Mike Freeman Congressional Campaign Kick-Off

9^th District Congressional Candidate Mike Freeman is visiting North Georgia citizens on Friday, January 8th on his campaign for the vacated seat of Representative Nathan Deal.

“I’m excited to be in my hometown and meeting with my friends and neighbors,” Freeman said. “With the help of a vibrant Democratic Party, we will show the voters that our plans and vision for this great country are the best answer to the difficulties we are facing.” The event will include Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin, White and Hall Counties.

Freeman is an ordained minister and a 30-year veteran of the Armed Forces. He is the only declared Democratic candidate for the 9^th district and is the current chair of the Hall County Democratic Party.

“We have a lot of work to do in this country, and it will take strong leadership to accomplish our goals,” Freeman said. “I’m dedicated to moving North Georgia forward and protecting our rights of freedom under the US Constitution.”

Freeman will be hosting supporters at Recess Southern Gastro Pub at 118 Bradford Street in Gainesville at 5:30 pm on Friday January 8. All parties are welcome.

 

Mike Evans

Is GA-09 going to elect a lobbyist to replace Nathan Deal?

Yes. A LOBBYIST.

(In politics 101, they teach that once you lobby, you ain’t getting elected to public office again.)

(h/t Icarus)

UPDATE: His dentistry and waste management lobbyist registration was terminated today (still lobbying for Forsyth County apparently), according to the Georgia Ethics site. Perhaps he could’ve terminated it when he announced?

 

David Richard’s Political Retirement

This blog has been kind to former Forsyth County Commissioner David Richard. It’s a good thing to have a fiery leader sometimes, and Richard certainly fit the bill.

Richard lost a primary fight (as an incumbent) last year, and has been replaced by Patrick Bell on the County Commission. A news article regarding Bell’s pro-business stance can be found at Cumming Home, with a few choice comments from Richard himself.

Those choice comments (directed at a variety of people, not Bell himself) include:

• I don’t give a rat’s patoot about your alleged business skills; you don’t know jack about what you’re posting.
• Apparently the economy of the entire world has passed you by in the last 50 years of ignorance you have lived.
• You, sir, are a class-A, Number 1 MORON when it comes to economic issues.
• I see that they’ve had an escape from the Yerkes Primate Research Center over in Gwinnett again, haven’t they?
• Keep your amateur psychobabble to yourself. I have yet to read a single statement from you that shows any latent intelligence.
• It is my fervent hope, Tony, that some day one of these mental midgets might actually learn something more than being able to count to twenty without having to remove their shoes.

Anyone who thought that Mr. Richard will shuffle off into that good night is sadly mistaken.

Well done, good sir, well done. An keyboard in the hands of Dave Richard is like a violin in the hands of a virtuoso.

 

Another Nutty Editorial

The Forsyth County GOP Chair weighs in on gay marriage in the Forsyth Times, and boy! Does he have some novel arguments!

Several studies over the last 15 years conclude the life expectancy for homosexual men and women is approximately 20-30 years less than the heterosexual population.  

In addition, studies have shown the incidence of breast cancer is 300 percent greater in the lesbian population than in their heterosexual counterparts.  If any other activity caused such a reduction in life expectancy or propensity for disease, the federal government would regulate it out of existence.  

Yet, in the face of these inherent dangers, Congress is now considering hate crimes legislation that would make sexual orientation a protected class.

Even assuming the argument that homosexuals are born gay, if people are born with a congenital condition that decreases their life expectancy by a third, don’t we have an obligation to cure this condition rather than granting it government sanction?

Can anyone give me the source material for this information? Perhaps a citation from a respected (i.e. not NewsMax or RedState) publication?

First person who can find these respected studies on the web will get a free t-shirt. Seriously. Leave your source material in the comments. Remember, he claims there are several so it shouldn’t be hard.

So get to it, super-sleuths. And once again, it bears repeating… THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE HEAD OF THE FORSYTH COUNTY REPUBLICANS.

 

Seeds & Stems

Gena Evans might get canned on Thursday

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut Brooks & Dunn

Cumming man dies by helium, four arrested

Hall County teacher dies in car accident

Hall County parapro dies during surgery

The least talented American Idol judge wants to kick off the second-least talented one

 

Charlie Laughinghouse Eviction Notice

Last month, the Forsyth County Commission voted to evict Chairman Charlie Laughinghouse from the largest office in the building.

Laughinghouse didn’t immediately comply with the request, claiming that he had health concerns that made it difficult for him to move his belongings.

The Board then promptly voted to have staffers move the office down the hall for him.

