From today'sMarc Fisher column, we have definitive proof that Dave Albo, the brilliant mind behind the hated "abuser fees," is actually a fool and a liar.
First, the lies: according to Albo, to get a $3,000 fee, "you'd have to literally kill someone." The only problem is that the Post has a handy list of ways you can get a $3,000 fee under Albo's taxes fees. According to the Supreme Court of Virginia, these include "Operating a vehicle with a device designed to create a smoke screen or installing such a device." In addition, you can get a $900 fee for "aiding and abetting racing," "knowingly operating a motor vehicle with 'below-standard' tires," etc. And, of course, you can get a $1,000 fee for driving 75 miles per hour on the highway in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. I believe it's also known as "driving with the flow of the traffic," but whatever.
Anyway, enough of lies. Now, the idiotic foolishness. Believe it or not, Dave Albo blames all his problems on "a person who's nameless and faceless and pushes a button and tells people you're going to get an abuser fee if you get a traffic ticket." My god, where do we start? Well, let's see, there's the fact that the blogs -- the "nameless and faceless," disembodies electrons who are making Albo's life a living hell -- actually have names and faces. Names like Ben Tribbett, Bryan Ault (who started the abuser fee petition), myself, the rest of the RK crew (Eric, Rob, Teddy, etc., etc.). Also, names like Paul Jost and the growing number of anti-tax conservatives who are outraged at Albo's outrageous taxes fees.
Yet Albo just can't figure it all out. Oh, woe is me, Albo says, "normally people are fine with raising money in a way that doesn't affect everybody." Translation: "I calculated that nobody would notice my tax increase since I called it a 'fee,' but they did, they're pissed as hell, and now I don't know WHAT do do. Thank goodness I don't have a Democratic opponent this year!" (speaking of which, this demonstrates why it's almost always a mistake to leave an incumbent unchallenged, cuz you never know what's gonna happen and you can't win if you don't play).
Fisher's article ends with a quote from Mudcat Saunders, who hits the nail on the head as he usually does: "Call it what it is, a tax increase...[but instead] the politicians react by telling the voters they're ignorant." Luckily, Mudcat is neither a liar nor an idiot. Nor are the many other citizens who are outraged by these fees, which they believe are "sneaky," "underhanded," "unfair," and an example of the government "stop[ping] on us."
But of course, Dave Albo doesn't understand any of that. Instead, he lashes out at what he does not understand -- the power of citizen journalism, aka "the blogs," to expose hypocrisy, stupidity, and corruption among our elected officials. Yeah, Dave, elected officials like you.
So say if you pay $3000 just in state income taxes, as an example, if you get a $1,000 speeding ticket your taxes have been raised by a whooping 33%, thank you very much Mr. Albo. I'm going to remember that when I'm at the polls this November....
So he's pretty much saying that as long as he can figure out a way to make "someone else" pay, he's all for it. That is irresponsible law making at it's worst. This is "pass the buck" or "tax the guy behind the tree". It is utter avoidance of fiscal responsibility in the form of offering free lunches to the voters - designed to get Albo and friends reelected. And now he's upset because his irresponsible freebie plan backfired.
With that statement he's more or less admitted he has no plans to go back to Richmond in search of a responsible approach. If these fees don't work out (poor Dave) he'll be in search of another way to make "someone else" pay. And he's not alone as this is standard operating procedure for the current batch of Republicans in Richmond.
This group of flat-earth Republicans might tweak the fees to make them generally palatable, but they clearly have no plans to embrace responsible government. So if they are still in charge after the elections we will get more of the same. It'll have new name and new face, but rest assured it will be just as irresponsible as the CRFs. Dave Albo just admitted as much.
Maybe in HIS world. I wish there was someone to run against this creep.
Thanks Lowell, for putting this up. I think it's funny how the blog's get blamed for so much these days. Is an internet "forum" a blog? I've seen as much or more on the ADF's on forums than on political blog's. All with the same feelings and arguments.
What is really funny is both Dem's and Repug's looking to blame someone, something, other than their own stupidity and lack of will. Every time Albo opens his mouth on the issue we get to see just how stupid some people in elected office are.
ADF - DON'T FIX IT, KILL IT
"I've never seen anything like this. Normally, people are fine with raising money in a way that doesn't affect everybody." --Delegate Dave Albo
Wrong Dave, equal taxation is an American tradition. It's just you guys in the Republican party that think paying taxes is for "other" people.
"Without the Internet, would The Post have reported on this issue before the pregnant woman called a reporter to complain she was being charged $1,050+ for speeding to the hospital? I don't think so.
"It must hurt one's pride to be scooped by amateurs. The professional thing to do would be to acknowledge the fact and reflect on how to do better next time. Blanket attacks on the competition (repeating "even if... based on inaccuracies," twice and not bothering to seek comment from any of the bloggers vaguely accused in the piece of inaccuracy) is unprofessional. From the beginning, sites like thenewspaper.com, theagitator.com, notlarrysabato, and albomustgo.com -- basically right and left -- have provided the full text of court rulings, copies of the supreme court fee document, and the texts of laws involved, along with analysis, from day one.
"One side is hiding behind vague words like "abusive drivers" while the other is spelling out the consequences in concrete terms. I think a dispassionate look at facts will show that the side that is lying is saying 75 or 76 in a 55 doesn't qualify for the abuser fees and that the only way you could pay $3,000+ in fees *and* fines is to kill someone."
And chances are they wouldn't have reported the problems that Michigan and New Jersey are having with their law and the court fight that's going on in MI at the supreme court level to have ours thrown out, if it hadn't been for ME providing legislative hearing testimony from Judge Buhl and other reps. And for kickers, there are currently TWO bills for repealing our law that have been introd by a Rep and now a senator. And both are going nowhere because Gov. Goober of the bankrupt state of MI won't sign the parchment.
The story they recently did on TX driver law was probably also provided by a girl blog poster who had recently posted her story on a MI news website blog on our law.
I'm sure lots of people have tried to tell their story to "credible" news agencies such as Dateline, CNN, Assoc. Press, and others, and they just don't give a flying F unless it's been reported on by some no name "credible" journalist for TV or newspaper and not some sit at home desk jockey. Well at least the WA post had the balls to investigate the facts people like me gave them and publish a story.