Is anyone else surprised Roy Barnes supports the Airzona immigration law? (White: gated, taxi)

[kayrob]

Originally Posted by neil0311

You seem to misunderstand the reasons why Democrats were in power previously. The south was run by Republicans during Reconstruction, and after the end of that era, "Yellow Dog Democrats" were the rule in the south.

Having acknowledged that fact, you didn't have Ted Kennedy or Nancy Pelosi type Democrats in Georgia. In fact, you had folks like Joe Frank Harris, Zell Miller, and Sonny Perdue (yes he used to be a Democrat). Hardly liberals...any of them. The Legislature was controlled by such liberals (sarcasm for those not familiar) as Tom Murphy, but throughout the south, things started changing.

With the advent of Ronald Reagan's presidency, southern Democrats started to change loyalties. First it was in policy only during the 1980s (heard of the "Reagan Democrats"), and then once the Democrats lost their majority in 1994, in name as well. Georgia started to head down that road as well, and the current domination of the state by Republicans isn't a blip on the radar, but the logical evolution.

As Republican became no longer associated with the Reconstruction connotation, and the Democrats became more synonymous with liberalism, conservatives moved to the Republican party throughout the south.

I think it had just as much to do with the Democrats such as the Kennedy's and Huber Humphrey being associated with civil rights issues. Particularly the Northern Democrats.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by spotch

That's one thing I honestly didn't see coming from him... do you guys think he actually believes in his position, or is he just trying to win the election? (serious question)

Roy Barnes Backs AZ Immigration Law - WSB News on wsbradio.com (http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2010/07/roy-barnes-backs-az-immigratio.html - broken link)


I mean, in a state where 68% of the voters support it, I guess you kinda have to back it, but do you think he actually believes in it or is he just trying to win votes?

Definitely the latter, possibly the former. It's almost as politically risky in this state to support immigration rights as it is to raise taxes on the rich or increase gun control.

[mikepayne]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

You never know. Politicans are car salesmen. Tell you what you wanna hear.

These guys are so stupid. Why pass another law that we will have to waste money for the state to defend which will most likely be found unconstitutional for superseding federal law?

*sigh*

please do not insult car salesmen like that!!!!!!!!!!!

[mikepayne]

barnes is the lieingest (sp) sob ever to make a tv commercial!!!!!!!! no more furlows, pay raises for teachers etc etc!! where is he going to get the money??? crap it???

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by mikepayne

barnes is the lieingest (sp) sob ever to make a tv commercial!!!!!!!! no more furlows, pay raises for teachers etc etc!! where is he going to get the money??? crap it???

Barnes will say whatever Barnes needs to say to get elected. Remember when Esso became Exxon back in the day "We have changed our name, but not our stripes" campaign? Well, just think of Barnes.

Again, he will do what he has to. An ambulance chasing lawyer out for #1, thus his nickname during his last failed tenure as Gov., "KING ROY". Heck, he can't run on his record that is for sure.

Electing Barnes would be like voting for a second term for Obama or even worse asking George Bush to come back for a third as President.

[Georgia]

Just came across Channel 2 News. Had the Democrat debate and Barnes gave his answer in standard King Roy fashion on the immigration law.

"Uh, I might sign it depending that it does not have any racial overtones, but probably will sign it, providing it does not cost me any votes on the left, but scared that if I don't it will cost me votes on the right, Uh! let me check with my paralegals, uh no can't do that because they are out right now assisting illegals in Georgia but working to get them out of Cobb County so they won't be around my mansion I mean house, but don't take my gardner since he works for a dollar an hour, but ok I may sign it providing Baker does not but if he booms in the Democrat polls before Tuesday I, King Roy am against it!":p

King Roy! Gotta love him

[billl]

Originally Posted by brettk

Immigration is far down on the list? Come take a drive through Gwinnett county......

You can tell who is an illegal immigrant just by driving down the street? Wow. I think you have a promising future in law enforcement.

Just wait three years. By then the feds will have cut off your access to Lake Lanier and you will have to have drinking water trucked in at exorbitant rates. By then I don't think you will care much about the immigration problem.

[neil0311]

I wasn't living here when Barnes was Gov, so I didn't get to see him previously up close, but my initial take is that he seems like the kind of guy who will pander endlessly with rhetoric that he knows isn't true, but he'll use the ignorance of voters. He seems less concerned with doing what's right, and more concerned with doing what it takes to win.

Now I'm not saying he's alone or that there aren't Republicans who fit that mold as well. Am I correct?

[AcidSnake]

I saw this one coming.

In fact, I had fully expected him to at least endorse some parts of the Arizona legislation. Georgia is the south, after all.

Why do we keep expecting Democratic leaders in this country to tow the "liberal-agenda" in the 21st century anyways? It's only in this two-party system that is bolstered by a Corporatist media do some of us Americans have such an ignorant & simplistic concept of what political parties truly are.

It also galled me when folks used to use the "RINO" label, as if Republicans were always "conservatives." They should take a looong look back at Abraham Lincoln & the Radical Republicans, who could argueably be the most liberal/progresssive politicians in America's history.

If we Georgians/Americans want our political parties to correspond to ideology we should adopt a multi-party parliamentary system. If we don't want that, then just get over it. When Zell Miller was in office he governed as a moderate Democrat, so why should the same not be expected of Roy Barnes? Geez louise...

Originally Posted by spotch

That's one thing I honestly didn't see coming from him... do you guys think he actually believes in his position, or is he just trying to win the election? (serious question)

Roy Barnes Backs AZ Immigration Law - WSB News on wsbradio.com (http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2010/07/roy-barnes-backs-az-immigratio.html - broken link)


I mean, in a state where 68% of the voters support it, I guess you kinda have to back it, but do you think he actually believes in it or is he just trying to win votes?

[AcidSnake]

I don't think that we should look at Roy Barnes's endorsing of the Arizona legislation in this vein. The reality is that America has always been complicated & that there are many regions in this country whose philosophies can be considered liberal on some issues & conservative on others.

It's just that our country has a dumbed-down simplistic two-party system that utterly fails to capture all that diversity of thought. The real conversation should be why we still cling desperately to this anachronistic system, at least at the state & local level, anyways.

Originally Posted by neil0311

I wasn't living here when Barnes was Gov, so I didn't get to see him previously up close, but my initial take is that he seems like the kind of guy who will pander endlessly with rhetoric that he knows isn't true, but he'll use the ignorance of voters. He seems less concerned with doing what's right, and more concerned with doing what it takes to win.

Now I'm not saying he's alone or that there aren't Republicans who fit that mold as well. Am I correct?