Perdue didn’t do much; Deal likely to do even less
When Sonny Perdue took the oath as governor in January 2003, Georgia’s transportation system was hamstrung by a lack of funding and vision, and its education system was underperforming national standards. The state also faced a $620 million budget shortfall, and was tied up in a lengthy ongoing water war with its neighbors in Alabama and Florida.
Almost eight years later, with Perdue ready to leave office, little has been done to address those problems. In fact, some of those problems have become considerably worse.
In his 2002 campaign, for example, Perdue said he would call a summit of governors to resolve the tri-state water war. “We’ll come together face-to-face with no staff and hammer this thing out,” he promised. But years passed and no resolution was found, and with a federal deadline of July 2012 looming, Georgia’s legal situation in the water wars is much more precarious today than it was when Perdue took office.
The state’s transportation crisis has worsened as well. The resource-starved Department of Transportation is all but bankrupt, with almost no means to address traffic congestion and decaying, inadequate infrastructure. There’s no help in sight until at least 2012, when metro Atlanta and other regions will be asked to vote on an inadequate but badly needed one-penny sales tax devoted to transportation. And even that sign of hope may prove an illusion.
Perdue’s stop-and-go leadership style on transportation was epitomized by a much-ballyhooed 2008 news conference in which the governor announced firm support for a new commuter rail line.
“Let’s move out aggressively,” Perdue said. “Once I’ve made up my mind, I’m usually impatient.” And that’s the last that’s been heard of it since.
Going into 2011, the state’s budget shortfall is also three times larger than when Perdue took office, which will no doubt force additional budget cuts to education and other programs already cut to the bone.
Given the global economic situation, it’s hard to blame that shortfall on the outgoing governor. To the contrary, Perdue’s greatest strength as governor has been fiscal management. But any assessment of his legacy must include the billions of dollars that he insisted be cut from education even when times were good, making later cuts all the more painful.
Looking ahead — and I hope I’m proved wrong about this — anyone who liked Perdue’s lackadaisical eight years is probably going to love incoming Gov. Nathan Deal. His history in politics and his post-election behavior suggest that he will be even less willing than Perdue to lead aggressively.
In almost 18 years in Congress, Deal left almost no mark and showed no instinct for leadership. And since his win over Democrat Roy Barnes, he has shown no sign of changing.
His transition team, for example, is dominated not by his own people but by longtime lobbyists representing most if not all of the state’s special interests. (In an awkward bow to ethical concerns, the lobbyists are required to refrain from lobbying during the actual transition, but it’s hard to see what that accomplishes.)
Deal has also been oddly acquiescent as Perdue moved to install his own loyalists in critical state posts. Those include the top two jobs at the Department of Economic Development, the state treasurer and the heads of the Office of Planning and Budget, Personnel Administration, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.
(UPDATE: Gov.-elect Deal has recommended the appointment of Chris Cummiskey to head the state Department of Economic Development, replacing Heidi Green, who had been elevated to the post by Perdue in July.)
A more aggressive new governor with plans to use his authority would demand the right to fill those jobs himself. Deal’s passivity suggests that once in office, he will make Perdue seem downright activist.
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230 comments Add your comment
Common Sense isn't very Common
November 30th, 2010
10:16 am
larry@9:59 am
Once, to build I-85
Twice, to build the HOV lane
Third , to install the HOT lane
Fourth, to travel in the HOT lane.
————————————-
You left out all the maintenance to narrow the flippin lanes for the Olympics No need to widen the road just narrow the lanes.
TaxPayer
November 30th, 2010
10:18 am
The fundamental elements of the Ryan Roadmap are sweeping tax reform; changes in health care which emphasize a marketplace and consumer choice; and modifications to retirement programs that reflect demographic reality. All of these elements can now be found in budget plans endorsed by prominent Democrats, including Democrats the president himself turned to find solutions to the nation’s budget problems. Consequently, it will be much harder in the future for Democrats to demonize these ideas as they have tried to do in the past.
