Two Different Worlds: O'Malley and McDonnell

The Potomac River divides more than just a pair of states. On one side of the river,a flagship Democrat, Gov. Martin O'Malley, has been dealing with a flagging economy with his party's job creation "plan". On the other side, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a promiment Republican, has been using conservative values to influence his jobs creation plan. Which one has been more effective? 

Wall Street Journal has come out with a very insightful article today about the difference between these two starkly opposite administrations.

Bob McDonnell has shown across the board that common-sense, conservative values are the answer to our current economic situation. Virginia is holding fast at 5.9% unemployment, while O'Malley's "reforms" have put Maryland jobless numbers up to 7%. O'Malley has seen an exodus of 30,000 taxpayers from the wealthiest tax areas, costing the state 1.7 Billion dollars in tax revenue over the last 5 years.

Businesses have flooded across the Potomac since these two polarizing plans have come into effect. Gov. O'Malley has lost valuable corporate taxes since companies such as Northrop Grumman, Bechtel, and Hilton Hotels move south into Virginia with jobs and cashflow behind them.

This comparison is significant beyond our 2 respective states. The two governors of which we speak are the heads of their respective Governors' Associations. They are both nationally prominent in the media. This is a nationally important example of conservative principles healing an economically stagnant business environment. Governor McDonnell has led the Commonwealth to a surplus, and we are top tier in job creation.

Bringing Virginian Values to Tampa: Good Luck Governor

Nearly a week from now, on Tuesday, our own Governor Bob McDonnell will step out onto the stage in Tampa at the Republican National Convention. He will walk into the middle of a political storm, and on the edges of a literal one. 

The Governor will take the stage after Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, and will be the first of the nights schedule of former-VP short-listers to speak. He will be followed by fellow governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey.

Gov. McDonnell is already in Tampa, as a matter of fact; as Chairman of the Republican National Committee's platform committee. We applaud him for the work that he is doing, developing the platform on which our candidates will be running this fall. 

From us, congratulations Governor, and we hope that you can take the policies you have used to make our Commonwealth great, and present them to the nation as an achievement and a lesson. Fiscal responsibility, and the employment of common-sense conscientious policies are key not only this November, but at all times. 

To see a full schedule of Tuesday's events at the Republican National Convention, click here

Franken, the Only One Who Can Out-Gaffe Biden.

Earlier this week, Vice President Joe Biden was joined at a Minnesota campaign event by TV-writer turned Democratic Senator Al Franken. Biden, just putting his Virginia "chains" gaffe behind him, must have been happy to not be the most verbally mistake prone person on the stage for once.

Barack Obama and his campaign are perfectly willing to shove VP hopeful Paul Ryan in the direction of other, less tactful politicians. But has he been paying attention to who his own VP is standing at the podium with? Senator Franken has been known, like others, to have made some intolerant, ignorant, and downright offensive soundbites in his day.

Let me explain. Al Franken has made the news many times for things he has said. At Harvard, Franken flatly explained that he hated homosexuals. Later, Franken was quoted speaking about raping a CBS reporter.  Is that really the kind of association and the kind of people that Obama wants to stand with under the lights?