Tuesday can’t come soon enough
Thinking Right’s weekend free-for-all. Pick a topic:
● President Obama says he’s not on the ballot but his agenda is. True. Vote accordingly, top to bottom.
● A recent poll suggests that a third of potential voters in congressional elections are undecided. Nobody paying the slightest attention to this Congress and to the direction it’s taking this country could be undecided. Undecideds are those who wish to conceal their preferences.
● Critics contend that gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal has produced too little legislation in Congress. Good. Democrats controlled Congress during most of his time there. Health care. Housing. The economy. Energy. It’s hard to think of a situation Congress hasn’t made or couldn’t make worse.
● The archaic practices difficult to reform are those that serve the interests of politicians. Case in point: Gwinnett County, where Commissioner Kevin Kenerly was indicted on a charge of perjury in a county land-purchase deal. Former Commission Chairman Charles Bannister avoided indictment by resigning on Oct. 8. An archaic practice of “district courtesy” by which all commissioners deferred to the one representing the district where property was located invited abuse, if not outright corruption. The grand jury that indicted Kenerly recommended an end to that practice. By all means, yes. The Bannister resignation is very unsatisfying to the ideal of justice. If the grand jury thought he’d broken the law, he should have been indicted. If they had no case, his fate should have been left to voters.
● Did anybody actually believe the promise that a fence would be erected along the Mexican border to halt illegal immigrants? Promises made by politicians under stress have the shelf life of green bananas.
● The chief executive of National Public Radio, Vivian Schiller, later apologized for her handling of the firing of commentator Juan Williams for expressing the politically incorrect thought that the sight of some Muslims on his plane makes him nervous. But her comment that such thoughts should be between him and “his psychiatrist or his publicist” should be grounds for a firing. Her.
● Amendment 2 on Tuesday’s ballot is an example of the Georgia General Assembly at its worst. It launches a new entitlement program, puts an annual $10 car tax in the state Constitution, where it will remain for all time and allocates it to a statewide trauma network forevermore with no say by elected officials now or in the future, regardless of the state’s other needs or circumstances. Like the indigent defense system at creation, its potential costs are being low-balled. If we don’t trust elected officials, throw them out. Don’t take away their authority to allocate limited resources to greater needs. And all this to avoid the election-year charge that they were raising taxes.
● When the Left moves us into the realm of European-style social democracy, I’m voting for German Chancellor Angela Merkel to be my One World President. She declared first up that the multiculturalism experiment in Europe has “utterly failed.” Now she declares that hopelessly indebted governments, like Greece and Ireland, should be allowed to go bankrupt — in an orderly way, of course.
● How you know a campaign has stretched on too long: In their ninth of 12 debates, gubernatorial candidates Nathan Deal and Roy Barnes answered these pressing questions: Your favorite Georgia athlete? Menu item at The Varsity? Same-sex marriage (already a settled issue in the Georgia Constitution)? Was President Obama born on U.S. soil? Ah, Election Day, you’re the one we’ve been waiting for. Tuesday cannot come too soon.
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58 comments Add your comment
Cutty
October 28th, 2010
8:20 pm
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Lawrence
October 28th, 2010
8:36 pm
Great blog, Jim. I agree with you entirely.
Honest Broker
October 28th, 2010
8:52 pm
Spot analysis on Vivian Schiller.
Mid-South Philosopher
October 28th, 2010
8:59 pm
Good evening, Jim,
The “lesser of two evils” is still evil! I will not be voting for either “King Roy” Barnes or Nathan “Shady” Deal for governor this year.
My monthly contributions to NPR have ceased. Should Shiller be sacked, I might reconsider…and I might not. At any extent, governmental monies should be ceased at once.
Taxes are like “Herpes.” Once you get them, you NEVER get rid of them. Oh, you may control them. They may even get better, but they are ALWAYS and “itch” that is with you!
