"When you say 'radical right' today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican Party away from the Republican Party, and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye." - Barry Goldwater

Religious righters are looking at a third-party candidacy:

A powerful group of conservative Christian leaders decided Saturday at a private meeting in Salt Lake City to consider supporting a third-party candidate for president if a pro-choice nominee like Rudy Giuliani wins the Republican nomination.

The meeting of about 50 leaders, including Focus on the Family's James Dobson, the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer, who called in by phone, took place at the Grand America Hotel during a gathering of the Council for National Policy, a powerful shadow group of mostly religious conservatives. James Clymer, the chairman of the U.S. Constitution Party, was also present at the meeting, according to a person familiar with the proceedings.

"The conclusion was that if there is a pro-abortion nominee they will consider working with a third party," said the person, who spoke to Salon on the condition of anonymity. The private meeting was not a part of the official CNP schedule, which is itself a closely held secret. "Dobson came in just for this meeting," the person said.

Posted by Jason at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I still can't believe that people are going to vote for this guy:

A health nut, Mike Huckabee, not long ago, committed to sign a nationwide smoking ban in public places. His scaremongering nonsense on obesity includes deftly tying the War on Terror to the War on Fat: “Today we hear a lot about the war on terror, how we need to fight it. Who’s going to fight it in the future if we’re a generation so sick that we don’t have the capacity to show up for work?” His initiatives on food control in Arkansas were some of the most invasive and counterproductive in the country. Not to mention, I would be curious to see statistics that backs up the claim that citizens aren’t showing up for work because of an obesity epidemic.

At the very least, the average Republican candidate will throw conservatives some red-meat rhetoric on individual freedom and choice. At this point, I suppose, it’s the most we can hope for. But this guy can’t even get that simple script straight.

Posted by Jason at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here is a great speech from US Senator Jim DeMint on healthcare:

Posted by Jason at 09:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Newt Gingrich is not running for President:

Newt Gingrich abruptly pulled the plug on a Republican race for president Saturday, declaring that he preferred to continue his role as an idea-generating "citizen-activist" from the sidelines.

The former U.S. House speaker was to announce Monday the creation of an exploratory committee that would attempt to raise $30 million in three weeks — the bar Gingrich had set for his entry into the race.

Gingrich said a last-minute analysis of the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law indicated he could not continue as head of his American Solutions organization and still search out his chances for a White House run.
[...]
"McCain-Feingold has legal penalties. It penalizes being a citizen. We thoroughly understood the legalities of running for president," Gingrich said. "We didn't realize the implications for American Solutions. We just said this is important. We can't have all these workshops and kill it Monday morning."

I figured Newt wouldn't run. No one can deny that he is a genius. No one can deny the man changed the face of politics, but politics changed him. He became the icon of the establishment until his fall from grace in 1998. Much of what I've read about Gingrich's last couple years as Speaker isn't flattering.

I also think Gingrich sees the writing on the wall as far as the GOP electoral hopes.

Posted by Jason at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I've been asked to contribute at the Huffington Post's Off the Bus. This is a great opportunity and I hope to make the best of it.

Off the Bus is basically a group of bloggers from around the country that seek out grassroots organizations and candidate to write stories about them as well as looks at politics in their own area as the 2008 elections sneek up on us.

Georgia bloggers SpacyGracey (Grayson Daughters) and the Shelbinator (Shelby Highsmith) are also contributing.

I'll cross post my entries here as well.

Posted by Jason at 06:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

An excerpt from the Neal Boortz website in August 2001, I felt it sums up SPLOST pretty good.

LOCAL OPTION SALES TAXES

On yesterday’s show we received a call from a caller in Seminole County, Florida. Seems they are having a little referendum down there in which the voters are being asked to extend a “temporary” one percent local option sales tax. He wanted my opinion.

First. There is no such thing as a “temporary” tax. No matter how the politicians sell a sales tax increase to you, there is no way they will willingly turn loose of those extra revenues when the expiration date for that sales tax increase arrives. I have NEVER heard of a situation where a “temporary” local sales tax expired without the politicians coming to the people with some sort of a proposal to extend it. Remember --- political power flows from tax revenue. The more money a politician has to spend, the more powerful that money he is.

Second. Americans are currently being taxed at the highest level in the history of our country. Income taxes, property taxes, taxes, payroll taxes, excise taxes, sales taxes. I think it can be easily shown that 50% of every dollar a person earns eventually ends up in the spending account of some government somewhere. So --- in this era of confiscatory taxation, why would anyone vote to voluntarily increase their taxes even more?

And finally --- if you are predisposed to vote to continue a local option sales tax, that should mean that you are completely satisfied that the local government that will be using those tax revenues is operating at peak efficiency and has not expanded it’s spending programs beyond the legitimate functions of government. You should be satisfied that every person employed by that government is performing a necessary service, and is actually working efficiently. You should also be satisfied that the government is purchasing goods and services from the lowest qualified bidders and not spending extra money to chase “diversity” in the marketplace. Finally … is your local government funding arts programs? Is it building senior citizen centers? Well, as long as money is being wasted on these vote-buying projects --- no more sales tax.

There --- that ought to really piss off some big-spending politicians.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

I noticed that there was some dissatisfaction over the new forum over at the Henry Herald, so I created a community forum here. I'm still working out kinks, but it seems to be working well. Let me know if you have suggestions.

Josh Patterson also had the same idea and created a forum as well. A little competition never hurts, but I encourage you to visit them both. But keep it clean and don't get too personal...that's all I ask.

I'm headed to Athens. Ya'll have a good one.

Posted by Jason at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Visit the County website For the full project listing.

The Henry County Board of Commissioners has approved the 2007 SPLOST Ballot Description of Projects, which will be constructed should the program be approved by voters in November. The adoption of the list came at Tuesday’s called meeting of the Board. The ballot language was approved on August 29, 2007.

The list of projects was based on a conservative estimate of SPLOST III revenues totaling $300 million, of which 75% ($225 million) will go to unincorporated Henry County. The remaining 25% ($75 million) would go to the Cities. The project list was determined after much deliberation and care, as the Commissioners sought to prioritize and narrow down the original list submitted by the SPLOST Oversight Committee, which totaled more than $253 million.

The 2007 SPLOST Ballot Description of Projects, is broken down as 70% for roads, bridges and sidewalks ($157,500,000) and 30% for Capital ($67,500,000), which also includes some land acquisition for public use. The complete list of projects accompanies this article.

Click Here for additional project/cost information

I already posted on the ballot language, but here is the actual wording:

Shall a special one percent (1%) sales and use tax be re-imposed in the special district of Henry County for a period of time not to exceed twenty four (24) calendar quarters and for the raising of an estimated amount of $300,000,000 for the purpose of financing the following capital outlay projects to be owned or operated or both by Henry County Georgia, the City of Hampton, the City of Locust Grove, the City of McDonough, the city of Stockbridge, or a combination thereof: (1) roads, bridges and sidewalks, (2) parks, recreation and community facilities, (3) public building, development, construction and renovation, (4) land acquired for public use, (5) public safety/public works facilities and equipment, (6) a county correction facility, (7) repayment fo any debt or other obligations associated with said projects and (8) retirement of previously incurred general obligation debt of one or more of the foregoing entities.

If such re-imposition of the tax is approved by the voters, such vote shall also constitute approval of the issuance of general obligation debt of Henry County, Georgia, in the principal amount of $240,000,000 for the above purpose.

The adopted and published Transportation Project list does not provide any budgetary information, a situation denounced repeatedly by members of the Oversight Committee during their 3-month tenure. A review of probable costs for the adopted and listed projects, and listed projects for which no funds were "allocated" is confusing. There is great flexibility to move funds among projects, even to the extent of including non-listed Capital projects like a McDonough Pool.

An error by omission is understandable, but the differences between the published and non-published plans for SPLOST III leaves too much room for question. The adopted ballot language is typical of past years, and remains vague as to specific uses. I believe it fails to provide the voters with fair notice of the intended uses for the revenues. The issues of fair notice combined with conflicting project lists raises potentially ominous results for the November referendum. Among discerning voters, the question may be, "Exactly what are we voting on? "

Posted by Larry Stanley at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Many editorials and blog posts have centered around taxation, specifically SPLOST and the suggested regional sales tax for transportation. I hate taxes. All of them. I have never believed my family or I got any bang for the buck on property taxes or SPLOST. So I rant about government education, traffic congestion, you name it.

Look back at recent posts like They Never Learn, Regional Taxes, More wasted money, No Confidence in SPLOST III? or More accountability needed in proposed SPLOST. There is a common thread that is unmistakable. Taxes are not inherently evil, but that we taxpayers do not like the operational and management outcomes.

I often think about my “money grows on trees” teenager. He has no concept how much I work to earn a living, or the responsibilities I must prioritize. And none of that matters because he has a God-given right to my money. Does that sound like any governing authorities you could name?

So long as school boards, counties and cities have an unlimited supply, one which cannot be denied to them by the suppliers (us), they will also believe in the God-given right to our money. Speaker Glenn Richardson wrote this about his proposed tax plan:

“Local officials seem not to understand that citizens are fed up and ready for a change. Maybe the real problem with property taxes is not just the tax, but the rate of spending increases by local governments. Since 1996, inflation has risen 28 percent. I believe local control is letting citizens decide, through a vote, when the system needs to change and letting them decide each and every day at the cash register how much they pay in taxes.”

How about a one-county, one-cent sales tax devoted solely to named and specifically defined transportation projects? How about having budgets, timelines and realistic expectations? How about an air tight auditing of every dime in and out, accounting for each individual project?

Accountability in a tax program where we actually get things we need. I would vote for that. Would you?

Posted by Larry Stanley at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Funny, I don't recall this being a constitutionally-sanctioned function of government...

Let me get this straight...she wants every baby born in America to be "given" 5000 dollars by the taxpayers government?

Let's be honest here, Hil, If you consider that there were 669,601 live births in the U.S. in 2006, you're talking about spending $3,348,005,000 (three BILLION, three-hundred and forty eight million, and five thousand dollars) per year. Let me guess...you're going to fund it by taxing the rich?

Democrats: Is this honestly your front-runner? God help us if the Republicans nominate an idiot like Rudy, Romney, or McCain (all of whom stand no chance against Hillary). It'll be over for sure.

Posted by Jace Walden at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

For SPLOST III it is critical that voters get the whole picture in writing before the referendum. Information is available with a little effort. That is, if you really want to know about transportation projects. The best source is the resolution authorizing the intergovernmental agreement between the county and cities.

The board of commissioners adopted a sketchy list of transportation projects that shows no budget or timeline information. The wording that concerns me is “Road, street and bridge improvements including, without limitation, the following.” Without limitation? Does that mean some projects may be adopted later? Are revenues to be used for discretionary spending?

On the surface we know the cities will get twenty-five percent of all revenues each month. Another five percent is allocated to program management and operations – currently shown as a reduction from transportation projects.

So the county is left with seventy percent of revenues for both capital and transportation projects. The agreement shows $67.5 million (28%) for capital, and $157.5 million (66%) for transportation. These figures are set for the threshold of $240 million revenues, but allows 6% for operations and management. The county commissioners did not list any second tier projects in case revenues actually exceed $240 million. That must be why they said, “Without limitation,” leaving a lot of wiggle room.

The absence of budget figures in the publicly released transportation project list is worrisome. Budgets are listed for capital projects. I know they used spreadsheets to arrive at allocation of each district’s $24 million because I have a copy. But without revealing details to voters what can we really know?

A couple of things stand out. Local funding for Bill Gardner Parkway needed $4 million from each District 1 and District 2. But District 2 cut that share to $2 million, and added a project for an access road west of I-75. If I did not know about the proposed retail development on Jodeco Road, and the fact the access road is intended to promote that development, this would not have raised an eyebrow. Something conspicuously missing is a project to improve Jodeco Road or the intersection at Mt. Carmel beyond the proposed development. Doubtful a 2-plus mile access road could be designed, right of way purchased, and constructed for $2 million, my inquiry was met with, “No comment.” This is a project begging for budgetary wiggle room.

In the cities, Stockbridge is dedicating $27 million to public works and redevelopment efforts. McDonough’s largest projects are public safety ($8 million) and Alexander Park ($7 million). But hey, Stockbridge made their plans clear by using eminent domain and getting a lot of news coverage. And McDonough’s councilwoman Gail Notti has been pitching a butterfly house for a long time.

The ballot question still bothers me. In each SPLOST referendum voters have approved vague statements that resulted in “maybe” and “what if” project completion. The adopted ballot we will see in November is no different. I don’t like that. But I have been told, “We will address that.” So long as we accept this behavior with our votes, they will never learn.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is that time of the week. Time to get your picks for this week's marquis (...cough...uneventful week...cough...) matchups in college football. I won last week's game with 11 points, but Doug the Big L was right on my tail with 10 points. Here are this weeks games:

West Virginia (5) @ South Florida (18)
Line: West Virginia -8.5
My Pick: I pick South Florida in the upset. They will not cover the other way.

Mississippi @ Georgia (15)
Line: Georgia -16.5
My Pick: I pick Georgia to win, but not to cover the spread.

Mississippi State @ South Carolina (16)
Line: South Carolina -16.0
My Pick: I pick Mississippi State to in the upset. They will not cover the other way.

California (6) @ Oregon (11)
Line: Oregon -4.0
My Pick: I pick Oregon to win and beat the spread.

Clemson (13) @ Georgia Tech
Line: Georgia Tech -1.0
My Pick: I pick Clemson in the upset and they will cover the other way.

BONUS (Worth 3 Points)
Auburn @ Florida (4)
Predict the number of RUSHING yards for Tim Tebow.
My Prediction: 45 yards

Once again, let's go over the rules:
(1) One point is awarded for correctly picking the winner
(2) Three additional points are awarded for correctly predicting an upset winner
(3) Two points are awarded for correctly predicting the spread
(4) Three points are awarded to the participant who comes closest to predicting Tim Tebow's number of rushing yards. You can go over.

Winner gets bragging rights. Submit your picks in the comments section.

