Archive for October, 2010

Tea party enthusiasts are livid over a ruling by Secretary of State Brian Kemp that shirts, hats and buttons with tea party logos won’t be allowed in polling places on Tuesday.

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The loose organization claims to be nonpartisan, but its endorsements in several races are mostly Republicans and Libertarians.

James Groce, head of the Walker County Tea Party, said he was kicked out of a Chickamauga voting precinct last week for wearing a Walker County Tea Party shirt.

He said he was allowed to vote after calling the elections office and threatening to call U.S. marshals. He said the shirt does not promote any candidate or party affiliation.

“I said, ‘Where do you see Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Independent on my T-shirt?’” Groce said. “If you’re being told that you need to go change clothes before you vote … that is a violation of civil rights.”

Walker County Elections Supervisor Barbara Berry said that, when she first called the …

Continue reading Your Sunday jolt: Tea party shirts, hats, buttons barred from Georgia voting sites »

I’m back from this afternoon’s Channel 2 Action News debate.

My questions: The tea party petition, Republican Nathan Deal’s personal finances, and Democrat Roy Barnes’ redistricting history.

But the real action may have been in the mailbox last home. What may be the last physical word from both candidates in the race for governor arrived at the homes of tens of thousands of Georgians on Saturday.

It boils down to this final argument from the candidates: Barack Obama versus rape.

The Republican mailer comes courtesy of the state GOP and features yet another photograph that pairs the president with Barnes. See it here. The mailer boosts the entire ticket.

It includes a nice mug shot of former Secretary of State Karen Handel and the following: “Elections have consequences for years and generations to come – none more so than this one. I urge you to join me in voting for the Republican ticket on November 2nd.”

Barnes continues to push the issue of the rape shield …

Continue reading A final word from the mailbox: Barack Obama v. rapists »

Exactly what will happen in Georgia on Tuesday is still locked inside someone else’s crystal ball. Not mine.

A governor’s race may or may not be resolved. At least two members of Congress may or may not fall.

But one thing is certain: In a couple of days, in ballroom after ballroom across the country, tea partyists and Republicans will wrap their arms around each other in celebration and declare themselves family.

This is how all the very best feuds start.

For the last 18 months, participants in the tea party movement have insisted that they are something other than an auxiliary of the GOP. And with Republican control of at least half of Congress all but certain, the last few days have produced signs that many tea partyists actually believe that they are indeed something different.

Julianne Thompson, an Atlanta Tea Part organizer. Josh D. Weiss/Special

Former U.S. House majority leader Dick Armey of Texas is chairman of FreedomWorks, the Washington-based group that has …

Continue reading New best friends — the GOP and tea parties — are about to clash over ethics in Georgia »

Libertarian blogger Jason Pye brought this history lesson to our attention:

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading The negative ads of our Founding Fathers »

Tom Crawford has posted this at the Georgia Report:

The Republican Governors Association has become the biggest independent spender by far in the governor’s race, pumping more than $5.4 million into the campaign to support former congressman Nathan Deal.

In its disclosure report filed Tuesday, the RGA said it has spent $5,416,530 in Georgia to produce and buy air time for attack ads aimed at former governor Roy Barnes, the Democratic nominee. The money has been channeled through a shell campaign fund, RGA Georgia 2010 PAC.

By the time the ballots are counted on Tuesday, the RGA may well have spent more than $6 million in its efforts to beat Barnes. If there’s a runoff between Deal and Barnes, the RGA could conceivably end up spending as much as $7 million or $8 million on the governor’s race.

The RGA has spent almost as much as Deal reported raising in his last disclosure report for the period ending Sept. 30, which was $6.29 million.

RGA money has more than erased any …

Continue reading Georgia Report: RGA spends $5.4 million to beat Roy Barnes »

Supporters of Amendment 2, which would levy a $10 car tag fee to finance an $18 million-a-year statewide trauma network, say they have internal polling that now shows a majority of Georgia voters in favor of the measure on Tuesday’s ballot.

Jane Langley, spokeswoman for Yes 2 Save Lives, said polling of 500 registered voters statewide produced the following results:

– Yes, 52 percent — up from 48 percent last week;

– No, 37 percent – down from 45 percent last week;

The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies. MOE is +/- 4 percentage points.

