Crown them with clown hats

The New York State Senate has displaced the Georgia government for the title of most embarrassing debacle in state government. Crown them with the clown hats.

Perhaps there are other contenders that I overlook, but I've always had a personal stake in the 1947 episode when we had three people claiming the governorship. My personal stake? When I went away to college in another state three years later, it was still such a source of ridicule that I was often teased with, "How many governors does your state have today, Ralph?"

To review the history for younger folks: In 1946 former governor Eugene Talmadge was elected governor but died in December before his term was to begin in 1947. The GA Constitution was vague about such a situation, and three people had arguable claims: (1) outgoing governor Ellis Arnall claimed that he was governor until his successor was elected; (2) Lt. Gov.-Elect M. E. Thompson thought he should be governor, just as he would be if Talmadge had died after they took office; (3) the Talmadge camp claimed that an obscure provision in the constitution gave the legislature the power to choose between the #2 and #3 candidates on the ballot that elected the deceased governor-elect. Talmadge's opponent came in second, and Eugene's son, Herman Talmadge, had come in #3, based on a sprinkling of write-in votes. So the Talmadge dominated legislature chose him.

The Georgia Supreme Court settled the matter when they upheld Thompson as the rightful governor to serve until a special election, to be held in 1948. Then Herman defeated Thompson in that election.

OK -- that was embarrassing enough for a young kid from Georgia going "up north" to Duke in North Carolina, where southerners and northerners met and often clashed (good-naturedly) about the north/south rivalry. But it fed my sense of inferiority about being from the south.

But the NY Senate debacle seems even more childish. The Democrats held a one vote majority until June 8, when two of them defected to the Republican caucus in mid-session, temporarily giving Republican control of the Senate. But a few days later one of them waffled and rejoined the Democrats -- leaving a deadlocked Senate with each party having 31.

They've been paralyzed ever since and can't seem to find a way to go on functioning. Governor Paterson called them back for a special session Tuesday, and it turned into a farce. Here's how the New York Times' Danny Hakim described it:

Democrats sneaked into the Senate chamber shortly after noon, seizing control of the rostrum and locking Republicans out of the room. Republicans were finally allowed to enter about 2:30 p.m., but when they tried to station one of their own members on the dais they were blocked by the sergeants-at-arms.

So then something extraordinary — and rather embarrassing — happened.

The two sides, like feuding junior high schoolers refusing to acknowledge each other, began holding separate legislative sessions at the same time. Side by side, the parties, each asserting that it rightfully controls the Senate, talked and sometimes shouted over one another, gaveling through votes that are certain to be disputed. There were two Senate presidents, two gavels, two sets of bills being voted on.

The Democrats passed 14 bills, and the Repubicans passed 85, but they were mostly trivial, local things; and nobody has any idea about the legal standing of such bills. Both sides claimed a quorum, since all 62 members were present, and each side had 31.

But this is crazy insane. As serious as it was, it plays out as broad farce. What can you do but laugh?

Meanwhile, what about the same-sex marriage bill? The NY lower chamber has already passed it, and the senate was to have voted on it this month. Gov. Paterson has called another special session for tomorrow, and he has said that that bill is still on the agenda.

It might be more fun to watch than an old Three Stoogies flick.

Ralph