Home > Thinking Right > Archives > 2007 > October > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USLet Perdue steer transit; others must stay in own lane
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The point of utter exasperation approaches. The state desperately needs a realistic transportation plan — a statewide transportation plan — a gridlock-relief plan that covers the entire state of Georgia. Not one region. Not one agency. One statewide plan.
There’s one official in Georgia who can make this happen. One. Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The regional players in the metro area can develop their agendas — and propose to expand their mission, as the Atlanta Regional Commission is doing as it considers morphing from a planning agency into one that also builds projects on its regional transportation plan.
Former Department of Transportation board chairman David Doss of Rome can develop a plan, as he did — a fine ambitious plan to relieve congestion and promote economic development. But it’s just scratchings on a legal pad until anointed by the governor and/or the Georgia General Assembly.
And, of course, the Georgia Department of Transportation can pursue its traditional design-and-build approach that amounts to a plan of sorts, but it really needs revitalization — and a larger congestion-relief agenda that will require more money and a variety of private-sector design-fund-and-build players.
Tommie Williams of Lyons, Republican majority leader of the State Senate and a member of joint House-Senate transportation funding study committee, had a revealing exchange last week with Steve Stancil, executive director of the Georgia Regional Transportation Agency. That agency, incidentally, was created by former Gov. Roy Barnes and had he been elected to a second term, might have been a governor’s personal DOT. But Perdue won and GRTA monitors transportation issues and approves, or revises as need be, the ARC’s regional transportation project list.
Stancil was blunt in testifying before the study committee. “We’ve lost our focus when it comes to transportation in Georgia, and it’s time to get it back,” he said. “Funding is tight, and we can only do those projects with the most congestion relief. There is a time to plan and a time to build. It is our season to pull together and get building.” Since cheering aloud was disallowed, mine erupted internally. Yes! Truth. Urgency. Do.
“Who is actually deciding what we’re doing?” asked Williams.
“We’ve got too many people going in too many directions,” replied Stancil.
“How do we solve the problem?”
Real easy, said Stancil. Establish “who has the authority to do what and who has the best ideas.” Now, he said, “everybody who can afford a lobbyist” plays a role.
“I haven’t heard a solution yet on how to bring all these entities under control,” concluded Williams.
Stancil proceeded to list the players and their prescribed roles: GDOT is to implement and build, the ARC is to plan, GRTA has authority to build but should be monitoring and reporting on conditions and progress, in addition to approving the ARC transportation plan.
Then there’s the State Roads and Tollway Authority, which is collecting $20 million a year in Ga. 400 tolls and spending $8 million to improve the tolling infrastructure though the bonds are to be paid off in 2011. And there are other players, too, most on the public payroll.
The solutions, Stancil had told the committee earlier, should recognize that trips cross city and county lines. Therefore:
Projects should focus on reducing congestion and improving mobility, with regional projects favored that are monitored, managed and completed. GDOT, he said, should administer new funds “especially in metro Atlanta,” with projects and funding monitored by GRTA. “When those agencies need to be fixed or improved, let’s do that rather than create new legislative power.”
“We need to be picking on something we can do now — and realistically do,” Stancil said later.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson spoke, too. “I don’t have any answers or words of wisdom,” he said. “I am willing to do anything except to continue to do nothing.” Said Richardson and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in a joint release later: “There are far too many government agencies debating transportation plans instead of building roads.”
The first order of business: Put everybody back in their box. Define roles and authority. One leader can do that. The governor.
Permalink | Comments (74) | Post your comment | Categories: Column
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
Comments
By Rod
October 2, 2007 8:05 AM | Link to this
We’re waiting on Perdue to do something?
GOD HELP US!!!
By jbmlaw
October 2, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this
Good morning all. Jim’s vivid essay this morning brings to mind one of the ten best movie scenes ever filmed (in the esteemed judgment of jbmlaw,) this from a 1980s era show. Here is Sonny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mNDHTfdn1A. Of course, when the Guv calls me, asking my recommendation about what to do about the traffic, I’ll just give him my standard “simply move the state bureaucracy to Macon” argument. Not that he’ll listen, but I am content merely being right.
By @@
October 2, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this
Sorry Jim, I know gridlock is a problem, just not one I choose to get caught up in. Some of the comments struck me as funny though. Allow me….
