Opinion Talk

By Bill

March 10, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

The boundary has been what it is since 1818. It only seems to matter to Georgia and it’s politicians now in 2008. Give it a rest Sonny. You should have adressed the water situation at least 2 years ago. And all previous administrations should have done the same thing way before that. Thousands of people have been moving to the Atlanta region for years…and now everyone is concerned all of a sudden about the water supply. “Duh!” to our politicians here in Georgia.

BC Atlanta, Ga.

By taxpayer

March 10, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

The only winners will be the lawyers. Taxpayers in both states will be the losers. What will our wonderful Ga. reps slash from the budget next to pay for a case they have a good chance of losing?

By Ron Spears

March 10, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

Pilfering Tennessee’s water will only delay the inevitable. Sonny should be ashamed! The water shortage is nothing more than the logical consequence of poor planning. And that poor planning is a direct result of the unbridled greed of the developers to whom he has sold his soul. Praying to God for deliverance after years of worshiping mammon is the epitome of hypocrisy. Gos help us!

By AH

March 10, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

When you see an error you fix it. It doesn’t matter if that error was made 2 years ado or 190 years ago. I read that others had addressed this and even the people living in the area up there knew that the boundary was incorrect for many years so it’s not like this just came out of the blue.

By OneForTheRoad

March 10, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

What a joke — an absolute waste of time and resources. And yet, what else would we expect from our Incumbent Georgia Republicans — the laughing stock of the nation. Let’s pray for rain, let’s move the border, let’s fight with Alabama and Florida, let’s behave like a bunch of spoiled little brats — just older brats now. Let’s give all our elected officials a shovel and let them start digging a trench from the current north Georgia border down to Queen City Lake in La Fayette. From there it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump on down to the Hooch. At least when they’ve finished, they can truly say that they accomplished something. What’s more, the taxpayers can truly say that they got their money’s worth out of an elected official.

By Copyleft

March 10, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

Suggesting we steal Tennessee’s water is like suggesting we rob a convenience store to buy more crack.

Poor planning is what got us here—using a boundary loophole to prolong the problem, rather than address it, is not the answer.

By Sparkie

March 10, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

No, we should not go after Tennessee water. We should go after Perdue and impeach him. No foresight. No real sense of responsibility. I believe the Democrat governor who preceded him proposed some reservoirs and one was quite far along in the planning stage. The current administration scrapped the idea. My guess is this latest grasping for straws effort to get Tennessee water will be thrown out in the lower courts. It won’t make it to the Supreme Court. Unless there are enough corrupt Bubbas to make it happen, somehow. Using taxpayer funds to fight the battle. The total lack of conservation here truly sickens me.

By Hugo

March 10, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

Georgia cannot after close to 200 years claim land because of a faulty survey. Using Georgia’s logic black families that were run out of Forsyth County in the 1940’s have a legitimate right to land that was never bought from them. Everyone knows this will never happen. This whole thing is a joke and shouldn’t be entertained by anyone. The state needs to manage its resources better. The fault lies with the state of Georgia and not Tennessee or some faulty survey.

By WhyNotClaimWhatIsOurs

March 10, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

The line was drawn incorrectly and both states agree to this fact. The fact that a reason for correcting the error has only recently become apparent has no bearing on the fact that the location is incorrect.

What valid reasons, besides the cost, are there for not pursuing the case? In a state with a multi-billion dollar budget, what is a few million in legal fees? How much would it cost to build additional reservoirs?

It seems ridiculous not to pursue the case. At a minimum, it may spur negotiations and a bargain can be reached.

By Dennis

March 10, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

The place to go for Tennessee River water is to the State of Alabama. Guntersville Lake is just down stream from Chattanooga.

The ACT and ACF basins in Alabama both need the water that is normally stored in Allatoona and Lanier.

Borrow water from the Tennessee River in Alabama, keep both lakes near full, and return the water to Alabama via the Coosa and Chattahoochee Rivers.

By Curt

March 10, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

Georgia Lamakers scoff apologizing to slaves because it was so long ago. Georgia lawmakers won’t even consider compensating native americans who were driven west in the trail of tears because it was too long ago. NOW, the want to reclaim part of Tennessee to get water.

They need to start getting new lakes made TODAY. They need to increase taxes on new developments TODAY to slow growth. They need to THINK TODAY and solve the problems that will only get worse tommorrow.

We should never have to talk about Georgia Prosperity and say, “That was so long ago.”

