Gov. Deal chooses party loyalty over Ga. citizenry
Gov. Nathan Deal faced a choice. He could choose to be loyal to his party’s political ideology, or he could choose to be loyal to some 650,000 of his fellow Georgians in need of health insurance.
He has chosen loyalty to party, declining to let Georgia participate in the expansion of Medicaid coverage offered through Obamacare. The result will be unnecessary illness, unnecessary pain and yes, unnecessary death. That may sound harsh, but it is also stark reality: When you deny health -care coverage to hundreds of thousands of people, as Deal has decided to do, those outcomes are inevitable.
There will be other consequences as well. The decision blocks an influx of billions and billions of federal health -care dollars — an estimated $14.5 billion between 2014 and 2019 alone — that would provoke significant job growth. Georgia taxpayers will be paying to fund that expanded coverage in other states, most of which will take it eagerly, but their governor has decided that they’ll get none of the benefits.
Turning that money away will also raise the risk of closure by rural hospitals, which are already struggling under the financial burden of providing so much care to the uninsured. (Last year, Georgia hospitals lost an estimated $1.5 billion caring for people without insurance, and rural residents are more likely to be uninsured than their urban and suburban counterparts.)
Medicaid expansion would have been a lifesaver to those hospitals and to the doctors who practice there, but that lifesaver has now been yanked away. That will have significant economic-development implications for Georgia beyond the immediate loss of federal dollars. The availability of modern health -care facilities is a prime consideration for any business or industry looking to relocate. As rural hospitals close and doctors leave, employers will leave as well, taking with them the last hope of prosperity for many small communities.
In announcing his decision at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Deal cited the potential cost to Georgia taxpayers, which his administration estimates at $4.5 billion over a 10-year period. However, independent cost estimates put the state’s share of expansion much lower. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates it at $714 million for the first five years of the program, or roughly 0.17 percent of state GDP. The Urban Institute puts it at $716 million for the first six years.
However, as Tim Sweeney of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute points out, even the governor’s figure of $4.5 billion “would represent only a 1.9 percent increase in total state spending.”
In assessing the costs, you also have to look at two other things: How great is the need for expanded health coverage in Georgia, and how much does the state already spend? Are we already spending as much if not more than other states?
Hardly. Georgia is 47th in state health spending per capita. It is 49th in the amount it spends per Medicaid patient. Twenty percent of our citizens are uninsured, the fifth-highest uninsured rate in the nation, and we stand at 39th in life expectancy. Yet according to the governor, we can’t afford to address any of those issues, even if it means a stronger state economy and better health care and longer lives for hundreds of thousands of Georgians.
We can, however, afford hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new Falcons stadium, not to mention billions of dollars in tax breaks to businesses. Priorities, you know.
– Jay Bookman
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
656 comments Add your comment
TaxPayer
August 31st, 2012
11:24 am
No I said your vote against Deal has made no difference, and your future vote against an R Governor will make no difference in GA….you can choose to deal in reality or complain about it either way the situation/reality is the same
And I continue to tell you that my vote does make a difference. That’s a constitutional reality. Further, I’m not complaining about my vote so long as I still get to cast it for the persons of my choice.
DannyX
August 31st, 2012
11:25 am
Of course former SOS Condi Rice said earlier this week that it is tradition for the current secretary of State to skip political conventions.
What else do you guys got? This one is another dud.
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
11:26 am
They BOTH
It means absolutely nothing.
You know that post strays too far from the message!!!! Don’t make Eddie Murphy’s daddy sing his song for you, “Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’!!”
If Hillary runs for President, she will surely not be able to run from the Obama Administration as fast as the Republicans are still running from Bush.
Hell, Capt. Kirk couldn’t get the Starship Enterprise to move that fast either!!
btw… Check out my latest challenge when you get a chance.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/08/31/romney-did-just-fine-but-a-game-changer-no/?cp=all#comment-1057459
getalife
August 31st, 2012
11:26 am
I am sure SNL will do the chair skit.
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
11:27 am
And I continue to tell you that my vote does make a difference.
okay…how has your vote against Deal made an difference in GA or it’s/his policies…
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:28 am
And I continue to tell you that my vote does make a difference. That’s a constitutional reality.Further, I’m not complaining about my vote so long as I still get to cast it for the persons of my choice
Watch it , TP or else they will do something else to prevent you from voting.
