Secretary of State Kemp Announces Filing of Federal Lawsuit for Approval of Citizenship Verification Process

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today that the State of Georgia has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The State is seeking preclearance of Act 143 of the 2009 Georgia General Assembly and its attendant regulations, requiring new voter registration applicants to provide evidence of United States citizenship with their voter registration applications. Act 143 is also known as Senate Bill 86.

Act 143 was signed into law by Governor Perdue on May 5, 2009 and requires those registering to vote to submit one of several forms of evidence of United States citizenship with their applications. Among the several forms of acceptable identification, applicants may use a Georgia driver's license number or identification card number, birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or alien registration number, or a copy of a driver's license or identification card from any state whose cards comply with the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.

Secretary Kemp stated, “Act 143 streamlines Georgia's voter registration processes by requiring first-time applicants to provide proof of their U.S. citizenship with their applications. With the voter roll protections of Act 143 in place, Georgia will serve as a model for election security and integrity.”

Under federal law, Georgia must obtain federal preclearance of any change affecting voting by filing suit in federal court or by obtaining administrative approval through the DOJ. In June, the State filed a lawsuit against the DOJ to obtain preclearance of its Help America Vote Act voter verification process, which verifies information obtained from a voter registration applicant with information maintained by the Department of Drivers Services and Social Security Administration. The DOJ ultimately granted preclearance of that process.

Brian Kemp was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2010. Among the office's wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.
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Dirty (Illegal?) Dealings in Ohio Governor's Race

Have you been watching the race for Governor in Ohio? John Kasich (R) is up at least ten points over Ted Strickland (D).

Large Democratic leaning counties have mailed ballots to all eligible voters and they're paying for return postage. Many counties aren't sending them out and / or aren't paying return postage.

Lawsuits are in motion.

It could be a tough case if counties in Ohio usually do their own thing when it comes to elections. Some counties won't be able to afford to pick up the tab for two-way mailing.

Four people have filed suit saying its unfair, pretty much "why should I have to pay or request a ballot when my neighbor across the street doesn't because he's in another county". I think one of the people filing is disabled and unable to get out to vote.

I'm just skimming articles, sharing the gist of what I'm reading urge you to do some more reading to get the details.

It seems sneaky, underhanded and to my way of thinking it should be illegal. No problems with disabled or those who are going out of town or whatever, getting an absentee ballot. However, I think if someone doesn't care enough to get an absentee ballot, they shouldn't vote, have that right handed to them on a silver platter.

Here are a few article links if you'd like to get more details and follow the issue:

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/09/05/copy/gop-resurgent.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/ohio-news/lawsuit-challenges-ohio-absentee-ballot-methods-896406.html?cxtype=rss_ohio-news

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100904/NEWS01/9040310/1002/Lawsuit-decries-Ohio-absentee-ballot-process

Looks like all the rest of the stories I'm finding are (AP) repeats...

Cap and Trade: Get 'em to change their vote!

From my friend Steve:

Dear Friends: Jill Rethman of Hawaii send out the message below (I've put it in italics) regarding the "Cap and Tr8tor" Republicans who voted for the absurd cap and trade bill that will cost many Americans their jobs . . . and all Americans higher energy prices. As you know, the bill passed by a vote of 219-212. In the vote, 211 Democrats voted for the bill . . . along with 8 (eight) Republicans. As Jill indicates, it's essential that we put pressure on the Republicans to change their votes. If four of them do, Cap and Trade will be defeated, as it should be.

ALOHA, ALL!

My friend Garry alerted me to the fact that those who voted for the Cap and Trade bill have until Wednesday, July 1, to change their votes. This means that if we put enough pressure on the eight Republicans who voted for this ridiculous bill, they could change their "Yeas" to "Nays"!

Wouldn't that be a great Independence Day gift?

Here they are with their contact info:

Cap and Tr8tors - 8 Republicans Who Voted for Cap and Trade

Call and fax them!!! Let's burn up their lines - I understand the congressional switchboard was frozen Friday because of all the calls.

GOD BLESS AMERICA - PASS THIS ON!

P.S. When calling, be respectful but firm. State that you are a concerned American who doesn't want higher taxes and higher costs. Request that they change their votes for the good of current and future Americans and that we are counting on them to do the right thing. If they all change their votes, the bill goes down!

West Fayetteville Bypass Blues

Last Thursday the County Commission approved the West Fayetteville “Bypass”. It was a unanimous vote, 5-0.

