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“A Woman’s Place Is In The House…or Senate” vs. “Pale, Yale and Male”

Posted in politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 21, 2014| 6 Comments »

In the last fifty years, there have been only two women in the Georgia congressional delegation..Rep. Cynthia McKinney and Rep. Denise Majette.  When national decisions are made, various voices need to be heard at the table.

Michelle Nunn is running for the U.S. Senate against super-rich David Perdue and I simply have a problem with sending another dude into the world most exclusive fraternity.   Oh, both candidates have produced bios that highlight humbleness but Perdue is a scary combination of older and richer—$20 million a year richer.  When you have stacks like Perdue, the average guy is cog in your huge money-making machine.

Why don’t you see liberal women’s political group pounding the pavement in their Birkenstocks for Michelle Nunn?  They aren’t pumped because she is a moderate/centrist like Rep. Sanford Bishop and Rep. John Barrow rather than a real liberal as the GOP claims.  The Democrats are a bigger tent than the Republicans because the discussion should involve everyone.  You know macho dudes in Congress are quick to send our daughters and sons in uniform to foreign battlefields (which are now house to house) while women will demand a rationale, mission statement and exit strategy.

I was watching a PBS documentary on Women’s Lib and they said that the State Department was once Pale, Male and Yale.  Yale was the Ivy League school of choice for rich southerners.  We have come a long way to have Secretaries of State named Madilyn, Colin, Condoleezza and Hillary.  I am a tennis player and in that PBS doc Billie Jean King said that when she played Bobby Riggs in the Astrodome, a woman couldn’t have a credit card in her own name.  However, the struggle continues.

To be honest, Georgia political bloggers should admit that Michelle Nunn’s campaign is, to some limited degree, about Hillary Clinton for president.  If Michelle Nunn for Senate and Jason Carter for Governor do well, Georgia will be on the table for 2016.   The Clinton campaign will model their southern efforts after what worked or didn’t work here.

The biggest Democrat problem during this mid-term election is lack of Black voter interest.  Some watchers feel the Dem Team has spent more money, time and energy trying to get Republicans back to the Blue Team than securing the loyal Black and Blue base.  They need to get their stuff together with a quickness because presidential hopeful Senator Rand Paul is saying some things that are starting to resonate in my community.

I was tailgating at the FSU-Norte Dame game last weekend and the Gwen Graham for Congress people were out in full force.  Senator Bob Graham was in our tent and he taught his daughter how to work a crowd.  Michelle Nunn has a different nature than Gwen Graham and that is cool.  Senator Saxby Chambliss is a southern gentleman who respectfully dialoged with Democrats and the Obama White House as part of his duties.  Michelle Nunn would do the same with a motherly vibe.   A woman’s place is in the House…and Senate….and State Department…..and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

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Alvin Greene On the Scene

Posted in politics, tagged , , , on June 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Alvin Greene’s primary win in the South Carolina primary is interesting.  An internet search shows that Greene is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.  Was he a political science or drama major?  Clearly, he is brighter than he is showing.

Speculation is that he is some source of plant and time will tell.  I do know that the voters in South Carolina should pay better attention to candidates and if the list of candidates is not to their liking, they should skip that race and basically vote “none of the above.”   We should do the same in Georgia.

If Rep. Clyburn is correct and shenanigans are involved, this lovely southern state is doing itself an injustice by making politics into a silly game. The personal attacks on candidate for govenor Nikki Haley aren’t coming from southern gentlemen—gentle men is the term.  The two major parties have found that this is the year that regular voters are not taking instructions from them and I am loving it. President Obama’s election signal this coming situation because the party said it was Senator Clinton turn but Obama got the nod.  The people spoke.  WhileObama is my guy, Clinton would be kick tail in the Gulf region.  She is tough.

The Tea Party has more influence in the GOP than their few moderates while independent-minded Democrats have wrestled some of Organized Labor’s tradition power.  Remember, many Obama supporters are new to the game and don’t or won’t follow the rules of cigar-clomping party bosses.  We will see how this wild season turns out but hopefully understanding and reasonable leaders will prevail.  

If Greene was really “between opportunities,” he is crazy like a fox for taking the chance to become an overnight celebrity like those reality stars. However, he should have done it above-board to show respect to the USC Gamecock Nation, his military buddies and his family.

Since the World Cup is in South Africa, I am reminded of Nelson Mandela first trip to America.  Ted Koppel asked him why his organization, the ANC, associated with groups the U.S. government hates.  Mandela said, “Mr. Koppel, a drowning man doesn’t ask which hands pull him from the water.”  If Greene was drowning in debt, we will see if he made a wise move or squandered his 15 minutes by becoming a political pawn.  Senate DeMint’s reelection is happening anyway.

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Georgia Senate Race: Mike and Ike

Posted in African Americans, Conservative, Georgia, politics, tagged , , , , , on April 20, 2010| 4 Comments »

I am the first to dub the coming Senate race in Georgia the “Mike and Ike” election.  State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond  and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson come from an era in Georgia politics where the first inclination was dialog and cooperation.  That period is history and these two nice guys are generals in a rough political battle.  Hot Tamales, Red Hots, Atomic Fire Balls, Jaw Busters, and Lemonheads are candies that better describe the current political climate. 

