The Most Interesting Thing in State Politics…
…is the way the Senate Democrats are hammering House Speaker Jim Black.
Marc Basnight, the Senate leader, is one of the all-time
Basnight’s surprise this year is all the punches the Senate is throwing at House Speaker Black.
First, before the Senators even got settled into their new chairs and caught their breaths, Basnight whipped a bill through the Senate to ban video-poker. Jim Black has been video poker’s protector in the legislature.
Next, Basnight whipped through a bill repealing another of Black’s pet projects: the requirement that children have eye exams before entering the first grade. Black has been criticized for his bill because he is an optometrist and, obviously, optometrists benefit from the requirement.
Lastly, just in case anyone thought all this was a coincidence Basnight whipped out a budget that cut pork-barrel spending. Specifically, the Senate cut out $400,000 in pork-barrel funds for the
Now, Senator Julia Boseman has introduced a bill to repeal another measure Black has been criticized about for inserting in last year’s budget: requiring insurers to treat chiropractors the same as family physicians when it comes to insurance co-payments.
Finally, Basnight and the Senate appear to be taking a stronger stand on “Ethics Reform” – to clean up the ‘pay to play’ scandals – than Black and the House. The House has sullenly offered lip service to reforms, but in fact it has done very little. Basnight and the Senate just turned thumbs down on the House’s watered down reform bill and say they are drafting a stronger bill of their own.
I would never have expected Marc Basnight, the iron-fisted kingpin of the State Senate, to be leading a crusade for “Ethics Reform.” But the Governor has done very little. And the House has done less. (Unfortunately, even House Republicans went along with the Democrats watered down reform bill.) By comparison, Basnight and the Senate have passed bills to address three specific ‘pay to play’ abuses and, right now, it seems the only ones pushing for tougher ‘Ethics Reforms’ are Basnight and the Senate Democrats.
In many ways it seems out of character. But, right now, Marc Basnight has emerged as an ‘Ethics Reformer.’ More power to him.
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The Most Interesting Thing in State Politics…
…is the way the Senate Democrats are hammering House Speaker Jim Black.
Marc Basnight, the Senate leader, is one of the all-time
Basnight’s surprise this year is all the punches the Senate is throwing at House Speaker Black.
First, before the Senators even got settled into their new chairs and caught their breaths, Basnight whipped a bill through the Senate to ban video-poker. Jim Black has been video poker’s protector in the legislature.
Next, Basnight whipped through a bill repealing another of Black’s pet projects: the requirement that children have eye exams before entering the first grade. Black has been criticized for his bill because he is an optometrist and, obviously, optometrists benefit from the requirement.
Lastly, just in case anyone thought all this was a coincidence Basnight whipped out a budget that cut pork-barrel spending. Specifically, the Senate cut out $400,000 in pork-barrel funds for the
Now, Senator Julia Boseman has introduced a bill to repeal another measure Black has been criticized about for inserting in last year’s budget: requiring insurers to treat chiropractors the same as family physicians when it comes to insurance co-payments.
Finally, Basnight and the Senate appear to be taking a stronger stand on “Ethics Reform” – to clean up the ‘pay to play’ scandals – than Black and the House. The House has sullenly offered lip service to reforms, but in fact it has done very little. Basnight and the Senate just turned thumbs down on the House’s watered down reform bill and say they are drafting a stronger bill of their own.
I would never have expected Marc Basnight, the iron-fisted kingpin of the State Senate, to be leading a crusade for “Ethics Reform.” But the Governor has done very little. And the House has done less. (Unfortunately, even House Republicans went along with the Democrats watered down reform bill.) By comparison, Basnight and the Senate have passed bills to address three specific ‘pay to play’ abuses and, right now, it seems the only ones pushing for tougher ‘Ethics Reforms’ are Basnight and the Senate Democrats.
In many ways it seems out of character. But, right now, Marc Basnight has emerged as an ‘Ethics Reformer.’ More power to him.
Click to Read & Post Comments