Ken Paulson: Legislators: Think of liberties first, then draft bills

  When I was a young reporter covering the Florida Legislature in 1980, I was amazed at the number of proposed bills that would be unlikely to pass constitutional muster. They were so obviously flawed that, if passed, they would quickly be struck down.

  I wrote a story about the process, quoting legislators who supported bills built on shaky ground. I can still recall their collective response: They didn’t care.

  As I learned then, legislators at all levels work to serve the public and to get re-elected, in varying proportions. Lawmakers who introduce bills that please their constituents may not be overly concerned whether a judge will be as pleased somewhere down the road.