Coincidence, I'm Sure

Three members of the House complained bitterly that their bills were being held by the House Rules Committee -- of which Mark Walker is 1 of 8 members (1 of 6 Republican members). Those 3 complainants are (drum roll please) Neil Hansen, Sheryl Allen and Steve Mascaro.

In 2007 and most of 2008, each rules committee member nominated an equal number of bills to the list the Rules Committee would consider for committee assignments or floor prioritization, meaning that those 3 couldn't find a single member to move his/her legislation. When Hansen, Allen and Mascaro complained that their legislation wasn't moving, I candidly told them that they were perceived on both sides of the aisle to be grandstanding hacks who brought little of value to the process, and that the perception probably wasn't helping their cause. (For example, Phil might want to explain to Neil why no Democrat on the Rules Committee and no member of Democratic leadership in the House was willing to lift a finger to get any of Neil's legislation moving forward). I pointed out to the 3 that they only needed 1 member of the Rules Committee to help them out; but, I pointed out, they couldn't find a single committee member who believed they had anything of value to add; I suggested that they might want to consider why that was. Of course, none of the 3 liked hearing that, and all 3 promised vengeance on Rules Committee members, if their legislation did not move forward. Their legislation did not move forward. It just might be possible that they're now delivering on that promise, kicking a Rules Committee member when, clearly, he is down.

That's a funny aspect of politics. It has long been my perception that these 3 members are cancer -- unwilling to accept the fact that they cannot work well enough with colleagues to ever convince them to do anything, and willing to use any way possible, legitimate or not, to gain relevance. Yet, now, they proclaim themselves surgeons, ready to remove the cancer.

As it should, the ethics committee will investigate the allegations and make a determination. However, if things are going to be laid on the table for dispassionate consideration, it also might be proper to consider whether the accusations themselves are politically motivated. Because I was told by the 3 that vengeance would be exacted, that seems like a fair inquiry. This simply could be politics as usual.

And, because the victimization story is sure to follow, let's go on record now that none of the 3 can move legislation. (In 2007-08, Hansen passed 1 bill out of 26 attempts; Allen was 5-for-14; Mascaro was 4-for-11). I'm sure that next term, when they also can't move legislation, because they still won't be able to work effectively with others, they'll claim that it is because of retribution for their bravery in filing the complaint, and the media will eat it up without ever pointing out their prior ineffectiveness.

UPDATE (7/1/08): Notice the close of Bob Bernick's article today. Conservatives very bad. I'm sure Bob will follow up in 2 years, to let us know whether thuggish conservatives retaliated against Hansen and upset his previous lofty pass rate of 3.8%. I guess it's possible. Maybe parking privileges could be taken away, or something along those lines.