HomeNewsPollsResourcesSubscribe
Top Story
Second Page
Fred Thompson Joins Legislators Backing Gingrich
Mike Hassinger


1/27/2012 - Former Presidential candidate and US Senator from Tennessee Fred Thompson enthusiastically endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's bid for the Republican nomination for President at appearances at the Capitol Thursday.
 
Legislators Fish for Solutions to HOPE Scholarship Shortage
Larry Peterson
Morris News Service

1/27/2012 - Students least able to afford college face an increasing squeeze as the lottery-funded Georgia's HOPE scholarship drifts toward more financial woes, Democratic legislators said on Wednesday. The lawmakers spoke out at a joint hearing of the Senate and House higher education committees that raised anew the issue of whether the scholarships should be based mostly on merit or on need.
 
Recent News Subscribe Now!
1/27/2012 - Spending Cap Another Good Theory That Won't Work
  Conservative activists have led the charge for a cap on State spending, but State Rep. Terry England (R-Auburn) said such a limit is not likely to be put in place this year. Although they might feel good in an election year, spending caps limit government's ability to make long-term investments, catch up on unfunded needs, or respond to increased demands for social services during tough economic times.

1/26/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Battle of Brookhaven Taking Shape
 

The City of Brookhaven is not yet out of the planning stages, but has already drawn the wrath of Democrats in DeKalb County and their legislative delegation, who are attempting to kill the bill that would permit a vote on incorporation this July. In spite of the fact that creating a new city in DeKalb County would lower the property tax rate by as much as three full mills, State Rep. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) has urged anti-Brookhaven activists in her district to contact members of the House via email in an attempt to delay or kill the bill. Her attempts have been met with amused derision from her colleagues.  


1/26/2012 - Compiled from InsiderAdvantage and Southern Political Report staff reports: Democrats Not Giving Up
  The Democratic Caucus in the State Senate is not rolling over and playing dead in the face of the Republican majority in that chamber and the House.

1/25/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Changes for Charters?
  The State Department of Education has called on the Fulton Science Academy Middle School (a charter school) to stop construction on a new campus until the state can approve its plans. Marietta School Superintendent Emily Lembeck said that giving the State authority to approve new charter schools over any objections by local school boards was a "bad idea," and that a State Supreme Court decision in May overturning a law that granted the State exactly that authority was the right thing to do.

1/25/2012 - Compiled from InsiderAdvantage and Southern Political Report staff reports: Tax Reform, Tax Exemptions and Sales Taxes: No, No, and Maybe...
  Comprehensive tax reform -in the sense of re-writing the tax code to make Georgia more competitive with neighboring states and eliminating loopholes is an issue too big and complex to take up in an election-year legislative session.

1/24/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Leaders Lead. Will Locals Follow?
  Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal have been aligned philosophically and politically on the need to pass the 1-cent sales taxes for transportation.

1/24/2012 - Dick Pettys: The View From The Ridge: First, Do No Harm
 

I’ve argued before that the best thing Georgia legislators can do this session is to make us forget that they are back in town. Sure, look over the governor’s agenda and add your own touches – other than pork, of course – to the state budget. But then get out of town after having done no real harm and kept out of the headlines. Most of us are pretty bummed out by the economy and the state of politics right now. Don’t give us reason to remember that you even exist.


1/22/2012 - Matt Towery: Gingrich Leads in Likely Bloody Florida Primary
  Two polls, our InsiderAdvantage survey taken last night, and a Rasmussen poll both show Newt Gingrich leading the Florida presidential primary by 8-to-9 points following Gingrich’s victory in South Carolina.

1/20/2012 - Matt Towery: Regardless of Who Becomes GOP Nominee, Party and Candidates are Failing the Faithful
  After years as an officeholder, strategist, pollster, you name it, I have truly come to despise politicians. This year's GOP nomination process has sealed the deal.

1/20/2012 - Walter Jones: Republicans Call for Constitutional Convention
  Georgia would become the 19th state to call for a federal constitutional convention to pass a balanced-budget amendment under legislation announced Thursday by a pair of conservative Republicans.
Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens, the Senate sponsor, said federal spending has escalated over the years to where each American taxpayer's share of the debt has swelled to more than $138,000.

1/19/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Governor's Spending Plan Met With 'Cautious Optimism'
  Governor Nathan Deal mapped a spending vision for Georgia described as  'bold' by some and 'conservative' by Deal himself. With no increase in  taxes in 2011, and none proposed for 2012, Deal has described his  budget plan as "maintaining the same conservative approach [to  budgeting,] this year as last year," and encouraged the legislature to  "continue to take a conservative approach" to spending and avoid using  a slight increase in State tax revenues to fund any pet projects. 

