Friday was the 27th legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. As we close in on the 30th-day "cross-over" deadline for legislation to pass the House in time to be considered by the Senate, or vice versa, this has been a busy week at the committee level. Three bills that I co-sponsored were favorably reported by their respective committees and now await action by the full House. The Rural Tourism Protection ...
With what could be an endless series of fiscal crises facing the federal government during the next few months, now is a good time to check where Congress stands in its deficit-reduction efforts. After two years, here's the scorecard: middle-class families and the military, $1.5 trillion in budget cuts and reduced public investments over 10 years; wealthy households, $620 billion in fairer taxes; corporate America, nothing.
Imagine a business that oversees massive construction projects but doesn't have to worry about completing them on time or within budget. Hard to believe a company like that could stay in business, right?
Friday, March 1, was the 27thlegislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. As we close in on the 30th-day "cross-over" deadline for legislation to pass the House of Representatives in time to be considered by the Senate, or vice versa, this year, this has been a busy past week at the committee level. Three bills that I co-sponsored were favorably reported by their respective committees and now await action by the full House.
I am a pretty positive kind of person. At times in my life, I have been called a "Pollyanna" - and I know I date myself a lot mentioning this.
Why not shut the federal government down? Congress has been shut down for decades now, accomplishing nothing of any real significance in Washington for a very long time, so what would be the big deal? Would anyone really notice?
I understand babies are adorable, and it's hard to overcome the compulsion to pinch their chubby, pink cheeks and grab their tiny fingers. But for the sake of germ-fearing parents everywhere, I certainly wish people would learn to keep their hands to themselves.
A pile of automatic spending cuts, commonly known as the sequester, kicked in Friday, and while the impact of the $85 billion in cuts slated for this year won't immediately be felt, the potential for damage to our fragile economy has been done.
Editor, It does no good for the Georgia Department of Driver Services to have a person who is applying for a license or ID card bring in a birth certificate, other identification, address verification and proof of who they are to prevent identify theft, fraud or stolen IDs.
Editor, Regarding Sunday's sequestration column - well said, Mr. Mayor.
The Georgia General Assembly saw the completion of the 22nd day of the 2013 legislative session, officially crossing through the mid-way point.
My recent observations on the lack of respect given public-school teachers in Georgia engendered a lot of responses, but none better than this story sent to me by my friend, David Egan, co-director of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island and a former educator himself.
A few years ago, I read "Team of Rivals," which documents Abraham Lincoln's road to the White House and how he ultimately chose campaign rivals to serve in his presidential cabinet. He made friends with his political enemies, which is a rare trait much needed in today's political arena.
Tuesday, Feb. 19: After a long weekend at home, we're back in business this morning and our first action is to pass the 2013 amended budget out of the Appropriations Committee. The state's budget runs on a fiscal year from July 1-June 30 and has to be amended midyear primarily to account for revenue adjustments and K-12 student population growth.
Despite the fact that other Republican governors in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and, most recently, Florida have agreed to expand the Medicaid program in their states under the federal Affordable Care Act, Gov. Nathan Deal is still holding firm on his refusal to do so in Georgia.
Want to know what's causing a lot of people in Washington to work long hours right now? Here's a hint: it's not immigration reform or gun control or, for that matter, any other legislation coming down the pike. Instead, it's a pair of 3-year-old laws.
I always have liked print newspapers. Partly what inspired me was an American Girl movie about a 9-year-old girl living in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Her name is Kit Kittredge.
Another member of the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced yet another bill in a futile attempt to limit how long members of Congress can stay in office. The measure, authored by Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., would limit House members to three terms, or six years, and senators to two terms, or 12 years.
Dear public-school teachers in Georgia:
Editor, I am writing to express my shock and dismay over an incident I witnessed on May 9 in the early afternoon as I was leaving a hardware store. A young mother - and I use that term loosely - was severely and literally beating a small boy with a strap that looked like it had been made from a radiator belt. The child was screaming in pain and terror, and I felt compelled to stop and say something to the woman.
Last weekend, my husband and I toured the 2013 HGTV Smart Home in Jacksonville Beach. I am kind of a house-and-garden junkie, and I avidly record shows on HGTV to watch when I have time.
I'm finding it hard not to compare my child to others her age. Reese is healthy, communicative, active and right where she needs to be developmentally. At her 1-year checkup, our pediatrician was pleased with her growth and progress. He assured me she is hitting all of her milestones right on target. That news was music to my ears because, just like every parent on the planet, all I want is for my little girl to live a long, healthy, happy life.
MOULTRIE - Most of us have seen the Chick-fil-A signs that urge us to "eat more chicken." So would you ever expect to see one that says, "eat more crickets?"
Editor, I would like to extend my heartfelt apologies to those citizens who had planned to conduct business before the Midway City Council, others who were in attendance and to the citizens of Midway for the unprofessional conduct of the mayor pro tem and another Midway councilman at the May 13 council meeting. These two elected officials left the meeting in protest over a legitimate request for an oral reading of previous council minutes as ...
Editor, Midway Councilman Levern Clancy Jr. and Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Roberts Sr. should resign immediately from the Midway City Council. I was at the monthly council meeting Monday when past council meeting minutes were due to be read, which is the procedure according to "Robert's Rules of Order" - the rules that govern Midway's meeting procedures.
Editor note: This is the second of a three-part series. It is not running three consecutive weeks but over a four-week period.
Editor, Parents should be able to send their children to school with the peace of mind that they will remain safe and healthy. Given that today's children face more chronic health illnesses - asthma, diabetes, food allergies, etc. - than ever before, I take my role as a licensed, professional school nurse very seriously. I am grateful for the teachers, administrators and professional support staff with whom I work each day. They help to create ...
State Sen. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) deserves thanks for taking a stand against the issuance of another wastewater permit to King America Finishing, the Screven County manufacturer believed to be responsible for the largest fish kill in the Ogeechee River in memory.
Last week, the Environmental Protection Division held a public hearing to solicit comments on the draft wastewater permit for King American Finishing in Screven County. The hearing was held at Effingham County High School in Springfield and, although I was not there, I understand it was well-attended.
David Pennington, the mayor of Dalton, is making noises about challenging incumbent Gov. Nathan Deal in the 2014 Republican primary.