-White Native Atlantan

By Embarrassed

March 10, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this

GA has no standing - the state hasn’t once, in 200 years, tried to rectify this ‘incorrect’ state line, never considered putting the correct line on official maps and wasn’t concerned with talking with TN before this drought. It’s a boondoggle and an obvious ploy to get TN to negotiate water rights. I don’t think GA deserves additional TN water rights and hope the US SCt. throws the case out. Sadly, both GA and TN taxpayers will pay for the foolishness of GA politicians - who are so lacking in intellect and imagination that this is the best they can come up with. Embarrassing.

By robo

March 10, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

“Attorney William Bradley Carver, working with Northwest Georgia elected officials and others, argues that Georgia has a good legal case for moving the border with Tennessee”

Of course a freakin lawyer wants this to proceed. Think of the bogus attorney fees the shysters will make off both state’s taxpayers before it’s over.

By Not Embarrassed One Bit

March 10, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this

Embarrassed? TN should be embarrassed for having drunk surveyors draw something as “insignificant” as a state line. Georgia sacrificed land to create other states and gets boondoggled (to use one of your terms) out of a water source. This isn’t the first time we’ve asked for it back but it will be the last when we get it. We deserve it! GO GET IT BOYS!!!!

By George

March 10, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

The whole FL license plate issue is a joke. The TN border issue is a joke. We look like a state of Red Necks.

By The Cowboy

March 10, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

They can keep the land because it’s not fair to those who live in “Tennessee” to all of a sudden be bridled with poor political figures who run this state. They keep the land in exchange for diverting the water to Georgia. Sounds fair to me, otherwise I say we take up an armed conflict and invade our neighboring state!

By MP

March 10, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Not embarrassed…..I hate to break it to you but the drunk surveyor was from Georgia. UGA I think.

By Ron

March 10, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

By Brian

March 10, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

Embarrassed, the State of Georgia has tried to get the line with Tennessee rectified on multiple occasions. Check your facts before you make an idiot of yourself.

By Melissa

March 10, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

The drought problems are caused by poor planning on behalf of all of the states that are using the water. We all need to conserve water no matter what month it is. We also need to stop playing the blame game and move forward. All i hear about it Georgia, Alabama and Florida being in court for years and years over this. When will it be time for them to make a decision and move forward. This is what we have to deal with now, lets move on and help ourselves out for what we need in this day and age. If we could do that then things would be better. We all live in America, home of the free that’s why we can have opinions.

By Just a thought

March 10, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

I beleive the supreme Court has ruled on other state boundry issues against the state trying to get corrected. If it has not been brought up between the states to the high court level, the line will stand. this is a waste of taxpayer money and govt. officials time. Leave it alone. this country laughs at us enough with our education standards, our flag issue (rebel) and now the water issue. As far as the tags, get a life! Let whomever wants their college on our tag have it - we get $25.00 per tag - you guys are such fools!

By NO NO NO

March 10, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this

So sad. We have transportation funding issues, horrid tax reform proposals, water crises, general economic fears, mortgage/housing dilemmas.

What do they focus on? Useless border discussions and trying to force other states to put Bulldogs on license tags. By the way - who is the moron who decided it was a good idea to FORBID a revenue stream for Georgia until Alabama, South Carolina and Florida created revenue streams of their own?? “We REFUSE to accept $25 extra from Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, FSU, Auburn and Alabama alums until they start charging UGA alums extra money in those state.” Makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever.

By ahhh

March 10, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

Dennis your idea makes too much sense for any politician to be able to wrap their minds around. Have you considered running for office?

Georgia is no better or worse than any other state in America. CA is the land of fruits and nuts, FL is the blue-haired state, VT is the state that wants to succeed, jokes are made regularly about many states and their unique to that area proclivities.

We do need to get our politicians off the dime and doing something constructive to solving this problem. Summer is just around the corner and the rain we’ve had isn’t going to last long when the temps heat up and so does the demand.

By Todd

March 10, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

No one is trying to get any border changed. Federal law says where the border is, and that is the 35th parallel. Just because we have no been using that because of an error means nothing. The border is the border and he U.S. Constitution states that no new state may be created out of an already existing state without the consent of the losing state. Georgia was first and had agreed with NC to have the border at the 35th.

TN is the loser here. And the sad thing here is that this is NOT new, like many are acting like. GA has been claiming this since the 19th century. Several committees have been formed, some even by NC.

By planetearth

March 10, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

More war means less people..