Like doing somersalts before you cast you’re ballot.
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:29 am
That’s your not you’re .
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
August 31st, 2012
11:30 am
As to Hillery, i think she has a bigger job to do other than be pom pom girl for the president. Between the Cook and Spratley islands and China…she has a handful and she needs to be out there. Anyone paying attention to the South China Sea tensions between Japan, the P. I., China and the U. S. A. would know this.
China has warned us recently to stay out of their affairs in the area. That’s funny. I remember in the Navy, we used to practice exercises on the supposition that China and we would get into it over those islands…
But…some here will say anything to try to make the Democrats look bad, even if they don’t know what they are talking about and end up looking ignorant themselves…go figure.
TaxPayer
August 31st, 2012
11:30 am
okay…how has your vote against Deal made an difference in GA or it’s/his policies…
It was one less vote for him and it was my vote. Now, if you were to ask what difference a person that chooses not to vote makes, then that would be a different story. The person that chooses not to vote relinquishes his constitutional right to make a difference.
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
11:31 am
Bro
Let me guess. You placed the ball on the tee for Willie and he did one of two things; he walked directly back to the dugout and made no attempt to swing or he struck out then walked back to the dugout.
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:31 am
So voting one way or another doesnt make a difference ………. Okay, explain this.
A recount confirms Debbie Whitlock as the winner in the Stephens County Commission Post 2 Republican run-off, but only by a single vote.
Whitlock won the recount for the Stephens County Commission Post 2 race by one vote Thursday evening over Ray Willis.
The final count was 1,508 for Whitlock and 1,507 for Willis. That one-vote margin is one vote narrower than the two votes that separated the candidates in the results from Election Night.
Whitlock lost one vote in the mail-in absentee ballot count, going from 97 to 96. Her other vote totals remained the same.
Willis’ vote total remained the same across all categories and precincts.
Willis said Thursday evening he was still considering his options moving forward.
According to Stephens County Registrar Theresa Kelley, any further challenge to the election results would have to be made in Superior Court in Stephens County.
There is no Democratic or Independent opposition on the November ballot for the Post 2 race.
The recount took more than an hour as both candidates and representatives for both candidates were on hand to watch the recount. During the recount, Kelley and the Board of Elections first re-counted mail-in absentee ballots, than re-counted ballots cast electronically on machines, all following the same process that is done on Election Night itself.
Joseph
August 31st, 2012
11:32 am
They BOTH sux:
I have never and will be suspended from any blog. Bookman just ain’t that smart…..
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
11:32 am
I’d edit to:
The person that chooses not to vote relinquishes his constitutional right to try and make a difference.
beam me up
August 31st, 2012
11:34 am
The cynical part of me almost wishes that Romney would win just so the Repuplicans can be given full credit for the wreckage their policies create. However, they have fielded the most unlikeable candidate since…Michael Dukakis? (Note for political parties: Massachussets governors, not all they’re cracked up to be). If the polls done this weekend don’t hand Romney the electoral college, fuggitaboutit.
On topic, the only possible reason for the Deal deal is pure politics. This is expected to be a base election. So, it’s all about getting the base fired up. Sad that Georgians will have to suffer because Deal is choosing to play into the national party narrative.
While Georgia should be a comfortable win for Romney, some polls showed his lead slipping back to the margin of error in recent weeks. Have to remember that in 2008, Georgia almost elected a Democratic senator in what was supposed to be a walk-away for the Republicans. I guess this is a play-to-the-base while they’re tuned in kind of move.
Given the demographic changes in the country, this is probably the last presidential election where the Republican coalition as it has been constituted for the last thirty plus years will stand a chance of winning. In general, the population is becoming, more diverse, more educated, more secular, and more urban, and the pre-Baby Boom generation is dying off.
Can the party of Jan Brewer become the party of Latinos? Seems like a stretch.
TaxPayer
August 31st, 2012
11:34 am
Like doing somersalts before you cast you’re ballot.
I know. They might even start requiring that we do the gymnastics while tryng to hit the little touch screen in the right spot.
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
11:34 am
So voting one way or another doesnt make a difference
that’s not what I said
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:34 am
Maybe Hillary will appear at the DNC convention.
And I’m sure she will bring a chair.
And she will not argue with it or talk to it either.
