Today’s Courier Herald Column:

We’re in the post mortem stage of the recent battle over the Susan G Komen Foundation and their contributions to Planned Parenthood.  As is predictable in how these skirmishes occur, the pro-choice forces supporting Planned Parenthood were quite ready for their successful counteroffensive, and had from the beginning decided to send a message to other charities who may consider de-coupling from working with the organization.

They had also made it clear from their initial offensive launched Thursday morning that their trophy would be the scalp of former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel.  Handel resigned Tuesday – accepting no severance from the non-profit – so that the Komen organization may resume its mission in the way it sees fit.

The curious note from this episode involves a charge that is of a pot and kettle variety.  When Planned Parenthood released their talking points, chief among them was that they were shocked and disappointed that Komen would politicize their mission by having the gall to stop giving to one of the most polarizing organizations in this country.

The reality is that Komen chose to politicize the issue the day it made the unfortunate decision to partner with Planned Parenthood, and they were aware of it.  One of the reasons they reached out to Handel was to get a better understanding of problems they were having not only with fundraising, but also due to delivery issues because of their entanglement with Planned Parenthood.

The amount of money was small, but raw dollars and percentages are irrelevant when battling over “single issues”.  “It’s the principle” is not only a rallying cry, but a reason to stop debate and discussion.  And in the process, if a well meaning third party charitable organization must be held hostage or even destroyed while others use them as their battleground then so be it.

The faux righteous indignation from the left over the “politicization” of Komen rings hollow in the shock and surprise that a charity would be used for the purposes of the right, when the left was clearly making a much bigger and more widely orchestrated issue in their pushback than pro-life forces had been doing previously.

Further, causes near and dear to the left have not stopped them from preying upon private service organizations for politicization to advance their cause.  Anyone who thinks otherwise should have a long conversation with the Boy Scouts and the funding issues they faced over their exclusions regarding homosexuality.

Now, the Girl Scouts are likely to be pulled into this discussion if a cursory review of Facebook is a leading indicator.  Those upset with Komen’s reversal are posting a lot of informational links to the Girl Scout’s ties to Planned Parenthood.  One more organization with a stellar record of civic added value is poised to become yet another battleground for those who always need stalking horses to advance the culture crusades.

Unfortunately, the battle is not just within private organizations where individuals can decide where to donate their time and money and where they will not.  We now have a President who will tell the audience at a prayer breakfast that Jesus is for tax hikes, but that the Catholic Church needs to get over itself and its opposition to birth control.  Meanwhile, the party of limited government seems to be ready and willing to wage its national primary as much on government involvement in social issues as it is on “taxed enough already” fiscal issues.

The point here is not to illustrate which side is right nor which is wrong.  Ideological extremes without actual debate and discussion rarely serve the best interests of the citizenry.  The point is that those who advance them unchecked and undisciplined are doing little more than engage in a modern version of the crusades that lasted for centuries in the middle ages yet ultimately accomplished little.

Those on the far right will read this, know that they are right, and dismiss any criticism mention here as irrelevant to the battles which they must win because they are right.  Those on the far left will read this, know that they are right, and dismiss any criticism mentioned here as irrelevant to battles they must win because they are right.  Those in the middle will remain uninfluenced, wonder why we spend so much time battling over these things, and go back to trying to figure out how we reduce unemployment, afford the next tank of gas, and keep their or their neighbor’s house from being foreclosed on.

Hearts and minds are not won by exertion of brute force.  Those advancing an agenda of social issues will not win by takeover of new territory with submission of conquered subjects.  Using a scorched earth policy to use charities as proxies for social crusades may embolden those who are on the extremes, but turns off those in the middle who would like to see reasonable solutions.

All sides, as well as those in the middle, are losing in the current culture crusades.

Georgia’s auto and auto-supply industry received another boost today as Governor Nathan Deal announced today that Tenneco will expand production in Hartwell, boosting employment by 350 jobs.

“Tenneco is an important player in the automotive industry, and we are pleased they have expanded their presence in Georgia,” Deal said. “Georgia’s comprehensive logistics system and skilled workforce are two of our many key selling assets because they give companies like Tenneco easy, efficient access to their markets as well as a world-class workforce.”

