Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
A case of superfluous redundancy
Candidates report donations, expenses
THIS prayer was in last
week's column. I make no
apologies for that. It's a
prayer that I and Roy Barnes
and John Oxendine and pol
iticians everywhere - and
perhaps you, too - should
pray every day:
Lord, help me choose my
words carefully and use
them wisely.
I also mentioned stuff last
week. So what else is new!
Every column I write is full
of stuff.
“The man who does not
express himself meaningful
ly and clearly is a bungler,
wasting his time and that of
his associates.”
I wish I had said that. Of
course, I did say it - but
not first. I copied somebody
else’s words. Whether I'm
talking or writing, that’s all
I ever do. I’ve never invented
a single word.
Words, like all of my bless
ings, are gifts. Therefore,
it in incumbent upon me to
use them to the best of my
ability. I confess that a lot
of times - often in this space
- I waste these gifts. I do
it when I engage in super
fluity. Then I sprinkle with
redundancy. That is when
I and Roy Barnes and John
Oxendine and politicians
everywhere - and perhaps
you, too - really mess up.
Superfluous redundancy is
an affliction of a lot of peo
ple who write and talk for
a living (newspaper colum
nists and politicians) and a
lot of people who talk, talk,
talk just for the heck of it.
It’s a bad habit, and a tough
one to break.
Superfluous: “exceeding
what is sufficient or neces
sary; extravagant; marked by
wastefulness.” (There's that
word again. )
Redundant: “exceeding
what is necessary; superflu
ous; using more words than
necessary.”
Notice, class, that the
definitions of superfluous
and redundant are virtually
the same. So why did Mr.
Webster include both in this
Dictionary? Was he being
superfluously redundant?
And was it neces
sary for me to define
the words here? You
know what they
mean. Sometimes
we are superflu
ously redundant just
to take up (waste)
space and time. (See
prayer, second para
graph above.)
I don’t need to tell
you what “potpourri” means,
either. You know it is “a mix
ture of flowers, herbs and
spices that is usually kept in
a jar and used for scent.”
I'll wager that you also
know that potpourri’s scent
is not always pleasant.
Sometimes it stinks - like
politics.
Allow me to point out here
that all potpourri and all pol
itics are not ugly and don't
smell bad. If they were, and
did, the onerous would be
on we the people. We are
responsible for politicians
being where they are, and
we have a whole lot to do
with what they do. We are
citizens and voters (remem
ber?) and we get what we
pay for. (I’m not sure I
should have said that.)
Anyway, people, politics
and potpourri (the three Ps)
are a lot alike - all mixed up.
What it is is stuff (there’s my
favorite word again), and a
lot of people, including poli
ticians, are full of it.
But that is not all bad.
Stuff is the best ally an edi
tor, columnist or reporter
can have; he never runs out
of something to write about.
Same goes for politicians;
they never run out of some
thing to talk about.
But it’s not all good,
either. Sometimes we have
access to too much stuff. We
think we know everything,
and when we think that, we
know a lot of stuff that just
ain't so.
I used to think that was the
height of ignorance. Thanks
to the Born Loser, I've
changed my mind. In his
comic strip of April 19, he
said, “The only thing worse
than not knowing something
is not knowing that you
don’t know it.” That
takes ignorance to a
brand new level.
Finally, let's
let Leonard Pitts,
Pulitizer prize-win
ning columnist with
The Miami Herald,
explain what's
going on these days
with people and
politicians.
“Every election
cycle, the people and the
politicians join in an act
of willful self-deception,
a ritualized charade in
which everybody knows the
truth, but nobody speaks it.
Politicians flood the airways
with commercials that show
them walking and talking
with the common folk who
listen with rapt attention.
(The common folk nod their
heads in agreement.)
“The final shot frames
the candidate with a flag in
the background as he gazes
soulfully into the distance
and promises to work on
our behalf, to always be on
our side.
“They pretend to mean it
and we pretend to believe
it.”
