Is Georgia’s economic decline cause for action?
NOTE: This column has been updated with new state-level unemployment numbers for August, released at 10 a.m. by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Since 2002, median household income in Georgia has fallen by 14.4 percent. While the national unemployment rate has fallen to 8.1 percent, here in Georgia it stands at 9.2 percent, unchanged since January. It is significantly higher than in Alabama, Florida or Tennessee.
In fact, Georgia’s unemployment rate has now exceeded the national average every month for the last five years, a string of 61 months that shows no sign of ending soon.
And while I don’t have numbers to support it, the data cited above and anecdotal evidence suggest that ambitious, educated young Georgians are today being forced to look outside their state to pursue their dreams. We have long been a net importer of young talent to help drive the Georgia economy; there’s good reason to believe that we have now become a net exporter.
So it seems fair to ask: What’s the plan?
The trends are all in the wrong direction, and as a state and as a metropolitan area we are underperforming the nation and many of our peers. So where’s the plan to reverse those trends? Where’s the vision?
Ten years ago this fall, Sonny Perdue became the first Republican elected governor of this state since Reconstruction. In his eight years in office, he was content to act as a caretaker, more interested in leveraging his office into personal business success than in undertaking any major initiatives. The state Legislature and much of the state’s business community seemed perfectly content to follow his lack of leadership.
Gov. Nathan Deal, elected in 2010, has been more pro-active than Perdue and to his credit took a risk in backing the proposed transportation sales-tax referendum across the state. But since the defeat of that proposal Deal has all but washed his hands of the transportation crisis that continues to threaten economic development. Unless I’ve missed it, there is no sense of urgency, vision or direction coming out of the governor’s office. Like Perdue, he is perfectly comfortable trying to advance the economic interests of individual Georgians, such as the campaign contributor to whom he steered a $4.8 million grant to drill a well at state expense. But a more broad-based prosperity program is apparently not in the works.
Part of it is undoubtedly ideology. Deal, Perdue and their fellow Republicans distrust an activist government (although again, it is interesting to note the occasions in which they manage to set that distrust aside). That ideology also instructs them to put great faith in the power of repeated tax cuts and less aggressive enforcement of regulation to draw growth.
That philosophy has had its impact. Taxes are lower. Per student, inflation-adjusted state spending on education is down 14.8 percent since 2008, the seventh-biggest drop in the country. We have little money to spend on transportation, and the Ogeechee River suffered the biggest fishkill in state history last year, and state officials have yet to act decisively against the culprit.
But after almost a decade of talk about the economic nirvana such a strategy would produce in Georgia, it seems fair to ask: Is it working? Is it — dare we ask — actually counterproductive in a modern economy? And even if we set that politically volatile question aside, is it time for this state’s elected leadership to take an active role in trying to reverse its economic decline, or is the passive attitude of the last 10 years the best we can do?
– 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
512 comments Add your comment
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
9:13 am
It”s evident locally and nationally what the Republican agenda has done to the country. Remember their slogan in 2008? “Country First!” They must have meant some other country.
St Simons - (ab)original Georgian
September 21st, 2012
9:13 am
Georgia is hardly deep red on any electoral map,
51-47 is hardly hopeless or ‘decided’
Oh, they’re sweatin’ you betcha.
Why else would they be trying to restrict voting, circumvent the
state constitution, and keepin everybody dumb & backward –
“Per student, inflation-adjusted state spending on education is down
14.8 percent since 2008, the seventh-biggest drop in the country.”
you can tell by their behavior that they smell what’s cookin’
seabeau
September 21st, 2012
9:14 am
What about the nation’s decline! Remember,”Those on the DOLE, will Always Vote for the DOLE”!
Road Scholar
September 21st, 2012
9:14 am
Has anyone seen the “47%” broken down by type: retirees, military, white/black, income, etc?
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:14 am
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:03 am
Well if it means growing a certain crop that we really do not have to have and bring in thousands of undocumented workers the so be it. There are programs for the growers to bring in workers if the local people are on the government dole and dont want to work. Why should they work when they get housing, energy bills, food, and cash GIVEN to them. Really why would they want an education.
No Artificial Flavors
September 21st, 2012
9:15 am
As someone that has known the Governor for a long time and I do like him and respect him personally, I feel that as governor, he has looked out for the interest of his core friends, business partners, and major donors more than the state (cronyism, duh). He has placed unqualified people into top positions such as Board of Regents, Public Safety, port authority, etc. Just because a man is rich does not mean he is knowledgable in a high profile public position that requires a lots of institutional technical or expertise.