Your contribution:
“Who is actually deciding what we’re doing?” asked Williams.
“We’ve got too many people going in too many directions,” replied Stancil.
“How do we solve the problem?”
*The first order of business: Put everybody back in their box.
My contribution:
and conveniently forget to provide a-holes with airholes?
That ^^^ is my solution to political gridlock.
By Mid-South Philosopher
October 2, 2007 8:09 AM | Link to this
Good morning, Jim,
The transportation issue that you cite is just another example of the brutal truth…government, at all levels, is inept, stagnant, inefficient…and those are its good points!
Until we reform the legislative bodies (those that make our laws), reign-in the governmental bureaucracies, and hold all office-holders by voting the preponderance of the rascals out, we are not going to solve transportation, education, or liberation problems.
By Mid-South Philosopher
October 2, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this
…and hold all office-holders accountable by voting…
Sometimes the mind works faster than the fingers.
By Peter
October 2, 2007 8:21 AM | Link to this
Well Jim has shown us how the Republican government has NOT been working……… also what is the plan for water in Atlanta ????
I guess that is in tomorrows column…… Gee how many years has Sonny been in Power and what has he accomplished ?????
How many terms will it take for him to deal with transportation, and the water issue ??????
By Craig
October 2, 2007 8:26 AM | Link to this
Rod is correct - great idea Jim. But if you expect Sonny to actually - you know - lead - you’re in for a long and disappointing wait.
By Curious Observer
October 2, 2007 8:32 AM | Link to this
We obviously need yet another four-lane through the cotton fields of south Georgia to address traffic gridlock, along with a bypass of metropolitan Perry. It’s pretty clear that nothing is going to get done about the gridlock in metropolitan Atlanta. Of course, the power struggle is more important than solving actual traffic problems. Once it’s determined who controls the funds, the rest will take care of itself.
And please, getalife, don’t give me that bunk about bicycles and rapid transit. I have quite enough of the cyclists who like to block afternoon rush-hour traffic, and I’ve never encountered a rapid transit system that really benefits and is convenient to suburbanites.
By Aquagirl
October 2, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this
I agree…waiting on Gub’ner Hayseed to take charge is like waiting on Jim to go liberal.
Not that the fine Lt. Gub’ner Cagle is any better. That’s a telling quote: “too many government agencies debating transportation plans instead of building roads”? He’s another asphault junkie. Why, if we could just build all the roads we wanted, we’d be fine! We could all pretend we’re NASCAR drivers! Paradise!
Bet ya Redneck Convert is painting “Cagle for President” on his beer truck right now.
By KR
October 2, 2007 9:01 AM | Link to this
* “too many government agencies debating transportation plans instead of building roads”*
Translation: Ready, Fire, Aim!
It would be laughable, if it didn’t have such an immense impact on the lives of normal Georgians.
By KR
October 2, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this
* “too many government agencies debating transportation plans instead of building roads”*
Translation: Ready, Fire, Aim!
It would be laughable, if it didn’t have such an immense impact on the lives of normal Georgians.
By DemDems4Ever
October 2, 2007 9:04 AM | Link to this
Aquagirl has spent too much time with her head under water.
The Democrats were in control for 130+ years in Georgia and she expects the Republicans to fix that mess in 8 years?
She would probably love to see Bill Campbell return from jail and run for Governor.
By Redneck Convert
October 2, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this
Well, I don’t care for that snitty comment by Aquagirl. No more than I cared for her crack about Forsyth County the other day. I don’t see nothing wrong with voting for old Casey for president. Anybody that can kill that many chickens and get them ready for the stores can handle most anything as president.
Anyway, we need roads, roads, and more roads. You can’t drive a truck onto a MARTA train. Besides, I’m kinda hoping for a entrance onto GA 400 from my trailer park. That would solve my gridlock. And we need to do something about the roads named Short Taper and all the towns named Yield. They are just death traps. Cars just go whizzing thru when you are trying to get to where you’re going.
All I got to say is this Aquagirl better not be within 20 feet of my beer truck. I got my eye on her just like I got my eye on Sister Dusty. They both need to be home baking cookies instead of making opinions about things they don’t know nothing about.
