Finally, pressure is mounting on California state
legislators to release their calendars and other office records, striking a
blow for public accountability and ushering in a new era of transpare…. Uh…. Uh…..
Zzzz … zzzz
Oops. I fell asleep.
Where was I? Oh, that’s right. Yes,
state legislators should release their calendars. And their office budgets. And
any other records that they produce on the job as public officials. The fact
that they don’t – and that Assembly Anthony Portantino is considered some sort
of rebel for releasing his own calendars – speaks volumes about the
legislature’s appalling lack of open… zzz… Sorry, did it again.
Earth to
the state legislature: your problem isn’t that no one likes you. The problem is
that no one cares who you are. Which is related to the problem you don’t have
all that much power. So when someone asks you for your records, don’t resist.
Pinch yourself and celebrate the
fresh evidence that you do, in fact, exist.
I may have
been dreaming, but I think Gore Vidal once said that you should never miss a
chance to have sex, appear on TV, or release your appointment calendars. If he
didn’t say that, he should have. Those sorts of requests are made only of
people who are important.
I’m not
sure California state legislators are important. They don’t make much policy.
They’re not around long enough to make much impact. What they mostly do is
serve as the janitors of California government, sweeping up the messes that the
broken state constitution (and voters) leave for them.
The calendars of my local sanitation officials should be
public documents too. That doesn’t mean anyone should waste much time reviewing
them. It’s hard to believe that much of anything might be learned about what
ails state government by a list of Anthony Portantino’s meetings, but it’s nice
that they’ll be available. I might take a glance through them, for the novelty.
Just as
soon as I finish my nap.