Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Infidelity of a Different Sort

We've been talking about Republicans cheating all week, but it seems to me that some Georgia Democrats are guilty of infidelity. Specifically, I'm talking about the seven Democrats who abandoned our party by failing to vote for Rep. Porter and failing to oppose the even-worse-if-that's-possible new House rules. Sure, there are times when a legislator needs to cross party lines to support a bill, but this was not one of those times. This was a time to stand together. Democrats in the Georgia House had two jobs on Monday: 1) Vote for DuBose Porter and 2) Vote against Richardson's awful rules. These were important and largely symbolic votes. Yet, there were seven for whom it was just too much to ask.

What harm did it cause? Well, now the Republicans get to point to seven Democratic votes and say, "See, Richardson is not a lying, cheating scumbag who put self-interest above the interest of the people of Georgia. Even Democrats want him to be the leader." Swell. Thanks lots guys and gals.

Why did they do it? I have no idea. Perhaps they think that if they kiss-up to the Speaker, he'll drop some crumbs their way. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were them. Now no one trusts them now-not the Republicans and certainly not the Democrats. It's sort of like having an affair with a married person and then marrying him or her. It's a good bet that they'll cheat on you, too.

Why do I care? Because all of these legislators got money from Democrats- individually and from Democratic pacs-to help them get elected. Perhaps the Speaker Richardson can help them with their next election. For me, it will be just too much to ask.

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19 comments:

Chris said...

Amy you and I don't always see eye to eye on everything but you are right on here.

Vic said...

I can't imagine anyone voting against Dubose. Even though he and
Will-Whereishe-Whatshisname-Whichsideisheon-Wingate kicked me off of DP's ranch. DP had the courtesty to take me on a tour of his five-privy Outhouse before i departed. He even invited me back… Next to me, Dubose Porter is the nicest guy on the Georgia Political Scene.

Amy Morton said...

All I can tell you is that I will remember their choices on Monday.

MelGX said...

Same here Amy. It was an inexcusable vote.

Vic said...

Thank God women never forget because based on the vote tally, i can't remember whose a Dem or Rep anymore. Please help us guys out by posting the names of the perps. They don't seem to put a D or R by the Voters name.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2007_08/votes/hv0002.htm

I say we give them five days vacation in Dubose' Outhouse. I'll administer the ritual floggings and WillWhichsideisheon can clean out the stalls...

Remind me, what happens Monday?

Amy Morton said...

I dangled my modifier. I will remember their Monday vote.

Vic said...

Amy,
Don't sweat the dangling modifiers, it's the dangling participles that bring in the rejection slips.

And while we're on the topic of sex in Georgia Government, why are the "Georgia Women Vote" ladies so shy about posting their opinions and observations on this and other websites? They could at least summarize a bill from a feminine perspective for us once in a while.
Starting with the SB509 anti Health Insurance Monopoly debate that i started on:
http://www.davidshafer.org

Come on ladies, put on your boots and jump in the mud hole with us big bad guys.

Here is a post that Sen Shafer/Vice Chair of the Labor and Ins Cmte HAS YET to post as the Deer Baiting topic has incited his followers and gained dominance:

david.shafer@senate.ga.gov,ralph.hudgens@senate.ga.gov,dan.moody@senate.ga.gov,robert.brown@senate.ga.gov, jeff.chapman@senate.ga.gov,tim.golden@senate.ga.gov,ed.harbison@senate.ga.gov,ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov,chip.rogers@senate.ga.gov

CC: Local/State/National Press & Concerned Citizens
Subject: To: Georgia Senate Insurance & Labor cmte & concerned Legislators 1/11/07

Re: Monopolistic Trends in Georgia's Health Care Insurance Market

Dear David,

Congrats on your Appointment as Vice Chair of the Senate Labor & Insurance Committee. Based on your introduction of Senate Bill 509 last year, I'm sure that you and your peers are aware of the dangers of the monopolistic trends in Georgia's Health Insurance Industry.

Your Public Relations communication skills will be needed to give the Citizens of Georgia a fair playing field to defend against practices such as Cherry Picking sick people off of their roles via exorbitant rate increases, denying coverage to persons with pre-existing conditions and making Individual coverage unaffordable to women of child bearing age and beyond.
As you know, this has a direct effect on the taxpayers of Georgia in that it
forces people onto Medicaid and/or puts them at the mercy of Georgia's already stressed Emergency Rooms. .

