
"Come to me, all of you who are frustrated and have had a bellyful, and I will give you zest." (Matthew 28:11, The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John by Clarence Jordan)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Run, Pat, Run!!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Republican Pundit Cites Bishop's Vulnerability
Here's another example of why I think Charlie Bishop is in deep trouble. Republican pundit and City Council member Erick Erickson has posted a thoughtful piece about all the reasons why Bishop's re-election will be "difficult." Erickson, who managed Bishop's campaign in 2004, will be "sitting this race out." That's a very bad sign for Bishop. Erickson sees a tough row to hoe for Bishop against Sam Hart, especially if Obama is the nominee. I agree with Erick. Even if Obama is not the nominee, the desire for change, progress and a little statesmanship in government was made clear in Reichert's election. I think we'll see the same thing in the Chairman's race. People are going to cross party lines for a competent leader who works and plays well with others. Plus, I'm already hearing about campaign tactics that are sure to turn off voters.
Monday, April 28, 2008
There is No Candidate Fairy
We need a systematic program to identify, train and elect Democrats. While the party has a role in this, I'm not sure that this can really be accomplished through the DPG. Some entity needs to have the freedom to focus only on recruitment, and they must have the latitude to be selective about who they support in primaries. It needs to be someone's full time job. I have some thoughts about this, but, that's a discussion for the day after qualifying.
Right this minute, we all need to understand that there is no candidate fairy-there is no pipeline, (though there needs to be a pipeline and there can be a pipeline.)And, frankly, the way to make gains in the House and Senate is not by simply fielding a candidate-any candidate-in every race. It's probably better to have nine candidates in districts we have a great chance of flipping than to have 20 candidates in races where success is unlikely. This isn't just true for Democrats. When we're done with qualifying on Friday, there will be a lot of incumbent Democrats who are unchallenged. Neither Democrats or Republicans will invest a whole lot of money in races they are unlikely to win. Add to that, when you're in the minority, it is no small task to find qualified candidates who have the time to both campaign and serve, especially in districts 250+ miles from Atlanta. The bottom line is that if we want candidates in these key races, we all need to be reaching out to whomever we know in these key districts.
So, get on the phone and call your friends or family in places like Cordele or Camilla.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Hmmm...
Bishop Battles for Right-of-Way Vote
Friday, April 25, 2008
Don't Waste Your Money Educating Your Daughters
Most sexism is veiled, but, here it is, billboard-style. According to Ethics Daily, Doug Phillips, a trained lawyer, founder Vision Forum and misogynist pig, thinks it's a waste of money to educate your daughters:
Phillips says it's a waste of money to invest in an expensive college education for daughters. "It seems very pragmatic," Kunsman said in her lecture. "Why pour a lot of resources when you've got 10 kids and sons to train? You don't want to train your daughter in quantum physics."
Phillips says in his own words: "We do not need MORE female Christian lawyers, doctors or artists, but MORE godly women raising MORE godly children who will fill the earth and subdue it to the glory of God. And does it really make economic sense to invest tens of thousands of dollars for a woman to get an advanced education (often having to go into debt to finance that education) that she will NOT use if she accepts that her highest calling is to be a wife and mother?"
Maybe it's just me, but I think that it was actually Doug's parents who wasted their money educating him.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
North Macon Looks Like Ussery Territory
Help Dee WIN!
To thoroughly confuse you and voters in the district, the regular election is also going on, so the five candidates who qualified for this special election will be qualifying for the primary (to be held July 15th) and general election (to be held November 3rd). If Dee fails to win 50% + 1 of the vote in the May 13th special election, there will be a special election run-off (likely May 27th).
Dee Haigler has dedicated her life to public service as a minister, college educator, community activist, political strategist and organizer. She is a powerful and outspoken advocate for fairness and equality, with the right background and experience to be an effective advocate for all the citizens of House District 93.
Please join me in supporting Dee Haigler by going online right now and making a secure contribution of $500, $250, $100 (match my gift!), or $50 to the campaign.
Dee ran for the state senate seat that includes this house seat in 2006, and she is President of the local PTA and active in the community. She is by far the strongest candidate and can win this special election without a run-off, but only if we step up to the plate and support the campaign to get her message out to voters in the next two and one-half weeks!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Dirty Tricks in HD93
Below you will find the first, the forged piece that is circulating and below it , a copy of the original page.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Pennsylvania Prediction
Update:
Or maybe not. Here are some early exits from National Review. They have Obama up by 5 and winning the blue collar vote.
