Am I the only one amazed by this? Sen. John Nutting has introduced legislation that would prohibit hospitals from buying advertising with money they have earned. Among other things, Nutting says, “Statewide, if you add all the advertising by all the hospitals, it would be a phenomenal amount of money that’s being spent.”

So what is wrong with this statement and Nutting’s proposal?

It tells me that Nutting thinks this a big problem. So big that he needs to make a new law. But, he has not taken the time to find out how much this “phenomenal amount of money” really is. It seems like this basic research would come before deciding to propose a new law.

Who needs facts when you can write laws?

He is telling organizations that have provided services that the money they earn from these services cannot be used as they see fit. Whatever he or I think about hospitals’ advertising, neither of us knows enough about the subject to make a reasoned decision about the wisdom and efficacy of the practice.

Nutting says he had “gotten a number of e-mails from people about how far behind the state is in payments, and how hospitals aren’t doing well.” His response? Rather than try to solve this problem, he decided that he would search for some fault with hospitals.

Nutting should realize these hospitals care for the sick and employ thousands of Mainers. They deserve payments they have earned, not politically motivated nitpicking.

John Berry, Lewiston