. Court system, according to the Democrat Party platform?
3. How do these suits affect non-fiction about Islamists and the War on Terror?
4. How does this impact on the decision by Republicans not to join the World Court, which is a policy opposed by the Left. Do we want George W. Bush hauled into court in the Hague and tried for war crimes and is that the plan of the Democrats.
Just thinking!

Transportation and the Governor

People in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater who elected Democrats to the state legislature with the thought that switching party control would facilitate solutions to their pressing problems have been mightily fooled. According to the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012403137.html) Governor Kaine thought he could kill a transportation bill in the legislature last year and when a House and Senate compromise surprised him, he signed the bill reluctantly after inserting what he thought would be a poison pill, abusive drive fees. He was right about the poison as all Democrats harped on the fees and were successful in taking the Senate. What an embarrassment for new Senate Majority Leader and Northern Virginian, Dick Saslaw. Not only did the Governor not intend to find any transportation fixes for the area, he even planned to take money out of the transportation fund to pay for his own pet projects. This is all complicated by the threat of recession and the certain economic slow down, which will produce much less revenue than Kaine needs for his proposed budget. "The stakes for Kaine are high because his budget has new money for many of his priorities, including education [universal pre-K], public health and the environment. Kaine wants to keep his budget balanced by diverting $261 million, the most allowed under the law, from the state's reserve fund and borrowing $180 million from a fund used to pay for highway construction." Now the Fed says the proposed rail line to Dulles Airport will probably not get federal funding because the cost is to high and the management structure is unworthy and unworkable. So, the only thing that will change with the new management team is that everyone's taxes will go up and, as has happened for the last 8 years in Fairfax County, the quality and quantity of services will go down.

Sages for the Ages

What do Abraham Lincoln and P.T. Barnum have in common? Together they explain the Clinton phenomenon in American politics. Barnum commented that a fool is born every minute. Lincoln talked about fooling people: who, how many, and for how long. The Clintons have fooled ALL Barnum's fools for ALL of the last 16 years and the magic is still working. Unfortunately for the rest of us, they vote. Some, like Hollywood mogul David Geffen, who said the Clintons are "exceptionally good liars," stopped drinking the Kool-Aid in '07. I'm part of the some who were never fooled. Not because I am prescient, but because I lived in Germany for eight years. When Bill Clinton said in the summer of 1992 that the United States could have universal health just like Germany, I knew that if that was to be his model then he or someone should explain to the American people that their federal taxes would at least have to double. (In my naiveté I thought it would be Tom Brokaw) In 1992 Germans paid 50% plus of their wages in taxes in addition to 15% Value Added Tax on practically everything they bought, and at that their economy was beginning to falter. So, either the Clintons didn't know what they were talking about, or worse they did and were deliberately lying. We all know now-lying was the answer, and lying with the complicity of Tom Brokow and all the mainstream media. We should have paid more attention to P. T. and Honest Abe in '92 and then we would not be discussing the same lies with the same people all these years later.

When your adversary is self-destructing.....Get out of the Way

There have been numerous articles written about the Obama-Clinton feud and how the "Party" is upset-James Clyburn,a black Dem from SC and number 3 in the House, told Bill to Chill. Bill says he is Chill and he likes it when Hill and Barak fight-no doubt because for a change he is not the target of her wrath.
It is incumbent upon the conservative opposition to GET OUT OF THE WAY and let the Dems destroy each other. That possible destruction is the subject of the article below and could be decisive in November if Conservatives do not cloud the election with a purging fight of their own.
Not a sermon, just a thought

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080123/NATION/218849601/1001