Atlanta council seat hangs on court decision

By TY TAGAMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/21/05

It's been more than a month since Atlanta voters went to the polls, yet the outcome of one city council race still hangs in the balance.

Anne Fauver, who has represented the area around Piedmont Park for the past four years, beat challenger Steve Brodie by five votes. Brodie, however, is demanding a run-off election, asserting in court that Fauver did not win a majority of all votes cast.
The outcome hinges on what constitutes a countable vote. Under state law, a write-in vote for city council does not count if it is cast for someone who is not a certified write-in candidate. To become an official write-in candidate in Atlanta, a person must file paperwork with the city clerk and notify the public with an ad in the Fulton County Daily Report, a legal newspaper. No one did so in the District 6 race.

In oral arguments in Fulton County Superior Court Tuesday, a special judge heard lawyers for both candidates assail and defend the constitutionality of the state law on write-in votes.

The law is in question because nine voters in the District 6 election chose to mark the write-in portion of their ballots, instead of selecting Fauver or Brodie. In accordance with law, Fulton County election officials did not count those nine votes in the total, and calculated Fauver had a majority of all votes cast. But Brodie notes that if those nine votes are counted toward the total, then Fauver has only 49.97 percent of the vote.

If no candidate garners a majority, then a run-off election is required under Georgia law.

Attorney Michael Coleman, arguing for Brodie, said those nine voters were cheated of their right to vote. "The failure to count a write-in vote is tantamount to taking a vote away," he said, adding that the Georgia Legislature violated the state constitution when it required that votes for people who aren't candidates be ignored.

But Robert Highsmith, an attorney for Fauver, argued that the state constitution delegated to the Legislature the authority to dictate how elections are decided. The Legislature passed a law requiring that the outcome of city council races be decided by majority vote, so the basic assertion of Brodie's camp — that Fauver did not win by a majority — is not a constitutional question, Highsmith said.

"Nowhere in the constitution is a majority vote required," he said.

One election expert said the case poses an interesting question: if citizens essentially throw their votes away by casting ballots for someone who isn't a candidate, should their votes be counted? "It's an odd situation that voting for someone who has no chance of winning effects the outcome of the race," Emory law assistant professor Michael Kang said. He predicted that if the case reached the federal level, Brodie would have a hard time winning because the federal courts tend toward pragmatism in election law. He said they consider it more important to count votes for viable candidates and to conclusively decide elections than to count protest votes.

There is pressure to decide the case quickly. The winner of the election is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 3. The special judge assigned the case, retired DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Hilton M. Fuller, said he hoped to have a decision by next week. He gave no indication Tuesday how he would rule.

The losing side could appeal the decision to the Georgia Supreme Court.

From the office of Congressman John D. Dingell

Congressman John D. Dingell
US Congress Seal
Serving Michigan's 15th Congressional District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Adam Benson or Michael Robbins
Wednesday, December 15, 2005 202/225-4071
202/271-8587

Dingell’s HOLIDAY Jingle for O’Reilly and House GOP

Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (MI-15) recited the following poem on the floor of the US House of Representatives concerning House Resolution 579, which expressed the sense of the House of Representatives that the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected. “Preserving Christmas” has been a frequent topic for conservative talk show hosts, including Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly:

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the House

No bills were passed ‘bout which Fox News could grouse;

Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer,

So vacations in St. Barts soon would be near;

Katrina kids were nestled all snug in motel beds,

While visions of school and home danced in their heads;

In Iraq our soldiers needed supplies and a plan,

Plus nuclear weapons were being built in Iran;

Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell;

Americans feared we were on a fast track to…well…

Wait--- we need a distraction--- something divisive and wily;

A fabrication straight from the mouth of O’Reilly

We can pretend that Christmas is under attack

Hold a vote to save it--- then pat ourselves on the back;

Silent Night, First Noel, Away in the Manger

Wake up Congress, they’re in no danger!

This time of year we see Christmas every where we go,

From churches, to homes, to schools, and yes…even Costco;

What we have is an attempt to divide and destroy,

When this is the season to unite us with joy

At Christmas time we’re taught to unite,

We don’t need a made-up reason to fight

So on O’Reilly, on Hannity, on Coulter, and those right wing blogs;

You should just sit back, relax…have a few egg nogs!

‘Tis the holiday season: enjoy it a pinch

With all our real problems, do we honestly need another Grinch?

So to my friends and my colleagues I say with delight,

A merry Christmas to all,

and to Bill O’Reilly…Happy Holidays.

# # #

This is even scarier

Ha Ha!!!

Chinks in the Republican Armor

Chinks in the Republican Armor

By Fred Hiatt-The Washington Post

Monday, December 12, 2005; Page A25

Not so long ago the talk was all about the self-perpetuating machine the Republicans were constructing in Washington.

The image was of links in a chain of power that the Democrats could never break. The GOP, having captured both houses of Congress and the White House, could press lobbyists to hire only Republicans and give money only to Republicans. The money would guarantee dominance in state legislatures. The legislatures would redraw congressional districts so that Democrats could never win. And if anyone objected, too bad; Republican-appointed judges could be counted on to slap down any complainers.
All in all, a perfect loop. Even when House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted in September, he was depicted as a no-longer-essential cog in the apparatus he had helped design and build. People could come and go, the chain would remain.

The mood in Washington today is different. It's been remembered that the chain holds only as long as most people vote next year the way they voted last year.

Today it is conceivable, though by no means assured, that Democrats' vote total in 2006 could grow, and Republicans' shrink, by enough to shift control of the House or Senate. Even a whiff of such uncertainty may prompt donors to hedge their bets.

It may seem obvious, but the distinction between what the Republicans have created and a government truly impervious to public sentiment is worth noting. After all, there are regimes -- in Russia, for example -- that so pervert the forms of democracy that they insulate themselves from changes in public sentiment, unless those are drastic or somehow expressed outside the law. That's not where we are. A healthy dose of cynicism about the goings-on here is appropriate; an overdose of cynicism is not.