Posted by Jace Walden at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This solution to the current fight over SCHIP sounds like somewhat of an improvement:

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) has crafted such an alternative, one that can get the president’s signature, help all kids get health insurance and not stick it to smokers. It has three elements. First, it includes a full reauthorization of SCHIP. Families that are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level get the same benefits. Second, those families that are between 200 and 300 percent of the poverty level would get a child healthcare tax credit that would be used for the purchase of health insurance. Third, Martinez would create a healthcare federalism initiative for the states, to give them incentives to expand healthcare coverage at the state level.

Posted by Jason at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are a couple informative pieces out today on the uninsured. The first one comes from the National Center for Policy Analysis:

Despite claims that there is a health insurance crisis in the United States, the proportion of Americans without health coverage has changed little in the past decade. The increase in the number of uninsured is largely due to immigration and population growth -- and to individual choice, says Devon Herrick, a senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis.

How Big Is the Problem? In 2006, according to Census Bureau data:

• More than 84 percent (250.4 million) of U.S. residents were privately insured or enrolled in a government health program, such as Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Programs (S-CHIP).
• Up to 14 million uninsured adults and children qualified for government programs in 2004 but had not enrolled, according to the BlueCross BlueShield Association.
• Nearly 18 million of the uninsured live in households with annual incomes above $50,000 and could likely afford health insurance.

In theory, therefore, about 32 million people, or 68 percent of the uninsured, could easily obtain coverage but have chosen to forgo insurance. That means that about 94 percent of United States residents either have health coverage or access to it. The remaining 6 percent live in house-holds that earn less than $50,000 annually. This group does not qualify for Medicaid and (arguably) earns too little to easily afford expensive family plans costing more than $12,000 per year. However, they could afford the limited benefit plans that are gaining in popularity, says Herrick.

Dick Morris has a few questions for Hillary over at RealClearPolitics, including:

You base your healthcare proposal on the need to cover 47 million "uninsured Americans." Since about a third of them are illegal immigrants and another third are eligible for Medicaid right now and just don't apply for it, aren't you overstating the problem?

Posted by Jason at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Larry and I attended the forum/townhall on I-75 last night. I was very impressed with the turn out and almost everyone seemed to be in agreement...I-75 is the Henry County's economic engine and waiting to do something about the problem will impede further economic growth. There were people in the room tonight that have opposed one another on this political issue or that political issue, but they seemed to click on this.

Something that was taken from the forum was a point made by a representative of Atlanta Motor Speedway. He pointed out that in recent years AMS has lost millions of dollars due to congestions on I-75. One lady said that if she had a heart problem she wouldn't want doctors looking at her capillaries and veins, she would want them to look at the artery because that is where the problem is.

But as JT Williams and many others pointed out, nothing will change and Henry County will continue to get short changed by GDOT, GRTA and the ARC unless residents of the Henry County start to notify their representatives, not just in the legislative delegation or on the Henry County BOC, but the at agencies (GDOT and GRTA) that do the planning and set the funding.

Henry County simply cannot wait until 2014 to get something done about I-75...and 2014 is the earliest possible start date. The project is current unfunded and is sitting in limbo.

I do want to take one moment to address comments made by Shi Shailendra. He took his time to ask Rep. Steve Davis if he supported the Jodeco Road project. Davis responded by saying that he supported the Jodeco project and the I-75 project, but he believed that doing something about I-75 is the higher priority. This particular person told the audience that he was a former GRTA member. He explained that if bridge was rejected that the county would lose the money, something that I don't believe anyone disputes.

As Larry wrote in a comment the other day, there are plans to build a mall at the corner of Jodeco Road and Chambers Road. As Larry was told that the plans to build this mall are contingent on that bridge being built.

Shailendra was overly supportive of the Jodeco Road project. Why? Perhaps it is because he just happens to have a stake in it being built. Shailendra is the founder and CEO of the Shailendra Group, LLC:

The shopping center, being developed by Shailendra Group LLC in Atlanta and Bayer Properties LLC in Birmingham, is at Jodeco Road and Interstate 75 in McDonough.

The 165-acre site on the southwest corner of Jodeco Road and I-75 is under contract, said Paul Shailendra, senior development manager for Shailendra Group, and the company expects to close on the land in 2008.
[...]
"Our big hurdle is getting DOT (the Georgia Department of Transportation) improvements on Jodeco Road," Shailendria said.

As usual there are several sides to every Henry County transportation project. The county sorely needs relief from traffic congestion, and the Jodeco bridge project is a step toward achieving it. Also, the proposed retail development will bring additional sales and property tax revenue to the county. But there is a quid pro quo that involves higher traffic volume due to the shopping center, and no plan or money to improve Jodeco Road.

Our District 2 commissioner added a project to SPLOST III for an access road west of I-75 that will lead to the shopping center. Something conspicuously missing is a project to improve Jodeco Road or the intersection at Mt. Carmel beyond the proposed development. And the SPLOST III project for Campground Road extension was cut, due to funding, from 4-lanes to 2-lanes. The trade-off is what it is. We get something, but it is not traffic mitigation.

You can read another recap over at Rep. Davis' blog.

Posted by Jason at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just got word about this:

There will be a Special Called Hearing of the Board of Elections and Registration on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. The hearing will be held at the Henry County Administration Building, Conference Room B, located at 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough. Complying with Georgia Election Codes, the hearing is in reference to Code Section O.C.G.A. § 21-2-6; qualification of candidacy to seek or hold office and their name to be placed on the November 6, 2007 Municipal General Election ballot for the City of McDonough.

[UPDATE - 12:25pm] I've been able to get some information on this. The complaint against Monta Brown was filed by Jeff Reeves, it was served by Scott Reeves. Eligibility is being questioned due to the amount of back taxes he owes. The Election Board will make a decision today after hearing arguments and rebuttals. Each side will have ten days to contest the board’s decision in Superior Court.

The hearing has nothing to do with residency in the district he represents. I was specifically told that residency is “not even a question, he lives in the district.”

[UPDATE - 4:57pm] The Election Board ruled in Monta Brown's favor. His name will appear on the ballot. However, there complainant has ten days to appeal the ruling in Superior Court.

Brown apparently owes a significant amount of unpaid taxes and his wages are being garnished. It seems that the Election Board viewed this as having established a payment plan.

[UPDATE - Friday] Here is the Herald article on the hearing.

Posted by Jason at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I am embarrassed for these people:

Giuliani was beset by dozens of Paul enthusiasts as he was leaving the island, some of whom shouted taunts about 9/11, including: “9/11 was an inside job” and “Rudy, Rudy, what did you do with the gold?” -- an apparent reference to rumors about $200 million in gold alleged to have disappeared in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Ed Wyszynski, a longtime party activist from Eagle, said the Paul supporters threatened to throw Giuliani overboard and harrassed him as he took shelter in the ferry’s pilothouse for the 15-minute journey back to Mackinaw City.

“It was awful,” said Wyszynski, who supports Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination.

Ron Paul is who I plan to vote for in the primary and I have a sign in my yard, but let's face it...his is not going to win the nomination. The best you can do to support him is to put a sign in your yard, tell friends and family about him, attend a rally if he comes to town and cast your vote for the guy because he is the only candidate that seems to believe in liberty. The worst you do is act like a violent, conspiracy theory spouting lunatic, like these fools. You people are doing more to hurt the campaign than anything.

H/T: Doug @ The Liberty Papers

Posted by Jason at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Wal-Mart has expanded their drug program:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding its national $4 generic prescription drug program by about 10 percent, adding drugs for some new conditions.

The world's largest retailer said Thursday it has added drugs covering glaucoma, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fungal infections and acne.

Two prescription birth control drugs and one fertility drug were added at $9, reflecting a higher cost that the company said could not be brought down further.
[...]
The increase adds about 30 prescriptions, made up of 14 drugs in various doses, to a list of 331 prescriptions and 143 drug compounds sold under the first phase introduced last year.

Posted by Jason at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tom Price defends his vote on SCHIP:

Despite impassioned pleas from House Republicans to meet the original bipartisan intent of SCHIP, the new majority is moving forward with a massive expansion of government-controlled health care under the auspices of helping poor children. Sadly, when they offer the President their veto-worthy bill, the new majority will declare politics more important than the health care of our nation’s poor children.
[...]
Proponents of the Democrat reauthorization trumpet a disingenuous, but politically powerful objective of helping America’s kids. Yet the plan passed by this Congress offers coverage to those in households with income up to $62,000 per year, additionally including 21 year-old adults as children. Any honest discussion about this SCHIP proposal reveals that it is not about needy children, but rather an insincere attempt to further usurp the health freedom of the American people.

A recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study revealed that an overwhelming 77% of children affected by this expansion already have personal health insurance. Expanding income eligibility for SCHIP will serve as a taxpayer funded substitute to these personal insurance plans, resulting in many children who already have health insurance leaving the private sector for the taxpayer rolls.
[...]
Many have unfairly claimed that Republicans oppose SCHIP reauthorization. This is flatly wrong. In fact, House Republicans have introduced legislation, the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to reauthorize the program in a manner consistent with it's original intent.

Posted by Jason at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I found out yesterday that Mike Davis is no longer with the Henry Herald. He apparently took a job with Georgia State.

Also, Connie Dodgen is no longer blogging at Henry.Talk @ the AJC.

Posted by Jason at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Why don't you head down to the Big Pig Jig in Dooly County during the first weekend in October and demand a free plate of BBQ since your tax dollars went to "improve" the site that hosts the event.

Posted by Jason at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Democrats unveil tax plan to "fight climate change":

Dealing with global warming will be painful, says one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress. To back up his claim he is proposing a recipe many people won't like _ a 50-cent gasoline tax, a carbon tax and scaling back tax breaks for some home owners.

"I'm trying to have everybody understand that this is going to cost and that it's going to have a measure of pain that you're not going to like," Rep. John Dingell, who is marking his 52nd year in Congress, said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press.
[...]
"This is going to cause pain," he said, adding that he wants to make certain "the pain is shared in a way that is fair, proper, acceptable and accomplishes the basic purpose" of reducing greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels.
[...]
Dingell says he hasn't rule out such a so-called "cap-and-trade" system, either, but that at least for now he wants to float what he believes is a better idea. He will propose for discussion:

_A 50-cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline and jet fuel, phased in over five years, on top of existing taxes.

_A tax on carbon, at $50 a ton, released from burning coal, petroleum or natural gas.

_Phaseout of the interest tax deduction on home mortgages for homes over 3,000 square feet. Owners would keep most of the deduction for homes at the lower end of the scale, but it would be eliminated entirely for homes of 4,200 feet or more.

Posted by Jason at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Another federal judge has ruled that sections of the so-called USA PATRIOT Act are unconstitutional:

Two provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional because they allow search warrants to be issued without a showing of probable cause, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, as amended by the Patriot Act, "now permits the executive branch of government to conduct surveillance and searches of American citizens without satisfying the probable cause requirements of the Fourth Amendment."

Portland attorney Brandon Mayfield sought the ruling in a lawsuit against the federal government after he was mistakenly linked by the FBI to the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in 2004.

The Patriot Act greatly expanded the authority of law enforcers to investigate suspected acts of terrorism, both domestically and abroad.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Posted by Jason at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I got this e-mail from Reid Bowman today about SPLOST and the priorities of the BOC:

Where to begin, as a county commissioner, I am appalled at what is taken place on the SPLOST 3 projects. Early on I proposed that at least 85% of funds collected should go to transportation projects.While I know that there are certain Capital projects that should be built, there are others that could wait. I have heard at various meetings that if we don't get these into our Capital list we risk re-election. It is my opinion that this is totally the wrong reason for adding such pork issues.I have stated on a number of occasions that a senior center, not 2 centers, was all that was promised on SPLOST 2 - it seems strange to me that Gwinnett county has a total of 3, Clayton County has 3 Rockdale, Newton, and Spalding only have 1, while Fayette has 1 with one under construction. At this time Eagles Landing Parkway from 75 to Hwy 42 does not have enough money to complete this project. I have been told by others that there was never enough money to do the parkway to start with. If that is the case, then why was it promised in SPLOST 2?

Would someone please explain to me why we are building a 4 lane road from hwy 155 to hwy 42 before we finish Eagles Landing Parkway? At this time, there is approx 65% of SPLOST 3 to be spent on transportation projects. It is my opinion, that we as the board are being fiscally irresponsible to the citizens of Henry County. At the beginning, of my tenure as CC, I was told that the majority of capital projects that needed to be completed were done in SPLOST 2 and that a larger percentage for transportation would be available for SPLOST 3 - Not only are we getting more money than we did in SPLOST 2, but we are spending less of that on transportation. On a number of occasions during public meetings, I have asked that we revisit the capital issues and that we do more for transportation. On each occasion, it appears that it has fallen on deaf ears, and I did not have any support. At this time, the transportation breakdown per district, is as follows:

• Dis 1 - $24,100,000
• Dis 2 - $24,100,000
• Dis 3 - $16,757,500
• Dis 4 - $11,862,500
• Dis 5 - $19,205,000

These are transportation numbers only - these are taken from total overall collections being $240,000,000 with 25% or $60,000,00 going to the cities - 75% or $180,000,000 going to the county - 30% of county money goes to capital projects at $54,000,000 and 70% to road projects at $126,000,000 - now if you do the math - you will find that when you add all these numbers together they will not come up to $126,000,000 - there is another 5% put in to run the projects - thus bringing the total down to 65% plus or minus - in my opinion, the citizens of Henry County expect more out of their elected officials. It is also my opinion that the citizens deserve more. Don't get me wrong - I am in support of SPLOST 3, it would be irresponsible for me not to be. I just want the best for all the citizens. This is public information use it any way you like!

Reid Bowman

Posted by Jason at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This is just a reminder that there will be a forum tomorrow night at Eagles Landing Middle School to discuss congestion on I-75. You can view the event information here.

Posted by Jason at 04:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Congrats to Grift Drift on being named "Best Blogger" by Creative Loafing.

Posted by Jason at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When things go bad, they apparently go really bad. Former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has tested positive for marijuana.

Speaking of Michael Vick, did anyone else happen to watch the ESPN Townhall Meeting on the Vick saga? It was hosted in the Georgia World Congress Center. For those of you who didn't see it, it was an open event for anyone who wanted to make a reservation. Unfortunately, 99.9% of the people in attendance were from the "It's because he's black" crowd. It's a shame that in 2007, we still have a large portion of the population who still play the race card and embarrass the rest of the state in the process.

