Atlanta’s great collapse — and no, it’s not the Braves

I hate to bring this up on the morning after the Braves completed their monumental collapse, but ….

From Dan Chapman at the AJC:

“The Atlanta region lost more jobs the last year than any other metro area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday, further evidence that the post-recessionary slump here shows little sign of abating.

Metro Atlanta shed 30,800 jobs since August 2010. Kansas City — 12,800 positions erased — was the closest competitor in job-losses. Nearly all of Atlanta’s peer metro areas added at least some jobs amid the slow economic recovery.”

… “Out of almost 400 metropolitan areas, we’re dead last and nobody is competing with us for that distinction,” said Chris Cunningham, a BLS statistician in Atlanta. “It’s pretty bad and it has been the same story for the last two, three years.”

I don’t get it.

You mean that a strategy of cutting taxes lower and lower, of refusing to spend money to modernize the transportation system that made you prosperous in the first place, of slashing state support for k-12 and higher education year after year, of kowtowing to developers and other businesses at the expense of quality of life for those who actually live here, of largely ignoring the needs of your state’s largest metro area — you mean that doesn’t work?

After all that, this is what we get?

– Jay Bookman

709 comments Add your comment

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:17 am

“You can make excuses for your racism all you want. You are a racist. Own it.” – B/c someone else did something like the then that makes it ok. We can’t expect getalife and be better than that.

Tommy Maddox

September 29th, 2011
9:17 am

No GG, the GOP has passed enumerable bills in the House only to get nuked by Harry Reid in the Senate. Time to blame Harry for “do nothing”.

HDB

September 29th, 2011
9:17 am

Good little liberal
September 29th, 2011
8:58 am
“So if job loss is local, apparently the responsibility of the state government and not the fed, then why are all you libs whining that Congress needs to pass Obama’s job bill?”

Are you forgetting the CASCADING effect? Whatever happens on the local level cascades an effect on the state AND national economy! This may be the ONLY way that “trickle-down thought’ actually works!!

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:18 am

“If they are choosing other areas to locate, why is this so?”

Cause they can’t buy liquor on Sundays? :)

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:18 am

Granny: (Do they make a giant foam finger for “we’re number last”? And what would it look like?)

A middle finger

Good little liberal

September 29th, 2011
9:19 am

Jay

So you are admitting that at least a part of the problem is our federal government. Funny, I didn’t read that in your article. Did i miss it?

kayaker 71

September 29th, 2011
9:19 am

We all might be comforted by the fact, as Granny says, that violent crime in the state is down. Murders down from 566 to 558. Eleven less dead people. Hallelujah, Granny, that ought to comfort all of us. And other crimes down 2.3%. That just might be a defining moment in Georgia law enforcement. Well, we made up for that eleven less dead people in Macon a couple of weeks ago. Eight gunned down in one evening by our responsible and civic minded Cripps gang, the 9-12. That was in addition to six more that lost their lives two weeks before that. Macon is the 17th most violent city, regardless of size, in the entire US, Granny. We don’t seem to be feeling the relief that should come from a 6% drop in crime. And how is that going to look when someone wants to establish a business in one of our many unoccupied buildings in the downtown area? With our “forward” and looking and progressive Democratic city council, I can’t even imagine why business is avoiding our fair city. Oh, and BTW, we don’t just mug our students. We strangle them then cut ‘em up. They still haven’t found all of the parts of that girl. Makes for great university recruitment.

ty webb

September 29th, 2011
9:19 am

“This topic is about “GEORGIA”.”

actually, it’s ATLANTA(all caps for emphasis)…see jay’s headline above.

Good little liberal

September 29th, 2011
9:20 am

Jay

And is it too much to ask to request that getalife tone down the overt racism a tad?

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:20 am

“part of the problem is our federal government”

How is the federal government part of the problem, or as you seem to think, the biggest problem? It appears you are giving the GOP leaders a pass for their own incompetence.

Granny Godzilla

September 29th, 2011
9:21 am

Tommy Maddox

Really?

Job creation bills?

Really?

Like what?

ty webb

September 29th, 2011
9:21 am

“Cause they can’t buy liquor on Sundays?”

Bosch,
precisely why I relocated to TX.

