Can Dems win governor’s office? Yes. Will they? Well, that depends
Can a Georgia Democrat win the 2010 governor’s race?
Yes, absolutely. Today, Democratic prospects are brighter than either party thought possible just a year or two ago.
However, if you tweak the wording slightly —- as in, “Will a Democrat win the 2010 governor’s race? —- you get a very different question. My answer to that one would be “No, but …”
Let’s take a quick swing through the major candidates.
The nominal Republican front-runner is Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, but I’d be surprised if that’s the case a year from now. He carries too much personal and political baggage, and his GOP opponents are eager to make the most of it. The most recent revelation —- that an insurance company used front committees in Alabama to funnel $120,000 to Oxendine’s campaign —- is damaging mainly because it confirms the reputation he has built over the years.
Oxendine hopes to immunize himself from such attacks by running hard to the right. Apparently, he plans to draw support from those in the party for whom allegiance to conservative causes is more important than ethical problems or misuse of power. I doubt it will work, but the strategy has already forced Oxendine’s Republican opponents to run hard to the right to match him. That could have consequences in the general election.
Secretary of State Karen Handel is, judging from her record, an instinctive moderate. But in recent years she has apparently been told to abandon that approach if she hopes to win higher office in Georgia. She has followed those orders perfectly by playing to the base’s sense of persecution on issues such as voter ID and illegal immigration.
Handel’s gender is a plus, as is her unofficial status as protege of Gov. Sonny Perdue. While her lack of experience could backfire, I’d rank her the real GOP front-runner and the candidate the Democrats fear most.
State Sen. Eric Johnson, a Savannah architect, has the experience and intelligence of a major candidate. What he lacks are name identification, the money to get name ID and a passionate volunteer base. You don’t need all three to win, but with none of them, winning is impossible.
On the Democratic side, Thurbert Baker, the longtime attorney general, is thought by some to have a lock on support from his fellow African-Americans, which would make him a force in any Democratic primary. I’m not so sure. Baker has done little to transform that natural affinity into loyalty, and that failure could show at the voting booth.
State Rep. DuBose Porter, the House minority leader, is in some ways the Democratic counterpart to Johnson. He too is smart, experienced and lacks name identification.
But unlike Johnson, Porter can draw on the loyal support of Democratic House members throughout the state, which makes him an intriguing dark horse if others falter.
Until 2007, David Poythress served as head of the Georgia National Guard, retiring as lieutenant general. He had previously served as Georgia secretary of state and labor commissioner. However, those terms in elective office were back in the ’80s and ’90s, and in a ‘98 race for governor, Poythress wasn’t competitive. While his military credentials will prove helpful, I don’t see much hope of Poythress altering that outcome.
Of course, the man who beat Poythress in 1998 was Roy Barnes, who went onto become governor but served only one term before losing to Perdue. He has passionate supporters and passionate enemies, and is the acknowledged frontrunner on the Democratic side. At this stage, he’s probably the candidate the Republicans fear most.
So how can Republicans lose? First, by nominating the wrong candidate, most likely Oxendine. Second, by mishandling the state’s serious budget problems and doing little to address crises in transportation and education.
If they do either of those things, the Dems can win. If they do both, the Dems will win.
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188 comments Add your comment
Rightwing Troll
July 7th, 2009
7:23 am
My money is on Palin to win…
Mrs. Godzilla
July 7th, 2009
7:28 am
Poythress….by a nose.
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
7:50 am
Remind me again what the Republican party has done for the people of Georgia.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
7:51 am
good god … Oxendine is STILL insurance commish??? he was questionable when I was living in GA back in the 1990s …
Joey
July 7th, 2009
8:04 am
Does the AJC Management regret its 2002 decision to use “News” Stories, Commentary and Op-Ed’s to force Barnes to conform with the AJC position on the Northern Arc and Teachers Organizations (Unions)?
