Your morning jolt: Paul Broun wants Iran’s president on a short NYC leash

When President Barack Obama addresses the General Assembly of the United Nations this morning, his audience will include Iran’s nuke-wanting, Holocaust-denying president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

And U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) can’t stand the idea of the man wandering around the streets of the Big Apple like some bearded Macaulay Culkin.

So in an unusual – for Broun – stab at bipartisanship, the Athens congressman has teamed with Democrat Dan Boren of Oklahoma to introduce legislation that would keep Ahmadinejad from wandering more than half-a-mile away from the U.N. At least on future visits.

Said Broun:

”Cleary, swift action should be taken to limit access to New York City for personnel from states that sponsor terrorism. By law, the United States is required to allow travel to the complex and its vicinity.

“However, I believe that half a mile is more than enough access for personnel from state sponsors of terrorism to obtain lodging, food, and other necessities.

“Our bill will reduce the current inconsistent or non-existent mileage restrictions and make it easier for our intelligence community to monitor these individuals.”

Ankle bracelets should be considered as well.

How consistently does Broun and his ideas annoy certain Democrats in his east Georgia district? They’re willing to raise money to defeat him, even without a candidate.

This from the Athens Banner-Herald:

The Athens chapter of Organizing for America, a grassroots Democratic group of former Barack Obama campaign volunteers, has started a fundraising political action committee to defeat U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens, in the 2010 midterm elections.
The PAC, called Pull the Plug on Paul Broun Jr., is headed by Russell Edwards, a University of Georgia law student and OFA organizer. Edwards, who is not running against Broun, said he started the PAC in response to Broun’s opposition to Democratic plans on health care reform.

Southern Voice is reporting that Vandy Beth Glenn, a transgender woman who sued leaders of the Georgia General Assembly in federal court after she was fired from her job as a writer/editor of legislation, will testify today before a U.S. House committee for the Employment Nondiscrimination Act.

.My AJC colleague Eric Stirgus today writes about the worries that Atlanta’s chief financial officer, Jim Glass, has about the promises being made in the race to replace Mayor Shirley Franklin.
Glass mentions no names, but takes exception to the phrase “Enron accounting” that Councilwoman Mary Norwood uses to describe city budget documents.
In fact, the letter probably should be addressed to voters. Here’s a brief excerpt from the missive:

”You should be extremely skeptical of any claims that the city can significantly increase spending over the next few years….

“I don’t see any real capacity for expanding local government in the short and medium term, and, in fact, anticipate that we will have to tighten our belts even more so in the coming years absent a new major source of revenue. I believe when we present the Five Year Plan in October everyone will see that in the current economic climate the city will be doing well just to continue its present level of operations.

“Most notably, any proposal to increase the public safety budget – no matter how well-intended –ignores certain fundamental realities. The city is revenue-constrained, and we will continue to face challenges absent any new sources of revenues in the future.

“So a proposal to increase any public-safety relating spending (whether for more officers or higher pay) can only be accomplished through significant cuts in other areas of the city’s operation. As I state repeatedly in budget presentations, those areas have already been reduced by 30 percent over the last two years, and I just don’t see our ability to further reduce those operations.”

While you ponder that, consider these items found while perusing this morning’s ajc.com:

Sewage plants swamped in Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett.

College Football Hall of Fame moving to Atlanta.

UGA board to discuss Florida game locale.

Former Atlanta developer charged with killing wife.

Dacula library may be spared, but there’s a catch.

Some opinion:

Cynthia Tucker wonders where compassion went in health care debate.

GOP succumbed to unchecked power.

Atlanta’s Mayor Franklin: Eight years of progress leaves city in good shape.

Parks, diversity need each other.

From elsewhere in Georgia:

ABC: GSU prof gets $1 million stimulus grant to study forest fire deployment.

And beyond:

WP: Obama to set higher bar for keeping state secrests.

NYT: White House considers strategy shift in Afghan war.

WSJ: Palin addresses Asian investors.

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