So far, Pitts has been talk
ing about people and politi
cians in general. Listen now
as he unloads on one politi
cian in particular. “Then he
stands tall against the people
and the environment of the
Gulf Coast, and with the
industry that gave him $1.4
million.”
That would be Rep. Joe
Barton, R-Texas. He’s the
guy who apologized for
apologizing. I used to think
that “if I have offended any
one, I'm sorry” was the pre
ferred apologetic art.
“I apologize for apologiz
ing.” With that statement,
Rep. Barton elevated the art
to a much higher level. And
he joined the rest of us with
a bad case of superfluous
redundancy.
Lord, help us choose our
words carefully and use
them wisely.
Amen.
Virgil Adams is a former
owner/editor of The Jackson
Herald.
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THOSE candidates vying to
become the next state senator
for the 47th District have a
wide variety of cash on hand
— just days before the pri
mary election.
Voters will decide next
Tuesday, July 20, which of
the four Republicans will face
Democrat Tim Riley in the
November general election for
the seat that is being vacated
by Ralph Hudgens - who is
running for state insurance
commissioner.
Republicans Doug Bower,
Shane Coley, Kelley Gary and
Frank Ginn will be on the pri
mary ballot next week.
According to the latest cam
paign disclosure statements,
Ginn has the most cash on hand
with $41,139, followed by
Gary with $30,617. Candidate
Coley had $964 available after
his campaign expenses and
Bower had $794.
As of Thursday, Ginn has
generated the most contri
butions with $61,350. Gary
reported total contributions of
$39,778, followed by Coley
with $32,582 and Bower with
$3,740.
Coley reported the most
expenses with $32,582, fol
lowed by Ginn with $18,211
and Gary with $9,161. Bower
said he has spent $2,945 for
his campaign.
Most of the expenses for the
candidates’ campaigns funded
advertising, campaign manag
ers and consultants, and spe
cial events.
All of the candidates report
ed that they have made per-
BY MARK BEARDSLEY
THE JACKSON County
Board of Commissioners
expects to take action Monday
night that will make a danger
ous West Jackson intersection
safer.
The board, which meets at
6 p.m. in the jury assembly
room at the Jackson County
Courthouse, will consider a
$152,882 agreement with E.R.
Snell Contractor, Inc. for the
installation of traffic lights at
the intersection of highways
124 and 332.
“That’s a hazardous inter
section,” observed BOC
chairman Hunter Bicknell,
who said he's witnessed one
accident at the site.
The Department of
sonal financial contributions
to their campaigns for the
47th state senate district.
Bower reported that all
of his $3,740 contributions
have come from himself. He
is a pastor at Bishop United
Methodist Church and owner
of Counseling Ministries,
Arnoldsville, according to
his financial disclosure state
ment.
Gary has contributed
$23,000 in personal loans
to his campaign, according
to his disclosure statement.
The Hoschton resident owns
Premier Storage, LLC in
Buford.
Ginn, who is the county
manager of Franklin County,
made personal in-kind contri
butions to his campaign total
ing $12,436.
Those contributions have
been used to mostly purchase
campaign advertisements
and mileage reimbursement
for traveling to events. That
money is not included in his
total contribution amount of
$61,350.
Ginn, Danielsville, is also
the owner and operator the
Ginn Farm, Royston, accord
ing to his financial disclosure
statement.
Winder resident Coley
reported making personal
loans to his campaign total
ing $17,788. He is the board
chairperson of Come Alive
Ministries, Winder, and pres
ident and owner of the IT
development company MSC
Enterprises, Inc., Winder.
The State Ethics
Commission maintains a data-
Transportation will provide
the equipment, according
to Don Clerici, manager of
capital projects, and Jackson
County will provide the instal
lation.
While the contract price is
more than $152,000, Clerici
explained that the county's
out-of-pocket cost will be
substantially less. He said the
county obtained and is donat
ing the right of way for aux
iliary lanes at the site, and a
property owner is contributing
$70,000 of the total.
The work will be consid
ered part of the Zion Road
contract.
