Basnight gets it...sorta!
Has Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight turned over a new leaf? Yesterday the most powerful politician in our state told Senate Budget committees that they must hold all budget meetings in the open and that budget cuts or proposals cannot be can't be done behind closed doors.
What he didn't say, and what most of us who follow politicians and what they do would like to have heard, is that the budget itself would be assembled in open session. That's too much to expect, especially in this year when there are likely to be some painful decisions about personnel levels and funding to be made. We can hope that the good Senator has also had a change of heart and will give the Senate more than 24 hours to study the bill before voting on the document.
At least it's a step and we should be thankful for it. Good government is open government. The people's business should not be conducted behind closed doors.
Basnight is one of the remaining characters in government these days and he can be colorful, humorous, and very straightforward. The Pro Tem told Under the Dome there were too many spending bills already being offered in this session of the legislature, adding the lawmakers were acting like "a bunch of drunken sailors on Main Street in Norfolk celebrating victory." He added that most of the legislators know these bills aren't going anywhere.
So why file them? Looks good for the folks back home who voted for you! The games go on.
What he didn't say, and what most of us who follow politicians and what they do would like to have heard, is that the budget itself would be assembled in open session. That's too much to expect, especially in this year when there are likely to be some painful decisions about personnel levels and funding to be made. We can hope that the good Senator has also had a change of heart and will give the Senate more than 24 hours to study the bill before voting on the document.
At least it's a step and we should be thankful for it. Good government is open government. The people's business should not be conducted behind closed doors.
Basnight is one of the remaining characters in government these days and he can be colorful, humorous, and very straightforward. The Pro Tem told Under the Dome there were too many spending bills already being offered in this session of the legislature, adding the lawmakers were acting like "a bunch of drunken sailors on Main Street in Norfolk celebrating victory." He added that most of the legislators know these bills aren't going anywhere.
So why file them? Looks good for the folks back home who voted for you! The games go on.
Just wait.........there are no new leaves for rotten trees.
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