Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Will Ramsey Be Bipartisan?

Now that a Republican, Ron Ramsey, has risen to the position of Tennessee's Speaker of the Senate -- and Lt. Governor -- for the first time since Reconstruction, The Tennessean seems suddenly seized with fear that the senate will not be led in a bipartisan manner. No doubt, they will seek repeatedly to measure Ramsey's leadership by their perception of his ability to do so. In certain circles, bipartisanship always becomes a high priority whenever Republicans are in leadership. Unfortunately, for them bipartisanship often appears to mean capitulation to whatever it is that Democrats would like to do.

There can be no doubt also that some Republican hotheads, detached from political reality, will criticize Ramsey for deviating from party orthodoxy too much.

Anyway, The Tennessean need not be so worried. Republicans hold the slimmest of majorities in the senate, and Democrats control both the house of representatives and the governor's office. Ramsey will have no choice but to work with Democrats. Undoubtedly, over the next two years he willl repeatedly do so and be criticized for not.

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