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I believe the measure of an elected official is how good a job he or she does at protecting your God-given natural rights to life, liberty and property. The problem is that we elect people when we, and they, have good intentions but we forget to keep watching what they do. Unfortunately most of them forget what their mission is and begin substituting their own judgment via the votes they cast to decide what’s best for us instead of just defending our rights.

Let’s take a look at one such example, Senator Jeff Mullis, and see how good a job he’s done.

Your life is not only the state of being alive, which the government should protect, but also that part of your life you exchange (on your job) for the money you earn and the property you legally acquire. How has Jeff Mullis protected this part of your life?

In 2009 Jeff Mullis voted for SB31 that gave Georgia Power the authority to go ahead and raise your electric power rates years in advance of when they will complete the nuclear power plants that are planned. He did this even though Georgia Power’s own comptroller admitted that most of the money raised from increases on ratepayers will go to shareholders and not necessarily to offset construction costs as promised. Other conservatives, like Rep Martin Scott voted NO. When you see your Georgia Power bill going up but not your usage you can thank Senator Mullis for making it possible.

From what I can tell, Jeff Mullis has never voted against budget proposed by his own party no matter how outrageous the spending increases were. For instance, he voted in favor of the state budget that included Sonny Perdue’s $19 Million “Go Fish” project to build boat ramps and promote fishing in Georgia. The project included a $14 million dollar “Go Fish Georgia Center,” featuring a fish hatchery, visitor’s center, and public fishing ponds about 12 miles from Mr. Perdue’s hometown of Bonaire, GA. The project was rolled out in the midst of the worst drought Georgia had seen in 100 years. While there was so little water in most lakes and reservoirs that people were having decide whether they should “go flush” Senator Mullis thought it wise to support spending $19 Million encouraging people to “go fish” right next to the Governor’s home town. Does this smell “fishy” to anyone but me?

This year Senator Mullis voted in favor of a “bed tax” that you will encounter the next time you settle up your bill after a hospital stay. He also voted for HR 1055 this year which “updated” fees for a variety of state mandated licenses and permits that you will also eventually encounter. He did this even though many more fiscally conservative Republicans, like Rep. Martin Scott, voted against the measures. Some of the fee increases, like copies of superior court transcripts for example, went from $1.50 per page up to $10 per page. If you need copies of transcripts in some courts you might want to go take out a bank loan. Thank you Senator Mullis.

Last but certainly not least under the category of how much of your life can politicians steal, is Senator Mullis’ support for the notion of running a Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) high speed rail line from the Atlanta airport to the Chattanooga airport. Senator Mullis has been such a vocal proponent of the project that I have nicknamed him “Maglev Mullis” since he is the number one promoter of this idea in Georgia although it has several major flaws in my opinion.

(1) Building passenger rail service is not permitted anywhere in the Constitution. Of course that hasn’t stopped the federal government from doing it in other places. Just another of the many other ways the federal government violates the law of the land.

(2) There is not one passenger rail system anywhere in the US that makes enough money not to require a never ending taxpayer subsidy from the state or federal government to stay in business. AmTrak, the federally subsidized rail system, has lost money for decades and on some routes looses as much as $200 on every ticket it sells. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, MARTA, in business since the 70’s, has never had one profitable year since its rail line began in the 80’s. But, I’m sure this project with people like Senator Mullis behind it one will be different and not require an additional burden on the taxpayers.

And finally (3) speaking of tax burdens, where is senator Mullis going to get the money to build a multi-billion dollar unconstitutional, unprofitable rail line? You think that maybe he hasn’t heard that the United States is on the verge of financial collapse and our national debt is the highest it’s been since WWII. You know where he wants to get it? From your grandchildren of course provided the country can survive what many, if not most, economists believe is the inevitable collapse of our economy. Where else do you get money that we don’t have to build something like this? Unless Senator Mullis has captured a leprechaun and forced him to give up his pot of gold it will be printed by the government causing hyperinflation or your grandchildren will be paying for the senator’s signature legislation.

How enthusiastic is Senator “Maglev” Mullis about this plan? He is enthusiastic enough, as an elected Republican official, to praise President Barack Obama’s planned stimulus shortly after the 2008 election. The following is a paragraph from an article in the Political Insider column of the Atlanta Journal,
“At a legislative orientation session in Athens, Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) praised Obama for his announcement that he wants to invest in the nation’s infrastructure. According to my AJC colleague James Salzer, Mullis compared Obama’s plans to President Eisenhower’s investment in the interstate system during the 1950s. “I am proud to see someone step up to the plate,” Mullis told lawmakers and lobbyists attending the session.” He’s even been quoted as saying that completion of the rail line would be in the next round of stimulus funding.

Can we continue to afford someone as economically and financially naïve to represent us in Atlanta? How much more of your grandchildren’s future will you allow him to squander?

Next week, how good a job has Jeff Mullis done on protecting your liberty and property.

Great Article

Ben has always had a way with words. Me, I just say it looks to me as if Mr. Mullis has gotten himself in a mudhole of "Stupid" and wallared in it... Not sure about the correct spelling of the word "wallared" either but you get the point.

Well looks like a pig, Grunts like a pig, walks like a pig... Must be Pork somewhere in the making........

Maglev has two opponents. I've already voted for one of them.

Oh what fun it has been on another Blog site called the Peach Pundit. Funny the District Chariman thought I was Ramblin or Wreck was I. He was scatching his watch and winding his butt.