Tim Cullen wants to remove requirement of 20 Sen. on fiscal matters....

[midnight]

State Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville has drafted a state constitutional amendment removing the requirement that 20 senators need to be present in order to vote on any budget bills that spends money in the Legislature.

Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, was one of legislators who left the state with Cullen and said he doesn't support the amendment, saying that he believes there should be a larger portion of members present to pass fiscal issues.
Risser also said that Democrats didn't leave the state because of the fiscal items in the bill, but rather to protest the collective bargaining measures that were passed by Republicans without Democrats present.





http://www.channel3000.com/politics/27203599/detail.html

[eyesroll]

1. I have to think it's something strategic.

1. Maybe a way to appear conciliatory without having to do much? To amend the state constitution there needs to be a vote of two consecutive legislatures. The '12-'13 leg will look very different; maybe it won't even come up?
2. I guess, once the Dems retake the Senate, there won't be anything stopping the Republicans (except exposing their hypocrisy) from doing the same thing to avoid a quorum. Maybe introducing this amendment now will act as insurance against that?

[PeaceNikki]

3. This is what I said in another thread

Perhaps he's anticipating the Republicans would do what they have so loudly denounced when the majority party change happens very soon? The reality is that we would all get to vote on it anyway. The likelihood of it getting through 2 legislative sessions and passing referendum is slim.

[Critters2]

2. WTF?

Seriously, I don't get this.

[PeaceNikki]

4. Cullen on WPR said

it could be abused by future minority party as retribution.

[yourout]

5. To bad......I dont care who the minority is they should have that option.

[PeaceNikki]

6. Well, he hasn't introduced the bill yet and he said he hears people and will reconsider.

It would still have to get past 2 legislative sessions and a statewide referendum, so the soonest we'd see it on a ballot would be like spring 2014. The point is that if it starts to be abused/misused, the process to change it is long.

[midnight]

7. Interesting... The fab 14 proved it was necessary for use...

[PeaceNikki]

8. Necessary when really bad people are the majority; dangerous when they're in the minority.

The bell has been rung and "they" will use it the first opportunity when they're in the minority. Which could be soon. Very soon.