If the state budget is a monster, then consider Gov. Jim Doyle as Dr. Frankenstein, tightening the bolts until the monster transforms to his liking. Our governor has the most powerful veto in the nation, and now the state Legislature correctly looks to curtail his power.
By a 70-25 vote, the state Assembly voted last week to ban the veto and put it in a referendum in the spring elections. However, the state Senate will not follow suit, according to state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who does not see it as a priority.
Currently, Doyle can cross out words and numbers to create new sentences. In 2005 he crossed out hundreds of words to create a sentence designating $427 million to the general fund, something the state Legislature never approved. A strong democracy should not allow such a gross misuse of power.
But the ""Frankenstein Veto"" gives Doyle this unprecedented power, a power Democrats condemned Tommy Thompson for using when he ran the state. Now it is time for action. The state Senate must move to pass the bill before Feb. 20 in order to place it on the spring ballot. For the sake of democracy, we urge them to do so.
