McDonnell is Favored to Revive Virginia's Economy

On Jobs & the Economy, McDonnell Bests Deeds

- NFIB, Other Business Groups Choose McDonnell Over Deeds on the Issues -

RICHMOND - Bob McDonnell is the clear choice over Creigh Deeds by a growing number of organizations that represent small businesses and other sectors of the economy, based on a comparison of the two candidates' positions and records on issues affecting job creation. The National Federation of Independent Business is the latest to endorse McDonnell, joining the Virginia Association of Realtors, the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Virginia Credit Union League.

The following is a comparison of McDonnell and Deeds on the issues important to employers who create jobs:

McDonnell & Deeds on the Issues

Taxes

McDonnell sponsored legislation to eliminate the Death Tax on family-owned businesses and farms (HB2490, 2003). Deeds voted against the elimination of the Death Tax.

McDonnell has voted for 50 tax cuts, which combined would have reduced taxes by $2 billion. Deeds voted for the two largest tax increases in Virginia history and has pledged to raise gas taxes if elected governor.

Big Labor & Card Check

Deeds has been endorsed by the AFO-CIO, the Teamsters and SEIU. He appeared as the guest of honor at a July reception hosted by the AFL-CIO in Washington. "During his 18 years in the Virginia House of Delegates and in the state Senate, gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds has ‘been with us every step of the way,'" said Jim Leaman, president of the Virginia AFL-CIO. The union helpfully highlighted Deeds' record ofsupporting big labor's agenda 93.7 percent of the time.

Deeds has collected at least $1.1 million from Big labor, including the AFL-CIO, SEIU and the Democratic Governors Association, which is largely financed by labor money. Because of this financial dependency, Deeds is required to support card check, which removes the secret ballot process from workers voting whether to form a union or not. During last month's debate hosted by the Virginia Bar Association, Deeds telegraphed his approval of Card Check legislation, which will hamstring employers, increase the cost of doing business, strangle job creation and expose workers to the strong arm of big labor union bosses. McDonnell opposes card check.

In January, just a few weeks before Tim Kaine proudly announced the movement of Hilton executives to Fairfax County, Deeds and his ticket mate Jody Wagner took part in a big labor picket line at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City in Arlington County. Deeds handed out coffee and popcorn to the people picketing a well-established employer.

"Check out, not in," chanted the picketers.

Right-to-Work

Deeds actually voted to weaken Virginia's right-to-work law and for meet-and-confer (HB2265, 1999 and HB584, 1998). McDonnell will oppose any efforts to weaken Right-to-Work.

Cap-and-Trade

Deceptively titled the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES Act, H.R. 2454), the legislation proposes a "Cap and Trade" scheme in which entities that exceed a government-imposed emission limit would be forced to buy "credits" from entities which emit amounts under the limits. Many analysts and employers have concluded that the idea would increase costs to consumers and severely limit the ability of private companies to create jobs. Indeed, MeadWestvaco, a major employer located in Deeds' senate district, says it would jeopardize 1,500 jobs in Covington. McDonnell opposes the scheme. Deeds supports it.

Transportation

McDonnell has offered a comprehensive transportation plan that will not raise taxes. Deeds has offered no plan and says he will raise gas taxes to fund whatever plan he eventually invents.

Business-Friendly Ratings

Bob McDonnell has a lifetime pro-business rating from Virginia FREE that was consistently in the top ten in the House of Delegates. He has a 91-percent lifetime rating from the National Federation of Independent Business.

Deeds' Virginia FREE rating has been in the bottom half of the senate every year. He also has a 93-percent voting record on AFL-CIO big labor issues.

Reining in Frivolous Lawsuits

As Delegate, McDonnell was a strong leader for tort reform and sponsored several laws to rein in frivolous lawsuits and improve Virginia's business liability climate (HB1127, 2004 and HB1126, 2004). Deeds co-sponsored a bill to triple the medical malpractice cap (HB2628, 1999) and voted against bills to prevent frivolous lawsuits from going to trial and reduce forum-shopping. (HB1218, 2000 and HB 1127, 2004).

Management and Leadership

McDonnell has experience as a corporate manager with a Fortune 500 health care company, a U.S. Army medical services corps officer, a master's in business administration, and as Attorney General successfully managed a large state agency with hundreds of employees and a $30 million budget. As Attorney General, he reduced the size of the agency's budget by 14% in his final year and created a Regulatory Reform Task force that recommended over 350 changes to reduce burdensome regulations.

"It is very telling that all of these groups that represent the people who make our economy work are lining up behind Bob McDonnell," said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins. "When you look at McDonnell and Deeds records side-by-side, it truly is obvious that Bob is the best candidate to revive our sagging economy."