Governor Perdue's Budgets

Here is the Adjusted Fiscal Year 2009 budget in its entirety, in PDF format.

Here is the Fiscal Year 2010 budget in its entirety, also in PDF format.

If you want to look at all of the Governor's budget recommendations since FY 2004, check out this page.

Here's the link to State Senator Jeff Chapman's Senate website, so you can contact him regarding Jekyll Island.

Economy Not As Bad As Advertised

The United States' economy shrank by 3.8% last quarter, which is the most since 1982.  It still shows that the sky isn't falling as badly as everybody said, because the "experts" expected the economy to shrink by 5.4%.  The media still hasn't stopped stretching the "depression" talk.

 

Here are some of the lowlights of the Senate's version of the ODAB.  So far it looks like the Republicans will probably oppose it, but some Democrats are trying to put together another "Gang of 14."  They'd better hurry up and get it passed, because public support for the ODAB is down to 42%, and shrinking.

 

The Senate passed the S-CHIP extension bill, with 9 Republicans supporting it.  Both Chambliss and Isakson voted against it, however.

 

In response to the $18 billion in Wall Street bonuses, President Obama said that now is not the time for Wall Street firms to be making profits or taking bonuses.  They're still thinking about adding a "Bad Bank" to the bailout, which will cost us another $1 trillion.

 

Exxon Mobil had a record profit last year.  Wait for the Democrats' reaction.

 

Al Gore invoked Venus to defend his claims of global warming alarmism.  Too bad the comparison isn't valid.

 

Schools and streets are already being named after President Obama.  Aren't you supposed to accomplish something before you have stuff named after you?

 

Coke is going to drop "Classic" from its label.  It's the final step towards ending the memories of "New Coke."

 

The Georgia State House passed Larry O'Neal's property tax relief grants bill today, and then decided to adjourn before discussing the assessments bill.  They didn't have enough support because somebody finally pointed out that local governments will just raise millage rates to make up for the lower assessments.

House Republicans Oppose ODAB

President Obama signed his first bill into law this morning, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which virtually eliminates the statute of limitations on lawsuits alleging discriminatory pay.  I'm hoping the first lawsuit filed will be against the President himself, since he only paid women on his staff 78% of what he paid men.

 

House Republicans voted unanimously against the ODAB yesterday, with Jack Kingston who points out that there's no way to pay for this, despite all of the money that would come to Georgia in the bill.  Jim Marshall, along with all but 11 Democrats, voted for the ODAB.  Good—make the Democrats own their failure.  Nancy Pelosi doesn't care—she says she doesn't need bipartisanship.  She's right, but remember when she said this would be the most bipartisan Congress ever?  Now it goes to the Senate, where the mushy moderates there will probably pass it easily.

 

The tax rebate checks in the ODAB could end up going to illegal immigrants.

 

After the House vote last night, President Obama invited House and Senate Democrats and Republicans to a swanky and expensive cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres at the White House.

 

Rep. John Carter (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would create the "Rangel Rule."

 

Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee bent over for Al Gore yesterday, with even the Republicans (including Johnny Isakson) giving in to whatever he said.  Meanwhile, President Obama is keeping the thermostat in the White House cranked up because he likes it warm.  A skeptic, John Coleman (who founded the Weather Channel) gives the history behind the global warming scam.

 

The losses of bonuses by Wall Street executives have caused a $1 billion tax revenue hit for New York City.  Unintended consequences.

 

Shell Oil had its first loss in 10 years last quarter.  Now imagine if their "windfall profits" had been taken away.

 

The Ford Motor Company had its worst year ever last year, but they still aren't asking for help from the federal government.  They are (finally) ending the jobs bank, along with GM and Chrysler.

 

FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell warns that the Fairness Doctrine could come back, but it would be done stealthily.

 

State Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland) says that it is illegal for the state to fund separate black colleges because they "perpetuate segregation."

 

State House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) is going to run for Governor in 2010.

 

On the State House floor, two property tax bills will come up on the floor Friday.  One is the Larry O'Neal bill that we discussed yesterday, the other is the one that would limit the increase in property tax assessments.

 

Georgia is the 7^th most religious state in the country, but seems like the best at imposing that religion on citizens through government.

 

Warner Robins Police have come up with a list of the most dangerous intersections in the city.  Number one is Russell Parkway at Moody Road.