By dave

March 10, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

The clowns that run this state (that most of you voted for) are allowing watering again… all one has to do is plant a friggin’ $3 rose bush once a month for the whole spring/summer… there should have been a “TOTAL” watering ban put in place back in 2006 once the drought started, and it should stay in place util the drought is over. Besides that, GA should offer rebates to ALL that rip out their lawns and replace them with drought resistant native plantings, much, and rock gardens. Nothing wastes more water then watering a lawn… developement can and should not go forward until these important issues are addressed. I wonder what the clowns will do when people start turning on their faucets this summer and the only thing that comes out….is AIR! Too late my friends… ALl BUSINESS ALL THE TIME does NOT= “good” business or “good” for the state.

once again this shows the results of the horrible education system here in GA….as almost ALL elected officials were educated here. Last and second last in SAT’s in the nation means that “outsiders” should be brought in to run this state…it’s quite obvious that those doing it are WAY too stupid! ;-) -dave

By Lake Lanier home owner

March 10, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

If Georgia has to share water that originates within its boundries with Alabama. Then Alabama should share the Tennessee river water that passes through their state with Georgia. Better yet they should use that water and stop demanding ours. I can care less what happens to Florida and some stupid mud mussels or the dying fishing industry.

By ahhh

March 10, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this

oops, I meant sucede

By Ron O

March 10, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

Coorect me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember an article some years in the AJC that discussed a lawsuit on this very issue. It stated that it has been at the US Supreme Court since the 1800’s and has never been decided.

By mud mussel

March 10, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

Lanier homeowner - I could care less about your lake front home. You are just like every other human…selfish. You always take more than is necessary and leave more than just your footprints behind.

By Bruce

March 10, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

World War III could break out any minute and you people are worried about license plates ?!?

By Pixie

March 10, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

Georgia is going to keep on fighting with it’s neighbors (Tennessee, Alabama & Florida) over stupid stuff. Their neighbors are not going to help Georgia with anything if they keep acting like spoiled brats. Surely, the people of Georgia have more important things to do than argue over things like this. It has been almost 200 years since the incorrect border was done. Why did you not do something then? Oh, yeah it did not matter then but now the City of Atlanta needs water so it has suddenly become important.

By Dave in Marietta

March 10, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this

All of my family lives in Alabama. Now, because of the water war, I no longer speak to them. They are greedy water wasters and get to wash their cars and water their ‘mater’ plants with no care in the world.

By YES YES YES

March 10, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

Hey Morons Sonny is not the President, nor Congress. If it is leagally ours, then we should take use it. Tenn. is selfish and does not want to help. For those Democraps, and embarrased liberals, what the hell has your democrap congress done since in office besides visit terrorists and and go after Republicans. Where you whining about all this stuff then?

By Darlene

March 10, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

Tennessee owes Georgia NOTHING! We have controlled the developers here and not allowed them to build on every square inch of ground. Georgia allowed developers and do gooders to take over, now you need to suffer the consquences. No part of Tennessee belongs to any state except the state of Tennessee. Where in the world does the state of Georgia dig up the politicians that seem to run your state? You got McKinney and Sonny - man, you are in deep do-do, but don’t expect the Tennesseeans to bail you out. The land is ours; the river is ours. Unless you want a war, I would suggest that you find a way to conserve water and quit trying to take over another state’s property. That bunch in the Georgia legislature reminds me of the three Stooges, except the Stooges were smarter! You better take a good look around areas like Atlanta - what a wasted city. You have ovebuilt, overpopulated, and over everything and now you think the good people in your neighboring state owes you something? I DON’T THINK SO!

By Gene

March 10, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

The whole dispute over water is because of poor planning by Sonny Perdue and Georgia government. Sonny’s solution is to block needed water from Alabama and Florida and steal water from Tennessee rather than conserve it and come up with a solution. It is more important for Sonny and his friends to have green lawns and full swimming pools than it is to water crops and allow drinking water for neighboring states. What if the citizens of Tennessee do not desire to become citizens of Georgia? Is Sonny going to resettle them by force? Georgia is going to lose this issue because of poor leadership from the governor and the state legislature that is more concerned about Georgia football and license plates than it is about real issues. By the way, the area in discussion belongs to the Cherokees anyway who were forced out in the 1830’s.

By Mark

March 10, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

I want a Bflo Bills one!

By GaLiberal

March 10, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Let’s clear up a few facts first. 1) The GA-TN border is the 37th parallel so the current border is wrong. GA has allowed TN to tax, develop, and maintain this area for over 100 years. GA has effectively given this area to TN and will not prevail in court or anywhere else for that matter. The Rethuglicon-controlled legislature will waste all kinds of taxpayer money with a useless and failing gesture of trying to recover this land.