Play Nice
All of these party officers-from Jane on down-are volunteers. Yet, many give full time or nearly full time to their posts at the party. For their trouble, they also get to be the whipping posts when things aren't going well. That's understandable to a degree-they should be accountable to the duties of their elected posts, but it seems to me that the party would be stronger if we spent as much energy complimenting as complaining.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Obama Cash Machine
Look, I feel a little silly writing words like "just" before amounts like $9 million, but this cash difference in the campaigns has reached a point of critical mass. Whoever is the nominee is going to have rely on their primary money until the convention, even if the other party drops out of the race. No candidate for president has ever demonstrated the ability to raise the kind of money-from such a broad base-as Sen. Obama has done. It really is remarkable.
$3.98
With these gas prices, if we can't elect a democrat in November, we just need to pack it all up and quit trying. I'm not kidding.
For most families, I imagine this takes a huge bite out of the budget.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Democatic Caucus: The Winners
In general, from what I have heard, yesterday was a good day for Georgia democrats. Despite the logistical challenges involved with the large crowds, I have heard of very few "hitches." That's pretty remarkable, in and of itself, since all of our congressional district chairs were given the task of finding free space, large enough to accommodate the crowds that also had wireless Internet access. They also had to find volunteers to do various tasks. If you were at a caucus location, and the process seemed relatively easy, you may want to send a BIG thank you to your CD, all of whom are volunteers for the party. It's kind of like a ballet-if it is done well, it seems effortless and often the hard work that was done to prepare is not credited.
We also need to say a thank you to Jane Kidd, her staff and the other officers of the Party, many of whom supervised caucus locations. In the 8th, Vice Chair Sally Rosser was here at 8 a.m. to help set up and stayed through the entire process. Good job, everyone.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Breakfast Before the Caucus
Nunn for Obama
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
But Will Estrada Run for Lt. Gov.?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
This is the Moment
Run.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Once Again, You Get What You Pay For
The truth is that lobbyist money may not "buy votes," but the dollars do buy access to the lawmakers, and in politics, access is everything. Who do you think wrote the legislation that gave millions in tax breaks to the insurance industry? Do you really think that the legislators who sponsored the bill spent their summer vacation working on the syntax? I'm guessing, no. The bottom line is, if we want money to speak just a little less loudly under the dome, then we need to pass "cup of coffee" lobbyist reform, like, yesterday. It won't solve all the problems, but it's a good start.
Vote for Me
Never, in the 20-plus years I have lived in this state, have I seen this level of enthusiasm for our candidates and for our Party. Democrats should do very well indeed in Georgia this November, especially if Sen. Obama is our nominee. On the heels of historic participation in the February 5th primary, we have seen unprecedented interest in the delegate selection process. Hundreds of people have submitted delegate applications and large crowds are expected to line up to vote in the caucuses.
When I initially endorsed Sen. Obama, I wrote this post, attributing my decision to "go public" with my support to a conversation with my 22 year old son, Tyler, who reminded me that I've never taught them to "play it safe" and challenged me to endorse Sen. Obama prior to Georgia's February 5th primary. Of course, I did just that. Tyler doesn't know it, but he also influenced my decision to run for delegate. One evening a few weeks ago, I was watching CNN, and Tyler walked through the living room and paused, watching the television. He looked at me, amazed, and said, "He's really going to do it, isn't he, Mom? He's going to win, isn't he?" "I hope so," I said. "You never know what might happen at convention." Tyler was visibly perplexed. "But, he's got the most delegates, he's won the most states, he's ahead in the popular vote. He has to win."
He does have to win. Sen. Obama has done his part, and it is now up to us to make sure he is the nominee. We may very well have a convention where the votes of undecided super delegates make the difference. We have to make sure that we elect delegates who will both be loyal in their vote and who can influence others to support Sen. Obama. I believe that I can do just that, and that's why I'm running for delegate.
Wherever you live, if you are a Georgia Democrat, I hope that you will participate in the delegate selection caucuses. It promises to be a historic occasion-one to tell the grandchildren about. If you live in the 8th, I hope that you will come to Mercer Law School, no later than 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19th, and I hope that you will vote for me.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
I'm Just Thinking This Bodes Well for Democrats
Crystle Smith is:
- 26
- from Texas
- an entrepreneur
- the new Miss USA
And, according to CNN, says, "Fundamentally, I'm a Democrat." Who ever thought all those things would appear in the same bio?
Friday, April 11, 2008
Blogger "Ethics"
Most of the people I know who blog are also otherwise involved politically. They don't write everything they know because, if they did, they would not be trusted with confidential information in their other political involvements. I don't write about conversations I have with elected officials, party folks or candidates unless they agree. I don't write about the confidential work of various boards and committees I serve on. And, I certainly don't write about the internal, strategic plans of candidates. I sure don't sneak into fundraisers for Presidential candidates and secretly record and then publish their comments.