House to Vote on ODAB Today

Somehow I forgot about this yesterday:  The Senate on Monday night confirmed Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary by a 60-34 vote, including 10 Republicans.

 

The Omnibus Democrat Agenda Bill is increasing in cost, now up to $900 billion, or more per American family than what is spent on food, clothing, and health care combined.  It no longer includes spending on birth control, but it more than doubles yearly federal expenditures on education (that's not temporary!).  Wait until you see some of the other stupid projects included, and then ask yourself:  how does this stimulate the economy?

 

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) is saying what I've been telling you for months:  that the way to advance liberal, big-government policies is to create panic and crisis and scare the hell out of people.  Obama is implementing that strategy in pushing the ODAB.

 

As if the liberal engineering in the ODAB isn't enough, now there might be a TARP II, which would include a "Bad Bank" that would do exactly what the original TARP was supposed to do.

 

Al Gore is on Capitol Hill today talking about global warming, as a snow and ice storm rages outside, so bad that schools were closed in DC and Obama told folks they need to be tougher like they are in Chicago.  The Gore Effect is working hard.  Gore's scientist's former boss has also come out against the idea of manmade global warming, and saying that James Hansen embarrassed NASA with his ridiculous claims about manmade global warming.

 

A distant planet shows extreme global warming.  This must be proof that extraterrestrial life exists.

 

Democrats are circulating a petition against the Godfather of Talk Radio, in what is probably only the first step towards the Fairness Doctrine.  As if that wasn't enough, now Congressman Phil Gingrey wants the Godfather (and presumably the rest of us in talk radio) to back off, and then retracted his statements after being pressured by constituents.

 

The Democrats were able to pass the expansion to the SCHIP program, which will move about 1.9 million children from private insurance to the government.

 

For now, the transition to digital television will remain on February 17.  Is anybody else as tired as I am of hearing about the digital conversion?

 

Iranian President "Crazy" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that real "change" would be giving up support for Israel.

 

Forget those guys Washington and Jefferson; it's Obama who is our first truly American President.

 

President Obama tried to go into a window instead of a door to get in the Oval Office.  If Bush had done this, the media would have called him an idiot.

 

The Chicago Sun-Times goes to great lengths to point out disgraced Republicans.

 

State Senator Jeff Mullis has caved to constituent pressure and withdrawn his co-sponsorship of the Sunday alcohol sales bill.

 

Democrat State Senator Steve Thompson has introduced a constitutional amendment that would not only create a statewide penny sales tax, but it would also give constitutional protection to the property tax grants.

 

There are two ideas on how to fund trauma care currently in the General Assembly, a $10 car tag renewal fee and Governor Perdue's "Super Speeder" legislation.

 

The Zero-Based Budgeting bill has passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee.

CBO: ODAB Too Slow to Stimulate

President Obama had his first television interview as President, with Al-Arabiya television based in Dubai.  His diplomacy isn't working yet, since there was a shooting outside the U.S. embassy in Yemen yesterday.  Clearly they aren't feeling the hope and change yet.  Meanwhile, Iran is probably going to have enough uranium for a nuclear weapon before the end of the year, and Hillary Clinton wants to talk to them, probably as part of "repairing damage" caused by the Bush Administration..  Don't forget your burqa, Hillary.

 

Obama wants to ban weapons in space.  That's the best way to put us behind the rest of the world militarily.

 

According to CIA sources, Mexico is the biggest crime threat to the United States.  Not that that's a reason to secure the southern border or anything…

 

After the outcry over putting "family planning" money in the Omnibus Democrat Agenda Bill and calling it "stimulus," the money may now be removed from the ODAB.  Now Republicans are going to try and get the money for ACORN removed too.  How about the money for "great sex" that's included, or the other wasteful projects? 

 

A new Congressional Budget Office report shows that the ODAB is too slow to actually stimulate the economy.  That's just one of the reasons that Republicans are going to oppose the bill.  This must-read has been going through the blogosphere recently, despite being over a year old that proves that real tax cuts work better than the rebates that are in the ODAB.

 

Al Gore is supposed to have a Senate Committee hearing tomorrow morning, just as a winter storm watch is issued for Washington, DC.  It's the Gore Effect at work.  Meanwhile, the global warmers are trying to use penguins as reasons to fear global warming.  By the way, President Obama is about to find out that it's not easy being green, especially when it interferes with Ted Kennedy's view from his yacht.

