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DEL.ICIO.USRallying the GOP troops for a fight over the budget
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Republicans are taking this state House-Senate budget fight to lengths we never saw under Democrats.
Participants in the state Capitol tussle are bringing in outsiders. They’re bringing in The Base.
The Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia is urging its associates to e-mail letters of support to members of the Senate. And if said enthusiasts want to send House Republicans a message, they can do that, too.
Here’s the set-up, as defined by the Liberty Caucus:
Georgia House Republicans have added over $214 million dollars of pork to the 2007 supplemental budget.
This number does not include the funds needed to operate Peach Care. Currently the Lt. Governor and Senate leaders are attempting to remove this [frivolous] spending.
And here’s the sample letter the group offers:
Dear Senator,
I’m writing you today to let you know I support the efforts of the Lt. Governor and Senate leadership to strip the unnecessary pork from the 2007 supplemental budget.
Supplemental budgets should only be used for emergency spending and not economic development and other pet projects.
Please support the removal of unnecessary spending from the 2007 supplemental budget.
On its web site, the Liberty Caucus lists seven House members, 15 senators and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle. State Sen. David Shafer of Duluth is listed as the honorary chairman.
In an accompanying press release, the Liberty Caucus sought to give cover to one of its members:
“The RLC would like to also recognize State Rep. Steve Davis (R-McDonough), who was the only member of the State House to vote against this pork-laden budget.
Representative Davis took a big risk in contradicting the wishes of his leadership to cast the lone dissenting vote in favor of the taxpayer.”
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By Bill Kecskes
April 5, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this
I hope Georgia House Republicans come to their senses and remove the wasteful pork from HB 94. One of the pork items I have been railing against is Item #583 - (LAG Grant) $35,000 to Dooly County to improve the Big Pig Jig Site. Yesterday, I exited I-75 at MM 109 and drove through Vienna. The two “big businesses” in Vienna are the Churches Chicken (on the east side) and Mr. W’s liquor store (actually a run down old building) on the west side. The Big Pig Jig site is a pathetic bunch of unpainted dilapidated wooden structures that should be bull-dozed. The Big Pig Jig building itself is a faded cinder block “out-house” looking building that isn’t worth a plugged nickel. I called the Big Pig’s telephone number and it’s disconnected. Go to their web site: www.bigpigjig.com and see that Budweiser is their major corporate sponsor for the Sunday - October 7, 2007 event. I’m sure many Georgians will agree with me we don’t want $35,000 of our tax money wasted on Budweiser promoting its beer on a Sunday. Where have all the fiscally and socially conservative Republican core values gone in Georgia?
By Bill Kecskes
April 5, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this
The Big Pig Jig is sensitive to publicity! All week, I’ve been looking at their web site: www.bigpigjig.com and they’ve advertised the event for Friday Oct. 5 - Sunday Oct. 7, 2007. I e-mailed the Big Pig co-ordinator, Ms. Heather Lamb asking why Georgia taxpayer money is being used to help promote Budweiser beer on a Sunday (Oct. 7th). Ms. Lamb didn’t respond to my pointed inquiring e-mail (no surprise) but mysteriously, this morning, the Big Pig Jig web site is advertising this year’s event for Friday Oct. 5th & Saturday Oct. 6th. Somehow, whatever was planned for Sunday Oct 7th is now not going to happen. Memo to Ms. Lamb: Using Georgia taxpayer money to subsidize the Big Pig Jig is still not right, no matter what day of the week.
By tribalecho
April 5, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Mr. Kecskes.
Your post shows why blogs/the internets are important.
Thanks for getting the word out.
By snd
April 5, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this
Interesting….they can win elections but they can’t govern. They have shown that they are too busy with petty paybacks than with actually doing anything for the State of Georgia and her citizens.