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DISCLAIMERThe editor and staff of douglaspolitics.com are not
responsible for the content of, nor do they necessarily agree with letters
posted on this site. The editor reserves the right to post or not post
letters received.
All submissions must include a name and phone number. If you wish to
remain anonymous on the web site just ask, but a name and phone number
are still required.
This information is from the Douglas County
Elections office. Early/Advance/Absentee voting will be held ONLY at
the Douglas County Courthouse, 8700 Hospital Drive. There will be NO
VOTING at the other 3 locations that were used in the General Election.
Hours are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Because of the Thanksgiving holidays, the
voting period is shorter than usual. Here are the dates:
Thursday, November 20
Friday, November 21
Monday, November 24
Tuesday, November 25
Wednesday, November 26
ALL VOTING PRECINCTS WILL BE OPEN ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2
FROM 7 AM - 7 PM.
Also, the Elections Office has advised that
about half of the"Sonny Perdue" absentee ballot applications they have
received (and there are hundreds), have been rejected because voters
did not sign them. The Elections Office will send letters rejecting
the applications and including new ones, but with the election fast
approaching, some folks may want to advance vote and not wait till the
last minute for this process to unfold. If you do send in one of the
applications, please be sure to sign it.
Harvey Persons, Chairman
Douglas County Republican Party
The
Georgia DOT will be switching traffic up onto the new southbound lanes of
Georgia Highway 92 this next Thursday, November 20th. These are
the lanes that have been under construction between Duralee Lane
(Walgreen's) and Interstate 20. Traffic will be a mess that day starting
about 9:00 a.m. The Georgia DOT anticipates the switch will be completed in
the early to mid afternoon.
Wes
Tallon
Director of Communications and Community Relations
Douglas County, Georgia

770.920.7593
fax 770.920.7445
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com
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Important Runoff Voting Information Please HELP! |
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Runoff Voting Information
RUNOFF ELECTION DAY
IS TUESDAY,
DECEMBER
2!
You do not need to have voted in the general election
in order to vote in the runoff.
You must have been registered to vote on or before October 6, 2008,
however, in order to vote in the runoff.
Please help
GET OUT THE VOTE FOR JIM MARTIN FOR US SENATE,
JIM POWELL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND SANDRA
DAWSON FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE!
Absentee Ballots
IF
YOU INTEND
TO
VOTE
BY
ABSENTEE BALLOT, PLEASE
APPLY FOR
A
BALLOT IMMEDIATELY AND
NO
LATER THAN NOVEMBER
19.
If the ballot does not arrive before November 25,
please call Douglas County's elections office.
You can find the phone number at the Secretary of State's website,
by clicking on this link.
Absentee ballots will not be counted unless they are
received before the closing of the polls (7:00 p.m.) on the day of
the runoff, December 2.
For information on applying for an absentee ballot,
please see the Secretary of State's website by clicking on this link.
You will have to:
1. Download, print, and fill out the form provided
(it is a
PDF);
and
2. Mail, fax, or hand-deliver the completed form to
your county elections office.
You can find the address and fax number for your elections office at
the Secretary of State's website, by clicking on this link.
Given the short amount of time before the runoff, we
recommend that you fax or hand-deliver the application if possible.
Advance Voting
Advance, in-person voting for the runoff will run
from Thursday, November 20 through Wednesday, November 26 (the week
before the runoff) - with the exception of Thanksgiving Day,
Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 when there will be no
advance voting.
There is no advance voting on Monday, December 1, the
day before the runoff.
All Advance voting will occur at the Douglas County
Courthouse ONLY!!!
You will need an approved photo ID in order to vote
in person.
Please
see the Secretary of State's website for more information by
clicking here.
Election Day
Runoff Election Day is Tuesday, December 2!
To find your Election Day polling place, click on
this link to use the Secretary of State's poll locator.
Again, you will need an approved photo ID in order to
vote in person.
Please
see the Secretary of State's website for more information by
clicking here.
Military and Overseas Ballots
If you are a military or overseas voter and would
like an absentee ballot, please click here for the request form.
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Thanks for all of your efforts. We must get these Democrats elected on
December 2, 2008 with your vote. We cannot let up now!!!
Regards,
Martin Raxton, Chairman
Douglas County Democratic Party
www.douglascountydemocraticparty.org
Dear Voter who wants Obama's programs to get support in the US
Senate,
Come out tonite, Thursday Nov 13, and take an hour or so to call our
nieghbors and encourage them to vote for Jim Matin (D) for senate in the
Runnoff election on Tues. December 2.
President Elect Obama cannot do this himself. He needs Jim Martin to
help him and we need Jim Martin to send Saxby Chamblis back home.
Georgia deserves change, too, doesn't it?
See Denise's message below for details abotut where to go to help.
If you can't help tonite, please call their office and find out what you
can do. Also check out
www.martinforsenate.com
Thank you,
Free Polazzo
Douglasville, GA
email: freepolazzo@comcast.net
phone: 770-949-1707 (H)
This was written a few days ago, but it says
a lot about where we are headed. Let's work to elect Jim Martin and turn
GA purple on its way to turning blue!
Regards,
Free Polazzo
Douglas County
November 9, 2008
Op-Ed Columnist
It Still Felt Good the Morning After
By
FRANK RICH
ON the morning after a black man won the White House, America's tears of
catharsis gave way to unadulterated joy.
Our nation was still in the same ditch it had been the day before, but the
atmosphere was giddy. We felt good not only because we had breached a racial
barrier as old as the Republic. Dawn also brought the realization that we
were at last emerging from an abusive relationship with our country's
21st-century leaders. The festive scenes of liberation that Dick Cheney had
once imagined for Iraq were finally taking place in cities all over
America.