By Jack
October 2, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this
Special interests rule the roads & mass transit. Remember the Northern Arc? Seems all of Uncle Roy’s buddies bought up the land along the proposed arc so they could get more money to buy more influence. The folks who designed MARTA’s rail line did a great job forming a cross instead of a circle that would have been much more efficient and allowed for cheaper expantion. The rail line from Macon to no where tops the cake. How many millions for a handful of riders. Gotta love those politicians.
By JK
October 2, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
I think we’re missing the obvious here: Our traffic congestion is maxed out, our air is saturated with toxins, and our water supply is rapidly dwindling. TIME TO HALT DEVELOPMENT of EVERY kind!!! Not another tree cut, not another acre cleared. Build only on previously-developed spaces. Yes, all those who bought up land they didn’t intend to use in order to sell it to big developers later on will lose that gamble. SO WHAT? They weren’t gambling with their lunch money, after all. SCREW them for ruining my hometown. If you build it, more will come. Time to stop!
By Daedalus
October 2, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
Nothing has been on transit since Perdue took office — why?
He doesn’t want anything done and to make sure nothing happened he appointed Steve Stancil to head GRTA.
Stancil opposed the creation of GRTA and he opposes any kind of transit that does not involve single-occupancy vehicles. GRTA can build and operate transit systems — but it doesn’t. It just runs a dinky little bus system with federal start-up funds. Which ends next year.
Any Perdue-Stancil transit initiative will lack vision, funding, energy and focus.
And Richardson’s comment is a knee-slapper. Of course he will continue to do nothing. Its been the Republican way since Coolidge and Hoover.
The Georgia GOP’s motto about congestion should be “Enjoy Your Car” or better yet “Go Fishing”.
Just as soon as it starts raining again.
By Jack
October 2, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this
Sorry my speling is off toda
By sct
October 2, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this
Gov Perdue a leader? Are you kidding?
Anyone remember the promise Perdue made during his first campaign for governor?
He proposed spending 500 million dollars on a metro-Atlanta traffic light modernization system. This has been done in other traffic clogged cities with great success. It decreases drive time which also means less $ spent on fuel and car maintenance costs.
Strange, but right after that big bash the road builders threw for the state lawmakers at the Fabulous Fox, we never heard about that proposal again. Coincidence?
Our traffic light system uses technology developed in the 40’s.
Our transportation system is barely better than a 3rd world country.
Our tax dollars are being diverted to other parts of the state.
By JK
October 2, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this
I think we’re missing the obvious here: Our traffic congestion is maxed out, our air is saturated with toxins, and our water supply is rapidly dwindling. TIME TO HALT DEVELOPMENT of EVERY kind!!! Not another tree cut, not another acre cleared. Build only on previously-developed spaces. Yes, all those who bought up land they didn’t intend to use in order to sell it to big developers later on will lose that gamble. SO WHAT? They weren’t gambling with their lunch money, after all. SCREW them for ruining my hometown. If you build it, more will come. Time to stop!
By JK
October 2, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
I think we’re missing the obvious here: Our traffic congestion is maxed out, our air is saturated with toxins, and our water supply is rapidly dwindling. TIME TO HALT DEVELOPMENT of EVERY kind!!! Not another tree cut, not another acre cleared. Build only on previously-developed spaces. Yes, all those who bought up land they didn’t intend to use in order to sell it to big developers later on will lose that gamble. SO WHAT? They weren’t gambling with their lunch money, after all. SCREW them for ruining my hometown. If you build it, more will come. Time to stop!
By Shar
October 2, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
Democracy may be messy, frustrating and slow, but it still beats anything else out there. Putting the power to determine a multi-billion dollar plan into one pair of hands only serves to invite massive corruption and disenfranchisement. The Governor can and should set administrative guidelines and benchmarks, broker rivalries and publicize progress to keep voters informed and politicians accountable. But the priorities and plans for a project of this scope must reflect the will of the people.
I don’t agree that a single statewide plan is necessary, other than as it pertains to major interstates. Surely congestion and development are among the most local of issues. Why should Valdosta’s traffic problems be voted upon in Augusta? Set funding priorities and timelines statewide and leave planning to more local entities.
