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Politics, Commentary
Politics, Commentary Monday
30Apr
Why the rush in the state Legislature?
Monday, April 30, 2007 at 06:39AM Doug White at Poinography has good commentary this morning on the state Legislature's frenzy to get things done on a deadline, which makes me wonder why state lawmakers have this built into the process. A lengthier session, even a year-round Legislature, would end this madness and make a more deliberative and sensible (ooh, don't I know better than that?) process that might better serve everyone's interest. Our County Councils statewide manage to meet year-round, why not the state Legislature? It would no doubt be more costly and give lawmakers more time for mischief but at the same time it could give whistleblowers more time to evaluate what's going on as well. More time would lead to more Sunshine, perhaps, eliminating the lawmakers' needs to hele on at the expense of the public's right to know. Maybe that's why they don't consider the idea of a longer or year-round session. Maybe there are other good reasons. Anybody have one?
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Reader Comments (2)
Most former legislators I know say that what can't be done from January to May does not need to be done. A full-time legislature would be inefficient and not resolve nagging problems. You do not need a year to fix the broken prison system,the laughable ethics mess or the DOE. You need resolve.
Also keep in mind,the legislature studies matters to death between sessions and seldom offers rational solutions.
If we wanted real success in lawmaking, we would have bought former state senator and later judge and lieutenant governor Nelson Doi's proposition for a small unicameral legislature.
However.the vast majority would not buy into Lincoln, Nebraska, where the single house proposition allegedly flourishes.
Reminds me of returning from Missouri to Hawaii via Denver and San Francisco with a large group of Big Island sports fans who were told we were diverting to Omaha because of bad weather. There was near insurrection by the passnengers.
"OK," the pilot came on to say with resignation, "we will return to Kanas City." So I missed my only chance to see Nebraska but it was compleling to me the conversative midwest was not an ccceptable cup of tea to Hawaii's folks.
Pity the foolish lawmaker who pursues that proposal or a year-round session, because he/she will be ridiculed and attacked. Behind the attacks will be the bald contempt, almost hatred, that ordinary citizens feel for the Legislature as a body. Former Fasi pollster Don Clegg used to poll Hawaii voters on how much we dislike the Legislature as an institution, and it's a wonder no one has torched the State Capitol yet.
Regardless of any potential benefits from year-round sessions or higher paid, full-time lawmakers, I'm pretty sure both proposals are politically impossible because they would be seen as ploys by politicians out to help themselves. And we hate that. And they know it.