Redneck Convert
July 7th, 2009
8:06 am
Well, Bookman didn’t even mention Neal Horsley. Sure, he’s got a little problem on account of doing You Know What with a mule, but he’s Conservative enough to make us rednecks vote for him. Heck, chances are pretty good that alot of GOP canadates have had a little run-in with mules or sheep or dogs or something like that, but we forgive pretty quick. Just look at this David Vitter. A few months ago after he was found out for hiring a Woman of the Night to punish him when he messed his diaper, he couldn’t of been elected dog-catcher. Now he’s a shoo-in for reelection to the US Senate. Us Conservatives got some wierd habits, but we’re willing to overlook them. Long as a canadate has Fambly Values and is a good Baptist.
And Bookman didn’t even mention us rednecks as the ones that decide elections in GA, not Those People.
Anyhow, you can count on it–the one that gets elected guvner of the great state of GA will be the one that wants to break off from the U.S. of A. and put Those People in their place. This canadate will promise to cut taxes some more and sort of hint that Atlanta won’t hardly get a dime if he’s elected. He’ll almost talk about stripping people buck-nekkid to make sure they have the right to vote.
That’s my opinion and it’s very true. Have a good day everybody.
Normal
July 7th, 2009
8:12 am
Oxendine will never make it. They have pictures of him having a late night romantic dinner with a Democrat…
catlady
July 7th, 2009
8:16 am
The Republicans have killed our state, almost single-handedly. They never met a donor they didn’t like, a rule they weren’t ready to break for someone with money, a photo-op moment they weren’t ready to cash in on. Johnson got into a pixxing contest with the governor, didn’t he? Oxendine has a shady reputation, and Handel has shown she is inept.
Of the Democrats, Baker is black so he won’t get the conservative white vote, and there’s not enough white Democrats in the state to propel him. Barnes will NEVER get the teacher vote, and there are a lot of us. Poythress sounds like a Yankee, so he is out. Porter has the good old white boy Southern kind of name, but he is hampered by the D and lack of recognition by any but the thinkers.
We need real and honest leadership; I doubt we get it.
Mort Merkel
July 7th, 2009
8:16 am
Great, we need excellent public servants and what runs – a kettle of fish.
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
8:19 am
I’m not excited by any of them. Handel has turned into a “pander bear” and Roy is too old and has too much baggage. The rest are also-rans.
Where is the governor for the future of Georgia instead of the sordid and stained past?
Normal
July 7th, 2009
8:22 am
BYTEME: Is Lester still alive…;>)
bob
July 7th, 2009
8:27 am
asthegopchurns – after 100 years of total control, remind me why we would give it back to dems in ten. Unless you are one of those flaggers that think the dems were right to add conferderate flag to the state flag during the civil rights struggle.
Normal
July 7th, 2009
8:28 am
bob, I think those Democrats became Republicans…
jt
July 7th, 2009
8:29 am
ByteMe- you asked.
Where is the governor for the future of Georgia instead of the sordid and stained past?
jt answers.
http://www.lpgeorgia.com/excomm.php
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
8:29 am
Are there any Talmadges left. I think they may have started that fine southern tradition of a ham in every family or something like that.
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
8:32 am
Normal, there is no doubt that those Democrats became Republicans.
Brian
July 7th, 2009
8:33 am
If the best the Dems can offer is Barnes, don’t hold your breath Jay.
bob
July 7th, 2009
8:34 am
redneck- speaking of weird, how about those yankee dems re electing barney frank even after his boy toy was caught running a gay prostitution ring our of barneys apt. Barney said he did not know all those guys chasing gerbils were johns. The weirder part is even after Frank denied dems pressured banks to lower standards for home loans, he has come out and tried to lower standards again in the condo market and he thinks repaid tarp money should be given to low income people for home loans. Redneck, while you might think it strange for Vitter to hang out with a female prostitute, we would not find it strange or surprising to find you hangin with your buddy barney.
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
8:35 am
jt: Hahahhahahahaha.
The LP party is the party of theory over reality. And the theory is mostly wrong. Sorry, but not for me. I don’t want the governing party to think that government is part of the problem, because they just use that as a cover to screw things up more. Thanks anyway.
