McCoy: Conservatives Responsible For Divide In House

In an interview with the Clarion-Ledger, Speaker Billy McCoy was asked about essentially shutting conservatives (the GOP and Democrats who opposed McCoy in 2008) out of the legislative process since winning re-election as Speaker in January, 2008.

He responded:

“It’s regrettable that we’ve come to such a partisan divide, but we have. They got together in a room and decided to vote for anybody but Billy McCoy. The response is just the political system we live in. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it is. Nobody is mean and evil in the House, but we’ve come to a point where party is so important.”

In December, the House GOP held a press conference and released a statement outlining their view for the FY2011 budget. No Republican sits on the House Legislative Budget Committee. For reference, there are two Democrats on the Senate committee headed by Phil Bryant.

McCoy was right about one thing: this is the political system we lived in. Mississippi has always had divisions in the legislature- with race and geography being at the top of that list. They just happened to all be Democrats. As a strong minority party has emerged, so have divisions based on party that is new to many who have been in state politics for decades- such as McCoy.

There is nothing wrong with what McCoy is doing- and did. Just like there would be nothing wrong with Republicans/ conservatives shutting liberals out when they finally get the 62 votes for Speaker.