By Staff
As the 2009 Regular Legislative Session approaches, hopefully it will not be a three-peat. The partisan acrimony in the State Senate is so pronounced that they do not even speak to each other, much less pass any legislation. They have basically done nothing for two years. However, they did manage to put their partisanship aside long enough to pass a 62 percent pay increase for themselves even though they failed to pass the education budget last year.
On the last night of the session as I watched the clock approach midnight, it became apparent that the budget would die. A veteran observer of the Senate looked at me and commented that if one of the senators came forward with a proposal declaring he had found an absolute cure for cancer the opposing political party would automatically filibuster and kill the bill out of pure partisanship. This open hostility among the senators has produced two of the least productive back-to-back sessions in history. It has also resulted in a fist fight, constant bickering and filibustering over mundane issues. The debate on the Senate floor has been so caustic and bitter that Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, who presides over the Senate, has quietly chided the senators to subdue their diatribe because schoolchildren were observing from the gallery.
The gridlock in the Senate stems from the 2007 battle for control of the Senate. It was a narrow one vote loss that the Re-publican minority thought they would win. However, the Democrats retained control and the Republi-cans remain bitter. This partisan divide in the Senate has created an atmosphere that does not bode well for much pro-gress on long-term state problems.
If they ever move past the petty partisanship there are several young and new Senators who are poised to become stars. Democratic Senator Myron Penn, although only 35 years old, is in his seventh year in the Senate and appears to have the potential to be a superstar. On the Republican side, newly elected Senator Trip Pittman from Baldwin County has caught the eye of most Goat Hill observers. Pittman is affable and very popular. He has the potential to be a moderate peacemaker and mediator in the jungle of animosity and bitterness.
In the House, two members who are worth watching and have tremendous leadership potential are Republican Representative Cam Ward from Shelby County and Democratic Representative Jeff McLaughlin from Guntersville. McLaughlin has earned a stellar reputation for seven years and has shown astute legislative acumen. The press loves him for his steadfast commitment to passing legislation to stop PAC to PAC money transfers.
Steve Flowers is a political columnist who served 16 years in the State Legislature.