Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 6

Day 6

* I just realized the new logo looks one of those old fashioned juicers. You know the kind. Where you push the orange down over some protuberance? I have a funny story about that particular kitchen device and an antique store but that's for another day.

* "Optional" furloughs for legislators. 7 Democrats already found out how "optional" they are. Bad press followed the dirty 7 after they didn't "volunteer" last year.

* Seems to have bi-partisan support this time. Imagine that!

* Under current law it can't be mandatory. There's a law moving through the halls to close this loophole.

* Casey Time!

* DuBose Porter, he's running for Governor, dontcha know, is bringing back his move to allow counties to use different methods to collect sales tax (including privatization!). Yes, a Democrat talking about privatization. Hold your pearls, Ethel. Senate Appropriations Chair Jack Hill doesn't think there's data to support the number DuBose is throwing around.

* I have been quite critical of Susan Hoffman over the past few days but I have to compliment her questioning - it's aggressive and she knows the issues. She ain't letting Hill wiggle off the hook.

* First live shot is of course - Valerie. How do budget cuts affect specific departments? In this case Juvenile Justice. More quickly panning camera! It's the hurl cam!

* Juvenile Justice has cut 108 positions. So the next time some know-it-all spews forth they've never heard of government laying off workers, tell them to stick that number in their pipe and smoke it.

* 18 more admin positions recommended cut in Sonny's 2010 budget. Nah. They never layoff government workers. Oh, and the lucky ones who keep their job? Furlough days.

* Now on to cuts in education. Won't someone think of the children?!

* State Superintendent Kathy Cox says there are systems "teetering on the edge". 30 schools have received waivers on class sizes.

* Hawks gotta go! Rules committee will attempt to shoot the powerful birds tomorrow morning. (The hawks are essentially super-legislators who can sit on any committee and vote)

* He's also going to let the press back in the House. Speaker Richardson famously threw the press out a couple of years ago.

* Sen. Renee Unterman is talking about child exploitation again. It's her personal project. But her bills did get passed last year, so I'm not sure what this is about.

* Vicent Fort (D-Land Of Many Protests) is back with his pet project - predatory lending. His bill wasn't quite as lucky as Unterman's.

* Governor debate at the Georgia Municipal Association yesterday. Another question from Susan! She's quite the busy beaver.

* Question about transportation. Oxendine is quite animated as he points out the obvious. We're screwed if we keep dumping every person in the state into Atlanta.

* Barnes wants a metro-wide transit including rail.

* Interesting. Those are the only two they showed. Lawmakers considers them the front runners. I guess technically they are.

* Senate bill to prevent racial profiling in traffic stops. It's sponsored by a Democrat so let's all guess the chance of passage.

* Just noticed Nan Orrock in the background of the profiling presser. She does know how to find a camera.

* There are currently no Republican legislators signed on to co-sponsor the bill. There's your shocking fact of the day.

*Lawmakers Flashback! Will it be from 1971 again? Why yes it is! What the hell is it about 1971? I figured it out! That was the first year Lawmakers was on, wasn't it? So the entire series will be 1971? That seems a waste. Wouldn't it be better to show their progress through the years instead of endless black and white clips of cigarette smoking white dudes?

* I just saw Ricky Bevington's hand flash behind Nwandi! State news must be coming up.

* Sen. Emanuel Jones wants to relax zero tolerance laws on weapons in school. Weapons like a Tweety Bird key chain. Goodness gracious. Could we be seeing an outbreak of common sense under the Gold Dome?

* Legislators are consulting economists about the budget woes. We're so screwed.

* Economists are like a weird chimera of a preacher and a snake-oil salesman.

* First throw to a kid. It's Lara Fawaz. She's covering one of the many pressers that happen in the rotunda. This time it's a coalition against domestic violence. They aren't happy that funding is decreasing. Is anyone? I mean besides the Libertarians.

* Oh lord. We got another rendition of happy birthday in the Senate. John Douglas is going to sing. God help us all. They turned off all the mics. Another cool, calculated decision from Casey.

* Ricky Bevington with the state news. Furloughs all around! Home Depot is closing an outlet! Environmental violations in Dekalb! Tomorrow night, she's just going to read from Revelations.

* Susan's telling us about tomorrow. That must mean it's a wrap!