Strange Goings On in Tea Party Land

Meet Jack Davis, the Tea Party Candidate in the recently decided special election in NY 26. 


Jack didn't win but is being credited, accused and talked badly about all over Tea Party land. The democrats who won the special election are saying this one special election is the harbinger of a major democrat comeback in 2012 featuring the re-election of Rockin' Barry O and regaining control of the US House.


I got to admit that I didn't pay any attention to this race while it was under way because I do not see any difference between a republican candidate and a Tea Party candidate. To me, it's same. same, higher, higher. I do enjoy the tension  generated by folks claiming to be tea party types and their more traditional republican brothers and sisters who are actually in charge of stuff. It was quite a bit of fun last year whilst on the campaign trail to engage in conversation with folks sporting tea party pins, buttons, hats and tea shirts and especially those hand made home made signs. 


I like the signs. Some where pretty damn creative.


I find it incredible that Jack Davis is being pilloried by fellow travelers in republicanland for having the temerity to run. I don't know enough about special elections in New York state, but here in Georgia, if there's a special election for state house or senate, anybody who wants to run pays out $400 and takes a crack at it.


Some folks are even staying that ol' Jack was a democrat stalking horse, parroting the Tea Party line to strip support from the republican candidate. Hey, that's the job of the Libertarian Party! 


It's ancient history now, but google the dude and check out his campaign site. I don't hold with tariffs or medicare or social security but I am an anomaly. 


I'm a Libertarian.

Who's On First in LibertyLand?

Rats, according to my FaceBook feed, Joyce Maurer, author and head honcho over at Libertarian Woman has declared her non candidacy for next years presidential run. I was hoping for a Georgia based Libertarian to make a bid for nomination as we have Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich sparring over there in RepublicanLand for the same gig.


Don't worry kids, there's still plenty-o-choices to be had at next years convention in Vegas. Here's a pretty good run down from the guys and gals over at Independent Political Report:

Informational Article: List of Websites of active candidates for the 2012 Libertarian Presidential Nomination:

James Libertarian Burns

Jim Duensing

Michael Jingozian

Roger V. Gary

R. J. Harris

Wayne Allyn Root

Lee Wrights

So we have seven candidates in contention as of late May 2011. How many more will pop up between now and the convention? Any possibility that guy from "Parks and Recreation" might toss his hat in the ring? And what about Gary Johnson seeing the light and realizing that the republican party is not going to nominate him? Lots of possibilities as the future is indeed a dark and murky place.

The brutal reality is that who ever is selected by the party faithful in Las Vegas next year is going to underfunded, understaffed and under constant assault by his own party. It happens in the other parties too, but I think it's just more painful when card carrying, dues paid Libertarians start talking about which republican to back when there will be a Libertarian candidate on the ballot in most of the country.

Of course there is a possibility that an as yet unknown candidate could emerge that fulfills democrat operative Joe Trippi's prophecy of a dazzling internet wonder that completely destroys the existing two party duopoly with the power and thunder of social media, youtube and paypal.

That would be fun!

Hey, It's Endorsement-O-Rama

Hot off the presses from  the Hardest working single issue activist in Georgia, Garland Favorito!

VoterGA Supporters,

You will probably be interested to know that the Constitution Party of Georgia passed resolutions of endorsement for election bills, HB494 and HB401, at its state convention on May 7, 2011. HB494 would remove all petitioning requirements for candidates seeking ballot access in Georgia just as Florida did in 1999. HB401 calls on the Secretary of State to ensure that candidates meet constitutional requirements to be on the ballot.

