So why bother? Simple: it is an election ploy.
Let us take Phil Riesen’s H.B. 93 – A bill that literally sat, untouched, until late last week. This, despite the fact that it was one of the first bills to be submitted for consideration this year. Why did it suddenly get a breath of air pumped in it and actually get on the docket of the House Ethics Committee (only to be “not considered anyway”)? Well because it was a bill that was demanded by the people. By briefly bringing it up, lawmakers are able to legitimately say that they considered ethics bills this year.
As true of a statement as this is, we all know that their is the technical truth and the actual truth.
Technically the legislature talked about ethics; technically legislators care about this issue because they gave it a chance from certain death; technically ethics was a priority for the people you elected into office.
The reality of the situation is that we all know nothing happened with ethics this year – furthermore nothing will happen concerning ethics so long as the same cast of players are in office.
Ah, but there is the rub. The same cast of legislators will go back to their district in a few short days and claim that they did all they could to clean up the state but was unsuccessful because of other lawmakers actions. “What was I to do?” they will cry. This, despite the fact that, behind the scenes, they actively worked to kill bills that might actually threaten them. Legislators know that the average citizen will not take the time to learn about the process that affects them every day, legislators know that an “R” or a “D” is generally enough to make you vote one way or another, and legislators know that they can get away with it – all the while claiming that they are doing the peoples business.
