Newspaper Page Text
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ForsythOpinion
Thursday. April 26. 2012
Giving Deal
good marks
Dear Governor, I know you
have been waiting to hear
hem l thmk you are handling
things these days, but 1 want¬
ed to give you tune to get the
legislators out of town and to
be sure all the silverware is
accounted for.
Plus, I have been busy try¬
ing to help your pal, Leroy
Gingrich, understand he has
blown his chances of becom¬
ing President of the United
States and that he might want
to go back to Washington and
moonlight as the Pillsbury
Doughboy.
1 like your low -key sty le
and the way you are willing
to work with both parties if it
w ill benefit the people of
Georgia
That is rare in today’s polit¬
ical environment, which is
dominated by political
whackos on both the left and
the right. These people scare
me. Most of us are some¬
where in the middle
l appreciate you not pro¬
posing flaky programs like
"Go Fish, Georgia" and not
giving an elephant a physical
or riding around the Capitol
on a motorcycle in a black
leather jacket 1 think most
Georgians w ill tell you that
we need senous leadership in
these tough economic umes,
not Chuckles the Clown.
You seem to be shooting
the lights out in economic
development Congratulations
on getting Baxter
International, a big-ume med¬
ical company, to build a new
facility in Social Circle that
will bring 1,500 full- time
positions to Georgia.
Your willingness to
approve major tax incentives,
as well as your efforts to pro¬
mote the biosciences industry,
was a big part of the reason
why Baxter International is
moving here. It also didn't
hurt that my column runs in
the area. As you are aware. I
know a lot of stuff, but I am
most recognized for my
know ledge of bioscience as
well as where to find good
sweet tea. That combination
seems to have impressed the
folks at Baxter.
1 have readers in Jackson
County , w here you have gotten
Toyota to open a new compres¬
sor plant (am <her subject in
which I excel) and in Braelton
where Carter Inc is opening a
distribution tenter. I didn't know
much about children's clothes,
but fortunately, my .Wr-year
old great-grandson Cameron
is an expert in that field.
It is obvious that 1 am a
formidable weapon in your
economic development arse¬
nal. Cameron has indicated
he would like to help, too.
Just remember we need to
work it around his nap time
YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor H. Ford Gravitt. RO. Box
3177, Cumming, GA 30028; (770) 887-
4342
Ralph Perry, 1420 Pilgrim Road,
Cumming, GA 30040; (770) 887-
7474
Rupert Sexton, 211 Hickory Oak
Hollow, Cumming, GA 30040, (770)
844-7929
Mayor Pro-Tern Quincy Holton, 103
Hickory Ridge Drive, Cumming, GA
30040; (770) 887-5279
Lewis Ledbetter, 205 Mountain
Brook Drive, Cumming, GA 30040;
(770) 887-3019
John Pugh, 108 13th St., Cumming,
GA 30040; (770) 887-3342
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
R.J. (Pete) Amos, Post 1,110 E,
Main St., Cumming, GA 30040; (678)
513-5881; rjamos^forsytheo.com
Brian Tam, Post 2, 4410 Dorset
Lane, Suwanee, GA 30024; (404)
392-6983; office, (878) 513-5882;
Send a letter to the editor to P.0. Box 210 Cumming, GA 30028; tax it to (770) 889-6017; or e-mail it to editor«>feraythn ews.com.
V
Ju
DICK YARBROUGH
Columnist
or his mama won’t let him
participate. Also, he will
w ant to be paid in vanilla
wafers, a detail we can dis¬
cuss later
Now, to some legislative
nitty-gritty: According to my
mail, readers across the state
are unhappy vx ith our current
laws on lobbying. They have
heard all the explanations on
why we don't need spending
limits on lobby ists. but it is
falling on goirtg deaf ears 1 predict
there is to be a big
backlash, maybe even this
upcoming election You need
to share this information
w ith legislators and suggest
they not get pious with "Wc
the Unwashed" and. as one
reader said. “Pat us on the
head and tell us they know
w hat is best for us," Voters
aren't in the mood to be
patron i red
Looking ahead. 1 hope you
will think long and hard
about the charter school
amendment coming up for a
vote this November I have
no problem with charter
schools conceptually, but I
have a big problem in the
way this amendment is being
pitched to voters It is a
power grab by certain legis¬
lators, pure and simple They
talk about “local choice" and
then want to take it away
from local school systems
that have toe temerity to not
approve their buddies in the
charter school business This
amendment is not about the
kids. It is about money
Charter school management
is big business.
