In Congress, they call it the Hastert rule — the idea that a majority of the majority party must approve of legislation before it comes to the floor. Maybe in Mississippi they will call it the Gunn rule, because Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn’s practice of vetting legislation in Republican caucus meetings is altering the Legislature’s dynamics….
…Nothing symbolized this change better than the decision to reorder the House’s electronic voting board at the start of the 2015 session, grouping Republicans and Democrats by party, instead of listing all members alphabetically. Before, it took close study of a voting tally sheet to see which members crossed party lines. Now it’s obvious in a glance…
…How do Democrats feel? Listen to Preston Sullivan of Okolona, one of the more conservative Democrats remaining in the House, who used to sit next to Gunn: “My old desk mate, he don’t listen to me anymore. He thinks I’m the enemy, I guess.”
Clarion Ledger
1/1/17