 

Democrats are working on pushing socialized medicine this year.  They've already got their "down payment," the SCHIP bill, which wouldn't even require proof of citizenship for coverage.  But hey, it's for the kids.

 

Fannie Mae wants a bailout.  Aren't they already government-owned?

 

A new bill in the General Assembly would require that all cities, counties, and school boards with budgets of over $1 million to post their budgets online.  There's another new bill that would tie the property tax grants to overall state revenues, but would pay for the grants this year.

 

Cities do not like the proposal to limit property tax assessments.

 

Macon and Bibb County came up with their $444.5 million request for "stimulus" money.

 

Another Republican, State Rep. Austin Scott, has thrown his hat into the ring for Governor.

 

A new report is out showing that Georgia's massive education spending just isn't worth it.

 

7 Japanese diners were sent to the hospital after eating bad blowfish testicles.

Obama Attacks Talk Radio

The Messiah might be President now, but he doesn't realize that it's talk radio that really runs America (just ask Trent Lott).  In a meeting with House Republicans Friday afternoon about the Omnibus Democrat Agenda Bill, Obama invoked the name of the Godfather of Talk Radio to tell the GOP leaders that they really don't matter, because he's going to do what he wants to do.  Then his Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, had the audacity to claim that Obama is "going to listen to any ideas."  That would mean any ideas that aren't conservative.

 

More on the Omnibus Democrat Agenda Bill:  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that federal funding for birth control will help the economy and cut government budgets and that the Republicans' ideas will be judged by how well they create jobs (a standard that doesn't apply to Democrats' plans).  One of Obama's economic advisors, Lawrence Summers, says that economic relief would come within weeks of the passage of the ODAB (but from where?).  Republicans are lining up against the bill, but it still doesn't look like anybody has the stones to filibuster the bill.  And a couple of big shocks:  earmarks are getting into the bill, despite the Obama Administration's ban, and a lot of the spending will be hard to cut later, meaning that much of the ODAB will be long-term expenditures.  Also, ACORN could get billions of dollars in the ODAB.

 

Pelosi wants to increase the size of the bailout fund ($700 billion isn't enough), and Democrats are working hard to bailout the banks of their choice.

 

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) wants a Constitutional Amendment that would ban the appointment of Senators by Governors.  Remember, it was his party in Illinois that refused to have an election to fill Obama's seat.

 

Congresscritters from Michigan are asking the Obama Administration to give new loans and grants to the Big Three, which are now trading gas-guzzling winners for green cash-guzzling losers.

 

Two ex-Guantanamo inmates have appeared in a new Al-Qaeda video.  What's the plan for the rest of the guys there again?

 

Joe Biden is warning of a higher death toll in Afghanistan.  The guy is certainly entertaining, isn't he?

 

It snowed in the United Arab Emirates for the second time in recorded history.  Don't you love global warming?

 

Listener Darrell alerted me to HR 45, which would require universal licensing for firearms.

 

Chris Matthews called Sarah Palin illiterate.

 

Georgia Democrats are declaring themselves to be the new protectors of school nurses.  The Macon Telegraph got on the bandwagon, too, claiming that not having nurses will hurt kids.

 

The Omnibus Democrat Agenda Bill could bring over $5 billion to Georgia.  Some of that money will go towards eco-friendly schools and to make up the state's budget deficit.

 

The state DOT has already cut back on their landscaping budget to help make up some of the budget shortfall.

 

The state Senate's transportation plan is now officially legislation that would allow 10 counties around Atlanta to self-impose a T-SPLOST, while also allowing other counties to do the same independently.

 

Here are some of the pieces of legislation to watch as the General Assembly goes back in session.

Is the Honeymoon Already Over?

The media is already starting to turn on President Obama.  They don't want to answer questions, and their promises of transparency seem to be empty, with the media getting only very controlled access to the Administration.  This is just another part of the permanent campaign—message control.

 

Fundies aren't happy about this:  President Obama has lifted the ban on federal funding for international groups that perform abortions.

 

A former Guantanamo Bay detainee is now a deputy al-Qaeda leader in Yemen.

                                                                                     

Citigroup and Bank of America are practically nationalized thanks to the government bailouts and the attached strings.  Meanwhile, Senator Isakson wants a 9/11-style investigation into what happened to cause the credit meltdown.

