about 43,000 signatures on the petition now. Where will this petition go? To the governor? The comments on it are great and I hope all the players in this fiasco read them.

It's online, everyone can see how many signatures there are, seems like it's already having an impact.  But it's not my petition, so I don't know.

and all his excuses for the macaca incident.  Everytime someone asked he had a new and they got worse as he went. 

Desperation sets in as the Republicans realize they really screwed the pooch on this one.

And the Democrats' excuses were...............

How about putting on RK what the Democrats' excuses were....

1) Republican controlled the House of Delegates and State Senate;
2) The transportation package was written by, of and for Republicans;
3) Most Democrats favored the Senate plan of moderate (aka, "sane") Republicans Russ Potts and John Chichester, which would have raised the gas tax to fund transportation projects.

Don't believe me?  Here's Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) from February 3, 2007:

...let me update you on the status of the compromise transportation plan that has been introduced by Republican leaders in the General Assembly and was discussed in last week?s edition of The Bolling Report.

In the House of Delegates the Committee on Appropriations has approved the Republican transportation plan and the bill is currently pending final action on the floor of the House of Delegates.  The Committee vote was 18-4, with every Republican on the Committee voting for the compromise bill.  This vote indicates that the legislation should have little trouble clearing the full House of Delegates this week.

However, the Senate?s Committee on Finance has rejected the Republican transportation plan.  Led by Senator John Chichester and Senator Russ Potts, the Committee voted for an alternative bill that would increase the gas tax statewide and the sales tax in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.  The Chichester/Potts bill would also include several of the other statewide and regional fee increases that were included in the Republican compromise.

So there you have it; according to Bill Bolling, this was a 100% REPUBLICAN transportation package, the only question being whether it would end up as a MODERATE Republican or FLAT EARTH Republican plan.  In the end, the flat earthers won, and this monstrosity is what we're stuck with - abuser fees, balkanized taxing authorities, tax increases disguised as "fees," etc., etc.  Niiiiicccce.

Lowell, for the members on the NVTA, what is each party choice?

Here are the voting members of NVTA:

Hon. Christopher Zimmerman, NVTA Chairman; Arlington County

Hon. Martin Nohe , NVTA Vice Chairman; Prince William County
Hon. William D. Euille, City of Alexandria

Hon. Robert F. Lederer, City of Fairfax

Hon. Gerald E. Connolly, Fairfax County

Hon. David F. Snyder, City of Falls Church

Hon. Scott K. York, Loudoun County

Hon. Harry J. "Hal" Parrish, II, City of Manassas

Hon. Bryan Polk , City of Manassas Park

Hon. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis , Virginia Senate

Hon. Vincent F. Callahan, Jr., Virginia House of Delegates

Hon. Jeff Frederick, Virginia House of Delegates

Margaret E. G. Vanderhye, Governor's Appointee

Julia A. "Judy" Connally, Governor's Appointee, CTB Member

Hon. Christopher Zimmerman, NVTA Chairman; Arlington County
D?
Hon. Martin Nohe , NVTA Vice Chairman; Prince William County........R
Hon. William D. Euille, City of Alexandria

Hon. Robert F. Lederer, City of Fairfax

Hon. Gerald E. Connolly, Fairfax County......D?

Hon. David F. Snyder, City of Falls Church

Hon. Scott K. York, Loudoun County......I

Hon. Harry J. "Hal" Parrish, II, City of Manassas

Hon. Bryan Polk , City of Manassas Park

Hon. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis , Virginia Senate....R

Hon. Vincent F. Callahan, Jr., Virginia House of Delegates
....R
Hon. Jeff Frederick, Virginia House of Delegates

Margaret E. G. Vanderhye, Governor's Appointee.....D

Julia A. "Judy" Connally, Governor's Appointee, CTB Member 

I was trying to associate political party with member.

got it.

It is time that we let Virginia legislators know that, by not letting the public know until the last minute about these penalty fees, their actions will be remembered next election day.  I don't for a minute believe that this was an oversight....not for a minute. 

Although the Republican-controlled House opposed a statewide tax increase, most Democrats voted yes to the bill that included these inhumane and ridiculous penalties. 

The action needed:  let the Governor, your Senator and Delegate (DEMOCRAT and Republican) know that you are disappointed in them PERSONALLY that they supported such a hideous measure.  Let them know also, that excuses are unacceptable and using an excuse would only validate  their incompetence and for voting for someone else next time they are up for re-election!!

From the Post article referenced: 

Kaine, who has been advocating for the abuser fees since taking office, said through a spokesman Thursday that he "remains open to the possibility" of revising the charges. But Kevin Hall, the spokesman, said the governor still thinks the fees will make Virginia roads safer.