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:22 am

The non-argument argument of “Well that must mean you want tax hikes!” is nonsense. What the argument REALLY is, is that taxes being lower or higher have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with overall job creation. No, raising taxes does not create jobs, but it’s pretty obvious (or should be, by now) that lowering them doesn’t either. It’s like you guys are trying to run a business without actually running a business.

A business has a huge amount of demand, and you think taxes are going to affect its hiring decisions? Cons don’t know how to run a business.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:22 am

ty,

So, do you know Paul??? ;)

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 29th, 2011
9:22 am

Good article Jay. I see most of the righties are doing anything to divert attention rather than addressing the points.

Granny Godzilla

September 29th, 2011
9:23 am

Kayaker 71

You would prefer the crime rate went up? Oy.

You really should learn to celebrate what’s good.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:23 am

But yesterday you claimed cain’s comment was not racist.

Today, I made the same comment that you called racist.

You can’t have it both ways cons.

Tommy Maddox

September 29th, 2011
9:23 am

Well Getalife, I’ve just been working all year, hiring all kinds of folks to do all kinds of things, dodging P-51s, and trying to support my family.

I guess that makes me an evil white guy who’s worthy of your disdain. Just pitiful.

jm

September 29th, 2011
9:23 am

Granny, yes it can happen. I provided a BLS link earlier. You have to go through the data pull yourself at the BLS. I can’t provide more because its a java applet. The multi-screen form for MSA’s is the easiest to use.

Jay

September 29th, 2011
9:23 am

Straw, I assume that getalife is riffing off on Herman Cain’s statement yesterday that black people have been brainwashed into rejecting conservativism.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:24 am

“I see most of the righties are doing anything to divert attention rather than addressing the points.”

Yeap. Like always.

Good little liberal

September 29th, 2011
9:24 am

Bosch

So if the problem is not with our Fed, then why on earth would Obama want to pass a jobs bill?

Good little liberal

September 29th, 2011
9:25 am

Jay

Ahhh. So racism is OK if there’s an imagined reason for it.

Good old fair minded Jay.

Have a nice day, folks. this place smells this morning.

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:26 am

GLL: then why are all you libs whining that Congress needs to pass Obama’s job bill?

You think having a little extra federal money for state projects is a bad thing?

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:26 am

GLL,

I see your good at deflection. So, if as you say “So if the problem is not with our Fed”

Why blame them in the first place?

And why are you giving the local state GOP leaders a pass for their inability to create jobs?

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 29th, 2011
9:28 am

Someone has got their poutrage radar all askew with claims of “overt racism”

“this place smells this morning” – well since the internet does not transfer odors, that smell may be emanating from a locale much closer to you. :D

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:28 am

“Straw, I assume that getalife is riffing off on Herman Cain’s statement yesterday that black people have been brainwashed into rejecting conservativism.”

LOL I didn’t hear about that one. It seems like everytime Cain says something logical, he says 2 things that make you slap yourself on the forehead and say “Doh!”.

But my comment still stands about getalife. You shouldn’t blame someone else for your own racists comments. Why stoop down to Cain’s level?

ty webb

September 29th, 2011
9:28 am

“And why are you giving the local state GOP leaders a pass for their inability to create jobs?”

well, they could use the “inherited” excuse…oh wait…nevermind.

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:29 am

DDR: I cannot believe we had the same thought on the middle finger sign!

Tommy Maddox

September 29th, 2011
9:29 am

Government does not create jobs. Government should pass legislation that should free up the business community to expand. Calling something a “jobs bill” is a joke.

St Simons - we're on Island time

September 29th, 2011
9:29 am

“… a strategy of cutting taxes lower and lower, of refusing to spend money to modernize the transportation system that made you prosperous in the first place, of slashing state support for k-12 and higher education year after year…of largely ignoring the needs of your state’s largest metro area — you mean that doesn’t work?”

There you go again, good host, trying to shame Them. The lovely Missus tries that as a hospital administrator. And you can’t shame them. If the Little Nero with a Cowboy Hat experiment can’t embarrass Them, they just can’t be embarrassed. We must think of another approach.

btw, Georgia needs Accountants/CPAs. But a warning to cons – its a math/science – you have to believe in it. And we don’t need any of those 2 + 2 = 5 “make the pie higher”, “make more pies” people. Even my Republican accountants laugh at that one. Oh well, I probably identified myself with this post, but I don’t care, except for one or two sickos on here.
Gooooo Dawgs..sic..er, mildly bark at ‘em woof woof.
“…meaner than a junk…recycle bin poodle!”

