Sine Die
Sine Die is a phrase used when a legislative session, for example, adjourns with no definite date for return. The Iowa Legislature adjourned sine die early yesterday morning, after the House pulled a 22 hour session.
That’s silly.
I don’t get enough sleep most days, but I can tell if I get even less than normal…I’m not as quick, not as sharp, and sort of feel like I’m walking in a fog all day.
So how can we expect our lawmakers to pull all-nighters just so they can be done…especially because they’re making major policy decisions in a sleep-deprived state.
Sure, there were naps taken here and there around the floor of the chamber…but again, is that really how we want to have our government operate?
Here’s an idea…no sessions that begin before 8:30 a.m., and no sessions that continue beyond 6 p.m. I’ll even give you a little room on that during the end of the session; let’s say if the legislature is still in session after the per diem expense payments run out, they can go until 9:30 p.m. But enough of this “adjourn after the sun comes up the day after we started” stuff.
Lawmakers want to get home as soon as possible, you might say. Fine; get your work done sooner on the calendar, then. And was it really safe for some of these folks to leave the capital, pick up some breakfast, and then drive to their home districts? Most probably went back to their apartments or hotels anyway. So why not adjourn at a decent hour, come back refreshed the next morning, and still finish up by noon?
I know, it’s tradition. But it’s not a good one, and certainly one that does have the best interests of governance at its core.
All that, and still nothing on property tax reform, by the way. No big deal; only the top issue Iowans had on their mind when they voted last November.