Tenneco is one of the world’s leading designers, manufacturers and distributors of emission and ride control products and systems for the automotive original equipment market and aftermarket. The company is expanding existing lines and installing additional production lines at its Hartwell manufacturing facility, where automotive shock absorbers and struts are produced.

Hart County has been a Georgia Certified Work Ready Community since 2009, indicating that the county has a ready pool of labor specifically trained for a range of positions, including those in the manufacturing industry. Tenneco has called Hart County home since the 1960s, and already employs a mix of more than 750 full and part-time workers at its Hartwell facility.

This comes less than two weeks after another announcement of 178 new jobs at an auto-related manufacturing facility in Dublin, GA.

As a disclaimer, I should note that I spent the better part of my childhood in a Tenneco family, as my father worked for several divisions of the company over his career, including Newport News Shipbuilding, which has since been spun off.

Insert gratuitous Porsche link here.

Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson has expressed some misgivings about the regional TSPLOST in which her city will vote.

“I wouldn’t want to tax the citizens of this county unless it was absolutely necessary in addition to what they already pay, so I’m sure it’s going to be a hard sell. That’s why you see all the elected officials proceeding so carefully,” said Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson.

Mayor Tomlinson said there are eight transportation projects on the regional list for Muscogee County that would get funding through the TSPLOST but she’s been getting different estimates on the return of our possible tax investment.

“I’ve heard everything from Muscogee County would contribute 65 to maybe 70 percent of that money and only get back 52 percent of it so there is the possibility there is a wide disparity that money we collected here was not staying here,” said Mayor Tomlinson.

Tomlinson neither supports the measure, but she continues to raise the question of whether her area becomes a donor to other counties under TSPLOST.

Mayor Teresa Tomlinson said she is neither a supporter nor opponent of the TSPLOST. She said she has questions that need to be answered before she can take a position.

“Muscogee is paying disproportionately. Counties like Crisp and Randolph are receiving disproportionately,” she said. “Fine, but what are we getting in return for the investment in Crisp and Randolph?”

As is the case in Atlanta, the local Chambers of Commerce are pushing for a Yes vote.

Colin Martin, the local chamber’s vice president for governmental affairs, is leading its campaign to pass the tax. He said he faces a challenge to make people understand how spending in one county can benefit taxpayers in another.

“We’re trying to educate the voter so they can make an informed decision,” Martin said. “I live in Muscogee, but every one of us work with people who live in Harris, Talbot and Chattahoochee and Marion Counties. Better roads benefit those folks, getting to and from work and getting to and from their home to shop in Columbus. That’s a benefit for Columbus.”

Martin notes that some of the projects will have a large regional impact, even though the actual project is located in another county:

Martin offered the spending in Crisp County as an example of Muscogee benefiting from spending that far away.

“The Crisp County project is a bigger picture project because of the Inland Port going in there,” Martin said. “Businesses in Columbus will be shipping goods there and receiving goods from there. So having a good road between here and Cordele is a positive thing.”

The Cordele inland port will be a shipping hub that will be connected to the Savannah port by rail, allowing goods to be shipped by rail in containers that can then be placed on trucks for distribution. Conversely, containers can be trucked to Cordele for rail shipping to the port in Savannah.

Finally, in the background is open opposition from some Tea Party activists:

So far, the most vocal opponent of the tax plan has been the Tea Party, which sent a letter to Gov. Nathan Deal to protest the proposal, calling it the largest tax hike in state history. The letter not only denounced the tax, but reminded Deal that their support depends on an anti-tax stance.

“The hard-working base that made every primary election vote count needs the leadership we were promised,” the letter reads. “Thus far, we have found little to cheer about with the (transportation tax) and the elected officials who support it.”

The first Tuesday in February is Firefighters’ Recognition Day in Georgia. In celebration, they threw a fire hazard in both sides of the Capitol.

It was a good night for Rick Santorum. As I type (11:30 Tuesday night) he’s won Missouri and Minnesota and according to the Colorado GOP Chairman (at about 1:05 AM), Colorado as well. Check the Google map to see the Colorado results. Michelle Malkin wraps it up.

