Opposing views, depending on their responsibility

While Virginia representive and House majority leader Eric Cantor is one of the most obstructionist of the Republican leaders on getting any deal done, a fellow Virginia Republican is taking a different stance.

No one would call Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell moderate in his views as a conservative. Yet he has written a letter to all members of Congress and President Obama stressing how damaging not raising the debt ceiling would be to state finances, and Virginia is one of the soundest states in terms of ratings and market access.

States build budgets around what they expect to receive from the Federal government. Rating agencies have models for states finances with those expectations.

So the difference in responsibility is clear. Cantor manages nothing. He is in Congress. He is an ambitious politician. McDonnell manages a state government with thousands of workers and with obligations to meet.

Maybe they should have a showdown in front of the Virginia State Capital, old style like Virginia gentlemen.