[Just a tidbit in case you’re wondering --- the West Fayetteville Bypass (WFB) is not a Bypass. It’s just a road. At some point someone called it a Bypass and the name stuck. It’s not intended to bypass anything.]

It was a foregone conclusion that they were going to approve it, but not for the reasons stated in their various explanations as they voted. I know I have a tendency to be a bit skeptical about the motivation of the Commissioners, but last Thursday’s gnashing of teeth and sackcloth lamenting about being forced to vote for the By-pass was sublime theater.

A few of the Commissioners intimated that their hands were tied... There was a SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), which the voters barely passed in 2003, that included the project thus they had to move forward… Those nasty Commissioners before them forced them into this tough position...

Not so.

They do not HAVE to do all the projects in the SPLOST.

The SPLOST the Fayette County voters approved is a five-year SPLOST which can raise up to $115 million. The money collected MUST be used on the projects on the list. They cannot take any of the money and use it to fix or build a road that wasn’t listed in the SPLOST. They can’t build a library or park instead, either.

As said, they don’t have to do every project in the list. In fact, there’s no way they COULD do all the projects on the list as $115 won’t cover the costs.

The Commissioners have to prioritize.

The so-called WFB wasn’t a priority until sometime in the last two years. In fact, the number one priority was the East Fayetteville Bypass which, to the best of my knowledge, is now languishing.

The current Board moved the WFB up from somewhere down the list. If they hadn’t moved it up, chances are many of the folks on Lee Road who are so rightfully upset about losing their property or having a road right out their bedroom window would be long gone from Fayette County before it had made it to the top of the list.

When the voters said yes to the transportation SPLOST the WFB was included, but a specific route was not designated. The engineering, environmental studies, surveying to determine the route are all expenses that must wait until the money from the SPLOST is available.

Many SPLOST projects for roads are adjusted, changed in scope or even dropped completely after all the costs, including public input, are analyzed.

Completing Phase 1 of the Bypass, which is the area around the hospital, was the only part scheduled for completion until the current Board got their hooks into things. That phase alone would use up the majority of the dollars allocated in the SPLOST.

Bottom line – if our Commissioners are voting to proceed with the WFB it is because they WANT to build the road, not because they’re being forced to build it.

NOW for a bit of speculation, observation and conjecture. All mine.

I noticed at least two developers and one developer’s representative in the crowd at the Commission meeting Thursday night who didn’t have any requests on the agenda. They stayed through the WFB vote.

I believe the two Commissioners who said none of the people who contributed to their campaign had property along the newly proposed WFB route. If I remember correctly, the other three didn’t pipe up and say anything, not sure if that means they received contributions or just figured they didn’t want to join in. To my way of thinking, having a contribution from a developer along the route would be horrific given the change in SPLOST priorities. Especially since many agree that there are other projects on the list that should be given higher status.

Campaign contributions or not, that doesn’t mean that developers aren’t interested and that they won’t benefit from the WFB. It also doesn’t mean that the Commissioners are or aren’t developer friendly. I don’t know the Commissioners motivation or rationale. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, they’re not doing a very good job of coming up with real good reasons for changing the priorities and pushing so hard on the WFB.

I also wanted to toss out a thought about the possibility of someday seeing an Industrial Park somewhere along this route. Commissioner Jack Smith has tried to get this one going since being put on the Board, and prior to being elected when he sat on the Fayette County Development Authority.

It’s pretty much died on the vine mainly or partially because there aren’t any good truck routes coming into the county aside from the already congested Hwy. 74.

Guess what’s going to change when the WFB is completed? Yup, a very nice route for trucks and commercial traffic to get to a brand spankin’ new County industrial park. I’m going to go back and dig through the recordings I made of the meetings were the proposed locations were discussed to see if anything in that area was mentioned. It won’t mean anything if it wasn’t --- I’ve been told (but haven’t verified for myself) there are some huge parcels of land owned by developers along the route. I’d guess at least one would make a nice industrial park.

After all is said and done, there are still going to be many road projects that need to be addressed in Fayette County. In today’s world, about the only way to afford to fix roads is to have outside-the-county governmental monetary assistance and to have a mechanism for raising money like a SPLOST.

When the money from this SPLOST runs out you’re going to see another pop up for a vote on a ballot. Whether it passes or not is likely to depend in part on how those who’re asking for the dollars have spent the current SPLOST dollars. Here’s another bit of speculation – I’d bet the voters will see some sort of civic or multi-use arts center included in the next SPLOST. That’s going to open up a whole new can of worms.

