by David Safier
As I read the latest on the budget (it passed both Senate and House, if you haven't read the morning news), I have to keep in mind that I'm not a politician, so I don't understand the subtleties of the game. I've said before, I don't play three dimensional chess, so all this may be way more complex and subtle than it appears to my untrained eye.
But my sense is, this isn't three dimensional chess, or even elementary school checkers. These folks are riding around in bumper cars at an amusement park, bumping into each other, then sliding and veering and bumping into each other some more.
Details from Scarpinato's article this morning.
- The Senate rushed its vote Wednesday to accommodate Thayer Verschoor, who "planned to leave Thursday morning for a weekend cruise."
- Along with needing Vershoor's vote, the Rs needed John Nelson's. As AZBlueMeanie wrote, Nelson tried to sneak out so he wouldn't have to vote for the turkey, but he was caught, and after an hour of "persuading" by his colleagues, he decided to vote for the budget.
- Dem Senators walked out on the Senate vote, protesting their exclusion from the process. Al Melvin, always there with a mouth dropping quote, commented, "Sixteen of us showed up, and we did more than that. We voted — and how Ronald Reagan would have wanted us to vote."
- The House passed the bill as well, with all the Dems and three Republicans voting no.
- But it doesn't matter, because they're not planning to send the bill to Brewer.
- Brewer made two wonderful comments. The first shows she's peeved: ""I really don't understand why they got through the exercise [of passing the bill] if they're not going to transit the bill." The second is overflowing with multiple meanings. Though she hasn't gone through the bill thoroughly, "It's my belief it's probably not balanced." "Probably not balanced" speaks volumes about the legislative session and the Republican leadership.
Ronald Reagan would have wanted the Rs to vote for a bill that is so flawed that it only made it through the Senate because some people made Nelson an offer he couldn't refuse, and they don't plan to send it to the Accidental Guv, who is from the same party, because she'd probably veto it.
I'm sticking with bumper cars.