Tracy Bennett (D) for Senate District 31: My kind of Democrat

Up in Northwest Georgia, Tracy Bennett (D-Cartersville), a conservative democrat will run for SD 31 held by incumbent Bill Heath (R-Bremen) who faces a primary challenge from Pete Bridges (R-Tallapoosa).

Here's a little what Bennett says:

I was raised as a conservative Georgia democrat. As a conservative Georgia democrat, when it comes to national politics, I'm sure I stand with many on the right. I do not share all the views of Washington Politics, but this is not Washington, this is Georgia, this is Our backyard, where Georgia Democrats have done some great things for our communities and our state, i.e. The HOPE Scholarship, Peach Care for Kids, and the Georgia Lottery to Support Education, just to name a few.

He says he was asked to switch parties to improve his chances of winning this race but decided against it because (1) he would never sign a republican pledge card to sign my allegiance to the party. My allegiance is only to God, Family and the
People I serve! (2), if he had changed parties after expressing my belief that it should not be about parties, but the person, what does that make him?

Bennett is:

For Jobs & A Stronger Economy
For Working Families
For Main Street & Small Business
For Christian Values
For Teachers, Seniors & Public Safety
For Common Sense Government
NOT FOR RAISING TAXES
FOR THE FAIR TAX


Bennett affirms Christian and Family values! Tracy will support the working class families, and the small business owners (the main street and backbone of progress for our communities). Tracy will fight to protect homeowners from unscrupulous lenders and developers.




Tracy does not believe that government should compete with the private business sector. Tracy believes in logical laws that protect and serve the community. Tracy believes that the government is to support, serve, and protect the rights of the people, not slowly strip the American People of their rights, to work for
the people and not be a burden on the people. Tracy believes that less government is better government.



In addition: he supports
Bikers and Motorcycle Enthusiast
Families that live with Autism
Hunters and Gun Enthusiast

Second Amendment and the NRA. He is a member of the National Rifle Association. I Sometimes, its not the party that you vote for, but the person you vote for,
that will make a difference in YOUR life!

Are there some similarities betwen the Tea Party Movement & the (JBS) John Birch Society?

There are some similarities to the John Birch Society & some of the Tea Party Movements across the U.S.

The favorite lines used by Tea Partiers are: bring about less government, more responsibility, and —Preserving Individual Rights Restoring the Constitution.


Nothing wrong with that! I agree with those notions.




In its weekly webcast, John Birch Society CEO Arthur R. Thompson came to the defense of Rand Paul, (who won the Kentucky GOP primary running as thre Tea Party candidate, defeating establishment candidate Trey Grayson), and issued a rambling condemnation of government "forcing" integration (although to soften this position, he similarly condemned "forced segregation," apparently referring to Jim Crow laws). "When you have government involved in this process, it can really lead to serious problems," he said. Government, he continued, shouldn't be involved in forcing people on some things, it's always been the official position of the John Birch Society that forced segregation is wrong, but forced integration by government is equally wrong. And that's just the way it is. It's called freedom. Now there will always be inequities in freedom."


Barry Goldwater main plank in his platform of 1864 was opposition to Civil Rights, although he helped led integration as a City Councilman in 1949 in Arizona (Phoenix).

FYI: Goldwater broadly opposed strong action by the federal government. Although he had supported all previous federal civil rights legislation, Goldwater made the decision to oppose the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His stance was based on his view that the act was an intrusion of the federal government into the affairs of states and, second, that the Act interfered with the rights of private persons to do business, or not, with whomever they chose.



OKAY!!!!!



Now let me say that the Tea Party movement is not influeced by the Ultra-Conservative Right-Wing Group John Birch Society in any way, but its hard not to say that it has adopted some of their principles.

The John Birch Society became active and many grassroots members attached themselves strongly to the national political figure they saw as an agent for change, Republican Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona.

The Tea Party Movement have done the exact same thing. It is a movement madeup of strong grassroots members who have attached themselves to the likes of former Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, who is seen by some as the defacto leader of the movement.

Could Rand Paul be another bellwether figure slated for trouble for his opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act? While he can argue, as did Goldwater, that his opposition stemmed from deeply grounded constitutional principles, and it is known that Paul's views reside within libertarianism, the ultimate question is how these positions play out in an aggressive activist front.


