Your daily jolt: Black voters in Georgia casting ballots at higher rate than ‘08

Even without any major statewide candidate contests to encourage turnout, African-American voters in Georgia are on track to cast a larger share of the presidential vote than in 2008, according to the latest figures from the secretary of state’s office.

As of today, 780,545 Georgia voters have cast their ballots for the Nov. 6 election. Of those, 33 percent have been African-American.

In 2008, when drawn to the polls by the prospect of electing the nation’s first black president, African-Americans cast 30 percent of 3.9 million votes in Georgia.

The question is whether this year’s participation statistic will shrink between now and Tuesday week. Even if it drops slightly, it could be taken as a sign that President Barack Obama’s political base remains enthusiastic, and hasn’t been discouraged by the ups and downs of October.

You also have to wonder what heavy black turnout would mean for Georgia’s charter school measure.

***
Here’s that “first time” ad from the Barack Obama campaign – clearly aimed at the young and virginal – that everyone’s talking about:

***
Those polls that show the presidential campaign to be a squeaker? Newt Gingrich doesn’t believe them. From Politico.com:

“I believe the minimum result will be 53-47 Romney, over 300 electoral votes, and the Republicans will pick up the Senate,” the former House speaker said Thursday night on Fox News’s “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”

***
Earlier this week, during an interview in Iowa, President Barack Obama predicted that, after the election was done, Washington would come together and create that “grand bargain” to address a $16 trillion federal debt and avoid the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to go into effect at the close of the year.

On Thursday, speaking Republican rather than Democrat, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson said much the same thing:

Said Georgia’s junior senator:

”I think we’ll postpone the ‘fiscal cliff’ from the end of this year, into next year, with certain speed-bumps and thresholds that Congress must perform on before we get there. We’ve got a crisis ahead of us. It’s got to be solved, it’s got to be a comprehensive solution, which is going to take pushing it into next year. But we need a deadline to make sure Congress faces the music on spending, on entitlements and on taxes….”

It was pointed out that sequestration would cost Georgia 24,000 jobs. Said Isakson:

”Most of those jobs are in Marietta, Ga., where I live, at Lockheed-Martin. So I know a lot about what you’re talking about. Automatic sequestration, across-the-board at the Department of Defense would be disastrous. Congress ought to be doing its jobs. We ought to be finding efficiencies that make sense.”

***
Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge K. Dawson Jackson on Thursday dismissed a second lawsuit against opponents of the Nov. 6 ballot measure on charter schools. See the details here.

Plaintiffs had accused the Gwinnett school board and the Georgia School Board Association of improperly using taxpayer resources to campaign against the measure.

In tossing the request for court intervention, Jackson made a finding worth reading. He said the lawsuit qualified as a SLAPP action. That’s a “strategic lawsuit against public participation” – often used by developers to freeze civilian opponents in zoning cases and such.

Lawson invoked the state’s anti-SLAPP statute:

The General Assembly of Georgia has recognized that “it is in the public interest to encourage participation by the citizens of Georgia in matters of public significance through the exercise of their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and the right to petition government for redress of grievances.

“The General Assembly of Georgia further finds and declares that the valid exercise of the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and the right to petition government for a redress of grievances should not be chilled through abuse of the judicial process.”

***
Over at WABE (90.1FM), Rose Scott reports that state Rep. Edward Lindsey, R-Atlanta, will introduce legislation to give parents more control over all public schools – including the right to change the administration of a low-performing school.

Now, some people might argue that Lindsey is advocating a reduction in local school board authority – and they would be right.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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

153 comments Add your comment

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
3:25 pm

@gsmith

October 26th, 2012
3:16 pm
if you like black leadership , look at clayton, dekalb and the city of atlanta…. school boards are a mess, counties are being run into the ground ,, neighborhoods are falling apart , home values are decreasing, corrupton is all over the place. now take a look at North Fulton, cherokee, east cobb, flowery branch, duluth, suwanee, forsyth, wonder why those parts of town are still nice places to live? still have nice public schools?? gee i wonder why

===================================================

Black people have had to put up with the white leadership for hundreds

of year.

