Peanut Politics

Former State Rep. Jimmy Skipper (D-Americus) Accused of "Bamboozling" in Sumter Co School Board Redistricting Battle

2012-02-09T09:29:00.019-05:00

Because of mistrust among the Black School Board Members, Former State Rep Jimmy Skipper (D-Americus) (Left) thrown under the Bus...resigned as attorney for the County School Board...I don't blame him

Down in Americus, Sumter County NAACP President Mathis Wright Jr is accusing attorneys Jimmy Skipper & William NeSmith or misleading the Black School Board members of the Sumter County Board of Education when it came to redistricting.

Wright, according to the Americus-Sumter Observer reiterated that the "bamboozling" came when Attorney Jimmy Skipper, democrat who served from 1990 to 2004 as State Representative, concealed much of what he was doing with the U.S. Justice Department and the GA State Legislature. The Sumter County school board chairperson went to Skipper's office and got the information he was sending to the Justice Department. She brought the information back to the Black school board members but Skipper gave the same information to Dr. Michael Busman and the White board members. This created mistrust among the Black board members. What the Black school board members realized was that they would have allowed Skipper to change a 6-3 Black majority to a 5-2 White majority.

On or about January 03, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice requested additional information to proposed changes from the school board attorney. However, at one school board meeting; the board asked Attorney Skipper to allow them an opportunity to review his response that he was submitting to the Justice Department. Skipper became very defensive and later resigned after the board asked him to withdraw the initial 2010 redistricting proposal.

Jimmy Skipper is a highly respected man in the state of Georgia & to see him get accused of trying to "Weakened' the majority Black School Board by the Sumter Co NAACP President & others by misleading black school board members is a Shame. Just to note, Sumter County Superintendent Roy Brooks (Left), seemed to have no problems with the new school board districts.

Hicks & Slicks: Principles Drive Us Rural Voters or "Hicks" as some "Slicks" Like to Say

2012-02-03T10:30:00.006-05:00

If you look at the results of last year's congressional elections you can't help but notice that the rural areas or the "STICKS" across the country heavily favored the GOP.

I suspect that for farmers and ranchers it turns less on partisan politics, and more on practical considerations and values that guide their lives and their businesses.

These voters did not cast their ballots in fear or ignorance. No they didn't! You know, as I was thinking, part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now and facts and science and argument does not seem to be winning the day all the time is because we're hardwired not to always think clearly when we're scared.

People such as farmers who wager their livelihood on the weather and the markets each growing season don't run scared every time the economy tanks. They deal with the issues up close and personal every day, and they have a clear understanding of the facts.

They are not against government. Even the most conservative farmer or rancher understands that there are a few big things government does well -- defense, air traffic control and law enforcement, for instance. They are against a big, intrusive government that reaches into the smallest aspects of their lives.

They resist unreasonable rules and regulations formulated by unelected and unseen functionaries or "SLICKS". They resent the patronizing paternalism of the nanny state. Look what happened to Rep Sanford Bishop in 2010. After voting for Cap and Trade, the Healthcare Legislation, he almost had his goose cooked by the HICKS who live in the rural areas of the district, had not been for the SLICKS in the cities of Columbus & Albany who bailed him out by a hair.....Farmers abandoned him in droves despite being the go-to guy when it comes to Agriculture in this district & probably the entire state

The "HICKS" are unwilling to surrender their independence. They don't want a government that dictates what they should eat, what they should think, what they should do with their own property. They are tired of the arrogance of the SLICKS, that assumes bureaucrats know better than the rest of us how we should live.

The SLICKS might say it's simplistic, but farmers and ranchers really do expect a legislator to read and understand those 2,000-page pieces of legislation before voting "yes." It's just common sense.

When times are hard, farmers and ranchers cut back. They do without. They have a hard time understanding why government doesn't do the same. They can't accept that government employees are an elite class whose pay and benefits are protected from the harsh economic realities that impact their neighbors.

Many farmers and ranchers still unapologetically believe in America's exceptionalism. To them this is still a special place, where great things happen. It's a country where people of the most humble origins can make something of themselves if they are willing to work hard. They believe in providing a helping hand to those in need, but balk at creating ever larger groups dependent on entitlements.

Farmers and ranchers are the epitome of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Faith in themselves, and in the grace of God, drive them to plant the next crop, raise their families and provide stewardship for the resources in their care. And rather than bitterly clinging to these values, they happily embrace them as the guiding force of their lives.

Candidates, especially democratic who hold similar values earn their support.

For Some Republicans, Distortions & Lies are the Only Way to Win an Election

2012-02-02T11:36:00.006-05:00

Once considered liberal and progressive Pre-1964, the Republican Party has been taken over by right-wing conservative con artists who lie, cheat and steal to gain and maintain power. From voter fraud and suppression to smear campaigns, personal attacks and media manipulation, they have been using the same strategies for more than a hundred years.

While Democratic Dirty Tricks showed up around FDR's first election in '32, Kennedy/Nixon (Chicago) in '60 and Lyndon Johnson in '64, these lead to The New Deal, Social Security and Civil Rights while Republican Party Dirty Tricks gave us depressions, poverty and massive national debt.

Some Republicans know if most people vote, they would never win so they try to demoralize the Democratic base and suppress the vote as much as possible, they buy some people off with tax cuts and scare the rest into voting against their own interests and that's how they win. It's a divide and conquer strategy that has worked well and they refine and expand it every election year. Hey if ain't broke, don't fix it! Its been a success for them, so I wouldn't blame them for re-creating the same strategy

Demoralize the Democratic base with phony press releases and whisper campaigns.
Attack opponents strength with character assassination.
Suppress the vote in every possible way.
Buy some people off with tax cuts.
Scare the hell out of the rest of the voters into voting against their own interests.

Republicans today have two major factors on their side; a fanatical base willing to carry out the dirty tricks and the greediest billionaires to finance them. They deceive good people by raising the red flag of abortion and gay marriage to divert attention away from their arrogant and greedy policies which cause the poverty, war and destroying our Natural Resources we are facing today.

Now look, Democrats stretch the truth and even lie outright as well, especially when an embarrassing personal fact comes to light (Case in point, John Edwards, Anthony Weiner).

But lord knows some republicans lie alot and unashamedly, both on the campaign trail and when they're in office, and they slander their opponents whenever they get the chance. If political lying were a criminal offense, Democrats would be guilty of misdemeanors and parking violations, while Republicans would be guilty of the worst kind of felonies, aggravated assaults, Kidnapping, or worse.