Like Civil Rights was the main culprit for the society, the "so-called" government takeover of our Healthcare System, you can say is the main culprit that elevated the Tea Party movement to where it is today.

Like the 60s in which a strong ideological battle emerged between Goldwater & his far-right allies,against major senatorial figures from his own party at the time, there is one now between Tea Party Grassroots & the establishment GOP, ( Marco Rubio, Tea Party candidate) & (Charlie Christ, etsablishment GOP pick) down in Florida & of course Kentucky's Rand Paul against Trey Grayson serves as examples.


But are there similarities to the Tea Party & John Birch Society? Me personally I don't think so, but according to some there are,for example:

Terms used against President Obama like Communist, Socialist, claims of wealth redistribution, fascism.

It is becoming fashionable to argue that the Tea Partiers are the heirs of the John Birch Society. The tea party leaders disavow any racist appeals from their ranks. But historically, whether it was the JBS or Goldwater, the radical right has often had a soft spot for bigots."

The Tea Party movement entered the nation's consciousness during the past year with sizable and at times very angry public demonstrations. The Tea Party is a movement with no clear leadership and no centralized structure. Not everyone flocking to the Tea Party movement is worried about dictatorship. Some have a basic aversion to big government, or Mr. Obama, or progressives in general. What's more, some Tea Party groups are essentially appendages of the local Republican Party. But most are not."

Leaders are often people with no political experience, but they "tell strikingly similar stories of having been awakened by the recession. Their families upended by lost jobs, foreclosed homes and depleted retirement funds, they said they wanted to know why it happened and whom to blame.

The motto of the Tea Party Patriots, a large coalition of groups, is fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.


Here's my Opinion:



The focus is also strategic: leaders think they can attract independent voters if they stay away from divisive issues. Raising social issues, risks fracturing the strength it has built. Some people at Tea Party gatherings say they want to eliminate the federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, government programs that keep millions of people out of poverty and enable them to get needed healthcare. On these issues, Tea Partiers are on the far right.



Why do some in the Tea Party oppose the federal income tax? Social Security? Medicare? Medicaid? If you don't know, how might you find out?

What specific government actions fuel anger and resentment among Tea Party members?

What leads them to conclude that the US government has become tyrannical?



Hmmmm...........



The JBS main for was communism, the Tea Party's is Socialism.

The JBS main foe was Civil Rights, the Tea Partymain foe was Healthcare Reform

They all are in line when it comes to welfare, abolishing the Federal Reserve, limiting the powers of government, etc.

So you be the judge, are they similar or what?

Appalachian Democrat Joseph Mann (D-Mineral Bluff) will try to win open State Senate Seat 51

There is another open State Senate seat that is being vacated & its up in the Georgia Mountains. Senate Seat 51, which was held by Chip pearson who resigned under a cloud of suspicion has a democrats running for that seat.

His name is Joseph Mann (D-Mineral Bluff), who lives on a small farm in Fannin County with his wife Jennifer.




For those who doesn't know where Mineral Bluff is located, its located right on the Ga-Tennessee border in Fannin County.

Mann, 32 who is owner of JM Southern Development, in which he is a a developer & builder is looking to become the first democrat to hold that seat since the 1990s.

Mann platform includes Restoring the Homeoners Tax Relief Grant, Lowering Taxes for Working Families, Increase funding for Ga State Patrol, creating jobs for North Ga, & invest in education, etc.



Mann says: We face serious issues in these changing times. While the tough issues of the economy, tax reform, public safety and education affect us all, I look forward to the future. I believe now is the time for a progressive vision that will lead us to the prosperity we can achieve together. Currently, we are at a crucial crossroads. I hope to bring a renewed energy and vision to the State Senate - a new voice for all our families, and prosperity for north Georgia's future.

Mann, a moderate, is a everyday working family man who wants to be a new voice for all of North Georgia Families & to bring prosperity to the North Ga Region.

His website is www.mannforstatesenate.com

Ray McBerry Grudge with Jeff Sexton of SWGA Politics.com Continues

He's gone so far to actually retain a lawyer to fight claims made my Jeff on his website. Read the letter that was sent to Jeff by McBerry's Lawyer:



.