Paul Ryan took the courageous step of going first with a bold plan to fundamentally restructure the tax and entitlement policies that threaten to push the federal budget past the breaking point. Now others, even some from the other side of the aisle, are joining him in sponsoring similar plans. The Roadmap does indeed live on.
Politicians who are willing to face the harsh realities.
I YIKE IT!!!
@@,
I see that you really like to just focus on the facts when making decisions on truly life-changing choices.
Common Sense isn't very Common
November 30th, 2010
10:20 am
TaxPayer@10:04 am
So, how many years do Republicans have to be in charge here in Georgia before the compassionate, or otherwise, conservatives accept responsibility for their own failings. And as for those DEMOCRATS that were in charge before the Republicans took charge, they’re the same people with a different label. I simply choose to refer to them by their current label, “R”. Deal and Perdue were both former Democrats serving here in Georgia so proclaiming that our problems were borne of the Democrats is actually no different than saying that they were borne of the current Republicans.
————————————-
Amen to that.
It seems as if 8 years isn’t enough time to fix the problems at the state level but 2 years is ample time for Obama to fix the 8 years of Bush (the lesser)
cc
November 30th, 2010
10:27 am
The Governor’s office has become a joke. All it exists for now is to line the pockets of whatever rich, white Republican can dupe enough voters into putting him into office. Perdue made a killing as Governor and now Deal expects to do the same.
bw
November 30th, 2010
10:29 am
Remember, GA has a history of electing bad/questionable governors. Does Lester Maddox ring a bell?
larry
November 30th, 2010
10:30 am
Story: Troops buck historical trend by saying gays OK
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40392674/ns/politics/
Mary Elizabeth
November 30th, 2010
10:31 am
md 8:40 a.m.
Re: valuing public servants: “doubt it will happen in our lifetime.”
I am more optimistic than that. However, we must educate others to see through current propaganda
techniques used to malign government overall – although areas of government functioning, of course, could be improved.
Paulo977 @ 9:09 a.m.
Thank you.
Bosch @ 10:00
“. ..to the time when only the wealthy could afford it.” (Turning public schools to private ones.)
So true. Let us not forget that the South’s heritage has been one based on a hierarchy of class from antebellum days forward. The magnanimity of honoring equality has not yet been fully developed in the consciousness of citizens.
Taxpayer @ 10:04 a.m.
Re: Present Republicans = Former Democrats:
We must evolve to the point that we see beyond labels.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
10:32 am
pat,
“Now there is impending war in the Korean penisula, a massive security breach by a pro-Iranian rapist from Sweden, and obama wants to have a slurpee with Republican leaders….Who gives a crap what you think Deal may do?”
I’m always struck by how blinded people are by the flash of national and international events, but local event that shape their everyday lives take a backseat.
Wake up…what happens in your local and state gov’t affects you more directly than what happens in national and international events. It just doesn’t have the glitter.
Reeah
November 30th, 2010
10:32 am
The IES (Institute of Education Sciences) presents a long-term assessment of progress within both public and private schools–NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) ages 9 thru 17 over a 30 year period.
Mathematics:
http://nationsreportcard.gov/ltt_2008/ltt0006.asp
Reading:
http://nationsreportcard.gov/ltt_2008/ltt0010.asp
Improvement across the board. Private schools both religious and non-religious reported higher scores than public schools.
noahvale
November 30th, 2010
10:33 am
Georgians were between a rock and a hard place when voting in the governor’s race this cycle. We knew what to expect from Barnes – more government, higher taxes and the continuation of the good ol’ boy syndrome. With Deal – possible repercussions from ethics violations and shady business transactions and the continuation of the good ol’ boy syndrome. The way Deal came on to beat Handel, the far superior candidate, in the runoff showed that he had the backing of the statewide republican party establishment. I voted for the libertarian Monds as a protest for the lack of qualified “mainstream” candidates. So in this sense, I semi-agree with you, Bookman.