In those years the white leadership WAS NOT PERFECT and they had their

scandals and issues too.

SO WHAT IS YOUR POINT?

Black people can’t be leaders like white people?

Whte people are NOT PERFECT.

Ask the jews about the germans’ leadership.

Ask the native americans about the white leaderhip who

stole their land.

Ask the slaves who were brought here from Africa about

the white leadership.

Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:26 pm

Here’s what Mychal Massie has to say about the Obamas, and he’s black, BTW:
http://voicesofthenation.com/mychal-massies-summation-of-barack-and-michelle/

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
3:28 pm

@Lester Maddox….

October 26th, 2012
3:22 pm
Are we talking about Osama Hussein Obama? Man, all these black Muslims look alike……

=========================================

Man, all these white christian hypocrites smell alike.

The smell of racism.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
3:34 pm

@Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:26 pm
Here’s what Mychal Massie has to say about the Obamas, and he’s black, BTW:
http://voicesofthenation.com/mychal-massies-summation-of-barack-and-michelle/

—————————————————–

Mychal Massie SUFFERS from SELF HATRED.

Self-hatred (also called self-loathing) refers to an extreme dislike or hatred of oneself, or being angry at or even prejudiced against oneself.

Look at him and look at Obama.

A sharp contrast.

Mychal Massie hates his DARK SKIN, his WIDE NOSE, his

THICK LIPS.

Mychal Massie hates Obama because Obama is more like

what he wants to be and can’t.

Frederick Douglass

October 26th, 2012
3:36 pm

Scrivener @ 3:26

Rick Perry and his old lady (whites), don’t like Romney and his old lady (whites), so what’s your point?

Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:38 pm

The point is that he makes great points in that article.

Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:40 pm

AND the point is also that for him at least the issues are more important than his skin color.

MiltonMan

October 26th, 2012
3:41 pm

“…it could be taken as a sign that President Barack Obama’s political base remains enthusiastic,”

More like a sign that they are idiotic – the same morons who elected Vic Hill.

Pedro

October 26th, 2012
3:41 pm

@lester Maddox. Hussein Obama is only half black remember that his mother is quite a white specimen. Just FYI!

Google Ann Dunham and you will see his baby momma. I bets it ain’t what’s you think.

Lester Maddox....

October 26th, 2012
3:46 pm

@Loyalty Comes…….Osama Hussein Obama got 98% of the black vote in “08….Something about the color of his skin….See the racism…Did you really think that white people have a monopoly on racism, you fool.?…….

Committed to freedom

October 26th, 2012
3:49 pm

I voted for Ron Paul because he stands for freedom, liberty, the constitution, sound money, sound foreign policy, and sound economics. I would vote against Obama, Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Cain, and every other totalitarian candidate because they don’t. I don’t care what your skin color is. I care that you hate freedom and liberty and don’t respect my rights as a human being or the freedoms and liberties I possess simply because I exist. Please don’t excuse your support for a dictator like Obama by claiming everyone who hates him hates him just because he is black. There are plenty of wonderful reasons to hate him without bringing race into it.

Mark

October 26th, 2012
3:49 pm

@ SBinF

October 26th, 2012
3:08 pm

So what is your point? You failed to make one.

Pedro

October 26th, 2012
3:50 pm

His momma when he was a baby.

Lester Maddox....

October 26th, 2012
3:52 pm

@ Pedro…..One drop of chocolate makes chocolate milk….So says Charles Barkley….So go punch him out…..