Jay
July 7th, 2009
8:36 am
To Joey:
You mean the AJC editorial board harshly criticized a top Democrat, to the extent that it may have contributed to his defeat? You don’t expect people to believe that, do you?
Speaking for myself, I have no regrets whatsoever on the Northern Arc. It was the wrong project, designed to fuel a type of growth that has collapsed and is unlikely to ever recur, and spending billions to build it would have only accelerated our already serious transportation funding crisis. Barnes was wrong to champion it, and if that’s what got him defeated, so be it.
On the teacher question, as I recall the AJC board supported Barnes’ approach to tenure and other education reforms. Interestingly, that more restrictive approach is usually endorsed by conservatives, but here in Georgia when Barnes proposed it, the Republicans quickly seized the issue as a way to woo the teachers’ groups to their side.
Conservatism Leads to Paranoia
July 7th, 2009
8:37 am
There, so far, doesn’t look like a decent candidate in the bunch. Maybe someone will emerge who will move the State “out of the red.”
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
8:39 am
Normal: if Lester was still alive, he’d be, what, 124 years old at this point?
jt
July 7th, 2009
8:39 am
Jay Bookman- In regard to banning Whiner. The following quote was from your Independence Day Op-ed.
“Freedom is hard because it’s really about letting the other guy do what he wants and say what he wants, even if you don’t much like it and think he’s wrong.”
bob
July 7th, 2009
8:40 am
normal, the record clearly showed they were dems as was most of the KKK including the democrat party grandfather, I mean Grandmaster, Robert Byrd. I understand why dems would want to run from this past, they had a lock on congress from Roosevelt to 1994 and during that time they did many things that they now would like to dump on repubs. Of course, the repubs get dumped on and say, thank you very much, may I have another.
AmVet
July 7th, 2009
8:40 am
OK, real quickly before I head out to keep the great American economic engine humming, a tongue in cheek recommendation to really PO the “base”.
Since the only guv (Ax handle Lester) who was a real god-fearing man who tried to keep Those People in their proper place is dead, two words:
Jimmy Carter!
jt
July 7th, 2009
8:43 am
ByteMe- Well then stick with the “sordid and stained” past.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:44 am
Let’s hope the citizens of this great state aren’t that stupid! Democrats are stupid liberal apologists who need a good @$$ whoopin’ to straighten out their thought process.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:47 am
AMVET: Jimmy Carter is almost as bad as your current hero, Barry “the muslim” Obama!
Normal
July 7th, 2009
8:49 am
Gandalf! Bless your heart!
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:49 am
“Stupid is as stupid does” said Forest Gump. Must be the best way to describe our current national leaders!
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
8:50 am
I second AmVet’s suggestion.
Jimmy Carter for Governor.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:51 am
Barry wants to make nice nice with those Iranians who, through community activists with guns, made sure that the elections went according to script. They are like Acorn with guns! Amazing how a few guns can change the feel for things. Imagine if they tried that in America! Oh, wait, Barry will take our guns away before he tries that here.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:52 am
Nermel, why not play in traffic? With Guns?
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
8:53 am
Bob –
“Unless you are one of those flaggers that think the dems were right to add conferderate flag to the state flag during the civil rights struggle.”
yes, it was the Dems who added the Confederate stars-n-bars to the GA flag … but it was the GOP who used changing it back to nearly unseat Zell Miller in his second term and it was one of the reasons Barnes lost …
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
8:56 am
jt: I’m hoping for the emergence of a third party that believes that government by the people for the people can be useful to the people.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
8:58 am
Third Parties lead to anarchy. Look how Clinton got elected the first time!
Normal
July 7th, 2009
8:58 am
But GANDALF, you make so happy! Every time I’m down in the dumps, I just think of you and Viola! I’m happy again…
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
8:59 am
Normal …
who is Viola? and what is she doing hanging around Gandalf???
Daedalus
July 7th, 2009
9:02 am
My guess is that Handel will win the GOP nomination and the general election.
