Democrats Enjoy Success Nationally, Democrats in Georgia continue to Suffer

Last Night we saw the re-election of President Obama to a second term as leader of the free world. Despite a sagging economy, the President managed to get re-elected with 50% of the popular vote to Romney/s 49%, a razor thin margin. The president got 45% of the vote here in Georgia, which tells you that either in 2016 or 2020, Georgia will become a purple state. In addition Democrats won seats in red states such as Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota & Montana, but lost more seats in Congress.

Here in Georgia, Blue Dog Democrat John Barrow won re-election as representative for the 12th Congressional District, despite losing his democratic stronghold of Chatham County. Barrow garnered 54% of the vote to Lee Anderson, who was a relatively weak candidate. Barrow may have written the playbook on how democrats can win again not only here in Georgia, but in conservative-leaning regions.

On the state level, not a good night for Georgia Democrats as Barbara Massey Reece lost her bid for another term & Rick Crawford who said he would switch parties if he was re-elected both lost to republican challengers. Democrats picked up ZERO seats in the State House & State Senate, which again highlights the glaring problem for the party. This is the 4th election cycle that democrats have failed to pickup any seats against the GOP who are one seat away from a Supermajority (Rusty Kidd, Independent who beat back a challenge from Quentin Howell is said to be in talks to switch to the GOP, which will give them their Supermajority. I think its a foregone conclusion that he joins the GOP.

The Democratic Party of Georgia, the House & Senate Democratic Leadership  really need to do some serious soul searching. Way too many seats went unchallenged this election cycle, weak infrastructure & organization continue to plague the party & the disconnect with Rural Georgia has gotten wider.

Two years from now, all statewide offices will be up for election. As I mentioned before, President got 45% of the vote, down from 48% in 2008, but Democratic Candidates here in a off election year only manages to top out at 40-42% & that comes from Urban Centers such as Macon, Savannah, Metro Atlanta, etc. The challenge for the party is to find a John Barrow style Democrat who can appeal to Independent-Conservative leaning voters, while holding on to the party base, which is a difficult thing to do, but Barrow proved that it can be done. But are there any John Barrow type Democrats left in Georgia?

But things have gotten so bad here in Georgia for the Democrats on the Legislative Level that I would advise any Democrat who's thinking about running for legislative office to run as a Independent or Libertarian.  Running as a Democrat in Rural Georgia means you will run alone, with no assistance from party leadership who pick & choose which candidates best fit their left- wing ideology. It would not surprise me that some Georgia GOP Statewide Officials go unopposed in 2014, like what happened in Louisiana last year.

Note: Congrats to Scott Holcomb for winning re-election to his House Seat. The party could use more Centrist like Holcome in its ranks

Republican Ken DeLoach announces Bid for GA-2nd Congressional District

In a press Release sent out yesterday, Ken Deloach will seek the 2nd CD seat where he will face off against Rick Allen (R-Columbus) in the primary.

Here's the Presser:

Ken DeLoach Announces Bid for Georgia's Second Congressional District Seat

February 21, 2012 -“ Educator and minister Ken DeLoach has announced his candidacy for Georgia's second congressional district. Eager to begin the process, DeLoach has already met with Republican groups in Peach, Lee, Bibb and Muscogee counties. He will also participate in the Republican debate being held the night of February 28th in Lee County.

DeLoach is currently the Dean of Students and a teacher at Central Fellowship Christian Academy in Bibb County as well as Associate Pastor at River of Light Church in Warner Robins. He is also the current 1st Vice-Chairman of the Houston County Republican Party.

DeLoach, a native Georgian, made the decision to run after being approached by several people within that district.

DeLoach stated, "We're receiving very positive feedback on our messages of jobs, jobs, jobs. The people of Georgia's second congressional district want more jobs, not more government. A government check can neither buy a man's dignity nor his dreams."

"We've put together a team, not just to see us through the Republican Primary on July 31st, but to see us to victory on November 6th . We will return this district to those who have the real answers to our problems: We the People," DeLoach added.

DeLoach married his wife, Lynn, in 1987. She is a registered nurse working as a travel nurse for a Bibb County company. Ken and Lynn have two sons; Caleb, 16; and, Andrew, 14.

DeLoach sees individual Constitutional rights, energy, national defense and an aggressive reduction in the size and spending of our federal government as additional issues that must be faced and dealt with as soon as possible, "It's time for Congress to be responsible adults and choose American workers over beltway lobbyists and career politicians."

