East Metro Bites: 2.23.15 Edition

So much to discuss, so little time. Grab your plate and dig in: 

Newton County Politics is a hot mess right now:

Delia Fleming, Chair of the Newton Co. GOP, has decided to break GA GOP bylaws and state election law in order to maintain her and her cronies' perceived sense of power. Oh brother... 

• Peach Pundit's coverage. Tone-deaf? Ah...that's a big 10-4!
• Bill Simon's on the mutha! From his Political Vine e-newsletter:
  

  "It's not GOP-convention season without corruption taking place somewhere...
  

  Really?  REALLY, Newton County GOP?  You people just have to be...the most tarded county Republican party in this state (to date, this year, at least...so, you other GOP parties have some guidance now in how idiotic you can act).

  So, here's the gist of the Newton County Republican Party idiocy: After precinct mass meetings were held in February, the county party chair, Delia Fleming, sent a letter out to some of the people who were elected at the precinct mass meetings that they are "ineligible"to attend the county convention in March.  The reasoning is stated to their Newton County GOP Rules that someone has to have accumulated enough "merit points" to participate.

  The ever-so-slight problem with this letter, and her claim, is that their "party rules" are, in fact, ineligible to have any standing to be applied during this Convention Call season.  Yeah, party rules do NOT apply in any way, shape, or form during this bi-annual party reorganization process.

  The only "rules" that apply to judge eligibility of any delegate to a county convention are: 1) The 2015 Georgia GOP Convention Call, 2) the State Republican Party Rules (specifically, Rule 9.2), and 3) Robert's Rules of Order.  All three govern, and no county party's, or even a district party's, rules/by-laws have any legal standing whatsoever.

  In fact...interestingly enough, there are actually a couple of state laws (O.C.G.A.) that apply and nullify letters like the one sent by Chair Fleming:

  Georgia Election Code OCGA 21-2-111: (c) "The respective county executive committees of each political party shall formulate, adopt, and promulgate rules and regulations, consistent with law and the rules and regulations of the state executive committee, governing the conduct of conventions and other party affairs. No such rule and regulation shall be effective until copies thereof, certified by the chairperson, have been filed with the superintendent of the county."

  Fleming's letter notifying some Newton County GOP convention delegates that they have not "fulfilled the requirements of Article II-Party Membership of the Newton County Republican Party" is in direct violation of the 2015 Convention Call, et al.

  AND, there is a remedy for this via this section of OCGA, Georgia Election Code OCGA 21-2-112(a): "When the state executive committee of a political party has reason to believe that the orders, rules, or regulations of the state executive committee, relating to all party matters except the conduct of primaries, are not being, or will not be, fairly, impartially, or properly enforced or applied in any county by the county executive committee of the party in such county, the state executive committee shall issue to such county committee a written notice of opportunity for hearing."

  This letter is in violation of the State Call, and is an attempt by the Newton County GOP to act in an unfair manner against registered voters who complied with the public notice to attend the mass-precinct meeting and qualify to become a delegate.  Their county committee rules have no standing whatsoever.

  This letter from Chair Fleming is in direct violation of the law ordering them to "comply with the orders, rules, or regulations of the state executive committee" because NO SUCH "merit system" applies to delegates elected from the mass precinct meetings.

  You folks on the State Committee have been informally notified of the violation and a link to a copy of the letter.  I imagine there will be a more formal 'notification' via the many people who received such letters in Newton County...but, that process may or may not occur before the county convention.  Is the State GOP going to simply sit on their rear-end while this type of clear violation of the state committee's rules and regulations regarding the 2015 convention process remains unanswered?

  Let me put it this way: It won't be a very wise move if you ignore it, Mr. Padgett...because 2016 is just around the corner, and why would you want to encourage a lot of grief boiling over from 2015 to bleed into the 2016 cycle?  (Of course, if you ask Anne Lewis, I'm sure she'll come-up with some ridiculous, half-assed interpretation of the law that won't make sense to anyone except herself...)"

  
  

  And even I get into the act here a few days ago. 
  
  Also, as I understand it, this is now on the national radar and a writer from Freedom Outpost will be attending tonight's Newton GOP meeting in downtown Covington.

An Open Letter to Delia Fleming

Delia,

I'll never forget the first time I spoke with you. I had called you right at the beginning of 2012 to talk to you about the upcoming 2012 convention cycle. You were so mean and rude to me, and that has pretty much continued ever since.

With that said, I always had a soft spot in my heart for you. I would continuously surprise and, quite frankly, amaze people when I would stand up for you or just dismiss your social ineptness and lack of tact. Even though you've been basically horrible to me for the last three years, I couldn't help but to...like you. I've been tagged as an optimist to a fault, and someone who has always wanted to try to keep the peace, but I did truly feel that way.

That is up until yesterday when I found out what you've been up to. You're like a sneaky cat, Delia. I don't know what's wrong with you. Of the approx.120 folks at the precinct meeting on February 7th, pretty much 85-90% of us had come to terms to do the right thing and bring everything together for the future of Newton Co. and in one fell swoop, you pretty much tried to ruin all of that.

