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DEL.ICIO.USState lawmakers must rid pension plans that bilk taxpayers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The system abused by former Fulton County Superior Court Clerk Juanita Hicks and her hand-picked successor is flawed on so many levels that, but for the self-interest of beneficiaries in elected office, it would have been fixed decades ago.
Hicks, 58, who retired Feb. 21 after 18 years in office, with a final salary of $143,372, is a double-dipper — a triple-dipper, really, since she was given a $55-per-hour job assisting her chosen successor. In addition to a county pension of $105,588 and her salary assisting successor clerk Cathelene “Tina” Robinson, Hicks qualifies for a second public-financed pension from the Superior Court Clerks Retirement Fund.
One overriding message should be carried away from the public attention of the Hicks arrangement. The message is intended for the Republicans who now control the governor’s office and both houses of the Georgia General Assembly. It is this:
Before you take ownership of a corrupt system, change it. You’re five years in power, three into complete power. One day, and perhaps one day soon, you’ll be just like the Democrats who slopped at the public trough. You’ll begin to feel entitled, and to protect that entitlement, you’ll use the public purse to reward personal and political friends and interest groups, just as the Democrats did.
Georgia has a long, sordid history of pension rip-offs. Eons ago the courthouse gang convinced legislators to set up fee-funded pension systems for them, even though laborers and hired hands in some smaller counties had to wait until recent decades for retirement plans. The same is true of sheriffs and judges and tax commissioners.
Local tax commissioners, in fact, found a way to weasel in on the more lucrative Employees Retirement System of Georgia, the state employees’ plan.
A 1952 constitutional amendment that followed adoption of a 3 percent statewide sales tax in 1951 carefully retained a .25-mill state levy that previously had been collected at 5 mills. That quarter-mill, about $30 per year for the average property owner, made local tax commissioners agents of the state — and therefore eligible for a retirement bonanza. Those officials are eligible for both a state and local pension for the same day on the job.
Sheriffs are eligible for multiple plans — their own, the county’s and the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund — all three funded by taxpayers directly or via add-ons to fines. Fees ranging from $3 to 5 percent of fines and bond forfeitures are added to fund the Peace Officers’ fund and $2 or more to fund the sheriff’s second or third same-day-on-the-job benefit.
Layers are added on, but no Legislature ever goes back and deals with the inequity created by rewarding public officials with political pull.
The problem with getting a permanent fix is that legislators and employees are all beneficiaries of the plans they control. After public attention was drawn to rip-offs almost a quarter century ago, the existing abused plan for state employees was closed and a new retirement system was created.
The new system remained relatively untainted by sweetheart provisions until the new employees hired after 1982 started to think about retirement.
They, too, routinely persuade legislators to add special clauses to cover a personal situation. So we have, and have always had, a state retirement system that’s constantly being revised for the benefit of a few individual employees.
The only solution is to give workers cash for retirement, cash that they control in 401(k) accounts, so that they’re not coming back in 10 years or 20 years insisting that plan covering 77,000 state employees be revised to provide a sweetheart arrangement for some employee or official with a friend at the statehouse.
At the end of every day, the state and its employees should be even, fair and square, with salary and benefits completely known. A defined-contribution pension plan, unlike the current defined-benefit plan, would eliminate all temptation to toy with a mature pension system in ways that rip off taxpayers.
All of these secondary pension systems funded with fines and fees should be closed immediately to new public officials, and the add-ons either eliminated or used to fund something that matters — the state trauma network, for example, which is projected to cost $100 million.
One pension for one day of work.
Permalink | Comments (78) | Post your comment | Categories: Column
Comments
By Mid-South Philosopher
August 21, 2007 8:11 AM | Link to this
Good morning, Jim,
I think the last sentence of your column today says it all. I agree with one slight caveat. “One publicly subsidized pension for one day of work.” The amount an employee might want to save and invest privately (not on the public dime) should not enter into the equation.
I still contend that for legislative public servants (members of the General Assembly, county commissioners, city council members, school bored members, and any number of other publicly paid commission or committee members) should have NO publicly funded pension system. They should not be in office that long, yet, if they choose to serve for an extended period and if their constituency chooses to allow them to do so, their service should be out of their dedication for the betterment of society and not in the expectation of living off the taxpayers in retirement.
By Redneck Convert
August 21, 2007 8:17 AM | Link to this
Well, them public workers must think they are in Private Innerprize. If you are in Private Innerprize and sort of at the top of the heap it’s OK to have million dollar bonuses and big retirement plans. Sort of like the Home Depot guy that run the company into the ground and got a big check for it and then got hired to run a auto company so he can run it into the ground and get a big check for it too. That’s Private Innerprize.
