Ga. legislators face starvation on $100-a-meal limit
Most Georgia voters are appalled by the realization that under state law, there is literally no limit on the value of gifts that a lobbyist can bestow upon a state legislator. And while many of those voters would prefer a limit of zero, as many other states have, they would accept a $100 gift limit as a compromise.
Unfortunately, a lot of state legislators don’t see a $100 limit as a compromise. They see the very concept of a limit as an undeserved, media-driven attack on their God-given prerogative to be wined, dined and entertained lavishly at lobbyists’ expense. In fact, it’s revealing to see them fight so hard to cling to gifts that they simultaneously claim to not really want much in the first place. Their behavior negates their rhetoric.
In the interest of good government, however, I’d like to try to ease fears under the Gold Dome by taking a few moments to explore what life under a $100 gift limit might look like.
Let’s imagine that you’re a legislator and it’s the opening week of the first legislative session with a $100 gift limit. Let’s further imagine two totally unrelated events: One, you’ve just been appointed to the House Banking Committee; and two, a banking industry lobbyist has just become a close personal friend eager to share the bounties of his expense account.
What impact would a $100 gift limitation do to that burgeoning bromance?
(For the record, I’m assuming it’s a bromance, and not a romance, because there may be legislative spouses back home reading this and well, you know.)
So let’s see how the imaginary workweek might go, shall we?
– On the first day of the session, my lobbyist gave to me: A round of golf at Chateau Elan.
Golf, we are told, is a great bonding experience. Total value of a weekday morning round at Chateau Elan’s championship golf course is $60, which leaves $40 to be spent in further bonding at the 19th hole. (As a certain legislator from Columbus learned the hard way, a designated driver might be a good idea for the trip home.)
– On the second day of session, my lobbyist gave to me: Two tickets to Monster Truck Jam.
Total value of two club-level seats, $100. (It turns out that’s a very popular freebie — last year, legislators accepted $1,350 worth of Monster Jam tickets. Apparently they like watching big things roll over and squash smaller things.)
– On the third day of the session, my lobbyist gave to me: dinner at Rathbun’s restaurant.
According to the menu at Rathbun’s, one of the city’s finer eating establishments, an entree of elk chop served with a blueberry demi-glace over a foraged-mushroom goat-cheese polenta would be $40. Not exactly meat-and-three prices, but not exactly meat-and three either.
You would need a full-bodied red wine to stand up to the flavor of that elk — may I suggest a glass of Terra Valentine cabernet sauvignon, 2009 vintage, at $19 a glass? Add an appetizer of hot smoked salmon tostadas habanero with crème fraiche for $9.95, and finish it off with a fine after-dinner scotch — let’s try the Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or at $17.25. Grand total? $86.
(I’ve heard it seriously argued by opponents of a gift limit that Georgia legislators aren’t paid very much (which is true) and that lobbyist-provided meals help them stretch their daily per diem of $173. But clearly, one can keep body and soul together quite nicely while remaining under the proposed $100 limit.)
– On the fourth day of the session, my lobbyist gave to me: a black silk tie from Neiman Marcus.
(Because you see, last night at dinner some of that “foraged-mushroom goat-cheese polenta” fell on the tie I was wearing, and we all know how hard polenta stains are to remove. So my lobbyist pal stopped by Neiman’s and picked out a brand new Robert Graham textured-stripe silk tie, just $98!)
– On the fifth day of the session, my lobbyist bought for me: A box seat at tonight’s Braves game.
And not just any seat. It’s in Section 113, right behind the Braves dugout and close enough to ask Freddie Freeman how his new contact lenses are working out. Total price: $91.65 for the ticket, plus $6.50 for a beer, equals $98.15.
By opposing a $100 gift limit, legislators and their leaders are in effect saying that the gifts described above — meals, activities and purchases that most Georgians will never experience — are just not good enough for them, and they want better. I’m sorry, but I find that remarkable.
– Jay Bookman
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773 comments Add your comment
TaxPayer
June 13th, 2012
8:35 am
But JAY!!!