 

House Minority Leader John Boehner has a dozen "fun" facts about the Omnibus Democrat Agenda Spending Bill, which President Obama is pleased with and thinks will pass after meeting with Republicans and reminding them that he won.  Senator Jim DeMint outlines the Republicans' response, with a real policy, to the Democrat plan.  Here's the official House Republicans' plan.

 

Former Clinton Labor Secretary and Obama economic advisor Robert Reich wants to make sure that the "stimulus" money goes to minorities and not "white male construction workers."

 

New York Governor David Patterson has named his pick to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate:  a moderate Democrat, Kirsten Gillibrand.  Liberals are not happy.

 

John McCain is being a thorn in the side of Senate Republicans.  Can't they just kick him out of the party already?

 

Tough times call for creative measures:  the DOT might start selling ads on the HERO trucks around Atlanta.  State lawmakers also spent some time grilling the Chancellor of the University System.  One state Senator claims that one item that can't be cut from the budget is the Plains visitor center.

 

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle says that the cost of keeping the property tax grants could be furloughed state jobs.

Geithner Nomination Passes Committee

President Obama officially signed the executive order to close Guantanamo Bay within a year this morning, along with a few others, including a ban on waterboarding.  It looks like some of the Senate Republicans' objections to Eric Holder as Attorney General are irrelevant now.  By the way, Jack Murtha wants to bring the Islamic terrorists at Gitmo to his district.

 

The Senate Finance Committee voted 18-5 to advance the nomination of Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary to the whole Senate.  A few Republicans just laid down and rolled over for the Democrats, despite the abundance of evidence that he repeatedly cheated on his taxes.  They're just lapdogs now.

 

There is no evidence that there would be a single job created by the Democrats' stimulus bill.

 

Geithner's idea of a "bad bank" could cost up to $4 trillion.

 

President Obama may put a hold on any plans for drilling for oil offshore.

 

With Hillary Clinton now as Secretary of State, New York is down a Senator.  At least we know that Caroline Kennedy won't be her replacement.

 

Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts had a re-do on the oath of office last night.  I appreciate their attention to detail.

 

The mainstream, uppity, navel-gazing media gave Obama's coronation 35 times as much coverage as Bush's 2005 re-inauguration.  The masses left a record amount of trash—at least 130 tons of garbage—in Washington, DC.  Aren't they supposed to be environmentalists?

 

Here's a brilliant column by Dick Morris about the Obama Presidency:  Here Comes Socialism.  Maybe that's why Fidel Castro believes in Obama.

 

At least one Obama worshipper thinks that Obama is going to make everybody rich.  Boy, does she have a letdown ahead of her.

 

For the last eight years we've heard that dissent is patriotic.  Is that still true?

 

A real headline:  Former French President Chirac hospitalized after mauling by his clinically depressed poodle.  The French really are as pathetic as we say they are.

 

It appears that state legislators have agreed to kill the Homeowners Tax Relief Grants.

 

Warner Robins wants more money from Houston County to pay for the animal shelter.

Pomp and Circumstance Over, POTUS Obama Gets To Work

Now that Obama is officially President of the United States, it's time to get down to work.  He's already planning to call for closing Guantanamo Bay within one year, including already suspending war crimes trials currently taking place there.  There is still no public idea of what may happen to the Islamic terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, but Ireland says that they may accept some of them.

 

Obama's nominee for Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, has apologized for not paying his taxes.  An apology shouldn't be enough, because he didn't just make a simple mistake; he cheated on his taxes.  Remember, the IRS will fall under his jurisdiction.  He also wants reform on the bailout plan.  As we've learned from Henry Paulson, he can pretty much do whatever he wants to do with the money.

 

The Obama Administration is also pushing to complete another financial rescue plan that may include the creation of a government bank to buy bad assets.

 

The new Administration is also pushing for transparency, as reflected by the new rules that Obama gave his White House staff today, which included pay freezes for any White House staffer making over $100,000 a year.  That makes you wonder whether or not the Obama administration will tell us who got our bailout money.

 

Obama will be able to keep his Blackberry.

 

GM is already saying that they could run out of cash by March 31.  That means they'll need another bailout from us, just as they are surpassed by Toyota as the biggest carmaker for the first time in history.  Chrysler also wants another $3 billion to complete their deal with Fiat, while they're helping to pay for a movie.

