Tea party threat likely kills governor’s consolidation effort
In 1984, Gov. Joe Frank Harris asked Georgia voters for a change in state government that had been approved by the best minds in education.
Georgia needed a well-seasoned state school superintendent handpicked by the governor, a blue-ribbon panel had argued, not one elected in an expensive campaign ruled by chance, good hair and a snappy slogan.
The proposed constitutional amendment was the only one of 11 to fail that November. The youngish state senator who helped Harris push the ballot issue through the Legislature was Democrat Roy Barnes of Mableton.
Barnes, out to reclaim his old job as governor, is unlikely to make that mistake again. Nor will many other candidates seeking a place on this November’s ballot, despite Friday’s invitation from Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Our current governor, down to the last 27 days of his final legislative session, has proposed one of the most sweeping changes in state government since Jimmy Carter was turned loose in the Capitol.
Perdue has proposed making not only the state school superintendent an appointed position, but three others as well: The commissioners of labor, insurance, and agriculture. All are now elected via statewide votes — every four years, concurrent with the governor.
“It will ensure that agency heads are focused on good policy and not bogged down with the politics of running for re-election,” Perdue said.
There are only two things to say about the governor’s idea.
First, many at the Capitol quietly agree with his call for a Cabinet-style government, especially when it comes to the state’s divided approach to education.
Forty percent of the state’s $18 billion annual budget, largely under the control of the governor, goes toward the public school system. But it is the elected school superintendent who is in charge of implementing the policy that your tax dollars pay for.
Many would concede that, if you were to build a state from the ground up, the Perdue approach would make a sensible framework.
But those same people will tell you that it is unlikely to happen. Not in this economy, and not in this climate.
In fact, the governor’s proposed makeover may have died before the first official news release announced the support of the majority leaders of both the House and Senate.
Georgia’s tea party movement had already condemned it as something close to tyranny.
“The thought of centralizing more power into the hands of the governor scares me,” said Debbie Dooley of Gwinnett County, one of the angry faction’s organizers.
That Perdue would never benefit — if voters agree, the office of governor wouldn’t have the power of appointment until 2014 — matters not to Dooley. She promised that, should Georgia’s Republican governor pursue his idea, he will find tea party protesters not just outside his Capitol office, but marching outside his residence on West Paces Ferry Road.
The spectacle probably wouldn’t impress Perdue. But it might chill the two-thirds of the Legislature, especially Republicans, needed to place the issue on the November ballot. All 236 legislators in the Capitol are up for re-election this year.
Beyond any tea party outrage, there’s the fact that, over several decades, constitutional offices have become seen as the property of those most directly affected by their regulation. The 1984 school superintendent vote was defeated largely by opposition from schoolteachers.
Farmers in rural Georgia like to think they pick the agriculture commissioner — who for the past 41 years has been Democrat Tommy Irvin, now serving his final months. Irvin says an elected commissioner — bound by no term limit — brings a certain consistency to state government.
“We who’ve been here a long time have to hold [others] by the hand and guide them along,” Irvin said. An independent commissioner, the ag commissioner noted, also serves as a check on the governor.
And in fact, state School Superintendent Kathy Cox last month was quite blunt when telling lawmakers about the impact of Perdue’s proposed cuts to education. Cox, a former high school teacher seeking a third term, said she would oppose Perdue’s call for an appointed superintendent.
Republicans might have other reasons to think twice about putting Perdue’s rearrangement of state government on the November ballot — instead of some other pressing issue, such as transportation.
There is, of course, the matter of who would finance the argument. Perdue, from the leftovers of his own political action committee?
More important, an attempt to consolidate the powers of the executive branch in Georgia could easily turn into a referendum on Perdue’s two terms, at a time when Republicans will be eager to turn the page.
“Look at the people Perdue has already appointed. His appointments haven’t made government more efficient,” said House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter of Dublin, a candidate for governor.
Porter was in the House for that ‘84 vote to make the state school superintendent an appointed position. He voted against it.
