Ed Wood "The Right Stuff" Published March 27, 2002

Now that's more like it

Who says our legislators never do anything worthwhile? Some of them do. Well, in Georgia, anyhow.

Here's House Bill 1709, introduced into the Georgia House of Representatives on March 8 of this year:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

"Each bill or resolution which would result in the expenditure of state funds shall have affixed thereto the following statement, signed by each sponsor of the legislation:

"Every sponsor or co-sponsor of this legislation hereby affirms his or her belief that the need for the government of the state of Georgia to spend taxpayer funds on the purposes outlined herein is of greater importance and urgency than any spending needs which the party or parties who actually earned these funds may have; such needs being, but not necessarily limited to, spending for medical care, child care, housing, food, clothing, transportation, education, insurance, charitable giving, savings, and retirement planning.'

"Any such bill or resolution which is filed without such statement being attached and signed shall be out of order and may not be considered."

If such a bill were enacted into law, which it won't be, then the legislator submitting each piece of frivolous, pork-barrel legislation would have to certify, in writing, that he or she had a greater need for your money than you do. Don't hold your breath for them to admit it, even though that's exactly what they do every day they are in session.

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Ed Wood is a resident of Sparta, TN. His column is published each Wednesday in the Crossville Chronicle.