How’s that move coming along, Charlie?

“It’s been gradual and there have been some hiccups on getting packing supplies,” he said, adding that he comes in nights and weekends to do most of the work.

After a majority vote of the commission, there’s not a whole lot Laughinghouse can do about it. Not until next year anyway.

Soon, new board members will be seated on the Commission, and it’s speculated that Charlie will get to retain the largest office. Perhaps, that’s why he’s dragging his feet with the move.

MORE IMPORTANTLY: Is this really worth holding two Commission votes over? It this really what the Forsyth County Commission is spending the people’s time worrying about?

So petty. So frivolous. It’s like somebody watched Office Space and thought, that’s exactly the way we wanna run Forsyth County.

 

Commissioner David Richard

Dave Richard (R) has served with distinction on the Forsyth County Commission.

 

He lost a primary challenge to Patrick Bell this year, and participated in his final board meeting last week.

 

Choice quotes from Commissioner Richard include:

“I’d also like to thank the discerning voters of Forsyth County for forcing me to leave this office as I have grown weary of trying to get people who don’t believe in republican principles to act as Republicans,”

Despite Richard’s setback, he vowed to “remain a resident and voter here.”

“I’m not going anywhere, so deal with it,” he told the board.

Richard will not go quietly into that good night, and we’ve always tried to give him a fair shake here at the blog. While supporting Jon Flack (the Democratic competitor for the seat), there’s been a level of quiet admiration for Richard, who steadfastly declined to stab his fellow council-members in the back…he always preferred to stab his fellow council-members in the front.

So here’s to you, Mr. Republican-Council-Member-That-Pisses-Everyone-Off. Thanks for trying. Maybe we’ll hear from you again in the 2010 cycle.

 

Hall County, Forsyth County Election Results

Yesterday, I asserted that no Democrat could’ve won the GA senate race this year. It’s simply not a blue state.

Moreover, the area around the lake (Hall and Forsyth Counties) are two of the most Republican counties in the entire state, and probably the nation. Below I’ve tallied the information from this election cycle (via a half-hearted and slightly confusing Photoshop effort) in races that had both a Republican and Democrat running for the same office.

No Democrat polled more than 24%, regardless of funding.

I’d put the Democratic Performance Index at around 18% for the two counties. Simply put, if any living breathing person registers as a Democrat, they start at around 18% as a baseline. Additional resources and campaigning can raise that number, but a hypothetical Democrat has to convince an additional 32% of the electorate to vote for them because of the (D) next to their name.

Meanwhile, the hypothetical Republican starts off with about 80%. They have to lose 30% of the vote in order to be in electoral trouble. It’s an unbelievable advantage.

Questions to ask include:

• Why don’t we have more GOP primary challengers in these counties? That’s the only way to get newly elected in Hall or Forsyth County.
• What strategies have been done on the local level to encourage this advantage? Or is it solely based upon identification with the national party, without local party encouragement?
• How can Dems become relevant again in North Georgia?

Got answers? Leave a comment.

 

Forsyth County Non-Profits

The Forsyth County Commission wants to re-examine the government grants for local non-profits in the county.

Last year, the Commission gave nearly half a million bucks to local non-profits. With the budget crisis, Commissioner Brian Tam is urging the non-profits to give a 15 to 30 minute presentation to the council to justify what they do and how the money is spent.

A couple things are important to note:

• There is absolutely nothing wrong with a governing body asking these non-profits to justify their funding. It’s probably not popular with the non-profits in question, but it’s not an unreasonable request.
• Tam might want to reconsider the 15-30 minute presentation thing. Hard to imagine the Commissioners want to listen to 4-5 hours of presentations, when a written proposal could probably get the job done.
• Outgoing Commissioner David Richard delivers the money quote: “”This is like the child’s version of the chamber of commerce. We give them money, we don’t know what we get.”

Side Note: David Richard has a recently redesigned website so that he can share his views. For those who are new to Forsyth County politics, Dave is a guy who pushes buttons on both sides of the aisle, and as a result will be relinquishing his duties to Republican Patrick Bell due to a GOP primary defeat this year.

As an example of Commissioner Richard’s sense of humor/humility/prickishness, he has a picture of him grinning like a Cheshire cat with the following description.

I’m Dave Richard, and I just won’t shut up. Many have already seen this picture of me for years, but it is so good, I’m keeping it forever. It is also a great representation of me, as I smile a lot, especially when I’m sticking it to the know-it-alls and pompous do-gooders in government and life in general.

I’ve advocated him running for Sheriff, cause I don’t think he’s done with local politics yet.