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:30 am

“they could use the “inherited” excuse”

Actually no they can’t ty — the GOP has been in charge of this State for a long time. When the Democrats were voted out, the State was not in near the financial shape it is now.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:30 am

Well Tommy,

I am retired but hired many American when I worked.

“I assume that getalife is riffing off on Herman Cain’s statement yesterday that black people have been brainwashed into rejecting conservativism.”

I try to keep our cons consistent in their beliefs. I have always said that cons are brainwashed by fox, rush and drudge to vote gop no matter if the gop stole everything they own.

If that is not white folks being brainwashed, II don’t know what else to call it .

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:32 am

“Why stoop down to Cain’s level.”

Stoop down to his level?

What level is that?

DebbieDoRight

September 29th, 2011
9:32 am

The Right will predictably blame the following:
President Obama, Democrats, Liberals, Undocumented Aliens, Welfare Recipients, Blacks, Hispanics, the Poor

You forgot to add “Wealth Envy”

jm: Jesus you guys are clueless – “Metro Atlanta shed 30,800 jobs since August 2010.” From JAY’S POST. So I referred to the job numbers increased or decreased too. And Savannah, Augusta, etc, have ADDED JOBS.

However Savannah et al. does not fire the engine that drives this whole state. ATLANTA does.

jm: You guys seriously just make sh-t up.

Naw — that would be YOU guys.

Gordon: How is the state of California doing? How about Chicago?

California is lingering at the bottom like Georgia/Alabama/Mississippi etc. and Chciago is not a state. Sorry. :cry:

ty webb

September 29th, 2011
9:32 am

Bosch,
My point exactly…something you failed to see with your haste for partisanship.

kayaker 71

September 29th, 2011
9:32 am

Granny,

“Would you prefer that the crime rate went up?

Certainly not. But I live in a world of reality. We’re talking about creating jobs in cities. People establish businesses in cities where conditions are optimal to their success. A good pool of potential employees, educated and responsible. They go where the local tax breaks give them an edge on the competition. Good schools, good affordable housing for their employees, something for their employees to do in their leisure time…. all in a safe environment. The more threatening and uninviting the environment, the more business shies away.
I wouldn’t send my daughter to Mercer University if the tuition was free. It’s in the middle of one of the worse neighborhoods in town and just like a good business man, I don’t want the risk.

DebbieDoRight

September 29th, 2011
9:33 am

That SHOULD read:

California is not lingering at the bottom like Georgia/Alabama/Mississippi etc. and Chciago is not a state.

TaxPayer

September 29th, 2011
9:33 am

Is this the same GLL that was on here the other night proclaiming Soros to be a Nazi. Why yes. Yes, it is! :roll:

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:33 am

Yes Tommy. Government does not create jobs. That’s why they don’t pay anyone who works for them.

Granny Godzilla

September 29th, 2011
9:34 am

jm

You mean this?

I’m not seeing that it says what you say it does.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:34 am

ty,

Well, why didn’t you just say so. ;)

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:34 am

Republicrat — “Loan regulations relaxed because its a “human right” to own a home(barney frank),republicans reaped the benefits as they had bush in the white house,but dems pushed it in congress. The people who lied on their loan applications or deep down knew they were buying a house they couldnt afford.”

This piffle has been debunked and refuted HARD so many times here that it hardly seems worth it to go over things again.

Have a nice life, drive-by. :roll:

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:34 am

“Stoop down to his level?

What level is that?”

The level of making nonsense, broad, racial comments. I thought you were better than that…guess not. Blame someone else for your racial comments if it makes you feel better when you look in the mirror though.

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:35 am

kayaker: But I live in a world of reality.

I never knew you were such a comedian kayaker! You should do stand up!

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:36 am

BTW, I seem to recall that Chicago is doing pretty good.

DebbieDoRight

September 29th, 2011
9:36 am

DDR: I cannot believe we had the same thought on the middle finger sign!

Great minds and all……. :wink:

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:36 am

T. Maddox — “Government should pass legislation that should free up the business community to expand.”

Yes! Doing away with child labor laws and the prohibition on indentured servitude would be good places to start, right?