If you are in Private Innerprize and have a fat retirement plan they call it deferred compensation and you can leave at 50 or so and never have to work another day in your life and live in a big house and have other houses and boats and RVs and plenty of money to pay for golf and such. That’s like God intended because you are holy and blessed and the reglar workers ain’t.
But if you work for the guvmint you should work till you are 90 or so and then get kicked out with about 10 percent of your reglar pay and beg on the streets. You are not suppose to be able to retire and feed yourself and your fambly on the taxpayers dime. What you are suppose to do is give the taxpayers first-rate service on fourth-rate pay. It’s the American Way and us godly Republicans are all for it. If God wanted guvmint workers to have good retirement plans they would of been borned with a piece of paper they could cash in when they get old.
I’m real glad to see the Republicans have took over the retirement business and set up the 401k plans and got rid of reglar pension plans. My buddy Jim Earl tells me a 401k plan works like this. See, you put in about 10 percent of your paycheck to the plan. The co. you work for puts in 1 percent to match yours. Then when you reach 90 or so you will have enough money in the plan to retire and feed yourself if you also take a job as a WalMart greeter and such. The co. saves all kind of money because it don’t have to put it into a pension plan to pay for your retirement. The people that own stock in the co. get rich, the co. gets rich, the big managers get rich, and the workers make their living by the sweat of their brow as God said they should and sort of totter out the door when 90 comes. The workers need to show Personal Responsibility and not ask taxpayers to support them when they get old.
Anyway, I’m real sorry to see so many guvmint workers are crooks and I know us godly Republicans can straighten it out. We can have them walking around in rags in no time and begging with a tin cup when they get old.
By Sweet Lorraine
August 21, 2007 8:22 AM | Link to this
Excellent reporting. This is the true strength of our country: the free press and ace reporting. Our constitution is good, but the Supreme Court can interpret the words as prayers and annoint our leaders (but why go there, I’m sick of it already).
Jim Wooten, however, represents the real checks and balances we assumed were included (like batteries in a child’s toy) in our constitution.
I bought a six pack of D cell batteries. They weren’t included. I had to buy them again. (stephen wright)
If the voters dont care about the corrupt nature of the gravy train pension plan benefitting the lucky few at the expense of our citizenry, infrastructure and common sense, then we deserve the fat-bellies who must be laughing at all of us.
They’re laughing at us, those dirty pillars of our institutions, and I suggest we all grab pitchforks, shovels and torches and mob the home of every corrupt pensioner and string him and his family up to the nearest and highest yardarm……or we could just vote to change the law.
Up to you. Either way. Whatever.
By Dusty
August 21, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
Thank you, Jim Wooten, for giving us the facts. I hope every legislator in Georgia gets a copy of this column.
Without your help, few of us would know the ins and outs and results of the state’s pension systems.
SOMEBODY BETTER CHANGE SOMETHING QUICK!!! Taxpayers are tired of these undercover payouts set up by the people who are going to profit from them. A decent retirement pension..YES! x2 & x3 NO.
By sct
August 21, 2007 8:47 AM | Link to this
Nothing has changed. Georgia Republicans have done nothing since taking over.
Real reform in Georgia???? Ha!
Does the Sonny Perdue special $100,000 real estate legislation count as reform?
Great example that was. As was the watered down ethics reform we got.
By Sweet Lorraine
August 21, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
Dont I get a honorable mention for suggesting to my fine honorable friend, Jim Wooten, that this story had legs?
I’m waiting for not just an apology, Dusty, but a mea culpa, a self flaggelation, a buddhist style gasoline soak and burn, and of course, the requisite sticking your head in the toilet for being such a loser.
By Van
August 21, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
It is interesting, that the big corporations have done away with “pensions”. It wasn’t cost effective for them. We, the workers now have what is called a “cash balance”. It goes on the books in a different manner - at least that is the only reason I can come up with.
Between this “cash balance” and a 401K, that is my only retirement pension.
A little know secret, well not any more, is after retiring at 60, get a government job - it pays well, you can’t be fired easily and a great set of benefits.
All the things you do not have in the private sector.
Personally, I think they should have to rely on their abilities to manage their own 401K, like the rest of us. The rest off us that work that is.
By deegee
August 21, 2007 9:31 AM | Link to this
Hahahaha!
