Where is the Tea Party?Unlike Democrats, Republicans, SuperPacs or other groups - the Tea Party Patriot movement is the largest local grassroots movement in American history to include "Training, Issue Education, Webinars and Tele-Town Halls, and Mobilizing Volunteers."...
The Man From NankipoohWell a lotta folks have been askin me what the difference is between the Skunks and the Polecats, and I can tell you that about the only difference is the way they want to spend the money that they steal from you. Other than that, they both stink! Now that brings me to another question, now that we are down to one Skunk and one Polecat to go up against the man from Nankipooh...
Tam's Sweetheart Deal with CityBrian Tam's "sweetheart deal" with the City of Cumming finally exploded into public view last week when Forsyth County resident Bob Rorke obtained a copy of the contract between the city and Tam's restaurant, Tam's Backstage...
The Office of SheriffThe office of Sheriff is over 1,000 years old and is the oldest law enforcement position in the United States. The first Sheriffs appeared in Great Britain just after the Norman Invasion of 1066 AD. Some historians claim the origination of the Sheriff was derived from the Roman proconsuls in the 4th Century BC. The office of Sheriff was imported into the American colonies and Chatham County Georgia established the oldest Sheriff's office in 1732. The holder of this ancient and great office has expansive responsibilities and utility and is the most powerful elected constitutional law enforcement officer in their jurisdiction...
Enough Already!Despite what some may believe, I have a rather high tolerance level for nonsense, which is why I’ve let these thoughts go unwritten long enough regarding the 2012 nominating process for the GOP. But after yesterday, this political junkie has finally had enough...
The County CommissionerI been thinkin a lot about all the political shenanigans we been watchin lately, and it reminded me of old Dub Johnston when he ran for County Commissioner down here in Nankipooh. Now Dub had moved into Nankipooh about fifteen years before, when he bought old man Robertson's Feed and Grain. Dub was a likable man mainly cause he was the one always buyin the drinks, or pickin up the tab down at the cafe. In fact his favorite sayin was "I got money I ain't even spent yet"...
The Right CandidateIn December 2011 the Republicans had the future presidency in their hands, for the taking, now they are in danger of throwing it away...
Stop Voting to Tax Yourself!Certainly there are some taxes that we have no control over…things like property taxes, income taxes and many others, but what WE DO have control over is a SPLOST TAX. SPLOST stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales TAX...
James Madison Would be HorrifiedJames Madison the father of the separation between Church and State embodied in the First Amendment is rolling over in his grave with the recent two appearances of Presidential candidates standing in the pulpit of First Redeemer Church in Forsyth County...
House Bill 853, the Right to Grow ActThe Georgia State Code lists the rights of citizens as the right of personal security, personal liberty, and the right of private property. The definition of 'personal security' is 'The legal and uninterrupted enjoyment by a man of his life, his body, his health and his reputation'. Dr. Mark Cooray says, "Personal liberty means not only freedom from unlawful physical restraint or harm, but also freedom from arbitrary interference with one's privacy and lawful belongings"...
The Nankipooh Enquirer - "The Shell Game"When I was a young man a small carnival passed through Nankipooh, and we was all excited about things like havin a Gypsy tell our fortune, and getin to see an elephant. One of the things I remember most was a man with three walnut shells and a green pea, and for a quarter, you got to guess which shell the pea was under. Of course that's hard to do even if the game is honest, but if it ain't, then you got no chance at all...
Public Meetings on Water ContractLast Thursday The Forsyth County News reported that the commission voted unanimously to have our Commission Chairman, and Vice-Chairman meet with the city of Cumming regarding the water contract, and that the meetings will be open to the public...
House Bill 853This week, House Bill 853 was introduced in the General Assembly. It states: No county, municipality, consolidated government, or local government authority shall prohibit or require any permit for the growing or raising of food crops or chickens or rabbits in home gardens, coops, or pens on private residential property so long as such food crops or animals or the products thereof are used for human consumption by the occupant of such property and members of his or her household...
Forsyth County Democratic Party Response to 2012 Presidential State of the UnionThe President’s 2012 State of the Union put forth a comprehensive plan based on logic a majority of
Americans have been waiting to hear. The local republican party was critical of the President’s address, particularly the word “I”...
Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman Mike Berlon on Hearing to Address President Obama’s Inclusion on the Georgia Presidential Primary Ballot“We respect the President's position and urge the Secretary of State to bring this matter to a conclusion. We also believe that each political party has the absolute legal right to determine who should appear on their primary and general election ballots according to their own rules without interference from outside parties."...
What We Need to Know About HR 1162 and HR 1335The proposed amendment would enable political appointees to override the decisions of local school boards and local voters and re-direct tax funds to any “special school” the state creates or designates...