Posted by Jace Walden at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

SCHIP renewal passed in the House of Representatives, but it is not a veto-proof (two-thirds) majority. This bill would have expanded the program by $35 billion and increase eligibility in some cases to four times the poverty level, which is simply outrageous.

As Michael Cannon wrote, "SCHIP casts a much wider net than suggested by its stated purpose - namely, providing coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (which ostensibly serves only the poor) but still can't afford private insurance. According to a study in the journal Inquiry, 60 percent of children eligible for SCHIP already had private coverage when the program was created."

I hate it for the Congressmen that voted against this bill, they will be pegged as hating kids. This was a bad bill. They chose fiscal responsibility (sort of...most of them, if not all of them, still support the original purpose of SCHIP and its renewal, but not expansion) over expanding a program that was intended to be limited in the first place. Then again you are talking about a party that great expanded Medicare, a program that was already facing devastating unfunded liabilities.

You can view the roll call vote here...and here is the breakdown for the Georgia Congressional Delegation.

Yea: Barrow, Bishop, Johnson, Lewis, Scott
Nay: Broun, Deal, Gingrey, Kingston, Linder, Marshall, Price, Westmoreland

Posted by Jason at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The voter ID issue will be settled by the Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide whether voter identification laws unfairly deter the poor and minorities from voting, stepping into a contentious partisan issue in advance of the 2008 elections.

The justices will hear arguments early next year in a challenge to an Indiana law that requires voters to present photo ID before casting their ballots. The state has defended the law as a way to combat voter fraud.

The state Democratic party and civil rights groups complained that the law unfairly targets poor and minority voters, without any evidence that in-person voter fraud exists in Indiana. The party argued that those voters tend to be Democrats.

Posted by Jason at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There are no gays in Iran:

"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," Ahmadinejad said to howls and boos among the Columbia University audience.

"In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don't know who has told you that we have it," he said.

Ahmadinejad was challenged during his appearance on Amnesty International figures that suggested that 200 people had been executed in Iran so far this year, among them homosexuals.

Ok...I'll stop now before I get myself in trouble.

Posted by Jason at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

The Herald article echoes columns at the AJC and ramblings we heard during the last legislative session: Business leader: Status quo leaves little money for new roads

"Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville), a member of the committee, questioned the wisdom of lawmakers supporting any form of tax increase when, due to inefficiency and burdensome federal regulations, the DOT typically takes years to bring even the simplest project into service. If we come up with these additional funds, what assurance do we have that these funds are going to be turned into asphalt, concrete and bridges?”

History does not repeat itself. It's just the same thing over and over again. Look at Henry County's penchant for dedicating transportation funds to promote development. There is not a plan or consistent policy that addresses the congestion issues.

The bridges at Eagles Landing, Jonesboro Road and Hwy 20/81 were constructed to promote the adjacent shopping areas. Using Eagles Landing as the best example of PPPP (P__ Poor Prior Planning) an eleven lane bridge narrows to two-lane roads. Every day from about 3pm to 6pm traffic on I-75 becomes a parking lot when you pass Hwy 138 moving Comfortably South of Atlanta. These bridges serve one purpose: drive retail development.

Feeding government in general, and a regional (read less accountable) quasi-governmental agency with more tax dollars is similar to enabling a drunk with more alcohol. He feels better for a while, but the problem is never addressed. It is no coincidence that the same people telling us how we are living Comfortably South of Atlanta are the people pushing hardest for new taxes.

We already have the 4th highest taxes in Metro-Atlanta. Our commissioners, the ARC and the state DOT have formulated one plan: make excuses, complain and ask for more money.

Throwing more of our money at these folks is purely self defeating.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 08:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Cato Institute's Michael Cannon penned an op-ed on the renewal of SCHIP:

Under SCHIP, the taxpayers fund health coverage for children in families of four earning as much as $72,000 per year, though not all eligible families enroll. Democrats in Congress want to open the program to families of four earning $83,000 per year or more. President Bush is OK with expanding SCHIP to cover well-off families - but only if the states enroll 95 percent of those lower-income children first.
[...]
SCHIP casts a much wider net than suggested by its stated purpose - namely, providing coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (which ostensibly serves only the poor) but still can't afford private insurance. According to a study in the journal Inquiry, 60 percent of children eligible for SCHIP already had private coverage when the program was created.
[...]
Worse still, SCHIP makes private coverage less affordable for everyone. Under Medicaid and SCHIP rules, the government agrees to pay a percentage of what drug makers charge private payers. Economists Mark Duggan of the University of Maryland and Fiona Scott Morton of Yale find that manufacturers respond by raising prices for private purchasers an estimated 13 percent.
[...]
Congress should let SCHIP expire on Sept. 30 and replace it with the freedom to purchase health insurance from anywhere in the nation.

Some will complain that scrapping SCHIP would leave dependent families in the lurch. As a transitional step, Congress could convert federal Medicaid and SCHIP funding into a smaller, lump-sum payment to each state. That would serve as a halfway point toward eliminating these payments and simultaneously cutting taxes. States that want to maintain their current spending levels could raise the tax revenue themselves.

Posted by Jason at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This just bothers me. A supporter of Rudy Giuliani is seeking $9.11 donations for the campaign:

"There are some young people who came up with it," Sofaer said when reached by telephone Monday evening. He referred other questions to Giuliani's campaign.

"I'm just providing support for him. He's an old friend of mine," Sofaer said of Giuliani.
[...]
According to the invitation, "$9.11 for Rudy" is an "independent, non-denominational grass-roots campaign to raise $10,000 in small increments to show how many individual, everyday Americans support `America's Mayor.'"

Posted by Jason at 06:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My nephew is on his second tour in Iraq. Although all blogs are "filtered" through registration with superior officers, he has a new website setup. This deployment is different from the first. And now, in his words, a little wish has been granted:

We are now in the very middle of our area of operations. Before, we would roll through the city maybe twice a day, check stuff out, and head back to our big camp. These people aren't stupid. They know that acting up when we are out and about means very bad things for Hajji, so they have early warning plans when their buddies spot our Humvees.

Now we are ALWAYS around. We have our fingers on the pulse of our sector now, and when Hajji is actin' a fool, we are right there before they know it. All we have to do is jump in our little war wagons, drive out the gate and we are in the thick of things. We are learning about the people who make up the neighborhoods, who to take care of and who to watch out for.

I have always wished that the United States would loosen up the reins a bit and let us infantrymen do our job. God has granted us our little wish.

We are going toe to toe with the enemy. When we took over that house, it was like slapping the neighborhood bully across the face. Al-Qaeda doesn't know what the heck to do now. When they blow up one of our Humvees, we blow their houses to smithereens. When they shoot one of our soldiers, we snatch up the shooter and his father, brothers and sons. They are learning the hard way, their day of reckoning has come with a vengeance.

God bless every one of our volunteer soldiers, sailors and Marines.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Amanda just asked me where her hairbrush is...I answered her by singing this song:

Posted by Jason at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glenn Beck is coming back to Atlanta radio:

After a failed experiment with Mike McConnell in midmornings on WGST-AM, Program Director Randall Bloomquist has decided to bring back conservative talker Glenn Beck.

Beck aired from 2001 to 2005 in Atlanta in that same 9 to noon time slot with mediocre results. But given his higher profile since he started his CNN Headline News show, he might do better this time around. “Since Glenn’s departure we have received regular listener feedback asking for his return,” Bloomquist said in an email.

Posted by Jason at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

I'm sorry...but this is too little, too late:

After six and a half years of spending faster than LBJ, President Bush has decided to proclaim himself the guardian of the taxpayers, accusing Democrats of “working to bring back the failed tax-and-spend policies of the past.” The very recent past, perhaps? Today he complained that Congress has not yet completed appropriations bills for the fiscal year that begins Monday, and warned that Democrats shouldn’t send him an omnibus bill that would “make it easier for members to sneak in all kinds of special projects, put in wasteful spending or pork barrel that they are not willing to debate in the open.”

Republicans protecting the taxpayers from the tax-and-spend Democrats. It’s a golden oldie. But it doesn’t have much relevance in the past decade. As the chart below indicates, spending has risen more than twice as much in Bush’s first seven budgets as it did in Clinton’s eight years.

Posted by Jason at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I got an e-mail from the Sunlight Foundation today. They have, in collusion with Taxpayers for Common Sense, launched a new site called EarmarkWatch.org:

You don’t have to be an expert on earmarks -- EarmarkWatch.org gives you the power to easily research, evaluate and comment on the pet projects favored and funded by members of Congress.

Right now, you can investigate earmarks from the House Defense Appropriations Bill and the House and Senate versions of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bills. EarmarkWatch.org will guide you through a series of steps that an investigative reporter would follow, associating different kinds of political information with each earmark, and will also show you how to use online resources to find out whether recipients of earmarks hired lobbyists, made campaign contributions to members of Congress, or won federal contracts and grants. You can also add information to earmarks others have researched, or comment on what others have found.

Posted by Jason at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

State Rep. Steve Davis, arguably the most fiscally conservative member of the State House of Representatives, has told me that he plans to seek re-election next year. He had previously been unsure as to whether he was going to seek a third term.

Expect an official announcement in the next few days or so.

Posted by Jason at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A couple of days ago, JasonPye.com turned two years old.

Thanks for reading, especially those of you that have been reading since the start. We've had some good times and great debates.

Posted by Jason at 06:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hampton and McDonough need to take notice as cities across the country begin to abandon their wi-fi crusades:

Wi-Fi, one of the most popular standards for wireless Internet access, had been seen as a means of connecting more people at a relatively low cost, and city leaders across the United States had been rushing to use the technology for "digital inclusion" programs for low-income residents.

But cities and companies are finding the economics more difficult, with many expensive access points needed and relatively small numbers of subscribers signing on.

"I think it's a troubled market," said Daryl Schoolar, senior analyst at the research firm In-Stat.

"Some thought a lot of people would rush out with laptops and would use it. But Wi-Fi doesn't really penetrate buildings well. And people use Wi-fi mainly in hotels, airports and cafes."

Posted by Jason at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

There is a new Hall of Shame inductee at Georgia Porkbusters.

This inductee is unique because he is the first non-legislator to receive the dishonor.

Posted by Jason at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

David Hardy defines irony:

On Friday, Rudy Guliani is explaining to an NRA conference that he really's isn't antigun.

And on the same day, NYC is arguing in court against a motion to dismiss the lawsuit against gun dealers that he initiated.

Posted by Jason at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I wonder if Mac Collins is starting to take the hint:

"This is my home; Rick Goddard will be my congressman," said Perdue, who was clearly glad to spend a few hours in Perry, among old friends near his Houston County home.

"If I have any credit left in your bank, put it to Rick Goddard's account," Perdue said.

That doesn't leave much room for former Congressman Mac Collins, who has said he'd like to take another run at U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall in the 8th District, to crawl into Perdue's political heart. Perdue noted that he supported Collins last year during what turned out to be an oh-so-close bid to unseat the now three-term Democrat. And so did Goddard.

H/T: Erick @ Peach Pundit

Posted by Jason at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Besides the Georgia/Alabama game and the Penn State/Michigan game, expect this to be a pretty uneventful week in College Football. Here are the lines and my predictions on a few games...if anyone wants to give me their picks in the comments to create a little friendly competition, please do.

South Carolina (12) @ Louisiana State University (2)
Line: LSU -16.5
I Pick: LSU and they will cover the spread.

Penn State (10) @ Michigan
Line: Penn State -2.5
I Pick: Michigan for the upset and to beat the spread given to PSU.

Georgia (22) @ Alabama (16)
Line: Alabama -3.5
I Pick: Georgia for the upset and to beat the spread given to Alabama.

Kentucky (21) @ Arkansas
Line: Arkansas -6.5
I Pick: Arkansas and they will cover the spread.

Georgia Tech @ Virginia
Line: Georgia Tech -3.0
I Pick: Georgia Tech and they will cover the spread.

BONUS: Michigan State (0-3) vs. Notre Dame (0-3)
Guess the total points scored in the game. Notre Dame is averaging 4.3 PPG. Michigan State is averaging 33.3 PPG.
I Guess: 28 points.

Everyone have a great weekend. Go Dawgs!

Oh, here's how the point system works if you want to compete:
(1) One point is awarded for picking the winner
(2) Three additional points are awarded for picking an upset winner
(3) Two points are awarded for correctly predictiing the spread
(4) Three additional points are awarded to the person who guesses closest to the total combined points in the MSU vs. Notre Dame game. (You can go over).

Winner gets bragging rights.

Posted by Jace Walden at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I'd love to hear this question asked to one or all of the Democrats presidential hopefuls:

Okay, you want to raise taxes on the rich. I get that. But what do you want to do with the money?

At different times, it seems, you want to

1. Fund universal health care.
2. Give a tax cut to the middle class.
3. Reduce the long-term fiscal gap.

Which is it?

To get some idea about the numbers involved here, let's turn to the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO tells us that each percentage-point increase in the top two income tax rates (singles making over about $150K, married taxpayers over about $180K) increases tax revenue by only about $6 billion a year. And even that $6 billion is an overestimate, because it takes into account only a limited range of behavioral responses to higher tax rates.

No one really thinks you can achieve all three of the above goals in any significant degree and pay for them with only tax hikes on the rich. When it comes down to choosing among the three goals, which one would you pick?

H/T: QandO

Posted by Jason at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Henry County Legislative Delegation is hosting a joint townhall meeting to hear public input from those impacted by the congestion on I-75 in Henry County and the need for lane expansion. After a brief introduction of elected officials each speaker will be given three minutes to speak .

Anyone wishing to speak is asked to sign in between 6pm and 7pm. Speakers will be heard in the order of which they sign in. The delegation will make every effort to hear as many speakers as possible before 9pm when the meeting will be adjourned.

More details are available here.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alaska has canceled the Gravina Island Bridge project:

The state of Alaska on Friday officially abandoned the "bridge to nowhere" project that became a nationwide symbol of federal pork-barrel spending.

The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan, on one island in southeastern Alaska, to its airport on another nearby island.

"Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer," Gov. Sarah Palin said in a statement.

She directed the state transportation department to find the most "fiscally responsible" alternative for access to the airport.

Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young championed the project through Congress two years ago, securing more than $200 million for the bridge between Ketchikan, on Revillagigedo Island, and Gravina Island.