For eight years, we've been told by those in power that we are small,
bigoted and stupid easily divided and easily frightened. This was the
toxic catechism of Bush-Rove politics. It was the soiled banner picked up by
the sad McCain campaign, and it was often abetted by an amen corner in the
dominant news media. We heard this slander of America so often that we all
started to believe it, liberals most certainly included. If I had a dollar
for every Democrat who told me there was no way that Americans would ever
turn against the war in Iraq or definitively reject Bush governance or elect
a black man named Barack Hussein Obama president, I could almost start to
recoup my 401(k). Few wanted to take yes for an answer.
So let's be blunt. Almost every assumption about America that was taken as a
given by our political culture on Tuesday morning was proved wrong by
Tuesday night.
The most conspicuous clichés to fall, of course, were the twin suppositions
that a decisive number of white Americans wouldn't vote for a black
presidential candidate and that they were lying to pollsters about their
rampant racism. But the polls were accurate. There was no "Bradley effect."
A higher percentage of
white men voted for Obama than any Democrat since Jimmy Carter, Bill
Clinton included.
Obama also won all four of those hunting-and-Hillary-loving Rust Belt states
that became 2008's obsession among slumming upper-middle-class white
journalists:
Pennsylvania and
Michigan by double digits, as well as
Ohio and even
Indiana, which has
gone Democratic only once (1964) since 1936. The solid Republican South,
led by
Virginia and
North Carolina, started to turn blue as well. While there are still
bigots in America, they are in unambiguous retreat.
And what about all those terrified Jews who reportedly abandoned their
progressive heritage to buy into the smears libeling Obama as an
Israel-hating terrorist? Obama drew
a larger percentage of Jews nationally (78) than Kerry had (74) and
mazel tov,
Sarah Silverman! won
Florida.
Let's defend Hispanic-Americans, too, while we're at it. In one of the more
notorious observations of the campaign year, a Clinton pollster, Sergio
Bendixen,
told The New Yorker in January that "the Hispanic voter and I want to
say this very carefully has not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to
support black candidates." Let us say very carefully that a black
presidential candidate
won Latinos the fastest-growing demographic in the electorate 67
percent to 31 (up from Kerry's 53-to-44 edge and Gore's 62-to-35).
Young voters also triumphed over the condescension of the experts. "Are they
going to show up?" Cokie Roberts of ABC News asked in February. "Probably
not. They never have before. By the time November comes, they'll be tired."
In fact they turned up
in larger numbers than in 2004, and their disproportionate Democratic
margin made a serious difference, as did their hard work on the ground.
They're not the ones who need Geritol.
The same commentators who dismissed every conceivable American demographic
as racist, lazy or both got Sarah Palin wrong too. When she made her debut
in St. Paul, the punditocracy was nearly uniform in declaring her selection
a brilliant coup. There hadn't been so much instant over-the-top praise by
the press for a cynical political stunt since President Bush "landed" a jet
on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in that short-lived triumph "Mission
Accomplished."
The rave reviews for Palin were completely disingenuous. Anyone paying
attention (with the possible exception of John McCain) could see she was
woefully ill-equipped to serve half-a-heartbeat away from the presidency.
The conservatives Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy said so on MSNBC
when they didn't know their mikes were on. But, hey, she was a dazzling
TV presence, the thinking went, so surely doltish Americans would rally
around her anyway. "She killed!"
cheered Noonan about the vice-presidential debate, revising her opinion
upward and marveling at Palin's gift for talking "over the heads of the
media straight to the people." Many talking heads thought
she
tied or beat Joe Biden.
The people, however, were reaching a less charitable conclusion and were
well ahead of the Beltway curve in fleeing Palin. Only after polls confirmed
that she was costing McCain votes did conventional wisdom in Washington
finally change, demoting her from Republican savior to scapegoat overnight.
But Palin's appeal wasn't overestimated only because of her kitschy
"American Idol" star quality. Her fierce embrace of the old Karl Rove wedge
politics, the divisive pitting of the "real America" against the secular
"other" America, was also regarded as a sure-fire winner. The second most
persistent assumption by both pundits and the McCain campaign this year
after the likely triumph of racism was that the culture war battlegrounds
from 2000 and 2004 would remain intact.
This is true in exactly one instance: gay civil rights. Though Rove's
promised "permanent Republican majority" lies in humiliating ruins, his and
Bush's one secure legacy will be their demagogic exploitation of homophobia.
The success of the
four state initiatives banning either same-sex marriage or same-sex
adoptions was the sole retro trend on Tuesday. And Obama, who largely
soft-pedaled the issue this year, was little help. In California, where
other races split more or less evenly on a same-sex marriage ban,
some 70 percent of black voters
contributed to its narrow victory.
That lagging indicator aside, nearly every other result on Tuesday suggests
that while the right wants to keep fighting the old boomer culture wars, no
one else does.
Three
state
initiatives restricting abortion failed. Bill Ayers proved a lame
villain, scaring no one. Americans do not want to revisit Vietnam (including
in Iraq). For all the attention paid by the news media and McCain-Palin to
rancorous remembrances of things past, I sometimes wondered whether most
Americans thought the Weather Underground was a reunion band and the Hanoi
Hilton a chain hotel. Socialism, the evil empire and even Ronald Reagan may
be half-forgotten blurs too.
If there were any doubts the 1960s are over, they were put to rest Tuesday
night when our new first family won the hearts of the world as it
emerged on that vast blue stage to join the celebration in Chicago's
Grant Park. The bloody skirmishes that took place
on that same spot during the Democratic convention 40 years ago young
vs. old, students vs. cops, white vs. black seemed as remote as the moon.
