As this current legislative session grinds to its
conclusion, 46 lawmakers are packing their bags never to
return...unless of course they come back as a lobbyist or land a job
with the Granholm administration.
As each one has delivered a good-bye speech one is struck
that we are losing lawmakers but not losing any true characters.
Characters are those folks in the legislative ranks who stand out
from the rest for a variety of reasons.
One recalls at this time of the year former Rep. Barney
Hasper from the West Side of the state. During one of the late night
sessions after everyone had had a drink or two for din-din, ole
Barney would show up in a Santa Claus outfit complete with white
beard and a host of Ho, Ho, Ho's.
Or there was former St. Clair Rep. John Maynard who made
history one night by standing up...as best he could after his liquid
dinner, and repeatedly asked the question, "Why?" He wanted to know
why lawmakers were doing whatever they were doing and after the 10th
why, it got very comical.
And who can forget Joe Mack roaming the legislative halls.
Joe from the U.P. had a wicked tongue and often lashed the DNR for
invading God's country up there with all their "useless" regulations
to protect the environment. Second on his hit list were bikers.
Mack coined the phrase, "They could up here for the weekend with five
bucks and a pair of underwear and they change neither."
And the list goes on and on including Senator Gil Dinello
who made a career out of beating up on Detroit or Senator Jack Faxon
who imposed his non-smoking passion on everyone even before it was
fashionable and Sen. Jackie Vaungh who fell asleep so many times on
the senate floor, he could have been a supreme court justice.
But those days are long gone because nobody stays around here
long enough to develop a unique persona. Darn those term limits.