As Gov. Sonny Perdue winds down his uninspiring eight years in office, it’s difficult to find anything that remotely resembles a legacy of his work. You know, things like a significant improvement in child welfare or the educational system. Oh, I forgot. We’re the fishing state. Right.

Now panicked that the fishing thing will define the oxymoron called “The Perdue Legacy, in the remaining few months of his administration (commonly referred to as the lame duck period), he decides to completely change the government structure? Awesome! He went from “Go Fish” to “Throw the voter in the lake." 

And it’s true. On Friday, Feb. 5, Perdue hatched a plan for a Constitutional amendment that would create a cabinet form of government. Under the proposal,  the heads of the state’s Agricultural, Insurance, Education, and Labor departments would be appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation. His new mantra: “We don’t need no stinkin’ elections!”

Mighty big structural and risky change late in the game — especially when you don’t know who the next governor will be.

In a statement issued by his office, Perdue said his proposal would result in better government for Georgians. “It will ensure that agency heads are focused on good policy, and not bogged down with the politics of running for re-election.”

Maybe. Or it could mean that more power to control government is placed in the hands of a few and taken out of the hands of voters. The agencies that would be appointed by the governor under this proposal have almost 6,000 employees and budgets of more than $7.5 billion. That doesn’t sound much like local control.

Jane Kidd, the Democratic Party Chairwoman, minced no words. “[Perdue’s] proposal goes against every democratic principal that our great nation was founded upon. I reject their argument entirely. It shows contempt for Georgia’s voters.”

Shoot. While we’re at it, let’s completely do away with those pesky elections altogether. Why not let the governor appoint all legislators? That way they could focus on good lawmaking and not on their elections, too. Isn't that what the Kremlin said in the USSR? Or was that Chairman Mao?

STRESSED OUT BY THE ECONOMY? NO MASSAGE FOR YOU!

The Republican-controlled state legislature could use help right now in the policy arena. A proposed law designed to help law enforcement officials stop suspected illegal activities at advertised massage parlors was introduced last week by State Sen. Cecil Staton (R-Macon).

“After research and consultation with local governments and law enforcement, I am pleased to bring a common-sense piece of legislation to my colleagues in the Senate,” said Staton. 

Common sense? Common sense in this economy would be to create MORE massage parlors — both for the revenue generation and the relaxation diversion needed by those who watched their 401(k)’s tank, lost their jobs or had their homes foreclosed.

What are we doing? Where are the ideas to balance the state budget or fix the credit crisis so we can get business moving and people back to work?

It’s like living inside a B-movie where some things are real and some things are make-believe. The Georgia GOP needs a good therapist to help it work out identity issues and regain its bearing.

No more loose-cannon ideas to create a new world order.