Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 5

Day 5

* Gonna be all about money today

* Guv Perdue is calling for 9% cuts but not across the board this time. This is on the heels of two straight years of cuts. It's going to be interesting to see where the cuts will come.

* Education will be cut less than 3% whereas the rest of the agencies get 9% cuts. Remind me sometime to write about how as a former state worker I always roll my eyes when the teachers start whining.

* Some economics dweeb is talking about hard decisions on priorities. I don't know who he is because Lawmakers failed to tell me. Their first technical snafu of the year. And they were on such a roll.

* Just noticed we have a new set up at Hogwarts. Much lighter and less gothic. Matches the new 70s gold lame effects motif.

* Lottery funded programs are passing lottery revenues for the first time. This is going to be tricky.

* Either Rep. Ben Harbin needs a shave or he's growing a goatee. Grow the goatee, Ben. Embrace the dark side.

* No tax increases. Shocking.

* Lots of talk about new tax credits. Appropriations Chair Jack Hill notes that these usually lag growth and are hard to measure. I think that's the first time I've ever heard a Republican admit this fact.

* Harbin pretty much says the HOPE (i.e. lottery) money fight will be delayed until next year. Political maxim - don't screw with the lottery or HOPE during an election year.

* Are we going to have an entire episode without mentioning transportation? That has to break a streak.

* Sen. Gail Buckner has seen text books that still use the country name "Yugoslavia". No word if the flaggers approve this retro-fitting as it might eventually lead to textbooks with appropriate labels circa 1861.

* Lawmakers Flashback! It's from 71 again. They've all been from 71. Do they have no other film? Was there some tape disaster in the mid 70s? Some really old dude is explaining "unlock the machine". Of all the weird utterances spewed in the state house, it's a personal favorite. People smoking on the house floor! Ah, the good old days.

* Ethics reform. Which means, we get more of the Ralston interview. Is this Lawmakers or a Susan Hoffman audition reel?

* Ralston is asking members to exercise their own restraint until the laws are changed. HAH! Just do what your mama would have you do here. HAH!

* Chip Rogers got a camoflage hat as a gift. It was just sitting on his desk. He wonders how that would be reported. That's his reason to make sure the process is throrough (i.e. takes a long time to create). We have our first nominee for silliest anecdote of the year!)

* Throw to Keocia at Hogwarts! Our first live throw! How exciting! Hogwarts is dark again. The kids don't get the good lighting.

* There's a Univision microphone on the table at this committee meeting. Do they have a spanish version of Lawmakers? Perhaps I should broaden my base.

* Smooth report, Keocia. Two in a row. We may have a star in the making.

* Rep. Rob Tela...Telee....that dude running for Attorney General wants to take DNA at the time of arrests. Strange that a candidate for the top lawyer post in Georgia doesn't understand the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And he has a crying mother who lost her daughter to a repeat offender by his side. Never let it be said the Democrats don't know how to pander.

* Mayor of Cumming was honored. Make your own joke.

* State news with Ricky Bevington and Nwandi asks her if she's "been to Cumming lately". Blushes all around. Awkward!

* Ricky is having a bit of a time getting it back together.

* Throwback to Nwandi - still awkward. Wish I could see what happens after the wrap. Which is happening right now. Back tomorrow!