Governor Jackass Protects Those Abusing the Elderly.

Governor Haley Barbour (R, MS) has just vetoed a bill funding the Attorney General's division on Elderly Abuse. This division, which I worked in for a short time, is the state's ONLY investigative and prosecutorial arm dedicated to protecting the state's elderly from attack, neglect, and sexual abuse. The division handled 900 claims last year. His explanation?

"Establishing a new program within another agency of state government would be confusing to the general public and would cause unnecessary new administrative costs."

Well, the only one confused is Barbour. It isn't a new agency at all. it has been around for years. There is a cost for protecting our elderly and you can see above, Haley Barbour has no interest in paying it.