“Now or Laters” seem to be Thurmond’s favorite candy because he has a reputation of make wise, calculated political decisions.  At times, a leader must take one for the team and Georgia Democrats couldn’t let a newcomer face Isakson.  I told the Senator he should get a pass for being one of the best Republicans in congress—Jon Stewart would say that is like being the skinniest kid at fat camp.  As a moderate Democrat, I wanted to leave Isakson’s reasonable temperament and sizeable warchest out of the mix.  One can speculate that an economic turnaround would be need for the Dems to do well this year and the Labor Commissioner taking about job creation and training helps the Dem ticket overall.   

To me, the biggest problem with Isakson is his inability to convince other members of his party to embrace his logical, less bitter brand conservatism.  We remember the Georgia GOP giving Isakson and Chambliss flack for simply negotiating with Democrat colleagues.  Will the angry fringe of the southern GOP pull Isakson into their bitterness or will he introduce them to coolness.  They better bring the coolness because Thurmond, Thurbert Baker and Sanford Bishop wrote the book on staying cool under fire—never let them see you sweat.  I think both Isakson and Thurmond put Georgia’s best interest above party bickering.    

My conservative African-American friends (all both of them) think Democrats should be afraid of Palin in 2012. Rep. Paul Ryan, Senator Johnny Isakson and Mario Rubio are the policy-based conservatives who if cloned would be the real concern.  Could we please turn our attention back to Palin.  For Dems, it is fortunate that the GOP  often emulates the wrong folks.

For reading this long babble, you should treat yourself to some old school “candy” music. Is Cameo’s Candy better than LL Cool J’s?  Real candy, like political campaigns, isn’t good for you, has little nutritional value and lacks the substance of policymaking –stick with Georgia-grown fruits and vegetables.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWuMtutu8rQ

Cameo- It’s Like Candy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqgeAvhoraQ

LL Cool J- Candy at 5:10 from live show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMICD3aMZpw

Bow Wow Wow – I want Candy

Update:

How could I leave out 10,000 Maniacs’ “Candy Everyonebody Wants.”   Some of these races will be decided by 10K Maniacs. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5_bfBFHkOo

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R.J. Hadley Runs for Senate Against Isakson

Posted in politics, tagged , on June 25, 2009| 5 Comments »

Keith at Peanut Politics blog emailed me that R.J. Hadley is running for Senate against Senator Isakson.  I personally like Isakson and wonder why candidates bypass the House and target the Senate on the first run.  We will see but watch the Democrat power establishment produce their candidate despite Hadley credentials.

 Does anyone read my blog because I tried to tell the Dem Team to blow off the Isakson race and therefore leave his war chest and machine on the sidelines—the way Ralph Reed as head of the Georgia GOP did not run anyone against Rep. Sanford Bishop when Saxby Chambliss won his Senate seat the first time.   

 Peanut Politics: RJ Hadley to challenge Johnny Isakson for U.S. Senate.

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The Economy, Charities and Congressional Campaigns

Posted in Georgia, politics, tagged , on March 4, 2009| 2 Comments »

In Albany, Georgia, the American Red Cross stood strong with disaster relief when the city was flooded twice.  This important organization almost shut it’s doors this week due to a 85 to 90% downturn in donations—people who would normal give $100 were giving $25 and people who gave $25 were giving nothing.  An area private Christian school is experiencing the same giving dire straits and a friend with a youth sports program near the Georgia coast is facing a serious budget crisis. 

 

It’s the economy, weak stock portfolios and the job cuts.  Of course, state and local governments can’t help because their tax revenues are down.  After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I thought political candidates would reduce their solicitation; deferring to more pressing needs.  It did not happen.

 

As we prepare for the 2010 elections, parties and candidates should use technology and new media to publicize their positions on issues before the public in a fiscally sound manner.  And if you are running just to be running, you are taking contributions from needed programs. 

 

Senate candidates need big money to run ads in several media markets but most Georgia House candidates are safe.  House candidates in contested races should stay lean and raise money from a few companies and industries with direct connections to our state.  Do you really need a million dollars to beat someone if you are doing your job? 

 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will talk someone into running against Senator Isakson of Georgia.  What a waste of money and energy in a clearly red state.  Both Georgia senators caught heat from the far right in recent years for working with Democratic colleagues on immigration, energy, farm and bailout proposals.   In a state as diverse as Georgia, statewide officials must build bridges while their House counterparts answer to a more narrow demographic.

 

In 2004, Isakson face a successful Black businessman and former congressman in the GOP primary and won without a runoff.  In the general election, he received 58% of the vote against Black former congresswoman Denise Majette, a former judge with an undergrad degree from Yale and a J.D. from Duke.  If he won against Herman Cain and Denise Majette, there is no one on the Democrat bench who can seriously challenge him in a state that McCain won over Obama.  If you have money to give to an Isakson opponent, give it to the Red Cross so they can help with a real disaster.

 

They are going to take my original Blue Dog Democrat pin for that last statement but I am more concerned with giving GOP senators the leeway to discuss issues with President Obama than party politics.  Despite the talk radio chatter, Obama is not partisan anyway; check his cabinet and his Super Bowl party list.  Members of Congress should vote against legislation and budgets their find wrong but have a civil dialog first.

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