People have a tendency to wait until something is right on their back doorstep before they get involved or start paying attention. I hope that doesn’t hold true in this county. I hope that people will take the time to watch, complain, encourage and vote. Get involved. Keep up with what’s going on. Don’t wait until a 4-lane bypass is routed through your back yard.

Fairness?

A number of people have sent me the article below today regarding Nancy Pelosi's attempts to ensure there is no balance in the House. I'll let you read the article to get the full details, but it's another scary happening in the works that has me wondering even more about the future of our country.

I listened recently to Rep. Steny Hoyer answering questions on a talk show. One of the questions dealt with the Union bill which will do away with secret ballots (Employee Free Choice Act). He's all for it and expects it to come up --- and pass --- this year. If you're unfamiliar, it's a bill that will basically take away an employees right to vote for or against a Union in private. Talk about intimidation, not to mention basic rights. Try to imagine how fast Unions are going to take over business after business.

Then there is the so-called "Fairness Doctrine". That one is on the horizon also. In broad strokes, it will force equal time for views from both sides of the political spectrum. On the radio. Ya know, the area that conservatives dominate at the moment...

I'd be against this Bill even if it did extend to mainstream media news, television and theater. Can you imagine a world where in every show if someone said "global warming" the other guys would have equal time to disprove it? Nah, me either. No way the Dems are going to allow that to happen! However, if this bill passes, and it probably will given the make-up of Congress, it's going to be a nasty mess. I'll have to write another blog on what I think will happen if the Fairness Doctrine becomes law some day.

I wonder how long it will be after the Fairness Doctrine passes before this cancerous trend starts worming its way into other arenas? How long before freedom of speech and freedom of the press are history?

I'd like to think we won't get that far, but when ideology trumps common sense and power gives temporary invincibility, anything can happen.

I hope all my readers will go do a bit of research on the three issues I've mentioned: the rule changes being proposed by Pelosi (below), the new Union bill (ironically called the Employee Free Choice Act) and the Fairness Doctrine. Nothing fair 'bout any of 'em.

Pelosi Erases Gingrich's Long-Standing Fairness Rules
by Connie Hair
01/05/2009
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to re-write House rules today to ensure that the Republican minority is unable to have any influence on legislation. Pelosi’s proposals are so draconian, and will so polarize the Capitol, that any thought President-elect Obama has of bipartisan cooperation will be rendered impossible before he even takes office.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30143#continueA

Homeless voters

I'm sure most of you have heard that a judge in Ohio has said that the homeless can vote by listing a parch bench or similar as their place of residence.

For those who are strong believers that anyone can vote and should vote, I'm sure this is a much celebrated ruling. I would imagine that many homeless advocates are also happy about this ruling.

It won't come as a surprise to my readers that I am strongly opposed to this ruling.

Why?

What's to stop busloads of partisan voters from New York claiming residence on a bench in downtown Dayton, Ohio so they can vote? Then they can travel home and vote again. How do you stop voter fraud?

We've been inundated with stories about the fraud that is occurring across the country in this election. ACORN, Project Vote, convicted felons, and other stories make any results in this election suspect.

For many years I regularly traveled downtown to help feed the homeless. After we made breakfast each week, we dolled out the food, then made our own plates and sat with those eating. Sometimes I couldn't bring a fork to my mouth because of the odors that surrounded me. However, I had some very interesting conversations and learned some valuable lessons.

We didn't talk politics. I seriously doubt most of the people I met knew who their congressman was or when the next election would happen. Many of the conversations were one-sided, me talking with someone staring at me, or someone talking non-stop at me!

Much as I wanted to help I felt helpless. Not one of the people I ever talked to was the least bit interested in moving into a home or being a part of "our" society again. I know there are many levels of homeless and many reasons for homelessness. I dealt with those who'd been there for so long it was a way of life. Many were mentally hurting and would probably have been better served in a psychiatric ward where maybe they would have gotten some help. Of course, who knows which is better? Institutionalization or free to roam?

Homelessness is a huge issue, bigger than a year of blogging. I don't have the answers to homelessness, and I can't begin to claim I'm wise enough to decide who should and who shouldn't vote. However, I do know the Ohio ruling opens the door to rampant voter fraud. It's wrong.

Our vote is precious. Our democracy is precious. Our freedom is precious.

We should protect all and be wise in how we protect these privileges.

