I am quite fond of former State Senator Chuck Poochigian. He’s a great guy — and a good conservative. Frankly, though, he should have turned down the offer when it was proposed to name a stretch of California highway in his name (read it here).
Frankly, it is troubling enough when we name public works for politicians who have passed on, let alone those that are with us. Frankly, every taxpayers whose money was used to fund that highway have just as much legitimate right to have their name it.
This kind of thing glorifies the role of the politician who successful spends other people’s money.
By no means is Poochigian the only living politician with something named "in their honor" — there are thousands of examples of this kind of glorification of elected officials (such as the Lewis Center for Educational Research named for the currently-serving Congressman, Jerry Lewis, who is infamous for his ability to secure pork barrel funds for projects ranging from the mundane to the outrageously egregious).
We need less of it, I say, because being a politician should be no more or less notable or honorable than any other profession — at least it shouldn’t be. If someone is thinking about naming a publicly owned highway or publicly supported institution the "Fleischman Center" or the "Fleischman Bridge" — let me just make it clear now — NO THANK YOU.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
I though “Flash drives” were already named after you.