Is Democratic policy is beneficial to more people than Republican policy??? Democrats have a distinct advantage in an election on the bread & butter issues. The majority of people in this country want good wages, employee and consumer protection, affordable health care, a well maintained infrastructure, and so on. They only want us to put our soldiers in harm's way when it's absolutely necessary.

Those are the kinds of things Democratic policy is all about, so Democrats believe if they more-or-less tell the truth, throwing in some exaggeration along the way and hiding their personal faults, they should win elections -- that is, if the elections are won on the issues.

The Republican philosophy is entirely different. It believes that what's good for the ruling class (The Upper Bracket) is good for the country. That's what keeps America strong. Low wages help businesses prosper, which makes the country richer, so low wages are a good thing...let's see an unemployment level of 6% or higher helps keep workers afraid of losing their jobs, so they work harder for less pay......or worker illness doesn't hurt the bottom line since there are always plenty of others to take their place, so affordable health care is an unneeded expense. Social welfare programs make people lazy and less willing to take bad jobs for low wages, so they're counterproductive. Now Social Welfare does make "SOME" people lazy, but not everyone who's on it....

How many people would vote for the Republican Party if it admitted to its core philosophy? 35%? 45%? Truly doctrinaire Republicans believe they must be in power, not just for their own personal gain, but for the good of the country. If the bleeding heart Democrats took over, they honestly believe, we would lose our wealth and our ascendancy in the world. So it's their patriotic duty to win by any means necessary. Since they can't win elections by running on their real agenda, they win by lying about their agenda and smearing their opponents with as much mud as they can. (They also do everything they can to divert people's attention, of course, by claiming to stand for morality, motherhood and apple pie and making people believe they're in danger and only the Republicans can keep the country safe)

When they want to pass tax cuts for the rich, they say the cuts are for the middle class. When they want to bankrupt Social Security, they say they want people to have more money for their retirement, and on and on.

A republican friend of mine who I've known for over 6 years said this..."We're (Republicans) the Daddy Party that knows what's best for the country, even if the people are too childish to understand. We may....stretch it a lil' bit, but they're doing it for all of us. Father Knows Best". I was taken aback by that statement, but he's still my boy & we don't let our politics get in the way of friendship, (he's a unabashed Tea Partier...me, a rural conservative democrat). That statement makes me think how many actually think like that? Who knows!

Anyway, I know I can be sarcastic sometimes when I write blog posts on this blog, but this is not one of those times. I'm being deadly earnest. This is the way things are. And it's why Democrats are always so frustrated and befuddled when the Republicans come after them with jaw-dropping lies and the nastiest of smears. Democrats can't believe anyone would stoop so low, because the Democrats' desire to tell the truth makes it difficult for them to understand how anyone can lie with such abandon. Hardcore Republicans, on the other hand, probably know deep down in their DNA that lying is the only way for them to stay in power.

A Politically Segregated Georgia is Not in the Best Interest of the People

2012-02-02T11:00:00.006-05:00

These days, with blacks comprising a majority of Democratic state lawmakers in the Democratic Caucuses of the House & Senate black now equals Democrat. And the white Southern Democrat is becoming an endangered species. For blacks here in Georgia, that in itself is not a problem. Many enjoyed being in the Democratic majority through the 1990s and up until the early 2000s. But Republicans, for now, are the only game in town. And in the former Confederacy, legislative black caucuses find themselves in the same kind of wilderness that led to their formation in the first place.

Meanwhile, Blacks vote their interests, which do not lie within the ultra-conservative, Tea Party-infused, Republican Party. Although some Republicans would claim to vote in their interests, they would have to ask themselves why their Republican-controlled states suffer from some of the highest levels of poverty, and the lowest educational and health standards in the nation?

The story of the GOP in the South is one of white Democrats or "Dixiecrats" some like to call them, trading donkeys for elephants. After Lyndon Johnson passed the historic civil right legislation of the mid-1960s, disaffected conservative Southerners commenced the process of white flight from the Democratic Party. Voting rights and redistricting led to black power in the form of majority black districts. However, the unintended consequences were whiter, more conservative districts where Democrats -- particularly moderate and liberal white Democrats -- are unable to compete, where only moderate and conservative have the best shot at winning those type of districts.

Meanwhile, Republican majorities put themselves in charge of a process of racial gerrymandering, such as the case in the 2nd Congressional District,& a slew of legislative districts, allowing them to stoke the fires of racial polarization, and further segregate the state of Georgia for political gain. They say they are only following the guidelines of the Voting Rights Act & maybe so, but let's be real here, the more blacks you can put into a particular district, the more it increases the GOP stronghold on Georgia.

Plus, the Obama era has created a far more conservative Republican Party than the one that came to power during the Bush presidency.

Such an environment makes it increasingly difficult for a black candidate for statewide office in the future like former Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond who could be a candidate for statewide office in 2014. The old democratic party for the longest time remained democratic despite voting republican on the federal level for president & that was due to the crafty late House Speaker Tom Murphy who held together a fragile coalition of rural white & urban black democrats until his defeat in 2002. Georgia under democratic rule was the leading state in the south as far as progress. A business-friendly environment, lead by the quality of life led many citizens from across the nation to relocate to Georgia.

But the Party failed to educate these new voters the role the democratic party played in making Georgia the one, if not, the place to live, raise a family, open a business, etc, etc. That, in my opinion is one of the reasons the party fell like a house of cards in a matter of a few years. As the State Party drifted more & more to the left, mimicking the National Party, it became less whiter, oh wait, less diverse & more blacker & browner by the defections of rural moderate/ conservative democrats.......NOT A GOOD SIGN!

Let me end this by saying that the state HAS re-segregated politically due to racial gerrymandering. Black=Democrat, White =Republican & that my friends is not healthy for our great state.

Louisiana Gov. Huey Long (D) 1935.. Share the Wealth

2012-01-31T12:29:00.003-05:00

Now you wonder where did President Obama get the whole :Share of the Wealth Idea..here it is..

50/50 Obama gets re-elected..But what If President Obama DOES get Re-Elected in November?

2012-01-30T13:28:00.003-05:00

Hmmmm......, as we learned in 2010 and as we’re learning to some extent during the early month of the 2012 election cycle, the Tea Party has also caused the party to go off on bizarre tangents at times and to take insane stands like appearing to be willing to take the nation to the brink of financial chaos back in August. The “no compromise” position that the Tea Party represents may be good for internal party consumption and it may make the true believers happy, but it’s not good government and it’s probably not a good long term political strategy. A loss in 2012 that gets pinned on the movement would likely re-energize the “establishment” and more traditional conservatives in the party and cause a backlash against some of the more radical elements of the Tea Party. In the long run, this would probably be good for the GOP.