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73 comments Add your comment
Garry Owen
February 6th, 2010
3:12 pm
Let the people elect the members of the Georgia Board of Education and let the Georgia State Board of Education appoint the superintendent. This is what all counties in Georgia were forced to do. What is good for the counties is good for the state. This si a constitutional amendment I could support!
Trusslady
February 6th, 2010
4:18 pm
Perdue came into power with the idea to run government like a business. He “selected” his commission for a new georgia and look where that got us. He’s outsourced virtually everything, which has proven to be way more expensive than had he re-organized government employees.
So yes, let’s let Perdue select other government office holders. He’s already destroyed this state so badly that I feel for the next governor.
Georgia off your Mind
February 6th, 2010
4:26 pm
Perhaps we would be better off if we let the commissioners appoint a governor.
Mitch
February 6th, 2010
5:00 pm
so the tea party idiots are against the voters voting on this? ah, nothing like the pursuit of liberty and freedom.
Mr. Grumpy
February 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
Perdue is megalomaniac.
Good Government
February 6th, 2010
6:29 pm
Couple of thoughts:
Scrap the idea to appoint the Ag, Insurance, and Labor Commissioner. If GA wants politics as normal, let them keep electing less than qualified people to those positions.
However, as for education, we should elect School Board Members by Congressional Districts and a Chairman statewide and they then do a search for a Superintendent. If we do that, GA might finally surpass being 48th in education.
However, at this point, most people know that the future of the south is in North Carolina and that GA’s best days are behind her.
Plus, why are we letting a bunch of misinformed tea party activists drive any agenda? What is this, the parade of the misfit toys?
Voltaire
February 6th, 2010
6:30 pm
Good suggestions are often laid to waste by the masses.
While this does put more power into the hands of the governor
I would hope that the Senate or House would have to approve
the appointments thus individuals would be able to pressure
that representative to vote against a bad appointment.
Bill Orvis White
February 6th, 2010
6:34 pm
We Tea Party Idiots are a major force these days. You will see a major bloodbath this November when Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Blanche Lincoln and several Democrats pack their bags after they lose bad. I cannot wait for them to lose so that WE get our country. God Bless, Bill
Keith
February 6th, 2010
6:44 pm
In theory I agree with electing statewide school board members by congressional district and having them elect the state superintendent, but the teacher groups would try (and possibly succeed) in controlling many of those seats. That would be bad for education.
Carter is a Fool
February 6th, 2010
6:56 pm
Governor GoFish should GoFish and leave the citizens of Georgia to recover from his policies of educational destruction. He can take that fool Cox with him. I will vote to fire her but as soon as she appears on the ballot.
Alton E. Drew
February 6th, 2010
7:02 pm
Why elect a governor if he is not being allowed to govern? Georgia’s governor cannot be called a chief executive if the final buck does not stop with him or her on public policy. He becomes just another administrator and the executive branch truly morphs into tiers of adminsitrators with no real head leading.
The premise that Georgia government becomes less representative because the governor appoints a cabinet is a weak one. Government in general should first be responsive. Government should be looking for optimal solutions and it can’t do so if it follows a smokestack formula for executing the laws and administering the policies of the state. Cabinet heads cannot be effective if they have to constantly worry about how representative they are on policy. They should focus on finding best solutions. If they can concentrate on policy making versus politics, the positive results will be favorable and deemed representative by the voting public.
Besides, Georgians like strong leadership. This proposal would strengthen it.
Alton Drew
The Alton Drew Group
http://www.altondrew.com
The Cynical White Boy
February 6th, 2010
7:37 pm
The cabinet style makes sense to me. Just give the Gov only the power of nomination and allow the Senate the power of appointment or rejection – just like the federal level.
Give those Dome boys some new power and they’ll vote it in.
I’d rather have a school supt that is bound to the gov and the senate than a school supt bound to the teacher unions and the local school boards.
As for Ag Comm, no Gov in their right mind would ever nominate anyone who isn’t a good ol boy in the eyes of the Farm Bureau crowd anyway.
As for Insurance Comm, the Insurance lobby has controlled that office forever, and always will, pass your little Constitutional Amendments, the Insurance boys will handle it just fine.