By Jack
October 2, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
I agree on that JK. Unfortunately the politicians will let developers build whatever they want because they want more tax revenue (and kick backs) Yes, you can build your mega community, we’ll worry about the infrastructure later. NOT
By getalife
October 2, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
Sonny can.
Pray for rain.
Good luck Ga.
By Dusty
October 2, 2007 9:52 AM | Link to this
Well, Redneck has thrown down the gauntlet as usual. He really hasn’t been the same since the golf ball hit him in the head. You know. From the golf course that runs by his trailer park in the slums of Alpharetta.
I suggest we all send a message to Gov. Perdue to fire, subtract, delete, euthanize, put-down or something to all those committees that voters never put in office. Either that or call Zell Miller to come down and tell them off.
Never mind a chicken in every pot. How about special truck-only roads for those monsters that turn over every day on major highways? Bullet trains? All new subdivisions must have DIRT roads, grass driveways, cattle guards and speed bumps at gate!! No student cars allowed in school yards if bus rides are available! Minimum speed limit on expressways to be 60 mph!
I’m just trying to help Gov. Sonny here.
By Aquagirl
October 2, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
She would probably love to see Bill Campbell return from jail and run for Governor.
Nah, I’d rather see Bill Campbell rot where he is minus his soap-on-a-rope. I do want to see Sidney Dorsey loose, I need a creepy slimeball to “take care” of my Redneck problem, ya know what I’m sayin’? wink wink Then Dorsey can go back to jail, and I can return to baking my cookies without beer trucks lurking outside the windows.
Republicans don’t have to fix the mess in eight years, but it would be nice to see a brainwave emerge from the collective party. The very definition of conservative is resistance to change. Obviously the Republicans are fulfilling that definition. They have yet to even get a plan. But by Gawd, we need to be building more! Now!!! Thinking and planning is too much work!
The traffic light syncing mentioned by sct wouldn’t require building another square inch of road. So it has no value to Republicans. The fact that it would provide immediate help is quite secondary to their concerns.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this
I am so happy that Williams Street traffic will be a disaster for the next two years plus! Suffer Jim, suffer.
By Dusty
October 2, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
Shar @ 9:36
I would love to believe that local entities can manage local transportation. But I am looking at a local “problem” right now and wondering.
At N. Druid Hills Road and Briarcliff in Atlanta, developers are trying to buy up all surrounding property and put up a huge megametroposh from high rises to commercials, next to I85. Traffic in that area is already congested almost to immovable. Local homeowners are trying to save their community. Two important schools may be wiped out if sold. One church has already gone. Do you think locals will win? NO, I don’t. The power behind developers seems endless.
Keep an eye on that development and see how it works. Developers are probably warming up their bulldozers right now.
By Captain Freedom
October 2, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this
THE Captain commends Mr Wooten’s call for more centralized government control. Perhaps Gov Sonny can decide upon wage and price controls for the state while he is at it. Five year plans are all the rage.
It is the Right Thing to do.
By Aquagirl
October 2, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
Lord, I agree with Dusty…May Redneck’s beer truck take me out soon.
The developers want to build on the Briarcliff site because of the easy access to I-85, which isn’t a local road. DeKalb didn’t plan or build 85. Or 285, which connects to it. Local politicians are slobbering at the tax dollars, goodies, and campaign contributions of the developers. Not enough single-home owners live in the proposed area to have political power. So it’s just a matter of time. There’s no one overseeing the big picture of what will happen by creating this megatraffic mess. There are a lot of people who will make money and gain power. The outcome is a foregone conclusion.
Remember how locals fought Wal-Mart on the old Avondale Mall site? What’s being built there now? Wal-Mart.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
Rumor has it that JMBLAW is actually Lieutenant Calley of My Lai infamy.
By Jack
October 2, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
The Goddess of Water nailed it @ 9:54.
By time to beat ALL liberal scum to a bloody pulp - then sell what's left to the nazi like chi coms for
October 2, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
Looks like the uber aggressive goin’ senile Aquahag is real busy again baking cookies with loads of crack rocks in them … so the whoralicious crackpipe debbieturd will be round sniffin’ at the kitchen window real soon for some freebies after a hard morning’s “drinking” ‘a translucent white Corona light’ at the Home Depot. inbred rednekkk does NOT have a beer lorry (that’s a truck to illiterate colonial peasants), inbred actually “drives” an adjustable bed at the state mental hospital where it has been inevitably sectioned yet again by some plucky turd world (gedditt??) afriKan quack doctor recently imported from the demoNcRAT infested nasal whining sh!tehole of Nu Yawwwwwk City!!