Georgia Redistricting Maps are Out!

The Senate Maps aren't bad. I don't see any legal challenges coming towards this map.

In the proposed State Senate Map, George Hooks (D-Americus) is drawn out of SD 14 into Freddie Powell Sims (D-Dawson) SD 12 district, which will pit the two one on one in a primary in 2012. The Northern Portion of SD 14 is now being taken by Ed Harbison (D-Columbus). Sumter County is split into two Senate with eastern Sumter now in John Crosby's SD 15 seat as well as democratic leaning county Dooly.

Harbison who is approaching 70 years old now has the counties of Macon, Schley, Tayor, Marion & Talbot to contend with. The new district is now solidly democratic, but don't expect Harbison to coast towards re-election (if he decides to seek in in 2012). I expect other democrats to challenge for the seat in 2012.

Now if there's one district that could see a challenge its SD 23 held by Jesse Stone (R-Waynesboro). The new district loses Washington, Wilkinson Counties & picks up McDuffie & Warren County & a tiny sliver of southern Columbia County. The Columbia County portion could be challenged by democrats because it wraps around Richmond County. But if it does, I expect it to stand legal challenges. One thing that's noticable: The city of Blythe, which is the home of J.B. Powell & Chuck Pardue are now in Hardie Davis Senate District. Clever move by the GOP.

SD 26 becomes more democratic & it increases in Black Voting Population with the inclusion of Hancock & Washingtom & more of Jones County

SD 25 held by Johnny Grant becomes more republican which now takes in southern Walton County & the city of Social Circle.

The proposed house districts is where all the fuss is located. One of the big GOP talking points was that they wanted to keep communities in tact...........WELL, so much for that!

In some of these districts, the minority population is diluted or "weakened" & some counties such as Ware is split into three different districts.

The 10 incumbent pairings, six with two Democrats paired and four with two Republicans paired, are:

1. Ely Dobbs (D-Atlanta) and Sheila Jones (D-Atlanta)

2. Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta) and Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta)

3. Simone Bell (D-Atlanta) and Ralph Long (D-Atlanta)

4. Stephanie Benfield (D-Atlanta) and Howard Mosby (D-Atlanta)

5. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) and Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta)

6. Mack Jackson (D-Sandersville) and Sistie Hudson (D-Sparta)

7. Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) and Bob Hanner (R-Parrott)

8. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) and Gene Maddox (R-Cairo)

9. Chuck Sims (R-Ambrose) and Tommy Smith (R-Nicholls)

10. Mark Hatfield (R-Waycross) and Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine)

There are 49 total majority minority districts.

There are open majority minority districts in Valdosta, parts Fulton and Fayette, Douglas, parts DeKalb and Rockdale, parts DeKalb and Gwinnett, and parts Gwinnett and Hall.

As crapy as the proposed House Map is, its very likely that it will pass the legislature, with the POSSIBILITY of minor changes to a few districts. Democrats have to realize when you only have 63 members in your ranks, there's basically nothing you can do about it except raise hell over it & hope that citizens who live in these districts disapprove of the way they are drawn. The Dems main concern is over the metro Atlanta seats. Very little or no mention of Rural Georgia & this shows how far apart rural conservative democrats & liberal urban/suburban democrats are in this state.

Enough of all this talk about "We are all in this together"! That's not true & never have been since the late 1980s/1990s.

The main goal of the Georgia GOP is to solidify the Georgia Democratic Party as the Minority Party made up of Blacks, Latinos, Gays, with liberal whites as the icing on the cake,along with far-left special interest groups! They are close to making it a reality.

And the current reality is that the Georgia Democratic Party has become the mirror image of the National Democratic Party, dominated by liberal pols who aren't what you called Georgia Born. And once they did that, moderate/conservative democrats said "ITS TIME TO HAUL ASS FROM HERE" except for a few!

And one more thing, these new maps hopefully will force the State Party to get back to its roots, the party of Georgia & not trying to be like its national counterparts. Its a recipe for disaster!

