Bill Minor on current budget impasse
What does it tell you about Mississippi’s ability to govern itself when the Legislature couldn’t craft and fund the 2010 FY budget within its 90-day regular session and now must be called back into special session to prevent a shutdown of state government after June 30?
You could very well say that Mississippi, now 192 years a member of the United States of America, has evidenced it is incapable of self-government. But on close inspection you could conclude that the Legislature has become virtually dysfunctional from a partisan wedge driven by the state’s chief executive into the legislative ranks.
Did you notice that Republican Gov. Haley Barbour didn’t seem very upset by lawmakers walking away without adopting and funding a budget? Remember he holds a veto ax over any revenue bill legislators might pass and in a special session he holds the trump cards to set the Legislature’s agenda.
Bill Minor
6/11/9
Magnolia Tribune