How is someone like Ralston supposed to promote the fambly values that goes hand in hand with being GOP. Do you really expect him to pick up the tab for his own fambly so they can join him in Europe on his business trip where he is trying his best to help out us poor Georgia taxpayers. How could you!! I feel faint.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
8:35 am
Jay why are you so fixated on lobbyist gifts instead of worrying about real issues that affect every single American? Things like the looming Taxmegedden that dems are surly to let happen because they think it will bring in more revenue to piss away….
Rickster
June 13th, 2012
8:35 am
Jay B: “I’m sorry, but I find that remarkable.”
I find it offensive.
carlosgvv
June 13th, 2012
8:36 am
Estados Unidos
non sibi, sed omnibus
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
8:37 am
“Jay why are you so fixated on lobbyist gifts instead of worrying about real issues that affect every single American?”
why are you so dense that you don’t get that these lobbyist-funded gifts are the root of the problem!!!
ByteMe - Political thug
June 13th, 2012
8:38 am
the cat: the invite is here: http://politicalpartytime.org/party/31299/
You won’t see Art Blank on the list. Bernie Marcus, yes.
Peter
June 13th, 2012
8:38 am
Last in ethics in the entire US.. something all Georgia politician’s should be PROUD of, since they know they can get away with anything they want…..for example is there not a 1 Billion dollar over run at the nuclear plant ?
Who is going to pay or those mistakes ? Jay can you help here ?
ByteMe - Political thug
June 13th, 2012
8:39 am
why are you so dense
You could have stopped right there
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
8:39 am
Byte –
Peter
June 13th, 2012
8:42 am
Last in the nation in Ethics is something the Ga Politicians should be proud of, and what are some of the results ?
Is the Nuclear Plant now 1 Billion Dollars in cost over runs ? Who is going to pay for the mistakes ?
Can you help me out here Jay ?
the cat
June 13th, 2012
8:42 am
Thanks Byte Me. Gosh- I was washing my hair that night and had to miss it.
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
8:43 am
USinUK@8:37 am
—————————–
You beat me to it
That’s what I get for stopping to pour coffee LOL
Thomas Heyward Jr.
June 13th, 2012
8:44 am
The solution is simple…ot necessarily easy.
.
Put a 89% tax on all Lobbyist gifts.
Utilyze the “already in-place” state-mechanism for tax enforcement/violent coercion to publicy peruse every legislator/looter’s tax return every year. As per prog logic, the money would return to the people…And the politicians would have a massive headache complying would what our citizens are ordered to do…every quarter.
.
Use the State’s gross injustice against its self.
.
The only tax increase I would ever support….
.
Genius.
GT
June 13th, 2012
8:45 am
kayaker 71, we have a grassroots organized criminal activity going on in our state, your neighborhood and a political gamesmanship held by amateurs going on in Washington and which one gets your attention. You are ,spot on, what is wrong with this country. You follow what is not real while football coaches are molesting kids in showers, thugs roam our streets sponsored by your elected politicians, but lets don’t worry about this, we have black men running the country. Some state representative will enjoy a steak tonight because he has pointed out to local voters he is a bigot, the one Republican Party requirement to be elected to any office. What fool can’t learn to be a bigot?
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
8:45 am
USinUK – pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout:
What problem? Georgia is a bright red state that is run efficiently. By the way I didn’t realize Jay was using another name or maybe you are just ignorantly butting in answering questions for him…
Lord Help Us
June 13th, 2012
8:45 am
‘Is the Nuclear Plant now 1 Billion Dollars in cost over runs ? Who is going to pay for the mistakes ?’
The tenants of the downtown ‘leaning tower of power’ are nowhere close to their overruns for the first units at Plant Vogtle…the original estimate was around $700 Million for the two units that ended up costing over $10 Billion. At the time, their excuse was TMI…
The ratepayers will pay for the overruns…as always…
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
8:45 am
“That’s what I get for stopping to pour coffee LOL”
things move kinda fast here …
josef
June 13th, 2012
8:46 am
ESTADOS UNIDOS
No use el “tú” conmigo. Usted no me conoce.