However, Perdue made a prudent decision by asking for budget cuts while times were good and there was a surplus. If he hadn’t, Georgia would be in worse fiscal shape than we are currently facing. Unfortunately, the next set of cuts as proposed by the Governor’s Office of Planning, House Budget Office and the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office will be painful, but necessary, to keep the state on sound financial footing. The other alternative would be to raise taxes and/or more user fees.
And, by the way, those “billions” in education budget cuts were over 10 years, plus, meant to get rid of the waste in mid-level management positions so available funds would get to the classrooms, not in bureaucrats pockets. And, while talking about education, how about strengthening HOPE scholarship requirements? A good start would be standardizing what a “B” average means across the state and putting a clamp on grade inflation. Do you realize the number of kids on HOPE who have to take remedial courses freshman year in college? What a waste.
jconservative
November 30th, 2010
10:36 am
All of you forget that Purdue and the Republicans did raise property taxes by eliminating the State deduction.
So Purdue did do something. And I will bet a hot fudge sundae that Deal and his Republican henchmen will raise taxes during his 4 years in office.
Republican legislatures and governors across the nation are reducing taxes and in Georgia Republicans are raising taxes.
Disgusted
November 30th, 2010
10:38 am
That needs to be branded on the butts of all conservatives who think that privatization of everything is the panacea to all woes.
Hey! I resemble that remark! Why, every month when I open my natural gas bill, I see the benefits of privatization. Let’s see, now—there’s the charge for natural gas, and then there’s a pass-through charge, and then comes a carrier fee that’s based on my credit rating. And I’m just sure the total bill is lower than it would have been if the PSC had just left the danged thing alone in the first place. Well, maybe. And I get all the TV ads and mailings from rival carriers for free! Anyway, just think of all the new jobs that all the Toms, Dicks, and Harrys who set up carrier companies to piggy-back on Atlanta Gas Light have created.
larry
November 30th, 2010
10:38 am
jconservative
November 30th, 2010
10:36 am
I, for one , did not forget. That’s one of the reasons i voted for the guy who gave us that deduction/exemption. Roy Barnes.
Matti
November 30th, 2010
10:40 am
Mary Elizabeth, Let us not forget that the South’s heritage has been one based on a hierarchy of class from antebellum days forward. The magnanimity of honoring equality has not yet been fully developed in the consciousness of citizens.
I doubt that will ever happen. The “equality” message has only moved the mentality of the working class from “Mr. Moneybags will take care of me if I’m loyal to him” (feudal mentality) to “Even though I have a limited education and a crappy job, and I don’t know how it will happen, I am going to BE Mr. Moneybags one day, and when that happens, I don’t want to pay no taxes!” They cede their own current best interests to the fantasy of someday, which of course, never comes for 98% of them.
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
10:41 am
Bosch – aw, thanks for passing it along!
it’s no cheesy shrimp grits, but it’s not bad!
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
10:43 am
Common Sense,
“No need to widen the road just narrow the lanes.”
Are you serious…have you driven through downtown when it is bumper to bumper, but every one is going 40 – 60 mph? They can barely keep their Suburban’s in their lanes as it is…
Mick
November 30th, 2010
10:43 am
Nofreecheese
Let’s see rick scott’s attempt at governing; he’s up against a veto proof republican legislature that never really cared for him anyway. Now that we are completely ruled by repubs and face a 2 billion deficit with not much more to cut, what are they going to do? Tax cuts? There must be some way out of here said the joker to the thief…
Matti
November 30th, 2010
10:44 am
jewcowboy: Wake up…what happens in your local and state gov’t affects you more directly than what happens in national and international events. It just doesn’t have the glitter.
PREACH IT, Brother! I preach this all the time, and still get blank stares from most people I encounter. They have no idea who represents them at the state or local level, and even less about who is funding them and benefitting from the results of the legislative sessions.
