Perdue-O’Neal ethics claims could test new panel’s process

Just when we thought everyone had forgotten...

Increase in sales tax possible as income tax diminishes

"The sales tax, or some other tax on "consumption," is exactly where supporters of dumping the income tax are looking to get government revenue."

"Some Democrats are talking about a proposal that would eliminate the state's portion of the property tax, a modest amount that supporters say would still make a difference to working families - about $15 yearly on a house valued at $150,000."

These are just a few examples of how law makers are looking at tax reform. This seems to be a popular topic this season.

Temple of Schrenko case asks for pardon from Bush

Former Schrenko campaign manager, Merle Temple, was sentanced earlier this year to 8 years in prison for embezzling money for campaign funds. He is now asking for a pardon from President Bush.

Shut Up and Listen, Its My Turn!

There have been a few things on my mind lately, and Its my turn to speak.

Well My Friends, We LOST, BIG TIME!

But What went wrong you may ask? What can we do to change things?

Well for starters, Benson at the Young Democrats of Atlanta, needs to realize that maybe part of our problem is unity. We were all pretty upset that we had just lost the election, and let me say that I was not happy to read the blog of a Young Democrats chapter "scoring" campaigns and their staffers, and then all of the sudden say its not personal, while calling out individuals. Well Benson, it was personal. You called out staffers by name, and even went so far as to say "NOTHING YOU DID WAS RIGHT." I became close friends with many of the people that you named, and let me just say that I am disgusted that you would say such a thing about them. They put their heart and soul into it, any person in politics would be honored to have the team that Taylor had, the light never went off in that office. They didn't make the critical decisions, such as the death penalty for child molesters, so therefore they cannot be held responsible for the policy decisions of the Taylor campaign to which I hope Benson is refering to that "wasn't right".

Martin vs. Taylor. This was the other problem. You had a lot of people, particularly in the Liberal (and the YD's) crowd that pretty much gave Taylor the cold shoulder after the primary and focused on Martin/Eyre. I saw very few-to almost no young democrats involved with Taylor's campaign becaus they were so pissed about him beating Cox. The comment I hear most often is that Cox could have beaten Perdue, and you're right maybe she could have, but only if Taylor supported her. So basically you had the pissed off Cox supporters shifting their support/energy to Martin's campaign, and Taylor was left to find additional volunteers. It was almost like Martin was afraid to be seen with Taylor, and Taylor with Martin. We are all Democrats, unity is important, and I didn't put out a single Taylor sign without putting up a Martin sign, and I would expect the same from Martin's campaign. I am a LIBERAL, and I wasn't afraid to support Taylor and/or Martin. Maybe we all should re-think our values.


To Decaturguy, Minority Leader Dubose Porter wins his district with over 75% of the vote, maybe we need to listen more to Dubose Porter and less to people who keep losing. I agree that Rep. Porter needs to take more of agressive approach, and I don't agree with him on a lot of social issues, but right now he is winning his elections overwhelmingly, and maybe we need to find constructive ways to amplify that all across Georgia, and it starts at 1100 Spring Street, where change is hopefully rapidly approaching.

We as Democrats also need to remember why we're Democrats. My Heart is in the Party, the party of values, prosperity, and liberty; I will be a Democrat until the day I die. Democrats in Georgia created the HOPE Scholarship, Peachkids, and many other programs that benefit our state. We brought tourism and economic prosperity to Georgia, and I think that those are issues we need to focus on. It doesn't need to be the Atlanta Liberals Vs. The Rural Conservative Democrats, it needs to be the Democrats against the Republicans. They want to pollute our water and bankrupt our state, but judging by a lot of Democrats in Georgia you'd think the Democrats hate each other more than they hate the Republicans, and this is true even more in the cut-throat blogosphere. The Conservative bloggers agree on almost everything, and I'm sure they have a field day at Post's/comment wars like the ones on Blog for Democracy and The Young Democrats of Atlanta blog, and I pick on them a lot because it seems they are the ones in the spotlight the most. It doesn't need to be The East Cobber Vs. Blog For Democracy or the Young Dems of Atlanta, it needs to be everyone speaking in one voice against the real enemies, the Republicans.

We have a lot of maturing and realization to do as Georgia Democrats. Do we have the guts to make the necessary changes? Well, I certainly hope so. I refuse to lose another election because I can't get former Cox supporters to even speak to me, muchless work with them, or because we feel it necessary to attack each other on PUBICALLY DEMOCRATIC Blogs. We need to pick up our broken hearts and personal biases and work together for the common good of all Georgians.

I expect a lot of heat on this one, but I'm prepared for it. It is time someone spoke up against the rediculous stuff going on in our Party and party loyals. And to Benson, I don't have anything against any of you, its just honestly how I feel, and I don't have to call out anyones name or character to get my point across. With that being said, I hope that we can all agree on a course of action, and move things foward.

Have at it.

Letter from Michael Moore

A Powerful Letter from Michael Moore to the Conservatives..

To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters,
I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand.
Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know what we plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, what we will do to you and for you.
Thus, here is our Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives:
Dear Conservatives and Republicans,
I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you:
1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.
2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift.
3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it for you.
4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never to send your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie.
5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, we promise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and cures for diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure those advances are available to you and your family, too.
6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up our air and water, we, the Democratic majority, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water.
7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice. Immediately. We will protect you.
8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you do there as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count your age from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived.
9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weapon or a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of a hunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make our streets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protect your children just as we would protect ours.
10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees -- that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative women that wage, too.
11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put those beliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your most radical religious beliefs ("Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't just bless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intolerance and fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting a good example for the rest of the world.
12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought and paid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him or herself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corrupt politicians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call us on it. Simply because we are in power does not give us the right to turn our heads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition.
I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and for giving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest of the world.
Signed,
Michael Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/(Click here to sign the pledge)http://www.michaelmoore.com/
P.S. Please feel free to pass this on.

Screw Gail Buckner..She has failed us.

I voted for her, holding my nose.

Why did she even run?

She is afraid to ask for money, and has did absolutely no campaigning.(She never had over $3,0000 dollars, compared to Handles almost a million).

Shyam Reddy or Darryl Hicks knew how to raise money, and they had a shot of winning.

Gail Buckner, you should have given them the nomination so that we could actually win.

You make me sick at my stomach.

Middle Georgians Upset with Perdue

Hopefully, they are angry enough to go and vote on Tuesday.

Democrats United

My daily routine includes getting up and drinking a cup of coffee and reading the New York Times; I must say that I have never seen a Democratic Party so united since I (or my Democratic-leaning parents) can remember.

It is amazing to see Georgia Democrats on bus tours, and our party heroes like Barack Obama out campaigning for Democrats across the country.

It is a great thing.

What are your thoughts? I think we're going to have a great night on Tuesday...