There are very few times in a journalist’s life when he or she can write seriously about “bumper nutz.” This is one such time.

On April 17, our esteemed representatives in the Florida Senate banded together to rid our streets of a dubious menace — plastic reproductions of bull testicles hanging from rednecks’ cars.

In a state rocked by budget cuts, home foreclosures, a rising crime rate, deteriorating education and insurance woes, the Florida Legislature has found time to debate the merits of, ahem, “truckticles.”

Are we really surprised that Florida has its own category on Fark.com?

Unfortunately, the bumper nutz bill is only one such example of a state legislature blinded by partisan politics and lawmakers’ focus on trivial issues almost in spite of our larger problems. From a ban on cell phones to laws against baggy pants, lawmakers are wasting time and money — our money — debating essentially non-issues. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were smoking salvia. But alas, they’re trying to ban that, too.

In this week's cover story, Wayne Garcia and I tackle the state legislature. Garcia pens a satirical GOP memo while I report on the 10 most inane bills introduced this session.

Check those out here and here.

Then head on over to the PoHo blog for updates on the bills mentioned in the story.

This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2008.