No, yo no soy un profesor español. Soy un profesor de español.
Es obvio que usted no es experto en la lengua la lengua castellana.
Soy hispano? Bueno, yo soy sefardí. ¿Eso le servirá?
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
8:46 am
the cat@8:42 am
Thanks Byte Me. Gosh- I was washing my hair that night and had to miss it.
———————————————————————————-
I was washing my cat that night and missed it
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
8:48 am
Unless you’re stupid or completely uninformed it’s obvious why Jay writes these types of diatribes. He simply hates Republicans and realizes that they dominate Georgia. Does he really think that spewing hate will help get more dems elected? I don’t think so….
Jay
June 13th, 2012
8:48 am
Poor Joseph.
Lord Help Us
June 13th, 2012
8:49 am
‘Does he really think that spewing hate will help get more dems elected?’
Projection at its finest…
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
8:49 am
Joseph @8:45 am
What problem? Georgia is a bright red state that is run efficiently.
————————————————-
OMFG
Peter
June 13th, 2012
8:50 am
Joseph . …………What part of Georgia Politicians getting all the free stuff from Lobbyists, do you like the BEST ?
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
8:51 am
Where is Bro’s facepalm when it is soooooooooooo needed
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
8:51 am
“By the way I didn’t realize Jay was using another name or maybe you are just ignorantly butting in answering questions for him…”
awwwwwwwwwww … diddums doesn’t understand how a blog works …
how cute.
“Georgia is a bright red state that is run efficiently.”
ohsweetjeebus, now THAT’S funny!!!
where is Georgia on education?? (in the 40s, no matter what measure you use)
where is Georgia on infant mortality? (second to last – thanks, North Carolina!)
where is Georgia on poverty rates … housing … etc
these are the things that matter
carlosgvv
June 13th, 2012
8:52 am
latest news headline
“Congress skirts eithics rules”
Money will always find a way.
David Shivers
June 13th, 2012
8:54 am
Public service, indeed! More like public self-serving.
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
8:55 am
USinUK
You forgot first in bank failures, seems to go with ethics and education
Sad but true
Peadawg
June 13th, 2012
8:56 am
“Georgia is a bright red state that is run efficiently.”
Joseph must be the new Redneck Covert or getalife.
Estados Unidos
June 13th, 2012
8:58 am
josef
June 13th, 2012
8:46 am
Gracias por todas las correcciones y estoy seguro que cualquiera que hable el idioma sabrán que no soy competente. Me alegra que hayas podido comprender. Tener un gran día!
Paul
June 13th, 2012
8:58 am
Jay
the cat
“Silly me-I thought the $100 cap was for the ENTIRE session.”
I like the way you think.
Jay
“Last session, for example, the Senate leadership ignored it. Now they have come around to embrace it.”
And NEXT session they’ll tell you how they came up with their great idea!
Bob Loblaw
June 13th, 2012
8:59 am
Hey Peter Man! I don’t know about Joseph, but my two favorite parts about Ga’s Lobbyists’ spending is that its fully disclosed every month so that voters can make up their own minds how they feel about it and so the allmighty AJC can keep their columnists employed!
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
8:59 am
“You forgot first in bank failures, seems to go with ethics and education ”
dammit!
good call!!
and let’s not forget foreclosures / decline in house prices (which exceeds the national average)
and unemployment (also exceeds the national average)
goooooooooooooooooooooo RED STATE!!! WOLVERINES!!!!!
josef
June 13th, 2012
8:59 am
ESTADOS UNIDOS
“Creo que usted es la persona más informada en el blog?”
Lo cree usted? Gracias, pero no estoy de acuerdo.
Bob Loblaw
June 13th, 2012
9:01 am
OH yeah…that “Senate leadership embraced it” part…cute. Tommy Williams signs the pledge, AJC claims a win and then he announces he won’t be in leadership anymore. After qualifying, of course. Kinda pulled the rug out from that one.