As for Labor Comm, why not abolish the position anyway. Name me one concrete, sound, vital…I said vital…role that position fulfills that can’t be done by another department.
Wounded Warrior
February 6th, 2010
9:39 pm
Sonny must think that he’s in the People Republic of Georgia. The DOT can’t count 1.2.3, and the test scores are still at the bottom of the nation. After the test has been all that’s been taught for the last 8 years, and still the bottom. Go Fish!!!
Robert Lilly
February 6th, 2010
10:07 pm
When is Karen Handel going to get a college education?
td
February 6th, 2010
10:16 pm
The governor has no control over the colleges and there is definitely no checks and balances in the Judiciary. Why are these not included?
Susan
February 6th, 2010
10:19 pm
As a life-long Georgia resident I thought I would not be surprised by anything our government did but this year is topping the rest. Imagine what a mess we would have if this governor had appointed more department heads that he already has? At least he is making mischief for the next governor and not for himself as he has already made a supreme mess of our state. When coupled with general assembly members who take time to vote (as reported on ABC’s Good Morning America today) to make it illegal to implant a computer chip in anyone’s brain without their consent we could be in a real mess. Does anyone have any idea how many people would give consent for such a surgery? Why is the General Assembly, many of whom are already missing a number of cogs in the head taking time to vote on this? Whatever they are being paid individually is more than they are worth collectively.
vuduchld
February 7th, 2010
12:59 am
If the citizens of Jawja have any sense, and most of them don’t, I wouldn’t let any of these nincompoops select a popsicle driver let anlone another state govmint flunkie. For eight years this so called keader and his Republican cohorts have slid the state into the near abyss. If you folks are stupid enough to keep electing idiots like this to office, please let the rest of the nation know first so we can divert federal tax dollars from your failed state to others who are more serious about moving forward. Not one more dime to this incompentent state and it’s people. If you idiots want state rights, go right ahead but not with our federal tax dollars!
Cw
February 7th, 2010
4:31 am
Two words for all statewide elected officials: TERM LIMITS
If it was good enough for a federal constitutional amendment, I say on a state level it would be a welcome change.
Stop Him, Someone
February 7th, 2010
5:33 am
He’s a new land baron with the 3 posh land deals he was awarded. In addition to being a man of high finances with his hushed-up bank loan apparantly also awarded. He as repeatedly attempted to reshape the DOT and its budget so that its his budget. Now he wants to put three other agencies under his thumb, most notably the education budget. Please go home to Reynolds Plantation and leave Georgians’ money alone.
Churchill's MOM
February 7th, 2010
6:46 am
Bill Orvis White
February 6th, 2010
6:34 pm
Who does the tea party expect to run against the socialist Senator Johnny Isakson (RINO,Ga)? He along with Saxby voted for TARP and Johnny wrote the $35 BILLION Housing Taxpayer Rippoff. Getting rid of Pelosi would be nice but we can’t vote against her, we can vote Johnny The Socialist out. Georgia deserves Conservative Repbulican Senators not the 2 Socialist we have.
Churchill's MOM
February 7th, 2010
6:49 am
I would be for it if we had someone worth voting for running for Governor. In my life time Lester Maddox has been the only HONEST governor. You might not like Lester’s policies but he left office a poor man not rich like all the other crooks.
David S
February 7th, 2010
7:07 am
If Perdue really wanted to eliminate the politics in the position, he would instead support abolishing all three. Georgia’s labor laws need to be abolished, not enforced by some government bureaucrat. Our insurance laws force businesses (and consumers) to buy 42 different mandated coverages that they may or may not want. As for agriculture, why do we need an agriculture commissioner when farmers know very well how to grow crops. Certification of weights and measures could easily be handled by multiple competing certification agencies and the state attorney general’s office should just be handling incidents of fraud.
The Tea Party folks are right to object to this consolidation of power. Government is the PROBLEM, never the solution.
If Perdue wants to leave a positive legacy for Georgia, he would do well to spend his remaining days working to dismantle the monster that is destroying the productive sector of this state’s economy.