To stay abreast of how more progressive States are addressing the current Health Insurance Crisis, log on to:

http://www.kff.org

Please seriously address these issues with members of the Mid-Ga Delgation: Sen Staton (he’s already misled me once about the chances for SB509’s passage but he promised to help on SB509 while he was on the campaign trail in Macon this summer) , Senator Brown (he’s so quiet except when he’s politicing that it’s hard to tell but I’m sure he’d go along if someone else took the lead), Rep Lucas (He may help if he can remember)
Rep Nikki Randall (again, another quiet one but she may follow someone else’s lead) Rep Tom Knox (He introduced HB1517 that was almost identical to your SB509 at the last minute, last year), Rep Peake (he seemed to give up before he started because of his self consciousness as a rookie rep but he applied for the House Ins Cmte, which shows his potential awareness), Rep Sellier (he said he would study the issue).

And don’t forget my old buddy Chairman Ralph Hudgens. Last year we went round and round the Mulberry bush and he indicated that he had too much to keep up with to seriously address SB509 and the growing monopolistic trend in Georgia’s Health Insurance Market. Please ask Cousin Sonny to lighten Ralph’s load a little so he can do a good job this year.

Sincerely,
Victor Jones
Macon, Ga
http://www.macon-bibb.com/GONZO
p.s. Below = Georgia Senate & Ins Labor Cmte Contact info for Citizens in need.

Georgia Senate 2007
Insurance and Labor Committee Members

Georgia Senate
Insurance and Labor Committee Members

Hudgens, Ralph T (R-SS 47) Chairman
Occupation: Investor
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/hudgensbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-4700
Email: ralph.hudgens@senate.ga.gov


Shafer, David (R-SS 48) Vice Chairman
Occupation: Public Relations
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/shaferbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-0048
Email: david.shafer@senate.ga.gov


Moody, Dan (R-SS 56) Secretary
Occupation: Process Engineer
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/moodybio.php
Phone: (404) 463-8055
Email: dan.moody@senate.ga.gov



Brown, Robert (D-SS 26) Member
Occupation: Businessperson
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/brownbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-5035
Email: robert.brown@senate.ga.gov

Chapman, Jeff (R-SS 03) Member
Ocupation: Businessperson
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/champanbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-0045
Email: jeff.chapman@senate.ga.gov

Golden, Tim (D-SS 08) Member
Occupation: Mortgage Broker
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/goldenbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-7580
Email: tim.golden@senate.ga.gov


Harbison, Ed (D-SS 15) Member
Occupation: Businessperson
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/harbisonbio.php
Phone: (404) 656-0074
Email: ed.harbison@senate.ga.gov

Ramsey, Sr., Ronald B. (D-SS 43) Member
Occupation: Attorney
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/ramseybio.php
Phone: (404) 463-2598
Email: ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov


Rogers, Chip (R-SS 21) Member
Occupation: Small Business Owner
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/rogersbio.php
Phone: (404) 463-1378
Email:
chip.rogers@senate.ga.gov

decaturguy said...

Somebody needs to put an end to VictoratGaImproper.

Amy Morton said...

It is the first time I have been accused of being shy about expressing my opinion. In fact, I can think of a list of folks who would be quite pleased if I kept my thoughts to myself more often.

And, Victor, didn't I restate the entire HB1?

What do you have in mind, Decatur?

Vic said...

DecaturGuy is another chicken, who is afraid to sign his name to his opinions. I would guess WW in women's clothing. Did he just issue a personal threat? Who is We? I'll let the authorities decide.

Vic said...

Amy,

Re: " why are the "Georgia Women Vote" ladies so shy about posting their opinions and observations on this and other websites?"

- Was in reference to all the ladies that ran for office and whose voices are silent as the legislature continues the consumer be damned process of establishing corporate rule in Georgia.

A worthy elected official doesn't stop advancing issues, ideas and research as soon as the campaign ends.

Victor Jones,
Macon, Georgia

decaturguy said...

What I meant is that you should put an end to his long, wacked out, rambling comments, like posting entire letters, etc. in the comment section. It is not that hard to get your own blog.

Amy Morton said...

That's about what I assumed you meant, Decatur.

Vic said...

