Fresh Loaf

Tonight anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 people will converge upon the Georgia Capitol to shake their fists and dangle their rage-filled tea bags in protest over nanny-state, big-spending guvmint!

Notables expected to bask in the spotlight — or face possible jeers — include America’s Most Noble Human Sean Hannity, former U.S. Rep. Dick Armey of Texas, a country singer, and this guy who wants you to know about the dangers of the approaching digital TV signal conversion. State lawmakers include Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, and Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock.

And it looks like the $25,000 fete will create confusion for motorists.

“The Tea Party at the Capitol combined with Braves traffic could possibly create a traffic nightmare,” said Paul Marshall, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

Marshall advises using MARTA if going to either event, and he urged Braves fans traveling by car to take the Fulton Street exit off the Downtown Connector to avoid the area surrounding the Capitol, where he said the Hannity event “could draw thousands.”

Yes, MARTA, the same public transit system that many of the GOP honchos who are attending or contributing to tonight’s event kissed off during the legislative session.

If you do decide to drive to the protest on the metro region’s heavily subsidized road system, be prepared for gridlock. The AJC quotes Marshall as saying the worst traffic will be during rush hour and at approximately 11 p.m. CBS Atlanta has a list of road closures. Central Atlanta Progress and the Georgia Building Authority have maps of nearby parking lots.

MARTA, however, will be your best bet. Check out Citizens for Progressive Transit’s A-TRAIN trip planner for the best route to and from public transportation.

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(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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It hasn’t worked so far, but let’s try it again.

That seemed to be the thinking down at the state Capitol today, where House Republicans re-elected Glenn Richardson of Hiram as speaker and Jerry Keen of St. Simons as minority leader. The only real turnover was the election of Jan Jones of Alpharetta as majority whip, replacing Barry Fleming, who left the Legislature to get his clocked cleaned by Congressman Paul Broun in the 10th District race.

Granted, Richardson and Keen both had opposition – from GOP outsiders David Ralston of Blue Ridge and Tom Graves of Ranger, respectively – but, although caucus votes counts are kept secret, neither incumbent seemed to be in much danger.

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Hundreds of people rallied outside the Capitol Thursday evening in a final attempt to convince the state Pardon and Parole Board that Troy Davis shouldn’t be executed. Davis has been on death row since 1989 for the murder of a Savannah police officer. Although there was no physical evidence linking Davis to the murder and seven of the nine witnesses who originally identified him as the killer have recanted their testimony the state has given a Sept. 23 date for Davis’ execution. His last hope is the parole board, which meets today to hear testimony about the case. The two-hour rally included speeches by Davis’ sister, state Sen. Vincent Fort and two of 129 death row inmates who have been exonerated nationwide in the last 35 years. Davis also spoke to the crowd through a cell phone call from the prison where he is held. The board is expected to make a ruling on the case sometime in the next week.

See more photos from yesterday’s Troy Davis rally at the Capitol here.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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