Who's directing this legislative traffic jam
Published August 6, 2014
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, August 6, 2014.
They're going home. No, they're staying in Raleigh. Sort of. But don't count on it. So it goes with a "short session" that's anything but.
The Senate last week voted to adjourn, and then come back in two weeks, if there are any vetoes that need overriding. The House voted to stay in session, because there's still work to do.
There is indeed work to be done. The question is when it will happen. The House and Senate couldn't agree on how to resolve some big issues, like coal-ash cleanup and Medicaid reform. The House said they need to be resolved now. The Senate said they can wait until after the November elections.
And no, you're not wrong. The House and Senate are both dominated by Republican majorities. There are no Democrats directing traffic in this jam. Remember this the next time someone suggests all Republicans think alike.
But we'll go out on a limb and predict adjournment is coming soon anyway. There is one place where most of them are joined at - well, at the wallet. This is an election year and state law bars legislators from accepting donations from PACs connected to lobbyists while they're in session. This will doubtless break the deadlock. Whether they're red or blue, green matters most.
