Rumor has it that the Minnesota House Republicans may not have heard the message on election night. That they think the reason they are in the majority is because the voters like them, they really really like them.
We hope that's not the case, but we will have a better idea of where the new House leadership stands on specific policy and spending matters as the details of their legislative infrastructure become public.
Committee chairmanships are a key indicator of the direction legislative leaders intend to take. In keeping with our contention that the GOP's control of the both chambers of the Statehouse is likely to end in 2012, we believe they should make the most of their brief ownership by appointing chairs with a proven track record of reform.
If these picks seem a bit "extreme," consider the wacked-out crazytown chairmanships of the DFL. Not a peace-in-the-valley moderate in the bunch.
The BillsandVotes.com Committee Chair Recommendation Panel set aside the usual selection criteria (lobbyist pressure, fickle contributor pressure, seniority, temper tantrums, etc.) and came up with this list of 12 first-string chairs and suggested committee assignments. (Our only caveat is that Tom Hackbarth not be given a finance committee that doles out the Legacy tax hike money. He is a risk for spending millions to take private property for Critical Habbytat.)
Bruce Anderson, Local Government and Property Rights
Sarah Anderson, Elections Administration Reform
Mike Beard, Environment Policy Reform and Finance
Mark Buesgens, Education Reform and Finance
Keith Downey, State Government Reform and Finance
Steve Drazkowski, Public Employee Contracts and Pension Reform
Sondra Erickson, Health and Welfare Reform and Finance
Tom Hackbarth, Legislative Reform
Mary Liz Holberg, Ways and Means
Joyce Peppin, Regulatory Reform and Relief
Ron Shimanski, Public Safety
Torrey Westrom, Taxes