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DEL.ICIO.USIncumbents, don’t get comfy
Longtime legislators feeling the heat
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a year when legislative politics in Georgia appears to be largely on autopilot, here’s a sobering thought for incumbents to ponder. Around the country, 38 incumbent state legislators have been thrown out of office this year, and we’re not even through the primaries.
The biggest incumbent killoff took place last month in Pennsylvania, where voters angry over a pay raise gave 17 legislators the boot. But it continued this week with the defeat of incumbents in Alabama - all three of them from the Birmingham area - South Dakota, Iowa and Montana.
What’s striking is that several of those defeated were veteran legislators, including a former House speaker in North Carolina and the Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania Senate. According to a roundup on the website stateline.org, 31 of the 38 incumbents dumped so far have been Republicans.
So, incumbents, when it’s hot as blazes out there this weekend and you’re thinking about calling off that last block-walk of the day, maybe you’d better think again.
Comments
By Van
June 9, 2006 03:06 PM | Link to this
Well, maybe the RINO’s and “moderates” are reaping what they sowed.
Step away from liberal politics and put your hands on your wallet.
Corruption will always lose, leftist policies are a non-winner. Ignoring your base will also cause you to lose, like in South Dakota. Politicians should start to wake up and actually listen to thier voters.
By Ugotta B. Kidding
June 9, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this
Hey, now there’s an idea! Politicians listening to their voters. But you must understand that to them, that is not “leadership”. They say “screw you” to the people who elected them and then DO AS THEY DAMN WELL PLEASE. By election time the voters have forgot anyway so what do they care. It is my one wish that the American people WAKE UP and throw these self-serving bums out of office and then DEMAND TERM LIMITS. Then and only then will things get better…
By Ugotta B. Kidding
June 9, 2006 08:50 PM | Link to this
I have a question too that I wish someone would answer? Why don’t politicians pay income taxes on political donations??? If you get any money from anywhere it must be reported and you must pay taxes on it…WHY DON’T POLITICIANS??? It must be nice to make the laws!!! Right?
By Van
June 10, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
Ugotta B. Kidding, good point.
While corporation have been declared and “individual” and pay taxes, why not the politicians.
Sentors Chambliss and Isakson and our Represenatives, here is something you can do to show you support the working man, equal application of the tax laws to include elected officials.
By snd
June 14, 2006 10:32 AM | Link to this
Van - Give me a break. It’s the Neo-Cons that are getting kicked to the curb. Moderate D’s and R’s are winning. Look at Virginia last year. The bug-eyed anti-tax candidates swore they were going to ‘get’ the moderate R’s taht voted with Gov. Warner on Tax reform the previous year. Only 1 of 13 won their R primary then he got his teeth kicked in by an unknown moderate Dem.
By Van
June 14, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this
snd,
My personal problem is candidates that run on a cut spending and lower taxes platform and once they get elected turn into tax and spend “moderates”. Even worse is the liberals that campaign as moderates and fool most the people most the time.
There are times I think an I.Q test should be given prior to voting, but that isn’t very practical and might be illegal.
By snd
June 14, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this
Here’s a histroy lesson from Virginia. Gov Warner campaigned that he he could cut the state $1.6Billion deficit without raising taxes. Once he got into office the numbers were actually $6Billion. So he cut for 2 straight years then introduced comprehensive Tax refom. Some cuts, some increases. The Anti-tax whacko’s i.e Grover Norquest, then attempted to label him as a tax and spend liberal. It is an absurd arguement.
So instead, do you prefer “Starve the Beast” borrow and spend conservatives?