UPCOMING BEACON DEBATES

Mark your calendars now! Beacon Media and the Metropolitan Club are sponsoring two political debates over the next 45 days and you won't want to miss either one.

The D-56 state senate debate between John Albers, David Belle Isle and Brandon Beach is confirmed for Tuesday April 27.

Just two weeks later, on May 11, is our Democrat BIG FOUR Gubernatorial Debate, featuring Roy Barnes, Thurbert Baker, David Poythress and DuBose Porter.

Both debates are ninety minutes in length, offering a free-wheeling format where candidates can actually engage one another in a bona-fide and authentic discussion of the issues facing Georgia. The events will be held at the Metropolitan Club on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta. Festivities commence at 6:00 p.m. Fireworks go off at 7:15 p.m. See you there!

THE POLITCAL FUTURE OF "BUCKHEAD ED" LINDSEY

This sub-head may be the oxymoron of the year.

For "Buckhead Ed," the victory spoils for defending a broken county may prove hollow, costly -- and perhaps devastating -- to his one time bright political future. Lindsey, a trial lawyer by trade, is a smooth talker with a knack for style and gift for politics. He flirted with running a state-wide race for Attorney General early in 2009, only to back out when Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens got in the race. Some say he wants to run for governor one day.

Those days are gone -- for now. Lindsey has managed to do what few Republicans could ever dream of -- completely alienating GOP vote rich North Fulton county. His district represents about 12 percent of the entire Fulton County Republican primary vote base. This is one group you don't want to estrange if you want to win a Georgia GOP election anytime soon. Repelling 50,000 Republican primary voters is not a formula for electoral victory.

In his letter to constituents urging them to engage in the effort to defeat Milton County, Lindsey said, "All politics is local."

That phrase, originally coined by legendary U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neil, works for only so long before the wheels come off.

Eventually when you only focus on the local, you lose. Just like O'Neil did in the Reagan landslides of the 80s. For Lindsey, his actions of the past two weeks amount to political Armageddon. "Buckhead Ed" may be damaged political goods for a very long time.

JOHNNY BE BACK?

Sources in Alpharetta say that former city councilman Johnny Monson is seriously considering a run for the city council again in the July 20 special election that will result from Councilman David Belle Isle's official entry into the D-56 state senate race. If so, this would pit Monson against another former councilman, Jim Paine, who is certain to run in July. Paine, a sure candidate for Alpharetta mayor in 2011, was forced to resign his seat this past November due to Alpharetta's three-term limit. But Paine is clear to run again because he'd be filing for a different district, thus skirting the language of the term-limit city ordinance.

Also considering another run is John Keim, who ran a spirited race in November, only to finish third behind winner Chris Owens and runner-up Tom Miller. Miller says he doubts he'll get back in the electoral fray so soon.

If the Monson vs. Paine scenario plays out, it will definitely hurt the chances of D-56 state senate candidate John Albers, as the special election is sure to draw more Alpharetta voters to the primary. Brandon Beach and David Belle Isle are well known in the city, which represents about eight percent of the district. Most additional voters will be theirs, as Alpharetta local voters don't know Albers from Adam's cat.

HE'S BAACK

The famous American humorist and author Mark Twain, when confronted face to face with reports that he was deceased, quipped, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Now Rep. Mark Burkhalter (R-Johns Creek) may be ready to claim thenoteworthy phrase as his own.

The downtown liberal so-called political punditry class, who wrote off the popular conservative legislator as so much political carcass just a few months ago, may be forced to soon eat their words.

Burkhalter is back -- with a vengeance and a penchant to get things done. His performance on leading the Milton County charge was lauded by his colleagues, and his Dome bill is one of the highlights of this year's session. His new role  -- that of the sage statesman who gives guidance and advice to his legislative brethren is now a key component of ongoing house leadership. Look for the former House Speaker to file for re-election in April.

RILEY WANTS A NEW COALITION TO EMERGE

Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley (R-Johns Creek) is calling for a new Milton County oriented organization to start. She said she supports the creation of a Milton Communities Taxpayers Association, which will serve to represent all taxpayers in the six cities.  “The Fulton County Taxpayers Association has a distinctly different vision that that of residents in the Milton Communities. Just as the effort to recreate Milton County is based on the desire for local, representative and responsive government, the taxpayers need a local organization to represent their interests in dealing with their government,” Riley said.