Other Views: Dems Must Walk the Talk on Bipartisanship

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    Legislative Democrats in Washington have shown a lot more respect to Republicans after the GOP picked up a number of seats in last November’s election. The Democrats, who once controlled the state Senate by a 32-17 count, now hold a 27-22 majority, with about a half-dozen moderate Democrats willing to vote with Republicans from time to time. This has led to Republicans having an increased role in writing the Senate’s proposed budgets.

    But apparently Democrats on the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee didn’t get the e-mail/memo/good vibes.

    On Feb. 21, state Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, walked out of a special committee meeting after Democrats added measures and substitutes they had placed to the agenda on the previous weekend. Customarily, such changes bring a five-day notice requirement, and Honeyford complained that Republicans weren’t told of the agenda changes until it was too late to prepare for public hearings.

    Honeyford, who represents the 15th District, said Republicans may boycott future committee meetings unless committee chairman Phil Rockefeller, D-Bainbridge Island, allows adequate time to prepare for future agenda changes. Rockefeller has apologized, but Honeyford is still wary, and he said so to majority leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane.

    Citing a blog post in which Brown boasted that “legislators have embraced a politics of collaboration rather than of partisanship and division,” Honeyford replied, “... we members of the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee were surprised and disappointed by Monday’s (Feb. 21) committee proceedings.” At last report, Honeyford had yet to hear back.



    This hardly rises to the drama and dysfunction that are occurring in Wisconsin, where Democrats have fled the state to deny Republicans a vote on a bill that would strip state workers of many collective-bargaining rights. The committee on which Honeyford serves can move forward without Republican participation. But being able to do so doesn’t make it right for the Democrats.

    Yes, it’s fair to call Honeyford’s move a stunt, but it serves a valid purpose. This isn’t about only bipartisanship and allowing members of the opposition party to prepare their views on a topic. It’s also about notifying the public what legislators are doing on taxpayer time and money. This is about transparency to the voters whom the legislators serve.

    Voters send their representatives to Olympia to solve problems, to get things done across party lines. They send their representatives to operate in an above-board manner. If Honeyford’s stepping out of a committee meeting helps lead to Democrats stepping back in line with their rhetoric, it will have served its purpose. And it’s best to resolve a minor skirmish like this now, lest it fester and grow to Wisconsin-type proportions down the road.