There is a controversial painting of all American presidents that includes President Obama standing on the U.S. Constitution. The guy was president of the Harvard Law Review and a University of Chicago constitutional law professor but he doesn’t respect the Constitution. Really?
I saw the painting hanging in the district office of U.S. Rep. Austin Scott. Readers of this blog know I appreciated GOPer Scott removing Rep. Jim Marshall because Marshall, a law scholar himself, decided that Speaker Pelosi and the White House wasn’t his cup of tea. The two Georgia U.S. Senators, Scott and Rep. Jack Kingston are the most bearable Republicans in Georgia because they are good guys in person. But, the ultra conservatives are busy and seemingly require that the GOP leaders limit input from Democrats. Kingston has a well-earned reputation for going to policy-hostile events and breaking down his voting record. That’s how you do it and Bishop, Barrow and even Marshall did the same.
If the picture is in Scott’s office, it is there because Scott feels that the White House’s policy contradict the framers intend; Scott is on a fiscal correction mission. When Rep. Sanford Bishop was a freshman, his Washington office initially didn’t have Georgia flag outside the front door. In an interesting twist, Bishop got the old flag (stars and bars included) but state legislator Austin Scott was (I think) the only GOPer who support changing that flag and he caught hell for it.
The artist who created “The Forgotten Man” said he knew the work was a little strong and I personally think it is too strong. I always respect President George W. Bush and argued with those who thought he wasn’t bright—dumb people rarely graduate from Yale. The birther junk and whatever comes next are insults and thank you to those of the other side who want to stick to the issues. I saw the facebook video statement of Rep. Scott regarding the killing of Bin Laden and yes, he was of the few conservatives who gave President Obama credit.
Democrats have always allowed Bishop, Barrow, Marshall and other Blue Dogs flexibility to included conservative elements in their actions because conservatives are Georgians too. I am concerned that the far Right will not allow the same leeway to any GOP members of congress. Of course, the views of real liberals fall on death’s ear but even moderates and centrists should keep an eye on redistricting and hope that they end up in moderate districts.
When Jon Stewart said that Bill O’Reilly was the “thinnest kid at fat camp,” he meant that O’Reilly was the best person at Fox News and one might say the same about Sen. Saxby Chambliss (Gang of Six) and Austin Scott.
Jon McNaughton’s The Forgotten Man is art and art is designed (like Spike Lee’s and Tyler Perry’s work) to provoke thought. You be the judge.
Project Logic Ga 