Dems' threat of boycott, legislation deadline loom

[hippiechick]

Key state bills could die without a vote by today

By Michele McNeil
[e-mail]
March 1, 2005


House Democrats offered a prelude Monday to the legislative showdown that could gridlock bills today -- a crucial deadline day for the General Assembly.

At stake are bills that would require Indiana to observe daylight-saving time, give Gov. Mitch Daniels his own special prosecutor and help fund a new stadium for the Indianapolis Colts. But there's no telling when Democrats will come to the floor to work today.

Monday, they stalled for nearly seven hours because of a crush of last-minute amendments, one of which would steer control of a Colts stadium project toward the governor.

Today's agenda includes bills important to Democrats -- particularly measures championed by Mayor Bart Peterson. That includes a plan to merge parts of Indianapolis city and Marion County governments, and the one to help build the new stadium.

There are more bills Democrats don't like. Some they deem as anti-labor. One creates the post of inspector general, a position that reports to the governor and has prosecutor's powers; another would require voters to show a photo ID at the polls.

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Don'tcha just love how they paint the Dems in such a negative tone ? If it were the Rethugs sitting out, it would be a 'principled objection' or some such blather. Time to fire up the LTTE machine ...

[Voltaire]

1. I will be pleased to see if they can hold on

But I have my doubts. They are Democrats, after all.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

2. Am I the only one concerned that...

this could back-fire on the Democrats, who will be held up by the media as "unwilling" to work with The Blade?
Blade has put a lot of effort into Daylight Savings; if that bombs, it doesn't bode well for the start of his term (tee hee!)

[hippiechick]

3. Nope, I feel the same way.

The media is already making the Dems look like uncooperative whiners, and every fundie community leader is going to latch onto that, all the way up to Mitch's rolling office.

People don't have the attention span to read and understand WHY the Dems are resisting this, only that 'they're not playing nice' with homeboy Bitch.

[Felix Mala]

4. As much as proposed DST bill deserves to die

it probably won't. Mitch's Monkeys will get it through. If Mitch wants it, it get done...

[hippiechick]

5. Update ... We're the bad guys now.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/8/226142-8848-092.html

Dems boycott all day, dooming 132 bills

By Kevin Corcoran and Michele McNeil
[e-mail]
March 2, 2005


An Indianapolis Colts stadium funding plan, daylight-saving time and tougher regulation of abortion clinics will face tremendous obstacles in the General Assembly after a boycott Tuesday by House Democrats killed 132 bills as the clock neared midnight.

Now, the ideas behind these bills face an uncertain future at the halfway point of the 2005 session. Midnight Tuesday was the deadline for the legislature to act on bills and send them to the other chamber. Republicans adjourned at 11:50 p.m.

House Democrats were so opposed to bills creating an inspector general for the governor and requiring voters to show ID at the polls that they sacrificed 130 other bills during the 15-hour standoff. They sacrificed, for example, a plan to help fellow Democrat and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson build a new Colts football stadium with state money.

"There are some issues so important that they're worth standing up and fighting for," said Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, who took to the floor just after 9 p.m. to report the concerns of his caucus.

Gov. Mitch Daniels said Tuesday afternoon that he's been patient with Democratic standoffs in the House. But if they kill key pieces of his agenda, he said, his patience will end. After it became clear the Democrats would remain steadfast, Daniels wouldn't comment. Daylight-saving time and the inspector general post are important parts of that agenda.


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[Voltaire]

6. I understand everyone's concern about how this plays

I must admit that in my single-mindedness to promote truth and end bullshit I have a blind spot about how these things play in the paper. The Democrats have no choice. None. They cannot let the Republicans roll them and they have to pull out all the stops. That's true in State Government, its true in Federal Government.

The press is going to say negative things about Democrats no matter what. Them's the rules now. Over time my fellow Hoosiers and my fellow Americans will see that we were right, for now we will just have to take the publicity hit.

I am proud of them for standing their ground. And I don't give a shit how it plays in the media OR in a short-term hit with the voters.

[IndianaGreen]

10. Let's recognize that the enemy owns the media in Indiana

so they are always going to put Democrats in a bad light, and they will never hold Daniels accountable for pissing away Clinton's surplus and bankrupting all the States in the Union.

[Jokerman]

7. Damned if they do...

The press is going to make the democrats out as the bad guys no matter what.

As far as I'm concerned any dem office holder that doesn't do everything in their power to stop the repub agenda isn't doing their job.

[Voltaire]

8. High Fives To YOU!

nt

[Felix Mala]

9. Hooray, check the Indy Scar, the halted a lot of nonsense