One Man’s Opinion: There’s a New Speaker in Town

By Bill Crane

State Representative Jon Burns (R-District 159) of Newington, Georgia in Effingham County is not new to the State House, having joined the body in 2005. Nor is he new to leadership, having served as the GOP House Majority Leader since 2015. But he is new to the Office of Speaker, arguably the second most powerful elected position in state government, and he will be bringing a slightly new approach to wielding that big gavel.

Burns was a close friend and confidante of the prior Speaker, David Ralston, and will be retaining much of his office staff, demeanor, and decorum in the well of running the chamber with an eye toward bettering the lives of all Georgians This helps explain his selection as Speaker by a unanimous vote of acclimation on the first day of this legislative session, while our Speaker in the U.S. Congress squeaked into office by one vote on the 15th ballot.

Burns is also a farmer and small businessman, very successful and visible within the timber industry in southeast Georgia. In the words of his peers in the House and elsewhere, he is a “classic conservative.”

From Dan Snipes, a Statesboro attorney who has worked previously with Burns, “He doesn’t have an extreme bone in his body. He is a principled, classic conservative.”

Burns is inheriting this gavel following a dear friend’s sudden and unexpected death, but the state and the State House are in otherwise good stead. A budget surplus of more than $6 billion is being sifted through and divvied up first: more reserves, some big-ticket onetime expenses, and another pay raise for educators and most all-state employees. There are fissures within the Georgia GOP, but they have a very comfortable majority, and almost all are at least on speaking terms.

Emory Morsberger: Helping Ukraine

By Victoria R. Crosby

I recently attended a lecture by Emory Morsberger who gave a very moving talk about his visits with a relief team to the front lines of the war in Ukraine. Emory serves as president for Tucker Summit Community Improvement District (CID), and executive director for Gateways85 CID, which is one of the largest CIDs, covering fourteen square miles, and directs all activities for these two metro Atlanta CIDs.

Emory Morsberger first visited Ukraine in 1998 when he began hearing stories from the Ukrainian people of freedom from Russia. On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine with a full-scale war.

“The people of Ukraine want to live productive lives, like any other group of people,” Emory told the people listening attentively to his lecture. “After the invasion five million women and children left the wartorn country, but men aged from sixteen to sixty-five are not allowed to leave. Many of the people who left went to Romania, Poland, Germany, and the United States.”

After sending financial contributions, Emory wanted to do more to help, and at the top of Stone Mountain, he prayed to God about wanting to do more than sending money. Many groups all over the world are helping, including churches, his local Rotary group, and Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), a non-profit organization

When Ralston followed the first GOP Speaker since Reconstruction, who was leaving the office in a cloud of building scandals, the economy was in the midst of a deep recession, and budget cuts were the order of the day. The GOP’s ability to govern was in question and Ralston brought transparency, an open ear, common sense, and some occasionally centrist sensibilities, and would go on to lead as the second longest serving Speaker in Georgia history.

Burns is aware of the large shoes of his friend, but he also believes that leading such a large and diverse group of 180 and two very different political parties requires a LOT of listening.

Asked about his priorities for the session at a first-week briefing with members of the Capitol Press Corps, Burns explained that he is hearing from his Committee Chairs, Caucus members, as well as the other side of the aisle, on what they consider to be the most pressing needs for this assembly. He explained that he likes to gather his team and interested parties and build consensus around the table, and then the group has an agenda and priority order for proceeding.

Ralston inherited a House in disarray and in need of a strong, steady hand. The House coming to Burns has been sailing smoothly for several years, and an even more inclusive leadership style may be just right for the times ahead. Burns has already restructured how the House handles health care issues, creating another committee, chair, and structure to coordinate and plan together, as health care costs, particularly Medicaid, are one of the fastest growing drivers of the budget of state government.

The honeymoon will be brief, and many other House leaders of substance have chosen to retire in recent years. Burns will be able to make his own mark and imprint. The affable timber farmer has a disarming charm and the friendly ear already mentioned. One of the larger challenges may be redefining the relationship with the State Senate, which now has its own new presiding officer and lieutenant governor, but that is a column for another day.

Speaker Burns will continue to advance the House “culture of life” for the people of Georgia. Like his several thousand acres of timber, I think those roots will continue to deepen, and that growth will continue to reach for the sky.

Bill Crane owns the full-service communications firm, CSI Crane. More information at www.CSICrane.com based in Tucker that recycles home medical equipment and assistive technology. FODAC is a national organization founded in 1986 to collect durable medical equipment and distribute them to disabled resident and their families.

Emory’s Rotary group delivered much needed medical supplies and basic medicines to hospitals across the war zone. Thirty-seven pallets of medical supplies were shipped free by UPS within the US, and then flown by Delta Airlines at half price to Ukraine. One shipment equals

Continued on page 23 a month of medical supplies. It is the women of Ukraine who do the transporting as the remaining men are too young or too old. Truckloads of supplies come from all over the world in tractor trailers, bringing food and other essential supplies. Germany and Austria supply a lot of medicines. Black and Black Surgical in Tucker has sent medical instruments. Medical equipment has been sent to fourteen hospitals, including surgical drills and incubators for newborn babies. There are bomb shelters in every hospital, and when the air raid sirens go off everyone goes to the shelters.

There are programs for mothers and children supplied by UNICEF, but many people are living in gyms, schools, and other government buildings as the Russian bombing knocked out the power, so they had no power for light or heat until generators were brought in.

During the presentation Emory showed photos on a screen of the map of Ukraine, and which areas the Russians had taken, photos of bombed out buildings, and of volunteers bringing supplies. He said he didn’t want to show photos of children, as it was too heartbreaking.

He spoke about Putin as a PR genius and the Russian influence through social media on the 2016 US election. “I feel confident that he (Putin) will be gone by next year; however, he could be replaced by someone even worse.” Emory told the audience about the resourcefulness of the Ukrainians as he described how they repurpose the tanks that are abandoned by the Russians when they got stuck in the mud during the rainy season. Consequently, the largest supplier of tanks to Ukraine is Russia!

“I feel strongly that they (Ukrainians) are determined to win,” Emory said. “The Russians are not motivated; they don’t want to be there.”

Ukraine has drones and missiles which will blow up Russian ships. Emory predicts that the war will end early next year as the Ukrainians are pushing back the Russians.

When asked how he felt being in a war zone, Emory responded, “I

More information at helpingukraine.us

Scribblers Christian Writers Club

Cont’d page it’s a great encouragement to see the works that are coming from the community of authors.

“God’s providence never ceases to amaze me,” he said. “Our motto is We all have a story to tell for the glory of God. I’ve suddenly realized that every human being that I’ve met, if you really get to know them, they have a story they can tell. Some have decided to write those stories down. So, for me, it’s just a joy to see people telling their stories.”

Scribblers has grown and now has several chapters that meet in and around the Atlanta area, and chapters in Macon, Florida, and a virtual chapter as well. Now living in Florida, de Andrade still leads most chapter meetings visiting Georgia on a frequent basis.

More information at https://www.scribblersweb.com/.