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Thursday, September 7, 2006
Note to Barrow: Expect a call from RNC’s copyright attorneys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
President Bush was down in Savannah on Thursday, raising $350,000 or so for Max Burns, the Republican candidate in the 12th District congressional race.
His opponent, rookie Democratic incumbent John Barrow, celebrated the event by going on TV.
Barrow’s seat is one of the few chances Republicans have this year to pick up a seat. And his first TV ad of the campaign reflects that. It’s an impressive act of theft.
Barrow steals Republican language, and puts it to his own use. He touts his tendency to buck the leadership of his own party, but never mentions the word “Democrat.”
Here’s the key bit of dialogue:
“When I went to Congress, I believed the most important thing I had to remember was who sent me there.
“That’s why I stood up to leaders in my own party and opposed amnesty for illegal immigrants. They also didn’t like it when I fought to get rid of the death tax. And when I stood firm on Iraq.
“We can’t cut and run.”
In other words, this ain’t Connecticut.
First rule for Drexinger supporters: Don’t blink
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Guy Drexinger, an attorney and accountant by trade, is the Democratic candidate for state insurance commissioner. He’s the former chairman of the Cobb County Democratic party.
As of June 30, Drexinger had $134,166 in cash. His opponent, Republican incumbent John Oxendine, has $1.5 million. It was ever thus in Georgia. Money flocks to the office of insurance commissioner like boys to a homecoming queen.
But in any statewide race, TV is a must. How to afford it? By running tiny, tiny ads. Ten seconds long.
Drexinger’s first TV spot is a brief cartoon, showing Oxendine and Gov. Sonny Perdue literally as two peas in a pod, conspiring to deprive 91,000 children of health insurance. See it here.
We promise it won’t take any time at all.
The next new cause for the Religious Right
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
File this under unintended consequences.
The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys is putting out the word that last year’s revision to the nation’s bankruptcy laws by Congress could have a huge impact on Christians and others who feel called upon to tithe.
A federal bankruptcy judge in New York has ruled that those going through bankruptcy may not tithe or make other charitable donations until they’ve paid off their credit card companies. Since more than 2 million Americans filed for bankruptcy last year, and hundreds of thousands more will do so this year, a huge chunk of change is at stake.
In the organization’s press release, issued Thursday, NACBA president Henry Sommer turned a biblical phrase: “The 2005 reform legislation didn’t just reword the federal bankruptcy code, it also effectively rewrote Exodus and Deuteronomy.”
Conceivably, you could argue that giving to your church is a form of protected religious expression, much as many argue that making campaign contributions is a kind of political speech.