Paul
June 13th, 2012
9:01 am
USinUK 8:19
You really know how to make a grand entrance, you know that?
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
9:01 am
Hmmm maybe they ought to make it $100 per lobbyist per session, then the unemployment would shrink. Think of all those jobs created for lobbyists
The best gov’t you can buy and run just like a business
kayaker 71
June 13th, 2012
9:02 am
GT, 8:45,
Didn’t take long to play the race card. It must be OK if Eric Holder withholds information from Congress because he is complicit in one of the worst planned and executed cluster****s in the history of the Justice Dept. He has been testifying for close to a year now and has still not told the Congress what they have demanded to get to the bottom of this fiasco. There is little doubt that he will be indicted after he has already been asked to resign. But that’s OK….. old Eric is one of the brothers and you know…… they can do no wrong.
You might also ask yourself who would benefit from leaked information on the Iran computer virus? Republicans or conservatives? I doubt it. I don’t believe that Bozo ordered it directly but did he have prior knowledge or did someone else in that WH briefing take it upon themselves to provide a leak just to make the old boss look a little more presidential? Can you spell Valerie Plame? NYT ran virtually hundreds of articles on this woman….. hell, even made a movie out of it. And she wasn’t even a covert operative at that time. That’s what you call selective indignation at it’s worst, GT. Has nothing to do with race…… just piss poor allegiance to this country and nothing more.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:02 am
Jay:
Poor Jay. You are being used by the democrap party. Its sad really…
Estados Unidos
June 13th, 2012
9:03 am
Tiene una forma de palabras, pero si te hace feliz, adelante y usted mismo palmaditas en la espalda!!
Peter
June 13th, 2012
9:03 am
Bob Loblaw. the gifts each Georgia politician gets each day, week or month is fully disclosed ?
Really, where does one get that info….. and you are sure ALL gifts are fully disclosed ?
stands for decibels
June 13th, 2012
9:04 am
you’ll find records of Speaker Boehner sitting her down and talking to her about leaks.
ew. there’s an image I didn’t need.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:04 am
USinUK – pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout:
Move if you don’t like it. Don’t let the you know what hit you on the way out. It will be one less gubmint dependant I’m sure….
Mr_B
June 13th, 2012
9:04 am
Gutn morgn; jonix!
josef
June 13th, 2012
9:04 am
ESTADOS UNIDOS
We’ll come back to English now, okay? Of course I can follow what you’re trying to say, I know what google does…
And for the REST OF Y’ALL
If you do need to use the translator, don’t be afraid to, but exercise caution. Choose your words and structures carefully. Stick to simple subject+predicate-complement sentences and avoid words with double meanings and idiomatic phrases.
Peter
June 13th, 2012
9:04 am
Joseph . Tell us the wonderful stuff we are getting here in Georgia, as citizens because we are run by Republican’s please !
Paul
June 13th, 2012
9:05 am
kayaker 71
Change a couple of words without affecting the overall meaning and you sound just like Nancy Pelosi.
“You might also ask yourself who would benefit from leaked information on Valerie Plame? Republicans or conservatives? I doubt it. I don’t believe that Bush ordered it directly but did he have prior knowledge or did someone else in that WH briefing take it upon themselves to provide a leak just to make the old boss look a little more presidential?
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
9:05 am
Paul – daaaaaaaahling … why go anywhere if you can’t make an entrance!!!
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
June 13th, 2012
9:06 am
Poor Joseph.
Joseph who?
Oh him.
Yep, poor guy.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:06 am
Peadawg:
What in my remarks are untrue? Georgia is a bright red state – Fact. Georgia is run efficiently – Fact, the budget must be balanced…. Clueless lib…
Lord Help Us
June 13th, 2012
9:06 am
‘Can you spell Valerie Plame?’
Sure can…I spell it H-O-T
Were this upset when the aforementioned covert WMD agent was outed because her husband helped expose the misinformation used to justify the Iraq war?
josef
June 13th, 2012
9:06 am
Mr. B
Shalom! Was ist los?
