An appalling lesson in ethics and the Ga. Legislature
In the last two hours of the very last day of the 2012 Georgia General Assembly, with scores of proposed bills flying back and forth between the House and Senate, a handful of powerful state legislators tried to take advantage of the confusion. The conspiracy they launched demonstrates just how contemptuous they have become of the people whom they were elected to serve.
The goal of their little plot was to further weaken Georgia’s already lax ethics laws. Had it succeeded, it would have prevented voters from learning the identities of elected officials who had failed to meet deadlines established in state law for filing ethics disclosure and campaign finance statements. It also would have allowed fines levied against legislators for violating those laws to simply disappear, without payment and without anyone even learning they had existed.
And believe or not, the means by which legislative leaders attempted to accomplish that deed was more sordid than the deed itself.
We begin with House Bill 875, a harmless little piece of legislation meant to ensure that the Department of Natural Resources did not have to release personal data of applicants for hunting and fishing licenses, such as Social Security numbers and drivers’ license photos.
However, in what now looks to have been a well-orchestrated scheme, this innocuous little bill was passed in slightly different versions in the House and Senate. That forced the appointment of a six-member conference committee — three from each chamber — to work out the differences.
In hindsight, the membership of that conference committee should have signaled trouble, because it was oddly high-powered for such a little bill.
In the Senate, it comprised Don Balfour of Snellville, the powerful chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and a prominent foe of ethics reform. John Bulloch of Ochlocknee and Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga, also members of the Rules Committee and influential legislators in their own right, were also appointed.
In the House, Ethics Committee Chairman Joe Wilkinson of Sandy Springs was named to the conference committee on HB 875, along with David Knight of Griffin and Tom McCall of Elberton.
Meeting in private in the last hours of the session, those six legislators agreed to dramatically revise HB 875 by adding the ethics-related language outlined above. They knew that such provisions would be highly controversial, but they were counting on the fact that in the last hectic hours of a session, members were much too busy to read the piles of legislation flying across their desks.
Under such circumstances, legislators casting votes are forced to rely on assurances from their colleagues that the bills coming before them are worthy of support. It is an act of faith and trust, and in this case, that faith and trust was betrayed.
After the conference committee concluded its work, Bulloch went to the Senate chamber, told his fellow senators that a deal had been worked out on little ol’ HB 875 and urged their support. It passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 46-4, but a look at the four “no” votes suggest that word of the bill’s true intent had already begun to leak out.
One of the four “no” votes was Josh McKoon, a freshman Republican from Columbus who had angered his party leadership by daring to sponsor ethics-reform legislation. Another was Democrat Jason Carter of Decatur, who earlier in the evening had tried and failed to force a floor vote on legislation imposing a $100 limit on gifts from lobbyists. The third was Democrat Gloria Butler, secretary of the Senate Ethics Committee; the fourth was Mike Crane, a freshman Republican from Newnan.
With time ticking down in the session, the bill now moved to the House, where it was introduced to legislators with no mention of its revised content. By then, however, AJC reporters and others had caught wind of the changes made to the bill. As House members began to vote, word was spreading. Alarmed legislators who had initially voted “yes” on the bill quickly began changing those votes to “no”, and in the end the bill was defeated by a vote of 25 to 143.
Wilkinson, the House Ethics Committee chairman, later tried to defend the rejected language, calling opposition to it “disgraceful.” As he saw it, the public has no right to know when legislators miss legal deadlines for filing ethics forms.
“Why should [a politician’s] name be up there if he didn’t do anything wrong?” he said.
That is wrong on so many levels. First, it is wrong as a matter of process. If the only way to enact your “good idea” is by smuggling it into unrelated legislation at the last minute, then maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t really such a good idea.
Second, let’s think about what really happened here. In the past, Wilkinson has defended Georgia’s ethics laws by stressing the importance of disclosure. If legislators and lobbyists disclose everything as required by law, he has argued, we don’t really need laws against gifts and conflicts of interest, etc. The voters will have all the information they need to discipline their elected officials.
In reality, however, some legislators are going years without filing required disclosure forms; they also aren’t paying the required fines, because the state ethics commission lacks the resources and gumption to take action. As a result, the only remaining incentive to encourage legislators to file disclosure by the legal deadline is public exposure if they do not.
Last week, Wilkinson and other tried to reduce public disclosure about legislators’ failure to publicly disclose, and they tried to do it without full disclosure. That is not open government.
That is, to borrow Wilkinson’s word, “disgraceful.”