Under mounting political pressure over pork projects, Congress stripped the earmark -- or stipulation -- that the money be used for the airport, but still sent the money to the state for any use it deemed appropriate.

Posted by Jason at 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

When it comes to the health insurance debate there needs to be a sense of perspective. The Health Affiars Blog provides that for us with some facts on the uninsured:

Almost the entire increase in people without health insurance from 2005 to 2006 took place in families with incomes above $50,000 (median family income is $48,200). The number of uninsured people in families whose incomes were below $25,000 actually declined by about 4%.

Families with incomes above $50,000 a year account for an improbable 93% of the 2.1 million increase in the uninsured, and now represent 38% of the total uninsured in the United States.
[...]
One-quarter of the 47 million uninsured are foreign born, and over 10 million are not citizens. So the correct answer to the politically incorrect Trivial Pursuit question: “How many Americans are uninsured?” is a little less than 37 million (still too many, but . . .).

H/T: Heath Care BS

Posted by Jason at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You have probably heard about the Senate voting to condemn MoveOn.org for their ad referring to Gen. David Petraeus as "General Betray Us."

The Political Insider tells us about how Saxby Chambliss got brought into the middle of the ordeal:

Democrats were ready with an amendment of their own, one that listed instances in which a Republican questioned the integrity of a Democratic war veteran.

Can you guess whose campaign ad got first mention in the Dems’ amendment? Here’s a hint:

“In 2002, a senator from Georgia who is a Vietnam veteran, triple amputee and the recipient of a Silver Star and Bronze Star had his courage and patriotism attacked in an advertisement in which he was visually linked to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein,” the amendment reads, taking care not to violate Senate rules by naming individuals.

In case you've forgotten it, here is the ad the amendment, offered by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), is referring to:

Posted by Jason at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Congressman Phil Gingrey is seeking a temporary renewal of SCHIP, while some of the frivolous details are worked out:

“In ten days, we won’t have an SCHIP program, and millions of children throughout the country - including 270,000 PeachCare kids - will be without health insurance. We cannot allow partisan politics to hold our children’s health hostage. This extension of the current SCHIP program will allow children to keep their insurance, while Congress comes to an agreement on the best way to reauthorize and improve the program for the long run. I wish I thought that Democrats and Republicans could work together over the next week and a half to create a responsible solution, but unfortunately, Republicans have been completely excluded from the discussion. Instead, House Democrats brought forward a bill that covered families with income levels up to $80,000, “children” up to the age of 25 and even illegal immigrants – all while implementing one of the largest Medicare cuts in history and raising taxes. Their bill narrowly passed the House in August, but immediately received a veto threat from the White House.”

“What we need is legislation that preserves the original intent of the SCHIP program – to provide healthcare for underprivileged children. What we don’t need is a hurried, poorly-planned expansion of the program that would force taxpayers to provide health insurance for adults, wealthy families and illegal immigrants. H.R. 1329 will give Congress the opportunity to pass responsible SCHIP legislation without punishing children throughout the country who truly need affordable health insurance coverage.”

Posted by Jason at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Despite his approval of it, Mike King makes the a similar comparison that I made of HillaryCare v2.0 to RomneyCare:

Now that it's out there — the New York senator and Democratic presidential candidate unveiled her health insurance proposals on Monday — they must surely be disappointed. Hillary Clinton's plan for reforming the nation's health insurance system is no more or less radical than any of the others circulating among presidential hopefuls, including Republican Mitt Romney, who enacted a similar plan as governor of Massachusetts just two years ago.

Can you say RomneyCare?

Mitt Romney devoted an entire article [$] in today’s Wall Street Journal to explaining how the law he signed as governor of Massachusetts is very different from Hillary Clinton’s new health plan.

He’s right, you know. Clinton proposes an individual mandate and an employer mandate. Romney? His Massachusetts law imposed ... well, individual and employer mandates. Clinton proposes subsidies for those who can’t afford insurance. Romney? Yeah, he had those too. Clinton proposes expanding an existing government purchasing cooperative. Aha! Romney ... um, created a new government purchasing cooperative. Clinton wants to impose hidden taxes on the young and those who lead healthy lifestyles to subsidize older people and those who lead unhealthy lifestyles. Romney? Yeah, he did that too. Clinton disingenously wraps her plan in free-market rhetoric. Romney ... umm...

The governor doth protest too much, methinks

Posted by Jason at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The outrage over the Jena Six hits Henry County:

Members of the Henry County NAACP say they are joining the protest in defense of Mychal Bell. The youngster was, at one time, charged as an adult after allegedly beating another student at Jena High School.

His arrest followed what some liken to a schoolhouse fight, involving Bell and five other black teens against a white teen at their high school.

It is one of several racial conflicts in Jena since school officials found three nooses hanging from a tree on the school grounds. Reportedly, the nooses were hung by white students in reaction to a black student, who sat under a tree commnonly known by students as the “white tree,” where only white students sat.

[UPDATE] An excellent point in the comments.

Posted by Jason at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Let the "comeback" begin...Cynthia McKinney is weighing her options for 2008:

Now that she's turned down a run for the White House, and has largely paid down the debt from her 2006 congressional defeat, Cynthia McKinney is dropping mega-hints that she's ready for a return to the Georgia political scene.

On her Web site, she's invited supporters to send their thoughts on the "possibilities facing her in the 2008 electoral cycle." But otherwise, she is making no commitment. "You can wait until next year," she told Roll Call newspaper this week, after a Washington appearance.

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, who took her 4th District congressional seat following a bitter Democratic primary run-off, says he assumes he'll be the target of any renewed McKinney ambition.
[...]
Johnson thinks it unlikely that, as a freshman congressman, he'll escape a re-match with McKinney. In preparation, he's gone to great lengths to raise his profile — and yet maintain a quiet demeanor.

"We have to have professionalism in that position," he said.

William Boone, a political scientist at Clark Atlanta University, gives short shrift to speculation that McKinney might run for CEO of DeKalb County.

Posted by Jason at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Henry GOP will hold there annual chili cook-off on Saturday, October 13, 2007 from 5:00pm to 8:30pm at Harvest Point United Methodist Church (behind Peachtree Peddler's Flea Market). It's $5 for food and beverage.

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland will be the guest speaker.

Posted by Jason at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There has been some buzz about a report from a conservative organization detailing how ignorant college students are in history.

Students don't know much about history, and colleges aren't adding enough to their civic literacy, says a report out today.

The study from the non-profit Intercollegiate Studies Institute shows that less than half of college seniors knew that Yorktown was the battle that ended the American Revolution or that NATO was formed to resist Soviet expansion. Overall, freshmen averaged 50.4% on a wide-ranging civic literacy test; seniors averaged 54.2%, both failing scores if translated to grades.

Take the the test here.

Posted by Doug at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

This is for all you Friedrich Hayek fans -- a picture book version of Road to Serfdom.

I thought it was pretty cool.

H/T: The Corner

Posted by Doug at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In response to my post on Hillary's Healthcare plan, Andy at Creative Loafing writes:

He evidently prefers the country’s current dystopian health-care circle jerk.

With that said, I prefer that individuals be given the opportunity to purchase the healthcare plan that they see fit, not what the government wants them to have. This can be attained by not giving more tax credits to corporations and businesses but allowing individuals to have a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their health insurance and medical expenses. That isn't the only answer, but it is a great first step.

Clinton's plan leads us further down the path that has caused us problem in the health insurance industry.

Posted by Jason at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

John Stossel continues his assault on socialized medicine:

One basic problem with nationalized health care is that it makes medical services seem free. That pushes demand beyond supply. Governments deal with that by limiting what's available.

That's why the British National Health Service recently made the pathetic promise to reduce wait times for hospital care to four months.

The wait to see dentists is so long that some Brits pull their own teeth. Dental tools: pliers and vodka.

One hospital tried to save money by not changing bed sheets every day. British papers report that instead of washing them, nurses were encouraged to just turn them over.
[...]
Canadians stuck on waiting lists often pay "medical travel agents" to get to America for treatment. Shirley Healey had a blocked artery that kept her from digesting food. So she hired a middleman to help her get to a hospital in Washington state.

"The doctor said that I would have only had a very few weeks to live," Healey said.

Yet the Canadian government calls her surgery "elective."

"The only thing elective about this surgery was I elected to live," she said.

Not all Canadian health care is long lines and lack of innovation. We found one place where providers offer easy access to cutting-edge life-saving technology, such as CT scans. And patients rarely wait.

But they have to bark or meow to get access to this technology. Vet clinics say they can get a dog or a cat in the next day. People have to wait a month.

Posted by Jason at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fred Thompson shares his thoughts on HillaryCare v. 2.0...

Posted by Jason at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Posted by Jason at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

James Bell and the Douglas County Taxpayers Coalition have done it again:

Douglas County voters Tuesday rejected a 1 percent special purpose local option sales tax, a move which jeopardizes work on the Pine Mountain Gold Museum at Stockmar Park and may prevent $2 million in road and sewer projects in Villa Rica.

The unofficial returns with all precincts reporting found 3,357 (51.3 percent) voting against the SPLOST, and 3,188 (48.7 percent) voting for it. The voter turnout for the special election was 11.52 percent.

The $166 million SPLOST would have been used to build a new county jail and law enforcement center and several city and county capital projects. About $697,000 of the estimated $2.7 million earmarked for Villa Rica would have been set aside for the museum. Without the SPLOST funds, there won’t be enough money to complete the museum anytime soon. The other $2 million would have been split between Villa Rica road and sewer projects.

Posted by Jason at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This is one of the more frightening ideas that could be part of Hillary Clinton's healthscare plan:

"At this point, we don't have anything punitive that we have proposed," the presidential candidate said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We're providing incentives and tax credits which we think will be very attractive to the vast majority of Americans."

She said she could envision a day when "you have to show proof to your employer that you're insured as a part of the job interview — like when your kid goes to school and has to show proof of vaccination," but said such details would be worked out through negotiations with Congress.

This one statement, "We're providing incentives and tax credits which we think will be very attractive to the vast majority of Americans." That line is a deviation from the fact that this abortion she calls a healthcare plan is geared, not towards individuals, but to corporations that already receive tax credits for providing their employees with health insurance.

Ronald Bailey over a Reason sums up her plan:

Sen. Clinton's plan would greatly expand government control over the health insurance market. She mandates that employers buy insurance; offers a menu of cookie-cutter health insurance policies designed by federal bureaucrats; and expands government insurance schemes like Medicare. Her plan is the wrong prescription for America's health care woes because it would result in poorer quality health care, lost jobs, less consumer choice, and higher taxes.

Posted by Jason at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

WSB left my house just a little while ago after shooting an interview with me for an upcoming segment on our pork loving legislature. The episode mainly focuses on my efforts over at Georgia Porkbusters.

I have no clue as to when it will air, but I'll let you know. Thanks to Chris Farris for being here for moral support.

Posted by Jason at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A new Rasmussen/Fox 5 poll has some numbers worth talking about...

US Senate:
Possible matchup #1
Chambliss - 49%
Cardwell - 33%
Other - 6%
Undecided - 12%

Possible matchup #2
Chambliss - 53%
Jones - 28%
Other - 7%
Undecided - 11%

President:
Possible matchup #1
Clinton - 39%
Giuliani - 49%
Other - 9%
Undecided - 3%

Possible matchup #2
Clinton - 39%
Thompson - 51%
Other - 7%
Undecided - 3%

Possible matchup #3
Clinton - 41%
Romney - 44%
Other - 10%
Undecided - 5%

One of the questions asked...
Is it fair to require voters to show a photo ID before voting?

84% Yes
13% No
3% Not sure

The drop in support when it comes to Romney doesn't really come as a surprise and I hate to say that it's because he is a Mormon, but...welcome to Georgia.

There is another candidate running for the Democratic nomination, but I have yet to see his name in any poll. Rand Knight has as much a chance as Cardwell or Jones, he deserves some attention.

H/T: Political Insider

Posted by Jason at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Rep. David Scott has been labeled as one of the most corrupt members of Congress:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) made the charge in a report Here CREW said “documents the egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities of the most tainted members of Congress.”

Citing news reports and Scott’s campaign-finance records, CREW said Scott’s family advertising business, Dayn-Mark, failed to pay $154,000 in payroll taxes on time and $4,600 in local and state taxes since 1998. Scott also was late in paying $23,200 in property taxes on his home.

H/T: Trackboy1

Posted by Jason at 06:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The bill that would give DC voting rights failed in the Senate:

The DC Voting Rights Bill failed to get the 60 votes needed in the Senate to reach cloture and move toward a vote Tuesday.

The bill would have given the District of Columbia the right to a representative in Congress with full voting rights. The District currently has an elected delegate who does not have the right to vote on legislation that comes to the floor of the House of Representatives, but can sometimes vote for legislation when it is considered at the committee level.
[...]
Those against the bill argued the bill violated the constitution because the right to vote can only be given to citizens of states. Others feared that the bill would give the District a pathway toward gaining two seats in the Senate.

You can view the roll call vote here.

Posted by Jason at 06:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It is official, Charles Mobley has tossed his hat in the ring for Henry County Commission Chairman today on the Square in McDonough. He was introduced by State Senator John Douglas, Commissioners Johnny Basler, BJ Mathis and Randy Stamey. and Henry County School Board member Brian Preston.

You can listen to the speech he gave today here.

Michael Eddy is the only other candidate that either filed for the seat or announced their intention to run. There will likely be a couple other candidates to jump in, but Mobley would have to be the odds on favorite.

I am in the process of setting up a podcast with Charles. If you have a question please leave it in the comments section.

Here is the press release from the campaign. Mobley's website will go live by the end of the week.

Posted by Jason at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I'm pretty sure you can find a decent Republican to challenge the coastal porker in Georgia's first. We need to send a wake-up call that this kind of behavior is not in the best interests of Georgia, this country and the Republican Party.

I know you're reading this.

Posted by Chris at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here is a look at who is donating in Henry County. These figures are accurate up to the last reporting cycle. They include all federal candidates and Political Action Committees.

