Days 3 & 4 - Animals, Kids, and the Budget (and even scarier stuff like Foreclosures and Car Seizures), Oh My!

The H.O.T. Line
Here's Our Take

January 14 & 15

Senators Vincent Fort and Steve Thompson are working with a Republican Committee Chairman on a fair lending bill that will bring some relief for the foreclosure crisis in Georgia. But there is not a whole lot the state can do. Since Federal proposals are mired in indecision, a bipartisan Georgia effort is critical. Watch for a bill number to emerge soon...and get ready for the fight. The banks and subprime lenders that created the crisis are formidable opponents who don't want to give up a dime of what they squeezed out of folks. The real estate collapse was the largest transfer of wealth from African-Americans to whites in history.


The Capitol is always crowded with lobby day advocates, school field trips, high school bands, etc. Today the place was mobbed with 8-year-olds...and just to be clear, we're talking about outside the legislative chambers.


And speaking of bands, addressing a marching band visiting from Cobb County Gov. Perdue said that he was preparing to attend the inauguration. He didn't say, but after his budget presentation, we hope he uses his time to promote Georgia's infrastructure needs. With the new administration and Georgia's Congressmen continuing to block vote in a partisan way....even on the SCHIP (PeachCare) vote Wednesday...he's gonna have to be smart and do some schmoozing.


Last year was a nightmare with over a dozen mean spirited anti-immigrant bills proposed. This year it started again with a couple introduced early. Including adding vehicle seizures for driving without a license, when it is already a felony to do so. A catch 22 aimed at those who are prohibited from getting a license because of citizenship. We thought conservatives were staunch opponents of the government seizing private property. And hey, what does citizenship have to do with ability to drive a car? Wouldn't you rather have the person in the next lane take a license test and be insured?


Thursday was Wildlife in Georgia Day and the rotunda was full of the woodsy types, both animal and human. There was even a huge display table of animal skins, skulls and pelts. Ironic to pass by this table on the same day that House committee assignments were announced. The fellow that had the audacity to challenge the incumbent House Speaker wound up losing his committee Chairmanship. Some of us thought that big skull in the middle of the table looked familiar.

More on the budget later, but with all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the revenue deficit legislators of every stripe have pushed each other out of the way to get to the TV cameras to declare opposition to proposals to generate revenue. Sunday alcohol sales now looks like it's the only one that really might have a chance. On the back-burner...tobacco taxes, casinos, fees for hospital Medicaid administration, et al.

Names floating around...former Senator Brian Kemp announces his intent to run for Secretary of State now that incumbent Karen Handle declares for Governor. And lots of other names rumored for this that or the other. A noticeable silence though on the Insurance Commissioner position. John Oxendine has been on the stump for a while now trying to get support for his Governor race. But who's heard of candidates that would run for the Insurance vacancy? What does that say? Last election cycle Oxendine raised lots of money when he campaigned to move up, but then backed out. Do folks think he's going to do the same thing again?