Then she will proceed to do absolutely nothing to solve transportation or water infrastructure problems. She’s Sonny Perdue in a Skirt.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
9:03 am
EXPAT: Though I think everyone understands you point, Stars and Bars refer to the Offficial Flag of the the CSA. It had 2 red and 1 white stripe, a blue field with between 7 and 13 stars in a round pattern. The flag that flies over SC’s capitol and used to be on the GA flag is referred to as the Confederate Battle Flag. A link can be found here…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America
Nice to see you again EXPAT!
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
9:04 am
EXPAT: It’s his daughter!
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
9:04 am
And She is EZ!
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
9:05 am
And, all this time, I was mis-led to believe that the philosophy of the Republican Party is the one that ultimately must lead to anarchy. Well, no more yellow bricks for me. I’ve taken a different path.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:05 am
GtG -
thanks for the clarification – me, I always thought Rep. Teper had a good idea – a caramel-colored flag with “Georgia” written in Coke-script.
jt
July 7th, 2009
9:06 am
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
8:56 am
jt: I’m hoping for the emergence of a third party that believes that government by the people for the people can be useful to the people.
I don’t know why you would think that the Libertarians do not fit your criteria. They do not espouse complete dismantling of goverment.
As far as anarchy is concerned, we are flirting with it now. (as far as our legal system and elections are concerned.).
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 7th, 2009
9:07 am
EXPAT: Or one with a whole bunch of cars bumper to bumper with the words “give me gridlock or give me death”
Northern Songs, Ltd.
July 7th, 2009
9:10 am
Sounds like Gandalf got up on the wrong side of the Balrog this morning.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:10 am
GtG –
” “give me gridlock or give me death””
that has to be the most spot-on thing I think you have ever said in this blog or on W2W … well done.
jt
July 7th, 2009
9:10 am
USinUK-
Just curious.
During your recent sojourn to the Alps, did you see any signs of the economic downturn?
Normal
July 7th, 2009
9:16 am
Gandalf, now tell them the truth, it’s me in drag…and you love it!
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
9:20 am
jt: To hear them tell it, they want to dismantle all the social/financial support structures… including the ones that helped keep my Mom and Dad from running out of money. They also believe in less regulation of things like financial markets. Not a workable theory.
Gandalf: I thought it was wingnutty blog commenters that led to anarchy. My mistake
bob
July 7th, 2009
9:21 am
usinuk, The dems could have changed the flag, and allowed alcohol sales on Sunday, but they did not. When sonny took over, the dems wanted change, change they refused to do themselves. Do want to go out on a limb and tell us that the people that voted dems forever all the sudden wanted to change the flag ? I guess that the dems that voted against civil rights legislation were really repubs and the repubs that voted for it were really dems ?
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:22 am
jt –
it’s hard to say because it was my first trip to Austria, so I can’t compare it to pre-crunch. however, there were definitely loads of tourists there and our hotel (not a cheap one) said they were fully booked for the Salzburg Festival later this month …
generally speaking, yes, we’re definitely feeling the crunch here in the UK (in fact, the UK is currently projected to take longer than the rest of Europe to recover). European banks are experiencing the same problems as US banks (toxic debt) and the ECB is finally (finally!) doing something to get it off the banks’ books to free up lending …
But, unemployment is up (the Eurozone is just below the US at around 9.2%) with some countries like Spain seeing unemployment of 25% and higher in the 17-25 age group (which will do nothing but lead to civil unrest). Unemployment in the UK is slightly lower at 7.2-ish, with this morning’s headline screaming that there are 50 grads for every job opening …
And, just like the US, we’re seeing an increase in foreclosures, but we don’t have the HUGE inventory that the US has, so our housing market is bouncing back faster than the US’s.
… so, yeah. we’re definitely feeling it here, too.
(economics is my thing, so any questions, feel free to ask)
Paul
July 7th, 2009
9:22 am
Normal – Californication
Comment for you downstairs.
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
9:22 am
Off to work. Hi Ho, Hi Ho. Play nice, everyone!
ByteMe
July 7th, 2009
9:25 am
jt: most of the area encompassing the Alps are not the big problem countries. The main European countries in credit trouble are: Italy, Greece, Spain, UK.