Why? That's a good question. Is your ego and sense of importance more important than the future of our county? If so, then that's YOUR problem. Or is it something else? Rumors abound, but I'm not going into that here.

I'm sorry, but with all due respect, I think it's time for you to move on. You need to write another letter to every delegate apologizing for your egregious actions and then I think you need to resign from the Newton Co. GOP.

Disappointingly Yours,

Marshall McCart

A Write-up In Which I Discuss the Newton Co. County Attorney Situation with a UGA Football Reference/Analogy

I had originally written this over a month ago but decided to sit on it. Against better judgement, I decided to share it, in its entirety, right now. Remember, this is over a month ago. Lord knows, I wanted to edit some things, but then I was just like...Nah!

I'll add a new post with some new thoughts soon. In the meantime, enjoy!

>>>


So the Newton County Board of Commissioners voted last night to reappoint William Thomas Craig, Esquire, as the County Attorney of Newton County for one more year. This was not unexpected, but yet it remains quite the mystery why the elected members of the Newton Co. BOC won't even look at trying to find ways to curb the excessive spending that is required for these legal services.

As was mentioned by a number of folks, these expenses are simply outrageous! And way out of line with what other counties of similar size spend on legal services. Hell, right here in Newton Co., we see the City of Covington, with a much higher budget, spending way, way less than Newton Co. does.

Why does this continue to happen? Was JC Henderson right? Has Tommy Craig been the county attorney for 38 years? I was thinking it was more like 25. Surely not 38. God help us if so; are we really that fucking stupid? Regardless, I think anyone that has an ounce of common sense would tell you that it's a very bad idea to have the same County Attorney for so long. It seems intuitive that it would breed conflicts of interest. Having a financial interest in things that aren't in the best interests of Newton Co.? Not a problem. He gets paid either way. If he messes up, as he's done many times over the years, he just gets more money to fix his own screw-ups. Jeez! Good work if you can get it, I guess. Speaking of JC, I hope Tommy Craig bought him some flowers before that meeting. I mean WOW! I think they might have to rate the video of Tuesday's BOC meeting now. Keith Ellis wasn't far behind. Nor was John Douglas or Levie Maddox. Sickening... 

At least we had Nancy Shulz trying to fight the good fight. But then again, Craig's reappointment passed 5-0, so it's not like she really did a whole lot. But still, I appreciate her willingness to try to stand up for some fiscal sanity and respect for the citizenry. Over the years, I don't know how many times I've seen her fight and scrape for something that had no shot. Or how many times she's been willing to make a motion that needed to be made but for no one else to offer up a second. Or how many 4-1 votes there have been where she's the 1. Tell you what, sometimes I think she's the only one out of the bunch that has a set!

And now, time for a musical interlude. From the incomparable Elizabeth Cook:




Maybe the savior of Country Music. She's great, don't you think? 

Anyway, back on point:

As some of y'all may know, I'm a big fan of UGA football. As some of you may also know, we recently lost our Offensive Coordinator, Mike Bobo, after he took the Head Coach position at Colorado State. I'm happy for Bobo. He deserves it. I've pretty much been a Bobo fan for almost 20 years. We're the same age and both attended UGA at the same time. I watched and appreciated his playing career and have since done the same with his coaching career. Despite coordinating the most prolific offenses ever in the history of UGA football, even up until his final game on the staff, Bobo was much maligned and very much a polarizing figure for the Bulldog Nation.

After he took the CSU job, I was sad to see him go but thought, as many others did, if this wasn't ultimately a good thing moving forward. You see, there had always been that rift in the DawgNation about Bobo. Didn't matter about the stats, data, or other info showing that he was a superb OC, there were those, a whole bunch of 'em, who didn't like him and were never going to like him. The rift was just too wide.

And then I think about the Newton Co. BOC. And how they've said time and time again that Wm Thomas Craig was just the greatest thing ever for Newton Co. How he was a genius. How he loved this place. How much money he had saved the county (which for all the tens of millions he's been paid, that would be great if he was able to save a bit here or there, ammaright?). The problem, though, is this: based on polls and just based on an honest feel for the public sentiment, upwards of 80 to 90% of Newton Co just isn't buying it. The popular sentiment is that Craig - making more than just about any County Attorney in Georgia to a tune of upwards of $1 Million per year, and having been in the same position for over a generation (maybe two?), and having multiple conflicts of interest, and, as was all but confirmed by the BOC last night, found to be the one literally RUNNING the county - IS. THE. PROBLEM. The rift just seems too wide.

So...with all that said, I think it's time for William Thomas Craig, metaphorically speaking, to take the Colorado State job already.

Thoughts on the Proposed Hwy 278 CID. Hint - I'm against it!

A Community Improvement District (CID) is where if over 50% of property owners representing at least 75% of the real estate's valuation of a certain corridor agree to it, then a "self-tax" can be imposed. In the case of the proposed Hwy 278 CID, that new tax would be 5 mils which would translate to an increased tax burden of hundreds, or more likely, thousands of dollars for many property owners in the affected area.