The HB494 resolution explains why the petitioning requirements must be removed. It also calls on all election officials to pass HB494 during the next session of the General Assembly. The resolution is expected to be presented at the Election Advisory Council (EAC) meeting in Savannah next week. Council member, Rusty Kidd, is the author of the legislation. Alan Powell and Stephanie Benfield have co-signed the bill, thus, it is one of the only bills in the legislature that currently has sponsorship by a Democrat, a Republican and an independent. A draft of the text of the HB494 resolution can be found at:

HB494 CPGA Endorsement Resolution

The bill is currently in the House Governmental Affairs Committee that is chaired by Mark Hamilton, another EAC member. He and Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, the chairman of the EAC, will be instrumental in determining whether or not the bill gets a hearing in the next session. The full text of the bill can be found on the General Assembly web site at:

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/display.aspx?BillType=HB&Legislation=494

Thanks,

Garland

www.voterga.org

404 664-4044 CL

Bludgeon & Skewer Endorse Smilin' Dan Matthews (D) for Georgia HD 113

Special Election Calculus time Kids.


The race for the special election up there in WatkinsvilleLand pits one lone democrat against three republicans in a super solid republican district. This guy is an underdog and nobody understands underdogs like Libertarians. I'm thinking 4000 votes will be cast in this shindig, and if nobody clears the 50% +1 hurdle, then a runoff will occur between the top two vote getters.


Can Smilin' Dan keep the top republican under 50% +1 and best the #2 republican? It could happen. The first requirement will be to get every swinging Richard and Richardette democrat to the polls. There's about 5000 of them scattered around HD 113 according to the last election and if they get off the couch and do their civic duty we have one less republican screwing things up. 


In accordance with this blogs expressed desire to continually stir the pot and toss as many back bench bombs as possible into the mix, I call on every individual that voted for Libertarian Shane Bruce for Insurance Commissioner last year to vote for Democrat Dan Matthews in this race. How big an endorsement is that? Pretty damn small, I didn't win by any stretch but I did get votes in Oconee, Clark, Morgan and Oglethorpe counties that combined equals 2,186 votes.


2,186 Libertarian voters.


I hear-by call on all of my ardent and indifferent supporters to cast their ballots for Smilin' Dan Matthews to undo some of the damage inflicted on all of Georgia by the republican minority last November. 


Strike a blow for Liberty, vote for Dan Matthews in the Special Election in Georgia House District 113!

Qualifying's Over in the Georgia House District 113 Special Election

Qualifying's over and the line up for next month's special election in Georgia House 113 is set in stone.

Fresh from the SecStates website:

State Representative, District 113 

	Alan Alexander 1091 Founders Blvd Suite C Athens, GA  30606 E-Mail: aalexan418@aol.com	Party: Republican Age: 66 Occupation: Attorney Website: votealanalexander.com  Date Qualified: Monday, May 16, 2011

	Sarah V. Bell P.O. Box 1034 Watkinsville, GA  30677	Party: Republican Age: 56 Occupation: Educator Date Qualified: Tuesday, May 17, 2011

	Chuck Williams P.O. Box 206 Watkinsville, GA  30677 E-Mail: williamsfor113@gmail.com	Party: Republican Age: 55 Occupation: Tree Farmer Date Qualified: Monday, May 16, 2011

Dan Matthews 1081 Katie Ln Watkinsville, GA  30677-2550 E-Mail: danjmatt@bellsouth.net

Party: Democratic Age: 48 Occupation: Office Manager Date Qualified: Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Three republicans and one lone democrat will commence crisscrossing the vast expanses of HD 113 at a feverish pace over the next 5 weeks as each of them seek victory. Sadly, there was not one Libertarian, Green, Consitutionalista or Tea Party candidate that saw fit to qualify. An nobody from the What's Happenin' Now Party either.

It appears that roughly 20,000 people voted in the last election, that means there's probably around 40,000 registered voters in the district. The split was about three to one for Ex Rep Huckaby, which makes HD 113  a super safe seat for those rascally republicans. I really enjoy it when republican political activities so closely mirror their approach to business, don't  sweat being good, work on being the only game in town by ensuring that no one else can set up shop and compete.  They have it down to a science.

