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3/22/08 note:

Since commissioners are elected at large in the county, It looks like the petition requirements are too high of a threshold for Schroeder, Neumann or Thayer to petition on to the primary ballot.  It looks like Valdez wouldn’t need so many signatures to petition on, however, he’d have to do so as something other than a Republican or Democrat.  So, it’s probably safe to assume that Schwab and Goetz will sit two of the commissioners seats, and it’s still a horse race between Wyer, Shipper, and Thomasson for the third seat.  Andy’s a nice enough guy, probably not enough executive skill for me.  Shipper, former lobbyist, probably too hooked up for me.  Thomasson, all about transparency, will he remain so once he’s on the inside?  Perhaps we shall see.  

Poor Enough to be Eligible? Child Abuse, Neglect, and the Poverty Requirement

Susan Vivian Mangold
University at Buffalo Law School
The State University of New York

Now here’s what we like to see in Elbert County, good ol’ fashioned objective reporting. A tip of the hat to Gary Begin of the West Elbert County Sun, Thursday, 3/6/2008, page 5.

I still want to see the Democrats do well in Elbert County this political season because that’s the only way to get the Left out of the Elbert County Republican Party and back home in the Democratic Party where they belong. If the Republicans keep winning everything around here the Left will just continue their masquerade.

But while it’s no secret that deep in the heart of most Democrats you’ll find a firmly rooted prejudice that sees Republicans as stupid morons, the Democrats will do much better in November if they at least appear to treat their opponents as legitimate.

Also, memo to Editor Hill, western Elbert County already has a one-trick-pony fish wrap where Democrats can find their weekly fix of anti-commissioner, anti-growth, anti-development, and pro-intrusive-government mantras. Please consider taking the West Elbert County Sun in a more constructive direction.

“Ships carried the captives primarily to the British sugar islands (where more than 70 percent of slaves were purchased, almost half of these at Jamaica), but sizable numbers were also sent to French and Spanish buyers as a result of special treaty arrangements called the Asiento. About one in ten was shipped to North American destinations.” p. 6.

“[T]he ship-factory also produced “race.” At the beginning of the voyage, captains hired a motley crew of sailors, who would, on the coast of Africa, become “white men.” At the beginning of the Middle Passage, captains loaded on board the vessel a multiethnic collection of Africans, who would, in the American port, become “black people” or a “negro race.” The voyage thus transformed those who made it.” p. 10.

From: The Slave Ship, A Human History by Marcus Rediker. ISBN 978-0-670-01823-9.

No one in America today makes that voyage. No one in America today deserves the burden of “race.”

I listen to Peter Boyles on KHOW some mornings and he frequently complains about jobs moving overseas. He objects to this practice, pointing out all sorts of negative consequences to America due to the loss of jobs. He admits that the jobs lost to foreign factories produce goods sold in American markets; that America is the primary source of demand for goods. According to Peter Boyles, lost jobs translate into fewer income earning opportunities so we go into debt to purchase the things we want. Of course we are also free to retrain ourselves, learn new skills for the jobs that remain, create new jobs, find new employment, and avoid debt financing. I expect more of this goes on than Peter Boyles would like to admit.

I part company from him strongly on (more…)

Mr. Happel’s words about the necessity for safety’s sake of fixing Elbert County road berms still ring in my ears. The Thomasson’s supported the tax too, and now resent the tax being used in the same way, almost down to the same picture (!!) as it was sold.

(click on images to enlarge)

They gave the county a blank check forever, the county did exactly what it was told to do, and now they’re whining about it. Perhaps worst of all, the chance they will learn from this expensive lesson is approximately zero.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has been boasting that his state’s health reform initiative has reduced the number of uninsured by half, with nearly 300,000 more people added to the health insurance rolls. What he doesn’t say is that four out of five of them are relying heavily on taxpayer subsidies for their coverage. (more…)