We now see a "full-court press" of sorts going on with this thing. Obviously, the Chamber and the Office of Economic Development are all over it, while the city of Covington has already given $25,000 to help facilitate this thing. And now they keep changing the boundaries of the CID, presumably to help get it passed. The members on the board of directors for the CID's non-profit group? The usual suspects - old money and power elite. 

To me, there's just something quintessentially un-American about a CID. It's majority (mob) rules. Can't afford an extra $1,500 in property taxes? "Tough shit, hombre! 50% plus one of your neighbors ( a lot of them corporations from out of state) have said yes, so you better get ready to cough it up!"

Are we not already paying really high property taxes? This is just typical local level politics. "Let's help beautify the city and our main corridor," they say, "it's not that much more money!" Well, it IS that much more money, and it's the damn principle of the matter! It just isn't right, and it's particularly tough to stomach when one of the biggest property owners on 278 (who also happens to probably be the richest man in Newton Co.) is a huge supporter of this thing when he has easily the worst looking property on the entire road! Plus the man just refuses to cut the grass on said property. It's a major eyesore, and he's pushing for this thing.

Now the word is that after dropping $25K to help with this thing, the city is going to be providing people and resources to help go door-to-door to try sell this thing. That ain't right! No, that ain't right by a sight...

As someone said at one of the preliminary meetings for this thing, we're just basically spittin' in the wind until we do something about our schools. This is akin to putting a band-aid on a broken leg. It's a bad idea and won't do anything to help our city or county. But...someone's going to have to be the administrator or coordinator or whatever you want to call it for this thing. Apparently that's been as issue with other CIDs where most of the money is gobbled up by administrative and salary expenditures. Sounds like age-old C-town politics: somebody must need a job!

Click here for a Covington News article about it.

Recapping GA House 112

Well...it's been a few days and I've been stewing things over in the mental back-burners and I think I'm ready to get my thoughts out there on this race that has been such an integral part of my life for quite some time.

As some of you may already know, I was very much involved with and had a vested interest in this race as my good friend was running for this seat. You can read my thoughts on why I thought my friend, Aaron Brooks, was the right man for this job here.

My friend lost. By 108 votes. That was the difference in this race. A difference of 1.9% . 2,885 votes vs. 2,777. A very slim margin, but a loss is a loss. It hurts. It sucks. But...it is what it is (and again, for the record, I hate that saying, but sometimes that's all you can say).

As I mentioned, I was very much involved with my friend's campaign. Not in any official capacity. As I told many folks over the last 8 months, I was just a friend trying to help get a good man elected to the Gold Dome. I was equal parts assistant campaign manager, sign putter-upper, canvasser, phone-banker, and fund-raiser. More importantly, I was an adviser, confidant, and friend to the man who had put it all on the line to try to create a better future for the 112th. It was truly an honor, and an experience I will never forget.

And let me just say this: I can't tell you how proud I am of Aaron. He ran a great race, kept it positive, and campaigned on the issues. Even after his opponent went negative with complete and total lies, Aaron had said from the get go that he was going to stay on the high road and stick to the issues and concentrate on hitting the grassroots to get his message directly to the good folks of Newton and Morgan counties. As I mentioned in my previous post about this race, I probably couldn't have done that, but as I also said then - Aaron is a much better man than I. In fact, he was told by folks who do this type of thing as a business, that if he went on the attack and went negative, he would probably most definitely win. Chances are, he would have. But he wouldn't do it. He was going to stick to his principles, and in this day and age, that is so damn admirable. 

So...where do we go from here?

For starters, Newton Co. is having to wrap its mind around the fact that for the first time in generations (maybe in its entire history), that it will not have any representation in the state government. That's a shame when we had someone like Aaron that would have been such a great advocate and representative for the people. But, as many of us know. there were several folks in Covington and Newton Co. that didn't want that to happen. First and foremost would be the man that currently holds this seat, Doug Holt, and the man who finished 3rd in the primary that campaigned on the fact that we had to keep a Newton County resident in this seat - Ester Fleming. There were others as well. You can look at the campaign disclosures and see the usual suspects. The old money. The power elite. When things go the way I expect them to, remember who was responsible for this.

But I will sure as hell say this: Dave Belton, the man that completely changed all of his core stances and co-opted Aaron's entire platform (while also going negative and spreading lies) does NOT have a mandate in Newton Co. Look at the numbers. Aaron won Newton Co. with 60% of the votes and in some precincts was pushing 70%. Even after all of the old guard threw their weight behind Belton and his campaign pulled all of those punches, he didn't come anywhere close to winning anywhere in Newton Co. That's because most folks weren't buying it. And I tip my hat to them.

But, again, you have to go back to the phrase - it is what it is. I tell you one thing that puts a smile on my face, though. They, the other side, gave everything they had and spent so much dang money and completely shot their wad and 50.95% overall and 40% in Newton was as good as they could do. That tells you something right there. That says a lot.