I'll go out on a limb here and predict an absolutely massive turn out of 8% in this special election. I have no idea who will win the majority of the 4000 or so votes that will be cast but sure looks like Watkinsville is the political epicenter of this particular race. 

Georgia House District 113 Special Election Update

What does this image have in common with the filing records for the Special Election in Georgia House District 113 down to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission?

MMMMM?

That's right, zero people dashed in bright and early to take a crack at the seat being vacated by State Rep Henry Huckaby who's headed for the verdant fields of chancellorship or something.

It's not that uncommon in a special election to have everybody who's planning to run show up on the last day to qualify. I suppose there's a feeling that last minute filers can somehow seize the news cycle for the day and maximize the impact of paying the state $400 for the chance to compete for a pretty cool part-time job. I'm told it looks good on a resume if you've actually been one the the grandee's of the state house.

I'm still hoping that some stalwart third party individual will emerge from the wilderness out there in HD 113 and administer a good ass-whuppin' to which ever republicans or democrats enter the fray. Of course at the current rate of filing, the good folks of HD 113 might find themselves without a representative for the redistricting clash later this year.

I wonder if it would be possible to file as "Undecided"?

An Account from Libertarian Doug Harmon on Yesterday's LP Outreach in Athens

Doug is the Man.


No chairs were thrown but a good time was had by all at yesterdays Athens LP Outreach effort at the Athens Human Rights Festival. No Republican's were present as they were all down in Macon Booing Governor Deal. Other brands of politics were present as Doug informs us.


(I especially like HPiC)


From Doug Harmon:

Observation from the Athens Human Rights Festival May 14, 2011

by Doug Harman on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 10:45pm

The Athens - Area Libertarian Party Affiliate operated an "Operation Politically Homeless" outreach booth today at the Athens Human Rights Festival. 

We were largely outnumbered by the Liberals, Progressives and some that identified themselves as Communists, but we stood our ground, administered the "World's Smallest Political Quiz" without reservation or prejudice and honestly posted all  of the results. We took a great idea from Wes Benedict last year in DC, of using the Advocates for Self Government's "Nolan Quiz" chart and applying colored stickers, that corespond to the subject's acknowledged party affilitation, to the location of the result. Red for Republicans, Blue for Democrats, Yellow for Libertarians and Green for Independents (and one Red with a large black C for the one self identified Communist).

A lot of people who identified themselves as Democrats, Republicans and Independets were surprised to find themselves in the Libertarian quadrant of the chart. One Democrat was quite taken a back and his commentary led Affiliate member J.P. to coin a new slogan "The Proud  Purveyors of Your Ah-Ha Moment Since 1971".

The Communist Party was set up in the booth next to us, thinly veiled as "Revolution Books" http://rbo-atlanta.blogspot.com/ and provided us with some of the most humorous moments of the day.  The HPiC (Head Proletariat in Charge) railing against the "Capitalist - Corportatist Tyranny" all the while suckling his $5 Starbucks Venti Iced Mocha and his female CiA (Comrade in Arms) sporting a sticker on her shirt that said Capitalism Stinks and $100 Asic Cross Trainers on her feet.  Now that's what I call dedication to your cause!

The Democratic Party of Athens - Clarke County showed up 3 hours after the event started, played a bizzare game of "Pin The Tail On The Donkey" where they blindfolded the unsuspecting victim, turned them around a few times and then shoved them toward a lovely little picture of a jack ass, where they were to attempt to hang a tail in the appropriate spot.  If successful, the victim was given a Democrat T-Shirt or signed up to vote or something.  The rules of engagement were unclear.

I did attempt to extend the olive branch to former US House Candidate (GA District 10) Russell Edwards, D, by asking him to take "The World's Smallest Political Quiz", which he very accomodatingly did.  Mr. Edwards answered all of the questions and scored 60/20, which oddly set him squarely in the same spot as our one self avowed Communist.