This is something I haven't really paid much attention to, but I am now. There is a thing called the First Admendment in which it states:

Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law "respecting an establishment of religion", impeding the free exercise of religion, infringing on the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.


This is a portion of what the young lady told Jeff Sexton:


This the third paragraph of Sexton's follow up story titled "McBerry Victim Speaks":

Somehow between all this, something went astray. The first real memory I can recall by detail is when I was in I believe the 11th grade because I was driving home from school, and I passed him when he was stopped at a stop sign. He was like second in line at the stop sign, and he cut threw the grass and got behind me. I saw this and ignored him, because it kinda freaked me out. Well after a while, I couldn’t ignore him anymore, I pulled over at a gas station. He got out, and really don’t remember what he wanted, but I the reason had to be a decent one because I didn’t think it was weird. After a while, we would meet after school in the big graveyard in McDonough, because his wife was at home. At first it was non physical, I guess is the word to say. Slowly it became more of a male female relationship instead of Adult child relationship. Yes I did think he was cute and had a crush on him, but I was 16, It was like a high schooler having a crush on their teacher, pretty normal. What wasn’t normal was him acting on it back. Slowly it became more physical, kissing, making out and such, rather not get into detail here. Him and his wife invited me to go to a Civil War ball I think at Jekyll Island or Tybee Island. Nothing really happened, except he would tell me such things like, I wish we could come out about our relationship, hold hands and such.

While McBerry says nothing happened, the young lady says otherwise & that not only kissing took place, but touching as well. A question I have is why did McBerry Resigned from teaching in the first place since he claims nothing happened between the two of them? McBerry needs to do away!!!

Stay Tuned folks!

Teilhet Supports Continued Enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, Says Hodges isn't quite so sure

Press Relase from Teilhet Campaign:

Greensboro, GA—Sharp differences emerged yesterday afternoon between the two Democratic Attorney General Candidates, State Representative Rob Teilhet and Ken Hodges, over the need to protect voting rights in Georgia. Teilhet supports the continued enforcement of the Voting Rights Act to protect minority voters, while Hodges surprised many observers by publicly questioning the ongoing need for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 .

At a question and answer forum hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Hodges stated, as recorded by Andy Peters with the Fulton County Daily Report, "Certainly there was a need for [the law] originally. If there is evidence of discrimination [it should still be enforced], but I have not looked at that [law] to give an opinion on that now."

Rob Teilhet, Democratic candidate for Attorney General, provided a much different answer. In his closing remarks, Teilhet stated there was no “if” about it—discrimination still occurs every day in Georgia. The people of Georgia deserve an Attorney General who stands up against discrimination and who is willing to protect voting rights.

“This is not some obscure law. The Voting Rights Act was landmark legislation designed to protect every American’s right to fully participate in the electoral process,” said Teilhet. “Georgia needs an Attorney General that understands that we still need this law, and will fight to see it enforced. We’ve come a long way since 1965 but the work is not done. The Voting Rights Act ensures that our progress is maintained and it protects the right to vote for all Georgians.”

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was landmark legislation that outlawed discriminatory practices meant to disenfranchise African American voters. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was renewed by Congress several times, the last time being 2006 when it was signed into law by President Georgia W. Bush, and it remains effective for 25 years. Several congressional representatives from southern states, including Georgia, have challenged the need of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 stating that discrimination no longer exists.

Currently, there are two cases challenging the Voting Rights Act of 1965 pending in federal court. One or both of these cases may end up at the United States Supreme Court. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled narrowly on a challenge, allowing a Texas town to be exempted from the Section 5 requirements of the Act that require preclearance from the U.S. Justice Department without addressing the constitutionality of Section 5. Georgia’s own Legislative Black Caucus—the largest in the nation—submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the protection and preservation of the Voting Rights Act.

Why Central & South Georgia is fertile territory for Democrats

Suppose you're a Democratic candidate for governor, running as a Moderate/Conservative Democrat, locked in a pretty tight election. With a few months to go in the campaign you are either trailing or tied in every South Georgia County. Shouldn't you at that point cut your losses and invest time and resources elsewhere, in key swing counties you might actually win?