Sunday Sales: The GOP, Christian Conservatives, the Bible

Today, the religious right enjoys its greatest access to the corridors of power, particularly because of its relationship with conservative members of the Republican Party. Access is the result of electoral success, especially the stunning 1994 election that brought Republican control to the House of Representatives. But access also comes in other forms. Unlike previous religious right organizations, the modern Christian right walks a narrow uncharted path between the heart-felt convictions of its membership and the practicalities of day-to-day politics. Ironically, it is not as easy as it once was for the religious right to crusade against all that is considers evil because the current leaders of the religious right have become players within Republican Party politics. It is much easier to rant and rave from outside the halls of power and raise money by doing so than to influence policy from within.

Which leads me to the GOP decision not to pursue the legalization of Sunday Alcohol Sales here in Georgia. Only Indiana is the other state that does not allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays. At the beginning of the session, it was thought that this would be the year that the GOP finally pass legislation allowing the sale of alcohol here in Georgia, but staunch resistance to the Christian Conservative wing of the Georgia GOP are having none of that

Now this is obviously a concern to many Christians conservatives—and for good reason! With the rampant abuse of alcohol in this country, resulting in shattered lives and tens of thousands of deaths each year, any person with a conscience should be deeply concerned about this issue. However, caution is also needed in a different direction: too often Christians have moral outrage because of abuses of one of God’s gifts—outrage that leads to a condemnation of those who are not abusers. Things that once were issues are often now regarded as normal activities. Some Christians have condemned others for wearing make-up, going to the opera, or even sending Christmas cards. Christians, it seems, have an incredible ability to invent rules and regulations. It’s endemic to human nature—but it’s also a modern, unvarnished form of Pharisaism.

But despite all of that, we should ( & I don't drink alcohol) allow the sale of alcohol here in Georgia on sundays. What's the big deal anyway? All of this backward thinking needs to be put aside by those who are opposed to this. Folks living along the border of Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina & Florida can easily drive across the state line on Sundays & buy a beer, even a shot of whiskey. That's money that should be kept here in Georgia instead of going to these states, filling up their coffers.

But....................

Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Cherokee County decided against bringing it up for a vote due to what he describes as not having the votes to pass the legislation.

The REAL reason why he didn't push this bill is because of fear by he, along with others of the Christian Conservative wing of the party who still can influence the GOP in such a way. Now being a deacon at my church & being a christian & conservative, I find nothing wrong with allowing alcohol sales on sundays. If Christian Conservatives in the GOP are so against this, then I wonder why aren't they against allowing guns inside of our churches? Now that's a NO-NO!

This doesn't make any sense!

All I got to say is yet once again leadership is missing up there at the State Capitol & once again a special interest group is pulling the strings of the Georgia GOP.

So much for moving forward as a state

Battle Brewing for Chair of the Republican Party of Georgia

Just as the DPG held its elections to elect new leadership, the RPG (Republican Party of Georgia) will do the same.

Incumbent Sue Everhardt announced that she will run for another term as chair of the RPG.

BUT...........

She will have serious competition in Tricia Pridemore, who was governor Nathan Deal pick to lead the party after the november sweep in which republicans now hold every statewide office in the state.

Another guy Shawn Hanley also announced he will seek the position as well.

Everhardt, a ex-banker, is a long-time Republican activist who served as Chairman of the Sixth District Republican Party and First Vice-Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. First elected in 2007, she is a big reason that the party increase its majority in both the state house & state senate, as well as increasing its control on state government by the victories of statewide candidates during last november's elections.

Pridemore who is challenging Everhardt has the backing of Gov Deal & former State Senator Eric Johnson. A veteran grassroots campaigner, Pridemore is president of the Cobb/Cherokee 9.12 Project and serves as the state director for the Georgia 9.12 Project. She served as the Nathan Deal for Governor Cobb County Co-Chair and the unpaid State Grassroots Chair for Deal’s campaign in addition to helping other GOP politicos in their bids for office.

Other endorsements include:

Dave Barbee, 10th Congressional District Chairman,

Mike Crane, 2010 Republican nominee for the 13th Congressional District

Michael Huneke, Bartow County Republican Party Chairman

Carolyn Meadows, former GAGOP National Committee Woman from Georgia, board member of the National Rifle Association and the American Conservative Union

Linda Parker, past chairman of the Cherokee County Republican Party

Gerry Purcell, 2010 Republican candidate for Insurance Commissioner

Shawn Hanley of Fulton Co is the other candidate to run for Chair of the Georgia GOP. I don't how much of a threat he is in running for the position, but its good to see a young cat in Hanley throwing his hat in the ring. Hanley is 2010 Tea Party Coalition Director for Veterans & Chair of the Fulton Co GOP.


