Ralston as the next speaker, and Richardson’s farewell
I purposely didn’t name a favored candidate in the leadership elections that the House Republican caucus is holding today, because I simply haven’t spent enough time around each of them to form a solid opinion. I know some things about some of them, but preferred to make only broad comments about the races.
All that said, strictly on the merits of the speeches today by the nominees for speaker of the house, I would say the caucus got it right in choosing David Ralston.
The members ranked them just the way I would have based on their remarks: Ralston, then Larry O’Neal and Bill Hembree. All three spoke about the policy issues ahead and the need to get the party’s internal affairs (no pun intended) in order. I can only say that Ralston was most convincing.
On another note, Glenn Richardson’s appearance in the chamber and his speech came as a surprise. His farewell speech was, in a lot of ways, tough to watch.
Regardless of his own role in his personal and political destruction — and while the jury is out on whether he apologized for his personal or his political failings, he did say that he had asked God’s forgiveness, which I doubt he would have sought for losing on a property-tax bill — he clearly realizes that so much of what he’d spent his life building is now gone. He clearly is still at the beginning of a very long process of building something new — a new “reason to live,” which he said he had lost.
So it was tough to watch. And as he returns to being simply Glenn Richardson, private citizen, I can only wish him well.
(Whatever you think of him, please show a modicum of humanity in any comments you post.)
***
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37 comments Add your comment
Churchill's MOM
December 17th, 2009
2:30 pm
It is a good day for the Georgia Republican party, I may not go to my 1st Libertarian meeting after all. I don’t know much about Ralston but know too much about Sonny’s boy O’Neal. The legislature has a lot of hard work and hard decisions ahead of them, I hope Ralston is the man to do the job.
Chris Broe
December 17th, 2009
2:33 pm
Glenn Richardson is gone. He looked at home holding that gavel one last time. He was born to be the speaker.
Seems a shame.
F-105 Thunderchief
December 17th, 2009
2:33 pm
Glad they did not pick O’Neal, simply because of his record of under-the-table shenanigans. (The next person who says shenanigans is going to be pistol-whipped) Glenn Richardson was/is a bad man. I hope he will improve. Is that modicum enough?
Chris Broe
December 17th, 2009
2:35 pm
A forum should keep modicum of decorum. (Moe, 1939)
Chris Broe
December 17th, 2009
2:43 pm
Ralston’s remarks were mercifully brief. Lets enjoy xmas indeed!
Churchill's MOM
December 17th, 2009
2:44 pm
Rep. Jan Jones of Atlanta was elected Speaker Pro Tem. It’s a good day for Republican women now if we can just get Handel fo Governor. I better stop while I’m still in decorum.
*******Handel 2010********Panlin Mccain 2012***
David Axelfraud
December 17th, 2009
2:45 pm
Churchill’s MOM, Palin 2012 might be a reality and she just may damn well win.
Democrats are a sad mess right now.
sam
December 17th, 2009
2:46 pm
yeah, poor poor glenn. he was an egotistical bully right from the get go. a cry baby when he didnt get his way. sleeping with lobbyist while pushing a bill to make her client hundreds of millions of dollars, cheating on wife, apparently threatening her, etc….he made his bed now he can lay in it. i do hope he gets some help for his mental issues. but feel sorry for him? no way..he’s getting what he deserves privately and professionally.
David Axelfraud
December 17th, 2009
3:00 pm
Proof that liberals are all communists.
http://www.breitbart.tv/flag-waving-communists-socialists-march-in-copenhagen-to-stop-global-warming/
Hillbilly Deluxe
December 17th, 2009
3:29 pm
he was an egotistical bully right from the get go
As was Tom Murphy, too.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 17th, 2009
3:44 pm
Well, it all goes to show that if you stick your tallywacker in the wrong place, even accidently, somebody’s going to make you pay for it. I hate it that a godly Republican like Glenn Richardson needs to pay such a big price for such a little action, but I reckon that’s the way of the world.
Anyways, we know at least three wifes in GA are real happy today with their new jewelry and the promises of vacation trips and all that stuff for just promising to keep their mouth shut, and I hope the two losing canadates ain’t crazy enough to try and be indian-givers. We don’t need more scandal down there.
Now let’s get on with some neat tax breaks for the guvner and a few other people down at the statehouse. Time’s a-wasting.
dewstarpath
December 17th, 2009
4:24 pm
- Axelfraud –
Glad to know you don’t have multiple personalities.
or should I call you Smashsmeesha Bobeesha ?
Jefferson
December 17th, 2009
4:46 pm
These breitbart readers are so sheep like and all alike. May as well talk to the wall.
Jefferson
December 17th, 2009
4:52 pm
As far as a new speaker BFD — the state’s business is a train wreck. If the Feds didn’t come thru with all the handouts they wouldn’t make payday. What are they going to do different? NOTHING. If they educated the people, they would know better. So there it is.
Michael H. Smith
December 17th, 2009
6:11 pm
In reading a few comments made recently by Rep. Ralston it will be interesting to see if he follows through on his previous comments recently made regarding water and transportation. He is, or so it appears, aware that droughts are not anomalies in this state. We will have more in the future and can expect another major one within a generation or less.
Thankfully he seems unwilling to hang his hat – so to speak – on the courts for the answer, as has been the action for far too long from both sides of the political aisle in this state.
