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DEL.ICIO.USICYMI: ‘Don’t preach,’ says Perdue; and Broun says to pay no attention to that voice of regret
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
From elsewhere on ajc.com today:
— At the Republican Governors Association meeting in Miami, Gov. Sonny Perdue stirred some up the water war with his host state on Wednesday, declaring that Florida has no moral high ground when it comes to environmental policy:
In Georgia, Perdue said, “You have a … pristine undeveloped coastline with marshes there that people love to look out on. And then I come to Florida and I see the developed coastline all the way around from Jacksonville all the way up to Tallahassee, I really wonder how we can be preached at as Georgians over environmentalism and water.”
— U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) has decided that regrets his statement of regret more than his characterization of President-elect Barack Obama as a “Marxist” who must be watched lest he set up something like a geheime Staatspolizei.
On Tuesday, in a recorded interview with talk show host Austin Rhodes on WGAC in Augusta, Broun had expressed second thoughts about his phrasing.
“I regret saying it that way. Yes, I do. I apologize to anybody that’s taken offense at that,” Broun said.
But on Wednesday, Jessica Morris, a spokeswoman for Broun, told my Washington colleague Julia Malone that the statement was inoperative — or Broun was insincere. One or the other. It’s hard to say which.
“We have not issued any official apology,” Morris said. “What he said in the [radio] interview does not negate what he really feels — that he has questions and concerns regarding some of the statements Obama has made.”
Broun worries about a July speech by Obama in which the Democratic candidate said:
“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”
The Obama transition team has said Obama was referring to a proposal for a civilian reserve corps that could handle postwar reconstruction efforts such as rebuilding infrastructure.
As a matter of fact, this has already been accomplished, Malone writes:
The “Civilian Response Corps,” as it is called, was launched two years ago by the Bush administration, after a bipartisan vote by Congress and the urging of Republicans including former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
“I think the attention to this issue is very important,” said John E. Herbst, the former ambassador to Ukraine who is leading the project.
The civilian corps is now recruiting engineers, law enforcement personnel, health officers, city administrators and other specialists who could be sent overseas to help re-establish local governmental controls after a crisis.
“The impetus was some of the problems we encountered in Afghanistan and Iraq on the civilian side,” Herbst said. “Our military performed brilliantly,” he said, adding that the troops needed the skills and assistance of civilians to help re-establish order.
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Comments
By Sissy Saxby
November 13, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
Perdoofus is an idiot. People like to go to the beach, not gaze at marshes.
By Elbee
November 13, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
The 10th District should vote Broun out next time.
By RJ
November 13, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
Notwithstanding his resounding win on November 4th, this guy embarasses medical doctors, decent Republicans, and all of us in the 10th Congressional District. NOISE is about all we expect from him for the next two years.
This is a classic case of an impressive victory going to an elected official’s head. He is one of 435 US Representatives, with Democrats in the majority, who thinks its important for President-Elect Obama to have his support. What an inflated view!
By wikinews45
November 13, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this
I see that Congressman Paul Broun is a Georgia Bulldog. He speaks marvelously for the education he received. Is this guy’s problem that he doesn’t understand the distinction of thinking or that he is so rabid right wing, that he is incapable of reason?
By Question Authority
November 13, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
I commend Paul Broun for having the courage to say what he said. It is too early to call Obama a Marxist dictator, yet he was absolutely right in bringing to light some of Obama’s Marxist like proposals. Always question authority, left or right. Four months ago, in Obama’s speech, he said he wanted to implement a Civilian National Security Force. One definition of this is: a quasi-elite military force that served as Hitler’s personal guard and as a special security force in Germany. This doesn’t need to be fully clarified? It’s only been four months since he gave this speech. When Obama’s transition team was asked for a comment on the Paul Broun article, they declined to comment! A spokesman for Obama said what he meant was a Civilian Reserve Corps that would handle postwar reconstruction. Oh really? A Civilian Reserve Corps is way different than a Civilian National Security Force. For Obama’s team to leave this hanging for four months is an ominous sign. He should be pressed until we have a full explanation. He also needs to explain why it took him so long to respond. How many Nazi survivors, their kids and grandkids heard those words and could not sleep? How many people have been fearful of what he meant? How dare he incite fear in people and not have the decency to fully explain himself. How arrogant. How cruel. Do we need to wait until this economy totally collapses and there are possible food shortages and riots, and martial law has to be established bfore we get a full answer? If anything, he needs to respond, and in detail, if only to be reminded that he was hired to work for us, not the other way around.
By Helen Crane
November 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
OMG
The audacity of idiot Perdue is never ending. Perdue tried hard (when given perks and political campaign donations from developers) to destroy and sell off (through condo-ization) Jekyll Island which is a state park! The nerve.
By petepenguin
November 13, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t be happy having either of these two representing me but then,I don’t live there and I don’t even need to visit there so what do I care.Good luck to you rational people,hope you can survive until next voting time.
By JD
November 13, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this
I despise Broun’s comments and his representation of my district.
Too bad the democrats couldn’t run somebody any better.
By pecos
November 14, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
A “civilian national security force” that is as “just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded” as the Army. The Army get its power and its strength because it has some BIG weapons. Do we want another force with that kind of power and strength in this country? Sorry folks, but having two “armies” in this country scares the hell out of me! Look beyond the charisma of this man and check how he’s going to change Washington by appointing Washington insiders to his staff and cabinet. See what the man wants to do. Get out of the euphoria try to think for yourselves. Think who this mans controllers are. Who does he work for? Looks like the Washington establishment to me.
This man need not be dangerous but we have to watch him like a hawk. This man has no public record in politics. He’s led in nothing. He’s an unknown and the country is putting complete faith in him.
Be very scared, people, be very scared.
Pecos
By Pecos Bush
November 14, 2008 10:56 PM | Link to this
i can see his soul viva la bush all hail the christian draft dodger
By petepenguin
November 17, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
Read the freakin’ speech.That is not what he says.Please learn to read.