Danny Huff
February 7th, 2010
7:55 am
I have read most of the comments but the one that gets to me most is from vuduchld.It seems to me that if you don’t like the great state of georgia then pack your things and I will assist making your dreams come true.By leaving and never come back.We are who we are and my friend you are nothing.
Danny Huff
February 7th, 2010
7:56 am
Great site and very informative
pete12
February 7th, 2010
8:01 am
quit trying to take my voting rts away Mr.Purdue I DO NOT WANT YOUR TOTALITARIAN GOVERMENT
pete12
February 7th, 2010
8:22 am
Why didint the tea party start while bush was in since he was the one that started giving out our tax payor money to wall- street and only cut taxes for the rich.In georgia they cut homestead expt for the poor. and gave tax breaks to wealthy land owners
william
February 7th, 2010
8:27 am
Give me a break. If this bill passes do you want a gov. “elected by chance, with good hair and a snappy slogan” appointing your sec. of etc. This pundit has absolutely no respect for the voters of Ga.
ole BD
February 7th, 2010
8:27 am
Ok let me get this right, current system: where the segmented groups barter agreement from each other to elect each other’s candidate *(ex. teachers get small farmers to join in to get both the candidates they want elected). Sounds a lot like what we do in so many elections now anyway huh? Can anyone spell shill?
Change to: elect one candidate for Governor in a free for all where one candidate MUST be able to reach the minds of most georgians, maybe even through much of the same backroom deals as the other option. Except we can hold this one accountable every four years and with term limits. Maybe even a captial SHILL.
I like the idea of term limits for any elected position. Set it for 2, 4 or 10 terms, whatever. it would be cheaper and cause less confusion, division and bickering among the voters these folks were “elected” (brokered is more like it) to serve. We may have a statewide election on something that is the standard in all but a handful of states (probably those with Education ratings just above ours) that we all know probably won’t pass because we want to control “MY Guy” in ag, ed, or labor. Set limits and be done with it. We should all be able to agree on that.
Mid Ga Retiree
February 7th, 2010
8:34 am
I don’t oppose the idea of a cabinet-like style of government. If the governor can appoint the heads of the Department of Revenue, Human Resources, Public Safety, DOT, Forestry, etc., then I think Dept. of Education, Insurance and Agriculture should also be appointed. I agree that a governor would be bombarded by the teacher social groups (they are not unions…if you don’t believe that, ask them, they’ll tell you) to appoint their favorite, as would the insurance industry and the Farm Bureau crowd. And too, if it were a lame-duck Democratic governor proposing this legislation, then probably the majority of posters to Political Insider would be all for it.
Karl Marx
February 7th, 2010
8:48 am
Once we (voters) abdicate the right to choose then the person in power can rename the offices. Let see the Czar of education, The Czar of Ag…. VOTE NO. Voters keep your right to choose.
Stand Watie
February 7th, 2010
8:48 am
Really……….would it really make any difference??
Cobb Teacher
February 7th, 2010
8:53 am
Sonny Perdue is a big fat idiot.
Jekyll Lover
February 7th, 2010
9:16 am
The people don’t always elect the best person. True enough. Then we see the fiasco of appointees on the Jekyll Island Authority Board, and we learn that Governors have less judgement than the people. Lets leave it to the people.
Tea Partier
February 7th, 2010
9:25 am
Just curious, how many of you posters that are in favor of the Governor’s plan work for or are associated with the Governor?
Gov. Perdue’s DOT Chairman really turned out good, huh? I think the voters could have made a much wiser choice. The governor gets to appoint 2,000 people to different boards and you want to give him more power?
Gov. Perdue has governed like a king/dictator, now he wants to consolidate power for future governors/GOP.
The people see through the poltical spin of, “We support giving the people the right to vote on this issue”. What a line of BS!! If they support the people’s right to vote, then why attempt to take away their right to vote for those positions? The supporters of this proposal are actually hoping Gov. Perdue will fund advertising supporting the change out of his Sonny PAC and the voters will not pay attention to the constitutional ammendment on the ballot and it will pass. Voters will know that if their representative votes to put this on the ballot, it is a vote for the proposal..