Joseph
August 31st, 2012
11:35 am
I’m wondering if Code Pink will have a more prominate platform at the DNC. I hear Medina is going right after Oblama’s brother.
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
11:35 am
“I have never and will be suspended from any blog. ”
You must be saying that it just hasn’t occurred yet or you are an attention seeker and use some IT trick to reinvent yourself via another IP address.
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
11:38 am
They BOTH
He stripped the uniform off before the trek back to the dugout.
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
August 31st, 2012
11:39 am
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
11:35 am
Unfortunately there are some people out there who crave attention, even negative attention. They are at best, to be ignored, and at least, pitied. They bring nothing to the table and any response just enables them. key phrase here…to ignore.
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
11:41 am
Bro
Problem tried to pull a Bo Jackson and break the bat and ended up with a fractured femur………
hahahahah
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:41 am
I aplogize about harping on the chair.
But i hate to see a great actor being belitted so badly. I just wonder how he was talked into such a stunt. They have to be kicking themselves because this just went viral while Romney’s speech is getting just a whisper.
I knew Clint was a conservative. Why couldnt he just made a speech, endorsing Romney and gone off the stage. And know , he’s gonna be remembered for this. Its just sad.
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
11:42 am
Normal
I usually do and should do it more often, but sometimes I just love cheap humor at the expense of those type of bloggers……..
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:44 am
that should be now , not know.
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
11:44 am
larry @11:41
agreed
getalife
August 31st, 2012
11:45 am
The best part was when the chair told robme to go f himself.
Classic comedy.
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
11:45 am
They BOTH
barking frog
August 31st, 2012
11:47 am
Elect crappy governors,
Expect crappy governance.
RB from Gwinnett
August 31st, 2012
11:47 am
What the heck are you talking about Jay? Those 650K will have health insurance since it is required by Obamacare that they purchase a policy or pay a fine.
curious
August 31st, 2012
11:49 am
Better medical care availability and education for all would help us lure new industry into Georgia. As a long term strategy, the method of wholesale cost cutting and minimizing investment will be a guarantee of us being a 3rd world state.
Hold your breath to reduce CO2 emissions; soon you’ll realize it’s a no-win plan.
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
11:49 am
What the heck are you talking about Jay? Those 650K will have health insurance since it is required by Obamacare that they purchase a policy or pay a
finetax.paulo977
August 31st, 2012
11:49 am
Pete….It doesn;t matter how big of a hypocrite or crook he is, those 4 things over-ride everything else.
_________________________________________________
We are still a long way off from the understanding and knowledge that folks in many many other countries have!!! Gawd, it is pathetic!!
barking frog
August 31st, 2012
11:51 am
Paying the penalty under
Obamacare does not get
you health insurance.
marie
August 31st, 2012
11:51 am
I just wish that the people who would elect the leader of the free world based on whether or not he believes in abortion (which I do not believe in either) could understand the Republican party says what they think the people want to hear regardless of whether they actually believe in it or not could understand that Romney doesn’t care about the poor, the old, the young who are struggling to make ends meet, but only of furthering his wealthy friends, the professionals, and in his case, other Mormons. He scares me to death.
RAMZAD
August 31st, 2012
11:54 am
Deal is a hack.
Disbanding the ethics bureau. Stuffing the Port Authorities with cronies like Ken Cronan. Of course, he ran away from Congress like a frightened mongoose to come down here to run for Governor, and Right Wing fanatics believed it was just fine. Georgia is another Mississippi in the making…
Oh, wait, I went to Tupelo a few months ago, and I found out that Mississippi has an edge
on Georgia, which is quickly becoming the new anus of the United States.
Joseph
August 31st, 2012
11:54 am
larry:
You guys can have your Clooneys, Aflecks, and other Hollyweird homosexauls…
We’ll keep real men like Eastwood, Arnold, and Willis….
Fred ™
August 31st, 2012
11:57 am
He scares me to death.
Don’t be a Republican, be brave. The Republicans or Fright Wing Party are the ones so scared of everything.
barking frog
August 31st, 2012
11:57 am
The Federal government
should cut the states out
of Medicaid and pay the
Post Office to administer
the program.
They BOTH suck
August 31st, 2012
12:02 pm
Joseph
If you are gay and are repressing your feelings, we all hope that works out for you.
In the mean time no need to demean people that are gay or make disparaging remarks about them.