As always, I remain very optimistic about the future.

Til next time...
 

Thoughts on GA House 112

Whenever I think about Ronald Reagan, I think about a line in his autobiography. A line, to paraphrase, that talks about him looking at a bunch of people going by in a very busy place and thinking to himself - who are these people; what are their stories?

When I think about the 112th district of the great state of Georgia, I think about the regular folks of that district. And I think about their stories. The working folks, the blue collar, if you will. I also think about most of the the small business owners - the engine of Georgia. Several folks who are very close to me, and several other folks that I know who fit the description of the line in the great Guy Clark song, "the heroes of this country."

When I think about GA HD 112, I think about the power-elite in Newton Co. And Covington. The folks that run the local GOP party. And other folks. The folks behind the 2050 plan. I think about how they have been so dead set on stopping my good friend Aaron Brooks, and, every time I think of this, I realize that my buddy is doing something so right.

And then I think about how a win for Aaron Brooks would be a win for the people in this district. A much needed and hard fought win. After dealing with a tax increase last year, based on millage, and then another tax increase this year, based on real estate valuation, and then I think about the persons I mentioned earlier in this column, and I think about the hardships that these folks will deal with. And the hardship that me and the Missus will deal with with our measly property tax burden and the taxes on our two modest vehicles, even though our income - like most folks - has fallen yet again because, as most of us know, the economy is not in recovery. All because the powers-that-be can't let go of certain things. And that certain things can't get done because...they're "off the table" ( Hell, people, it's a laundry list here: county attorney, hospital authority, landfill contract, ambulance service, etc. etc. etc.)

And then a negative mailer goes out in which every single, goddam sentence is one lie after another. I start to get hot...I can feel the blood pressure going up...but then, I realize a beautiful thing. They are losing. They're getting desperate. And with each move they make, just like the Newton Co. establishment pick a couple of months ago, they hurt themselves more and more. Well, I'll tell you what: It puts a smile on my face...

My friend Aaron Brooks has kept it on the high road. And I have no doubt that he will win Tuesday. I think he would have won even if he hadn't kept it that way. If it was me, I sure as hell wouldn't have stayed high. By God, I sure would have fought fire with fire!!! But...I wasn't running. Aaron was. And he's a much better man than I am. I think helluva lot of him, and I think a lot of folks around town do as well.

So...I guess to find the rub, that would be it. Aaron winning would be a huge win for a lot of folks who need a win right now.

So if this column finds you - I hope it finds you well - and if you were to live in the 112th House District of Georgia and are able to vote in the GOP run-off on July 22nd, I sure hope you cast your ballot for a man that I admire and am fortunate to consider a good friend, Mr. J. Aaron Brooks.

My Take on GA CD 10

The 10th Congressional race has been slowly heating up here lately, although there really isn't a ton to report at this time except for fundraising. Speaking of which, Jon Richards over at Peach Pundit did a nice little write-up detailing everybody's 1st quarter's haul and a basic synopsis of where things stand. It's a pretty good read...

I'm pretty much in agreement with a lot of what he says in this article. To me, at this time, there are two defined front-runners, one right behind them, a possible dark horse, and then the rest of the field. Let's take a look:

• Front-runners: 

• Mike Collins - The son of Mac Collins, the well-known and well-liked former Congressman from Georgia, Mike is a very likeable guy. He comes across as very real and genuine. A successful businessman, he is making that the focal point of his campaign - a business approach to dealing with things. His plan, as evidenced by his web address, is to "overhaul D.C.." Out in east Newton Co., near my neck of the woods, he has a lot of support, and as I understand it, he has a lot of grassroots and financial support throughout the entire district as well. I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't make it past May 20th. And he currently has the most cash on hand of any candidate in this race. As an aside and in the spirit of disclosure, this is the guy I'm supporting in this race. Haven't donated or anything, and hell, I can't even vote for him as I'm west of the Alcovy, but this is who I like in this one.
• Jody Hice - The smart money is on Jody being the other one to wake up on May 21st with a run-off campaign to work. Hice raised the most money in this year's first quarter, He, too, has a very strong grassroots structure. Hice is the more fiery TEA party type who is also a Preacherman. And he can whip 'em into a frenzy - he gives a very good stump speech. Mr. Hice, by the way, is also a very nice man. The thought that some have had is that perhaps he peaked too early, but some have said that of Collins as well. It definitely doesn't hurt that he's from the most populated county in the district in terms of GOP votes, Walton Co. We'll see...

• Second Tier: 

• Donna Sheldon - For a while, Sheldon was kind of an enigma. The word was that she had raised a lot of money but wasn't really spending much of it and wasn't really campaigning that much, either. Well, that has changed. She is now very much running a very active campaign. She's raised more money than anyone else, and she almost raised the most in the 1st quarter as well. She's a good speaker and seems to connect well with audiences. She's also a pretty good-looking lady, and that probably doesn't hurt with some voters. If someone is going to knock one of the top two off the perch, it will probably be this former state representative from Gwinnett

• Dark Horse: 

• Gary Gerrard - He hasn't raised a ton of money, but he hasn't done bad. He seems to have a pretty good campaign team and structure and has some decent grassroots support. Yes, he's a lawyer, but he seems like a good guy. He also seems to be smart as hell. For a time, I was thinking about publicly supporting Gary in this one. Chances are that he'll finish fourth behind the aforementioned three, but I wouldn't totally count him out. Some big donations and a few things go his way, and he could have a very outside shot at making the run-off. 

