Speaker Emeritus, Part 2, and other things.

Judging from the post below, and comments on Rep. Campfield's Facebook page (He is one of my Facebook friends because I find him fascinating, even if we agree on little), the Republicans are PETRIFIED of the Speaker Emeritus idea for Jimmy Naifeh.

Now, if this turns out to be anything more than an honorary title, then I have problems with it, OK? So, far, NOTHING indicates that this is anything more than an honorary title for someone who served in the office longer than anybody, IIRC. Remember, the Speaker can ask ANYONE from the House membership to sit in the chair if he chooses; this is done frequently in Washington, and I believe it can be done here.

I also note that Speaker Williams voted with the Republicans on all three constitutional offices (although, as The Rep has noted, each race was effectively over after the Senate gave each Republican a five-vote lead coming out of there) and he is in charge. Now, it appears that the committee assignments have yet to be done; however, the Lege is on recess until February 9, so we should know something by then.

At that point, we will get some idea of how this is going to shake out. Right now, Kent Williams is the most powerful person in the legislature, because he is the 50th House vote. He is no liberal by any means, and while Mumpower and his troops will not have the carte blanche they thought they were getting, I suspect that they won't be shut out, either.

Does Williams owe Naifeh and Odom? Well, hell yes he does, but to what extent? Williams knows if he looks like a puppet for EITHER Naifeh or Mumpower, it will hurt him back home. His area is OLD-SCHOOL Republican, long before the new breed of Gingrichites arrived. Williams beat Mumpower's guy TWICE, so Williams knows if he does what his district wants, rather than what the party tells him to do, he will be just fine, even if he's not Speaker in the 107th General Assembly.

There needs to be serious reflection for Mumpower, Casada and the other 47 in his group, as there are a few in that group for whom I have a deep respect. Stories like this make the Mumpower group look like bumpkins who've come to the big city for the first time, not people who have been asked to govern. As is often said to football players who over-celebrate a touchdown, act like you've been there. Even if you haven't.

We are three weeks away from the actual work of the session, with committee assignments and the Governor's undoubtedly dire budget address. There's a hell of a lot of work to do for this state and not much time to do it. EVERYONE needs to focus and remember why they are there, and it's not about your press clippings. As we were reminded this week, it ain't about the talk, it's about the walk.

In other news, I am an idiot for not telling you about this, because for the last two weeks I have been devouring a new website set up by Sadcox and our beloved Newscoma called NewsTechZilla. It's all about news, technology, journalism, and lots and lots of good stuff. Go check it out, you should subscribe to either the email or RSS feed, or both, as I have done. It's got the 'Coma touch, so it's top-notch! You'll also find it below and to the right in THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL, of course.

Now, to my crackpot predictions for the NFL.

It's an all-BIRD Super Bowl, my friends, as the Arizona Cardinals, (the Norman Chad Team of Destiny) led by 78-year-old Kurt Warner, will defeat the Philadelphia Eagles and face the Baltimore Ravens of rookie sensation Joe Flacco and ultimate gangstas Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, who will send Ben Roethlisberger to the emergency ward while humiliating the Steelers at Heinz Field. Remember, with these picks, you're getting your money's worth!

That's enough for now, I ponder a FGF pick for the morning.....