To that end, I’ve been disappointed in him as a governor of character. However, Handel and Oxendine were hardly proof of quality character either.
bman
September 21st, 2012
9:16 am
“It’s all Obama’s fault.”
Nope. Today, it’s the people of GA. Apparently, we’re all idiots lol
Moon Mullins
September 21st, 2012
9:16 am
If the governor, being the astute businessman that he is, feels like the Lake Lanier project is worthy of a $4.5 million investment from the state, I’ll have to go along with him — providing he co-signs.
Atlanta mom
September 21st, 2012
9:17 am
I can add anecdotal evidence suggesting “that ambitious, educated young Georgians are today being forced to look outside their state to pursue their dreams”
After the last legislative session I can’t imagine two of my daughters returning to Georgia when they finish their schooling. The third might stay, because the CDC is based here, otherwise, she too would be gone.
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:17 am
“Per student, inflation-adjusted state spending on education is down
14.8 percent since 2008, the seventh-biggest drop in the country.”
What students? College or high school students. Remember those in Chicago got a 7% pay raise and they make 74K already with benefits. Maybe you should move their and educate your kids with expensive teachers.
Tall
September 21st, 2012
9:17 am
The best thing to do would be nothing. Georgia has much more going for it than most of the other states. First, you have the port of Savannah. In the coming years, the U.S. will start to run trade surpluses again. Transportation and logistics is a key industrial strength of this country and Georgia will benefit from it. Second are the new technologies coming out of Georgia Tech. Venture capital has been almost invisible in metro Atlanta, but is starting a resurgence. More deals will attract more capital. Third, the oversupply of housing is starting to be worked off. This is an enormous drag on both the local and national economy. Read the pages of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, light manufacturing is starting to move into the state. The proximity to the port of Savannah will attract more over time. Unions don’t seem to have much of a presence in the private sector here.
The state – Southern Companies – does need to build more power generation facilities. There cannot be any uncertainty about the need to meet demand for electricity.
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:19 am
The unemployment rate in this state has been higher than the national average since July 2007. Thats over 5 years and 2 months.
And people blame the federal government?
Something isnt working.
Road Scholar
September 21st, 2012
9:19 am
I believe it was Clark Howard who said yesterday that the unemployment stats are a reflection of people out of work not having the job skills needed for today’s economy/jobs. I think he has something there. I wonder if all work hard also. But just working hard does not mean success if you are working hard at something nobody wants!
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
September 21st, 2012
9:20 am
Annie: Georgia will suffer economic decline so long as unthinking and selfish
citizens, and the politicianspoliticians and the not-so-smart people who pander to them, refuse to raise the revenue needed to support essential jobs and make the infrastructure improvements needed to attract private investment.Fixed it for ya!
Southpaw: More jobs” certainly has a nice ring to it. But is it really the responsibility of the state government to provide jobs? I’d better take another look at the state Constitution.
So it’s not the STATE’s responsibility to provide jobs, but it’s OBAMA’s (Federal) responsibility is that correct? I mean that’s what Romney said he’ll “hit” Obama with during this election, jobs, jobs, jobs.
Frog: Until that happens
you get the government
you deserve
Hiyah Frog!! You sound so cynical today! You usually have some points of optimism in your posts; but today……………..
Mr. _B: No Jay, You just don’t get it. We just haven’t cut taxes and education enough yet, or ditch enough worthless regulations. (We’ll probably get around to that as soon as we put the finishing touches on the next mandatory pregnancy bill.)
Too Funny!!
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:20 am
Tall
September 21st, 2012
9:17 am
Good points and an excellent post.
Welcome to the Occupation
September 21st, 2012
9:20 am
The state Legislature and much of the state’s business community seemed perfectly content to follow his lack of leadership
Nice.
Aquagirl
September 21st, 2012
9:22 am
why dont you count the minorities in Ga. find what percentage is on the government dole and see if 47% is actually a low number.
Well, there’s the problem…too many dark people. Thanks, Willieb. That’s some insightful analysis.
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:22 am
Ga. can forget about local companies staffing Industrial Construction jobs because there are no companies large enough to handle large Industrial Construction projects.