• The Rest: 

• Stephen Simpson - Super nice guy and well-qualified and has come a long way as a candidate since 2012, but he doesn't have much of a chance, I'm afraid. He might slip up and take 4th place, and that's about as well as he could wish for. 
• Mitchell Swan - Late to the race. Not that it would have mattered.  He makes you think about some things. Very passionate and intelligent. No chance whatsoever.
• Brian Slowinski - I can't lie. I kind of like ole Brian. Yeah, he's kind of an oddball, but he actually knows his stuff pretty darn good. Not sure exactly why he's running, though. The only drama with these last two is to see who doesn't finish last. Because he will be on the ballot before Swan, I'm picking the upset and going with Slowinski to finish 6th with about 3 to 4% of the vote.

So...that's my take on the 10th. 

***Update: My good friend, Jason Pye, has also weighed in on this race.

The Law of Unintended Consequences: GOP Style

 *Cross-posted at United Liberty

Let's take a stroll down memory lane right quick. Back to the late Summer of 2012 to a little place called Tampa, FL and a little event known as the Republican National Convention.

As I reported back during this time, the GOP, for some unexplained and borderline-obsessive reason, was desperate to "maintain the narrative" that they were 100% united behind Mitt Romney. They thought it would be a good idea to completely re-write longstanding GOP rules and bylaws to keep Dr. Ron Paul from getting the guaranteed speaking slot that would come with his having captured the plurality of delegates in five states. So, led by Romney's lawyer, Ben Ginsberg, and the most awful Republican of all time, John Sununu, the GOP did just that - completely reworking and reshaping the entire power structure of the GOP.

As Rick Ungar mentioned in his column at Forbes.com yesterday, the main reason this was done was to put out that pesky Ron Paul fire and also to ensure a smooth process for Romney's reelection during the 2016 delegate process. Of course, there is one little problem there. Romney didn't win, so now the GOP is stuck with Rule 40 that now mandates that a candidate has to have a majority (rather that plurality) of delegates from eight (instead of five) states.

With the very crowed field that the GOP primary season will almost undoubtedly see, is there a real concern that we might get to the 2016 Convention without the ability to nominate a candidate? According to Ungar, that answer is a very possible yes. And also according to him, there is nothing that can be done about it until the RNC starts up the 2016 convention and who knows what the Rules Committee might look like. If it's made up of people all supporting different candidates, this thing has the ability to be a full blown mess.

So, the law of unintended consequences and the whole "be careful what you wish for - you just might get it" thing.

And one final recollection of mine from the day after the November election:

Looking back on it, it should have been obvious. The GOP had a death wish. It seemed as if they were, at every, single turn, making all of the WRONG decisions. On everything! Flipping the middle finger to all of the Ron Paul supporters wasn't one of their finer moments, for sure! With the polarized electorate we now have, you've got to be as inclusive as possible, not completely exclusive.

Has the GOP learned its lesson? I'm wanting to maintain some optimism at this point. It seems, from where I'm at, as if more and more long-serving and rank-and-file GOPers are getting on the Rand train. So maybe.  But what about the mid-terms this year? Can the GOP keep from snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?

East Metro Blog...

Why can't I quit you?

Closing up shop

Well, what can I say? It's been real and it's been fun, but it hasn't been real fun, right? LOL! JK! Actually, it has been pretty fun. It's hard to believe that I first started this blog almost eight years ago. And while I had about a three year dormant phase, this blog has been pretty productive in my opinion.

Times change, and things change, and I've just gotten to the point where I don't have the inclination to do this blog anymore, nor the need to in my opinion (more on that later). Anytime you get to the point where you only have two blogposts in a two month period is usually a sign that it's time to hang it up.

The specific reason for shelving the East Metro Blog? Well, that's a good question. Hmmm...let's see, laziness? Yes, that would be one. But the biggest reason would be that...I don't know, I just don't think I need to anymore. For starters, I've come to the opinion that "winning the hearts and minds" rarely happens online. Most people, I think, are going to believe what they believe, and nothing you can say or write is going to change their minds. Either you're going to be preaching to the choir, or you're going to have people reading that will never, ever agree with you. So...what's the point? Well, the point is - you want to have your say. And there's something to be said for that; however, there are other avenues to do that. Also, I am of the opinion that actions speak much louder than words. I'm very much a "political activist" and I think I can do more with that, politically, than I ever could on this blog.