Also on the agenda for
Monday night is the approval
of an agreement with Atmos
base of campaign disclosure
statements from candidates
on its website — www.ethics.
georgia.gov.
The disclosure statements
also contain the names of
those individuals, groups and
businesses that donate more
than $101 in cash or “in-kind”
goods and services to a politi
cal candidate’s campaign.
Former Braselton Mayor
Pat Graham — who dropped
out of the 47th district state
senate in April - reported rais
ing $52,180 for her campaign,
according to a statement filed
last week.
After she withdrew from
the race, Graham gave $1,740
in “in-kind” pre-purchased
advertisements to Ginn's
campaign. She also repaid
$25,000 in personal loans for
her election bid.
Democrat Riley — who
will face the Republican win
ner of Tuesday’s primary in
the November general elec
tion — has reported raising a
total of $5,419.
Most of that money comes
from $3,400 in personal loans
to his campaign and a total
of $2,000 contributions that
were less than $101 each. He
has $5,000 of cash on hand.
The Athens resident is the
owner of Aloha Counseling
Center, Athens, according to
his financial disclosure state
ment.
The 47th State Senate
District includes all of Barrow,
Madison and Oglethorpe
counties, most of Jackson
County, and half of Clarke
and Elbert counties.
Energy to relocate gas lines
for the Gum Springs Church
Road realignment at Hwy.
124.
Atmos currently has two
four-inch lines and one eight-
inch line under the road, tak
ing natural gas to Hall County.
It intends to replace the four-
inch lines with a second eight-
inch line.
A vote Monday night will
allow engineering and permit
ting to progress and includes
a preliminary not-to-exceed
price of $175,000.
Because the county's legal
firm also does work for Atmos,
the commissioners agreed to
bring in outside legal counsel
to review the proposed agree
ment.
Citizen expresses right to vote
Dear Editor:
Today, I get to exercise my right to vote.
Unfortunately, I will go to the polls and will
select those of you who SEEM the most
honest, intelligent and sincere. There is
no way of really knowing though, because
the only information I have is that which I
gleaned from listening to numerous tirades
during which, every one of you did his
utmost to discredit your opponent. Adding
to the confusion is the realization that every
one of you seem to have a different opinion
as to what the “American people want” and
none of you have offered clear solutions to
the problems facing our communities and
our nation.
Although I am unclear as to whom should
get my vote, I think I can help you under
stand what the American people want.
I believe what most Americans want from
you is honesty, fairness, impartiality and
a willingness to listen and act in the best
interests of the American people.
I believe that means we do NOT want you
to deal with lobbyists or receive favors from
any special interest groups.
I believe we want you to stop bickering!
You are adults and should have learned by
now that bad-mouthing the other guy never
solves a problem. I believe we want you to
face the issues. You have the opportunity to
tune into many diverse ideas and the luxury
of many minds to help you. If you will seek
peace and be honest and fair, you will do
much to remove the stigma from the word
“politician” and the American people will
“have” what we really want!
Sincerely,
Billy Shallenberger
Jefferson
Visit www.JacksonHeraldToday.com.
virgil
adams
Two voting precincts to have new locations
EFFECTIVE FOR the July 20 General
Primary, two voting precincts in Jackson
County have changed locations.
Voters in the Newtown Precinct will now
vote at the Nicholson Community Center,
located at 129 Lakeview Drive in Nicholson.
Previously, voting for Newtown was held at
the Harold S. Swindle Public Library.
Voters in the North Jefferson Precinct will
now vote at the Jefferson Parks and Recreation
Department, located at 2495 Old Pendergrass
Road, Jefferson. Previously, voting for North
Jefferson was held at the Jefferson Fire
Department II.
BOC to vote Monday on traffic light
w*
Doug Bower: Enough is Enough
America and Georgia are in trouble.
Please help by voting.
Committed to the ongoing support
of the "Georgia Security and
Immigration Compliance Act"
SB 529 established in 2007
regarding illegal immigrants.
t
paid for and approved by Doug Bower
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