Grading on the Curve...



I must take issue with my friends on the Editorial Board of the Great Falls Tribune.

On their 'Two Cents' page of today's newspaper, they produced a report card on the Montana Legislative Session that just concluded.  They gave them a 'B'.

The anonymous writer of the editorial board detailed the  popular bills that were passed.  These bills will be met by most Montanans with jubilation.  Few can be unhappy with the Medicaid Extension Bill, the Water Compact Bill, and the Dark-Money Bill.

However, when considering the following information, I would have to knock that "B" down to a 'C-'.

   Bills draft requests:                                        2,471
   Bills introduced:                                              1,187
   Bills killed:                                                          566
   Resolutions adopted:                                          77
   Bills signed in law (so far):                              332
   Bills vetoed outright, by Gov.                            29
   Amendatory vetoes (so far):                              20
   Bills Gov. let become law w/o signature:        10

While I agree that bi-partisanship gave us a handful of successes that would warrant a "B", I certainly think the juvenile antics of other efforts should be taken into consideration when giving them a final grade. If those dunderhead efforts would have been eliminated, (allowing hunters to use hand-thrown spears, no yoga pants in public, guns allowed in bars, churches and banks, and a declaration that climate warming is good, etc.)  think of the many other worthwhile things they could have accomplished.

The final few minutes of the Session of the State House gave us the "straw that broke the camel's back."  No Infrastructure Bill was allowed because the Radical TEA Party folks didn't get anything they wanted this year...so it was revenge time!

I had a teacher in high school who always included a test grade adjustment for 'neatness, penmanship, and form'.  We all laughed about it then, but I've learned to appreciate that tactic over the years.

For the Legislature, it could be for 'honesty, bi-partisanship, and loyalty to constituents.'

As I think about it, I'm changing my 'C-' to a 'D-.'






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