Oconee County, GA Politics

This is borrowed from http://farleft.blogspot.com I love David Letterman. On the January 3 airing of the Late Show, Letterman got into a quite heated discussion with noted liar Bill O'Reilly. For those of you who might be thinking, 'how heated?' Well, check out these little morsels of smackdown. The whole transcript is posted below. And I believe these little appetizers will convince you to read the entire thing. Letterman: I have the feeling about 60 percent of what you say is crap... Letterman: [on O'Reilly's phony "War on Christmas"] I don't this is an actual threat. I think this is something that happened here and it happened there and so people like you are trying to make us think that it's a threat. Letterman: "See, I'm very concerned about people like yourself who don't have nothing but endless sympathy for a woman like Cindy Sheehan. Honest to Christ." Had enough appetizers? It gets better from here, believe me. There are ...

Looks like Tom Delay is going to give in to the inevitable and no longer contest election of new Republican leadership ion the US House of Representatives.

Andy Rusk's kick off was fun Friday at Tasty World. Mayor Heidi Davison stood there while Rusk read an article from the newspaper and was semi-critical over some of her policies (smoking ban, rental registration). There was a near historic meet up of area political bloggers.

CNN.com - GOP coalition seeks shake-up of House leadership - Jan 6, 2006

1. I attacked and took over two countries. 2. I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the US treasury. 3. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy) 4. I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period. 5. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market. 6. I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner. 7. I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record. 8. In my first year in office I set the all-time record for the most days on vacation by any president in US history (tough to beat my dad's, but I did). 9. After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, I presided over the worst security failure in US history. 10. I set the record for most campaign raising trips by any president in US history. 11. In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their jobs. 12. I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work ...

Bush Recess Appointments Meet With Protest - Yahoo! News

Somewhere I have a Cowsills single... Barry Cowsill, member of '60s pop band, dies at 51 | ajc.com

It is unfortunate that this concert series has been cancelled, but perhaps it will bode well for AthFest in Athens this summer. It always seems that AthFest organizers were dodging the same weekends as Music Midtown or Bonnaroo or other huge events. One AP story I read about this suggested that Music Midtown had at one time been in Piedmont Park. I have been to many jazz festivals in Piedmont but I do not recall any Music Midtowns festivals there. Maybe there was. I only went to a couple of the earlier events a decade ago and it was located kind of in between Piedmont Park and Georgia Tech in actual Midtown. It always seemed to rain on this event too. I just no longer have the endurance or attention span for the Lollapalooza length music festivals. I would like to attend a jazz fest in New Orleans if that ever gets going again. Or perhaps a Bonnaroo if I can stay in the trailer/camper of the Drive By Truckers or Widespread Panic. I love music and the next post is a sad fall out of Hurr...

"I've learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow." "I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmastree lights." "I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life." "I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life." "I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance." "I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back." "I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision." "I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one." ...

I hope the Washingtons get their petting farm back up and running as soon as possible for the families of Oconee County and surrounding areas. It is sad that their neighbors can not control their dogs. I hope they are able to build a better fence or pen or leash or a run before any more of their animals are euthanized. I think it is unfortunate that their mastiffs were able to create so much carnage for a month, even though it was only livestock and animals. It appears that new laws will be introduced before the Oconee County Board of Commissioners to deal with such roving animal attacks. OnlineAthens.com | News | Zoo owners appreciate offers, but wary of dogs 01/06/06

The Oconee County Democratic Committee had a productive meeting deciding to try and host another bike ride in April, pending all the approvals necessary. Carlotta Harrell of Henry County talked about the challenges facing the next State School Superintendent. She answered all the questions well and worked with a lot of information. Many teachers asked her some nuts-and-bolts questions about how her reforms in the state board of eduction office might change local control and input. Henry County may indeed be an accurate road map of what awaits Oconee County in 10 to 20 years.

It seems my acid tongue/pen/keyboard got me in trouble again. I wrote in a heated exchange with another blogger of Miss Kate McDaniel spying on us at the monthly Democratic meeting. I meant no ill will toward her or accusing her of malfeasance. It was a poor choice of words and I apologize. I want to work toward fostering ideas we can all agree on here in Oconee County and the state of Georgia. I respect Miss Kate for coming to our meetings and covering all the events she does in Oconee County. I appreciate her frankness and candor. We had a constructive dialouge about what has transpired in local politics and the possible fall-out. We can agree to disagree. We have fun with Miss Kate at our meetings. She works harder than most of our public servants in attending all the jurisdictions and associations. She sticks her neck out, expresses her point of view, listens to others and keeps a cordial tone even when she is upset. She was at our meeting this evening. We talked for a while about ...

