Have we gone too far in political correctness?
In the State House, we have legislation dealing with organ transplants. But. They are called anatomical gifts.
And then the catalog I received in the State House. A toy catalog, full of great things. For "differently abled" children.
Since Im pretending to be part of the Word Police, how about words used as verbs. Like "partnered." Or "ramped up."
And a factoid isnt a small fact. Its an incorrect fact.
The House of Representatives finally decided to enter the modern age of technology and computers, and assigned a committeea good committee, by the wayto come up with a plan, some ideas, so we can access legislation while we are in the House chamber. Or, even access our e-mail from outside the building. Thats the good news. The bad news? It was called the "automation committee."
Since Im on what I dont like today, let me write that I dont like the way the House of Representatives has operated recently. You may think its a democracy, with all 160 of us voting our consciences to best serve our constituents.
No. Its not like that at all. The Speaker decides what bills come to the House floor for a vote, and what he doesnt like just disappear.
Its gotten to such a sad state that his members vote with him just to avoid his displeasureeven if they privately disagree with his decision.
After all, theres a lot to loseyour office, your committee chair, your extra pay.
Look, personally, I like the Speaker. As a person hes, well, personable. Good sense of humor. Intelligent. Fun to be around. But hes a control freak. An autocrat. Dictator.
So, there goes democracy out the door.
It was never more apparent than in the recent budget negotiations. Synopsis. House approved budget; Senate approved another version. Three Representatives and three Senators named to a conference committee to iron out the differences. Budget was due to start July 1. Last July 1, not next July 1!
The appointed conferees ended up with little to do. The big differences were left for the Speaker and the Senate President to decide.
This doesnt reflect badly on the appointed legislatorsthey had no control over the matter. They wanted to be part of the decision making, I understand. And, they should have been.
By the time the legislature was getting ready to recess for the year we appeared to be totally inept. The only state without a budget. Still trying to figure out how to come up with $1.3-billion in savings from our $23-billion budget.
With rules meant to be brokenmeaning legislators might have to return to the State House to override or sustain the Governors vetoes, even though our own rules say we are done and gone and out of there by November 21st. Rules put into place after the media attacked legislators for attending a party, in the state house, during budget season in 2000. The so-called "Animal House" fiasco.
So we can embarrass ourselves again, incur the wrath of our constituents and the criticism of the media.
Of course, constituents are angry, over proposed budget cuts. By Thanksgiving we were spending $1.6-million a daythats a daymore than we could afford. And something had to give. We had to cut some line items.
A lot of line items. Unfortunately, popular and necessary thingscollege and university budgets, school nurses, local aid. But, whatever is cut, it has an advocacy group. Probably a lobbyist, too. And they were all calling, e-mailing, visiting to plead their cases.
I can take the heat. I can explain why we have to make some sensitive cuts. I can explain that tax revenues are down and we cant continue spending at our old pre-recession levels. I can justify cutting thousands of state jobs. These are business decisions.
I just cant take looking ineptwhen the majority of legislators are not inept. And I wont take the blame for our leaders who failed to act in a timely manner. They are the ones that made us look inept.
My fellow legislators deserve better.
And, so do my constituents.