Category: Legislature

"He was more concerned with what was still to be done than with what had previously been accomplished."

This week’s Courier Herald column: You’ve likely seen the meme shared on Facebook.  It purports to be an electric car graveyard in France.  There are variations on the text surrounding the photo, but the conclusion suggested is generally the same:  EV’s are bad because the expensive batteries soon go bad and the cars are junked,

This week’s Courier Herald column: The work of the Georgia General Assembly doesn’t begin in January.  It’s important to remember that our legislators are officially part-time.  Most have other jobs and other responsibilities they attend to the rest of the year, and juggle those the best they can when the legislature meets. It’s hard for

This week’s Courier Herald column: It was January of 1975.  Wheel of Fortune made its television premier.  The Atlanta Falcons used the first pick of the NFL draft to add Steve Bartkowski from UCLA to their roster.  And down at the Georgia capitol, 27-year-old Calvin Smyre of Columbus was sworn in for the first time

There will be a lot of institutional knowledge leaving the capitol this evening when the gavels bang Sine Die. None of them have served longer than Representative Calvin Smyre of Columbus. First elected in 1974, he’s served as a member of the majority and minority parties. He’s humble, but wields quiet power when needed and

Last week’s Courier Herald column: If you look around at any business, you’ll likely notice they’re short staffed.  Georgia’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low, and help wanted signs are everywhere.  Wages for entry level jobs are going up.  While the official “minimum wage” hasn’t changed in over a decade, market forces remain at

Last week’s Courier Herald column: As the calendar turns to the second week of January, Georgia’s eyes begin to look to Atlanta.  Some are looking for leadership in problem solving, some are looking for campaign fodder, and some are emulating NASCAR fans just hoping for a big crash.  The annual meeting of the Georgia General

This week’s Courier Herald column: This is the week we “Spring Forward”.  That’s both a public service announcement, as well as your warning that the semi-annual kerfuffle over time changes is about to inundate your social media feeds.  Despite virtually every adult understanding that there are still only 24 hours in a day, and that

This week’s Courier Herald column: Candidates, partisan activists, and media members alike put too much focus on the differences between the political extremes rather than practical action steps necessary to actually solve problems.  On one end of the spectrum you have those who want to get every government entity “small enough so they can get

We got a press release from the Georgia House press office regarding election results from today’s House Republican Caucus meeting. The Caucus re-elected its officers in key leadership positions and nominated Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) and Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones (R-Milton) to their respective positions. You may remember that Rep. David Clark (R-Buford) was