Finally, unless the people respond in this election and substantively change things, by 2012, it will not matter; we will be a European-styled social democracy, and I will be an emigrant
get out much?
October 28th, 2010
9:02 pm
Mr. Wooten, Nathan Deal has been a member of Congress since 1992. Democrats were in the majority for four of those years, while Republicans were in the majority for the remaining fourteen. I am not sure where your learned your math but where I learned mine, fourteen is greater than four.
Did anyone actually believe that the fence along the Mexican border was a good idea?
Funny, I remember as recent as 2007 people were talking about the “Irish Economic Miracle”.
Mr. Dithers
October 28th, 2010
9:17 pm
Get Out Much, there you go again, trying to confuse Jim with facts. Please don’t. His connection to reality is limited as it is, and too much factual information could cause him to burst into flames. It is a hopeless cause. Nate Deal has an R after his name and so, Jim would endorse him and vote him even if he were a mass murderer. Save your breath.
The Truth
October 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
You are exactly right get out….Wooten, as is his usual bias to selectively forget facts, seems to have misplaced the Contract with America revolution of 1994 and their hold on the House for that time period until 2006. Please stop the spin…..I honestly believe divergence of opinion is a good thing and if both sides attempt to try to work together, we will find common solutions that work for Americans…not liberals or conservatives….sheesh….stop the spin or just shut up.
Rafe Hollister
October 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
Jim
Why do we believe any politician on any subject, they will say anything to appease you temporarily. “healthcare will bend the cost cure”, stands out today as one example.
Mid South: NPR did not just become a liberal activist outlet. Can’t believe a good southern gentleman would have been wasting money on those socialists.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
October 28th, 2010
11:25 pm
Good evening all. Believe you are right about the undecideds, Mr. Wooten – I’m thinking maybe 70 seats change party in the House, 68 from D to R.
The failure to indict Mr. Bannister reflects corruption among the grand jury. Not an honest person among them.
I think NPR is a Russian acronym for National Socialist Front.
I think I voted against all referenda, a few weeks ago. Nothing meritorious.
Merkel is ok. Vaclav Klaus is better.
It’s a good thing for Mr. Deal that I voted a few weeks ago. Now I’m wishing I had voted for the libertarian, sorta. My principal thought was that we needed to keep dems out of the redistricting process, and Deal seemed the smartest route to that particular end. Maybe impeach him after redistricting is over.
Drew S
October 29th, 2010
6:56 am
Aren’t we going to be subsidizing that $10 fee anyway?
VietVet
October 29th, 2010
7:23 am
Read one Wooten column and you’ve read them all.
Mr. Dithers
October 29th, 2010
7:26 am
Jim, I am glad to see that, in spite of the notice at 9 pm last night that your third paragraph was an outright lie, you still haven’t changed it. It is there in the print edition for all to see. A great American once said that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own facts. Yet you just march on making stuff up to fit your predispositions and fallacies. Good work. Just when you think your credibility couldn’t go any lower, you pull a stunt like this and prove us wrong. Bless your heart.
Mr. Dithers
October 29th, 2010
7:27 am
Your complete retirement can’t come soon enough.
Will
October 29th, 2010
7:34 am
Yes sir, “top to bottom”, without fail or thought. Issues? Positions? Plans? Character? NONSENSE.
Look only for the word, “republican” next to the candidate and then vote.
But that’s what Georgia voters used to do, isn’t it. Remember “yellow dog” voters? Sure they did, but is that the standard to which you wish to adhere to, be no better or different than democrat voters?
Van Jones
October 29th, 2010
7:40 am
MSP, truer words were never spoken!
“Taxes are like “Herpes.” Once you get them, you NEVER get rid of them. Oh, you may control them. They may even get better, but they are ALWAYS and “itch” that is with you!”
Mr. Dithers, pull up your big girl panties and head over to the Tucker or Bookman blogs. You’ll like it over there… it’s always whitey’s fault and wealth redistribution is a grand idea.
