Get What Beebe Wants, Then Shut it Down

The leadership in the legislature wants to close down the session by April Fools Day. This despite the fact that there are a large number of bills that have not gotten a fair hearing. I was just down there last week. Many members were frustrated because there was a long line of bills ahead of theirs to be considered and the clock was running out on them.

My question is simple. Why the imperative to close the session down so soon? In the past, sessions have lasted a lot longer than the 80 or so days they have slotted for this session. My feeling is that the Democrats just want to rush through Gov. Beebe's agenda and the pet projects of a few top Democrats, and then adjourn before anyone else can get their ideas a fair hearing.

With tensions high because of the time crunch, why not extend the session a week or two? To me, our Democrats are pulling a reverse-Wisconsin. Instead of walking out of the session to stop other ideas from getting a vote, they are shutting down the session quickly so that other ideas don't get a vote. Its the same in principle, and its bad partisan government either way.

If some of these conservative bills were put to a vote, they would win. Even if they lost, it would give voters a good idea of where their "conservative" legislator really stands. The Beebe and company solution appears to be to shut it down.