Two reasons. No union apprenticeships to train pipefitters, electricians, and iron workers and no large jobs to use for training. There are very few large Industrial Construction jobs because there are limited qualified craftsmen. Catch 22
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:23 am
If the governor, being the astute businessman that he is, feels like the Lake Lanier project is worthy of a $4.5 million investment from the state, I’ll have to go along with him — providing he co-signs.
Let’s hope not, or else the project, once the governor finds out he’s over his financially, will sell and self-finance the project himself, probably to that guy in California. You know, the one who has a bunch of pawn shops and porn shops.
I wonder what kind of interest rate the governor gave him.
Sagegirl
September 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Off topic, but Homer Simpson votes for Mitt!
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/homer-simpson-votes-mitt-romney-200602954–election.html
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Hey do you guys know Ga is having a bumper crop in peanuts. Yes the local economies are sure to feel a bump in income. I know it is not the CDC or Apple but it is what Ga does.
alittlecommonsense
September 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Jay – You are basically saying that our taxes are very low in Georgia and that isn’t helping make our economy better. Unfortunately, you are basing this on a faulty premise. Georgia is solidly mid-pack when compared to other states as far as tax rates.
Mid pack on sales taxes -
http://taxfoundation.org/article/ranking-state-and-local-sales-taxes-1
Higher than average business taxes -
http://taxfoundation.org/article/2012-state-business-tax-climate-index
Average at best overall -
http://www.money-zine.com/Financial-Planning/Tax-Shelter/Tax-Friendly-States/
Maybe we should actually try low taxes before we say they don’t work.
too little time
September 21st, 2012
9:24 am
There is a lot of hand wringing in this piece. We could take a look at th opposite end of the spectrum… California… a solidly blue state with one of the highest debt per capita and unemployment rates in the nation.
Taking a look at ALL states, those bluest of blue states have the highest per capita debt in the nation, and unemployment rates are all over the place. There is virtually no correlation between red/blue states and unemployment rates. Sorry, but the Georgia Republican bashing in this blog doesn’t pass the muster when looking at even simple comparisons to other states. Georgia, on the whole, is no better or worse than Democratic controlled states.
barking frog
September 21st, 2012
9:25 am
Debbie Do
I am optimistic that cynicism
is underrated. Petty Dukes
are overrated.
Fly-On-The-Wall
September 21st, 2012
9:25 am
Truly amazing the lack of leadership from Republicans in this state.
St Simons - (ab)original Georgian
September 21st, 2012
9:26 am
don’t fret Georgia. We here here before, and we’ll be here after.
51-47 – that’s called Hope
when the demographics flip 5 more percent, that’s called Change
GT
September 21st, 2012
9:26 am
When the Democrats had control of Georgia at least their was some impediment to the raw bone hatred and at least suggestions of misplace priority in the state. Now, with the Republican Party, they have a facilitator who turns a blind eye to all the destructive behavior inherit in the history and personality of this state.
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
9:27 am
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:17 am
Even before the strike Illinois ranked higher than Georgia in education. I don’t believe there is a correlation between teacher pay and results although I do think in all areas of employment higher pay usually leads to more contentment among the employed. I am a firm believer in the Charter school system but public education is still a must in this society we just need to do it better.
kayaker 71
September 21st, 2012
9:28 am
Wonder how fast GA’s unemployment rate will decline when Bozo loses his job. Wonder why those evil corporations all over the state are sitting on gazillions of dollars and not investing it in their business. Wonder why those same evil corporations are worried about their health care obligations to their employees under Bozocare. No one invests money into ANYTHING when economic uncertainty is so prevalent. Business has to find a good solid chance of improving where they are if they spend any of their money, and, in this climate, they will continue to do nothing until some sanity appears on the economic horizon.
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:28 am
“Truly amazing the lack of leadership from Republicans in this state.”
Yeah, those liberal democrats are doing a heck of job are they not? We had to stop the economy so we could get gay marriage on the books. Yep democrat leaders never digress from the real problems.
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
9:29 am
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:22 am
That might explain the large numbers of undocumented workers during Georgia’s housing boom.
JamVet
September 21st, 2012
9:29 am
Look at out con bloggers here.
Is it any wonder that the people they elect are also incompetent, immoral, lazy mental midgets?
Welcome to Georgia. First in corruption, first in obesity, last in education.
Fly-On-The-Wall
September 21st, 2012
9:29 am
Somebody let me know when Jay posts a really good topic like abortion or welfare cause we all know that’s what is wrong with this country and if we just fix those things then god will bless us all with high paying jobs. //snarc//
Ivan
September 21st, 2012
9:31 am
“Georgia is a red state!
