That magic Monday is the first day that Democratic incumbents are safe from riling their Democratic Party constituents against them because the candidate filing deadline has passed. Legislative Democrats know not to agitate a group that might run an opposing Democratic candidate in the primary.
Since three paid weeks have been wasted by legislators, they must now complete their work in five weeks. Much stress will be added to time-consuming grandstanding, electiontimed speeches recognized by peers as insincere. Magnify this by the reversal of fortunes for the old guard Democratic leadership, now occupying back benches, and there could be raw-nerved tiffs in the final days of this session.
Those ruling now are less conservative or business friendly. "Dirty 30-old" leadership failed to unite with Republicans last year for a majority. The novel "Rural Caucus." sparks glimmers that this year galvanization may occur around issues. Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, D Monongalia, is defending a state agency for not contacting individual property owners about a limitation of their future land usage, while more conservative Democratic and Republican legislators ask why.
Republicans, cautiously optimistic, may pass some of their tax-reduction agenda this session. Republican legislators will not receive credit, but as usual they are torchbearers lighting the way. Last session, Democratic senators passed business-tax cuts to spite Manchin.
One Republican legislator explains it best, "We provide the brains, they provide the brawn." In fact, many high-profile legislative achievements were initially Republican bills, later claimed by the ruling party. Medical malpractice liability reform is an example.
Many reforms passed the year that such highly successful legislation finally passed. Why? Because a message was sent by voters when they elected a large freshman Republican class. Democratic leadership heard the message, and the House of Delegates passed several reform bills the first week of the session.
What went unreported was that the medical malpractice bill passed in 2003 was virtually the same as the Republican bill killed in 2002.
Before Gov. Bob Wise's signature on the bill was dry, accolades were flowing from the pens of interested parties. "What brave Democrats, we could not have accomplished this without them." Were there thanks to the Republican legislators or public praise? No.
You quietly do what needs to be done to improve the state you love and help make it better for those who trusted you with their vote. But such an environment takes special people who are willing to continue thanklessly banging their heads year after year in hope of making a difference.
Sometimes as a leader charges up the hill, those who would benefit the most disappear behind, leaving the brave standing alone and defenseless. Being taken for granted is painful. It can seem pointless to help those unwilling to stand up against established "leadership" for what they need or what is right, instead of being happy for crumbs.
When Republican legislators withheld support of a weak workers' compensation bill in hopes of strengthening it, business lobbyists torpedoed them until the strategy materialized. Later, the re-elected Republicans' unthinkable campaign to privatize workers' compensation was forced upon Democratic legislators by Manchin.
Reforms have stalled. There are not enough Republicans in the House to prevent a bad bill from being passed quickly. This was the choice of the voters.
Politicians feed you crumbs from the loaf and provide circuses unless voters demand more. There are leaders waiting for your message. It is up to you to send it.
CINDY FRICH is a former, two-term, Republican member of the state's House of Delegates. She can be reached via e-mail at opinion@dominionpost.com.