Ethics reform campaign ends up in trashbin
Today is the 30th day of the 2012 Georgia General Assembly, the day when proposed legislation must be passed by either the House or Senate or be banished to the trashcan for the rest of the session.
House Bill 1105, which would have put a limit of $100 on the value of “gifts” that lobbyists may give to legislators, is destined for that trashcan. From the moment the bill was introduced, House Speaker David Ralston made certain it was going nowhere by assigning it to the House Rules Committee, where it could be kept safely contained, like an crazy old aunt locked up in the basement. Today it dies.
A similar chain of events has played out on the other side of the Capitol, where Senate Bill 391 also would have put a limit of $100 on the value of “gifts” that could be given legally by lobbyists to legislators.
Unlike the speaker of the House, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle publicly claims to support legislation limiting lobbyist “gifts.” He just has a very odd way of demonstrating that support.
Like his counterpart in the House, Cagle has ensured that SB 391 would never see the light of day by assigning it to his own chamber’s Rules Committee, where it has continued to sit untouched ever since.
The whole thing has become downright embarrassing: Every one of Georgia’s neighboring states has enacted either a ban or severe restriction on lobbyist “gifts,” but not Georgia. In fact, Georgia is one of only three states in the country with no restriction on that form of commerce.
In addition, public opinion polls show overwhelming support for a “gift” ban or restriction. Georgia citizens instinctively understand the danger that such “gift-giving” poses to honest government, and they want it to end. The consensus is so broad and widespread that as the year began, a coalition of groups from across the political spectrum, including Common Cause and Georgia Tea Party Patriots, made it their goal to outlaw expensive goodies.
Even with all that, neither of the bills introduced were given even the small courtesy of a subcommittee hearing.
While that’s a disappointment in its own right, it also reflects two larger realities. First, it tells you just how deep the sense of entitlement now runs among many, but certainly not all, of the people elected to represent us under the Gold Dome. They have come to believe that by virtue of their success and power they deserve such “gifts,” and they truly do not understand why others would try to deny them the rewards of their office.
Second and more importantly, it tells you a lot about who our legislators are truly serving. The willingness of legislative leaders to publicly thumb their noses at voter opinion so they can continue taking “gifts” from special interests suggests an attitude that plays out more subtly, but more harmfully, across a wide range of issues, from utility regulation to consumer protection to special tax giveaways to the well-connected.
We may elect these people and pay their salaries, but when crunch time comes, we’re not the ones they are trying to protect and serve.
– Jay Bookman
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414 comments Add your comment
JKL2
March 7th, 2012
11:52 pm
moonbat- if we ALL made 1.25/hour
The actual line would be $14.4k/yr per household. Tell those people on food stamps it’s time to get off the gravy train and start paying some taxes. People in Zimbabwe need you to buy them smart phones and Escalades.
moonbat betty
March 8th, 2012
12:51 am
JKL2, I’ll try.
To the greatest Canadian musician. There is currently a full moon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVi0UvFu8Yo
Keep it real folks. nite nite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh44QPT1mPE&feature=related
Z
March 8th, 2012
1:17 am
God, Guns and Greed, isn’t that the Republican Politicians way. Our illustrious State Representatives can’t pass an ethic’s bill but they sure can pass plenty of other bills that are a waste of time and take from the people of Georgia
.
SB 459..opting out of smart meters..waste of time..Passed
SB 87…Tabled… Vouchers for private schools. If people choose to send their children to private school then they can pay for it. Don’t expect taxpayers to pay to send your children to a private school which are for the most part, religious. At least they were thinking on this one..it was tabled.
SB 469…would limit mass picketing outside private residences and fine individuals $1000 a day and organizations as much as $10,000 a day. Ga. Chamber of Congress thought up this ugly bill.. This law would have devastated the Civil Rights movement..Passed
SB 292…Drug Tests..parents who apply for the federal Temporary Assistance for the Needy Families program… Didn’t they find out in Florida there were hardly any people found to be on drugs for this program they passed in the state of Florida .. Waste of time..
