The Democrats Set Their Future on Budget Failure- And Lost
Over the past month, or even since the legislative session began in January really, we saw what legislatures do. They offer up ideas, they go back and forth, and in most cases they get the job done by the deadline. Would it of been prettier to have the budget a month ago? Sure. But should we pass a budget just for the sake of passing a budget regardless of what it says? You be the judge. Fortunately, Haley Barbour said no.
In the end, as Andy Taggart said, July 1st came and “the sun came up, no one’s ears fell off, and the operations of state government are pumping away as well as government operations ever do.”
Check below the fold to see the strategy taken by the state Democrat party, Democrat lawmakers, and liberal bloggers.
To understand where he is coming from, you would have had to follow the back and forth between Taggart and his liberal blogging partner Jere Nash.
On June 24th, Nash said this:
So, Andy, you still think we’ll have a budget by June 30? I don’t think so…When government in Mississippi shuts down on July 1 in Mississippi, the lion’s share of the blame will go to the Republicans, since they are viewed as being in charge.
He had previously called out Phil Bryant and Alan Nunnelee, two men involved in the budget and interested in higher office:
The Senate, in the form of Appropriations Chairman Alan Nunnelee and Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, are currently serving as messengers between the Governor’s office and the conference committee meetings with House Democrats. There are really only two people who are likely to suffer politically as a result of this mess, and that’s Nunnelee (should he run for Congress in 2010 or a statewide office in 2011) and Bryant (in his near certain race for governor in 2011). Barbour won’t be running for any state office again and it is very difficult to hurt a state representative in his district on an issue like the budget. State house elections are just not won or lost on issues like the budget. But statewide races are, and in 2011, Bryant stands the most to lose in the sense that he can be blamed for letting the state finances get out of hand (i.e., failing to exert leadership).
The state Democrats carried a similar tune, going so far as to buy advertising on a New Hampshire political website to mock Barbour’s fundraising visit to the Granite State.
From Jamie Franks:
When I was growing up, my parents never let me go outside and play until I finished my chores. I’ve tried to instill that same lesson in my children.
At my job, if I don’t finish my work, I don’t get paid. I’m sure your job is the same way.
But undoubtedly, the same thing is not true for Gov. Haley Barbour. He helped create a budget mess, and despite an agreement over the weekend, he refuses to call a special session. Instead, he’s still out-of-state, gallivanting around to raise money for other politicians.
In a post titled, ‘Outrageous,’ Sam Hall claimed that Barbour would not call a special session simply because he wanted to cut hospital spending as much as he could.
The Democrats also took aim at the future ambitions of Nunnelee and Bryant in these two posts (Nunnelee campaigns for Congress on state budgeting and Shame on Alan Nunnelee).
And Democrat legislatures (particularly the Black Caucus) also lost big in this legislative session. A couple weeks back Rep. George Flaggs (D-Vicksburg) was complaining about Barbour’s out-of-state travels. Then on Monday, he proceeded to single-handily stall passage of the Medicaid compromise because it was not to his liking.
AG Jim Hood, the only Democrat to hold a statewide office, stuck his nose in the mix as well and predicted doom-and-gloom should they not reach a budget deal.
The Democrats were hoping to carry the political banner of Republican failing to secure the FY2010 budget in the 2010 and 2011 elections. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for Mississippians, there plan failed.
