Although legislators rarely admit it, politics often overrules good government on many decisions.

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Although legislators rarely admit it, politics often overrules good government on many decisions.

While most of the time only political junkies care, when such decisions drastically affect real people, we all should take notice.

Such is the case in regard to the recent veto by Gov. Jesse Ventura on a $6.3 billion health and human services bill. Ventura said he vetoed the bill because it contained language that would require a 24-hour waiting period for abortions. Ventura, in fact, already had vetoed the bill as a separate item.

The Republicans, in essence, are requiring that the abortion provision be included in a bill which, if it isn’t passed, could threaten the livelihood of nursing homes in Austin and throughout the region. By doing so, Republican House leaders then can claim that the governor vetoed a crucial funding bill, which perhaps would win over the voters and hurt Ventura’s popularity.

The fact is, whether one supports or opposes the abortion provision, or supports or opposes abortion altogether, facts are facts: Ventura will not support a bill that limits or further regulates abortions, and right now, the House and Senate do not have enough who support the abortion provision to override his veto.

Denying funding to nursing homes not only will hurt all legislators politically, but more importantly, it will hurt those who live in nursing homes.

And that should be the primary concern.