…yeah, the GOPer won by a whopping 5.2 percent margin in 2008.
It’ll be red fo-evah. fo-shizzle.”
It takes skill to write something, and not have a point.
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:31 am
“although I do think in all areas of employment higher pay usually leads to more contentment among the employed.”
I can say Amen to that!
Fly-On-The-Wall
September 21st, 2012
9:32 am
Williebkind – yes as a matter of fact those Democratics did do a lot better.
G Mare
September 21st, 2012
9:33 am
Enter your comments here
yuzeyurbrane
September 21st, 2012
9:34 am
Jay, your article is too well reasoned to be considered by Governor Deal and the Tea Party group to whom he panders. And the business leaders are not of the Ivan Allen caliber anymore. So the state meanders on with the take 2 tax cuts and call me in the morning philosophy. Only a dunce would not see that the policies in place do not work to promote Georgia’s prosperity. I guess we have a lot of dunces here.
Jay
September 21st, 2012
9:34 am
Most recent data I could find on state and local per capita tax burden: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=513
Bottom line?
National average: $4,141
Georgia: $3,206
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
September 21st, 2012
9:34 am
Steve: How much of the education spending decline was at the County level? Counties were/are broke.
The state gets a stipend from the government every year, who then in turn, disseminate the money down to the county levels. The state has been “witch hunting” counties for a long time now and making up excuses to not given the counties their fair share.
JKL2 : -So it seems fair to ask: What’s the plan?
Obama says,”What?”
Democrats don’t do “plans”. I guess it is only a concern if you have an (R) behind your name…
I KNEW it! Your republican governor doesn’t do his job? It’s OBama’s fault!! Your republican state senators don’t do their jobs? It’s Obama’s fault!! Your republican state congress doesn’t do their job? Say it with me boys and girls, “It’s OBAMA’s FAULT!!” Classic!
St Simons - (ab)original Georgian
September 21st, 2012
9:35 am
Here’s what we decided –
Make a choice. Stay Here. Flip Georgia & run the carpetbaggers off.
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:36 am
Ivan
September 21st, 2012
9:31 am
Reagin said liberals sure got a lot to say about nothing. However they can write it eloquently. That is education in their eyes.
DannyX
September 21st, 2012
9:36 am
“California added 365,100 nonfarm jobs in the year ending in July, a 2.6 percent increase and the state’s largest 12-month gain since 2000. That beats every other state, including Texas, which added 222,500 jobs over the past year.”
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-06/californias-job-growth-outpaces-texass
barking frog
September 21st, 2012
9:36 am
Georgia politicians are
evidence that abortion
has been severely underutilized.
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
9:37 am
DebbieDoRight – A Do Right Woman
September 21st, 2012
9:34 am
Maybe we can get Jay to set that to music and we can use it as our weekend travelin tunes.
godless heathen
September 21st, 2012
9:37 am
And we all know that levying $60 million in fines against King America for the Ogeechee Fish kill would have created thousands of jobs.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
9:38 am
I think the reason we are worse off than the neighboring states is because in the great recession Atlanta got hit especially hard in terms of tech job and IT losses. Being the regional technology center I’ve read a few times that we took it harder than our neighbors because of these technology job losses.
As for the specific man whose company knowingly poisoned the river well what can I say. He just needs a good ole fashioned ass whupping. Either that or we need to trap a black bear that drinks from that river and put this jackass in a cage with Mr. Black Bear. Let Mr. Bear learn him a lesson or 2 about poisoning our rivers.
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:39 am
willie – there are plenty of house builders around Ga. I`m talking about Industrial Jobs workers. Nuke plants, auto plants, power plants etc.
I helped build the Northrop plant down in Perry years ago. We had to use subcontractors for other states because there were no Ga. companies large enough to handle that much work and the GA. skilled construction labor force has gotten worse.
GT
September 21st, 2012
9:39 am
kayaker 71 this state was circling the bowl long before the recession started. It is an example of what not to do in economics.
Romney certainly didn’t run Mass. like this and he was very successful in what he did. Wonder why?
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:40 am
“yes as a matter of fact those Democratics did do a lot better.”
Was that Democrats or liberal democrats? There was a difference in that party once upon a time. Now using Clinton’s train of thought, If fact is fact what facts are you referring to?
Don't Tread
September 21st, 2012
9:41 am
I’m surprised you refrained for 5 paragraphs before launching into the Republican-bashing.