Does this signal yet another change in the race? Has Santorum surpassed Gingrich as the “not-Romney” candidate? Given the twists and turns thus far in the race I’m not sure you say that just yet. I do think however this race isn’t over and while the long term trend still favors Romney, he hasn’t closed the deal and it’s still possible he may not.

If Tuesday night was a good night for Santorum, it’s wasn’t a good night for Gingrich. He wasn’t on the ballot in Missouri, finished fourth in Minnesota and not doing well in Colorado. Let me remind you though, he’s been written off before and it’s certainly possible he resurrects himself yet again. However, time is running out.

Here’s the latest RCP Averages and Intrade percentages.

Up next is Guam on 2/18 then Arizona and Michigan on 2/28. Arizona looms large.

Here in Georgia…
- Democrats in the legislature are working up their own version of the charter schools amendment. I’m told that HR 1162 will come up for a vote in the House this morning, but I haven’t had a chance to confirm that.
- We may see the creation of the City of Ashford this year, but Brookhaven seems dead.

National stories of interest…
- Supporters of Proposition 8, California’s gay marriage ban, lost their appeal yesterday.
- Economist Stephen Moore asks President Obama about fairness.
- Don’t expect President Obama’s mortgage plan to do much to help the economy.
- More government spending doesn’t translate into happiness.
- The last known WWI veteran has passed away.
- In an interview with Reason, Jim DeMint explains why the Republican Party must become more libertarian.
- Pew Research has new information on trends in religious voters party affiliation.
- The Competitive Enterprise Institute makes the case for free market immigration reform.
- Shikha Dalmia explains the significance of Indiana’s passage of right-to-work legislation.

A few that I like…
- Worried about too much coffee consumption?
- Ever wanted to be chased by zombies and run a 5K? Here’s your chance.

The race to replace Gloria Tinubu in House District 60 is over. Keisha Sean Waites won with 54.2% of the vote.

The will be a runoff in House District 107 between Paul Smith and Tom Kirby. Smith garnered 41.9% of the vote to Kirby’s 23.7%. Len Walker is the former Rep. in 107. The runoff will take place on Tuesday March 6th, Super Tuesday.

…and family on the arrival of a new baby boy.

All I know at this point is that Mother and son are doing well.  Kyle is probably still Kyle.

Name has not yet been disclosed, but I think I know where this is going.  Baby boy Wingfield already has an older brother named Charlie. It’s only a matter of days before we see Icarus Wingfield on the original, long form birth certificate.

Welcome baby Wingfield.  Only 21 more years until I can buy you a beer.

Former Governor Sonny Perdue has taken a break from Go Fishing Yourself  Checking In On His Family That He Appointed To “Oversee” The Port Of Savannah political retirement to endorse Doug McKillip in the GOP primary.  The two have a special bond, as Perdue once served as Senate Majority Leader as a Democrat, and McKillip spent a few hours as House Minority Leader before hearing that the GOP caucus had cookies.

The Athens Banner Herald has the deets:

“McKillip is a man of deep faith and (a) sincere conservative,” Perdue said in a news release. “He is the Republican I trust to represent our conservative values in Atlanta, and I am proud to endorse him in his re-election.”

Perdue, who led state Senate Democrats before becoming Georgia’s first Republican governor in 130 years, praised McKillip’s 2010 party switch during a talk last week at the University of Georgia, calling it “courageous.” McKillip crossed the aisle just weeks after House Democrats elected him their No. 2 leader.

“I am proud to have the support of Governor Perdue,” McKillip said. “Sonny knows first hand the importance of faith in our lives. He knows like I do that it is up to us, through our hard work and conservative values, not the government, to turn this state and our economy around. I thank him for his support.”

This is what democracy one party rule looks like.

House Bill 636, sponsored by Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven Ashford) and Rep. Tom Taylor (R-Dunwoody) passed out of the House Governmental Affairs Committee today with a do-pass recommendation by a 9-6 vote. The bill sets up a vote of citizens of parts of unincorporated North DeKalb on whether to incorporate as a new City of Brookhaven Ashford. Rep. Ed Lindsey proposed the name change from Brookhaven to Ashford. I suspect it will be changed back in the Senate.