– Jay Bookman
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682 comments Add your comment
Early Black Mormons
April 1st, 2012
8:31 am
The Untold Story of Black Mormons
AU Liberal in ATL
April 1st, 2012
8:32 am
Using the words ethics and Georgia legislature in the same sentence seems a bit ridiculous to me. Extend that to include every republican in the US Senate…maybe exclude the two Senators from Maine.
JamVet
April 1st, 2012
8:56 am
Normal, you may be right. On paper UK is better, but KU has shown time and again that they can stage furious rallies to beat better teams (ask Memphis a few years ago in the title game!). By playing fundamental Kansas bball – great defense, great passing and a great transition game.
I see that Ky. is 6.5 point fave. But that’s why they play them buddy!
Two storied programs – should be big fun…
These working class Republicans that blame union thugs are self-destructive water carriers (hat tip getalife) for the plutocrats in BIG business – who have CRUSHED working class wages – THEIR wages.
Yet they STILL kiss those monied asses.
How moronic is that???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIbp5C-5WXM
n
April 1st, 2012
9:43 am
Thanks Jay. These men have no shame and think we are all dolts. Even after all the bad national publicity about Georgia’s lax ethics enforcement, they doubled down on their efforts to make us look even worse. Unbelievable.
It’s a miracle that any reputable company would want to move it’s workforce to a state which has become a leader in perceived corruption, amoral leadership, bank failures, unemployment, foreclosures, bad schools, environmental pillage and cultural bankruptcy.
Soothsayer
April 1st, 2012
9:59 am
Dang those AJC reporters and freshmen legislators! It’s gittin’ so’s we cain’t hardly have our Good Ol’ Boys club no more! What’s the World a’comin’ to?
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
10:12 am
This could be HUGE!!!!!!!!
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/01/10963191-trayvon-martin-case-audio-screams-were-not-george-zimmermans-2-experts-say
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
10:21 am
Jay
Did you actually write this piece without bursting into fits of laughter? Ethics and GA’s legislature??? In the same thought??? When the Georgia Assembly finally decides to operate with a semblance of ethics, we’ll probably be traveling by teleporting or something. Ethics is a joke in this state, and it will remain that way as long as you have ideologically driven voters. When the voting population decides to become ethically driven, then things will change. Until people quit falling for ideology over substance, nothing will change.
Case in point….
http://www.ajc.com/business/ga-cold-toward-solar-1403450.html?cxtype=rss_news_61499
Anthony Deljou considered adding solar panels to his home and 70,000-square foot art gallery in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood to cater to some of the business’ environmentally conscious clients.
He considered it, that is, until he saw the price tag. The panels for his house alone would cost $30,000, but over 10 years he could recoup that money through lower electricity bills.
“It’s cost-prohibitive even if you really want to do it,” Deljou said.
Deljou would have financing options — if he lived in another state. But in Georgia, an arcane law prevents consumers who want solar panels from getting the type of financing available to residents and businessowners elsewhere.
In other states, Deljou could get the panels from a private solar company, who would get a bank to finance the upfront costs. The private solar company would own the panels and sell the electricity to Deljou at a price that’s locked in for 15 to 30 years.
But in Georgia, the state’s dominant electricity provider, Georgia Power, and the state’s electrical membership cooperatives argue such an arrangement means the solar panel companies would be illegally operating as a utility. The electricity providers are using their influence with state regulators and lawmakers to make sure they share the same view in interpreting the 1973 law regulating the sale of electricity.
The government’s enforcing a law that’s been on the books since ‘73. Thirty-eight years of bending the citizens over for the pleasure of the power companies without fail. It’s not a partisan thing either as both parties have had ample time to address that. Seems that, instead of letting the market set itself, our corporations insist on government interference to allow their monopolies to exist. You would think that the captains of “Free Market Principles” that are currently in charge of the state would address such a squashing of the free market. As long as their pockets are being filled by Ga Power, don’t expect anything to change.
Buncha jackasses…..
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
10:25 am
For those that challenge the idea of government interference in the free market…
From the same link: “So our revenues go down, and our fixed costs remain the same,” said Kyle Leach, Georgia Power’s resource policy and planning director, referencing the billions of dollars the company has invested in infrastructure. Leach said that would lead to the company not being able to cover its costs. Per PSC approval, Georgia Power would have to raise rates to cover those costs and also meet its profits, set at 11.25 percent.
Why should a private company’s PROFITS be etched in stone by legislation? Doesn’t sound like the market taking care of itself, unless the market is bought and paid for by lobbyists.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
10:36 am
Seems like anti trust laws that are designed to prevent monopolistic behavior are bypassed by putting monopoistic practices into law Bro.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
11:32 am
Don’t Forget
It all goes back to the ethics debate though. As long as the people continue to approve of the actions by re-electing the same people committing these acts, nothing will improve.