 

After the CBO report came out yesterday that showed that only a very small portion of the "stimulus" package would reach the economy this year, the Obama White House sent an aide out to criticize the CBO report.

 

Dutch politician Geert Wilders faces charges of "insulting groups of people" and "inciting hatred against people of a certain faith" for his movie, Fitna, which criticized Muslims.

 

A few members of the State Senate want to force the state Department of Transportation to give 10% of state transportation contracts to small businesses.  Also regarding transportation, some House Republicans are considering a state takeover of MARTA.

 

The Welcome Center in Plains will be closed due to budget cuts.

 

The General Assembly is back in session, and busy cutting the budget, especially because they want to save the homeowners property tax relief grants, which Perdue did not include in his budget.

 

The Houston County Commission voted last night to approve a contract to get the ball rolling on the early warning system.

 

The Stuckey's candy plant in Eastman will close in April.  Despite this, the economy throughout Middle Georgia is not as bad as in many places, especially for restaurants in Houston County.

 

In Jones, Oklahoma, a flaming squirrel caused a wildfire.  You can't make this stuff up.

Obama Presidency Begins

Barack Obama is now President of the United States.  His speech this afternoon was a typical Obama speech:  empty and without substance.  Here's the full text, which we'll break down today.

 

The benediction was given by the Rev. Joseph Lowery that was full of racial tensions.

 

Francis Cianfrocca says that Americans are losing the ideas of freedom today while we pick up a constitutional monarch.  Leon H. Wolf hopes that Obama is a failure.  I want him to succeed—but on my terms.

 

Obama said yesterday that "government can only do so much."

 

Now that he's President, Obama will actually have to tackle the job of foreign policy, which he plans to do tomorrow, including planning to withdraw troops from Iraq in 16 months.  He'll also have to deal with al Qaeda, which appears to have either chemical or biological weapons.  The Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis says that Iran will have a nuclear weapon this year.  This is the scary stuff, folks.

 

According to the Congressional Budget Office, most of the stuff in Obama's stimulus bill won't hit the economy soon.  Of course, it turns out that this recession isn't anywhere near as bad as they claim that it is.

Bill Ayers was turned away at the Canadian border last night.

 

The Washington Times' Wesley Pruden says that Obama's honeymoon is now over.

 

Chrysler got another bailout—this one from foreign automaker Fiat.

 

A businessman in Fairbanks, Alaska made an ice sculpture of a shivering Al Gore in honor of their cold winter. 

 

The AP had a story yesterday about the unequal spreading of the financial burden of homeownership.

Navel-Gazers Working Overtime Before Coronation

Obama's $170 million inauguration/worship service will be tomorrow and I, for one, cannot wait for the worship to end.  The navel-gazers have been out in full force all weekend, and it really is getting old.  At least the Macon Telegraph calls it what it is:  a pilgrimage.  By the way, one of the girls featured has the American flag touching the ground.  Fully two-thirds of Americans plan to watch the inauguration, which means that workplace productivity will be thrown out the window tomorrow.  In Washington, DC, there is a larger security force in the city than there is in Afghanistan, which is necessary because there will be so many more biological weapons in the city than usual because everybody needs their Botox.

 

Over 2/3 of blacks believe that, thanks to the Messiah's election, MLK Jr.'s vision for race relations has been fulfilled.

 

The Democrats released their porked-up "stimulus" plan last week, and Amanda Carpenter and Robert Bluey quickly found their favorite pieces of pork in the bill.  Jason Pye also points out that a lot of money is going towards rail and local transit systems that are not cost-efficient or popular.  On the tax side of the "stimulus" package, tax breaks to big banks will be repealed, having the exact opposite effect of the bailouts.  At least the Republicans are coming up with a real alternative instead of just saying "no."

 

The Messiah wants a brand new Declaration of Independence.  I'm guessing that, instead of independence from tyranny, this time he wants independence from responsibility.

 

The Obama team is considering creating a government bank to buy bad assets.  Wasn't that the idea behind the original bailout, the Troubled Asset Relief Program?

 

Now the plane that crashed in the Hudson River is being blamed in global warming. Meanwhile, a columnist in Michigan is praying for global warming.  While it's horridly cold across the country, Al Gore's scientist, James Hanson, says that Obama has four years to save the world from global warming.  At least most of the American people are starting to get it:  only 41% of Americans believe that we humans are making the planet warmer.

