A Few State House Thoughts

Even those who claim to have little interest in what happens politically at the state level need to pay some attention to it.

The Thicket, a blog from the National Council of State Legislators, has an interesting post pointing out that half of the U.S. Congress once served in state legislatures.

Knowing the future of our Congress is incubating in Harrisburg is not always a comforting thought. Reading that Bill DeWeese has decided not to seek re-election as House Majority Leader kicks the confidence factor up a few notches (see "DeWeese to surrender post as House leader," by Mario Cattabiani and Angela Couloumbis, Inky 11/15).

Now if only we could get the House Journal published with less of a time lag -- it currently takes 6 months (yes, half a year), for the House Journal to show up on the state legislative website. And there's no index so if you want to know what your legislator said on the House floor or what was said on a particular subject you have to read it page by page day by day. With a 6 month delay.