2) GA is entitled to draw water from the TN river. Not true. TVA controls all of the TN river valley regardless of the state boundaries. TVA could (and probably would) block any attempt of GA to draw water.

3) If it runs though GA, it’s GA water. Wrong again. The water shed on the TN river is managed by TVA and the Corp of Engineers. This is to prevent one state (GA in this case) from denying any downstream states from their fair share of the water.

When you vote Rethuglicon, you vote against your own best interests. And the border dispute is living proof.

By puhleez

March 10, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

Darlene, what growth is there in TN to actually control besides folks retiring along the river or lakes, sure isn’t business and job opportunities…Oh yeah, get current, McKinney doesn’t even live in GA anymore much less represent anything here (thank God). Do we want a war…..do you have any idea how hillbilly that sounded? Chattanooga and Nashville are such meccas of opportunity….get real!

By ahhh

March 10, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

I agree with Dave earlier - Let the TN River supply the needs of AL and on downstream in FL. It’s a big river with plenty of water. Leave the Hooch alone.

Everyone’s quick to blast GA over this situation but what about AL and FL. Come on, AL has more lakes and rivers than GA and FL is surrounded by water, can we say de-salinization as a solution.

All of these states GA, AL, TN and FL need to get their heads out of their butts and find a solution that works for everyone and quit with the stupid political antics.

By mud mussel

March 10, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this

GaLiberal - enough with the Rethuglicon stuff. It is old, boring and not relevant to the topic. How many bloggers have to tell you that before you get it?

By dave

March 10, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

The Hatfields and McCoys are at it again. Drain your swimming pools, close the golf courses, let you lawns turn brown or fight a costly legal war you are sure to lose. Georgia is going to the Dawgs yall.

By Whitegoat

March 10, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

A reliable source from another blog indicates that a math professor from uga recorded the boundry lines off more than a mile while a member of a survey crew. Only a uga associate could be so stupid. You cannot beat them in football and you cannot get their land/water. Are there any photo ops for a horses’ butt? If so, send the big stupe Sonny. Fear the Gamecock Crow!!

By water is necessary for human life

March 10, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

Imagine there’s no state line, It isn’t hard to do, No water to kill or die for, No opionions too, Imagine all the people living life in peace…

Imagine no power trips, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or water bans, A brotherhood of man, Imagine all the people Sharing all the world…

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope some day you’ll join us, And the world will live as one.

By rarringt

March 10, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

First, as a practical matter, it doesn’t seem likely that GA would win any case where it claims the border that’s been honored since the Civil War suddenly needs to be changed. I’d be surprised if a variant of the “adverse possession” law, which says that if you actively and conspicuously hold yourself out as owning a parcel of land that is not legally yours for a period of time, and no one challenges you, the land becomes yours. Because TN has claimed it as their own, and GA hasn’t complained for over 150 years, chances are we’re out of luck.

Second, when did we get comfortable with the use of legal maneuever to steal someone else’s water?

Last, why don’t we make a deal with them? Seems that last year, there was talk of building a high-speed rail line from Chattanooga to the airport in exchange for water sharing privileges. We get enough water to continue our growth, and they get easy access to an international airport to contine theirs.

Seemed pretty fair to me.

By Bruce Christopher

March 10, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this

I remember a few years back when a new reservoir was proposed in West Georgia. Because it “might” be located near land that “might” be owned by some of Tom Murphy’s relatives, the whole thing was deemed too political and dropped (even though it made a lot of sense).

About that time I started researching potential retirement locations that didn’t have major water problems due to smart planning.

I am now living on the Tennessee River southwest of Knoxville.

Stay away, Georgia politicians!

By JohnM

March 10, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

I think the people of this State have finally awakened from their delusions about Sonny-Bubba. Do we really want to endure 3 more years of this total idiot?

I say it’s time for the recall to begin. Wake up Georgia!

By Mara

March 10, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this

rarringt You cannot claim adverse possession against the government. Tenn cannot claim adverse possession against GA, that is the law. Don’t pretend you are a lawyer when that is one of the first lessons learned in law school

By ggg

March 10, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

Imagine there’s no state line, It isn’t hard to do, No water rights to kill or die for, No opinion too, Imagine all the people living life in peace…

Imagine no water restrictions, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or fighting, A brotherhood of man, Imagine all the people Sharing all the world…

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope some day you’ll join us, And the world will live as one.

By lovelyliz

March 10, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

Somebody in the Georgia legislature thinks that might makes right and he with the gold makes the rules

Just because your big $$$ campaign contributors don’t want to sacrifice, doesn’t mean you have the right to try and annex a convenient location in another state or can expect the private citizen to carry all the burden.

