Day 21 - Just Plain Mean

The Anti-Immigrant Zealots are at it again. Not quite as bad as last year, but still really bad. One sane Senator said today that loss of state funds, when cities declare themselves "Sanctuary Cities", as bad as it is, was "mild for these anti-people, and sometimes you have to throw them a bone." How sad when laws get made this way.

The bill was SB 20, and it did pass out of the Senate today by a wide margin. The problem is, as Sen. Emanuel Jones said from the well, "It's a bill in search of a problem."

SB 20 would make it illegal for any Georgia locality to be a "Sanctuary City." But no city in Georgia has said it had any intention of being a Sanctuary City. What's a Sanctuary City? Exactly. . . . You haven't heard of it before because it's not an issue.

And there's the rub... In committee last week, the bill's author said that he really did want it to apply to cities that "acted like" Sanctuary Cities. So it would be a technical violation...no city declaration but still liable if someone thinks you act like you declared.

The bill doesn't say how one would identify that a city is acting like that, or how the state could enforce such a law. Or even who could report violations. So what the Senate has now passed is a bill that opens up a Pandora's Box where any anti-immigrant vigilante with a gripe can go after any locality he or she wants and report it for violating some standards that don't exist.

It's just another mean-spirited bill aimed at showing how hostile Georgia is to immigrants. Sen. Nan Orrock raised, from the floor, the concern that a bill like this would discourage foreign companies from coming to Georgia. We share that concern. But for some of our legislators, it's more important to look tough by demonizing whole sectors of the population than it is to look out for the real interests of hard-working Georgians -- like, say, jobs.

Which is why yesterday another anti-immigrant bill passed out of committee.

HB 45 would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Has the state, or the bill's sponsors, or anyone, demonstrated a single instance of a non-citizen attempting to register to vote or to vote? No. Not a single one. And as Rep. Pedro Marin has said, no undocumented immigrant in her or his right mind would risk deportation by attempting to register. So this is another bill in search of a problem. Undocumented immigrants are not trying to vote.

While the bill won't address any problem, it will hurt elderly people, especially African-Americans, who don't have access to a birth certificate because they were born in another state or weren't born in a hospital. So, while there is not supposed to be any cost or poll tax for voting, you might have people who have to pay for document searches and perhaps even have to get a lawyer...just to straighten out their legitimate eligibility to vote. Put up enough barriers and people lose interest. Is that what's intended? You betcha!

Day 13 -- One of the most frequently asked questions was . . . not answered today

Don't you know politicians always have to have it both ways . . .

This morning we heard legislative session would be 40 consecutive workdays and General Assembly would be out early this year -- Hooray.

But wouldn't you know, this afternoon, equally credible sources were saying, "Hey, it looks like they'll be taking Fridays and Mondays off for a couple weeks."

We're kind of hoping they go home early, because then we'll be safe until next year.

Day 12

February 3

Cutting education funds, cutting school nurses, and now proposing vouchers, which would take even more money out of the education system.

Why don't they just go ahead and engrave the tombstone "Public Schools R.I.P." and be done with it?

And on the 7th Day...Not Looking Good for Kids

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

January 27

Sen. Nan Orrock spoke from the well this morning about the need for our Senators in Washington, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, to vote to approve the SCHIP funding for healthcare for children. Doing her usual spot-on best, Orrock tried to light a fire under the two. Speaking of how Georgia could benefit by having a partnership with Federal programs like SCHIP and it would alleviate our PeachCare funding needs. And in addition, MORE kids would get coverage.

Both Chambliss and Isakson are expected to vote against it. What? Are they trying to find excuses not to vote for helping more Georgia kids? Calls to their offices elicited various cranky responses. Costs too much. If a family is earning the top qualifying income, they can afford to get their own insurance. And, surprise, documented children should have to wait five years for coverage. Blah, blah. In Saxby-ville, the babies on their way to becoming New Americans should just not get sick. And in "fiscal conservative" Isakson-land, it's apparently OK to pay more for treatment than for keeping well in the first place.

Have you made your call yet to the Senators offices? Get those dialing fingers to work! (1-800-828-0498)

Hundreds of white-coated angels from the ranks of Georgia's nurses overtook the capitol this morning.
One might have thought they were there because of Gov. Sonny Perdue's decision to cut $30 million from the school nurse budget. (That's right – kids, really, don't get sick. No, really, seriously, at this point, just don't get sick, okay?) In reality, the nurses were already planning to be at the capitol for their annual lobby day. But it was a timely and needed presence. It's always tough to reverse a cut in the Governor's proposal. But some hope when a member of the Governor's own party was overheard saying that the nurses ought to show up on the front lawn of the Governor's mansion in all their white coats. We'll see how much certain lawmakers can get away with in balancing the budget on the backs of sick kids.

And speaking about not being well, Rep. Bobby Franklin took his personal speaking privilege time this week to address what has certainly been on the top of everyone's mind this week. He railed about Hillary Clinton's Sec of State confirmation being unconstitutional. Yeah, as if there weren't big problems to solve. But we should just let him go...at least he's not passing any of his bills.

It's past due to be prioritizing transportation needs, but are some of the proposals to shake-up and reorganize hiding a hidden agenda. Will some "reforms" be so broadly written that they open the way for the state to claim a capitol city airport or transit system? We can only relay suspicious chatter from the hallways.

The AJC reported not-too-loud whispers speculating on the secret reasons for Gov. Perdue's $21 million dollar loan. We think they may be hard of hearing. That roar WE hear wonders why the stonewalling. Maybe a reason will eventually be revealed but the longer the fish stays out, the more it smells.

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?

Day 2 - 900 Bills Already Introduced?!

H.O.T. Line
Here’s Our Take

January 13

A local radio station was doing a great civic good this morning by informing its listeners of the bills that would be coming up this session.

They had been told that any of the bills from last year that didn't pass could be reintroduced this year.

The problem was, they misinterpreted that to mean that every bill from last year had already been reintroduced.

They were already up into the 900s when Representative Pedro Marin (D-96), who fortuitously heard the much-too-extensive list being read while on his way in to the capitol, called the station and rescued listeners from the onslaught.

Gives you hope to see what happens when good intentions combine with good looking out. Kudos to both the station and Representative Marin!