Pedro

October 26th, 2012
4:04 pm

@ Lester Maddox, I hate it when I run out of Hershey’s syrup…thanks for the laugh.

gsmith

October 26th, 2012
4:08 pm

my point was MADE!! black leadership has TAKEN OVER CLAYTON, DEKALB AND CITY OF ATLANTA, AND those places have gone to HELL !! areas in north fulton, forstyh ,cherokee , east cobb, johns creek, are all thriving !!! why are they thriving because the leadership and the people who live there are not INCOMPETENT…. you might not know this but dekalb and clayton USED TO BE NICE PLACES TO LIVE , BUT WHEN LARGE NUMBERS OF BLACKS MOVED TO THESE COUNTIES AND TOOK OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL, THE SCHOOLS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENTIRE COUNTIES HAVE GONE TO HELL !!! I HOPE THIS MAKES MY POINT… YOUR POINT OF COMPARING ALL WHITE LEADERSHIP TO HITLER AND SLAVE OWENRS IS JUST BRILLIANT??? MAKES ME WONDER IF YOU ARE ON THE CLAYTON OR DEKALB BOARD OF EDUCATION!!! VERY SMART COMMENT

PALANA

October 26th, 2012
4:08 pm

So now tell me, just why is so many “more blacks voting in Georgia than 2008″ such a great thing now? Where were they all the years BEFORE there was a black (half black, I might add) candidate to vote for? Too many are voting for color and we all know it. They just won’t admit it outright. And they aren’t being racist? Yep, only they are being racist against anybody except blacks. Go figure. He’s going back in, make no mistake about it, but not because he is best. And most of us know that, too. He’s just best at pulling the wool over our eyes and making everybody think he’s God’s gift to mankind. NOT! And when he turns us into a socialist, or worse yet, Communist country (look at his cronies and which countries really stand behind him) then who do we point our fingers at? Ummm hmmmm. You got it. All of you who voted for him. Let’s see, Castro has been head of Cuba for 50 years now? Well, O has 46 more to go. It will happen folks. It will.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
4:23 pm

@Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:19 pm
Kim says, “I’m voting for the person that shows he cares.”

I’m a woman, and this type of comment is a perfect example of why a lot of mindless women support Obama and people like him. Forget about electing someone who can run the country, keep the economy improving, help create jobs, sign laws that protect us – oh, no. It’s all about having a president that “cares.” It’s truly scary that people like Kim vote.

============================

You are the TYPICAL republican voter.

Obama’s Problem Is With White, Non-College Educated Voters.

PALANA

October 26th, 2012
4:30 pm

The slaves who came to American cannot factor into any argument. They were SOLD TO US BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE, they were not kidnapped, as many of you would have us believe. It wasn’t the evil whites who enslaved these people (not that some masters weren’t cruel) any more than their own kind who sold them into slavery. And we have been apologizing to YOU for it for years, and none of you were ever slaves. You don’t hear of any Jews whining because of Hitler and the death camps wherein most of them lost relatives, but you people have whined for years over something that nobody in our generation, or yours, had any control over.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
4:30 pm

@PALANA

October 26th, 2012
4:08 pm
So now tell me, just why is so many “more blacks voting in Georgia than 2008″ such a great thing now? Where were they all the years BEFORE there was a black (half black, I might add) candidate to vote for? Too many are voting for color and we all know it. They just won’t admit it outright. And they aren’t being racist? Yep, only they are being racist against anybody except blacks.
=================================================

Obama NEVER had a problem with black voters.

However, Obama’s Problem Is With White, Non-College Educated Voters.

Its the white UNEDUCATED voter that is so OUTRAGED at black people
for voting for Obama.

The “newer” elements of the Democratic coalition—college educated
and non-white voters—have continued to offer elevated levels
of support to the president.

Mark

October 26th, 2012
4:32 pm

PALANA

October 26th, 2012
4:08 pm

Where were your bullsh*t stats when blacks were voting in large numbers in all previous elections? It’s funny that your racist ass wasn’t concerned about the black vote when blacks were voting for Clinton, or Kerry!

cc

October 26th, 2012
4:34 pm

“Even if it drops slightly, it could be taken as a sign that President Barack Obama’s political base remains enthusiastic,”

This race has never been about the “political base”, but about the independent undecided. It matters not what Hussein’s base turns out, Georgia will go decidedly for President Romney.

