Republicans enjoy bullying minority-party legislators (Utah)

http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Feb/02292004/commenta/143436.asp

Like a playground bully kicking sand on the neighborhood runt and taking away his toys, Republican legislators have ignored Democratic initiatives they didn't like and took as their own the minority party's ideas that they favored.

Enjoying a 56-19 majority in the House and a 22-7 advantage in the Senate, the Republicans can do anything they want to Democrats. And they seem to enjoy it.

One blatant example of bullying was the Republican treatment of Sen. Ed Mayne's attempt to enrich state coffers by tens of millions of dollars by doing away with sales and use tax exemptions on everything from steel manufacturing to ski passes to airline snacks.

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This columnist articulates the way that these "representatives" are hijacking the legislature.

Word up, Democrats: learn and apply. This is the future in any state legislature that the Republicans control.

despicable, undemocratic tactics may just turn out to be their downfall. They're getting bolder all across the country, often not even making a pretense anymore of politeness or even attempting to cover up their actions.

Soon enough (hopefully!), if they keep it up, people will begin to see them for who and what they really are.

period.