“One day, and perhaps one day soon, you’ll be just like the Democrats who slopped at the public trough. You’ll begin to feel entitled, and to protect that entitlement, you’ll use the public purse to reward personal and political friends and interest groups, just as the Democrats did.”
Sonny Perdue won a Georgia state senate seat in 1992 as a Democrat. He switched to the Republican party in 1997.
By deegee
August 21, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this
I shudder to think about the tax rate we are going to have to pay on withdrawals from the pre-tax money we are investing into our 401Ks. The good news is that the demographics suggest that there will be ample job opportunities for geriatric job seekers through the next couple of decades.
By Curious Observer
August 21, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this
As usual, Van spouts off on a subject about which he knows little or nothing. He implies that government jobs provide outstanding retirement benefits. Nothing could be further from the truth—at least as far as federal government jobs are concerned.
Under the Federal Employees Retirement System, a worker gets an annual pension equivalent to 1% of the average salary for the top three years of pay times the number of years of creditable service. Do the math. If a worker’s average salary for the top three years of pay is $50,000 and the worker has 30 creditable years of service, his annual pension will be a whopping $15,000, or $1,250 per month. The worker goes from earning over $4,100 per month to $1,250 in retirement.
Just like workers in private industry, the federal worker must rely on a form of 401k in order to survive in retirement. In this case, it’s called the Thrift Savings Plan.
But Van wants you to believe that all government employees are living off the fat of the land. Well, it might have been true some decades ago, when the old Civil Service Retirement System allowed workers to receive up to 75% of their average salary as retirement pay. Then the Republican Congress got hold of that plan, and you have seen the results.
But let Van continue to believe what he wants to believe. He will anyway. Try doing some research, Van. The truth will set you free.
By Southern Democrat
August 21, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this
I, personally, don’t see why legislators and any elected officers should be eligible for pensions. It’s called public SERVICE for a reason. I do believe in a well-funded bureaucracy that rewards efficiency; sheriffs, judges, municipal workers, etc. Most of these people choose to work at jobs with lower salaries for the benefits (insurance and pensions).
By Mid-South Philosopher
August 21, 2007 9:58 AM | Link to this
Southern Democrat @ 9:47
You and I are in total agreement on this point. There is a difference between policy makers or what I call the legislative elected officials and the bureaucratic elected officials. In the case of the former, their service should an expression of the will of their constituencies and should be limited to a “part-time” venue.
The elected bureaucrats are chosen to carry out the policies enacted by the “policy makers” and, hence, have a defined “job” or “occupation.” A pension for them is appropriate, but, as Jim intimates, not two or three funds at the taxpayers expense.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this
It was both sickening and freaking hilarious to see that nasty shrill criminal illegal mexican leech who was deservedly deported yesterday could NOT, even after about a decade of living and illegally leeching here speak/read English to even a six/seven year old kids level. Pathetic is an understatement. The bigoted pig ignorant arrogance of these mexican type leeches is despicable and shows us all just how contemptuous of America these worthless scum are!!
Nice to see that the backward corrupt crime ridden cesspit of mexico is getting hammered by a decent sized hurricane. mexico is such a vile place, with a truly vile selfish hypocritical racist thuggish population that this kind of news cheers all clear thining folks up immensely. Better mexico than the US as is usually the case!!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
The treasonous do NOTHING but cut and run and lie and distort demoNcrat congress has now reached the historic LOW levels of 1992 support - just 18%. And we all recall what happened the following election cycle when the GOP saved America from the venal corrupt child molesting liberal queers and black racial spoilss racebaiters.
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=28456
So the hippety hop lovin’ human scum Vick lied through its ebonics spoutin’ teeth. So much for proving its “innocence”. HUGE GIVE THE thuggish hippety hop B ASTARD AT LEAST FIVE YEARS SMIRK.
Almost as disgusting as Vick’s blatant hollow desperate lies is the pathetic fawning by many nasty bigoted blacks who despicably are still seeking to minimise Vicks years of dog torturing, murdering and butchering. Some sullen black moronic trollop on WSB yesterday repeatedly talked of Vick’s “mistakes”. This brainless demented cow needs to go back to journalism skool (as if racist quota hires are ever actually held to the same standard as real journalists) and get an adult to teach it what a “mistake” is. Clearly using this stupid cow’s criteria its parents made a huge mistake with it!! Systematically torturing and killing dogs is not a “mistake”. Its a sick and twisted choice of an illegal sociopathic lifestyle. Lets not forget it was sick willie the perjuring pardon selling Arkansas rapist who ‘first’ raped the English language and used “mistake” as the glib mendacious (drive by media) euphemism of choice of venal lying elitist liberal sexual predator white trash.
