Scylla and Charybdis
From the AP:
Majority legislative Democrats accused Republicans Tuesday of playing politics with the state budget and gave the GOP until May 13 to come up with a line-by-line alternative to the two-year spending plan that was adopted in late March.
"The time for gamesmanship and political stunts is over," Senate President Beth Edmonds said as she and fellow Democrats gathered en masse outside the State House. "We have a lot of important business before us, and the budget veto is a cloud over everything we do."
Even if you ignore the imagery of a bunch of politicians usurping the "people's veto", it's obvious that their proposed budget referendum has put Republicans in a tough situation. Coming out for deep spending cuts or tax increases to replace the loans might hurt the GOP politically, but if they continue their attempt to punch a hole in the budget without any alternate plan at all they just look increasingly vindictive and cynical.
Visit the new Maine Politics.
posted by @ 4:19 AM 
3 comments
3 Comments:
What is vindictive and cynical to want the voters to decide on bonds as called for in the State Constitution? The Democrats could have avoided this controversy by simply sending the bonds out to the voters for approval. That is what was done in California when they had to borrow money to balance their budget. The argument was made to the voters that the cuts necessary to balance the budget would be too severe and the voters approved the bonds.
Plus, if the bonds were voter approved general obligation bonds, the state would pay less in interest.
An amendment was offered to the budget back in March to send the bonds to the voters, but the Democrats voted it down. If the arguments for the bonds are so strong, why are the Democrats afraid of the voters?
Posted by George
Almost every amendment the GOP offered on the floor during the recent budget discussion was greeted with a Democrat rising and saying "Mr. Speaker, I move that this amendment be indefinitely postponed." It was promptly tabled with zero discussion.
There went the GOP ideas.
Those are the facts. You cannot have it both ways.
Posted by Bob
According to the PPH, the Republican's campaign to veto the budget is picking up steam....not that I believe their opinion, but it reveals a depth of concern among LIB/DEM's that wasn't there a few weeks ago. ..... or was it those cartoons of people holding their noses while they voted?
Posted by HOUSE