 

Guess who have been best buddies since the election?  John McCain and Barack Obama.  In fact, McCain has made the comment in referring to some of Obama's Cabinet picks that he would have made the same choices.

 

Nancy Pelosi is open to the idea of prosecuting Bush Administration officials.  Go ahead, waste your time.  Please.  She also wants to go ahead and eliminate the Bush tax cuts now.  Like I said, please waste your time with prosecuting the Bush Administration instead.

 

Eighty-three of the 100 largest corporations in America have subsidiaries in offshore tax havens.  Under the FairTax, that would all come streaming back.

 

Despite the bad economy, companies are still shelling out $3 million per 30-second spot for the Super Bowl.

 

Governor Perdue got a $21 million loan with questionable terms in September that will have to be paid back on March 1.

 

Democrats in the General Assembly are already lining up to oppose allowing you to send your kids to a private school.

 

There is a new property tax bill being proposed that would limit the increase in assessed value to 3% in any given year.

 

Rep. Roger Bruce (D-Atlanta) wants to allow individual counties to choose whether or not gambling is legal in their county.

 

A UGA student was arrested for drunk driving after passing out at a stop sign with the car still running.

State Senate Unveils Transportation Plan

The United States Senate yesterday voted against refusing the second half of the TARP money to the incoming administration.  Senators Chambliss and Isakson both voted to refuse the money, as did most Republicans, as some conservatives consider a constitutional challenge to the bailout.  Here's the full roll call vote.

 

Chrysler Financial got a bailout today, costing us another $1.5 billion.

 

U.S. House members will get an average of an extra $90,000 in their office accounts this year so that they can hand out even more money with more efficiency.

 

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) says that the $825 billion "stimulus" package might not be big enough.  The package may include price controls on milk.

 

The Obama transition team has already failed to lower expectations prior to the Messiah taking office.

 

The feds want to pay you to buy a new car in an effort to get gas-guzzlers off the road.

 

Yesterday we told you about the plane that landed on the Hudson River in New York City, with nobody being seriously injured or killed.  It turns out that a water landing is incredibly rare and difficult.  The pilot of that aircraft was Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, III, a former Air Force fighter pilot.

 

Add another name to the list of people running for Governor.  Republican Ray McBerry has thrown his name into the ring.

 

The Georgia NAACP and the Chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus think that the state of Georgia needs to apologize for slavery.

 

Governor Perdue's budget is probably going to cause a big fight in the legislature, especially on two issues:  the hospital fee and the homestead exemption, which is not included in the Governor's budget.

 

This morning the State Senate unveiled their version of a transportation bill, which would allow the creation of regions to establish a T-SPLOST.

 

State Senator David Shafer (R-Duluth) has introduced a zero-based budgeting bill.

Georgia House Republicans Push $25 Billion New Tax

Temperatures in Chicago are the coldest they've been in a decade, they've had the most consecutive days of snowfall since records began in 1884, and Flint, Michigan just broke a 95-year-old record low temperature.  Of course, the cold temperatures won't stop Henry Waxman, the new Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, from pushing for a cap-and-trade bill to stop the emission of carbon dioxide.

 

A bunch of protesters are going after Robert Redford because they claim that his anti-oil drilling stance is anti-poor and racist.  Why don't they go protest the Obama inauguration and the Democrat Party?

 

John McCain may be Barack Obama's secret weapon in the United States Senate, all because McCain wants to get back in the good graces of the mainstream, uppity, navel-gazing media.

 

Americans have very little faith in the federal government and think that debt is ruining the economy…until it comes time to "stimulate" the economy or provide for their health insurance.

 

Democrats unveiled their $825 billion stimulus package today, which had no input from Republicans.

 

Senators will probably vote today on the second half of the bailout money, while Republicans want to limit the money to financial firms only.

 

Democrat Congressman Charlie Rangel will reintroduce his bill calling for a military draft.

 

Obama will be on the cover of Time Magazine for the 13^th time in the last year.

 

Obama's $150,000,000 inauguration is also going to be shown in movie theaters and for all staff in New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal offices.  The inauguration will also be an environmental nightmare.

 

Timothy Geithner didn't just make a mistake on his taxes; he downright cheated on them by accepting a tax reimbursement for the taxes that he didn't pay.