Watching the hysterical robotic demoNcrat treasonous scum LYING like wriggling yellowbellied maggot brained RATS as they psychotically distort Senor Limbaugh’s actual patriotic, defending the troops comment like an energiser Goebbels ranting about flaccid squishy kosher sausages is almost as enormously entertaining as beholding the noxious sullen pardon selling, should REALLY have died of heart failure by now Arkansas rapist flaccidly puking up its worthless dutiful but still empty puke in robotic defense of its now manically cackling shrewishish d ike like spouse in name only lardarsed HiTllarybitch!!
By Dusty
October 2, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
Neocon Senseless-everybody notice @ 10:51
I saw your comment on Lt. Calley. I didn’t pay much attention since you are the reincarnation of Benedict Arnold.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this
“Seyed Mohammad Khatibi, vice president of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), said at present 65 pct of oil sales are made in euros and 20 pct in yen.
“Only 15 pct of oil sales are made in dollars and we are progressively replacing this with more credible currencies,” he added.
The value of the US dollar has fallen some 30-25 pct since 2004, he said, and “keeping capital in dollars means a significant fall in the value of our assets”.
“We have therefore decided to replace the dollar with other currencies,” he said.”
Ouch, China won without a war.
Geez.
By Moveon.papsmear phoney soldiers
October 2, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
Jesse Macbeth, 23, Tacoma, Washington, sentenced today in connection with his fraudulent claims of military service. Macbeth sought medical benefits claiming to suffer from PTSD related to service in Iraq and Afghanistan, in fact, Macbeth was discharged from the Army about a month after he joined. Macbeth never traveled outside the U.S. with the Army. Macbeth duped reporters, claiming to be a decorated Army Ranger who had witnessed war crimes.
Well there you have it. A perfect example of the phony soldier Rush was referring to last Friday. A coward who lied about his service and said he saw atrocities, and the mindless bots at moveon.papsmear ate it up. Harry Reid and his fellow mindless Dem lapdogs have wasted so much time lying on the floor of the Senate from a lie by their commanders at moveon.papsmear, that they truly have no eye on anything else. You watch, they’ll blame Rush for their incompetent butts not getting anything accomplished in Washington. These are elected representatives acting like children and not even taking the time to learn the truth for themselves, let alone acting like grown ups and legislating. Oh well, what does one expect from an organization that lied about car bombings not being counted in Iraqi civilian deaths. What does one expect from a group of foil hats whose hatred of those that don’t share their sad lib ideology allows comments like from Rush to rake their emotions over the coals and stoked by lying liars like moveon.papsmear.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this
phony,
He was tlaking about troops the oppose the occupation stupid
The wingnuts are phony Americans.
They only support the failed gop like dusty.
Losers.
By GOD OF WAR
October 2, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this
Thought you could use a little Men at Work “Its a Mistake”
Jump down the shelters to get away The boys are cockin up their guns Tell us general, is it party time? If it is can we all come
Dont think that we dont know Dont think that were not trying Dont think we move too slow Its no use after crying Saying
Its a mistake, its a mistake Its a mistake, its a mistake
After the laughter has died away And all the boys have had their fun No surface noise now, not much to say Theyve got the bad guys on the run
Dont try to say youre sorry Dont say he drew his gun Theyve gone and grabbed old ronnie Hes not the only one saying
Its a mistake, its a mistake Its a mistake, its a mistake
Tell us commander, what do you think? cos we know that you love all that power Is it on then, are we on the brink? We wish you’d all throw in the towel
We’ll not fade out too soon Not in this finest hour Whistle your favourite tune Well send a card and flower Saying
Its a mistake, its a mistake Its a mistake, its a mistake
By Jackie
October 2, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this
Atlanta has too many cars for the roads built to move them. At one time, Atlanta had more cars than it had people. They GADOT said that it could not build roads fast enough to handle to the problem and the idea was floated that the Perimeter would be a double-deck. Until there is a metro-wide plan to expand MARTA using light rail and buses, gridlock will reign.
