Georgia Republicans believe themselves invulnerable
In politics as in sports, it’s dangerous to get cocky.
And Georgia Republicans have gotten cocky. They have come to feel invulnerable and complacent, convinced that their constituents’ intense dislike of Democratic policies at the national level has given them a free hand to do as they wish here in Georgia, without consequence or backlash.
Ethical missteps, bad judgment, failure to govern — they believe that none of it matters as long as those magic words “Barack Obama” retain the power to distract and anger Georgia voters.
Want proof? Let’s review events just from the first eight months of 2011.
The year kicked off with the revelation that House Speaker David Ralston had taken his family and staff on a $17,000, all-expense paid holiday trip to Europe, courtesy of lobbyists for a high-speed rail company. In our much-reviled Congress, such behavior would result in severe censure or even removal from office, but here in Georgia it barely raised an eyebrow. In fact, Ralston continues to argue that limits on lobbyist gifts to politicians are not necessary given the fine, upstanding character of those we elect to public office.
There were also no repercussions when the chairman of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, Jack Murphy of Cumming, was sued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for being grossly negligent in his role as a director of a failed bank in Alpharetta. Murphy is now barred from involvement in any FDIC-insured institution, but inexplicably, he has been allowed by his fellow Republicans to retain his role overseeing the state’s banking industry.
Murphy’s counterpart in the state House, Banks and Banking Committee chair Greg Morris, was also fined $5,000 this year by the FDIC for violating regulations as a director of an Ailey bank. He too has been allowed to stay in his leadership role overseeing Georgia’s deeply troubled banking industry.
Not surprisingly, neither Morris nor Murphy has shown interest in investigating why Georgia continues to lead the nation in bank failures or whether the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, charged with regulating state-chartered banks, failed in its duties. Given that 17 of the nation’s 68 bank failures in 2011 have occurred here in Georgia, costing the FDIC a total of $1.549 billion so far this year, their studied avoidance of the problem is appalling.
But again, they feel no public pressure to do better, so why should they?
Then there was the scandal in June, when the executive secretary of the state ethics commission was given her walking papers and her sole investigator stripped of her job. Those events occurred immediately after the two sought to subpoena records from the 2010 campaign of Gov. Nathan Deal. Again, there were no repercussions. Overall, GOP leaders have slashed the commission’s budget by 42 percent since 2008, even as they have burdened the agency with new record-keeping duties. They have also stripped the agency of rule-making powers available to almost every other agency in state government, all the while claiming to be horrified at alleged abuses of power in Washington.
I haven’t even mentioned the coup against Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle by his fellow Republicans in the state Senate, which basically left that body rudderless, or the embarrassing financial shenanigans of Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers and his business partner, U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, or the continuing efforts of GOP legislators to empower themselves at the expense of local government officials. And who knows what the rest of the year will bring?
Once politicians feel themselves unaccountable, there’s no telling what they might do.
– Jay Bookman
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1,210 comments Add your comment
Talking Head
August 23rd, 2011
11:34 am
Jay,
As ususal, you only present one side of the story which not only misleads those reading it, but convinces yourself of a false reality.
There’s no doubt federal spending has exploded in recent years. In fiscal 2007, the last year before things went haywire, the government took in $2.568 trillion in revenues and spent $2.728 trillion, for a deficit of $160 billion. In 2011, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates, the government will take in $2.230 trillion and spend $3.629 trillion, for a deficit of $1.399 trillion.
That’s an increase of $901 billion in spending and a decrease of $338 billion in revenue in a very short time.
Steve - B.
August 23rd, 2011
11:34 am
It never ceases to amaze me that Liberals try to pretend their is no Democrats in big business.
MPercy
August 23rd, 2011
11:35 am
“MPercy has made the point that libertarian/tea party crowd allow people on board who trample the crap out of other people’s rights, as long as it’s not THEIR rights to line THEIR pocketbook, they show little concern.”
Woah now, I said that some people are entering the TEA party movement who want to do that, which is detracting from that movements original ideals. Since there is no “party” really, there’s nothing stopping them from hijacking the movement. It’s not a matter of allowing them to trample anyone’s rights. And libertarians surely are not supportive of anyone trampling anyone’s rights.
Most importantly, personally, is I don’t recall ever advocating trampling anyone rights. So don’t try to pin that on me.
Finn McCool
August 23rd, 2011
11:36 am
The Associated Press is reporting that GOP legislators are opposing the extension of a payroll tax cut that will expire on Jan. 1. The clear, unavoidable message: Americans workers should pay more taxes, while the rich should pay less.
http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/08/22/republican_tax_increase/index.html
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
11:36 am
Mary Elizabeth,
Some has to pay for all of that.
RIGHTISWRONG
August 23rd, 2011
11:38 am
This is the same group of folk who elected a crook to be our Governor.
