Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Welcome to Reality, Governor!

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in ,

Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) Photo credit: Bob Brown, Times Dispatch

by Dick Hall-Sizemore

As reported in today’s Richmond Times-Dispatch, Senate Democrats are pretty much making mincemeat of Governor Youngkin’s Day One agenda.

The Governor’s reaction? “I’m disappointed at the partisan politics that I see being played in the Senate.” What? Did he actually expect the Democrats to roll over and go along with his proposals because he had been elected Governor? And, what about the united opposition of Republicans to Democratic bills in previous years? Why wouldn’t that be considered “partisan politics”?

The Governor went on to say, “This is why I won — to actually get things done.” Well, that is how Democrats felt two years ago. The big difference between then and now is that they had the votes to get stuff done and they actually did get things done and they see no reason to allow the Governor and his allies in the General Assembly to undo those things.

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64 responses to “Welcome to Reality, Governor!”

  1. VaNavVet Avatar
    VaNavVet

    Perhaps if he wants to get things done, Governor Youngkin should seek unity and compromise not division.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Oh Vey!

    2. James C. Sherlock Avatar
      James C. Sherlock

      The famous Northam model.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        well….

        https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9ed2fee225e046fd1965018d5859e4daeec0ee6fc113d2b807938477f1916610.jpg

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      He’s waiting to do that in his second term.

      Now you know why Carlyle Grp made him a “co-CEO”.

    4. Virginia Project Avatar
      Virginia Project

      That’s all well and good except you can’t compromise with people who want you dead.

      1. VaNavVet Avatar
        VaNavVet

        Who is it that wants Governor Youngkin dead? That must be breaking news.

      2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        Yes, the Governor refuses to wear a mask but I don’t think that means he wants us dead… not necessarily… I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume he is a nincompoop…

  2. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    This outcome should not have been unforeseen, no? This would have been the time to look for at least some bi-partisan given the 2% margin of victory and the Dems owning the Senate.

    “Day 1” was more Victory Lap trash talk than reality.

    Still time to do that – and still years ahead to try again.

    On the budget, it sounds like Youngkin has to win over some GOP like Norment , no?

    I was under the impression that for “conference”, there had to be some version of the same bill that got passed in each house as opposed to one house not getting that bill out of committee but sure that Haner knows the process better.

    In terms of changing the Senate , I suspect the Va GOP has already determined the “vulnerable’ and a blog post “analysis” would be interesting but suspect that task will be left to the ‘woke” RTD. 😉

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      When both houses pass a bill in different form and each insists on its version, a conference committee is appointed to work out their difference. The resulting compromise bill is reported back to each house for consideration.

      Steve was referring to hostage bills. That is the practice of one chamber holding up action on a bill from another chamber until that other chamber agrees to one of its bills. The two bills are often not related. There is no official designation of a bill being held “hostage”, but everyone knows what is going on. It is obvious when a bill, although reported by a committee, sits on the chamber’s calendar for many days, being passed by each day. The use of “hostage” bills can take any form. Sometimes, it’s personal. One member of the majority persuades his party to delay action on a bill from the other house until that house takes action on one of his bills. Most of the time, however, it is related to policy. It is a form of bargaining between the two houses: “If you want this, you have to give us that.” It does not have to be partisan. It happens when the same party is in the majority of both houses. However, having split control will probably lead to more “hostage taking”.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        Thanks. I was vaguely aware of that tactic but in this case where quite a bit of Youngkin legislation is going down , I’m not clear on what the “hostage” is. Is there an implication that some of Youngkins legislation might be resurrected if other legislation – voted down – is re-voted and passed. What legislation? What do the Dems want in exchange for bringing back some of Youngkin’s legislation? Do they want compromise on some of that legislation ? Or is much of this not really “visible” to ordinary folks outside the GA?

        1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          Bills that Youngkin supported were also introduced in the House, where they will likely pass. The House could then hold up some bills passed by the Senate, which the Democrats really want, until the Senate Democrats relent on a “Youngkin” issue. One prominent example that Steve brought up earlier is that of a SCC appointment in exchange for confirmation of Wheeler as Secretary of Natural Resources. Most of this will not be apparent to the general public.

          1. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            Okay. If a Bill is “passed” or referred to a committee, is it dead for the year or can it be resurrected on a later vote?