1/19/2012 - Compiled from InsiderAdvantage and Southern Political Report staff reports: Latest InsiderAdvantage Poll
  A poll conducted for the Augusta Chronicle and the Savannah Morning News show Newt Gingrich overtaking Mitt Romney among Republican presidential candidates, with Ron Paul finishing third leading up to the Republican Presidential Primary.

1/18/2012 - Matt Towery: Can Gingrich Stay on Message Long Enough to Save His Campaign?
 

On Tuesday of this week two important things took place during a Fox News debate held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. First, Newt Gingrich finally referred back to his experience as a conservative Republican in the U.S. House, and took on questions defiantly, but without insulting those posing the questions. But far more importantly, Mitt Romney, taking a far more subdued approach to the debate, stumbled badly, allowing his income taxes to cast a huge shadow over his otherwise flawless campaign.

 

1/17/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Appropriations Hearings Forecast: Mostly Dull With a Slight Chance of Fireworks
 

With the legislature adjourned next week, the activity under the Gold Dome next week will be limited to appropriations hearings, with heads of State departments making their cases for their requested budgets to legislators. Appropriations hearings are among the dullest activity undertaken by the legislature, but their tone can often give clues to how power and influence is shifting inside state government. They can also sometimes make internal power struggles public, and veterans will be watching two hearings with more than a passing interest: the Labor Department and the Public Service Commission.


1/16/2012 - Compiled from InsiderAdvantage and Southern Political Report staff reports: InsiderAdvantage Poll of South Carolina Republican Primary Conducted for Newsmax
 

Base: 720 likely voters in South Carolina GOP Primary; registered in South Carolina

IVR Poll Weighted for Age, Race and Gender

Margin of error +/- 3.8%

 


1/16/2012 - Dick Pettys: The View From The Ridge: Georgia’s Big Embarrassment
 

I didn’t think it was possible for the state Senate to prove itself  a bigger embarrassment to Georgia than it did from 1971 through 1974, when Lester Maddox was lieutenant governor and, thus, presiding officer of the Senate, and Jimmy Carter – a man he had come to loathe – had replaced him in the governor’s office.  Think of a cat fight at midnight in spades.


1/13/2012 - Mike Hassinger: CAPCO Legislation Killed, Revived in First Week of Session
 

Legislation promoting job creation should see easy passage in Georgia's General Assembly: 2012 is a not only an election year, but the 4th year of the Great Recession, with Georgia's unemployment still exceeding the national average and the prospects of any real economic recovery still unclear. The governor's vision for Georgia's future rests on using State investments in water resources, education, and transportation infrastructure specifically to create jobs. So a plan to use tax credits to invest in encourage small companies to either start or expand and stay in Georgia sounds like exactly the kind of proposal that should sail through the legislature with no problems.


1/13/2012 - Matt Towery: South Carolina Is Make or Break for GOP Contenders
  Yes, Mitt Romney has a huge advantage in the race for the Republican nomination for president. Yes, Newt Gingrich and perhaps Rick Santorum made bad decisions by participating in the New Hampshire primary, given that Romney could outspend them in a state where most participants are hardly "conservative Republicans." But now every candidate must compete in a real, live "red" state, where cities have real, live populations, and the cities and counties are more reflective of the other more mainstream Republican states that will come after it.

1/12/2012 - Mike Hassinger: Competitive Initiative - Go Build
  Governor Nathan Deal's vision for restoring economic growth to Georgia was unveiled Tuesday, and as reported earlier by InsiderAdvantage, put more emphasis on sweeping reforms in education than traditional tax incentives in an effort to create jobs.  

1/12/2012 - Compiled from InsiderAdvantage and Southern Political Report staff reports: Romney and Gingrich Statistically Tied in South Carolina
  InsiderAdvantage/Southern Political Report/ Creators Syndicate Matt Towery: “Romney and Gingrich are even among those who identify themselves as ‘Republicans’ in South Carolina.
  InsiderAdvantage Polling  
InsiderAdvantage Florida Primary
Matt Towery
CEO
InsiderAdvantage
1/22/2012 -

557 registered Republican voters likely to vote (LV) in Florida GOP primary; conducted Sunday evening.

MOE: +/- 4 %

IVR; Weighted for age race gender

  News from Around Georgia  
Behind a Henry County redistricting feud

Georgia DOT loses another top manager

John Barrow is the last Deep South white standing

Sunday alcohol sales in Atlanta could come to a vote Nov. 8

Georgia Political & Policy Digest We are partnering with the Georgia Daily Digest to bring you the latest daily news summary. Click here for more information.
Advertisements
Advertising on InsiderAdvantageGeorgia.com
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Sip Restaurants
Cobb County, Georgia -- Excellent workforce, great schools!