McDonnell At a Loss for Jobs Loss

A little over a week ago came the news of the plant closing in Franklin. The next morning Bob McDonnell was asked directly what can be done. His answer fell hollow. It was an answer right from his campaign's playbook. It left the listeners and those newly unemployed empty handed.

Macrini: "What can the Governor, what can the General; Assembly, what can the government of Virginia do to get some jobs here to the Old Dominion to get these people back to work?"

McDonnell: "Yeah, I just read that news yesterday. 1,100 jobs in Franklin City. That's going to be a tremendously devastating event to that city. I've outlined things…a couple of things. One, you must keep taxes and regulation and litigation to a minimum, Tony. You've got to keep strong right to work laws. Those are the things that form the foundation of a strong free enterprise system. Secondly, to me it's about promoting small businesses. That's where 75% of all the new jobs in Virginia come from. It's the small businesses. I've outlined a detailed plan to reduce tax and regulatory burdens, one stop permitting, 48 hour turn around time on permits I've outlined some tax credit ideas to increase our tourism and film production industry in Virginia some ideas to expand the Governor's opportunity fund to make it easier for the Governor to bring the next Rolls Royce or Hilton to Virginia like we have recently with various tax incentives.

And then Tony, I really think that Virginia ought to be the energy capital of the East Coast. Energy industry is going to continue to grow as we find new ways to make America energy independent. And, with our coal and natural gas resources, our intellectual capacity with nuclear power, I am going to be a governor that's going to expand offshore drilling. We're the first state scheduled to drill in 2011. Alternative energy, green, wind, solar, biomass. We've got great universities, that've got projects going on there. I am going to drive that industry as much as I can to create I think what will be thousands if not tens of thousands of new jobs. So those are just some of the ideas we'll put in play."

In that response was no evidence that he appreciates the current situation in Isle of Wight county. Actually it demonstrates that he is detached from the reality of job creation all together. On the other hand, Governor Kaine went to work immediately in an effort to stabilize the situation. McDonnell did not mention a single appropriate specific response to the International Paper plant closing.

McDonnell went on to briefly pitch his "detailed" transportation and other "plans." Hampton Roads' self-styled secular humanist talk show host Tony Macrini, who has made it clear he supports McDonnell in the gubernatorial race (and has expressed frustration with the Deeds campaign's responses to attempted contacts by the radio station throughout the primary and general election races) did not hesitate to call McDonnell on the deficiency in his responses, "…All those things sound great to me but a lot of people have immediate concerns...as far as getting some money real quick to do something real soon before 2011, anything on the horizon for that?"

"I've outlined a transportation plan that doesn’t raise taxes but gets money. Let me give you a couple of the ideas: bonds, I think we can pass a bond package right away. We've got a bond package we passed in 2007 and this administration hasn't issued a dime. That's not acceptable. That can be done right away. A second billion dollar bond issue for the highly congested regions of the state; public private partnerships…" – McDonnell on destroying Virginia's AAA bond rating

Okay, there it is. Being fiscally responsible is not acceptable. Truly strict adherence to the Bush formula for gutting the economy (borrow and spend) is the way ahead. No actionable plan on jobs. But also, no coherent Democratic voice able to convey to the electorate that the emperor has no clothes. Small chance that McDonnell will not be given the opportunity to set Virginia back.

Then, as if to underline the failure of the strategy to defeat McDonnell with his own words:

Macrini: "I'm thinking about going back to school. I'm only a high school graduate and I'd like to improve myself, and as you know, knowing me personally, I could use a vast deal of improvement. And, I'm figuring if I go back to school and I go to one of those colleges, they might ask me to write a thesis. You got any tips or points you want to give me on thesis writing?"

McDonnell: Hearty laughter.

Cross posted at VBDems