 

Jon Flack, Condensed

Jon Flack is running for Forsyth County Commission, and his views are:

• Forsyth County shouldn’t finance the $75 million jail right now. He’d vote no on the proposal, mainly because bond indebtedness during an economic slowdown will raise property taxes.
• Also, Flack is concerned about the proximity of the jail to a local neighborhood, and the potential for crime and lowered property values.
• On Ballot Question 1 (“To encourage the preservation of Georgia’s forests through a conservation use property tax reduction program”), Flack voted yes. He explains, “Giving local governments another tool in the toolbox to protect critical open space from development is the right move.”
• On Ballot Question 2 (“To authorize local school districts to use tax funds for community redevelopment purposes”), Flack voted no. He explains, “School funding needs to stay with its core mission: teaching our children.   As educational responsibilities continue to increase, we shouldn’t unlock education funds for development purposes.”
• On Ballot Question 3 (“To authorize the creation of special Infrastructure Development Districts providing infrastructure to under-served areas”), Flack voted no. He explains, “These “infrastructure districts” would allow developers the ability to assess a “fee” (read: tax) on homeowners and landowners who reside within the newly created district.  I believe that in no circumstance should we cede to developers or private entities the power to tax citizens.”

Full details at cumminghome.

 

David Richard New Website

Dave Richard is a flame-throwing, barn-burning take-no-prisoners-kind-of Forsyth County Commissioner, which is probably why he lost his primary contest to Patrick Bell. He’s been a thorn in the side to both parties during his term.

His thoughts on the bailout plan for Wall Street is here, and you can poke around his new website for additional material as well.

In his bailout discussion, he tries to assess blame by starting off with the Carter administration in 1977 and the Community Reinvestment Act, and then “fast forwards” to the Clinton administration in 1993 for the next “death knell” of the crisis that we are in now.

This absurd recounting of the current crisis ignores the fact that:

• Since 1976, there have been only 12 years of a Democratic President, and 20 years of a Republican President. Any problems could have easily been solved by the GOP if they were bright enough to detect it.
• Most recently, W. had 6 years of a Republican majority in Congress which saw him issue only one veto. Surely, he had the support to scale back any wayward legislation.
• W. bragged about having the highest amount of home ownership in our nation’s history repeatedly before the housing bubble burst. He was proud of this fact.
• Republicans have consistently been for less regulation of the markets, which led to this mess. The Democratic position has always been for MORE regulation of these critical cornerstones of our economy.
• The basis of his whole argument is false. Blaming the Community Reinvestment Act for being insecure, then fast forwarding through all of Reagan and Bush I, blaming Clinton, and then fast forwarding AGAIN through Bush II’s disastrous regime requires a level of mental gymnastics that even Bela Karolyi couldn’t orchestrate.

The problem with the housing market and our economy is one of unfettered access to the nation’s borrowers with no regulatory oversight. If you’re picking on Carter and Clinton to try to play to the base, fine. But anyone who spends 10 minutes on Google can see through that BS.

 UPDATE: I still like DR. I just think he’s waaaay wrong on his assessment.

 

Pawn Shop Blues

Forsyth County votes, in a 4-1 measure, to require pawn shops to get names and identification data from customers.

The lone dissenting vote? FRICKIN’ DAVID RICHARD!!!

“You’re talking about every single pawn shop transaction here, 99 percent of which are probably legal transactions,” Richard said. “It’s just way too much governing. This is not what the commission should be doing to businesses.”

And this is why I like Dave. He’s an old-school Goldwater Republican. These are guys who wanted to make government LESS intrusive… make LESS laws… create a law-abiding god-fearing society through strength, not by fiat.

And he’s in office for only a few more months.

Run for Sheriff, Dave. Run for Sheriff.

 

Forsyth’s New Jail

The Forsyth News reports on more controversy regarding the new jail in Forsyth County, as 40 residents showed up at an informational session with local politicians to protest the proposed site.

Forsyth County has already bought the property and completed design plans for the jail, but local citizens are distressed because the facility will sit within 100 feet of several homes in the Wyngate subdivision.

A November bond referendum is scheduled, and if it passes-BOOM! The jail gets placed right next to the subdivision. If defeated, the jail might be moved elsewhere, or the Federal Government might mandate a jail, in which case local citizens would have little input into anything regarding the facility.

Mayor Gravitt of Cumming has tried to convince the commission to pay for the jail using sales tax money, but the commission won’t have it. Sounds like it’s all dependent on the bond referendum.

Anyway, the local neighborhood has put up a website to fight the jail’s location. Check out movethejail.org.