Rep. Ken and Sen. Heath actually insinuated that the voters don’t always make the best choices, that the Governor could do better. Yea, the voters definitely could have made better choices in those two races…Maybe the voters can make a better choice by voting those two clowns out of office this year.. Message to Sen. Rogers and Speaker Ralston – the voters don’t like being told they are stupid. Especially in light of some of Gov. Perdue’s appointments.. IE: DOT Chair…
Jim Jess
February 7th, 2010
10:06 am
Not so fast. Debbie Dooley does not speak for the entire Tea Party Movement in this state. She heads two organizations, but she has her own opinions like anyone else.
I am a member of the Board of Georgia Tea Party. We have discussed this issue but have not yet taken a position. So I am speaking for myself, not the organization.
I have corresponded with Debbie Dooley about this and we disagree. The Tea Party Movement is not monolithic on issues such as this. We are unified on a number of federal issues.
I support the Governor’s proposal 100%. And here’s why:
The framers of our Constitution applied a concept some have called the “short ballot.” In this system, the people elect legislators who establish policy and have the power to tax and spend. They elect a chief executive (president or governor) and the chief executive appoints the rest of the executive branch officials. The people’s liberty is secured because the senate (such as in the governor’s proposal) has the power to confirm executive branch appointments. That’s the way it works at the federal level and it has worked fairly well – with some exceptions – for more than 200 years.
If we apply the logic in the Tea Party Patriots press release, we should call for elections for the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, etc. at the federal level. The Founders understood that elections were needed to secure the consent of the governed in the legislative branch, which establishes policy and has the power to tax. (The President was not directly elected by popular vote in the original Constitution, and senators were chosen by state legislatures.)
Executive branch officials are not to ESTABLISH POLICY, they are to IMPLEMENT the policies enacted by the legislative branch.
The structure in Georgia has never made sense to me. The governor, the chief executive, is limited in his authority to manage the state budget and implement policy because he has to contend with a half-dozen “fiefdoms” in state government – each led by an elected official with his or her own agenda. It makes it difficult to have cohesive state policy and for a governor to accomplish things.
We have checks and balances in our system. The legislature has the power to pass a budget and the power of oversight. Besides, the governor’s appointments will have to survive a confirmation process. That sort of accountability was adequate for the founders and it’s just fine with me.
The other benefit to this reform is that having less elected officials forces the voters to focus on the most important offices on the ballot, those of their legislators and the chief executive. How many times have folks gone to the polls and been bewildered by the abundance of offices they have to vote for? The average person can barely keep up with all of these offices and races. With the exception of a chief executive, other executive branch officials should be appointed, not elected, because they are not supposed to be making substantive policy, they are simply implementing the laws.
It does not necessarily serve the best interests of the people to elect administrators, and an election process is not the best venue for determining if someone is a good administrator. Besides, these statewide offices seem to serve mostly as launching pads for gubernatorial races. I would rather see the governor hire professional administrators that focus on doing the work of the office, not campaigning for another one.
Constitutionally-limited government in this country SHOULD be based on the model of our republic. The Georgia model is more of a progressive-era hybrid in which some statewide executive offices (other than governor) are elected ones, but there is no good CONSTITUTIONAL reason for them to be so. The model in our federal Constitution should be emulated at the state level. I cannot think of a single sound constitutional reason as to why that would not be a good idea.
John Q. Public
February 7th, 2010
10:26 am
When Sonny privatized the State airplanes and lumped them into the new State Airport Authority, he out-sourced the operation contract to a big $$$ supporter who let him use a helicopter for free flying lessons. Nice pay-off for Lance, the new contract operator…bad for Georgia.
Winfield J. Abbe
February 7th, 2010
10:28 am
Remember in Washington D.C. when the mayor (wasn’t it Marion Barry?) was convicted of using drugs but reelected again by the “stupid” voters? This is democracy in action isn’t it? But if you replace an election with a secret backroom appointment of cronies how is that better? Just look at what the car dealers and liquor salesmen have done on the Board of Regents.
What we need in Georgia government are more elections and pubic initiatives, not less. What needs to be changed however, is minority rule.