Mr. Dithers
October 29th, 2010
7:50 am
Van, if you can explain how the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives most of the period of 1992 to 2010, then you can go with your childish insults. The rest of your comments aren’t even worthy of a response. Read before you spout.
Van Jones
October 29th, 2010
7:53 am
Dith, yet you responded…
Mr. Dithers
October 29th, 2010
7:55 am
Ooh, clever, Van. Avoid the question and play gotcha. Good job. Very impressive.
Van Jones
October 29th, 2010
8:12 am
And another response! For comments that “aren’t even worthy of a response” you sure are going out of your way to respond. Good times my friend.
Dr. Stan (The Black One)
October 29th, 2010
8:13 am
Everyone thinks Maxwell and I are esthetic about the benefits of car insurance. They are wrong. We were pleased to learn that the principles of the Tea Party, limited government, freedom and property, individualism, morality, etc will have a major influence on Tuesday’s election.
Just think of the 1994 elections!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_G2zp-opg
joe
October 29th, 2010
8:38 am
Get your shots in now while you can, lefty loonies, cause after Tuesday, I have a feeling there won’t be many of you blogging on Wednesday.
khc
October 29th, 2010
8:40 am
wooten proves as the older you get the more conservative in thinking….i wonder at what age our intellect is keenest to make sound decisions that also contain a dose of what could be?
Peter
October 29th, 2010
8:41 am
Great job Jim.Deal did nothing so vote for him. Deal lied so vote for him.
Michael H. Smith
October 29th, 2010
8:44 am
Since I can’t have the better of the best I’m willing to risk letting others give me the worst of the two evils?
Something can be gained by cutting one’s losses to evil. If it is all the same I’ll hedge my bet and keep King Roy in exile to serve the greater good.
surprise kitty
October 29th, 2010
8:45 am
Tuesday can’t come soon enough? So much for living for the weekend. Monday I’ve got Friday on my mind. If it’s Tuesday then shouldn’t this be Belgium? Jim’s pick-an-issue-you-can’t-blame-on-Bush Friday is a very good measure of his position on the extreme right of the Wingnutzi Party. You needen’t have read one word from any of his previous pick-your-nose-friday columns to know Jim well. Today’s pick-your-butt-friday piece defines the depth, breadth and height that this mans soul-finger can reach. Oblivious to justice and truth, his words are easily imagined being enunciated from a lisping snake who keeps blaming God. This is why nobody should read the old testament. The Torah teaches you to find the devil and smite him. The problem is that Jim always found evil across the aisle, but only in the sense that he saw himself and hated the very sight. He’s the poster child, the pinnup girl, and the slide show for delusional projection.
No, the country couldn’t afford the Bush tax cuts, two wars, and the pillaging of our national trust. Anger seeks out the target what’s there, not the target what skulked away with the loot.
Tuesday will mark the completion of the Bush third-worlding of America.
AMerica 2010: we were once great, but then the supreme court annointed Bush our king and he did kingly things.
All of the founding fathers would have rebelled against conservativism today. (and smite it)
Hillbilly Deluxe
October 29th, 2010
9:47 am
Tuesday cannot come too soon.
Whether Barnes wins or Deal wins, we’re going to be the losers.
J.B. STONER
October 29th, 2010
10:09 am
Hey ‘Hillbilly’………..
GET YOUR PANTIES OUT OF THE WAD THERE IN……………
SAY GOOD-BYE TO YOUR BUDDIES……………….
2 MORE YEARS OF DEBT, SOCIALISM, MARXIST RUN B.S.
Sit back and have a cigar and know a REAL CHANGE IS-A-COMING………….
Peachtree Pete
October 29th, 2010
11:07 am
Is it okay even to use the word “Muslim?” Gee, I hate to offend people who fly into buildings. Poor things.