It’s all Bush’s fault, of course
mississippi
September 21st, 2012
9:42 am
On a serious note, Georgia’s economy is (was) largely tied up in housing/development. The people in Atlanta’s burbs lived large off home equity loans and developers built homes and condos way beyond demand. We have dozens of rural banks going under because of all the bad loans they made for vacation homes in the sticks that nobody wants or can afford. When the housing bubble burst, these areas got hit the hardest. Under Barnes, the Democrats had passed a law that would have prevented a lot of the bad loans, but when Sonny boy came in, he and his got rid of it asap (we don’t want no stinkin’ rules). It will take awhile for there to be a recovery when your state was ground zero for the types of practices that caused the problem in the first place.
Not to fear, however, Nathan has an answer to the problem – give a lot of money to movie studios to make movies – that’ll help. Help the movie studios, that is.
Ben
September 21st, 2012
9:42 am
Do some research, you’ll find that once you hit a certain point, education funding is not correlate with education results. The system is the problem, and throwing more money at it just wastes money and avoids the cause of the problem.
Aquagirl
September 21st, 2012
9:43 am
Your republican governor doesn’t do his job? It’s OBama’s fault!!
How can anyone work with a marxist-socialist-kenyan hovering over their shoulder? We’re lucky the smart guys like Deal are even here, not holed up in their Randian hideaways waiting for everything to collapse without them.
Just think, in 2007 folks in the middle of nowhere would have been deprived of $800 fishing poles. We should be grateful for the smart business providers presence.
kayaker 71
September 21st, 2012
9:43 am
So, it appears that today Bozo and the gang seem to be content with the attacks in Libya being a “terrorist attack” and not a spontaneous demonstration tied to some anti-Islamic film. Susan Rice is some kind of visionary to discount the fact that the embassy was not secure, we didn’t have personnel there to help protect our embassy officials, the Libyans revealed the safe house that the Ambassador was using, thereby, contributing greatly to his death, the Muslim Brotherhood head of that country was no doubt, if not complicit, had prior knowledge of the attacks……. and all Bozo can do is soft peddle around the facts, finally admitting today that what happened was a terrorist attack aimed at taking out Americans. But we can’t, under any circumstances, hurt these delicate, caring misunderstood sons of Allah or what they call a “religion”. Bozo is not only an arrogant buffoon, but also qualifies for the milk toast empty suit of the week.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
9:43 am
godless heathen,
I’m not sure that the fines would do the job either although some kind of financial damages are without a doubt in order. I would hate to see the end result being people losing their jobs. But what I would like to see is the man or men who knowingly poisoned our river go to prison although I doubt a criminal case can be made against them. Makes my blood boil that someone would knowingly dump toxic chemicals into our river system.
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:44 am
This is hillarious………………. For all of you Fox viewers and Drudge lovers…………..
“Fox and Friends” got another report about President Obama wrong on Thursday.
Wednesday was Talk Like A Pirate Day, and Obama’s campaign tweeted a gag photo of him sitting down with a pirate. The picture was taken in 2009 for the White House Correspondents Dinner that year.
“Fox and Friends,” however, falsely reported that the photo was taken recently. The morning show showed the picture with the caption “TOO BUSY FOR ISRAEL: President finds time for pirate, Letterman.”
Co-host Steve Doocy said the picture showed “what President Obama has been up to,” adding that he made sure “he didn’t forget to mark International Talk Like A Pirate Day.” Later, Brian Kilmeade said, “This pirate got a sit-down in the Oval Office yesterday.”
Media Matters reported that the Drudge Report was first to post the pirate picture with the headline “But No Time For Netanyahu…” and surmised that “Fox and Friends” probably took after the site’s framing.
Later, the show acknowledged that it had gotten the timing wrong, tweeting:
fox & friends✔
@foxandfriends
The picture we aired this morning of the President & the pirate was from 2009
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:44 am
“the GA. skilled construction labor force has gotten worse”
I can agree with that! Reason? Take a look at our colleges and high schools. These institutions are in for the money and not education. They and parents tell their kids to get a degree and not a SKILL. We have so many graduating using the Georgia grants in liberal art degress and do not have the skills to pour water out of a boot. We need manufacturing and science not the big bang theory or the mating ritual of some frog in the desert.
Williebkind
September 21st, 2012
9:46 am
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:44 am
Did it take them two weeks or did they make excuses for the error?
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
9:47 am
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:39 am
Gotcha!