This doesn't mean the analysis of Republican ambitions was wrong. Much of it was right, and much of what the Republicans have done -- their Texas redistricting, for example -- merits all the contempt that it has engendered, and more.

Norman J. Ornstein, an expert on Congress at the American Enterprise Institute, says that a shift in public sentiment comparable to the one that swept Republicans into the House majority in 1994, with a gain of more than 50 seats, would produce a shift of only 20 or so seats for Democrats today. That would be enough to unhorse the Republicans, but barely. And that's in large part because Republicans have given themselves larger cushions in nominally competitive districts, he says. So the House, which was designed to be most responsive to public opinion, may now be less responsive than the Senate.

"There's no such thing as a perfect machine," he said. "But they have built in a lot of advantages, and Texas may have made the difference."

But the imperfections are increasingly visible. Some are internal: the arrogance, greed and complacency that swell with time in office, and the disparate interests of supporters that become harder to paper over. Drug companies, seniors' lobbies and chambers of commerce may all support you, but they also may have different ideas of the proper design and cost of a Medicare drug benefit. The result may make no one happy.

There are external stresses, too. Unlike in Russia, it turns out that prosecutors and judges can't be controlled, no matter who appoints them: just ask DeLay, Jack Abramoff or Scooter Libby. Unlike in Russia, neither can the press. The congressional Republicans' cringing abdication of their branch's traditional oversight role has helped diminish attention to scandal and malfeasance, but it can't erase bad news altogether.

And unlike in many pseudo-democracies, the mechanics of elections, including, not least, the counting, can't be controlled by those in power -- which means that they do need to worry about what voters think.

None of this guarantees that the Democrats will win next year. But it does mean their fate isn't entirely out of their hands; much will depend on them -- on the policies they develop, the candidates they recruit. The machine isn't indestructible.

Corzine May Tap Minority for Senate Seat

By DONNA DE LA CRUZ

The Associated Press
Thursday, December 1, 2005; 3:07 PM

WASHINGTON -- Shortly after being elected New Jersey's governor, Democrat Jon Corzine speculated aloud that he might appoint a woman to fill out his unexpired Senate term. Then he singled out black state Sen. Nia Gill, calling her an "extraordinarily capable woman."

Gill did not shy away from the hint.

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"I have the qualifications," she told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "If I am chosen by Jon, I am more than qualified to rise to the occasion."

If Corzine does select Gill _ a 57-year-old attorney _ she would become only the sixth black, and second black woman ever to serve in the U.S. Senate. New Jersey has never had a female or minority U.S. senator. The only black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate was Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois.

Political analysts say that by choosing Gill, Corzine would be seen as rewarding a faithful base that turned out for him on Election Day _ and possibly sending a signal about his higher political aspirations.

"It would certainly cement his status with African Americans and progressives in general, and would come in handy down the line if he's thinking about running for president," said David Bositis Sr., a political analyst at The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C., who studies black politics.

Corzine, 58, said on Thanksgiving Day that he planned to choose his successor in early December. Besides Gill, six of New Jersey's seven Democratic congressmen have expressed interest in the job. Two of them, Reps. Robert Menendez and Donald Payne, are minorities.

New Jersey law gives the governor the power to fill House and Senate vacancies. Corzine's Senate term expires in 2006 and Republicans have a strong challenger in state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., the son of popular former Gov. Thomas Kean.

The Rev. Reginald Jackson, executive director of the Black Ministers' Council of New Jersey, said choosing Gill would be a bold move on Corzine's part.

"You would add another minority to the Senate who is very capable and very qualified," Jackson said. He added that he has discussed the appointment with Corzine, but declined to say whom he would like to see named.

According to an AP-Ipsos poll on Election Day, Corzine won nearly all the black votes cast in New Jersey's gubernatorial race, and two-thirds of the Hispanic vote. He also had a 20-point edge among female voters. Corzine defeated Republican opponent Doug Forrester by nine percentage points.

Gill is a second-term state senator who previously served four terms in the state Assembly. She would not reveal whether she and Corzine had discussed the U.S. Senate seat, saying any such conversations are private.

She faces stiff competition for the Senate appointment. Three congressmen _ Menendez, Robert Andrews and Frank Pallone _ campaigned hard for Corzine and have significant war chests. And they have better name recognition than Gill, who represents a small sliver of Essex and Passaic counties in northern New Jersey.

But Gill is an intriguing possibility, said Ross Baker, a Rutgers University political science professor.

"Choosing her would be a signal that perhaps Corzine will be different and perhaps business will not be conducted in the usual way in New Jersey," Baker said.

____

Associated Press Writer Angela Delli Santi contributed to this story from Trenton, N.J.

Where do I sign up for this campaign?????

Democrats eye Thurmond as lieutenant governor candidate
Gwinnett Daily Post
11/20/2005