Yes 2 Save Lives, financed by the states business and medical communities, has blanketed the state with some powerful 30-second TV spots.

But it hopes to seal the deal with a 60-second radio ad that touts support from two candidates for governor: Democrat Roy Barnes and Republican Nathan Deal.

Here’s the script:

Female narrator: You don’t find candidates agreeing on much these days.

Male narrator: But we have a Republican, …

Continue reading Trauma network supporters tout backing from Nathan Deal, Roy Barnes »

Former Atlanta city councilwoman and mayoral candidate Mary Norwood, denied a place on Tuesday ballot as an independent, has come out for Republican Steve Broadbent in his challenge to Democratic incumbent John Eaves for chairmanship of the Fulton County Commission.

If there’s a huge GOP turnout on Tuesday, this is one of the races that could turn at the high-water mark. She doesn’t mention Broadbent’s party affiliation in her robo-call:

”This is Mary Norwood, calling to respectfully ask for your support for Steve Broadbent to be the chair of Fulton County. I believe that Steve will do what is best for the future of Fulton County, and Steve will protect the interests of all Fulton County citizens.

“Steve is a leader that understands Fulton County government must be reformed, and that we must take the lead in ensuring that reform. Again, this is Mary Norwood, asking for your consideration to vote for Steve Broadbent for Fulton County chair.”

What you may not know: …

Continue reading Mary Norwood sides with Steve Broadbent in Fulton chairmanship race »

Two attorneys, one from Decatur, on Thursday reported coming home to find the following unlikely robo-call on their answering machines:

“Georgia progressives have a chance to protect the rights of workers by voting yes on Amendment 1. Amendment 1 will give workers protection from being forced to sign unfair employment agreements at the workplace.

“Please take the time to vote yes on Amendment 1 at the end of your ballot. This message has been provided by the working Georgians at Jobs of Tomorrow. And we urge you to vote yes on Amendment 1.”

What’s unusual is that Amendment 1, despite its vague language, is designed to help strengthen the reach of employment contracts. To a degree that some say is unfair – especially in the current economy.

Jobs of Tomorrow is sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and its website says the measure is needed because current judicial rulings have:

….. resulted in cases of employees or franchisees being able to ignore signed …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Georgia Chamber makes an unlikely plea to liberals for Amendment 1 »

The campaign of Democratic nominee for attorney general Ken Hodges on Thursday sent out a YouTube clip quoting Republican Sam Olens as saying that he was running for AG because “I was getting bored.”

Said Hodges, a former Dougherty County district attorney:

“The comment by my opponent that he is running because he was ‘bored’ with his current political job simply highlights what we already knew – Sam Olens is a career politician more interested in moving up in the political hierarchy than he is in keeping Georgia safe.”

But the context was worth chasing down. The quote came from a conference call Olens had with members of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The interview was originally posted on the chamber’s web site – but a glitch prevented access until today.

You can listen to the entire 17-minute session here.

The comment from Olens came during his closing remarks, when he was recapping his accomplishments as chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and …

Continue reading Ken Hodges and Sam Olens on boredom and the AG’s race »

Y’all were kind enough last week to toss me more than a few questions for last week’s U.S. Senate race on GPB. Very high quality stuff – and I thank you for taking the task so seriously.

On Saturday, Channel 2 Action News will broadcast Gubernatorial Debate No. 10 at 12:30 p.m., an hour-long affair with Democrat Roy Barnes, Republican Nathan Deal, and Libertarian John Monds.

Your thoughts would be welcome – especially on any topic that hasn’t been addressed. One I’m working on for Deal: “In your TV ads, you refer to yourself as a ‘public servant’ rather than a former congressman. Why is that?”

For Barnes: “Where are you on birthright citizenship?”

We’ll need plenty of questions. No doubt the boys and girls at Fox 5 will be looking at your suggestions as well. Gubernatorial Debate No. 11 will be on their station at 5 p.m.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading The brain isn’t fried, just poached. Need questions for governor’s debate on Saturday »