Georgia, Matlock & Guam

First off as a disclaimer, I think America’s 13th original colony, Georgia is 'peachy'. In fact I love almost anything to do with Georgia. My daughter and I spent many a happy afternoon truly in awe of Atlanta’s most famous (and fictional) defense attorney, Ben Matlock. His legal machinations and folksy subdued intelligence could win over any jury in the name of true justice. However, I am really curious about this other REAL Georgian attorney turned Congressman, Hank Johnson, and the comments he made recently.

The Congressman, leaned forward from his big imposing, black leather chair and queried United States Admiral Robert Willard on the repercussions of adding some 8000 military service people and another 17,000 or so family members to the American territory Guam, in the Western Pacific ocean. Apparently Representative Johnson was primarily concerned that an ISLAND that is 4 -11 miles wide and roughly 34 miles in length, might be sufficiently destabilized by the introduction of these additional people. Now I’m not talking just about ecosystems, infrastructure, April Fools day, or anything approaching SANITY like that. The Congressman actually was seriously concerned that the island may “tip over” on its side?

WHAT? I cannot believe Admiral Willard, the former Pacific Fleet commander and TOPGUN F-14 pilot, had the composure to even bother forming an answer to this moronic question. Talk about the discipline of the American military – how the Admiral avoided rolling his eyes like a disgusted teenager, I’ll never know. Is the U.S. Taxpayer really forking out the salary of Admiral Willard to suffer this indignity? The substance of the Congressman’s question could have just as easily been posed from a talking ‘helium balloon (at a far less costly taxpayer salary).

Honestly, I can accept a one term ‘slip through the cracks’ Congressperson. Georgian’s might drink a little too much Peach Schnapps; everybody gets caught up in the moment and stops thinking. Then one thing leads to another and voila – another vacuous attorney, turned Congressional politician is born, unwanted and unloved. I get it, bad things happen to good people, but Representative Johnson was RE-ELECTED for a second term – so in this case bad things happen to uninformed, apathetic and ‘incumbent-loving’ voters.

So take a look at this link and judge for yourself if you think I am being too harsh on the Congressman. All I know is the next time I’m buzzing through Atlanta, if I get into trouble, I’m not calling Matlock. Nope, I’m looking up Hank Johnson to represent me. That guy can pull the wool over anyone’s eyes or he's just incredibly lucky - either way, I am sure to be a winner! Too bad I cannot say the same for the great State of Georgia and the U.S. taxpayer.