State Sen. Paul Bussman, in his second term in the Legislature, has has been adamant that the Republican Party should use its majority power to solve problems that have long lingered across Alabama.

Like most people who have embraced the fiscal approaches of the Republican Party, Bussman is not keen on raising taxes, at least not before all avenues of responsibility are explored and addressed. For several years he has advocated cleaning out duplication that makes state government more expensive. He has asked for accountability from state offices on their spending practices. He is also, importantly, one who believes that legislation should be clean, meaning it should be understandable for both lawmakers and voters.

The lottery bill that emerged out of the Senate last week on the surface appeared to have the general support of Republicans on that side of the aisle. But as the bill moved to the House for consideration, Bussman and one other senator, Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery, submitted letters of resignation from the Republican caucus, which is an important organization in helping lawmakers have consensus views heading into legislative sessions.

In announcing their resignations from the caucus, both Bussman and Brewbaker remained part of the of Republican Party but expressed a lack of confidence in the leadership, particularly over the handling of the lottery bill.

The bill ended up getting through the Senate with the support of many Democrats and contained vague language on how revenue would be directed from the lottery. Bussman and others wanted legislation that would be clear for lawmakers and voters to understand before it would go before voters. The House also folded up on the bill because of similar concerns and it now will not make it out of the Legislature in time to reach the November ballot.

Many lawmakers have sincerely wanted to offer a referendum to voters about whether they want a lottery. Past attempts have been bogged down by some lawmakers who insisted on attaching casino gambling and other factors to lottery bills. As a consequence, voters have not been given a clear, simple lottery proposal to consider.

Bussman, in a statement this week following his departure from the caucus, said he remains committed to Republican values. He expressed disappointment that some of the party’s leaders are not abiding by rules that would make government more effective.

While leaving the party caucus may not seem like a significant event in the political field, this may well be a warning shot for party leaders on both sides of the aisle to consider. There are lawmakers who have won election that care about building confidence in government.

Alabama’s potential remains largely untapped because of failures of political leadership for many years.

Whether you sit on the Democratic or Republican side of the political landscape, working to build trust and operating with transparency for the citizens of the state is an obligation of elected officeholders.

Walking away from the caucus is a bold move, but if it sets forward a trend of party members demanding responsible leadership, everyone will be better served by government.