Wednesday, May 16th, 2007...7:07 am
When Republicans Can’t Pass Republican Bills…Part 2
An interesting group of Republicans voted against the budget yesterday. Three moderates voted against it: Lucy Mason, Pete Hershberger and Jennifer Burns. They were joined by three very conservative legislators: Andy Biggs, Eddie Farnsworth and Trish Groe. This is why it made me laugh when someone posted the “level headed Republican” comment after the vote yesterday.
It would be hard to imagine a budget that would make Farnsworth and Hershberger happy. Jim Weiers had a difficult job keeping his caucus together on this, and it is a big part of the reason why he had to try to pry a few Democrats free on this. One rumor yesterday had someone in leadership (I don’t know if it was Weiers or whom) offering $17 million to settle the long standing Florez suit. Something like this might have pulled a couple of Democrats, but may have lost him some Republicans.
Gawd, am I giving Jim Weiers credit for something? Slap me next time you see me. I do sort of wonder if he had done a vote count before this, or if someone broke off that he had counted on.
The three conservatives could, I suppose, move for a reconsideration. Unlikely given the losing margin. The three moderates plus the Democrats would not add up to enough to pass the Senate budget, and it is doubtful at best that the three conservatives would vote for that budget. The talk is that leadership wants this over by next week. Oh boy…
NB - “Arizona Bill” character designed by Bob Richards.
5 Comments
May 16th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Duly noted Ted, *writes on calendar slap Ted next time I am in Tucson and see him*
May 16th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Mr. Scarpinato’s story this morning was kinda interesting in a morbid sort of way.
Instead of writing about a significant Democratic victory, he says a bunch of Republicans killed the Speaker’s budget. Oh yeah, a few Democrats opposed it too.
He quotes Linda Lopez, who tried to support the Weiers budget, but folded only after her own amendment was flattened by opposition from Republicans and Dems. alike.
He doesn’t quote Phil Lopes, leader of the House Dems., who pulled off a major miracle by holding together his caucus. That was a significant feat of leadership that may well augur a major sea change in AZ politics.
And Scarpinato failes to tell us who sponsored an amendment that the House Majority Leader, Tom Boone, blames for dooming their lousy budget. The amendment stopped Maricopa from stealing highway funds from Tucson and the rest of the state.
That amendment, for the record, was sponsored by a certain fellow named Tom Prezelski. Tedski might have met that fellow somewhere.
Oh well. I still think Scarpinato has promise, but he needs to admit that he doesn’t know about a lot of stuff - the first step toward true wisdom.
Oh yeah, and someone should remind him about his story alleging that the Tucson Dems, don’t have any clout in the Legislature. Care to revisit that little piece of bass-ackwards analysis, Daniel?
May 16th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Ted, if I read Sam’s comment right, your brother is a genius!
That highway amendment made it a certainty that Jack Brown would stick with the Democrats, and usually ol’ Jack is one that needs convincing.
I’ll have to send him another thank you email.
May 16th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I mean, send ol’ Jack another thank you email. Your brother can read your blog.
May 16th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Here’s today’s update….which Tedski may expand upon after he talks to some folks….
The Republicans ressurected their budget by voting to reconsider the measure. They actually didn’t have any more votes, but there were a few people missing, so their motion passed.
The House Democrats tried to stop this parliamentary manuver, but the Republican leadership deliberately ignored House rules out of pure partisanship and refused to recognize a Democrat who tried to offer a substitute motion. They did the same thing Tuesday night. If fact, they do this stuff all the friggin’ time.
In the final analysis the House budget will stumble all over itself but will never go anywhere.
The Republican oligarchy has got to go. They’re arrogant, they twist the rules into some uncrecognizable form, they refuse to deal with issues that people care about and they push a narrow extremist agenda.
It’s time to put the House in order by changing the management.
Hey: I think that’s a slogan for 2008. It’s time to put the House in order.
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