By Curious Observer
August 21, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this
Why don’t you tell us how you really feel, TFTT? We’re tired of your tip-toeing around the subject.
P.S. I hear Rite Aid is celebrating its absorption of Eckerds by holding a sale on certain drugs designed to treat psycho-social disorders. You might want to pay a visit.
By Plucky Pluckerson
August 21, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this
You are asking to fix this a group of people who passed a $100,000 just-for-him tax break for Tubby Puredoo. They don’t work for our best interests, just those of themselves and their friends.
By TW
August 21, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this
Kudos to Mr. Wooten for staying away from the Michael Vick storm today. Little difference between a guy who kills dogs and one who whines about his taxes during a war, but still.
By James Carville
August 21, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this
The DNC should put time for the truth’s 10:16 post on billboards all over the country. It perfectly illustrates what the republican party has become and displays the type of person that typifies the “new republican”. Thanks to “time for the truth” and others of his ilk, the republican party is being exposed for the racist, bigoted, cesspool that it has become today. Every piece of miscellaneous trash in this country is drawn like a magnet to it. “time for the truth” perfectly illustrates trash in action.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this
@ curious peeping tom
my posts are (invariably) simply pithy statements of fact, sensibly imbued with incisive fair comment. unlike your own unhinged pathetic far left bollocks!!
LMFAO at seeing the worthless lard arsed HiTllary cutting and running from the official demoNcrat cut and run policy in Iraq. Obviously this universally hated corrupt feminazi liar has realised that robotically puking up the yellowbellied Barak the magick idiot negro and Johnny I exploit my wife’s cancer whilst foreclosing on Katrina victims Edwards lets swiftly run away and hide from the towel heads tactics is the electoral equivalent of a homicide suicide bomb.
Can’t wait to see the far left hate America vermin screech and screech about HiTllary’s rather surprising and unexpectedly honest observation that the new military tactics (in Iraq) are working. Maybe HiTllary’s Bush Derangement Syndrome is gently dissipating. Must be because the coward Bush has refused to properly investigate the endless crimes and abuse of presidential power by the Arkansas rapist and its blatant venal pardon selling!!
By Danaher
August 21, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this
TW…thanks for the point that you made in your last post. It very accurately illustrates the attitude that todays neo-conservative republican has toward the wars that they love and support. Not only do they not want to participate themselves, nor their children to participate, they moan and whine about paying the taxes that a war such as Iraq needs to sustain itself. Republicans like to wave the flag, tie yellow ribbons around trees and stick them to their cars, while in actuality doing absolutely nothing but sloganeering, i.e. Dusty and her type, and shilling for said conflict. Republicans try to foist the illusion that they are patriotic, when actuality they are anything but.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this
@ Satan KKKarville
time to GFY - ya inbred cajun dumbarse!!
my post simply (albeit only partially) conveys but a few of the awkward truths/facts that the shameless legions of politically correct neutered pu$$ies (yes folks its another clever mixed metaphor) in this once proud country supinely slither away from confronting and dealing with.
By Van
August 21, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
Curious Observer
As usual the lefties see and read only what they want - real workers get no pension, just a 401k or IRA - government employees get a 6 figure pension and the ability to double/triple dip.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
Uplifting thought for the day …
we have a vaccine for rabies, cervical cancer, polio etc - so why not one for liberalism?
By James Carville
August 21, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this
time for the truth prooves time and time again that he is nothing but the human version of a septic tank or pota-potty. Keep it up tftt. You are the poster child for everything that has gone wrong with the republican party. And by the way tftt. ESAD..FOAD…but whatever you do, keep posting your trash so the whole world can see what it means to call oneself republican. You are a fine example of uneducated redneck ignorance in all it’s glory. And by the way. I am sure you know exactly what it means to GFY you pitiful little asexual worm.
By jm
August 21, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
van@11:07 - seeing only what I want to see, I notice that most of the corporations that are eliminating pensions for their workers are also keeping them for their top executives. A personal favorite of mine was the steps Delta top executives took to protect the pensions of top executives prior to filing for bankruptcy protection.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
when it comes time for the thinking right movie to be made, i’ll be played by a mumbling, psychotic homeless person who rubs excrement in his hair whilst masturbating to a picture of j. edgar hoover.