This is another America hardly a perfect or prejudice-free America, but a
union that can change and does, aspiring to perfection even if it can never
achieve it.
Still, change may come slowly to the undying myths bequeathed to us by the
Bush decade. "Don't think for a minute that power concedes," Obama is
fond of saying. Neither does groupthink. We now keep hearing, for
instance, that America is "a center-right nation" apparently because the
percentages of Americans who
call themselves conservative (34), moderate (44) and liberal (22) remain
virtually
unchanged from four years ago. But if we've learned anything this year,
surely it's that labels are overrated. Those same polls find that more and
more self-described conservatives no longer consider themselves Republicans.
Americans now say they favor government
doing more (51 percent), not less (43) an 11-point swing
since 2004 and they still overwhelmingly
reject the Iraq war. That's a centrist country tilting center-left, and
that's the majority who voted for Obama.
The post-Bush-Rove Republican Party is in the minority because it has driven
away women, the young, suburbanites, black Americans, Latino-Americans,
Asian-Americans, educated Americans, gay Americans and, increasingly,
working-class Americans. Who's left? The only states where the G.O.P.
increased its percentage of the presidential vote relative to the Democrats
were
West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas. Even the North
Carolina county where Palin
expressed her delight at being in the "real America"
went for Obama by more than 18 percentage points.
The actual real America is everywhere. It is the America that has been in
shell shock since the aftermath of 9/11, when our government wielded a
brutal attack by terrorists as a club to ratchet up our fears, betray our
deepest constitutional values and turn Americans against one another in the
name of "patriotism." What we started to remember the morning after Election
Day was what we had forgotten over the past eight years, as our abusive
relationship with the Bush administration and its press enablers dragged on:
That's not who we are.
So even as we celebrated our first black president, we looked around and
rediscovered the nation that had elected him. "We are the ones we've been
waiting for," Obama
said in February, and indeed millions of such Americans were here all
along, waiting for a leader. This was the week that they reclaimed their
country.
Democrats,
Attached please find the agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Douglas County
Democratic Party that will be held at our normal meeting location which is
the Alice Hawthorne Center. Please come out to get updates related to this
week's elections and upcoming run-off races. Thanks for all of your hard
work last week.
Regards,
Martin Raxton, Chairman
Douglas County Democratic Party
(404) 276-2121
www.douglascountydemocraticparty.org
11-07-08
Dear Voters,
As you read Saxby Chambliss' ad, don't forget the
campaign that he ran against Max Cleland, that got him into office. Max
Cleland, our Viet Nam veteran who lost both legs and an arm, was touted to
be against the Boy Scouts and was supposed to be associated with Osama bin
Laden. Remember how he flew on Air force One with his good friend George W.
Bush. This all smacks of Karl Rove tactics which we all detest. LIES! These
tactics are old school. We now have a grown -up government.
Remember to vote on December 2 and correct this
injustice.
Raymond F. Page, Editor
Veterans Day Lighted Parade – Tuesday,
November 11th

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To: All Republican Candidates
Let me congratulate each
one of you on hard fought victories over the Democratic opposition
and give my heart felt condolences to Commissioner Camp on an
equally hard fought campaign. I applaud your commitments to serve
our community in elected capacities and weather the battles of
campaigning. The Douglas County GOP will continue working with
you, to support your efforts in governing our community.
Tuesday night should be a
wake up call for ALL of us to support our ticket and unite as
a party to combat the Democratic challenges that will be facing our
county in future elections. The Douglas County Republican Party will
continue supporting our Republican elected officials, their
commitments to serve us, and I encourage each of you to unite with
us in our fight to keep Republicans elected in Douglas County,
our state and this GREAT nation.
We have many challenges
facing our community and I know each of you will be working
diligently, in your respective positions, to help make our community
a better place to live, work and play.
It appears that Senator Saxby Chambliss will
be facing his Democratic challenger in a run-off on December 2. We
will soon be discussing plans to get the vote out in Douglas County
to send Senator Chambliss back to Washington and I ask for your
support.
Together, let us continue
fighting Democratic governance. Thank you for your willingness to
serve and may God bless you and your families.
Regards,
Harvey Persons
Chairman
Douglas County Republican Party
cc: Fellow Republicans
DOUGLAS COUNTY SALUTES
OUR MILITARY AND VETERANS WITH THE 11TH ANNUAL VETERANS DAY
LIGHTED PARADE ON NOVEMBER 11TH
Residents Asked to Join
the Parade!
Douglas County government will
again use the month of November to salute our community's active
military, reserves, and veterans.
Douglas County annually hosts
what is believed to be the only night and lighted Veterans Day Parade in
the Nation, and we will again honor our veterans, active military and
reserves this year on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11th
with the 11th annual Douglas County Veterans Day Parade.
Veterans Day was originally
called Armistice Day to recognize the date that the "Great War", "The
War to End All Wars" - World War I - ended. The time of the armistice -
the agreed-upon end of the fighting between the Allies and Germany - was
11 a.m. on November 11th: the 11th hour of the 11th
day of the 11th month. Unfortunately, World War I was not
the only war that had to be fought to preserve freedom. World War II,
the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Grenada, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and
Iraq - just to name a few - have been, and are continuing to be, fought
to preserve democracy.
To honor and recognize the
service of our veterans, active military and reserves, Douglas County
residents are asked to line the parade route on Tuesday evening,
November 11th, as these brave men and women go by.
The parade steps off at 7:00
p.m. from the front parking lots of Douglas County High School, and goes
north on Campbellton Street past the Post Office to Church Street, then
west on Church Street through the historic downtown district to Bowden
Street, south on Bowden Street to Upshaw, east on Upshaw, then south on
Price, Woodrow and Campbellton back to the high school. The parade
route is approximately one mile long, and has a police escort for
safety.