If President Obama wins it will almost certainly be with less electoral votes and percentage of the popular vote than 2008, making him the first president to win reelection with less votes since Woodrow Wilson back in 1916. What would President Obama be able to do in his second term? He's been politically impotent since January 2011 and there's no reason to think that this election year will be different. With 23 of the of the 33 senate seats up for reelection in 2012 held by Democrats the Senate you can it's almost likely to be held by Republicans. The only possible Democratic pickups would be in Massachusetts and Nevada. Many of these Democratically held seats are open in 2012 due to retirements. It's possible for Democrats to take back the House but they need to gain 26 seats to do so.

Although it seems bleak for the president, there is an awful lot that he can accomplish using one simple tool: The Presidential Veto. A re-elected President Obama COULD veto any extension of the Bush Tax Cuts, but that'll hurt the economic recovery, oversee the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, around 2014, he could call for changes to the HealthCare Bill..let's face it, that bill will not be repealed, despite all the tough talk by those on the right & he and can start high profile fights with Republicans over issues like the closing of Guantanamo, the federal budget, and the future of entitlement programs. Obama's second term would be marked by his ability to ironically prevent change. His re-election will prevent the privatization of Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security, which is one of the top goals of the GOP. With the political center being so wide open, the president should drop anchor there while the hard left & the hard right battle it out, tearing each other apart....The odds are against the president winning re-election, but its very possible that he will win a second term.

Barack Obama: The obstructionist for Republican change.

Robert Patillo Announces Bid For State House

2012-01-10T14:49:00.001-05:00

Press Release from the campaign of Robert Patillo

Democrat Robert Patillo Enters Georgia's State House District 44 Race

Atlanta, GA – As the 2012 Georgia Legislative Session opens and just days before the nation celebrates the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., former democratic operative and attorney Robert Hillard Patillo, II has filed his campaign committee paperwork, Patillo for Georgia, with the State Democratic Party. Patillo told supporters, “This election is about working towards an agenda to restore Jobs, Justice and the American Dream in Georgia. It is time we put our dreams into action with new ideas and fresh leadership. Voters want to see leaders who will fight for their best interest. They realize candidates in the Democratic Party went to the Capitol and voted to cut programs like the HOPE Scholarship fund should be disqualified from representing this party and the needs of our community.”

Patillo's committee Treasurer Janice Mathis currently serves as the Executive Director of RainbowPUSH Coalition Atlanta Bureau as well as the RainbowPUSH Coalition National Vice President. Mathis noted, “I've worked with Robert on several legal issues. I know no one better to serve the citizens of Georgia. “Dwayne Brown will be serving as Campaign Chairman for Patillo's state house bid. “It is an honor to help elect a democrat that won't forget our shared ideals when he gets to the capitol. The top issues in this state are to restore jobs and support education and we need Democrats who won’t compromise in our pursuit of the American dream.”

Robert Patillo is a graduate of Clark-Atlanta University and Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2009 where he served as President of the Black Law Students Association. Previously, Patillo served as a Field Manager for Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. in fundraising for the Democratic National Committee in 2004, lead workers’ rights campaigns during the Student Labor Week of Action in 2005 and assisted Rainbow/PUSH in the 2005 initiative to re-authorize the Voters Rights Act in addition to working on issues of corporate diversity and minority representation in Fortune 500 companies. He recently served as the Statewide Field Director for Ken Hodges Campaign for Attorney General and currently works as a practicing attorney in Atlanta at The Patillo Law Group, LLC.

Prisons as Economic Development: Boom or Bust for Rural Georgia?

2012-01-04T12:15:00.005-05:00

In Georgia today there are more prisoners than farmers. And while most prisoners in Georgia are from urban communities, most prisons are now in rural areas with high levels of poverty & a unskilled, uneducated workforce. During the last two decades, the large-scale use of incarceration to solve social problems has combined with the fall-out of globalization to produce an ominous trend: prisons have become a "growth industry" in rural Georgia, in fact Rural America.

Communities in isolated regions of the state began suffering from declines in farming, mining, timber-work and manufacturing are now begging for prisons to be built in their backyards. The economic restructuring that began in the troubled decade of the 1980s has had dramatic social and economic consequences for rural communities and small towns. Together the farm crises, factory closings, corporate downsizing, shift to service sector employment and the substitution of major regional and national chains for local, main-street businesses have triggered profound change in these areas.

The acquisition of prisons as a conscious economic development strategy for depressed rural communities and small towns in Georgia has become widespread. Many small rural towns have become dependent on an industry which itself is dependent on the continuation of crime-producing conditions.

Ironically, while rural areas pursue prisons as a growth strategy, whether this is a wise or effective strategy is far from clear. Increasing evidence suggests that by many measures prisons do not produce economic growth for local economies and can, over the long term, have detrimental effects on the social fabric and environment of rural communities. Moreover, this massive penetration of prisons into rural Georgia portends dramatic consequences for the entire state as huge numbers of inmates from urban areas of the state become rural residents for the purposes of Census-based formulas used to allocate government dollars and political representation.

Despite a lack of studies documenting the effects of prisons on rural areas and small towns over time, prisons are now heralded by economic development professionals and politicians of all stripes as beneficial economic engines for depressed rural economies like the one up in Baldwin County which was hyped by then governor Sonny Perdue, & State Senator Johnny Grant in 2010. Along with gambling casinos and huge animal confinement units for raising or processing hogs and poultry, prisons have become one of the three leading rural economic enterprises as Georgia and localities seek industries which provide large scale and quick opportunities.

The competition for prison "development projects" has become fierce and political. In order to be considered competitive in the bidding wars for public prisons, rural counties and small towns give up a lot to gain what they hope will be more: offering financial assistance and concessions such as donated land, upgraded sewer and water systems, housing subsidies, and, in the case of private prisons, property and other tax abatements.

A significant development in rural incarceration is the advent of private prisons. While private prisons do fill most jobs with new recruits when they open, and they sometimes give a hiring preference to local residents, they fail to provide a stable employment base in their host communities because they suffer extremely high rates of job turnover -- three times higher than the rate for public prisons. Correctional officer turnover rates in for-profit facilities are due mostly to poor training and low wages. This rapid turnover can create staffing problems that play out in understaffed shifts, low morale, and a sense of instability in the facility and the surrounding community.

While the growth in prisoner population and new prisons have increased dramatically, without other interventions such as changes in mandatory sentencing laws and parole policies, or more extensive use of alternatives to incarceration, prisoner populations and prison-building may climb upward again.

