Yall Politics

Barbour says State can function without budget, McCoy calls him a “dictator”

State can function without budget

Gov. Haley Barbour said state government could operate and spend money without the Legislature approving a budget when the fiscal year ends in nine days.

“I don’t anticipate critical services of state government shutting down if the Legislature fails and doesn’t pass a budget,” he said. “There’re some things that can be done by executive order.”

However, the Republican governor expressed confidence he, the House and Senate will end their deadlock and agree on how to fund state government before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

“If it isn’t, it’ll be as soon thereafter as there can be an agreement,” he said Friday.

However, House Speaker Billy McCoy said Barbour is overstepping his powers as governor and standing in the way of an agreement. He’s imposing too many demands on how the Legislature should pass the budget and “avert a state shutdown,” he said.

“Governor Barbour is seeking to be a dictator,” said the Legislature's top-ranking Democrat.

“Under the constitution, we’re not to be held hostage by a governor ... (who) says you will agree with me or nothing,” McCoy said. “Not this governor or any governor has the right to find a way to be a dictator in this state, so far as the fiscal affairs or any other affairs are concerned.”

Commercial-Dispatch
6/21/9

Posted June 21, 2009 - 7:06 am

3 Comments:

McCoy should institute the procedure to impeach Barbour if he feels so strongly that he is acting against the constitution.

Posted by JDBerry on 06-21-2009 at 01:57 PM [link]

Seeing Haley tame the legislature has been quite exciting over the past few years, and will surely be missed once he is gone. Lets just hope that there will be enough of a change in the legislature.

Posted by Mississippi Dawg on 06-21-2009 at 07:15 PM [link]

It is my impression that McCoy has managed to alienate several of the moderate rural white Democrats who combined with the liberal white Democrats and all but two of the Black Caucus to give him his one vote victory over Jeff Smith. The number being tossed around at the Capitol is they number at least ten and have sworn to never vote for McCoy again. IF they stick to that promise, IF they get re-elected, and IF the current conservative/liberal balance in the House stays the same then this group will control who the next Speaker will be and it will NOT be Billy McCoy. But that election will not be until January, 2012, and that is an eternity away in politics. So nobody knows what will really be happening then but it is fun to speculate about it now.

The census is in 2010 and there is nothing more politically partisan than the redistricting that will take place based on that census. Will the R controlled Senate election committee be able to stand up to the plan sent over by the D controlled House election committee? Will it all end up in court?

There will be a full court press by the Republicans to replace Democrat House members in districts the R’s think are philosophically Republican. D’s who voted for McCoy and are in those districts will find a credible opponent and a lot of money coming after them. R’s in philosophically D districts are much fewer in number and will get a lot of financial support as well since the D’s will be coming after them.

Will McCoy even run again? Strictly a personal guess on my part but I think he will. He obviously is in poor health but I get the impression he is genetically incapable of quitting. His district will re-elect him no matter what his health is like so that is not an issue. I don’t see anyone else on the liberal side of the D’s who can muster the support of the moderate D’s. If the R’s nominate someone those moderate D’s could support then it depends on what kind of deal the R’s would offer to the moderate D’s. But the most likely deal IMHO would be for the moderate D’s to choose one of their own, go to the R’s and cut a deal for support with the promise of some major chairmanships.

In the unlikely but not impossible event the R’s pick up twelve seats then there will be a R Speaker. Right after the Nov. election there will be a vicious behind closed doors fight between the moderate conservative and the ultra conservative wings of the House Republican Conference. There are no liberal R’s there.

Well, that was some fun speculating. Anyone got a different take on it?

Posted by rubradog on 06-21-2009 at 09:34 PM [link]

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