Hoosiers Ate My Brain

Legislative Update

House speaker Brian Bosma released his Top 40 list today of bills Republicans hope to revive in this legislative session, bills killed by house Democrats in a walkout last week. On the list were bills for the statewide observance of daylight-saving time and Gov. Mitch Daniels' inspector general and various economic initiatives including Colts funding. Senate rules are going to make it very difficult to get most of these proposals attached or amended to something but I have to appreciate them for trying. Is some of this an election ploy to make House Republicans look good and House Dems look bad? Of course it is. And House Dems are looking pretty bad as Republicans make popular legislation visible again -- along with the reasons it won't be passed. Of course, if they ever get enough of a majority to make it stick, House Republicans could always try the Texas way legally forcing legislators to show up for quorum calls. (And forcing legislators to flee the state if they want to make their point.)

In a related note -- or maybe related to House Dems looking bad -- the Decatur Daily Democrat has a take on the situation comparing the Indiana House to the infamous Delta House of Animal House fame. Funny as it might be, columnist Howey makes a good point. Public servants can't be irresponsible and blow off their jobs. If House Dems were upset and if Bauer was on a "retribution binge", then they needed to show up and vote, but pettiness -- whether Republican or Democrat -- doesn't get anything done. Doug Masson takes it one step further and compares to House Minority Leader Bauer to, who else, Bluto. I'd pay money to watch Bauer stand and the floor with his hands to his facing saying "What am I?"

posted by braingirl @ 6:41 PM