Heck the Log Cabin Republicans (GAY organization) would not be proud of your bigotry.
Real Scootter
August 31st, 2012
12:04 pm
We’ll keep real men like Eastwood, Arnold, and Willis….
You forgot Norris…..
Michael
August 31st, 2012
12:05 pm
As to Clint, I didn’t see all of his performance. But, between the two of them it looked like the chair knew its lines better. Also, Clint should know that an actor should never get on stage with a prop that can upstage you.
Jm
August 31st, 2012
12:06 pm
Taxpayer 11:17
I think the cat coverage is available
Not with the variables you also mention though
But I agree
Although I don’t think those would be helpful to the poor, it would help the rest of us
SwamiDave
August 31st, 2012
12:07 pm
Jay
“That will have significant economic-development implications for Georgia beyond the immediate loss of federal dollars. The availability of modern health -care facilities is a prime consideration for any business or industry looking to relocate. As rural hospitals close and doctors leave, employers will leave as well, taking with them the last hope of prosperity for many small communities.”
With all due respect, the “last hope for prosperity” is not federal dollars. It is economic growth and opportunity.
In the end, Deal likely hinged his political future to Romney with this action.
-SD
DannyX
August 31st, 2012
12:07 pm
“You guys can have your Clooneys, Aflecks, and other Hollyweird homosexauls…
We’ll keep real men like Eastwood, Arnold, and Willis….”
Ironically, Eastwood, Arnold and Willis all support gay marriage.
Thulsa Doom- pompous ass extraordinaire
August 31st, 2012
12:08 pm
“or he could choose to be loyal to some 650,000 of his fellow Georgians in need of health insurance.”
I see. So loyalty means forcibly taking money from one group of people to give more free shyte to another group of people. Got it.
“When you deny health -care coverage to hundreds of thousands of people, as Deal has decided to do, those outcomes are inevitable.”
So is Deal telling these people right now that they are not allowed to go to a Doctor or a hospital? And if so then are you telling me that for years and years that 650,000 Georgians have been denied healthcare because they weren’t given Medicaid?
“There will be other consequences as well. The decision blocks an influx of billions and billions of federal health -care dollars — an estimated $14.5 billion between 2014 and 2019 alone — that would provoke significant job growth.”
Really? Transfer programs promote “significant” job growth. Well allrighty then. Let’s put everyone on Medicaid and watch the Georgia economy go BOOM.
“Medicaid expansion would have been a lifesaver to those hospitals and to the doctors who practice there, but that lifesaver has now been yanked away.”
You sure about that Jay? Getting paid in the case of hospitals by Medicaid is better than nothing but in the case of Doctors most doctors say that treating Medicaid patients actually costs them money. The reimbursement rate does not adequately compensate them for treating the patient. Is it any wonder that so many Docs do not take Medicaid?
“Turning that money away will also raise the risk of closure by rural hospitals, which are already struggling under the financial burden of providing so much care to the uninsured.”
You can also help those rural hospitals and docs via tort reform. Jackpot justice in some rural counties has driven obstetricians out of business throughout the south.
“The decision blocks an influx of billions and billions of federal health -care dollars”
Jesus H. Christ. Typical liberal. You act like this is all free money. Good God sir. Don’t you realize that we all have to pay this money back? Don’t you know that?
“However, as Tim Sweeney of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute points out, even the governor’s figure of $4.5 billion “would represent only a 1.9 percent increase in total state spending.”
History lesson sir. Go back and look at what the govt initially said Medicare and Medicaid would cost. Then look at the astounding difference between the projected costs and the actual costs. When you do that you will realize that your argument has no credibility. None.
As it stands now Medicaid on average consumes 22% of state budgets. Now someone said the other day its up to an average of 30%. Not sure about that but I know its average the last time I looked it up was at 22%. And that is a staggering amount of money for one item.
“We can, however, afford hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new Falcons stadium, not to mention billions of dollars in tax breaks to businesses. Priorities, you know.”
I’ll agree with you on the Falcons stadium. But as usual your fallacious thinking on tax breaks to businesses needs to be addressed. First of all when you give a tax break you’re not actually giving money to anyone. You’re simply confiscating less money from them. Despite what liberals think when someone earns their money its their money first and foremost- not the gubments money.
