Tag Archives: Law

Rezoning density outside of Hahira @ LCC 2012 05 07

Two rezonings had no comments. The third, just north of Hahira, got opposition at the Planning Commission, which recommended a qualification, which County Planner Jason Davenport interpreted as trying to limit the density of development of the property.

At the Lowndes County Commission at its 7 May 2012 Work Session during the discussion on

7.c. REZ-2012-07 McNeal Property, McNeal Road E-A to R-A, Well & Septic, 25 acres

Crawford Powell, Commissioner for District 3, which is the south end of the county, asked a question, while Richard Raines, Commissioner for District 2, which is the north end of the county including Hahira, sat silent, although he did nod his head.

A neighbor sent a letter with details of opposition. I wonder what’s in it? If you want to know, you can submit an open records request to the county. Of course, with the three day time limit for the county to respond, the Commission will have already voted on it this evening before you find out what’s in the letter.

Here’s the video:

Rezoning density outside of Hahira
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 May 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-jsq

Ocilla prison nearly sold at auction: better due diligence would be a good idea

A business our Industrial Authority wanted to get us into still risks bankrupting Irwin County: a private prison. Maybe we should do better due diligence around here and invest in better business ventures.

AP reported 23 April 2012, South Ga. detention center nearly sold at auction,

A privately owned detention center that houses hundreds of illegal immigrants in south Georgia is struggling with finances, and narrowly avoided being auctioned this year.

How bad is it?

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Fixing the illusion of certainty in Georgia Power’s decision-making

Why is it so hard to get a company like Georgia Power or The Southern Company to get on with solar and wind power for clean energy, for national energy independence, and, most importantly to such corporations, for their own profit? Why instead do they keep investing in coal and natural gas and wasting our tax and customer dollars on nuclear financial boondoggles? Why did Cobb EMC back new coal plants until they had their nose rubbed in national shame about corruption and do nothing about solar until their shareholders revolted and changed a majority of their board? We don’t even need to wait for that forensic audit the new Cobb EMC board wants to get the big picture. Such companies consider what they’re used to to be low risk, and anything new to be risky. Why are they so stodgy, and how do we change that?

These companies have many decades of experience with coal and natural gas, so they consider them less financially risky. (Details like neighbors dying disproportionately from cancer cost a little bit to buy up property, but that’s nothing compared to readily predictable profits.) Even nuclear such companies consider not risky to them, since they’ve got the federal government and their own customers guaranteeing all the financial risk through Construction Work in Progress charges on their bills for power they’re not even receiving from the new nukes and agreement from Georgia PSC that cost overruns like those caused by concrete sinking into the dirt can be passed on to the customers.

Neal Stephenson wrote for World Policy Journal September 2011, Innovation Starvation,

The illusion of eliminating uncertainty from corporate decision-making is not merely a question of management style or personal preference. In the legal environment that has developed around publicly traded corporations, managers are strongly discouraged from shouldering any risks that they know about—or, in the opinion of some future jury, should have known about—even if they have a hunch that the gamble might pay off in the long run. There is no such thing as “long run” in industries driven by the next quarterly report. The possibility of some innovation making money is just that—a mere possibility that will not have time to materialize before the subpoenas from minority shareholder lawsuits begin to roll in.

But if the old ways turn out to be suddenly risky, change can come. Funny how Cobb EMC changed its tune after subpeonas started raining down for its former CEO Dwight Brown. Sure, he got off on a technicality, but it turns out Cobb EMC shareholders didn’t like Continue reading →

“Break it down in common VOICE”. —Fannie Jackson

Received today on History should reward all research. -jsq

I like to read LAKE because it allows people with opposing views to voice an opinion. For example, I no longer feel the need to read my hometown paper, the little advertiser, the DC Caller and various other right wing promoters. Another example, George and I disagree on many issues and Ms. Stratton and I disagree on many issues.. Citizens with the same rights as everyone being bullied.. intimidated.. feels familiar. Koch brothers, ALEC, local DA, local BOE, etc… Take your pick. Ms. Stratton, I respect your VOICE. But, I have been too busy getting myself and others CERTIFIED to REGISTER voters and per Ken Collins ANYONE can vote ABSENTEE for ANY reason AND, I can pick up as many ABSENTEE APPLICATIONS as I wish and TAKE them to my family which includes practically EVERYBODY in BROOKS.. Not to DISRESPECT your VOICE, but your previous comment about "anyone NOT capable of getting ID.." basically STUPID. In 2012, there are souls in my community who STILL need all the Fannies and Georges to "Break it down in common VOICE". I can just see Deal, Olens, Carter, Golden and ALL the others huddling NOW to change this little VOTER PERK! I wish someone would please tell this to the guys on 105.9. And George, I have NEVER listened to them.. Do not feel the NEED. I got too many people asking me to come explain some WORDS to them..And, I thank my late father, Mr. Charlie Milton (Bud) Jackson, Sr.. Brooks counties' GREATEST TROJAN for this.. Daddy never learned to read and write, but he was so PROUD EVERYTIME he marked that X on his ballot..