CNN.com - Sen. Clinton fundraising group fined over Hollywood gala - Jan 5, 2006

When Will Georgia Republicans Return Tainted Abramoff and Cunningham Money? As Repubs Around the Nation Scramble, GA Repubs Do Nothing (Atlanta) Georgia Republican members of Congress are holding tight to the tainted money they took from convicted Republican superlobbyist “Casino Jack” Abramoff and convicted Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, even funds that came directly from Abramoff or Cunningham, their wives or, in the case of Cunningham, his Congressional campaign or his PAC. Unlike Republican members of Congress across America, Georgia’s two Republican U.S. Senators and two Republican U.S. House members have refused to return the money they got from the guilty Abramoff. Plus, don’t forget that U.S. Senate investigators released an email proving that GOP Lt. Gov. candidate Ralph Reed solicited and received money through Abramoff for his campaign for Georgia GOP Chair. Duke Cunningham’s money is still burning a hole in the accounts of both Georgia GOP Senators, a GOP...

'Culture of Corruption' in GOP? Democrats Hope Voters Think So - Los Angeles Times

OnlineAthens.com | News | New company hired by Oconee to construct jail 01/05/06

OnlineAthens.com | News | Students' home explodes 01/05/06

Looks like Dan Arnold needs to resign from the Planning Commission

Update 5: Bush, Others Dump Abramoff Donations - Forbes.com

OnlineAthens.com | Oconee | New business 01/04/06

Perdue continues to put in his “own team” on Ethics Commission (Atlanta) Gov. Sonny Perdue started his term by stacking the State Ethics Commission with what his spokeswoman called “his own team,” and today that team fired Georgia’s top ethics watchdog, Edward “Teddy” Lee, the longtime Executive Secretary of the Board. Perhaps it was revenge for allowing Gov. Perdue to be the first governor in state history convicted of an ethics violation. Perhaps it is a continued attempt by Gov. Perdue to grab power from all aspects of state government. Regardless, Gov. Perdue has been running roughshod over any and all checks and balances built into the ethics system since he came into office in 2003 – when he sought the “unprecedented ouster” of the entire Ethics Commission and when he tried to force Teddy Lee to resign, as was noted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution editorial, “Perdue's ethics proposals a sincere disappointment.” “Gov. Perdue shot the ethics watchdog right after he became...

A home off Macon Highway expolded about 1:30 this afternoon here near Farmington in Oconee County . A woman was taken to the hospital in Athens. Sheriff Berry said it looked like a gas leak in a trailer in the south end of the county below Heritage Park way off the road. Three UGA students had just moved in and one was injured but escaped when she smelled gas. She had some flash burns on her back and her pets escaped harm except one broken leg of a dog. 1:36 is when it happened. She evidently contacted landlord and gas company prior to the explosion. We hope she recovers. Sheriff Berry was live twice on the big Atlanta news stations talking about it. Glad to know we are not off the edge of newsiverse.

AlterNet: Blogs: PEEK: Hard times for Hardball?

AlterNet: Something to Hide

That's GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY! Abramoff Pleads Guilty to 3 Counts

TomPaine.com - To Russia, Love Tom DeLay

After attending the "close the SOA actions."I finally got the courage to put my bumper stickers "support the troops bring them home now!" and "non-violence -- anti-terrorism that work" back onto my car. The night I arrived in Alabama in 2004 I had removed the former, fearing the reputation of the redstate area I was living in. No fingers, no vandalism for nigh on two months. May you be encouraged to enhearten others out there and advertise the truth at risk to your dear petrol-guzzling transportation, bearing in mind that even the military is nearly facing a majority against continuing this war and against the premise that the war was necessary to begin with. -hd War opponent driven to make her views clear By STEPHANIE HORTON GUEST COLUMNIST Atlanta Journal-Constitution 01/03/06 I taped a banner across the rear window of my sedan. It says: "Bush's War: Another Vietnam." "You're asking for trouble!" my husband warned. Bu...