The parade is "lighted" - many
of the units in the parade are illuminated; walking units carry
flashlights and lanterns, motorized units have patriotic lights on
them. All units in the parade are required to salute our military,
veterans, and/or the American Flag. Self-promotion is not allowed. The
parade follows lighted streets for safety, but the lighting of the
parade units adds to the celebration.
The parade will be led by active
military and reserves from the Douglasville Armory, followed by
representatives from the Armed Forces, and the JROTC units from Douglas
County High School, Lithia Springs, High School, and Alexander High
School. Motorized units from the American Legion, AmVets, and Vietnam
Veterans of America will follow, and afterwards, the salute from the
Public.
It costs nothing to enter the
parade, and Clubs, Churches, businesses, Scout troops, and individuals
are encouraged to show their patriotism by being in the parade. Line-up
begins at 6:00 p.m. in the parking lots in front of the Douglas County
High School. Interested persons may call 770.920.7593 for more
information.
Residents and businesses along
the parade route are requested to display the red, white and blue for
the parade to salute its participants.
In addition to the parade,
Douglas County salutes the military service of our citizens throughout
the month of November.
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"The Battle of Midway", the Academy
Award-winning documentary filmed during the actual World War II
battle by John Ford, will be shown on dctv23 on Friday night,
November 14th, at 7:00 p.m. The movie will also be
simulcast on
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.
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"The 100 Greatest Military Photographs" will
air on a continuous basis on Veterans Day (November 11th)
on dctv23 backed by patriotic music. The 100 Greatest Military
Photographs are a compilation by the United States Air Force Medical
Service Corps. The photographs and music will be simulcast on
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.
Douglas County Churches have
been encouraged to recognize veterans, active military and reserves
during their Church services on Sunday, November 9th or
Sunday, November 16th.
Douglas County Commission
Chairman Tom Worthan, a former member of the Army National Guard in the
Douglasville Armory, stated that "in
this time of war against terrorism, it is more important than ever that
we support and honor our military and veterans and thank them for their
service. Regardless of how one feels about the conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan, we should show our support for the brave men and women who
place their lives in harm's way to defeat terrorism and defend freedom.
I am proud that Douglas County takes the lead in saluting these heroes
in our community, and I encourage all our residents to join with us in
and along the parade route to remember the service and sacrifice that
keeps us free."
The salute to our heroes is
developed and coordinated by the Douglas County Department of
Communications and Community Relations.
Dear Friends -
The PBS program NOW has an online poll posted asking if Sarah Palin is
qualified. Apparently the right wing knew about this
in advance and are flooding the voting with YES votes.
The poll will be reported on PBS and picked up by
mainstream media. It could influence undecided voters
in swing states.
Please do two things -- takes 20 seconds.
1) Click on link and vote yourself.
Here's the link:
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
2) Then forward this email to every single Obama-Biden voter
you know, and urge them to vote and pass it on.
The last thing we need is PBS saying their viewers
think Sarah Palin is qualified.
Thanks.
Free Polazzo
Dear Douglas GOP Friends:
Chief Assistant District Attorney Beau McClain and former Sheriff Tommy
Waldrop invite you to an end of the political season barbecue this
Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 pm at the Waldrop farm located west of
Douglasville at the corner of Hwy 78 and Post Road. The drop in format
features a free barbecue meal cooked by Sheriff Waldrop with all the
trimmings and families are encouraged to bring their children for a
pleasant fall afternoon on the farm. Beau is a true conservative and
former Douglas GOP State Convention delegate who is running for Superior
Court Judge on the Nov. 4 election ballot as a nonpartisan as required
by law in judicial elections. All local GOP candidates have also been
invited. So please come out and support the conservative ticket for
Douglas County.
Harvey Persons, Chair
Douglas County Republican Party
I got a post card from Saxby Chambliss
that his bus tour is coming to Douglasville on Friday, October 24th at
1:45-2:45 at O'Neal Plaza. It would really be wonderful if we could
give him a Douglas County welcome with Support our troops/Bring them
home signs, or other signs supporting our stand against the Iraq War.
Of course, if you are a Democrat, it would be great to meet him with
Vote for Obama signs or Jim Martin signs. If you are a Libertarian or
are still ticked at him for voting 700 billion $$$ of taxpayer money for
the Wall Street Bailout -- those signs would be entirely appropriate
also. Actually, we have several things about which we can be very
displeased with Saxby Chambliss.
Of course, he has chosen a time when only the Republican
county and city officials will be able to take time off to go to see
him. Do you think that is a coincidence? Most of us still have to work
for a living in order to keep Wall Street happy. However, if there is
someone who wants to show up with a sign, you certainly have my
gratitude and admiration. I will be checking my watch and wishing that
I could be there at O'Neal Plaza to give Saxby Chambliss a warm Douglas
County welcome with my Bring the troops home signs
Denise Grentz
10/21/8
Great interview of Jim Martin who is running for Senator from GA. Pass it
on!
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9137
Free Polazzo, Chair
Douglas County Democratic Party Recruitment and Education Committee
email: freepolazzo@comcast.net
phone: 770-949-1707 (H)
cell: 770-778-8507 (C)
ACORN has registered a record number of voters in this
country. According to news report this record number includes people
who are poor, uneducated, and also people with criminal records in the
country. That should boost the Republican voters on election
day. (P.S. If a convicted person has served all his time to
include his probation, he can register to vote.)
Most leaders have some pretty good
ties to get to where they are going....I found this link out on
Ray and Tree.......Here's a question that drives me
up the wall. If the Federal Governmenrt can't "socialize medical care
for all people because it's socialism" how can they socialize the
economy for a few of its citizens and not call it socialism? Greetings
from that rabble rousing preacher up in New York State! Trust that your
health is taking an upswing.
