Ahhh, those Virginia House Republicans, gotta love 'em. When they're not telling us what to do in our bedrooms, protecting us from the hazards of "droopy drawers" or gay-straight alliances in public schools, or whatever the latest/greatest threat happens to be, our Republican friends are busy trying to sabotage Mark Warner's possible Presidential run in 2008. It seems, according to today's Washington Post, that the Republican-controlled House budget, approved Sunday by the Appropriations Committee, specifically has "taken special delight in applying a scalpel to some innovative, cutting-edge initiatives started by the Warner administration," according to Kaine spokesman Kevin Hall. These are programs that help turn "rails to trails," that help poor students pay for Advanced Placement tests, that "train principals to be 'turn-around specialists' in troubled schools," that encourage economic development in Virginia, that "create an early-childhood foundation," and that pay bonuses "to encourage teachers to work in difficult schools.
Why would Republicans do this? Well, of course they claim it was for good reason, because the programs "did not have a proven record of success." But, the truth appears to be much closer to what Del. Brian Moran said, that these programs were cut "not because of objective analysis but merely [because of] a political reaction." Reaction to what? Well, given that Warner plans to use these programs as "evidence of his success in what could become a bid for the presidency," the answer to that question appears patently obvious. As always, it's nice to see Virginia Republicans putting the Commonwealth above petty partisan politics. Heh.
P.S. Interesting how Virginia Republicans couldn't defeat Mark Warner when he was actually in office, so now they're trying to defeat him when he's out of office. I believe this is known as "profiles in courage." Not.