Heading into this special session, one of the outcomes we knew was likely was a referendum to voters on changing the state constitution to allow annual sessions. Well, we got that referendum and it's pretty bad. At this point I can't tell what happened, but apparently Senate Republicans, and enough Dems, didn't like the version passed by the House so a "compromise" ended up being dragged through. Voters will be asked to approve what amounts to the current status quo: 160 days in odd years, 35 days in even years.

It's going to be hard to vote Yes for this.

I watched a lot of sessions, in person and over the web, during the special session. I heard many important pieces of legislation being opposed for one reason: the session is too short. The session that was too short to consider vital bills was scheduled for 28 days; somehow, and extra 7 days is going to fix that?

How stupid do they think we are?

This legislature, for however blue it may be tinted, and however good many of its actions are, is still incapable of moving forward in a truly progressive manner. They couldn't figure a winning strategy for kicker reform, they don't know what a 21st Century transportation policy looks like, and a teeny tax on rich people is heralded as the "most progressive in the nation". Democrats vote against measure that would assist actual human beings, happily voting to assist banks, corporations and others who already hold too much power.

And 35 days in odd-numbered years fixes what?

Progressive citizens have a lot of work to do. We have some good people in state government, and we have some absolute drags on getting good work done. Why the Dems, with majorities in both damn chambers, cannot pass a simple bill to have realistic "off-year" sessions is beyond me. It doesn't help that some of those Dems seem to be channeling Republicans from the 70s. Yes, we've made huge strides from the days Karen Minnis was using the state as her personal assmonkey, but we have so much further to go.

I will probably vote Yes just because the principle is important, but once again I'm being asked to support and work for a second-rate bill when we could have something so much better.