It would appear that as early as next week, there will be a vote on electing a new Assembly Speaker (though it is unclear precisely when the transition will take place).
There is a tradition in the Assembly (that seems to find its origin the election of Bob Hertzberg as Speaker, nearest as I can tell) where whichever candidate the Democrats put forward for Speaker is unanimously elected to the Assembly’s top spot in a voice vote. I suppose this is some sort of "congeniality of the house" maneuver since the outcome of a potential election between a Democrat and a Republican candidate for Speaker is preordained due to the large majority of liberals in the Assembly.
This practice is just wrong, and it shouldn’t be taking place.
The Assembly is an elected body with recorded votes. It is based on these votes that the people can judge their elected officials. It should be very clear to the "viewing audience at home" whom their Assemblymember voted for to be Speaker.
In the United States Congress, each conference — Republican and Democrat — has placed into nomination for the top spot their respective leader. this year that was Nancy Pelosi for the Democrats and John Boehner for the Republicans. Each made a speech about their vision for the nation, and then a recorded vote was taken. Guess what? Pelosi won. Boehner congratulated her, and that was that.
Republicans in the legislature are allowed to have PRIDE. They should, in a respectful way, place into nomination the Assembly Republican Leader, Sam Blakeslee, to be Speaker. There should be some speeches made, and a recorded vote taken. Then Blakeslee can congratulate the new Speaker, who in turn can say something nice about the Republican leader. And then that will be that.
The current process is not a good one, and it is disrespectful to the rights of the minority party to put forward its own candidate for the top position in the Assembly.
No one should be offended or take offense at a process that allows the minority party have dignity, and to also be on record supporting their own leader for Speaker.
In the absence of allowing for this kind of fair election process, conservative legislators should insist on a recorded vote for Speaker, and vote no. This method is not as congenial, but achieves the important objective of allowing a Republican to have some pride and self respect.
Having reviewed the voting record of the likely next Assembly Speaker, there is simply no way, if I were in the Assembly, that I would stand for a process that didn’t let me either vote FOR my leader, or vote AGAINST such a liberal candidate for Speaker.
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