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
9:06 am
“Move if you don’t like it. Don’t let the you know what hit you on the way out. It will be one less gubmint dependant I’m sure….”
that’s right, Joseph … when you can’t refute the FACTS, resort to ad hominem …
(oh, and Captain Observant … you might want to check out my monniker … it’ll give you a clue)
Peter
June 13th, 2012
9:07 am
Georgia is run efficiently – Fact Really….. please name some of the facts you are speaking about….please…….why not start with Transportation ?
MiltonMan
June 13th, 2012
9:07 am
“Last in the nation in Ethics is something the Ga Politicians should be proud of, and what are some of the results ?”
The same report listed New Jersey as the most ethical state. Does not say much about the “report”.
stands for decibels
June 13th, 2012
9:07 am
Where is Bro’s facepalm when it is soooooooooooo needed
I’ve found a reasonable facsimile.
Bob Loblaw
June 13th, 2012
9:08 am
Yes, Peter Man! ethics.ga.gov. Where do you think these columnists find all of their ammo? Unless a lobbyists wants to risk the increased fines Ralston put in the 2010 Ethics bill, which can reach 5 figures and be farmed out for prosecution by the AG upon the Commission’s order, they’ll comply. Its really a wealth of info. Some of these lobbyists over-report. Rep. Christian Coomer was quoted complaining about that this past session in a news story somewhere. I guess its better to be safe than sorry. But Bob Loblaw would counsel his clients to simply comply and not go into as much detail as to what the expenditure was for. Make these columnists work!
ragnar danneskjold
June 13th, 2012
9:08 am
I oppose any daily gift limit lower than $2 million. We do not need another “mother-may-I” law that will enjoy only selective enforcement against those who are not popular among their peers. I believe in enforcement of bribery laws. Every time the legislature passes a stupid law – sometimes that is a daily event – those who voted for it ought to be investigated. Every time the legislature fails to repeal one of its stupid laws, those who voted against repeal ought to be investigated.
the cat
June 13th, 2012
9:08 am
K 71-can you please provide me information on what Eric Holder is lying about? I truly do not know and you seem to know the details.
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
9:08 am
P-diddy – you’re a lib, now, are ya???
which one of us gets the toaster for converting him???
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
9:09 am
Joseph@9:04 am
USinUK – pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout:
Move if you don’t like it. Don’t let the you know what hit you on the way out. It will be one less gubmint dependant I’m sure….
————————————
New here or just obtuse?
Joe Hussein Mama
June 13th, 2012
9:09 am
Mr. B — “Yeah! Let’s run government like a business!!”
Trenchant and brief. The very SOUL of wit. Well done, sir.
Peter
June 13th, 2012
9:09 am
The same report listed New Jersey as the most ethical state. Does not say much about the “report”.
Really why ?
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
9:10 am
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang … go get ‘em Ragnar!!! (9:08)
(I never thought I’d say that)
USMC
June 13th, 2012
9:10 am
“Milton, when I got here in 1990, there were no limits…”–JAY BOOKMAN
There’s that Narcissism peeking it’s ugly head out… Jay came down and saved us “ignornt” Southerners with his higher Northern Intellect and guvmint/political edumacation!
( I agree with your point in the article, Jay; good article) (I am just ribbing you a little this morning)
stands for decibels
June 13th, 2012
9:10 am
talk about a demonstration of restraint!
it’s been about all I can do to restrain myself from informing in my own unique way just what an official reprimand from a Republican-controlled House is worth to the public at large since they had the bright idea to impeach a President for the “high crime and misdemeanor” of fibbing about an affair.
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
June 13th, 2012
9:11 am
Common – “New here or just obtuse?”
I know which one gets my vote …
josef
June 13th, 2012
9:11 am
CAT
D*mn! Don’t you get the memo? It’s Breitbart. Sign up and keep up!