 

For those of you interested, here is a rundown of the Governor's proposed budget cuts.  House Minority Leader DuBose Porter responded to yesterday's State of the State Address by claiming that Governor Perdue is an absentee Governor.

 

There is a bill in front of the General Assembly that would force any doctors who treat state employees to also treat Medicaid patients.

 

There's another bill that would ban police officers from racial profiling.

 

A federal appeals court upheld Georgia's voter ID law.

 

The state House made its transportation pitch today, for a one-cent, ten-year statewide sales tax increase that would generate about $25 billion.

 

With all of the proposed tax hikes, Jason Pye says that Republicans in Georgia are the pro-tax party now.

 

A feces-throwing monkey is on the loose in the Tampa Bay area.

WMAZ TalkBack Segment

Perdue Introduces Budget

Osama bin Laden has a new audio tape out, challenging Barack Obama's ability to confront the war and the economy.  Also from the world of radical Islam, a Saudi cleric says that it is okay for 10-year-old girls to be forced into marriage.

 

Faced with public opinion against them, the unions are rolling out a new ad campaign in support of their card-check bill.

 

Democrats are pushing their down payment on socialized medicine, the SCHIP bill, on the House floor now.  They want to pay for it by raising tobacco taxes, even though smokers are disproportionately poor.  Jeff Emanuel at RedState.com has the full rundown.

 

Hillary Clinton wants to use her position as Secretary of State to push for a new Kyoto-like treaty that the United States would be a part of.  Meanwhile, it's cold everywhere, including in the metro Atlanta area, which will see 12 degrees on Friday.

 

General Motors says that they are working on their overhaul required by the bailout, but they're still not sure that they will be able to survive long-term.  Wasn't that the point of giving them a bailout?

 

Despite voting for the original bailout, House Republicans will now vote against the second part of the bailout money.  Even if a few Senate Democrats vote against granting the money, Obama is threatening to veto the disapproval resolution, so he'll get the money either way.  Next up for a piece of the bailout, government schools.

 

I'm not the only one who says that Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner's tax problems should point towards a simplification of the tax system.

 

The Washington Post has a story today claiming that illegal immigrants are unlikely to leave the United States voluntarily despite the slowed economy.  That makes it the perfect time to start making them leave involuntarily.

 

Governor Perdue gave his State of the State address (here's the Reader's Digest version) this morning.  Part of that will include a $1.2 billion bonds package and a new plan for funding Medicare with new fees on hospitals.

 

The state of Georgia was graded as failing in a report on tobacco controls.

 

Georgia may have to limit enrollment at government colleges and universities due to budgetary constraints.

 

Remember the parents who named their kid "Adolf Hitler?"  They've now had their kids taken away from them.

 

A California man (I bet he was an illegal immigrant) tried to sell his 14-year-old daughter into marriage for beer, wine, soft drinks, and Gatorade.

 

Citizens of Notasulga, Alabama are trying to get a cat un-banned from their local post office.  He was originally banned because somebody wrote a letter saying that "this is a federal building and he doesn't pay federal taxes so he can't come in."  I kind of like that standard.  Can we apply it to polling places on election days too?

Trauma Care Map and Online Petition

Here's the link that one of the callers mentioned on today's show regarding trauma care:  Georgia It's About Time

Obama Might Close Guantanamo

Barack Obama might, within his first week or even his first day, issue an executive order to close Guantanamo Bay.  What happens to Islamic terrorists who were caught on the battlefield then?  Will they be released like 61 other ex-Gitmo inmates who returned to fighting against American troops?

 

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford does not want "stimulus" money from the federal government.  Democrat Rep. James Clyburn is the Majority Whip, and he's from South Carolina.  He also happens to be black.  So what does Clyburn do in response to Sanford's refusal to accept "stimulus" money?  He plays the race and class cards (together!) against Gov. Sanford.  This really is getting old.

 

It keeps getting bigger:  the "stimulus" package now might include giving an increase in government benefits to old folks.

 

Speaking of playing the class card, Barney Frank wants to force any company that receives federal bailout money to give up their corporate jets.  On the other hand, he wants to get rid of regulations on labor unions that were part of the auto bailout when they come back for more money (just like I told you they would!).