TaxPayer
November 30th, 2010
10:46 am
We must evolve to the point that we see beyond labels.
Not meaning any offense but what might you otherwise suggest. After all, labels do serve a purpose. Surely you do not prefer that I be forced into including virtual reams of detailed redundancy every time I referred to anyone or groups of ones (such as one or more of the “Just Say No” crowd or Tea Partyer). For example, how might I otherwise even refer to you with less than an essay-length description if not for your rather [sufficiently or perhaps deceptively?] sweet and efficiently short “Mary Elizabeth” label.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
10:47 am
So you took my post and used it to generalize???
Therein lies the problem. It’s all too convenient
Naw, I took your post to make a joke.
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
10:48 am
Reeah,
“Private schools both religious and non-religious reported higher scores than public schools.”
Higher overall scores yes, but it’s been that way since 1978. If you look at the actual improvment points, not so much.
Mary Elizabeth
November 30th, 2010
10:53 am
Reeah @ 10:32
Thank you for the graphs compiled by “The Nation’s Report Card.”
In Mathematics:
In 1978, there was a 17 point gap in achievement between private and public school students. In 2008, there was a 10 point gap between private and public school students. In both cases, private school achievement was higher. Public schools serve ALL of the population – from the highest to the very lowest; private schools are more selective in population.
In Reading:
In 1978, there was a 13 point gap between private and public. In 2008, there was a 19 point gap between public and private
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
10:53 am
Matti,
“They have no idea who represents them at the state or local level, and even less about who is funding them and benefitting from the results of the legislative sessions.”
But they sure know what jet Speaker Pelosi flies to her home state on or other such nonsense. Just look at the runoff election today…how many people will actually turn out to vote? Something that will have a direct affect on their lives. But they sure know what is going on in N. Korea, yeah boy!
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
10:54 am
It seems as if 8 years isn’t enough time to fix the problems at the state level but 2 years is ample time for Obama to fix the 8 years of Bush (the lesser)
Didn’t you watch Deep Impact? In disaster movies, the Black President fixes things very quick!! Two years for Obama was 18 months too long!!
Common Sense isn't very Common
November 30th, 2010
10:54 am
jewcowboy@10:43 am
Common Sense,
“No need to widen the road just narrow the lanes.”
Are you serious…have you driven through downtown when it is bumper to bumper, but every one is going 40 – 60 mph? They can barely keep their Suburban’s in their lanes as it is…
—————-
Sorry I left off the LOL at the end.
I always love the semis inside the Perimeter 2 inches from my mirror.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
10:59 am
Common Sense,
“I always love the semis inside the Perimeter 2 inches from my mirror.”
Ahh…that makes more sense. Though truthfully, I trust the semi more than the SUV with South Carolina or Florida tags with luggage tied to the roof
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
10:59 am
SoCo – “Naw, I took your post to make a joke.”
as the saying goes, you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken &^%$
Mary Elizabeth
November 30th, 2010
10:59 am
I lost my statement when I looked again at the chart. Here is the completion of my thought.
Reading skills are not being taught according to the instructional level of the children. Children do not grow if they are not taught where they are functioning. That is why you can get 9th graders reading on 5th grade level and this is not known without testing them.
The answer is not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” but to refine and improve public education.
Again:
Public schools serve ALL of the population – from the very lowest to the very highest in achievement. Private schools are more selective in their populations. Thus, the chart is somewhat misleading in that the samples tested are not equivalent in range of population and their varying achievement starting points.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
10:59 am
I always love the semis inside the Perimeter 2 inches from my mirror
That’s some of that tough love teaching going on there. If you drive right, then you’re good to go. One mistake and, WHAM!! That will teach you not to make that same mistake again.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
10:59 am
Southern Comfort,
“Two years for Obama was 18 months too long!!”
