Protests over sweeping changes to the state’s insurance plan were fast transforming into a drive to register voters when Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration announced last week that it would give teachers and state workers more choice in their coverage options.
It was a tactical move that served as a prescient reminder of the strategy that helps drive the governor’s bid for a second term. If the opening months of this election year have taught us anything, it’s that Deal and his aides won’t hesitate to intervene to temper a fight — and, critics say, score political points in the process — if a growing controversy threatens.
It also showed how easy it is for any governor to use the power of his office to dilute the message of opponents, leaving them to repeat a common but often politically hollow refrain: It’s all election-year politics.
Deal in recent months has made at least a dozen moves, either through executive decisions or a legislative endorsement, that seek to neutralize a controversial issue or sideline a debate. The decisions could leave a deep imprint on state policy, such as a boost in education funding or a new push to overhaul the ethics agency. Or they could prove to be little more than short-term fixes and unfulfilled election-year promises.
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