Social Issues trump common sense with these folks. The crazy thing is the vast majority of Tea Party folks are not rich, yet the people they elect pass legislation that only helps the rich. I know several Tea Partiers and they don’t have a pot to pee in, but they don’t want gays to get married, they don’t want Unemployment Benefits Secured (unless they lose their job which has happened, then they blame Obama), they don’t want affordable healthcare for all (even though they suffer the most), they don’t want ANY of Obama’s policies to pass even if those policies help them! Unbelievable! They don’t even want to go back to Reagan era taxes just because Obama has proposed it.
Not 2 smart if you ask me, and the rich just keep getting richer and paying 15% or less in taxes with the loopholes while you dummies pay your 25, 28, and 35%. Nothing that Obama has proposed (with the exception of Healthcare) has passed, because of the Tea Party. Obama has had to do what the Repubs want. Look at the result of continuing the Bush Tax cuts. They wont even let the POTUS pass an Infrastructure bill which most certainly would create jobs. Rick Perry is bragging about jobs that Obama and the Feds created. They are playing you guys like fiddles, lying and laughing all the way to the bank.
We are still under Repub Policies that are supposed to put money in the JOB CREATOR’S pockets and then they are supposed to HIRE you! Where are the jobs? I am glad I am a job creator and don’t have to wait for these lies to come to fruition. I DO thank you dummies for the tax breaks. Preciate you…..
AmVet
August 23rd, 2011
11:40 am
Corruption uber alles in Georgia’s right wing incumbency protection racket…
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives approved new maps as part of the reapportionment and redistricting process. Unfortunately, the majority party chose to play partisan politics with this process rather than draw maps that are fair for all Georgians. The proposed maps attempt to purge white Democrats, from the House of Representatives and cynically re-segregate Georgia along political lines by creating an all-white Republican Party and an all-black Democratic Party. The maps also attempt to create a Republican super-majority in both the House and Senate. This means that the majority party would not need a single Democratic vote to pass Constitutional amendments that would impact the entire State. The map eliminates choices for Georgia voters and does harm to Georgia by silencing the viewpoints of millions of voters.
Steve - B.
August 23rd, 2011
11:42 am
When I lived in Florida I was lucky enough to live in a condo on the beach. People would cry and moan about how much the taxes were and how they were tired of all the people getting handouts. Then a big storm would come and wash away the beach. Then they bitched that the Government wasn’t acting fast enough to replendish (sp?) the beach at a cost of tens of millions of dollars that the condo didn’t pay a penny of.
Moral of story: I find most people are self-serving despite political affiliations.
carlosgvv
August 23rd, 2011
11:42 am
WOODSTOCK MIKE
The Georgia “poor” and the Georgia “dirt-road dumb” are mainly two seperate groups.
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
11:43 am
Off topic, except for the greed factor. Remember this from back in 2009. Martin could never have dreamed what a nightmare his heirs and successors would become.
Piteeful, just piteeful.
KING ‘MONUMENT TO GREED’
WASHINGTON — The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s family has charged the foundation building a monument to the civil-rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 to use his words and image — and at least one scholar thinks that Dr. King would find such an arrangement offensive.
The memorial is being paid for almost entirely through a fund-raising campaign led by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.
“I don’t think the Jefferson family, the Lincoln family [or] any other group of family ancestors has been paid a licensing fee for a memorial in Washington,” said Cambridge University historian David Garrow, author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Dr. King. “. . . [He would've been] absolutely scandalized.”
Financial documents revealed that the foundation paid $761,160 in 2007 to Intellectual Properties Management Inc., an entity run by the King family. They also showed that a $71,700 “management” fee was paid to the family estate in 2003.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/item_4DTe3bj9QcHd7Y2Hpvmp1O#ixzz1Vro2m2Qk
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
11:43 am
GLL: I am happy we found something to agree on.
mm
August 23rd, 2011
11:44 am
I’m so glad I moved to FL. Oh, wait. Nevermind.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:44 am
At some point we need to ens the mess maker party like the whig party.
That time is now.
They are listening to you because they are scared of losing their jobs,
What do you want.
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
11:47 am
Uncle Jed,
One of the most corrupt and basically immoral families. MLKjr was an icon. His children nothing but basic opportunists milking the system for all they can.
carlosgvv
August 23rd, 2011
11:48 am
DawgDad – “Doing what exactly”
What they could and should do is stop piling more and more work on their employees and start hiring to make the workloads more equitible. Of course, they won’t do this since they know their current workers won’t dare quit no matter how much work they are given. They, the employees, will work as much unpaid overtime as necessary to keep their jobs and their bosses will pocket all that cash.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:48 am
kay,
So Tucker was right.
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
11:48 am
The Associated Press is reporting that GOP legislators are opposing the extension of a payroll tax cut that will expire on Jan. 1. The clear, unavoidable message: Americans workers should pay more taxes, while the rich should pay less.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The conundrum: Dems/Obama were all about revenue raising during the “default show”. Here,they say that leaving this money in the hands of workers is better for the economy. So, why not cut taxes as a way to generate economic activity? Sounds like class warfare trumping solutions.