By Wootenduh
October 2, 2007 12:15 PM | Link to this
Come on y’all, we can do better than this^^.
It ain’t the roads, it is the drivers on the roads and the dimwits at DOT:
1) Cellphones.
Turn them off.
2) People that can’t drive but think they can and drive in the left lane, causing horrible pile ups and jams behind them. Did it ever dawn on any of these “geniuses” that the road doesn’t end around the curve, that you should merge to the right for your exit miles before you get there instead of stopping and turning on your blinker, that one drop of rain is not going to cause your brakes to fail, that the legal speed limit is 10 miles over the posted limit and you don’t have to slow down to ten miles an hour when you see a cop?
Better yet, what about the sign that says “Slower Traffic Keep Right” are you somehow immune to this?
And why is there only one “Slower Traffic Keep Right” the whole entire stretch of 575 and 285 in between 85 and 75? There should be a “Slower Traffic Keep Right” sign every mile and at the exit road for every freaking subdivision in Atlanta.
3) Rubberneckers.
4) Merges in between expressways, this disaster is wholly the responsibility of the inbred, corrupt, non motivated, ignorant fools at DOT, how on Earth can a major road like I20 East only have 1 Exit ramp off of 285?
What about the catastrophe where 285W exits into 75N, all throughout the day it is gridlocked. What about huge signs with Keep Moving or maybe Speed Limit 55 or even Maintain Your Interval? Would this not be better and cheaper than year after year after year doing nothing but holding meetings and doing multi million dollars “studies?”
Who is in charge of this mess?
By getalife
October 2, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
The latest VoteVet ad
rush, morgan, maulkin, faux opinion, are all phony Americans who only support their failed party.
Losers.
By Bfrank
October 2, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this
I suggest anyone who wants to learn the truth read Rush’s transcript for him or herself. Only a wingnut Daily Kos panty sniffer would post a wingnut link and expect everyone to believe to be the truth. In addition, as was already mentioned, Daily Kos lied about civilian death counts and car bombs in Iraq.
Hillary Clinton here admits she assisted with Media Matters, who started the entire hoopla. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbzC6-N9mwM
Since the truth is out about what Rush said, I suppose that’s why the the majority of the media, including the NYT, has pretty much dropped the matter. Why draw more attention to Hillary? The only people left with partisan hate blinders on are Harry Reid and wingnut stool samples like the moron at 1157am.
By Hey getalife
October 2, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this
time to put the phony soldiers story to bed.
FBI on the Lookout for Phony Heroes This Memorial Day Weekend - May 25, 2007
The dems screwed themselves again.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this
Nope, they all bashed the troops like I posted.
Deal with it loser.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
Here is the one on faux opinion
Idiots.
By Aunt Pitty
October 2, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this
I don’t care whose plan is used as long as it has those cute little trolleys and stops at the Rich’s Magnolia Room.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 1:03 PM | Link to this
It is time for all phony Americans to admit they support their failed gop party and not the troops or our country.
Repent to save your souls †
By SpikeThemTrees
October 2, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
NO MORE DEVELOPMENT!!
By Hey getalife
October 2, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this
that Fox news link is bs and you know it.
WhyTH do you think the military brass are so gun shy when it comes to carrying out attacks?
PC wars waged by liberals. The leftist scum screams foul everytime our guys go after the enemy.
You libs are gonna get our guys killed with the crock-a-dial tears you shed for the insurgents.
By Craig
October 2, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this
Here’s another good link, getalife. Although great thinkers like Bfrank won’t understand it…
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/01/harkin-maybe-limbaugh-was-high-on-drugs-again/
By getalife
October 2, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this
A military official claimed the Backwater slaughter was worse than Abu Graib
Disgusting.
By Hey Craig
October 2, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this
and great thinkers like you would find no fault with Harkin knowing the claims against Rush were a lie but needed to parade a couple of our war dead out to perpetuate it anyway.