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
11:45 am
“Seems like anti trust laws that are designed to prevent monopolistic behavior are bypassed by putting monopoistic practices into law Bro”
Anti-monopoly laws pretty much don’t apply to regulated utilities. Until recently things like the phone system and electric systems were considered “natural” monopolies, because people just couldn’t conceive of any way to have true market competition.
Ever seen those old photos from the ’20’s and before of utility poles with literlly dozens of wires on them? Those were from the days before regulation and each power company and phone company had to run their own lines, because there was just no way to share them. As big companies began to emerge and buy up the smaller ones, effiencies and econmies actually came INTO the system…until those companies got SO big they began to take advantage of their size and power.
And that led to things like GA’s Public Service Commision and laws that guaranteed a rate of profile for those companies. In exchange for being pretty heavily regulated, they were promised a specific rate of profit.
Problem is, of course, that as soon as those companies could they started influencing the decisions of those commissions, and influencing the laws passed that regulated them.
carlosgvv
April 1st, 2012
11:53 am
Brosephus – 11:32
This is the heart of the matter. When these elected officials openly show such contempt for the people, why do they continue to be re-elected? Is it the result of political propaganda and brainwashing? Are the voters just plaim dumb? I am at a total loss to understand this. What’s to be done?
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
12:08 pm
“I am at a total loss to understand this”
Really? It’s not that difficult. Just think back over the last few weeks how many times someone posted here that “????? would be better than Obama” It’s THAT mindset. No objective evaluation. Just “your guy is so bad that I’ll vote for ANYONE who isn’t him” Same thing.
Jm
April 1st, 2012
12:10 pm
Sounds like the legislature was giving the finger to Jay (and other reform advocates)
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
April 1st, 2012
12:17 pm
Well, the Rev. Postlewaite was on his game this morning and I now feel revved up and ready to go out there and raise Cain another week. The Free Market and the Devil take the hindmost—what a great country! Unless, that is, you’re the hindmost.
I see the libruls are on here blasting GA Power. Well, I happen to be a GA Power owner. It says so right on my power bill. They take a amount out of my payment and invest it in the co. I guess they’ll let me know someday how much of the co. I own.
Anyhow, it’s Ryans for me and the missus today. She’s been moping around all day talking about how hungry she is and how she’s down to 362 lbs. I mention it only to warn the rest of you to stay away from Ryans unless you want to be missing a finger or two if you happen to get between the missus and her chow.
Have a good Sabbath everybody.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:00 pm
Are the voters just plaim dumb?
I think it’s more lazy than dumb. Just as Doggone stated, there’s no evaluation of the person people vote for, there’s only evaluation of the one they don’t vote for. Add the fact that people accept gerrymandering as though it’s the way things are supposed to be, and it practically sets the system up for failure. When the politician has no viable opposition, there is a loss in the checks and balances built into the system. If each voting district were made up to be 50/50, then the elected official would have to represent everyone equally and not just one political ideology.
Where's Al Sharpton and the protests? [crickets]
April 1st, 2012
1:02 pm
7 California boys arrested in attack on teen
By Associated Press March 30, 2012
PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) – Seven black teens have been arrested on suspicion that they committed a hate crime when they attacked a 15-year-old Hispanic boy while he was walking home from school in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
The March 14 beating in Palmdale was captured on video and posted on YouTube, but has since been removed from the site. The seven boys, ages 13 to 16, were arrested Wednesday for investigation of assault and committing a hate crime, Lt. Don Ford said.
The attack happened near Cactus Middle School, but Ford didn’t know if any of the teens involved were students there.
The video shows as many as 10 boys surrounding the victim and challenging him to a fight. The suspects then began hitting the teen while others watched.
During the beating, the teens made racially derogatory statements that were captured on the video, Ford said…
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
1:11 pm
Bro ” there’s no evaluation of the person people vote for, there’s only evaluation of the one they don’t vote for”
I don’t even think there’s that. I think there’s no evaluation of whom they vote for, because they just assume the “other” guy will be worse. No evaluation on EITHER candidate.
Wade Hampton
April 1st, 2012
1:12 pm
It is quite entertaining hearing an employee of the state..
make fun of the state.
Wade Hampton
April 1st, 2012
1:13 pm
“How would you have reacted in 2008 if any Republican ran promising to do the following?”