1/11/07
Decatur Guy,

Glad you made an attemp to clarify your statement. It alarmed me enough to take immediate action. It has already been turned over to an Atlanta Attorney for advisement and the mainstream media has been notified.

Is this your website?
http://www.atlantapublicaffairs.blogspot.com
Where is your real name on the site?

Whatever your real name is, if you consider a 7 year effort to advance Anti Monopoly and Insurance Reform in Georgia a whacked out topic, ask Amy to send you one of her mirrors.

Victor Jones
Macon, Georgia
http://www.macon-bibb.com/GONZO
http://www.myspace.com/georgiaimproper
http://www.GeorgiaImproper.blogspot.com

Amy Morton said...

In all seriousness, blogs really are sort of the new public square,and I want this to be a place where varying viewpoints can be expressed freely and without fear.

There are some "rules" that vary some by blog, but there are some that are sort of generally understood. This works best if comments follow the post or the stream. And, in blog-world, generally, if you have a lot to say, you look for a front page to say it. For example, Tina posts here sometimes, on the front page and in comments, about mental health issues, but she also has her own blog dedicated to that subject.

For the record, over here, I also prefer to keep profanity to a minimum. Otherwise, how would I keep my reputation as the most "polite" blogger (per Mel)? I also reserve the right to delete anything, anytime, for any reason, though I have very, very rarely exercised that right.

Tina said...

There are plenty of women expressing plenty of opinions in GA.
Here's a sample: Amy, you are quite right to be annoyed with Dems who vote Republican! Do remember their choices on Monday.
Do see that Dem dollars go to other candidates in the future.
In the future I will check with you before making any in-state donations. Not that I have that much to donate....but there's a principle at stake here.

Vic said...

Amy,

Hope this fits the new guidelines. Here are the Democrats that voted against my outhouse buddy Dubose. Don't be too hard on them, maybe they too had been relegated to the privy by the ridiculously ineffectual DPG leadership this year?

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/legis07/stories/2007/01/10/0110metlegvote.html

"Dems break ranks, anger party leader"

By JEREMY REDMON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 01/10/07

Seven Democrats broke party ranks in the House of Representatives Monday to reelect Republican Rep. Glen Richardson (Hiram) as speaker, a move that doesn't sit well with their Democratic leader.

Those who crossed the aisle to support Richardson were:

Reps. Amy Carter (Valdosta),
Mike Cheokas (Americus),
Gerald Greene (Cuthbert),
Bob Hanner (Parrott),
Mike Jacobs (Atlanta),
Sheila Jones (Atlanta)
Jay Shaw (Lakeland).
Rep. Alan Powell (D-Hartwell) did not vote.

Richardson picked up 113 votes, while House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) got 66.


posted by
Victor Jones
Macon, Georgia

Vic said...

Quick: Name the Dems that voted for the Hawks Rule last year?
How many of these are still around?


http://www.blogfordemocracy.org/archives/2005/02/a_question_that.html




Mike Barnes (D) District 78
Ellis Black (D) District 174
Ron Borders (D) District 175
Mickey Channell (D) District 116
Mike Cheokas (D) District 134
Terry Coleman (D) District 144
Hugh Floyd (D) District 99
Johnny Floyd (D) District 147
Gerald Greene (D) District 149
Bob HAnner (D) District 148
Joe Heckstall (D) District 62
Sistie Hudson (D) District 124
Mike Jacobs (D) District 80
Jeanetter Jamieson (D) District 28
Charles Jenkins (D) District 8
Jimmy Lord (D) District 142
Pedro Marin (D) District 96
Greg Morris (D) District 155
Bobby Parham (D) District 141
Butch Parrish (D) District 156
Alan Powell (D) District 29
Robert Ray (D) District 136
Richard Royal (D) District 171
Jay Shaw (D) District 176
Freddie Powell Sims (D) District 151
Paul Smith (D) District 13

Vic said...

I am so glad to see Beth Perera, Dubose Porter and Robert Brown speaking out. What a difference a few days makes:


Small initiatives dominate Perdue's 'Sonny-do' list
By Shannon McCaffrey
ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://www.macon.com/mld/telegraph/16456389.htm


Family Planning Saves Lives & Money
by Beth Perera
Topic: Ideas, Health Care General
http://www.georgiaspeaks.com/ideas/list.asp?category_id=18