Secondly, by giving these “tax breaks” these businesses employ people and the business and the paychecks of their employees pay sales taxes, state income taxes, local taxes, a lot of taxes that pay for you guessed it- Medicaid and other govt largesse.
Thirdly, many of these businesses pay enough that their employees can then go out and get their own insurance or the business has a generous group plan that pays for health insurance. That’s that many fewer unemployed people that will be on the Medicaid rolls.
USMC
August 31st, 2012
12:08 pm
The Leftwing Nut jobs at the State Department have “gone off the reservation”…oops!
State Department: ‘Hold down the fort,’ other common phrases could be offensive
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/30/state-department-hold-down-fort-other-common-phrases-could-be-offensive/#ixzz258kL4cxs
Dirty Harry! (Not intended for the easily offended)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0uT3QKQ88g
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
12:08 pm
Joseph
You’re more than welcome to keep your people…
http://www.goproud.org
Ahem
August 31st, 2012
12:09 pm
To all of you all you rural redneck Republicans…
If it were not for rural folks, your snotty, snarky little butt would starve to death.
Fred ™
August 31st, 2012
12:09 pm
Jm
August 31st, 2012
11:20 am
Eastwood’s performance was bad only to those who love stagecraft and are addicted to low attention span TV and twitter
++++++++++++++++++
No Eastwoods performance was bad to anyone with a brain. I bet you however loved it……….
barking frog
August 31st, 2012
12:09 pm
Jm
“I think the cat coverage is
available”
…….
cat health insurance?
getalife
August 31st, 2012
12:10 pm
Heck, one of the koch brothers supports gay marriage.
GT
August 31st, 2012
12:10 pm
This is the governor governing by his own life style as so many in his party do. Romney was going to show his heart, then it turns out he doesn’t have one. Now there is a serious organ crisis going on in the GOP, Deal’s brain is missing and Christy just reported he can’t find his feet.
I want to see one thing these Republicans do that is not designed for a very small group of people. It is easy to legislate law and regulation that has no negative effect on you or your cronies. Let’s go after gays, poor, minority and illegals. When you start dumping dead bodies at the door of hospitals, just like when you filled the jails up so far your couldn’t pay for them, you will then have to reverse your direction. You people never think of the next step, like a jealous lover, shoot now regret it later. And you wonder why people do not want a person unlike themselve running their government.
Ahem
August 31st, 2012
12:11 pm
larry
August 31st, 2012
11:34 am
Maybe Hillary will appear at the DNC convention.
And I’m sure she will bring a chair.…
Better be a damn strong chair for that load.
USMC
August 31st, 2012
12:12 pm
JAY BOOKMAN chooses party loyalty over Intellectual Honesty.
(ON A DAILY BASIS)
Mighty Righty
August 31st, 2012
12:13 pm
Regarding hurricane Isaac and all of the damage, destruction and flooding along the gulf coast, just where in the h–l is FEMA? Just more hot air without action from the present administration!
Thulsa Doom- pompous ass extraordinaire
August 31st, 2012
12:16 pm
“With all due respect, the “last hope for prosperity” is not federal dollars. It is economic growth and opportunity.”
Too much common sense there. But the message of federal tax dollars still resonates with libs. Despite the fact that its the gubment tantalizing them with their own money. And yet they still fall for it.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2012
12:17 pm
Mighty, whitehouse.gov has your answers…
You’re also welcome to try fema.gov.
Otherwise you are just blowing harder than Isaac has tried with a lot of hot air.
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:17 pm
There’s that good old Obook/bama logic: state spending means, (let me make sure I get his own words right) “a stronger state economy and better health care and longer lives for hundreds of thousands of Georgians”. Yes, there it is, folks, the sum total of Democrat philosophy; and if you care, socialist, communist, anti-American etc. It must be a wonder to these folks that American society existed and thrived before the “Great Society”.
It did you know, Mr. Bookman.
And government isn’t the answer to everything. The greatest crisis we face now isn’t what they think it is either. If the US goes the way of Obama, the way of budget-less knee-jerk wasteful spending–that is, the way of Greece and the soon-to-be plunging European economy–then how many billions of dollars we need or we need to save for healthcare won’t matter, because those billions will hardly buy what they can today. Not only can Democrats not address this grave problem (nor the economy, by the way), but they can not even acknowledge it, or at least they won’t until Romney takes office.
