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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The state Supremes attend a Red Mass in a red state, en masse
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At 11 a.m. Thursday, all seven members of the Georgia Supreme Court will troop the necessary half-mile or so to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown Atlanta and bow their heads at a Red Mass. So will several dozen other judges and lawyers. But on this blog, the Supremes are the ones who count.
The Red Mass is a relatively new phenomenon in Atlanta’s religious and political life, though it has roots in the 13th century. Officially, it’s known as the Solemn Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit. The nickname comes from the color of vestments worn in the service and the red robes worn by judges in the Middle Ages, according to Pat Chivers over at the Archdiocese.
The ceremony marks the beginning of the judicial year — which, we surmise, is judged according to the calendar set by the U.S. Supreme Court. We’re told the Red Mass is a big deal in D.C.
In Atlanta, the ceremony dates back to 1995. Only last year was it greatly expanded to reach out to non-Catholics. None of our state Supreme Court members are Catholic. Some justices attended last year, Chivers said. This time it will be unanimous.
Two things can be drawn from this. First, the service is yet another sign of growing Catholic influence in the South, extending deep into Georgia’s political elite. Secondly, high court participation is yet another sign that the Supremes have begun to take politicking for their jobs much more seriously.
Marshall: Why I voted against SCHIP bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In an attempt to assuage fellow Democrats at home, U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon just put out this statement about why he voted against the SCHIP expansion bill on Tuesday:
“Earlier today, the House voted to extend SCHIP’s authorization until the debate over the program’s expansion is resolved. There’s no question that I support expanding SCHIP.
“But I also have an obligation to the citizens of Middle Georgia to do everything possible to make sure that the program in its final form fairly distributes the burden and fairly distributes the benefits.
“Expanding SCHIP is among my highest priorities - and it should be among everyone’s highest priorities - but it’s also critically important that Congress and the President get this right.”
Marshall was the only Democrat who didn’t vote for the bill that passed Tuesday with a less-than-veto-proof margin. We’re told that Marshall had several problems with the measure: the size and instability of the tobacco tax increase; the lack of a standard applications for every state; and a lax identification process. Marshall appears to agree with Republican Nathan Deal, who has argued the ID standards would make the program easy for illegal immigrants to abuse.
The implication being that he expects to vote for the measure when it comes up again, if his objections are satisfied.
Except that you can’t find Gingrich on the periodic table
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The current issue of Newsweek floats this thought on Newt Gingrich and a run for the presidency:
One sign that Gingrich may be more serious than people think: he’s been talking down his party’s chances in 2008. …There is cunning behind this glum talk. Foreseeing gloom, Gingrich may be positioning himself as a kind of latter-day Barry Goldwater, a candidate conservatives can be proud to vote for in a year when they face near-certain defeat.
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Georgia votes on SCHIP: Marshall goes against it, all others predictable
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s congressional delegation was largely split along party lines Tuesday when the House approved, 265-159, a $35 billion expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known nationally as SCHIP and locally as PeachCare.
Republicans opposed it, Democrats supported it, and the only exception was Rep. Jim Marshall, a Macon Democrat, who voted no. Marshall is considered one of the most vulnerable congressmen in the country, and is once again facing a strong Republican challenge next year.
PeachCare has been successful and popular in Georgia, so state Republicans were careful to praise the local program while denouncing the expansion as a first step toward socialized medicine.
“Reauthorizing SCHIP is essential,” said Rep. Tom Price, a Roswell Republican. But, he added, “I was forced to oppose the bill.”
“The reality is this bill does not protect the most vulnerable amongst our citizens,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey, a Marietta Republican. “Rather it diverts precious resources from those who need it the most in order to cover adults and already privately insured children.”
Democrats pushed the bill through, even though President Bush vowed to veto it — anticipating that they’ll be able to highlight Republican opposition in campaigns next year.
“This bill is pure political posturing,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, a Grantville Republican. “They are drastically expanding a well-run and popular program for the neediest Americans into HillaryCare for Kids.”
Democrats poo-pooed the charge. Rep. David Scott, of Atlanta, urged Bush to reconsider his veto threat, noting that the expansion would add millions of eligible children not already enrolled to the program.
And Rep. Hank Johnson of DeKalb County, wondered aloud about Bush’s real motive for vetoing the bill. The expansion would be funded through an increase in the federal tobacco tax.
“I’m sure that the tobacco industry will be pleased because they won’t have to pay the proposed taxes,” he said. “Tobacco wins. Our children lose.”
Marshall’s vote is already stirring the Democratic blogosphere. Writes Jon Flack on Tondee’s Tavern (the whole comment requires a language warning): “Marshall’s votes on Iraq, and now SCHIP…it’s just too much for me to swallow. Marshall is a problem on Choice, on Rights, and more… That’s it. I’m done.”
Gingrich chooses a grand, windy entrance into Carrollton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Newt Gingrich kicks off his “American Solutions” adventure today with an all-day event at the Cobb Galleria. Radio jocks Boortz and Hannity both will broadcast from there.
Officially, the event is intended to launch a high-minded discussion of solutions to this country’s problems. But the subtext is all about whether or not Gingrich will answer a GOP cry of despair over the current field, and decide to make a run for the White House.
On Friday, Gingrich visits his old stomping grounds, now called the University of West Georgia, where he once taught history. And here’s where the subtext becomes more distinct.
Gingrich will arrive on campus via helicopter, presidential-like, perhaps offering photographers and bystanders a sense of what the future might look like.
Or maybe the man just understands Atlanta traffic.
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