Fresh Loaf

Embarrassing national headlines about stem cell research. A bald-faced sweetheart deal for the state’s largest utility company. The usual assortment of divisive bills.

The mantra going into the 2009 Georgia General Assembly was “do no harm,” but the state’s most powerful lawmakers proved they can’t do anything but.

And because their foibles and foul-ups deserve to be preserved in perpetuity, and no stupid deed should go unnoticed, we hereby proudly present the 20th annual Golden Sleaze Awards.

If the list seems short on (um, devoid of) Democrats this year, consider it a reflection of the minority party’s lack of clout – and corresponding ineffectiveness at inflicting damage.

View our list of the legislative session’s dunderheads — as well as some lawmakers who did some good — here.

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It’s often been theorized that small-town newspapers have the best hope for surviving the withering of the print media that’s occurring in every large city in America — including, of course, Atlanta. If that theory proves to be correct in Georgia, it will be despite the best efforts of state Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon

Last year, Staton introduced a bill — SB 391, to be exact — that would effectively deal a death blow to most small and mid-sized newspapers in Georgia by stripping them of lucrative legal ads. Described simply, his measure would shift legal ads and public notices from local papers onto a website authorized by the Secretary of State’s office.

The danger of Staton’s bill, which has yet to be reintroduced this session, is not that it has powerful backers — although it does — or that he’s particularly skillful at pushing bills through. The danger lies in the fact that his idea — or some version of that idea — actually makes a great deal of sense.

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