Pastor Swanson
10-14-08
Dear Voters,
My views on the Presidential Campaign:
I've already predicted some 2 months ago, before the
bottom really fell out, that Barack Obama would win the election --
because "it's the economy, stupid".
But there is more to it than just the economy. Senator
McCain chose Governor Palin as his running mate and had to know from the
start that she was not qualified to be
President should something unforeseen happen to him. Thinking folks must
feel that -- with that choice --he put winning ahead of the well being of the Country and
the Republican Party.
Have you noticed that gasoline prices
are dropping like a stone? This will surely continue up to the election,
November 4th. Prices will drop to $2.00 a gallon perhaps to
$1.95 and on November 5th we'll see the beginning of a return to higher
numbers accompanied by some "believable" excuse for their
rise. Tell me that the oil companies are not in bed with the Republican
Party!
Ray and Therese,
Of course, we joined the PBS poll. The main
reason Palin is unqualified has nothing to do with
her lack of experience (bad enough, but not as
Late last week, the New York Times reported that
The Alaska legislature, after a detailed investigation,
found that Palin acted unethically by using her position
as governor to put pressure on the police commissioner
to fire her brother in law. When that wasn't successful,
she fired her police commissioner.
By involving herself as governor in a family matter,
she had a huge conflict of interest. People like Palin
who disregard the rules protecting public employees
are not qualified for ANY public office because they
don't follow the rules.
Art
DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT
2 COMMISSIONER CHARLEY CAMP SCHEDULES DISTRICT TOWN HALL MEETING FOR
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH, AT DEER LICK PARK
Town Hall Meeting an
Annual Event to Meet and Greet and Talk to the Commissioner
Douglas County District 2
Commissioner Charley Camp will hold his annual Town Hall meeting for the
residents of District 2 on Tuesday evening, October 14th, in
the Activity Center of Deer Lick Park. The Town Hall meeting will
feature a meet-and-greet with the County staff and viewing of County
department exhibits from 6 - 7 p.m., and a question and answer session
with Commissioner Camp from 7 - 8 p.m. Residents may also enjoy a tour
of the newly renovated Deer Lick Park from Parks and Recreation staff
from 6 - 7 p.m.
District 2 comprises the City of
Douglasville south of Bankhead Highway between Midway Road and Bright
Star Road; along Fairburn Road from Bankhead Highway to Lee Road; and
east to the County line, including Sweetwater Creek State Park. Schools
included in District 2 include West Central Technical College, Douglas
County High School, Lithia Springs High School, Burnett Elementary
School, Eastside Elementary School, Sweetwater Elementary School, Mt.
Carmel Elementary School, and Chestnut Log Middle School.
Commissioner Camp invites the
residents of District 2 to the Town Hall meeting, stating
"I talk almost daily to residents of
District 2 on a variety of issues, and it is important to me to hear
their opinions and concerns. The annual Town Hall meeting is just one
way for residents to communicate with me, and me with them, and I hope
that many District 2 citizens will take advantage of this opportunity.
In addition, we have just finished the renovation of Deer Lick Park, and
this gives our residents a chance to see the wonderful facility."
The Town Hall meeting is
open to the Public, regardless of whether or not residents live in
Commission District 2, with free admission.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For more information concerning this Press
Release, please contact:
Wes Tallon, Director
Douglas County Department of
Communications and Community Relations
770.920.7593 office
Tuesday, October 14th
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Deer Lick Park Activity Center
Commission
District 2 Town Hall Meeting with Commissioner Charley Camp
6 - 7 p.m.: Meet and Greet the County Staff, view
Department exhibits, tour the renovated
Deer Lick Park
Activity Center
7 - 8 p.m.: Questions
and Answers with Commissioner Camp
Officiating: Douglas County
District 2 Commissioner Charley Camp
Open to the Public, Free Admission
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Thursday, October 16th
6:00 p.m.
Citizen's Hall, Douglas County
Courthouse
Public
Information Meeting on the Three State Constitutional Amendments and the
Special
Election in the City and County on Tax Allocation Districts
Including a video
presentation from ACCG (Association County Governments of Georgia)
Officiating: Douglas County
District 1 Commissioner Freddie Ashmon, Jr., State Representative
Roger
Bruce, Jim Woodward (Miller & Martin, attorneys), Mark Teal (Douglas County
Development Services Director), Amy Brumelow (Douglas County Planning and
Zoning
Director
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Friday, October 17th
10:00 a.m.
2nd Floor, Atrium,
Douglas County Courthouse
Cutting
the Cake for the County's 138th Birthday (County was chartered
October 17th, 1870)
Officiating: Douglas County
Chairman Tom Worthan, Douglas County Board of Commissioners
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Monday, October 20th
12:00 noon
South Sweetwater Road at Mt.
Vernon Road
Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Lithia Springs Recreational Park
Officiating: Douglas County
Commission Chairman Tom Worthan, Board of Commissioners,
Douglas
County Parks and Recreation Director Gary Dukes
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Tuesday, October 21st
11:00 a.m. (following Commission
meeting)
On site (former trailer park,
enter off Fairburn Road at Shell Station)
Groundbreaking for New Douglas County E-911 Center and Emergency Operations
Center
Funding from the 911
Fund and Appropriations from Congress
Officiating: Douglas County
Commission Chairman Tom Worthan, Board of Commissioners,
Congressman David Scott (invited), Douglas County E-911 Director Greg
Whitaker,
Douglas
County EMA Director Jason Milhollin, Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller,
Douglas
County Fire Chief Scott Spencer, E-911 and EMA Staff
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Tuesday, October 22nd
9:00 a.m.