-Fannie Jackson

And all posts (and comments) on the LAKE blog are the posters' opinion, except in the rare cases where a post is clearly labelled "for LAKE". I congratulate everyone for keeping it civil. Please remember to discuss the ideas without attacking the person.

-jsq

Georgia Legislators with ALEC Ties —Thomas Kirkpatrick

Received 25 April 2012 on ALEC covers the spectrum in terms of bad policy for people. -jsq

To answer your closing question, which you most likely asked rhetorically, I offer the following list:

Georgia Legislators with ALEC Ties

House of Representatives

  • Rep. Calvin Hill, Jr. (R-21), State Chairman,[19][21] Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force and International Relations Task Force member[28] and recipient of ALEC’s 2011 State Chair of the Year Award[1]
  • Rep. Don L. Parsons (R-42); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force
  • Rep. David S. Casas (R-103); Education Task Force
  • Rep. Doug Collins (R-27); Civil Justice Task Force
  • Rep. Edward H. Lindsey, Jr. (R-54); Civil Justice Task Force
  • Rep. Ed Setzler (R-35); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force
  • Rep. Larry E. O’Neal (R-146); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force
  • Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-41)[19]; Health and Human Services Task Force
  • Rep. Ben L. Harbin (R-118); International Relations Task Force
  • Rep. Gerald E. Greene (R-149); International Relations Task Force
  • Rep. Josh S. Clark (R-98); International Relations Task Force
  • Rep. Jack Murphy (R-27); Public Safety and Elections Task Force
  • Rep. Mark D. Hamilton (R-23); Public Safety and Elections Task Force
  • Rep. Tom R. Rice (R-51)[19]; Public Safety and Elections Task Force
  • Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-105)[19]; Health and Human Services Task Force
  • Rep. Judy Manning (R-32); Health and Human Services Task Force
  • Rep. Lynn Smith (R-70); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force
  • Rep. Michael Harden (R-28); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force
  • Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-20)[19]; Health and Human Services Task Force
  • Rep. Howard R. Maxwell (R-17); Education Task Force
  • Rep. Jan Jones (R-46); Education Task Force
  • Rep. Charles E. Martin, Jr. (R-47); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
  • Rep. Kip Smith (R-129); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
  • Rep. James W. Mills (R-25)[19]; Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
  • Rep. Mike Dudgeon (R-24); Education Task Force
  • Rep. Carl Rogers (R-26); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force
  • Rep. Terry England (R-108); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force
  • Rep. Paulette Rakestraw-Braddock (R-19); International Relations Task Force
  • Rep. Billy S. Horne (R-71); Public Safety and Elections Task Force
  • Rep. Kevin Cooke (R-18); Public Safety and Elections Task Force
  • Rep. Lynne Riley (R-50); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force
  • Rep. Buzz Brockway (R-101); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force
  • Rep. Barry D. Loudermilk (R-14); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force
  • Rep. Amos Amerson (R-9)[19]
  • Rep. John Meadows (R-5)[19]
  • Rep. James Mills (R-25)[19]

Senate

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ALEC, bills to ditch renewable energy, and the Southern Company

Got caught promoting laws that encourage people to kill people? Double down on laws to kill people through pollution! That’s what ALEC is doing. And look who’s apparently a member of ALEC: the Southern Company, parent of Georgia Power, and proprieter of several of the largest and dirtiest coal plants in the country.

Brian Merchant wrote for Treehugger Tuesday, Two ALEC Campaigns Exposed: One Kills Renewables, One Boosts Fracking,

After major corporations like Pepsi, Kraft, Proctor & Gamble, and Coke all ditched the rightwing group, ALEC announced that it would Plant Scherer abandon its drive to enact gun and voter ID laws. The group’s decision came after a couple high profile campaigns were launched decrying ALEC’s involvement in passing the ‘stand your ground’ laws.

But the group is actually stepping up its efforts in other arenas, as I noted last week. And two new reports, one from ProPublica, the other from DeSmogBlog, outline its new aims: dismantle legislation that incentivizes renewable energy generation, and preserve loopholes that allow natural gas companies to keep the chemical cocktails in their fracking fluids secret from the public.

This is the same ALEC that promotes laws like Georgia’s HB 87 that lock up more people to benefit private prison companies like CCA, which wanted to build a private prison on Lowndes County, Georgia. Traficking in human beings is not too sordid for ALEC, so poisoning people through polution doesn’t seem surprising.