            So – all of the Youngkin bills that were voted down in sub-committees… could be brought back up again and reported out of committee – if the committee/sub-committee wants to?

            So all of Youngkins legislation is still potentially “alive’ until the end of the session?

            and such legislation can be brought up again next session?

            so… it’s not really “dead” – per se – but zombie-like? ( or some other better description of proposed legislation that never dies).

          2. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
            Dick Hall-Sizemore

            Yes, if someone is determined, there are several ways to revive legislation that was considered dead. The various permutations are too numerous and convoluted to go into here. When I was actively following bills and advocating for some, the last few days of a session were always the wildest. One had to be on the lookout for proposals that, Hydra-like, seemed to pop up somewhere else after you thought you had killed them. As Steve said, there is a long ways to go yet.

            But the Senate Democrats have been pretty united in killing Republican proposals, so I would be surprised if anything major gets through. However, if Youngkin is astute enough and willing, he might be able to get some compromise legislation enacted.

  3. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Kinda like Biden’s belief that his senate buddies would help him only less naive than Biden.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      yes…. ouch!

    2. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      Youngkin is LESS naïve than Biden?

      Joe Biden was in the U.S. senate for 35 years. He was VP of the U.S. for 8 years. He has been president of the United States for one year. He has been a politician for 92% of his adult life.

      If he is now MORE naïve than first-time office-holder Glenn Youngkin then he must, literally, be an idiot.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        He was naive about Republican’s ability to learn. “We’re going to make Obama a one-term President.” Biden figured they wouldn’t try it twice.

      2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        Biden’s naïveté come from thinking the Senate still functions as an institution. He never realized how Mitch changed the rules and scuttled the ship.

      3. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        Biden’s naïveté come from thinking the Senate still functions as an institution. He never realized how Mitch changed the rules and scuttled the ship.

  4. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Looking ahead to next Senate election. Do we know which Senatorial Districts that Youngkin won and how many of them were Dem?

    And in those districts – what voter Demographics did Youngkin win over that normally voted Dem?

    Finally, will CRT and school opening/masking, etc still be an issue and will the GOP keep playing grievance politics?

  5. John Martin Avatar
    John Martin

    damn straight!

  6. John Martin Avatar
    John Martin

    The Dems stopped Andrew Wheeler, thank God

    1. James C. Sherlock Avatar
      James C. Sherlock

      You thanked God. I am not sure He took a side in this.

      You should have had faith in a higher power, the ability of Charlottesville’s mega-green Michael Bills and his over $16 million in campaign contributions to keep the Democrats in line.

    2. James C. Sherlock Avatar
      James C. Sherlock

      You thanked God. I am not sure He took a side in this.

      You should have had faith in a higher power, the ability of Charlottesville’s mega-green Michael Bills and his over $16 million in campaign contributions to keep the Democrats in line.

  7. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead

    Youngkin forgot to offer a moonwalk performance for the Democrats.

    1. John Harvie Avatar
      John Harvie

      … and the black shoe polish

  8. James C. Sherlock Avatar
    James C. Sherlock

    Aren’t you frisky tonight. From your description, Democrats in the Senate only have one brain and everybody in their caucus uses it.

    Kidding aside, there are at least two Democratic Senators, Petersen and Morrissey, who have publicly supported some of the Governor’s positions. The problem is that even with 21-19 split in the Senate, the important committees are all stacked with a super majority of Democrats. Petersen and Morrissey would have to be on the same one and vote together to move a bill on the Governor’s agenda.

    I think I understand that the Republicans largely did not stack the committees in the House except for Rules, which traditionally is stacked by both sides.

    Do you support the committee stacking in the Senate?

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      You are right–Petersen and Morrissey can be wildcards and I admire the independence of both. You are also correct in pointing out that some of the committees are stacked.

      I am not in favor of stacking committees. The effect is to kill legislation that may command a majority in the full house.

      However, there is a tradition of doing that in the Senate. The Rules of the House of Delegates require that the membership of the committees reflect the overall partisan divide of the House of Delegates. The Rules of the Senate have no such provision. The majority caucus establishes the membership of Senate committees.

      For the 2018 session, the Senate was split 22-18 in favor of Republicans. Most of the committees were split 8-7 or 9-6 in favor of Republicans. However on Finance, the Republicans had a 11-5 advantage and on Commerce and Labor, 11-4.