As well, the use of prisons as money-makers for struggling rural communities has become a major force driving criminal justice policy toward mass incarceration of the urban poor regardless of policy rationales like rising crime and prison overcrowding. In my opinion, When legislators cry 'Lock 'em up!,' they often mean 'Lock 'em up in my district!.'" LOL!! Indeed, the rural prison boom occurred at a time of falling crime rates and experience shows that the federal and state governments are reluctant to pull the plug on the many interests that now lobby for and feed off prisons. Allowed to continue, this cycle will have catastrophic consequences for the health and welfare of individuals, families, and communities in urban and rural areas, and indeed for the nation.

The Tea Party will re-elect Barack Obama in 2012?

2011-12-29T12:00:00.003-05:00

And here's why:

If Barack Obama is somehow able to win reelection, the Tea Party should be on his list for a thank you note. President Obama’s prospects for reelection are decidedly mixed, but better than we’d expect given all else in the environment.

The economy is terrible, unemployment is high, and President Obama’s approval rating is extremely low. Normally, this bodes badly for a president seeking reelection, although in this case, Obama’s approval rating is still much higher than the ratings for Congress or the Republican Party. The Tea Party deserves some of the credit.

At least two Tea Party achievements are now helping the president: By invigorating the Republican Party’s base and helping it make huge gains in the 2010 elections, activists have been able to pressure members of Congress to work on their agenda....an agenda that isn’t very popular with the rest of the country.

The Republican Party in Congress is now comprised of people elected with Tea Party support, others who fear being challenged in primaries by Tea Partiers. The House passed Rep. Paul Ryan’s model budget, which would slash both taxes and government and turn Medicare into a voucher program. Policy merits (or de-merits) aside, it’s awful politics. Republicans turned the debt ceiling debate into a debacle, and are now blocking an extension of the reduced payroll tax on working Americans to protect low rates on–really–millionaires.

Tea Party enthusiasts are still disappointed. Others are scared. And the Republicans need a presidential candidate to beat Barack Obama. Without discussing intelligence and integrity at this point, candidates for the Republican nomination have created the weakest field of hopefuls in my opinion in either party for generations.

The party out of power wants to nominate a presidential candidate who can win elections, and has demonstrated that ability in the past, preferably by winning big elections. Practically, this means governors and senators, preferably from large and/or swing states. Among the top tier of candidates, only Mitt Romney (Massachusetts) and........ Rick Perry (Texas), yes Rick Perry qualify on this front, and Governor Perry has disappointed as a campaigner so you can almost stick a fork in him. Ex-Governor & Ex--U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman (Utah) have generated minimal support, but he out of all the GOP candidates is the most well-positioned to take on President Obama & win because he doesn't come off as a scary, or a loon or too hardcore for voters who are independent/moderate.

Meanwhile, the rest of the field has included Herman Cain, a radio host who could have surprised political pols had not been for the various women who came out against him who alleged he had either sexual harassed them or affairs with them, former Senator Rick Santorum, who had been at the bottom of the barrel has found new life in a new polls showing him surging with the Iowa Caucuses only 5 days away, & two sitting members of the House, Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul), and a former Speaker of the House Newton "Newt" Gingrich who was forced to resign in disgrace by his own party more than a decade ago & someone who I said could give Obama a run for his money if he somehow makes it to the general election.

The Tea Party mobilization within the Republican Party scared off or silenced many establishment Republicans, and nourished several weak and improbable candidates. It has also moved the entire debate far to the right, with candidates trying to cultivate the enthusiasm demonstrated by Tea Partiers.

Because he started organizing and fundraising early, and because he has been willing to pander to the Tea Party, Governor Romney has survived all of this, but left little space and money for anyone else from the party establishment. Romney has been unable to increase his support, and thus far, no one else has been able to topple him.

While journalists and political junkies may fantasize about the excitement of a brokered convention, it’s likely that one of the candidates still in the field will win the nomination through the primary process. If it’s Governor Romney, he will be a less than inspiring choice for the Tea Partiers and some evangelicals at the Republican base, but he will have made enough pandering statements to them to fill the ads of his Democratic opponents.

Any of the other Republican candidates would be substantially weaker in a general election. Either way, the Tea Party has had the perverse effect of helping the electoral prospects of its prime target.

The Peach State's "Affirmative Action" Racial Redistricting

2011-12-28T13:01:00.011-05:00

Racial Gerrymandering is no longer needed if you ask me. I'm a strong believer that majority-minority districts are no longer needed because blacks have made vast improvements in American society. The strides blacks have made in American society are greater than any other minority group in this country. But I will admit that black had the furthest to go & blacks still occupy a lower socioeconomic position in society, but chooses to focus on the improvements blacks have made.

Those arguing for majority-minority districts believe that because of continued racism whites will not vote for black candidates, which is not true. Look at former Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder as examples of Black(Moderate) candidates who won contest in their perspective states.

Now those candidates with drastically liberal views, be if they're black or white, will rarely be elected to office in the south. Blacks constitute an ideological minority and this explains their inability to be elected in the south. When blacks are elected in the south it is often because they are conservative.

One thing is certain, that the creation of majority-minority districts unfairly stigmatizes black voters. It gives the perception that blacks are relegated to a position of helplessness in our society. They can get no where in society unless they are given special favors. Further, underlying the creation of majority-minority districts is the premise that race is the most important factor when choosing representatives. Creating districts categorizes people in terms of race that is a dangerous practice. The entire goal of the civil rights movement was to stop viewing people in terms of race and to start viewing people in terms of individuals and the majority-minority districting system does just that.

Despite the fact that blacks are in general more liberal on some issues, majority-minority districts are not necessary for blacks to win elections. Those supporting racial gerrymandering commonly believe that 65 percent of a district must be black to ensure a black representative will be elected. However, a number of blacks have been elected in districts in which less that 50 percent of the districts’ population was black. (Sanford Bishop, Floyd Griffin, State Senate in 1992, Michael Thurmond, State House in 1986)

Also interests are not linked to race. In other words, a white person can represent the interest of blacks just as a black can represent the interests of whites. This is because interests can not be identified solely on the basis of race. Substantive representation is more important that descriptive representation. Descriptive representation has no bearing on substantive representation. there is no guarantee that a black official will support the same policies as most blacks do. Gerrymandering is becoming an ineffective method of ensuring minority representation. When majority-minority districts are created, first a pocket of blacks must be target. We are running out of areas to target and create majority-minority districts. 10 years from now, we can expect severe limitations on what can be achieved by relying on the creation of black districts to ensure the election of black politicians.

Yesterday, the Department of Justice approved the new maps redrawn by Georgia Republicans & as a result the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus has threatened to fight the DOJ over the "Affirmative Action" Racial Gerrymandering Maps.

