Minnesota Politicians Who Should Learn a Little Sportsmanship

[tesla]

Our story so far:

The MN legislature approved a transportation spending bill. Governor Pawlenty vetoed the bill. The legislature overrode the veto - the first time this has happened during Pawlenty's term. Crucial to the override were eight republican legislators who broke with the party line to vote in the best interests of their constituents.

So democracy is working, with its checks and balances; good.

Then Pawlenty throws a hissy fit and GOP House Minority Leader Marty Seifert takes the leadership positions away from the six Republican representatives* who voted to override Gov. Pawlenty's veto of the transportation funding bill.

What about this is fair, right, or just? Hell, I'm not even certain it's constitutional.

*The other two were senators.


(ETA: fixed link)

Comments

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

In theory, I have mixed feelings about the general question of "party discipline". The "political parties" here have much less power than the parties in parliamentary systems generally do, because of things like their inability to throw people out of the legislature, and somewhat questionable ability to arbitrarily take away leadership positions and such. In theory, it makes sense to me that somebody elected as a democrat needs to conform to the dictates of his party (but in practice our system is built fairly specifically on the parties *not* having that power I think).

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

I hear what you're saying, and it makes sense to me if we stipulate the value of political parties.

I personally happen to feel that individuals are done a disservice by the two-party system, for reasons that I went into ad nauseum here (http://lollardfish.livejournal.com/214267.html?thread=1668091#t1668091).

I also feel that elected officials should act in a manner consistent with how they represented themselves to their constituents while they were campaigning, regardless of whether that means toeing the party line.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that just adding increased "party discipline" to our current system is *not* a good plan, no; too much of our system is built around contrary assumptions, and that would make a mess. The whole rules of the house and senate would need to be completely revamped, and each state's election laws, I think. And I have no idea what the new rules should look like, even while disliking quite a lot about what we get now.

[sarendipatree.livejournal.com]

> I also feel that elected officials should act in a manner consistent with how they represented themselves to their constituents while they were campaigning...

Holy toledo! I want to come live in your country!