A Do-Nothing Governor's legacy in the making.
In a 12-29-04 post I wrote about Bill Shipp's wish list for 2005, noting in part:
At a most appropriate time, the Dean shares his 2005 wish list. I can understand the Dean realistically being hopeful on most everything on his list except the last one.
The Dean often engages in tongue-in-cheek, and when from time to time such goes right over the heads of some of his readers, they get upset with him, real upset.
I don't know if the Dean was engaging in such when he penned the last item on this list or if, by the time he was about through with his column, he was finishing a refreshing glass of holiday eggnog, spiked with some fine bourbon with just a dash of some freshly ground nutmeg courtesy of lovely wife Reny.
Why do I say such?
The last item on the Dean's wish list is "Gov. Sonny Perdue will prove his critics wrong. He will do something."
Because while all good Georgians would appreciate their Governor actually doing something, we have an enigma here with this Governor.
We know he is a Do-Nothing Governor who hasn't done anything; we assume he wants to remain a Do-Nothing Governor who won't do anything; but we don't know if this Do-Nothing Governor, assuming he ever wanted to do anything, could do anything.
Thus how could Shipp hope the man can do something that the man might be incapable of doing.
You know what I mean, don't ya? Sort of like how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. We know the woodchuck can't chuck wood. We don't know whether Sonny can chuck. Can you chuck Sonny? If you can, I'm with the Dean. Start chucking.
But still we don't know if he can. Thus I remain undecided -- with the Dean, was it tongue-in-cheek or the eggnog?
Heck, truth be told, I'm getting all mixed up myself. Sally, how about a little eggnog.
_______________
I think Gov. Perdue has proved his critics wrong; I think Sonny Perdue has, finally, started chucking.
And in the process, we are close to witnessing the Governor's legacy.
What, pray tell, could I be writing about? You got it. Shorter lines for getting a drivers' license.
On Thursday the Governor won Senate approval Thursday to dismantle the 4-year-old Department of Motor Vehicle Safety and shift its functions and 1,400 employees to four existing state agencies and a new department focused on driver's license services.
Perdue has billed the move as key to ending long lines at driver's license centers across the state, particularly in metro Atlanta.
The 137-page bill also reduces the number of times you’ll need to visit. It calls for new 5-year and 10-year licenses and it eliminates most eye exams. Only first-time drivers and people over 65 would be tested.
The bill passed the House two weeks ago on a tie-breaking vote from Speaker Richardson and must return there for final approval of some Senate changes.
The bill does have its critics. Why dismantle a whole department to address problems in one division? Why ignore reports that the agency is working and is considered a national model? Why do it without a firm estimate of what it will cost?
Senate Democrats initially tried to scuttle floor debate because the bill did not have a fiscal note, a report by state auditors on the likely costs.
Sen. David Adelmansaid, "This is a far-reaching bill, and no one in this room has a clue of the fiscal impact."
They’re set to debate it Tuesday in the House. If it passes and the Governor signs it, the changes would take effect July 1.
Some Democratic Senators claim that the state may lose federal highway funds and may have to spend millions. Others have said that Perdue wants to dismantle the DMVS as one of the last vestiges of the administration of his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes.
(Lawmakers Friday night and 3-25-04 AJC.)
_______________
Come on Democrats. Not that you could even if you wanted to with all of the Hawks flying about this coming Tuesday, but don't deny Gov. Perdue his wish in this legislation. It is his legislation; his legacy; his first real day in the limelight since recently neutering poor old Nelson (3-7-05 AJC.).
Don't make it rough riding for him. As a state we lose either way.
On the one hand, if he thinks it will be rough riding ahead Tuesday, he might decide to again sport his easy rider motorcycle helmet as he did to begin the 2003 session.
And if he thinks this would not portray the appropriate image, he may feel inclined to look presidential, and given the current season and all such, come to the Capitol dressed in an Easter bunny outfit.
At a most appropriate time, the Dean shares his 2005 wish list. I can understand the Dean realistically being hopeful on most everything on his list except the last one.
The Dean often engages in tongue-in-cheek, and when from time to time such goes right over the heads of some of his readers, they get upset with him, real upset.
I don't know if the Dean was engaging in such when he penned the last item on this list or if, by the time he was about through with his column, he was finishing a refreshing glass of holiday eggnog, spiked with some fine bourbon with just a dash of some freshly ground nutmeg courtesy of lovely wife Reny.
Why do I say such?
The last item on the Dean's wish list is "Gov. Sonny Perdue will prove his critics wrong. He will do something."
Because while all good Georgians would appreciate their Governor actually doing something, we have an enigma here with this Governor.
We know he is a Do-Nothing Governor who hasn't done anything; we assume he wants to remain a Do-Nothing Governor who won't do anything; but we don't know if this Do-Nothing Governor, assuming he ever wanted to do anything, could do anything.
Thus how could Shipp hope the man can do something that the man might be incapable of doing.
You know what I mean, don't ya? Sort of like how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. We know the woodchuck can't chuck wood. We don't know whether Sonny can chuck. Can you chuck Sonny? If you can, I'm with the Dean. Start chucking.
But still we don't know if he can. Thus I remain undecided -- with the Dean, was it tongue-in-cheek or the eggnog?
Heck, truth be told, I'm getting all mixed up myself. Sally, how about a little eggnog.
_______________
I think Gov. Perdue has proved his critics wrong; I think Sonny Perdue has, finally, started chucking.
And in the process, we are close to witnessing the Governor's legacy.
What, pray tell, could I be writing about? You got it. Shorter lines for getting a drivers' license.
On Thursday the Governor won Senate approval Thursday to dismantle the 4-year-old Department of Motor Vehicle Safety and shift its functions and 1,400 employees to four existing state agencies and a new department focused on driver's license services.
Perdue has billed the move as key to ending long lines at driver's license centers across the state, particularly in metro Atlanta.
The 137-page bill also reduces the number of times you’ll need to visit. It calls for new 5-year and 10-year licenses and it eliminates most eye exams. Only first-time drivers and people over 65 would be tested.
The bill passed the House two weeks ago on a tie-breaking vote from Speaker Richardson and must return there for final approval of some Senate changes.
The bill does have its critics. Why dismantle a whole department to address problems in one division? Why ignore reports that the agency is working and is considered a national model? Why do it without a firm estimate of what it will cost?
Senate Democrats initially tried to scuttle floor debate because the bill did not have a fiscal note, a report by state auditors on the likely costs.
Sen. David Adelmansaid, "This is a far-reaching bill, and no one in this room has a clue of the fiscal impact."
They’re set to debate it Tuesday in the House. If it passes and the Governor signs it, the changes would take effect July 1.
Some Democratic Senators claim that the state may lose federal highway funds and may have to spend millions. Others have said that Perdue wants to dismantle the DMVS as one of the last vestiges of the administration of his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes.
(Lawmakers Friday night and 3-25-04 AJC.)
_______________
Come on Democrats. Not that you could even if you wanted to with all of the Hawks flying about this coming Tuesday, but don't deny Gov. Perdue his wish in this legislation. It is his legislation; his legacy; his first real day in the limelight since recently neutering poor old Nelson (3-7-05 AJC.).
Don't make it rough riding for him. As a state we lose either way.
On the one hand, if he thinks it will be rough riding ahead Tuesday, he might decide to again sport his easy rider motorcycle helmet as he did to begin the 2003 session.
And if he thinks this would not portray the appropriate image, he may feel inclined to look presidential, and given the current season and all such, come to the Capitol dressed in an Easter bunny outfit.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 8:09 AM
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