Argentina Nationalizes Pensions

Argentina's pension takeover plan scares global markets
By Fiona Ortiz
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's surprise plan to
nationalize its private pension system caused chaos in local markets and spread
gloom to other emerging markets on Wednesday as investors read it as a desperate
government move to stave off default...
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE49L5ZX20081022

My husband is retired military. We've discussed the future on many occasions but have felt fairly secure given the decisions he's made regarding the future. We've felt somewhat "safe" in this volatile market knowing at a minimum we had his pension.

The news this morning that Argentina was planning to grab $30 billion in pension funds sent chills down my spine. When times get tough, our governments "use" the situation to justify actions and the people are helpless to stop it in most cases.

I don't think at this point that our pensions are truly at risk, at least those of the military and of companies who've made wise decisions and funded those plans. However, it's not an impossible scenario, and it's not one I'd have ever considered until now when we're going through this economic crisis.

I am concerned about what will happen if Barack Obama is elected. We will have a majority Democratic House and Senate, a Democrat in the White House who has already told us what his criteria is for Supreme Court picks. It's not only the Supreme Court that is affected by this clean sweep at the top of our government, it's the lesser courts also.

While I consider myself a conservative and will be voting for McCain-Palin, I will admit I would be just as concerned if we were getting ready to put in a Republican President with a full Republican House and Senate.

Our country is one that works because of the checks and balances we set in place many long years ago. Having one Party in complete control is a recipe for disaster.

If you think what is happening in the third world countries and elsewhere around the world can't happen here in our wonderful country, think again. It's a slippery slope and many are making their choice for President based on the sense of false security that our country will remain a free democracy. Many are basing their vote on who is going to give them the most.

Your vote is a very precious gift and I hope that things like race, rhetoric and the current temporary economic situation doesn't cause you to punch a button that leads our country in the wrong direction.

Socialism.

I'm sure there are some videos of this without the added written comments, but I went through a few and couldn't find them. Both videos show the same plumber asking Barack Obama about taxes, different commentators on each though.

How Cheap the Price of a Vote

The $700 billion bailout is now up to around $850 billion depending on how you calculate the various additions that were tacked on to buy votes.

These so-called principled politicians were dead set against the bill... until... they added provisions for wooden arrows... gave a tax credit to businesses for employees who bought a bike to ride to work... The list of seemingly mundane and frivolous additions is ridiculous. Yet that is all it took to get some to switch their no vote to a yes vote.

How cheap the price of a vote.

How cheap the price of principles.

We are supposedly in crisis mode yet these silly things (with a high price tag) were needed to get the bill passed to save us from the end of the world???

I listened as the very people who caused the problem stood there and patted themselves on the back for getting the bill through. Apple pie, love and harmony, and everyone is beautiful. We played nice, threw in some icing on top of the icing and we deserve your vote and praise.

Bull.

The three page bill is now something like 650 pages? We'll be sorting through the fine print for decades to come and I believe we are going to regret the passage of this bill. I've been listening as economists and other "experts" discuss what this bill will do and I'm convinced at this point that at best it'll stop things were they are now.

What's next? Once we set the precedent how do we say no to another sector? What happens once we've partially nationalized this segment of our free market? How many agencies are we going to need to create to oversee the enactment and subsequent oversight of / from the bill?

Here's a few things included in the bill:

--- “The Secretary of the Treasury shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to undertake a comprehensive review of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to identify the types of and specific tax provisions that have the largest effects on carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and to estimate the magnitude of those effects.”

--- The subsidy for biodiesel production doubles, going from 50 cents per gallon to $1.00 per gallon.

--- The “Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008,” (Bill number S.558) for companies with more than 50 employees, requires group insurance plans to have deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and annual and lifetime limits for mental health and drug addition/abuse coverage which are no more restrictive or expensive for the policy holder than those same items for other medical and surgical coverage.

--- Tax breaks for rum producers in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands ($192 million)

--- Tax breaks for motorsports racing track facilities ($128 million)

--- Tax breaks for Alaskan fishermen ($223 million)

--- The extension of the “exemption of undercover operations (by the IRS) from certain laws”

Sources:
'Sweetened' bailout plan stuffed with pork
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=273634

Tax Earmarks, Pork and Other Bailout Bill Horrors
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28851

Florida's Sen. Nelson Votes Against Bailout Plan
http://cbs4.com/local/senator.bill.nelson.2.831240.html

Plus a whole host of other articles, discussions and a very tiny, tiny bit of talk radio.