OnlineAthens.com | Letters to the Editor | Jim Ponsoldt: Press should stand up to Bush administration 12/30/05

OnlineAthens.com | Letters to the Editor | Ed Elder: Don't give up liberty in return for safety 01/04/06

OnlineAthens.com | News | County awaits report before deciding on reservoir 01/04/06

Wonkette - abramoffukkah#bang-the-manicurist-slowly-146280

Daily Kos: Ralph Reed - Abramoff's buddy Too Conservative for Georgia

Indianz.Com > News > Editorial: Reed's Abramoff ties a legitimate issue

Ralph Reed's Gamble

CNN.com - Hastert�donates Abramoff-linked money - Jan 3, 2006

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners meeting had a few surprises Monday evening, but any adventurous appointments to the citizens committees were not among them. Sheriff Scott Berry pointed the way to the new construction team here. Chamber of Commerce President Rick Waller was appointed to the Development Authority, William Charles Steen made it to the Planning Commission and Todd Paschal was appointed to the Tax Assesors. The most interesting facet was dropping the construction contract with Jail from the derelict dumbasses at PR Brown of Florida and will switch instead to New South Construction. It would be easy to suggest that someone should be fired over this $25,000 mistake, but whom am I to suggest such action. That is about how much it will cost to pay the old contractor. The second most surprising act was the denial of the rezone request No. 4699 by Silver Farms, LLC of 1.648 acres on Virgil Langford Road from A-1 to B-2. Essentially there is a realignment of Jennings Mill...

Dear Rusks, family and friends, My number two son, Andy Rusk, is running for mayor of Athens-Clarke County. In starting the New Year on a high note (overlooking the Georgia Bulldogs three point loss in the Sugar Bowl), it doesn't get much better than this! What a delight to see him take a hard turn for public service at age 25. I know at least one person upstairs ("or wherever I am," Pop said in his funeral instructions) who is smiling. Enclosed - a column I write for two area newspapers, plus photo of Andy. For more information about his campaign, click on www.andyrusk.com. You are most cordially invited to his Kickoff Rally. This Friday night, January 6, starting at 8 p.m., three bands will perform a Fundraising/Meet the Candidate benefit on Andy's behalf at Tasty World on Broad Street in downtown Athens. In between gigs, the candidate will present his views. If you are unable to attend but would like to support him, feel free to donate or call or email...

Abramoff Expected to Plead Guilty to 3 Felony Charges

The Fix - Chris Cillizza's Politics Blog - (washingtonpost.com)

I think tonight's meeting of the Oconee County BOC will be especially interesting. Will it be the usual suspects approved by the homebuildrers-developers-real estate agents troika or will the BOC choose someone not beholden to that special interest group? What do you think? Banner-Herald editorial about lack of diversity on Oconee County Planning Commisson and a few short words of agreement for former Chairman Wendell Dawson

OnlineAthens.com | News | Groups want to block Legislature from raiding environmental funds 01/03/06

OnlineAthens.com | News | Health care, education will top Georgia Dems' agenda 01/03/06

The Walton Tribune

al.com: NewsFlash - Kerry positioned for '08 White House bid

AlterNet: Five Stories Making the Buzz In 2006

OnlineAthens.com | News | Groups discuss funding for shelters 01/02/06

OnlineAthens.com | News | 'What we're losing is history' 01/02/06

OnlineAthens.com | Business | 2005 review: A look back at local business newsmakers 01/01/06

Blogs join partisan fray on state political scene

Kind words, compared to what he said about Tom DeLay | ajc.com

Reed between the lines | ajc.com

Senator withdraws bill governing feeding tubes | ajc.com

Governor aims to keep favor with teachers | ajc.com

My sources near the Oconee County Planning Commission tell me that the Dec. 20th group of 10 candidates list, seven of whom made the deadline and three of whom were allowed to be part of the interview process despite missing the deadline, will be scrapped all together and made to start all over again. Talk about a huge waste of time and resources. Now it would be real easy to chalk this up to some grand conspiracy on behalf of the homebuilder-developer-real estate complex that runs Oconee County to stack the deck to get their candidate on the planning commission, but even they are not that stupid. If anything, this re-interview parade before the Board of Commissioners is going to expose the corruption of the process even more. I will reapply if asked to, and I will reinteview as well. I also think the current Planning Commission line-up needs more diversity than a bunch of white males. The Oconee County Board of Commissioners are showing a distinct lack of leadership every time this l...

Justice Deputy Resisted Parts of Spy Program - New York Times

OnlineAthens.com | News | Area women noted for contributions 01/01/06

OnlineAthens.com | News | Taylor, Cox will battle for spotlight in upcoming session 01/01/06