Three State Legislators declare that there is no higher honor than being an elected official. Really.

Insert eye roll here. Because three House members have banded together to declare themselves the holiest of holies, and introduce a resolution declaring that “there is no higher honor than that which comes from raising one’s right hand and solemnly swearing to faithfully discharge the duties of the office to which one has been elected.

Pardon me, but what a crock of shit.

I do a lot of work with people running for office, and find most of them to be really good people. Just top shelf, because they’re in it to be public servants. Not because they feel that by their selection at the ballot box, they have been anointed by the lord. That’s why the language in this measure is really kind of offensive.

I think a number of us would place members of the military and other public servants such as law enforcement higher on the pecking order over those serving in elected office. And I think a lot of elected officials would agree. Not that legislators are bad people by any means, but when you’re passing a resolution to declare yourself to be more awesome than health care providers who are exposing themselves to a pandemic that’s actually killing people, it falls a little flat.

Representatives Tom Pischke, Aaron Aylward, and Phil Jensen have put their names to a measure where there’s a lot of self-glorification going on. And they should withdraw this self-serving tripe before they embarrass themselves any further.

Of course, the measure doesn’t end at naked egotism and self-conceit as they honor themselves. It also engages in holier-than-thou declarations “that all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate strive to ensure that their conduct and their attention to the people’s business always brings credit to the legislative institution.”

That sounds like a phrase that someone is going to throw back at them later. Did Phil Jensen show his good conduct as an example before or after his declarations about people’s race and the shape of their skulls?  And there are some who think that Tom Pischke’s time in the legislature was less about the people’s business as opposed to less noble pursuits as well.

Ugh. This legislative session is challenging enough without some of the people we’ve sent to Pierre passing resolutions to massage their own egos.

12 thoughts on “Three State Legislators declare that there is no higher honor than being an elected official. Really.”

  1. Unfortunately in real life those three are pretty much nonentities. After they are finished in the legislature they will return to nonentity status.

    1. Are they endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights to life and liberty?

      I’ve only met one of these men, but he’s a great guy, and America can’t survive if we dismiss other people as nonentities.

  2. Plenty of politicians who think they are the only ones that can do the job. No wonder politicians are rated low on the respect scale.

    Flip flop from house to senate and back to house and back to senate.

    1. Aylward is young and brand new and should be granted clemency for the poor judgment in agreeing to sign on to this. Everyone makes early mistakes.

  3. At one time, many years ago, politicians were generally viewed by the population to be on a par with gamblers and highwaymen. Has our sight become cloudy?

  4. This causes divide in any profession as it comes off as being superior and preaching. It turns people off!!

  5. Really? I’m going to call BS on this Resolution.

    Honor, hero and a few others, we like to toss these words around to describe someone or their actions without thinking. In the process the meaning of the word gets watered down and someone who we once thought of as a hero gets put in the same company of criminals ( non-heroes)

    Part of this I blame on the media. Much is made of Klingon Honor in the fictional Star Trek Universe. But not understanding what honor really is, they have damaged the idea of honor forever.

    Yes, it is an honor to serve your fellow citizen. I can think of a few other honors that are bit greater

    for example:

    To serve as an honor guard for a fallen comrade. To represent the Nation, the Service and their Unit before their family.

    To be seated at, or near the head of the table at family gatherings. To be seated in the place of honor

    To serve as guardian of a precious family heirloom.

    True honor is earned, through selfless sacrifice, without any expectation of any reward.

    If these legislators really want to earn some honor, they need to be legislators year round, by attending every county commission, city council, school board and other board meeting within their district.

  6. The Messrs. Pisckhe and Jensen are insaner than most. Mad dad deadbeats and crazy people should not be allowed to even be in the legislatures. Pay your bills.

  7. When I read this I almost vomited. Self-glorification aside, I would bet that none of these bozos have served their country in the armed forces. That said, lets save this for our military and not those elected to public office. These three dumb-asses should have at least half a brain to realize there are more important things to work on during the short time the legislature is in session. As noted by an earlier commenter, Aylward should get a pass this one time, since he’s new. But Phil Jensen and Tom Pischke, no way. This reeks of udder (yes, I’m using the cow term here) stupidity. I just wish the good voters of District 33 (Jensen) and 25 (Pischke) would come to their senses. I just don’t get it.

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