You effing idiots better wise up fast. You’re being exposed for the scumbags you always have been.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
Ah, Tokyo Rose Dusty spews again! The mass murder walks the streets of Atlanta.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this
Earth to Lt Calley, the ghosts of My Lai are calling - Earth to Lt Calley, the ghosts of My Lai are calling : WHY DID YOU MURDER US? WAS JIM WOOTEN WITH YOU AT THE TIME?
By Shar
October 2, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this
Dusty @ 10:30 and Aquagirl @10:42 - I agree with both of you on the development plans at Briarcliff and N. Druid Hills, a traffic catastrophe which will spill over into the surrounding neighborhoods as well, none of which are equipped to deal with the present load let alone another 15,000 cars. And if you want to know what will happen to the neighborhoods around the proposed development at Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge, just look up the road at the complete gridlock at Piedmont and Lindbergh/Sidney Marcus.
My point was, and is, that neither Governor Purdue nor taxpayers in Hiram can or want to ‘look up the road’. Maybe a big ‘ol tax base jamming up 85 and North Druid Hills sounds like a grand idea to them, whereas I know that getting to my wonderful dentist across from Loehmann’s Center will become impossible. I am only too sure that the developers are pushing the local representatives as hard as they can, and the local voters are pushing from the other direction. I don’t want Sonny, hankering after the donations and shielded from the consequences of giving in, to make the decision.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 2:22 PM | Link to this
Yes getalife, War brings out the psychopaths, who flurish in the blood and gore. Blackpebbles is a synonym for phychopath, in this case psychopaths hiding behind christian insanity. May Warriors of Allah prevail over the blackwhores!
By Jackie
October 2, 2007 2:25 PM | Link to this
Can anyone tell us what Rush is right about? The man says things and then tries to back out of his claim by telling another outrageous and preposterous lie! Using Rush in a comparative analysis with the truth is an oxymoron!
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this
A curse from the victims of My Lai: May the horrors AmeriKa inflicted on Viet Nam soon be inflicted on America.
By getalife
October 2, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this
OMG, can somebody tell me what in the hell is this?
Geez.
By GOD OF WAR
October 2, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
I’m originally from Atlanta and I think any developement should consider putting the trees back in the landscape picture.. I remember growing up riding in the backseat seeing trees as far as the eye could see in some space. Magnificient tree lined streets, nice oaks, dogwoods and such in peoples yard.. They have been exchanged for what cookie cutter houses and bare sun baked lawns…
By time to KILL all FAR LEFT treasonous SCUM
October 2, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
A curse from the victims of My Lai: May the horrors AmeriKa inflicted on Viet Nam soon be inflicted on America.
I see the USAF target getaturd is puking up its deranged treasonous bilious hate again!!
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this
I am the God of Poetic Justice, Stupid!
By Jack
October 2, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
Dusty @ 11:19. You went too high on the food chain. Arnold had a brain. Pond Scum is more fitting.
By Time to Beat a Neocon Senseless - would anyone notice
October 2, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this
Jack, get out of bed, its after 4pm, you lazy jack off. Go on a diet too, you are a disgrace to obese americans.
By You do not know Jack, Jack
October 2, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
Now have another drink of courage, and post your feeble reply about meeting people on the street, fat boy.
By Jack
October 2, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this
Oh, I’m hurt.
By Phil Dolan
October 2, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this
Gridlock’s root cause in Atlanta is Spaghetti Junction. Why did they bother building that monstrosity? Cars merging from the right, the left, from below and above….it’s like trying to drive on kudzu. And the pricetag? Trillions of dollars, thousands of lives lost during contruction, and even today the area is littered with hundreds of orange cones they never retrieved. All for what? To ease the traffic-flow through that intersection? I could have accomplished the same thing with a yield sign or a blinking yellow light.
I nominate myself as traffic czar. Hire me, Georgia, or sit and fume. I can solve gridlock without spending a dime. the solution is all math and I solved the equation.
By BS Aplenty
October 2, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this
Jim, right on target. Sonny will have to step up to the traffic plate and lead on this issue for the kind of comprehensive decisions that need to be made…just like Grady needs to fold. Can you say, “just start over?”
By Say No To Hillary
October 2, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
This is great! Last week Hillary vocally thunder thighed through towns telling everyone that she will ensure that every child gets $5k for the future, either a house or college, or whatever. Yet the first poll is already out on the idea, and 60% think it is a stupid idea. When she gets out of the focus group rails, Hillary gets derailed every time.