Ok, now I’m really gone.
Paul
July 7th, 2009
9:26 am
USinUK
[[(economics is my thing, so any questions, feel free to ask)]]
I’ve always wondered about this: if you ask two economists a question, how many answers DO you get? What happens if you ask three? Four? Five? Does the number of answers go up proportionally? Exponentially? Or does it modify at a certain point of the number of economists? Is it a single variable causative (okay, I’m getting into stat here, but it affects the answer), as in just the number, or is it multivariate with background, age, institution, etc having a significant impact?
And finally, what’s the record on the answers? Should the answers be more properly called ‘opinions’ or, if the economist has a doctorate, is that the point at which the acronym ‘SWAG’ enters the lexicon?
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:27 am
Hi bob (now, everybody take a drink)
“The dems could have changed the flag, and allowed alcohol sales on Sunday, but they did not.”
um, Roy Barnes DID change the flag. and, boy-howdy was it hideous, but he did change it.
“When sonny took over, the dems wanted change, change they refused to do themselves. Do want to go out on a limb and tell us that the people that voted dems forever all the sudden wanted to change the flag ?”
see answer above.
as for liquor sales on Sunday, remember that not all of GA is like Atlanta. hell, there are some areas of GA that really do feel like a different state. I’ve met these people – they really don’t want liquor sales on Sunday and feel that it is yet another step on the slippery slope … doesn’t their vote count???
“I guess that the dems that voted against civil rights legislation were really repubs and the repubs that voted for it were really dems ?”
actually, history has shown that to pretty much be the case (see: Strom Thurmond)
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
9:27 am
The GOP. Always trying to Con- the Fed with their flag waving.
RB from Gwinnett
July 7th, 2009
9:28 am
Jay, are you serious you’re threatening to ban Andy while ignoring all the vile comments aimed at him by your cohorts on here daily? Is this going to be the policy of the AJC going forward, Jay? Stifle any and all speach from those who don’t agree with you? Seems like you’re setting up your own little “fairness doctrine” here.
But I guess someone who can’t see bias in the media isn’t likely to view this issue fairly either….
Joey
July 7th, 2009
9:30 am
Jay:
Be careful as you pat your own back, you could get hurt. Correctly you write of AJC and your political fairness with tonge-in-cheek.
You and I continue to disagree about the N. Arc. Barnes was heavily supported by Republican strongholds like Gwinnett and Cobb. The AJC and you strongly support ITP, no matter what their behavior. And you regularly criticize (I wish I could use past tense here, but I cannot.) Gwinnett in particular regardless of its successes.
Teachers apparently voted for Purdue, but they were not wooed away to Republicans. They voted for Purdue one time just to teach Barnes and Democrats a lesson. Did Democrats learn that lesson?
TW
July 7th, 2009
9:31 am
For the Dems it all comes down to organization, which means they probably will lose. Obama did a great job here in the state with his late push, but at a state level, at least what I’ve seen so far, Jane Kidd ain’t about much.
The teachers are back with the left, being that the right didn’t capitalize off the years of ‘w’s credit card economy and now they’ve had to cut teacher pay – not too mention they’ve done about zero to fund growth, etc….
And the flag issue is dead. Perhaps the right ought jump on that bandwagon again? Maybe piggyback on the ACC moving tournaments out of South Carolina yesterday?
And then there is the whole succession thing…somebody gonna have some ’splaining to do on that before it’s all over…
Even so, the right will win, because we ’support the troops’ down here
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:31 am
Paul –
It depends on the question – but if you’re talking about an open-ended one like “how long do you think the recession will last”, it’s not a matter of how many answers you get as how long the discussion goes on (will it be a V-shaped recovery, or U- or W-shaped … will it be steep or shallow … what will the leading indicators be … will there be a difference in the new “normal” … )
it’s just like discussing politics – there’s no one “true” answer, there are LOADS of variables and, with that, and exponential number of possibilities … which is why I la-la-LOVE it.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:33 am
jt –
byte me forgot Ireland … they’re in a world of hurt …
Normal
July 7th, 2009
9:33 am
Paul, Thank you.
