Here in Virginia the ugliness that is the face of Republicans continues to show itself in the actions of our governor, Bob McDonnell.
While a lot of attention is focused on the antics of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, our governor, Bob McDonnell, is quietly -- sometimes not so quietly -- acting like a true Republican: raising taxes on the poor and appointing friends with serious conflicts of interest to state office.
McDonnell Raises Taxes on Over 100,000 Virginia Families
Every time McDonnell speaks about his first budget, he reminds us that he did not raise taxes. He’s lying – in fact, McDonnell has RAISED taxes on middle- and low-income families.
The Commonwealth Institute released a report last week showing that McDonnell’s budget eliminated $6,000,000 in federal tax credits that were approved between 2009 and 2010. These tax credits were the result of the federal Recovery Act, and are one reason that tax returns for 2009 increased by 10 percent.
According to the Commonwealth Institute’s study, the elimination of these tax credits will mean that, "for a married couple with three children, the average tax increase in 2010 is $205 and for single parents with three children, the average tax increase is about $125." The increase is estimated to affect 114,000 families earning less than $49,000 a year.
The McDonnell administration has raised taxes on those who most need tax relief while, at the same time, McDonnell and his best friend Ken Cuccinelli rave and rail about federal taxes. In fact, 98 percent of Americans received a tax CUT from the Obama administration – unlike the McDonnell crowd that talks about tax cuts while raising taxes on those who can’t afford it.
McDonnell Appoints As Head of ABC Board Lawyer for Strip Club Under Investigation by the Board
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board will be led by one of the attorneys for a Richmond strip club fighting to keep its liquor license from being revoked by the board.
James Neal Insley, a Poquoson lawyer with an extensive background in law enforcement and liquor law, was named chairman of the ABC Board yesterday by Gov. Bob McDonnell, who completed the makeover of a panel that oversees the profitable state agency he has vowed to take private.
McDonnell also tapped Wayne Ozmore, a former GOP 4th District chairman from Chesterfield County, to serve on the board, ousting current ABC Chairwoman Susan R. Swecker and former Richmond City Council President William J. Pantele.
He already had replaced former Richmond Del. Franklin P. Hall with Sandra C. Canada, a Republican fundraiser from Virginia Beach who had served as a commissioner under Gov. Jim Gilmore.
Insley's appointment sets up a potential conflict of interest when the board hears an appeal of a hearing officer's decision to revoke the ABC license of Velvet, a strip club in Shockoe Bottom that he has represented along with another attorney from Hampton Roads. The hearing is scheduled for May 4.
Here in Virginia booze is sold only through state-owned liquor stores -- VABC stores. Workers in the stores are state employees and store profits go to the state treasury.
One of McDonnell's campaign promises was that he would sell the state liquor stores to a private company and use the income from the sale to "lower taxes." Of course, he didn't point out that this would be a one-time event; once the stores are in private hands, the profits no longer flow to the state but to the new owners -- who, no doubt, will be good friends of the governor. By loading the ABC board with cronies, McDonnell is taking the first step to take the ABC stores private. ABC store employees universally oppose this move because it would mean they lose state benefits and likely would lose most or all benefits.
McDonnell's appointment of Insley is made more galling by the fact that the strip club -- Club Velvet -- that Insley represents became the focus of community outrage a few months ago when they posted on the outside of their building an enormous billboard showing Presdient Obama made up as The Joker from the Batman movie.
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The state NAACP held a news conference today over this poster that's grabbing attention outside the doors of a gentleman's club in Shockoe Bottom, just off I-95 at Franklin Street.
Outside Club Velvet is a picture of President Barack Obama as "The Joker" from Batman comic book and movie fame. The word "Socialism" is branded along the bottom of the banner.
Representatives from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Nation of Islam and other groups gathered outside Club Velvet to protest what they called an affront against the nation's first black president and "veiled attacks on all African people."
Now, before anyone comments about McDonnell's stupidity, let me remind you: He's not stupid. He knows EXACTLY what he's doing -- he is solidifying his credentials with the Republican base in preparation for his next campaign. Expect to see him running for Senator from Virgnia against one of our two Democrats, or, expect to see him in the running as a Republican VP candidate in 2012.