The answer to all of this isn’t government, indeed not. The answer is less of it.
For attempting to forego, as much as possible, the federal government’s coercion on healthcare Deal should be congratulated and applauded.
Let’s not forget either that Obamacare wasn’t so much a cost-bending program (the intent of cost-bending has failed utterly anyway), but it was a cost-shifting plan. Medicare, Obamacare, Medicaid, who knows what went where?
Obama sure doesn’t, nor does he care. Obamacare? That’s the recipe for, “unnecessary illness, unnecessary pain and yes, unnecessary death.” And single-payer healthcare is the prescription for the “death panel” politburo created by Obamacare.
getalife
August 31st, 2012
12:18 pm
mr.
As usual, you have no idea what you are talking about.
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:19 pm
By the way, I understand that at Dragon Con, they will have internet access to the ajc, so you liberal Bookmanites can blog on the Bookman site.
Jay will be there too, dressed as Gandalf.
Fred ™
August 31st, 2012
12:22 pm
Doomy? Do you just argue everything Jay writes out of shear cussedness? Deal turning down the cash was stupid and pointless. A grandstanding gesture that will cost more in the long run but it’s not his money so he doesn’t care.
It would be like you refusing to take tax deductions out of “principal.” We, Georgians, are STILL going to pay that damn money, only;y thanks to Deal we get nothing for it. Although I’ll bet he or someone close to him stands to profit big time by him sticking it to us once again.
Frederick Douglass
August 31st, 2012
12:22 pm
This whole thing could be wrapped up in a neat little package, and Obama would be dealt a bonecrushing, debilitating blow if Romney released 10-12 years of tax returns about a month before the election. I’m just entirely flabbergasted that the Romney handlers passed on the opportunity to bring everything to an end in Tampa with a blockbuster revelation of his honesty, and patriotism by showing us how he made his money, thus giving us a glimpse of how he’d lead the country out of an obvious morass…..instead he gives us a washed up actor and a chair.
Thulsa Doom- pompous ass extraordinaire
August 31st, 2012
12:23 pm
“To all of you all you rural redneck Republicans…”
Not this crap again. After all the palpable hate directed towards Romney and especially Clint Eastwood last night and early this morning you wonder if the libs have any hate left in the tank. Don’t worry. They do. I was looking at the hateful comments this morning and thinking “man, how do you wake up with so much hate that early in the morning”. And the hateful comments about Clint Eastwood having a mental disease. Despicable.
catlady
August 31st, 2012
12:23 pm
I am sure HE doesn’t have to worry much about HIS health care! He is taken care of–for life!
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:24 pm
Regarding the Obama acceptance speech. That was a game-changer: “the moment that the oceans stopped rising and the planet healed.”
That will be a game-changer THIS YEAR.
USMC
August 31st, 2012
12:24 pm
“By the way, I understand that at Dragon Con, they will have internet access to the ajc, so you liberal Bookmanites can blog on the Bookman site.”
I always picture a Bookmanite convention as the group in the ‘Bar Scene’ from Star Wars.
Capitol Hack
August 31st, 2012
12:24 pm
I think Governor Deal has already been a better governor than many expected, and is certainly head and shoulders above the previous occupant of that office. But this is simply a very bad decision. I understand the economic pain that state government has endured and the tough choices that have to be made, but he seems to be basing his decision to deny health care to many struggling Georgians on the basis of faulty numbers and political gamesmanship. We hope and pray that he will reconsider. This is a cruel decision that will leave a legacy that no governor should wish to claim.
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
12:25 pm
cat coverage?
will it provide for an opposable thumbs operation?
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
12:26 pm
Do you just argue everything Jay writes out of shear cussedness?
Do you even have to ask?
LDH20
August 31st, 2012
12:27 pm
Gov Deal said that GA could not afford the expansion BUT it cannot avoid the expense by not expanding Medicare. People ARE going to get sick and ARE going to to ERs and GA IS going to pay for that. Deal did not help Ga at all here.
Tom(Independent Viet Vet,USAF)
August 31st, 2012
12:27 pm
Larry@10:54 – Clint, at 82 yrs, could still whip your butt dude!
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
12:28 pm
instead he gives us a washed up actor and a chair
I’m guessin’ that’s the only part you watched then
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
12:28 pm
I think Governor Deal has already been a better governor than many expected
Yep. He sure took care of that major debt issue he had much faster than most expected. Also, when many expected nothing, then it’s not hard to better nothing.
