From Poverty to History Maker by Holmes Robert A.;

Author:Holmes, Robert A.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 4693381
Publisher: University Press of America, Incorporated

The early 1990s provided a very valuable learning experience as I spent numerous hours trying to craft strategies and build alliances on the Green Door committee to help secure maximum funding for many worthy organizations and projects. For several of the organizations that I championed, state funds were critical to their survival and their ability to provide valuable services to their constituencies. I was able to greatly enhance my ability to broker deals, achieve compromise, and develop allies to win many battles on budget matters. However, my experiences reminded me of the “Wide World of Sports” axiom of experiences, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” It was particularly disheartening to have some of my fellow GLBC members to align with Speaker Murphy to force me to resign as chair of the GLBC because of their own selfish ambitions. This incident reminded me that I should never assume that many of my legislative colleagues believe in permanent friends or allies, only permanent interests—their own. I had believed they would support me against the Speaker because they and I had more mutual interests and a common goal, namely to do what was in the best interest of Black Georgians against those who had often blocked GLBC efforts to improve our constituents’ quality of life.

I was particularly satisfied with being able to pass legislation to improve voter registration, election participation and representation. However, there were still more battles to be fought and victories to be won in the Georgia General Assembly to benefit poor and minority residents of Georgia.

NOTES

1. Frank LaMonte, “Black Leader Must Choose Between Jobs,” Florida Times/Georgia, 13 January 1991.

2. See Charles Ralston, “Leading Black Leader Broadens Agenda,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 21 January 1991 and Steve Harvey, “Athens Law-maker to Lead Legislative Black Caucus,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2 February 1991.

3. See Bob Holmes, “Budget and Appropriations,” in Bob Holmes and Gretchen E. Maclachlan (eds.), Georgia Legislative Review, 1991 (Atlanta: Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, 1991), 5-6, 8.

4. Bob Holmes, “Reapportionment/Redistricting Politics in Georgia in the 1990s and 2001-2002,” in David Bositis (ed.), Voting Rights, Minority Redistricting and Representation. (Lantham: University Press of America, 2006), 87-121.

5. Rob Brainin and Bob Holmes, “Other Legislation” in Holmes and Maclachlan, Georgia Legislative Review, 1992, 143-144.

6. Robert Fishman, “Ethics,” in Holmes and Maclachlan (eds.), 1992, 72-76.

7. Gloria Mixon, “Education,” in Holmes and Maclachlan (eds.), Georgia Legislative Review 1993, 65-71.

8. Rhonda Cook, “Recall Bill Back Fires on Supporters,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 20 March 1991 and “Governor Vetoes Bill on Recalls,” 1 April 1991.

9. Bob Holmes letter to editor, “Editorial Distorts Campaign Financial Disclosure Bill,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8 February 1991.

10. See Rob Brainin and Bob Holmes, “Other Legislation,” in Bob Holmes and Gretchen E. Maclachlan (eds.), Georgia Legislative Review, 1992 (Atlanta: Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, 1992), 150-151.

11. Branin and Holmes, “Other Legislation,” 151-152.

12. Mark Sherman, “Lawmakers Favor Voting Reforms, But They’d Keep Run-Off Elections,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 10 January 1993, cited by Bob Holmes, “Governmental Affairs,” in Bob Holmes and Gretchen E.

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