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Perdue mustn't neglect moderates [Cynthia Tucker on Georgia Republican Majority]
Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 11/05/04 | AJC Editorialists (C. Tucker)

Posted on 11/04/2004 4:26:44 PM PST by madprof98

Elated by the Republican majorities elected to both the state Senate and House for the first time in 130 years, a jubilant Gov. Sonny Perdue announced, "The people of Georgia gave us the ball tonight."

Now, the governor has to be careful not to fumble it.

A surefire way to squander his historic opportunity would be to permit social conservatives, rather than fiscal conservatives, to set the GOP agenda. Perdue would be wise to quickly establish that his focus will be on safeguarding the state's solvency and not its soul. And he must show that he remains committed to directing resources toward and not away from Georgia's public schools.

He will be up against a rabid Republican fringe determined to intrude on the most personal of decisions. Republicans are expected to act quickly to force Georgia women seeking an abortion to sit through a state-scripted lecture and slide show and then go home and wait 24 hours to "think it over," as if a woman in that situation had not already considered her decision.

Republican supporters of vouchers are braced to resume their campaign to divert tax dollars to religious schools. The home-school lobby will be eyeing greater access to public school programs and facilities. And the Christian Coalition, buoyed by the vast support for its gay marriage ban, will be looking to the GOP to finally pass all of its "family values" legislation.

If Republicans devote their first session in power to stripping women of their reproductive rights, undermining public schools and posting the Ten Commandments in every courthouse, their tenure in the player's box may be brief. Whether Democrat or Republican, the balancing act in Georgia has always been appeasing the moderate middle while being careful not to enrage the extreme edge.

The middle-of-the-road Republicans — especially those in suburban areas — want elected officials to maintain their property values and keep taxes low. They don't want the General Assembly undermining their public schools. Most of them live in communities with high performing schools and they don't echo the extremist Republican lament over "government schools."

These affluent and educated Republicans believe they are capable of determining and protecting their own family values. Perdue risks alienating these moderates if he doesn't stop the GOP morality squad from recasting state government as a theocracy.

Perdue will likely square off in two years against Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor or Secretary of State Cathy Cox, both popular Democrats with deep rural roots. The smoothness of this week's electronic voting enhances Cox's reputation as an effective and visionary leader. Now, the ultimate outsider in the Capitol, Taylor has lots of time to travel the state and remind voters of all the budget cuts to education by Perdue.

So while Perdue finally has the ball in his court, he's got to prove he can run with it. Otherwise, voters could send him to the showers in 2006.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: perdue; realignment; republicanmajority; sonnyperdue; southernvote
Ah, that "rabid fringe" again! AKA the American mainstream majority, Cynthia!
1 posted on 11/04/2004 4:26:45 PM PST by madprof98
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To: madprof98
Note to Cynthia...

You Lost...get over it.


2 posted on 11/04/2004 4:28:53 PM PST by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: madprof98; mhking

hey, Jihad Cyndi:

BITE ME, you psychotic blowhard!


3 posted on 11/04/2004 4:29:18 PM PST by King Prout ("We've found more WMDs in Iraq than we've found disenfranchised blacks in Florida." - Ann Coulter)
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To: madprof98

Didn't they elect Cynthia McKinney to the House from GA again? I'm looking forward to more humorous pronoucements
from her and Maxine Waters in the coming session.


4 posted on 11/04/2004 4:29:59 PM PST by rahbert
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To: madprof98

Why do leftist losers feel compelled to lecture the winners on what they can and cannot do. I have heard this from the Euro-scum as well as American-scum.

You lost, nobody is listening, shut up!

(I didn't say get over it because I really don't care if they do or not)


5 posted on 11/04/2004 4:35:00 PM PST by Owl558 (Pardon my spelling)
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To: darkwing104
You Lost...get over it.

Sadly, she is back in office with the recent election. I appologize on Georgia's behalf.

6 posted on 11/04/2004 4:37:21 PM PST by GingisK
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To: GingisK

cynthia tucker and cynthia mckinney are two (somewhat) different beasts. one is a megalomaniac who thinks she is always right, no matter how extreme and socialistic her views are...and the other is...um...uh...well...they have different names


7 posted on 11/04/2004 4:49:39 PM PST by jsk10
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To: GingisK

Fuzzycat lives in GA too. I quit reading that commie rag some time ago. She can say what she wants but the simple fact that she does'nt mention is that GA's schools are 49th in the nation. Atlanta and Fulton Co. schools are deplorable. I'll leave it to you dear reader to figure out the demographics. ANY idea is better than what exists now. I live in the county with the best public school system and one of the highest scoring in the USA. Figure out the demographics. And it is Damn near 100 % Pubbie. Mama always told me to sweep around your own door first. When this idiot writer starts doing that maybe she will accomplish something other than criticizing the adults now in power. STFU, Cynthia.


8 posted on 11/04/2004 5:11:22 PM PST by fuzzycat
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To: madprof98

If buying a handgun requires a three day wait (in spite of the 2nd amendment), I think it is reasonable to ask a woman to take one day to consider the alternatives.


9 posted on 11/04/2004 5:19:01 PM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace (I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
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To: jsk10
cynthia tucker and cynthia mckinney are two (somewhat) different beasts.

True. Just the thought of either on of them makes me break out with the hives. I was reponding to the question of McKinney's reinfestment of the house, not the article.

10 posted on 11/05/2004 6:21:27 AM PST by GingisK
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To: fuzzycat
I live in the county....

I like to speak/write directly. I'm in Gwinnette County. We're mostly pubies here. We work with the broom, indeed.

11 posted on 11/05/2004 6:24:41 AM PST by GingisK
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