Posted on 03/27/2011 11:08:39 AM PDT by Libloather
Dems show no signs of returning
BY KIRSTEN GIBSON | City Editor Purdue Exponent
Posted: Friday, March 25, 2011 10:00 am
It's officially been a month since the Indiana House Democrats left the state and there is still no end in sight.
Rep. Randy Truitt, R-West Lafayette, said the Republicans weren't sure when the Democrats were coming back, or even if they would come back.
The Democrats originally left to deny the Republicans a quorum. This prevented voting on an anti-union bill but, after the bill was thrown out, their stay continued: This time, for voucher bills as well as amendments to the budget that cut education spending.
While the Democrats are away, Truitt said the Senate and the House are going to continue to do their "constitutional" duty.
"The Senate began hearings (March 21) about the budget," Truitt said. "The House will also start hearing Senate bills."
These won't be official hearings, however, because there won't be a quorum.
"At the end of the day, it's going to require a quorum to get the budget passed," Truitt said, something not likely to happen any time soon. With the General Assembly session ending at the end of April, there is little time to decide on amendments from both Republicans and Democrats.
Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-Lafayette, said the Democrats have 25 amendments they want to propose for the budget.
Klinker also said the Democrats are being fined $350 per day, a step up from the $250 fine. According to Klinker, the Democrats already have paid some money back to the state.
"We all made out a check for $760 to the Indiana State Treasurer," Klinker said. This money was for the first week they were absent from the Statehouse.
Klinker remains optimistic about the situation.
"We're taking it a day at a time," Klinker said. "We hope something happens today that will help the whole situation."
The House Republicans, among others, made a YouTube video singing a song dedicated to the Democrats who fled to Illinois. One line says, "74 bring them home to the place they belong, Indiana, not Urbana, ... " The video is an attempt to make light of the situation, but also a plea for the Democrats to come back.
As Truitt said, "The saga continues."
should be considered ABANDONMENT of responsibilities....a new election for their positions should be held, pronto
Dimwits. Irresponsible nitwits.
If you can go missing from your job for over a month evidently you are not needed.
I do with that Governor Daniels would look into that possibility.
They should be denied pay and new people installed in their places.
They can either participate or get lost for good.
Question for FReepers: Is this pattern of Democrat Legislators leaving their jobs and now having occurred in multiple states, going to backfire big-time on the Dems poltically? IOW, will there be a severe voter backlash against the Dems for, what amounts to, shirking their responsibilities? Or, will they be rewarded politically for being “heroic”?
Personally, I think it’s going to be the former.
Frankly the entire US would be better off if both dems and republicans would stay away from the legislature and stop passing all these silly laws the seem to wind up voting in when the legislature is in session.
In the Army, when you have been gone that long, you are declared a deserter and the US Marshalls are sent out after you. You come back, are court martialled for desertion and given a bad conduct discharge.
These guys are deserters, so it’s time to round them up, bring them back in handcuffs and leg restraints, try them and imprison them.
I guess the Dems have decided that not representing the people is the best way to represent them. Or their version of “I’ll hold my breath until you agree to do what I want to do.”
Whatever happens, it doesn't look good on them. Bad optics.
But don't emulate the GOP in Wisconsin which, after a lot of tough talk, forgave all the fines and penalties after the Dems came back. No penalty for all of the misbehavior.
I missed this completely because I didn’t even know they’d gone. The media isn’t doing a very good job per usual.
The Governor should declare the seats vacant because the rats are no longer residents of their respective districts and appoint replacements and go on with the business of the people.
It’s ok to disenfrachise Republican voters but not commies.
Pray for America
Damn, those taxpayers of Indiana are sooooooo lucky.
I think every state should have that provision, although 30 days may be too long. I would endorse two weeks as reasonable, and I assume the absence does not trigger the application of the law in case of injury or illness.
Knowing the creativity of elected criminals like Reid/Pelosi or their ilk, "out of state" suddenly scheduled fact finding missions must be limited to no more than a week, and not more than two per active session. Miss emergency sessions at your own risk.
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