Michael Thurmond won't say yes, but he won't say no either. Even this evasiveness causes joy in some Democratic circles. They believe Labor Commissioner Thurmond, the first and only nonincumbent black candidate elected statewide in Georgia history, is ready to jump into the 2006 race for lieutenant governor.
We asked Thurmond, a Democrat, if he's ready to go for lieutenant governor. He was noncommittal in his answer on the phone, but he dispatched an e-mail that made a compelling case for a Thurmond candidacy.
Some key supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cathy Cox are gleeful at the prospect of Thurmond near the top of the ticket. "He energizes the Democratic base (meaning the black vote), and he has a long record of winning elections in majority-white jurisdictions," a well-placed Cox backer says.
Backers of Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, the other Democratic runner for governor, are not quite so overwhelmed.
They are unsure what Thurmond would bring to their effort to uproot GOP Gov. Sonny Perdue.
However, this much is certain: With Ralph Reed running as a Republican and Thurmond in the Democratic corner, the contest for lieutenant governor in 2006 could turn out to be the Super Bowl of Georgia politics, generating even more excitement than the battle for governor.
Alas, we may be getting carried away. Reed is far from a shoo-in as the Republican nominee. His name keeps popping up as a spear-carrier in the dark opera "Return of the K Street Godfather," starring super-lobbyist and accused felon Jack Abramoff.
Reed's political rival, state Sen. Casey Cagle of Gainesville, has surprised many with an early hard-hitting campaign that raises a sheaf of ethical questions regarding Reed's association with Abramoff. Reed's murky involvement with casino gambling interests just won't seem to go away.
Nevertheless, much of the smart money is still on Reed. He has national stature, access to a fat campaign war chest and superior political savvy. On the other hand, there's little doubt that disillusionment with Reed has set in. Another couple of Reed-connected Abramoff scandals might take Reed out of the race before it even starts.
Across the aisle, Democratic leaders have tried desperately to recruit a big name to run for lieutenant governor to shore up their chances for governor. Former Sen. Max Cleland considered an invitation and then said no thanks. An energetic attempt failed to persuade Taylor to run for re-election to his present post.
A couple of little-known (and liberal) Democrats are toying with running. They are getting little encouragement. In the eyes of many, a white liberal near the top of the ticket - one with little pull in the heavily Democratic black community - might sink the party's effort to recapture the governor's office.
Meanwhile, attention has turned to 52-year-old Thurmond, a political phenom who was elected labor commissioner in 1998 against two white Democrats and a white Republican.
Thurmond has a history of running well in heavily white jurisdictions. He was first elected to the state House from Clarke County in 1986. Thus, he became the first black legislator in the Southeast to represent a majority (66 percent) white district. In the 2002 election, as Republicans defeated Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes and Sen. Cleland, Thurmond marched to an easy down-ballot victory for re-election as labor commissioner.
Some critics, including U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, have accused Thurmond publicly of "not being black enough." McKinney handed Thurmond his only political defeat when she beat him for a House seat in 1992.
She challenged Thurmond after he led opposition in the Legislature to McKinney's "max black" congressional and legislative redistricting plan. Thurmond predicted that her plan would accelerate a Republican takeover of the House delegation and both legislative chambers. He was right.
Gov. Zell Miller picked Thurmond in 1994 to head the state Division of Family and Children Services and gave him the task of directing Georgia's welfare-reform effort. Thurmond takes credit for moving 90,000 families from welfare to gainful employment.
In his spare time, Thurmond wrote "Freedom," a critically acclaimed history of slavery in Georgia from 1733 to 1865.
Gearing up for a possible bid for lieutenant governor, however, Thurmond eschews talk of his book and academic background. He knows that Georgians are more likely to vote for a candidate who is black than for a candidate of any race with known intellectual tendencies.
Syndicated columnist Bill Shipp writes on Georgia politics. Write him at P.O. Box 440755, Kennesaw, GA 30160, or e-mail bshipp@bellsouth.net. His Web site is www.billshipp.com. His column appears on Wednesday and Sunday.

Carter says Demos too wedded to abortion rights

Carter says Demos too wedded to abortion rights

The Associated Press
Published on: 11/04/05

WASHINGTON — Former President Carter says the Democratic Party has become too closely associated with abortion rights and has strayed too far from religious people.

Carter, in a C-SPAN2 interview scheduled for broadcast this weekend, also said he would have named the first woman to the Supreme Court if an opening had come up during his presidency. Shirley Hufstedler, then a federal appeals court judge in California, would have been his choice, he said.

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The former Democratic president was interviewed about his new book, "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis," which argues for the separation of church and state. The program, "After Words," was scheduled for broadcast Saturday and Sunday.

Carter said, "It's a mistake to wed the Democratic Party to freedom of choice and abortion."

"As I say in this book, I have never believed that Jesus Christ would approve abortions unless the mother's life or health was in danger or perhaps the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest, for those very few exceptions," Carter said. "And when I was president I had to live under Roe v. Wade, it was my duty as a president. I did everything I could to minimize the need for abortions."

"I think for the Democratic Party to get identified as being completely pro-choice, with no attention given to the rights of the fetus, is very self-defeating policy," he said. "And I hope we will get away from that. I don't know if it's possible. I hope we will."

A spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail messages left Friday seeking comment.

Another mistake by the party, Carter said, is its detachment from religious people.

"I really believe that our nominees were uncomfortable in dealing with the deeply religious people in our country. I don't mean the right-wing Christians. I think there was a sense among many devout people in my own church, my fellow church members, that John Kerry didn't quite relate to us," he said of last year's Democratic presidential candidate.

"The next successful candidate has got to have some means to say, OK, we believe and we worship the prince of peace, not pre-emptive war, or we're moderate on the abortion issue, or we believe marriage by definition in our church ought to be between a man and a woman, but we believe in full civil rights for gays who want to be partners," he said.

Carter said Hufstedler, now 80, was foremost on his mind if he'd had a court vacancy.

"She was fairly young and since I didn't have an appointment, I made her the first secretary of education," said Carter, a Democrat from Georgia. "And if I had had a Supreme Court appointment, she was the one in my mind that I had in store for that job."

Lyndon Johnson appointed Hufstedler to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in 1968. She served for 11 years before Carter nominated her in late 1979 for the top job at the Education Department, which was created the following year.

She returned to private practice in 1981, after Carter's term, and is based in Los Angeles.

Hufstedler was traveling Friday and not immediately available for comment, her office said.

It was President Reagan who in 1981 made the historic decision to nominate the first woman Supreme Court justice — Arizona appeals court judge Sandra Day O'Connor. She took her seat that September.

Last summer, after 24 years of service, O'Connor announced she would retire.

I'm still waiting on her to make us proud.

