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Lubricated legislators.


Byline: The Register-Guard

The allegation The assertion, claim, declaration, or statement of a party to an action, setting out what he or she expects to prove.

If the allegations in a plaintiff's complaint are insufficient to establish that the person's legal rights have been violated, the defendant can make a
 first surfaced in a guest viewpoint by Anne and Bruce Pratt, published in The Register-Guard last September. The Spring- field couple, who lost their son to a drunken drunk·en  
adj.
1. Delirious with or as if with strong drink; intoxicated.

2. Habitually drunk.

3. Of, involving, or occurring during intoxication: a drunken brawl.
 driver in 1998, lobbied the Legislature for tougher drunken driving laws. During the closing days of the 2005 session, they witnessed "LUII" - legislating leg·is·late  
v. leg·is·lat·ed, leg·is·lat·ing, leg·is·lates

v.intr.
To create or pass laws.

v.tr.
To create or bring about by or as if by legislation.
 under the influence of intoxicants.

"Alcohol is apparently still an acceptable political lubricant Lubricant

A gas, liquid, or solid used to prevent contact of parts in relative motion, and thereby reduce friction and wear. In many machines, cooling by the lubricant is equally important.
 in Salem. We and several others saw this while contacting legislators during the final day and evening sessions of the Legislature," the Pratts wrote.

"While we are neither prohibitionists nor members of the Temperance Temperance
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

organization founded to help alcoholics (1934). [Am. Culture: EB, I: 448]

amethyst

provides protection against drunkenness; February birthstone.
 League, we do believe the time to celebrate is when the work is done, not while deciding serious matters for the state of Oregon."

The Pratts are not alone in that belief. They told their story to the Public Commission on the Legislature, which voted unanimously Monday to recommend House and Senate rules against legislating while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. The commission, appointed by the House and Senate leaders, is working on recommendations to improve the Legislature's credibility and efficiency. Ensuring that lawmakers stay sober while on the job would serve both goals.

What's amazing a·maze  
v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es

v.tr.
1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise.

2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex.

v.intr.
 about the Pratts' story is that any legislator LEGISLATOR. One who makes laws.
     2. In order to make good laws, it is necessary to understand those which are in force; the legislator ought therefore, to be thoroughly imbued with a knowledge of the laws of his country, their advantages and defects; to
 would talk to anti-drunken driving activists while showing the effects of alcohol. That's dumber than wearing a fur coat to an animal rights rally. How would someone so stupid get elected?

But apparently some do. The Pratts would not identify drunken legislators, but said they encountered several. Sen. Avel Gordly, D-Portland, a member of the commission, agreed that "we have had members vote while drunk." Lobbyist Dave Barrows David Barrow is the mayor of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.

David Barrow was born and raised in Richmond Hill. He attended McConaghy Public School, Richmond Hill High School and Ryerson Polytechnical Institute prior to entering the family business and Richmond Hill
, who has worked in the Capitol since the 1950s, said drinking while conducting public business is less common than it used to be, but it still happens - particularly in the closing days of a session.

The commission left it up to the Legislature to decide what an anti-drinking rule should say. Apparently the rule of common sense, which ought to suffice, isn't enough. Attaching Breathalyzers to the voting equipment would be going to far.

How about this: Legislators under the influence of alcohol or other drugs shall not vote or conduct other public business, and the reason for their absence from legislative proceedings will be noted publicly.
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Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Article Details
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Title Annotation:Editorials; Drinking on the job appears to be a problem
Publication:The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
Article Type:Editorial
Date:May 26, 2006
Words:385
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