State Republicans Are Worse Than Democrats

Four years ago, Democrats used rules to shut the minority party out of debate, and the Republicans hated it. They complained bitterly about the "unfair" rules, while Democrats said the rules are fine. Now, fast forward four years and one majority-changing election. Not only do Republicans now like those once-detested rules, they are using them to shut off debate far more than Democrats ever did. And Democrats, who once defended the rules as perfectly okay, are now complaining bitterly that they are unfair.

Is this what you wanted when you put the snot-nosed Republican brats in charge of the playground?
http://tinyurl.com/67rlxa5

Sometimes with little debate, the Republicans with their newfound supermajority are cutting off discussion and mov­ing forward with votes. And ironically, they are doing it with rules they detested four years ago that were passed by the then-Democratic majority, who thought they were fair then.

During the special session on ethics in December, if there was a hint that a bill would be controversial, Senate Republi­cans were waiting to cut off de­bate.
On Tuesday, when voting on a bill that would kill a "luxury" retirement program for teach­ers and state employees, Senate Republicans cut off debate after well under two hours and after only one amendment had been offered.

On Thursday, Republicans allowed Democrats to propose several amendments to a bill that would overhaul how law­makers craft the state's educa­tion budget. Democrats' effort, however, were again interrupt­ed by a cloture petition, which senators sign and hand over to the presiding officer to call for a vote on whether to shut off de­bate in 20 minutes.

Republicans have had the necessary 21 votes to shut off debate every time.
The Republicans have been using it so much the Democrats began joking about it.

I don't care if the Democrats are in the majority party or if the Republicans are, the rules governing amendments and discussions should be fair and allow the free exchange of ideas. What the rules should NOT do is shut out the minority party just because they are the minority party.

Republicans had a chance to show us they were better than Democrats, and they blew it. Now we know that the old saying is essentially true, there ISN'T a dime's worth of difference between the two.