Boundary Waters Aquatic Center,
5000 Georgia Highway 92/166
Ribbon-cutting for New Cardio Fitness Center at Boundary Waters Aquatic
Center
Officiating: Douglas County
Commission Chairman Tom Worthan, Douglas County Board of
Commissioners, Douglas
County Parks and Recreation Director Gary Dukes, Parks and
Recreation Staff
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Monday, October 27th
12:30 p.m.
Douglas County Fire Station No. 6,
Riverside Parkway (one mile east of Fairburn Road)
Ribbon-cutting for Renovated Douglas County Fire Station No. 6
Officiating: Douglas County
Commission Chairman Tom Worthan, Douglas County Board of
Commissioners, Douglas County Fire Chief Scott Spencer, Douglas County
Deputy
Fire Chief
Kim Ransom, DCFD Staff
Open to the Public, Free Admission
·
Friday, October 31st (Halloween)
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Douglas County Courthouse
Annual
Trick-or-Treating in the Courthouse
Event Highlights - for
children 12 and under ~ children visit the various Departments in the
Courthouse
(participating departments are marked by smiling jack-'o-lanterns on the
doors)
for treats, plus
popcorn for everyone in the Courthouse Atrium
Sponsored by the Employees of
Douglas County (no tax dollars are used, all treats are funded by the
employees)
Open to the Public, Free Admission
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Dear
Raymond,
Last week, amidst the debate on the financial crisis we took a giant
step forward towards a sustainable and secure energy future. In the
Senate we passed and the President signed into law a landmark
package of clean energy tax policies. And for the first time in
history we took away some of the subsidies from oil and gas
companies to pay for them.
This was not an easy victory. The Democrats only have a one vote
majority and it takes 60 votes these days to get anything passed in
the Senate. While the final vote was overwhelming, getting it
passed required breaking a Republican filibuster that had defeated
eight previous clean energy bills. I knew this legislation was too
important to get caught in partisan crosshairs. So I reached across
the aisle and crafted a package with Senator Ensign that would win
broad support. I listened to my House colleagues to understand what
they would support. The vote was 93-2 in the Senate.
I am writing to say thank you so much for your continued support,
this is a victory for all of us and it was a long time coming. I
could not have waged this battle without you. And for families and
business budgets that continue to be crushed by high costs help is
on its way.
The terrific thing about this legislation is that it gives long term
predictability to the efficiency and renewable industry so they can
build plants in America. It will allow them to get to large scale
deployment resulting in bringing costs down. It covers a wide range
of technologies and really unleashes the full power of solar.
Here are some of the highlights of the legislation:
- Provides a credit for every kilowatt of electricity
generated from renewable sources such as wind, biomass,
geothermal, and incremental hydropower for a ten year period for
facilities placed in service by end of 2009.
- Provides eight years of investment tax credits for solar
energy and fuel cells, which will spur a $232 billion investment
in solar
- Provides over $10,000 worth of tax incentives to encourage
consumers to make their homes and cars more efficient and lower
their energy bills; includes giving $7500 to the first 250,000
people who buy a plug-in electric car and paying for 30% of full
cost of residential solar.
- Over 500,000 clean energy, good paying jobs throughout
America are expected to be created as a result of this
legislation. And there is no time when we needed these more than
now.
It is important to remember, and important to tell to anyone who
will listen, that clean, cheap and renewable energy is not something
off in a distant future. The technology exists right now to begin
our transition. We can have a safe and secure energy future.
The only question is whether Congress continues to have the will to
make it happen.
The energy package we passed is a significant step in the right
direction - but it is the first step. Over the coming months we are
going to need to work together to make sure it is not the only step.
I hope that I'll be able to have your support as we fight some
difficult battles ahead.
Thanks again for all your help. I'll be in touch soon.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
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Dear Democrats,
The message is simple: please continue with your efforts of getting
Democrats elected in Douglas County on 11/04/08. Vote, Vote and Vote!
Additionally, please plan on coming out this Saturday, October 11, 2008 @
10:00am to the Alice Hawthorne Center located at 7775 Malone St. in
Douglasville to see how you can make a difference. Attached please find the
agenda for Saturday's meeting. This will be our last meeting before our
candidates are elected so please come out and show them your support in
person.
Regards,
Martin Raxton, Chairman
Douglas County Democratic Party
(404) 276-2121
www.douglascountydemocraticparty.org
Free Polazzo
Action Alert
September 30, 2008
Forward this Alert to Your Family and Friends to Help Defeat Amendment 3
During early voting (already underway) and on Election Day, November 4,
Georgia voters will be asked to vote on 3 Constitutional Amendments.
Amendment 3 would permit counties to give developers the power to create
special districts, "infrastructure development districts" (IDDs), that would
issue tax-free bonds to finance infrastructure for large, private
residential communities. The developers would be given the power to levy
taxes to pay any costs incurred in development, taxes that the counties will
be required to collect for them. Georgians should VOTE NO on Amendment #3
and protect citizens and water resources for the following reasons:
1) County Commissions Can Bestow Taxing Power on Private Businesses
This Amendment will allow county commissions, acting by a single majority
vote, after only two public hearings, to authorize private developers to
levy taxes ("assessments") to finance Infrastructure Development District
projects.
2) No Referendum is Required
No vote by the taxpayers of the host county is required to grant this power
to private parties.
3) No Conflict of Interest Rules Apply
There is no legal prohibition on any county commissioner having a financial
interest in these Infrastructure Development Districts.
4) Developers Allowed to Issue Tax-Free Bonds
When these tax levies ("assessments") are permitted, the developer is also
authorized to issue tax-free municipal bonds; in this event, the
Infrastructure Development District effectively will act like a municipal
government - without being elected.