Neither does the fact that the largest metro area is in your state mean that you get to ride roughshod over everyone else.

Of course that doesn’t give Alabama, Tennessee and Florida the right to NOT ask anything more of their citizens than to pray for more rain. God gave us the ability to reason and reason tells us that we can’t keep using a withering resource like there is no tomorrow. Sure the situation might reverse itself, but I wouldn’t count on what might happen tomorrow for our behavior today.

By roy barnes

March 10, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Blaming Sonny for this is like blaming him for our states low ranking in education. He inherited that and the over development from his Democratic predecessors.
Roy good ole boy Barnes, Ziz Zag Zell Miller, Joe Billy Bob Frank Harris, and the list goes on…

By lovelyliz

March 10, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this

In any case, even if the powers that be were to be stupid enough to pursue such a lawsuit (and most politicians can be much dumber/desperate than that) to move the boundaries so Atlanta can get all the precious water the politicos desperately think the state deserves, what is the state going to do in all the years it would take such a case to make it through the court system?

By Stewie

March 10, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

Just out of curiousity, does anybody know if Sonny has a back-up plan, just in case the land grab doesn’t work?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

By donald

March 10, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

This is a classic example of what happens when inmates run the asylum. Sonny Perdue has and always will be a person of low intelligence. Folks, the states bordering Georgia is not enamored with it or the so-called jewel of the south Atlanta. It is his time this state gets off it’s high horse and take responsibility for the failures it has brought on itself. If all Perude can do is to scapegoat other states, then he needs to step aside and let real problem solvers handle things.

By lovelyliz

March 10, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this

By Stewie

Most politicians don’t think beyond the next election cycle anyway. They just want to be seen as doing something without worrying their campaign contributors that they might be asked to bear some of the burden.

By rarringt

March 10, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this

Mara,

Actually, I am a lawyer, thank you. And suffice to say, I’m somewhat familiar with the leading attorneys and legal theories used in regard to water rights in this and the adjoining states.

I’m trying to keep it simple, which I imagine is all you can handle. Please don’t insult when you clearly have no legal frame of reference.

I suppose this is the part where you tell me you’re a cutting edge environmental/government affairs/land use attorney as well, right?

Sure you are….

By GaLiberal

March 11, 2008 7:38 AM | Link to this

mud mussel@ March 10, 2008 3:42 PM said: GaLiberal - enough with the Rethuglicon stuff. It is old, boring and not relevant to the topic. How many bloggers have to tell you that before you get it?

Yea, I get it. It’s call free speech. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Now p** off.

By Copyleft

March 11, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

Cut a deal, GaLiberal: You’ll drop “Rethuglicon” as soon as the neo-fascist bloggers on AJC.com quit chanting “pinko” and “democrakkk” every other minute.

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By Brad Carver

March 11, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this

We must have demand side solutions and supply side solutions. The only feasible supply side solution is the Tennessee River. 6% of the water from the Tennessee River comes from the Georgia and the Georgia uses less than .5% currently. Even with an interbasin transfer of 264 mgd (which is about 1%), the total amount Georgia would be using is less than 1.5% — much less than the 6% we contribute to the river. This is an extremely important point. We would not be “stealing Tennessee’s water”; instead, we would be reclaiming Georgia water.

By Brad Carver

March 11, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this

We must have demand side solutions and supply side solutions. The only feasible supply side solution is the Tennessee River. 6% of the water from the Tennessee River comes from Georgia and Georgia uses less than .5% currently. Even with an interbasin transfer of 264 mgd (which is about 1%), the total amount Georgia would be using is less than 1.5% — much less than the 6% we contribute to the river. This is an extremely important point. We would not be “stealing Tennessee’s water”; instead, we would be reclaiming Georgia water.

By swolf4810

March 11, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this

Sonny may have “inhereted” Atlanta’s self-caused water problems…..but he’s done little except make the citizens of this Great State look like bunch of goats’ butts!

By rarringt

March 13, 2008 6:52 PM | Link to this

Brad,

While I admire your attempt to be able to bill the state legislature (or whichever interest group you’re working for) without end, I seriously doubt if you expect this to conclude with the land (and water) being awarded to the state.

Litigating the matter would take years, if not decades to resolve. But you already know that.

More reasonable is a settlement where, in exchange for water rights, we give them something of value (like a high-speed rail line or mineral rights or cash payments).

That can be worked out in comparatively short order, and both sides win.

Unless of course, you stand to somehow benefit from endless litigation….