Note from the Editor: We're going to try an experiment by initiating a mid-week edition called "Political Boxers" (as opposed to "Political Briefs"). It's going to be all contained within one newsletter for an easy-to-digest form. Hope it works-out!

Bob Barr Impales Himself Upon His Own Stupidity - Chapter 2

On Monday afternoon, Former Congressman Bob Barr made a big announcement in the Marietta Square, stating that he is officially in the race to replace 6th District Congressman, now U.S. Senate Candidate, Johnny Isakson.

Rumors have it that some yo-yos in Congress have agreed to grant him his "seniority" back were he to win, meaning he also gets to reclaim his pension years. Hear that, kids? If ya flunk-out of school, you can get granted seniority immediately upon returning.

Barr reportedly made the following statements yesterday to which PV has an instant rebuttal to:

"Our president does not need people in Washington who require a learning curve."

Instant PV Punch: Right, Bob. Guess that's why Max Burns and Phil Gingrey suck so bad now. Because they're still sliding slowly up that learning curve...gosh, Bush must be getting quite impatient.

"You don't win elections by saying 'I'm rich and I'm going to write a check.'"

Instant PV Punch: Well, Bob, at least your potential opponents actually HAVE jobs in the private sector and can successfully work outside of government for their livelihood. The only thing you've succeeded in doing for 8 years is maintaining your role as a government welfare recipient.

So, tell us, Bob. Are you going to run your campaign painting your race as a battle against Bill Clinton like you did in 2002 against John Linder? Or, are you going to own-up and face your fellow Republicans like a real man?

Highlights of Presidents Day Dinner

The crowd for Monday night's dinner at the Marriott Marquis numbered approximately 1200 and took in over $1,000,000. Seen among the dinner-goers were Dem lobbyists who were trying their best to demonstrate support of Republicans. Too many of them left halfway through Saxby's speech, thus earning them half-gold stars on the Republican rating board (yes, we'll take your money, but you have to also demonstrate a longer attention span than a gnat).

Seen among the special guests were Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and 4th Congressional Congresswoman, Denese Majette.

No Flag-Nazis were seen, nor was anyone wearing their little flag lapel stickers. (Was this really a Republican event? How could this be???)

GOP Chairman Ralph Reed demonstrated what a good guy he can be by asking Rabbi Ilan Feldman to do the dinner's invocation. No word on what the religious theocrats of the Republican Party felt about THAT. State Senator Jeff Mullis and State Rep. Bobby Franklin could not be located for their instant reaction.
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Governor Sonny Perdue's speech was rather...riveting. Among one of his topics discussed was the idea that since cigarettes are a "non-essential product," that it was okay to raise the tax on it. In doing so, Perdue argued, the price would be raised to a point where fewer children would be able to afford a pack and that would be better for us on a statewide health basis.

Instant PV Punch: Well, if we're going to discuss "non-essentials" that can and should be taxed, why don't we put a tax on all candy bars and individual servings of potato and corn chips and peanut-butter crackers? Because, no one can argue about a Milky Way bar being an "essential" item (unless you're a pregnant woman, in which case the legislature can build-in a waiver), can they? Think about all of the fat folks (like, our staff) who would resist buying such an item due to the rise in price. And, all the skinny folks with their Shane-Hix-metabolisms will still buy the sweet stuff and give us more revenue. C'mon, Gov! It's a great idea! We'll even allow you the credit!
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Now, the TOP rumor of the night was that Alec Poitevant was going to be Sonny's pick for the next state chairman. Boy! We can't wait for those annual Christmas cards of his beautiful daughters and that poor ugly dog they drag from the pound every year.

State Rep. Bob Holmes Opens His Mouth And Inserts His Ass

In the Education Committee last week, Committee Chairman Bob Holmes (D) gave his opinion on our country's Declaration of Independence.

Rep Bill Hembree (R) brought a bill (HB 253) honoring the victims of 9/11. It would require that school children would be required to study and recite from the Declaration of Independence on the anniversary of the attacks.

Holmes stated that he believed that the Declaration of Independence was a "myth" and personally insulting to him and his "people."

