Senate Democrats take majority, pretend they're doing something

In what is a laughable and stupid reorganizing of the Titanic's deck chairs, Majority Leader (for now) Mark Miller has reshuffled all the Senate standing committees.

Now, Senate committees are always absurd, because the small number of majority party senators  invariably requires the combining of disparate subject areas.  That politicians are parochial and selfish creatures with pet interests doesn't help.  But Sen. Miller has upped his game to a whole new level with some preposterous subjects that might as well be campaign props.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

the Senate Committee on Health, Revenue, Tax Fairness, and Insurance!

I'm pretty sure that anything you could bring up under the guise of "tax fairness" is also a revenue issue, which makes the tax fairness part of the committee name superfluous and redundant unless you think naming a committee is to be confused with actually doing something on the issue.

the Senate Committee on Job Training, Technical Colleges, and Workforce Development!

Perhaps the chair of this committee, Sen. Julie Lassa, can tell us what part of job training isn't workforce development.

the Senate Committee on Labor, Consumer Buying Power and Consumer Protection!

Seriously, SMH.  "Consumer buying power?"  What part of that isn't economic development, which is in a different committee altogether?

the Senate Committee on Seniors, Public Health, and Human Services!

There are 36 other subject headings appended to committees.  What, pray tell, falls under an age-specific category like seniors that couldn't fit under one of the other three dozen headings being bandied about?  And how is Working Families not one of these subject headings?!?  That's a political gold mine!

Here's a better idea, Sen. Miller.  Since you're fishing for campaign fodder, let's create a different committee.  We'll call it the Senate Committee on Seniors, Consumer Buying Power, Job Training, Tax Fairness, and Working Families.  You can parade it around the state in a bunch of pointless informational hearings where you do invited testimony only by people who will more or less spout your campaign talking points.  Legislative staff back in Madison will pump out mindless releases talking about what great action your newfound Senate majority is taking to solve everyone's problems.

And maybe - just maybe - it would keep Sen. Miller from coming back in January as one of the 15 in an 18-15 minority.  Maybe.  But I wouldn't bet on it.