Pandering or pragmatism? Deal’s strategy sparks debate | www.myajc.com

Protests over sweeping changes to the state’s insurance plan were fast transforming into a drive to register voters when Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration announced last week that it would give teachers and state workers more choice in their coverage options.

It was a tactical move that served as a prescient reminder of the strategy that helps drive the governor’s bid for a second term. If the opening months of this election year have taught us anything, it’s that Deal and his aides won’t hesitate to intervene to temper a fight — and, critics say, score political points in the process — if a growing controversy threatens.

It also showed how easy it is for any governor to use the power of his office to dilute the message of opponents, leaving them to repeat a common but often politically hollow refrain: It’s all election-year politics.

Deal in recent months has made at least a dozen moves, either through executive decisions or a legislative endorsement, that seek to neutralize a controversial issue or sideline a debate. The decisions could leave a deep imprint on state policy, such as a boost in education funding or a new push to overhaul the ethics agency. Or they could prove to be little more than short-term fixes and unfulfilled election-year promises.

The governor has used that tack to temper unrest from a powerful bloc of voters, such as educators infuriated with furlough days. Deal and his aides view them as measured approaches to growing dilemmas. His rivals see them as political maneuvering aimed solely at placating upset voters.

via Pandering or pragmatism? Deal’s strategy sparks debate | www.myajc.com.