SB 438….And ahhhh yes, the bill that the Republicans(mostly Men) just can’t seem to stay out of, women crouches..This intrusive bill will ban state employee health insurance plans from offering coverage for abortion services..Sen. Mike Crane, Republican, of Newnan…Mike Crane do you have something against women? This bill..PASSED..
SB 460…He is where the GOD part comes in..And yet another intrusive bill getting into a woman’s crouch again..I swear these poor Republicans must not be able to indulge in life’s greatest pleasures. This bill has Georgia exempt religiously affiliated businesses from having to provide birth control coverage. Sponsored by State Sen. Josh McKoons of Columbus. PASSED…….Guess these yahoo’s have to keep up with their fellow Repub fools in Washington.
Did I forget something OH yes, we sure can’t leave out the Guns…
SB 493… What is with this GUNS fetish these republicans have..this bill allows 18 year old to carry guns..good grief. Passed
SB 350 …allowing authorities to return stolen guns to rightful owners. What, isn’t this just common sense..PASSED
Where are the JOBS Bills, they spend all this time getting into a woman’s business but they can’t pass any JOBS BILLS.. Remember these Republican come election time, I’m sure going to..
JamVet
March 8th, 2012
6:37 am
getalife- Socialism saved capitalism.
Absolutely 100% correct.
George W. Bush and the US Congress used it to save capitalism from itself in September 2008.
The banksters and Titans of Criminal Malfeasance, who were too big to fail, took those billions from Uncle Sam after virtually destroying American capitalism with their greed and irresponsibility.
And in return, had to do next to nothing by way of changing their wanton ways.
But the real kicker? Not one of those unindicted criminals went to jail.
Though millions of Americans ultimately paid the price for them. And still do.
And obviously plenty of the Republicans, like JKL2, willfully have no real idea or explanation what happened. Other than somehow, inexplicably, it is all Uncle Sam’s fault.
So they cheer on the Wall Street thieves and plunderers to this day and when millions of Americans FINALLY take to the streets in protest and seek economic justice, what do these Republicans do?
They make scurrilous lies about the protesters!!!
No wonder they are so reviled and becoming so marginalized.
JKL2
March 8th, 2012
8:10 am
jamvet- And in return, had to do next to nothing by way of changing their wanton ways
One of the worst things Bush did (Med D being the worst). All it did was tell them “hit the gas because the government will bail you out”. obama now called a “hero” for expanding this malfeasance protection.
-Though millions of Americans ultimately paid the price for them.
Nobody has paid except the Chinese. It’s all still sitting in the national debt.
- They make scurrilous lies about the protesters!!!
Who needs to make up lies. We have video evidence, and long lists of police blotters. I’ll give you Woodruff Park as exhibit A.
Occupy Patrol Base: at least our movements have a purpose.
JamVet
March 8th, 2012
8:46 am
Who needs to make up lies. We have video evidence, and long lists of police blotters. I’ll give you Woodruff Park as exhibit A.
And I’ll give a list ten thousand times longer than that of fine, no, make that great Americans that have patriotically and peacefully protested.
Yet, you seem to treat them like garbage simply because you take the actions of a TINY number of miscreants and disparage the ENTIRE movement.
Shame on you..
timbo
March 8th, 2012
9:42 am
Dropped Carbonite and NetFlix. Using Dropbox and Hulu+ now. Let me see….who will be next?
capguitarman
March 8th, 2012
3:43 pm
Excellent article. Just keep up the drum beat, Wingfield too, and any others at the AJC who can join in. You may even want to bring back some of your former columnists for guest articles on the subject. The AJC, to its credit, and all of its pundits have always written in favor of stronger ethics under the Gold Dome. This purpose of this will not be to elimate the arrogance and sense of enititlement Georgia legislators share, despite party affiliation or liberal or conservative bent — but keeping the topic at the forefront will be very helpful the next time a big ethics scandal like the one Don’t Come Any Closer or I’ll ShootGlen Richardson created with the Atlanta Gas Light lobbyist comes to light. And, there will be a next time in this kind arrogant and entitled and voted insensitive environment. They will never give it up until they are forced by voters to campaign on supporting standards of ethical conduct that are beyond reproach.
