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Friday, March 9, 2007
Says the Politico: Ralph Hudgens to drop from congressional race
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Brian Kemp:
About your desire to make a quick return to the state Senate.
The Politico has a source who says state Sen. Ralph Hudgens (R-Hull) is about to drop out of the race for the 10th District congressional seat, made vacant by the death of Charlie Norwood.
“That departure leaves GOP state Sen. Jim Whitehead as the odds-on favorite, for now, to win the June 19 special election. Norwood, a Republican, died Feb. 13 after a long illness,” says the web site.
Whitehead, we know, spent a few days in Washington this week. And apparently was able to persuade key Republicans that it would be in everyone’s best interest if there were no run-off in this special election, the first federal one since the November 2006 vote.
Cagle likes regional transportation approach, but doesn’t think much of an apology for slavery
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and his state Senate are lining up against Speaker Glenn Richardson’s House on transportation.
The Legislature has been pitched two proposals. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, has introduced the idea of a statewide and temporary, one-cent sales tax.
But Cagle on Friday put his weight behind a strategy backed by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, for a regional, metro Atlanta sales tax — but acknowledged that he wasn’t sure whether either approach had the juice to advance this year.
Cagle also declared himself unsatisfied with the current performance of the state Department of Transportation.
Here’s a few of his remarks from his Friday morning sit-down with reporters:
“We have some real, fundamental problems in transportation. None of us thought that we’d be paying more for right of way acquisition than we would for road construction,” Cagle said. “We need to have a serious dialogue with the Department of Transportation, relative to the delivery of projects in a much more timely manner, and in a more efficient and effective manner.”
“Relative to the two proposals that are put out, I think the statewide, one-cent sales tax would have little to no ability to pass this year,” the lieutenant governor said. “The regional concept I find more palatable, because ultimately it puts the local communities in charge of solving those issues,” he said.
“I think when you have the right checks and balances in the equation, which this proposal does, it merits debate.”
On other topics:
— Cagle said he hadn’t made up his mind on state Sen. Don Balfour’s bill to mandate the vaccination of girls against a virus that can cause cervical cancer.
— The lieutenant governor didn’t sound very excited about any official state apology for slavery. Said Cagle:
“I don’t condone slavery. It was a horrible, horrible, horrible part of our past. But I’m focused on the future. I want to focus on building a Georgia we can all be proud of,” he said. “I’m not saying we don’t acknowledge the past. We all acknowledge the past. We learn from our mistakes and we move on. Slavery’s outlawed.”
Says Zell: Military shortages, Social Security crisis, and illegal immigration all linked to abortion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It hasn’t gotten widespread play yet, but former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller made a little news this week in Macon when he declared that abortion has contributed to the military’s manpower shortage, the Social Security crisis, and the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.
“How could this great land of plenty produce too few people in the last 30 years? Here is the brutal truth that no one dares to mention: We’re too few because too many of our babies have been killed,” Miller said.
“Over 45 million since Roe v. Wade in 1973. If those 45 million children had lived, today they would be defending our country, they would be filling our jobs, they would be paying into Social Security,” the former Georgia governor said. “Still, we watch as 3,700 babies are killed every single day in America. It is unbelievable that a nation under God would allow this.”
If you doubt us, check out the video at the Macon Telegraph’s web site. The comments were made at a Tuesday night fund-raiser for a local anti-abortion counseling center.
State Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville), who has become an ideological ally of Miller on the abortion issue, made a similar statement almost exactly a year ago, but backed off upon press inquiries. Somehow, we don’t think Miller’s inclined to throw himself in reverse.
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