Ol' Timer
September 21st, 2012
9:48 am
“As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand,” so says ol’ Josh Billings and it seems he might have been reading over our shoulders at some of these bewildering and absolutely idiotic posts.
barking frog
September 21st, 2012
9:49 am
williebkind
“the mating ritual
of some frog in the desert.”
……….
you might be surprised how
important that is to some
of us..
Jay
September 21st, 2012
9:49 am
BTW, the BLS will release new state-level unemployment numbers at 10 a.m., and I’ll update the numbers above to reflect that.
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
September 21st, 2012
9:49 am
More and more republican apologists – It’s Obama’s Fault Redux:
Georgia’s decline mirrors the country. Bush might have drove the car in the ditch as Obama likes to say. Obama took over the car and took it to the salvage yard and had it crushed. You only need to look as far as the cast of Characters that Obama has put around himself to know that we were not in for a recover
And………..
Obama’s frantic equivocating and dodging and weaving to talk about anything but the economy is a tacit admission that all is not well on the recession/depression trajectory
And one more………………..
You elect someone to the office of POTUS who has NO executive experience of any sort to speak of and this economy is what you get.
IOW^^^^ – Say it with me boys and girls, “It’s Obama’s Fault that Georgia sucks!!!
Classic!
John Konop
September 21st, 2012
9:52 am
Jay,
Before the crash, I explained to you years ago that the growth was based on irrational lending, and people on a macro were living on their houses like an ATM machine ie selling and or refinancing. We have had flat wages since about the 70’s and this would create a crash via the above.. At the time you laughed and thought I was ‘chicken little”. Georgia was one on the biggest abusers of the above economics.
The way out of this is fairly simple. One until the over built inventory in Georgia on a macro depletes we will not see any major growth ie lack of building. Two, we must focus on our best industries in Georgia ie bio meds, technology, financial services as well as attract other businesses. Three, we must improve infrastructure, the better movement of goods and people creates economic growth. Forth we must re-tool the education system to help fill the 4 million vocational jobs now open, btw will create more jobs via their spending when we fill the jobs ie kill NCLB teach to the test 4 year college prep or you are out system. Finally we must enforce trade agreement violations that drive down wages for Americans.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
9:52 am
Larry,
The pirate thing may be wrong but there’s no doubt that Obama apparently has more time for fundraisers, Jayzee and Beyonce, David Letterman, and radio shows called “the Pimp with the Limp” then he does for dealing with Netanyahu.
And btw has the administration gotten their story straight on whether the 4 Americans in Libya were killed in a calculated terrorist attack or whether it was the result of a spontaneous mob? You would think that after 9 days that they would get it right and quit contradicting themselves.
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:52 am
Did it take them two weeks or did they make excuses for the error?
It used too. It just goes to show that they will fall for anything to make the president look bad.
skydog
September 21st, 2012
9:53 am
…kinda partial to frogs are you? I like them legs myself.
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
September 21st, 2012
9:55 am
stands: Sigh. That guy who held up the sign at those Occupy protests that read “Sh-t is F-cked Up and Bullsh-t”? I am starting to think he was a bit of an optimist.)
Signs? You want signs? This little gem was given to me last night by Kam. Made me laugh so hard!! AND as an added bonus, made me sleep really good too!
http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2012/09/20/too-failed-to-bail/#comment-110760
Enjoy.
kayaker 71
September 21st, 2012
9:57 am
larry, 9:44,
If the point was that the president didn’t have time for Bebe, there are some other Letterman photos that could have been run. Also, we might try ones of the View or the Voice, whatever, and then there’s always the fund raiser with that racist black rapper and his wife. When the tanks roll across the desert toward Iran, Bozo is going to have to take sides…… make a decision….. get his finger out of his mouth, you know….. grow a pair. And all of the “love” that he has cultivated with all of them sons of Allah will fly right out the window.
mississippi
September 21st, 2012
9:57 am
Thulsa and kayakkker, did you guys help Mitt slather on the brown makeup he wore for his appearance to speak to the Hispanic audience?
larry
September 21st, 2012
9:58 am
State Dept spokesperson and Jake Carney saying ‘we don’t have all the info yet. We won’t speculate. We know there were demonstrations and people are upset about the video but we have not yet verified the other information.”
I guess you want them to jump to conclusions than to take the time and make sure they get it right.
Partisay
September 21st, 2012
9:59 am
Meanwhile, on the biased news watch….