Voter Apathy 3

Well, I was ready to move on after tussling with voter apathy and all the implications. However, we received a letter to the Editor at the Fayette Front Page, and since I'm the Editor, I decided to post it on my blog, too. Excellent letter, very thought provoking. My reason for harping for long and so often over the past years regarding voter apathy is a wild hope that more people will get involved. It seems I've found a kindred spirit in that regard! -- Janet

Dear Editor,

Regarding Voter Apathy

Peachtree City and the rest of Fayette County are facing death by a thousand cuts. Little by little the city and county are lurching toward an urban wasteland. Due to a lack of broad citizen involvement in government and community the city and county will be controlled by narrow special interests.

Let's look into a hypothetical community future shall we?

What happens next is that the Publics shopping center east of the city is annexed. The city government faced with wilting property values and tax revenues gladly welcome this newfound source of revenue into the city coffers. All they have to do is give certain exceptions to the sign ordinance, not knowing that this will open a whole set of new problems surrounding the city's established ordinances. Learning from this "happy" experience, Counsel continues annexing properties to the north, east, south, and west. Including the 35-acre tract on 74 north that is currently under consideration by the council. More land east of the city will need to be annexed as growth continues down the 54 corridor and other properties are considered satisfactory. The old sign ordinances will be deemed "out of date and passé" or worse challenged by the courts. Cart paths are required to connect new subdivisions and retailing centers further east of the city. Fire, police, and city services are needed to support these newly annexed areas. Of course, more revenue is needed for the infrastructure that was never considered or somehow overlooked by council research, creating yet another fiscal crisis that needs to be addressed through new city tax increases. Traffic increases as properties proliferate just outside the city limits; only to be later annexed into the city and the cycle begins again. To the west across Line Creek, developers are at work ready to siphon business and tax revenues out of the city center. Planned tax revenues fall, but of course government needs to increase its size because the city is getting bigger and a new city hall is built using bonds paid for by, you guessed it, you. No one is watching anyway, so of course no one objects. More people leave the city and county.

Then the new county employee defined benefits plan and pay increases passed and implemented just before the election kick in. The city's defined benefits plan as well as the county plan runs a significant deficit. Coupled with a dismal economic outlook these programs engender new creative tax remedies all of them will be unfriendly financial solutions to our governments' fiscal dilemmas. Due to a lack of fiscal accountability by citizens, they allow government spending to balloon and greater tax revenues are required to fund it. Tax revenues decrease as people leave the county for greener pastures that are less expensive.

Commissioners continue to be reelected by relative small special interest groups, people that have been incentivized to vote for them, using our tax money. Government workers are happy and content until they find out that their retirement plans are bankrupt. Taxpayers are asked to fund the unfunded liability, they refuse the massive tax increases required to do this. Then and only then county employees realize there are no guaranteed retirement plans, just as Delta employees found out years earlier. County and city employees leave as they realize that they can't afford to live here with the small amount given to them by the now defunct retirement plans.

Due to the recent results of the countywide primary election, knowing that they were "safe" from the electorate the Board of Commissioners decided a week after these elections to suddenly cave in on the billboard lawsuit. No doubt advised by the new county attorney the commission was easily persuaded. Knowing full well they have at least two years for everyone to forget their latest bad decision and comforting themselves by knowing that no one ever shows up at the commission meetings anyway. Let's just imagine for a moment our new future. Look at the billboards in Fulton County that stop at the Fayette county line on Hwy 74, now imagine them continuing down the road toward your homes erected in what is now scenic green pasture land. Go look over the county line at Clayton County, notice anything along State 85 north and south? Well get use to it. You will see them between Fayetteville and Peachtree City; between 138 and Fayetteville, along S54 west to Clayton County, and S85 south to the Spalding County line, it's just a matter of time. This won't happen slowly, it will cascade throughout the county as landowners see they can make some easy money doing nothing but renting land space at our visual expense. Creating the same cluttered environment currently seen beyond our county lines. The county Commissioners won't be able or willing to stop this process. They have already given up the good fight started by past Commissioners that wanted to preserve what we had. Nothing like determined public servants working on the behalf of our citizens, right? We wouldn't want to take it all the way to the courthouse wall would we? Too messy and expensive, besides look at the tax revenue potential generated by these billboards! More people leave the county and city.

The proposed industrial park is built next to the bypass road currently being built around Fayetteville, increasing commercial and employee traffic next to some serene unsuspecting neighborhoods and schools. Land use plans are ignored or changed to "enhance" the tax base. Citizens in these neighborhoods protest but decisions have already been made and passed by the Commission before they are aware of what has happened to them. Property values in these neighborhoods plummet and surrounding schools deteriorate. Citizens wonder what happened and why they didn't know. Much of it due to the fact that complete published Board of Commission meeting minutes were not timely or accurately reported on the county website. And of course citizens never bothered to attend Board meetings to see what they were doing and why. Citizens were all too busy. The families in the affected neighborhoods move elsewhere.