“create that “grand bargain” to address a $16 trillion federal debt and avoid the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to go into effect at the close of the year.”

Why would anyone believe anything the Liar-in-Chief says? He created $6 trillion of this indebtedness and has run annual deficits of $1+ trillion.

“I believe the minimum result will be 53-47 Romney, over 300 electoral votes”

I believe that is about right . . .

“Vote for justice, accountability, a man who says what he means and does what he says. Vote for what is decent and right for America, all of America. Vote for the man who will stand up for women’s rights, for equal rights, for equal pay, and the chance for a good life for all Americans”

That would, of course, be President Romney.

“Great post. But sadly, they won’t look at any of that.”

Heard enough and seen enough lies from Hussein himself for the past five years: why believe a mere sycophant?

“But it isn’t racist that every single one of them is voting for Obama because he is black.”

Of course it is! You expected differently?

“How do they know? I do not recall ever being asked my race in the voting process.”

Dimocrats keep up with that statistic: they have to be sure that none escape the dimocrat plantation.

“I’m interested in the Mormon turnout in the South.”

It’s going to be higher than the muslim turnout . . .

“The walking around money thirty dollars this year, and if you bring two more people who can register you get fifty.”

. . . plus a bottle of cheap wine and three $1 scratch-offs.

“GO OBAMA 2012!”

Yeah, go straight to . . .

“And by the way, people on this blog commenting about black people voting for the POTUS just because he’s black,”

You’re wrong: I’m not voting for him because he is a liar, a muslim and a communist.

“How about you head to the south side and start referring to the folks you see as ‘negroes’, then we’ll see if it’s derogatory or not.”

You’d get mugged before you had the opportunity to say it . . .

Loyalty Comes In All Colors@3:02 pm:

Give it a rest, Bernie . . .

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
4:36 pm

@PALANA

October 26th, 2012
4:30 pm
The slaves who came to American cannot factor into any argument. They were SOLD TO US BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE, they were not kidnapped, as many of you would have us believe. It wasn’t the evil whites who enslaved these people (not that some masters weren’t cruel) any more than their own kind who sold them into slavery.
=================================================

WHITE people DID NOT have to buy slaves just because they

were being sold by their own people.

You could not make me do something that goes against my
christian values.

So just because africans sold other africans does
NOT MAKE IT OKAY.

Your people did not HAVE TO BUY THEM.

TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT.

luangtom

October 26th, 2012
4:38 pm

You know the old saying, “vote early, vote often…”………..Chicago politics………sarcasm, folks.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
4:44 pm

@cc

October 26th, 2012
4:34 pm

=================================

WHERE was your OUTRAGE when blacks were voting for

white presidents long before Obama?

Now that WE are voting for a Black man WHITE people

say we are RACIST.

Whats good for the GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER.
We KNOW who the RACISTS ARE.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
4:47 pm

@luangtom

October 26th, 2012
4:38 pm
You know the old saying, “vote early, vote often…”………..Chicago politics………sarcasm, folks
==========================================

My saying is VOTE EARLY for Obama because they

are TRYING TO BLOCK THE VOTE.

If they can’t win HONESTLY….they will STEAL THE ELECTION.

NO SARCASM,,,,,,,,JUST FACT.

