If you are loading and re-loading the State Ethics Commission webpage at 1AM on Saturday in the faint and dying hope that the disclosure numbers for the three "Big Squirrels" will be posted- you just might be a political junkie. Just step away, slowly, from the computer...
Today, thanks to the AJC and Georgia Political Digest, here are the March 31 numbers for the Big Three:
"During the first three months of the year, Secretary of State Cathy Cox, a Democrat, raised $185,892, compared with Democratic rival Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor's $98,531 and Republican incumbent Perdue's $142,500.
The disparities grow when it comes to money in the bank: Cox has $2.9 million, Taylor has $4.1 million, and Perdue has $8.3 million."
Of course, Taylor's money includes the million dollar loan he gave himself in December, and he began raising a year before Cox. Aside from the loan, she has virtually wiped out his financial advantage raising almost twice as much as Taylor did and over forty thousand more than Sonny. This from the person Taylor said could not raise the money to run.
That said, loan or no loan, the million still spends. So, if you, like me, believe that Cox would not only be a great Governor, but that she is also the candidate who can beat Perdue, then we need to do all we can to make sure she emerges from the July primary. Cox supporters can finds multiple ways to help on her website www.cathycox.com .
To read the whole ATC Political Insider piece, go to:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/index.html
Someone suggested an open thread, so here you go. Have at it. Keep it clean, keep it honest. Discuss what you want. Here's some food for thought:
Today, I noticed that someone with an ISP at Halliburton in Houston accessed the blog. It's just one of those things that makes you go hmmmm.....
And while the right-wing media tries to distract the nation with the McKinney story, President Bush once again uses the "I know what's best for you" excuse to justify his authorization of the intelligence leak. His actions may not be criminal but certainly unethical....
What would Ralph Reed's Georgia look like?
Dive in.
When it came to marriage, divorce and family responsibility, Jesus advocated for the rights of women and children in a male-oriented culture that assigned them little more value than cattle. In the first century, to divorce his wife, and leave her without support or the ability to re-marry, a first century man just had to say, “I divorce thee; I divorce thee; I divorce thee.” Jesus’ teachings about marriage, and about poverty, reveal his opposition to this practice.
This year, the Georgia legislature did not show the same concern for moms, children or poverty. This session, the General Assembly passed sweeping child support legislation that met with significant opposition from custodial parents (mostly moms) who are likely to see substantial reductions in child support payments.
That legislation awaits the Governor’s signature, but, in a rather transparent and cowardly move, even if he signs it, the provisions will not be effective until January. This is, after all, an election year, and by some estimates, women will represent 60% of voters and could tip the election. Wouldn’t want to tip off that voting block, now would we?
(Here’s a bulletin, Sonny: we are already clear that the agenda of The Perdue Team does not favor women.)
Not only is this legislation unbelievably complicated, it also threatens to throw even more Georgia children into poverty. One of the more controversial provisions of this bill gives non-custodial parents monetary credit for time spent with their children.
Currently, more than one third of female-headed households in Georgia fall below the poverty line. The cost of maintaining a household is not reduced when a child visits with another parent, so this legislation, if signed into law, will make an already bad situation, much worse.
I found myself asking, what would Jesus have done? I think, certainly not this.
Tonight on Real Time With Bill Maher, Cynthia McKinney was a guest. When Maher asked her about "the" incident, she replied that she was just acting like a normal member of Congress, but that she is not a normal member of Congress." You've got to give the Congresswomen credit for candor.
Sphere: Related ContentIn what will be one of the most competitive and closely watched legislative races in Georgia, Lauren Benedict, Democratic candidate for HD 140 today reports $35,321.06 cash on hand while the Republican incumbent, Allen Freeman, reports only $26,538.88 cash on hand. More importantly, of the $20,839.38 Benedict raised since January 1st, $4,285.00 or about 20% came from under $101.00 donors- an indication of strong grassroots support.
Freeman was not able to raise during the legislative session, but during the period prior to the session and the day after, he only raised $1,500.00. Of this, two-thirds came from pacs or corporations. Of interest, of the 47,918.57 that Freeman reports total from this and the previous disclosure, he spent nearly $21,379.69, leaving him about nine thousand dollars short of Benedict in total cash on hand.
HD 137, a seat now held by David Graves (R), is open and up for grabs. Graves announced last week that he will not seek re-election. Some of you may recall Graves issues with DUI's just prior to session.
Even prior to that announcement, four Republicans had tossed their respective hats into the ring: Becky Burgess, Stebin Horne, Dale Washburn and Allen Peake. Today, three of these four have already filed their disclosure reports, and while it is clear that there will be no shortage of cash in that race, how the current candidates have (or have not) spent their money reveals something about the personality of the campaigns and the management style of the candidates.