I refuse to accept your premise about “the clear, unavoidable message”.
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
11:49 am
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
11:47 am
++++++++++++
If I agreed with you more, I would not know how to express it.
DawgDad
August 23rd, 2011
11:50 am
Mary Elizabeth: I’m still laughing. You’re mixing up politics and religion, and looking to the State for spiritual satisfaction is going to be very disappointing for you, regardless.
I don’t get your reference to Woodstock and dental care. Just because a bunch of people lined up for free care doesn’t mean they didn’t have the wherewithall to provide for themselves. It’s about choices, personal, individual choices. I can get a free bite to eat (a food sample) at the store almost any day. Doesn’t mean I need food stamps.
Spending, spending, spending (in lieu of cut, cut, cut) is NOT going to help our economy grow. If you think it is, just how do you explain $14 trillion in national debt, $4.6 trillion increase under Obama (most in history), and the current fastest pace ever of increase in the national debt? Logic and facts are not on your side. We’ve spent our way into an economic crisis.
And, please show me a party (Tea Party included) that does NOT support public education? Even the Tea Party people who advocate privatizing public education STILL SUPPORT public education, and under any circustances “education of the public”. Of course, our current President sends HIS kids to a private school.
Aquagirl
August 23rd, 2011
11:51 am
I don’t recall ever advocating trampling anyone rights. So don’t try to pin that on me.
Sorry MPercy, I wasn’t trying to pin that on you. Quite the opposite, you’re one of the few people I’ve heard identifying with the Tea Party who are actively concerned about government intrusion when it affects somebody else. There’s not much protest if it’s not THEIR gunz, THEIR money, or THEIR god-granted Medicare. They may agree on an intellectual level other violations are bad but rarely seem arsed enough to do anything about it.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:51 am
Funny how the cons attack the the MLK family for corruption but give their party a free pass.
Right kay?
You have no right to say anything about corruption.
AmVet
August 23rd, 2011
11:51 am
Georgia has the worst government that dirty money can buy.
And it has only gotten significantly more corrupt and more inept since the GOP takeover of the past decade or two.
Keep the heat on these charlatans and thieves and maybe one day, even the Party First cons will wake up to the diseased organization they unquestioningly enable.
But I doubt it…
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
11:53 am
getalife,
One of Tucker’s best threads. She had moments of brilliance.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
kay,
Now about gop corruption.
Be consistent or be a hypocrite.
Lets hear it.
jm
August 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
Jay 11:24 – don’t worry. Tax increase loving Democrats already have that covered starting at the end of next year. Oh, and for real historical data
http://www.usgovernmentrevenue.com/downchart_gr.php?year=1800_2015&view=1&expand=&units=p&log=linear&fy=fy12&chart=F0-fed&bar=0&stack=1&size=1280_885&title=&state=US&color=c&local=s&show=
Yeah, historically 18-20%. Only post 1950. And only if you believe in Unicorns, the Tooth Fairy, and Santa Clause. (note that most periods range from 16.5% to 19%, the rest are outliers.)
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
11:55 am
Irene expected to grow to a Cat 4. Strongest storm since Hugo to hit Charleston. Boats in piled in the streets. Batten down, Charleston… you are in for a blow.
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
11:56 am
Jed: So, why not cut taxes as a way to generate economic activity? Sounds like class warfare trumping solutions.
That’s exactly what a temporary payroll tax cut is. It gives the workers extra money to put back into the economy, and only hits/helps those making less than 106k. Tax cuts that affect ONLY those who will immediately spend the money, rather than save it, are the ones that stimulate the economy and help create jobs. Cutting taxes on businesses, whether small or large, does not do that. Cutting taxes on a rich person’s personal salary does not do that.
Just to be clear: Class warfare is to create the assumption that the poor should pay MORE, and/or the rich and/or businesses should pay LESS, not the other way around.
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
M Percy @ 10:59
I agree with what you posted here. It’s suprising if you don’t assume that “liberals” (whatever that means) think a certain way, you will find we actually have alot of common ground.
Anyway, the only thing I would add to that, is that, and correct me if I’m wrong, the only new spending we have since Clinton is the new Medicare entitlement plan passed under Bush and paying off the wars. We haven’t added any real new spending since then. The increase in spending has been due to paying on the debt interest.
Now, I’m no financial expert, nor do I even play on on TV, so I could be wayyyyy off base, but to me, if you want to gripe about an increase in federal spending, you have to one, be honest and real about what it actually is, and two, you have to honest and real about ways to deal with it (raise taxes).
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
jm: Yeah, historically 18-20%. Only post 1950. And only if you believe in Unicorns, the Tooth Fairy, and Santa Clause. (note that most periods range from 16.5% to 19%, the rest are outliers.)
