Okay, the buzz is that the Republicans are considering a special session to pass ethics and campaign finance reform laws. The special session would be held in December, theoretically, before Bentley assumes the mantle of Governor.
I think it's a mistake.
Look, special elections cost US extra money. They're also intended for things that can't wait until the next regular session of the Legislature, sort of a way to pass legislation in response to an emergency of some sort. Well, the next regular session of the legislature starts in March. That's just a few months from now. Do we have some elections, some major campaigning that I'm not aware of within the next few months? Where is the emergency, here?
If the Republicans call this special session, we will see a repeat of what happened when the Democrats pushed their health care bill, only in miniature. With such limited time to look at bills in a special session, they will hurry through the process. The end result will be flawed bills, legislators who don't have the chance to read bills before voting on them, and lots of work being done behind closed doors. Can anyone say "back room deals?"
That's what we're likely to get if the Republicans push this special session idea.
Let me ask you this. Why not just make this legislation a priority going into the 2011 regular session that starts in January? There isn't any rush, here, and we'd really rather have this done right than done quickly. We DON'T want the Republicans doing everything they've spent the past year or so condemning the Democrats for doing!
So please, take your time and do it right. Don't rush legislation through a special session. It would send exactly the WRONG message to your constituents. It would tell us that you don't really care about doing things right and reforming state government. No, it would tell us that you just want your turn on top and are looking forward to USING all that wonderful political power!
Think this through, and get it right. We ARE watching.
Friday, November 5, 2010
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If this were an emergency....or something dire in the lives of Bama folks...then this would make perfect sense. But the idea of doing campaign reform? Just after a heavy Democratic loss? Something about this just doesn't make sense. And then they tag on ethics? I suspect this is simply to get public sentiment all hot and heated because both magnets for public discussion. Personally, I'd suggest this...let the boys come out for twenty-four hours...from sundown one day to sundown of the next...and if they are so desperate to charge the bill on this wonderful meeting, then do it in twenty-four hours. I might even pay money to go and watch these guys politically wrestle each other for twenty-four hours straight. I'd even offer up plenty of bar-b-q and Pabst to drink....if they think they could resolve this in such a fashion. Frankly, it sounds like a bunch of guys who aren't even sure what ethics might be violated and this is mostly a chance to meet...away from the spouses and have one more good party before the curtain call.
ReplyDeleteActually, Ripley, I have a different theory, one that I'll propose in a post next week... probably Monday. There is reason behind the lunacy, and it's all going to happen for political advantage.
ReplyDelete