March 11, 2003
RENDELL VS. RENDELL:
Rendell mulls veto of state budget: Senate Republicans plan to pass it without governor's changes. (John L. Micek, 3/11/03, The Morning Call)Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell made it clear Monday he has little choice but to veto his own budget to regain political leverage over a Republican Legislature and complete his ambitious agenda for Pennsylvania.''I'd be fighting this budget battle with one hand tied behind my back ,'' Rendell said. ''I don't see any point in doing that.'' [...]
Rendell took a political black eye last week when the Republican-controlled House voted 113-84 along party lines to send the governor's spending plan to the GOP-dominated Senate. It did so despite Rendell's pleas that lawmakers wait until March 25, when he will detail the second half of his budget proposal. The Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday.
''We expect to consider the budget in the full Senate on Wednesday,'' said Erik Arneson, an aide to Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill,
R-Lebanon. ''At this point, we have no plans to change the budget — pass it as is.''Legislative Republicans have claimed they were simply following Rendell's wishes by moving on the budget — even if the vote came just 48 hours after it was unveiled without public hearings.
But a Rendell veto would reflect badly on the administration's credibility, especially because Rendell had said he'd sign the document if it wasn't changed, said Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader John M. Perzel, R-Philadelphia.
''In the future, when he sends us legislation, how do we take it serious that it's serious?'' Miskin asked. ''This is his budget. These are his ideas. These are his numbers. This isn't our budget. We just can't imagine he would veto the first bill that comes to his desk — a bill he sent to us.''
Mr. Rendell was considered one of the Party's rising stars after bucking the Bush tide this past November. Being outwitted by the Stupid Party has to cast some doubt on that future presidency Democrats were dreaming of. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 11, 2003 9:59 PM
He only submitted 1/2 of the budget????
Why would someone do something like that????
He probably had a statutory deadline and late-night cramming didn't do the job.
Posted by: pj at March 12, 2003 8:27 AMIt's been amazing to watch all of the rising Dem stars blow up (Rendell, GA governor, etc). The Dems have a very weak bench (i.e. look who they picked for the NJ and MN Senate races in '02) which is going to come back and haunt them.
Posted by: AWW at March 12, 2003 8:39 AMI don't think the bench is so much weak as unreliable. The younger Dems aren't faithful to the old coalition, and the old coalition is desperately trying to keep itself together. As soon as they pass the baton to younger Dems, the party will fracture for lack of ideological unity.
Posted by: pj at March 12, 2003 4:22 PMGovernor Gary Locke of WA (the robotic pod-person that gave the Democrat response to the State of the Union speach) submitted a similar budget. One that would require huge cuts to his fellow democrat's favorite social programs. Since there is a democrat majority in the house there was no chance of his bluff being called here in Washington state. This way he gets to talk of his "fiscal responsibility" while the rest of his party takes the heat for any tax increases. I can only guess this is a long-term strategy to advance national aspirations even as he becomes loathed here at home. His popularity is down to 35% or so. Pray he never gains power on the national level as he has led Washington to the nation's 3rd highest unemployment rate and 2nd highest mimimum wage ($7.01 hr) and proudly fiddles while Seattle burns. Boeing is bailing, tech is toast and there is talk of him using an executive order to institute Kyoto level emission standards on state industry after the legislative session concludes in a few weeks. This man is an economic disaster. I happily look forward to a Republican governor in the next election.
Posted by: Pat H at March 12, 2003 11:40 PM