(1) Codify indefinite detention into law;
(2) draw up a secret kill list of people, including American citizens, to assassinate without due process;
(3) proceed with warrantless spying on American citizens;
(4) prosecute Bush-era whistleblowers for violating state secrets;
(5) reinterpret the War Powers Resolution such that entering a war of choice without a Congressional declaration is permissible;
(6) enter and prosecute such a war;
(7) institutionalize naked scanners and intrusive full body pat-downs in major American airports;
(8) oversee a planned expansion of TSA so that its agents are already beginning to patrol American highways, train stations, and bus depots;
(9) wage an undeclared drone war on numerous Muslim countries that delegates to the CIA the final call about some strikes that put civilians in jeopardy;
(10) invoke the state-secrets privilege to dismiss lawsuits brought by civil-liberties organizations on dubious technicalities rather than litigating them on the merits;
(11) preside over federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries;
(12) attempt to negotiate an extension of American troops in Iraq beyond 2011 (an effort that thankfully failed);
(13) reauthorize the Patriot Act;
(14) and select an economic team mostly made up of former and future financial executives from Wall Street firms that played major roles in the financial crisis.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:14 pm
Doggone
You have a point!!
Wade Hampton
April 1st, 2012
1:15 pm
Remember………if you see something…..
say something.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:20 pm
‘I think there’s no evaluation of whom they vote for, because they just assume the “other” guy will be worse.”
Well, those who paid attention to the last time gop had power , know the gop have not changed and will be another disaster just waiting to happen.
td
April 1st, 2012
1:22 pm
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:00 pm
Are the voters just plaim dumb?
I think it’s more lazy than dumb. Just as Doggone stated, there’s no evaluation of the person people vote for, there’s only evaluation of the one they don’t vote for. Add the fact that people accept gerrymandering as though it’s the way things are supposed to be, and it practically sets the system up for failure. When the politician has no viable opposition, there is a loss in the checks and balances built into the system. If each voting district were made up to be 50/50,
How can the districts be made up of 50/50 voters when by every piece of polling data that conservatives are around 40% of the population and Liberals are around 20%?
td
April 1st, 2012
1:24 pm
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:20 pm
The GOP has never had what Obama had from 2008 to 2010. Let us give the GOP a 60 vote majority in the Senate and a 40 seat advantage in the house with a conservative President for two years and see what happens.
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
1:26 pm
“How can the districts be made up of 50/50 voters when by every piece of polling data that conservatives are around 40% of the population and Liberals are around 20%?”
I have thought for a LONG time that districts ought to be computer generated to have as nearly equal a number of voters as it’s possible to get, with no consideration for the “breakdown” of voting patterns. Take the state and grid it, east/west and north/south and then adjust the lines to equalize the number of voters. Keep politics out of it.
/drive by – got some running around to do!
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:26 pm
How can the districts be made up of 50/50 voters when by every piece of polling data that conservatives are around 40% of the population and Liberals are around 20%?
That’s simple. Many choose not to answer poll questions honestly enough. The numbers would probably be reversed if the Democratic Party held all offices and the majority of elected positions. Seems they have no problem with creating majority districts that secure their seats. All they would need to do is dilute them more than they strengthen them. As long as nobody calls them on it, they don’t have to do it.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:27 pm
td,
w had a gop rubber stamp congress.
I guess you failed to pay attention.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:28 pm
Doggone
That sounds like the idea right there…
Wade Hampton
April 1st, 2012
1:29 pm
April 1, 2012————
The biggest problem with “free” markets is the stupidity of the common people. How can they possibly know what they want, or what they want to achieve when they have not attended prestigious universities like Oxford, Harvard, or Yale? Without help from central planners working with fact-based information derived from simulations, mathematical models, and empirical studies the common people will never be able to make informed economic choices. Thanks to the genius of central planning for the common good — as well as the hard work and self-sacrifice of central planners — the common people are liberated from making difficult economic decisions. They can concentrate on what they are qualified to decide — what to have for lunch (so long as its contents have been approved by central planners for consumption), what to name their children (so long as it comes from a list of names pre-approved by central planners), or what to watch on television (so long as the transmission has been approved by government censors).
.
Paul Krugman and Bookman are economic genius,Kyle Wingfeild and Mitt romney are small government conservatives, Barry Hussein Obama is concerned about poor Americans, we live in a representative Republic, The Democrats are different than the Republicans, and we live in the land of the Free………………and Wade Hampton approves of this message.
td
April 1st, 2012
1:30 pm
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
1:26 pm
If every state would do what you suggest then I would agree with you. I unfortunately, do not think the VRA would allow such a system in the south.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
1:31 pm
Same tired old arguments, debunked dozens of times, posted over and over by those too dishonest or willfully ignorant to acknowledge,
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:33 pm
Looks like ryan called our military liars and had to apologize.
Don’t mess with the greatest socialism on the planet cons.