5) Host Counties May be Left Holding the Bag
Because the taxes ("assessments") levied by the developers are to be
collected by county tax commissioners, by operation of law, any default in
payment of taxes by the developer, or by purchasers of properties in the
District may create a tax lien, which can lead directly to the host county
becoming the owner of the defaulting property.
6) Costs of Development are not Controlled by Market Forces
Developers operating as Infrastructure Development Districts are required by
law to pass all costs of development on to the purchasers of property in the
development in the form of assessments (taxes), removing any restraints on
costs that would ordinarily limit a developer's budget.
7) All Key Financial Decisions are Left Exclusively to Developers
All critical financial decisions of Infrastructure Development Districts
will be made by the private developers prior to the time when control of the
Districts passes to governing boards controlled by property owning
residents. Thus, major financial decisions are outside their control.
8) No Evidence of Sustainability is Required
There is no requirement that developers of Infrastructure Development
Districts show the suitability of their site for their project, or assure
that adequate water supply or other necessary infrastructure such as
transportation exist outside the boundaries of their development. Lack of
fresh water supply in IDDs concerns many citizens, because developers are
not required to plan for adequate supply before beginning a project. Near
Port St. Lucie, Fla., a development district literally ran out of water in
early 2005, leaving residents with dry faucets and $180,000 past due to
their city supplier.
9) Other Creditors Will Try to Recover Debts from Host Counties
In the event of a tax payment default by developer or property owners, other
creditors can, and most likely will, defer their own actions in default
until the host county takes titles - along with whatever liability attaches
to the properties in default.
10) Claims of Statutory Limits on Taxes are False
While the statute creating Infrastructure Development Districts requires
that purchasers receive disclosure documents stating that all taxes
("assessments") of the District are "capped by law," in fact the only legal
limit on such charges is left to the discretion of each District Board.
Actual legal caps were amended out of the bill prior to final passage in
2007. The board can set the charges at any level it desires; that decision
is merely a business arrangement, nothing resembling a law.
If you have questions about Amendment 3 or Infrastructure Development
Districts contact Neill Herring at
neillherring@earthlink.net.
Thanks to all of your efforts in helping to strengthen the Georgia Water
Coalition!
www.georgiawater.org
RENOVATIONS TO "MEALS ON
WHEELS"/SENIOR CENTER KITCHEN UNDERWAY
Renovations Funded by
Douglas County and the Atlanta Regional Commission
Much-needed renovations and updates
to the "Meals on Wheels"/Senior Center Kitchen are now underway, thanks to a
cooperative effort between Douglas County and the Atlanta Regional
Commission. Delivery of the new kitchen equipment began Friday, September
26th.
Douglas County Property Management
is paying $25,000 for the work to be done in the senior citizens area,
including re-painting, re-flooring, and installing new shelves in the
kitchen area, re-painting and installing new flooring in the hallways, and
cleaning the HVAC unit. The Property Management staff itself is removing
the existing aged shelving and cabinets, and re-wiring the building so that
the new kitchen equipment will have the correct electrical service to be
operational.
The Atlanta Regional Commission is
providing the new cook stove and two steamers
The kitchen, located in the Senior
Center on Fairburn Road, is used for the "Meals on Wheels" Program and for
in-house food service to seniors who visit the Center.
Photo: Douglas County Chairman Tom
Worthan watches new wiring being installed by Douglas County Property
Management Department employees Wayne Watson, Ronald Weathington, and Mike
Wade in the Senior Center kitchen
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For more information concerning this Press
Release, please contact:
Wes Tallon, Director
Douglas County Department of Communications
and Community Relations
770.920.7593 office
404.405.0401 cell
wtallon@co.douglas.ga.us e-mail
Article Title:
Pharmaceutical companies feed suicidal tendencies with another pill, or two
To view the contents on
www.tennessean.com, go to:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200809240210/OPINION03/809240419
Heads Up, Voters
Yesterday, 9-22-08, my wife and I went to the Court House to vote before
lunch. It was very crowded with a waiting time probably more than an hour so
we left to do other errands. After lunch we went back again and it was still
crowded but we decided to stay. It took a good hour to vote. The staff
can only be described as friendly, wonderful and courteous. Anyway,
early voting will continue to be Monday through Friday , 8AM to 5 PM until
October 31st. Be ready for a line even though there are 8 voting machines.
Voter turnout will probably top 90%. Maybe we'll graduate to Election Month
instead of Election Day.
Raymond F. Page, Editor
|
ARE YOU A FIRST TIMER?
For those taking advantage of Early Voting
for the first time, the experience is very
similar to voting on Election Day. You will
be asked to fill out a short form with your
name and address, and will present one of
the
acceptable forms of ID. Next, you'll be
directed to the Express Poll station, where
a poll worker will verify that you are
registered to vote in that county. Once
verified, you will be given a ballot card (a
yellow plastic card the size of a credit
card), and be directed to the next available
voting machine. Simply insert the yellow
card into the slot on the machine and follow
the instructions on the screen. When you
have finished voting, the machine will
automatically eject the ballot card. Take
the card back to the Express Poll worker and
get your "I'm a Georgia Voter" sticker!
2008 IMPORTANT ELECTION RELATED DATES
September 22, 2008
Early Voting begins in Georgia
October 6, 2008
Deadline to register to vote or change
address for General Election
October 21, 2008
Last day to request an Absentee Ballot for
the General Election
October 27- October 31, 2008
Advance Voting Week for General Election
November 4, 2008
Election Day for General Election
November 24- November 28, 2008
Early Voting for General Election Runoff
December 2, 2008
Election Day for General Election Runoff
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>>
I'm a little confused.
