Senator Introduces Cuss Money Bill

Senator Could Flush or Crush State with Cuss Money

We all know the terms Maybank's Money, Lottery Money and Poker Money. Now we have Robert Ford's "Cuss Money". If Senator Ford has his way, South Carolina may be the richest state in the union. The flip side is that everyone will be completely broke.

Senator Robert Ford (D-Charleston) filed a bill that would make it illegal to use profanity in the Palmetto State. The bill calls for anyone that swears, orally or in writing, to spend up to five years in jail or pay a fine of $5,000. FIVE GRAND! Wow...

I'm all for creativity and don't usually criticize anyone's ideas, but this one is unrealistic and down right not good.

Which words are exactly considered profane is still unclear in Ford's bill, but it does have a list of qualifications for profanity including words or actions that are lewd, vulgar, or indecent in nature.

Many of you will be quick to cite an American's First Amendment right to freedom of speech. While freedom of speech is a right, it is not absolute. The First Amendment doesn't give us the right to say anything we want, anytime we want. Remember the Social Studies teacher that taught us that we can't yell "FIRE" in a full movie theater? Well... there ya go.

I'm all for a more perfect South Carolina, but this may be the most naive attempt at it that I can think of. Maybe it's a publicity stunt. Who knows....

Perhaps Senator Ford is trying to put 1000 Sandlappers in every single South Carolina jail cell, or perhaps he's trying to fix the state's economy by charging $5,000 per cuss word. Whatever he's doing, the bill is ridOnculous and I hope it doesn't require much time in committee or on the floor.

P.S. I know this isn't breaking news or anything, as the bill was all over the internet a few days ago. It just made me shake my head so many times that I thought it deserved a mention.

P.S.S. Senator Ford is pondering a run for Governor in 2010.