Predictably, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) offered several amendments to stall the incorporation effort, which were handily defeated.

In a surprise to no one with even a borderline concept of reality, Secretary of State Brian Kemp has announced that President Barack Obama will remain on Georgia’s Presidential Preference Primary Ballot.  From his press release:

“After careful consideration of Administrative Law Judge Michael Malihi’s initial decision and all record evidence based on the criteria set forth in this process, I find that the Respondent, President Barack Obama, meets the State of Georgia’s eligibility requirements. President Barack Obama’s name shall remain on the Democratic Party’s 2012 Presidential Preference Primary ballot.”

Several of our reality challenged friends here stated that Malihi was a Muslim in response to his ruling last week.  One can only guess that they will now descend on Athens to check out the Madrasa where Brian Kemp obviously went to school.

Today’s Courier Herald Column:

The issue of funding for state sponsored charter schools is moving front and center at the capitol this week.  An attempt to restore local funding to schools chartered by the state is slowly beginning to move through the general assembly in the form of a constitutional amendment.

The Georgia Supreme Court struck down the previous law requiring contributions from local school boards to state sponsored charter schools, claiming it violated the Georgia Constitution’s provision providing local governments with ultimate control over decisions regarding K-12 education.  Given that the schools were chartered by the state and not local school boards, the court ruled that the state had no right to require local systems to provide the local contribution the student’s school would have received had they attended the local non-charter school.

State charter schools have been one of the most broadly supported school choice options, often crossing party lines in uniting suburban Republicans with inner city Democrats.  Yet institutional resistance remains from the education community, pressuring lawmakers to vote against moving the amendment to voters on the November ballot.

Lawmakers at the capitol speak of getting phone calls from their local school board members in opposition of the amendment.  They argue that they are the people elected to determine education policy and funding as a matter of local control.  Allowing the state to charter a school in their community and then require it to be funded is moving control to Atlanta and away from voters.

Charter school advocates counter that you cannot get more local than groups of parents who are making the best decisions on how to educate their children, and if they believe there are better options than those provided by the local school board, then they should be supported with not just state funds but their local component as well.

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators, an association which represents many Georgia teachers and administrators, is actively opposing any amendment that allows funding to move to charter schools, and claims on their website that the version of the bill which has passed the House Education Committee “despite the objection of every major organization representation public education in Georgia”.

The significance is this is that in many parts of the state, the local board of education is the county’s largest employer.  A motivated group of public school employees against the amendment could easily persuade the number of no votes needed to block passage of a constitutional amendment.  Amendments must receive two-thirds of both the House and the Senate to move on to voters.

Another group forming to oppose the charter school amendment appears to be the Senate Democratic caucus, which appears to be taking an official “caucus position” against the measure.  This would indicate they have agreed as a group to vote against the measure, which would deny passage even if every Republican voted in favor.

It’s not clear at this time if this opposition is real, or if it is temporary opposition to gain leverage on another issue, as several of their Democratic counterparts in the House openly support the measure.  The Senate Democrats have been articulating a policy agenda which includes re-opening the HOPE scholarship formula and significant ethics reform.  It’s also widely known that various members of the Senate, including Majority Leader Chip Rogers, are outspoken supporters of school choice options.

The question of the day for Senate Democrats is are they really opposed to the charter school funding proposal, or do they just want to keep Rogers and other Republicans from getting what they want until they are offered something they want in return.  That, after all, is politics in its most basic form.

In the interim, state sponsored charter schools will continue to operate on shoestring budgets without access to local funds, and in many cases with overt opposition from local school boards.  Yet many examples of school success – especially those of students coming from economically challenged backgrounds – are coming from these same schools.

Those who choose to play politics with this issue should look at facts of performance and of per pupil expenditures when deciding if charter schools are worthy of local funds.  Georgia has long sought solutions for the state’s abysmal public school performance statistics.  Politics designed to protect the status quo should not be employed to protect an underperforming system.

