Morgan County GA Democrats

By Chris Hodges
December 20, 2007

My parents are celebrating their 40th anniversary this week. I’m so proud of them for their accomplishment and I’m thankful for the example they set. Since we were kids, my brothers and I have watched them perform this delicate tango called “marriage.” They are two very different people – so, obviously, they haven’t always agreed. But they’ve always respected each other, felt free to express (sometimes forcefully) their opinions, been willing to listen, and been able to compromise when necessary. Their ability to communicate effectively benefited all of us.

It seems to me that Republicans and Democrats could learn a lot from studying successful marriages – like how to treat each other with respect, openness, tolerance, cooperativeness, and attentiveness. Instead, party leaders and members are often so polarized that it seems impossible to find common ground on anything. Ideologues prey on emotions and discourage resolutions to our most pressing problems. Every Congressional vote is divided strictly along party lines and defectors are denounced and reprimanded. It is a lose/lose situation for the individuals involved, for their constituents, and for the country.

During the upcoming election year, we should evaluate the candidates’ willingness to engage in healthy debate and their ability to negotiate and cooperate with the leadership on both sides of the aisle – and beyond. We can continue to elect ideologues or we can elect those who are willing to work with their colleagues, without regard to party affiliations, to find real solutions to the problems we face in national security, dependence on foreign oil, immigration, the environment, healthcare, education . . . For most of us, healthy dissent, discourse, compromise, and action are preferable to political stalemate and continued inaction.

It takes commitment and effort to make a marriage work in spite of differing opinions, personalities, goals, etc. Voters should insist that our leaders emulate this valued institution by cooperating across party lines to achieve the greater good. By holding them accountable for such, we do our part to discourage the vitriolic behavior that has become so characteristic of both parties. The spitefulness is exhausting – and it threatens the very fabric of our nation.
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By Patsy Harris
December 13, 2007

Holding one’s tongue has no better place than with the poll worker on Election Day. It’s tough work to grin and bear some rather remarkable remarks from voters.

Nearly every election that I worked as a poll worker, at least one harried voter would state quite honestly about the list of candidates, “I have no idea who these people are.” I would smile back sympathetically. Inside I was screaming, “Then go home, do your research, and come back later!” He or she would cast a vote, chosen maybe by cuteness of name, maybe alphabetically, maybe “eenie-meenie-minie-mo.”

Most interesting was that the voter admitted it openly. How many more folks are (hopefully) too embarrassed about their dilemma and keep it to themselves?

February 5, in less than two months, is the next Election Day, and there is certainly enough information about the gaggle of presidential candidates for voters to begin to nail down their choices.

If today were Election Day I’d be right down there with harried voter above. Many of us would - too many of us. The field is wide open on both sides, with altering factors popping up every day. Spinning the likes of Oprah, religion, Iraq, Iran, massacres, and Iowa change the balance every single day.

Pretty darn soon each of us needs to get to the business of seriously researching the presidential candidates. I have started. When I fill out my absentee ballot at home or the voter information card at my polling place, I will have no second thoughts or regrets about who I vote for.

I won’t be working the polls on February 5, so if I hear a fellow voter say, “I have no idea who these people are,” I’m going to respond that voter, “Go home, do your research, and come back later.”
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By Patsy Harris
November 22, 2007

Sonny Perdue arrived at the Pearly Gates with one question for The Almighty. “Millions of the faithful prayed for rain in 2007, Lord,” he cried, “but since then, we have only had a drop. Why did you forsake us and not answer out fervent prayers that day?”

And The Almighty answered:

Didn’t my messenger tell you long ago that more reservoirs were needed in Georgia just to meet basic human needs?

Over the years, haven’t I sent many angels to discuss water conservation methods with you? Didn’t you hear them speak of low-flow toilets and shower heads and drought-resistant landscaping?

Didn’t I send my agents to warn you about leaks in metropolitan water infrastructure?

Didn’t I inspire the words of many men and women in Georgia who warned you against unrestricted growth?

Didn’t you read my word giving you dominion over all the Earth? Do you think a sparrow is the lowest form of life I created and demand you care for?

Besides sending these words and messengers, whispering in your ears, and organizing a drought here or there, you may have read that I also work on a grander scale, say, global floods, population annihilation. So, you might not want to ask me to solve this one for you.
And one more thing, if I had wanted you to be a religious exhibitionist, I would have shown you the path to televangelism.
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By Patsy Harris
November 8, 2007

As we continue to think and read about our late friend Chester Thomas, here I will add this eulogy.

Chester , thank you for your loyalty to the Morgan County Democratic Party. We are so proud that you ran twice as a Democrat for the county commission and won twice. That is quite a feat here, but your character crossed party lines and drew in everyone.

You truly reflected your loyalty to the principles of the party in so many areas, not the least of which was on the county commission, where you listened, questioned, and voted your conscience. We think you were on your way to greater responsibilities there.

How many folks knew you were a trustee of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center ? Who knew that, as a commissioner, you were a proponent of the Morgan County Library, when not every commissioner even had a library card?

