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Thursday, May 31, 2007
A veto liked — by some
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We don’t recall seeing many statements praising Gov. Sonny Perdue from the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials. But GALEO liked Perdue’s veto of Senate Bill 15, which would have increased the penalties for driving without a valid license in Georgia.
“We agree with the Governor that SB15 would have had many unintended consequences, similar to the arrest and detention of the Canadian tourist recently in Brunswick, Georgia,” said GALEO executive director Jerry Gonzalez.
Perdue, in his veto statement, said he feared “an unintended consequence” of the bill would be to subject some with valid out-of-state licenses to “stout criminal penalties even absent the commission of a willful act.”
But Republican state Sen. John Wiles, who sponsored the bill, didn’t see it that way.
“I am disappointed that the governor found it necessary to veto this legislation,” Wiles said in a release. “The law would make our roads and highways safer, more secure, and send a clear message to those who choose to repeatedly drive without a license.”
Jim Galloway
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jim Galloway is in his 29th year with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and is an unrepentant child of the Atlanta suburbs.
He played Little League ball (badly) on what is now the fourth runway at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Galloway has witnessed every kind of political contest, from county commission to presidential. But the meanest, nastiest, most low-down election he’s ever witnessed a race for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention.
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Bob Kemper
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bob Kemper works in the AJC’s Washington Bureau, covering Georgia’s congressional delegation and other issues affecting the Peach State.
Having no marketable skills, he’s been working in journalism for 25 years, covering politics on every level, from school board races to presidential campaigns. Before coming to the AJC a couple of years ago, he covered the White House for The Chicago Tribune.
Casualties as a hometown issue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
State Sen. Jim Whitehead has caught a lot of flack from Democrats since he said that the war in Iraq was “not a big thing” in Georgia’s 10th District race to fill the seat of the late Charlie Norwood.
Now, interestingly enough, both Whitehead and Democrat James Marlow have advanced ideas for bringing federal money to the district for what Whitehead’s campaign calls “warrior care” in a press release.
Whitehead embraced an idea proposed by former U.S. Rep. Doug Barnard proposed in an Augusta Chronicle op-ed piece. Barnard - a former Democratic congressman very cordial to his Republican successors - said Congress should be urged to make Augusta, with its considerable medical and military facilities, a “center of excellence” for the treatment of those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Our wounded in this war have not all received the quality of care they deserve or were promised, and that is inexcusable,” Whitehead said in the release. “But rather than just complain, we have the unique ability to do something about it with our incredible medical infrastructure resources here in Augusta, and I intend to move forward on this with all possible vigor if elected.”
Marlow called for increased funding for the Augusta VA Medical Center and the Outpatient Clinic in Athens, and pledged to work with community leaders in Augusta “to insure our troops get the first-class care they deserve.” He also called for a $1 billion “new GI bill” for the education of returning veterans.
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