Franklin signs ban on panhandling

By TY TAGAMIThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 08/22/05

Saying you want money for nothing is officially illegal in downtown Atlanta and at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.
Mayor Shirley Franklin has quietly signed legislation that bans verbal panhandling in those tourist destinations.
The ordinance restricting "commercial solicitation" was adopted by city council Aug. 15 after two months of heated public hearings, where business people fed up with beggars were pitted against free speech advocates crusading for the homeless. Franklin signed it Friday and is expected to deliver it to the city clerk's office today.
The law makes it illegal to ask for money or other valuables in a public place "under circumstances where a reasonable person would understand that the purchase is a donation."
The Atlanta Police Department will begin enforcement immediately, said Lt. Trudy Boyce, the downtown day watch commander. That doesn't mean arrests will be immediate, but it does mean that a specially trained team of five officers could begin referring some panhandlers to social services Tuesday, she said.
It could take at least a month until the law is fully enforced, said David Edwards, a program management officer who handles special assignments for the mayor. Signs must be installed to clarify where the ban will be in effect, and police from other jurisdictions — MARTA, the Capitol police, the National Park Service and Georgia State University — must be notified, he said.
An all-out ban on verbal begging — one can still ask for money silently, with a sign — is in effect in a so-called "tourist triangle" that extends from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive northward to Ralph McGill Boulevard and from Marietta Street eastward to Piedmont Avenue.
Franklin wanted the downtown ban, and the council added the King site last week. That added area is enclosed by Auburn Avenue, Jackson Street, Irwin Street and

I'm a christian

I'm a Christian

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean living."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble

and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible,

but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou
I'm was just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow.

by Maya Angelou

My take on the Birmingham Domed Stadium Issue

As an avid supporter of a domed stadium, I must say that I am appalled
at the progress that this project has made so far. I must ask; What
in the world are our elected officials doing?
A domed stadium should not be funded solely on the backs of citizens.
That will only raise already higher taxes, particularly since our
great County Commission has added an extra tax that does not have a
proven benefit for the quality of education; but I digress.
It takes neither a rocket scientist nor a political pundit to
understand the concept of a private-public relationship. We must
heavily rely on the private sector for financial backing for a domed
stadium.
Having a domed stadium would be beneficial on all levels of government
by increased tourism, which would fill our coffers for better roads, a
stronger police force, and a quality education for our children.
Words cannot express my disgust for our elected officials and their
torpor towards the economic development of this city county and state.
However it would not be surprising to see the dome project receive
support if it was in a location such as Bessemer or Hoover.
We must hold our officials accountable particularly on the city and
county level and fight for transformation of our leadership in the
upcoming elections.

I too sing America by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

PAUL HACKETT NEEDS YOU

This upcoming Tuesday, former U.S. Marine Corps major Paul Hackett
(D-OH), will be competing in a special election for a seat in the US
Congress.  His race has garnered national attention, as this Iraq war veteran
has made this 70% Republican district into a race that has scared
national Republicans into dumping over $300,000 in paid media.  National
Republican polling has indicated that Hackett is surging, and is only 5%
away from becoming the newest Democrat in congress.

Paul Hackett has served his country, and now Paul Hackett needs you to
help him serve in Congress.

The campaign is having a massive canvassing and field operation
starting this Saturday and running through the election on Tuesday.  If you
can spend a weekend in southwestern Ohio to push Paul Hackett to victory,
please email ohioinvasion@collegedems.com. You can also call the
campaign directly at 513-735-4310. The campaign will supply a place to sleep
if you need it.

Forward this email around to your friends, call them and convince them
to go.  The more people that can help - even if for only one day - the
closer it puts an underdog campaign to real victory.

Thank you!

LaToia Jones
Executive Director
College Democrats of America  
www.CollegeDems.com

Secretaries of State Gathered for National Conference Urged to Support Pro-Voter Election Reforms

Secretaries of State Gathered for National Conference Urged to Support Pro-Voter Election Reforms; National Election Reform Group Highlights Recent Policy Changes Championed in Iowa, Montana, Other States
NEW YORK, July 22 (AScribe Newswire) -- Today, Miles Rapoport, President of Demos and former Secretary of the State of Connecticut, issued the following statement applauding Secretaries of State who have supported reforms that have lowered barriers to electoral participation. Rapoport urges all attendees at the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, this weekend to support similar reforms.
"Around the country, Secretaries of State from both parties are supporting reforms that will not only streamline the administration of elections, but will also make them fairer and more accessible for all eligible voters."
Rapoport cited several examples of the kinds of reforms that have been supported:
"Election Day Registration (EDR) is a crucial policy that has allowed the six states that employ it to have an average voter turnout of 73.6 percent - more than 13 points higher than the average for non-EDR states. In Montana this year, Secretary Brad Johnson championed a law that will allow voters to register on Election Day, which will take effect in 2006. In addition, several other Secretaries of State, including Deb Markowitz of Vermont, Chet Culver of Iowa and Dean Heller of Nevada continue to support EDR as a key election reform goal."
"The effective implementation of laws restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions is an essential element of an open and fair democratic process. In Pennsylvania, Secretary of State Pedro Cortes distributed a bilingual brochure detailing voting rights for people convicted or detained by the criminal court system, with the assistance of the Department of Corrections. Other Secretaries of State, including New Mexico's Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, have been instrumental in improving notification and registration procedures for state residents with felony convictions."
"Georgia’s Secretary of State Cathy Cox took a courageous stand in opposing one of the most damaging election policy trends in the United States: photo voter ID requirements. Cox, armed with well-informed research showing that photo voter ID would disfranchise thousands of disabled, elderly and minority voters in her state, held firm against overly stringent identification requirements."
"For the past eleven years, many states have ignored the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requirement that public assistance agencies offer new enrollees the opportunity to register to vote. Chet Culver in Iowa and Pedro Cortes in Pennsylvania have taken a lead on improving the implementation of the law. Early results of their efforts show a large increase in agency-based registration, undoubtedly yielding greater participation among lower-income state residents."
"Secretaries of State can support cutting edge reforms which, in addition to improving the efficiency and accuracy of elections, also take major steps toward opening the electoral process for the fullest possible participation. I applaud all of those Secretaries of State that are taking this responsibility seriously."
Secretaries of State attending the NASS conference will be presented with a "best practices" policy guide prepared by the National Network on State Election Reform (The Network), a coalition of pro-voter organizations that includes the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Common Cause, Demos, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCR), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the National Voting Rights Institute (NVRI), People for the American Way (PFAW), Project Vote, and many others
Demos is a national, nonpartisan public policy organization based in New York and a founding member of the Right to Vote Campaign to end felon disfranchisement.
- - - -
CONTACT: Timothy Rusch, 917-399-0236, trusch@demos.org
NOTE TO EDITORS: To schedule an interview or background briefing with Miles Rapoport, President, or Steven Carbo, Director of the Democracy Program, please contact Timothy Rusch.
ON THE WEB: For more information, visit www.demos.org.
Media Contact: Timothy Rusch, 917-399-0236, trusch@demos.org