Mr. Edwards then took to the stage during an "Open Mic" segment and promoted his new "Progressive" radio show, "True Georgia" which airs on WGAU 1340am in Athens at 10:00am on Saturdays.  He made a statement on stage that I found particularly offensive, based on our earlier conversation.  "The Democratic Party is the party that stands up for the rights of everyone, regardless of color or background", wow, really?  Based on the answers that he gave me in the "World's Smallest Political Quiz" and the ensuing commentary, he supports a military draft (indentured servitude/slavery), censorship of some speech (direct conflict with the First Amendment of The Constitution), believes in corporate welfare (government picking winners and losers in business - he got mad when I asked if campaign contributions would affect who is chosen as a winner), He was not at all for "Free Trade", Trusts government bureaucrats over investors when it comes to retirement savings, and doesn't think we could cut 50% of government spending.

It was further upsetting to Mr. Edwards when I pointed out that the current Democrat President has sanctioned the killing of US Citizens at home and abroad, has started two UnConstitutional military conflicts and has escalated the war in Afghanistan, hasn't ended the war in Iraq or closed Gitmo as promised.

I felt at that point I would take the high road and not mention to him that save for the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq, every major military conflict involving Americans in the last 200 years has been started by Democrats, but I digress, the Democrats then picked up and were gone before 4:00pm. I would like to apologize to Mr. Edwards for pointing out the truth, it can be painful.

The Communists have killed tens of millions of people in the last 100 years.  I can't for the life of me figure out what either of those groups were doing at a "Human Rights Festival".

The Republicans had enough sense to "remain unaffiliated" with the festival.

I can honestly say that we, The Libertarian Party, were the only political party represented at the festival today that has never started a war, sent a man into combat to commit government sanctioned murder, or pretended to support something that we really don't.  We are the Party of Principle, We support 100% of The Bill of Rights, for 100% of The People, 100% of The Time.

Mayhem in Macon, Republican Faithful Slap Down Governor Deal

Sheesh, they had a freakin' manual?


Manual or not, it appears that our republican brothers and sisters have seen fit to keep Sue Everhart on station as the chairwoman of the Georgia republican party for another two years. Meh. The really cool-i-o part is that the republican faithful who attended said convention saw fit to "Boo!" the Governor they gleefully elected last November over his attempt to replace Ms. Everhart with one each Tricia Pridemore.


Now I realize that most of the readership does not keep up with internal Georgia republican party politics, I don't either. I'm usually too busy trying to figure out what's wrong with my fleet of personally owned vehicles to spend a lot of time on intra-party politics, especially a party I don't belong to. Fortunately, Bill Simon over at Political Vine does have the time and really likes to dig around in the Georgia republican party basement for all sorts of stuff. I'm on his email list and he's been very active over the last week or so on the topic of Ms. Pridemore. 


As usual with republicans, there are hints and allegations that all the money sloshing around over there in RepublicanLand has been pushed, packed, sluiced and washed into the hands of Governor Deal's many supporters and the general feeling was that said activity would only intensify if the Guvnor got his pick. Now we'll never know because Sue Everhart will run the show for the next two years,


Another interesting tidbit popped up in Big Jim Galloway's column on the event from yesterdays Political Insider wherein he revealed the secret identity of the actual owner of the Georgia Republican Party, Col. Larry  Mrozinski. The Colonel (O5? O6?) stated that 
“This party belongs to us. We will not make the mistake to turn the party over to those who we, the people, [elect],” 


Curious. The republicans swept last years election, they hold every statewide seat from Governor down to the Tiny Tim Echols over at the PSC and they don't trust the people they put in office to run their own party, How does that work? Does that mean that the 2,110 attendees at the Macon convention actually run the state? Who the hell is in charge over there?


That's what you get when you buy off on the concept of a two party, winner take all system of representational government. Their 26% of the voting population carried the day last November and as a result, the rest of us are stuck with their picks and it turns out they don't trust their picks anymore than I do.


