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If it weren’t for tax credits, would anything ever get done? The 2009 Iowa Legislature sprinkled new tax credits onto historic buildings, movie production projects, data centers and wind-energy companies.

It’s a quick and easy way to apply fertilizer to underproducing fields of endeavor, but remember, it’s not free.

Giving out tax credits means letting someone off the hook – and asking more from those many people who remain on the hook.

The theory, of course, is that we gain from encouraging the restoration and better use of old buildings, or making movie companies feel welcome in the state. That brings in more money.

But one could also argue that many existing businesses could more readily flourish and produce larger profits with a nice dose of tax credits. This habit of valuing the new over the old might produce some unpleasant side effects down the road. It’s easy to find established business owners who feel very much taken for granted.

The most remarkable characteristic of the recent session, however, was that a Democrat-controlled body failed to achieve any of the top priorities of organized labor. This might rank as another milestone in the collapse of that wing of the party.

The drawn-out fiasco of February, when the House voting machine was kept open for 67 hours in a desperate search for the votes to pass the prevailing wage bill, was a low point. And the bill didn’t pass.

The equal-pay measure, protecting women and other groups from financial discrimination by employers, was a positive step. The practical effects, however, will be mysterious and complex, not straightforward.

The requirement for local boards and commissions to have an equal number of men and women is just silly.

The worthy goal is equal opportunity, not equal numbers. The ideal makeup of any given board depends on who’s most qualified for the responsibility.