Then enrollment in the schools decline as people move out and test scores continue to degenerate. In school learning conditions worsen and the good teachers and administrators leave the system as student violence increases. The School Board desperate for more money because of a misguided belief that assets and employees are the answer to the declining performance, ask for and get a SPLOSTS passed. Then quality education declines anyway because those things the Board wanted won't help improve anything. More good teachers leave, but more non-teaching staff employees safety officers and metal detectors are required to stem gang activity in the schools. Already overburdened property owners are hit again by ever-increasing tax bills as their property values fall due to failing schools. More citizens leave the county and city.

Economic activity declines. Empty storefronts appear everywhere as petty theft and shoplifting drive current owners out of business. No one will rent these properties as entrepreneurs choose better and safer locations to open their businesses. Large businesses question if this is the right place to locate their employees and choose some other community to set up their new facilities. The new industrial park fails to gain the needed tenants to pay for the bonds, but the bonds will still have to be paid. Government responds by increasing taxes needing more money to make up shortfalls in planned tax revenues caused by a diminishing commercial tax base and a failed attempt at attracting it. Never considering for a moment that they could actually reduce the size and scope of government as a possible solution. More citizens leave the county and city.

There will be nothing unique or special in Fayette County it will look like all other surrounding counties, billboards, empty stores, declining schools, and crime. Then significantly more citizens catch on to what is happening and move out of the county and city for a promised better life and family environment that is promoted elsewhere.

Drug use becomes rampant and cart paths become "crime paths", litter is everywhere, including needles and syringes left by the drug users. Drug houses sprout up throughout the county. Women and children are no longer able to walk their paths or streets and play in their parks without fear. Good citizens fight back by erecting fences around their property, destroying the openness of the city and surrounding county. Murders and robberies become commonplace and a siege mentality develop among the citizenry. Security services signs blossom in every yard. The valiant city police and county sheriff departments rightly demand more resources in order to fight the ever-increasing crime rates, thus increasing taxes again. Property values continue to fall and the community continues its downward spiral. The floodgates open and there is a mass exodus of citizens, and rental properties are all the rage.

Federal and State grants and subsidies are requested to solve our problems all with strings attached, losing more local control of property, politics, and schools, the final remnants of the original citizenry will die off or finally move way. Leaving behind a wasteland resembling current surrounding environs, with broken schools, and crime-ridden streets.

Think it can't happen here? Think again.

It can happen, it has happened to many communities. It's not just voter apathy; it's an unwillingness to become involved in the community and our political system by the good citizens empowered by representative government to change it. Refusing to improve knowledge of what is going on and acting on it. Refusing to demand fiscal restraint and political accountability. Refusing to register to vote. If registered then not voting in an informed way. Leaving it to someone else to fight for your homes and schools. Shutting your eyes to what is happening around you and hoping that it will all go away. But of course you may be one of those brave and noble citizens that simply move, right? It is easier to give up than fight or spend energy on local politics or community, right? Well friends, it will happen again no matter where you move, because you are the cause of all of these potential problems. You shape our future and our future will be your shame.

Rome was not built in a day and the city and county will not be destroyed in a day either, both will die from the thousand cuts of your neglect. Paraphrasing Shakespeare "The fault citizens, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

Get involved; get your neighbors and friends involved don't just sit there, engage yourself in local issues, improve your knowledge of your government, register to vote and cast an informed vote!! Let's all begin to demand open accountable government, it is essential to our very freedom and clearly in our self-interest. It's your community; let's all fight for it. Wake up before our future catches up to us, and remember we can shape it.

If you agree with me and want to help with improving your local government email me at savefayette@gmail.com. Let's get organized let's shape our future and not just let it happen.

James Wingo
Peachtree City

Voter Apathy 2

I had a comment or two about the reason people didn't vote in the last few elections. The anonymous comments indicated that there weren't any viable, exiting, candidates. Nothing new, no one with a good message, etc., etc.

It was thought provoking and made me curious so I have had some friends out doing some unscientific polling.

Thus far all who said they didn't vote have said either they didn't think their vote ever mattered, they didn't have time to look at the candidates or they just didn't have time, were too busy, to vote.

A number of the people who did vote didn't know anything about the candidates, either. They did it based on friends recommendations.

