| No, I'm not thanking them for their political positions.
No, I'm not thanking them for what seems to be unalloyed ambition.
No, I'm not thanking them because I think they should be re-elected. (I don't.)
No, I'm not thanking them for potentially yet hobbling our finally Democratic Senate.
I have to thank them, though, for breaking open the conversation on leadership positions, how these things break down, and what they mean.
In the heat of that conflict, a story emerged - one that taught a lot of readers more about the State Senate than they likely ever would have bothered to learn otherwise. Vice-what? Pro-Tempwhat? Who's this Lulu girl?
As ugly as it was to watch, and as little good as it said about Democrats or the Senate, it was still a lot better than the pure silence of private meetings yielding a roster of lulus for committees whose function has been in doubt for years.
Will anything good come out of it? Not much in 2009, I'll bet. But maybe more interest in 2010, 2012, and beyond.
We need - and I know this will bother a lot of folks here - a lot more of this. A lot more openness, even - especially - when it's openness about conflict.
Stop hiding in caucus!
It'll sting in the short run, but we'll have a much healthier state in the long run. |
