Gov. McDonnell: Federal Government Can Learn From Republican Governors

By Simone Götesson

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell praised his fellow Republican governors Tuesday and argued that the federal government should follow their lead in tackling the nation’s deficit.

“Govern on conservative principals, reduce spending and actually have fiscal responsibility and prosperity in your states,” McDonnell said during an appearance at the National Press Club Tuesday. “It’s something that the federal government can learn from.”

Gov. McDonnell said that his state has been able to return to 2006 spending levels by making tough decisions, including deep cuts in K-12 education as well as health and human resources.

“Yes, there was a lot of short-term pain, yes we got letters from teachers and from health care providers saying this is a disaster, this is gonna be tough, we can’t do this, but the reason it worked is when you reduce spending and you ask your officials and your administration to set priorities and use the money you allocated in the best way they can, they’ll manage well,” he said, adding that the American people are ready for “an honest conversation about what we can afford.”

“This debt is just not something out there that some future government can deal with,” McDonnell said. “This is a clear and present danger to American security internally and externally, and until we are really serious about this, we are on a very bad path.”

McDonnell also gave his thoughts on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision yesterday to not fast track Virginia’s lawsuit against the health care reform law.

“It’s extremely disappointing, and every American ought to be disappointed because whether you’re for Obamacare or against it, what you should want is certainty in finality,” he said. “You should want to know is it constitutional or not, because then you can start putting the things in place at the state or lower level or in your business to know what you’re going to have to do with your benefit plan.”