Now there are a strong percentage of voters (I like to believe) who do read the papers, look at the videos, do their own research.

However, based on attendance at the forums, people didn't even bother to check out the candidates. I went to every forum. Aside from the two which included the sheriff candidates, there may have been 4 or 5 people in the audience who weren't affiliated with the candidates.

I go to the county commission meetings and to city council meetings on occasion. The only time there are more than one or two people is when there's something that is going to be in a group's backyard (we call 'em nimby's --- not in my back yard). Most elected officials know that only the nimby's are going to show up and then only if they happen to get word that a rezoning affects their square acres of Fayette County (or wherever).

A lot of people who moved here to Fayette County did so because they were disgusted or unhappy with the way their previous home of choice deteriorated. Based on the involvement in this county currently (it used to be much, much higher) I'd say they were quite possibly part of the problem where they used to live... they didn't get involved there, woke up one day and realized things had gone down hill. They moved to a better place. They're not watching what is going on here now and thus in a year, two years, five years, when the kids get out of school, they'll move to another bright spot.

It takes vigilance and involvement to keep anything great. We don't seem to have many who are willing to protect our quality of life. Lots of complainers, not a lot of action.

I have noted two groups that have sprung up recently. One is Harold Bost's Fayette Citizen for Open Government PAC, which the commenter probably won't care to read about as his / her contention is the last race was between Jack Smith and Harold Bost to some degree. However, I'll tackle that one at a later date. The PAC, from what I'm hearing, has attracted a fairly large number of participants so quite possibly it will become a force to recon with.

The other group is called Fayette Firewall. I gather it is a loose-knit group of individuals who write a joint blog or two. They have recently set up a website with articles on it so they may be getting real serious.

I'll be watching both to see if they're able to help spur some to get involved. I doubt anyone is going to agree with all that either group does, but even when there are differences of opinion, it's just good to see the concern and willingness to get involved.

Secretary of State Handel Applauds Denial of Georgia Democratic Party’s Motion to Block Use of Photo ID

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel issued the following statement today regarding Fulton County Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell’s denial of the Georgia Democratic Party’s motion for a Temporary Restraining Order to block the use of photo identification in the July 15, 2008 General Primary:

“I applaud Judge Campbell’s ruling to deny the Democratic Party’s frivolous motion to block the use of photo ID in the General Primary Election. Photo ID has been implemented without incident in eight elections, including the Presidential Preference Primary that featured record voter turnout.

“In the past year, the Georgia Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court in Rome and the U.S. Supreme Court have all rejected attacks on the constitutionality of the photo ID requirement. Opponents of photo ID have failed to produce even one voter who has been harmed by the requirement, despite years of scouring the state in search of such an individual.

“I remind voters that Georgia’s photo ID law remains in place. As required by the law, Georgia voters casting their ballots in-person on Election Day must bring one of the required six forms of photo ID to the polls on July 15.”

Delegate dilemma

The longer I watch the more confusing the counting of delegates becomes.

I'll have to confess that as much as I think I know about the political process and as involved as I have been in past elections, I had no idea how the selection of our President actually worked.

Now, after studying it and becoming completely immersed in the "process" I still have no idea.

It makes absolutely no sense. It makes even less sense this year with all the slashing-of-delegate punishments that were handed out by the Democratic and Republican national parties to various states.

Crazy is the word that comes to mind when I think of how delegates are accrued.

In some states they have a caucus, which simply means that people trudge to the polls and their votes are counted by raising hands or something along those lines. It can be an all day or multi-day process.

Some states combine a caucus on one day, handing out a portion of the delegates based on the vote, then a primary vote on another to divvy out the remainder of the votes.

Even when it's a primary vote open to all the delegates are whacky. A portion of the delegates are divided up based on the votes. Then in some states there are super delegates who work independently of the will of the voting public. There are uncommitted delegates and those who commit to a candidate in caucus and primary states.

Some states divide up the delegates based on the percentage of the votes each candidate wins. Some states have a winner-take-all system, which means if candidate A wins 43% of the vote and candidate B wins 42%, candidate A gets them all.

In one state the winner has to reach 50% to win all the delegates. If no one reaches the 50% mark then the delegates aren't awarded. All of the delegates go to the national convention uncommitted.

The Democrats have some strange rules, too, but they seem to be a little less confusing as all are pretty much divided up proportionately. However, in some states the winner can end up with fewer delegates due to special delegates that aren't controlled by the vote.

Not to make it even harder to figure out, but... in some states even though the candidate wins the delegates, those delegates can change their mind when they get to the convention.