By James Carville
August 21, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
when it comes time for the thinking right movie to be made, i’ll be played by a mumbling, psychotic homeless person who rubs excrement in his hair whilst masturbating to a picture of j. edgar hoover.
time for the truth finally told the truth. LMAO!!!
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this
don’t laugh too hard. it’s just our anally obsessive, arse likkking id jacker unsuckkcesspoolly trying to insert itself into my discourse again.
By Movie Producer
August 21, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
I also would like to cast time for the truth in my upcoming movie ‘The Life and Loves’ of Bill Clinton. I think he would make a perfect Monica Lewinsky. And I wouldn’t even need a double when the time comes to smoke Bill’s cigar. tftt would perform that role with utter aplomb.
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
don’t laugh too hard. it’s just our anally obsessive, arse likkking id jacker unsuckkcesspoolly trying to insert itself into my discourse again. and like any loyal subjekkt of the queen i’d be wanking but to a picture of winston churchill, or fred thompson
By GOADING L;EFTY SCUM GETS EASIER AND EASIER
August 21, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this
cheers for that magickal hissy fit Satan KKarville!!
Much appreciated. As is the utterly predicktable puke from the anal gutlesschickenshit child molesting id thief who like the typical self absorbed whiny liberal brat won’t post using its real knuckle dragging id.
Also nice to see the same old same old should have been aborted leftists on here are back to obsessing about their fave subject - sh it!! Clearly if the average liberal had a sh it - there’d be nothing left!! Except a few cut and run Pelosibitch maggots and pool of fetid f aggot pink kool aid!! … smirk
By the only good liberal is a dead liberal
August 21, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
WOW … I STILL GOT THE POWER FOLKS!!!
Yet again I sure have effortlessly goaded the yanKKKee queeralicious id thief into numerous hypocritical homo themed hissy fits - and even better this sick liberal child molestor is now endlessly “talking to itself” to make it appear as if some one/any one gives a flying F about its unhinged envious of its conservative betters puke.
jolly well done indeed rednekkks NAMBLA/aborted foreskin/peeping tom!!
By Your humble id thief
August 21, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this
Some more casting decisions (typecasting employed):
jbmlaw _ Fred Thompson, a lazy, fat, ugly lawyer
Dusty _ Jean Stapleton, because she’s played Edith Bunker already, Musty should be a piece of cake.
Wooten _ Hmmm. Let’s see. Oh yeah, Ronald Reagan … Jr.
Redneck Convert _ Duh. Jeff Foxworthy.
Please feel free to fill out the rest of the cast, or make your own substitutions for these.
By Truths Sister
August 21, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this
uh oh. Truthy’s on the rag again. Dearie, I’ve told you over and over; when you feel “witchy” take midol. And some oxycontin (about 5), and some LSD, and a couple of shots of gasoline (with lead) — that’ll mellow you out.
By George
August 21, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this
I think Dusty is more the Peg Bundy type.
By kill a lefty for Jesus
August 21, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this
How absolutely spiffing to see the resident sick lefty queers are still anally obsessing over Churchill, J Edgar Hoover and Fred Thompson.
A truly sick pinko pooftah mind is at work here folks!!
By Your humble id thief, Torky Torkleson
August 21, 2007 11:50 AM | Link to this
I believe it is you who were goaded into the hissy fits. HA! You’re sooooo easy.
HUGE SMIRK!
By kill a lefty for Jesus
August 21, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this
The best thing for the queeralicious id thief to do is stick its cut and run paedophile child molesting arse in a vat of liquid oxygen, with rednekkks NAMBLA and peeping tom under (what’s left) of each flea infested leprosy ridden armpit
SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO GOAD THESE ABORTION BUCKET escapee LEFTIST SCUM FOLKS
I see crackpipe debbieturd @ 11.46 has finished turning illegal mexican leech day labourer tricks for the day!!! So another (tax free) 50 cents earned for a hard days night!! (gedditt??)
By Dusty
August 21, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Well, first I must apologize to Sweet Lorraine who fooled me completely. She posted her 9/11 piece and I posted mine before I saw hers. Oh well, Sweet’n’low. I will put you on probation until I’m sure you are not synthetic sugar.
No, GEORGE. I play the part of Judge Judy and, honey, YOU are guilty of being a liberal.
By Your humble id thief
August 21, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
See how easy it is. She will keep rolling on and on. I apologize for getting the old girl started. Think I’ll go take a nap while she tuckers herself out.