- Hampton (30228)
- Locust Grove (30248)
- McDonough (30252)
- McDonough (30253)
- Stockbridge (30281)

So far the top money grabbers in Henry County are....
Presidential contenders:
- Edwards: $24,500
- Obama: $9,350
- Romney: $3,800
- Clinton: $3,000
- Giuliani: $2,000

US Senate:
- Chambliss: $12,900
- Isakson: $1,600
- Jones: $500

US House:
- Westmoreland: $6,250
- Scott: $1,000

Posted by Jason at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last year, I made some waves over Rep. Jack Kingston not joining the rest of the Georgia GOP delegation in voting to strip pork spending from appropriations bills.

Yesterday, while pursuing the AJC I saw this...Kingston defending the tradition of pork spending:

Rep. Jack Kingston is making no apologies for being the House champion for Georgia when it comes to snagging federal dollars for his home state and his home district around Savannah.

In the current spending bills working their way through Congress for the new fiscal year, which begins next month, Kingston is sponsoring or co-sponsoring earmarks estimated at $83 million, more than any other Georgian in the House.

Despite being a conservative Republican, Kingston argues that snagging programs and projects is a time-honored tradition for Georgia lawmakers.

An editorial in today's Athens Banner-Herald scolds Kingston:

So where's Kingston today, 14 years after signing the Contract With America? Touting his ability to get things done for his district the same way they'd been done by the Democratic congressional delegations in Georgia's past, that's where.

That may be good for Georgia, but there's a real question about whether it's good for the rest of this country.
[...]
Until those kinds of needs are met, it's more than a little unseemly for Kingston - or any other congressman who might be similarly inclined - to grandstand about their performance in manipulating a flawed system for allocating taxpayer dollars.

Posted by Jason at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Richard Epstein, an expert on eminent domain, discusses zoning laws in this podcast over at EconTalk.

If you are looking for some new readings, there are a couple books from Epstein that I recommend...
- How Progressives Rewrote the Constitution
- Takings: Private Property and the Power of Eminent Domain

Posted by Jason at 09:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thrice has released two new songs, check them out here.

Speaking of music, a lady I work with gave me a drum kit. I haven't really played since my old band split up (though I have been playing some guitar), but I'm thinking about playing again (for fun though, not serious). The kit needs new cymbals, hi-hats, cymbal stands, drum heads and...that's it, I think. I also am missing half of my Iron Cobra double bass pedal, I have the half that I need though. But...I am excited.

Posted by Jason at 07:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"When I'm president, privatization is off the table because it's not the answer to anything." - Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton has presented her $110 billion "universal" health plan and it sounds a hell of a lot like the disaster that Mitt Romney created in Massachusetts:

"This is not government-run," Clinton said of her plan to extend coverage to an estimated 47 million Americans who now go without.

She called for a requirement for businesses to obtain insurance for employees, and said the wealthy should pay higher taxes to help defray the cost for those less able to pay for it. She put the government's cost at $110 billion a year.
[...]
Clinton's plan builds on the existing employer-based system of coverage. People who receive insurance through the workplace could continue to do so; businesses, in turn, would be required to offer insurance to employees, or contribute to a government-run pool that would help pay for those not covered. Clinton would also offer a tax subsidy to small businesses to help them afford the cost of providing coverage to their workers.
[...]
For individuals and families who are not covered by employers or whose employer-based coverage is inadequate, Clinton would offer expanded versions of two existing government programs: Medicare, and the health insurance plan currently offered to federal employees.

Consumers could choose between either government-run program, but aides stress that no new federal bureaucracy would be created under the Clinton plan.

Cato has also weighed in on this topic.

Posted by Jason at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

In case you missed it, here is the John Stossel special on healthcare that aired on Friday...

The rest of the video can be seen below the cut.

H/T: Stephen @ The Liberty Papers

Posted by Jason at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mr. "$22 billion tax increase" wants to be the new head of GDOT:

State Rep. Vance Smith, R-Pine Mountain, is going after his biggest road project yet.

Smith, who owns a Harris County construction and grading company and has been in the Georgia General Assembly for 15 years, has applied to become the next commissioner of the Department of Transportation. It is considered one of the most powerful jobs in the state because all state road projects and funding for those projects go through the commissioner's office.

"I have been interested in it a long time," Smith said Thursday afternoon. "I applied for it four and half years ago."

The job came open last week when Harold Linnenkohl, who has been the commissioner for the last four years, announced he will retire effective Nov. 30.

Posted by Jason at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"The Constitution of most of our states and of the United States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press." - Thomas Jefferson

Today is Constitution Day. Take some time to read the document or read about the debates that helped create it.

Posted by Jason at 06:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've added another degree program to my graduate studies and am now a student in the post-baccalaureate certificate student in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Both of my classes, Emergency Management: Response Planning and Incident Command; and Survey of Terrorism are online and exist mainly through postings on Discussion Boards.

In my "Survey of Terrorism" course, we were given a cartoon to analyze. We were to pick 3 concepts of terrorist culture communicated through this cartoon. Some are pretty easy--that they are willing to die for their cause, sure. But others are just crap and they make my head hurt. As I am discussion leader this week, I have to respond in a courteous and professional manner (more so than our actual dick professor) when all I really want to say is, "It's only a f'n cartoon, are you an idiot?"

The cartoon shows very little. Four men in turbans and robes are standing in the desert with the sun up high, next to a sign that says "Afghanistan School of Suicide Bombers." Three of those men are watching the fourth, which is obviously the "instructor" so to speak. He has a belt of 4 dynamite sicks and is holding a Jeopardy-like trigger while saying, "Now pay attention, I'm only going to do this one." Insert laugh here. I will also mention that there also exists what is shaped like a clock on the belt in between two of the dynamite sticks. I thought everyone would know what this was, but I was wrong. Bear in mind, this is a cartoon and not a philosophical worksheet. I digress.

One of my classmates, from here known as JC, posts the following entry listing her concepts of terrorist culture depicted in this cartoon:
1. Suicide bombing as a self-defeating tactic. Not only will the 'trainer' kill or injure the 'trainees' if he blows himself up but he will destroy everything in this cartoon that represents suicide bombers and terrorism (even the sign that marks it as a school for suicide bombers). Ultimately, suicide bombing could be self-defeating, since once a person participates he cannot participate again or train others in the tactic.

2. The clock is ticking on suicide bombing as a servicable tactic. Especially given the representation of suicide bombers and their trainings as not particularly bright, the artist seems to be conveying the idea that time is running out for suicide bombers to actually be useful. The clock is ticking on the suicide bombers belt just as it is ticking for suicide bombers in general and when it finishes ticking, there won't be much left.

3. No mention of what their cause is. The lack of any mention of what their cause is or why this men will be killing themselves for it leads me to wonder if the trainees themselves really know why they are there. Perhaps they do or perhaps they only think that they do. In either case, the training seems to be all about the mechanics of the act, not the reasoning behind it.

Okay, read number two again.

My response to this posting is as follows (and posting was my first mistake)(and remember, I must strive to keep the peace):
I like the format that you chose. Very nice. Good explanation of your #1.

Can you explain #2 some more? I'm not sure I follow how the cartoon represents the time for suicide bombers running out; or where the truth may be in that statement. What leads you to draw that this is a true statement and represented in the cartoon?

JC's Reponse to me (emphasis added):
I'm actually not convinced that my second concept is entirely true. However, I do believe that the artist feels that suicide bombing is losing a great deal of favor by the prominence of the unnecessary clock on suicide belt. To me, the artist seems to be trying to convey the idea that the trainer and his trainees have a limited amount of time.

Wow.

In the nicest way possible I try not to tell her she's retarded; and choose, however, to say:
I don't believe that the clock on the belt is unecessary and used by the artist in a symbolic way. I believe it's part of the bomb--the timing device, if you will.

You'd think it would end there. You'd be wrong.

JC:
I would agree with that if the bomber wasn't holding a trigger in his hand. Why does he need a timer if he is going to detonate it at his will?

What I wanted to say:
B/c it's a f'n cartoon and this is the typical depiction of a bomb. Sticks of TNT, spiral wires, clock. If there's been a bomb in a cartoon that's not the ball with a fuse out of the top, it's looked like this. Why the Hell would there be a clock on his belt? Which is more likely to make sense--a timing device on a bomb; or a clock representing time ticking away on suicide bombings as being a "serviceable tactic."

But I don't.

It's a cartoon! Cartoons aren't really known for their depth and symbolic meaning. The only symbols typically found in a political cartoon expressly relate to the joke.

I just re-read JC's introduction she posted and a few questions are answered:
This is my last semester of the Masters of Criminal Justice program here at VCU. I am currently an associate fraud analyst for Circuit City. I received degrees in Sociology and English from the College of William and Mary in 2006.

My ultimate goal is to work in intelligence or crime analysis at the federal or state level. After I get a little bit of work experience I also plan to get a PhD in public policy, most likely turning me into a perpetual student.

That's pretty representative of most of the academics with whom I've become aquainted since I've started working at a University. A whole lot of knowledge about something specific with very little common sense. I'm sure her English degree taught her to find symbolic meaning in everything (like reading Lord of the Flies, ugh!) so she thinks everything is a symbol for something deeper. Yet another example of someone who can test out their ass but has no common sense whatsoever to know the difference between a symbol and something concrete.

If I didn't have to pay for the class, I'd totally drop this class. The professor is a dick, the students are dumb, and we haven't learned crap yet. However, I get it for free and if I drop it before it's over, I have to pay for it so no go. Here is our future.

Oh yeah, and another student posted on the assignment instructing us to describe what we've learned in this course so far that he's learned, "Research is the key to finding more information." You don't say.

Posted by Emily at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Alan Keyes is running for President...again:

On Friday, Sept. 14, Alan Keyes filed a Statement of Candidacy (Form 2) with the Federal Election Commission--thus officially announcing as a Republican candidate for President of the United States.

Keyes told Janet Parshall, host of a nationally syndicated radio show, that he's "unmoved" by the lack of moral courage shown by the other candidates, among whom he sees no standout who articulates the "key kernel of truth that must, with courage, be presented to our people."

H/T: Third Party Watch

Posted by Jason at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged continues to influence today's businessmen:

One of the most influential business books ever written is a 1,200-page novel published 50 years ago, on Oct. 12, 1957. It is still drawing readers; it ranks 388th on Amazon.com’s best-seller list. (“Winning,” by John F. Welch Jr., at a breezy 384 pages, is No. 1,431.)

The book is “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand’s glorification of the right of individuals to live entirely for their own interest.

For years, Rand’s message was attacked by intellectuals whom her circle labeled “do-gooders,” who argued that individuals should also work in the service of others. Her book was dismissed as an homage to greed. Gore Vidal described its philosophy as “nearly perfect in its immorality.”
[...]
“I know from talking to a lot of Fortune 500 C.E.O.’s that ‘Atlas Shrugged’ has had a significant effect on their business decisions, even if they don’t agree with all of Ayn Rand’s ideas,” said John A. Allison, the chief executive of BB&T, one of the largest banks in the United States.
[...]
Rand’s free-market philosophy was hard won. She was born in 1905 in Russia. Her life changed overnight when the Bolsheviks broke into her father’s pharmacy and declared his livelihood the property of the state. She fled the Soviet Union in 1926 and arrived later that year in Hollywood, where she peered through a gate at the set where the director Cecil B. DeMille was filming a silent movie, “King of Kings.”
[...]
Last year, bookstores sold 150,000 copies of the book. It continues to hold appeal, even to a younger generation. Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, who was born in 1958, and John P. Mackey, the chief executive of Whole Foods, who was 3 when the book was published, have said they consider Rand crucial to their success.

Posted by Jason at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since other opportunities have presented themselves across the country, Democrats may not pay that much attention to Saxby Chambliss:

It may be time to scratch Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss off the endangered politicians list.

National Democrats, who once considered Chambliss a top election target and vowed to spend heavily to defeat him, have not found the high-profile challenger they were looking for and are now focusing on opportunities elsewhere in the country.

Since Chambliss was first put on Democrats' election hit list, Republican senators' retirements and resignations have left openings in Virginia, Idaho and Nebraska —- giving Democrats a greater chance to capture the seats and build up their narrow majority in the Senate.
[...]
Jamie Grey, a spokesman for Jones, said the lack of a candidate blessed by the national party is an indication of just how strong Jones is.

"If I were in the national party and someone of Vernon Jones' stature . . . with his fund-raising abilities, I wouldn't want to run against [Jones] either," Grey said. Grey also wasn't worried about whether state Democrats were underestimating Jones' potential. "The state party, and I don't mean nothing by this, but the state party's in disarray. If I wanted advice I don't think I'd go to the state party. Would you?"

Emil Runge, a spokesman for Cardwell, said that if his boss wins the nomination, he'd expect state and national party officials to step up and aid his campaign against Chambliss, whom he called "the ultra-status quo candidate" in a year when Georgians are looking for an independent agent of change.

Posted by Jason at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 18th edition of the Georgia Carnival is up, check it out and support Georgia blogs.

Posted by Jason at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alan Greenspan has a new book coming out...and he let's Republicans have it over their lack of fiscal restraint:

In "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World," published by Penguin Press, Mr. Greenspan criticizes both congressional Republicans and President George W. Bush for abandoning fiscal discipline.
[...]
Mr. Greenspan, who calls himself a "lifelong libertarian Republican," writes that he advised the White House to veto some bills to curb "out-of-control" spending while the Republicans controlled Congress. He says President Bush's failure to do so "was a major mistake." Republicans in Congress, he writes, "swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither. They deserved to lose."
[...]
Mr. Greenspan writes that when President Bush chose Dick Cheney as vice president and Paul O'Neill as treasury secretary -- both colleagues from the Gerald Ford administration, during which Mr. Greenspan was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers -- he "indulged in a bit of fantasy" that this would be the government that would have resulted if Mr. Ford hadn't lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. But Mr. Greenspan discovered that in the Bush White House, the "political operation was far more dominant" than in Mr. Ford's. "Little value was placed on rigorous economic policy debate or the weighing of long-term consequences," he writes.
[...]
Mr. Greenspan returns repeatedly to the far-reaching importance of communism's collapse. He says it discredited central planning throughout the world and inspired China and later India to throw off socialist policies. He recalls meeting a former manager of a produce distribution center in China who says he once had to labor to allocate produce according to government edict; now the allocations are made by auction. "Now I don't have to get up at four a.m.," he quotes the manager as saying. "I can sleep in and let the market do my job for me." Mr. Greenspan recalls his amazement when an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin asks him to discuss Ayn Rand, the libertarian philosopher with whom Mr. Greenspan had been friends.