Peter
August 31st, 2012
12:29 pm
Please the guy LIED to get elected….. really what do you believe for him today ?
ANYTHING ? Typical Republican attitude……. hate the small folks and help the RICH !
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
12:29 pm
Bro – some people do nothing better than others
Fred ™
August 31st, 2012
12:29 pm
Tom(Independent Viet Vet,USAF)
August 31st, 2012
12:27 pm
Larry@10:54 – Clint, at 82 yrs, could still whip your butt dude!
++++++++++++++++
Oh here we are with Tom the internet tough guy again. He’ll hit you with his air force purse if you don’t watch out.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
August 31st, 2012
12:29 pm
Jay will be there too, dressed as Gandalf.
If I recall correctly, Jay is going out of town this weekend to visit an ill relative.
But, whetevs.
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:29 pm
Frederick,
Obama would be dealt a “debilitating blow” if Romney released his tax returns?
This must be the rhetorical over-exaggeration of the day.
Americans need to be far more concerned about how Obama’s spending OUR money than how Romney made his.
Besides, if you want, you can buy the book, The Real Romney, written by leftists also. They have some idea how he made his money, but you don’t care about that, do you?
The ineffectual Democrat campaign this year is not about what is, but what isn’t.
Thulsa Doom- pompous ass extraordinaire
August 31st, 2012
12:30 pm
“Do you just argue everything Jay writes out of shear cussedness?”
Fred, and do you agree with everything he writes just out of sheer hate for the cons? Cause it sure looks that way much of the time.
“Deal turning down the cash was stupid and pointless.”
That’s your opinion and there isn’t much factual basis to it. First of all we have to pay a lot of those federal dollars. This notion that these “federal dollars” are free is mindnumbingly stupid. And even if those federal dollars were free money the cost to the state in future years is not.
All I ask you to do is one thing Fred. Go google the initial projected costs of Medicare and Medicaid and then compare it to the eventual ACTUAL costs. At that point you will then understand why it simply will not be affordable. Besides as RB pointed out Obamacare solved the uninsurance problem. People are now required to buy insurance or pay a fine/tax.
“A grandstanding gesture that will cost more in the long run but it’s not his money so he doesn’t care.”
Again. Look at history sir. Look at the historical projected vs actual costs of Medicaid. You will then understand that accepting the Medicaid provision will cost us more in the long run.
Tom(Independent Viet Vet,USAF)
August 31st, 2012
12:31 pm
Ok I’ll admit it, Clint will not win any Academy Awards for last nite, but the DNC’s choices of PeeWee Herman or that Weiner guy from NY has got it’s own problems!
JamVet
August 31st, 2012
12:32 pm
And government isn’t the answer to everything.
True, just breathable air, drinkable water, land not too poisoned to walk on, public schools from K/1st through 12th grades, including buses, fire fighters, police protection from street and white collar criminals, roads and highways and associated safety measures, consumer safety and rights, employee protections at the workplace, veterans care and services, assistance for women and children in poverty, television and radio broadcasting for the public good, jails and prisons, courts, and our laws, the judiciary, legislative and executive responsibilities, and so on.
You know, all of that stuff that you Republicans hate and want to destroy. As in drown in a bathtub…
Ewrin's cat
August 31st, 2012
12:33 pm
Kam…make the call, please…this topic has no legs
LDH20
August 31st, 2012
12:34 pm
JamVet Well said!
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
12:34 pm
EC
If that ain’t the truth.
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:34 pm
Sorry Kamchak,
I don’t live here like so many others.
God Bless Jay on his travels and his sick relative–and any of you going to Dragoncon.
Thulsa Doom- pompous ass extraordinaire
August 31st, 2012
12:35 pm
There’s that good old Obook/bama logic: state spending means, (let me make sure I get his own words right) “a stronger state economy and better health care and longer lives for hundreds of thousands of Georgians”
You were not imagining things. They actually believe this crap that gubment spending in the way of transfer payments means a stronger economy. Just like they believed that crap from nancy pelosi that a transfer payment such as food stamps promotes economic growth. You can’t make this stuff up. They actually believe that crap.
JamVet
August 31st, 2012
12:35 pm
So apparently, Dirty Harry really sh*t the bed.