Let me see if I have this straight.....
>>
>> If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic'
>> and 'different.'
>>
>> Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're an American story.
>>
>> If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
>>
>> Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.
>>
>> Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
>>
>> Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, then you're well-
>> grounded.
>>
>> If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, become the first black
>> President of the Harvard Law Review, help register 150,000 new voters,
>> spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, 8 years as a State
>> Senator of a district of 750,000 people, chair the state Senate's
>> Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States
>> Senate representing a state of 13 million people, sponsor 131 bills, and
>> serve on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works, and Veteran's
>> Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
>>
>> If your resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6
>> years as the mayor of a town of 7,000 people, 2 years as governor of a
>> state of 650,000 people, you're qualified to be a heartbeat away from the
>> presidency.
>>
>> If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2
>> daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
>>
>> If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, left your ill
>> wife, and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
>>
>> If you teach responsible, age-appropriate sex education, including the
>> use of birth control, you erode the fiber of American society.
>>
>> If you staunchly advocate abstinence-only education, while your teen
>> daughter ends up pregnant, you're responsible.
>>
>> If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a
>> prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
>> community, then gave that up to raise a family, you don't represent
>> America's family values.
>>
>> If your husband is called 'First Dude', has a DWI conviction, didn't
>> register to vote until 25, and was a member of a group that advocated
>> secession of Alaska from the USA, yours is the quintessential American
>> family.
>>
>> And, finally, if you're famous for your quick temper, you're the one to
>> have your finger on the red nuclear button.
>>
>> OK, much clearer now.
>>
>> Time to expose the hypocrisy of the McCain campaign?
Dear Democrats,
I have just been informed that the Political Candidates Forum scheduled for
tomorrow evening, 9/18/08 at the Willie Watkins funeral home in Douglasville
has been cancelled. The event is being re-scheduled for October 7, 2008.
More information will be coming out shortly. Please pass this message along
to your friends and neighbors.
Regards,
Martin Raxton, Chairman
Douglas County Democratic Party
(404) 276-2121
www.douglascountydemocraticparty.org
OPINIONS: I'd like to say thank you to everyone who supported the police
by voting "yes" for a new facility.
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 11, 2008
EARLY VOTING BEGINS SEPTEMBER 22ND FOR NOVEMBER 4TH GENERAL ELECTION
Early Voting Held in Voter Registration Office, Douglas County
Courthouse
The November 4th General Election is expected to attract a
record number of voters. Georgia has "EARLY VOTING", which means that
residents can vote early for the candidate of their choice and avoid the
long lines on November 4th. Early voting will begin September 22nd in
the Voter Registration Office of each Georgia county.
Anyone can vote, early, but those persons who have trouble
standing for a long time, persons with disabilities, elderly and infirm
persons are especially encouraged to vote early. Early voting begins
September 22nd in the Douglas County Voter Registration Office, first
floor, Douglas County Courthouse.
BARACK OBAMA WINS the DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION by
ACCLAMATION
I believe he will be elected President not because he's a
Democrat, not because he's Black, not because he's young, not because he's
straight, not because of the cost of his hair cuts, not because he's good
looking nor because he has only one wife. He'll be elected because:
IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!!
Dear Friend, I just signed the First Freedom First petition -- about the
importance of safeguarding separation of church and state and protecting
religious liberty. The founders of our nation believed that all Americans
should have the right to worship according to their own beliefs, or not to
worship at all. It was so important to them that they placed it in the first
sentence of the Bill of Rights. I believe that religion is a deeply personal
matter and that Americans must be free to practice their religion without
coercion. Simply put, there must be a separation of church and state. I know
that we agree about the importance of these issues, so I hope that you will
ACT NOW, like I just did. Be a part of First Freedom First. Sign the
petition and encourage others to join you. Together, we will send a powerful
and resounding message -- safeguard the first freedom! Please visit the
website below and join me in standing up for this fundamental American
freedom.
http://www.firstfreedomfirst.org
Sincerely,
Tracey Adamowski
children1st@mchsi.comdi
WARNING
Wes Tallon
Director of Communications and Community Relations
Douglas County, Georgia
770.920.7593
fax 770.920.7445
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com <http://www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com>
We received the following warning from Georgia Technology Authority,
please use extra caution when opening emails during the Olympics. As
always, Do not visit untrusted websites or follow links provided by
unknown or untrusted sources.
Exercise caution when previewing or opening suspicious and unsolicited
email messages.
I. Phishing
Beginning on August 5, 2008 reports of mass emails claiming to be from
the CNN.com news Web site began to surface. Currently the subject of the
email is "CNN.com Daily Top 10". These emails are not from CNN, and
contain web links to malicious sites that will attempt to install
malware purporting to be an Adobe Flash Player upgrade. The MS-ISAC has
received reports from multiple states including Michigan, New York,
North Carolina and Wisconsin, indicating their users have received these
emails.
These emails have been circumventing spam filters and utilizing
html based messages including the CNN web site logo and very enticing
headlines to lure unsuspecting recipients into clicking on the links for
news stories which are actually downloads of malware from various web
sites. Reports indicate that hundreds of web servers may be compromised
and hosting this malicious content. The use of news and current events
are a proven and effective social engineering tool.
As the 2008 Olympics will be starting Friday, August 8, we anticipate
spammers, phishers, and other online attackers may use bogus
"Olympic-themed" headlines in their scams. We recommend that
organizations use this as an opportunity to remind users to use caution
when handling suspicious or unexpected email messages and URLs.
Kym Vrooman
LAN Engineer
Georgia Emergency Management Agency
P.O. 18055
Atlanta, GA 30316
Please visit our website
http://www.gema.ga.gov
http://www.gema.ga.gov/
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