Now I'm not that in tune with the politics of the Georgia GOP, but from where I sit, I don't see a reason why the GOP State Committee members should get rid of Everhardt & favor of Pridemore. (Hanley maybe a nice guy in all, but let's face facts here, he's not going to win. Let's just be honest here)

Everhardt & Pridemore are two stalwarts in the Republican Party & each bring plenty to the table.

One of Everhardt's big things she wants to do if elected is to increase efforts to switch local elected officials to the Republican Party. And as you know the local level is the last line of defense for the Democratic Party. We've already seen a number of local officials on the local level in Georgia switch from democratic to republican since the November elections. And with so many counties that doesn't have a democratic party chapter active, local officials are ripe for the taking, especially the sheriffs.

Pridemore has plenty support from the grassroots level & will be a force to be reckoned with. When announcing her candidacy, Pridemore stressed that the next Party Chair must be able to articulate a vision that builds upon the successes of the party, moving quickly to strengthen the Party for the battles ahead.

If you ask me, there is no need for the Party to change ships right now. WINNING! That what matters most more than anything. Everhardt maybe the "establishment" candidate, but she has won since becoming chair in 2007 & that should be the only thing that matters. But then again it may not matter what Everhardt has done. We'll see though!

Bell, a Conservative African-American Democrat Goes to the GOP

This cause me to pause for a minute....................



Up in North Georgia, Hall County Commissioner Ashley Bell has decided to switch parties & join the Georgia GOP. Bell who was accompanied by Ga GOP Cairwoman Sue Everhart, state Rep. Melvin Everson, (R-Snellville), Georgia Black Republican Council Chairman Michael McNeely and party activist Rufus Montgomery made the announcement this morning.



Bell says: "I’m joining the Republican Party because I’m a conservative and simply feel more at home as a Republican,” Bell said in a statement. “I have worked to make government more efficient and less intrusive in citizens’ lives and plan to continue those efforts as a Republican.”



Bell was a former national president of the College Democrats of America was a 2004 delegate to the Democratic National Convention.



His defection, in my opinion shows how far the Democratic Party has fallen in Georgia.



Bell, a Hall County native, was elected in 2008 at age 27 to become Hall County's youngest ever Commissioner and one of the youngest in the State of Georgia. Mr. Bell is a graduate of Gainesville High, Valdosta State University, and attended law school at the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University. He is also honored to be a 21st Century Leadership Fellow at the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. Commissioner Bell is an attorney and partner at Bell & Washington, LLP practicing law throughout the State of Georgia.



I never met Bell in person, but we are FB Friends & his loss is huge for the DPG. He is the first Black Democrat to switch parties, joining several other dems who have switched during the past few weeks after the Nov 2 disaster.



I've always said that the Democratic Party needs more conservative black democrats in its ranks, which are filled by far-left black democrats from nickel-sized house & senate districts. Like Bell, I am a conservative black democrat, maybe a tad bit more conservative on some issues that Bell. Seeing a young up & coming conservative democrat like Bell leave caused me to pause & think for a minute.....



I wish Bell all the success in the Georgia GOP.

Will the Georgia GOP mis-read this election & overreach?

The risks for Republicans is in reading too much into this election."

With the GOP now controlling every constitutional office in the state, increased majorities in the house & senate they now have total control of state government for the first time since 1868.

With 112 members in the house, the republicans are only 8 members shy of a "super majority" with several democrats switching parties last week.

Jubilant over their landslide victory in every statewide office of one State Senate seat & five State House Seats, republican leaders up in Atlanta face a dilemma as they debate how to exert their new authority over the state.

Their energetic conservative base is eager to implement right-wing policies and if Republicans fail at doing so, they risk disappointing the supporters who turned out in vast numbers for Tuesday’s midterm elections.

But if Republicans overreach and ultimately deliver little, independents could return to the Democratic fold in time for the 2041 elections. Even though Republicans will command a significant majority in the House, many of the GOP initiatives that have or will be rolled out will represent incremental steps rather than bold reforms.

State Republicans may think that the elections were a mandate for policies such as the implementation of School Vouchers for example. No one knows what the Georgia GOP has in store for the people of this great state, but by judging by their past legislative accomplishments, it will not be in the best interest of Georgians.