How many knew you were a member of the Morgan County Branch of the NAACP? Laura Butler, the president of the local branch, said you “stood for equal opportunity for all, and that is what the NAACP stands for.” She will miss the support you so unselfishly gave to her family and the NAACP.

We thank you for your decent character, your family, your memory, and your gifts to us all.
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By Patsy Harris
October 25, 2007

Several times a day in my house I pass through a room in which my husband is working on a project while he listens to rather biased talk shows on the radio or TV. While the constant yadda yadda is certainly annoying to me, sometimes I do hear an interesting tidbit.

Recently a radio host in Atlanta reminded his listeners to ration their use of water before the governor deals out some major restrictions. Interesting, isn't it, how environmentally aware and pro-active some can become when only 90 days are left in their water supply and when photos appear showing lush, grassy meadows where drinking water should be collecting.

Is it the immediacy, the 90 days which one can count on this year's calendar that turns some into environmentalists? Is it a personal, primal thirst?

I have heard neighbors scoff and dismiss the problems of the global environment. But those problems are not as immediate as 90 days, and may not even be on the calendar during their lifetime.

It is certainly interesting how some of us can feel the global problems so primally and begin to act this far in advance, while others need to experience the dryness of their own tongues before they act.
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By Andrew Simpson
October 11, 2007

To encourage tourists to visit our small town, help the environment and provide value for our hard-earned tax dollars, one solution is to expand the Morgan County Transit system to cater not only to residents of Morgan County but also to visitors in the town.

Available to anyone, and funded by rider fees, Morgan County, and the Georgia Department of Transportation, Morgan County Transit is by far the most economical way to go out and about, not only in Madison but also Morgan County. It costs only $1.25 for a one-way trip inside the city limits, and $1.50 outside. At the moment, the hours are 7:30 AM to 3 PM during the week, with no service at all on weekends. Currently, you have to make an appointment 24 hours in advance for the bus to come and collect you, for the door to door service.

Imagine how the commerce of downtown business could be transformed if the service were able to expand its hours and provide an increase in customers and foot traffic in downtown Madison. A circular route could be introduced, which would start at the hotels on the Eatonton Highway near its junction with the Interstate, come down Main Street, and terminate in the area next to the new Town Park, then return in the opposite direction. It could run at half-hour intervals, with stops along the way.

Not only would this be an opportunity to cater to our tourists, but it could look out for the residents of Madison. The funding provided by tourists could be used to expand the hours and coverage of the Morgan County Transit System, so that employees from outside the Madison area would be able to get to work and home again, without having to use their cars, which in turn would save them money, help the environment and illustrate how tax dollars can be spent wisely and benefit the local community.
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By Marty Fierman
August 30, 2007

A consulting engineer has recommended that Morgan County spend $77 million to build a western by-pass around Madison, the primary beneficiary of which will be Wal-Mart.

Madison has a traffic problem. Fifteen to 20 times a day 18-wheelers come from the Wal-Mart distribution center at Monroe on Hwy 83 into the heart of Madison. The trucks then turn right on Main Street and head south to Wal-Mart.

The problem could be completely solved by connecting Hwys 83 and 441 north of town at a cost of $22 million - no more heavy truck traffic through town and $55 million saved.

There is virtually no heavy truck traffic on Hwy 83 from Monticello. What there is already reaches the 441 by-pass using Lions Club Rd.

Should we spend $55 million and destroy homes without any appreciable benefit to the community so that Walmart can save about one mile per trip?

This project is Madison’s “bridge to nowhere”. Tell the County Commissioners that you are opposed to it.
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By Andrew Simpson
May 24, 2007

Education is the key to protecting the future and security of the United States. Our main economic rivals train their kids in technology which provides the children a competitive edge and creates a great challenge to the prospective careers of future Americans.

Few U. S. parents realize the opportunities and uncertainties ahead of their four-year-olds as they enter the pre-K program. While economic growth in India and China will soon overtake that of the United States, technology and education of those two countries are the tickets to the future of their little ones.

The American perception of education has to change. Schools must emphasize that technologies are the key to America’s future economic success. Outsourcing to India and China in various technological industries will become the norm unless we specialize in those highly skilled industries. Our children’s future is bleak when major U. S. businesses prefer outsourcing to retraining, investment, and involvement.

Look at the dropout rate in our schools and ask the students, “Why are you leaving?” Is it peer pressure and their views of education? Can we introduce more innovative programs, where they can achieve vocational skills as an alternative to the current educational system? We have to engage them in an exchange of ideas, where they understand that an education is a key to their potential.

Along with schools, we must engage businesses, multinational companies, and the local community in an ongoing partnership to educate, train, and utilize an available, homegrown competitive workforce.

Our challenge is to provide the keys to success, where our children are provided with opportunities not only at school, but also when they complete their formal education, with training and vocational courses provided by businesses and states.

This must be a partnership process, where we work together with the children, starting from pre-K, leaders of academia, and the community, to offer a future, which our children and grandchildren can be proud of, rather than consign them to the scrapheap of history with little or no hope of emulating and surpassing what we have already achieved.

It is up to us to ensure that the economic light at the end of our children’s tunnel is not a train heading toward them.
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By Andrew Simpson
May 10, 2007

The Constitution guarantees all Americans three things; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How are we as a people to attain any of these when so many of us live the nightmare that is the inability to afford or have access to basic health care?

Insurance premiums are set, not by ability to pay, but by the companies themselves. Indeed, many Americans have to choose between paying for the roof over their head, food and clothing, and paying for medical premiums. Beyond premiums, medical treatment can cost a family tens of thousands of dollars. What do you do, when you have re-mortgaged your house, downsized your car, sold off your family heirlooms, spent your inheritance and it is still not enough? A medical repayment plan can cover decades.

What many people are advocating is for individuals, businesses, state and federal governments, and healthcare providers joining together in contributing to a pool of money to pay for the healthcare system.

Americans who are usually refused treatment due to hereditary or pre-existing conditions, would, under the new system, have access. The number of sick days would go down, as illnesses would be caught at an earlier stage and cures prescribed, rather than under the current system, where people do not seek healthcare due to medical premiums. A system based on medical need is far superior to that based on wealth or the generosity of employer insurance benefit plans.

Under this type of healthcare system, built on the solid foundations of PeachCare and Medicaid, there would still be room for private medical insurance. However, as a result of the subsequent competition, these premiums would go down.

The service at point of need would become more flexible, with patients choosing their doctors and with mobile treatment units traveling to people unable to reach a specialist or hospital. This future in healthcare has the potential to provide people with a freedom of choice and gives them a personal liberty unknown under various schemes subscribed to the present system.

How do you feel about those Constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness now? Are you happy with the nightmare of the status quo, or are you willing to join Democrats in providing us all with the ability to live the American Dream?
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By Patsy Harris
April 26, 2007

A movement that will actually change lives for the better is gaining steam right now in Morgan County. It is bringing together folks from all backgrounds who know there is this need. It is bipartisan, and it is multi-racial, just as are its future recipients. And it is a no-brainer that this steam engine should, and will, get to its destination.

“It’s gonna happen,” said Harris Warbington, one of the leaders who is in the initial stages of organizing a Boys and Girls Club in Madison. He told me he was shocked upon studying the local social problems recorded in the 2000 census data. “A community like Madison shouldn’t have these problems,” he said.

Over the last year, discussions have been held in churches, local social clubs, golf games, homes, with local people of all persuasions, experts from other communities, and former beneficiaries of the club, now adults. Those folks say it is a chance to break the cycle, for a kid to move out of the generation-to-generation culture of life-long defeat.

When one reviews the mission statements of a few of the hundreds of Boys and Girls Clubs around the U. S., one sees the fundamentals to which Morgan County’s will subscribe. The young people to whom the program will be aimed are “at-risk,” from “disadvantaged circumstances,” at a “critical period of growth.” The goals are for the youth are to, “realize their full potential as responsible, caring and productive citizens,” “develop today’s youth for tomorrow’s challenges,” “assure and to enhance the quality of life for children.”

How will they do this? Again, from the clubs themselves, “inspire,” “empower,” provide “organized group activities and mentoring programs,” provide programs focused on “everything from education, social recreation, health and physical education, to leadership and citizenship development, cultural enrichment, and personal adjustment with one-on-one counseling.”

A few weeks ago we Democrats invited the public to begin a discussion of the issues facing the county. Before the meeting even began, what a pleasure it was that, upon talking to one woman whose first concern was that kids here have no place to go, nothing to do, after school, I was able to introduce her to Harris Warbington, who had come to the meeting to tell us about the Boys and Girls Club project.

Get on this train. It’s a no-brainer.
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By Patsy Harris
April 19, 2007

"It's our time to lead,” said Barack Obama recently. “Our identity crisis is over."

That identity crisis was over a long time ago for Morgan County Democrats. We know who we are, are proud in shouting it out loud, and continually produce and honor Democratic leaders in our community.

We are the sons and daughters of Thomas Jefferson who founded the “party of the common man” and of the great unifier Andrew Jackson. This Friday night, in that spirit we will unite, as we have the last two years, for a dinner in their honor. We will laugh, pray, listen, and cheer with a deep bond of loyalty and respect.

We will also honor two women, one who has lived here a short time and shows great promise, and one who, as a little girl, attended Madison’s graded school, and who is still working on the important projects that make our county the beauty that it is.

Becca Henry, a student at Morgan County High School, will receive the Young Democrat Award for her contribution to the local party during the past year.

Adelaide Ponder will receive the party’s most prestigious yearly honor, the Roy Lambert Public Service Award, and a grand contingent of her family will be in attendance. The large silver bowl, which Mrs. Ponder will house for the next year, is also inscribed with the names of the two previous winners, Marshall “Woody” Williams and Bruce Gilbert.

The surprise of the evening will be the announcement of the winner of the “Spirit Award,” which will be given to a local Democratic Committee member whose energy and enthusiasm surpassed the rest.

Not only will Morgan County Democratic leaders shine that night, but Jane Kidd, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, will bring greetings from her new state-level administration.

To round off the evening, the adrenaline will be flowing faster with the keynote speech by the Rev. Jim Nelson, Democrat of Savannah. His will be one we will talk about for years.

The Jefferson-Jackson Dinner will be held this Friday night, 6 PM reception, 7-9 PM dinner. It will be held in Madison at the James Madison Conference Center behind Madison Markets. At press time there were a few tickets available; call Ruth Bracewell, 342-4959.
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By Andrew Simpson
April 12, 2007

Democrat James Marlow officially opened his campaign for Georgia’s 10th Congressional District seat last week. I attended the events of his third and last stop of the day, in Athens. At 5 PM James began his speech, recalling how his day began with a prayer and his various campaign stops during the day.

His campaign is built on faith, his calling to serve, and his values which he believes provides him with a unique vision as a Democratic candidate for District 10.

James sees technology as the key for innovation in business, education, healthcare and energy. Technology is the key for not only a future for our district but for the state of Georgia.

As a legacy for Charlie Norwood he seeks to pass the Patient Bill of Rights and has a personal interest in cancer research. He views as abhorrent the fact that 42 million Americans are without health insurance, and will work to ensure that all children in Georgia have healthcare.

The key to a successful future in the search for jobs in the 21st Century is for a knowledge-based economy to challenge China, India and our main competitors. By doing this, he feels we will be able to attract companies to invest, but we all need to look at why 30 percent of children do not finish high school, because simply ignoring the problem will provide an advantage for other nations.

Energy independence marches hand in hand with national security, said James. No longer should the United States be dependent on foreign oil but must seek alternatives at home, which will not only help the environment but also lessen the need to rely on supplies from abroad.

He said that District 10 is very diverse in terms of community and environment and has many small towns, but some are being left behind in the field of economic development, so what he seeks is a rural renaissance, with an emphasis on stopping the brain drain and helping farmers. Development of a different kind threatens the mountains of North Georgia and the Coastal regions, where he wishes to see action taken now, rather than have the regrets of what should have been 25 or 30 years down the line. Our children and grandchildren should be proud of the decisions we take today, he said.

James finished by talking about Iraq. He said that America needs to be strong and defend itself when attacked. However, the United States should strike where necessary and when there is a clear and present danger. The military, where deployed, should also have the ability to defend itself with the correct equipment and have Humvees that are armor-plated. Soldiers who return from Iraq should be given the best care and attention. He seeks an honorable exit from Iraq.
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By Patsy Harris
April 5, 2007

Peace and magic – two words used together not often enough. But they so very well describe the recent vigil on the front steps of the Morgan County Courthouse in which about 80 folks honored U. S. Military men and women who have died in the conflict in Iraq.

Calm and fury – two words seldom used in concert. But, they linked up that evening, in a calm sadness of the loss of life and a quiet fury over the war in that country.

Those with long memories of Morgan County do not recall this type of demonstration ever being held here. It was a pro-peace rally with everyone invited. The gently flickering candlelight, the soft, meaningful words of the songs, the prayers of three local ministers, the speeches, the young, the old, the black, the white, the military, and the non-military – it was a beautiful community blend.

Organizer Karen Strelecki said afterwards, “I hope that a spark was lit in everyone who was there and that they will take the message with them.” She need not worry. Not only will all of us there that night talk about it a long time, but one man, a Unitarian minister from out of town, heard about the vigil as he passed through Madison. He stayed for the observance and thanked her for having the guts to stand up there and do this, adding that it inspired him to take the message back to his congregation.

Tears and resolve – Each of us was give a portion of a list of the names of the nearly 3,300 Americans killed so far in Iraq. Each read his list with steadfast determination to maintain composure. Some folks wiped away tears amid the quiet murmur of voices. One by one, as the lists were finished, the murmur gave way to individual voices reading names, and finally, we listened with quiet, dignified respect until the last reader gently and softly spoke her final name.
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By Mary McGill
March 29, 2007

Rory Kennedy is the youngest child of Robert F., Jr, and Ethel Kennedy. She is also an award-winning filmmaker and producer. Her newest film is called “The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.” Recently, she was interviewed on Democracy Now, a daily TV news program, by Amy Goodman, and clips of the movie were aired. It was apparent early on that this Kennedy is without fear in confronting one of our country's most shameful and uninvestigated episodes that have occurred in the last five years of the Bush administration.

The movie tracks events that came to the public’s attention in 2004 regarding abuse and torture of prisoners being held at Abu Ghraib. The photographs graphically revealed the nature of the torture for which 17 U. S. soldiers were removed from duty and seven of those were convicted of dereliction of duty, maltreatment, assault and battery. No one up the chain of command, except demoted and retired General Janice Lapinsky, has been made accountable. Of particular note was Alberto Gonzales, credited with finding the language that allows torture, and helped set in motion the depraved events at Abu Ghraib.

The movie includes interviews with the soldiers involved as well as the Iraqi men who were held and tortured. Kennedy's movie is being acclaimed by scholars, politicians, and the public. Special airings have been made available to Congressmen and Senators in an effort to promote follow-up into legal wrongdoing by powerful people up the chain of command. That the chain leads into the White House is ultimately inevitable to conclude.

Thanks to Rory Kennedy and her fearless pursuit of the truth. That Abu Ghraib was not immediately condemned and destroyed at the very beginning of this illegal and immoral war is perfectly in place with the actions of the Bush Administration. That we were never meant to see and know what happened is simply policy by this over-reaching executive who finds impunity in arrogance.
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By Ted Arnold
March 15, 2007

Here's another reason I think I'll stay in Madison.

My house is only one door up from the parking lot that is shared by the three largest churches in my county. A few mornings ago the lot was full. All the side streets for four blocks around the parking lot were lined with parked cars. I've never seen so many cars, even on Easter Sunday.

Henry Verner passed away this week, and a crowd was attending his funeral. Henry was 82. He was one of most loved folks around these parts. He was a well-respected farmer, on the boards of directors of all sorts of business, county, and professional groups.

We Democrats gave him our first “Yellow Dog Democrat” Award at our first Jefferson-Jackson dinner. He wore a Roosevelt/Truman for President campaign button.

He helped establish the Rural Electrification Administration in this section of Georgia. He grew up on a farm without electricity or water. He was Georgia Cattleman of the Year and was recognized nationally for experimenting with hybrid grasses that the University of Georgia had developed.

He smiled at everyone. And, he gave a peppermint candy to every woman and girl he met.

I am privileged to have known Henry. He voted in the precinct where I worked the polls. He always stopped to visit with all of our poll workers, and gave the women peppermints, and he'd whisper to me, "I'm voting the straight Democratic ticket," and wink. He'd entered smiling and leave smiling.

He was married to his childhood sweetheart for 60+ years. He had five children, 18 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. All of them are good, decent, and happy people. It ain't by accident that they are.
A very good life, very well lived. Rest in peace, Henry.
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By Marty Fierman
March 8, 2007

On March 17 at 10:00 A.M., many of your neighbors will gather at the Madison Public Library to reflect upon the issues which will face our community during the next 24 months.

You are invited.

This will be an opportunity for you to participate in the creation of an agenda for our community leaders and a chance to make your voice heard.

Morgan County is growing, and that growth will produce changes. You can watch as those changes take place, or you can become proactive and plan for the future. We can preserve what we find attractive about this community while controlling future development.

In life, there are players and spectators. Only the players affect the course of events.

Be a player -- join us on March 17 at 10:00 A.M. to begin designing the future of Morgan County.
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By Babs Johnston
March 1, 2007

My heart sang when I read, “…inside the Madison Hwy 441 Bypass….” Perhaps, yours did, too!

Or, perhaps, you missed it. Either way, it’s a fact that our SPLOST-supported, soon-to-be constructed Aquatics Center will be built inside the bypass, adjacent to our Recreation Center, thus making it convenient to all Morgan County residents!

Morgan County Recreation Director Bill Wood, our Recreation Commission, our City Council and all who supported this decision are to be commended.

How sensible that our new pool will be close, not only to our Recreation Center , but also, to our Morgan County Uncle Remus Library! I can see the ad: “Laps and Learning – register your child now for swimming lessons & reading/computer lessons, too!” This may be a dream-come-true for every parent with an active child.

Morgan County is setting an excellent example for its children – a sound mind and a sound body! Soon, within walking or biking distance, we will have our library, Madison ’s new Fitness Center , and soon, our new Aquatics Center. We’ll be able to work out our bodies at our Fitness or Aquatics Center then bike or walk over to our Library and give our minds a “work out” too.

The Madison moniker “Best Small Town in America” is becoming a reality. Not only has our school system attracted nation-wide attention with its innovative, successful programs, but soon, we’ll be hosting those who want to investigate our fitness facilities’ and local library’s “sound mind/sound body programs”!

I am truly grateful and extend sincere “Thanks” to everyone who has and who will help make this dream a reality for all Morgan County citizens, particularly our children.
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By Dollie Pettis
February 22, 2007

If you care about the future of Social Security, please read this. My information comes from the National Committee to Save Social Security and Medicare, of which I am a member. I know there are many unanswered questions about Social Security, especially now.

In Washington, lawmakers and policy experts are grappling over the future of this program that many say is in serious trouble. They have been talking about dramatic changes in future benefits, major reforms, even bankruptcy. That's because there is so much misinformation about Social Security these days. I hope you benefit from the following.

1. Social Security is not going bankrupt. According to its own actuaries, SS is running a healthy $1.7 trillion surplus - a surplus projected to grow (not shrink) to almost $3.7 trillion by 2014.

2. The current projections show Social Security able to pay full benefits for another three decades and then some.

3. Beyond that, there are reasonable, solid, relatively modest adjustments that would insure the viability of SS for many more years to come. So it follows that radical changes are not necessary to "save Social Security".

4. Many in Washington are pushing for privatization, saying this approach is essential to prepare the program for retiring Baby Boomers. Far from "saving" SS money in private, individual accounts, it DRAINS Social Security's surplus - thus requiring cuts in guaranteed benefits for future retirees. If Social Security were privatized, taxes would have to be increased significantly, massive new government debt incurred, guaranteed benefits drastically scaled back, or some combination of these - because Social Security is a pay-as-you-go program, with current workers' contributions being paid out to current beneficiaries. The moment payroll taxes are diverted away from SS and into private accounts, the program would suffer a reduction in funds that would grow larger every year.

5. Financing that gap is counted among the "transition costs," and the transition cost for proposed partial privatization over the first 10 years alone has been estimated at $2 trillion or more.

6. Gambling your retirement security on the stock market would be incredibly risky (e.g., NASDAQ lost 75% of its value between 2001 and 2003).

7. Those nearing retirement could be further hurt by a transition that leaves them little time to accrue substantial private accounts, but still imposes reductions in guaranteed benefits.

8. Social Security has a higher average rate of return than any mix of financial assets in
private accounts when adjusted for risk.

9. Current law requires that every penny in the Social Security Trust Funds will be available
when needed by future beneficiaries.

10. And furthermore, if you care about the future of Social Security, YOU belong in this debate. While Congress may hold the levers of power concerning Social Security, it's YOU, their constituents, they listen to most. Now more than ever before, you, of the rapidly growing number of Americans counting on SS today or in the near future, need to let our representatives in Congress know we want to protect the Social Security and Medicare benefits we've earned and are counting on.
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By Patsy Harris
February 15, 2007

Meet, plan, strategize, gloat, schmooze, fret – all in a day’s work in politics.

Lift, help, cheer, give, improve, serve – all in a day’s work for the local Democratic Party. We are putting our shared core values to work performing visible projects in Morgan County. The monthly “Action Team” efforts will be in the areas of environment, health care, and education.

A few weeks ago seven Democrats, each safeguarded by a bright orange vest, picked up litter along East Washington St. in Madison. Seven large garbage bags were filled and one very nice hubcap retrieved. The litter was then sorted and recycled.

Not surprisingly, we discovered this week that President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason, has co-founded a national group – Democrats Work. His website explains: “We paint schools, clean up parks, build houses, sponsor block parties and basketball tournaments, tutor children, help out at our church bake sales, and serve food at soup kitchens. We are Democrats. We are committed to service. And we put our values into action.” (visit http://democratswork.org)

That is exactly how we envision our own Action Team.

Chris Hodges, 2nd vice-chair of the Morgan County Democrats, is heading up the local program. This month the group is collecting magazines to be distributed to retirement homes and shut-ins. The public is invited to join in and can call Hodges at 342-7421.

For more information about the Morgan County Democratic Party, visit www.oocities.org/morgancodems.
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By Edward Arnold
February 8, 2007

Our world is becoming ever more interconnected, and that is due, thanks very much, to access to the internet. Today you cannot run an efficient business without it, and it is increasingly clear you cannot run an efficient city without one either, not to mention educate students or support economic growth. That is why some 300 American muni-cipalities are looking to offer wireless service, or Wi-Fi, everywhere, from cramped studio apartments to secluded park benches. Madison, GA, should join them.

In St. Cloud, Florida, a small town outside of Orlando, the municipal government spent just under $3 million to build a Wi-Fi network to cover the 15-square-mile town. Acces-sing the Internet there is free anywhere in the city limits. The network was partially funded by tax dollars, but the free Wi-Fi ends up saving most residents money by elimi-nating their monthly internet bills.

In turn, residents save, but so does the city. In Corpus Christi, Texas, the Wi-Fi network is used regularly, in dozens of ways, by local employees, 70 percent of whom work outside the office. Gas, water, and electric meters in Corpus Christi are now automated so that each day they turn themselves on and send readings over the wireless network. The city went from 25 meter readers to a staff of 4 key employees. Wi-Fi service has, so far, paid for itself.

Madison may not even need to spend a dime for Wi-Fi. In his January 2006 State of the State address, Republican Governor Sunny Perdue pledged a $4 million state-wide broadband initiative, which, he said, aims "to ensure that every community in Georgia is plugged into the global economy."

Madison should take advantage of this opportunity. We can save our citizens money by lowering or eliminating their cost for broadband. We can widen the availability of internet access to all our students and neighbors. We can benefit Madison businesses. We can attract business to Madison. And we can improve the efficiency of local government.

Sometimes government can do things for its citizens more cheaply and efficiently than private enterprise... particularly on the local level.
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By Chris Hodges
February 1, 2007

Over the Christmas Holidays, I took my daughters to Stone Mountain - that great monolith we native Georgians often take for granted, but for which the state is world-renown. As a child, my family and I spent many sunny days in this park. Being there again evoked pleasant memories – the kind accompanied by background music – maybe Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze” or some other peaceful tune.

With children in tow, I ascended the mountain, anticipating breathtaking views of the terrain below. I was a bit smug – self-satisfied for electing on this day to expose the kids to nature’s beauty rather than to meander the aisles of Old Navy and call it a family outing. But as we reached the precipice, I was disappointed to find that the view I remembered as a kid was no longer there. In its place was the thick haze of Atlanta blanketing the landscape and tarnishing the bright, blue sky. I knew things had changed over the years. But for some reason, I thought that up here, way up high, I would forget for a moment that the mountain was now surrounded by car lots and outlet malls, that the city’s sprawl and pollution were overrunning the place.

I am a child of the seventies, on whom “the Indian” had a profound effect, the one in the commercial who shed that great big tear as he surveyed what the white man had done to his sacred land. That image filled me with guilt at the time and continues to haunt me to this day. As I’ve grown and my own mortality has become more tangible, I’ve be-come increasingly worried about the world we are leaving behind and the condition it is in. This realization, as well as the memory of that that pitiful tear, have left me in-creasingly committed to rectifying the wrongs, reversing the damages, doing my part to protect our great resources.

I’m a diligent recycler; I don’t let the water run while I brush my teeth; I try to remember to turn off the lights and TV when I leave home; I try to buy organic. I haven’t traded in my mini van for a Hybrid yet – but if you ask Ron Mastrogiavanni, he’ll tell you that I keep asking him when he can get me one at Youngblood. However, as I sit back and watch our planet warm and Greenland slough off into the sea, I have to admit that I’ve not done all I can. There’s more I can do. There’s more all of us can do – no, should do – to make things better.

As responsible citizens and savvy capitalists, we should support and invest in companies that are engineering bio-friendly fuels. We should support Georgia Farmers who are branching out and exploring ways to make these fuels a new economic advantage for our State. We should encour-age tax incentives for those who roll money into raw land for conservation use and for developers who do the same.

We should watch Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” to find out how we can all help reduce CO2 emissions with minor household adjustments. We should support and patronize those who recycle an eyesore (an abandoned gro-cery building or empty strip mall), when it’s easier to build a shiny, new facility. We should support the ultimate re-cyclers: Joseph’s Coat, The Caring Place, and other good-will organizations. We should encourage a countywide recycling program. These are just a few examples of the simple things we all can do.

Most of us have neither the resources nor influence to affect sweeping, global change. But widespread change often starts with small seeds – with simple ideas and local actions. “Think globally, but act locally,” someone said. Maybe if we start there, and other communities do the same, then one day that Indian will stop crying.
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By Scott Smith
January 25, 2007

I sat in quiet distraction until the glowing TV called me back to focus with images of men in orange suits. Handcuffed, goggled eyes, and muffled ears. You have seen them - those enemy combatants. Men described as more dangerous than any the world has seen since Josef Mengele and the Nazi war criminals at the Nuremburg trials. Men whose criminal minds are so sharply attuned that they threaten the fabric of our democracy if they were to set foot on American soil.

Desperate times require desperate measures, and so five years ago last week the pointy heads in the Pentagon, with the blessing of the Commander in Chief, deposited the most dangerous men in the world in Camp X-ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The men stumbled out of the back of a C-130 onto the tarmac blind, deaf, and dumb they melted like orange popsicles in the hot tropical sun.

The move was bold on the part of the administration. The enemy combatants did not fall into the confines of American jurisprudence because they were not in the U. S. They were held by the U. S. military in an extra-judicious no-man’s land punctuated by palm trees and a Caribbean view.

The idea was that at Gitmo the jarheads would be free to take their time employing special methods like water-boarding, stress positions, and the use of attack dogs. They also created new and ingenious ways to torture, like flushing the Koran down the toilet or smearing menstrual blood on the faces of the more religious combatants.

The plan was to crack them like coconuts and extract the secret plots and hideous plans without things like the press or the pesky rule of law interfering in the important job of protecting America. Conveniently termed enemy combatants, they didn’t look very combative to me hunched over in a heap on the floor.

The military has been effective at eliminating the threat posed by the world’s most dangerous men - chauffeurs, students, and one whose crime was wearing a Casio watch that resembled those worn by Al Qaeda operatives. Thor-oughly broken, the only rebellion they have left after five years of interrogation and torture is suicide.

The U. S. government even interprets suicide as a threat. “This was not an act of desperation,” said the U.S. after three combatants’ suicides, “but an act of asymmetric warfare committed against us.” To prevent the comba-tants from seeking martyrdom they are force-feeding those who dare to rebel by not eating. I don’t know about you but, I feel a whole lot safer knowing that those feeding tubes are protecting my freedom here at home.

Aptly named Camp X-Ray, the existence of the glorified dog-run of a prison camp does tell us that we have some-thing deeply wrong inside of us. I can see the huge growth on the country’s soul that Guantanamo has become. It is malignant, and it has been festering for five years. If we don’t remove it soon, we will die from its cancer, probably while sitting on our couches watching TV.
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By Mary McGill
January 18, 2007

Since the beginning of 2007 so much of our political system has been in play it's hard to keep up with developments.

But I am struck by two things that have occurred in the last few weeks. The first is that Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki has struck a deal with big oil (Exxon, Shell, BP, etc.) to begin exploration, development and production of Iraqi oil, and the second is the "surge" of American troops into Baghdad and Anwar Province. What we could not gain by legal means through Saddam Hussein and the international community we have gained by conquest. And perhaps as long as Iraq had a head-of-state hostile to our interests, and a functioning government, Iraqi oil for American corporations was not attainable. What is significant now is that the deals are in place, and once again American hegemony has defended our corporate interests and maintained our American way of life. The troops may deploy to Baghdad, but I think many will find themselves defending oil fields and teams of geologists. With American geo-political interests attained, pacification of the Iraqi people through attrition, terror and hopelessness can continue until it wears itself out. Their quality of life has never been the objective.

I see now the long term strategy of the neo-cons to control - for American interests - our own secure source of oil. So many little problems are now solved by this policy. The Bush Administration has secured America's energy independence for decades ahead. OPEC, Venezuela, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization no longer have sole control of the world's most important commodity, oil. For us here in American that translates to cheaper gas prices, lowering of inflation, and a staving off of the dollar's destruction.

This is no small feat. All it has taken is the illegal invasion of a foreign county, its occupation, with all the attendant atrocities and cruelties perpetrated on the people of Iraq, and a steady move toward corporate control of oil assets necessary for our continued military dominance, and of course staggeringly huge profits for our oil industries. If it wasn't illegal and immoral, I would be struck by the pure Machiavellian brilliance of it. With a few words, and the stroke of a pen, a stratagem devised in the conference rooms of think-tanks has been made real. With the price of oil plummeting, and an unseasonably warm winter, Mr. Bush's winter of discontent may not be made glorious summer.

For our new Democratic House, and newly appointed woman Speaker, the challenge will be to mitigate the harm of these policies in whatever way is open to them. They have the unenviable task of being the nation's conscience. The campaign of disenlightened self-interest has to be exposed through the long process of hearings and subpoenas. The magnitude of reparations we owe the Iraqi people will have to be calculated, knowing we can never repay them the real cost of this invasion.

But for now it seems sure that more people will die for reasons conceived far beyond their ability of apprehend, and until more compassionate policies can prevail. Having played chess with dynamite, and achieved his checkmate, my sense is Mr. Bush will retire to rest on his laurels, and plan mischief for Democrats in 2008.
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By Ruth Bracewell
January 11, 2007

History was made last week in Washington, DC, when Democrats were sworn in as the majority party in both the U. S. Senate and the U. S. House of Representatives, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House.

As Speaker, Rep. Pelosi is next in line to assume the Presidency if anything happens to the President and Vice-President. That is an impressive accomplishment consi-dering that the men in Congress did not give women in this country the right to vote until 1920.

My mother was born in 1920, so in her lifetime of 87 years, women have progressed from having no vote at all to holding the powerful office of Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives, second in line to become President.

Rep. Pelosi’s election as Speaker is also significant because she did not run for office until age 47 when the last of her 5 children was grown. In less than 20 years in Congress, she established a record of accomplishments which resulted in her election to the most powerful position in the U. S. House of Representatives.

Now she has great plans. Pelosi wants to make major changes in the first 100 hours of business for the 110th Congress. Among other issues, Speaker Pelosi and the new Democratic Congress have pledged to raise the current $5.15 per hour minimum wage, which is woefully inade-quate and hasn’t been increased since 1997. Democrats have also promised to change Medicare rules so that Medi-care can negotiate with drug companies for lower prices, thereby lowering the costs of prescription drugs for senior citizens. In addition, Pelosi is eager to increase stem-cell research with the hope of improving or saving the lives of thousands.

Will the new Democratic majorities in the House and Senate be successful? That remains to be seen, especially since President Bush has promised to veto certain measures.

When Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, they promised smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and getting government off our backs. Instead, the governmental bureaucracy has vastly increased, our federal deficit increased substantially, and the government continued to tell us what we could or could not do in the privacy of our bedrooms or our doctors’ offices.

Now it’s time to see what the other side can do. This is an exciting era to be observing politics in our nation’s capitol. Maybe in my Mother’s lifetime, she will even see a woman become President!
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By Patsy Harris
January 4, 2007

Last year a promise from way back came back and bit me. It awoke in me some old feelings of commitment to my fellow man, not just to my family and neighbors, but to, truly, whoever in the country was in need of me at a certain, single, grave point in their lives. I had forgotten I was on call.

It was a letter from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). That was nothing new. Since I pledged my marrow many years ago, every year or two they send me a newsletter. But this letter told me that I was a preliminary match for a person in need of a bone marrow transplant, another blood test was needed to confirm, call this number.

I was awestruck. This could be anyone in the country, but someone whose blood and mine share such unique characteristics that mine could give his or her blood the boost needed for life. What were the odds?

The NMDP website (www.marrow.org) says that of the many thousands of people each year who need a life-saving marrow transplant, only 30% find a suitable donor within their family. Every single day more than 3,000 are searching its registry of donors for a match.

Still in a state of wonder, I called the Atlanta NMDP office, answered a few questions, and made the appoint-ment for the blood test. There was no doubt that I was ready to do whatever was needed to answer the summons, to fulfill with joy the promise made many years before when I checked a box while giving a pint of blood.

Several days later, however, the NMDP called again. The request had been withdrawn. The patient may have decided against the procedure, she said. Or died, I thought. It was quite a letdown.

But the experience left me feeling much taller than my five foot two, like I have my arms wrapped around all my fellow men and women. That even while I work though my mundane chores at home or type these words, I am on call.

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