I don't intend to start a political party debate. This illustrates how politicians on either side can come up with interesting situations when perhaps the time could be better spent. To be clear, I don't agree with the forced cheery greeting idea, either.

"Proposed bill would ban cheery SC greeting mandate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Two South Carolina legislators say state employees shouldn't have to answer the phone with Gov. Nikki Haley's mandated cheery greeting unless it's truly a great day in South Carolina.

Democratic state Reps. John Richard King and Wendell Gilliard have filed legislation saying no state agency can force its employees to answer the phone with, "It's a great day in South Carolina," as long as state unemployment is 5 percent or higher. Their bill also would prohibit requiring the greeting as long as all South Carolinians don't have health insurance.

At a September meeting, Haley ordered her Cabinet agencies to embrace the greeting, saying it could help change the mood of state government. A Haley spokesman says the Republican governor stands by the greeting."

If I was a state employee who received that memo about mandatory use of the cheery greeting, I'd be crankier than ever.

If you are a taxpayer calling about that erroneous delinquent state tax notice you received, or are worried about unemployment benefits, this kind of greeting is not going to enhance your day.

I wonder if all the recorded greetings also have to start out with the cheery greeting, or only when it's a live employee picking up the phone.

And what happens when there is a big fiery Amtrak crash in that state and a bunch of people die? That would probably be considered a bad day in South Carolina, so are they going to change their greeting?

This reminds me of that time the city of Flint, Michigan decided having its colors 'done' and putting up banners on the street lights in those colors would turn the sagging economy around.