The Virginia Senate, concerned that NC's plan to tax granny's groceries would make the Old Dominion look good by comparision, shows the rubes in Raleigh how the game is played: 

The revised plan cleared the Senate on a party-line vote of 20-19. Missing Monday afternoon was Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, D-Richmond, who was in Washington for President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony. The new black-majority seat would be partly carved out of Marsh’s district.

Comments

[polifrog]

Indeed.

How embarrassing for VA. to be the home of a politician that chooses to party with the elite in Washington over, well, work.

[Andrew Brod]

Legislative s**t happens. Reminds me of the 2005 vote to authorize the North Carolina lottery, which the Democrats timed to take advantage of two key Republican absences.

[justcorbly]

>>"... party with the elite in Washington over, well, work."

Yes, I'm always struck by the complete absence of GOP pols at the inaugurations of GOP presidents.

[Brian]

I wasn't here in NC for the lottery vote, but that shenanigan doesn't seem to be on par with what the R's pulled here in VA, but it is absolutely consistent with how the state legislature has been operating of late. I also don't buy that McDonnell is truly "shocked...shocked, I tell ya."

My opinion is that R's have ceded that national votes for Senate and President will continue to go to the D's, so better to lock up state legislatures. As long as they retain control of state legislatures, they control redistricting which will prevent attempts by D's to regain control so that they too can do the same thing. It appears there is little chance federal intervention can change this. Minus a massive demographic shift among districts, the minority party will rule. NC voted 51% democratic in the last election, but proportionally, it's representation is 9 R's in the house and 4 D's.