Roy Barnes, who in 2002 basically ignored Rural Georgia essentially stopped campaigning on the countryside, only the presence of TV Ads flooded the airwaves in Rural Georgia, In 2006 Mark Taylor had limited resources due to a bloodied primary battle between then Secretary of State Cathy Cox, had minimal presence in South Georgia. In 2008, Jim Martin went to a few South Georgia Counties & campaigned, but that was it. In much of Rural Georgia, there was no evidence in each circumstance that the Democrats were even contesting for the U.S. Senate, or Governor.


Efforts to compete in Rural Georgia, at the statewide level are not only likely to succeed, but likely to help & strengthened the Democratic Party as a whole. Attempting to win over conservative-to-moderate white voters in Rural Georgia requires backing away from some strong principled progressive positions that may not be in line with majority of Georgians who are center/right voters.

Democrats should concentrate on building a solid brand image based on moderate conservative principles: a smart educational strategy that addresses actual vulnerabilities instead of relying on the same 'ole adage of putting more money into the schools; economic policies based on the notions of statewide investment and providing a better quality of life to all; and strong support of our judicial system & public safety officials (Law Enforcement for example). In addition, Democrats should focus on particular issues on which they can actually deliver the goods, and should try to identify emerging issues that might benefit the party over the long term.

Democrats can compete in Rural Georgia, not in the distant future, but here and now—by embracing a populist approach on economics and addressing the concrete issues of jobs, wages and economic stability.

Democrats need to stressed his or her personal faith and cultural conservatism, following the traditional strategy of trying to prove to voters that one can be a Democrat and a culturally in the mainstream at the same time. Now this may work sometime, while at other times, it might not. But a candidate's campaign can take off if he or she began emphasizing concrete, lunch-bucket economic issues on the stump.

Look at Gen David Poythress for example, if were to win the democratic nomination he can couple his pro-military cultural conservatism with a strong position against massive cuts to education and an even stronger populist economic pitch. Aided by an very unhappy electorate of teachers, unemployed workers & small business owners he can win definitely win in November.

Voters in Rural Georgia, especially white working-class voters, are now ripe for an appeal from a populist center/right democrat candidate on economic concerns, from education to job creation to to employment. Republican economic policies and the economic pain they have brought on this state have created a growing constituency for a revival of the class-based populism.

The Georgia Democratic Party itself might get reinvigorated in Rural Georgia at the grassroots level—not as a brand, but as a concrete organization that mobilizes constituents and turns out voters. Throughout the short period of Republican ascendancy in the Rural Georgia, the State Democratic Party has largely been an empty shell at the county level, with often only minimal resources available to state parties as well.

IT IS SIMPLY IMMORAL FOR THE GEORGIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO STOP COMPETING IN RURAL GEORGIA.



Rural Georgia Counties, after all, comprise the state with the highest levels of poverty, the most inadequate provision of health care and education, the most severe legacy of racism, and the worst-paid, least unionized worked force. To abandon Rural Georgia to the right wing, to refuse to challenge the echo chamber of conservative rhetoric, amounts to refusing to challenge the most severe examples of politics in Rural Georgia. Yet while money and volunteer time may be inherently scarce resources, a candidate's time is. Do we really expect Roy Barnes, David Poythress, Du Bose Porter, Thubert Baker to spend precious time in September & October courting voters in Vidalia, Rochelle, Adel, Crawfordville and Nahunta? I do!

Congressional hearing held on farm on May 14

Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and GFB Peanut Advisory Committee member Andy Bell were among the Georgia farmers who testified at the farm bill hearing held by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee in Morrow, Ga., May 14.

“In Georgia, agriculture creates one out of every seven jobs so, a sound U.S. farm policy is essential for an economically viable agriculture system to feed and clothe our country,” Duvall said. “Georgia Farm Bureau believes effective farm policy should be market oriented and promote the production of quality products to meet market demand. Effective farm policy must also provide a safety net for farmers when markets or weather cause harm.”

Duvall testified that, overall, the 2008 Farm Bill is working well for Georgia farmers, saying, “Georgia's cotton and peanut farmers fundamentally support the current program of direct and counter-cyclical payments provided by the current farm bill. Farmers and lenders understand these programs.”

Bell expounded on this in his testimony saying, “Farmers need downside price protection against extreme low prices. The marketing loan program is a must for all program crops. All crop production on a farm should remain eligible for the marketing loan.”