Shameless, Free Infomercials for Two Guilty Parties: Obama's State of the Union and the Republican Response“Sponsors of even the most embarrassing, inane and fraudulent infomercials have to pay for their own air time. They can’t force TV stations to run their ads for free by threatening to shut them down. Through the Federal Communications Commission and other government coercion, Democratic and Republican politicians run their shameless infomercials on prime time TV free of charge. Tonight’s infomercial hand-outs were the State of the Union address and the ‘opposition’ response."...
Rich County, Poor CountyMuch is being made of the Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) vote on July 31, 2012 and rightfully so. The T-SPLOST was created by HB277 Transportation Investment Act 2010-2030 signed into law by Governor Sonny Purdue...
A Great Move for Open and Honest GovernmentThursday’s election of Jim Boff as chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners by Todd Levent and Patrick Bell signals a great change from the last year...
Will Rogers and PoliticsBack durin the Great Depression, when we was in really hard times, and the country was hurtin real bad, there was a man named Will Rogers who kept us all on balance by makin fun of some of the things that was hurtin us the most. One of his favorite subjects was the government, and if he was alive today, he sure would have a lot of ammunition to fire off at these rascals we got runnin things today...
Indefinite Detention Provisions are WrongLibertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today regarding the indefinite detention provisions of Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012. "The Obama administration has already claimed that the president has the authority to kill Americans overseas, if he believes they are terrorists. "Now, in the latest National Defense Authorization Act, Congress is trying to give the president power to imprison Americans indefinitely, without charges or respect for habeas corpus, if he claims they are terrorists...
"The Christmas Tree"When I was a boy growin up on the old Biggers' farm in Nankipooh, we always cut a tree off of our land to use as a Christmas tree. Now we had lots of different trees to choose from, but we always had a cedar tree for our Christmas tree. One year when I was about fifteen, I had spotted a perfect tree up by the main road that was just the right shape and size, so I asked my Grandpa about cuttin it. He said no, since that he could see it from the house, he wanted it to stay there, and I should go further back in the woods behind the house and get one from back there...
A “Yes” on SPLOST VIIThe decision before the voters is either to postpone the enactment of SPLOST VII or to vote for it now. Sooner or later the investments, especially on
List A will have to be made...
Now Comes the Vote on SPLOST VIIOn Nov. 8, one full year before SPLOST VI expires comes SPLOST VII, a $200 million tax referendum in the midst of the nation's worst economy in 80 years. Why, you might ask, are county commissioners pressuring citizens to self impose a tax now that will cost families about $500 a year when the current SPLOST doesn't expire for more than a year? It's called fear...
Forsyth County Democratic Party Statement Regarding the SPLOST VII ReferendumWe, the Forsyth County Democratic Party, understand the necessity and support taxes when these items are needed to maintain the quality of life in the county. We, the Forsyth County Democratic Party supports a special local option sales tax as a fair method of collecting revenue as opposed to just property tax increases. We, the Forsyth County Democratic Party, support the proposed SPLOST VII because...
Libertarians to Occupiers: Crony Capitalism is the Problem"It's true that 99% of Americans do not enjoy the special benefits of crony capitalism. Crony capitalism is very different from real capitalism. In crony capitalism, government hands out special favors and protections to politically well-connected businesses...
Letter to the Editor Regarding Pancreatic Cancer and Steve Jobs PassingMy heart goes out to the family of Steve Jobs, his friends and colleagues. He was an American icon and one of the greatest visionaries of our time. His passing is such a great loss for our country...
President Ronald Reagan Made Ron Paul PossibleLike President Reagan, Ron Paul agrees that force is an unacceptable way to expand a political system. The NEOCON believes that we are expanding our democratic freedoms to Iraq and Afghanistan and that we are defending ourselves against those that would do us harm. Preposterous! Iraq and Afghanistan both have constitutions that embrace Sharia Law, the very enemy of democratic freedoms. We no longer have an enemy capable of flying over the polls to bomb our cities, launch intercontinental ballistic missiles, nor capable of anchoring a fleet at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. President Reagan negotiated a peace...
CAFE Standards and TSPLOSTGeorgia needs to stop sending federal fuel tax dollars to Washington DC, because Georgia is a gas tax losing state. According to the Environmental Working Group "Taxpayers in fifty-four metropolitan areas lost an estimated 100 million dollars or more during the 6-year period analyzed." Atlanta alone was shorted $787M, nearly $1.0B over a five year period from 1998 to 2003...
Forsyth County Democratic Party Chair Thanks Senator Jack Murphy and Senator Steve GoochI wish to express my most sincere appreciation with deepest respect to Senator Jack Murphy and Senator Steve Gooch for their recent vote of NO to the proposed congressional maps. This decision reflects their dedication to their constituents, their willingness to listen to their counsel, but more importantly, the fortitude, strength and courage to take the oath of their office most seriously...