With a potential shutdown of Virginia government in just over 3 weeks, Tim Kaine is promising no disruption of crucial state services. According to Governor Kaine, quoted in the Roanoke Times:
If the General Assembly does not act to produce a budget in time for the beginning of the fiscal year, I will not let Virginians suffer. I'm not going to let the inaction of the General Assembly keep me from acting.
But wait a minute, not so fast. Our fine Attorney General, Bob McDonnell, apparently has something to say about this. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Attorney General Bob McDonnell says Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is powerless to run Virginia's government if a budget is not enacted by a June 30 deadline.McDonnell, a Republican prospect for governor in 2009, privately told House and Senate budget negotiators last Thursday that he believes Kaine cannot spend public dollars without the approval of the GOP-controlled General Assembly.
Oh, wonderful. The guy nicknamed "Taliban Bob" is now protecting Virginians against the catastrophe of keeping essential state services operating after July 1? And meanwhile, what is our Republican-controlled General Assembly doing? Well, let's see, they're meeting. Then they're not meeting. Then they're meeting again. Then they're storming out of meetings and holding press conferences. Then they're going home for a while. Then they're coming back to Richmond. Then they're repeating the whole process all over again.
God bless the Republican Party. And God bless "Taliban Bob" McDonnell, protecting us from a governor trying to do the right thing for Virginians.