Posted by Jason at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Four Braves players and John Schuerholz had a sit down with Dubya today:

Schuerholz, Tim Hudson, Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann and John Smoltz were invited to the White House for a 30-minute private meet-and-greet with President Bush before the Braves opened a three-game series against the Nationals.

Schuerholz misheard President Bush's invitation to have some pictures taken after they wrapped up their conversation in the Oval Office.
[...]
It was a light moment in an enjoyable afternoon for Schuerholz and company, who got to see up close the transformation of George W. Bush's life since he was owner of the Texas Rangers.

"It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, just to be able to sit there and talk to him," said Francoeur, who bought a new sport coat for the occasion because his suit was being dry-cleaned. "It was cool to see what a regular guy he was."

Posted by Jason at 08:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cynthia McKinney won't run for President:

Controversial former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney spent months attending Green Party events around the nation designed to help raise money to pay off her 2006 campaign debt. And -- after months of flirting with making a run for Green Presidential nomination -- McKinney formally withdrew from the Green nomination contest. In a letter dated Monday and addressed to the Steering Committee of the Green Party of the United States, McKinney wrote: "After careful consideration about the political conditions facing our nation, the level of development within the [Green] Party, my own readiness to take on such a daunting task and my own long postponed personal priorities, I write to inform the Party that I must at this time withdraw my name from consideration for the Party's 2008 Presidential Nominating contest." The move leaves McKinney free to make yet another attempt to recapture her former House seat next year.

But the Greens got played because apparently they helped McKinney retire some $50,000 in campaign debt.

This is something I posted on Peach Pundit on Tuesday, I meant to post it here and forgot.

Posted by Jason at 08:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The two kids accused of the murders at a graduation party at St. Ives apartments in Stockbridge have been indicted:

Two men were indicted Thursday for murder in the deaths of two 16-year-old girls at a June graduation party.

A Henry County grand jury charged Labaron Devon Curry, of Stockbridge, and Dewayne Ivory, of Locust Grove, both 18, with felony murder, malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Ivory was also charged with making false statements to police.

Both men were arrested June 26 and charged with killing Molly Cohran and Yahshika Frye at a party at the St. Ives Crossing Apartments June 2.

Cohran was shot in the chest, and Frye was shot in the neck, according to Henry County Police Detective Thomas Stott, who testified at a hearing in July that Curry and Ivory were among a number of people, with gang affiliations from as many as four different groups, who “showed up uninvited” to the party. Police say, after a brawl broke out during the party, Curry shot the two girls with a gun handed to him by Ivory.

Posted by Jason at 06:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The AJC reports:

The state Board of Education approved a proposal Thursday morning to eliminate its two-tiered diploma track. Beginning with ninth-graders in the 2008-09 school year, all Georgia public school students will have to pass four years of math and science, up from three years, and earn at least 23 credits instead of 22.

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A couple of Jason's comments in another post caught my attention.

[Internationalists] are ignoring the simple fact that the only reason we are [in the Middle East] is because of a failed foreign policy. ...

Our intervention [in the Middle East] is what has caused many of our problems. We cannot intervene and expect not to get some sort of retaliation, and that's not to say that we shouldn't go right back at them. But to ignore the underlying problem, what has gotten us to this point, [ ] is our foreign policy. ...

Jason made these statements in the context of talking about Americans losing civil liberties, which is fine. But I wanted to pick a bone with an assumption that many libertarians, paleoconservatives, and leftists share: that our problems in the Middle East are directly attributable to our previous encounters in the region and that if we had never ventured into the Arab world we wouldn't have the problems we have right now.

I think this way of looking at the problem is wrong. It's kind of like saying that the urban riots of the 1960s and early 1990s never would have occurred if middle class whites and Asians had never opened stores in black neighborhoods. After all, that's what the militants blamed their aggression own.

Black separatists preached hatred of white owners. ... Malcolm X declared that “all the stores are run by the white man, who takes the money out of the community as soon as the sun sets” In [the book] Black Power, Stokely Carmichael and Charles Hamilton railed against the white “exploiters [who] come into the ghetto from outside, bleed it dry, and leave it economically dependent.” Carmichael and Hamilton maintained that the black community was “sapped senseless” by such absentee owners.

Radical white sympathizers echoed the separatist rhetoric. The economist Barry Bluestone, for example, explained that the rioters found it “intolerable” that whites owned ghetto businesses. He wrote, “the first molotov cocktail targets were white-owned storefronts, neon-lit symbols of a ‘honky’-dominated culture and ... symbols of an entrenched lily-white economy." Likewise, in a more subdued scholarly tone, the sociologists Joe Feagin and Harlan Hahn argued that the “revolts” were “intensely political”: by looting and burning white-owned stores, the rioters were attempting to “remove hated examples of outside oppression.” (citations omitted; paragraph breaks added.)

In the 1980s and 1990s, militants targetted other groups.

[N]ew immigrant entrepreneurs replaced the white business owners who retired or sold out. The newcomers operated in the same hostile, crime-ridden environment. In Detroit, Chaldeans (Iraqi Christians) “worked like demons to save money” and bought businesses at “fire sale rates” after the riots. Despite taking extreme precautions, the Chaldeans were constantly victimized by criminals, who took the lives of more than one hundred merchants in a twenty-year period. The bloodshed was so great that a local cathedral held an annual mass commemorating the fallen shopkeepers. Detroit officials had little sympathy for the Chaldeans; one African American official claimed that “they operate on pure greed” and that “if there’s another riot . . . it will be against the Chaldeans”

In other cities, Korean merchants felt the brunt of crime. African American activists, the heirs of Stokely Carmichael, organized boycotts and demonstrations against Korean shopkeepers, holding up signs that said “GET OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY!” Such xenophobia entered the popular culture with the 1991 release of rap artist Ice Cube’s song “Black-Korea,” the lyrics of which say, “pay respect to the black fist, or we’ll burn your store right down to a crisp.” (citations omitted; paragraph breaks added).

Here's my point: middle class business owners whose stores were looted during urban riots did not "bring it upon themselves" for opening their stores in the middle of a black neighborhood. In fact, most blacks shopped frequently at these establishments with no serious problems despite paying higher prices and getting lower quality goods as compared to other stores in the suburbs. But when the militants wanted to stir up trouble, they looked for a covenient scapegoat: the outsider business owners.

In other words, the militants were looking for trouble and were going to cause it anyway. "Exploitation" by outsiders was only a pretext, as Ice Cube would say, "to cause a little ruckus."

Our situation in the Middle East is somewhat similar. Yes, we've intervened in instances where perhaps our national interests were not at stake. But to say that America "was asking for it" when it stationed 5,000 troops in Saudi Arabia at the request of the royal family is absurd.

America's presence in Saudi Arabia was, after all, bin Laden's main justification for waging jihad against the United States. But when we pulled all U.S. personnel out of the country, did he call off his crusade? No, of course not.

[N]ews of the [2003] US pull-out [in Saudi Arabia] does not mean the campaign is over for Bin Laden and his followers, according to the BBC's Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi.

[Al-Qaeda's] agenda now goes beyond the boundaries of one country, he says. Their goal is to liberate all Muslim societies from foreign troops and what they see as ungodly secular rulers.

Bin Laden and other fundamentalist Muslims who want to wage war on the West used America's presence in the Middle East simply as a pretext for the start of their jihad. What they are most focused own is not making sure America and its allies stay within their own borders, but to inflict as much death as possible on people who don't follow their way of thinking.

I don't doubt that it pisses off Muslim fundamentalists to have non-believers situated in countries that are home to their holy sites, just as I don't doubt that it pissed off Stokely Carmichael and the militant Black Power movement to have middle class whites operating stores on their block. But the responses these groups have had to these supposed "problems" -- riots and jihad -- are completely irrational.

To say we should have heeded these groups' warnings and crawled off into a hole to placate them is to ceed the world to thugs and bullies. And to do so would only invite more trouble.

Postscript: Now, to say all of this is not to argue that the invasion of Iraq was a good idea or that the occupation has been carried out well. I would tend to agree with criticisms of how American foreign policy has been conducted since 2001; our response has often been bullheaded and focused too heavily on military power. My only point in this post is to shoot down the assumption that Muslim fundamentalists would leave the West alone in we would only leave them alone.

Posted by Doug at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has formed an organization called Reform SC that will target members of the South Carolina legislature, even members of his own party, that have been opposing budget reforms.

Sanford has taken a strong stand against government waste and spending, even going so far as to bring pigs on the floor of the State House after they overrode his veto of a spending bill.

We need someone like this in Georgia.

Posted by Jason at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is the latest from Strategic Vision...

Republicans:

Fred Thompson 32%
Rudy Giuliani 17%
Newt Gingrich 9%
John McCain 8%
Mitt Romney 6%
Mike Huckabee 6%
Sam Brownback 2%
Tom Tancredo 2%
Ron Paul 2%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Undecided 15%

Hillary Clinton 34%
Barack Obama 25%
John Edwards 13%
Bill Richardson 8%
Joseph Biden 5%
Chris Dodd 1%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
Undecided 13%

Saxby Chambliss 56%
Vernon Jones 30%
Undecided 14%

Saxby Chambliss 57%
Dale Cardwell 26%
Undecided 17%

Posted by Jason at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

This post at Blog for Democracy on John Edwards healthcare plan is good for a laugh:

Universal health insurance? Okay. Requiring me to go to the doctor's office? Not okay.
[...]
Should people get preventive care? Absolutely. But the government shouldn't be requiring people to care for themselves. Talk about a nanny state.

One of my favorite quotes from Thomas Jefferson is..."A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have," or in this case force you to do what it wants you to do.

Basically what you want is government to provide you with healthcare (and it's not free, regardless as to what you may be told), therefore government has a vested interest in your health and well-being. Of course they want you to see a doctor on a regular basis.

You can't have it both ways. You either let the market provide healthcare and work to reduce government intervention in the market place or you let government swallow a hefty part of our nation's GDP and they basically get to tell you what to do.

Oh...and by the way, healthcare is not a right.

Posted by Jason at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The hype that we call Mike Huckabee is being exposed for what he really is...a big government Republican. Check out TaxHikeMike.org.

Posted by Jason at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Radley Balko examines our foreign policy in the six years after 9/11:

We now have 168,000 troops in Iraq, a country that the president himself concedes had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 attacks, but that now, thanks to our continuing presence there, has become a breeding and training ground for radical Islamic terrorists. It was a war that we now know Bush had planned on waging well before the attacks, but that his administration nevertheless attempted to tie to Sept. 11 in order to shore up public support for its waging.

None of the 9/11 highjackers came from Iraq. There's been no credible link established between Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden or Al-Qaeda. Our "allies" in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, in fact, have far more credible ties to and histories of cooperation with Islamic terrorists.

Yet the war in Iraq has become the most significant, lasting, and notable U.S. reaction to the attacks six years ago. Nearly 3,500 U.S. troops have died. We've spent a half trillion dollars. And we're likely to have a military presence in Iraq of some kind for another decade or more.
[...]
A loosely-connected, (relatively) poorly funded, backward-thinking organization like Al-Qaeda could never inflict significant harm on the United States, at least not in a straightforward war. Their best hope is to scare us into rash, ill-considered actions like overextending our military, alienating our allies, and doing away with the open society and civil liberties that define who we are.

Six years have passed since Sept. 11. That's enough time and distance for us to take a couple of steps back, look at that horrible day with some perspective, and reevaluate if the course we've charted is the correct one. We should bear in mind that Al-Qaeda could never defeat us on its own. It can only frighten and trap us into defeating ourselves.

UPDATE (by Josh):
I saw a few comments addressing this line, so to clarify, Balko issued a correction:

One clarification. I wrote:

A loosely-connected, (relatively) poorly funded, backward-thinking organization like Al-Qaeda could never inflict significant harm on the United States, at least not in a straightforward war.

By writing "significant harm," I didn't mean to suggest what happened on September 11 wasn't significant. Rather, I mean that Al-Qaeda isn't capable of actually defeating us--that there is no credible threat of Osama bin Laden actually taking over the United States.

Posted by Jason at 06:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (52)

In case you are interested, MSNBC is re-playing their coverage of the morning of September 11, 2001 for the next couple hours.

Posted by Jason at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Regardless as to how you might feel about America's foreign policy over the last few years, you can't help but think of the families who had their lives shattered on September 11, 2001...unless your name is Dennis Kucinich:

Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich was the only member of Congress on Monday night to vote against a symbolic resolution to recognize September 11 as a day of rememberance, extend sympathies to those who lost their lives and their families and honor emergency workers and the U.S. armed forces.

Kucinich issued a press release before the vote, criticizing the resolution as "incomplete," and saying that Congress needs to "wake up to the truth and exercise its obligation under the Constitution to save our nation from being destroyed from the lies that took us into Iraq, the lies that keep us there, the lies that are being used to set the stage for war against Iran and the lies that have undermined our basic civil liberties here at home."

Posted by Jason at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Popular Mechanics is still debunking conspiracy theories and myths surrounding 9/11.

Some of this stuff absolutely amazes me. And the fact that there are idiots out there making money and seeking fame off this stuff blows my mind.

Posted by Jason at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is my post from the fifth anniversary of 9/11. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments:

I remember waking up that morning just before 9am. The girl I was dating at the time called me from Athens,she was attending UGA, to make sure I was up because I had some things to do that day. Actually...the things I had to do weren't all that important. It involved driving to the Media Play at Mt. Zion to buy two new records, Satellite by POD and Live in a Dive by No Use For A Name.

After Molly called, I got on the computer for a few minutes. She IM'd me telling me that something had happened at the World Trade Center and that I should to turn on the tv, by this time it's probably about 9:15am. I sat on my couch for the next two hours in awe, everyone watched in awe.

Around noon I headed up to buy those two cd's. On the way there I kept switching stations to see how it was being covered. A close friend of mine worked at Media Play. We talked for a bit about what had happened, a few of his co-workers joined in, all of us were exchanging the different rumors we'd heard so far, for example that there had been planes shot down because they had been hijacked and that the city of Atlanta was locked down.

