Here they go again.
On Tuesday, January 4, 2011, the hour of 12:00 having arrived (12:03, really, but it's as close to on-time as we're gonna get outta these guys), the 87th Legislative Session of the Minnesota House of Representatives was called to order (the Senate, too, but we don't work as closely with them, so we don't pay as much attention to them).
Last year, opening session took 15 minutes. Last year was not the first year of the biennium. This year is. This year, opening session took an hour and a half. They elected a new Speaker (Kurt Zellers). They elected a Chief Clerk (Al Mathiowetz, decidedly awesome and definitely not new). They elected various assistant clerks, postmasters, and sergeants-at-arms. Holy crap was it boring.
Speaker Zellers and a couple of others stood up and gave stirring speeches about the daunting tasks facing the Legislature this year, and how much hard work they all had to do.
Then they adjourned until next Monday.
My employers, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to Romper Room.