So 14% isn’t a problem… why?
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
Jm,
The President’s report on regulations is in and he will cut them.
Payroll tax and other tax cuts will be ordered.
There goes your argument.
What else you got?
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
And MPercy,
Sorry for the delay, kids needed help — pshaw…kids….needing help….from a parent…..
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:58 am
Nothing from kay.
Figures.
Jefferson
August 23rd, 2011
11:58 am
I’d like to know how GA is going to pay back the near 700million they now owe the Feds for unemployment, What are they going to cut?
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
11:59 am
“It never ceases to amaze me that Liberals try to pretend their is no Democrats in big business”
It never ceases to amaze me that wingnuts make false assumptions based on non-evidence.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
August 23rd, 2011
11:59 am
Well, all this jabbering about a few thousand bucks here and there and not a word about how the guy that wrote “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog” has up and died. A fine, romantic song like that, and the guy is gone. And all people can talk about is how the fine Republicans down at the statehouse are getting a teeny bit uppity.
That song’s been running thru my head all morning. If I was a young buck again, I’d sing it to the first good-looking woman I see and sweep her off of her feet.
But no, this bunch just got to yammer about unimportant stuff. Anyhow, it’s lunch time. And now that I see the folks down at the statehouse have cleared the way for White folks to take Fulton County back, the beanie-weenies are going to taste extra good today.
So let Bookman be cryin’ all the time. He’s nothin’ but a hound dog.
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
11:59 am
I do appreciate conservatives FINALLY going “well this means we were right!” Instead of running from their positions because Obama supports and implements them. Maybe if that keeps up we might actually DO something to help our country instead of just voting no on everything.
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm
getalife,
No one has a lock on corruption. The GOP is just as complicit in corruption as the Democratic party. Always has been. We get nowhere with this he said, she said game we play every day. It really does nothing but satisfy our own egos and give us something to do. We still have basic differences that are important to air. But corruption?…… an age old consequence of having elected politicians, regardless of party.
Left wing management
August 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm
Uncle Jed: “So, why not cut taxes as a way to generate economic activity? Sounds like class warfare trumping solutions.”
Tax cuts do ZERO to stimulate jobs and only make the pile of cash the corporations are sitting on rise higher, blocking out the sun. Giving us an economic eclipse.
DawgDag: “Sure, government can confiscate cash and wealth or pass laws directing corporations (people) to use it in certain ways. Where do think that leads? If that’s where you want to take us (Marxist or Fascist State, moreso than we already are), I want no part of it.”
Sure you realize though that what you laid out there is diametrically opposed to what we have now, so if you’re concern is that we’ll succumb to a Marxist state, believe me you’ve got nothing to worry about at the moment.
On the other hand, your scenario is based on the false option that what we are in fact moving towards is not precisely some sort of dystopia — which may or may not be recognizably fascist or marxist, but at any rate is sure to be nasty and brutish — in which the capitalists continue their attack on all those who are not big earners and well connected, further immiserating the poor, and leading to even more profound social unrest. So your implied assumption that we have a choice – that the status quo is sustainable – is false.
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm
Bosch: It never ceases to amaze me that wingnuts make false assumptions based on non-evidence.
I dunno Bosch, that ceased to amaze me a long time ago.
Talking Head
August 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm
“So 14% isn’t a problem… why?”
If you’re spending more than 14% than yes. But the 14% figure has more (almost all) to do with the poor economy than the marginal tax rate. It’s bad enough that we’re only getting 14%, but when you couple that with spending % well above the normal it creates massive amounts of debt.
Joe Mama
August 23rd, 2011
12:01 pm
Kayaker — “And each of these elected Congressmen/women seem to think that they are pretty secure in their position. Like Daniel Inouye in Hawaii….. he’s been re-elected every time to the Senate since WWII.”
Well, actually since just before statehood, 1959 IIRC. And he’s a Senator, not a Congressman. The whole state votes for him.
Republicans can and do get elected to statewide offices out there, as well as Federal. Republican Charles Djou won the special election last year to fill a Congressional seat for a few months (he was unseated in the general election by a Democrat), and the recently-in-office Republican Governor, Linda Lingle, just finished her term last December (and was also replaced by a Democrat). Prior to her stint in the Governor’s mansion, Lingle was Mayor of Maui County (there’s not really much of a distinction between cities and counties in the Aloha State). So Republicans can and do get elected to significant office in Hawaii.
But don’t look up Frank Fasi, the longtime Mayor of Honolulu. His tale will just confuse you.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:01 pm
kay,
Deflection and no personal responsibility.
Figures.
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
12:03 pm
Talking Head: So temporary increase on the wealthy, temporary decrease via payroll tax cut, including sensible waste cutting in the same deal, until we get our numbers back up to at least 16% revenue and more positive GDP growth, as well as taking a swipe at the spending percentage. Whaddya say?