Anybody else think that it might be time to start talking about proportional representation?

We Started Beating up on Saxby Two+ Years Ago, Erikson is behind the power curve.

That's what got me started in active politics, doing radio ads for Libertarian Allen Buckley way back in 2008.


Here's link to the way back machine complete with audio files from those heady days of political insurrection courteously maintained by those cyber giants over at Creative Loafing. 


Ahh, Good Times Indeed!

Hey, Hey Hey, I'm a Light of Liberty Today!

It's on a website so it must be true.


Today's FaceBook surprise was to see that I'm on a lengthy list of folks who qualified for the Lights of Liberty award from the fine folks over at the Advocates for Self Government up in Cartersville Georgia.


No cash involved as far as I can tell, but there might be nifty award certificate on it's way even as I type. I am interested in access to the Advocates Insider Newsletter as there might actually be some inside news to be had. Like who's going to carry the banner of Liberty in the HD 113 special election.


While I never even considered a triathlon as I feel strongly that riding a bike without a motor is not civilized, I am tempted to send off some dispatches to local traditional media outlets in order to satisfy one of the conditions I just didn't meet in this years cycle. Writing a Libertarian blog pitched at a Libertarian audience does not count for the purposes of the award, nor should it.


So congrats to hordes of other "Lights" out there. Especially those in the great state of Georgia!

Where in Hell is Georgia HD 133?

Time's running out for anyone who wants to take a crack at the special election for Georgia House District 113. SecState Brian Kemp has announced the qualifing window will start bright and early on Monday, 16 MAY 2011 and end abruptly at noon on Wednesday, 18 MAY 2011. Show up at 12:01 and you're SOL.

Who might be entering the fray? I have no idea. I am certain that there is an anointed republican candidate or two and there should be a democrat somewhere up there around Athens who lives in the district. I haven't heard a peep from anybody in the LP as to whether they've rounded up a candidate and the same goes for the guys and gals over at Georgia's Green Party. 

I worked on a couple of special elections during the last two years on behalf of some stellar LP candidates like Taylor Bryant and David Montane and I gotta say they're quite a bit of fun as the election cycle is short, start up costs are low and turn out for these things is small enough that there's a glimmer of hope for third party types that a victory is possible. The reality is a bit different in that the establishment candidate, republican or democrat, is going to win. That's how the districts are drawn by the guys and gals down to the statehouse. A safe seat is a safe seat is a safe seat.

That does not mean the average citizen with $400 bucks and a month and a half to kill can't join the party. In fact, special elections are the only truly fair elections in Georgia in that there is no limit to the number of candidates that could participate. Neither the republican party or the democrat party can rely on the usual roadblocks to limit the publics choice in special elections, instead they rely on 8% to 10% turnouts to hang onto the seat. They win because they get it.

So if you're considering a run as a third party type, Libertarian, Green, Pirate, Constitutional, or any other and  you need free blogging/FlipCam support just fire off a comment. 

I love stirrin' the pot.

Aeromagnetic Anomalies in Georgia?! Say it Ain't So!

Cool huh? Anything with NanoTeslas gets my attention.


Since it's a slow news day and an even slower Liberty day, I've decided to crack open my anomaly file and share with the readership some of the tasty bits I've discovered since getting addicted to the internet way back in 1995. 


My interest in magnetic anomalies springs from an theory I formed during my prolonged flirtation with my favorite form of fiction, Science Fiction. If you were looking for the remains of an ancient terrestrial base, and I mean ancient, I mean at least 1,000,000 freakin' years old, how could you find it? A million years of weathering and plate tectonics and earthquakes and hurricanes and stuff should pretty well erase all physical evidence of that sort of thing, even if our alien visitors built everything they had out of Unobtanium. One of the things that might not be erased by the passage of time could be magnetic or gravitic anomalies.


