Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether Bad Bob Rucho is a Bull Moose or a bull in a china closet but there’s no doubt he sincerely loathes tax loopholes so it’s a shame in his enthusiasm to gore a corporate ‘incentive’ he crossed the line.

When a bill landed in Rucho’s committee to kibosh a Solar Energy incentive an odd thing happened: A Senator (who opposed the kibosh) asked for a recorded vote but Senator Rucho said No, called for a voice vote, and ruled his side had won – even though, according to the newspaper, it sounded like he’d lost.

In a Democracy there’re lines a fellow can’t cross and railroading votes is one of them – because even your friends don’t agree when you say, I’ve got the power – and to hell with counting the votes.