Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) has emerged as a key link between the Gold Dome and the Obama White House. -- He is most definitely a go-to person.
James Salzer writes in the AJC:
Lawmakers in Georgia aren’t counting on federal stimulus funds to save the state from its dire economic situation. But that doesn’t mean they’re not hoping.
Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus), who was in Washington last week to meet with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, has emerged as a key link between the Gold Dome and the White House. Officially, he was there in his role as president of a national organization of black lawmakers. Unofficially, he was there on behalf of his home state.
“Philosophically, I don’t believe the federal government ought to be bailing out states,” Smyre said. “But, I do believe, if we have an economic stimulus package, Georgia ought to take advantage of the opportunity.”
_______________
In a 12-5-06 post the Cracker Squire wrote the following about Rep. Calvin Smyre who he is proud to be able to call his friend:
InsiderAdvantage Georgia reports that:
State Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, has been elected president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) . . . .
Founded in 1977, NBCSL is a nonpartisan organization with more than six hundred members in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As president, Representative Smyre will lead the organization’s efforts to identify and research important public policy issues as well as craft model state legislation to address these issues.
Smyre was first elected to the Georgia House in 1972 at age 26. He’s now served in the Legislature for 32 years. He was floor leader for former Gov. Joe Frank Harris and has chaired the University System of Georgia Committee and the House Rules Committee. He is a former chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
In a 3-19-05 post partially entitled "[O]ne of my favorite Georgia Democrats, Rep. Calvin Smyre. -- Georgia Democrats appreciate all you do for us Rep. Smyre," I wrote:
As noted in the caption, Rep. Calvin Smyre is one of my favorite Georgia Democrats. As noted above, he is currently serving as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
He has previously served as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, and now serves as Chair Emeritus.
He is a go-to person, whether it is legislation that has hit a snag or someone with difficult situation or problem needing resolving.
In a 12-27-04 post I wrote the following about Rep. Smyre:
In my recent write up of the state Executive Committee meeting in Atlanta, I noted that Rep. Calvin Smyre hit a grand slam talking about our Party and our future. I stressed how impressed I was with his firm grasp of and understanding the big picture, and knowing what we must do to prevail in 2006 and 2008.
I also noted that if Rep. Smyre says something, our Party "can take it to the bank."
Well, one thing I did not include in my write up of the meeting was a comment Rep. Smyre made about the relationship of the Democratic Party of Georgia and the NDC.
When he was saying that it was time for us as a state Party to make our views known to the DNC, and if we do and still we are ignored, the Democratic Party of Georgia can at least "go down in dignity."
And in a 12-20-04 post, I wrote the following about Rep. Smyre:
Rep. Calvin Smyre echoed much of what Mr. [Bert] Lance had said, but was more forceful, firing up those in attendance in the process. He is fed up with the DNC ignoring the South, and reviewed how completely writing off the South will continue to portend disaster for us landing a Democrat in the White House and its trickle down effect.
He reviewed some data similar to that posted in a 12-19-04 post that noted that the South includes 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Together they cast 168 electoral college votes, more than three-fifths of the 270 required for election.
Rep. Smyre thinks it is time to quit being nice and sugar-coating our feelings about the national Party.
He seems close to the point of thinking Georgia Party officials should go public, letting the powers that be know how sick and tired of the DNC we all are.
The former Party Chair is an eloquent spokesman who can rattle off statistics backing up his position. I hope we do go public, and the sooner the better. And if we do, there is not a better spokesman for the Party than Rep. Smyre.
And lastly, in a 11-22-04 post I wrote that
my favorite low profile political trio – Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, Attorney General Thurbert Baker and former state Democratic Party Chairman Calvin Smyre – remain most vigilant in rebuilding our state's white-black Democratic coalition as we all work together in reviving the crumbled Democratic power and putting back together again our Humpty-Dumpty Democratic Party of Georgia following our November 2002 whipping.