DB, Gwinnettian
July 7th, 2009
9:34 am
So how can Republicans lose? First, by nominating the wrong candidate, most likely Oxendine. Second, by mishandling the state’s serious budget problems and doing little to address crises in transportation and education.
If they do either of those things, the Dems can win. If they do both, the Dems will win.
yep.
Another thoughtful group of observations that make eminent sense. Thanks, Jay.
Meanwhile, where is Davo and the other WATBs who gripe that Jay just copy/pastes news items for a paycheck?
As the GOP Churns
July 7th, 2009
9:39 am
Well, I’m just glad to see that someone other than Jay was able to work Palin’s name into the exchange. Will she be advising Handel on an appropriate strategy. Will she tell her to wait until she can see the whites of their eyes from a thousand feet up. What will it be. Inquiring minds.
jt
July 7th, 2009
9:39 am
USinUK -
Answer me this if you know.
What does a 12-ounce bottle of Bass retail for in your friendly neighborhood pub? When I was in London in the early ninties, it was about two US dollars. It was about the same in Spain and Italy during this same period. My friends in Spain have told me that now, the price is 5 US dollars.
MorningStar
July 7th, 2009
9:41 am
I will not be surprised if Karen Handel wins the GOP nomination, and possibly will be elected. Unfortunately Georgia has turned into a radical state. Handel’s little soapbox regarding ‘keeping non-citizens from voting’ is a joke. That should make a lot of CITIZENS happy. Let’s just hope all citizens go out and vote!!!
Oxendine is associated with insurance, which produces an acrid taste in almost anyone’s mouth. At least anyone who cares.
In my honest opinion, which means nothing to some, Roy Barnes is still the best bet for the Democrats, and the candidate more likely to beat the Republican candidate. Granted the Northern Arc was not a good decision, but it’s doubtful that will ever surface again. As we are all aware, “The times, they do change.”
Some don’t like his approach to education reform, but I believe more will look at the SAT and CRCT scores of Georgia students, and realize we need to make some changes with regard to our education system.
I would guess Rep. DuBose Porter would be the next best candidate for the Dems. However, DuBose Porter is not a household name in much of Georgia.
David Poythress is lackluster. He may have been a good military man, but he’s no politician.
IMHO, Roy Barnes is the only Dem. candidate that can win the governor’s office. Otherwise, we’ll get Handel, and we don’t need years of the same. Remember when Georgia was a progressive state? Companies were relocating to Atlanta, race relations good etc. etc. etc.
This is gonna be interesting!!!
@@
July 7th, 2009
9:43 am
The most recent revelation —- that an insurance company used front committees in Alabama to funnel $120,000 to Oxendine’s campaign —- is damaging mainly because it confirms the reputation he has built over the years.
The same “revelation” accompanied Obama’s campaign but that didn’t deter voters.
I’ll go with Handel, jay. Public opinion on Voter ID and illegal immigration is in her favor. Didn’t have to be that way but when resources begin to dwindle, it’s always the case.
Please explain: Baker has done little to transform that natural affinity into loyalty
Loyalty to whom or what?
Roy Barnes? Fuhgeddaboutit!!! The teacher’s unions already don’t like him. They’re being laid off in droves. You think they’re gonna trust Barnes? It’ll never happen. The teacher’s unions are already put out with Obama’s Secretary of Education.
MorningStar
July 7th, 2009
9:43 am
((((And Bookman didn’t even mention us rednecks as the ones that decide elections in GA, not Those People.))))
Hey Redneck, there’s definitely more of y’all than people realize, and they don’t all live in trailers on the side of the mountain, and the flatlands of South Georgia either.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:46 am
jt –
I’m a lady — we only drink half-pints (we may drink 20 of them, but they’re still only half-pints)
seriously, I think $4.50-5 is probably about right-ish with the current exchange … but you don’t want to drink BASS … you want to get a good pint of whatever the local beer is (criminey, you can drink Bass at home!)