Over the next 2-4 years, democrats here need to be getting their house in order to make one more & possibly last strong run at the Georgia GOP. How will the new liberal leadership of Abrams, Hughley & McKillip in the house go about things, that remains to be seen.

But if the Georgia GOP overreach & its likely they will & democrats do not capitalize on it, by educating the voters & why this or that piece of legislation is not in their best interest, then all hope is lost & the party might as well cease to exist.

"Old Guard"Georgia Democratic Party (1872-2010)

Wow is all I say say!

The party, the Georgia Democratic Party, once was one of the strongest democratic parties in the entire South since the days of reconstruction has now fallen on extremely hard times as it continues to lose the few remaining rural democrats to the Georgia GOP.

First Alan Powell, then Bob Hanner & Gerald Greene. Now Amy Carter & Ellis Black has jumped ship over to the ever strengthening Georgia GOP, making it 113 to 66. That's a 47 seat margin for the Georgia GOP.

Only 4 rural democrats remain in the democratic caucus.

For decades the democrats held on to power despite other southern states going republican due to the strong hand, or iron fisted rule of the late Tom Murphy, who managed to keep together the fragile coalition of Black Urban & White Rural Democrats toegther.

138 years ago (1872,) James M. Smith (D-Columbus) became governor, which symbolized the end of Reconstruction and the "redemption" of the Democratic Party in Georgia. And every since then the state elected democrats for governor ranging from the former Confederate States of America president Alexander H Hamilton (1882-1883) to a former school dropout in Lester Maddox (1967-1971)

With this past tueday night's election drubbing, the "Old-Guard" conservative Georgia Democratic Party is now officially dead & now a new more centrist democratic party has to be built from the ground up

Can the party rebuild the coalition it once had which spanned over a 40 year period? Yes, but it remains to be seen

Yesterday the caucus elected new leadership in the form of Stacey Abrams, Carolyn Hughley, Doug McKillip, Rashad Taylor, Debbie Buckner, Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield. (Buckner is the only center-right leader in the group). Will Abrams be up for the job? Will the new;y elected caucus leadership call out the GOP when they stray too far to the right on certain issues? We'll see.

One reason that may have led to the quick demise of the party was the hard fought battle of Terry Coleman (D-Eastman) & Larry Walker (D-Perry) for Speaker in 2002 after Murphy was defeated by re-districting.

You have to wonder had Walker become Speaker & not Coleman, then its possible that democrats would have never lost control of the house. Well we'll never know & that's water under the bridge.

The party is represented by most black members from majority-minority districts & these members now have to step up their game. No longer they can just sit back & let the likes of DuBose Porter, Cal Smyre carry the water.

But......

I doubt that they will. Seriously!

One, the GOP doesn't respect the black members of that legislative body. & two, none of them have gravitas to go up against any member of the GOP.

But keep an eye on newly elected State Rep. Dar'Shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia) as a potential early leader for the democratic party, as well as J. Craig Gordon (D-Savannah).

Dems becoming more "Blacker & Liberal", GOP bcoming more "Whiter & Conservative"

Two more Rural Democrats switching parties

DAMN!!!!!!!

Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) & Bob Hanner (R-Parrot) both joined Alan Powell (R-Hartwell) as the latest democrats to switched parties making it 111 republicans & 69 Democrats.

Greene & Hanner are my favorite dems & I wish them well. Politically it makes sense for them to do so. Only Mike Cheokas, Rick Crawford, Ellis Black, Amy Carter, Barbara Massey Reese & Sistie Hudson, Debbie Buckner are the only remaining White Rural Democrats remaining. (Hudson turned down overtures to switch parties, so my hats off to her)

Like I said before, the democratic party is becoming more blacker, & more liberal, while the republican party is becoming more conservative & whiter.

Democrats can't afford to lose its remaining 7 White Rural Democrats. Boy this is bad!

Georgia On the Brink?: Facing a Tide of Voter Anger, Ga Democrats Looks to Channel It, while Ga Republicans looks to Dodge it

Georgia is in a sour mood. The unemployment rate is rising, cuts to education continue, lack of jobs are being created and everyone SEEMS to be thoroughly disgusted with the powers that be, including congress & the GOP-led State Government. The anger toward D.C. is toxic, but here in Georgia, its not so much toxic as is is frustration with the lack of leadership on big items such as Fixing our schools, attracting jobs to the state, crowded classrooms, property taxes increases as well as other taxes (or fees) being levied on the backs of working Georgians.