      The partisan split in the current Senate is a little closer, 21-19. But the Democrats continued the tradition of stacking the committees. Finance is 11-5, Democrats. Commerce and Labor is outrageous–12-3, Democrats. For Education and Health, which handles charter school bills, as well as abortion bills, the split was 8-7 for Republicans in 2018. Beginning in 2020, the Democrats gave themselves a little more margin, with a 9-6 split.

      You don’t hear the Republican Senators complaining. This is part of the “rules of the game” that all acknowledge and play by.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        re: ” I think I understand that the Republicans largely did not stack the committees in the House except for Rules, which traditionally is stacked by both sides.”

        I did wonder about that statement. It was not my recollection of prior GAs when the GOP controlled.

        Like redistricting maps, I don’t think they’d ever agree to not “stacking”

        And I doubt seriously that many voters who are strongly GOP or DEM would like that idea either when their guys are in charge.

        It seems to be one of those things that varies according to who is in power relative to your own preferences!

        1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          No, the House has long been dividing committees in proportion to the chamber’s overall partisan makeup no matter who is in the majority. For example, in 2016, when Republicans had a commanding majority, Appropriations was divided 15-7 in favor of Republicans. In 2018, after the Republican majority had shrunk considerably, Appropriations was 12-10, Republican.

      2. James C. Sherlock Avatar
        James C. Sherlock

        Senators on both sides should stop it. It subverts the republican form of government that we are guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

        1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          I agree they should stop it. I would not go so far as to say the practice “scuttles” our republican form of government.

          1. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            It would be more “honorable” if the folks who say they want the practice to end – do so when their guys are in charge!
            😉

          2. James C. Sherlock Avatar
            James C. Sherlock

            subverts

  9. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    So Youngkin is making excuses why he couldn’t actually open 20 new charter school on Day 1… who would’ve guessed… 🤷‍♂️

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Such incessant whining from the same folks who often blather “elections have consequences” but apparently forgot that when it comes to legislation and the two houses of the legislature! Not fair! Not fair! And someone is to BLAME! The 5 yr old grievance school of politics…is alive and well….

  10. Donald Smith Avatar
    Donald Smith

    “The big difference between then and now is that they had the votes to get stuff done and they actually did get things done and they see no reason to allow the Governor and his allies in the General Assembly to undo those things.”

    That’s one way to look at it; here’s another. Virginians watched how Democrats did things for two years when they were completely in charge, and rendered their judgement on what they saw this past November. Seems to me that lots of Virginians didn’t like how the Democrats did things.

  11. Baconator with extra cheese Avatar
    Baconator with extra cheese

    “Let’s get ready to rumble!”

  12. Baconator with extra cheese Avatar
    Baconator with extra cheese

    Swing for the fences Glen! We’re in the seventh inning stretch,”F” it and go for it all!

    1. James C. Sherlock Avatar
      James C. Sherlock

      First inning stretch.

  13. Stephen Haner Avatar
    Stephen Haner

    Oh, a long ways to go yet. A little early to be writing off the person who must sign every bill, can veto any bill and make it stick, and gets final crack at amending the budget containing all the little goodies every legislator puts in and must have. Big poker game, big pile of chips. Some of which change hands under the table. The budget and tax issues were heading for conference all along and there will be trades.

    And based on the results of the 2021 election, some of these roll calls may come back to bite these senators. Perhaps they won’t run again. Perhaps protecting their “woke victories” for two more years is worth political suicide. But then….a long ways to go.

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      Oh, I agree. Lots of things happen in the last days. But bills have to reach his desk in order to be signed; I doubt that anything will reach him that he feels he needs to veto; and any amendments he puts in the budget have to be accepted by both houses. The Governor has around him folks who know how to play the poker game; it remains to be seen if he listens to them.

      As for the 2023 election, districts will be different. Hard to tell if a vote now is suicide or insurance.