Only if it was Morgan Freeman…
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:00 am
as the saying goes, you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken &^%$
Didn’t I see that recipe on your blog once before?
j/k
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:01 am
Only if it was Morgan Freeman
Maybe that’s who voters thought they were electing. You know, some people say we all look alike.
@@
November 30th, 2010
11:02 am
SoCo:
Naw, I took your post to make a joke.
You’re gonna find me very difficult to get along with during the holidays, which I find, brings out the worst in people.
Never take one of my posts and use it to attack others. It’s simply not koscher in my world. I find it to be rather unctuous….slippery….slimy….oily.
Others may not take issue with it. I, however, do.
TruthBe
November 30th, 2010
11:03 am
Jay how do you know this? This man hasn’t even served one day in office yet. You liberal mouthpieces for the corrupt democrat progressive party are always spreading lies and mis-imformation about others. Also your partner in crime Cynthia Tucker is the most racist person in the entire ajc newspaper. What a LIAR she is and stupid too.
md
November 30th, 2010
11:04 am
“It seems as if 8 years isn’t enough time to fix the problems at the state level but 2 years is ample time for Obama to fix the 8 years of Bush (the lesser)”
Well, using the car analogy as many seem to be doing, nothing ever gets “fixed” when we drive the car from one ditch directly into the other ditch.
“Mandates” have a habit of having that effect.
TruthBe
November 30th, 2010
11:04 am
information, sorry
Leigh
November 30th, 2010
11:04 am
Peadawg
November 30th, 2010
7:52 am
The sad thing is Barnes isn’t any better. Georgia was screwed either way.
You say that, but clearly things were much better off under him from 1998-2002 than they have been these last 8 years under Perdue. I would gladly take Barnes any day over either Perdue or Deal. And I am someone who tends to vote Republican more often than not.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:05 am
The bottom line is we get the governance the majority settles for…and the majority in this state, and the ones who are not absolute dolts, are lazy, ill-informed and easily distracted by sparkly things.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:08 am
Southern Comfort,
“You know, some people say we all look alike. ”
Yeah, I see your point…I thought I was voting for Samuel Jackson…
“Enough is ENOUGH! I’ve had it with these mother f-ing Republicans in this mother f-ing White House!”
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:08 am
@@
Ok. I didn’t think my post was an attack. I was just making a joke about all the labels that have been applied to Obama. It seems like your fellow conservatives have no problem using those labels in a serious manner, so I didn’t see me using those labels in a joking manner as an attack. However, I know that two people can have two different perspectives, so I will refrain from using your posts in the future.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:10 am
“Enough is ENOUGH! I’ve had it with these mother f-ing Republicans in this mother f-ing White House!”
You brought me to tears with that one!! I would love to hear his State of the Union Address. I’d pay good money to see that in person.
Common Sense isn't very Common
November 30th, 2010
11:12 am
Southern Comfort@10:54 am
Didn’t you watch Deep Impact? In disaster movies, the Black President fixes things very quick!! Two years for Obama was 18 months too long!!
—————————
OBAMAs BLACK (memo to self, pay attention) LOL
I always thought the Kenyan line was a missspelling of Keynesian economics
j
November 30th, 2010
11:12 am
Old Roy or Deal, what a choice…. I am not a big fan of Sonny, but he did inherit a $620 million hole and fixed it, and in the good times built a state finance surplus of nearly $2bb. Had that cushion not been there can you imagine what would have happened?
catlady
November 30th, 2010
11:13 am
Less HARM would be an improvement! Can’t hope for that, though, based on his previous “accomplishments.”
Liberal/Conservative
November 30th, 2010
11:13 am
Follow the money. Just follow the money.
Nofreecheese
November 30th, 2010
11:13 am
@ Mick 10:43: Much better post, Rick Scott’s ability to govern is debatable–as is every unproven newly elected leader. I’ll leave that debate to FL residents–although congessional redistricting will affect the future composition of the US Congress.
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:14 am
And who did the Democrats nominate for Governor?