Javier Brown for CDA Political Affairs Director

Fellow Democrats,

I greet you today as a proud member of CDA. This has been an amazing year for College Democrats throughout the country. College activists throughout the country worked hard to turn out the vote for our democratic candidates and if we were the only people who voted, John Kerry would have won the presidential election with 375 electoral votes. CDA is financially strong and we have an amazing membership network.

I ask for your support today as a candidate for Director of Political Affairs for CDA. I have the experience and vision for CDA that is essential to continue the expansion and development of this organization.

During the 2004 elections, I served as president of the College Democrats chapter in the Atlanta University Center which consists of Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University. With the aid of two friends, we started this chapter and I am proud to say that we now have over 100 members. We worked with other political organizations on campus for voter registration, education, and mobilization and were able to QUADRUPLE voter turnout in this year’s presidential election.

I have served statewide as communications director and now president and it has been a satisfying task. We have increased membership and have set groundwork for activists throughout the state.

Nationally I have been active with CDA by serving on the host committee for 375; an inaugural fundraiser as well as chair of the African American Caucus. The caucus has been very active through membership outreach, releasing position papers, lobbying efforts and networking with other organizations, members of congress, and congressional staff.

My vision is to strengthen college democrats on a local level. I think we should follow the vision of Chairman Dean as well as our President, Grant Woodard to strengthen our State Federations. We must remain in constant contact with state federations; standing behind them at every battle. We should put our resources into our states to enhance our grassroots network as well as prepare states to work against the policy of the Republican party. CDA should be run from the bottom up. Relationships by party chairs and our elected officials need to be developed to provide an effective network for our chapters and state federations. We must work hard during the off-year elections to promote the agenda of the Democratic Party. We cannot be successful by just campaigning 5 months out of the election year.

Once I again I ask that you support me and my vision for a better CDA.

Democratically Yours,

Javier A. Brown

My Weekend

Whew!!! what a weeekend. I went on a camping retreat with the Young Democrats of Georgia Exec Board. (Yes you read it right. Javier Brown went camping.)

Well, I wasn't to thrilled about going camping out in the middle of nowhere but I'm glad that I went. We got alot accomplished this weekendand I'm confident that this year will be a significant year. Like always, I was the quiet one but I still enjoyed myself. I was trying to not seem rude but of course I'm not a very talkative person and then I was kinda tired.

Well, here is the bad part about the weekend. I woke up Sunday and my body was a little sore but it wasnt a big deal. Sunday night I ended up with a fever and the chills and my body aching. Still have the body aches and a slight fever but its getting better. I hope I don't have West Nile or something.

On another note, our national committeewoman, Flora Brooke Hesse is running for YDA secretary. I think she is going to win and I'm happy about that. Georgia will once again be represented on a national level in YDA. Maybe I'll throw my hat in the ring and we'll be represented on a national level in CDA as well ;-). I'll have to take a nap before become prepared to campaign again. Maybe some caffeine and strattera will help me out.

I am just writing whatever comes out of my head. You know Tmobile Hot spot is great. I'm in Starbucks right now drinking a soy chai latte and surfing the net. ( Yes I have a fever but Im also FREEZING and I need something to warm me up and wake me up. I've been in the bed all day long.
Well I must go now. TTYL

My editorial in the Birmingham News UNEDITED

Schools around the country are normally funded through property taxes;
a steady predictable revenue which makes things easier for budgeting
and implementing programs. The Birmingham City Council is currently
debating whether or not to have a city-wide referendum to increase
property taxes for our school system.

Although this should have been done a long time ago, I applaud the
council for considering it now. Its better late than never. However I
am disgusted at how some council members do not want to stand up for
the measure until after the november elections. It is disgusting that
our elected officials do not have the testicular fortitude to stand up
for children no matter what the political cost.

Hopefully after November, voters will relieve these members of their
duties and bring in new leadership focused on better schools.

A leadership-building guide for the Republican Party

By C. Fraser Smith

Originally published June 19, 2005
Baltimore Sun

OK, NOBODY asked, but here's what Maryland Republicans should do to expand their party's paper-thin leadership.

First, keep Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele out of the race for U.S. Senate. It's an idea contemplated only because the party's ranks are so anemic, because image threatens to eclipse everything in our society and because national GOP interests are salivating.

Maybe it's understandable that the party would try to capitalize on poll standings that make Mr. Steele look competitive. But ultimately, there's no substitute for building credibility the old-fashioned way: getting elected and earning a future based on performance.

Mr. Steele announced last week that he will explore the possibility of running. Here's what a real exploration would conclude: He's not a good fit. For better or worse, the U.S. Senate is a deliberative body, a body of lawmakers. Mr. Steele doesn't have a single second of experience in such an arena.

The Ehrlich administration has been accused by Democrats of following the national playbook: an anti-government, no-new-tax, hardball-rhetoric approach designed not to attract Democrats but to expand the party's conservative base. If the Republicans force Mr. Steele into a Senate race, they'll be overplaying the playbook big-time.

The national GOP wants another vote in the U.S. Senate and thinks it has a chance of getting one in, of all places, reliably liberal and Democratic Maryland. The Republicans think that if the winner were Mr. Steele, an African-American, the political dividend would be immense.