By kill a lefty for Jesus
August 21, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this
Think I’ll go take a nap
please think very seriously about making it a “dirt” nap … smirk
By Whatever!
August 21, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans … it’s about GREEDY people!! Certainly there is enough blame to be shared by both parties!!!And quite frankly greed has existed forever!!!
By goader in chief of leftist scum
August 21, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans … it’s about GREEDY people!! Certainly there is enough blame to be shared by both parties!!!And quite frankly greed has existed forever!!!
Thanks so much bubbakins for that mercurial, incisive brilliance. We are ALL indubitably greatly indebted to your truly rare and oh so precious political genius.
Now don’t go spoiling it by puking up any more of your petulant munificent ultra obtuse bollocks on here … just ensure y’all STFU and then GFY!!
Thanks very much in anticipation.
By Your Husband's Girlfriend
August 21, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this
By Dusty Taxpayers are tired of these undercover payouts set up by the people who are going to profit from them. A decent retirement pension..YES! x2 & x3 NO.
Just as I bet your husband is getting tired of a wife that just gets broader and flatter across the beam from 24/7 blogging (poor chair) while he works all the live long day supporting your habit. Oh well. The girlfriends of the world thank women like you Dusty for your contribution to our Sugar Daddy funds. Keep blogging lardazz. We real women will keep your husbands happy, and he will keep us in folding money. Thanks Dusty for your contribution to mankind.
By Me
August 21, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
I mainly just wanted to see if I could get printed in this blog since it keeps Banker’s hours. BTW..for those of us who have been in GA for generations, we know that no matter who is in state government their reason for being there is to rob us blind.
By Truths Sister
August 21, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this
you’re screeching again dearie — it’s very unbecoming douchie and you’re driving all your regular customers away!! Oops here comes one now; open wide now; there’s a lass!
By Pope rednecks - Amerikkka's Al Qaeda I
August 21, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this
The paranoid poofster tft-tranny should be nicer to Michael Vick - those dogs Vick killed were sh-it eating dogs - he may have saved tft-tranny’s pathetic life.
Huge smirk
By Southern Democrat
August 21, 2007 1:27 PM | Link to this
Once again, the “comedians,” have taken this blog down to the degenerate depths. Jim, can’t something be done about this?
By Spunky Spunkerson
August 21, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this
The Public Service Commission finally voted, 4-1 to ban secret meetings between commissioners and lobbyists. The vote against was by lobbyist lover Stan Wise. Let’s vote that jackass out next time if he’s stupid enough to run again.
By Dusty
August 21, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
Southern Democrat @ 1:27
I agree with you. This place is getting to be Dirtbags Anonymous instead of a political blog.
By AmVet
August 21, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this
Southern Democrat, re your 1:27, agreed.
I may well get flamed for saying this, but as many times as not, the “discourse” here devolves to the lowest common denominator.
And posting here is sometimes fairly futile as the inmates are running the asylum!
By Bob Jones
August 21, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this
I’m for an all-out cleanup of Georgia politics, from pension double dipping, to the governor’s personal tax breaks mentioned earlier to elected officials in the pockets of lobbyists. The Democrats did it and now the Republicans are just as bad, if not worse.
By Southern Democrat
August 21, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
Thanks Dusty, but that post was the I.D. Thief again, though it does reflect my opinion.
By getalife
August 21, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
“The very least that must be done to halt the Hispanic invasion is the mass enslavement, or execution, of the invaders, which must be followed by an American invasion of Mexico to enforce American language and values upon the Mexicans.”
Told ya wingnuts are insane and should locked up.
By kill a lefty for Jesus
August 21, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this
those dogs Vick killed were sh-it eating dogs
WOW —- rednekks NAMBLA is finally honestly admitting how its sullen b itch of a mammy died!! One assumes the human scum Vick put NAMBLA’S mammy on one of the dog rape stands and then a paying customer got carried away feeding hippety hop dog squeeze to NAMBLA’s flea ridden mammy!!
huge death to vile yanKKKee child molestors smirk
just wittily mirroring back your hate Mrs Oedipus-NAMBLA
By Southern Democrat
August 21, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this
While I certainly agree with the sentiments, I did not make the postings @ 1:27 OR 1:56. This is getting to be a bit of a problem.
Interesting perspective today in the Miami Herald by Obama regarding the Cuban embargo for those curious about his perspective.
By Your humble id thief
August 21, 2007 2:21 PM | Link to this
A problem? Pfft. If that’s a problem, consider yourself very lucky, my friend. I’ll disappear for another month or more soon. Hang in there. It’ll be OK.