They nominated a man who sued our state to try and stop the Voter id law.
Basically he was pushing to stop a law that would help deter Illegal Aliens from voting in our elections.
Go live in LA for 6 years and you will know why that is crucial at this time in our history with all of the Illegal Aliens flooding across our borders and ruining our country.
What choice did we have?
JustMe
November 30th, 2010
11:14 am
corrupt democrat progressive party
And what there aren’t any corrupt members of the GOP? Excuse me … but I certainly believe that our Governor to be is one (not to mention others). Trust me … there are PLENTY of BOTH parties that are corrupt.
the original and still the best John Galt
November 30th, 2010
11:15 am
I can’t wait to see Black Bart, George “Sonny” Perdue’s alleged “Revenue Commissioner,” get fired by the Governor-Elect, who he tried to smear. Of course Black Bart’s father-in-law may offer large sums of money to Deal to keep him on, but I don’t think that’s going to work after the stunts Black Bart pulled.
Bart was selected mainly because he’s a Bible thumping teetotaler just like George. Bart also has always been a typical Republican zealot who thinks privatization is the answer to all governmental problems. If he had had any experience or education at all in governmental management before being appointed he might have avoided many of his mistakes, but now the taxpayers of this State will be paying for those mistakes for years.
catlady
November 30th, 2010
11:15 am
Truthbe: you must not be in the 9th district or done any research, or you would know what we can expect based on almost 20 years in Congress!
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:15 am
“What choice did we have?”
There was a 3rd candidate who made quite a bit of sense…not that one would know it from the news coverage in this state.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:16 am
Common Sense
You didn’t write that memo to yourself on your hand, did you? The first time you wash your hands, your note’s history!!!
Rockerbabe
November 30th, 2010
11:18 am
Don’t blame me, I voted for Roy Barnes.
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:19 am
It is funny how Bookman picks one topic and judges the entire tenure of a politician by that topic. Great job.
AmVet
November 30th, 2010
11:19 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czb4jn5y94g
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:19 am
Roy Barnes would have been a disaster.
andygrdzki
November 30th, 2010
11:20 am
On a side note from MSNBC:
WASHINGTON — The Senate Tuesday rejected a GOP bid to ban the practice of larding spending bills with earmarks — those pet projects that lawmakers love to send home to their states.
Most Democrats and a handful of Republicans combined to defeat the effort, which would have effectively forbidden the Senate from considering legislation containing earmarks like road and bridge projects, community development funding, grants to local police departments and special-interest tax breaks.
Next time we vote more of the DEMS and Repubs that want to spend, spend and spend……
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:20 am
Oh look AmVet is here. What interesting comments do you have to share with us today.
Paulo977
November 30th, 2010
11:20 am
Jefferson
@9:59am
The GOP has not done anything for Working People in GA or in the rest of the US!! The irony is that there are bookoos of their rank and file who are working poor who have always blamed democrats for their plight!!!
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:21 am
Paulo that is comical!
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:21 am
Jewcowboy, You are right, technically.
But in reality we live in a two party system, and those were the best two we could come up with?
Roy Barnes was not the answer.
We just have to hold our noses for four years and hope that people like Bookman will keep their eyes on the Governor’s office and expose wrongdoings when they appear.
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:22 am
Paulo – 11:20 – TESTIFY!
Soothsayer
November 30th, 2010
11:23 am
Amvet: that be one bad mutha . . .
TARP expected to cost U.S. only $25 billion, CBO says
The TARP was conceived in the final days of the Bush administration and pushed through a reluctant Congress in less than three weeks. It is widely thought to have helped stabilize a financial sector on the verge of collapse, though it remains hugely unpopular with the public. In the recent midterm elections, numerous lawmakers lost their jobs or failed in bids for new ones in part because of their support for the program.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:23 am
Paulo977,
“The GOP has not done anything for Working People in GA or in the rest of the US!!”