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
9:49 am
Joey,
Teachers voted for Purdue for one simple reason, Barnes said he didn’t need their vote to win. Even the other Bosch who makes me look like Rush Limbaugh voted for him.
And the fact that most teachers I know are hard-core Bible bumping – fear of God conservatives who can’t understand why they can’t turn public schools into daily Bible lessons.
As to the next Governor’s race – I’m not sure who I like yet. After all the secessionist non-sense, and the fact that most of the GOP candidates supported such a thing, I doubt I could vote for any of them. I’ve met Baker before and heard him speak many times and he seems like a pretty with it kind of guy. The others, way too early to tell.
Paul
July 7th, 2009
9:51 am
USinUK
[[there’s no one “true” answer]]
Man, oh man, you’ve opened up a hornet’s nest with that one…
Normal – you’re most welcome.
jt – that’s a bargain compared to what bar beers go for around here!
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
9:53 am
Oh, and another thing – I don’t see a Democrat winning in this state for a very very long time – people like to complain about what’s wrong with this state, but too stupid to see that the people they keep electing (the GOP) is the problem – because in their delusional states they are men/women of God, by God, and it’s His purpose for them to be elected. I personally don’t know why they think it’s God’s will to have incompetent leaders, but that’s just me.
@@
July 7th, 2009
9:55 am
@@ Your comment is awaiting moderation?
W-h-a-t-e-v-e-r…
Paul
July 7th, 2009
9:55 am
BOSCH
Hi.
Warehouse 13 (that’s WAREhouse, not whorehouse, geez) on SciFi tonight, repeats tonight.
Just read the marketing geniuses at SciFi have renamed their channel SyFy. See what happens when you put a bunch of goombahs with no appreciation for scifi in charge?
My sis teaches in Texas. No Halloween celebration. Demons and such. Riiiiight.
You look like Rush Limbaugh?!!? Funny, that’s not the visual image I had, but then again, I thought @@ looked like Roxette.
USinUK
July 7th, 2009
9:58 am
Bosch and Paul -
My sister is a former teacher, current administrator — she said she voted against Barnes because he stood up in a meeting and flat-out lied to them (she nevr told me the issue).
and, believe me when I say, she is NO bible-thumper.
Paul
July 7th, 2009
9:58 am
Bosch
[[I personally don’t know why they think it’s God’s will to have incompetent leaders, but that’s just me.]]
It’s right there in the Bible – it’s God’s punishment! Now, if you think you can find just a couple of righteous citizens, you might will be able to bargain, otherwise, you’re toast!
@@
Of course you’re awaiting moderation, ‘cuz you’re a little bit dangerous!
(and no, it’s not nearly beaten into the ground, yet)
SC Birdflyte
July 7th, 2009
10:00 am
At least GA still has a guv. Here in SC, we’re trying to figure out who’s in charge. The smart money is on Jenny Sanford.
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:02 am
USinUK -
Gah, 5 bucks a pint. Times do change. What is weird is that the price here in America has not changed that much in TWENTY years.
When I traveled extensively in Europe, the price of a glass of the local brew was always a good gage of the economy.
My whole ten years in Spain, the price stayed about the same. 1 dollar.
I was shocked throughout Germany with the price being about 2-3 dollars.
The worst places were France and Corsica. I will never go back to Corsica. The biggest one country disparity, Italy, charged about 3 dollars in the metro and only about 1 in the country.
Are you familiar with Ouzo?(a Turkish Liqour) If so, can you legally buy the opium-laced stuff in the UK? I beleive it is the blue-label vice red.
What about Absynthe? Is the real stuff avalaible there?
bob
July 7th, 2009
10:04 am
UK, those people that don’t want alcohol sales on Sunday do not want abortion, do you think their votes should not count ?
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:05 am
Paul-
jt – that’s a bargain compared to what bar beers go for around here!
I can still get dollar beer all over Atlanta.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:06 am
Paul,
Nope, I don’t LOOK like Rush, ewwwww. Compared to the other Bosch, I’m that conservative, if ya’ get my drift.