As the law is presently written, if a single registered voter shows up at the polls and votes for a candidate or for a tax increase, that candidate is “elected” or the tax increase passes!. This is a perfect example of what is not majority rule. The voting law must be changed to demand that no one is elected or no tax increase passed unless a majority of the registered voters say so period. Let’s end this minority rule nonsense that makes it so easy to pass tax increases in Georgia.
Also, change the law to allow for citizen public initiatives to be placed on the ballot for public vote.
Georgia government is corrupt because it is not responsive to voters once they are elected to office and there are no practical ways for citizens to end corruption caused by secrecy and cronyism.
All elected officials should be limited to one term and if elected by only a tiny minority, that same minority is all that should be required to remove them immediately should the voters choose to do so.
Debbie Dooley
February 7th, 2010
10:39 am
Jim, you also stated in your email that the Governor should not be elected by the people either. You previously worked for Gov. Perdue as well, so I understand the perspective you have..
Georgia Tea Party Patriots represents organizers from tea party groups across Georgia, not just Cobb County . We are part of Tea Party Patriots and two of our founders are National Coordinators of Tea Party Patriots. We have been involved with the tea party movement since 2-2009 (Atlanta Tea Party) and bought you the tea parties at the Captiol on 2-27-09, 4-15-2009 and 11-02. We will bring you tea parties at the Capitol on 2-27-2010 and our April 15, 2010 tea party at the Capitol will be one of 5 regional tea parties held throughout the U.S. I did not state my opinion, it was the opinion of tea party organizers throughout Georgia… There are other groups that are joining us in opposing this proposal and also members of the legislature. Almost all the candidates for statewide office have spoken out against this proposal. U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson spoke out against the proposal yesterday.
Our founding fathers had enough foresight to put in mechanisms to ammend the model of the republic if there was a need to do so. They did find the need to do so as our country grew.
Concerned Citizen
February 7th, 2010
10:43 am
Since the age of 18 I have followed politics in Ga . Perdue has been the most out of touch Governor in all of those years . I am 70 years old . The idea of His to let the Governor appoint all of these Department heads is the final straw in the Governors ill run term in office . These people want to get in office and run rampant over the average citizens with their autocratic decisions caring little for what the people want . Over the years I will note that the Party of Purdue’s wants to cater to the big business folks and to hell with the average folks in Ga . People I encourage you as individuals to let your Representatives & Senators know how you feel about this and other matters . Me personally this is another power grab by a Governor and his cohorts to place rule over people without any recourse . Look at what has happened to the Department of Transportation ,what a mess by the Perdue Adminstration . Folks You better wake up before its too late .
Georgia Voter's First
February 7th, 2010
11:53 am
Jim – I would hope you do not speak for the Cobb Tea Party – aka The Georgia Tea Party. I know some people involved with that goup in Cobb who are appauled at Perdue’s attempt to take power from the voters on these seats.
Comparing the Executive Brach of the United States Government to the Executive Branch of a State Government, and basing your approval of the Governor’s attempt on what the federal government does, shows how out of touch you are with the tea party movement, and quite frankly, with the intentions of our founding fathers.
All powers not granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution arre granted to the individual States. The purpose of the federal Executive Branch appointing these positions is because the President is Commander-in-Chief, and Chief Diplomat. He is in charge of our country’s security, and the federal govenment coins money, so it makes sense for him to appoint a Sec. of Defense, Secretary of State, Treasury Secretary, etc.
The United States Constitution does not dictate to states how to run their state governments, because the 10th Amendment grants states the right to structure as they see fit. Our State chose to give the power to the voters for these positions, and now you agree with amending our State Constitution to take that from the voters. Had it been structured this way from the beginning, it would be a different story, but it was not, and amending the constitution to centralize this pwer is bad for Georgians.
You should not be practicing arm-chair constitutional law. Get educated, Mr. Jess, and stop trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes about your real motive as a former Perdue employee and loyalist.
referendum?
