You gotta have connections. Capiche?
Posted on 09/27/2011 9:00:33 PM PDT by Free Vulcan
It’s a little election with some potentially momentous consequences...
Voters in the Hawkeye State’s Senate District 18 will head to the polls Nov. 8 for a special election that the Democrats must win to hang onto their last vestige of political power in state government. They hold just a slim 25-24 Senate majority and the District 18 seat is up for grabs after Republican Gov. Terry E. Branstad, in a move that he denies was politically motivated, nominated Democratic state Sen. Swati Dandekar from Marion earlier this month to a $137,000-a-year post on the Iowa Utilities Board.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Iowa Utilities Board... that will probably come back to haunt Iowans as they spend widly on useless wind mills and crap and see blackouts in the summer soon.
Believe or not Dandekar is a fairly pro-business Dem who likes nuke power. Rumor is that’s part of the reason she left the seat, she was getting tired of the narrow mindedness of her colleagues on the issue.
There is a statutory requirement that the board consist of a certain number of members of each party; Branstad was obligated to appoint a Democrat to the open seat. He picked a relatively moderate, very pro-nuclear energy Democrat. This was a very smooth move by Branstad.
Well, Senator Dandekar could have just declined the nomination, if the Dims thought this would disturb the balance of power. Apparently they did not.
So if Gronstal can keep his remaining 25 together they can still block everything. But they no longer will be able to hide behind him, they’ll be on the record for all their blocks with half of them up for re-election next fall.
We’ve had a tie before, I’d have to go back and look how things went down. I know King Gronstaller would have a tougher time blocking bills from getting to the floor, but you’re right a tie vote and the measure fails so he’d still have power there.
http://easterniowagovernment.com/2011/09/27/iowa-gop-senator-calls-for-a-leadership-vote-thursday/
“Iowa GOP senator calls for a leadership vote Thursday”
Holy crap.
The last time there was a tie in the Senate, the Republican Floor Leader cut a deal with Gronstal that EITHER of the floor leaders (meaning the R or the D floor leader) could STOP any bill from coming to the floor for debate.
If Cindy Golding wins her race, the secret to success is ABSOLUTELY NO agreement to limit bills going to the floor.
I have zero faith in any such agreement. The GOP leadership does NOT wish to debate any conservative bill and will allow Gronstall to continue to block it all. Mark my words.
$137,000 to serve on a utilities board??? Where do I apply?
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