Comments on: The Buffalo News: Opinion: Same old Legislature

By: buffalo news

buffalo news — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:37:47 +0000

[...] The Buffalo News: Opinion: Same old Legislature [...]

By: Answer Man

Answer Man — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:50:39 +0000

Now, some people might say that the leftward actions listed above are generally what the majority of voters wants.

Whenever spedning cutbacks are proposed, there’s a lot of backlash against that.

Perhaps this is true and the reality is taht this county does not want government seriously reduced, only tweaked a little to be slightly more efficient.

Hard to argue against that interpretation.

By: Answer Man

Answer Man — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:48:36 +0000

A few quick examples of the consequences of the 2005 elections moving the legislature leftward:

1.) All talk of cuts to non-mandated spending stopped

2.) Some non-mandated spending was quietly restored

3.) A guarantee of 3% funding to hippie arts groups and elitist culture groups was put into law (disappointingly, sponsored by Cindy Locklear)

4.) “Temproray” sales tax increses were extended without even hardly any debate.

5.) The union apprenticeship law was easily passed, and veto overridden.

By: Answer Man

Answer Man — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:42:22 +0000

A bigger problem than “newness” vs. “oldness” is governing philosophy.

Although Mike is right there was turnover 2 years ago, the problem is that with few exceptions (Konst for her predecessor was a wash) most of the new legislators elected two years ago are even more liberal than who they replaced.

Examples:

Whyte is a lot more liberal than DiBenedetti, who is liberal too but not as much as Whyte

Ianello is more liberal than Swanick

Logherahn is a shade more liberal than Cuszak

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:54:30 +0000

Didn’t we replace half the legislature only 2 years ago? Isnt too much turnover a bad thing? It takes time to learn a job, doesnt experience count for anything anymore? It does in every other job…the more experience you have, the better you are able to do your job. Apparently according to the Buffalo News, we should have brand new legislators every year, thus guaranteeing an inexperienced legislature. We really need another newspaper in this town!