Buymadeinusjobs

October 26th, 2012
5:20 pm

A vote for a republican is a vote for Paul Ryans Budget 20ll which all Republican senators and house of representative members voted for and Rommey said he would sign. Sometimes, I say I really hope the republicans take the president, senate and house and stick it to all??? who post here/ elsewhere/ more worried about social issues than food in your belly., millionaires do not waste their time here
You do not have to vote against your own interest. Go to c-span. Check out Rommey’s video 5/14/12, Ryan’s budget 2011 which cut billions from veterans program, 35% from medicaid-which pays for healthcare for unemployed, low paid childrens healthcare, nursing home care for seniors/disabled, food stamps, medicare to vouchers, cut taxes for rich. It will be law if repub. take over. check c-span for primary source/facts, votes/budget.
Rommey::: get rid of healthcare, you think it’s ok to pay for well paid temporary Washingon, state, county politicians to have healthcare insurance/pensions paid for by taxpayers. They put their britches on the same way you do. Why should they get better deal than you?

41% of georgians fit Rommey’s 47% victims he is talking about you low paid /unemployed white fellows too. If you are not one of 41%, you could be tomorrow if you have a heart attack or lose your job.

cc

October 26th, 2012
5:25 pm

I said, “Give it a rest, Bernie”, and you can forget the “racist” BS. That word truly means nothing anymore.

Frederick Douglass

October 26th, 2012
5:49 pm

Anyone that thinks the slave trade was fed and built on blacks selling out other blacks are sadly mistaken; in 1860 a prime field hand brought $1,200.00 on the auction block ($24,000.00 in today’s money) nuff said.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
6:10 pm

@Scrivener

October 26th, 2012
3:40 pm
AND the point is also that for him at least the issues are more important than his skin color.

=============================================

Mychal Massie is the BIG JEALOUS CRAB IN THE BARREl.

When someone crawls out of the barrell the jealous

big crab tries to pull him back in.

Rob

October 26th, 2012
7:45 pm

I”m black and vote Obama because I can see voting for the Archie Bunker of the world!!

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
8:29 pm

Col. Lawrence Wilkson who is White and Former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell

said that his PARTY (Republican) is a party of RACISTS.

The only reason they want Obama out is because of the COLOR

OF HIS SKIN.

From his mouth TO GOD’S HEAR.

He told the TRUTH and SHAMED THE DEVIL.

It is SAD that other white people will ADMIT the TRUTH.

But God is watching and he knows their heart is evil.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
8:32 pm

Are Republicans PROUD of John Sununu, Rush Limbaugh,

Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter and others who SPEW RACIST

hatred.

This could be an EXPLOSIVE situation if this hate does not

STOP.

White people will only have themselves to blame.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
8:33 pm

CORRECTION

It is SAD that other white people will NOT ADMIT the TRUTH.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
8:34 pm

SO IF WHITE PEOPLE SUPPORT OTHER WHITE PEOPLE

DOES THAT MEAN THEY ARE RACIST?

hmmmmmmmmm

cc

October 26th, 2012
9:33 pm

“Are Republicans PROUD of John Sununu, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter”

I can’t speak for “Republicans”, but I’m personally proud of these people.

cc

October 26th, 2012
9:35 pm

The entire Obama campaign appears to me to be targeting our less intelligent and gullible voters. It is obvious from comments posted here and on other blogs that his target audience has, in fact, been reached. I don’t believe this will accomplish what he needs, though, and President Romney looks to be on track for the win.

What is necessary to produce a communist muslim going away party? (The White House domestic staff is trying to get up to speed before Obama’s January departure!)

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
9:39 pm

@cc

October 26th, 2012
9:33 pm
“Are Republicans PROUD of John Sununu, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter”

I can’t speak for “Republicans”, but I’m personally proud of these people.

===========================================

Yeah, I believe you………..because I can see YOUR FLEAS from here.

That’s what happens when you LIE DOWN WITH DOGS you get FLEAS.

HERE’S MY SHOCKED FACE: :)

cc

October 26th, 2012
9:41 pm

“This could be an EXPLOSIVE situation if this hate does not STOP.”