Right is Wrong
October 29th, 2010
11:45 am
People that conceal their opinions about who they will vote for in GA will be voting Democrat. GA is full of idiot red-neck republican voters that (wrongly) think that conservative means less taxes and better money management. No one wants to have a conversation/debate with idiots like this and so they simply refuse to say anything.
Right is Wrong
October 29th, 2010
11:48 am
JB Stoner – Why waste time and cyberspace with your posts? You have nothing of substance to contribute….
Right is Wrong
October 29th, 2010
11:49 am
surprise kitty – Wow! You have a lucid post and valid thoughts. We need you to write this column and get rid of this Woo-tang guy.
Ivan Cohen
October 29th, 2010
1:28 pm
You got that right! The auto phone calls will cease and desist. My television set won’t solid by these putrid and tacky political ads. A plague on the houses of Roy Barnes and Nathan Deal. It’s enough to drive a person to drink.
Ivan Cohen
October 29th, 2010
1:35 pm
Meant to say soiled, the attack ads, the mudslinging has been very depressing. I am digusted!
Phil Lunney
October 29th, 2010
3:59 pm
Jim-
Its funny to me that you follow point 3 about Nathan Deal with point 4 about the lack of indictment in Gwinnett. This seems to be the same type of “archaic practice” that Nathan Deal used to “escape” a House Ethics investigation. Since he resigned, the case became moot, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t valid.As Kyle said in his column yesterday, if Deal was a Democrat, the Conservativesw would be screaming.
Lee
October 29th, 2010
5:20 pm
I just got a call from some of those Amendment 2 folks. Pick up the phone and some lady tells me “This is a matter of LIFE and DEATH!” What?? She repeats the line and then goes on with her little speech.
Needless to say, I’m voting NO on Amendment 2. Screw ‘em. Besides, this was just a way to funnel more money to Grady.
Lee
October 29th, 2010
5:21 pm
While I’m at it, screw Deal and Barnes as well. The next four years are going to be tough times for Ga, I’m a thinkin….
midtownguy
October 29th, 2010
6:35 pm
I’m voting for Monds hoping neither get a majority and have to beg even more money from lobbyist and special interest groups for the runoff.
midtownguy
October 29th, 2010
6:38 pm
I have had my home phone on “silent” for the last two weeks, my voice greeting says “If you are a real person and not a political ad, please call me on my cell phone. If you don’t know me well enough to know my cell number, I don’t want to hear from you anyway”
Glenn
October 30th, 2010
1:52 am
I know, Jim. I do. And yet I’m but a fool and a newcomer. No one ever has the balls simply to ask, on the off chance that promising answers might forthcome, because that would be terrible.
THe surpirise kitten hath smitten the troll
October 30th, 2010
10:03 am
Troll be smitten with the suprise kitten. Like what you read? Get in line, dittohead. The repudlickans would rather destroy the country than share it with Americans.
Pizzaman
October 31st, 2010
11:03 am
Deal was elected as a Democrat in 1992. Like most Southern Democrats after 1994 switched. The Republicans won the house in 94 with the Gingrich “Contract with America” which was never fully enacted and no longer exists. So the Dems only controlled Congress for 5 of Deals 18 years.Since you are correct about him doing nothing of importance while he was there, he did nothing mostly as a Republican with Republicans in control.
Churchill's MOM
October 31st, 2010
11:15 am
Deal lied about Handel, his taxes & finances. I will be voting NONE OF THE ABOVE, John Monds..Georgia is the big loser but apparently the RINO party would rather have a Corrupt man like Deal than a Honest woman like Handel.
Churchill's MOM
October 31st, 2010
12:49 pm
From Jim’s replacement.. his wingman..
So, start getting used to saying Governor Deal. But don’t forget these questions:
1. In Congress, few of the bills Deal did sponsor went anywhere. How will he fare with a Legislature whose chambers — when they’re not at war with each other — have often been hostile or indifferent to the governor’s agenda?