The picture depicted Obama sitting in the Oval Office with a man in a colorful pirate outfit, complete with a red hat, eye patch and hook for a right arm. It was taken as a punch line for a joke Obama delivered to the White House Correspondents Association dinner in 2009.
The picture resurfaced Wednesday. Over an on-screen graphic that said “Arrrgh You Kidding?”, Fox ran the picture Thursday morning with host Brian Kilmeade saying, “The White House doesn’t have the time to meet with the prime minister of Israel, but this pirate got a sit-down in the Oval Office yesterday.”
Later, with “yo-ho-ho” music in the background, Fox showed the picture as its “Shot of the Morning,” with host Steve Doocy saying, “Here’s a quick look at what President Obama is up to, making sure he didn’t forget to mark International Talk Like a Pirate Day.”
After the show ended, the “Fox & Friends” Twitter feed noted that the pirate picture was from 2009.
Doocy also tweeted: “By the way, our picture of the president with the pirate was from 2009. How time flies!”
So……are they so inept that they didn’t know the picture was from 2009? Or is it they are so biased and dishonest they intentionally wanted their audience to believe that this was what the President was doing “yesterday.”
How about it cons….which is it.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
9:59 am
“It’s Obama’s Fault that Georgia sucks!!!
Naw. Not completely. I guess we can give some credit to Deal and that we should also give some credit to the Dems who run the state’s economic engine- Atlanta.
Partisay
September 21st, 2012
10:00 am
Larry…you beat me to the punch!
JamVet
September 21st, 2012
10:01 am
So, it appears that today Flip and the gang seem to be content with labeling our American embassy personnel as sympathizers with those who attacked them…
Unfit to lead.
ITS ALL BUSHS FAULT
September 21st, 2012
10:01 am
ITS ALL THE TEA PARTIES FAULT
ITS ALL BUSHS FAULT
September 21st, 2012
10:02 am
You cant fix stoopid!
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 21st, 2012
10:02 am
.
Home
News
Sports
Entertainment
Travel
Business
Lifestyle
Obituaries
Homes
Jobs
Cars
Classifieds
Shopping
.
.
Jay Bookman:
“Is Georgia’s economic decline cause for action?”
YEP – WE NEED A NEW PRESIDENT.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
10:03 am
“Thulsa and kayakkker, did you guys help Mitt slather on the brown makeup he wore for his appearance to speak to the Hispanic audience?”
No. He just borrowed the makeup from the local traveling Democratic clownshow. They had lots of clowns with plenty of extra makeup.
larry
September 21st, 2012
10:03 am
Yep, we sure can blame Atlanta for the over 10% unemployment rate here in this rural county in NE Georgia.
Yep, its Atlanta’s fault. Why we even saw Mayor Reed up here himself , taking jobs out of this rural NE Georgia county.
Facepalm
MANGLER
September 21st, 2012
10:04 am
It’s hard to hear a clear voice coming from the GOP who scream out of both sides of their mouths;
one side saying the Gov’t needs to be smaller, more efficient, not become a Nanny State, isn’t responsible for job creation and needs to tax less,
and the other side that cries about laying off Gov’t workers, taking too long to get a license or upgrade infrastructure, reducing medicare and social security payments, and underperfoming job creation based tax policies.
Which do you want? A Government large enough to enforce and pay for it’s policies and services that you so desire, or a skeleton crew of disnefranchised workers with no power to enforce anything?
Partisay
September 21st, 2012
10:05 am
The pirate thing may be wrong …..
MAY have been wrong Thulsa? You can’t bring yourself to say that it WAS wrong? Just wonder which side you fall on…they were being flat-out dishonest by making their viewers think the pic was made “yesterday” or they were actully running the pic not knowing it was taken in 2009.
Which side you fall on Thulsa?
skydog
September 21st, 2012
10:05 am
Sister Sarah P. was orange last night on TV.
Are these folks skinny dipping in Tang?
Eating Cheetoos in bed?
Orange is the new sign of lying rather than your nose growing longer?
Woody
September 21st, 2012
10:05 am
Thank you, Jay! Thank you. Let’s keep asking the question: “Why is Georgia such a poor state?” And quit electing politicians who don’t have an answer to that.