With all of that said, I actually do believe that it is important to fight the battle of ideas in order to win those aforementioned "hearts and minds." If I feel so inclined, and if my copy is good enough, I can always publish something over at United Liberty, a blog I occasionally contribute to. This is one of the premier libertarian-leaning, conservative blogs on the web. Based out of Washington, D.C., it usually get thousands of hits per day. In addition to that, an old college mate of mine, Perrin Lovett, has a very active blog that fights the good fight in its own, albeit weird and sometimes bizarre, way. There are so many other great pages out there that can be easily found if you sniff 'em out (hint: check my blogroll).

But the real reason why I'm shelving the East Metro - I want to recommit myself to the things that are really important to me: my family, my job, my music, and my non-political writing. Those are my true passions, and also where my true talents lie, in my honest opinion.

If you really want to keep up with me politically, click on my twitter feed at the top of this page. I'm not the biggest tweeter, but I'm fairly active with it. And I'll probably end up starting a new blog that may occasionally cover politics without being political. Keep an eye out, and I'm going to get serious about Tumblr, so check my page there when you can.

8 years...what a ride.Until next time...

Peace be with you.

Because FB and Twitter isn't enough...

I've decided to really start to get involved with my Tumblr account. Why? I have no good answer for that at time: however; other than just having a desire to do it I'm planning on concentrating more on music, food, art, and esoteric politics with this page. So...we'll see. Here's the link:

The Enduring Chill

And right quick, how about Rand Paul! Yesterday was so invigorating and exhilarating. A great day for Freedom and Liberty. 

Yours in Peace and Liberty! 

Tuesday Morning Bites

• Attended my local GOP meeting tonight in which I got to hear John Padgett speak. And while I'm definitely supporting Jordan "Alex" Johnson for GAGOP Chair, I have to admit, this guy's a lot better than BJ Van Gundy. Plus, Padgett's a Dawg (for the record, BJ Van Gundy is a damned Techie). So there's that. Seriously, he was just a cool guy and had some good things to say. He also said the words "Ron Paul" at least 3 times, and laughingly talked about his Youtube notoriety. Regarding that, he said that mistakes were made, and he realized that now. So, for those of you keeping score at home, that's another one running that seems to want to embrace the Liberty wing. Are these guys seriously trying to out-liberty Alex? No, obviously not. But what they may be doing is this: trying to reach out to TEA party, disaffected regulars, and others who may be of the belief that the grassroots must be injected with this beautiful and organic energy and passion to keep itself energized. Even long-serving establishment types are starting to see the light on this. So I guess that leaves Seth Harp as the "Establishment (read: McCain, Romney, Priebus Republican)" candidate. Good. Luck. With. That!
• There aren't many bloggers out there sharper or more articulated than Jeremy Kolassa. As I once commented on one his posts, "[he] makes me want to be a better writer." He hits another one out of the park with his latest at United Liberty: "How the Sequester Torpedoed Conservatives' Credibility" Some hard truths, but this much is sure: any GOPers wringing their hands over a 3% cut to future growth for anything might as well be on the other side. Come to think of it, I think just about every Republican in DC with the exception of maybe a few dozen in the House and maybe upwards of a dozen in the Senate might as well be Dems. They suck, and I hate them. 
• And in other news considered "suprising (and those quotes would be sarcastic finger quotes)," here's another example from UL of Republicans in D.C. blowing it regarding sequestration. Again, they suck, and why are they there again?
• Musical Interlude: 
• Fin: Rand Paul is awesome, and possibly the only man that can save our country. That is all...
  

Musical Interlude: Too $hort

Rollin' in the East Metro...

Because we're "Gettin' It!"

The East Metro Round-up, 2.21.13

Today's menu: a sampling of National, State, and Local:

Julie Borowski hits it out of the park again. This time taking on the asinine push for a $9 minimum wage. Her videos are always smart, insightful, and funny.

How bad is Dekalb Co. right now? It's pretty bad. Line of the article: "D-e-K-a-l-b, a political subdivision in Georgia, pronounced, 'debacle,' as in 'a sudden and ignominious failure, a fiasco.'"

Perrin Lovett, a gentleman and a scholar, not to mention a superb political and legal mind, has a very, very interesting write-up in re Posse Comitatus. Bordering on book length, but a great read.

And another one from United Liberty - "Why We Need to Audit the Fed!"

And...NEWSFLASH: John Boehner and the GOP D.C.establishment suck! (they're part of the problem)

To turn to college football, the Senator has a killer write-up on the situation at the U (And by the way, the NCAA sucks, too!) 

Liberty-themed musical selection: The Animals. "It's my Life!"

Bye!

Shorter Hank Johnson: Newton County does not exist

 UPDATE 2.21.13: After hitting Peach Pundit (thanks to Bridget C. for picking it up) this morning, actions were taken pretty quickly it seems. At some point in the afternoon, I got a tweet from a fellow who is apparently Johnson's Congressional Communications Director thanking me for bringing the Newton situation to his attention. And as of at least a few hours ago, Rep. Johnson's page has now included Newton!

The process at work. A beautiful thing...

Original post:

So...for the last few weeks I've called, emailed, and tweeted Hank Johnson's office to tell them they needed to update their district map and information as they were still showing the pre-redistricted 4th.

