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Friday, August 8, 2008
Chambliss and Limbaugh tangle over the “Gang of Ten” energy proposal?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Buzz Brockaway over at PeachPundit says U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss found himself defending his “Gang of Ten” compromise energy bill this afternoon on Rush Limbaugh’s program.
The transcript of their conversation hasn’t shown up yet, but ‘twas a Wall Street Journal criticism of Chambliss’ bipartisan approach, by Kimberly Strassel, that had Rushites grumbling.
Here’s a taste:
And so, last Friday, in stumbled Sens. Lindsey Graham, John Thune, Saxby Chambliss, Bob Corker and Johnny Isakson — alongside five Senate Democrats. This “Gang of 10” announced a “sweeping” and “bipartisan” energy plan to break Washington’s energy “stalemate.” What they did was throw every vulnerable Democrat, and Mr. Obama, a life preserver.
That’s because the plan is a Democratic giveaway. New production on offshore federal lands is left to state legislatures, and then in only four coastal states. The regulatory hurdles are huge. And the bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the coast — putting off limits some of the most productive areas. Alaska’s oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is still a no-go.
The highlight is instead $84 billion in tax credits, subsidies and federal handouts for alternative fuels and renewables. The Gang of 10 intends to pay for all this in part by raising taxes on … oil companies! The Sierra Club couldn’t have penned it better. And so the Republican Five has potentially given antidrilling Democrats the political cover they need to neutralize energy through November.
In the spirit of self-defense, the Insider offers up Chambliss’ explanation of his “Gang of Ten” proposal, as recorded this week for YouTube purposes — although the video was conceived of as a defense against Democratic attacks, not skepticism from the Republican base:
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Cops on Tuesday didn’t want to see another Derwin Brown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a recent conversation, a fellow mentioned that he had attended the victory celebration of Kem Kimbrough, who on Tuesday defeated incumbent Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill in the Democratic run-off.
Law enforcement officers — some from Clayton, some not — swarmed to the location and threw up a cordon around the new nominee, the fellow said. The 2000 assassination of Derwin Brown in DeKalb County was on their mind.
Eldrin Bell, chairman of the Clayton County Commission, on Friday confirmed the essentials. One neighboring sheriff brought four deputies, he said, out of concern for the safety of the sheriff-elect. “That’s what they were particularly worried about,” said Bell, who survived his own challenge on Tuesday.
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A star-struck couple embarks on the asphalt highway of life
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Insider has gotten word that invitations have gone out inviting friends to celebrate the wedding of state Transportation Commissioner Gena Abraham and Mike Evans, former chairman of the state Board of Transportation.
This is the couple, you’ll recall, whose relationship threw the state Capitol — even the governor — into a frenzy of intrigue this spring.
The date of the affair is Sept. 13, the evening after the Georgia-at-South Carolina game, though the wording of the invitation indicates vows will be exchanged beforehand. The location is Evans’ parental estate in Helen, Ga.
For those of you into such things, the invitation was on a kind of gingham checked pattern. And the Insider assumes it has been sent to anyone who might be helpful in a future Ninth District congressional race.
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Ralph Reed: Come meet my new friend John McCain
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you read this space, you knew this was coming. But even now that the odd-couple alliance between Ralph Reed and John McCain is complete, you still can’t believe that it’s true.
On Thursday afternoon, Republicans around Georgia received an invitation from Reed, who will serve as a host of a “special event” for McCain at the downtown Marriot Marquis on Aug. 18.
“John McCain believes in a strong national defense, a smaller, more accountable government, steady economic growth and opportunity, the dignity of life and traditional values,” wrote Reed, whose 2006 campaign for lieutenant governor sank under the weight of evidence detailing his relationship with Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff — much of it uncovered by McCain’s Indian Affairs Committee.
Read the entire invitation on the jump.
From: Linda Ingram
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 3:21 PM
Subject: Special Invitation from Ralph Reed: Senator McCain Coming to Atlanta
A Message from Ralph Reed:
Senator John McCain will be coming to Atlanta on August 18 for a very special event at the Marriot Marquis downtown and I have agreed to serve as a member of the McCain Victory 2008 Team.
Never in my career can I recall a starker contrast between two major-party nominees for President. Barack Obama is advocating higher taxes, more spending, a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, and an energy plan that opposes drilling on the outer continental shelf. The nonpartisan publication National Journal concluded that he had the most liberal voting record in the U.S. Senate.
John McCain believes in a strong national defense, a smaller, more accountable government, steady economic growth and opportunity, the dignity of life and traditional values. He will make it a top priority to balance the budget and get federal spending under control so that our children aren’t burdened with a mountain of debt that will rob them of their future.
John McCain also believes that tax cuts work best when tied to spending restraint. He has a 26-year pro-life voting record and has pledged to appoint conservative judges who will interpret the law, not legislate from the bench.
Attached is a contribution form and a fact sheet that details the event. Please complete the contribution form and return it to me at XXXXX Duluth, GA 30097. If you select to use your credit card, you may fax the form to me at 770-XXX-XXXX.
I hope you will join me and Jo Anne at the August 18 event in support of Senator McCain in Atlanta. The outcome of this presidential election is going to determine the future direction of this country. Please join us as we work together to elect John McCain. Your participation is critical to success.
Thank you for all you have done for our country and our shared conservative values.
Look forward to hearing from you, best, Ralph
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DSCC goes on the attack (on the Internet) against Chambliss
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While Jim Martin gets his general election campaign for the U.S. Senate organized, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has picked up the slack with a first attack on Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss.
The ad is an attempt to portray Chambliss as a tool of Big Oil. One suspects that Chambliss has seen this one coming — and one reason why he’s leading the GOP side of a bipartisan energy bill in the Senate.
The ad highlights the nearly $200,000 — of a total $6.2 million raised — that Chambliss has received from oil interests.
Supporters of the Republican incumbent shouldn’t be too alarmed. For the time being, the ad’s appearing on the Internet only. Click on the picture below to watch.
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Cagle: Deeper cuts are possible, and even state layoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle on Thursday cast the state’s economic downturn in words more stark than we’ve seen elsewhere.
Travis Fain of the Macon Telegraph’s Lucid Idiocy has this:
July revenue figures aren’t out yet, but Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said today that the state’s economic slide could lead to 10 percent budget cuts, instead of the 6 percent currently prescribed.
Cagle also said the cuts would lead to “certainly deferrals and maybe layoffs.” He said state education funding would be exempt from that, beyond the cut Gov. Sonny Perdue has already ordered in taking away the portion of austerity cut funding restored earlier this year.
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You’d be surprised how many family fights are all about money
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s your choice: Less money for schools or property taxes. Or, perhaps, both.
The implications of the $1.6 billion shortfall — some years ago, Sonny Perdue would have called this a deficit, but that was then — are slowly working their way down to the grassroots.
Right now, the governor has recommended a 6 percent overall cut in the current budget — 2 percent for schools and 5 percent for Medicaid.
That includes the elimination of a property tax break for homeowners, which House Republican leaders have vowed to preserve.
Here’s the take in the LaGrange Daily News:
Most homeowners in Troup County would have to pay an extra $237.28 under Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to withhold a $428 million tax relief grant.
Perdue announced the cut Friday to deal with a projected $1.6 billion revenue shortfall.
The annual grant program provides an $8,000 homestead exemption, which amounts to $237.28 for most of Troup’s 12,000 taxpayers, Tax Commissioner Gary Wood said Tuesday.
Here’s the question: Would preserving the property tax break force deeper cuts in the state’s education budget? And would that force local school boards to increase property taxes?
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