How to best draw representational lines raises a fundamental philosophical and practical issue for African-Americans--the problem of duality. The problem takes many forms: integration versus separation, inclusion versus communal obligation, and as we can see in the reapportionment battle, direct representation by blacks versus black influence over mostly white officeholders. Strong arguments can be made on both sides. 10 years ago, Many African-American political leaders, including many members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, felt that having direct representation is more important than preserving or "saving" white Democratic seats. So they, along with the-then minority Republicans came together to create more black districts, which in effect hung white rural democrats out to dry. As a result of those actions, you now have a democratic legislature that is 98% Black. Now they're saying the new maps discriminate against African Americans. Black Dems suck as Rep Tyrone Brooks (R-Atlanta) who led the effort to maximize black representation now have to lay in the bed they made themselves.

"Affirmative Action Racial Gerrymandering," as I call it, creates more division within the state and may not be in the best long-term self-interest of the African-American community. Drawing districts--whether they be school districts, city or county council districts, legislative districts, or U.S. House districts--with a first priority of maximizing the number of majority-minority districts re segregates communities, causes representatives to see issues mainly in terms of black and white, divides communities into multiple districts so that they lose a clear single voice devoted to them, and has a general negative impact on race relations. Creating majority African American districts tends to pack districts with African-American voters so that representatives from neighboring nearly all-white districts pay little attention to the needs of blacks.

Concentrating black voters in districts to elect black representatives dilute support among other representatives for bills favored by blacks. Spreading black voters across more districts resulted in the election of representatives who were more sensitive to black interests. Its a waste of time & effort for democrats to go to court over the maps. Just Let it be! With 63 democrats in the house, 20 in the senate, this map will force democrats to compete in areas that they had written off in the past. The "Big Tent Party" now has to live up to that monikor & re-open it arms for conservative-minded democrats in its ranks. If not, then they better get comfortable being in the wilderness for the next 10, 20, 30 years.

We'll Be Back After New Year's 2012

2011-12-08T11:32:00.002-05:00

Peanut Politics will be back roaring & ready to go in January 2012. Have a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!

Businessman Thomas Coogle II to run for Georgia State House in 2012

2011-11-17T11:44:00.006-05:00

Yesterday at the Macon County Courthouse, BlueDog Democrat Thomas L "Tom" Coogle II (D-Montezuma) announced his candidacy for State Representative HD 135 (139 under new proposed map) which includes Dooly, Macon, Taylor & southern Peach County. Incumbent Lynmore James (D-Montezuma) will step down after the 2012 legislative session due to various health issues he's been dealing with over that last few years.

Coogle, a 33 year old Businessman & Vice-President of Reynolds Foodliner hopes to succeed James as representative to bring about more jobs to the district which includes Macon County, the third poorest county in the state of Georgia. This will be Coogle's first time running for elected office

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs is the key issue for Coogle, who business background gives him an advantage over other potential candidates, which includes Taylor County Commissioner Patty Bentley who announced her candidacy back in October.

Coogle says he's running as a Democrat, but hopes to bridge the gap between the two political parties under the Gold Dome in Atlanta.

A father of three, Coogle is a Lutheran, member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Macon County Chamber of Commerce & the Georgia Food industry Association & a graduate of Georgia Southwestern State University. His wife Jill Tatum-Coogle is a elementary school teacher for the Macon County School System

Coogle's grandfather T.L. Coogle a Conservative Democrat served as State Representative from 1948-56.

2012 a Litmus Test for Georgia Dems?

2011-11-10T11:57:00.003-05:00

With the 2011 season coming to a end, now is the time to start talking about the 2012 political season.

With all of the attention being to paid to happenings up on Capitol Hill & rightfully so, down here in Georgia, 2012 will be sort of a litmus test for the future of the Georgia Democratic Party.

Now if you want to talk about a party that's at a serious crossroads look no further than the State Democratic Party here in the Peach State & 2012 will be the year that sets the tone for the party going forward

Operatives at the State Party have to decide what direction the party should take....do they want to continue to take it to the murky waters of the left, which will never gain a strong foothold here in the empire state of the south....OR...do they want to reposition it to what it was when they had its most successes of the 1990s all the way up to 2001......back to the center?

There are some who think that taking the party to the left will eventually appeal to everyday mainstream Georgians who mostly are centrist/conservative in nature. NO IT WILL NO'T!

There are those who think that the Latino population will rescue the party from its doldrums, but you're talking about 10-15 years down the line. And there's no guarantee that the Latino population will continue to increase here in Georgia over the next few years & who's to say that they will be a monolithic voting bloc for the party like African-American have been for over 45 years? Do you really want to put all of your eggs in that basket?

I remember attending a democratic party meeting down in South Georgia last year where a white liberal burst out saying..."Hey let's forget about the white working class vote, we don't need then anymore" & let's focus on increasing our minority strength here in Georgia. Now that's where the "Let's wait for the population to shift" theory comes in. That kind of attitude will absolutely hurt the party even more in its attempt to appeal to Whites.

There will be some Conservative Democrats running for office next year for the state legislature & it will present the democrats with another opportunity to show that they are really a BIG TENT PARTY because right now that moniker doesn't apply to them. Its not healthy for the party in the long run....hell RIGHT NOW to be a party basically made up of only majority Black Georgians, sprinkled with Latinos, Gays, Lesbians & a handful of Urban/Suburban White Liberals.

2012 will the litmus test for the party. Will they show a openness for helping elect Moderate/Conservative Democrats, black or white? Or will they continue to support one track minded, out of touch, weak candidates who can only appeal to one demographic & have the inability to appeal to those who doesn't share the same views as they do?

The key person to keep an eye on is Miguel Camacho who was elected to recruit candidates for the party. This is a whole different ballgame, this isn't Chatham County where you can look around the corner to find a candidate with a snap of a finger, you're talking about statewide, especially Rural Georgia where he's got to find democratic candidates that has the ability to appeal, to connect to every person no matter of race, religion or background. That's going to be the hard part for Camacho who probably has never ventured to isolated areas of rural central 7 South Georgia

Herman Cain Needs Sam Nunn Right Now

2011-10-21T11:55:00.003-04:00

Former Godfather Pizza CEO Herman Cain is on a roll right now despite what some like David Gergen, a highly respected Political Analyst are saying that Cain has hit his ceiling or hit his peak. Yes Cain took some hits during the last debate especially over his 999 Plan, but that comes with the territory when you have the big "MO" going for you.