 

After President Bush asked for the second $350 billion from the TARP fund, Republicans are already lining up to oppose giving the Treasury Department more money.  The Fox Business Network is already suing the Treasury Department over their lack of transparency on the bailout money, and now they're also suing the Federal Reserve for the same reason.  It's time that these bureaucrats were held accountable.

 

The Washington Post has a hit piece out on the Bush Administration, saying that they used ideology to hire people at the Justice Department.  How is it any different from any of Obama's Cabinet appointments (minus Robert Gates)?

 

I told you yesterday that President Bush's legacy would likely be judged (by conservatives) based on his growth of government over the last 8 years.  The Cato Institute's Michael Tanner itemizes the biggest increases in the size of government.

 

Democrat Senator Herb Kohl wants to place OPEC under American antitrust regulations.  I like the idea, but it's impossible to accomplish.

 

Here's a brilliant column on the root cause of American problems:  people having inherent faith in government.

 

The Messiah is not allowing journalists to ask him questions in press conferences unless they are pre-picked.

 

On the ridiculous side, the "Father of Potty Parity" wants more port-a-potties for Obama's inauguration.

 

Despite the budget shortfalls, Governor Perdue wants to spend more money on government education.

 

In addition to the budget as a whole, keep an eye on the transportation situation.

 

I like this idea:  State Rep. James Mills (R-Chestnut Mountain) has introduced a bill forcing anybody to bring a birth certificate to register to vote.

 

State Sen. Cecil Staton wants the state to spend $60 million on improving the trauma care network.  Why can't a private health care group do that?

 

The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Alabama and Florida on the water wars.

 

Eddie Wiggins is officially out of business.

Guard Your Wallets! The General Assembly is Back in Session!

President Bush had his last press conference this morning, and he spent most of it defending his Presidency.  He did have a few regrets, however, including his effort to reform Social Security immediately after the 2004 election.  In an interview that aired Sunday, though, he continued to push for amnesty.

 

Ohio RINO Senator George Voinovich won't run for re-election in 2010.  Good riddance.

 

Who would have thought that Pravda would be more reliable than anybody in the American mainstream media?  They're actually reporting that earth is on the brink of an ice age.  Of course, people in…

·         Tok, Alaska, where temperatures reached -78 degrees;

·         Slovenia, where people were warned not to wear earrings due to freeze warnings after temperatures reached -49 degrees;

·         and Wisconsin, where temperatures are at record lows amid record snowfalls

…already knew that.  Which leads us to the real motivation for "global warming," socialism and big government.

 

Obama's climate czar has a history of environmentalist activity in the name of socialism.

 

Producers of alternative energy want a bailout.  Luckily for them, The Messiah has already mentioned that he wants them to get some of the stimulus money.  There are also members of Congress (one a Republican) who want to subsidize people putting solar panels on their houses.

 

One physicist has quantified the environmental impact of Google searches.  Just wait until they try to ban computers, just like they're already trying to ban large plasma screen televisions.

 

The United Nations Security Council called last week for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Gaza.  My favorite statement came from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, when he said that Israel "never agreed that anyone would decide for us if it is permissible to strike at those who send bombs against our kindergartens and schools."

 

The Senate had its first vote yesterday, to pass an omnibus lands bill full of big government and earmarks.  This is not exactly a ringing endorsement of the leadership of Mitch McConnell.

 

President Elect Barack Obama says that "everybody" will have to give something in his economic plan.  By "everybody" he means taxpayers only.

 

Public radio and TV want a $550 million bailout.

 

Chrysler wants more of your money, and Obama asked Bush for the rest of the TARP money.  Surprised?

 

If the United States was an individual asking for a mortgage, it would be considered subprime.

 

The Washington Post writes on the use of the race card in the "Age of Obama."

 

Two Houston County gas stations were among those forced to make retribution over "price gouging" in September.

 

Warner Robins was one of the first cities in Middle Georgia to submit its wish list to Congressman Jim Marshall's office.

 

State lawmakers are meeting again (so watch your wallets!) starting today, and Democrats think having Democrats in charge in Washington will give them more influence in state politics this year.  As we've said before, the biggest issue will be the budget, but there are a few other issues that will come up over the course of the session.  Also, Sunday sales might become a reality this year.

 

Secretary of State Karen Handel has announced that she is running for Governor in 2010.  That brings up a question:  is (or should it be) necessary to have a college degree to be Governor?

 

A college student from San Diego sold her virginity for $3.7 million to pay for graduate school.