Rell Outflanks Dems on Teachers' Pensions

The Hartord Courant is reporting:

"Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced Wednesday that she is willing to fully fund the state teachers' retirement account - welcome news to legislative Democrats who have made the pension plan one of their top priorities this session."

Although the Democrats in the state House and Senate are trying to spin Rell's position as joining theirs, the simple fact is that the Democrats have been in charge of both houses while the retirement account has been grossly underfunded.

The issue of underfunded pensions has always amazed me. After all, the teachers' union has the Democrats in its back pocket as typified by the Democrats position on school choice, No Child Left Behind, etc. Why then didn't the union use its influence over Democrats to succeed on this crucial issue? I suppose that the reason for that failing is the same as the reason that Democrat strongholds like West Hartford annually get shortchanged under the state educational funding formula.

In any event, it now appears as if Rell -- whose approval rating is already through the roof -- has yet again outflanked the Democrats.