The Frankenstein Veto

One weakness of the Wisconsin Constitution is that it allows the governor dictatorial control over the budget. The 132 individual members of the lobbyists' legislature are literally reduced to hoping and praying that their favored special interests survive the guv's veto axe. This is what we pay a full time legislature for.

Jo Egelhoff today in Fox Politics explains how Republicans on the Elections and Constitutional Law Committee are trying to push forward an amendment that would prohibit the "Frankenstein Veto." They are especially upset at Jim Doyle's mangling of the budget to raid the transportation fund. The hypocrisy here is obvious: Republicans never objected to Frankenstein in the person of Tommy Thompson, whose budgeting was every bit as creative as Jim Doyle's.

Senate Democrats, now in the majority, will probably stifle any attempt to limit Doyle's budget power. Perhaps Assembly Democrat Spencer Black should be called upon to lobby the Senate Dems--in 2005 Black proposed an amendment similar to what the Republicans are asking for today.