Drunk Legislating may have some looking for payday loans in Australia

You may think that some of America’s politicians have seen their last day in office and will be on the lookout for payday loans, but other countries have had problems with their leadership as well.  Some places do not have the high level of corruption that was demonstrated by Illinois Governor , or if state officials have their way, soon to be Former Governor Rod Blagojevich, and his subsequent lack of any humility whatsoever.  The sort of action where a criminal official believes himself above the law defies the bedrock fundamentals of democracy.  However, some legal infractions of other government’s agents and otherwise, are a little bit more cheeky.

Australia’s Parliament may soon have to submit to Breathalyzer tests

Yes, Virginia, you heard it.  The Australian Parliament is contemplating instilling a rule that would make it a requirement for all members of parliament to submit to a breathalyzer test before voting on any legislation, like on regulation of payday loans.  Various levels of Australian government have had alcohol related scandals over the years; there are some that are seeking an end to it, or at least prevention of anybody being allowed to drink and legislate.  Laws exist in the country that makes it mandatory for any and all crane operators to take a breathalyzer before they can begin work with the massive machines.   Public transport operators have also called for random drug screening of members of parliament, stating that since they have to put up with the intrusion for the sake of the public’s well being, it is decidedly just as important that the legislators of the country do as well.   This is all in the wake of a member of parliament who had to resign his post as a spokesperson for his particular party after he got drunk at a Christmas party, and apparently shoved a female colleague.  Granted, that may not make him Ted Kennedy, but it is still reprehensible enough.
Seems fair enough doesn’t it?  If you are a person whose vote could decide the fate of a country, or large groups of people and enormous sums of money, it would seem imprudent to imbibe in any alcohol or any other substances with intoxicating effects while you are at work.  In fact, not very many professions in the world allow a worker, at any level, to be intoxicated at work, even if inside the legal limits.  So far, Australian Parliamentarians seem to be somewhat receptive to the idea, though some believe that if it were to be so installed, it should be voluntary only, rather than mandatory.

Drinking while politicking isn’t unheard of, but it is still wrong

Now we’ve all heard of politicians that enjoy a tipple or two in their off time, and Winston Churchill was known to down copious amounts of brandy and smoke cigars until the wee hours of morning regularly (FDR was rumored to have to take several days to recover from his visits), but members of any government in the world should not be drunk at the wheel of their respective countries.  The rest of us shouldn’t be drunk at the wheel of our finances, and if we have a sudden gap we need to fill, we certainly shouldn’t try to medicate our sorrows away – we can get payday loans.