Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 38

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 38

Originally aired on 4-21-10

*Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend, come and see, come and see.

* 2011 budget passes the Senate.

* And the Senate Transportation Committee agreed on the transportation plan. It's on the floor of both chambers now.

* But not without a little fruforal over MARTA. Tommie Williams is confused about how people are planning to use the SPLOST. Much dithering.

* Attorney General Thurbert Baker says the lack of fiscal notes on last weeks tax cuts could cause a constitutional problem. This is very technical. Democrats love technical challenges. The public? Not so much.

* Good lord. There's the blogger who shall not be named again. He's down there constantly now.

* Susan points out that the courts have been reluctant to step in to the sausage making of the legislators. What a fool's errand this be.

* Chip Rogers is wearing a snappy pink tie. He needs to give Tom Crawford fashion tips.

* Now, Steve Thompson on the other hand...a white coat before Memorial Day? Hell! A white coat any time?

* Seth Harp also has a pink tie. Some sort of theme on the Elephant side of the aisle?

* Lost of education sausage making.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues!

* House passed Dan Weber's charter school cluster thing. His close buddy Fran Millar presented it on the other side.

* Scowly Red just smiled! And giggled! She sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

* More rapid fire clips. The editor must have been chugging Red Bulls.

* We're increasing the cap on the rainy day fund. It's a hopeful thing that we might again one day have a rainy day fund.

* A sprinkler bill got heated in the Senate? They're losing it. It's about single family dwellings or duplexes. This thing is so weird it has Nan Orrock and John Douglas on the same side. Pardon me, I need a shot.

* We're seeing more of David Shafer these days. His big moment is on the horizon.

* Project Tom Crawford! He has on a snappy red polka dot tie! Well, snappy for Tom. He's pulling out the party wear for the final days.

* Tom's reporting the transportation bill is close.

* Tom is explaining the Capitol computers went down today which he says they are using as an excuse for "covering many sins".

* Georgia contractors will get preference for stuff being done to public buildings. Earl Erhart is splaining. Hadn't seen much of that scoundrel this session.

* Senate passed a bill requiring lethal injection for doggies and kitties. No more gas chambers. Sen. Bill Heath actually argued that gas chambers were more humane. "There's people that buy a lot of things to get the feeling you get from carbon monoxide poisoning". Perhaps Senator Heath huffed a few samples before making this boneheaded speech?

* The abortion bill passed house committee. But not before some maneuvering. Mike Jacobs, the favorite of young Democrats everywhere, is right in the middle of it. Going head to head with crazy ass Mark Hatfield, he's the one trying to require Presidential candidates present their birth certificates.

* Lawmakers Flashback! We skip back to 2000, when Democrats were still in charge of the Senate. David Scott was the Rules Chair at the time. He's railing against the Majority leader in the House for killing his Grady bills. He's absolutely screaming about people dying in lines! The chair is trying to gavel him down, Scott is having none of it. I don't think I've ever seen anyone this fired up. Scott says the "whole place is out of order". He's been possessed by Al Pacino!

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! The enviro-hippies claim our reactors have design flaws. Lawrdy. Mennonites may get to self-insure their cars. They consider regular insurance to be a form of gambling. Not kidding.

* And we are finally caught up. I thank you all for your patience. Two days to go. Back with you tomorrow. For now, that's a wrap.