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An editorial from the (Newport News) Daily Press
Update: In early January, Attorney General Jerry Kilgore
ruled that caucuses must be open when discussing votes and,
presumably, other public business, but not when purely party
matters are on the agenda.
State government should be open, allowing the bright light of
scrutiny and accountability to shine on it. That light cannot be
shuttered in a representative democracy (a marvelous experiment in
government, but one that comes with a caveat: "Elect people
you trust, then keep an eye on them").
It's hard to keep an eye on what lawmakers are up to when
they're up to it behind closed doors.
The rationale for letting party members secrete themselves is
that the caucus is where they conduct party business — plot
their strategy, haul their laggards into line, dole out party
plums.
It makes sense that this internal business be private. But
caucuses also are, to a large extent, where the nuts and bolts of
governing is ironed out during General Assembly sessions,
especially when one party has such a majority it is, in effect,
calling the shots.
Once members hatch a plan in caucus, they have the votes to
drive it through the legislative apparatus in committees and on the
chamber floors. So they may introduce legislation and call for
votes out in the light, but the real decisions get made behind
closed doors, in the caucus meetings that precede each day's
floor sessions.
In addition to new laws, some of that wheeling and dealing in
caucus has to do with other issues that have tremendous relevance
for Virginians, like judicial appointments.
...Making laws and appointing judges in secret is not right, and
shouldn't be acceptable to Virginians, Republican or Democrat
or any breed in between.
...The Democratic Party of Virginia took the leap and opened its
House caucus this (past) session.
Not that this means a great deal just now, since it
doesn't have the numbers or power to turn much of its plans
into reality.
But it was still the right thing to do.
It's time for the Republicans to step up, too. |
