Now here’s the thing, I don’t throw my two cents into the political arena often. There are plenty of pundits, self-proclaimed pundits and talking heads circulating the state’s media to fill that void.
However, this seems to have slipped through the cracks.
Keep in mind that the state legislators are under gargantuan amounts of pressure to come up with ways to fill the state’s bone-dry coffers and fix what is estimated by politicos to be a $541 million shortfall in the budget.
One would think that would be first and foremost on the to-do list. Not for one legislator. Sen. Mark Slade Blackwell (R- Talladega, Shelby and Jefferson counties) found the time to write and submit a bill (Senate Bill 152 for those keeping score at home) decreeing that Garamond should be the official font used for internal documents.
“Under existing law, each department agency, institution, or entity of the state which performs printing internally are not required to use the Garamond font for all printing performed internally. This bill would require each department, agency or institution, or entity of the state to use the Garamond font if practicable for all internal printing.”
I never knew the Garamond font had it’s own lobby. And what of the Comic Sans people? Is it not fair that they will no longer be represented on those “Wacky Wednesday” memos?
This.
This act right here is the perfect example of government inaction. Multiple bills that fall by the wayside could go toward improving the state. But this one, which as of Thursday afternoon is pending committee action in the second house, will probably make its way to the floor and be part of a vote.
It’s things like this that make the State of Alabama a regular feature on The Daily Show or Last Week Tonight or @Midnight.
This is a great state and I’m proud to be from here, but really a state law naming Garamond the official font on in-house communications?
Will Rogers, the vaudeville cowboy of yesteryear, once said: “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”
I agree and don’t get me wrong I think that our legislature has taken some positive strides. They were considering legalizing the use of medical marijuana and are sponsoring bills that could bring a lottery and gaming to the state creating money and jobs.
But this. This just has me shaking my head.
This is why we can’t have nice things in this state.
It’s that simple.