Cain will be fine with his 999 Plan, as well as his entire economic proposal, but he needs to get a serious crash course in the Foreign Policy Arena & that's his biggest weakness to date.

That's why he should turn to fellow Georgian & former Democratic U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, who who knowledge of foreign policy runs much deeper then those currently in the GOP field as well as those in Congress.

Nunn is highly respected in in this area by many, democrats, republicans, independents, foreign policy experts alike. Cain should reach out to Nunn to be his Consultant on Foreign Policy to show many than he is serious (not to say that he isn't) about a run for the White House in 2012.

Nunn who advises President Obama from time to time on Foreign Policy would give Cain a heavy hitter to beat back charges from critics that he's not the man voters would want in the White House to answer that 3 a.m. Call.

The GOP nomination is wide despite what the polls say & if Cain could get a man of Sam Nunn's wisdom on his campaign team, that would only strengthen the main who manage to beat back stage 4 cancer or he wouldn't be here today making this historic run for the GOP Nomination

Will Austin Scott Go Unopposed in 2012?

2011-10-19T13:30:00.004-04:00

That's the question I've heard from readers of this blog lately & my answer is.....He should be!

Scott, the 8th Congressional District Congressman who rode the Tea Party, anti-government, anti-Obama, anti-Pelosi wave to defeat Vietnam Veteran & BlueDog Democrat Jim Marshall will be up for re-election for the 8th , which has been altered to reassure his re-election as 95% of democratic stronghold Bibb County has been moved in the 2nd Congressional District of Sanford Bishop, while absorbing some of Jack Kingston's 1st CD pending approval of the courts & DOJ

As it looks right now, he won't be challenged in the primary like some of his fellow Georgia GOP Congressmen will be in 2012. So.......How about the General Election?

Its hard for me to see a freshman congressman go unopposed in a newly redrawn district, so I say yes, he will be challenged in the General Election.

So the next question would be from who?

Well, you can write off Jim Marshall making a return. With Saxby Chambliss U.S. Senate seat up for re-election in 2014, as well as Gov. Nathan Deal, its a safe bet that he will seriously look at one of those seats, probably governor.

DuBose Porter, forget about it. With Laurens possibly being in the 12th, that's unlikely, besides he already gone on record twice, that he's not interested in running for congress.....governor, I suspect is still in his sights.

Could someone move into the 8th & challenge him like Maria Sheffield could be planning to do against John Barrow? Yes!

If he does get a challenge, it could come from four places: Monroe County, Houston County, Ben Hill County, Wilcox County.

There's one guy down living down in the wiregrass of South Georgia who's laying in the weeds right now. He's a Christian Conservative, his wife is a senior pastor at a south Georgia Church, he's been a mayor, good friends with Jack Kingston, served on numerous state boards, Army Veteran, he has been listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers four times, and was selected as "Teacher of the Month", and was nominated as "Teacher of the Year & a few years ago was selected as one of Georgia Trends 40 under 40, & he's a country boy......I'm talking about...................

12th CD: Don't Look Now, But Here Comes The Carpetbagger From Cobb

2011-10-19T12:29:00.005-04:00

Former Insurance Commissioner candidate Maria Sheffield is the latest GOPer to consider running in the newly proposed 12th District against John Barrow (D-?????)...Barrow plans to relocate in the 12th, where, no one knows. I suggest Metter (Candler County) or Statesboro.

But back to Sheffield, she says she “has been approached by business, community, government, tea party and Republican leaders” to enter the contest. Are these the 12th CD business, community, government, tea party, republican leaders? Or are these folks from the Metro Area she currently resides?

Now get a load of this explanation she sent to her spokeswoman, Kathryn Ballou:

”My family – the Sheffield family – has long and deep roots in this special part of Georgia. For many years my father lived in Laurens County. Many of my family members still live in Laurens.

“The interesting fact is that my potential opponent is from Athens and lives in Savannah – neither of which is in the 12th District. The bottom-line is the people of the 12th District — if I run — will have a choice between my opponent, who is from Athens, lives in Savannah, and supports President Obama or myself with deep family roots in Laurens County and opposes the liberal agenda of President Obama.”

Well........John Barrow’s family has lived, worked, farmed, taught, practiced law, and preached in east Georgia for over 7 generations, so he like Sheffield has deep, deep family roots in the 12th District

So let me get this right, its wrong for Barrow to relocate within his district to continue representing his constituents, but its ok for you to move from Suburban Cobb County into Rural Laurens County to run for a congressional seat?

Many of you may remember the old 12th that was created included Athens, which was Barrow's home at the time. After he defeated Max Burns for the seat in 2004, the GOP orchestrated a mid-decade redistricting plan that took out Barrow's home of Athens & placing it in the 10th CD, which led Barrow to relocate within HIS district to continue serving the people of the 12th. With that came the "Carpetbagger" charge against him.

Its understandable to see why many GOPers see Barrow's seat as a easy one to steal away, but like I said before, do not underestimate John Barrow abilty as a campaigner because he's one of the hardest campaigners I've ever seen, plus new counties like Laurens, Telfair, Wheeler, Coffee are not like Columbia & Appling Counties, which are ruby red high performing republican areas.

So for many who think Barrow's goose is cooked, in the words of ESPN College GameDay Commentator Lee Corso....NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS!!!!

Thoughts on Last Night's Montezuma Debate

2011-10-19T11:52:00.006-04:00

I attended last night's debate over in Montezuma held by the Macon County NAACP for the Mayoral & City Council seats & I came away impressed by the individuals on stage last night.

It was a smooth debate among the candidates for 3 seats currently held by Incumbents Charles Ivey, Norman Carter & a open seat left vacant by Jim Trask who decided against re-election on the Montezuma City Council & the two up for the mayoral seat currently held by Willie Larry

Newcomers Judy Gilmore, who moved back to Montezuma in 1999 after a long stint in Savannah (30 yrs), Judy Hasselkus, who moved here from Clearwater Florida in 2002 & is currently a member of the Macon County Chamber of Commerce, Beau Palmer, a opera singer who also moved back to Montezuma a coupe of years ago did fairly well in last night's debate

Incumbents Charles Ivey & Norman Carter didn't miss a beat as they both showed a great knack of the issues facing the city of Montezuma. Both gave very impressive performances & didn't hurt themselves among those in the audience & listening on Radio WMNZ 1050 AM which carried the debate live.

Tarshea Fudge-Riley showed why she is considered the favorite for one of the council seats at one time going head to head with Incumbent Mayor Willie Larry. She was sharp, crisp & quick on the answers & it would surprise me if she didn't win it this time around.