Mighty Righty
September 21st, 2012
10:06 am
Since Jay likes the national unemployment numbers let’s use them. I understand that the “educated”, that is college graduates have an unemployment rate of a little over 4%. It is the minorities and the poor who suffer the most under the failed obama economic policy This is particularly true of african americans who are unemployed at a rate of some 14%.plus or minus. With the large minority population in Georgia it seems to me that Georgia’s over all rate is as good as the national average and maybe even better. .
barking frog
September 21st, 2012
10:06 am
Orange is the new pink.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
September 21st, 2012
10:07 am
Well, you got to look on the bright side. Right now I got a better edumacation by going thru the 5th grade three times than most of the high school graduates today. I sorta like all of a sudden being one of the brighter people in the state.
And speeding’s way down. The clogged roads make it awful hard for anybody to break the speed limit—except this Michael Turner on his way home from the strip club at 3 in the a.m. It’s about the only time he’s speedy; he spends most of his time on the football field tip-toeing up the back of one of his offensive linemen.
I’m pretty sure there’s other stuff we can pat ourselfs on the back for. It’s just that I’m out here humping it and trying to get you
drunksmusic lovers ready for tonight and I ain’t got time to do much thinking. Besides, I wouldn’t want to think so much I become a librul Democrat.Have a good Friday everybody and remember, things is looking up!
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
September 21st, 2012
10:07 am
Thulsa
I wouldn’t waste too much time on BiBi.
His poll numbers at home are in the 30’s and there appears to be an excellent chance that he’ll be forced to move up parliamentary elections from 2015 to early next year.
The meme in Israel currently Who is BiBi Try to depose?
Ahmadinejad Or Obama.
And I assume you read his statement on that released yesterday.
Remember, BiBi lost his job before for being a radical rightie
and he’s headed in that same direction now.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
10:07 am
“How about it cons….which is it.”
Seems clear to me. He had time for the pirate in 09 but not this year since he’s tied up with Beyonce, Jayzee, David Letterman, the view, and “The Pimp with the Limp”. Blackbeard is going to have to wait his turn again till the next go round- just like Bebe.
getalife
September 21st, 2012
10:07 am
ann tells the gop to stop it. It is hard.
I say bs.
Stop attacking our President.
Tell the truth.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 21st, 2012
10:08 am
“White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says deadly attack on US Consulate in Libya was an act of terror, but President Obama seems to backtrack, appearing to stick by story anti-Islam film is to blame.”
And NO WONDER the economy is bad !!!
getalife
September 21st, 2012
10:08 am
We don’t answer to Israel or any other country doomy.
Got it?
Partisay
September 21st, 2012
10:09 am
kayaker 71 – If the point was that the president didn’t have time for Bebe, there are some other Letterman photos that could have been run….
So…why didn’t they just run those then? Why be dishonest and run a 3 year old picture and say it was taken yesterday?
Looking forward to your answer…
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 21st, 2012
10:09 am
How is MARTA doing today ?
Erwin's cat
September 21st, 2012
10:09 am
rwcole – The state of GA has been at 48th or 49th in education for a long time now. We all knew this day was coming. Poorly educated students become poorly educated voters and lawmakers.
except GA is 7th nationally in quality of education while 38th in adjustment per-pupil expenditure…or we can continue to make up excuses that fit your narrative
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2012/jan/13/georgia-ranks-no-7-nation-new-education-report/
willie lynch
September 21st, 2012
10:10 am
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
9:52 am
How much time does President Obama need to give to Netanyahu? Every U.S. administration since Nixon has had to deal with this particularly odd “peace” process. It’s time to let other players participate in the moribund dance known as the Mid-East Peace Process.
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
September 21st, 2012
10:10 am
Why did the Romney campaign give out bonuses?
It’s not as though the staff has done a bang up job?
larry
September 21st, 2012
10:11 am
Which do you want? A Government large enough to enforce and pay for it’s policies and services that you so desire, or a skeleton crew of disnefranchised workers with no power to enforce anything?
The problem is they want a government large enough to enforce but they dont want to pay for its policies and services.
Thulsa Doom
September 21st, 2012
10:12 am
Granny Godzilla,
That would be a valid point except that this isn’t 2015. Its still 2012 and the middle east is a powder keg not just with the riots and embassy protests but also the seriousness of a looming showdown with Iran over nuclear weaponry. Considering that Israel is probably pondering an airstrike against Iran with or without U.S. help you would think the seriousness of that possibility would be enough to garner a sitdown between the 2 men. The fact that Obama doesn’t seem to think a possible Israeli airstrike and possible war with Iran doesn’t warrant that much attention speaks volumes about his judgment.