These cool-i-o maps of our planets magnetic fields look like the ticket. I've been all over the great state of Georgia and that big pink lump at 220 NanoTesla's 90 klic's north of the Florida line between Adel and Douglas intrigues me. it's flat as a pancake down there, What's causing that severe a field fluctuation? Heavy mineralization? Sam's Club Magnet Distribution Center? Buried alien spaceport?


Of the three choices, I really prefer the ancient alien spaceport idea, although I dimly recall other references in that area to some sort of portal to the 'underworld'. Whichever it turns out to be it probably won't influence next years election or deflect in the slightest the impending partisan wackery of our democrat and republican brothers and sisters. 


It's certainly more interesting than a moat with alligators on the Tex-Mex border, unless they have Tasers embedded in their skulls. 

And Now for Something Completely Different

In the interests of providing the readership more choice, I'm pleased as punch to present some work by my newest guest author Doktor Inferno.


I've known the Doc for nearly two decades and have always been astonished at the range and depth of his knowledge of minutiae and ready wit. Not to mention his business card which proudly states that he is in fact, a Super Genius.


No, it's not his picture and I will leave it to the readership to figure out who the cat in the woodcut is, I suspect is one of Doktor Inferno's distant relatives.




Narrative provided by:
Doktor Inferno

With the recent talk about threats to the US rail system, I thought I would tell you of my experience with Amtrak.

Due to the ridiculous "security theater" shows put on by .gov types at airports and the fact that I am an incurable smart-ass with those who assume that they have some authority over me (as well as the fact that I cannot really afford the type of legal representation that I would probably require as a result of the combination of those factors), my wife and I decided to travel from our home in Atlanta to New Orleans via Amtrak's "Crescent" line. We have driven this route many times in the past and know the driving costs in both time and money. The dollar cost of traveling by Amtrak was quite reasonable. Even after we upgraded to a private "roomette" the ticket price was about the same as the fuel cost for our car. Considering that most of the cost of our ticket is borne by taxpayers who have no interest in riding the train, this was not surprising. The time cost was about 25% longer: 12 hours from ATL to NOL. We decided that the extra time cost was worth it since we wouldn't be spending all that time driving.

We paid for our tickets online and received a sheet of instructions with a barcode to be scanned at the station to print our actual tickets. The sheet included a list of prohibited items, the usual "passengers are subject to search" language, and that passengers must present a valid state-issued ID before being allowed to board. Upon arrival at the station we scanned the barcode at a kiosk in the station and got our actual tickets. We had no checked baggage as the amount of baggage allowed in the "roomette" was quite large and we travel light. When the train arrived we walked down the stairs to the train car indicated on our tickets and met our first Amtrak employee, who helped us aboard with our baggage and told us where to find our room. After a few minutes the train began to depart and this employee came by, introduced himself, and asked to see our tickets. He did not ask for ID. He did check to see that our tickets were signed where indicated.

Since we had upgraded to the "roomette" all of our meals onboard were included in the ticket price, so the dollar cost was accurate. The time cost...eh, not so much. The first inkling that this was not to be came before we even left the station. The train was an hour and a half late arriving. We were told that the delay was due to snowfall along the train's route from New York and that the train would still arrive in New Orleans on time. This didn't seem too likely. (It wasn't.)

I won't bore you with the details of the numerous delays but suffice to say that they fell into several categories: Waiting on a siding while a freight train passed. Waiting on a siding while a freight train didn't pass. Waiting for a rail construction crew to complete some arcane task that apparently involved moving at glacial speed on a track that we weren't on, etc., etc. Most of these things happened more than once. Also, when the train was actually moving it seldom got above fifty miles per hour. As a result, we arrived in New Orleans four hours late. That's right kids! A sixteen hour train ride in cars built in 1981! At least we had some privacy, a toilet, a sink, and a bunk-bed type of arrangement. Those passengers riding coach must have been miserable.