Like any charismatic movement, blogging emerged initially without a lot of formal written "codes" of behavior, or ethics, if you will. The community sort of policed itself. Sort of. And, part of the attraction to blogging is the freedom and immediacy of the medium. But, I suspect that as time goes on and this "blogging" phenomenon sorts itself out more formal codes of ethics will emerge. For example, when bloggers more often get sued for making inaccurate statements about people, there will be natural pressure for standards with regard to fairness and accuracy. In the meantime, we'll have to rely on good faith and good sense, though both seem at times to be in short supply.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Georgia HD93
Dee Dawkins-Haigler 6050 Kingston Wood Way Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Malik Douglas 5945 Idlewood Place Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Colet Odenigbo 4548 Tulie Ct. Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Jim Sendelbach 2675 N. Lakeview Dr. SW Conyers, GA 30094
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Traci Waites 1272 Rhodes Walk Conyers, GA 30094
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
April 19th: Change, Inside Out
Democrats are getting together on Earth Day - Saturday, April 19th - to help green Atlanta with our friends at Trees Atlanta. Join Democrats Work, the Young Democrats of Georgia, and the Mid-Fulton Democrats (and a host of other great Democrats) for this great event.
Click here to sign up for the mulching and weeding project that will help protect trees on the model mile of the Beltline Arboretum. Here are the details:
Saturday, April 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Meet at the green space on Muse Street SW (near the corner of Muse Street SW and Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW in Atlanta)
To see all of the details, get directions, and RSVP, please visit the Democrats Work website. You can also RSVP by sending an email to rsvp@democratswork.org.
We'll have Democrats Work t-shirts for the first 15 people to RSVP! And we'll have Krispy Kreme donuts and drinks for all volunteers. Wear clothes that can get dirty and bring some work gloves if you have them.
Questions? Contact Suzann Settle at umkc67@mindspring.com or call 404-317-5569.
Thank you for all that you do for our community. And please help us spread the word to your friends, family, and fellow Democrats. This is a new day in Georgia, and we are putting our values into action across the state.
Sincerely,
Jason Carter, Democrats Work
P.S., We know that some of you will be involved in Congressional District Caucuses on the 19th. While you're changing the world from the inside, we'll be changing the world on the outside! Stay tuned for more service events.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
560 Apartments Next to Rivoli Downs?
When I got home tonight, I noticed-how could I not notice-that there were fliers attached to the street light poll next to my drive way. I mean, like, six sheets worth of fliers. You have to understand, I live in a rather subdued neighborhood. Folks are not much for fliers unless they're missing a cat or a dog. So, I parked and then walked back out the the street to read the signs, half thinking that some creative-but-not-brave neighbor had found a unique way to complain about my garbage can being visible from the street or Veruca's rather enthusiastic barking at joggers. In reality, the signs warned about the planned development and recommended action. Here's the scoop:
On April 14th, the Macon/Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission will hear and application to re-zone 59 acres next to Rivoli Downs in order to build a 560 unit apartment complex. This type of development isn't just bad new for Rivoli Downs, but also for other nearby single family home developments. This type of development just doesn't make sense given that that surrounding property is for single family homes. Neighbors believe, I think correctly, that it would cause our property values to decline and result in increased noise in the neighborhood. The final selling point for me is that the proposed complex would come within 20 feet of Saddle Run Court. Why don't they just use the property to build single family homes?
This proposed development is on Bowman Road, but it will impact Rivoli Downs and other neighborhoods in the Rivoli, Northside Drive, Bass Road areas of town. So, if this is where you live, write Planning and Zoning and plan to attend the hearing at City Hall on April 14th at 1:30 pm.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Oxendine Slams Staton

Not everyone was quite so pleased. On the heels of a bitter, public battle between Speaker Richardson and Lt. Gov. Cagle, Georgia's insurance commissioner, John Oxendine slammed Sen. Cecil Staton for his allegiance to trial lawyers and insurance companies at the expense of his constituents, in print, in Sunday's Telegraph. (Oh, my God, he used the "T" word about another Republican.) Oxendine said the new law (assuming Gov. Perdue signs it) will increase insurance rates and allow insurance companies to implement new rates without checking in with the insurance commissioner. Here's quote:
Sen. Staton may try to confuse the issue, but the bottom line is that Senate Bill 276 is bad legislation, crafted in secret and passed with little notice or opportunity for public input. Georgians deserve better.
I agree with Commissioner Oxendine. Georgians do deserve better. It's time we had elected officials who will stand up for everyday Georgians. With the help of Georgia Republicans, who are continuing to perfect the art of the circular firing squad, we may just have a chance to elect some Democrats this November.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Guns at Custody Exchanges
No Wonder They Need Their Guns...
Seriously, I've yet to find someone who thinks the session was a success. Check this AJC article by James Salzer: the criticism transcends party lines. Unless you're a big time developer or an insurance company, there was little to celebrate in the session this year. Simple things, like having confidence that you'll have water for your morning shower, a reasonable commute time to work and access to trauma care if, God forbid, you have a wreck on the way, are not partisan issues. These are issues that matter to every Georgian, and sooner rather than later, the voters are going to toss out elected officials who'd rather fight with one another than offer solutions for the real problems we deal with every day. Had enough? Vote for a Democrat.
