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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Perdue signs city of Dunwoody into existence
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue just signed S.B. 82, creating the city of Dunwoody.
As of last week, state Rep. Fran Millar, who pressed the case for the new city over several years, said he wasn’t planning to run as its first mayor.
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Never mind those lasses deployed in enemy regions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Acronyms are tiny, helpless creatures that should be treated with respect. They ought not be tortured.
But it is election season, and U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) has a tough primary ahead of him. The congressman has posted this idea on the Republican Study Committee web site:
“I am introducing the SOLDIER SUPPORT Act: Support Our Lads Deployed In Enemy Regions by Sending Useless Pet Projects Overseas to Reinforce our Troops.
“This legislation would authorize the President - as Commander in Chief - to transfer funding for any earmark listed in either the current FY08 Omnibus or the upcoming FY09 appropriations bills directly to war-related activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Lads? Are the British still over there?
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That Martin-Cardwell video on YouTube
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ron Marshall of the New Grady Coalition has copped to putting up that WSB-TV clip on YouTube last Saturday.
The video shows Jim Martin, then the head of the state Department of Human Resources, in a piece on the impact of a failed computer system on those who receive welfare checks. Dale Cardwell was the reporter.
Both Cardwell and Martin, of course, are Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate.
Responding to yesterday’s post on the topic, Marshall — who says he likes Cardwell in the race — wrote this morning:
“As chairman of the New Grady Coalition and a concerned citizen, I posted the story because I believe it catches Jim Martin in a hypocritical situation: How can he advocate for struggling families and their children, when he chose to harm them in 2003?
“…..Martin’s failure to repair the DFACS computers helped his Republican boss Sonny Perdue cut the budget, even before Perdue ordered the across the board 2.5% cuts. Who side is this guy on?”
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‘Close’ vote anticipated for transportation sales tax on Thursday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It looks like we’re headed for a dicey showdown in the House over transportation on Thursday — a rewrite of S.R. 845 is to come up for the required two-thirds floor vote.
This is the ballot initiative that would allow regions within Georgia to levy a penny sales tax to go toward transportation needs — including rail.
Three amendments to the House transportation committee substitute, engineered by chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), have been added by the rules committee. Each is intended to enhance the measure’s chances of getting to the 121-vote mark.
One would make it easier for counties to opt out of the taxing regions. “I insisted on that,” said House Rules Chairman Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs). And so did members of the Senate.
A second would redirect a penny sales tax on gasoline, which now goes to the state general fund, to transportation programs that would benefit rural Georgia. This was required by House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin), whose Democratic votes are needed for passage.
A third provision would exempt — from any regional sales tax — non-road fuel purchases made by airlines, fishermen, construction workers, and those who use off-road vehicles.
I asked Ehrhart whether the votes for the measure were there. “I honestly don’t know,” he relied. “It’s going to be close.”
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Vintage video: CBS posts its original 1996 report on Hillary Clinton’s trip to Bosnia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is confessing that she “misspoke” when she described the dangers she faced on a 1996 trip to Bosnia she made as First Lady.
The CBS video that compares Clinton’s speech last week with actual footage from the trip has made it onto YouTube in several forms.
Hillary Clinton’s 1996 trip to Bosnia, posted by CBS
But the network has also taken taken the unusual step of posting on YouTube the original report from the trip, filed by reporter Sharyl Attkisson and the CBS crew that accompanied Clinton 12 years ago.
It contains references to dangers that U.S. troops in the area faced, and notes that Hillary Clinton was going deeper into Bosnia than Bill Clinton had two months earlier. But no sniper fire.
The report also notes Hillary Clinton’s greatest political worry at the time — that the trip wwould somehow provoke charges that she was engaged in an activity best left to her husband-president.
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Wanted: Hired gun to help topple Civil Rights icon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Attention, job-seekers. Blog for Democracy has found a fascinating opportunity on a political employment web site.
It seems as if an “oratorically gifted challenger” with a surging public personality — why, aren’t those the exact words that Markel Hutchins’ mother uses to describe her son? — is looking for an experienced campaign manager to help him unseat a veteran incumbent who has recently come under fire and may — or may not — be U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta.
No Republicans need apply. Applicants should note that this candidate appears to be highly efficient at delegating. Also, there is the possibility that the position has already been filled.
Hutchins announced his Democratic primary challenge about two weeks after the following want-ad was posted:
GEORGIA (D):Experienced Campaign Manager needed for Atlanta-area congressional district challenger. This unique and historic campaign is expected to pit an older, well-known and veteran incumbent who has recently come under political fire, against a young, charismatic and oratorically-gifted challenger whose public personality has surged in recent times. The campaign manager’s duties: developing and executing a campaign plan, fundraising, organizing/recruiting and managing volunteers, coordinating the mail program, representing the campaign at events, organizing voter contact events, and other administrative tasks. Please send a cover letter, resume and salary requirements as soon as possible to changeinga@gmail.com. Posted: 2/11/08.