Brosephus™ - Browning America Since 1973

September 29th, 2011
9:36 am

I would think it is housing/lending related. If those fools who relaxed lending qualifications had not been giving out millions of loans to anyone with a pulse, then this calamity would not have occurred. Couple this with the bright idea of bundling all of these loans and turning them into securities for everyone to invest in – then you wind up with what we have.

And guess what: the Republicans in the Georgia State House did not have much to do with that. It was a little further up the food chain.

There were two Republicans in the GA State House that were personally on the hook for a couple million by themselves. I’d say that last sentence might be just a tad bit wrong, but that’s just my view.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:36 am

Joe Mama,

Yeah, and I guess folks like him missed this speech by Bush:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNqQx7sjoS8

poison pen

September 29th, 2011
9:38 am

Let’s raise taxes by 20% and that will bring the jobs in, Ya Think!

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:39 am

K71 — “just like a good business man, I don’t want the risk.”

Can we infer from this statement that you are not, in fact, a “good business man?” :D

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:39 am

“Let’s raise taxes by 20%”

Whose proposing to do that other than the Fair Tax crowd?

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 29th, 2011
9:39 am

Taxpayer, its even the same GLL who often posts about “plantations”, etc……

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:40 am

pea,

cain is running for the President of the United States of America on the world stage.

It does not get any higher than that.

I think my comment is fair because I have always argued you cons are brainwashed by fox, drudge and rush.

You swallow all of their spin like you are brainwashed.

Jay

September 29th, 2011
9:40 am

As the AJC story notes:

Chicago: +11,700 jobs
Los Angeles: +19,900
San Fran +8,200
Atlanta -30,800

Recon (2nd.and 3rd.)

September 29th, 2011
9:40 am

Well Obama and his congressional Democrats have proven that government spending doesn’t work. Taxing the wealthy while allowing close to 50% of the population to not pay federal income tax and even allowing the bottom 20% to receive tax refunds that they never paid doesn’t work. So what’s the solution?

kayaker 71

September 29th, 2011
9:41 am

Joe Mama,

You missed the point by a country mile.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:41 am

And repeating the same talking points over and over and over proves my point.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:42 am

“Taxing the wealthy”

Um, Del, did you miss the whole Bush/Obama tax cut thing?

Making stuff up doesn’t make your argument, your attempts at Jedi mind tricks don’t work on us.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 29th, 2011
9:42 am

Poison, “let’s raise taxes, improve our roads and infrastructure to provide a business environment, improve our schools and raise the quality of life” will bring in the jobs.

Strawman

September 29th, 2011
9:42 am

“No, raising taxes does not create jobs, but it’s pretty obvious (or should be, by now) that lowering them doesn’t either.”

I would disagree with this statement, Adam. I would agree that some kinds of tax cuts may not create jobs. but it seems logical to me that putting more money into the hands of consumers (especially since given that consumption drives most of the GDP) AND eliminating or lowering corporate taxes (which should lower the cost of production, goods and services in a competitive economy) will stimulate job growth. HP’s CEO was on, I think, Meet The Press a month or two ago and he said (which is correct) that two things drive job creation: certainty and demand.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 29th, 2011
9:43 am

jedi mind tricks?…… oh I think they are more from the dark side of the force.

Strawman

September 29th, 2011
9:44 am

“Straw, I assume that getalife is riffing off on Herman Cain’s statement yesterday that black people have been brainwashed into rejecting conservativism.”

Getalife seems to me to be more of a gadfly than anything else on this blog; I have stopped responding to his posts.

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:44 am

“cain is running for the President of the United States of America on the world stage.” – So since you’re just a little person on a blog, it’s ok to be racist. Got it.

“I think my comment is fair because I have always argued you cons are brainwashed by fox, drudge and rush.” – Never read drudge, never listened to rush, don’t watch fox news. You might want to point the “you cons” comment elsewhere, sport.

Jay

September 29th, 2011
9:44 am

Strawman, tax cuts can also DESTROY jobs if they strip the government of resources needed to invest long-term in transportation and education.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:44 am

“but it seems logical to me that putting more money into the hands of consumers”

While in theory yes, that does seem plausible, but it also has to do with whom they do this too.

Putting more money in the hands of people who are already wealthy, while taking more away from those who have less to spend is not a good plan.

