Thirty-eight of the 40 Indiana Democrat assembly members have fled the state in order to prevent right-to-work legislation from being passed.
“Republicans have decided to bring their Wisconsin assault to Indiana, and we’re not going to just sit around and take it,” Indiana Democratic chairman Dan Parker told Washington Post blogger Greg Sargent.
Parker also said that the Democrats would remain out of state “until these bills are removed from the agenda.”
House speaker Brian Bosma told the Indianapolis Star that he was “flummoxed” by the Democrats’ action and said Democrat minority leader B. Patrick Bauer “has taken a page out of the Wisconsin Senate playbook apparently.”
Talking about Gov. Mitch Daniels’ reaction, Bosma said, “He was not pleased that the Democrats weren’t here to do their work. And like me is just waiting to see how the course of the day proceeds.”
Every state constitution, like the US constitution, gives the legislature the power to discipline its own members. The majorities should simply start fining the absent members for contempt, starting at $10000 a day each, and doubling it daily until they appear.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is not governing - it is revolting in every sense of the word.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMyKu:
As they flee we see
their butts in cowardice not
profiles in courage.
--------------------
What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is unprecedented; defections in multiple states? The Dems are sending the message that they refuse to work if they can't get their way. This is worse than any filibuster obstruction Republicans are often accused of when it comes to Obama's judicial nominees. It amazes me how the media can continue to defend the left's childish behavior.
Recall them all.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm afraid I have little confidence in the "solve it at the polls" argument. By the time there is another election, who knows what stories will push this behavior out of mind? Who can say how high the electorate will rate this misbehavior, against other issues?
So, thank you, JasonC. What we need are counter-tactics. This may be one. Of course, the answers will vary by state, as their constitutions permit.
By the way, how long before Pelosi leads her minions to Canada?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey've left their seats; time to hold special elections to fill them. Repeat as required.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJasonC, the better approach would be to just do what the Wisconsin Republican keep saying they'll do, but don't have the guts to do: Bring measures to the floor that will hurt the Democrats in other ways, or pit other key Democrat constituencies against the unions.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseA better disciplinary solution: declare that after a certain number of days, a seat becomes vacated, and a special election must be held to fill it. In the meantime, a quorum of the remaining members will carry out business according to their constitutional responsibilities.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusestop paying them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere are legal parliamentary procedures for the minority party to fight against the majority. And, when all else fails, there are elections in the near future.
The former are for slowing -- or stopping -- legislation the minority party finds undesirable. The latter are for correcting any imbalance that occurred during this election cycle.
If you don't like the legislation, you use all the legal, parliamentary tools at your disposal. If you lose and you think you have a winning issue, then you run on that issue in the next election, hoping to build a referendum to undo what you see as damage.
This is what the Republicans (who I have no strong desire to defend in general) did with ObamaCare.
What the Democrats are doing now is as pathetic as it is wrong. On the level of policy and governance, this is an abrogation of a sworn duty. At the bare minimum, one should show up to work.
On the level of politics, this is a gift to Republicans and (closer to my heart) conservatives.
When the going gets tough, the Democrats run away. That's the message sent here. (Or the "optics", as the pundits like to say.)
Right now, Republicans have some governors who are looking adult -- Chris Christie and Gov. Walker, for instance. Set against them are Democratic lawmakers who run away from debate like scared children and hide out, lest they have to vote.
At least Obama had the decency to vote "present".
These clowns are taking the approach of Homer Simpson, who, when facing a tough exam, came up with this great plan:
"I'll hide out under a bunch of coats and hope that it all works out somehow".
Good show, Democrats!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKind of wish the Republicans had run away last year so that the Democrats wouldn't have had a quorum to pass Obamacare. I know it is cowardice, but hey, if it works, who's to judge.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLet's not react too quickly here, my friends. These disappearing quorums may be onto something, in point of fact.
Let me propose, and let all of NRO be my witness, the beginning of a LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE PROGRAM. All liberals fleeing elections they have fairly lost are to be traded to a Designated Receiving State (or National Whipping Boy)
(I'm thinking California, though a case could be made for New York as well. How much harm could they do in Rhode Island? Could make Detroit a state just for this purpose? There could be more than one, of course)
Conservatives will then be granted asylum in the donor states.
whatdyathink, sirs?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRE: "whatdyathink, sirs?"
MST3K. Joel Hodgson would say that...after submitting his entry for the "Invention Exchange".
Heh. Good times.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm so glad this can't happen in Ohio--we have big enough majorities that it doesn't matter. Man up and start governing!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is good stuff. I hope it spreads to more states. Then the voters can decide if absconding equates with worthwhile representation.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Tea Party vs The Flee Party.
My money is on the Tea Party.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRepublicans have decided to bring their Wisconsin assault to Indiana, and we’re not going to just sit around and take it,”
We're not going to sit around and take it, we're going to run as fast as our little feet will take us.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow macho.
Declare that seats of members whose absence from an in-session legislature can be shown to be voluntary are "vacant" after 48 hours, with the seats to be filled by special elections.
Perhaps a court will block such a move, but let's find out.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseParty of No Show
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is rich. They found their own achilles heel. They have no idea how this whole thing (demonstrations and absences) looks to the beleaguered public. We hardly need to do a thing except encourage them to keep it up.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse