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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Editor: Angela Gary
Phone: 706-367-2490
E-mail: AngieEditor@aol.com
Website: www.mainstreetnews.com
Opinions
“Where the press is free and every man
able to read, all is safe.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Attitude about spending
needs to change
I ’m not rich, but my house is nicer than my
parents’ first home as newlyweds. They had a
modest ranch-style house outside the suburbs of
Houston, Texas.
And my house is probably more spacious than my
grandparents’ first home. They had an even smaller
house that looked like something on a farm. Small,
quaint and no frills.
Sixty years later, my generation expects better
things. We crave new houses with all of the “perks”
— bonus rooms, hardwood floors,
tiled bathrooms, spacious yards and
large garages to store not only the
cars, but the clutter as well.
My parents didn’t get that much
stuff in their first house. My grand
parents think we live a mansion,
compared to their first home.
And it’s not just houses, it’s
every material item that seems to
be bigger, better and more expen
sive than what previous generations
expected.
My parents didn’t have an entire aisle of toothpaste,
cereal or toilet paper at the grocery story to choose
from when they were my age. My grandparents had
few choices — they were just happy if they could
afford the necessities.
My grandparents also grew up in the Depression
— they know how to pinch every penny that comes
their way. They know what are true “needs” and
“wants” when it comes to spending money. And they
know how to put those pennies in the bank.
My generation (myself included) lives in an era
of excessive spending. Too many of us know how to
spend money. Saving money, however, is done when
there’s money left over from spending.
It’s that kind of attitude that may get a rude awaken
ing soon. The economy is sliding downward, and there
are fears of a long-lasting recession. Now is the time
for consumers to watch their spending and save what
they can, should things continue to get worse.
Some people even believe this economic downturn
signals the time for a fundamental change in how
Americans spend money. For the nation as a whole,
our spending habits and lack of saving money are spi
raling out of control. We “consume” too many things
that people a generation ago in this country didn’t buy.
I recently heard of a new concept of “anti-consum
erism.” The idea is that a family determines that for a
set period of time (usually a few weeks) to buy only
the “necessities.”
That means no eating in restaurants, no shopping
for new clothes, no new toys for the kids and no
“impulse” shopping at the grocery store. In the mean
time, families learn how to control their spending by
not only shopping more wisely, but forgoing some
purchases entirely.
It sounds a bit “liberal” and even “anti-American”
(our capitalist society depends on consumers spending
their money), but those who have tried it say it works.
And it’s not just their pocketbooks noticing the differ
ence; those families say they are happier because their
finances are in better shape.
No doubt, we can’t keep spending more of the
money we don’t have without suffering the conse
quences.
kerri
testement
Kerri Testement is the news editor of The Braselton
News, a sister publication of The Banks County News.
Her e-mail address is kerri@mainstreetnews.com.
The Banks County News
Founded 1968
The official legal organ of Banks County, Ga.
Mike Buffington Co-Publisher (Editorial)
Scott Buffington Co-Publisher (Advertising)
Angela Gary Editor
Chris Bridges Sports Editor
Sharon Hogan Reporter
Anelia Chambers Receptionist
Suzanne Reed Church News
Phones (all 706 area code):
Angela Gary Phone 367-2490
Angela Gary Fax 367-9355
Homer Office Phone 677-3491
Homer Office Fax 677-3263
Sports Phone 367-2745
Sports Fax 367-9355
(SCED 547160)
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GOP chiefs brush off big-business allies
S ince last week’s crashing fin
ish of the 2008 session of the
General Assembly, the media
has been full of various state leaders
lamenting the lack of productivity and
the egotistical rancor of various Gold
Dome politicians. Prominent among
those quoted have been the business
leaders of metro Atlanta, decrying the
lost opportunity to deal with press
ing issues like traffic, health care and
water.
Before you feel too sorry for those
corporate titans weeping while staring
out the windows of their 50th-floor
conference rooms, remember this —
those same people gave us the state
government we have today. Over the
last several years, the metro Atlanta
business community has gone all in
with the state GOP, funding them at
such a massive level that Republican
bank accounts have been insur
ance against Georgia’s beleaguered
Democrats ever regaining power.
In 2001, our business friends knew
they had a problem with Georgia’s
state flag: It prominently featured the
Confederate battle emblem, a 1956
design inspired by Dixiecrat resistance
to the budding civil rights movement.
That issue was causing worsening
heartburn for business leaders afraid
their companies would be subject to
an economic boycott similar to what
was happening in South Carolina at the
time.
That fear led the corporate board
room boys, including then-banker
and now Perdue administration chief
operating Officer Jim Lientz, and then-
Georgia Power executive and now
Perdue chief of staff Ed Holcombe,
down to the Gold Dome to convince
Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes and his
Democrats in charge of the General
Assembly to change the flag. The busi
ness crowd promised heavy support for
Barnes and the legislative Democrats
who walked the plank. Not surprising-
ly, the promises
were empty. The
rage among white
voters was worse
than expected
and Barnes and
the General
Assembly’s
Democratic
majority were
gone.
The business
boys couldn’t
have been happier.
They got their flag change (something
only the Democrats would have done),
but the crowd they really wanted in
charge took over. The Republicans
promptly set about the business of
pleasing their big business pals. They
repealed Barnes’ law cracking down on
predatory lending practices and restrict
ed the right to sue. Perdue even did the
boardrooms’ bidding when it came to
his 2002 promise to let Georgians vote
whether to put the Confederate emblem
back on the state flag. He held the ref
erendum, but he left out the chance to
vote for the 1956 version featuring the
relevant insignia.
The honeymoon, however, was
quickly over. While Georgia companies
have been dutifully pouring corporate
cash into GOP coffers and starving the
Democrats, the Republican masters of
the Gold Dome have not returned the
favor.
Take the crisis at Grady Hospital.
The business community is rightly con
cerned that a Grady collapse would put
health care in jeopardy across the metro
region. Not only does Grady have an
indispensable trauma center and burn
unit, but its closure would also flood
hospitals across Georgia with the
indigent patients Grady now handles.
A shuttered Grady is an unmitigated
disaster.
The business community has essen
tially taken over Grady through its
new nonprofit board, wresting control
from the governments of Fulton and
DeKalb counties. The new board is
stacked with Republican business loy
alists, including Joe Rogers of Waffle
House and Jim Stephenson of Yancey
Brothers. The board chair is retired
Georgia Pacific CEO Pete Correll.
Even with a new board that is a
who’s who of Georgia’s Republican
business establishment, the General
Assembly thumbed its nose at its obli
gation to provide state support to keep
Grady afloat. The debate degenerated
into a game of “gotcha” over abortion,
and the Grady bill died.
On issue after issue, the business
community came up short. Their plan
to allow regional referendums on sales
taxes to fund traffic relief projects was
rejected. They failed to get trauma
care funding to ensure an adequate
statewide network of emergency rooms.
Nothing that passed will seriously
address the state’s water supply crisis.
And the GOP majority again shorted
the funding formula for our schools and
universities, further damaging an edu
cation system that once was Georgia’s
greatest asset in attracting new employ
ers.
Sen. David Adelman, D-Decatur,
was quoted a few months ago saying
that the problem at the Capitol is that
the state is “being governed through
the prism of a Republican primary.”
He’s right. Jockeying by ambitious pols
to win Republican primary votes is
the main event under the Gold Dome.
That makes for ugly politics and worse
policy.
Here’s hoping that enough people
are aware of this unworkable mess to
start supporting two-party government
again.
You can reach award-winning politi
cal columnist Bill Shipp at P. O. Box
2520, Kennesaw, GA 30156 or e-mail:
shipp1@bellsouth.net.
bill
shipp
Letters to the editor policy given
The Banks County News has estab
lished a policy on printing Letters to
the editor.
We must have an original copy of
all letters that are submitted to us for
publication.
Members of our staff will not type
out or hand-write letters for people
who stop by the office and ask them
to do so.
Letters to the editor must also be
signed with the address and phone
number of the person who wrote
them.
The address and phone number
will be for our verification purposes
only and will not be printed unless
the writer requests it. Mail to,
The Banks County News, P.O. Box
920, Homer, Ga. 30547.
E-mailed letters will be accepted,
but we must have a contact phone
number and address. Letters that are
libelous will not be printed.
Letters may also be edited to
meet space requirements. Anyone
with questions on the policy
is asked to contact editor Angela
Gary at AngieEditor@aol.com or by
calling 706-367-2490.
News department contact numbers
Anyone with general story ideas,
complaints or comments about the
news department is asked to call edi
tor Angela Gary at 706-367-2490.
She can also be reached by e-mail
at AngieEditor@aol.com.
Anyone with comments, questions
or suggestions relating to the coun
ty board of commissioners, county
government, county board of educa
tion and crime and courts is asked to
contact staff reporter Chris Bridges
at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail at
chris@mainstreetnews.com.
Bridges also is sports edi
tor of the paper and covers local
high school, middle school and
recreation sports.
Anyone with comments, ques
tions or suggestions relating to
Alto, Lula, Baldwin and Gillsville,
should contact Sharon Hogan at
706-367-5233 or by e-mail at
sharon@mainstreetnews.com.
Calls for information about the
church page should go to Suzanne
Reed at 706-677-3491. Church
news may also be e-mailed to
churchnews@mainstreetnews.com.
The Banks County News website
is updated each Thursday and
can be accessed on the Internet at
www.mainstreetnews.com.
Sunset causes
one to pause,
give thanks
I t came about as a result of the rain
we had Friday into Saturday.
As the sun began to fade late
Saturday, I noticed the remaining rays
of light shining brightly, even through
the closed blinds at my house. I walked
over, opened the blind and was greeted
with a scene which would have made
a great photograph or even a stunning
painting.
Being not much of a photographer or
no part of an artist, I simply admired the
scene for a few moments. The sky was
a bright, clear shade of blue which was
caused by the rain clearing the pollution
— if only for a little while.
Above the blue
skyline were sever
al layers of clouds
which had a bright,
orange tint caused
by the fading sun
light. It was one of
the moments where
you could just look
upward and be in
awe of nature and
all its wonders.
It was one of
those “thank
ful” times I like to remember when
life becomes too hectic and fast paced.
Later, it helped me remember other
things I am thankful for including:
•the first rays of sunlight as they break
through the window in the morning let
ting you know you have reached another
day.
•the enjoyment of a Saturday after
noon drive after a long work week.
•spring football practice.
•a day at the local high school base
ball field when the weather is just right
and the home team records a victory.
•the quiet of Sunday evenings as we
mentally prepare for a new week.
•people who still enjoy reading a
newspaper by holding it in their hands
rather than looking at it on a computer
screen.
•sports writing legend and king
Furman Bisher who is entering his 90th
year. Long may he reign.
•old homes and buildings which have
actually been kept up through the years.
Nothing is quite as sad as seeing an old
home deteriorate from lack of people
residing in it or an old building collapse
from years of neglect.
•the memory of Lewis Grizzard. Has
it really been 14 years since he left us?
Spring in the South isn’t the same with
out him here to write about it.
•the reader who sends a note saying
they enjoyed something in the paper
rather than complaining about some
thing.
•good friends and what they mean on
a daily basis.
•the way a new book feels when you
first open the pages.
•the crispness of a new magazine.
•the sound of the press in opera
tion on Wednesdays here at Mainstreet
Newspaper headquarters.
•the song you hear that makes you tap
your foot.
•the pride I feel when I hear “Georgia
On My Mind,” be it sung by Ray
Charles or Willie Nelson.
•the elected official who actually
accomplishes something when he or she
is in office.
•those who fight to prevent animal
cruelty.
•for co-workers like Sharon Hogan
who take on any task without hesita
tion, complaint or excuse. You’ll never
hear Sharon say, “That’s not my job” or
“That’s not something I’m supposed to
do.” It’s people like her who are the glue
that hold our company together.
•Atlanta Braves games on the radio
with Skip Carey offering his musings.
•the mornings when I can overcome
my laziness and get out of bed on time.
•photographs which can instantly
transport you back to the time when
they were taken.
•people who remember to say “thank
you.”
•and finally, for those of you who are
still reading this column at this point.
All three of you.
chris
bridges
Chris Bridges is a reporter for The
Banks County News. Contact him at
706-367-2745 or e-mail comments to
chris@mainstreetnews.com.