We're seeing a legislative blitz by Republican politicians who might be happy to hit and run

highplainsdem

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Sun Mar-27-11 02:06 PM
Original message

We're seeing a legislative blitz by Republican politicians who might be happy to hit and run

There have been some other topics here speculating on why we're seeing so much right-wing state legislation introduced at once, even though it's provoking a backlash, with approval ratings for these governors dropping and some state legislators facing recalls within months.

In some ways, it looks like a political kamikaze mission. Rachel Maddow was commenting the other night on how politically stupid these bills seem, when they're so unpopular with voters.

But she's assuming -- many of us are assuming -- that these politicians are seriously interested in re-election.

I'm not so sure they are.

As has been posted in other topics here, both Ohio's John Kasich and Florida's Rick Scott stand to make a lot of money from "reforms" they're pushing.

Others, like Wisconsin's Scott Walker, probably think that no matter how much trouble they get into in their own state, they'll have a better shot at national office as they get national publicity for legislation that appeals to the GOP's right-wing base, who'll be more likely to applaud "budget reforms" when they don't personally know anyone hurt by them.

So I really don't think those governors care all that much about a backlash from the voters who elected them and now have buyer's remorse.

State legislators are probably more nervous, but many of them are also likely to profit directly or indirectly from these "reforms" that steal from the poor and middle class (or the entire state and its future citizens, when the plans are something like Ohio's plan to open state parks to fracking), in order to give to the rich and corporations. And those legislators who are most worried can probably be bullied into line by the governor and legislative and party officials.

So they're trying to pass as much of this legislation as they can, all at once.

This will also allow a bit more time for the backlash to subside before the next election, if it does subside. I suspect that's one way those who are planning to hit (and loot) and run are reassuring those who'd like to get re-elected.

The media won't be all that likely to revisit old stories, after all.

And if legislators in different states tackle all these bills at once, the media can't cover them as well. Especially the national media, from which many people get most of their news, now that fewer read newspapers.

The media should become more aware of just what's going on and how widespread this is. But look how long it's taken the media to notice how much ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, has to do with the introduction of all these right-wing cookie-cutter bills.

Means, motive and opportunity. The GOP has all three right now, in the states they control.

And the perps getting the most attention probably don't plan to stick around after these legislative crimes.