"It is important to remember most of these enhanced fees only apply to a small percentage of motorists who engage in criminal, reckless driving that causes accidents and injures and kills other people," Hall said.

The fees, which could raise as much as $65 million annually, were intended to be a partial substitute for a statewide tax increase, which Kaine supported but the Republican-controlled House opposed.

I don't care what party you represent, get rid of the fees and don't try such a sleazy action again.

the leg. left this in our laps and the newport news council voted for this without any input from us citizens.
now the leg. is telling us who will be on the trans. council. you can't have it both ways guys.
ditch the whole thing, along with the payday loans and the speeding fiasco.

Funny how you omit that Tim Kaine has been pushing abuser fees for years.

abuser fees to this degree, to this many people, etc.  A REAL abuser fee that only applies to the worst of the worst of the worst - fine.  This Albo/Rust/Republican thing - not fine.

He's been pushing abuser fees since he was elected, and he signed this plan bragging about them.

Was Kaine pushing a TRUE abuser fee, aimed at only the worst of the worst?  Or was he pushing something closer to Albo/Rust's bill, which applies to a LOT of Virginians (hence, the huge opposition and furious backpedaling amoung Republicans)?

He signed the bill, and he didn't change it.  He also touted abuser fees constantly last year.  This is "Raising Kaine"...ask him.

of the blog.  I would point out, by the way, that just because we are called "Raising Kaine" doesn't mean we agree 100% with everything the governor does.  Remember, I publicly urged Kaine to veto the "transportation monstrosity."  And I wasn't even particularly aware of the abuser fees.

We haven't given Gov Kaine a free pass.  Many of us were (and are) disappointed that he signed the transportation bill instead of going another year without one.

We are, however, focusing on the Republicans because quite frankly they deserve most (stress - MOST, not all) of the blame for this transportation monstrosity.  If you need a history of why the Republicans are primarily to blame, we've got six months of posts and comments on the subject here and there are many more all over the Virginia blogosphere.

And to simply bring up the fact that Kaine supported some sort of Abusive Driver fees during the past two years is mixing apples and oranges.  The context were dealing with now is the Republican crafted transportation bill.

"disappointed" huh.  But when it's campaign season, you shuffle Kaine's support for abuser fees under the rug.  Why?  Because it kills your "blame Republicans" strategy.  Kaine sent down gobs of amendments to this bill, but oddly he left abuser fees in.  Did he miss that part?

He could've swapped apples for oranges if he wanted to.  He didn't.  In fact, he bragged about how he made abuser fees "legally defensible" with one of his amendments. 

The Republicans are far and away the ones to blame for this.  And we'll be happy to give them the blame they've earned.

Even in the face of Kaine's quite candid support for these fees, you insist on trying to create a badly-needed campaign issue, which is obviously all you're really interested in anyway.

Do you really want to craft a campaign that is about protecting drunk drivers?

amnesty for out-of-state drunk drivers?  And why are you calling your fellow Republicans liars, given that they themselves bragged about the transportation plan being their own?

Are you now saying that Tim Kaine actually did sit in the rocking chair all session?

As Eric and many others here keep saying, we urged Tim Kaine to veto the Republican transportation monstrosity for a whole host of reasons.  He didn't, but that doesn't change the fact that it was pushed by the Republican controlled House of Delegates.  The "abuser fees" that actually passed the House were Albo/Rust all the way. I don't believe that Kaine ever pushed for such broad abuser fees, but again, if you can find evidence to the contrary, let me know.

Lowell, Kaine amended the abuser fees by taking out their retroactivity.  Are you telling me that he'd improve the defensibility of abuser fees while being opposed to them?

Gee, I wonder why.  Could it because of stuff like this?

NO FINES FOR OUT OF STATERS

THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE!!!!

From the WaPo, Nov 23, 2004:

"The initiative would have two components:

Under Rust's provision, the increased fee would be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles after an annual review of all driving records.

Under Albo's part of the legislation, all serious traffic violations -- including hit- and-run and reckless driving -- could be hit with special civil assessments at the courthouse, thereby capturing out-of-state drivers."

WHO MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE THE TOM RUST VERSION AND EXCLUDE OUT OF STATE DRIVERS???

WHY WAS TOM RUST PUSHING TO PUNISH ONLY VIRGINIANS???

RUST MUST GO!!!!

Ha.

quoting the Washington Post and Ben.  How pathetically sad...

aka, "facts."  I know Republicans hate those things, but still...

it must irk you to death the way Kaine's support has ruined this issue for you

I know, it's spinning 101, so you gotta do it. 

Was Kaine a part of it?  Sure.  And we've said it a million times already so I'm not sure what you're angling for.