Wade Hampton
April 1st, 2012
1:33 pm
And shoveling more money to Washington in the form of higher taxes will save us alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.
td
April 1st, 2012
1:34 pm
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:27 pm
td,
w had a gop rubber stamp congress.
I guess you failed to pay attention.
You are dreaming my friend. Do you not remember all the filibusters in the Senate during the Bush term and in 2004 the Senate was in control of the DEM and in 2006 the House went to the Dems.
Obama is the only President since FDR that has had super majorities and could pass any legislation he wanted passed. What did he do with this power? Passed an unconstitutional bill to force every American to purchase a product from a private corporation.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:35 pm
td,
Your party has the filibuster record.
Own it .
Jay
April 1st, 2012
1:43 pm
So Sharpton, what are you trying to say by posting that news story? Is there some larger message that the rest of us are supposed to take from it?
DebbieDoRight - Doing The Right Thing
April 1st, 2012
1:43 pm
td: The GOP has never had what Obama had from 2008 to 2010. Let us give the GOP a 60 vote majority in the Senate and a 40 seat advantage in the house with a conservative President for two years and see what happens
td – dubya had a republican controlled house, senate AND a majority on the supreme court for 4 years (or was it six — gotta look it up); the dems took back the house in 2006 yet the senate was still repuglican controlled as well as the presidency.
for you to so conveniently forget these easily googled facts is not only astounding, but totally laughable. oh and the court still leans so far to the right that it’s about to tip over.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
1:44 pm
Is there some larger message that the rest of us are supposed to take from it?
Yes…..
Don’t do drugs.
td
April 1st, 2012
1:52 pm
DebbieDoRight – Doing The Right Thing
April 1st, 2012
1:43 pm
When has the Senate had 60 votes? For the record the Dems had control of the Senate in 2001 and 2002. The republicans took control in 2003 and 04 with 51 Senators and had control with 05 and 06 with 55.
You have to have 60 votes in the Senate to pass any legislation beside budget.
DebbieDoRight - Doing The Right Thing
April 1st, 2012
1:54 pm
Passed an unconstitutional bill to force every American to purchase a product from a private corporation
you know i see this a lot on here. quick question, which area of the constitution has Obama violated?
sorry about the bad wording i have two things working against me here, my allergies are kicking in big time and i have on false nails, (vanity thy name is woman). between the two typing is a chore. so shorthand is the word for today.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:55 pm
“You have to have 60 votes in the Senate to pass any legislation beside budget.”
Do you understand the filibuster rule?
DebbieDoRight - Doing The Right Thing
April 1st, 2012
2:01 pm
I didn’t say they had 60; i said the republicans had the MAJORITY during the dubya years. MAJORITY means MORE
td
April 1st, 2012
2:03 pm
getalife
April 1st, 2012
1:55 pm
I do indeed. Since you think I am misinterpreting it then please tell me where I am wrong?
getalife
April 1st, 2012
2:04 pm
td,
Try watching C-Span 2 and you might know what you are talking about.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
April 1st, 2012
2:06 pm
Well, I guess we won’t be seeing many more of those TaxMasters ads on TV and that fat guy with the beard telling people he can get them off the hook with the IRS for just a teeny fraction of the bill. A Texas jury hit the co. with a $195 million fine and the fat guy has to pay $42 million of that from his own pocket.
It all goes to show you shouldn’t hire cos. like that, and if you learn how to cheat right, you won’t have to.
It’s off to Ryans for me and mine. Have a good Sabbath everybody.
DebbieDoRight - Doing The Right Thing
April 1st, 2012
2:09 pm
also td you don’t need 60 votes you need a majority:
Both Houses need over 50% of either house to pass a bill on to the President.
For an ordinary bill to pass each chamber or house of the US congress, it needs a simple majority of yea votes which would be 50% + 1 vote
getalife
April 1st, 2012
2:14 pm
They need 60 to stop the debate and vote.
The gop abused the filibuster rule so cons think the 60 is the norm.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
April 1st, 2012
2:29 pm
Talking about lack of ethics:
Headline: “NBC to do ‘internal investigation’ on Zimmerman segment”
1) “As exposed by Fox News and media watchdog site NewsBusters, the “Today” segment took this approach to a key part of the dispatcher call:
Zimmerman: ‘This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.’
2) “Here’s how the actual conversation went down:
Zimmerman: ‘This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.
Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?
Zimmerman: He looks black.’ “
getalife
April 1st, 2012
2:33 pm
911 operator: “You do not need to do that”
Telling zimmerman to not follow him.
barking frog
April 1st, 2012
3:13 pm
Zim is dead meat.
FBI will get him.