Joe Mama
August 23rd, 2011
12:03 pm
Kayaker — “Hawaii has not had a Republican Congressman or Senator since Aug 21, 1959 when they became a state and it doesn’t look too promising for Repubs anytime in the future.”
You are incorrect. A Hawaii GOP Congressman *just* left office. And so did the GOP Governor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Djou
Mary Elizabeth
August 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm
Kayaker 11:36
Mary Elizabeth,
Some has to pay for all of that.
———————————————————
Kayaker, thanks for your comment. Addressing finance, as you should have, allows me to emphasize the last paragraph in my last post. Please reread that paragraph, if you will. It recommends ideas that will foster growth and development, and that growth and development, economically, will bring additional revenues.
Growing economically, as we did in the Clinton years, and in most other Democratic administrations, has fostered revenue growth. That is how the common good programs that I mentioned are paid for, as well as through our taxes that serve the common good. (And by not making the poor decision of the Bush tax cuts that ended up creating an increased deficitt.)
We have been programmed to think that we cannot both serve the common good and also pay for it. That is erroneous thinking. However, we do now, unfortunately, have to work on cuts to all spending (not just on entitlements), as well as on raising taxes and other means of gathering revenue, because of the hugh deficit we have accrued.
It appears that accruing that huge deficit has backfired on the American people.
Adam
August 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm
LUNCH
Paddy O
August 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm
Adam – your “bring it” reminds of Bushes “bring it on”. YOU are grossly in error, due to your liberal addiction, that is was the FEDERAL governments job to evacuate citizens from New Orleans. This is patently false. If a government was responsible, it was either NO or Louisiana. Not comparative? Your objection was “this disaster is NOT comparable to this other disaster”. Seems to fall in the same ballpark. I assume you are saying the fire boats were coast guard dispatched? OK. Again, since you are a self appointed “expert”; please provide the timeline from platform ignition, sinking, to the well being capped off.
I guess Obama appointed the wrong fool to run the permit office, eh? Or, the wrong guy was in charge of the Coast Guard?
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm
Adam,
What’s funny now to see on the blog are all the conservatives who claim to blame Bush just as much for the financial woes, but are still complacent to bash liberals with the same sweeping swoops. Twas not the case here pre-Obama.
mm
August 23rd, 2011
12:07 pm
“The conundrum: Dems/Obama were all about revenue raising during the “default show”. Here,they say that leaving this money in the hands of workers is better for the economy. So, why not cut taxes as a way to generate economic activity? Sounds like class warfare trumping solutions.
I refuse to accept your premise about “the clear, unavoidable message”.”
Yep, no matter how guilty they are and no matter how much proof you provide, they still defend themselves with BS.
Hey Einstein, this is why the GOP will get crushed next year.
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:07 pm
“due to your liberal addiction”
Is a Hyperbole Sandwich an Irish food thing? Does that go well with Cornbeef and Cabbage and Soda Bread?
bookman parrot
August 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
Jay,
You and your lib cohorts have finally convinced me, you are correct. I have seen the “error” of common sense and I now will support Obama in his quest to turn the U.S. into a 3rd world country. Your propaganda has succeeded.
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
Joe Mama,
I lived in Kailua for about 25 yrs during Fasi’s many terms as mayor, testified before the Demoractic Legislature on several occasions and am very familiar with Hawaii politics. Linda Lingle was an exception to the rule. But Inouye, Patsy Mink, until recently Neil Abercrombie and Daniel Akaka…. all democrats and not expected to change anytime in the near future.
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
That’s exactly what a temporary payroll tax cut is. It gives the workers extra money to put back into the economy, and only hits/helps those making less than 106k. Tax cuts that affect ONLY those who will immediately spend the money, rather than save it, are the ones that stimulate the economy and help create jobs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I fully understand the concept of a payroll tax cut. I refuse to accept the premise that only folks earning less than $106k spend money. However, if more liquid assets in the economy create activity, a point on which we agree, then why not infuse the economy with more, and not less?
I would submit that lower taxes and regulatory certainty do more to help create jobs than $600 bucks in someone’s wallet or a nominal rollback in the payroll tax.
Talking Head
August 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
Adam,
The only true way to increase revenues is for the economy to start growing again. Having better than sub 3% GDP growth for starters…
Finding America’s next big production is the ticket out of this mess
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm
If you want to address our corruption problem, unite with the rest of Americans and do it.
If not , give it a rest .
You sound like hypocrites.
Now is the time.
Put up or shut up.
Joe Mama
August 23rd, 2011
12:10 pm
Kayaker –
” lived in Kailua for about 25 yrs during Fasi’s many terms as mayor, testified before the Demoractic Legislature on several occasions and am very familiar with Hawaii politics. Linda Lingle was an exception to the rule. But Inouye, Patsy Mink, until recently Neil Abercrombie and Daniel Akaka…. all democrats and not expected to change anytime in the near future.”