It should be a dream scenario for Democrats, who have been shut out of the state legislature for about 8 years. Instead, the anger toward D.C. Democrats may hamper Georgia Democrats from making gains here in the state.

BUT!!!!


There is a sort of low-grade policy frustration, anger, or maybe even panic setting in as candidates like Roy Barnes, Carol Porter travel the backroads of Georgia to gauge the depth of the public's anger and formulate a palatable and convincing set of solutions. But the discontent is more complex than the polls can convey. Across the state, the sense that Georgia is on the edge of bad times colors daily life right now.

In Central & South Georgia, farmers who have saved and worked hard for years remain uneasy that everything they have gained could slip away at any moment. Such are the scenes of frustration among Georgia voters, further fueled by a nagging feeling that the last people who can be trusted to fix their problems are the very politicians they have elected to office. But no. The state's unemployment rate is higher than the National Average, weak revenue gains leads to more cuts to services that Georgians need like Public Safety for example.

Being outraged does help, but only as long as you channel that anger. "People don't want someone up there just shaking their fist. Barnes has chosen to be the outsider, while Carol Porter is the outsider, battering away at the State Legislature or the "other team" and blaming it for the worst of the state's ills. Some members of the legislature have helped to make it an easy target for the former governor's barbs and for general resentment as a privileged group. By abusing special checking privileges and practically institutionalizing the free lunch for themselves, legislators have called attention to the rarified level of special treatment that they enjoy.

But some in the state understand that blaming the legislature & the GOP is only the political half of what must ultimately be an economic solution. Some people have an image of voters as a group of mad dogs foaming at the mouth. That's not what this is about. People are frustrated. They want people to pay attention to them, and they want a lot of help & during the last 6 yrs of the Perdue Administration Georgians, especially Rural Georgians have felt their voices have been ignored & they maybe ready to change teams in order to have their voices heard once for all.

Look for the State GOP to bring what's going in D.C. into the governor's race as much as possible. Emotionally charged issues like the Role of Government, Health care, a deteriorating national economy to distract Georgia voters from problems that have occurred here at home under control of the GOP.

One way for democrats here running for office to channel voter anger for their own benefit is to do what national republicans are doing to national democrats & that is to exploit anger at the inept leadership of the legislature, beginning with the elimination of the Homestead Tax Exemption. Taxes are always a hot button issue that gets the attention of voters at election time, then the slow decline of our public school systems. Yes Ga won the $400 million "Race to the Top" award yesterday for education reform, but do you think voters would want the very people that have declared war on Ga's public schools handling that money? I don't think so!

Then there's the issue of ethics. We send our elected officials to Atlanta to solve & address problems the state is having, not to send them up there to party & have flings on the down-low with young female lobbyist, while at the same time having a wife & family at home waiting for you. Not bilking huge sums of cash from special interest groups to line their pockets or to help themselves get over by using the office he or she is holding for personal gain. There should be a level of integrity & trustworthiness when it comes to our elected officals. Glen Richardson's life has gone down hill after it was revealed by his ex-wife that he had a affair with a lobbyist while speaker of the Georgia House, then their is the cloud that is hanging over Casey Cagle's head concerning corruption. (When there's smoke' there's fire!)

Then you have the nominee Nathan Deal who is facing numerous ethical violations for using his office for his own personal benefit. Who knows what in the world will happen here. (Can you say October Surprise when it comes to deal & these ethics charges?)

Now democrats haven't had a great track record when it comes to ethics neither, but more of the focus is always on the party in power, just like the democrats in D.C., the focus is squarely on the GOP here in Georgia.

DGA Statement on Barnes, Georgia GOP

Gov. Jack Markell, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and Nathan Daschle, the DGA's executive director, issued the following statements tonight regarding the Georgia gubernatorial race.

“While Georgia Republicans debate whether their state should secede from the United States, Roy Barnes is uniting people around his plan to get them back to work,” Governor Markell said. “Roy will end business as usual at the capitol and make Georgia work for Georgians again. He's got real plans to move the state forward while his opponents – like Karen Handel and Nathan Deal – seem happy with a stalled status quo.”