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:11 am
Think about it Jay. You write this tripe and throw it out as if it were red meat for your pet wolves. They begin to chew and gnaw on it until their heads almost explode. Then I come along and start spraying mace in their eyes while they are trying to absorb the fallacious opinions you put forth. It’s a joy thinking of all the keyboards that have foam dripping from them and the heads being banged against the wall because they are clueless to engage me in a logical way….
Oscar
June 13th, 2012
9:11 am
Common – “New here or just obtuse?”
I know which one gets my vote …
_______________
Could be both. Those are not mutually exclusive.
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
9:12 am
sfd
Thanks. It is now book marked for future use
Dekalb comments
June 13th, 2012
9:12 am
As many have pointed out here, gifts of any kind are strictly prohibited by most private employers. I cannot accept so much as a Diet Coke from a prospective customer or business partner without risking my job.
Since we seem so enamored with the idea of running government like a business why doesn’t government adopt this nearly universal prohibition that is in place by most, if not all, publicly traded companies?
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:13 am
Peter:
Is it not true that Georgia has a balanced budget???
Joe Hussein Mama
June 13th, 2012
9:13 am
Jay, how about this for a cap on gifts.
Wild Hog Supper. NOW GET TO WORK AND STOP SNIFFING FOR GIFTS.
One free gorge-yourself meal a year ought to be enough. After all, they’re drawing a salary and a per-diem.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:13 am
Peter:
Its a simple question…
the cat
June 13th, 2012
9:15 am
I have a vision of K 71 googling frantically to back up his posts about Eric Holder lying. It must be a weekly talking point he has reiterated but doesn’t have facts to back himself up. Typical.
Joe Hussein Mama
June 13th, 2012
9:15 am
Joseph — “Then I come along and start spraying mace in their eyes”
Not even close, Punkin.’ (laughing)
You can indulge that Crusader Against Teh Librulz fantasy over on Free Republic if you’re so inclined, but I can assure you that the liberal posters here don’t see you in the way you clearly want to see yourself.
josef
June 13th, 2012
9:15 am
Common –
“New here or just obtuse?”
Must be the latter. He shore ain’t right or acute…
Thomas Heyward Jr.
June 13th, 2012
9:16 am
“Since we seem so enamored with the idea of running government like a business why doesn’t government adopt this nearly universal prohibition that is in place by most, if not all, publicly traded companies?”
.
The same reason that our Federal government doesn’t have to adhere to the sham that is…………………………Dodd/Frank.
.
They have the Guns,Costumes, and Tin Badges.
Joe Hussein Mama
June 13th, 2012
9:16 am
the cat — “I have a vision of K 71 googling frantically to back up his posts”
That’s pretty clearly a ‘vision,’ because AFAICS, he never does that.
Oscar
June 13th, 2012
9:16 am
With unlimited campaign contributions laws, those that want to buy their legislator or legislators do it that way. Taking a legislator to dnner or a game is not going to buy his vote. Those that want to buy the vote will do it by other means – campaign contributions, not by taking them to dinner.
Dekalb comments
June 13th, 2012
9:16 am
@ Joseph 9:11 a.m.
You sure are full of yourself aren’t you? That character trait is well understood for what it is.
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
9:16 am
Actually Joseph could be Wild Bill without the religious references.
Just as clueless with half the rhetoric
Brosephus™
June 13th, 2012
9:17 am
If they want their work to support such things, they can have the balls/ovaries to propose legislation that would increase their own pay to that of the professional class wooing them, and see how the voters feel about it. Hey, you never know–Georgians might actually believe such a thing is ok, in order to attract topnotch talent.
This!!!!!!!! or at least until I read this one…
Hold them to the same standard as, say, a GBI agent or a GSP officer. NO gifts at NO time for NO reason. Exempt family and personal friends from prior to their election.
——————————
NoCom
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Butch Cassidy
June 13th, 2012
9:18 am
Joseph – “Is it not true that Georgia has a balanced budget???”
I can hear companies all over the world talking about moving businesses and jobs to Georgia because it has a balanced budget. Transportation, education, quality of workforce? Who cares, their budget is balanced.