With Ms. Deal having
been a school teacher, you
know how hard that job is.
Public school teachers have
been totally demoralized in
Georgia, in part because they
are burdened with more stu¬
pid bureaucratic rules than a
skunk has stink I tell teach¬
ers constantly that theirs is a
noble profession, but it would
be nice if they heard tt from
you occasionally.
All in all, 1 give you posi¬
tive marks for your job as our
leader Keep up the good
work and let me know if you
want to discuss further If I'm
not around, ask for Cameron
Just remember you can t
talk to him at nap time There
arc some things even a gover¬
nor can’t do.
You can reach Dick Yarbrough at
yarb24O0@bellsouth net or PO
Box 725373, Atlanta, GA 31139
brtam (A forsythco.com
SecretaryTodd Levent. Post 3,
110 E. Main St., Cumming, GA
30040; (678) 513-5883; tlevent<»for
sythco.com
Vice Chairman Patrick Bell, Post
4, 110 E. Main St., Cumming, GA
30040; (678) 513-5884; home, (678)
648-6130; pbbelKA forsythco.com
Chairman Jim Boff, Post 5, 110 E.
Main St., Cumming, GA 30040;
(678) 513-5885; jjboff" forsythco.
com -
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Ann Crow, District 1, 320
Dahlonega St., Cumming, GA
30040; (770) 490-6316; acrow®for
syth.k12.ga.us
Kristin Morrissey, District 2, 3310
Cany Creek Lane, Cumming, GA
30041; (404) 550-3083; kmor
risseyf^forsyth.k 12.ga.us
Chairman Tom Cleveland, District
3, 5225 Millsford Court, Cumming,
GA 30040, (770) 844-9901; tcleve
land«forsyth.-k12.ga.us
4 &
Zg jfl
fl
«t> & Hi
0p EN records
k LAW u •s
Jim Powill tor ttie Forsyth County News
John Edwards, campaign reformer.
The smart thinking among
savvy election lawyers and
political insiders is that federal
prosecutors will have a hard
time proving that John
Edwards broke campaign
finance law s w hen he ran for
president tn 2008 Edwards has
pleaded not guilty.
Election lawyer Jerry
Goldfcder captured this view
when he said; "With the gov¬
ernment having to prove that
Edwards knew the intricacies
of the campaign finance law
and intentionally broke it, the
government has a very tough
road in this trial He may not
be a sympathetic figure, but
that doesn't mean he should go
to prison for try ing to hide hi*
affair"
Yes. the case has thorns. The
star witness, former Edwards
campaign aide Andrew Young,
is a known liar who falsely
claimed paternity of a child
carried by Edwards' mistress,
Ricllc Hunter, during the 2008
election (Edwards was desper¬
ate to hide the affair while his
wife. Elizabeth, who died in
2010. was battling cancer)
Two fat cats provided
$925,000 to support and hide
Hunter in pricey resorts while
Edwards stumped for the
White House; the guy who was
in charge of Edwards' fund¬
raising. Fred Baron, is dead,
while heiress Bunny Mellon is
101
“The government has to
prove that these people were
Letter policy
The Forsyth County News welcomes your
opinions on issues of public concern. Letters
must be signed and include full address and a
daytime and evening phone number for verifi¬
cation. Names and hometowns of letter writ¬
ers will be included for publication without
exception. Telephone numbers will not be pub¬
lished.