But if Maryland Republicans want to control their own destiny, there's a far more interesting and worthy option. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s success allowed them to think about a day when they didn't have to recruit sports stars to run for statewide offices. The Michael Steele Senate idea is a variation on that tired stopgap.

Here's a far better way to rebuild GOP leadership in Maryland: Keep the winning Ehrlich-Steele ticket intact. It's an attractive team. Why dilute a winning ticket?

The party ought to think about developing talent it may have overlooked. For example, why not run James C. "Chip" DiPaula Jr. for comptroller? There are a dozen reasons why this idea would make more sense than Steele for Senate.

Mr. DiPaula is more than qualified. If there is one success in the Ehrlich administration so far, it's Mr. DiPaula's management of the numbers. He stepped up and supplied expertise no one thought he or the GOP had. The party had been out of the governor's office for 36 years.

He mastered a $23 billion spending plan overnight. The economy has helped, but he's gotten a staggering deficit into what looks like manageable proportions. The cost in starved programs might not be your cup of tea, but it's been done with efficiency and resolve.

It's passed off as a joke by the governor, but Mr. DiPaula is the star of the Ehrlich administration, eclipsing the governor himself in terms of actually running the state. If Mr. Ehrlich gets re-elected, one of his best arguments will be Mr. DiPaula and fiscal management.

In further validation of his value, the governor has taken him out of the budget office now to make him chief of staff in charge of, everyone assumes, re-election. He's the obvious choice because he's shown an ability to work with Democrats, still an important qualification in a state where most legislators and most voters are registered Democrats.

It's not going to happen, of course. Mr. DiPaula may not want to run for office. If he did, though, he'd give the GOP a chance to promote competence over fleeting, transparent opportunism.

Beyond that, there's a limit to the party's devotion to party-building. Mr. Ehrlich probably doesn't want to field a strong GOP candidate against Comptroller William Donald Schaefer, a Democrat. Mr. Schaefer has been his usually reliable partner on the Board of Public Works, where some of the governor's policies are voted.

And running a strong opponent against Mr. Schaefer might alienate Schaefer loyalists. Mr. Ehrlich - and Mr. DiPaula - may see Mr. Schaefer as essential to the governor's re-election. Party-building and getting re-elected aren't the same things.

Too bad. A candidate like Mr. DiPaula would put the GOP on the side of substance. It would be a great long-term investment - and a refreshing departure from trying to catch political lightning in a bottle.

C. Fraser Smith is news director for WYPR-FM. His column appears Sundays.

Biden wants to seek Democratic nomination for president

Monday, June 20, 2005; Posted: 10:38 a.m. EDT (14:38 GMT)

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Delaware, said Sunday he intends to run for president in 2008.

But Biden, who also sought the nomination in 1988, said he would give himself until the end of this year to determine if he really can raise enough money and attract enough support.

Going after the nomination "is a real possibility," he said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

"My intention, as I sit here now, is, as I've proceeded since last November as if I were going to run. I'm quite frankly going out, seeing whether I can gather the kind of support," Biden said.

Biden said he was taking his "game on the road, letting people know what I think."

He added, "If, in fact, I think that I have a clear shot at winning the nomination by this November or December, then I'm going to seek the nomination."

Biden dropped out of the 1988 presidential race after a series of disclosures that he had liberally borrowed from other politicians in his stump speeches and after questions about his law school records

Two Democrats disavow Dean's jab at GOP

The Washington Post
Published on: 06/05/05

WASHINGTON — Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and former senator John Edwards, D-N.C., distanced themselves over the weekend from remarks by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who is facing criticism for the pace of the party's fund-raising.

Dean, who inspired a passionate following when he ran for president in 2003-04 and showed the potential of Internet fund-raising, has been as unpredictable with his public remarks since becoming party chairman in mid-February as his Republican counterpart, Ken Mehlman, has been on message.

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Biden made his comment on ABC's "This Week" after the host, George Stephanopoulos, played a clip of Dean saying Thursday that perhaps Republicans can wait in line to cast ballots because a "lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives."

Asked whether Dean is doing the party any good, Biden said, "Not with that kind of rhetoric. He doesn't speak for me with that kind of rhetoric. And I don't think he speaks for the majority of Democrats. ... I wish that rhetoric would change."

Edwards, the party's vice presidential nominee last year, said at an annual party fund-raising dinner Saturday in Nashville that he disagreed with Dean's comment.

Mehlman, appearing on his first Sunday talk show since becoming Republican National Committee chairman in January, said on NBC's "Meet the Press": "I'm not sure the best way to win support in the red states is to insult the folks who live there. I think that a better approach might be to talk about the issues you're for."

Dean, who portrays himself as a fighter, clarified his comment a day later to say that he was referring to the Republican leadership, not to ordinary Republicans.

Dean's aides, who have declined invitations for him to appear on television with Mehlman, said he was unavailable to comment on the reaction because he was traveling to Seattle for a Women's Leadership Forum fund-raiser and a "DNC Low Dollar Fund-Raiser." His spokeswoman, Karen Finney, said: "He is a voice of the party, not the only voice. We have different voices in our party. But we are all committed to rebuilding our party and getting our country back on track."

A recent article in Business Week was headlined, "Howard Dean's Raised Voice Isn't Raising Cash." The national Democratic Party raised about $18.6 million in the first four months of the year, compared with $42.6 million for the RNC. Finney said the Democratic Party is now raising $1 million a week.

Bill to move presidential primary could get vote on final day

5/7/2005, 3:50 p.m. CT By BOB JOHNSON The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A bill to make Alabama a key player in selecting candidates for president in 2008 is still alive going into the final day of the Alabama Legislature's session.

The proposed legislation would move Alabama's presidential primary from June to the first Saturday after the New Hampshire primary. That would make Alabama the third state in the country — and the first in the South — to take part in the process of choosing Republican and Democratic presidential nominees.

