Meet David Ralston, the speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives.

He is a lawyer who represents District 7, which includes Dawson, Fannin and Gilmer counties.

As the speaker of the house, Mr. Ralston has the opportunity to help bring some respect to the fine art of being a politician. He chooses to follow many politicians’ habit of keeping one hand in his pocket as he praises the Lord with the other when speaking with you.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been doing a series on efforts to set stricter ethic rules on elected representatives, but, according to their stories, Ralston is not being very cooperative on the issue of setting limits on the free trips, dinners and sports tickets he often receives.

In answering his critics, who want $100 limits on the gifts elected officials can accept, he has reportedly said imposing a cap will simply drive lobbyist spending underground.

Excuse us, Mr. Ralston, for thinking that you were in charge here. If you set the example, we’re sure your charges would not defy your wishes Mr. Ralston should gladly push for and accept changes to reforms that would stop this unreported lobbying in its tracks.

We don’t expect our leaders to be pure; they never have been since the beginning of time. However, we do have a right to expect them to be honest. By his actions and by his leadership of the Georgia General Assembly, Mr. Ralston has shown that he has nothing but scorn for the citizens of Georgia.

We call on our own representatives, and other across the state, to stand up to this mockery of true leadership and to have the courage to pass a law that proves the word “ethics” maintains at least some shred of respect in the state of Georgia.