State House Leadership Elections today

Three positions in the State House Republican Caucus will be elected today: Majority Whip, Caucus Chair and Caucus Vice-Chair.

For Majority Whip, which is being filled because State Rep. Ed Lindsey abandoned his caucus stepped down to concentrate on his Congressional campaign, Matt Ramsey (Peachtree City) and Jay Powell (Camilla) will face off.

For Caucus Chair, vacated by Donna Sheldon, who is running for Congress in the Tenth District, the contenders are Buzz Brockway (Lawrenceville), Buddy Harden (Cordele), and Matt Hatchett (Dublin).

For Caucus Vice-Chair, currently held by Matt Ramsey, who is running for Whip, the candidates are Alex Atwood (Brunswick), Jan Tankersley (Brooklet), and Sam Teasley (Marietta). B.J. Pak earlier announced then dropped out of the race.

Biden cancels Panama trip, still visiting Savannah

Vice President Joe Biden will still tour the Port of Savannah next week, though the rest of the trip to Panama has been cancelled so he can return to Washington.

I’m not sure about the protocol, but this is what Biden’s advance team was planning on blasting from the speakers of Air Force Two when he deplaned.

Dr. John Barge, welcome to under the microscope

Three staffers of the State Department of Education, including Superintendent John Barge’s former Chief of Staff, took a trip to France last year using funds that were set aside for student exchanges. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The department initially said the French government had covered the cost of the trip but, when asked for the exact amount and date of the French payment, officials said the money came from a trust fund set up for international exchanges for students, staff and teachers.

The travel and official actions of Barge and his staff is under increasing scrutiny now that Barge has announced his plans to run for governor.

Here’s an idea for government reform. Require a filing by all government employees or elected officials going on a trip that is paid for by someone else disclosing the trip detail, purpose, and funding sources. At the very least this should be required for elected officials, C-level appointees and employees, and anyone with purchasing discretion.

Changes at Georgia Department of Economic Development

Chris Cummiskey is leaving the Georgia Department of Economic Development to take a job as Chief Operating Office for Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company that provides wholesale electrical power. Taking his place will be Chris Carr, currently serving as Chief of Staff to Senator Johnny Isakson. In Isakson’s office, Joan Kirchner will move up from Deputy to Chief of Staff, with Edward Tate to serve as her Deputy.

Arguably, this makes Chris and his brother, Toby Carr, who serves as state Transportation Planning Director the most-powerful pair of bros in state government. Can anyone else name a more dynamic duo of siblings in Georgia state government?

Trouble ahead, trouble behind for national GOP?

Two troubling items for the Republican Party out of Washington, DC and a glimmer of hope.

First, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is down $5 million from its fundraising mark in 2009, prior to the last midterm elections, with leadership struggles and internal strife apparently to blame.

Second, voters who consider themselves aligned with the Tea Party are showing higher disapproval of GOP leadership, according to a Pew Research poll. From TheHill.com

A Pew Research poll released Wednesday finds that 71 percent of Republicans and independents who support the Tea Party disapprove of Republican leadership, while 27 percent approve.

That is a 17 percent increase since February, when a similar survey found 54 percent of those Tea Party supporters disapproved of the leadership and 42 percent approved.

Among Republicans who don’t support the Tea Party, 42 percent approve of the GOP leadership.

The Pew results mirror a survey released last month that found 53 percent of Tea Party supporters say congressional Republicans have compromised too much.

Within the Republican Party and right-leaning independents, 35 percent approve of the Tea Party and 9 percent disapprove. The majority, 54 percent, has no opinion.

Third, a poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal shows that Republicans are perceived as doing a better job on the economy, foreign policy and debt reduction, while the Democratic lead on “looking out for the middle class” is reduced.

Santorum wades into the Yellowhammer state

Former Pennsylvania Senator and 2012 GOP Presidential candidate Rick Santorum has recorded a radio spot supporting Quin Hillyer that will be broadcast by the Citizens United Political Victory Fund in the Alabama Congressional Special Election on September 24.

Cognitive dissonance among liberals on Obamacare

A group of liberals including the AFL-CIO protested Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens’ opposition to Obamacare.

Also opposed to Obamacare? The AFL-CIO, which calls the federal healthcare boondoggle “highly disruptive” to union healthcare plans. From FoxNews.com

The AFL-CIO approved a resolution saying that President Obama’s health care overhaul will drive up the costs of union-sponsored health plans to the point that workers and employers are forced to abandon them.

In a strongly worded resolution released Wednesday, the federation said that labor unions still support the Affordable Care Act’s overall goals of reducing health costs and bringing coverage to all Americans, but added that the law is being implemented in a way that is “highly disruptive” to union health care plans.

Some individual unions have complained about the law’s impact for months, but the resolution marks the first time the nation’s largest labor federation has gone on record embracing that view. Unions were among the most enthusiastic backers of the law when it passed in 2010.

Shockingly, the union of unions points out that the promises of Obamacare are being subsumed by the reality.

The resolution says that “contrary to the law’s intent, some workers might not be able to keep their coverage and their doctors because the federal agencies’ current implementation plans will be highly disruptive to the operation of Taft-Hartley multiemployer plans.” It says it could affect millions of workers and their families.

Some unions have demanded that the subsidies available to those buying insurance on the exchanges also be provided to those who receive insurance through multi-employer plans, even though those plans already receive the same tax breaks that other employer-sponsored plans do. These plans are particularly key in the construction, retail and transportation sectors.

When will the AFL-CIO start protesting the AFL-CIO and the Obama administration, who are much more powerful resistance to the implementation of Obamacare?

Errybody Get Up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zClaFW3rsJg