Although she didn't say much during the debate, but Judy Hasselkus was solid in her performance. Her problem could be that she is low key, but she has signs signs all around montezuma.

Incumbent Mayor Willie Larry & challenger LeVonda Journey- Bush are both fighting for the chance to be Montezuma's next Mayor in next month's municipal elections. I must say I was surprised how effective Journey-Bush was in the debate, especially for a first time candidate. She felt very comfortable in her own skin, she was precise & direct with her answers & clearly was the better debater over Mayor Larry who didn't perform all than well, at times reading his answers from a sheet of paper he had at his disposal.

The winners: LeVonda-Journey Bush, Tarshea Riley, Charles Ivey, Norman Carter, Dee Gilmore

The Losers were: Mayor Willie Larry, Frank Lester III

My prediction on who might win:

City Council:

Tarshea Fudge-Riley, Charles Ivey, Norman Carter.....BUT (It wouldn't surprise me if Dee Gilmore or Judy Hasselkus wins one of those three council seats)

Mayor:

If the disdain of City Hall is legit, LeVonda Journey Bush will defeat Willie J. Larry on 11/8/2011. Larry is the favorite because of name recognition, but based on what I saw in last night's debate, it wouldn't surprise me if Journey-Bush unseat the long-time mayor of Montezuma. From my view, Mayor Larry is running on the status quo & for a city that has lost so much over the last 6 years, that may not be enough this time....but I could be wrong!

Looking ahead to 2012, if Mayor Larry wins re-election one have to believe that Councilman Charles Ivey will get a serious push to run for Mayor. He has all the tools to become a great mayor, question is would he make that jump?

Crucial Debate Tonight for Races for Montezuma City Council & Mayoral Seats

2011-10-18T13:22:00.004-04:00

Tonight there will be a debate at the Preston Williams Center in Montezuma for seats on the Montezuma City Council, as well as the office for Mayor.

Incumbent Willie J. Larry is facing a tough challenge from LaVonda Bush-Journey.

Incumbent City Councilmen Charles Ivey & Norman Carter seats are up as well as Jim Trask, who decided not to seek re-election.

Challenging for the three seats are:

Tarshea Fudge-Riley who narrowly lost by a razor-thin margin in her first bid for council back a few years ago.

Frank Lester, who lost his seat last time around & is looking to get back on the city council this time around

And you have first time candidates Beau Palmer, Judy Hasselkus & Judy "Dee" Gilmore

All Council seats are elected citywide...

Issues likely to dominate the forum are: 1) The future of manufacturing plant Allens, Inc. 2) The contined rising cost of water/sewage rates that are plaging the citizens of Montezuma, with no answer as to why were the water/sewage rates were increased in the first place. 3) Economic Develpoment. 4) Transparency in City Government, etc, etc, etc

Macon County Branch 2011 Political Forum
When: Tuesday Oct 18th 2011
Where: Preston Williams Community Center-Montezuma, GATime:
TBA (5pm or 6pm)
For: Cities of Ideal and Montezuma All candiates, incumbents and citizens invited to attend

Conservative Democrat Jammie Williams (D-Sharpsburg) to run in Special Election for SD 28

2011-10-17T14:38:00.004-04:00

Conservative Democrat Jammie Williams (D-Sharpsburg) is one of 7,8,9, (who's counting) candidates to throw his hat in the ring to succeed Outgoing State Senator Mitchell Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) for Senate District 28.

Williams came to Georgia three years ago from Michigan. He works at Tie Down Engineering in Atlanta, which is involved in the metal fabrication of parts supplying the Marine aftermark.

The Christian Conservative says Tax breaks for small businesses hiring locally and restoring the original funding goals for HOPE Scholarship are two of the main issues. Williams will be running on in the special election.

Says Williams in the Newnan Times-Herald: "I want to see us having the right policies going forward so we don't harm ourselves. Those policies include better tax breaks for small businesses, getting control of the state's water, and refunding cuts to HOPE". "We need to give tax breaks to small businesses that hire locally," he said. And I'm a strong supporter of HOPE," Williams added. "If we are going to support businesses in the area, we have to give them quality employees. We need to restore HOPE to its original funding."

Its good to see a democrat from Coweta County run for this seat, a conservative one at that! Williams mix of Conservatism, Christian Values & Military Service is a great for for the conservative district

The Special Election set for early November is non-partisan

The Georgia Democratic Leadership Council: Would it be the answer to the party's woes?

2011-10-11T10:35:00.007-04:00

Could a organization like this be beneficial to the party & state like it was for the National Democrats at one point in time? I think so!

Like the National Democratic Party of the 1980s, the Georgia Democratic Party are out of power and along with it the lack of new ideas coming from the party.

Like the National Democratic Party, the Georgia Democratic Party have gotten too cozy with the left wing of the party, mimicking everything the National Party Stands for nowadays. Regardless how far to the right the Republicans have gone in two years, that doesn't mean that the party should march to their left corner as well. There's a big gap that's not being filled in the political arena right now & that's the middle.

There still should be some soul searching going on in the party of Sam Nunn, Zell Miller, Herman Talmadge.

In the wake of the Georgia Democratic Party's landslide defeat in 2010, losing every single constitutional statewide office, legislative seats along with party switching, there should be members of the legislature, even on down to the local level who are middle of the road conservatives who should come together & form a organization that would focused on re-orienting the Democratic Party toward swing voters, independents & even deserters of the party to craft a policy agenda that spoke to their concerns.

So how about creating Georgia's version of the now defunct Democratic Leadership Council, the Georgia Democratic Leadership Coalition.

The creation of such a potential transformative organization for the political landscape of the state would be healthy not only for the party, but for the people of Georgia. It could still adhere to the first principles of the Democratic Party, but furthered them with fresh ideas and modern means coined in centrist/conservative terms, the citizens of Georgia would once again turn to them for statewide leadership.

But for this to happen, the party needs New Blood in its ranks to make it a reality. There are a few current democratic legislators would be perfect for such a organization like this, but it'll take some newbies to make it happen.

The Party need a new generation of leaders whose political philosophies are in line with the state as a whole, which is center/right who can transcend party, race & gender lines. Those types would be ideal for such a organization. But you have to find these kind of leaders & once you find them, you them have to persuade him or her to run & that's where it gets tricky.

So to my new left democrats don't scoff at the idea. All you have to do is look at the numbers, 63, 20 & 0.....that is 63 State Reps, 20 State Senators, 0 Statewide officials & tell me why wouldn't this work?

(Updated with Video) Baldwin County's Howell Visits Washington D.C.