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:18 am
Joe Hussein Mama:
Then why do bother to even engage? LOL… You just can’t help yourselves… I really don’t think most of you libs are stupid. I really don’t… It’s just common sense that is sorely lacking. And that something that simply cannot be taught…
Mr_B
June 13th, 2012
9:18 am
joseph: Alles das is nicht tonzu nallen! (can’t do it in Yiddish, and I’m not even sure my German spelling is richtig.Und Sie?
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:19 am
Butch Cassidy:
A simple question that cannot or will not be answered by you libs…. Sad sad..
Jay
June 13th, 2012
9:19 am
Mr. Loblaw, you somehow neglected to mention that Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers has endorsed the limit, as has Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and even Senate Rules Committee Chairman Don Balfour. They occupy three of the four most powerful positions in the Senate; the fourth — Senate president — is at the moment still occupied by Sen. Williams.
So your contention that it “kinda pulled the rug out from that one” has no basis in fact.
Brosephus™
June 13th, 2012
9:20 am
Y’all quit picking on Joseph. Regardless to what his issue is, he’s covered by Uncle Sam.
Butch Cassidy
June 13th, 2012
9:20 am
Joseph – “A simple question that cannot or will not be answered by you libs”
Libs? You really don’t pay attention do you. I’m an NYC elite who lives in a high rise and takes the Subway. Geebus man, keep up.
Road Scholar
June 13th, 2012
9:21 am
“…they would accept a $100 gift limit as a compromise.”
Like hell we would! My per diem for meals was $25/day when I started my career, and it moved up to $32 /day when I left. Room per diem was $49/night and moved up to $69/night only in Atlanta and Savannah. NO GIFTS WERE ALLOWED…_ now get this…, by rules set by the legislature. They wanted NO APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY!!!! Why isn’t the gift ban good enough for them????
Common Damn Sense isn't Very Common
June 13th, 2012
9:21 am
It’s just common sense that is sorely lacking. And that something that simply cannot be taught…
————————————————————-
OMFG
Joseph
June 13th, 2012
9:21 am
Personnel attacks galore… Please just clean yourselves up and answer my question. Does Georgia not balance its budget every year??? It’s a yes or no answer….
Peter
June 13th, 2012
9:21 am
Yes Joseph. Georgia has a balanced budget …..thanks to Obama !
Georgia has a balanced budget for the year, but only due to funds given by the US Govt (taxpayer bailout). US taxpayers gave Georgia $550 million. Too bad they couldn’t balance their own budget which totaled $17.9 billion.
They have a huge debt, though, $44.2 billion. A rather large problem.
http://zreport.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/georgia-2011-budget-balanced-due-to-bailout-from-us-govt/
Joe Hussein Mama
June 13th, 2012
9:21 am
Joseph — “Then why do bother to even engage?”
Why does a dog chase a stick? Why does a cat bat a catnip mouse around?
“LOL… You just can’t help yourselves…”
You don’t get it. You’re not some brave challenger. You’re a CHEW TOY. (laughing)
“I really don’t think most of you libs are stupid. I really don’t… It’s just common sense that is sorely lacking. And that something that simply cannot be taught…”
Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.
stands for decibels
June 13th, 2012
9:22 am
it’s obvious why Jay writes these types of diatribes. He simply hates Republicans
Is that why Kyle Wingfield is consistently in agreement with Jay on this “diatribe”? Is that why several self-identifying conservatives have posted here to agree with Jay?
Joseph, to put it nicely? Sacks of pig excrement laugh at your viscosity.
Jay
June 13th, 2012
9:23 am
And Oscar, like you, I don’t think lobbyists buy votes with such niceties. However, they certainly do WOO votes that way. Otherwise, why would they do it?
Believe me, they don’t do it because the average legislator is such a scintillating dinner partner.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
June 13th, 2012
9:23 am
Jay:
On this one we can agree.
I call ‘em like I see ‘em.
There is no reason to take “anything” from a third party for doing your job as a representative of your constituents.