Ha ha ha ha ha! Georgia teachers just got screwed.

After teachers refused to support former Democratic Governor Roy Barnes last November, and instead voted for Republican candidate Sonny "Moon Pie" Perdue, they received some shocking news. Perdue's new budget does not give teachers, university professors, and state employees a pay raise  next year. What the hell were they thinking? Republicans do not raise the salaries of public school teachers. They send their kids to private schools.

"That certainly will not help us recruit and retain teachers," said Bob Cribbs, a lobbyist for the Georgia Association of Educators [GAE] who began hearing a few weeks ago that teachers probably wouldn't get a raise.

Ironically, teacher groups made the same complaints last year when Barnes only gave educators a 3.25 percent pay hike.

The GAE is the group that refused to endorse Barnes during the election because he began making teachers accountable for their student's test scores, and they took credit for his ouster. That is ironic. Where the hell is Alanis Morissette when you need her? At least after Perdue gets rid of all of Barnes's reforms, the teachers won't have to worry about actually teaching the kids anything, as they won't be held responsible. What a victory for them!

      your note []

Perdue to jack up sin taxes, and increase property taxes.

Perdue's mid-year and fiscal 2004 budgets call for almost $500 million in tobacco and liquor tax hikes, and would reduce the state homestead exemption, which, in turn, would raise property taxes.

Do you smoke?

The cigarette tax would increase from 12 to 58 cents per pack. Cigar taxes would be increased from 13 percent to 36 percent, and there would be a new, 36 percent tax on smokeless tobacco and pipe tobacco.

Do you drink?

The malt beverage tax would increase from 48 cents to 72 cents per gallon. The tax on wine would go from $1.51cents to $2.65 per gallon and the distilled spirits tax would jump from $3. 79 to $5.68 1/2 a gallon.

Do you own your own home?

Perdue also wants to scale back the homestead exemption increase pushed by his predecessor, Democrat Roy Barnes, over the past four years. The property exemption would drop from $10,000 to $4,000 next year, saving the state about $280 million to $285 million a year. A lower exemption means more of a homeowner's property will be subject to being taxed, so tax bills will increase. State officials estimated it would cost average homeowners $155.

Now let me see, Barnes was cutting budgets and not raising taxes. Perdue is going to raise sin taxes and property taxes. Are we sure Georgia elected a Republican? Perdue may start pissing off more people than Barnes did. I do like seeing all the Malboro smoking and bourban drinking flaggers getting dragged over the coals with these new taxes.

      your note []

This is hysterical! LOTR Spoof.

If you have seen LOTR, this spoof is a must see. Jack Black is brilliant. I believe this is from some MTV awards show. Nothing like Jack Black with his Prince Albert.

If the link screws up, it can also be viewed here.

Via Detache.org.

      your note []