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Tuesday, January 9, 2007
GOP can stop looking over its shoulder
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As a committee of state legislators assembled to escort the newly elected speaker pro tem of the Georgia House of Representatives, Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta), into the chamber, House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) explained the ritual.
The escort committee, Richardson explained, was a holdover from a more raucous legislative era when adversaries might be tempted to “stick a knife in the back” of high officials.
“Of course, nobody would do that in 2006,” he said rather oddly. And indeed, nobody did. All Democrats, in fact, crossed the aisle to elect Burkhalter by acclamation, and seven of them joined the 106 Republicans to give Richardson a second term as speaker.
Ritual in any institution and certainly in a democracy, archaic or not, is much underappreciated as a reminder to us that even as the political tides change and revolutions occur at the ballot box, the people’s business continues in their house of government. No matter what happens, the chosen return to ritual and the work of the republic begins. Even in its simplicity — the escort committees — it is elegantly inspiring, civil and reassuring, a fresh and optimistic start.
Watching it from the press gallery, it’s easy to believe that this day is the high point for Republicans under the Gold Dome. Two years ago, when the GOP gained control of the House and Richardson was first elected speaker, Democrats were still hopeful, as congressional Republicans are now, that the victors’ reign would be temporary. After November, those illusions are gone.
Their time will come again. The rituals will be theirs to perform. But not soon.
For Republicans, this is the session when power is consolidated and put to a defining purpose. As Richardson explained it two years ago, new legislation should proceed “slowly and cautiously” and, to gain acceptance, should meet at least one test: Will it reduce the size of government? Will it reduce the tax burden on Georgians? Will it promote personal responsibility? Will it strengthen the family?
In the first two years, as legislators pandered for a political edge in November’s elections, the relationship between bills and the four-way test was often elusive. But the GOP faces no serious challenge to its legislative control for years to come. The speaker’s standard, then, should actually apply.
For Democrats, the chore is to find a way to get noticed that will appeal to mainstream Georgia. Rebuilding a party capable of winning statewide gained some urgency after November. There are no obvious heirs.
The key to that redefinition is, as it has been for some time, black Democrats. Of the 74 seats held by Democrats, 61 are in districts where blacks make up more than 30 percent of registered voters, the usual threshold for determining whether a district votes Democrat or Republican.
Somewhat surprisingly, though, eight of the over-30 districts are held by Republicans — including several they would likely have lost with a more competitive gubernatorial race.
State Rep. Robert Mumford of Conyers, a white Republican, is in a district astride one path of black outmigration from Atlanta. His district was almost 40 percent black at the time of last November’s election; he won with 51.8 percent of the vote. State Rep. Gene Maddox (R-Cairo), a second-termer, represents a 34 percent black district; he won with 53.2 percent of the vote.
Other Republicans who won easily in over-30 black districts are three party-switchers, Reps. Mickey Channell of Greensboro (re-elected with 63.8 percent of the vote, Johnny Floyd of Cordele (66.4) and Richard Royal of Camilla (63.9); plus David Knight of Griffin (59.3) and Willie Talton of Warner Robins (70.1).
Even if Democrats succeed in the future in picking up those seats when entrenched incumbents retire, the numbers are still short of a majority.
For the GOP, consolidated in power, it’s time to do something that matters — if not the big idea, tax reform or school choice, for example, something that begins to turn the ship of state in the direction Richardson articulated.
For Democrats, the need is to reinvent and reintroduce Georgians to the party they grew up with. The key players in that will be black Democrats, who now are the party’s majority in the House. The party can only move as far toward the Georgia voting mainstream as they will let it.
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