New reservoirs will certainly enhance water supplies provided they are built soon enough to capture enough water for storage before another server drought occurs. However, eventually if the area is to grow or even grow at a slower pace than previously, river and stream sustainability will remain a daunting task, as we can withhold only so much water from them for reservoirs . Long term, which cannot be overlooked for very long will mean turning to the only other sovereign source of water Georgia can claim – The Atlantic Ocean.
Fortunately, budget matters and water woes can work toward a mutual benefit where jobs will be created when reservoirs are built, which should pump money into the state treasury. Even the staunchest conservatives would have to agree this would be a worthwhile investment that returns a compounding yield to the taxpayers beyond the immediate economic kick-start from construction projects of a 2 to 5 year duration.
Hopefully the new speaker sees job creation in the forefront of solving these other long-standing issues. I’m tired of politicians who only see problems, cry about TOUGH DECISIONS and fail so pathetically to embrace them both for the opportunities they truly represent; which these politicians should capitalized upon for their own sakes, as well as for the sakes of the people they serve.
Still looking for a few good statesmen(generic terminology) to replace the self-serving politicians without a vision of what can be done, Kyle.
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 17th, 2009
7:02 pm
dewstarpath, what chu be talkin bout?
dewstarpath
December 17th, 2009
7:09 pm
Nice try.
jt
December 17th, 2009
7:56 pm
Another lawyer. Law school Lobotomy victim.
SOS. ……………….How disappointing.
Republicans= Losers=Democrats.
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 17th, 2009
8:36 pm
dewstarpath, you’z beez trippin’ boi!!!!!
dewstarpath
December 17th, 2009
8:40 pm
- Smashsmeesha Axelfraud –
What I be talkin’ bout ?
I be talkin’ bout the fact that Axelfraud’s post in this forum at
3:00 pm on Dec 17
comes two minutes after the post on Cynthia Tucker’s “prayer”
forum at
2:58 pm on Dec 17,
both of which happens to express the notion that “liberals are
all communists”, and directs them to the exact same site at
http://www.breitbart.tv
Smashsmeesha Axelfraud – none too careful, is ya ?
dewstarpath
December 17th, 2009
8:42 pm
- cue the “Florida Evans breakdown” for
Smashsmeesha Axelfraud –
“DAMN, DAMN, DAAAMN !!!”
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 17th, 2009
10:19 pm
dewstarpath, you’z be trippin’ yo!
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
6:55 am
Again, nice try, Axelfraud.
Beowulf
December 18th, 2009
8:14 am
I sometimes wonder if there really are only 5 commenters, and that they all use multiple aliases!
Glad to see a new leader for the house, Ralston seems to be a breath of fresh air. What is up with people whining that he is not from metro Atlanta? Georgians need to be standing together on current challenges, not reverting to the regional bickering that plagued the house for so many decades. Atlanta is the economic engine for the state, and the rural regions and smaller cities give the state its identity. I think it’s a pretty darn good state to live in myself!
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 18th, 2009
8:24 am
dewstarpath, you’z got sum problems girlfrien!
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
8:32 am
- Smashsmeesha Axelfraud –
I’m think Chris Broe was right. You are one of 5
posters that have conversations with themselves.
Maybe you can argue about it with “Peadawg”.
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
8:37 am
C. Broe – Dec 17 – 4:43 pm – Cynthia’s forum
Beowulf – Dec 18 – 8:14 am – This forum
I agree with both (about commenters w/ multiple aliases).
Sad, but true.
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
8:39 am
And I am all male, thank you.
Smashwhatever Axelfraud is the one with problems.
Beowulf
December 18th, 2009
9:28 am
I am NOT Chris Broe! Don’t know the man…or woman…whatever.
Be careful with linking by comments. Next you will be saying Cynthia Tucker and Bob Barr are one and the same too! The correlation coefficient is nil, my friend.
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
10:24 am
Beowulf – you misunderstood the post.
I was talking abut the points you AND Chris Broe
made regarding commenters. That’s why I said BOTH.
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 18th, 2009
10:25 am
dewstarpath, bless yer heart young lady!
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
10:28 am
Beowulf – Sorry if I wasn’t clear about the post.
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
10:30 am
Smashsmeesha – You think you can dig into your
female subconcious to find out what happened to Axelfraud –
since he (or she) hasn’t “chimed in” since you’ve been
posting ?
tb
December 18th, 2009
10:47 am
Why is it OK for Richardson and Possibly Burkhalter to wait til January 1st to resign only to add 1 year to their retirement and not other 30 year state employees not be able to include furlough time towards their retirement? Richardson and Burkhalter get a good deal, 1 day for 1 year and both get a state job. This is whats wrong with our State.
Beowulf
December 18th, 2009
11:51 am
tb, because there is a double standard for politicians. imo, lots of people who go into politics saying they are going to change the system wind up getting changed BY the system instead.
it is no more one party than the other, either, which is sad. it is about power – though why should they turn away the benefits? if they are going to change it, they should try right out of the pen. but the old timers usually will derail them quickly.
Smashsmeesha Bobeesha
December 18th, 2009
1:23 pm
dewstarpath, bless yer heart!
dewstarpath
December 18th, 2009
3:49 pm
Smashsmeesha Axelfraud – Give it up.