No fed stand your
ground.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
3:25 pm
I don’t watch Today but every report I saw included the entire text, usually with the recording playing in the back. If Today did that they were wrong but they are in the minority of news outlets in that regard.
JamVet
April 1st, 2012
3:35 pm
What in the wide wide world of sports is the point of that 2:29? Some people are just flat out weird.
I think that most of our cons here “are on drugs or something”…
Jm
April 1st, 2012
3:35 pm
Frog how’s you’re friend getalife?
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
3:41 pm
REAGAN SOLICITOR GENERAL APPALLED AT CONSERVATIVE BLOC OF SUPREME COURT
Reagan Solicitor General Charles Fried was scaldingly critical of the willingness of the conservative bloc of Supreme Court justices to traffic in some of the most well-worn Tea Party tropes about Obamacare.
“I was appalled to see that at least a couple of them were repeating the most tendentious of the Tea Party type arguments,” Fried said. “I even heard about broccoli. The whole broccoli argument is beneath contempt. To hear it come from the bench was depressing.”
td
April 1st, 2012
3:47 pm
Don’t Forget
April 1st, 2012
3:41 pm
Yes we are starting to turn the corner (at least in the SCOTUS) to get back to the original intent of the Constitution. Federalism and states rights with a restricted Federal government.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
3:51 pm
con sc activism.
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
3:52 pm
“Yes we are starting to turn the corner”
Just remember: if you keep turning in the same direction, you just end up where you started.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
3:53 pm
5-4.
The bill will pass.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
3:53 pm
td, you seem to have a real problem with reading comprehension.
barking frog
April 1st, 2012
4:05 pm
getalife,
are you o.k.?
Jm is worried about you.
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
4:11 pm
Yes we are starting to turn the corner (at least in the SCOTUS) to get back to the original intent of the Constitution
Kinda hard to do with all those amendments and stuff, ain’t it? I’m not going back to being 3/5 of a person. Not without one hell of a fight.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
4:12 pm
frog,
I am fine.
barking frog
April 1st, 2012
4:14 pm
getalife,
good.
barking frog
April 1st, 2012
4:15 pm
Jm,
getalife is fine.
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:02 pm
knock knock…anybody home?
TaxPayer
April 1st, 2012
5:08 pm
If Republicans want their “original” constitution, they better get busy on that time travel machine. But wait, they don’t believe in science. So they best have a whole lotta faith in one of their fairy tales that they live by. Click them heels together. Three times. NO! I SAID THREE TIMES! Too late now. You done messed up the magic. Now you gotta wait for Toto.
pogo
April 1st, 2012
5:10 pm
Something is seriously wrong with the way the press has handled the Zimmerman case. They have repeatedely called Zimmerman a “white-hispanic” . I mean if the press holds to that description, shouldn’t they be calling Obama a “White African American”?
Did anyone read about the killings in Chicago this weekend? They happened in that Representative’s district who wore the hoodie into Congress in a display of protest about Trayvon. A black person identified as the murderer. The lberals, the liberal Politicians and charlatans such as Jesse and Sharpton have done nothing about black on black which is and has been rampant in this country for many years. I guess murder is OK with the black community as long the murderer is not of another race, right? Why aren’t Sharpton and Jesse marching in Chicago right now?
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
5:13 pm
NEW GRADUATES SEE AN IMPROVING JOB MARKET
Hiring is back in a big way on many college campuses, one of several signs a recovery in the U.S. jobs market is gaining traction. After four years during which many students graduated to find no job and had only their loans to show for their studies, most college campuses are teeming with companies eager to hire.
Companies such as General Electric, Amazon, Apple and Barclays Global are looking for new staff, even if some firms remain below the pre-recession levels of new hiring. In another sign of the recovery, some first-time job seekers are receiving multiple offers.
Career experts at a dozen of U.S. schools said they have seen an increase of 15 to 30 percent in the number of companies attending campus career fairs. At University of Florida, the fall career fair garnered 15 percent more companies in attendance than in 2010.
The increase in demand was so significant that it was the first time in years the school had to use both the first and second floors of the school’s basketball facility for interviews.
“It’s kind of like a no-brainer,” says Kathy Sims. Director of Career Services at UCLA. “The economy is better and the college recruitment market is improving.”
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
April 1st, 2012
5:20 pm
pogo:
Exactly
barking frog:
For the FBI to have a case they have to have a civil rights violation. That will be very difficult due to the black friends Zimmerman has and the charity work he did for those black children.
Ultimately it’s the jury’s decision …….. not mine, yours, the press OR the FBI thankgoodness.
