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Talking Politics

Stupid’s song

That's not the really stupid part. Some legislators don't think this plan will be sufficient to stem the loss of business. State Representative Diane Russell (D-Screwball City) and state Representative Mike Beaulieu (R-Dingbatburg) told the Sun Journal they want to beef up enforcement by hiring more liquor inspectors to catch bars, restaurants, and ordinary consumers trying to sneak alcohol back home.

To cover the salary, benefits, and expenses of just one such cocktail ranger (which would likely amount to at least $60,000 a year), he or she would have to intercept 2370 smuggled bottles of the Captain annually, which would then have to be resold at Maine stores to customers too ignorant to realize a better deal was to be had across the Piscataqua River.

• Representative Peter Johnson (R-Dimbulb Valley) doesn't seem to grasp the concept Republicans have been promoting with regard to campaign spending. The GOP is happy with recent US Supreme Court decisions that allow pretty much anybody to spend pretty much whatever they like on political races.

Johnson doesn't appear to have any problem with that concept, so long as it's limited to corporations and their ilk that usually back Republicans. But he's not pleased about allowing unions, especially ones representing public employees and teachers, to pour cash into political-action committees backing Democrats. So, he's introduced a bill to ban the Maine State Employees Association and the Maine Education Association from donating to candidates.

Considering Johnson has no similar qualms about other inhuman entities trying to buy votes, his proposal might seem a wee bit partisan.

But it's not.

It's just stupid.

If you need help understanding any of the big words I used, email me at aldiamon@herniahill.net.