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:45 am

K71 — “Joe Mama, You missed the point by a country mile.”

No, I don’t think I did. Just because I chose not to comment on your point doesn’t mean that I missed it.

Rather, I think the *joke* flew right by *you.*

Mick

September 29th, 2011
9:45 am

Infrastructure is breaking down, construction workers idle, contractors idle, who you gonna call? The private sector? No the gov’t silly and guess what? The private sector will benefit as will many a small business. Yes, jobs are the answer any way possible…

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:45 am

Uh oh.

Some good economic news coming out which means bad news for you cons.

If your failed party would get out of the way of commerce, we could string a couple of good quarters together.

Of course, this would mean you would lose the election.

poison pen

September 29th, 2011
9:46 am

Keep, I don’t think it will happen. We have good roads, more money won’t necessarily get better teachers.

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:46 am

“I have stopped responding to his posts.” – I should do that but getalife is just so fun to mess with.

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:47 am

“more money won’t necessarily get better teachers”

But it certainly goes a long way to keep the good ones we have.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:47 am

“Getalife seems to me to be more of a gadfly than anything else on this blog; I have stopped responding to his posts.”

You just responded silly.

Adam

September 29th, 2011
9:47 am

Recon: Well Obama and his congressional Democrats have proven that government spending doesn’t work.

Incorrect. The whys have been explained to you multiple times, you simply refuse to believe it.

Taxing the wealthy while allowing close to 50% of the population to not pay federal income tax and even allowing the bottom 20% to receive tax refunds that they never paid doesn’t work.

This is only true because taxes have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with job creation. Get that fact through your head and maybe we can talk about real solutions.

poison pen

September 29th, 2011
9:48 am

Jay, Complains about Atlanta, however, there we are not the worse state when it comes to unemployment.

Dirty Dawg

September 29th, 2011
9:48 am

Whatayabet that not another single metro area on the list is marginalized and discriminated against by it’s state leaders…not to mention the surrounding counties…whose sole motivation is racial bias, like Atlanta has been. A house divided cannot stand, as some wise man once said, and here in Georgia we’ve got one – Atlanta, ‘The City Too Busy Fighting for Its Life Against Prejudice’. That’s right, we no longer use ‘The City Too Busy to Hate’, because we’ve got a State, and surrounding counties, that do that for us – toward us. So instead of the city that so many of us grew up appreciating and ‘promoting’, even if we didn’t actually live inside the city limits, whenever and wherever we could, has been vilified by right-wing, white, Republicans and/or Rednecks for so long and so thoroughly, that it’s no wonder that our reputation has languished. And the saddest part of it all, they – the Cobbs, the Gwinettes, the State House, the Governor’s office, you name it, are all proud of it…and why? Give you one guess.

Frankly, it’s way more disheartening than the Braves’…and almost as bad as Georgia’s football problems. But at least with the Braves there’s always next season, and with ‘The Dogs’, we may still pull it out this season. Atlanta, so long as Republicans run the State and so long as they continue to be driven by greed and prejudice, and so long as the surrounding counties continue to, overtly or covertly, practice their heinous brand of discrimination, and so long as the ‘business community’ doesn’t call either on it, then we’re doomed to the fate that Sam Massell labeled all those decades ago – The City Too Young To Die’…the trouble is he knew that prejudice wouldn’t go away so long as parents keep teaching it to their kids…and they have.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:48 am

“I should do that but getalife is just so fun to mess with.”

I feel the same way about cons.

cons are hilarious.

Recon (2nd.and 3rd.)

September 29th, 2011
9:49 am

“your attempts at Jedi mind tricks don’t work on us.”

I know in your mind you’re off riding unicorns.

poison pen

September 29th, 2011
9:50 am

Bosch

“more money won’t necessarily get better teachers”

” But it certainly goes a long way to keep the good ones we have”

If that’s true then why do we rank so low? and why did a lot of them cheat? That’s pure road apples Bosch and you know it.

TaxPayer

September 29th, 2011
9:51 am

Taxing the wealthy while allowing close to 50% of the population to not pay federal income tax and even allowing the bottom 20% to receive tax refunds that they never paid doesn’t work. So what’s the solution?