The next week we're at the station in New Orleans to return to Atlanta. The same routine as before. In New Orleans I did see two police officers at the station. No ID demanded, no searches, no baggage check. The train left on time and stayed on time until Hattiesburg, MS. Where, for some reason, after boarding passengers at the station we pulled out of the station and down the tracks about 150 yards and sat. For a half hour. (I should mention here that there is no smoking anywhere on Amtrak trains. On the way to New Orleans there was supposed to be a stop in Birmingham for 15-ish minutes to allow smokers to get their nic on. Because of the delays, that didn't happen and smokers just had to tough it out. There was an announcement reminding people not to smoke in the compartments between cars. Considering that there was one 15 minute smoke break on a trip scheduled to be 12 hours this 'no smoking' plan was doomed to failure anyway.) Hattiesburg was a nice-looking station. The entire platform was covered. Why couldn't passengers who wished to leave the train for that half-hour do so? Why did we pull out of the station and sit? No explanation was ever given. The train continued the same pattern of delays seen on the first trip.

We arrived back in Atlanta only two hours late. I don't know what time the train eventually arrived in New York.

The Amtrak employees we met covered the gamut from very friendly and competent to minimally functional and mildly hostile to mostly invisible. About what you'd expect. Let me point out here that the dining car staff was friendly and efficient. Food wasn't bad, either. But it was expensive! The meals being included on our upgraded ticket was definitely a good deal.

That's just an overview of our trip. Slow and boring really sums it up.

Here's one thing that you may have noticed: The train didn't blow up. It wasn't seized by terrorists. I didn't get to jump backward in slow motion from a 100-foot tall railway trestle into a river while shooting pistols with both hands as my wife and I escaped "the terror train". All of this despite the fact that no passenger was ever searched, asked for ID, or questioned about anything other than did they sign their ticket. No baggage was searched. I could literally have carried on a duffel bag full of AK-47's and the Amtrak attendant would have handed it up the stairs to me. It's been that way for years. There is no need to get all paranoid about rail security now. Besides, if terrorists wanted to destroy a train they wouldn't need to be on it. Destroying the aforementioned 100-foot railway trestle at the right moment would work fine. Haven't these people ever seen a WWII movie?

(Speaking of WWII, rail passengers weren't inconvenienced by searches and questions from people whose last job involved a fry basket. Instead, the railroads posted their own armed guards at trestles and tunnels to guard against saboteurs. No attacks occurred.)

Hot Diggity Damn! Street Legal Golf Carts in Georgia in 2012!

Fresh off the wires at the Georgia Political Digest! and the Atlanta Business Chronicle!

Starting January 1, 2012, depending on locality, your choice of local transport will undergo a fundamental change. You will no longer be required to pilot a multi thousand pound vehicle to go about grocery gettin', 12 pack retreivin' or any of the more mundane commuter tasks we all face each day.

That's good news for Georgians and really good news for the guys and gals down at the Yamaha Cart plant on the southside as well as those E-Z Go cats out in Augusta. You see Georgia has been a hotbed of golf cart manufacturing for quite a while now and I've been a big fan of scooters and golf carts for years.

There is a dizzying array of cart styles to pick from and all of them have an incredibly cool low speed open air quality that harkens back to earlier times when people enjoyed trips for the social aspects of meeting friends and neighbors on the local thoroughfares.

I have heard rumors that the People's Republic of Decatur has been eyeballing a cart path from downtown all the way to the Oakhurst Enclave. Please get it done by 2012!

Thar's Gold in Sugar Hill?

Is it time to break out the picks and shovels? 


With Gold at all time highs, economic distress outpacing it and record numbers of Georgians seeking employment, it might be time to kick off Georgia's second gold rush. And just to show you that the precious yellow metal is all over the freaking place, here's a partial scan of my copy of Plate II East, Bulletin 96 from the guys and gals down to the Georgia Geologic Survey in Atlanta. 


