Politicians previously used the slogan of a chicken in every pot to get elected. The slogan of Bob McDonnell, Republican candidate for Virginia governor, appears to be a liquor store for every neighborhood.

His idea to privatize the state's ABC stores to pay for our Northern Virginia traffic problems is like arriving to a fire with a garden hose, without the forethought of hooking the hose up to a spigot. It is terribly shortsighted for several reasons given The Washington Post article of July 22: McDonnell Roads Plan Privatizes ABC Stores.

First, while it appears that selling off Virginias ABC stores could gather as much a $500 million in the short term, in the long term it would hurt the state, as the ABC stores generate $100 million a year for the states coffers. Virginia would actually lose money in the long term after five years. That might be convenient for McDonnell as, if elected, he would be out of office, but it does not serve the state.

Second, his plan would produce a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario. The millions the ABC stores generate are already earmarked for the states general fund. Dont these funds go to help pay for the education of our kids? How will those lost revenues to the general fund be recouped?

And, third, I wonder just how much control the state would still be able to retain over these liquor stores if the state relinquishes control. Stores naturally gravitate to where people reside. I do not think opening a liquor store in every neighborhood is an answer to our transportation woes.

Instead of ideas for revenue to build more roads and/or widening I-66, which I fear will only bring to life the movie title If you build it they will come, we should instead concentrate on options that will take more cars off the road.