Of course they did. They showed us the importance of sport fishing.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:23 am
The proposal, which would have needed a two-thirds majority to pass, failed by a 39-to-56 margin.
Seven Democrats voted for the ban, including Sens. Mark Udall (Colo.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) (who were among the bill’s co-sponsors), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), and Mark Warner (Va.). McCaskill and Nelson are both up for re-election in 2012 and are likely to face tough battles to hold onto their seats.
Eight Republicans voted against it: Sens. Bob Bennett (Utah), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), James Inhofe (Okla.), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Richard Shelby (Ala.) and George Voinovich (Ohio). Five senators did not vote.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:25 am
USMC DAWG,
“But in reality we live in a two party system, and those were the best two we could come up with?”
We only live in a two party system, because we accept a two party system.
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:26 am
jcb – it’s too much of a habit now – and, financially, too entrenched to change
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
11:27 am
“Roy Barnes would have been a disaster.”
Well considering when he WAS Governor back in the day and the State was much better off than it is now…….odd that you should write that.
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:28 am
Bosch – 11:27 – the flag. you forget the flag. that made him an unmitigated disaster.
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
11:29 am
Ahhhhhh…….did someone say Susan Collins? The Deputy Senate Goddess? She’s neat.
chuck
November 30th, 2010
11:29 am
Hey Taxpayer, There are buses leaving everyday.
AmVet
November 30th, 2010
11:29 am
Caucasian man, merely that you are mathematically challenged and have documented issues with reading comprehension.
It is funny how Bookman picks one topic and judges the entire tenure of a politician by that topic. Great job.
To wit, I count four topics – budget shortfall, transportation, education and water. But then again, I was a bit of a math wiz…
Oh look AmVet is here. What interesting comments do you have to share with us today.
Us?
For the umpteenth time, quit speaking for the gerbil in your pocket.
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/pronoun.asp
Oy
November 30th, 2010
11:29 am
Deal doing nothing is perhaps the best thing we can hope for.
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:30 am
Bosch, how was the state better then. Please provide statistics of your point.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:30 am
Hey Bosch @ 11:27
D’oh!! Barnes has a (D) behind his name. The D stands for disaster.
Mary Elizabeth
November 30th, 2010
11:30 am
Taxpayer @ 10:46
“Seeing beyond labels.”
Very astute remarks. I could write a book on what you question. However, for the purposes of the blog’s need for brevity, let me just say that even though we label to clarify in our own minds, we must hold simultaneously the thought that the label does an injustice because the label itself is so limiting and minimizing.
My father gave the the name Mary Elizabeth. And you will label me with whatever perceptions you mold in your mind from my responses on this blog, but you can never know me in the fullness of my being and perhaps I won’t even know the depths of that myself. That goes for every other human being on Earth, not just for Mary Elizabeth.
In a political realm, when we do not hold a simultaneous recognition that the “other” holds more dimensions than we can yet imagine, then we can easily demonize the “other” with our simplistic labels. Labels are dangerous because of the cardboard mentality that they foster – unless we have the knowledge to take them “with a grain of salt.”
This is why it is easy to demonize those of other cultures, i.e. “Muslims”, areas of the country or world, i.e. “Yankees”, and religious affiliations. i.e. “Southern Baptists.” We must be on guard against our own simplistic thinking, in other words, and try to see each “label” with as much depth and breathe as we can, even though me must by necessity label for clarity and cohesion.
Common Sense isn't very Common
November 30th, 2010
11:31 am
The good ol boys in Ga got behind Deal because they couldn’t get a handle on Karen LOL
Seems like she is missing the right equipment
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:31 am
AmVet, I would rather have the gerbil in my pocket than where you keep yours!
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
11:33 am
White Man,
Well for one thing, when Roy Barnes was Governor, teachers didn’t have furlough days, and the budgets of every dept. in the State were not at critical lows so that we they can not handle basic services.