In her own words:

February 7, 2012

The Honorable Nancy Brinker

CEO, Susan G. Komen for the Cure                                                                   VIA EMAIL

5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250

Dallas, Texas 75244

Dear Ambassador Brinker:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has been the recognized leader for more 30 years in the fight against breast cancer here in the US – and increasingly around the world.

As you know, I have always kept Komen’s mission and the women we serve as my highest priority – as they have been for the entire organization, the Komen Affiliates, our many supporters and donors, and the entire community of breast cancer survivors.  I have carried out my responsibilities faithfully and in line with the Board’s objectives and the direction provided by you and Liz.

We can all agree that this is a challenging and deeply unsettling situation for all involved in the fight against breast cancer.   However, Komen’s decision to change its granting strategy and exit the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood and its grants was fully vetted by every appropriate level within the organization.  At the November Board meeting, the Board received a detailed review of the new model and related criteria. As you will recall, the Board specifically discussed various issues, including the need to protect our mission by ensuring we were not distracted or negatively affected by any other organization’s real or perceived challenges.   No objections were made to moving forward.

I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it.  I openly acknowledge my role in the matter and continue to believe our decision was the best one for Komen’s future and the women we serve.  However, the decision to update our granting model was made before I joined Komen, and the controversy related to Planned Parenthood has long been a concern to the organization.  Neither the decision nor the changes themselves were based on anyone’s political beliefs or ideology.  Rather, both were based on Komen’s mission and how to better serve women, as well as a realization of the need to distance Komen from controversy.  I believe that Komen, like any other nonprofit organization, has the right and the responsibility to set criteria and highest standards for how and to whom it grants.

What was a thoughtful and thoroughly reviewed decision – one that would have indeed enabled Komen to deliver even greater community impact – has unfortunately been turned into something about politics.  This is entirely untrue.  This development should sadden us all greatly.

Just as Komen’s best interests and the fight against breast cancer have always been foremost in every aspect of my work, so too are these my priorities in coming to the decision to resign effective immediately.  While I appreciate your raising a possible severance package, I respectfully decline.  It is my most sincere hope that Komen is allowed to now refocus its attention and energies on its mission.

Komen’s Response:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 7, 2012 – “Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s mission is the same today as it was the day of its founding: to find a cure and eradicate breast cancer.

“We owe no less to our partners, supporters and, above all, the millions of people who have been and continue to be impacted by this life-threatening disease. We have made mistakes in how we have handled recent decisions and take full accountability for what has resulted, but we cannot take our eye off the ball when it comes to our mission. To do this effectively, we must learn from what we’ve done right, what we’ve done wrong and achieve our goal for the millions of women who rely on us. The stakes are simply too high and providing hope for a cure must drive our efforts.

“Today I accepted the resignation of Karen Handel, who has served as Senior Vice President for Policy since April 2011. I have known Karen for many years, and we both share a common commitment to our organization’s lifelong mission, which must always remain our sole focus. I wish her the best in future endeavors.”

Matthew Cardinale fought the law, and all Georgians won, according to the Savannah Morning News. Attorney General Sam Olens hailed the ruling:

Attorney General Olens praised the ruling as a victory for government transparency. “By ruling in favor of Mr. Cardinale, the Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the legislative intent of Georgia’s sunshine laws, which is to protect and promote citizens’ access to their government, not to serve as a shield from accountability,” said Olens. “This ruling set a strong precedent that government should err on the side of openness.”

You may donate to defray the legal expenses, which will continue in Superior Court. WABE’s Charles Edwards was there too.

Apparently, Daniel Fullerton still needs a kidney transplant. I thought that one little squib last week would take care of the problem. Click here to join me in making a tax-deductible donation to the Georgia Transplant Foundation, which will help pay for the surgery and years of ongoing monitoring and anti-rejection drugs.

Gov. Deal announced the REACH need-based scholarship along with a $250,000 donation by the Galactic Empire AT&T

REACH Scholars will be selected in middle school and will sign a contract to maintain a certain grade average, remain crime, drug, and behavior issue free and meet with a volunteer mentor until they graduate from high school. Their parents or guardians will also sign a contract to support their student through their education. Students who complete program requirements will receive a renewable yearly tuition scholarship of $2,500 to be used at any HOPE eligible institution. This amount will cover the average gap between other needs-based scholarships, such as Pell, and the full cost of attendance.