But the distinction might be short lived. In the last two presidential elections, the South Carolina primaries have been first in the South, being held on a Saturday about two and a half weeks after the New Hampshire primary. A Republican Party official in South Carolina says the Palmetto State won't let Alabama slip in front.

"We will maintain our status as first in the South primary. If Alabama moves its primary, we will move ours earlier," said Jay W. Ragley, political director of the South Carolina Republican Party.

He said in South Carolina, the parties and not the Legislature determine the dates of the presidential preference primary.

Supporters of the Alabama bill say it would give Alabama voters more of a role in choosing the next president and would lure candidates and national media coverage to the state.

"Other than coming here to fundraise, when was the last time we had a presidential candidate come to Alabama? 1988," said Sen. Steve French, R-Birmingham. French was a state Republican Party official in 1988, when Alabama was one of several Southern states to hold presidential primaries in March on a day known as Super Tuesday.

The bill passed the House by a 52-40 margin, with opponents arguing that the state can't afford the price tag — about $3 million — to open precincts and run election operations for an extra primary. The measure also cleared a Senate committee and could come up for final passage in the Senate on May 16, the final day of the session.

It originally was supported by both major parties in Alabama, but Republican Party chairwoman Twinkle Cavanaugh said the state could lose delegates to the national convention if it bumped up its primary date.

"The Republican National Committee says if we move our primary we may lose delegates," Cavanaugh said. She said the national party is getting involved "because a lot of states are wanting to move their primaries up."

Republican National Committee spokesman Danny Diaz said "party rules do stipulate that a state could risk losing delegates" by moving its primary in violation of those rules. The New Hampshire Primary was Jan. 27 in 2004, which could put Alabama's proposed new date in violation of the GOP rules, that say no state can schedule its primary before the first Tuesday in February.

Democratic National Committee spokesman Josh Earnest declined to comment on the Alabama bill, saying the DNC has a commission that is studying the entire process of selecting delegates, including the timing of primaries. He said the commission will make a series of recommendations to chairman Howard Dean.

Alabama Democrats mostly support moving the primary.

"We want to have an early voice in the selection of the nominee, the same reason Democrats in other states want to be up early," said state Democratic Party chairman Redding Pitt. Besides bringing candidates to the state, Pitt said the early primaries would encourage more people from both parties to get involved in the political process.

"A lot of people, however positive they may feel about the nominee, may be more invested in making the decision if they could get involved early," Pitt said. He said he hopes other Southern states will also switch to the early date, creating another Super Tuesday or Super Saturday.

Ragley said the early primary has been a success in drawing candidates and media attention to South Carolina.

"It energizes the base of our Republican Party and gets people interested in learning about the party," Ragley said. He said holding the primary on a Saturday — Alabama traditionally votes on Tuesdays — is popular with voters.

"It's a very good day to have it. They don't have to work on Saturday and a ton of people turn out," Ragley said.

Church torn by Partisan Passion

Democrats feel cast out

By KEVIN S. AUSTIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/08/05

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — The presidential election was decided last November, but in this western Carolina mountain town, the divisiveness of that race has risen again to pierce the serenity of one Baptist congregation.

And the wound hurts.

Rick Havner/AP (ENLARGE)
Some members say they were booted for how they voted.
Rick Havner/AP (ENLARGE)
Heidi and Dan Jenkins talk about the uproar at nearby East Waynesville Baptist Church in North Carolina. Some ousted members say their only sin was voting for John Kerry.
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"I've been in church all my life, and I've never seen anything like this," said Selma Morris, 78, a member of East Waynesville Baptist Church for 32 years.

Last week, a church gathering led by their young pastor kicked out nine members because they failed to support President Bush, some members say. The pastor, the Rev. Chan Chandler, had told the congregation last November that if anyone planned to vote for Democrat John Kerry, they should get up and leave, members say.

Members who protested the expulsion have stopped speaking publicly about the incident. Several calls to Chandler's house have gone unanswered.

Last week, he said the expulsions were not "politically motivated." He has not commented publicly since.

Haywood County has more than 120 houses of worship for its 54,033 residents. Not everyone in Waynesville, which has about 9,200 residents, was aware of the situation at the church, but many who lived along Woodland Drive, where the church is located, had something to say.

"That beats hell, telling people how to vote," said Arnold Bryson, whose proudly maintained house has a clear view of the simple red-brick sanctuary at the end of the street.

Down the street from the 100-member church, most of the folks browsing at Heidi and Dan Jenkins' yard sale echoed that opinion, whether they had supported Bush or Kerry.

"It is beyond belief that in this day and age in America that any church would tell us how to vote," said Heidi Jenkins, 52.

"You can't be a Christian if you hate people," said Joan Erickson of nearby Canton.

Friendly tourist town

Like many Smoky Mountain retreats, Waynesville has embraced tourism in a big way. Shoppers strolled down the classically rustic Main Street on Saturday, browsing at Just Ducky (a children's clothing store), T. Pennington Art Gallery and Textures: For the Finely Crafted Home. Frog Level, as the old downtown is known, hosted an Every Bloomin' Thing Festival.

Surrounding the shopping district are quiet neighborhoods with large craftsman style houses in brick, stone or frame.

Waynesville also shows off its Southern, NASCAR-loving roots. Just two miles south of downtown on Saturday morning, a "fire engine pull" in the Big Kmart parking lot drew 300 spectators and raised $4,000 for the Special Olympics.

The 10-man team of the Waynesville Police Department took top honors, defeating teams from the Waynesville Fire Department, Big Kmart and the Waynesville Correction Center in Hazelwood, which sponsored the event..

As the crowd dwindled by 1 p.m., master of ceremonies Robert Dudley realized he had forgotten to raffle the sheet cake made to look like a fire truck.

"We gotta raffle this cake off," he announced over the PA system. "We gotta settle this cake." In short order, they did.

Bush won Haywood County in November by 56 percent to 43 percent, larger than his margin in 2000.

Former President Bill Clinton carried the county in 1992 and 1996, and Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis won by 53 votes over President George Bush in 1988.