February 7th, 2010
1:48 pm
“the 10th Amendment grants states the right to structure as they see fit”
so, let’s put it to a vote. or do the tea partiers actually fear the voice of the people?
founding fathers
February 7th, 2010
2:20 pm
i love the constant inferences we hear about the founding fathers. do any of you actually know much about the founding fathers:
Thomas Jefferson – he was a deist. he thought jesus to be a philosopher and did not believe in miracles or any supernatural occurences. Read his book, “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth”. You’d be surprised to learn exactly what this founding father believed about religion.
Benjamin Franklin – had an illegitimate son William, who was a british loyalist and became governor of New Jersey. Benjamin also was an infamous womanizer and reportedly died of syphillis.
President George Washington would bow to guests at presidential receptions to avoid physical contact and the tradition lasted through the presidency of John Adams. (Obama anyone?)
Alexander Hamilton, the proponent of the first National Bank, was an adulterer, and was blackmailed for years because of it.
Most of these guys owned slaves, and did not vote to let their wives or daughters vote.
The constitution they wrote, while long-lasting, and excellent – has endured 27 amendments so far.
What I’m telling you is that these people weren’t perfect… they weren’t saints, all-knowing, or clairvoyant. They put a good governmental structure in place, but blindly following them and touting them as perfect is fallacious at best.
Tea party patriot
February 7th, 2010
2:44 pm
referendum? , which of Gov. Perdue’s staffers are you?
Why waste tax payer money? What’s the matter, ping pong Perdue want to use some of his PAC money?
You can spin it all you want to, but there are more pressing issues to be addressed on the ballot. Yet, the Governor thinks grabbing power away from the people and creating a kingdom for future governors of this state is more pressing than transportation and other major issues.
A vote for this proposal is telling voters that you don’t think they are qualified to elect those constitutional officers…
I guess since Perdue is leaving office, he is reverting back to being a Democrat. Wait again, he never really changed his Democrat ideology…
Let’s make this a referendum on Sonny Perdue….
Tea party patriot
February 7th, 2010
3:12 pm
It has not escaped the attention of tea party organizers that Gov. Perdue’s goons are trashing the tea party movement and tea partiers. Is Sonny now declaring war on tea parties?
Maybe we should show Gov. Perdue’s party what we think of that by showing our wrath in November or by just starting a third party…
rightofcenter
February 7th, 2010
4:33 pm
Tea party patriot,
Yes, that’s a great idea. Start a third party! Now, who is the secret Democrat again? Must be you.
Base
February 7th, 2010
4:48 pm
No to the Sonny power grab and let the people vote.
Moved on up
February 7th, 2010
5:57 pm
Well VuDuDu why the f*#k don’t you leave this “STUPID” state go somewhere that you are more suited to live and work like maybe Haiti or even Iran. We can get along with out you just fine here. Idiot
tc
February 7th, 2010
6:36 pm
if tea party has confidence in the palins of the world…did you see her pathetic performance on chris wallace show….they are not going to be taken seriously, especially that nutjob who dressed like a colonial from brunswick
John Q. Public
February 7th, 2010
7:12 pm
The Tea Party is a big joke…just a bunch of losers and whiners and con artists.
Georgia Voter's First
February 7th, 2010
7:31 pm
Tea Party Patriot – We won’t be starting a third party. We just need to make sure real fiscal conservatives win the ticket. Third parties are divisive, and they only serve to split conservatives, and usher liberals into office. Sonny is not a conservative anyway. I don’t think he speaks for the Georgia GOP these days. As far as his people trashing tea partiers…who cares? Obama, Pelosi, and Reed do it all the time. We are used to Democrats (or former ones) trashing us. We have thick skin.
tc – The tea party convention in Nashville was put on by a man from Tennessee named Judson Phillips, and he had no prior connection to the Tea Party movement. Most of the Tea Party movement throughout the country refused to participate in this event, because Tea Party Nation is not a grassroots organization, but a for profit venture, and charged huge prices for people to attend the event and to see Sarah Palin.
The Tea Party movement is a grassroots movement and most cannot afford to pay large amounts to attend a convention. Our national event took place on September 12th in Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington, not the small showing of people being taken advantage of in Tennessee. And, no, Sarah Palin is not the voice of Tea Party movement.