No word on whether scholars will be tattooed with the likeness of the Death Star. The Athens Banner-Herald opposes the plan.

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has announced a resolution of a border dispute between Georgia and Tennessee Bibb and Monroe Counties.

State Troopers will be ramping up security at the State Capitol in the wake of a carjacking in January. #Occupiers take note.

Three environmental groups have sued the US Army Corps of Engineers over the proposed deepening of the Savannah River channel to allow Panamax II container ships to reach the Port of Savannah.

A report released by the Secretary of State calls for legislators to consider easing ballot restrictions for third parties and to allow online voter registration.

Sam Olens has broached the issue of trading support for expansion of Chattanooga’s airport for access to the Tennessee River, which is rightfully ours.

Democrats in the General Assembly have proposed an alternative charter schools measure.

Augusta Commission member Jerry Brigham wants to keep nonpartisan races for city offices.

Voters in Gwinnett County’s 107th House District will go to the polls from 7 AM to 7 PM today to choose a successor to Rep. Len Walker, who announced his retirement last year.

Senator Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) has proposed a Senate version of ethics legislation that caps lobbyist gifts at $100 but allows up to $750 in travel-related expenses for legislators who attend out-of-town conferences or speaking engagements.

McKoon, a Republican, said other Senators supporting his Senate Bill 391 include David Shafer, Steve Gooch, Ronnie Chance, Jesse Stone, Butch Miller, Mike Crane, Frank Ginn and Judson Hill.

The House leadership, including Speaker David Ralston, has been critical of the call for spending caps. Ralston has said the best way for constituents to monitor their legislators’ links to lobbyists is through the full disclosure of spending reports posted online, which news reporters also can review.

Apparently, lobbyists aren’t taking legislators to dinner and sporting events because they actually like the legislators.

Fellow Peach Pundit front page poster Ron Daniels directs your attention to a story about problems with methadone in Georgia.

Severe weather? There’s an app for that!

Falcons cheerleader Sabrina C. has been named the hottest cheerleader in the NFL.

Porsche Cars North America has announced that the new seventh-generation 911 is now on sale.

Nikon has announced the new D800 full-frame DSLR with a whopping 36.3 megapixel sensor. At a $2995 MSRP, it’s not likely to be in my camera bag any time soon.

Elvis has left the building won the lottery.

Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald’s name is not on the PSC letterhead. Jim Galloway has it all summed up:

Galloway describes it as evidence of a “…rift between Tim Echols, chairman of the state Public Service Commission, and Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, who also sits on the panel.” Commissioner McDonald doesn’t want his name associated with Echols’ name. Some say this is kind of petty, others admire McDonald for taking a “principled” stand. Principled or petty, this is going to make the PSC fun to watch.

Today’s Courier Herald Column:

With the General Assembly approaching the mid-point of the session, it is beginning to become more clear what will pass this year, which bills may be in trouble, and which may never see a floor vote.  Somewhat surprisingly, one issue that may receive debate time is that of ethics reform.

Georgia’s legislature last revised ethics laws during the 2010 session of the General Assembly.  It came on the heels of multiple public and semi-public scandals involving members of the legislature having inappropriate relationships with lobbyists who had business before their committees.  There was also a candidate for governor who was found to have set up multiple Political Action Committees in Alabama to launder over $100,000 in improper campaign contributions.

What was missing from this “signature” ethics reform was any sense of independent oversight, or funding for an ethics committee to do anything beyond the minimal clerical activities required to file the newly required paperwork from lobbyists.

It remains legal and “ethical” for lobbyists who need the vote of an influential committee chairman for their client to sleep with that chairman.  The ethics committee – sanitized of not only its power but also of the name ethics from its title – remains significantly underfunded and lacks the power to independently investigate suspected transgressions.

Much of the push for ethics reform is focused on capping the amount of money that can be spent on a legislator by a lobbyist.  Legislators, who receive a daily per diem allowance that is ostensibly to fund their meals and lodging while in Atlanta, are balking at being limited to gratuities of only $100 per lobbyist.  Civic duties in Georgia could grind to a halt if legislators weren’t allowed to attend NASCAR events, sit in Falcons club level seats, or had to drink house wine their steaks at Hal’s under such an extreme cap. 