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        This may be a record year for hostage bills in the first week of March. 🙂

    2. vicnicholls Avatar
      vicnicholls

      “And based on the results of the 2021 election, some of these roll calls may come back to bite these senators. Perhaps they won’t run again. Perhaps protecting their “woke victories” for two more years is worth political suicide. ”

      What were those song lyrics?
      Every single day
      Every word you say
      Every game you play
      Every night you stay
      Every move you make
      Every vow you break
      Every smile you fake
      Every claim you stake
      I’ll be watching you.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        here’s another:

        To everything (turn, turn, turn)
        There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
        And a time to every purpose, under heaven
        A time to be born, a time to die
        A time to plant, a time to reap
        A time to kill, a time to heal
        A time to laugh, a time to weep
        To everything (turn, turn, turn)
        There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
        And a time to every purpose, under heaven
        A time to build up, a time to break down
        A time to dance, a time to mourn
        A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
        To everything (turn, turn, turn)
        There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
        And a time to every purpose, under heaven
        A time of love, a time of hate
        A time of war, a time of peace
        A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
        To everything (turn, turn, turn)
        There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
        And a time to every purpose, under heaven
        A time to gain, a time to lose
        A time to rend, a time to sew
        A time for love, a time for hate
        A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late

  14. Jim Elliott Avatar
    Jim Elliott

    A message to both sides of the aisle…

    Cease and desist the partisan politics or you’ll both be looking for another line of work. Virginians are sick and tired of watching their elected officials waste time, taxpayers dollars and get nothing done. We won’t stand for it much longer! So start talking and compromising or quit so we can replace you all with those that will!

  15. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    The Gubna came out swinging for the fence on day one with his EOs like “divisive history” and the strawman CRT. To continue the baseball analogy, he just got brushed back with a 95 MPH fastball.

    Want some cheese to go with that whine, Gubna?

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      …. like he wasn’t expecting? It takes UBER – chutzpah to come out with his DAY 1 stuff and then whine about a ‘partisan” reception. Is he really this clueless, or just playing the regular GOP game?

  16. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    Is this why Youngkin won…? To bully teenagers on twitter…? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d0acea5cdab3c470b2aa7b8f211bcc897a4bda6ce4ab92ea954584a76565d63d.jpg

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      I’m surprised they tried to make a little white boy feel bad.

  17. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Oh dear, judge blocks CRT EO. One of many, many Biden appointments? Wow, they work fast.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      It’s a grand time to be a lawyer! 😉

      and shame on that Judge for being “partisan”!

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        It’s the Virginia Way.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          but what happend to the GOP claims that they are law & order types when they write EOs that violate laws and Constitution? Here I thought they were lauding their principles; turns out it was more superfluous talk, eh?

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            When in doubt, cause a Constitutional crisis.

          2. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            And at the same time they’re complaining about “business” in Virginia, they’re complaining about budget surpluses from sales and income taxes…. AND THEN wanting to spend it on Charter Schools and investigating teachers who teach history that indeed there was slavery and racism.

          3. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            “Was”?

          4. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            “IS” will definitely get you “cancelled”….

          5. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Remember when Republicans used to advocate small, local government, i.e., local taxing and decision-making?

            Where did they go? Now they want kingly presidents and princely governors ruling the 50 fiefdoms. Constitution? Magna Carta will do.

            I have noticed that since Nancy Reagan curtsied to QE2, the whole party is fascinated by royalty. There are 3 groups so enamored by the British monarchy — reporters, Republicans, and 16-year old girls.

          6. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            Yes, I am shocked that so-called Conservatives in BR are advocating that the State decide what localities can do with respect to setting tax rates. That’s fundamentally a local decision and in the standard parlance of so-called conservatives that Governance is best when closest to voters”. So much for that idea, now… And one excuse provided was that local voters don’t pay attention to what local Supervisors are doing – like that means they DO pay attention to what Richmond is doing?

            lord. lord.

          7. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            Republicans always love to control local governments in Virginia when they control things. But they hate the Dillon Rule when they don’t. I suppose the same can be said to a certain degree about Dems (gun laws for example). I really wish we could do away with that remnant of the past.

          8. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            All states have varying levels of Dillon which is the idea that some State laws and rules apply everywhere in the state while some aspects/latitude on some laws and rules are delegated to the local jurisdiction.

            HOWEVER, dictating to a local jurisdiction whether or not they can raise the tax rate is an egregious violation of the very essence and purpose of accountable local governance where such decisions are theirs and accountability for those decisions is elections.

            And this has been for as long as I can remember – a basic tenant of Conservative/GOP philosophy now tossed out the window like other things that used to be claimed attributes of Conservatism.

  18. WayneS Avatar
    WayneS

    Okay.

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