To the Editor:
Virginia voters are not stupid. However, Delegate Ken Plum continues to espouse the Jonathan Gruber, purported architect of the Affordable Care Act (ObamamCare), fairy tale that Virginia is somehow losing money (“Protracted Legislative Session,” Reston Connection, November 19-25, 2014). Virginia voters continue to send conservative delegates to represent them in the General Assembly. The same is true at the Federal level. Somehow, the logic goes that by not accepting Federal dollars, Virginia is losing out. First, we all know that the Federal Government doesn’t have the money to spend. It will need to borrow more money to pay Virginia Medicare expenses for a couple of years: then the axe falls on us Virginians whether it be the Federal debt or the Virginia debt. Borrow from whom? Why tax the wealthy. If the wealthy (and our IRAs and 401Ks) surrender their money to the state government (and by extension, the Federal Government), there is less money to invest and build commercial businesses; i.e., jobs creators. We are seeing it already. With a socialist, progressive Governor in office less than a year, Virginia has slipped from a Number 1 Business-Friendly state to Number 4!
That we have a General Assembly that is working “overtime,” e.g., Special Sessions to meet the needs of all Virginians, is a tribute to the legislators who take the time to find the better solution. No, Virginia voters are not stupid.
Jack Kenny
Reston Republican