Most Recently Added Dumb Laws

Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Frank Melton said:

"I certainly respect the Constitution, but we have some issues that are much bigger than the Constitution."

Whoa. Bold statement. What exactly is bigger than the Constitution? According to Melton, it's this.

HT: Radley Balko

Over 400 bills were proposed by congressional members on the first day of business yesterday. Jim Harper offers up some of his "favorites". Here are ones that stuck out in my mind:

Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), an obvious Obama fan, is proposing (H.J.Res. 5) "an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) is proposing a bill (HR 14), "To provide for ocean acidification research and monitoring, and for other purposes." I love the opaqueness of the often used tag line: "for other purposes."

Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) is proposing a bill (HR 73), "To provide for the collection of data on traffic stops."

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is proposing (S. 38) "A bill to establish a United States Boxing Commission to administer the Act, and for other purposes." This chestnut is an long time favorite for McCain. The sport of boxing apparently is so out of control that it needs to be reigned in by the federal government.

Who were the most prolific bill writers? In the House:

Elton Gallegly (R-CA): 19 bills
Jose Serrano (D-NY): 16 bills
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX): 15 bills

In the Senate:

David Vitter (R-LA): 34 bills
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): 24 bills
Dan Inouye (D-HI): 23 bills

Now, not all proposals are big government spending plans. Rep. John Linder (R-GA) has re-introduced his favorite bill (HR 25) - to abolish the IRS and implement the Fair Tax. And Rep. John Campbell (R-CA) offered up a couple of gems. He wants to abolish the Appropriations Committee (H.Res. 17) and he wants to allow people who want higher taxes to be able to voluntarily send the federal government some of their extra money on their tax returns (HR 87).

Politicians in Australia may have to take a breathalyzer test before voting on legislation after a few recent drunken incidences have embarrassed the government.

Quote from Reuters:

"Honestly, if you are going to have breathalyzers for people driving cranes you should have breathalyzers for people writing laws," [Green MP John] Kaye said.