The next time you run into Rep. Smyre, thank him for all he does and has done for our party. Rep. Smyre, we 'preciate you.
Lawmakers in Georgia aren’t counting on federal stimulus funds to save the state from its dire economic situation. But that doesn’t mean they’re not hoping.
Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus), who was in Washington last week to meet with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, has emerged as a key link between the Gold Dome and the White House. Officially, he was there in his role as president of a national organization of black lawmakers. Unofficially, he was there on behalf of his home state.
“Philosophically, I don’t believe the federal government ought to be bailing out states,” Smyre said. “But, I do believe, if we have an economic stimulus package, Georgia ought to take advantage of the opportunity.”
_______________
In a 12-5-06 post the Cracker Squire wrote the following about Rep. Calvin Smyre who he is proud to be able to call his friend:
InsiderAdvantage Georgia reports that:
State Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, has been elected president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) . . . .
Founded in 1977, NBCSL is a nonpartisan organization with more than six hundred members in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As president, Representative Smyre will lead the organization’s efforts to identify and research important public policy issues as well as craft model state legislation to address these issues.
Smyre was first elected to the Georgia House in 1972 at age 26. He’s now served in the Legislature for 32 years. He was floor leader for former Gov. Joe Frank Harris and has chaired the University System of Georgia Committee and the House Rules Committee. He is a former chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
In a 3-19-05 post partially entitled "[O]ne of my favorite Georgia Democrats, Rep. Calvin Smyre. -- Georgia Democrats appreciate all you do for us Rep. Smyre," I wrote:
As noted in the caption, Rep. Calvin Smyre is one of my favorite Georgia Democrats. As noted above, he is currently serving as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
He has previously served as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, and now serves as Chair Emeritus.
He is a go-to person, whether it is legislation that has hit a snag or someone with difficult situation or problem needing resolving.
In a 12-27-04 post I wrote the following about Rep. Smyre:
In my recent write up of the state Executive Committee meeting in Atlanta, I noted that Rep. Calvin Smyre hit a grand slam talking about our Party and our future. I stressed how impressed I was with his firm grasp of and understanding the big picture, and knowing what we must do to prevail in 2006 and 2008.
I also noted that if Rep. Smyre says something, our Party "can take it to the bank."
Well, one thing I did not include in my write up of the meeting was a comment Rep. Smyre made about the relationship of the Democratic Party of Georgia and the NDC.
When he was saying that it was time for us as a state Party to make our views known to the DNC, and if we do and still we are ignored, the Democratic Party of Georgia can at least "go down in dignity."
And in a 12-20-04 post, I wrote the following about Rep. Smyre:
Rep. Calvin Smyre echoed much of what Mr. [Bert] Lance had said, but was more forceful, firing up those in attendance in the process. He is fed up with the DNC ignoring the South, and reviewed how completely writing off the South will continue to portend disaster for us landing a Democrat in the White House and its trickle down effect.
He reviewed some data similar to that posted in a 12-19-04 post that noted that the South includes 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Together they cast 168 electoral college votes, more than three-fifths of the 270 required for election.
Rep. Smyre thinks it is time to quit being nice and sugar-coating our feelings about the national Party.
He seems close to the point of thinking Georgia Party officials should go public, letting the powers that be know how sick and tired of the DNC we all are.
The former Party Chair is an eloquent spokesman who can rattle off statistics backing up his position. I hope we do go public, and the sooner the better. And if we do, there is not a better spokesman for the Party than Rep. Smyre.
And lastly, in a 11-22-04 post I wrote that
my favorite low profile political trio – Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, Attorney General Thurbert Baker and former state Democratic Party Chairman Calvin Smyre – remain most vigilant in rebuilding our state's white-black Democratic coalition as we all work together in reviving the crumbled Democratic power and putting back together again our Humpty-Dumpty Democratic Party of Georgia following our November 2002 whipping.
The next time you run into Rep. Smyre, thank him for all he does and has done for our party. Rep. Smyre, we 'preciate you.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 4:01 PM
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