Positioned For Action – Now We Can Discuss Solutions
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
Perhaps the greatest gains to come from the 2010 Election on November 2nd are the newly created balance in the legislative branches at the state and national level. This balance isn’t something that the mainstream media types would want to point at (except perhaps in a derogatory way), but from at least the way that I see the world, it may be the greatest gain accomplished as an election outcome.
Having spent time on a daily basis in the past several Nevada Legislatures and witnessed the way in which ideas and policy were translated into results, the single-party domination (especially with the super majority in the Nevada Assembly) equated to a one-way process that didn’t embrace ideas surfaced by anyone other than by those in power. Legislative proposals with the wrong initial for party affiliation were basically “Dead On Introduction” and the system used to deal with the legislative business has been routed through very narrow and controlled channels. In spite of the image of being the free-thinking party of ideas – the majority group is actually more inclined to allow anything that they come up with being “the way” and unwilling for open dialogue on anything but their idea.
That’s one of the mis-perceptions regarding how the majority party has labeled the minority party as being the “Party of No”.
Willing and loyal media mouthpieces for the majority party have regurgitated the company line in an attempt to make the masses believe that big government benevolence was the only hope for the troubles impacting the nation. Those who weren’t inclined to go along with this misguided power expansion were obliviously obstructionists who were the cause for gridlock in preventing things from getting done.
At the same time, ideas not of the ilk where government programs and spending are the driving force – didn’t even get the wisp of a mention, let alone any serious consideration.
If the Republicans, taking over the U.S. House and the members of the same party (still in a minority, but no longer in that position with an oppressive super-majority on the other side of the isle) in the Nevada Legislature, use their newly acquired opportunities to have public discussions with meaningful solution-oriented ideas being put into an open forum – the gains made in November 2010 could not only be increased in 2012, but also provide great results for the citizens of the country and state. .
From a Nevada Legislative perspective and also for how the new Washington, D.C. should operate – the best thing Republican leaders can provide is open government.
Here in the Silver State, there needs to be a firmly established sea-change on the way budget and taxation concepts are dealt with. Ideally, those representing the minority party will establish a firm commitment to NOT involve themselves in backroom, closed Core group processes that we’ve had over the past couple of legislative sessions. All budget, tax and every other type of legislative consideration should be brought before the appropriate legislative committee, discussed and voted on in public…and on the record. Working out the “arrangements” behind the scenes and then hard-wiring the outcome to fit the plan may be more efficient for those who have decided the way things should be, but it hasn’t delivered quality government for the citizens who the process is supposed to serve.
Same goes for the way Senator Reid and his cronies have worked the system in Washington, D.C., figuring out the deals that need to be made in order to get the necessary votes and only after getting those votes lined up to, taking the vote “to see” passage accomplished.
The real solutions for fixing problems aren’t to be found in power-grabbing, single-party establishing means – they come from the public and transparent exchange of ideas (even those you don’t agree with).
Hopefully, re-establishing that form of government will be the gains made on November 2, 2010.
Perhaps the greatest gains to come from the 2010 Election on November 2nd are the newly created balance in the legislative branches at the state and national level. This balance isn’t something that the mainstream media types would want to point at (except perhaps in a derogatory way), but from at least the way that I see the world, it may be the greatest gain accomplished as an election outcome.
Having spent time on a daily basis in the past several Nevada Legislatures and witnessed the way in which ideas and policy were translated into results, the single-party domination (especially with the super majority in the Nevada Assembly) equated to a one-way process that didn’t embrace ideas surfaced by anyone other than by those in power. Legislative proposals with the wrong initial for party affiliation were basically “Dead On Introduction” and the system used to deal with the legislative business has been routed through very narrow and controlled channels. In spite of the image of being the free-thinking party of ideas – the majority group is actually more inclined to allow anything that they come up with being “the way” and unwilling for open dialogue on anything but their idea.
That’s one of the mis-perceptions regarding how the majority party has labeled the minority party as being the “Party of No”.
Willing and loyal media mouthpieces for the majority party have regurgitated the company line in an attempt to make the masses believe that big government benevolence was the only hope for the troubles impacting the nation. Those who weren’t inclined to go along with this misguided power expansion were obliviously obstructionists who were the cause for gridlock in preventing things from getting done.
At the same time, ideas not of the ilk where government programs and spending are the driving force – didn’t even get the wisp of a mention, let alone any serious consideration.
If the Republicans, taking over the U.S. House and the members of the same party (still in a minority, but no longer in that position with an oppressive super-majority on the other side of the isle) in the Nevada Legislature, use their newly acquired opportunities to have public discussions with meaningful solution-oriented ideas being put into an open forum – the gains made in November 2010 could not only be increased in 2012, but also provide great results for the citizens of the country and state. .
From a Nevada Legislative perspective and also for how the new Washington, D.C. should operate – the best thing Republican leaders can provide is open government.
Here in the Silver State, there needs to be a firmly established sea-change on the way budget and taxation concepts are dealt with. Ideally, those representing the minority party will establish a firm commitment to NOT involve themselves in backroom, closed Core group processes that we’ve had over the past couple of legislative sessions. All budget, tax and every other type of legislative consideration should be brought before the appropriate legislative committee, discussed and voted on in public…and on the record. Working out the “arrangements” behind the scenes and then hard-wiring the outcome to fit the plan may be more efficient for those who have decided the way things should be, but it hasn’t delivered quality government for the citizens who the process is supposed to serve.
Same goes for the way Senator Reid and his cronies have worked the system in Washington, D.C., figuring out the deals that need to be made in order to get the necessary votes and only after getting those votes lined up to, taking the vote “to see” passage accomplished.
The real solutions for fixing problems aren’t to be found in power-grabbing, single-party establishing means – they come from the public and transparent exchange of ideas (even those you don’t agree with).
Hopefully, re-establishing that form of government will be the gains made on November 2, 2010.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 11/6/2010 6:15 AM 
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Open Government Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Open Government Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election
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