You must have missed out on Charles Djou, then. He didn’t serve long, but he *did* serve as a US Congressman from Hawaii just last year.
I lived Mililani side; Kailua side too wet fo’ me, brah!
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
12:12 pm
getalife,
You seem to be in somewhat of a twit. I have just admitted to you, as any thinking person would, that corruption and underhanded politics occurs equally in both parties. That is not deflection, that is reality. What do you want?
Steve - B.
August 23rd, 2011
12:12 pm
Since the F in FDIC stands for Federal maybe the Federal Government should investigate why Georgia banks have cost the FDIC so much.
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:12 pm
“getalife you really are a bit of a retard, you know?”
The Magic Calendar was RIGHT!! See Paul? Never misunderestimate the power of the Magic Calendar……
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
12:13 pm
Part Two:
Just to be clear: Class warfare is to create the assumption that the poor should pay MORE, and/or the rich and/or businesses should pay LESS, not the other way around.
++++++++++++++++
I disagree with your definition particulary as it relates to politics. The way it gets played is that the poor hourly sob is getting screwed by the evil corporations and the fat cats (anyone earning more than the oppressed) aren’t paying their “fair” share, thus meaning the little guy is carrying the burden of supporting the society and government functions. That is simply poppycock.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:14 pm
“getalife you really are a bit of a retard, you know?”
I do know.
RB from Gwinnett
August 23rd, 2011
12:17 pm
“You seem to be in somewhat of a twit. I have just admitted to you, as any thinking person would, that corruption and underhanded politics occurs equally in both parties. That is not deflection, that is reality. What do you want?”
As ususal, getaclue wants everything to be done according to the getaclue filter of what’s right and wrong. Basically that means everybody on the right is corrupt and everybody on the left isn’t. Doesn’t matter the issue, the person, anything. A complete and total inability to THINK.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:18 pm
The blaming both parties is deflection for your personal responsibility to address it in your own party.
You give your party a free pass, march lock step with gop corruption and blame both parties.
You fight against it in your party and the dems will get scared like they always do and stop theirs.
Get started and stop calling me a retard.
Mr Right
August 23rd, 2011
12:18 pm
Jay, you would have a little more creditability if you held the Dems to the same standards that you do the Republicans! I’m sure you would say you do but if so then why is it ALWAYS the bad GOP that we hear about and NEVER the Dems! And don’t be coming around saying that the Dems don’t have any bad eggs in their basket, we know better.
jm
August 23rd, 2011
12:18 pm
I do know.
getalife, you crack me up sometimes.
AmVet
August 23rd, 2011
12:19 pm
Speaking of Daniel Inouye, that guy rocks. He is the epitome of class, bravery and brains.
A true American hero. A Democratic lion who spoke out loudly during that sordid Iran-Contra affair under Saint Ronnie and a champion of the little guy.
I’m a little surprised that he was never swiftboated…
Left wing management
August 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm
Talking Head: “The only true way to increase revenues is for the economy to start growing again. Having better than sub 3% GDP growth for starters…
Finding America’s next big production is the ticket out of this mess”
That’s crazy talk. That’s wild-eyed commie pinko talkin’ right there.
Guards! Guards! Have this person escorted to solitary for incitement!!
[sarc]
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm
Left wing management
August 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm
Uncle Jed: “So, why not cut taxes as a way to generate economic activity? Sounds like class warfare trumping solutions.”
Tax cuts do ZERO to stimulate jobs and only make the pile of cash the corporations are sitting on rise higher, blocking out the sun. Giving us an economic eclipse.
++++++++++++++++++
While that may make for good fiction reading at bedtime, down at the indoctrination camp, it is just not true. Ask around. If you know some small business owners (that covers some sizable entities), ask them if they are comfortable with hiring right now. Many, if not most, setting political party alliance aside, will tell you that regulatory and taxation uncertainty, combined with not knowing where the Obamacare juggernaut will end up, have them unwilling to hire. They can get by with part-time, temporary staffing for now, which is not helping the economy at the level we need.
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
AmVet,
We used to call Inouye the One Armed Bandit. Member of the 442nd, Medal of Honor winner. Never said that he wasn’t straight up. Just said that being a Democrat, he has a perpetual pass to his elected position.
Is it 2012 yet?
August 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
Jm,
The President’s report on regulations is in and he will cut them.
I wonder what he is doing with the over 300 new regulations he added just in July?
Just wonderong
.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:23 pm
Have you ever heard a con say they will fight against gop corruption?
Jefferson
August 23rd, 2011
12:23 pm
Boy those GOP cats running GA sure do instill a vision of a great future for the state, huh?
Doggone/GA
August 23rd, 2011
12:24 pm
“I wonder what he is doing with the over 300 new regulations he added just in July”
Ask Congress to repeal the bills they passed that intiated the need for the regulations?