Congrats, Flack
Friday, April 4, 2008
Banana Puddin'
Sine Die: Quote of the Day
Me, too, Glenn, a new DEMOCRATIC LT. GOV. He further encouraged all Georgians to rename the Tag Tax the "Cagle Birthday Tax." I suppose this is the close of the session and the opening of the Governor's race. Democrats have no better friend than Glenn Richardson.
Sine die and NO tax break for Georgians. Both plans failed. A very flawed water bill passed. A slightly improved TAD bill passed. The "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me" bill passed. You, too can carry your gun in all manner of public places. Good they stopped before they did any more damage.
Aren't there a finite number of laws that need to be passed? Half the problem is that-to feel productive-these folks think they have to think up new legislation. Less is more.
Jacobs: A Man Without a Party
Here's what the AJC Political Insider boys have to say about the fate of Jacob's poisoned Grady bill. (We blogged about this a couple of days ago.) The bill HB1299-and it's anti-abortion amendment courtesy of Sen Shafer-were both defeated today in the Georgia House rendering it dead, dead, dead for the session. Jacob's co-sponsor Rep. Sharon Cooper (R) turned the tables on him and worked to defeat the amended bill. It is notable that another Republican, Rep. Jill Chambers reportedly turned thumbs down in a signal to others to vote "nay" and was heard saying:
As the seconds ticked by, state Rep. Jill Chambers (R-Atlanta), held her thumb downward as a signal to others. “I’m tired of men in the Capitol playing vaginal politics,” she said later.
Me, too, Jill, me, too. Jacobs seemed to have acknowledged his party-less predicament. The AJC reports that he suggested to Rep. Cooper that she might as well write a check to his Democratic challenger. Works for me.
Tithe that rebate check ! A challenge....
Well, then, make a statement when you get your check. Donate at least 10% of it to your favorite Democratic presidential candidate ! I will start off by setting the bar a little higher. When I receive my $600 in May, I will donate $100 of it to my own presidential pick. You are wondering what I will do with the other $500? Easy. I will go to the nearest gas station and fill up the tank of my Chevy Cobalt.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Sine Die: Big Payday for Georgia Insurance Companies?
When I was in Iowa, the red Traveler's umbrella was a landmark in Des Moines, but if Georgia Republicans have their way, Georgia may become a new haven for insurance companies. Not so much for consumers, though or for children without healthcare. Tomorrow may be the last day of the legislative session, but the insurance industry is still hoping to bank a cool $150 million in tax breaks to push high deductible-let's call these what they really are-"do-it-yourself healthcare plans." "Do-it-yourself" because while you will still pay the insurance company premiums, when it comes to paying the bills, absent something catastrophic, you pretty much have to manage that on your own. I wrote about this earlier this month, and Rep. Tom Knox has earned himself a CL Golden Sleaze Award for his rather friendly arrangement with the insurance industry, demonstrated by his sponsorship of this bill and others.
Over at American Forum, Dr. David Blumenthal has posted an insightful piece about why these insurance policies are probably not worth the paper they're written on. Here's a quote:
Faced with a high deductible and an outlay of cash to meet even minimal health needs, many consumers will postpone needed care and forgo preventive services altogether. In the short run, money will be saved for the consumer and the health care system. In the slightly longer run, asthmatic kids will wind up in the hospital, middle-aged adults with uncontrolled high blood pressure will have heart attacks, and the elderly who failed to get screened for cancer will have it discovered in advanced stages. Health care costs will increase and Georgians will be less healthy.
Please contact your State Senator today and ask him or her to oppose HB 977. Follow the link above, or visit www.capitolconnect.com/aarp, register your name and address and follow the action steps under state alerts to send an email directly to your State Senator.
Martin Rakes in Dollars and Key Support
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Poison Pill in the Grady Bill
Note to poor women an girls who are victims of rape or incest and find themselves pregnant as a result: don't bother to go to Grady Hospital. The Georgia Senate has tied Grady's survival to a provision that it no longer preform abortions and will not utilize Medicaid funds for that procedure.
Representative Mike Jacobs introduced HB 1299 in the House of Representatives that would allow Grady Hospital to become a not-for-profit.The legislation went to the Senate today and Senator David Shafer amended the legislation, specific to Grady Hospital. The amendment would prohibit Grady Hospital from providing abortions under state and federal laws and not allow for Medicaid funding of the services.The amendment passed the Senate an hour ago. (It may not be posted until later this evening or tomorrow morning) The legislation will be returned to Representative Jacobs for his yes or no on the amendment.