Every state neighboring Georgia has some sort of gift ban.  Do not expect this year’s mantra of “competitiveness” with nearby states to extend to ethics laws.

Legislators argue that everything is reported, and the transparency gives voters the power to decide if their legislators are acting in their best interest when attending these events and meals on behalf of their constituents.  Yet the burden of reporting is not on the legislator, but on the lobbyist.  And if the lobbyist doesn’t report the expenditure – or even register as a lobbyist – there is little that can be done to ensure transparency.

House Speaker David Ralston has been criticized for taking a trip to Europe with his family to study their high speed rail system, and see how it may apply to Georgia.  He argues that it was a fully transparent expenditure, and those who elect him can pass judgment as they see fit.  Yet at the time the trip was taken, his host was not registered as a lobbyist, and only registered and disclosed the expenditure months afterward.  If a lobbyist doesn’t register, or doesn’t report an expenditure, there is no liability on behalf of the elected official.

Lawmakers considering making laws tougher also understand that any citizen can currently walk into the state ethics commission with reporters in tow, and by that evening can face headlines of “Politician faces ethics charges” whether the charges have merit or not.  There is a solution that balances transparency and fairness.  The ethics process for investigation of suspected violations and enforcement of penalties should be transferred from the Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission (the ethics commission’s real name)and placed with a statewide grand jury.

The system, proposed as legislation by Congressman Austin Scott when he was a member of the Georgia House, allows for any citizen to bring charges, but the charges would be held secret until they had been vetted by a Grand Jury, which would decide if there was enough merit to warrant an independent investigation.

This system would eliminate the current “self-policing” of the General Assembly, and would ensure that the budget for investigations was not artificially constrained by those who might prefer that there not be sufficient enforcement of Georgia’s tough but toothless ethics laws.

Gift caps will likely remain the subject of ethics reform currently being debated by the General Assembly.  While they are easily understood by the general public, they are but a symptom of a much larger problem that is in need of treatment.

For Georgia’s ethics laws to work, there must be effective enforcement mechanisms.  For this  to be in the realm of the possible, there must be a process that is independent of the legislature’s stingy funding and the Governor’s political appointees.

If given the choice, Georgians should allow unlimited tickets to sporting events and steak dinners at premium restaurants.  This, so long as the legislators and other elected officials know there is a process independent of their influence that can effectively investigate and punish the bad apples among them.

The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled 4-3 in favor of Matthew Cardinale, editor of Atlanta Progressive News, in his suit against the Atlanta City Council.

We hold that in view of the General Assembly’s intent, the correct reading of OCGA § 50-14-1 (e) (2), and the one that is most natural and reasonable, is that, having first mandated that meeting minutes include a “record of all votes,” the subsection then sets forth alternative requirements for accurately recording individuals’ votes in the case of both roll-call and non-roll-call votes. In the case of a non-roll-call vote, the minutes must list the names of those voting against a proposal or abstaining. If no such names are listed, the public may correctly presume that the vote was unanimous. If such names are listed, a member of the public need only look at the list of voting officials in attendance at the meeting to determine who voted for a proposal.

Here in Georgia…
- The messy GOP primary is coming to Georgia.
- Today is the last day to register to vote for the March 6th presidential preference primary. You can find the relevant forms here.
- Your property tax bill may go up as local tax assessors will be allowed to raise property values this year.
- Secretary of State Brian Kemp says that the anti-immigration bill passed last year could delay the issuance of new state licenses.
- Speaking of Georgia’s anti-immigration law, the $18.6 billion FY 2013 budget proposal has money dedicated to farmers that have been hit by the loss of farm workers.
- The supplemental budget has cleared the House.
- The Falcons’ new football stadium may include a retractable roof.
- The state House is set to roll out their ethics bill.