E. Denise Caldon
March 8th, 2012
4:19 pm
HB 397 is also critical. However, the fact that Attorney General Sam Olens is portrayed in the media frequently as an “Open Records Advocate” and pushing for HB 397’s signing is an example of our state government’s hypocrisy of “Do as I say – not as I do!” FACT: Our state’s “Open Records Advocate” Sam Olens just filed his 2nd “Response in Opposition” on 2 Feb 2012 to the 2nd Motion that would have allowed the Depositions that confirm ethical and fiscal violations by HIS Defendants – the Board of Regents of the USG – be released for public view. Fact: Attorney General Sam Olens is exempt from the very mandates he requires of others! One violation alone negatively affects USG faculty, staff and students statewide and has been in place for years. I emailed the “Open Record” Deposition excerpts to the sponsors of HB 397 and the Senate Rules Committee yesterday. HB 397 may pass, but with the history of our General Assembly, Attorney General will continue to be exempt as Sam Olens is on record that “he does not practice what he preaches” when it comes to HIS defendants. Does our state government really think Georgians are this stupid and do not see what they are doing?
catlady
March 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
I think we should make legislators full time employees. Treat them like teachers are treated. Any piece of cr@p that walks in the door, they have to take care of it (no help) and make it better. They can all start on a beginning teacher’s salary, except those who don’t have 4 years of college. Let them get by on a parapro’s salary. Let them have a teacher’s benefits and retirement–no more of this “work 3 months and get a year’s credit” stuff. They cannot appear in any off-color photos, nor engage in sketchy behaviors. Oh, and per diem–a teacher’s per diem is much, much less AND you have to document out the ###. If they want to have a private business, it has to be on the weekends, and, since they will have no staff for typing, etc, they can take work home with them every night. Finally, they can only accept the kinds of gifts teachers are allowed. I plan to get my rep a dishtowel for Christmas and some bath powder for the end of the year.
independent thinker
March 8th, 2012
9:15 pm
ethics reform at the circus under the gold dome? what are you smoking?
Ivan Cohen
March 9th, 2012
5:20 pm
Ethics Reform? Nah they(the legislature) were just teasing. Next year this time….same results. The public will take its cues from their elected representatives. Maybe when no one is standing on street corners to wave at them in a parade, they’ll get their act together.
independent thinker
March 10th, 2012
6:17 am
It is all Obama’s fault. Anyway proliferation of guns and bowing to the NRA and regulation of women’s cervixes is much more important than silly ethics reform. We have a governor who is a role model on that issue.
GA-Liberal
March 13th, 2012
1:29 pm
Ethics? We don’t need no stinking ethics.
These guys won’t draft a bill unless industry writes it for them and hands it to them at the ALEC meeting. Who is ALEC? The American Legislative Exchange Council, the shadowy organization that brings together corporate lobbyists and state legislators to give them the laws the corporations want passed. Then the participating legislators bring these proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills.
The ALEC Georgia State Chairs are Senator Chip Rogers and Representative Calvin Hill, Jr. Other members are listed here:
http://becauseican-2old2care.blogspot.com/2011/08/georgia-home-of-embarassed-alec-members.html
Look at any bill that these members propose and sponsor, especially those that restrict the rights of citizens and advance those of their corporate bosses. Compare the text with the bills presented at http://www.ALECExposed.org.
Continue the investigation by asking legislators the following questions:
Did corporations weigh in on the drafting of any of your legislation, or provide a draft?
Do the co-sponsors of bills written by ALEC know that corporations wrote them? Or, were they deceived by the sponsor along with the citizens of Georgia?
Have you attended any ALEC meetings? If so, which ones?
If you have attended, who paid for the trip – ALEC, Georgia taxpayers, yourself or someone/some other group?
If you are a member of ALEC, do you also participate in any other legislative or legislator groups? Which ones?