But the overall problem, the one people are up in arms about, the one that IS a campaign issue for many Virginians, is very much the responsibility of the House Republicans.  Period. 

Spin it until you're dizzy for all I care, but that won't change the fact that this debacle is laid squarely at the Republican's feet.  Blame it on Kaine, blame us for not saying what you want us to say, or hell, blame it on Bill Clinton. 

Don't give him any ideas, Republicans love to blame EVERYTHING on Bill Clinton.  Anything but taking responsibility for their own actions, that's the Republican Party in a nutshell. 

If we are really so worried about global warning and the whole hybrid, hydrogen, electric car debates why has this leadership totally gone away from proposing an emission standard along with the Sate Inspection. Do not states like Maryland and others charge for this in additon to the regular inspection or am I mistaken.
Would it not be better to impose this kind of program for the greater good. Clean air and emisson standards. If we had a rate of $20 for inspection and emission what we would the windfall be. I think inspection alone is $16.

Reading this article, I found the divide between Albo and Rust's reasons to support abuser fees and the Governor's reasons enlightening, particularly because as far as I've read, this is the first time anyone at the Governor's office commented on why he supported the idea.

Albo and Rust's rationale for the fees:

*consider the abuser fees a novel "voluntary tax."
*think "if you don't break the law then you shouldn't have a problem with their bill."
*chose abuser fees as a mechanism for funding transportation because they thought it would be more popular than raising the gas tax.

Governor Kaine:

*thinks abuser fees for people who drive dangerously will make our roads safer to drive on.

The amazing thing for me about Governor Kaine is that even when I disagree with him, I can at least respect and admire the principles behind his point of view.  While the GOP unabashedly admits that the whole point behind the abuser fees is to fleece the flock without being blamed for raising taxes, Governor Kaine's talking about public safety.  I disagree with him in that I don't think a law can really promote public safety if it doesn't apply fairly and equally to every driver on the road, but at least I know his heart's in the right place.

No one can say the same thing for Albo and Rust--not even Albo or Rust.

Gov. Kaine may have made a mistake in not amending the "abuser fees", but he is in no way to be blamed for them. The "no-tax" obsessed repugs would like us to believe we can solve our transportation problems with punitive fees and private sector boondoogles like the Green Way. We need a comprehensive plan balancing aggressive mass transit with roads, and we need the secure funding to do it, something rethugs will never even admit.
I'm really looking forward to this fall's election, especially out here where Clay Athey will have to explain his position. If I didn't read an important message from my boss I'd could easily get fired. If Athey doesn't read an important piece of legislation before voting on it, he expects to get a pass? I'm checking out if Athey's law pracice does any traffic cases.

Tim Kaine simply "may have made a mistake" and gets excused for taking the exact same position you want Republicans fired for taking.  Your blatant partisanship is killing your argument.  Be fair.

to answer reasonable questions, let alone your long history of right-wing, hyper partisan attacks, makes you the last person to talk about being "fair."  It's funny though, here we go again with the line about how RK is "killing" something - like the David Englin candidacy, the Tim Kaine candidacy, the Jim Webb candidacy, the Donald McEachin candidacy, etc., etc.  Whatever.

Meanwhile, the Roanoke Times has an editorial entitled, "Those loser abuser fees," which says:

Virginia's taxophobic lawmakers are paying a steep price for their cowardice in trying to hoodwink voters into thinking otherwise.

The public is outraged to learn that "abusive driver" fees -- the General Assembly's substitute, in large measure, for a responsible statewide transportation tax increase -- are unreasonably onerous and, worse, might apply to anyone. Even you or -- eek! -- me.

The law smacks the fees not just on the worst traffic violations, but on Class 3 and 4 misdemeanors. So Republican lawmakers are sounding at least a partial retreat.

The Times adds, for good measure, "The fault lies not in the part-time nature of the Republican-controlled General Assembly, but in its choice of anti-tax ideology over sound governance, and Griffith is a leading offender."

Now, why don't you go argue with the Roanoke Times, and the vast majority of newspapers, bloggers, and others who know exactly whose fault these abuser fees are, despite your desparate attempt at revisionist history (and attempts to change the subject to "partisanship" or whatever).

n/t

You look to editorial board for justification?  That says more than I can about your slant.

...it's all part of a "slant," a "partisanship," whatever.  And you're telling me you're not super partisan?  You never read or cite what others write?  Do you have a point, or do you just like coming on here and saying the same basic thing, over and over again, which can be boiled down to the following:  you're a bunch of left-wing liberalliberalliberals so THERE!  Now that you've made that same basic comment over and over again, what else do you have to say?