You’re the only talking “hate”, Bernie. If you, or many of you, want to “explode”, go right ahead. I’m sure you’ll find someone to accomodate you.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
9:54 pm

@cc

October 26th, 2012
9:35 pm
The entire Obama campaign appears to me to be targeting our less intelligent and gullible voters. It is obvious from comments posted here and on other blogs that his target audience has, in fact, been reached. I don’t believe this will accomplish what he needs, though, and President Romney looks to be on track for the win.

============================================

FYI, I am a retired educator.

If you are proud to vote for a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR like Mitt Romney

who belongs to a cult (Mormons), wears religious underwear, who baptize

dead bodies…who said that he does not care about you (the 47%) …..

that is your burden to bear.

Mitt Romney will NEVER BE PRESIDENT.

Even some white people don’t like him.

Sorry to BURST YOUR BUBBLE but Obama WILL BE RE-ELECTED.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:00 pm

@cc

October 26th, 2012
9:41 pm
“This could be an EXPLOSIVE situation if this hate does not STOP.”

You’re the only talking “hate”, Bernie. If you, or many of you, want to “explode
====================================

My point was that there are people who are waiting for a reason

to EXPLODE especially WHEN Obama is RE-ELECTED.

Like that idiot who shot and killed people in the theatre.

Like that idiot who shot Gabby Gifford.

You get my drift……………………………?

cc

October 26th, 2012
10:04 pm

“FYI, I am a retired educator.”

Doubtless you are retired from a government indoctrination center.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:07 pm

There is a reason why it has TAKEN 6 years for Mitt Romney

to become the Republican nominee for president.

And that reason is why HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT.

He is a pathological liar. Even Newt Gingrich said so.

MEATLOAF is a typical republican voter.

heeheeheeheehee :)

Sigmasoul

October 26th, 2012
10:09 pm

Tell all of those Republicans who cannot accept the large African American voter turnout. Think about all of those negative comments made by Tea Party members. Never spit into the wind, on a windy day. Those comments felt like salt being rubbed into a large wound. And they hurt.
Whatever wounds that had healed over the years, were reopened when those comments were made. As in, “He needs to learn to be an American…” That translates to “You will never be accepted, no matter what you do”. “End Obamacare” equals “We think more about money than your family’s health”. Blind stupidity, thinking that blacks would forget by election day. Think vendetta.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:10 pm

@cc

October 26th, 2012
10:04 pm
“FYI, I am a retired educator.”

Doubtless you are retired from a government indoctrination center.

===================================

YOU MEAN DOUBTFUL NOT DOUBTLESS.

Obviously you are not a college graduate.

That makes you a typical Romney voter.

UNEDUCATED! :)

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:15 pm

@Sigmasoul

October 26th, 2012
10:09 pm
=====================

Tea Party is for little girls with imaginary friends.

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:22 pm

Boy…..Its awful quiet on this blog.

Where are all of the Republican loud mouths?????????

Where are all of the defenders of Mitt the Twitt

who wears religious bloomers?

Loyalty Comes In All Colors

October 26th, 2012
10:47 pm

You meant:

Tell all of those Republican LOW INFORMATION VOTERS.

who cannot accept the large African American voter turnout.

I SAY:

Tell all of those UNEDUCATED Republican LOW INFORMATION

VOTERS who cannot accept the large African American voter turnout.

shady

October 27th, 2012
8:15 am

No my Friends, Georgia’s Black make up 45 to 53 percent of the Total Vote in Georgia. Now stick that in your pipe in smoking. We will DETERMINE our own Destiny. Good, Bad or Indifferent. It is in our Hands. Hands that once Picke Cotton, will determine who will lead the Nation. Obama-Biden 2012.

cc

October 27th, 2012
8:55 am

“FYI, I am a retired educator.”

What does that have to do with anything, even if you really are a “retired educator”?

“My point was that there are people who are waiting for a reason to EXPLODE especially WHEN Obama is RE-ELECTED.”

No, that was not what you meant at all, and you and I both know it.