Several
weeks ago, I wrote
an article about the
practice of our
state legislature
using so called
‘ghost’ employees.
These, as you may
remember, were
employees who were
carried on the
states payroll as
full time but
actually performed
little or no work at
all. By having them
classified as full
time, they were able
to receive medical
insurance as well as
retirement credits.
Well, now we have a
new twist coming
along to contend
with…..ghost voting.
That’s right, ghost
voting. Now that
doesn’t mean that we
have ghosts voting
in the legislature
of this state, it
means that absent
members get other
members to vote for
them. In other
words, if I’m out in
the lobby or down
the hall in the
cafeteria when a
vote comes up, just
reach over and press
my button for
me…thanks I’ll do
the same for you
next time you want
to be gone.
It seems some
enterprising news
reporter videoed
this taking place
and posted the site
on You-Tube where it
has been seen over a
million times. I’d
bet that reporter
isn’t allowed back
in the chambers at
any time in the near
future. After the
video came out
several of the
lawmakers were
interviewed and said
that “obviously the
public didn’t
understand how the
legislators actually
worked.”
You’re correct, we
don’t. We thought
when you got elected
to office, you sat
in either the house
or senate and
actually listened to
what was going on
and then made a
decision as to which
way you wanted to
vote. Obviously we
were wrong, it
doesn’t work like
that.
Dumb old us.
An option was
proposed to have
fingerprint
recording devices in
several of the
common areas so that
the lawmakers could
be in the lounge or
restrooms and still
be able to vote. One
female lawmaker says
even that would be
onerous since she
wears pantyhose and
petticoats and
having to vote from
a bathroom stall
would be
inconvenient.
Another lawmaker
lamented that giving
extra time to vote
might reduce the
legislative workload
by as much as one
fourth.
Now, we’re talking.
I’m for that…..
Of course, once a
new solution such as
the fingerprint
reader gets
mentioned, all kinds
of objections get
thrown up in
rebuttal. One was
from a member who
was concerned if the
fingerprint reader
would work if they
cut their finger.
They made the
comment that they
might cut their
finger while cutting
onions and that
might prevent them
from making an
important vote. This
is probably from one
of the legislative
members who haven’t
cooked anything
since TV dinners
came out.
I suppose that isn’t
fair since they
might be able to cut
their finger on the
cardboard box trying
to get it open.
Another house member
said she was
reluctant to use her
fingerprint on
anything in the
house. She says she
doesn’t trust
technology. There’s
a progressive
thinker for you,
makes you wonder if
they have
electricity and
indoor plumbing out
in her district.
Probably not, let’s
keep ‘em down on the
farm.
Of course the
problem for me is
that I think the
votes should be
actually entered by
the person making
the vote, not
someone else. But
then, that’s me.
Call me crazy, but I
think most folks
think the same way I
do.
Here again we have
another example of
the classic…do as I
say, not as I
do…syndrome that
seems to be
prevalent with our
esteemed elected
officials. When we,
the lowly citizenry,
of this country have
to go and sign up
for our driver’s
license, we have to
have our
fingerprints entered
into a system. It
has never occurred
to me to ask if the
system is safe or
not, I just go along
with the rest of the
herd and do what is
being asked.
Obviously members of
the legislature
don’t feel the same.
They aren’t willing
to sit at their
desks and be present
when votes are
taken, and don’t
trust any type of
technology which
could verify their
actual presence when
a vote was taken.
Since votes aren’t
recorded by name in
this state, are the
legislators ashamed
to defend their
voting records?
Might be something
there.
My wife said I was
becoming too cynical
with my articles. I
think she’s correct,
but there is so much
to be cynical about
and so little time.
To me your votes
should be like a
sword…use it wisely
and where it will do
the most good.