Paulo977
November 30th, 2010
11:33 am
Bosch
@10:48am
What of the SES variable in all these ‘informative’ studies?
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:34 am
“We only live in a two party system, because we accept a two party system.”
Agreed…to a point. Look at countries like Italy where they have multiple parties. I would argue that it is has many drawbacks as well.
I think “we” have to do a better job of policing our ranks in the political parties.
I believe it is sort of like passing new laws because you won’t enforce the laws already in place.
jewcowboy
November 30th, 2010
11:35 am
Common Sense,
“Seems like she is missing the right equipment”
She had a Palin…you mean that is not enough?
TaxPayer
November 30th, 2010
11:35 am
chuck
November 30th, 2010
11:29 am
Hey Taxpayer, There are buses leaving everyday
So what are you telling me for. This brother can’t spare you no dime.
AmVet
November 30th, 2010
11:35 am
Bosch, though I don’t have enough facts to make a conclusive determination, it would seem that you goddess gave into the dark side on this one…
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
11:35 am
USinUK,
Oh Jesus, yes, how could I forget the freaking flag?
Ok, never mind, Barnes was a much more horrible Gov because he changed a freaking flag! Forget teachers and a dysfunctional State, but OH HORRORS the FLAG!!!
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:35 am
SoCo – does that mean that the (R) stands for ruination?
Bosch
November 30th, 2010
11:37 am
AmVet,
” it would seem that you goddess gave into the dark side on this one…”
She is just misunderstood. Great people are sometimes, you know. It’s a burden we bear (or bare? or baer? or bawr?)
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:38 am
No the (R) stands for……… John Edwa(R)ds….
AmVet
November 30th, 2010
11:38 am
ex-pat…
http://www.stonebrew.com/ruin/
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:38 am
usmc – 11:38 – that doesn’t make any sense.
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:39 am
Bosch name one state that is not having similiar issues. It is national problem created by the housing market, high unemployment rates and the banking system.
USinUK
November 30th, 2010
11:39 am
AmVet – oh, that’s brilliant. “hop monster” … sounds dangerous!
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:41 am
You are right. I just thought it would make you laugh because you seem to have a healthy sense of humor… I know… I won’t quit the day job.
Atlanta1
November 30th, 2010
11:45 am
When Sonny Perdue took the oath as governor in January 2003, Georgia’s transportation system was hamstrung by a lack of funding and vision, and its education system was underperforming national standards. The state also faced a $620 million budget shortfall, and was tied up in a lengthy ongoing water war with its neighbors in Alabama and Florida.
And who was this inherited from? Roy Barnes. I think Bookman’s accessment is pretty fair. However, it is only half of the story. Barnes was an ineffective Governor surrounded by political cronies – just like Purdue. Deal will be no different. It did not matter which guy got in – it was going to be a bad choice. I personally did not vote for either of these guys.
Southern Comfort
November 30th, 2010
11:52 am
That ruination is wicked. You have to be a real drinker to handle that!!
Joe
November 30th, 2010
11:53 am
When I first moved to Ga back in the 80’s, it was viewed as a progressive state with lots of opportunity. Now, I can’t hardly wait for 5 more years until I collect my pension, cash my 401k and get the heck out of this back water swamp.
White Man
November 30th, 2010
11:54 am
Joe, look at the demographics of the state in the 80’s versus today. I think you will see why the state is in a downward spiral.
chuck
November 30th, 2010
11:55 am
Bosch
“Well considering when he WAS Governor back in the day and the State was much better off than it is now…….odd that you should write that.”
I guess that you won’t be writing anything negative about George W. Bush in the future since “He was President back in the day and the COUNTRY was much better off than it is now.”
USMC DAWG
November 30th, 2010
11:57 am
Joe, what happened in the “back water swamp” you came from? Was it the Rustbelt?
Are you heading back there?
chuck
November 30th, 2010
11:57 am
Taxpayer, YOU are the one talking about leaving the state, not me.