Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Very Important Business

The Arkansas voters, in their infinite wisdom (not) voted to make the Legislature meet every year, instead of every two years. Oh, goody! Just imagine how many silly laws can be passed, now.

Lately, these mental giants have introduced the following:

1. A law outlawing cell phone use by teenagers, while driving. Just teenagers? Jeez! It ought to apply to everybody. Practically every car in town has a driver with a cell phone to his/her ear, like some kind of appendage.

2. A law allowing people to take guns with them into church. To be fair, this one didn't make it out of committee, but it will rear its ugly head again until they "git-er-done." I guess that would be one way to keep the sermons short.

3. A law establishing an 11:00 p.m. curfew for teenagers. There they go, beating up the kids, again. There are exceptions for kids who are going home from work or a school function. Isn't that nice?

4. A proposal to require employers to provide unpaid break time and make a reasonable effort to provide private locations for breast-feeding mothers to pump their breast milk. This one cleared the committee. So, will the ladies have to clock out and clock back in a couple of times a day? How many minutes would she be docked? How stingy is your boss, anyway?

5. Another member of the lege wants them to pass the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), finally. Don't look now, honey, but I think that train has left the station.

And, they can meet every single year to pass laws just like these.

Stay tuned.

8 comments:

Arkansas Patti said...

How about a scrambler in all cars that blocks cell phones if the ignation is on. I was rear ended this year by a cell phone adult who didn't notice me or the school bus I was stopped for. Ouch.
Can't argue too much against the curfew. I had a family curfew of 10:30, so 11:00 would be a real treat. Can't think of much a kid can get into after 11:00 that won't lead to trouble. Thought the work and school exemptions fair.
Guns in church, Cheese Louise.
Guess out job is to do just what you are doing. Keep track and let our politicians know how we feel. Appreciate you doing my homework for me again.

Jay said...

And let's not forget that they passed a "Primary Seat Belt Law" so if a cop "believes" you aren't wearing a seat belt he can pull you over and once you are pulled over he can search your vehicle.

Previously you had to be pulled over for a moving violation and found to not be wearing a seat belt.

Dianne said...

The Daily Show had a series of clips recently of Congress debating a law regarding the transport of monkeys across state lines.

I am a big supporter of animal rights and protection so the law isn't the issue - it's that they duscussed it for hours and hours -

Anil P said...

The "no cellphone when driving" needs to be an universal no-no.

Like someone once said 'an empty mind is a devil's workshop' and so will legislations tumble out of the workshop.

I suppose this is common across the world, overzealous legislators!

Betty said...

Patti:I don't mind a curfew, but I don't like the government making it, when there's no emergency requiring one.

Jay: Oops! I forgot that one.

Dianne: That doesn't seem to warrant a big discussion, does it?

Anil: Welcome to my blog. Thanks for commenting.

Mari Meehan said...

What is this? Idaho south? Lol!

Betty said...

Dogwalkmusings: Stupidity can break out anywhere.

Kay Dennison said...

Oh hell! We've had curfews for teens here for years. Do they work? Nope. Parental responsibilty left the building years ago.

I have a headset for my cell phone but I rarely use either (the headset or my cell) while driving. If I want to talk on the damn phone, I park the car.

I'm not even going to comment on the mother thing -- you said it well enough.

Mark Twain said: "No man's life, liberty or property is safe when the legislature is in session." Old Mark was a very wise man.