Palate Cleanser from the Washington State House

It ain't a full-blown throw down like they do in Taiwan, but oh boy is it good. A Republican minority in the state Senate outmaneuvers the Democrat majority with three Dems on a wire over their budget. A defection of three Democrats let the Republicans pass a budget that was largely written by Republicans, makes $722 million in cuts, and leaves a half-billion-dollar reserve.

Everybody Wang Chung tonight.*

The move came during a routine session on the Senate floor Friday afternoon and appeared to take the majority Democrats by surprise. State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, moved for the “9th Order of Business,” a procedural motion which allows a majority of members to vote to advance bills from a committee to the Senate floor. Republicans plucked an early version of the budget that had been submitted late last year by Gov. Christine Gregoire, as well as three Republican measures necessary to implement the budget that had been stalled in committee.

As the roll call was sounded and the three Democrats announced their votes, it was obvious the battle was over. But majority Democrats proposed delaying motions, including one that required Senate clerks to read the governor’s entire 233-page budget bill in full.

“I want to know what’s in it,” demanded Senate Democratic Floor Leader Tracey Eide, D-Kent.

That was despite the fact that the governor’s bill had been released during the month of December, was widely publicized at the time, and was certain to be discarded the moment the Republican budget amendment was proposed.

Be sure to read the part called "Dems Say the Darndest Things". It's delicious.

via LauraW

* also I denounce myself

posted by Dave In Texas at 02:49 PM

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