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The Useless Resolutions of a Full-Time Legislature
One of the most common critiques of full-time state legislatures is the sheer amount of seemingly useless resolutions – to pander to certain groups of voters – that take up legislative agendas. While interning for the House of Representatives, I saw this was very common from both parties on the national level, with special resolutions to designate everything from “National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month” to “National Day of the American Cowboy” brought to the floor for full vote.
Not only these designations a waste of time that could be used to tackle more pressing issues like our weakened economy or rising national debt but, on a more fundamental level, it is a waste of the tax dollars used to pay legislator salaries. Below is a list of resolutions passed in the Pennsylvania House from November 10.
With declining tax revenues, a skyrocketing budget deficit and a whole host of other issues threatening the prosperity of the Commonwealth, is designating the last week in October “National Massage Therapy Awareness Week” really the best use of our tax dollars? And with a “full-time legislature” shouldn’t we at least get resolutions honoring things like the “National Day of Writing” passed before the day we are honoring?