Posted on 03/21/2011 8:21:46 AM PDT by bigbob
State Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville (left), says he proposed a constitutional amendment partly to prevent others from stalling legislation as Senate Dems did last month and partly as an olive branch to Republicans upset over the tactic.
The amendment would remove a 20-member quorum requirement for fiscal bills. Cullen, along with the 13 other Senate Dems, fled to Illinois last month to prevent a vote on a budget repair bill that stripped nearly all collective bargaining rights for most public employees.
Cullen, a former Senate majority leader, said he fears they have now set a precedent whereby the practice could become commonplace, which he said could destroy the Senate.
Cullen said on Sunday's “UpFront with Mike Gousha,” a statewide TV newsmagazine produced in conjunction with WisPolitics.com, that he had “no regrets” in joining the exodus. But he says Dems are unlikely to use the tactic again and that he won't join his colleagues if they do.
“I don't think they will, and if they do it, they'll do it without me,” he said. “I'm not going to Illinois again. This was a cause that on a one-time basis was worth doing. You don't strip away 50 years of bargaining rights with a bill that you rush through in four days.”
Cullen said he was announcing the death of former Supreme Court Justice Bill Bablitch, with whom he served in the Senate, and was not in caucus when the decision to flee was made. The idea to leave was proposed by Minority Leader Mark Miller, he said.
Gousha also spoke with State Superintendent Tony Evers about “significant cuts” to school programs as a result of the governor's proposed budget, and with Kristopher Rowe of the Committee to Recall Alberta Darling and Dan Hunt of Taxpayers to Recall Robert Wirch about their efforts.
Tim ("Timmay") Cullen, one of the Fleebag 14 who fled to Illinois to avoid doing the job he was elected by the voters of Wisconsin to do now thinks it "could destroy the senate". Gee, do ya think, Timmay?
Of course it was OK for you and the Flee Party to do it. Typical liberal logic - "situational ethics" override any kind of core principles and turn whatever moral compass they may have 180 degrees. Why didn't you just "deem" the bill defeated and stay home, you idiot? At least he confirmed the idea to flee the state came from Mark Miller, the Mental Midget of Monona.
There's no need to amend the Constitution. Just pass a law that leaving the state while the legislature is in session constitutes resignation from the legislature. You don't need a nuke to get rid of a few stubborn RATS.
He’s a lieing dem scumbag.
The low-life crooks and slime that are our politicians.
Part of the Liberal religion, the Ends justifies the Means.
Likely so many Wisconsin voters are fed up with run out Rat Senators they fear an electoral trouncing if Pubbies trumpet the offensive behavior.
It might, however, destroy the Democrats in the Senate. Maybe that's what Cullen means, given the exaggerated importance most Democrats assign themselves.
Indeed! As expounded by Padre Saul Alinsky in his "bible" (self-written, of course).
Ghandi used "non-violence" and hunger strikes as his "weapon of choice" as he had no other. The Hindistani were without arms, without social or economic standing, and without any kind of representation in local or national government.
So...it was on to "hunger stikes" and popular opinion...
Funny thing is...once Ghandi and the "hunger strikes" had been victorious....the new Hindustani influence in the new "representative" government passed a law making "hunger strikes" illegal and punishable by death!!!
Ah yes....just depends on whether you're the one treading water...or sitting in the boat!
"lieing" has to be the most hugh and series spelling error around here; which I've never understood, since it almost hurts your eyes to read it. How can people ever push the post button with that abomination in their text?
Blathering by blithering idiot?
Geeze, I can’t take the heat.
Great minds ;-)
They don’t even need any new laws. Just have EVERY member of the Senate sign his own resignation letter, and put it in the hands of the head of the opposite party, with the stipulation that if any fleebagging occurs in the future, the resignations will be tendered and accepted.
Simple Problem solved.
This amendment to eliminate the super-quorum is a red herring. It’s not the quorum for fiscal bills that’s the problem it’s the dereliction of duty by fleebagger RATS.
LYING!
You happy now?
He knows that in Wisconsin it is only a matter of time before the Rats regain control of the state legislature. And he doesn’t want the Republicans to be able to run away to another state when he and the Rats begin dismantling everything Walker and this senate and house accomplish in the next couple years.
I oppose changing the constitution to eliminate the requirement. However, they could change it to set up a process for overcoming it. For example, a quorum of 20 would be needed, and if there was a majority but not a quorum, a vote could be taken by the majority to lift the quorum after 24 hours.
That would keep a bare majority from calling a session when the minority was out somewhere, and rushing through legislation before they got back.
“hugh and series spelling error”
Nah! It’s mute and irrevalunt, and rediculous!
I’ve thought that too, the R’s are going to have to hold the rest of the state solid to keep the blue RAT-infested urban areas from regaining control.
The fleebag trick undermines the sovereignty of the state. Instead of following constitutional legislative polity they invented a new extra-constitutional technique that renders the sovereign legislature impotent. What they did is a form of anarchy, not the “democracy” they so love to trumpet about. And it is toxic to a representative republic, which obviously cannot function if half of the duly-elected representatives are out of state and beyond the reach of its law.
Every kid understands that running from a fight is a cowardly act.
It’s a TRAP! Currently, Democrats need a supermajority to raise taxes. This move would put an end to that.
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