After I left Media Play I went to the O'Charley's in Stockbridge. I worked there as a server at the time, but that particular evening I was filling in for a friend of mine as a host. The place was completely empty. They were working on a skeleton crew, one cook and two servers at about 2pm. I made sure I was still needed that night, yeah...I was trying to get out of work.

I went home and sat in front of the tv until it was time to leave for work. It was the typical Tuesday night, we got real busy for about an hour and steady until about 8pm. During work I had been checking the tv at the bar to see what was going on. I was cut at 9pm. I ordered some food and sat at the bar until 11pm watching replays of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center.

I got into an argument with one of my co-workers. She said that what happened did effect her. She said she didn't see the need to make a big deal about it. I said, "We are going to war. How does that not effect you?" A couple of customers were pissed off at what she had said, they didn't complain to a manager, but they said something to her.

The next night at church the guy that typically played guitar for the praise and worship band couldn't play, he couldn't stop crying. He had held it in for a while, but he finally let it out. He asked me if I could fill in for him, which I had no problem doing...even though I didn't know the songs we were supposed to be playing.

For the next week when I wasn't working or practicing with my band or with Molly, I was watching coverage of the terrorist acts. I think it was in that week when I started to talk more about my personal political opinions, I'd never understood why religion and politics were considered to be taboo subjects. They are two subjects that need to be discussed, though separated.

The events of September 11th have had a huge effect on me. We need to remember what happened that day. We need to remember the just under 3,000 men and women that were murdered by 19 Islamic terrorists...not the US government in the conspiracy theory du jour. There is a time and place to discuss the political issues that were a result these attacks, like the USA PATRIOT Act or the NSA wiretaps, which I am very much against.

On this day, please remember the families of those that lost loved ones in these attacks and continue to pray for our leaders.

Posted by Jason at 06:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The 13th Carnival of Principled Government is up over at Principled Discovery.

My post on Georgia's uninsured is linked over there, as well as some other great posts from a wide range of pro-liberty blogs.

Posted by Jason at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I can't stop laughing at this. This is the best fight scene ever.

H/T: Amanda (who actually IM'd this to me, she didn't get up and walk in here and show me. She sent it to me over AIM.)

Posted by Jason at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to the Daily Herald for printing this opinion piece. And thanks to BJ Mathis for being the lone commissioner who openly challenged the adopted language for the November ballot - and used her vote against it.

Exerpts from the column:

Accountability requires the program must be important enough to spend the time, develop a real plan and do it right. The Board of Commissioners naturally wants ultimate flexibility, and will tell us that priorities change over time. They want to follow the Transportation Plan, but have not adopted it into the SPLOST program. My concern is that state law does not allow cherry picking which projects will be done, and which ones will eventually be abandoned.

A partial explanation of the vague language in the adopted ballot question was, " a generalized description of the possible SPLOST III projects for the county and all four cities will be listed.

State law defines an intergovernmental agreement, that allows for a six-year program, as project specific. Only Hampton provided a detailed project list, and the county adopted a population-based formula to grant 25 percent of revenues to the cities. I always thought this political option was inconsistent and too vague.

For the record, state law specifically lists these two (2) distinct methods for distribution of revenues among municipalities - not a convenient combining of the two. A population based formula only allows for a 5-year program.

The ballot must “place the electorate on fair notice of the projects to which the tax will be devoted,” (Attorney General decision, 1990.) The ballot is the only binding approval process. Commissioners, Elizabeth “BJ” Mathis and Warren Holder, are correct that nobody will vote for a blank check. The approach is legal, but it was also a major factor in the initial defeat of SPLOST II five years ago.

Officials said a list of the projects will be publicized later, but Mathis is concerned that some may not see the information. And she is correct. As approved, the ballot question does not include, even by reference, exactly what we are expected to approve. As such, there is at least disagreement, and at worst, a serious lack of accountability.

I expect the BOC to clearly communicate exactly what projects the revenue will be applied to, establish a timeline for completion of defined top-tier projects, and create a prioritized list of additional projects for when the primary list of projects has been completed. Citizens will then be able to vote with a clear understanding of how revenue will be used, and they can check off the projects as they are completed.

SPLOST III is a six-year, $300 million tax program. If the commissioners do not agree, or the county’s legal organ cannot report the story correctly, or the Chairman says something different at a political meeting, then we have reason to be concerned.

“The transportation plan has identified $1 billion in transportation projects. We’re anticipating that we will have $158 million,” said Mathis. “That’s the challenge,” Mathis said in the September 4th Herald article.

I do not want to see more projects get prioritized out of existence, and then "rolled over" into some future SPLOST program like we have done in the past two programs.... but that is what we get when ballot questions are vague and we allow it to happen.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This Saturday, Sept 15th is “Evening at the Depot”, this event is a fund raiser for Hampton Better Hometown Inc. and all proceeds raised will benefit the façade grant program for downtown. Better Hometown has generated enough revenue through private donations to cover the cost of the event and all tickets sold go directly to the grant. The Mackie Creek Band will be performing, a appetizer bar and complementary bottle of non-alcoholic wine will be provided to each table.

The deadline to order tickets is Wednesday, and they cost $25 per ticket. If you are interested, contact Denise McKay @ 770-946-4306 ext 111.

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Stossel and Michael Moore will go at it on the healthcare issue this Friday on 20/20. Here is a taste of things to come.

Posted by Jason at 07:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm spending some time relaxing around the house today and watching football. I'm contemplating grilling out later since we picked up a grill last night at Lowe's.

Have a good Sunday.

[UPDATE] Reagan seems to battling kennel cough (lots of coughing and sneezing). Kennel cough is the only explanation I can find as to what it could be. If any one has any suggestions on what to do to deal with this, please let me know.

Posted by Jason at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Mike Huckabee stopped by Motorhead's, a biker bar in McDonough, this morning and spent maybe fifteen minutes shaking hands and having pictures taken and then left. A good friend that was there tells me that maybe ten or eleven people were there to see Huckabee, everyone else, another forty people, were there for Operation Home Front. Apparently, it was very easy to tell the Huckabee supporters apart since they were dressed in "very conservative" attire at a biker bar.

I was going to go, but I ended up doing yard work this morning and completely forgot about it until my friend called at around 12:50pm and asked me where I was. By the time I was ready to go, I called my friend back to let him know I was on the way and he said that Huckabee had already been in and left, that was at 1:25pm.

[UPDATE] While in Atlanta today, Huckabee said, "We've got to veto some spending bills if we're going to survive. We need the veto to call attention to the runaway spending that we have."

Huckabee allowed spending to increase 65% during his tenure as Governor, and these weren't simple increases in spending for roads as he has passively stated. This is hardly a man we can trust to veto spending bills.

Posted by Jason at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Speaking out against capitalism, corporations and praise for Noam Chomsky, Osama bin Laden is starting sound a lot like leftists in the United States:

In the video, a short excerpt of which was broadcast to the Arab world by Al-Jazeera television, bin Laden attacked capitalism, multinational corporations and globalization.

"This is why I tell you: as you liberated yourselves before from the slavery of monks, kings and feudalism, you should liberate yourselves from the deception, shackles and attrition of the capitalist system," he said.

And just for laughs...

Posted by Jason at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We might be getting a replay of the Paul/Huckabee debate that took place on Wednesday night:

After the recent FoxTV-managed GOP debate fireworks in New Hampshire, CNN is actively seeking to set up an "immediate" further debate between Ron Paul (R-Tex) and former governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee (AR). Huckabee has already accepted, certain presidential campaign observers say. And these sources add that the Ron Paul’s campaign is close to accepting as well, if the head-to-head discussion is not treated as a “sound bite” and lasts longer than a few minutes. It is not clear who would moderate such an exchange.

Ron Paul and Huckabee had a sharp exchange of words over the Iraq war during the recent GOP debate, with Ron Paul insisting, as he has throughout his campaign, that the war was a failed policy and that the troops ought to be withdrawn. Huckabee retorted that for the “honor” of the United States, the war must continue. Huckabee’s campaign manager Chip Saltsman said of the exchange: "Governor Huckabee clearly had a break-out moment during his exchange with Congressman Ron Paul during [the] debate - which illuminated his leadership qualities, experience, dedication to principle, and vision for a unified America.”

If the GOP keeps the blinders on they will lose in 2008.

H/T: Lew Rockwell

Posted by Jason at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Fred Thompson tried to weasel his way out of his past support of McCain-Feingold today with Laura Ingram, but the Club for Growth did some fact checking on his claims:

Thompson says at about the 10:55 mark "the issue ad thing wasn't even being discussed as far as I remember when the first debates were had and the first bill was proposed. It was a matter of whether you wanted to get rid of soft money."

At 11:45, he says "they added on something that was a mistake -- and that is the issue ad that you were talking about, and I voted for all of it. So I support the first part [the ban on soft money to parties], but I don't support that."

Fact: He did support it. You can debate about what you support when you vote for a bill on final passage that has warts, but when you sponsor a bill, it's your work. No one makes you sponsor your own bill.

Take a look for yourself at title II of S. 27, the so-called "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2001." Title II has limits on issue ads.

Now the late Sen. Wellstone offered an amendment, and made the provision even worse.
[...]
Thompson filed an amicus brief (pdf., see pp. 26-30) to the Supreme Court defending not only the original language banning groups from running issue ads, but the toxic Wellstone amendment too!

So he sponsored it, voted for it, and then defended it in Court.

Posted by Jason at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Part of the USA PATRIOT Act has been declared to be unconstitutional by a federal judge:

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in New York said the FBI's use of secret "national security letters" to demand such data violates the First Amendment and constitutional provisions on the separation of powers, because the FBI can impose indefinite gag orders on the companies and the courts have little opportunity to review the letters.

The secrecy provisions are "the legislative equivalent of breaking and entering, with an ominous free pass to the hijacking of constitutional values," Marrero wrote. His strongly worded 103-page opinion amounted to a rebuke of both the administration and Congress, which had revised the act in 2005 to take into account an earlier ruling by the judge on the same topic.
[...]
"The risk of investing the FBI with unchecked discretion to restrict such speech is that government agents, based on their own self-certification, may limit speech that does not pose a significant threat to national security or other compelling government interest," Marrero said.

H/T: Doug @ The Liberty Papers

Posted by Jason at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Club For Growth - http://www.clubforgrowth.org

"Fred Thompson's eight-year record is generally pro-growth with an excellent record on entitlement reform and school choice and a very good record on taxes, regulation, and trade," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "His belief in a limited federal government is demonstrated by his numerous votes against government intrusion in the private sector and increased federal spending. His fondness for Tennessee pork aside, Thompson consistently voted against increased spending and new government projects, at times, one of only a handful of senators to do so."

Its generally one of the most positive recommendations the Club has given.

Posted by Chris at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to the Political Insider, Mike Huckabee will be in McDonough tomorrow at Motorhead's:

Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who’s been pitching himself as the alternative to Fred Thompson in the GOP presidential race, has his first big day in Georgia on Saturday.

Here’s a rough schedule:

— 10:00 a.m. in Kennesaw at McCollum Airport, meeting with Cobb County Republicans;

— 1 p.m. in McDonough for an Operation Homefront event at Motorheads Bar and Grill;

— 2:30 p.m. in Duluth at the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce building;

— 5 p.m. in Atlanta for a private fund-raiser;

— 8 p.m. in downtown Kennesaw.

I'm sure he'll continue to ignore the facts.

Posted by Jason at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I remember hearing the joke that when Alan Greenspan sneezed it caused the stock market to drop fifty points (or something like that). I wonder what effect this will have:

Greenspan, speaking to economists in Washington, D.C., compared the turmoil to that of 1987 and in 1998, when the giant hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management nearly collapsed, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site.

"The behavior in what we are observing in the last seven weeks is identical in many respects to what we saw in 1998, what we saw in the stock-market crash of 1987, I suspect what we saw in the land-boom collapse of 1837 and certainly the bank panic of 3/8 1907," Greenspan said at the event organized by the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, according to the Journal.

Greenspan, now a private consultant, said euphoria takes over when the economy is expanding and leads to bubbles, "and these bubbles cannot be defused until the fever breaks," the Journal said.

Posted by Jason at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

RE: http://www.henryherald.com/local/local_story_249235010.html

You had to be there to appreciate the concern and capacity for producing results parents showed. Conversation with panelists Kenyatta Bush and Tom Hester echoed the same sentiments as the parents: We are the community. We are responsible. Open communication removes barriers of skin color or nationality.

I was happily impressed with the meeting at UGHS. Because the lunchroom was filled with parents, friends and neighbors. There was no discord among the 200 or so adults and kids.

I was not impressed by the high emphasis on tax-funded multicultural education. The issues are much larger than concern over 'offending' someone. I am not a touchy-feely guy. Human decency and respect for our fellow man is a product of our homes, churches and communities. I just don't think we should be spending our money on political correctness, consultant coordinators, and such. School is for teaching academics, not social agendas.

The outcome of this gathering was good. It proved that we citizens are committed to our kids and our communities. Several parents talked afterward and seemed to agree: It is not the school system's job to raise my kid - that is my role. What we want is open and timely information and the opportunity to play a positive role. It was good to see officials show active concern, but it seemed nobody needed lessons in parenting and community involvement.

Another obvious point: The kids who would paint on school walls or otherwise disrupt safety were not represented at the meeting. It is true that some kids will show up at school with poor social skills and no active parental guidance. That is a community problem for which too many people want to make the schools responsible. Managing hooligans, unfortunately, throws the school system into a role of enforcement of the peace.

The next step? Don't be a stranger at your kid's school, at their events, IN THEIR LIVES.

Posted by Larry Stanley at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We hear that their are current 1.6 million people uninsured in our state. It's kind of a blanket statement, just like when pundits say there are 45 to 47 million people uninsured on a national level. The issue is much more complex than the rhetoric that comes with the numbers.

Tomorrow's Georgia Public Policy Foundation weekly commentary, Ronald E. Bachman breaks down the uninsured in Georgia into four categories.

• Uninsured Eligible for Government Programs
• Uninsured Not Needing Financial Assistance
• Uninsured Needing Some Financial Assistance
• The Uninsurable

Bachman estimates that about 10% of the 1.6 million (160,000) are truly uninsured, another 560,000 (35%) are in need of some sort of financial assistance and 320,000 (20%) are already eligible for government programs (Medicaid and PeachCare).