Hm, let’s look at the corporate membership of ALEC, as collected by Sourcewatch’s ALEC Exposed. Why there’s The Southern Company, parent of Georgia Power! I’m frankly a little surprised Continue reading →

ALEC “covers the spectrum in terms of bad policy for people” –FL news

ALEC will no doubt try to tar WCTV as “liberal media.” That will be amusing!

Troy Kinsey wrote for WCTV Monday, themselves as members of ALEC. Damien filer with ‘progress florida’ says its time for them to break their ties with a group that’s taking national heat over ‘Stand Your Ground’.

“This is not just about ‘shoot first’ laws; this is about everything from the so-called ‘parent trigger’ law that we saw during the last legislative session, the prison privatization schemes that we’ve seen crop up. It really covers the spectrum in terms of bad policy for people, and policy that’s really aimed at padding the pockets of the corporations that fund this organization.”

Hm, I wonder who in the Georgia statehouse are ALEC members?

-jsq

NDAA does not protect US citizens from detention without due process –Barbara Stratton

Received today on What about NDAA? Questions for Austin Scott in Tift County. -jsq

I did not stay for the luncheon with Austin Scott because I’ve had conversations with him already. The question in this video on NDAA does need to be addressed. Every legislator who voted for the bill that included sections 1021 & 1022 needs to either encourage legislation to repeal or correct these sections or be replaced.

However the Ron Paul supporters do not have a corner on dissatisfation with NDAA. Ron Paul has stated that he will fix everything wrong with the country. I would be more trusting of his statements if they allowed that he will have to work with Congress to fix problems instead of inferring he can totally accomplish change on his own. Gary Johnson is running on the Libertarian platform also. Neither of them can win the GOP nomination without upstaging the delegate voting process and both are running on almost identical platforms. Are they both going to vie for the GOP spot over Romney or will one or both pull off to run as a third party candidate?

Back to the NDAA question—KrisAnne Hall is a constitutional lawyer who has detailed sections 1021 and 1022 and verified the same conclusion I did when I asked Saxby Chambliss why he voted for the bill back in December. It does not protect US citizens from detention without due process and she details why. She will be speaking at the Valdosta Tea Party meeting Thursday night, April 26, 7:00 at the Holiday Inn on Hwy 84. Hopefully she will also have updates on what is being done to correct this injustice. We do need to let our senators and representatives know we are expecting an amendment to correct this travesty against us or we will fight to see they are defeated for their crimes against the Constitution.

-Barbara Stratton

Hey, I’m a Democrat, and I’ve been opposed to NDAA, FISAA, for many years now. -jsq

Prisoners as cheap labor

Quite likely you thought massive prison populations used as cheap labor were some sort of medieval tradition. Nope. Here’s an article that debunks that misconception and informs you about many other things I (and perhaps you) didn’t know about prisoners as cheap labor.

Locking Down an American Workforce Steve Fraser and Joshua B. Freeman wrote for TomDispatch 19 April 2012, Prison Labor as the Past — and Future — of American “Free-Market” Capitalism,

Penal servitude now strikes us as a barbaric throwback to some long-lost moment that preceded the industrial revolution, but in that we’re wrong. From its first appearance in this country, it has been associated with modern capitalist industry and large-scale agriculture.

So where and when did it come from?

As it happens, penal servitude — the leasing out of prisoners to private enterprise, either within prison walls or in outside workshops, factories, and fields — was originally known as a “Yankee invention.”

First used at Auburn prison in New York State in the 1820s, the system spread widely and quickly throughout the North, the Midwest, and later the West. It developed alongside state-run prison workshops that produced goods for the public sector and sometimes the open market.

A few Southern states also used it. Prisoners there, as elsewhere, however, were mainly white men, since slave masters, with a free hand to deal with the “infractions” of their chattel, had little need for prison. The Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery would, in fact, make an exception for penal servitude precisely because it had become the dominant form of punishment throughout the free states.

In case you’ve never read it or have forgotten, here is the Thirteenth Amendment (emphasis added):

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Got a population you don’t like? Continue reading →

Let’s Be Blunt: It’s Time to End the Drug War

Don’t believe Latin American presidents (former and current) or a global commission including captains of industry or historic statesmen such as Jimmy Carter or major newspapers or Judge Napolitano or law enforcement professionals like Frank Serpico? Ask an economist who spells it out: the War on Drugs is an economic, public safety, and civil rights disaster, and legalization is needed right now.

Economist Art Carden wrote for Forbes yesterday, Let’s Be Blunt: It’s Time to End the Drug War,

April 20 is the counter-culture “holiday” on which lots and lots of people come together to advocate marijuana legalization (or just get high). Should drugs—especially marijuana—be legal? The answer is “yes.” Immediately. Without hesitation. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 seized in a civil asset forfeiture. The war on drugs has been a dismal failure. It’s high time to end prohibition. Even if you aren’t willing to go whole-hog and legalize all drugs, at the very least we should legalize marijuana.

OK, why?

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