When does that show come on? SyFy – Riiiiiiggghhht. WTF? I think their executives brains have gone numb now that BSG isn’t on anymore.
I know lots of people who THINK they are righteous. Personally, I’ve only found maybe five or six in my life who are ACTUALLY righteous.
God’s punishment? Okay, that’s the Old Testament God – he’s a bad ass.
USinUK,
Yeap, Barnes pretty much blew the sweet mansion deal on Wes Paces Ferry with his treatment of the teachers.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:08 am
jt,
Absynthe is available here, in most local liquor stores.
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:08 am
Bosch- To blame GOD on our dysfunctional politicians is a stretch. GOD doesn’t care.
“because in their delusional states they are men/women of God, by God, and it’s His purpose for them to be elected. I personally don’t know why they think it’s God’s will to have incompetent leaders, but that’s just me.”
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:09 am
bob@ 10:04 –
apples to apples, and oranges to oranges – remember that.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:10 am
jt,
Not my stretch – but the voters keep voting them in – and I think you’re right – the God I believe in doesn’t give a rat’s patooty about our politics, but unfortunately, most voters in Georgia don’t think like that.
Ga Values
July 7th, 2009
10:12 am
Winner: Special Interest, Lobbyist, Banks, Developers, Big Money.
Losers: Taxpayers of Georgia.
Mr. Snarky
July 7th, 2009
10:13 am
The republicans won’t do anything about the transportation or education issues. There’s not enough money to be made by their supporters. They don’t mind budget crises either…anything to hinder the government functioning well. That’s what happens when you elect a bunch of do-nothing, pandering, incompetents. Welcome to GA…the state too hateful to be busy.
bob
July 7th, 2009
10:14 am
Bosch, UK said certain areas of the state are conservative and don’t want Sunday sales and that I might think their vote does not count. My response was not apples oranges, a vote is a vote right ?
MorningStar
July 7th, 2009
10:14 am
((((( guess that the dems that voted against civil rights legislation were really repubs and the repubs that voted for it were really dems ?)))))
The Dems that voted against civil rights legislation were not democrats. They were Dixiecrats, and most of them have changed parties. The ones that are still alive, that is……
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:14 am
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:08 am
jt,
Absynthe is available here, in most local liquor stores.
Yeah, but it is not the real thing. I am talking about what Edgar Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, Hemingway, and countless others did in Paris. There was all kinds of paraphenalia involved.
The main drug (or whatever) has been taken out of the American product.
WHY? What IS it?
Same thing with Ouzo. The real Ouzo is like the urban practice of “sipping syrup”. It is bought freely in most European countries.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:15 am
bob @ 10:14,
Of course a vote is a vote – but the WHY isn’t.
DB, Gwinnettian
July 7th, 2009
10:16 am
Just read the marketing geniuses at SciFi have renamed their channel SyFy.
geez, how does one even pronounce that?
(I’ve not had much use for the channel since they shot MST3K into space, so this was news to me.)
DoggoneGA
July 7th, 2009
10:16 am
“To blame GOD on our dysfunctional politicians is a stretch. GOD doesn’t care”
He isn’t blaming God. He’s blaming those who think they SPEAK for God.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:18 am
jt,
Are you sure you want the “real” abynthe – I mean those guys were pretty much crazy.
I think it’s wormwood you’re thinking of. The process involved wormwood somehow, can’t remember the detail right now.
Normal
July 7th, 2009
10:18 am
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:14 am
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:08 am
jt,
Absynthe is available here, in most local liquor stores.
eah, but without the opium…
jt
July 7th, 2009
10:19 am
DoggoneGA
July 7th, 2009
10:16 am
“To blame GOD on our dysfunctional politicians is a stretch. GOD doesn’t
I stand to be corrected.
Bosch
July 7th, 2009
10:20 am
Doggone/GA,
“He isn’t blaming God. He’s blaming those who think they SPEAK for God”
Yes, thanks for explaining me better than I did.
All this absynthe talk has got me loopy.