GEOFF PENDER: How we gonna run ree-form when we’re the d–n incumbent?
There hasn’t been a Democratic-led spending or taxing measure passed in the Mississippi Legislature in a long time. There have been 44 Republican-led tax cuts passed in the last five years that now apparently will be studied for their efficacy and effect on the budget after the fact.
An old political head I talk with frequently at the Capitol has said numerous times, “Somebody needs to tell the Republicans they won.” Holding a press conference to announce the need for comprehensive taxing and spending reform when “we’re the damn incumbent” does seem to bolster that, or point to a bit of political tone-deafness in presentation.
Democratic leaders also didn’t appear to accept as an olive branch the plan for 14 special bipartisan legislative committees to study spending and taxing and recommend overhauls. One noted that the Legislature already has dozens of committees that are supposed to be doing that as per usual.
But irony and partisan politics and Pappy O’Daniel aside, the idea for a comprehensive look at, and reform of, state budgeting is a fine idea — one probably long overdue. As Ronald Reagan said, “At the end of the day, good policy is good politics.”
Clarion Ledger
7/16/16
