The
Washington Post praises Creigh Deeds and blast Bob McDonnell on transportation. Every Virginian should read the entire editorial, but for now, here are highlights (with bolding added by me for emphasis). Enjoy.
R.CREIGH DEEDS, the Democrat running for governor in Virginia, has now unequivocally committed himself to support higher taxes to rescue the state's sclerotic road system. His stance is nothing more or less than common sense: Virginia needs tens of billions of dollars in new revenue for roads, and it will not materialize without asking taxpayers -- the same taxpayers who rightly groan about traffic -- to foot a good part of the bill. Still, by articulating that position in plain English on the opposite page Wednesday, Mr. Deeds showed political guts, which is more than one can say for the smoke-and-mirrors, wing-and-a-prayer approach to transportation endorsed by his opponent, Republican nominee Robert F. McDonnell.
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...The commonwealth is business-friendly; it already runs a relatively tight ship, as repeated ratings and studies have shown. Further rounds of streamlining, consolidation and efficiencies will not yield major new savings, and hoping that a new economic boom will unclog the state's roads is wishful thinking.
We will return to the details of Mr. McDonnell's transportation plan another day. Suffice it to say that anyone who thinks that Virginia can get traffic moving or even slow the deterioration of its road system without fresh revenue -- and yes, a tax increase -- is living in an alternate reality. By his honesty, Mr. Deeds has now prepared the way for a mandate, should he be elected, to address the state's most critical problem.
So, my fellow voters of Virginia, this is our choice on November 3: do we want a governor who will level with us (Creigh Deeds), or do we want one who is fundamentally dishonest with us in every way (Bob McDonnell)? Do we want a governor (Creigh Deeds) who treats us like intelligent
citizens of our Commonwealth, or do we want one (Bob McDonnell) who treats us - frankly - like idiots? Finally, do we want a governor who will move Virginia forward (Creigh Deeds) or do we want one who will send us lurching backwards (Bob McDonnell) in pretty much every area - our economy, our infrastructure, our social fabric, our environment? Why is this race even close?