Even, none of the cons are reporting – certainly in in any cogent, detailed or specific way – about what Flip and Eddie had to say.
(As if those two had anything cogent, detailed or specific to say!)
Williebkind
August 31st, 2012
12:35 pm
Jm
August 31st, 2012
11:20 am
Those commentators
TBone
August 31st, 2012
12:37 pm
If you haven’t figured out that our esteemed governor has selfish tendencies and uses his position for his own benefit, you are not a very good “journalist” and I use that term very loosely. He’s a political hack but he’s our hack. No news here.
gtt
August 31st, 2012
12:37 pm
I agree with you, Jay. Also, this new story commenting is absolutely horrific. The Fort Stewart murder trial comments are a sewer of bigotry.
USMC
August 31st, 2012
12:37 pm
MSNBC: The Obama administration is now pivoting to JO(BS), JO(BS), JO(BS)!
Clint Eastwood
August 31st, 2012
12:37 pm
There is so much BS in these comments. This country is broke and still borrowing money. I think it is in Obama’s plan to run this county into the ground. He may be a trojen horse. You should go see 2016 Obama’s America.
blahblahblah
August 31st, 2012
12:39 pm
If I say “I’ll give you a dollar but you have to spend $1.25″, and you don’t have a quarter handy, why WOULDN’T you tell me to take a hike?
Tom(Independent Viet Vet,USAF)
August 31st, 2012
12:39 pm
Fred – Actually I am a tough guy at times, as most real men are. People that berate an 82 yr old man are wussies as far as I am concerned. Does that list include you?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2012
12:40 pm
Apparently the PA still has not learned the meaning of the word Hate….. even though he often expresses it in his posts himself.
Kam, what is this infatuation some have with DragonCon? …. sounds to me like they got a bad costume review when they attended. Heck, I have never attended but I used to work downtown when it was on and there were some unique and creative costumes. But I bet the same posters that deride it never attend a Halloween party or dress in some silly outfit to golf or attend a college football game. It’s just plain childish but typicall of the conned.
Trolls Bane
August 31st, 2012
12:41 pm
Why should this be a surprise? It is in line with Republican and Fundie ideology… which says, in a nutshell, poor people are to be blamed for their poverty …
Obambarrassment
August 31st, 2012
12:41 pm
JamVet 12:32,
Yes, we can do without the hate–most especially your projection of it. We can also do without the straw-man arguments, pretending ad nauseam that I believe something I don’t, that I’m arguing something I’m not.
Your list doesn’t justify spending one trillion more than we take in, nor selling the future of our children to the Chinese, nor cutting the military, nor forcing religious to violate their consciences, nor funding the killing of the unborn, nor crony-capitalist “investments” in solar energy, etc., inflating the dollar… I could go on.
Tell me JamVet (if as I assume you are ex-military), did you fight a real enemy when you were in the service, or did you make one up and fight him?
Brosephus™
August 31st, 2012
12:42 pm
If there were ever a sports analogy/story that fit our current political system, this is it….
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/kent-state-lb-nearly-scores-own-team-runs-013528226–ncaaf.html
A player picks up a muffed punt only 7 yards from the goal line and a touchdown. He proceeds to return it in the opposite direction that would give his opponents 2 points and possession of the ball. What does the opposing team do? They tackle him before he can return the punt all the way back to the wrong endzone.
If that ain’t the two party system we have here, I don’t know what is. It doesn’t matter which party represents which team. They both suck!!! (No pun or offense intended TBS)
Fred ™
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
Tom(Independent Viet Vet,USAF)
August 31st, 2012
12:39 pm
Fred – Actually I am a tough guy at times, as most real men are. People that berate an 82 yr old man are wussies as far as I am concerned. Does that list include you?
+++++++++++++++++++
As I told you yesterday tough boy when you were threatening Jamvet. I was in Gwinnett County yesterday and would be happy to meet you any time you want. I’m not afraid of internet tough boy’s. We can discuss anyone you want. Or you can come here, let me know, I’ll leave a light on tough boy.
Lions and tigers and bears oh my.
LOL yeah, I’m laughing AT you tough boy. And if you are 82 that only makes it better. Make sure you have a spare set of depends with you.
I’ll bet you have your wife and ALL the little girls in your trailer park scared of you………