2011-09-30T12:54:00.005-04:00

Conservative Democrat & 2010 HD 141 Candidate Quentin T. Howell (D-Hardwick) was in Washington D.C. on Wednesday as part of a congressional delegation to meet the administration of President Obama as he talked about issues that are facing rural Georgia & voicing the concerns of everyday hardworking families. Howell asked citizens to submit questions to him to take to officials of the Obama Administration during this trip

Howell, a local Radio Host which broadcast across much of central Georgia & community activist says: "this is for Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party members, liberals and conservatives alike,” He goes on to say “Our community has been on life-support for a long time. It is going to take action across political lines and outside of our comfort zones to make us well again"

The Obama administration officials have met with rural leaders from states across the nation to find out information from the people.

Howell said the people in the group all share a passion for their communities.“The people who are going have been extremely active throughout their cities and counties,” he said. “Within the group from across the state, we will be part of a group hoping to narrow the focus on middle Georgia.”

Like much of Georgia, Baldwin County where Howell resides has been hit extremely hard by job losses over the past decade. Howell has made it his mission to turn the fortunes around in Baldwin County who job looses range from the Rheem Manufacturing Plant closing to the closing of two of its prisons to name a few.

Howell, who said he plans to focus on jobs, has taken part in administration discussions before, previously with members of the George W. Bush administration.

Howell ran for HD 141 last year getting 43% of the vote against Rusty Kidd (I). Not bad for a first time candidate. The odds are that he will make another run for HD 141 in 2012 against Kidd.

This is a great example of what a "PUBLIC SERVANT" is supposed to be. Only if we had more like Quentin T. Howell

Dr. Jeane Dugas Resigns as DPG Chairman of the 2nd Congressional District

2011-09-23T12:39:00.004-04:00

After 8 months on the job, Dr. Jeanne Dugas former Chairwoman of the Muscogee County Democratic Party resigned from her post as Chairman of the 2nd Congressional District for the Democratic Party of Georgia last week according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Reason why Dr. Dugas is unknown.

Dugas, a liberal democrat, who hails from Columbus ran for the 2nd Congressional District seat back in January at the DPG Leadership Elections held in Warner Robins, bested her opponent (yours truly) Conservative Democrat Keith MacCants, Founder & Editor of Peanut Politics & ex-Vice-Chair of the Macon County Democratic Party to succeed Margaret Tyson who didn't seek re-election.

There will be a special election held in November to elect a new Chairman of the 2nd Congressional District to finish our the four year term.

So who wants it?

GGW (GOP Gone Wild): What's their Real Goal?

2011-09-15T13:57:00.003-04:00

Every since the 2010 elections in which the GOP won 60+ seats in the House of Representatives, the GOP have pretty much blocked, delayed, or stalled anything the president puts forward to try to get this economy moving again.

Every since last year's elections, the GOP (Grand 'Ol Party) ideology has harden to extreme levels to the point that "Compromise" is now a dirty word in Republican Circles.

So my question is what is exactly the republican's goal here?

They say its to reduce the deficit (which many agree), cut spending (yep) & reform entitlements (ok), but today’s Republican Party instead is holding our country’s fiscal solvency hostage in order to achieve radical ideological and political goals.

The ideological motivation for hardline conservatives here is that they think they finally have within their grasp their dream of drowning in the bathtub; any portion of government that benefits the middle class, working class, or poor. They have long wanted to get rid (or drastically) Medicare, Social Security, investments in infrastructure and education, and the social safety net, but they know that such steps would be politically disastrous for them. So, Republicans have spent the past 30 years driving up deficits in order to create a situation where voters feel that we “must” destroy government programs in order to restore fiscal sanity.

Now I admit, government has gotten way too big & have made a mess of things here in the U.S. but why would you hit SS, Medicare, things that many are relying on in today's weak economy?

Now I haven't been a been a supporter of the president & some of his policies, but Im going to come to his defense here: Under Republican presidents, they have drove the deficits up during the Reagan and Bush 41 & 43 Administrations by then record numbers & now it seems that the years prior to 2008 didn't exist & now UN-OH look our deficit is spiraling out of control under president Obama. Yes the president has added to a already skyrocketing deficit & debt, but you need to acknowledge that all this got started long before Obama got into the White House.

Rep. Paul Ryan’s Path to Poverty plan devotes all of the “savings” from abolishing Medicare and cutting social programs to further reductions in taxes for the wealthy, rather than to deficit reduction. And that is why the Republicans are opposing a balanced approach to deficit reduction that involves both spending cuts and revenue increases and, instead, pushing for a “Cut, Cap, and Balance” approach that involves $5.5 trillion in cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and discretionary social spending, and zero in new revenue. The way I loom at it, their priority is destroying government, not reducing the deficit.

The GOP’s pathological intransigence is also motivated by the cold economic calculation that a bad economy bodes well for their desire to defeat President Obama in 2012. That is why from the day that President Obama took office in January 2009, the Republicans have done everything they can to prevent job creation, including weakening the stimulus bill, (who depending who you ask work or didn't work) filibustering TANF and extended unemployment benefits, refusing to approve non-controversial appointees to important positions in the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve, and opposing tax relief to small businesses and a temporary cut in payroll taxes that they supported before Obama was President. And in 2010, the GOP campaigned on jobs, but they still have yet to propose any legislation that would create actual jobs. And then they rattled the economy and the markets by pushing our nation to the brink of having to default on its debt. As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has made clear, the Republicans’ number one priority is not job creation or economic recovery but, instead, is to try to ensure that President Obama is defeated in 2012. Holding the debt ceiling increase hostage in the name of dismantling our government is a critical part of the GOP’s attempt to achieve that goal.

In short, the GOP has walked away from the debt ceiling negotiations because their goals are destroying government and defeating President Obama, not because they want to reduce the deficit. It is sad that today’s GOP has put their ideological hatred of government that helps anyone but the rich, and their dislike of our President, love him or hate him is trying his best!

I can see this ad being remade in 2012 by the Republican Nominee against Incumbent Barack Obama

2011-09-15T13:53:00.003-04:00

Lyndon Johnson in '68....Barack Obama in '12?

2011-09-14T15:27:00.003-04:00

An unpopular Vietnam War, Partisan Divisions in Congress & among the American People, Economic Woes & the rise of the anti-War New Left & Neo-Liberalism were reasons Lyndon Johnson decided not to seek re-election in 1968

Are a worsening Economy, rising Unemployment, sinking poll numbers, exrteme partisan divide in Congress & among the American People where the word 'compromise' has become a dirty word, deep animosity towards his presidency & the rise of the anti-government Tea Party will be reasons president Obama decides not to run for re-election? Not in a million years, but you have to wonder..........