Duvall asked that Congress consider revising the permanent disaster program included in the current farm bill, explaining that the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) doesn't work well for most Georgia farmers because of the diversity of crops they grow.

“If a farmer grows only one crop and has a total loss he qualifies for the program, but a farmer with multiple crops who has a total loss on only one crop doesn't qualify. For Georgia another type of permanent disaster program would be better.”

Bell testified that improvements need to be made to the federal crop insurance program in the next farm bill saying, “Insurance coverage above the 70 to 75 percent level is simply not affordable. Crop insurance must remain affordable for it to be a useful tool in today's agriculture.”

Duvall encouraged Congress to take measures to ensure proposed agribusiness mergers and vertical integration arrangements don't hamper farmers' access to inputs and markets.

“Producers impacted by unfair marketing practices should be compensated when harmed by monopolistic practices,” Duvall said. “We aren't opposed to the continued use of production contracts so long as producers have meaningful input in the process of negotiating contracts.”

Duvall testified to the success of conservation programs included in the current farm bill such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. He encouraged Congress to allocate more funds to these programs so that more farmers can participate and asked the committee to support federal funding of producer incentives for water conservation, including the construction, repair and maintenance of farm ponds to water livestock and crops in times of drought.

Duvall also encouraged Congress to include provisions in the next farm bill that motivate young people to enter production agriculture.

“There is one thing we need to do—encourage young people graduating from our agriculture schools to return to the land. If we don't succeed in getting them to return to the farm and engage in production agriculture we will lose agriculture.”



Less money
Congressmen from both sides of the aisle speaking at the farm bill hearing repeatedly warned there will be less federal funds available for the 2012 Farm Bill than there were for the 2008 bill.

“We're not going to have any more money for the next farm bill. We're going to have less money. It's not going to be easy because someone is going to have to give up something,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson D-Minn. “Maybe it's time we're going to have different programs for different crops. We've got to think outside the box. Are we spending our money the best way? That's why I'm starting these hearings so early.”

Peterson also called for simplifying the farm program, saying, “I think we're making this [the farm program] way too complicated. We keep adding new programs to what we're doing. My goal is to simplify them.”

Peterson was joined by fellow Democratic committee members from Georgia, Reps. David Scott (13th District) and Jim Marshall (8th District); Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) and Ranking Minority Member Bob Goodlatte of Virginia and his fellow Republicans Mike Rogers of Alabama; Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-2nd District of Georgia) participated as a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Other Georgia farmers testifying at the hearing included Southern Cotton Growers Inc. Director Ronnie Lee, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association First Vice President Dick Minor, Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman Armond Morris, Georgia Pecan Producers Association Past President Hilton Segler and Ricky Williams, member of the USDA Dairy Advisory Committee.

When Rep. Bishop asked the farmers to explain how further restricting farm program payment limits would impact their operations, Bell explained that southern agriculture has higher production costs than other regions of the country due to the diversity of southern farms.

“I think the payment limit is about right for us. It doesn't need to be any tighter. We have to have a separate harvester for each crop. Peanuts and cotton have their own set of tillage and harvest equipment. Grain farmers are required to have even another set of equipment. This specialized equipment is very expensive to own and maintain. Our costs quickly escalate as we produce these various crops.”

Representatives of Georgia universities and the Georgia Forestry Commission also testified during the hearing regarding the need for funding for crop research and the Biomass Crop Assistance Program included in the 2008 Farm Bill.

UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean and Director Scott Angle, Interim Dean of the Fort Valley State College of Agriculture Mark Latimore Jr., Georgia Tech Institute Food Processing Technology Division Chief Greg McMurray and Georgia Forestry Commission Director Robert Farris made up the second panel.

Angle told the panel that land-grant institutions like UGA depend on funding through three sources—competitive funding through the USDA, congressional earmarks and the distribution of federal dollars through formula funds.

“Federal earmarks remain the only process for supporting vital agricultural research that falls between the cracks of the high-minded studies supported by the National Science Foundation, USDA research and profit-driven research that private companies might support,” Angle said. “Changes are needed to make the process more transparent, but I remain adamant that earmark-supported research is vital to the success of our farming community. More transparency, limited high level peer review and greater accountability may allow a skeptical public greater comfort with the process.”