By your anal lying id thief
August 21, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
I’ll disappear for another month or more soon.
so another bout of court ordered drug rehab!! complete waste of tax payers money.
reminds me of a movie called they shoot horses don’t they!!
By time for the truth
August 21, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this
my bio-pic is called they shoot jackasses don’t they
By Pope rednecks - Amerikkka's Al Qaeda I
August 21, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
tft-tranny, alas you never do anything wittily.
Not even half-wittily, you poor sot. You’re a legend in your own cross-dressing mind, you poof.
huge smirk
By BS Aplenty
August 21, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Jim, nice detective work on defined benefit pension abuses. I’ll just do a bit of piling on by saying the move to defined contribution plans in the public sector is overdue.
As an off-topic aside, I notice the WSJ has an excellent article today on how health insurers like Aetna, WellPoint, Humana and others are targeting the young (20-40) and adults (50-64) with high deductible health insurance policies. Premiums can be as low as $77/mo. for some youngsters and $244/mo for the “more mature” set. Deductibles for these premiums are $5,000.
It’s a good start to providing health care options to people who don’t want the nanny state running their medical lives.
By the treasonous pope is but a dope on a rope
August 21, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
at least whilst the sick pervert NAMBLA is puking up its trademark yanKKKee hate on here the younger children of VT are (somewhat) safer!!
funny how these HYPOCRITICAL leftist cowardly id stealing queers always spew their anal homo obsessed hate and abuse. I bet their fellow demoNcrat queers and treasonous cut and run limp wrists at moveyourbowels.org or codesnivellingpinko would scarcely raise a collective/solitary bathhouse snigger at such anti-queer abuse.
still LMFAO watching a few of the worthless leftist demoNcrat traitors finally admit that “the surge is working” … seeing these appeasing leftist vermin choke on their cowardly defeatist words is enormously amusing!!!
By getalife
August 21, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
There are many time for the toilets in this country:
“The very least that must be done to halt the Hispanic invasion is the mass enslavement, or execution, of the invaders, which must be followed by an American invasion of Mexico to enforce American language and values upon the Mexicans.”
They are wingnuts and are insane.
By kill a lefty for Jesus
August 21, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
getaturd has unwittingly posted its first EVER sensible post.
“The very least that must be done to halt the Hispanic invasion is the mass enslavement, or execution, of the invaders, which must be followed by an American invasion of Mexico to enforce American language and values upon the Mexicans.”
well done getaturd - your ageing, thankfully dying in agony homolover Castro would be right proud of ya!!!
ALL real Americans salute these sound, visionary, albeit slightly restrained sentiments regarding the massive illegal leech infestation emanating from south of the backward corrupt to the core border.
Conquering the backward cesspit of mexico would be a piece of p!ss and would ensure even more cheap oil for very little cost in American lives. The worthless bedraggled mexican army is only slightly good at guarding drug smugglers for huge pay. We’d also instantly close the border - seal it up like a kipper, stop much of the drug smuggling, and we’d have several airfields close to the fascist thug Chavez from which we could bomb this marxist dogsqueeze regime into oblivion, whilst keeping the USAF carbon footprint a wee bit lower than it would be doing it from the continental US. We could herd all lefty homos, liberal perverts and smelly cut and run hippies etc into the deep south of mexico - out of sight out of mind as it were!!
WHY WAIT - START THE 3 or 4 DAY WAR NOW!!!
Got my microwave popcorn button ready and waiting!!
By Jackie
August 21, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
@Dusty
These are your words: By Dusty August 18, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this Jackie,3:48 You tell us what we alrady know. You are a big anti-war liberal. First you go back many years when Russia and Afghanistan were fighting. We did support Afghanistan. They won. Unfortunately, Islamistic fundamentalists took over. Terrorist attacked the USA. We fought them in Afghanistan. We won. (Yes, they have a government and NATO protection.) We fight terrorists from many countries fighting in Iraq. They have been captured or killed so we know that. Iran, Syria, Jordan, Yemen are some of the countries they come from. There are also militant religious factions fighting. They are not the major killers and it is not a Civil War. You say you support the troops but not Bush. That is impossible. You can’t support armed forces and not support their commander-in-chief. That is possible in words only, not in reality. I have heard NO announcement from the Pentagon that we will have a draft. That’s more your scare tactic than their policy. Our Constitution is quite intact and working. Liberals pointing fingers at it does not change it. More propaganda from liberals. I know you are a veteran. I also know that my father, husband, and son are veterans. I appreciate the service but it does not change the obligation of any citizen whether they have been in the armed forces or not. The obligation to support our country is the same. I leave for the day. Babble on about your service, people killed, Bush bad and all the “usual”. But we always remember what you told us. You are just an anti-war activist liberal who is NOT supporting the war efforts of our country. That does include the troops whether you think so or not.