National stories of interest…
- At new study from the Cato Institute shows that guns save lives.
- Tim Tebow may consider politics once his football days are done.
- The AFL-CIO will protest CPAC on Friday.
- Don’t expect a budget from Congress until at least next year.
- Mississippi is the most conservative state, according to Gallup. DC is the most liberal.
- Rosanne Barr will seek the Green Party’s presidential nomination.
- According to the Times, the 2016 presidential race is already underway.
- Facebook Mark Zuckerberg isn’t a fan of the regulatory environment in Washington.
- James Pethokoukis looks deeper into the recent jobs numbers.
- Despite all the claims of capitalism’s failures, Sheldon Richman explains that we do not have a free market economy in the United States.

A few that I like…
- Ever wondered how Facebook makes its money?
- Twitter is more addictive than cigarettes or booze.
- Here are 10 tax tips to help get a bigger return.

As I type, Mitt Romney is winning the Nevada Caucus by a wide margin. Paul and Gingrich are fighting for second with Santorum trailing. Check the Google results map for the latest numbers.

Gingrich held a press conference at 11:20 EST. He vowed to stay in the race all the way to the convention in Tampa. He immediately launched into an attack on Romney’s comment about being focused on helping middle income folks as opposed to the poor, claiming he would provide a “trampoline” for the poor ostensibly to allow them to jump out of poverty but probably not all the way to the moon colony. Press reports leading up to Gingrich’s press conference indicated he would announce a new campaign strategy and pivot back to a positive campaign. The press conference revealed no new strategy and was very negative with all the attacks on Romney.

His campaign seemed disorganized at times in Nevada though his disorganization in South Carolina didn’t seem to hurt him there. Listening to the press conference, I didn’t hear any new strategy. He bristled at several questions about when he’s dropping out and talked numerous times about how shocked and stunned he was at what he calls Romney’s dishonesty.

The Daily Beast has an article about Gingrich’s hope for a third comeback.

Here’s a video from a caucus meeting as people try to figure out who to vote for (makes me glad we’re a primary, not a caucus State):

As mentioned by Gingrich, Romney got into trouble for some comments to CNN’s Soledad O’Brien. The comments themselves were taken out of context by the press but for some conservatives (myself included) they seemed to indicate Romney doesn’t really understand the compassion of conservatism and the hopelessness of the welfare state. Larry Kudlow explains:

The worry stems from Romney’s ill-advised statement this week. He said, “I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it.” That raises doubts as to whether he understands the Reagan-Kemp model. Perhaps he does. But he will have to tell us more.

Incidentally, the safety net has been expanding at an alarming pace. Transfer-program spending has been soaring. It’s up $600 billion, or about 35 percent, in the last three years. Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment insurance have seen benefit levels rise and eligibility expand. This is a huge drag on the economy. We are paying too much to not work, and rewarding too little to work.

Welfarism is not compassionate. Opportunity is.

Stephen Hayes has more.

Maine’s caucus is up next followed by caucus’ next Tuesday in Colorado and Minnesota and a nonbinding primary in Missouri. Paul hopes to do well in the caucus States, but Gingrich hopes to do well in Minnesota while Santorum is hoping to do well in Missouri.

11Alive commissioned a poll for Georgia. Newt leads but Romney is gaining.

Here’s the latest RCP Averages for the GOP Nomination, the Intrade percentages and the Delegates won according to CNN.

The Georgia Supreme Court will announce Monday at 8:30 am its decision in the case of Cardinale v. City of Atlanta et. al. At issue is whether “Committee Briefings” must be advertised and open to the public under Georgia’s Open Meetings statute.

Georgia’s Attorney General Sam Olens, through his office, notified the City Council that the closed briefings violated the Open Meetings Act.

Matthew Cardinale, editor of Atlanta Progressive News, sued the City Council and took the case to the Supreme Court, arguing for himself.

Peach Pundit’s publication of internal City of Atlanta memoranda from counsel helped prevent the City of Atlanta from obtaining an injunction against APN publishing the documents.

Remember, folks, the First Amendment protects all of us from overreaching government, as do the Georgia laws requiring Open Meetings and Open Records.

If you value open government, you might consider donating to the Atlanta Progressive News, who footed the bill for Cardinale’s defense of open government for all Georgians.