Regarding earlier comments about Rush, great! What we need is more vitriol, hate, and sheer mouth foaming from the left and Moveon, Kos, Media Matters, etc. Let them hate right wing pundits and Fox News; let them hate the voices they don’t agree with; let them try to destroy all opposing voices. Let’s get the true demonic entity within out. Finally, let the Dems in Washington all be held by the short hairs and swung around by Soros screaming like a Resident Evil possessed zombie.
Oh what fun!
By DC4EVER
October 2, 2007 5:15 PM | Link to this
{{{{{{{ From ‘The View’ }}}}}}}}
BARBARA WALTERS: “The Democrats came in. They were going to try to bring the troops home. They were going to try to end the war. What happened?”
SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: “Well, we are trying to do that. We have a contrast her between a ten year, $1 trillion war that the president is proposing and we’re talking about a year that, that redeployment begins as soon as safely possible and ends within a year. That’s the debate.”
Babs, they’ve got more important things to do. Like lie about what Limbaugh said and waste taxpayer dollars and legislative time making a turd big enough to stick on a wall. All the while dragging along the moonbat imbeciles on the wacky left behind them, who are too blinded with ignorant hate to look up facts for themselves.
By Phil Dolan
October 2, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this
The main cause of traffic-jams in Atlanta is the driver’s position in the vehicle. You see, by sitting far left, instead of more central to the north/south axis of the car, the driver’s view of the road is impaired to the point where he perceives illusory congestion during mergers which causes him to slow unnecessarily or even stop. Worse, his position forward of the east/west axis of the car deludes his anticipation of the relative centrifugal apex and in that impaired elliptical parabola, he can easily spin out causing a 27 car pileup and hundreds of maiming deaths. (and gridlock)
But can we ask the driver to lean back and lean right, like a gansta? No. We’d all get pulled over by cops thinking we were driving while black. We’d never get anywhere, and we’d be forced to Rodney-King every single bluelight traffic incident. (The only traffic-stopping incident we should want on film is a Brittany Spears photo op.)
Hire me, Georgia, or sit and fume. I’ve solved the traffic jam problem. I offer my services.
By James
October 3, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this
“The folks who designed MARTA’s rail line did a great job forming a cross instead of a circle that would have been much more efficient and allowed for cheaper expantion” Jack, I don’t know how old you are, but I’m over fifty and can remember when MARTA was still on the drawing board. There was so much opposition from various groups and neighborhoods that I’m surprised the thing ever got built. The “not in my back yard”, “not in my county” mantras pretty much rsulted in MARTA’s rail lines resembling a cross. MARTA chose the path of least resistance - running rail lines parallel to existing freight rail lines except for the stretch that runs under Peachtree Street from Midtown to the Garnett Station.
By Patrick
October 3, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this
Jim’s comments would be valid if we had a Governor who was willing and able to lead. He would rather waste time promoting fishing tourism than dealing with traffic and transportation. 8 years might not be long enough to solve the problem, but he could have at least shown some initiative and leadership. Guess hes too busy fishing!
By ATL SOLDIER
October 4, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
I’m not a tree hugger but I agree there should be a halt to all development on undeveloped land until the developed but unused property is redeveloped. There are entirely too many parcels of land that have unused/unoccupied buildings on them and they cause an eye sore. These large buildings should be leveled if they are not going to be occupied. apartment complexes and homes that are not occupied because they have fallen into a state of disrepair should be leveled and new apartments should be built to replace them. We need to be cautious of the rate in which we are building Atlanta. Our priorities are all screwed up.
By Bill
October 11, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this
THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE IS RUN BY COUNTRY BUMPKIN GOOD OLE BOY REDNECKS FROM GEORGIA WHO HATE ATLANTA. THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IN ATLANTA BECAUSE THEY DO NOT LIVE HERE. THEY WILL NOT SUPPORT MARTA OR ANY OTHER RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT METHOD OF TRANSPORTATION IS FOR “POOR PEOPLE AND MINORITIES.” UNTIL OUR STATE LEADERS BECOME PROGRESSIVE VISIONARIES AND LEADERS WE WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE AS IS…….