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:23 pm
Don’t Forget
In a way, that’s better news than it might appear. Folks went into their bunkers following the crisis and the 24/7 constant harping on the worst aspects of what was going on didn’t exactly encourage them to poke their noses out and to realize that it wasn’t the Apocalypse and end of civilization as we know it. I didn’t expect it to “recover” so soon, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see we’re getting out and about and back to business…
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
5:24 pm
“Did anyone read about the killings in Chicago this weekend?”
“A black person identified as the murderer. ”
See…the emphasis on Trayvon Martin IS doing some good. How often before this did you pay attention to killings within the black community?
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
5:30 pm
josef, agreed and those recent grad will have plenty of needs (furniture and other household goods as well as clothing, travel and restaurants) to spend that new income on and will add a little optimism. Economies are all about momentum.
barking frog
April 1st, 2012
5:33 pm
Scout,
when someone shoots
you they violate your
civil rights.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
5:34 pm
I’m surprised that more isn’t being made of the voice analysis that says the yells for help on the 911 tapes AREN’t from Zimmerman.
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/01/10963191-trayvon-martin-case-911-call-screams-not-george-zimmermans-2-experts-say
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
5:37 pm
I guess murder is OK with the black community as long the murderer is not of another race, right? Why aren’t Sharpton and Jesse marching in Chicago right now?
Sometimes, I really wish y’all would keep the ignorant rants to yourself. Instead of acting like you really give a damn about the Black, with a capital B, community, why don’t you go educate yourself. Contrary to your limited operating brains, neither Jesse Jackson nor Al Sharpton speak for all Black Americans. Quit ranting about sh*t you don’t really care about, and concern yourself with whatever in the hell you really do care about.
If any of you supposedly concerned people were honestly concerned, you’d realize that there are numerous organizations in the Black community, targeting the Black community, and staffed by the Black community to address issues in that part of our society. Once you realize your corporate owned, sensationalism driven media don’t give a damn about the Black community too, you’ll realize that there are people trying to make a difference without the need for media attention and/or pats on the back from White America.
http://ceasefirechicago.org/
CeaseFire launched in West Garfield Park, one of the most violent communities in Chicago in 2000 and was quick to produce results reducing shootings by 67% in its first year. CeaseFire’s results have since been replicated more than 18 times in Chicago and throughout Illinois and has now been shown effective by an extensive, U.S. Department of Justice funded, independent three-year evaluation. This evaluation demonstrated CeaseFire’s success in reducing shootings and killings. The Model has been replicated more than a dozen times nationally and has two international sites in Iraq.
And part of that group actually put out a documentary last year. Since it wasn’t something sensational or full of comedians, the media didn’t bother to make note that it existed beyond the usual movie review article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interrupters
The Interrupters is a 2011 documentary film, produced by Kartemquin Films, that tells the story of three violence interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. It examines a year in which Chicago drew national headlines for violence and murder that plagued the city.
The film features the work of CeaseFire, an initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. In 2004, Tio Hardiman (Director of CeaseFire Illinois) created and implemented The Violence Interrupter concept. Violence interrupters Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra look back on their past experiences with street violence to try and steer young men and women in the right direction.[1] Matthews, the daughter of former Chicago gang leader Jeff Fort, comes to the aid of the mother of Derrion Albert, a Chicago High School student whose death made national headlines when it was captured on videotape.
Step outside your comfortable little worlds sometime, and you’ll realize that your “knowledge” on the Black community don’t really amount to much of anything at all.
getalife
April 1st, 2012
5:37 pm
Which part of we are back did you not understand?.
No more doom and gloom.
Now get back to work Americans,
We need the revenue preferably in the green energy sector.
.
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
5:37 pm
Don’t Forget – you aren’t going to either. Anything that seems to absolve him will be trumpeted by “hundreds” but anything that doesn’t…crickets.
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:44 pm
Don’t Forget
The good thing about optimism is that it’s as contagious as pessimism and a lot more productive! Of course, I’m an incurable optimist!
They BOTH suck
April 1st, 2012
5:51 pm
Bro
It is amazing that a percentage of the very people that will claim the media is biased for this, biased for that, etc will take info from those exact media sources when it fits their ideology and run with it like it was the Gospel………
And as you know some people like to only know whatever their preconceived notions are and will gravitate to “media sources” that will sing to the choir………. Wouldn’t want to challenge themselves by seeking out other information that could contradict and even negate a long held belief………..
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:51 pm
Brosephus
I urge you in all sincerity to keep fighting it, but it’s pretty much a lost cause. Liberals and conservatives alike insist that they “know” the black community and what’s best for it. Step outside of their little boxes and, well, you’re no longer “really” black…
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
5:54 pm
“Liberals and conservatives alike insist that they “know” the black community and what’s best for it”
I think “bigots” would be a better choice than “liberals and conservatives.” That attitude transcends either of those. It is a form of bigotry and can infect anyone, regardless.
