Paranoia Setting In
It remains to be seen whether legislators will target public education for retaliation because of the failure of vouchers, as educators fear. But it appears several veteran lobbyists on Capitol Hill are preparing for possible retaliation.
Since voters rejected the voucher law at the polls Tuesday after teacher unions spent millions of dollars to defeat it, some lobbyists say they are contacting their clients and warning them to keep their distance from legislators who voted against vouchers in the last session — especially the Republicans.
The voucher legislation, which always has enjoyed solid support from the Republican majority in the Senate, passed by just one vote in the House and a few of those yes votes came after heavy arm-twisting from House leadership.
All 20 Democrats in the House voted against vouchers, while 17 of the 55 Republicans voted against it. Two Republicans in the Senate crossed over to join the eight Democrats voting against vouchers, which passed that body 19-10.
The lobbyists I talked to say they are advising their clients to make sure none of the anti-voucher legislators appear as sponsors on bills the clients want passed. The fear is that leadership in both the Senate and House will punish the anti-voucher Republicans for breaking ranks by burying legislation important to those legislators.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
Since voters rejected the voucher law at the polls Tuesday after teacher unions spent millions of dollars to defeat it, some lobbyists say they are contacting their clients and warning them to keep their distance from legislators who voted against vouchers in the last session — especially the Republicans.
The voucher legislation, which always has enjoyed solid support from the Republican majority in the Senate, passed by just one vote in the House and a few of those yes votes came after heavy arm-twisting from House leadership.
All 20 Democrats in the House voted against vouchers, while 17 of the 55 Republicans voted against it. Two Republicans in the Senate crossed over to join the eight Democrats voting against vouchers, which passed that body 19-10.
The lobbyists I talked to say they are advising their clients to make sure none of the anti-voucher legislators appear as sponsors on bills the clients want passed. The fear is that leadership in both the Senate and House will punish the anti-voucher Republicans for breaking ranks by burying legislation important to those legislators.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
5:39 PM
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3 Comments:
I'm surprised your "source" left out the part about us taking a blood oath and dancing around a dead chicken.
Steve-
Paul may not have noticed, but I did. Thank you for your offering.
http://politicalspyglass.blogspot.com/2007/11/battle-won-pillaging-begins.html
http://politicalspyglass.blogspot.com/2007/11/four-horsemen-of-vouchers.html
Paul, the two above links tell it like it really is. The 2008 session and next years election in Nov. 2008 will be a blood bath.
All the Best,
Mark
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