2. There is little to get excited about in the policies that Deal proposed as a candidate. (Example: He’d flatten, but not lower, individual income-tax rates.) Even the better parts of his plan are not what I’d call ambitious. Does Gov. Deal have a vision that will take him (and us) through years three and four?
3. When news stories first emerged about Deal’s lobbying state officials not to change an auto-salvage program that richly benefited his own business, he defended himself in part by voicing concerns that the change ended the elementary safety checks that went with the title work.
But thousands of Georgians buy used cars every year without government-mandated inspections. Why should the state tell consumers to pay a specific company to perform such a basic service? In which cases will Deal trust free markets and personal responsibility, and when will he not?
4. Deal says he favors a limited federal government that doesn’t interfere in state and local affairs. So why was it appropriate for him to travel to Georgia, as a congressman representing a constituent (himself), to meet with county and state officials about local zoning and road-maintenance matters? In which cases will Deal side with local control over federal, and when will he not?
As you can tell, there’s much about Deal that makes me skeptical. But he’s about to get the chance to prove me and the other skeptics wrong. All Georgians better hope that he will.
TH
November 1st, 2010
7:15 am
zzzzz
Right is Wrong
November 1st, 2010
8:21 am
Wooten – You quickly have become irrelavent here. No one wants to hear your conservative lies. Time to retire.
Dr. Stan (The Black One)
November 1st, 2010
2:12 pm
Conservative voters at the polls tomorrow will undoubtedly help the masses of African Americans. As we speak, The New World Order African American ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are licking the lips of little black boys before engaging in oral sex prior to church services throughout the black community.
Liberal African American women in churches are conflicted. Each time they get the courage to challenge the perversion in the black church, they are convicted by their own personal failures. African American women have murdered over half the babies they should have birthed via abortion since 1973 Roe vs. Wade… African American women have no standing… After all, the New World Order ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are sexually molesting boys and girls, not murdering them.
Integrationist African American men can’t challenge the perverted pastors in the African American community either. They have been bootlicking, butt-licking, buck-dancing, bamboozled, some half-baked and others half-fried, punkyfied, sissified, pasteurized, and homogenized since mandatory integration in the south, 1970. African American men in the north had been integrated and stupefied at a much earlier date in the north.
My prayer is that a strong conservative vote tomorrow and the vote of Americans of good will can restore a standard of decency and morality etc in our country, especially in the African American community.
Pat
November 1st, 2010
4:43 pm
Tuesday certainly can’t come soon enough for you, Jim. After all, how old are you? Judging by the fossilized calcification of your intellect, I’d say 90-ish … except that I hate to insult the mentally active 90-somethings who are my friends and family. Oh, the good old days … when the colored knew their place and no one dared question whether unbridled corporate profit and power was good for America. Face it, this history-challenged crew of tea baggers probably think Nixon was a pinko.
It’s OK. I’m feeling generous. Enjoy Tuesday’s temper tantrum by the public and the benefits it will throw the right’s way. When Stoopid runs amock amid the populace, you win. The clueless sheep who are pissed off that Obama gave them a tax cut and healthcare will eventually be disgruntled again. Maybe this time, they can even figure out why. One thing’s sure – oligarchy-loving dinosaurs like you need Tuesday to hurry up pronto. You’ve got to enjoy this on the limited time you have left.
Crooks Among Us
November 1st, 2010
6:57 pm
If you are a crook or crook at heart, vote for this crook!
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-corrupt-members-of-congress-2009-9#rep-nathan-deal-r-ga-4
Dr. Stan (The Black One)
November 2nd, 2010
6:52 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTSQozWP-rM
mrs. w
November 2nd, 2010
8:31 am
I will be voting NO on anything that they are asking for money for. I already gave up my cute little wild flower tag when they thought I would now pay for the “priviledge” of having it every year. One of the messages we can all sent is no more money until they learn to better manage what they already get. This is a lesson that needs to be learned from the county to federal level. I live on a pretty strict budget – they need to as well. .