I suspect that you did not support Bill Clinton, therefore, YOU COULD NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!!! . . Please take your time and read your words; you have all the time you need to make any corrections that are necessary1
By getalife
August 21, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this
Talking to some Canadian progressives about the merge with them and Mexico, they said because of scum like time for the toilet, there is no way in hell do they want to be considered a part of our country.
time for the toilet represents why we are hated by the rest of the world.
wingnuts are the ones that need to get the hell out of our country.
Pis-s off bloody wanker.
By time to lynch gutless lefty appeasers
August 21, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this
getaturd pukes up its usual witless envious racist hate against its genetic and intellectual conservative betters.
that was hugely amusing getaturd - got any more gems like that for us bubbapuke?
I am mighty proud to be able to serve my newly adopted country in such a selfless and important way bubbaturd!!
“canadian prgressives” … LMAFAO … you mean slothful, appeasing poisonous hate America flaccid marxist dicks whose Bush Derangement Syndrome is almost on a Sindy I am shamelessly and despicably exploiting my son’s death Sheeet-han level.
What yellowbellied leftist dogturds like you think/say getaturd is almost of the same geopolitical importance as what happens to the vermin that Orkin are paid to deal with!!!
By Dusty
August 21, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this
Jackie@3:45
What corrections? Unless you have changed your mind and decided to support the war efforts of our country, there is nothing to change.
As to Clinton,I guess you are referrring to the Balkan Wars of the nineties where we were there with NATO. Sure, I supported NATO, Clinton,and the troops. Why not? I don’t like communists running countries.
As to Clinton, it was his morals I did not like, not his war objectives. Every war has some mistakes and that one did too.
Clinton’s mistake was lying under oath. That I did not support and neither did the justice system. Did you?
By jm
August 21, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this
hey Dusty here is one for you from Vice President Cheney in 1994: Invading Iraq = Quagmire
By Jackie
August 21, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
Dusty,
You do have a way of trying to avoid your own words. You accuse me of not supporting the troops because I do not support the policies of Dubya, yet, you use your typical circular logic to say that you do not support Clinton while still supporting the troops. I still put before you and the other conservatives, you guys pay “lip service” but no “hip service.” I must commend you on the courage you have shown in trying to defend your statements.
By Dusty
August 21, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this
Jackie,5:26
I’m not avoiding or defending anything. You said yourself that you were an anti-war protestor and did not support the war efforts of this country. Those were YOUR words, not mine. How you can support the troops but not the war effort seems impossible to me.
I have no trouble telling the truth and standing up for this country. That does not take courage, just a love for this great ol’ USA.
By Jackie
August 21, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this
@Dusty,
It is hard for you to speak clearly. I have said that I do not support the foreign policy of the Dubya administration because of what he has done to the military. Look at YOUR OWN WORDS! You claim to support the troops and the war effort, yet, you say that you have “never heard anyone say that the troops will be pulled out of Iraq by the spring.” You do not care about the troops dying in a war that has no definition and no enemy; you can not define what victory means in that war, yet, you support other people dying a being wounded. I ask you, how many troops have been so severely injured in Iraq that they are not fit for combat anymore? How many active duty troops are available for duty in emergencies elsewhere in the world? How many troops have committed suicide this year because of the Iraq war? What is the average deployment and length of deployment for the troops? How long do the troops have to rest between deployments? I dare say you do not have answers to any of the questions, yet, you support our troops. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?????
By Sweet Lorraine
August 21, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
The Iraq War. Get to know it. Get to love it. The Administration thinks it’s going pretty good.
So should you!
By Unaffiliated Voter
August 23, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this
Juanita Hicks is an evil governmental bureaucrat biatch!
Has she taught them how to become even slower at their jobs?
By Unaffiliated Voter
August 23, 2007 2:35 PM | Link to this
Juanita Hicks is an evil governmental bureaucrat biatch!
Has she taught them how to become even slower at their jobs?
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September 4, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this
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By zpjc pfkt
September 4, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this
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By zpjc pfkt
September 4, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this
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By zpjc pfkt
September 4, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
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