Oconee County, GA Politics

At the risk of offending a frequent reader of this blog, I think former Oconee County Board of Commissioners' chairman Wendell Dawson does a pretty good job of uncovering some irregularities and procedural poop perpetrated by the County Government . I would like to know who's applications came in after the deadline and have them immediately shipped to Walton County (just kidding) but they should be disqualified from being considered for the post. Also the applicant interviewing parade and insider non-public discussion the BOC ostensibly uses is a joke. I think if you have not contributed to campaigns of the various members or are not part of the inside circle of developers and bankers running the county, you rarely stand a chance of getting appointed to any position of legitimate power and authority in Oconee County. If we keep the status quo in power in all levels of Oconee County government, you know what's going to happen? More corruption, more insider shenanigans, more...

MoveOn.org Political Action: Send a Holiday Card to Democratic Leaders : "Subject: Send a Holiday Card to Democratic Leaders Hi! This week Democrats stood up and fought to block the Patriot Act, drilling in the arctic, and the reverse Robin Hood Budget. We're thankful the system can still work: thousands of ordinary folks weighed in and Democrats heard us. MoveOn's delivering some virtual holiday cards to the Democratic leadership to show that when they take bold stands they won't be standing alone. To add your name and send a card online, just click here: http://www.political.moveon.org/holidaycard Thanks!"

This is the best gift Democrats could give America, aside from impeaching President George W. "I need to spy on my own people" Bush. Democrats post wins as Congress nears close - Yahoo! News

I sat next to Merritt Melancon at this meeting and would've stayed had I known she was writing an article about the folks applying for the planning commission slot. It will be interesting to see who the Board of Commissioners finally choose. OnlineAthens.com | News | Candidates looking to bring new perspective to planning 12/22/05

OnlineAthens.com | Oconee | Thanks to those who gathered trash 12/21/05

Ralph Reed says he regrets taking money from his longtime buddy indicted super lobbyist "Casino Jack" Abramoff and his sidekick Michael Scanlon, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. If Ralph really regrets his decision, shouldn't he give the money to a worthy organization? He could give it to Gamblers Anonymous, or Ralph could give his tainted Abramoff money to Native American charities, like Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). If he truly feels remorse about working with people now under federal investigation and indictment, he should donate the funds so that he doesn't profit off this relationship that he now says he regrets. In addition to making the charitable contribution, Ralph could tell us all how he did not know the source of millions of dollars funneled to him -- even with emails made public by investigators that appear to directly contradict his claims of ignorance. Ralph has expressed regret and issued general denials, but he hasn't explained how...

NATIONAL SECURITY Warrantless Spying Apologetics Continue Concern over President Bush's warrantless domestic spying program is growing. U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret FISA Court, took the extraordinary step of resigning on Monday " in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program ." Associates of Judge Robertson, who was appointed to the court by late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, said he had "privately expressed deep concern that the warrantless surveillance program authorized by the president in 2001 was legally questionable and may have tainted the FISA court's work ." Also yesterday, a bipartisan group of senators, including Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), called "for a joint investigation by the Senate judiciary and intelligence panels into the classified program."Meanwhile, the Bush administration and its supporters in Congress continue to mount defen...

Had to leave the Historic Sites and Tourism (or Cultural subcommittee if you will) committee meeting at the Welcome Center to go the Board of Commissioners meeting for a three part interview. The biggest thing to come out of my abbreviated appearance there is that it is going to cost $75,000+ (instead of the original price of 13K from a retired house mover) to relcoate the old Central School house from the Hale property to a much better location (in the front near the road) at the Heritage Park. Also next year there will be a seperate day for the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Watkinsville and the Christmas parade. Did anyone go see the Ashford Manor Christmas concert that day? I was burned out bad after dealing with the parade and snapping some 178 photos (posted here or at http://spotted.onlineathens.com ) I went up against one person for the Board of Tax Assesors - Todd Paschal will get that nod no doubt. He only works for the county in that capacity so I would say he is much m...

I asked a Republican acquaintance of mine what he thought about the Ralph Reed - Casey Cagle race for Lt. Gov. and he admitted changing his mind after initially being very much for Reed. As a Democrat, I was kind of hoping that Reed would win the nomination and drag the rest of the GOP ticket down with him. I think things are only going to get worse for the admitted plaguerizer and former head of the Christian Coalition in 2006. I missed this tidbit the other day but have not seen the Political Notebook for sometime in the AJC. http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/1205/18metreed.html I think Cagle is kind of a stealth candidate and he seems to be the little engine that could or the turtle in the race against the hare/rabbit. I think he would be much more difficult for the Democrats to run against just for his kind of bland, vanilla persona. I do not think I would recognize him (Cagle) at all. I heard somewhere yesterday that Cagle has picked up 200 endorsements of elected Republican...

Recently some people posting on my blog have been keen on anonymously denegrating former Oconee County Board of Commissioners chairman Wendell Dawson. This is in an attempt at trying to whitewash the sleaze that Jim Ivey propagated when he decided to pocket money from the Oconee Veterans Fund. Former Chairman Dawson may not be the most beloved individual in Oconee County, but he sure has a lot more integrity than Jim Ivey. And for people to try and besmirched Dawson because he speaks his mind and opinion about one of the most corrupt people in (an attempt at) public service is cowardly and chicken-hearted to say the least. Wendell is not really even a friend of mine. Aside from being hired twice in the Oconee County government during his tenure, I really have no connection with him what-so-ever. We have borrowed items from each other's blogs, but big deal, that is part and parcel of the blogosphere, people! Anyone who runs for elected office deserves some respect, and Dawson defini...

About damn time! http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Censure_motion_introduced_in_House_over_1220.html http://www.alternet.org/story/29826/

http://onlineathens.com/stories/122005/news_20051220024.shtml

Photo ID bus gets little use | ajc.com

White House under fire over domestic spying - Yahoo! News

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