SWGA Politics

Welcome to Atlanta, Kyle Wingfield[ July 12, 2009 – 7:30 pm]by Jeff Posted in » 2010 Campaigns

For those that don’t know, I’ve followed the AJC’s political commentary for quite a while. Indeed, I’ve long looked up to the way Jim Wooten operated. Over the years, I began agreeing with him politically less and less, as I became more libertarian to his social conservatism, but I have long admired him and literally cried the day I heard he was retiring. Long before I really started getting involved in politics, Jim Wooten was there emailing me back and forth on occassion and encouraging me in my efforts at the time – even going so far as to mention me in his first blog of 2007.

That said, Mr. Wooten truly is, sadly, retiring, and a new guy has already started in his place: Kyle Wingfield.

In today’s column, Kyle comments on the recent youtube video of John Oxendine using his literally hours old baby for political gain. However, he also makes some really good comments about transparency and the private lives of politicians in general, which I’ve highlighted below the fold.
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The Working Man and GA Governor Donations[ July 12, 2009 – 12:48 pm]by Jeff Posted in » 2010 Campaigns

Looking at campaign disclosures, there is one line that tends to get overlooked in most analyses. It is line 4 of the Summary Report, that says “Total amount of all separate contributions of less than $101.00 received in this reporting period and not listed on the “Itemized Contributions” page.” In other words, these are donations at the $100 mark or lower.

I tend to look at these numbers in particular as one way to determine actual support among the every day Georgian. To me, these numbers represent the people who can’t afford to give $6,100 (the current maximum), $5,000, $1,000, $500, or even $105 because even $105 might mean their entire family goes hungry that week. But they don’t mind sacrificing lunch one day themselves, so they give that $5 they would have spent on their own lunch one day that week. Or maybe they give the $25/$50 they would have put in their car in gas that week and find another way to get to work. Or, let’s be honest, maybe they’re just cheap and could afford to give the $5,000, but choose to only give $100 – but that’s the only $100 they’re giving to ANY candidate.

Regardless, those numbers mean something to me, and since this blog is my creation, let’s look at them, shall we?
[What are the Numbers?

Who says you can’t fight City Hall?[ July 12, 2009 – 9:00 am]by Tom Posted in » Albany Dougherty County

For years I had heard that you just can’t fight City Hall. In a lot of ways, it’s absolutely true. City Hall has a pile of resources at their disposal that you and I just don’t have. They have their own, full-time attorney and the means to hire outside council as well. The elected officials in any municipality have a disgusting tendency to ignore the voters and do what they want anyways. Fighting City Hall is like herding cats…or managing Libertarians.

But that’s changing. Read More …