Let them pay! Let them pay (it back, that is)!

After having seen strings magically appear since taking TARP money as their "patriotic duty," several financial institutions receiving TARP money have expressed a strong interest in repaying the money early. Now, we see there are even strings attached to that!

Reuters is reporting that healthy banks will only be allowed to give back money it took from the taxpayers if it is in "national economic interests." So how many things are just wrong with that condition? Well, first, the banks will know whether they can handle repayment better than any government bureaucrat. Second, it is inherently in the "national economic interest" to reduce the government control of the banking industry. Simply put, the government has created such a mess with respect to this TARP money - from the insistence that banks take it to the limits on executive compensation and now to the new restrictions on repayment - that the sooner the "investment" is repaid, the better everyone will be.

Buckley Must Go!

Twice, Supervisor Buckley has voted against a higher tax rate and both times did so because the hike wasn't high enough! Keep in mind that Loudoun now has the highest real property tax rate in the Commonwealth, and keep in mind further that this is one of the worst economic times in recent memory. Her actions and her statements are wildly out of step with both local sentiment and common sense solutions to this economic downturn.

One can only hope that she will be held accountable, and that her opponent in the next supervisory election (which, sadly, is two years away) will hold her to that position.

What the Huck?

Interesting article in the Loudoun Times-Mirror in which Governor Huckabee is quoted as saying northern Virginians aren't "necessarily thinking the same way folks like you and me think." The Youtube video clip is here

It could well mean that he was emphasizing the problem of unemployment in Tazewell County, especially relative to northern Virginia, but it sure didn't come out that way. (P.S., apparently the real unemployment in Tazewell is less than in Falls Church).

As a northern Virginian and a Republican, I'm pissed that he's linking me in with the NoVa Dems. And that's the last thing the McDonnell needs to go - give NoVA Republicans a reason to stay home on Election Day.

Where's Jeff?

What am I to make of several mailings over the past few weeks from the RPV signed by the RPV's executive director? Certainly, I have nothing against her, but shouldn't those fundraising letters come from the RPV chairman? Does this mean that even the RPV staff/fundraisers consider Frederick a liability? Even if they don't, shouldn't we have a chairman whose name alone will help, rather than hinder, fundraising efforts?