Republican Sonny Perdue has won the governorship of Georgia. He won office largely on the strength of his appeal to rural voters, and a big part of that appeal was that he attacked Roy Barnes for changing the Georgia state flag. (It had prominently featured the Confederate battle flag before being revised). “Remember who changed your flag!” was one of Perdue’s rallying cries.
Now the fun part.
One of Perdue’s campaign promises was to hold a referendum on the flag issue. And folks, that is a HUGE can of worms.
For debate:
Will Perdue follow through on the proposed referendum? Was he serious, or was he playing Confederate-minded voters for rubes?
If he does follow through, what are the repercussions for Perdue and for the Republican Party?
Will the association of Republicans with the flag re-energize black voters (who stayed away from the polls in droves in GA)?
Will the national Republican Party catch any blowback on this issue?
No real thoughts for you, spoke (other than “can this really be the most important issue facing Georgians right now?” and possibly “could Barnes have come up with a worse compromise than the present flag?”). I have a prediction, though.
Perdue will make the issue a prominent “priority” while skillfully delaying any referendum until the next General Election. Otherwise, he gives up a cheap rallying point for the 'Pubbies before he’s used it all up.
I doubt the flag reverts back. It’s relatively important in the rural southern portion of the state, but a large portion of the electorate don’t want it and another large portion aren’t energized about the idea of cloth on a stick to care about it.
And just for the record, Barnes also alienated a lot of folks with his stance and the state’s performance on education. The Northern Arc idea hacked off quite a few folks, as well as a bloated government that isn’t as effective or efficient as it could be.
IMHO, it will do nothing to challenge the long-held sentiments that the Republican party doesn’t give a shit about black people and that the party is full of racists.
If Georgia reinstates the swastika that so many love and hold dear, I will stop calling myself a proud Georgian.
My Great-great-grandfather spent some time in Georgia once. He was a Republican but he wasn’t welcomed by the locals. He went there with a guy named Sherman. It’s nice to know that his efforts are finally appreciated. Times appear to be a-changing.
Sing it as we use to sing it,
Fifty thousand strong
As we were marching through Georgia.
I think Sonny is already looking for a way to weasel out of this campaign promise.
In the paper today, he says it’s “not a priority,” and his staffers are griping that “the media” made such a big deal about the promise. Perdue says he’ll bring it up when the new legislature convenes in January.
The paper also reports that some of Sonny’s big business contributors don’t want the issue raised because it could harm Georgia economically.
I think Sonny’s original plan may have been to throw the issue to the legislature and let the Democrats there take the blame for not putting a referendum on the ballot. The problem with that is that it’s looking like a handful of legislators may switch parties, giving the Republicans control of the state Senate, at least.
I have no doubt that Perdue will try to weasel out of this, but it sure is going to be fun watching him squirm while he does it.
Actually, Barnes was the model of fiscal responsibility. While our neigboring states were spending money like rubes in a strip club during the 90’s, Roy was setting aside an emergency fund for a rainy day. Now that revenues have dropped precipitously, Georgia is just about the only Southern state that is not in financial crisis.
As for education, Barnes pushed through reforms which left bad teachers a little less secure in their positions. This, of course, alienated the teachers’ union. But you want to make an omelette, you’ve gotta break a few eggs. Did it cost him politically? Sure.
As for educational performance, Barnes’ reforms have not yet had time to bear fruit. Besides which, I understand that standard scores at the primary school level (as opposed to SATs) rose in the last cycle.
I will grant you that the Northern Arc idea (for the uninitiated, yet another stretch of asphalt on which Atlantans could gridlock themselves) was not a good one, and it hurt Barnes in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. On the other hand, those suburbs were solidly Republican anyway.
Barnes lost this election in the rural counties, the same counties he had won last time around. Reason: the flag issue killed him there.
Well, a referendum on what, exactly? “Should we fly the Confederate Flag above the State House?” “Is the Confederate Flag evil?” How would it be phrased, what would people be asked to vote on?
DDG: I imagine it would phrased something like “Should the Georgia State Flag be officially changed to the flag adapted by the legislature in 1956 to protest the evils of school desegregation and to remind the godless librulls what this proud state stands for? Amen.”
In my district, the Democratic challenger associated himself with the Confederate flag at just about every opportunity. Of course, he was Ben “Cooter” Jones (that’s actually how he appeared on the ballot btw, very tacky) and the flag was on the General Lee.
So, we had a southern congressional race that, I guess, ran contrary to stereotypcial form: a Jewish Republican (Eric Cantor) v. a Confederate flag-waving Cooter Democrat.
In regard to the discussion on Georgia politics, Cooter was apparently a Georgia congressman during the early 90s.
OK, it’s becoming more clear how Perdue will weasel out of this. The news yesterday featured a couple of Republican senators saying they didn’t want a referendum.
I expect Sonny will propose to the senate that a resolution be put on the ballot, he will bring the proposal to a vote very quickly (before the press gets worked into a good froth) and then have the measure quickly killed by suburban Republican senators with safe seats. (The constituents of these senators are mostly northern transplants who couldn’t care less about the Confederate flag.)
Problem solved. Perdue gets to say, “Well, I tried.” Republican senators from Confederate-minded districts get to put themselves on record supporting the Confederate flag; Republican senators from suburban counties get to show their constituents how “progressive” they are; and big business is happy because a protracted (and economically harmful) debate is avoided.
I’d like to point out there, Spalvined Gelding, that the efforts of Sherman are irrelevant here. The American Flag has become the national flag of the south. And thus has the south seized control of government. If you don’t believe me, look at the current state of Washington D.C. And Arkansas born President followed by a blatantly proud Texan… just a few years ago it was a Georgian… Just before him, it was Nixon realizing through his “Southern Strategy” that the real ticket to waltzing into Capital Hills #1 Mansion was to appeal to southern voters. The south has risen again, but in a new form, and with new goals.