So naturally I was quite delighted when I saw that the map had finally been updated complete with a new write-up of the 4th. All sorts of historical and interesting info pertaining to Dekalb, Rockdale, and Gwinnett counties and even links to those respective county governments and school systems. Notice anything? If you're not from this area, you might not. Look at the write-up again. Anything missing? Newton County is missing!

At this point, we just don't know if it's incompetence, or maybe Rep. Johnson and his staffers simply don't know that Newton is part of the 4th (which, I suppose, would fall under incompetence). Maybe they're just messing with that white guy that kept sending multiple communications talking about it (if that's the case, I only called, emailed, and tweeted one time each, for a total of 3 times).

Perhaps Rep.Johnson just doesn't like Newton County...maybe he hates Newton County!

Newton Co. would like to have a nice little write-up about its history and local information too, Rep. Johnson. We'd like to be a part of the party. Sure, you'll probably hit your lowest numbers here compared to the rest of the district, but we'd like to be included!

Equality for Newton County!!!

Where do we go from here?

*cross-posted at United Liberty 

So today is inauguaration day. For many in this country it is a grand and glorious day, but for many it is a stark reminder of the failures of the GOP establishment and the Romney campaign. If ever there was a presidential election that should have been won by the non-incumbent party, this was it. So what happened?

For starters, a weak candidate who ran a very weak campaign is usually a recipe for disaster. But more than that, I think the biggest failure was the refusal of the GOP establishment to to even tolerate, much less embrace, the liberty wing of the party. You can call this wing the “crazy Ron Paul people” or, as a lady in my county said, “these libertarians trying to take over our party.” This behavior was found at all levels - precinct, county, district, state, and national. A real shame considering that this was the one wing of the party that could have actually GOTV and created some excitement. But the GOP antics in Tampa made sure that wouldn’t happen. 

What were they thinking? In such an electric and polarized environment, you’ve got to be inclusive as possible, not completely exclusive. It’s as if many GOPers had a death wish - making all of the wrong decisions at every, single turn. But…that’s all in the past - water under the bridge.

So where do we go from here? That depends on what you believe and what you think is truly helpful to the liberty movement. We all have our opinions on that. A method that I learned from my real estate days is the wall method. Throw it all against the wall and see what sticks, also known as the kitchen sink method.

Here in Georgia, where I reside, a large number of us are continuing the grassroots groups we started last year to try to secure the GOP nomination for Ron Paul. This year, instead of Georgia for Ron Paul, we are Georgia for Liberty - a totally organic, grassroots organization; we are not affiliated with any national group. However, many of us, individually or in groups, are associated either with Campaign for Liberty or the RLC, both of which are great organizations. We continue to try to make inroads in the GOP and help reshape the party in the liberty image. This is occurring all over the country as well.

Also, more and more people are looking at organizations that work to win the battle of ideas to shape policy. Obviously, the Cato Institute is great example of this. Also, advocacy or activism groups are a great outlet for many people. FreedomWorks is prime example of this. And as important as any other group, the Institute for Justice is fighting the good fight of liberty on the judicial front. All of these organizations are doing their part and are all worthy causes.

And even though I am now in the GOP Liberty movement, I also remain a believer in the ability of well-organized state parties of the Libertarian Party to be an effective tool for Liberty. Here in Georgia, there's a really good one . Although I am no longer a member of that organization, I think the world of what they're doing and it is, in my estimation, a good investment if don't want to give to your local or state GOP. I wouldn't, however, give a dime to the RNC.**

So, the broad-spectrum, throw-it-at-the-wall, kitchen sink method - do it all. Why not? Let’s see what sticks…

**special to the East Metro blog, not included in the UL write-up

The East Metro Epic Rant, 17 January 2013

What an interesting day...

First off, I know that there are people out there who are on the other side of this issue. Probably not that many, but I know there are a good bit. I will always respect your right to believe whatever you want.

Now, let's get into it...

Using the kids as props was nauseating, despicable, and unconscionable. The drone president, the murderer of hundreds of Middle Eastern children, trotting out these kids...it was just awful. Speaking of drones, way more that this current anti-gun agenda, there is not a greater threat to our freedoms right now. Contact your elected representatives about outlawing drones in America!

As several articles have already mentioned, not a single one of these 23 executive "actions" would have prevented the tragedy in Connecticut. Not a single one!

The one common thread of all of the mass shootings of the last few years has been the involvement of psychotropic drugs. Where is the committee on that? Where are the executive "actions" on that, Mr. President? Ah yes...Big Pharma...that's right - can't go there, can we?

Look at the list of executive actions and really look at numbers 4 & 16. That's what this is all about. But, remember, none of this is enforceable; none of it is law. So for those of you are ready to fight the 2nd Revolution, just back the fuck up and get your head straight. Yes, there is cause for concern, but no, this is not an all-out gun grab...yet.

Don't just get upset and raise hell. Write to your Congressman, your Senator. Write to your state legislators and governor. Contact your Sheriff. Plug in! Get involved! Don't just forward emails and post internet memes.

