Posted on 01/11/2023 7:28:04 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
An experiment in bipartisan government in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is less than a week old, and cracks are beginning to appear. If the compromise falls apart, the chamber will be plunged into chaos.
Republican and Democratic leaders, at Speaker Mark Rozzi’s request, must find a way to move forward together, if they plan to serve the people of Pennsylvania this session. It’s time for Mr. Rozzi to honor the commitments he made in accepting the role of speaker, especially his pledge to change his registration from Democrat to Independent as a symbol of unity.
After last week’s display of mature bipartisanship in Harrisburg, this week had a rocky start. Outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf called for a special legislative session, beginning Monday, to pass Mr. Rozzi’s signature proposal: a constitutional amendment to allow victims of alleged sexual abuse a two-year window to seek civil damages. If passed, the proposal would go on the May 16 primary ballot, where a majority of voters could enshrine it in the state constitution.
But the first two days of the special session passed without action. By all available evidence, Mr. Rozzi, a five-term backbencher who had never been in House leadership, wasn’t quite ready to steer the chamber — especially while the parties are fighting over an ambiguous majority. It didn’t help that the special session opened less than a week after Mr. Rozzi took the helm, giving him almost no time to learn even the basics of the job.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
“the chamber will be plunged into chaos” Melodrama appears more and more in writing about politics. It is entertaining.
Rep. Mark Rozzi was elected speaker by a vote of 115-85 after Republicans were unable to convert a temporary two-seat majority into a vote to retain the post.
Democrats flipped a net of 12 seats in November, the minimum amount needed to take over the chamber, 102-101, after more than a decade in the minority.
But that margin is now 101-99 with the three vacancies that will remain open until at least February. Rozzi left questions unanswered Tuesday night about how the chamber will operate in the meantime and who will function as the majority.
We elected Fetterman. Why would you expect the state government to be any better.
Symbolism over substance.
“Bipartisan” = “they’re all democrats now”
Speaker Mark Rozzi’s... pledge to change his registration from Democrat to Independent as a symbol of unity.
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