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:56 pm
Don’t Forget
Unmentionable was laughing at me the other day when I was spluttering about a poster who got bent out of shape when one of our more illiterate know-it-alls took a swipe at my use of the word bias: “Look, Silly Boy, if it’s yours, it’s an opinion; if it’s theirs, it’s a bias.”
Jay
April 1st, 2012
5:56 pm
Pogo, don’t be so transparent.
The issue with the Trayvon case — the fact that elevated it to prominence and distinguished it from the type of case that you cite — was the failure of officials to arrest or seriously investigate a grown man who, however it played out, ended up shooting and killing an innocent young black kid who was “suspected” for no apparent reason other than his race.
In contrast, in the case that you cite, a suspect was apparently arrested; the officials did their job.
And in the case cited earlier of a mass beating, seven suspects were arrested. Again, justice will be done.
But again, in the case of Trayvon Martin, no arrest and an investigation that had pretty much been abandoned until public attention grew.
josef
April 1st, 2012
5:59 pm
Doggone
At one level I would agree with that, but I think bigot may be too harsh a word because so often it is done with all good intentions and no malice aforethought…aforethought being the operative word…
Doggone/GA
April 1st, 2012
6:04 pm
“At one level I would agree with that, but I think bigot may be too harsh a word because so often it is done with all good intentions and no malice aforethought…aforethought being the operative word”
Bigotry doesn’t have to be overt, and it doesn’t have to be intense. That’s why I said “a form of bigotry”
Brosephus™
April 1st, 2012
6:07 pm
They BOTH
It’s funny how fast some people here contradict themselves and never stop long enough to realize it. They remind me of Dory from “Finding Nemo” with their short term memory issues.
josef
I’ll make noise as long as I have oxygen flowing through my lungs. I’ll also have some to keep going long after I’m gone.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
6:19 pm
That’s the thing Jay, all the cases they cite were treated as crimes and investigated properly, usually with arrests and always with leads on suspects. The only question is whether they aren’t listening or just exercising willful ignorance.
Brocephus, saw an interview with a lady who is an interrupter. Very courageous and, apparently effective. Enlightenment is a slow process. The more we learn the more we realize how little we know. That’s true for so many things.
Josef, well that’s his opinion.
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
6:31 pm
Optimism – I’m all in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PE5V4Uzobc
What we really need is for these guys to come back.
http://johngushue.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451f25369e20147e12f1066970b-pi
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:35 pm
Frog 4:15
Hilarious
Give up the ghost
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:37 pm
HW didn’t like broccoli
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:39 pm
Btw
Nice Sam olens write up today
Go Sam
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:41 pm
Ran into some troopers today, Afghanistan bound
God bless ‘em
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:43 pm
Oh, and RIP to Earl
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:46 pm
More hilarity:
“The lottery is just a way of taxing poor people who don’t know math.”
getalife
April 1st, 2012
6:50 pm
Yup, we are back so we should be optimists.
In sourcing is the key to peace and prosperity.
The jobs are coming home.
Jm
April 1st, 2012
6:54 pm
Getalife
Jobs will only come home if we change our tax code
Thulsa Doom with his boot on liberal throats
April 1st, 2012
6:55 pm
“was the failure of officials to arrest or seriously investigate a grown man”
Really Jay. They did no serious investigation? Is that why they took Zimm downtown in cuffs and questioned him? And is that how the lead inveestigator recommended that he be charged?- by doing no serious investigation?
“an innocent young black kid who was “suspected” for no apparent reason other than his race.”
Really Jay? So you can see inside the head and heart of this man who used to spend Saturdays and Sundays doing volunteer tutoring to mostly black schoolchildren from disadvantaged backgrounds? Let me know how you came about this unique gift of mindreading. Did it ever occur to you that he had never seen this kid in the neighborhood before and that is why he was suspicious given the recent spat of burglaries in the neighborhood? No. Probably not. Much easier and much lazier thinking to simply ASSume that you can read Zimmerman’s mind and know his racist tendencies huh?
Don't Forget
April 1st, 2012
6:57 pm
Actually if you’re looking to buy American, this site can help
http://madeinusaforever.com/
And if I’m not mistaken, this website is donating all it profits from now until July 4 to cancer charities.
(could be another site but I’m pretty sure it’s this one)
Jay
April 1st, 2012
7:00 pm
Yes, Thulsa. They did no serious investigation.
And Zimmerman has a long and documented record of repeated calls to 911 about “suspicious” characters whose only suspicion-causing trait seemed to be their race.
Get over yourself.