I’m thinking about something untried by Republicans. Jobs legislation. Real jobs legislation as opposed to that bogus job creating tax cuts for the wealthiest. Bush has already proven that it does not work. Pass Obama’s jobs legislation NOW! Do it for the people. Also, since 50% of large corporations do not pay federal income taxes in any given year, I would not be so quick to blame the poorest people in the nation for all of the Republican’s woes.

jm

September 29th, 2011
9:51 am

Granny 9:34 yes. July to July a year ago is up (total non farm).

Jay does cite August data, and that is down for Savannah as well, year over year. August data is prelim and notoriously unreliable. The July data is finalized.

Atlanta July-July was down, in comparison.

http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ga_atlanta_msa.htm

Point is, Atlanta’s problems are not the same as the state’s ex-Atlanta problems. No one is excited about the level of job growth anywhere. But Savannah and others are doing better than Atlanta.

And all Jay’s bluster about “low tax” this and that is state level stuff. So the data and his comments are logically and analytically completely disconnected.

He’d have more of a point if Savannah, Augusta, Athens, etc were also all shedding jobs. But they aren’t.

Strawman

September 29th, 2011
9:52 am

“Strawman, tax cuts can also DESTROY jobs if they strip the government of resources needed to invest long-term in transportation and education.”

I don’t have a quarrel with this statement conceptually. I think the quarrel lies in HOW the money is spent. For instance, I would like to see less money spent on school buildings (as in perhaps refurbishing older extant building like abandoned malls) and more on able teachers (to attract the best and brightest and dramatically lower the insane student-to-teacher ratios we now have). If you are going to spend MY tax dollars, at this point I REALLY want to see that you spend itwiesly an efficiently.

HDB

September 29th, 2011
9:53 am

Jay/Straw/Pea….

Here’s Herman Cain’s statement:

“”African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open minded, not even considering a conservative point of view.”

If I may…..

It’s NOT that African-Americans won’t consider a conservative point of view, for the preponderance of African-Americans ARE conservative….but not POLITICALLY conservative! THAT’S the distinction!! The reasons are multiple, but for me (and myself ONLY!), here’s why I can NOT be politically coservative:

1)History of political conservatism: Political conservatism has an inane animus towards minorities (races, religions). Many will note that Democrats were the political power that was anti-minority – particularly in the South — but at that time frame, the Democrats were the CONSERVATIVES…and the Republicans were the LIBERALS! Prior to 1964, the GOP received the preponderance of the black vote because of the “Party of Lincoln”; the Democrats, however…from FDR, Truman, JFK, and LBJ….led the crusade for Civil Rights by integration of the Armed Forces and the Civil Rights Act. When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed, LBJ said: “The Democrats have lost the South for a generation!” Look as to what has occurred since then: conservatives left the Democrats for the GOP, took the racist paradigm with them…and the South became solidly Republican.

2) Conservative political strategy: Note – Nixon’s Southern Strategy: methodology to marginalize the Souther black vote; Reagan’s advocacy for “states’ rights”….which in the South is a call for segregation; Bush41’s “Willie Horton” strategy….Jeb Bush’s elimination of black people from Florida’s voting roles. Look what has transpired now in Wisconsin, Alabama, Ohio: Republican Governors creating more roadblocks so that people can NOT vote!!

3) Conservatives’ IGNORING of Urban America: How many conservative candidates have come into the inner city, held town meeting forums to discuss the issues and addressed the needs of that community, and ASKED for my vote? (It’s quite simple!) Conservatives don’t even view me as a CONSTITUENT!!

4) Conservatives’ portrayal of minorities: Note: Reagan’s “welfare mothers”…..to the numerous statements of conservatives here portraying minorities as “driving Cadillacs and using food stamps”.

5) Conservatives’ hostility towards public education. The evidence speaks volumes

6)Conservatives’ lack of inclusion. Not just minorities…but those who DON’T think as they do! Just because the TRADITIONS are different makes a person no better or worse! Gay marriage…for one….is de facto legal by LAW (treaty and the 14th Amendment)…but conservatives decry such!!

There’s more…but these are my six PRIMARY reasons that I can’t be politically conservative!! IF AND ONLY IF the GOP can understand this will I consider them as a political alternative!! The devil you know is better than the devil you DON’T!!!

Peadawg

September 29th, 2011
9:53 am

“your attempts at Jedi mind tricks don’t work on us.” – Mine seem to work on you just fine, Bosch. I remember seeing a post by you yesterday mentioning me when I hadn’t even been on the blogs. Seems like I got you thinking about me 24/7.