“If the primary is any indication, the Republicans are in for three more weeks of heated infighting,” Daschle said. “This race had all the hallmarks of a classic GOP Civil War for the right: a Sarah Palin endorsement, vicious warfare over social issues and tests for ideological purity. And this will take a big toll in the general election. Georgians are ready for real leadership, not career politicians who put partisan bickering first.”

Georgia Democrats need to lose the Kumbaya Image & start to develop a "Tough as Nails" Mentality.

If you asked any Republican why he or she is a Republican, it would take about 10 seconds to say lower taxes, smaller government and a strong defense. Yes, these are simplistic statements that leave out a host of important issues, but it does strike at the core of the Republican Party.

When asking the Democrats the same, many have to think for a second before answering. That's a sign that all isn't well.

The failure to have a clear and concise agenda from which to speak makes it difficult for anyone to embrace your party. When precious time is spent explaining where you stand, most people have tuned you out and turned you off.

If the Democratic Party want any chance of becoming a force in this state once again, then they must do several critical things:

Make clear what a 2010 Georgia Democrat is. The strength of the party is its diversity, and that is also its weakness. The GOPers are pretty much in agreement, save for a few moderates, (wait a minute, there are no moderates in the Georgia GOP) But when you have so many interest groups vying for attention, ethnic groups, labor, environmentalists, gays and lesbians, that makes it hard to establish a coherent message. Democrats can't please every segment of the population & that in my opinion is one of their biggest problems. Maybe its time to cut some of these folks out of the party.

Find some pit bulls, rottweilers, and let them loose. The Democrats ALWAYS play nice politics. DAMN THAT! They keep bringing a knife to a gunfight and wonder why more of them are sent to the morgue. These guys need a cadre of men and women who are going to spit out a more mainstream party message with fire, venom & with spunk. Honey ain't getting them that many votes right now.


Get rid of these far-left democrats. When voters have to choose between a far-left liberal democrat and a more moderate/conservative democrat, they'll go for the former. When Democrats explain exactly what a Democrat is, they will have a better shot at getting folks to buy into their program. Too many wings in the democratic party. The party of Nunn (Sam), Miller (Zell) need to come back & take hold of the party again like it had prior to 2002.

Develop some stars. Who can carry the Democratic banner? The State Democratic bench is very weak. Some say Roy Barnes had his shot, and someone else needs to step up & take hold of the democratic torch like Gen. Poythress, DuBose Porter, Thurbert Baker, Carl Camon. Its possible that every statewide office may go republican this year, & there's a chance it all could go democratic, or it could be a bi-partisan.

If the Georgia Democratic Party continues down its present path, we might as well look at splitting the party into two, especially if democrats perform poorly at the polls this year 'cause this state is fast becoming a one-horse town, and that is never good for anyone.

Get rid some of these Black Atlanta Democrats who just got a title of State Rep. or State Senator on the front of their desk & replace then with more moderate/conservative democrats with a "Im a go-getta attitude" like Shawn James, who is running for HD 75. Let's face it, the GOP have NO RESPECT for the Black Metro Atlanta Democrats save for a few like Roger Bruce, Emaunel Jones, Mike Glanton, just to name a few. The amswer is for democrats need to weed out the ineffective black legislators & replace them with moderate/conservative black democrats, even court some black republicans & convince them to switch parties & run as conservative democrats.


While the GOP have been absolutely atrocious when it comes to governing this state, there are none better when it comes to keeping their troops in line. While most Democrats are wedded to independent thought, they tend not to want to adopt the Republican tactic of forcing members to toe the party line. But the GOP is using the Democratic party's idealism against them, so if the Democratic Party wants to survive in this cut-throat political environment, they're going to have to get use to adding practical political tactics to their ideals.

Time to get tough democrats! Stop being the nice guy!!

Like on Crime for instance: I like to see a democrat who believes that every person inherently knows right from wrong, whether they were raised by harlot on the mean streets of Southside Atlanta, or by a wealthy Episcopal minister in the ritzy 'burbs of Alpharetts. They know that the solution to violent crime is to beat the hell out of the perpetrators, not someone know that when someone commits a crime, it is society that has failed and should have to pay in the form of higher taxes and reduced freedom. NO!


When you are perceived as too nice, the voters may take that as saw as a weakness.

TIME TO GET TOUGH DEMOCRATS!!!