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm
Have you heard of a gop candidate promising to fight against gop corruption?
Joe Mama
August 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm
kayaker — Respectfully, one doesn’t “win” the Congressional Medal of Honor. It’s not a lottery or a bingo game.
My Drill Sergeant in boot camp imparted that nugget of knowledge to us while we were all in the front leaning rest position. According to DS Webb, that’s the best position for Privates to be in if you want them to effin’ learn something.
WOODSTOCK MIKE
August 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm
Housing sales for 2011 are the worst numbers that have ever been recorded in history. For minorities the new home start numbers are even worse. Democratic response….
“It’s George Bush’s fault”
Soothsayer
August 23rd, 2011
12:26 pm
Well, the Righties are strutting around here like the cock of the walk. Don’t forget, if your guy is elected he’s going to have the same problems to face.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:26 pm
I rest my case.
Not bad for a retard huh Paul?
Billybob
August 23rd, 2011
12:27 pm
keep talking jay………and all your hit squad keep talking……….pretty soon with all the rhetoric coming from your side, these liberal talking boards will be the only place you have left to be heard…….i love libs and you are round-about proving why hussein is toast in 2012………coward
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:31 pm
2012,
If you are talking about the law the sc justice thomas is an activist against it, tht law will change when needed.
Any cons fighting against the sc activist corruption ?
Nope.
Any cons fighting against citizen united corruption?
Nope.
What say you Paul?
Aquagirl
August 23rd, 2011
12:31 pm
And don’t be coming around saying that the Dems don’t have any bad eggs in their basket, we know better.
You might have a point….if the Republicans didn’t pile their bad eggs on top of the basket.
Jack Murphy and Greg Morris hold their Banking Committee memberships because other Republicans put them there. It’s not some group of nutty gerrymandered voters that make them secure. It’s guys like Chip “you know I can’t pay it back” Rogers.
Republicans PROMOTE their bad eggs, and protect them even when the rest of the world can’t stand the stench.
SwedeAtlanta
August 23rd, 2011
12:33 pm
It doesn’t matter whether these are Democrats or Republics. The party in power at a local, state or national level is vulnerable to boastful and cocky behavior.
In Georgia, the Republics own the state and arguably all of the state’s many problems from high unemployment, transportation issues, ethics problems, failure of the educational system, etc. But no one wants to hold them accountable.
So I say to Georgians, you get the government you elect. When you roll the Real Deal scumbag into office with solid majorities in both the State House and Senate, you will get good ole boy politics at its best. ‘You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’. They are not interested in helping Georgians if it means taking money out of their own pockets.
kayaker 71
August 23rd, 2011
12:34 pm
getalife,
Short scenario…. Used to live in Enterprise, AL who was represented in Congress by a GOP Congressman named Terry Everett. Before Everett was elected to the Congress, he worked for Southern Bank who happened to have a lot of farm loans on peanut quota property. When Everett learned of a foreclosure, he snapped up the property for his own use. Accumulated about 3500 acres of quota property. After elected to Congress, Everett was named, you guessed it, Chairman of the Agricultural Committee. When the peanut quota stink got too strong, even for elected politicians, Everett negotiated a 3.5 billion dollar settlement to those who owned peanut quota land. His take?…… nearly 9M. Yeah, getalife, there are corrupt GOP politicians that are in it for what they can get. OK, my man, it’s your turn.
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:34 pm
Hey look getalife and Paul, we are now a “hit squad”. cool. :8:
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
Dang, how can you be cool if you forgot how to do the emoticon with the sunglasses…
is it….
Bosch
August 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
Okay, yeah, hit squad….cool
ken
August 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
Once politicians feel themselves unaccountable, there’s no telling what they might do.
Good statement Jay . A good description of Obama and his wrecking crew.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:38 pm
kay and Paul,
Like AmVet , I screamed about the culture of corruption in Washington during the w disaster.
I concluded that the cons will never fight against it, so I let it go.
So don’t give me that both party cop out.
When cons fight against corruption , there will be unity on this issue but until then it is nothing but deflection of blame that get nothing accomplished.
Left wing management
August 23rd, 2011
12:38 pm
Uncle Jed: “Ask around. If you know some small business owners (that covers some sizable entities), ask them if they are comfortable with hiring right now. Many, if not most, setting political party alliance aside, will tell you that regulatory and taxation uncertainty, combined with not knowing where the Obamacare juggernaut will end up, have them unwilling to hire. ”
I’m just not buying it. Regardless of what these people are saying, the fact is that there is one primary reason they are not expaning/hiring: lack of consumer demand which is directly tied to sagging wages vis-a-vis productivity, not to mention consumer debt. There’s a confidence problem alright: a crisis of CONSUMER confidence.
So, are you saying the skyrocketing gap between corporate management earnings and worker wages (counting benefits, which are under attack on all sides) doesn’t bother you:? Why is that?
Bruno
August 23rd, 2011
12:41 pm
In case any of you missed the headline, legendary Motown songwriter Nick Ashford passed away yesterday. His marriage to Valerie Simpson was one of the great love stories of our time. From accounts, she rescued him from homeless and drug addiction leading to nearly 48 years together.
In addition to writing songs that they recorded themselves, they wrote numerous hits for others, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Your Precious Love”, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “”Reach Out and Touch” for Diana Ross and the Spupremes, and “I’m every Woman” for Chaka Khan. My favorite composition of theirs was this one that Marvin and Tammi recorded:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZNbfKibFLE
Thomas
August 23rd, 2011
12:44 pm
I’m just not buying it. Regardless of what these people are saying, the fact is that there is one primary reason they are not expaning/hiring: lack of consumer demand which is directly tied to sagging wages vis-a-vis productivity, not to mention consumer debt. There’s a confidence problem alright: a crisis of CONSUMER confidence.
So, are you saying the skyrocketing gap between corporate management earnings and worker wages (counting benefits, which are under attack on all sides) doesn’t bother you:? Why is that?
Absolutely not in the majority of business which is in fact small and mid size. Confidence as to buying and hiring are the main drivers.
b/t/w I have been a frequent blogger that if you weren’t the founder of the company you should have a ceiling on your comp if you are a public company. But the gap you speak of plays no part in the decision making of the small to mid size company.
DawgDad
August 23rd, 2011
12:45 pm
“Tax cuts do ZERO to stimulate jobs and only make the pile of cash the corporations are sitting on rise higher”
Wow. You leave me almost speechless. No point discussing economics with a brick.
Now, there is validity in what you say in terms of corporations with off-shore production. The trick these days is targeting tax policy to ensure ON-SHORE production and job growth, and not to just fuel more domestic consumer demand. Which is why the Bush and Obama tax rebate/reduction policies targeted at taxpayers in general did not work – they were focused on increasing consumer demand, which in the short run may have heated up the economy but did little to nothing to stimulate sustainable growth and had the negative effect of driving up the trade deficit. Government, if it does anything, needs to incentivize investment in American on-shore production and conversion of raw materials. Anything else is a waste of time and money.
mm
August 23rd, 2011
12:45 pm
“ask them if they are comfortable with hiring right now. Many, if not most, setting political party alliance aside, will tell you that regulatory and taxation uncertainty, combined with not knowing where the Obamacare juggernaut will end up, have them unwilling to hire.”
Total BS. They are not hiring because there is no DEMAND for their products or services. Why? Because most people don’t have money to spend on anything other than their bills.
The righties think they are the wizards of economics. They need to learn the ins and outs of Supply and Demand.
Uncle Jed
August 23rd, 2011
12:48 pm
60% of Congress Not Holding Town Halls
Submitted by
No Labels Blogger
on August 22, 2011
Is your representative holding a public town hall meeting this August recess? No Labels called every office, and only 40% are scheduling open town hall meetings. It’s a sad sign of the state of affairs when our elected officials don’t have time to meet with their constituents.
No Labels activists spoke to all 430 current members of the House of Representatives to find that only 175* of them scheduled meetings. The results of the phone survey also reveal that members of both parties share the blame, with 67% of Democrats and 50% of Republicans stating they had no town hall meetings scheduled for the recess period.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What’s up with that? I thought these were representatives. The better news for us here in Georgia is that our folks did quite a abit better than the national numbers:
Georgia has 13 congressional districts/representatives and of those 8 will have town halls. Of the 5 that won’t, 3 are democrats and 2 are republicans. That puts us at about 62% holding meetings.
mm
August 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm
It is obvious the righties have been brainwashed by their corporate owned GOP. For 10 years their low tax, trickle down, outsource our jobs economy has failed miserably.
Soothsayer
August 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Rightie mantra: we focked it up. You can’t fix it Now we’re gonna get elected (again). Sounds logical to me.
getalife
August 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Well said mm.
They have no credibility on the economy or corruption.
Dirty Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Dave R…Don’t Tread…do your own research if you truly want to know, but my question was ‘what if it were absolutely, incontrovertibly, participants’ admitting their guilt in the theft of any and all elections’…if that were so, what would your reaction be? I believe that it wouldn’t matter to you so long as Republicans were in power. You don’t really care about the ‘right to vote’, or ‘one-man-one-vote’, do you? So long as your side wins, that’s all that matters…and that’s the saddest part of it all. How can you compete with that? Hell you guys even got more guns and ammo than we do…was this a great country, or what?
Granny Godzilla
August 23rd, 2011
12:51 pm
Supply and Demand
Supply side economics?
Somthing important is missing ain’t it.
Demand. Consumption.
It ain’t rocket science.
DawgDad
August 23rd, 2011
12:51 pm
So, mm, you want Government to point a gun at my head and create DEMAND?