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Thursday, November 2, 2006
Oh, those Democrats and their bathroom humor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve told you that Republicans are leaning on illegal immigration as an issue to preserve their margins in state House and Senate races.
And the Democrats? They’re using breast cancer and, well, poop.
One issue is aimed at women, and the other’s aimed at - oh, heck. Suffice it to say we’re not kidding. There is a flier going to mail boxes in Georgia accusing certain Republican legislators of “letting people poop in our water.”
Let’s deal with the pink ribbon issue first.
In 2005, state Sen. Cecil Staton (R-Macon) introduced a bill to create stripped-down, affordable health insurance coverage. Two important points about the legislation:
First, it was “engrossed” - no changes were permitted during debate on the Senate floor. It was either pass or fail. Secondly, the bill permitted insurance companies to offer consumers policies that excluded a host of ailments - many affecting women — for a lower price.
The bill passed the Senate, but most Democrats and all but one female member of the chamber - Nancy Schaefer of Turnerville - opposed it. Women lawmakers had fought for years to force insurance companies to address their health issues. “It’s a shame for Republican men to be in here doing this,” said state Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) said at the time. She warned of retribution to come.
House Republicans repaired the damage, and the bill was returned to the Senate with much of the missing coverage restored. The Senate approved it, and everyone went home happy.
But that first vote is still out there.
Democrats are using it in two state Senate races. In one, Democrat Bruce Gilbert of Madison is challenging state Sen. Johnny Grant of Milledgeville. In the other, Democrat Carol Jackson is attempting to oust Schaefer and take her northeast Georgia seat.
It’s even made an appearance in the DeKalb County race for an open House seat that pits Democrat Kevin Levitas against Republican Steve Schultz.
In each case, Democrats say Republicans opposed “breast cancer screenings,” a phrase that has the GOP calling foul. Here’s the Gilbert flier.
Democrats defend the accuracy of the charge. Yes, they admit, mammograms were never struck from coverage. What was struck, then restored, was coverage for the biopsies of any lumps found by the X-rays.
Most people would interpret mammograms to be “breast cancer screening,” said Clelia Davis, spokeswoman for the state GOP. She referred us to Sam Choate, attorney for the House speaker’s office. Choate said that it was possible to interpret the definition of a mammogram in state law to include biopsies.
But the repairs that Republicans insisted on making to the bill argue against that thinking.
Now for the poop issue.
Introduced in 2006, Senate Bill 510 would have allowed developers and other landowners outside metro Atlanta to install septic tanks much closer to drinking-water reservoirs and the streams that feed them. It passed the Senate, but died in the House.
Democrats are being selective on this one, targeting districts where environmentalists are strong, or where water is scare and a defining issue.
A prime target is state Rep. Gene Maddox of Cairo, who holds Secretary of State Cathy Cox’s old seat in Georgia’s southwest corner. Here’s the flier. Print it out and read it on your next trip to the, uh, facility.
An ‘06 dance partner spins away from Perdue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ray McBerry, the candidate that flaggers thrust into the Republican primary this summer against incumbent Gov. Sonny Perdue, has endorsed Casey Cagle for lieutenant governor.
McBerry’s platform included a statewide vote on the ’56 state flag — the one with the Confederate battle emblem. He received 48,500 primary votes — nearly 12 percent.
In his press release making the rounds today, McBerry made mention of a “personal telephone conversation� with Cagle, the Republican nominee for the No. 2 spot.
But that’s where McBerry stops. He refuses to extend his good wishes to the incumbent governor.
The press release declared that McBerry’s endorsement of Cagle “should in no way be construed as an endorsement for Sonny Perdue.� Georgia First, McBerry’s base organization, declares that most of its supporters have adopted a policy of “anyone but Sonny.�
Auto-calls from Gingrich and Ashcroft
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two robo-calls were on the answering machine yesterday afternoon — Newt Gingrich for Sonny Perdue, and John Ashcroft for Mike Wiggins.
Both messages were aimed at hard-core Republican voters.
On Perdue’s behalf, Gingrich made some interesting claims we’ve never heard before, and which haven’t made their way into either TV or radio spots.
The former U.S. House speaker says Perdue reduced welfare rolls by 80 percent, and that Democratic rival Mark Taylor wants an $1,150 tax increase for every Georgian.
Here’s a bit of the transcript:
“I’m calling to encourage you to go out and vote early for Governor Perdue. Sonny Perdue has worked hard for Georgia. He’s cut taxes. With his leadership, we’ve reduced welfare by 80 percent. And as you know, Mark Taylor is proposing an $1,150 tax increase for every Georgian. That’s just wrong.�
Ashcroft, the former U.S. attorney general, served as a character witness for Wiggins. Two things to note about this robo-call: First, notice the increased emphasis on party in what’s supposed to be a non-partisan race; and secondly, note that Ashcroft never mentions the fact that Wiggins’ opponent is a woman.
Here’s the transcript:
“As attorney general of the United States, Mike Wiggins was one of my most trusted lieutenants. He helped protect us from terrorists and criminals. Now Mike is in the fight of his life against trial lawyers and a liberal activist incumbent judge, who will stop at nothing to win — including attacking Mike’s family. Whether you vote early or go to the polls, please cast your vote for the only conservative Republican running for Georgia Supreme Court, Mike Wiggins.�
