Do-nothing legislature: 'It's all Palin's fault'

With the Alaska legislative session winding down and only a few days left to go, the state's lawmakers are pointing their fumbling fingers at Gov. Sarah Palin. They are accusing her of not being "engaged" in the legislative process, along with a lot of other things. The relationship between the lawmakers and the governor is deteriorating, they complain, and it's all Sarah Palin's fault. Gee, perhaps she shouldn't have pursued that ethics investigation against them... Oh, wait. It was they who organized a politically-motivated witch hunt against her. Little wonder the relationship has been going downhill.

The truth of the matter is that the state legislators have accomplished relatively little work of substance:

Only a few bills (just 9 of the 419 introduced) and a handful of resolutions have met with approval from both the House and Senate, prompting some legislators to scoff at what they say is a dearth of meaningful work.

Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, has been particularly outspoken, singling out bills establishing Marmot Day and creating Iditarod license plates in contrast to weightier issues unresolved, such as retirement benefits for state employees, health care issues and energy matters.

At least the lawmakers have taken a lot of time to talk to reporters and posture in front of the television cameras, telling them that it's the governor's fault that the House and Senate haven't done their jobs.

The governor has remained in the state during the entire legislative session, except for a quick weekend trip to Washington, D.C., and she was roundly criticized by the Democrats and some Republicans for making that one excursion to the lower 48.

Who do they think they're fooling?

- JP