It's a small chunk of the map around Sugar Hill/Buford and the X's indicate a mine or prospect or mineral locality. The AU designates Gold. Who would have thought Gwinnett County and Hall County and Fulton County have something in common?


There's a wealth of data down at the Geologic Survey and you can get a copy of your very own for a mere pittance in today's fiat dollars. The real problem is integrating the scanty map info with other data like county district plats to figure out where these prospects are located in the real world. And of course, I'm sure that most are on private property. Let me repeat that, I'm sure that most are on private property.


How some ever, if you have property up in that neck of the woods, it might be fun to kick around the stream at the back of the lot and see what turns up. If you discover any old wooden crates with ingots labeled "CSA" please let me know as my great-great-grandfather supposedly left a few somewhere in Georgia when he skedaddled out of Richmond back in 1865.

On Slackertarians, Unaffecteds and Idle Bystanders

Hot off the presses from those talented guys and gals over at Poli-Tea.

I love this stuff, charts and lines and graphs that seek to capture a snapshot of the fickle Americans who vote are always of interest and any work that helps clarify and predict future behavior is always appreciated. I'm especially impressed with the new categories listed in this and would like to offer some additional ones for consideration.

Slackertarians

Unaffecteds

Idle Bystanders

I would define Slackertarians as those voters who do vote for Libertarian candidates but staunchly refuse to join the party or donate any money, time or talent to the candidates they support. By far and away they are the largest group of voters that help keep the Libertarians trudging forward as they do represent 3-4% of the voting public. The downside is that 3-4% of the vote just isn't gonna get it in a winner take all two party system. Love those Slackertarians.

Unaffecteds are immune to the charms of modern politics. They do not care for the smells emanating from the camps of our republican and democrat brothers and sisters but are always cautious to stay upwind. Aside from casting the occasional ballot, their participation in our contrived two party state stays limited to avoiding the stench.

Idle Bystanders exist in a much lower energy state than their cousins, the Bystanders. Bystanders at least pay some attention to the political process. Idle Bystanders take considerable pride in not exerting that much effort.

Even with the inclusion of these new categories in the next Pew Research Effort (PRE), the calculus will continue to be much as it has been. A little over half of the people in this country who can vote will vote. Of that 50-51%, a little over half of them will decide the nations course of action as dictated by republicans or democrats in the eternal pendulum of two party power shifts driven by the mad efforts of the 25% of American voters whose chosen candidates succeed. Only in America is it possible for the minority to tell the majority what to do, how to spend and to STFU/STFD.

What I'd really like to see is some research on just whats going on with the 50% of Americans who just don't vote. Is it even possible to get them in the game?

Essential Elements for a Successful Osama's Dead Parody

Ding Dong, Osama's dead.

At least that's what everyone's saying. I just don't get the burial at sea thing, what ever happened to the "head in a sack" element of US foreign policy?

I've searched high and low for the last 7 minutes for the absolute best Osama's Dead video parody and am astonished to report that I was unable to find any that meet my admittedly low standards.

In an effort to amp up the internet's offerings on the end of the wiley Bandit Chief, I suggest the following from the perspective of a citizen with 50+ years under his belt:

Use modern animation techniques, especially stuff from Xbox trailers, lots of flash bangs and exterior shots of Sammy's place in downtown Pakistan. A neon sign stating that rabbits cost 10 dinars (each) would be a nice touch.

Be sure to include a memory montage of the of all the talking heads from Sunday night proclaiming his demise to be equivalent to Neal Armstrong stepping on the moon. Not by a long shot.

Try to work in a a flip chart of all of his henchmen/henchwomen we've previously dusted off via drone, direct action or plain ol' assassination.

And of course, choose a catchy tune!

The graphic above illustrates a mostly tasteful approach by the guys and girls over at Political Humor, a wholly owned subsidiary of internet giant About.com.

Please note the lack of gaping head wounds.