If you go to CNN, Fox News and other places where they're keeping up with delegates you'll probably find that they all have different totals. On CNN they have one page with delegates and when you click the link for details the numbers are completely different (or at least they were a week or so ago).

Making it stranger than the normal strange this year is the upcoming battle over the Democrat delegates in Michigan and Florida. The Democratic national party stripped both states of their delegates because they moved their primary vote earlier than Feb. 5th. Candidates were banned from campaigning in Florida until after the election.

However, Democrats turned out to vote. Clinton won both states. Easier in Michigan since she and maybe Gravel and one other little-known candidate long since dropped out, were the only ones on the ballot. No one else paid the fee to get listed.

What happens to those votes? Disenfranchised. Their vote currently doesn't count. Is the Democratic Party going to select their nominee without the input from these two huge states? I think not!

If they allow the votes to count then is it fair to the candidates who skipped the state because of their Party's rules? Or should they be divided up proportionately giving Clinton an edge?

The Republicans cut the number of delegates allotted in half for some of the states that backed up their primary. Yet, if they held a caucus, those votes counted (not a primary, different set of rules!). Thus some states, to try and "matter" in the process, held an early caucus handing out a portion of their delegates and held back the remainder for their later primary vote.

The Democrats also cut some states' delegates in half.

Somehow someone is going to bang the gong at some point and say that a candidate in each party has reached the magic number of delegates needed to be the nominee. How will they know? Your guess is as good as mine. I'm still trying to understand how Georgia divides its delegates.

Thoughts on Huckabee & Obama's win in Iowa

There's a lot of hype about the pair that took Iowa. On the Democratic side Obama was a clear winner, Edwards followed with Clinton in a technical tie in regards to delegates, although she's a percentage point behind Edwards.

On the Republican side it was Huckabee. Then, with a wider margin that most thought there would be between top and second, came Romney. Behind that duo McCain and Thompson are still battling for 3rd place. As I type they're both at 13%.

Iowa is one state. New Hampshire is right around the corner and the outcome there could throw all of tonight's results out the window.

I think it's a little clearer on the Democratic side. There are really only three contenders. Dodd dropped out tonight. Richardson only had 2% of the vote and of course everyone is speculating that he'll follow Dodd's lead and bow out soon. Clinton put on a good face tonight but Obama is gaining steam. I heard the breakdown of the voters earlier. Clinton is pulling the older vote, Obama is grabbing the younger voters. Both had about the same percentage of women who voted, which could be partially due to the Oprah factor. Who knows.

If the outcome stays the same in New Hampshire Obama could take all.

On the Republican side it's still in complete flux.

I really like Huckabee as a person. When he was here late last year I had the opportunity to talk with him, do an interview. I did an short interview with Huckabee after doing one with his wife, Janet. After talking with them we went into a private meeting with maybe 30 or so people. We ate lunch, then Huckabee answered questions and talked with everyone. I wouldn't have a problem if Huckabee won.

There are things I like about all the candidates. There are things I dislike. I'm like many who're watching the race as it develops ---- I couldn't tell you who I'm going to vote for on February 7th (Georgia) yet.

The field will probably be a little narrower, or at least the choices may be a little clearer, by the time we head to the polls next month. There's no telling on the Republican side who will be in the top three at this point.

Giuliani is concentrating on states that won't come into play until later in the process. He's banking on Florida and other states to put him back in contention for the top spot.

Iowa helped McCain. It helped Thompson. Huckabee's win took some of the wind out of Romney's sails. The money Romney spent in Iowa didn't put much of a dent in his pocketbook though. Yes, he spent a lot, but he's got a lot more at his disposal.

If McCain takes New Hampshire or comes in a strong second then it's all topsy-turvy in the race again. If Romney takes a few states, Huckabee takes a few more, Giuliani takes some, Thompson takes some then the Republican nominee could win in a squeaker.

Some say that not having a clear choice on the Republican side shows the party is in trouble, that it shows the weakness of the candidates. I think it shows the strength of the GOP. We have so many good candidates it's difficult to choose.

For political junkies tonight was more exciting than a NASCAR race! The future of our country is up for grabs. There are strong views being espoused on both sides. There are sharp divisions within the two parties.

If you're not registered to vote, it's time. Get involved, start keeping up with the elections. The deadline to register for the Feb. 7th Presidential Primary in Georgia is Monday, January 5th.

I think I'm really tired and I'm heading to bed.... after I take one more look at the latest Iowa numbers.