David Ralston calls on Senate to end ‘little experiment’
House Speaker David Ralston just called on the state Senate to resolve a fight over leadership that has paralyzed the chamber and jeopardized agreements over several major issues facing the Legislature in its final three business days.
Twice Ralston called on the Senate to end its “experiment” of sidelining Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who is formally the presiding officer of the chamber.
Ralston spoke after the Legislature adjourned a day early for the week, to try and reach an agreement over a tax overhaul bill.
This afternoon, the Senate was adjourned for three hours while Republicans tried to sort out an attempt to restore Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s authority over the Senate – removed by the GOP caucus in a coup last November.
Here’s what Ralston told reporters:
”I have tried this session to avoid meddling in the business of the Senate. But we have come perilously close to their little experiment over there harming the people of Georgia.
“I’m at a point where I think I have to say that they need to resolve their leadership issues – and they need to do it quickly, or the people of Georgia are going to be the ones that suffer. Not just the insiders around this Capitol.”
Ralston was asked if he had a preference. Right now, Senate President pro tem Tommie Williams chairs a Committee on Assignments that rules the chamber. The speaker replied:
“That’s their business. But the choice is – we can’t have 36 different leaders or however many they have on any particular day. I think the people of Georgia voted in November in the race for lieutenant governor.
“I’m not telling them who to pick. I’m just saying that when their leadership divisions and their internal problems over leadership get in the way of important issues, then I think I have an obligation – not only to this House but the state of Georgia – to say they need to fix their problems.
“They have the right to do an experiment, but I think that it’s time the experiment ends.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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64 comments Add your comment
Edward
April 1st, 2011
8:25 am
In Georgia there is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat politician. If the winds blow GOP, they all change parties and become GOP. If the wind decides to blow Dem, then you can bet those same suckups will change parties again. And the stupid voters in Georgia keep electing the same old fools who spout off the same old lies every election season.
Definitely White Water, (yeah).
April 1st, 2011
8:27 am
We never lived in trees. We lived in prefab housing projects that the Neanderthals left behind after they were gerrymandered and red-zoned out of the polling districts. (and also after they were all eaten by the dinosaurs).
Randolph Phillips
April 1st, 2011
8:34 am
When Zell Miller gave up his powers to appoint committees and call up legislation on taking office as Lieut. Governor in 1975, he was still the Lieut. Governor, but it was an empty title. Except with the AJC and unknowing public, he was effectively sidelined in the councils of State Government for at least 8 years. I know, I was a member of the House at the time..
Same thing happened when the Republicans took control of the Senate and made Eric Johnson the effect head of the Senate. Mark Taylor was no more than a “secluded” Japanese emperor in the centuries when the Shogun ruled Japan. He must have felt like a fool, standing up there in the Senate merely recognizing members to speak on bills he had no control over for 40 days a year.
The Presiding officer of a legislative body must have the power which goes with the title. Othrwise he is useless, and the body he presides oover is weakened. If you want an independent legislature, the House and Senate must have strong, independent presiding officers. And if you don’t want an independent legislature, then you must want dictators in the governor’s office, becasue that is what you will get.
Clark P.
April 1st, 2011
8:37 am
The people of Georgia didn’t vote to replace cesspool swimming Cagle because they felt his opponent, a deeply-rooted, small-town Sunday School Teacher, daughter of a small-town doctor, private school graduate and FOUR TIME Eagle Scout mother with a who bakes for everybody and supports her man was too much of a liberal hippie freak to let her have a chance. Never mind that she’s got one of the shapest minds in the state, retains facts like a fat Georgian retains french fries, knows every nuance of the nonsense that goes on under the Gold Dome, and was dedicated to stopping the nonsense in order to get something done on behalf of the people for a change! How we doin’? We get the government we deserve. Apparently we deserve sh!t.
ANGRY AS HELL
April 1st, 2011
8:43 am
I’m delighted that the Republican riff-raff that has proposed the new changes in state sales and income taxes has offered up a plan to tax the living hell out of their broad definition of middle class Georgians, especially those middle class Georgians who were stupid enough to vote Republican. When are you people going to wake up and realize the only group Republican/Conservative politicians consider their friends are the very rich and corporate America. Most of you Ya-hoos who voted for these guys (and gals, like that sinister Jan Jones), don’t have two nickles to rub together, are living from pay check to pay check, and now they’re going to take more money from you. How dumb are you people? You really are suckers who deserve to get fleeced.
Definitely White Water, (yeah).
April 1st, 2011
8:47 am
YOU DESERVE TO GET FLEECED!!!!
Rankin Fyle
April 1st, 2011
8:50 am
Sometimes people get the government they deserve.
We deserve these Republican fools.
td
April 1st, 2011
9:19 am
Some of the bloggers on here just makes me wonder how they ever graduated from middle school. Politics are an ugly business. It was in 1790 and it still is in 2011. It is ugly when Republicans are running things, when Democrats are running things and it is really ugly when power is split.
The astonishment factor of some of the bloggers on hear makes me want to laugh out loud and really makes me wonder how you make it through life with those rose colored glasses on.
eatmotacos
April 1st, 2011
9:24 am
If the chicken pluckers, corporate farms, and rug mills continue to dominate Georgia’s politics, you may have more political parties to choose from in the not so distant future, e.g., Partido Acción Nacional, Partido Revolucionario Institucional, Partido de la Revolución Democrática, Partido del Trabajo, Partido Verde Ecologista de México, to name a few, (seriously, there are more).
justjanny
April 1st, 2011
9:27 am
Cut out the tax break for home ownership, cut out the tax break for charitable donations, tell the poor souls that we’re going to level the playing field by lowering the tax bracket (6% to 4.5%)…yeah, right! We are all fools. I think I’ll just let my home go into foreclosure and get an apartment. To heck with charitable donations also! Georgia, Georgia, Georgia…are you on MY mind??
td
April 1st, 2011
9:28 am
I love how you libs are coming out of the woodwork talking about how your candidate (Barnes) would be cutting taxes right now. Who in the heck are you trying to fool? If Barnes would have been elected my taxes would be going up exponentially right now and you all know it. Barnes would have had to keep his campaign and having to spend an additional $2 billion this year for his promises to the teachers. That is $2 billion that we did not and do not have. Well unless, he was lying to the teachers again and he would not have done anything, maybe this is where you all are coming from.
eatmotacos
April 1st, 2011
9:38 am
Roy Barnes couldn’t hold a candle to Nathan Deal, when it comes to lying. Deal is world class .Do a little research on the man’s activities while he was supposedly representing the good people of Georgia in the U.S. House. Apparently, voters in the last election, didn’t.
pn
April 1st, 2011
9:51 am
I hope Carol Porter runs again. Get rid of these self-serving, freewheeling, pocket-lining, pandering, philandering do-nothings and give us an honest, hard working, rational, pragmatic Lt. Gov. (or Senator, or Governor)
SOU. GA . IRISH
April 1st, 2011
12:52 pm
Buzz: AMEN!!!!!!