Another 35% of the 1.6 million can afford health insurance but choose not to buy.

However, Bachman's article is in support of Perdue's plan to subsidize health insurance for small businesses. But rather than subsidizing the state should be encouraging individuals to take charge of their health insurance by offering dollar-for-dollar tax credits on health insurance premiums and medical expenses. And as Bachman eludes to, eliminating the tax on health insurance policies.

On a national scale, Cato Institute scholar Michael Cannon puts the number of the uninsured who qualify for government programs 20%. Cannon says these individuals are "effectively insured." He also quotes studies that a significant number of individuals that fall into the "uninsured" could afford coverage, but elect not to. He puts the number of individuals who are continuously without coverage at around 10 million people...and one in six of that number make more that four times the poverty level.

There are market-based solutions, it'll take government reducing its role in the health insurance market and allowing individuals to have control over there healthcare in order for them to happen.

Posted by Jason at 07:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In case you haven't heard, Fred Thompson has finally entered the presidential race.

The "Fred-Heads" are meeting tonight up in Sandy Springs at 5 Seasons Brewery. I think the party kicks off around 6:30pm. Drink a lot, because come November, you won't have much to celebrate.

Posted by Jason at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Georgia's voter ID law has been upheld:

A federal judge in Rome has thrown out a lawsuit challenging Georgia's photo voter ID law.

In a ruling issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy declined to issue an injunction suspending the law and also dismissed the case.

The plaintiffs failed to prove that the 2006 law's photo ID requirement unduly burdens the right to vote, Murphy ruled.

The fate of Georgia's much-debated photo voter ID law hung in the balance with local elections scheduled in 23 counties, including Fulton, on Sept. 18.

Murphy held hearings on the federal lawsuit late last month. The state Supreme Court already has ruled the requirement doesn't violate the Georgia Constitution.

Political Insider has more, including the text of the opinion (for you law wonks).

Posted by Jason at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We've reached 10,000 comments. The winner of the $20 gift card is "Ricky." So, if you'll e-mail me I'll make sure you get it.

Posted by Jason at 04:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The sad part is that this is true.

H/T: RedState

Posted by Jason at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

This person educates your children:

Hey Henry, as a Henry County school teacher and proud of it. I want to thank Rep. Davis, Senator Emmanuel Jones and John Douglas for my 3% raise this year. And on the other hand I also want to thank them for allowing our medical premiums to rise by 10%, thus giving us a negative 7% raise. A headline in the AJC last week read "State Employees Insurance Goes up by 10%" The very next day and I quote Allowing our officials to build up a record 1.2 billion reserve fund for the state because of the good economy and tax collections. It seems like school teachers are only liked by politicians during election years. Thanks again for the increase in my insurance rates.

Read the article from the AJC yourself, the increase isn't necessarily that much, certainly not enough to cut into a raise to the extent this teacher claims. You may see your premiums go up by about $300 or $400 a year, the average raise for a teacher was between $1,400 and $2,800.

Also, I feel compelled to tell you that Rep. Davis voted against the FY 2008 budget, which contained the increase in insurance premiums. That said...the same appropriations bill contained the raise for teachers.

Posted by Jason at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

During an interview in which he was asked about the "GlennTax," Lt. Governor Casey Cagle floated the idea of a reduction of the state income tax:

In it, Cagle says he’s worried about the effect of the Speaker’s plan on old people, and wonders outloud whether a cut in the state income tax might make more sense.

“I’m very concerned, quite candidly, with the senior citizens, because they’re the ones — right now, in most communities — who get a significant reduction in property tax, just because of their age and a public policy decision that local jurisdictions have made

“And now they’re going to be taxed at a much higher level. That’s a huge concern,” Cagle said.

“And I think the other side is, if you’re going to make a tax policy change and have a discussion, then you need to do something really that’s going to spur the economy. I think many of us think that the way you do that is a reduction in the income tax….”

Posted by Jason at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

There is a Republican presidential debate tonight on Fox News starting at 9pm.

I'll probably live-blog it starting at around 8:30pm.

[UPDATE - 9:45pm] As you may have noticed...I didn't live-blog. Something came up that pulled me away from the house for a couple hours. However, Reason: Hit & Run caught the action and has details on the debate.

[UPDATE - 10:10pm] I feel now, more than ever, that the GOP will lose next year as long as Iraq is at the forefront. And...these candidates seem almost giddy to give up liberties for a little temporary security.

Posted by Jason at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The producer of The Path to 9/11 believes that Hillary Clinton is blocking the DVD release of the movie:

The $40-million, five-hour ABC miniseries, which recently received seven Emmy nominations and drew a combined two-night audience of more than 25 million viewers, is for now on the path to nowhere. Its Amazon page reads: "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."

With no date for the release, questions are being raised about whether political pressure is behind its current status as a stalled or discarded DVD project. The reasons are murky, but the miniseries' writer, Cyrus Nowrasteh, believes it's crystal clear: Powerful forces are out to protect Bill Clinton's presidential legacy and shield Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) from any potential collateral damage in her bid for the White House.

Nowrasteh, also one of the miniseries' many producers, said he was told by a top executive at ABC Studios that "if Hillary weren't running for president, this wouldn't be a problem."

With a possible writers strike and fall television premieres around the corner, the DVD's release hasn't galvanized Hollywood as a cause célèbre. But voices traditionally associated with the political left are disturbed by the DVD's uncertain fate. This isn't about politics, said film director Oliver Stone, but about the right of artists to have their work distributed.

"This is a shame; it's censorship in the most blatant way," said Stone, who has hired Nowrasteh for several writing projects. "I'm not vouching for its accuracy -- it's a dramatization -- but it's an important work and needs to be seen."

You can listen to a radio interview with Nowrasteh discussing this in detail here.

Posted by Jason at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The NY Times reports:

Ohio Rep. Paul Gillmor was found dead in his apartment Wednesday, a Republican leadership aide said.

The aide said the body of the 68-year-old Republican was found by staff members who went to his apartment after he failed to show up for work. There was no immediate word on the cause of his death. Gillmor's office did not respond to a reporter's call.

Gillmor, who represented Ohio's 5th District in the Bowling Green area of the state, was first elected to Congress in 1988.

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There is an exciting announcement coming on September 18th.

Sorry to leaving you hanging, but this is all I can post at this time.

Posted by Jason at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The language for the SPLOST ballot question has been settled:

The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a ballot for this November’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax vote. But this year, the final list of proposed projects will not be included on the ballot.

Instead, a generalized description of the possible SPLOST III projects for the county and all four cities will be listed.
[...]
The approved ballot tells the voters in general that they’re voting on a sales tax to be reimposed for no more than 24 calendar quarters in the county and its four cities. But when it comes to projects, the ballot doesn’t specify which project will be built in which location.

For example, the ballot refers to the SPLOST projects as roads, bridges and sidewalks, parks and recreation community facilities, public building development, construction and renovation, public safety/ public works facilities and equipment, a county correctional facility, senior centers, and land acquired for public use, but doesn’t indicate particular locations for the projects.

Posted by Jason at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

This is something that has long been expected, so it comes as no surprise...Jason Harper will not seek re-election:

Henry County Commission Chairman Jason Harper will not seek reelection when his current term ends. Harper, 34, said Tuesday he intends to focus his attention on his law practice, and his family.

Harper made the announcement during a county commission meeting.

“It is my intention to return to the practice of law full time and spend time raising my three sons before I miss some of the best years with them,” Harper wrote in an e-mail.

Harper is a fence rider. You never know exactly where he stands on anything. He gives his lackies their marching orders and they do what they are told. I don't think he could have been re-elected anyway.

Posted by Jason at 06:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You are probably having the same reaction that I had when I read it, but it seems that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is seriously considering a bid for Governor in Louisana:

Mayor Ray Nagin could be days away from announcing he will run for governor of Louisiana — a move many in this stricken city regard as preposterous.

If Nagin runs, he will do so on his stewardship of New Orleans. But this is a city in great distress two years after Hurricane Katrina, with large swaths still empty, an appalling murder rate and a painfully sluggish recovery. Nagin's disapproval rating stood at 65 percent in a recent poll.
[...]
Kathleen Blanco, who decided not to seek re-election after she was widely criticized as weak and indecisive following Katrina. Democratic state Sen. Walter Boasso of hard-hit St. Bernard Parish is also runnning.

Posted by Jason at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

"God bless capitalism and the enduring quest across the globe for individual freedom and liberty. Anyone who knocks capitalism while holding a $4 cup of dark roast fair trade organic grande latte purchased at a multinational chain coffee shop really needs to visit their favorite chain bookstore and read P.J. O’Rourke’s latest book, an analysis of Adam Smith’s 'On the Wealth of Nations.' You can likely even purchase a cup of coffee at said bookstore, find a chair and read the book for free." - Matt Carrothers, in his latest column.

Posted by Jason at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Parker v. District of Columbia is back in the news. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty has been promoting the ban, and it almost sounds like he says it has been successful.

The murder rate (per 100,000) in 2005 was 35.4. The ban was implemented in 1976, when the murder rate was 26.8. It peaked in 80.6 in 1991. On a statistical level the ban has been ineffective and counterproductive.

But Mayor Fenty seems to be oblivious to this:

Attorneys representing D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty petitioned the Supreme Court in an effort to save the district's gun law, arguing that access to a handgun would be a direct threat to D.C. residents: "Whatever right the Second Amendment guarantees, it does not require the district to stand by while its citizens die."

Part of the mayor's concern is that more handguns, even legal ones, would ultimately cause more problems. "The District of Columbia has too many handguns," Fenty said. "Putting more handguns, even quote-unquote legal ones, into the quote-unquote law-abiding citizens could get into the hands of people who are going to use them in the commission of crimes."

Banning handguns isn't going to keep a criminal from bringing it into the city. They are criminals, they break the law...it's what they do. No law is going to stop them.

Posted by Jason at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Edwards healthcare proposal is bothersome. The idea of universal healthcare is scary enough, but under his proposal you are required, presumably under the threat of force, to see a doctor:

"It requires that everybody be covered. It requires that everybody get preventive care," he told a crowd sitting in lawn chairs in front of the Cedar County Courthouse. "If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK."
[...]
Edwards said his mandatory health care plan would cover preventive, chronic and long-term health care. The plan would include mental health care as well as dental and vision coverage for all Americans.

"The whole idea is a continuum of care, basically from birth to death," he said.
[...]
Edwards said his plan would cost up to $120 billion a year, a cost he proposes covering by ending President Bush's tax cuts to people who make more than $200,000 per year.

Posted by Jason at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Cato Institute has released the annual study, Economic Freedom of the World:

"At a time when countries around the world are experiencing high growth, this report is a strong reminder that to achieve and sustain high living standards over the long term requires the protection of property rights and personal choice," said Ian Vasquez, director of Cato's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity.

Hong Kong maintains the first place in economic freedom with a score of 8.9 out of 10. The other top six scores are: Singapore (8.8), New Zealand (8.5), Switzerland (8.3), Canada (8.1), United Kingdom (8.1), United States (8.1), Estonia (8.0), Australia (7.9), and Ireland (7.9).

On the opposite end of the scale, the majority of nations ranked in the bottom ten are African with the exception of Venezuela and Myanmar. These are: Zimbabwe (2.9), Myanmar (3.8), the Democratic Republic of Congo (4.0), Angola (4.2), the Republic of Congo (4.3), Central Africa Republic (4.6), Venezuela (4.9), Burundi (5.0), Chad (5.1), and Niger (5.1).

In Latin America, the countries with the highest economic freedom rankings are Chile (11 out of 141) and El Salvador (18). In continental Africa, Botswana had the highest ranking (38).

Posted by Jason at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Charlie Bailey, the 2002 GOP nominee for Secretary of State, has passed away. He had a heart attack around three weeks ago.

Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Posted by Jason at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The New York Times let the cat out of the bag (registration required):

Children who should be eligible for CHIP are being held hostage to policies driven by a desire to protect the big insurance companies and an ideology that views CHIP, correctly, as yet another important step on the road to universal health care.

But remember, it's for the children...how dare we question it.

H/T: Health Care BS

Posted by Jason at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Speaker's tax reform plan continues to be one of the main topics of discussion in the media:

"We have a fear that if we turn our income over to state government, we will lose control over our government," Roswell Mayor Jere Wood told Richardson.

That perception might be Richardson's biggest hurdle as he tries to sell his plan to Georgians before bringing it to the Legislature for consideration in early 2008.
[...]
Some property owners don't have to be persuaded. Richardson's proposal plays on a universal gripe: Property taxes are too high, they always go up, and the government can take away your home if you don't pay them.

The first slide of his power-point presentation is one most homeowners relate to all too well. It shows a man with a startled look on his face as he reads his property tax bill. The caption says, "Surprise!"

"Why do we choose to tax the American dream?" Richardson asks.

While Richardson complains about property taxes, Georgia isn't considered a particularly high property tax state. The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan, Washington-based policy research group, ranked Georgia 33rd in the country in per capita property taxes. Among neighboring states, Georgia's taxes were about the same as South Carolina's, higher than Alabama's and Tennessee's, and lower than Florida's.

There are several issues that need to be worked out. The plan isn't perfect, but there is time for debate and discussion. But taxation isn't the only issue that needs to be discussed. One issue that should be discussed by the Speaker and his Republican cronies is on the core functions of government. Before anything else is done, before any other pieces of legislation are considered. It is time for our leaders to define what this government is seeking to do and what its limits are.

Posted by Jason at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

ESPN: Georgia - 35, Oklahoma State - 14

If you are a Georgia fan, you have to feel good about tonight's win. OSU's offense is said to be one of the best in the NCAA and Georgia held their own against them.

Stafford looked good (18/24, 234 yards and 2 TD), as did Sean Bailey, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno.

Next week against South Carolina will be another test.

Posted by Jason at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Meet Reagan. We picked her up this morning in Roswell. She and her puppies were rescued (which have been given away) from the Clayton County animal shelter last week, the day she was supposed to be put down (actually gassed to death, which is how they do it in Clayton).

Back to the Georgia/Oklahoma State game.

Posted by Jason at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Posted by Joshua Patterson at 02:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)