Horne, an attorney and current city councilman, with total contribution of $ 32,251.00 (plus $250.00 in-kind) wins the fundraising derby for the period. He already had more than $50,000 for a total of $83,261.00 raised. Horne, however, has spent more than the others, largely on consulting fees and his Party Bus to Taste of Macon . Horne spent nearly five grand to transport supporters, buy tickets to Taste of Macon and provide "beverages" for the trip. This rather extravagant campaign stunt and other expenses leave him with $69,946.52 on hand. Horne wins the "Party Hearty" award.
Burgess raised $30,150.00 (with another $2,250 in-kind) for the period and previously reported $39, 450.00. She spent very little, leaving her with a balance of $64,468.81. At this point, she wins the "Fiscal Conservative" award.
Peake, a businessman who has engaged in an early, aggressive sign campaign, raised $21,021.00 for the period (with another $165.00 in-kind). He has spent almost $15,000.00 to date, it appears mostly on signs, and has $52,265.18 on hand. So, Peake wins the "Grassroots Award."
We'll have to see what Dale Washburn will do, and whether there a a Democrat out there who wants to win the "People's Candidate" award!
The picture to the right appears in this month's Macon Magazine. (Click on the "Faces" link on the left.) The second person from the right is Tripp Self, a candidate for Superior Court Judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit. The magazine notes that "Gigi Slagle (left), Carlen Self, Kiisha Moffett (front), Keith Moffett, Tripp Self and Dan Slagle disco the night away at a Leadership Georgia party." I have but one burning question: "Will the photo make the campaign brochure?"
You have all been making the news, and frankly have not made your parent-parties too proud of late. Though all the facts are not yet known, the court of public opinion is not leaning your way. With that in mind, here's a thought for the day, advice that, if taken, might just keep district attorneys, members of congress, candidates and others out of trouble.
The release of the film "United 93"; the release of the 9/11 911 calls; the firing of Andy Card; Condi's sudden trip to Iraq and Bush's tanking poll numbers. Am I the only person wondering whether these things are mere coincidences? I know, I know. I'm putting away the Oliver Stone films.
Sphere: Related ContentAs many as four democrats have announced their candidacy to become Georgia's Lt. Governor: Greg Hecht, Jim Martin, Steen Miles and Griffin Lotson. If you were voting today, who would you support? Go to the Georgia Women VOTE! homepage and vote in the poll located at the bottom left.
Sphere: Related Content
What's he got to grin about? CNN is reporting that Tom DeLay is pulling out of his congressional race. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! I trust that this is either (a) a comment on how much trouble he is in; or (b) an indication that his polling shows that the electorate is fed up with the politicians who operate on the edge of, or outside of the law. There are some others folks, even in Georgia, who need to sit up and take notice. When Humpty Dumpty falls, he falls hard.
Whether as Secretary of State or candidate, Cathy Cox has always had a strong web presence. In government and in politics , harnessing the power of technology is a winning strategy. Today, I noticed that she has a virtual campaign headquarters on her site, a place where supporters can download graphics and information. This is a great resource with lots of potential. Check it out.
As soon as the session ended, The Perdue Team was in front of cameras, promoting the fantasy that they have done great things for education in Georgia. I'll bet there are some folks in Twiggs County saying, "Not so fast, Sonny!"
As The Perdue Team congratulated one another, in the real world of school finance, the school board in Twiggs county faced angry and disappointed parents and voted to close the just renovated Dry Branch Elementary, a move necessary to address their million dollar deficit and projections that if the school were not closed, then the system would literally run out of money by mid-year. Twiggs is but one example of many high poverty and rural school systems that have fallen victim to a lethal combination of an eroding taxbase and increased unfunded state and federal mandates.
After cutting more than 1.25 billion from the state's education budget, Perdue, during this election year, hopes that teachers will be silenced by a long-passed-due 4% raise and a $100 gift card. He hopes parents and teachers alike will be fooled by the sound-bite-ready DC think tank election strategy to gut local control of schools, dubbed by some "The 65% Deception" and his move-finally-to reduce class size.
Perdue thinks that he has found the "Easy Button" for education-or maybe just the "Easy Button" for re-election. The truth of the matter is that The Perdue Team has abandoned our neighborhood schools, already starving some, like Dry Branch, out of existence.
Georgians deserve better than election year gimmicks. We deserve a Governor who will make a fulltime commitment to excellence in our schools, a Governor who answers to the people of Georgia, not to special interests or some DC think-tank. We need to elect Cathy Cox.
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