Bipartisanship gets early test in Legislature

The recent special session of the Legislature, short as it was, had some potentially defining moments. Chief among them was the forging of an apparently bipartisan majority coalition in the Senate.

Given the Senate's highly partisan nature in recent years, this move registers high on the curiosity meter. Critics say it is more about power than it is about genuine partisanship.

As always, time will tell.

Legislative bipartisanship gets an early test beginning today. The Legislature's Democrats are slated to unveil their plan for ethics reform this morning.

Although several lawmakers have been serious about ethics reform as an issue for some time, it gained greater momentum after Sarah Palin emerged victorious in the August primary.

Once Palin's indelible writing was on the political wall, nearly everyone running for statewide office in November began talking about ethics, too.

Never mind that the Legislature has had two-plus years to close the loopholes that allowed former Attorney General Gregg Renkes and Sen. Ben Stevens to take advantage of their positions for pursuit of personal gain.

Never mind, too, that decent bills that would have tightened the rules were proposed - and ignored - because lawmakers prioritized partisanship over sound public policy.

That's all behind us now.

Palin's November victory, which brought together Alaskans of all political stripes, was built on a foundation of change. Fundamental to that change is an overriding belief that &#8220business as usual” is no longer good enough.

Shortly after winning, Palin expressed her support for a bill sponsored by Rep. Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage, last session. The proposed legislation directly addressed the Stevens controversy by strengthening income disclosure requirements and requiring legislators to explain what and how much work they do for vague &#8220consulting” contracts.

These ideas are basic to voter trust in those they have chosen to represent them. The Legislature's majority, apparently, did not agree.

The proposal is back, though. It forms the cornerstone of a three-tiered plan that Democratic lawmakers say will help restore public confidence in state government in the wake of Renkes, Stevens and an ongoing FBI investigation into alleged vote-buying.

People who are serious about ethics reform are quick to use the phrase &#8220common sense” when pointing out the changes that are needed. Sadly, awareness of this among those empowered to make the changes has been anything but common.

We are confident the shifting political winds that swept Palin to victory and provided the apparent underpinnings for a bipartisan Senate coalition have changed the general tenor of state government. We hope, too, that such winds will air out of the musty and inadequate ethics laws now on the books, refreshing Alaskans with new hope that government truly is working for them.