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

My latest post over at United Liberty: "A follow-up on the 22nd Amendment Discussion"

As some of you may know, I also contribute to United Liberty, a libertarian-leaning blog based out of DC that includes a lot of great contributors and the great talents of its Editor-in-Chief and friend of the East Metro, Jason Pye.

My latest write-up follows up on one of Jason's earlier posts about the resolution that was submitted by a New York Democrat to repeal the 22nd amendment (that limits the POTUS to two terms).

As Jason mentioned, as did my article, it's a non-issue. It's not going to happen. So don't bother worrying about it...


Here is the text of my write-up:

Last week, United Liberty Editor-in-Chief, Jason Pye, wrote a column discussing why the 22nd Amendment, the one that limits the president to two terms, would never be repealed; despite the fact that there is been a fair amount of press and attention given to the introduction of a resolution by New York Dem, Jose Serrano, that would do precisely that.

Without getting into specifics, Mr. Pye simply said the reasons why this would never happen were “pretty obvious,” and that it was a non-issue. He is correct. And for many of the regular readers of UL, I’m sure it is pretty obvious, but I thought I would take a moment to specifically talk about why it won’t happen for some of the readers who might not fully understand the process.

As many of us know, there are exactly two ways in which the Constitution of the United States can be amended: either by Constitutional Convention, or by a 2/3 vote by Congress with a 3/4 ratification vote by the various state legislatures.

No amendment has ever been passed by a Constitutional Convention, and it seems very unlikely that it would ever happen. In order for it to happen, 2/3 of the state legislatures would have to vote for and call for it. With our polarized electorate, and since many of the states themselves seem so polarized, it just seems like an all-out impossibility.

With the other way, I don’t know if we would ever see both the U.S. House and Senate pass a joint resolution with 2/3 votes for anything that wasn’t supported by over 70% of Americans, and repealing the 22nd Amendment would not enjoy anywhere near that type of support. Furthermore, if it did somehow make it out of Congress, I would bet every dollar I’ve got that 75% of the States in the Union would never pass it. While a New York or a California might go for it, a Wyoming and a Nebraska would not. And naturally, there are many more red states than blue right now.

I remember having discussions with people back in the 90’s when there seemed to be genuine excitement and enthusiasm about doing this to get Clinton more than two terms. I told multiple people back then, as I have been now, “remember - it’s got to go through the states. We’re fine.”
And this is yet another example of how finely constructed our Constitution is. They made sure to make amending the Constitution a process that wouldn’t fall victim to the existing majority or passing whims, but rather only done when it was truly supported by a majority of the electorate. Of course, there have been bad amendments (16,17,18th), but this is one that will never get legs. As Jason said, worrying or fretting or this is a “colossal waste of time.”

The East Metro Epic Rant, 12.26.2012

Regarding the idiotic comments of Wayne Lapierre, executive vice-president of the NRA, all I can say is this: the federal government has no business having anything to do with security for any school with the exception of those in Washington, D.C. No, I think they're probably too busy killing infants and toddlers in the Middle East. I mean...What. The. Fuck? I think this write-up is pretty much on the money: Is the guy drunk, or high? How could he have possibly pissed off both sides of the gun issue with equal effect? I'm thinking crack rocks...or maybe ice? Regardless, he's obviously a bitch-ass mark! Or is he a mark-ass bitch?

And what is with these stupid Hollywood fucks and their little "Demand a Plan" video calling for the Federal government to make everything all better. Oh, is this the same federal government that is killing women and children on a daily basis is countries like Yemen, Pakistan, and Afghanistan? Just to be clear, are we talking about the same federal government that passed NDAA, a law where any American citizen can be disappeared forever without due process? And without beating a dead horse, are we discussing the same federal government that armed drug cartels in Mexico? And...oh wait, I'm sorry, are we talking about the same government that has been waging the War on Drugs for 41 years with such stellar results?

And I get most of the people on this stupid, pathetic video, but Conan O'Brien? Et tu, Conan? Hey, it's your 1st amendment right to have been a part of this thing, and it's my right to never watch you on T.V. again and to unfollow you on FB and Twitter...

It seems as if the whole damn thing is headin' south in a hurry, folks. What else is there to say...don't blame me, I voted Ron Paul?

"Do we really want to live in a world of police checkpoints, surveillance cameras, metal detectors, x-ray scanners and warrantless physical searches? We see this culture in our airports, witness this shabby spectacle of once proud, happy Americans shuffling through long lines while uniformed TSA agents bark orders... The federal government should not try to pursue unobtainable safety with state-approved security precautions... The government has "zero moral authority to legislate against violence." -Dr. Ron Paul

Oh well, such is life. But the rub is this: there is stupid, crazy, and evil all over this world. Always has been and always will be. You can't legislate it, and they don't care about laws, anyhow. It's just the way it is.The sooner people realize this, the better. If you're into faith, I suggest you cling to it, because I don't see it getting any better anytime soon...