Instant PV Punch: Now, in a related note, last year Bob was overheard as he exited the showing of The Lord of The Rings movie that he wished he could have lived during the time of Middle-Earth because he believes, as a black man, he would have stood out among the Hobbits and the Elves as truly a great leader.

On a more serious note, Hembree's bill has been assigned to a subcommittee for review before it gets to back to the committee for a vote. If you wish to contact Chairman Bumpkin Bob Holmes to express your opinion on his opinion of the Declaration of Independence, we invite you to phone him at one of these numbers:

Capitol Office (404) 656-5115
District Phone: (404) 880-8089

This Sistah Is Going To Put Those Flaggers In Their Place

State Rep. Alisha Thomas (D) of Austell will be visiting the Chattahoochee Guards Camp 1639 of the Georgia Division of Sons of Confederate Veterans at 7:30 this next Monday. The talk will be held at the South Cobb Community Center in Mableton. The topic? The only thing the SCV repeatedly demonstrates that it cares about: the state flag.

She was "invited" via an e-mail challenge by a flagger by the name of Ken Waters. According to the AJC's Political Insider Column, this was the wording of the e-mail to State Rep Thomas:

"Are you a state representative for all the citizens of your district, or just the black citizens? The reason I ask is I see you proudly smiling on the front page of the Marietta Daily Journal at an NAACP meeting on MLK day. But where do you speak to large audiences of your white constituents?"

Thomsa reportedly fired back this response:

"I will accept your invitation but I must be very clear that I expect as you noted to be treated with respect as I am your elected official."

Instant PV Punch: Hey, Ken? Make sure that Democrat Flagger named Tim Pilgrim is there. We want to see Alisha backhand him if he's stupid enough to challenge her like he challenged State Rep. Judy Manning last year. Sistahs like Alisha don't put up with no crap from white trash like Pilgrim.

State Rep Pedro Marin Gets A Welcome-To-An-Ethics-Complaint-Party Invitation

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – Jimmy Herchek, an activist for the enforcement of immigration laws, has filed a complaint with the Georgia State Ethics Commission for financial disclosure violations by State Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) and the Centro Mexicano De Atlanta/The Mexican Center Of Atlanta, Inc. where Marin is the Executive Director.

State Representative Marin failed to disclose his position as Executive Director of Centro Mexicano De Atlanta/The Mexican Center Of Atlanta, Inc., a non-profit corporation with a legal domicile at the Atlanta Mexican Consulate Office at 2600 Apple Valley Road in Atlanta. This disclosure is required as part of the Financial Disclosure Statement in the Ethics In Government Act.

Pedro Marin became a Representative-elect in August 2002 when he won the Democrat nomination for State House District 66 in an unopposed election and no candidate of any other political Party qualified for the General Election.

Marin was hired as Executive Director of the Centro Mexicano De Atlanta/The Mexican Center Of Atlanta, Inc. in September 2002.

As Executive Director of the Centro Mexicano De Atlanta/The Mexican Center Of Atlanta, Inc., Marin appeared at a Decatur legislative hearing in October 2002 to support a bill that would grant driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants helping coordinate the appearance of a large number of day laborers.

In January 2003, Marin filed his signed and sworn Financial Disclosure Statement to the Georgia Ethics Commission claiming he was not a director or manager of a profit or nonprofit corporation.

Representative Marin has filed HB 126 which would allow the Matricula Consular, an identification card issued by the Atlanta Mexican Consulate solely for the benefit of Mexican citizens residing in Georgia, as a legal form of identification in Georgia in order to procure a Georgia driver’s license. This would grant illegal immigrants from Mexico the privilege of obtaining Georgia driver’s licenses.

“Imagine the outcry,” exclaims Herchek, “if Georgia Right To Life or the ACLU hired a State Representative who lobbies and sponsors bills on the employer’s behalf. This blatant conflict of interest is now criminalized because Marin fails to disclose it.”

“Like the illegal immigrants Pedro Marin advocates for, he seems to think he does not have to follow the law. As a concerned citizen, I won’t let him get away with it,” concluded Herchek.