It's taken weeks, but Atlanta's business community is finally on the verge of a public stand against Senate Resolution 595, the Republican attempt to inject a ban on gay marriage and civil unions into the state constitution.

We've come across a Friday memo from Sam Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The subject reads: "State Law Proposing Limitations on Company Employee Benefits."

The bottom line, according to Williams, is this: SR 595 "could place Georgia in a very uncompetitive situation and endanger the economic success of metro Atlanta and Georgia."

We hear another business group is ready to make a similar pronouncement, which is sure to get Sadie Fields and her Georgia Christian Coalition cranking.

The Legislature has six working days left. SR 595 has been defeated once in the House, but Speaker Terry Coleman has promised a second vote. No one is saying when it might come.

The chamber memo outlines a discussion from last week's board of directors meeting. The business types want no part of the argument over defining who can marry whom, but instead focus on the portion of the proposed amendment that reads, in part: "The courts of this state shall have no jurisdiction . . . to consider or rule on any of the parties' respective rights arising as a result of or in connection with [a same-sex] relationship."

That, the chamber believes, could interfere with intracorporate transfers.

"Business must have the right, within existing federal law, to negotiate wages and benefits with employees. The state of Georgia should not limit business practices and make our state different than almost any other state in spelling out the limitations of employee benefits. This also applies to the beneficiaries of employees.

"The drafters of SR 595 may not have intended to regulate business, but the language contained in the second part of this bill could be interpreted as denying employees the right to name whomever they choose to benefit from employers' medical, insurance or other personnel practices."

This sounds like a job for Dr. Phil -- but Jerry Springer would do

We were talking with a number of House Democrats in the aftermath of the sacking of House Judiciary Chairman Tom Bordeaux (D-Savannah). And we've arrived at this conclusion: The Democratic caucus is a seriously dysfunctional family that needs to work on its communication skills.

The caucus's white-and-black, conservative-liberal wings are so distrustful of each other that they simply don't talk. The whip system is nearly nonexistent.

So when strategic moves are introduced -- witness Majority Leader Jimmy Skipper's move to modify the governor's constitutional amendment on faith-based initiatives -- they collapse in failure, say frustrated ranking members.

On Friday, one House Democrat was looking for meaning in Bordeaux's sacking -- and declared that it was as hard to read as any of his leadership's actions. "What are we supposed to do -- use tea leaves, mind-reading or tarot cards?" the member asked.

It was the difference between being mugged and being hit by a truck

Following his ouster as House Judiciary chairman, Tom Bordeaux declared he was the victim of "powerful lobbyists." In fact, at least in part he was bulldozed by a powerful movement.

Though they won't talk on the record, tort reform proponents say they've been working since last year. The state's 130 chambers of commerce have sent out fliers and pamphlets. The Georgia Hospital Association produced an eight-minute video that has been distributed much like a campaign ad.

Lawmakers have been directed to a Georgia Chamber of Commerce poll conducted in February that says 86 percent of Georgians favor some sort of lid on lawsuits.

There is a downside to this strategy. You might find some lawmakers who don't see their churches getting a slice of the pie

When last we talked to House Rules Committee Chairman Calvin Smyre, he wasn't sure when -- or if -- Gov. Sonny Perdue's amendment to formally legalize state contracting with religious institutions to provide social services would reach the House floor.

A Democratic alternative -- which spelled out a prohibition of school vouchers -- crashed and burned last week.

But Perdue spokesman Dan McLagan has a plan to move Democrats off the dime. He's ordered up a county-by-county analysis of all grants and contracts, so that lawmakers can see what their constituents might lose if the right lawsuit were filed.

And no, we don't know what the situation is with the school for the blind

As early as today, a team of federal judges could spell out what changes they will accept to the new House and Senate maps they unveiled last week.

Friday was the deadline for comments and protests. One of the most unusual was documented by the Rome News-Tribune.

Roughly 8,000 residents of southern Floyd County have been joined with a new House district dominated by Polk County. The territory includes the state-run Georgia School for the Deaf, its faculty and staff.

"We're going to ask the court to put Cave Spring back in Floyd County," said state Rep. E.M. "Buddy" Childers, a Rome Democrat who represents the area. "The deaf community has been served by Floyd County representatives, I suppose, since the existence of the school."

Said Cave Spring Mayor Rob Ware, the son of deaf parents who taught at the school: "I think it will definitely dilute deaf voting strength."

This creates an opportunity for us to endorse Uncle Edward's Radiator Bliss as the official state pickler of the state amphibian

While your General Assembly has been dealing with gay marriage and other threats to civilization, the Alabama Legislature has been dealing with the real business of the people.

Bucking a veto by Gov. Bob Riley, the body is on the verge of naming Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey as the official state spirit, the Birmingham News tells us.

Conecuh Brands, founded by Kenny May of Troy, makes the whiskey using the "Christmas" recipe of May's father, a well-known moonshiner.

The whiskey is made in Kentucky, but Kenny May says he's looking to build a distillery in Alabama.

Riley vetoed the resolution last week, objecting to the endorsement of a commercial product. The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly to override the veto. A Senate vote to override is in the offing.