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Suits And Budgets

The news is all about Virginia, as it always seems to be, as it has been for some years now. Must mean we’re an important state. But Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s law suit against the federal government for its forced mandates on individuals is making headlines and he’s making the rounds — on cable news — frequently: Fox News Channel multiple times, a viewer call-in on C-SPAN and even an appearance on DNC-TV, er, MSNBC.

The Wall Street Journal even says great things about Virginia, although the focus of the piece below is on our budget. By comparison the article notes, if Congress had just kept to its 2006 levels of spending, as the General Assembly did recently, the budget would be nearly in balance. Hmmm. 2006? Who’s been running the show since then?

In Commentary, it’s all about health care, with one of our generation’s giants, Thomas Sowell, asking if we’ve reached a point of no return. We pray not. Michael Barrone, David Limbaugh and Debra Saunders also look at the dark side of the legislation. But it’s not just “right wingers.” The AP reports the the government is going to count our calories. Oh, how grand! Meanwhile, the Cornhusker Kid, Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) now says he’ll vote against the “reconciliation” bill. Also from the AP: The Supreme Court says it’s fine for schools to ban music and that the Tea Party is just getting going. Watch out, liberals.

News

McDonnell backs Cuccinelli on challenge to health-care bill (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Virginia attorney general ready to challenge health-care law (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

South Carolina, Florida AGs say they’ll join Cuccinelli in challenging health-care bill (The Daily Press)

Attorneys general in 14 states sue to block healthcare reform law (Christian Science Monitor)

Liberty Counsel, attorney general challenge health care bill (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Virginia Democrats say Cuccinelli suit wastes taxpayer money (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Will lower taxes create school crisis? (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Analysis

States of Progress: Two new Governors tackle deficits without tax increases (Wall Street Journal)

National News

It’s not over for Tea Party activists (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Health overhaul: Immediate change, long term steps (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Your government will count your calories (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Axelrod, Steele tangle on health care overhaul (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Court: Student can’t sue over ‘Ave Marie’ ban (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Ben Nelson plans to vote against health care bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary

A Point of No Return? (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

The Beginning of the End or a Rebirth of Freedom? (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

Leadership for a New Generation (Doug Patton/GOPUSA.com)

The New Electorate (Jon N. Hall/GOPUSA.com)

ObamaCare Means: Don’t Look Behind the Curtain (Debra Saunders/GOPUSA.com)

Stupak’s ‘Hans Brinker — Unmasked (Richard Olivastro/GOPUSA.com)

Health Plan Means Bigger Deficits and Higher Taxes (Michael Barrone/GOPUSA.com)

Far left liberal Northern Virginia Delegate David Englin (D-45, Alexandria) has pursued some real follies in the General Assembly — and that’s putting it politely. Bills to punish people by raising gas taxes and restoring the death tax, to name a few. So pardon us if we think it more than slightly ironic that he, of all people, is complaining about the cost of the suit filed in federal court (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog) today by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to overturn, as unconstitutional, the government takeover of health care, made official with President Barack Obama’s signature a few hours ago.

Delegate Englin launched a Web site that will connect, by phone, government-run health care supporters to complain to the AG (I guess looking up the phone number or e-mail address is too much yeoman’s work for certain elitists). Quote the delegate:

This is an egregious waste of taxpayer dollars that could stop Virginians from enjoying the benefits of health-care reform.

Hmmmm. Let’s do the math on this one: A few thousand budgeted dollars to do what the AG is sworn to do versus more than $1 trillion in new, unbudgeted federal spending for something proven to fail everywhere it’s tried, plus more than $500 billion in new taxes, hundreds of new business and job killing regulations, as well as 118 new federal agencies and 18,000 new IRS employees to enforce that we all buy a government approved health insurance policy (unless, of course, we’re 26 and still slacking and can mooch of the parents). Which is greater?

Apparently, Delegate Englin thinks it’s “frivolous” to defend Virginia law, which is exactly what the attorney general is sworn to do, as if this nation’s most serious challenge to constitutionally guaranteed individual rights is a light matter. In this case, he is defending the General Assembly’s recently passed Health Care Freedom legislation. To put it another way, repeat the litany above, followed by:

But defending Virginia law: Priceless.

Now, if Delegate Englin wants to make the argument these tens of thousands of new government jobs are part of the “stimulus” plan, he might have us stumped. But if it will put him at ease, we have the Attorney General Communications Director Brian Gottstein’s assurance of one of the most economical law suit filings in Virginia history. When asked by the Washington Post why the suit was filed “before the ink (from the president’s signature) dries,” he replied:

It’s more cost efficient to start the process of challenging the bill as soon as possible. There are significant costs in implementing the health care law, so if it is going to be found unconstitutional, then we can save taxpayer money and trouble by making that determination sooner rather than later.

(By the way, experience for yourself the level of fanaticism, hate, extremism and adherence to the god that is government-is-best by today’s leftists. Click on the above link and read the comments.) But they don’t have to save it for our AG. In fact, more than a dozen (and counting) attorneys general are filing legal challenges (Christian Science Monitor), but none of them is defending a state law. No, Internet games are frivolous, and in this regard, Delegate Englin has topped even his legislative follies, with a Web site designed to hassle and harrass the Office of Attorney General. Talk about wasting tax dollars. We hope, but don’t expect, the delegate and his rabid supporters, will own up and admit they were wrong if, and when, Attorney General Cuccinelli and any of the other attorneys general win their cases.