Animal Husbandry & Your Elected Officials

It always amazes me to discover just what level of incompetence we Americans manage to reach in our public officials. Perhaps it shouldn't amaze, but it does. As technologically advanced a nation as we are, our electorate can still put into public office people whose mental capacities are on a level with a door knob. And we then expect these same nitwits to make laws regarding matters of scientific importance, not to mention simple matters of social behavior.

From the St. Petersburg Times, comes this gem, reported by Adam C. Smith:

Loser of the week
Larcenia Bullard. The Democratic state senator from Miami has a penchant for eye-rolling statements, but she outdid herself when discussion about the bestiality bill included mention of animal husbandry. "People are taking these animals as their husbands? … So that maybe was the reason the lady was so upset about that monkey?" Bullard asked, referring to a Connecticut woman mauled by a pet chimpanzee. Doh!

Miami has had its share of oddballs elected to office. The knack of Miami politicians, and police, to receive Federal Indictments is sometimes staggering, though it has never reached the stratospheric heights of Chicago. We all remember the murder, and drug charges filed against Miami police, don't we? Still, Miami has never quite managed to pull off the kind of shining moment of idiocy that State Senator Bullard managed.

Fact is, she even found herself on Keith Olbermann's plate for dissection. Just how silly does a Democrat have to be to get pilloried by the High Priest Of Democrat Worship?

In case you think that maybe Ms. Bullard is simply poorly educated, I might add that she is a college graduate. Her Florida Senate Bio includes: Nova University, M.S., 1991, Antioch University, B.A., 1973, not to mention an A.A. at Temple University in '71. That could mean anything, I admit, but then you have to wonder how she could graduate without any inkling of what 'animal husbandry' is. Did I mention that she's been a teacher, too?

Yep, a teacher and a school administrator, not to mention an educational consultant, and a "community activist"! Wow! All that education and she still has no clue what is meant by animal husbandry? That doesn't speak well of our teachers, now does it? And this is a State that is heavily agricultural, and was once one of the largest cattle producers in the nation. Indeed, Bullard is Vice Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Oy!

Now, to give credit, Bullard is not always lost, though she does have an odd idea of just what is important to the electorate in times of economic turmoil - brought to you by her own Democratic Party. From Michael Peltier: And now for the important stuff on March 1st of this year, we discover:

As lawmakers prepare to return for what is expected to be a budget crunching (or is that crushing) session, let's not forget that lawmakers also have other important work to do.
[...]
Why not, for example, spread a little credit where it's due. Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, has offered a pair of resolutions to honor our progenitors. SB 296 and SB 298 call on the Florida Senate to formally honor mothers and fathers around the state.

"The highest ideals and noblest principles of humanity find their most exemplary expression in the sacrifice and devotion of mothers, and no sincere human being can deny the importance of a mother in the life of a child," Bullard says of Florida moms.

Bullard also sends kudos to Florida dads. "American tradition of a productive society and a secure home has depended in great part on the hard work and sacrifice of fathers who tirelessly seek for their children a better life and greater opportunity than they themselves have known." Bullard's bill proclaims.

Wow! Who knew?

And Ms. Bullard gets re-elected, time and again. First the State House, then the State Senate.

By all accounts, Larcenia Bullard is a nice woman, full of pleasant ideas - who else would have pushed so hard to get Key Lime Pie designated Florida's State Pie? - and good intentions. But is that enough for elective office? Aren't we seeing just how dangerous it is for good-intentioned, uninformed or clueless people to be elected to office? And aren't we seeing the very apex of that dangerous action with the elevation of the inexperienced, good-intentioned, Community Activist, Barry "O"?

And just in case you think I'm being rather mean, let's not forget that the Bullard's have made Florida elective office their family business. Senator Bullard's son Dwight M. Bullard was elected to the State House in 2008. Her husband - not to be confused with animal husbandry - Edward B. "Ed" Bullard, served in the State House from 2000 to 2008. Young Dwight has taken the seat his father left due to term limits. Nice, huh?

How much longer can we afford all these terribly nice, utterly incompetent people?