Letters should be limited to 350 words and
may be edited or condensed.The same writer
or group may only submit one letter per month
Vice Chairwoman Darla Sexton
Light, District 4, 50080 Hopewell
Road, Cumming, GA 30028; (770)
887-0678; dlight«forsyth.k 12.ga.us
Nancy Roche, District 5, 7840
Chestnut Hill Road, Cumming, GA
30041; (770) 889-0229; nroche «
forsyth.k12 ga.us
NATIONAL LEGISLATORS
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, 120
Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20510; (202) 224
3643 or (770) 661-0999
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, 416
Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D C. 20510; (202)
224 3521 or (770) 763 9090
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, 9th
District; 2133 Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, D C.,
20515; (202) 225-5211; fax. (202)
225-8272
U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, 7th
District; 1725 Longworth House
Office Building, Washington, D C.,
20515; (770) 232 3005
This is a page ot opinion — ours, yours and
others. Signed columns and cartoons ea ?be
opinions of the writers and artists, and thby
may not reflect our views.
|
DEBRA SAUNDERS
Columnist
giving (Edwards) money
directly for the purposes of the
campaign and that he knew
that this way of helping him
was a violation of the cam¬
paign finance law," Goldfeder
explained, as if that task were
herculean.
Anyone who works in poli¬
tics knows that candidates for
federal office cannot accept
donations above a legal limit,
in 2008, the maximum contri¬
bution was $2,300 per elec¬
tion Campaigns cannot accept
free travel or other m-kind
contributions over that limit.
Edwards is an attorney who
served as John Kerry’s 2004
running mate. As a senator, he
was a proud supporter of the
McCam-Feingold campaign
finance measure. The notion
he was unaw are of campaign
finance law is risible.
Mellon was an Edwards
donor, Baron was the head
money guy. Young worked for
the campaign. (The campaign
even paid Hunter to make cam¬
paign videos.) After the
National Enquirer reported on
Hunter’s pregnancy. Young lied
and said he was the father;
Young and his much-suffering
for consideration.
Letters must be submitted by noon
Wednesday for Sunday publication. We do not
publish poetry or blanket letters and generally
do not publish letters concerning consumer
complaints. Unsigned or incorrectly identified
letters will be withheld.
Mail letters to the Forsyth County News, RO.
Box 210, Cumming, GA 30028, hand deliver to
302 Veterans Memorial Blvd., fax to (770) 889
6017 or e-mail to editor<°'forsythnews.com.
STATE LEGISLATORS
Sen. Steve Gooch, 51st District,
Coverdell Legislative Office
Building, Room 321 B, 18 Capitol
Square, Atlanta, GA 30334; (404)
656 9221
Sen. Jack Murphy, 27th District,
Coverdell Legislative Office
Building, Room 325 A, 18 Capitol
Square. Atlanta, GA 30334; (404)
656-7127
Rep. Mike Dudgeon, 24th
District; Coverdell Legislative
Office Building, Room 608 C, 18
Capitol Square, Atlanta, GA
30334; (404) 656 0298
Rep. Amos Amerson, 9th
District,
Suite 401 G, State Capitol,
Atlanta, GA 30334; (404) 657-
8443 or (706) 864 6589
Rep. Mark Hamilton, 23rd
District
Suite 218, State Capitol, Atlanta
GA 30334; (404) 656-5132; local
(770) 844 6768
wife and children traveled with
Hunter to keep Edwards' can¬
didacy alive.
Even after Edwards suspend¬
ed his campaign, he lobbied to
become Barack Obama’s run¬
ning mate or — this is scary
— attorney general.
Edwards is not a serial killer.
1 don't want to see him sen¬
tenced to 30 years, the maxi¬
mum if he's convicted on all
six felony counts. But Edwards
reportedly turned down a plea
deal that would have let him
walk after six months in prison
and spared his two youngest
children the long-term absence
of their surviving parent, He
made a choice.
Quoth Edwards; “I did not
break the law, and I never, ever
thought that I was breaking the
law."
To his credit. Obama never
wanned to Edw ards. To thinks
if Edwards had become attor¬
ney general, it would be his .
job to enforce tome-sized reg¬
ulations that challenge skilled
corporate attorneys. Now he
has toe nerve to argue that this
$2,300 contribution limit was
just too arcane for him to
understand.
E-mail Debra J Saunders at
dsaunders®sfchronicle com. To
find out more ebout Debra J.
Saunders and read features by
other Creators Syndicate writers
and cartoonists, visit the Creators
Syndicate Web page at www cre¬
ators.com