Recon (2nd.and 3rd.)

September 29th, 2011
9:53 am

Adam,

I’m sorry but you don’t have any real solutions just lemming aid induced delusions. The greater majority of Americans just don’t have belief in Obama’s failed policies.

getalife

September 29th, 2011
9:54 am

pp,

Have you been under a rock.

People are gaming our systems left and right.

We have protestors on Wall Street protesting this fact.

Income equality is horrendous .

Wake up.

jm

September 29th, 2011
9:54 am

Again, Atlanta’s problems are an Atlanta problem. Not a state policy problem.

Though the state itself could try to help solve them.

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:54 am

Recon — “I know in your mind you’re off riding unicorns.”

Your complaints about being insulted will carry more weight when you stop insulting others yourself.

ty webb

September 29th, 2011
9:55 am

Dirty Dawg,
though I share your passion for UGA…sadly your comment, is one “Jim Crow” mention away from being as inane as any of “Mary Elizabeth”’s…anyhow…Go Dawgs!

kayaker 71

September 29th, 2011
9:55 am

And when we have raised taxes on the evil rich so far that even the liberals say enough (liberals represent 75% of the most wealthy US citizens), what will we do, establish a VAT? Then we might consider the fixed assets of those evil people. Maybe they ought to just sacrifice some of what they have so that others will be on a more “level playing field”. No one says anything about the insane gluttony of spending. Cut spending and you don’t need as much revenue. It’s childhood 3rd grade math. Why do you think our Congress is blessed with an 18% approval rating? When controlled by the Democrats, it was about the same. If we would fix government spending at just the 2008 levels, we could pay off our debt in less than 10 yrs. But no, we have to keep feeding the hogs at the trough with this idiotic tax code that favors loop holes for the very people who ought to be paying more in a fair way. We are indeed our own worst enemy. Pogo was right.

Big Brother

September 29th, 2011
9:56 am

I see in the BLS stats that the majority of metro job losses were in the government sector. Wouldn’t that be a good thing? Less tax money spent thus less taxes on the citizens so they can spend elsewhere. And, wouldn’t this please the government worker haters who love to bash them?

Bosch

September 29th, 2011
9:56 am

Well Del,

Even so, I don’t rely on facts that exist only in my head, unicorn or no.

So, instead of addressing me rationally, you go for the unicorn — that tells me you know your argument is weak, if not patently false.

Jay

September 29th, 2011
9:57 am

I thought Dirty Dawg put it very well, as did HDB. Nicely done on both counts.

Gordon

September 29th, 2011
9:58 am

Jay,

So the things you mentioned in your post is the cause of the job losses? The economy in the places I mentioned are horrible, with liberal policies in place. That was my point.

You might have well as said the policies you disagree with were the cause of the Braves collapse. I think it was overuse of the bullpen and poor hitting, but that’s just me.

Joe Mama

September 29th, 2011
9:58 am

K71 — “Why do you think our Congress is blessed with an 18% approval rating? When controlled by the Democrats, it was about the same.”

Do you even think about the stuff you post before you post it?

“If we would fix government spending at just the 2008 levels, we could pay off our debt in less than 10 yrs.”

Are you *really* claiming that we’re going to pay off multiple trillions in debt in under ten years solely by doing that? Seriously?

TaxPayer

September 29th, 2011
9:58 am

Income equality is horrendous .

That may be so but income inequality is doing great!

DebbieDoRight

September 29th, 2011
9:58 am

Herman Cain’s statement yesterday that black people have been brainwashed into rejecting conservativism

Stoop down to his level?

What level is that?”

The level of making nonsense, broad, racial comments. I thought you were better than that…guess not. Blame someone else for your racial comments if it makes you feel better when you look in the mirror though

So Caine makes nonsense, broad, racial comments and yet he gets a pass from you? Interesting…..

Recon (2nd.and 3rd.)

September 29th, 2011
9:58 am

Mama Joe,

I only insult those who insult me and more often then not I just ignore their ignorant posts. Enjoy your day on the blog. Work to do so later.

poison pen

September 29th, 2011
9:59 am

HDB, Just about everything that you said is BS, with your mind set I won’t waste time responding to each one, but you know that it’s pure BS.