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Very Lame Indeed
Steve Adubato, Ph.D.
From the November 6 election to January 7, 2002, business is still
being conducted in the state capitol. The legislature is meeting
and spending money that they didn't have time to do over the past
22 months in office. This period of time is referred to as the "lame-duck"
session. The legislature and others in positions of power who are
on their way out are referred to as "lame-ducks." I was
a lame-duck. In 1985 I lost my seat in the state legislature. The
election was in the first week of November, but I didn't actually
vacate the office until the first week of January. Those two months
seemed like they lasted for two years. I think it is part of the
price you pay for losing an election.
Lame-duck activity is part of the political and legislative process
in Trenton. It's also practiced in 49 other state capitols around
the country as well as in Washington, D.C. I never really had strong
feelings about lame-duck stuff until recently.
You see, the lame-duck activity going on in Trenton these days
is very lame indeed. On December 17 alone the legislature "considered"
174 bills. Just the Senate had 106 bills up for a vote. Granted,
some of these bills being considered were quite pressing, particularly
those dealing with direct relief for the victims of the World Trade
Center attacks. However, the overwhelming number of these bills
and spending items have no place being voted on by outgoing elected
officials from both parties who won't be around to pick up the tab
come 2002. We're talking about tens, even hundreds of millions of
dollars being voted on by the legislature. What is particularly
interesting is that both the Senate and the Assembly have been under
the control of the Republican party for the past decade. Isn't it
ironic that the party that prides itself on fiscal restraint and
that advocates "less government" is leading the charge
to dip into the state treasury at these most difficult of times?
Again, what the Republicans say and what they do don't always match
up.
Governor-elect Jim McGreevey has begged the legislature and acting
governor DiFrancesco to stop all spending given the massive budget
deficit we face. They have responded by going out of their way to
let McGreevey know that they, and not he, are running the candy
store in Trenton. I have rarely seen an incoming governor be disrespected
in this fashion.
I know that our elected officials in the lame-duck session still
technically hold their offices until the first week of January.
I know that many of them see these last two months as the last chance
to get their pet projects and initiatives voted on. Yet, this situation
is clearly out of control.
I assure you that legislators are voting on all kinds of things
that they don't have the time or the interest to understand. The
speed at which these bills are voted on is scary. There is virtually
no discussion, because discussion might lead to tough questions
that need to be answered. The answers to those questions might cause
more debate and have some legislators actually wondering whether
they should be voting for a particular item.
What often happens in the lame-duck session is that legislators
agree to vote for each other's pet projects as long as their pet
project or bill also gets the thumbs up. Some might call that compromise.
Frankly, I have no problem with compromise among politicians with
different perspectives who represent very different constituencies.
What happens in the lame-duck session is totally different. The
implied understanding is that many legislators won't even look at
or consider the implications of a particular bill. They just vote
'yes' in order to keep the flow of legislation moving. That's not
compromise, that's the height of irresponsibility.
I have an idea. Since I don't believe our elected officials in
Trenton can help themselves, maybe there should be one more bill
voted on during this lame-duck session. Why not drastically shorten
the period of time those elected in the first week of November must
wait in order to take office? I say, if you get elected in the first
week of November, you take office in December. Why do they need
two months? I know it might make the transition a bit more difficult
for the incoming governor, but the upside is that it reduces the
burden, much less the unpaid bills, he or she will be saddled with
if we keep things the way they are. This lame-duck session has been
very lame indeed.
Steve Adubato, Ph.D. is a commentator, lecturer and former state
legislator. Dr. Adubato is also an Emmy Award-winning television
anchor and syndicated columnist.
He can be reached by fax (973) 509-1659 or e-mail him at sadubato@aol.com.
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