Last year's presidential race, according to some townspeople, was no more heated here than in the rest of the nation, and no more heated than in elections past.

A shock to Baptists

Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, was stunned by the report.

"I am appalled," Land said by phone Saturday. "I know thousands of Baptist pastors, and I can't think of one who wouldn't be appalled."

The 43,000 congregations within the Baptist denomination are independent, Land pointed out. Any punitive action probably would occur at the local or state level.

Dr. Jack Sammons, head of the Waynesville Baptist Association, could not be reached Saturday.

People are eager to find out whether Chandler will address the issue at this morning's scheduled worship. Morris said she heard a rumor that services would be canceled, but that could not be confirmed.

Several members involved had scheduled a meeting for Monday with an attorney to see what recourse they might have.

Morris told the Asheville Citizen Times that the nine members were voted out of the congregation at a gathering that was scheduled as a board of deacons meeting, but became instead a congregational business meeting with about 20 members present.

Individual church bylaws could allow an expulsion, said Dr. George Bullard, associate executive director-treasurer for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Saturday, at Jack's Donuts in Waynesville, owner Frank Fulbright, 62, took a bipartisan view. After all, church members on both sides of the dispute stop by for his renowned yeast-raised doughnuts, which measure about two inches thick.

Jack's is just across the street from Lowe Fly Shop & Outfitters, which has a 30-foot-long trout outlined with monkey grass in its side yard.

"Old Satan's in there working overtime, playing both sides against the middle," Fulbright said.

Anyway, business is business. Whether Bush or Kerry walked into his shop, Fulbright said, he'd just offer them a doughnut and a cup of coffee.

Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes

Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-
Let it be that great strong land of loce
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.

(It never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.

(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")

Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today-O Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.

Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In that Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home-
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."

The free?

Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay-
Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let America be America again-
The land that never has been yet-
And yet must be-the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine- the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME-
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.

Sure, call me any ugly name you choose-
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!

O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath-
America will be!

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain-
All, all the stretch of these great green states-
And make America again!

If you don't have it. Get the book "Let America be America again and other poems" by Langston Hughes with the preface by Senator John Kerry. Its some powerful stuff!!!

COLLEGE DEMOCRATS CALL A PROTEST AGAINST BUSH AGENDA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:

Javier A. Brown

President, College Democrats of Georgia

404-602-8485

205-218-9117 (cell)

COLLEGE DEMOCRATS PROTEST BUSH SOCIAL SECURITY AGENDA

Students rally against Vice President’s Town Hall Meeting Promoting Privatization

Georgia’s College Students will rally together at Campbell High School to protest against the Bush Social Security reforms on May 2^nd,. 2005.

Vice President Cheney will be holding a town hall meeting at Campbell High School to promote the Bush plan to privatize social security. Students from around the state of Georgia will be at Campbell High School to let the Vice President know that they are against the plan to dismantle social security.

“ We must keep the promises guaranteed to our parents and grandparents and ensure that there is stability for our own retirement,” says College Democrats of Georgia President, Javier Brown. “ Americans have spoken and do not want this reckless plan that will skyrocket the already horrible budget deficit.”

Students from across the state, along with other organizations will stand together to tell the Bush Administration “No” on Monday at 10:30 AM.

College Democrats of Georgia is the local state federation of the College Democrats of America. The College Democrats of America (CDA) is the official student outreach arm of the Democratic Party. It aims to train and engage new generations of Democratic activists and shape the Democratic Party with voices from America's youth. In election years, College Democrats work hard to mobilize student voters and recruit volunteers for Democratic campaigns, from town council to President of the United States.

###

CHENEY WILL BE IN ATLANTA MONDAY!! ACTION ALERT

Please spread the word and urge others to come out to fight against the privitization of social security.

Vice President Dick Cheney Will be in Smyrna Monday, May 2nd for a town hallmeeting supporting the Bush Social Security Privitazation Plan. Thisplan will dismantle the current social security system and cause thedeficit to skyrocket. We are asking everyone that is able to come outand protest the plan. We are asking everyone to be at Campbell HighSchool at 10:30 AM to prepare for the Vice President's arrival.Please spread the Word and urge others to come. It is VERY importantthat we have your support. If you have any questions, feel free tocall or email me. Directions to Campbell High School are below.
-Javier BrownPresident, College Democrats of Georgia404-602-8485
DIRECTIONS:
From the NORTH
I-75 South to Windy Hill Road. Exit Right (West) onto Windy HillRoad. Go West for 3.5 miles to Ward Street. Turn left onto WardStreet. The school is on the left.
From the SOUTH
I-75 North to Windy Hill Road. Exit Left (West) onto Windy Hill Road.Go West for 3.5 miles to Ward Street. Turn left onto Ward Street. Theschool is on the left.
From the EAST
Roswell Road/Hwy 120 or Sandy Plains Road. Go West to Cobb Parkway(Hwy 41) or I-75. Follow directions above.
From the WEST
Powder Springs Road to the East-West Connector. Head EAST on the East-West Connector to Austell Road. Turn Left (North) onto Austell Road.Continue to Windy Hill Road. Turn Right (East) onto Windy Hill Road.At the 6th traffic light (Ward Street) turn Right. The school is onthe left.
Dallas Highway (Hwy 120). Head East to Powder Springs Street (Loop120). Turn right. Head South for 1/2 mile and turn left onto SouthMarietta Pkwy (Loop 120). Go East to Fairground Road (by theConvention Center) and turn right. Take Fairground to South CobbDrive and turn right. Follow South Cobb Drive to Windy Hill Road.Turn left onto Windy Hill road. Go East to Ward Street and turnright. The school is on the left.

Jackson asks black caucus to help stage rally vs. ID bill

By SONJI JACOBS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/12/05

Civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson met privately with Georgia's Legislative Black Caucus on Monday to discuss plans to fight a controversial bill that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls.
Jackson asked the caucus to help his national civil rights organization, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, organize a national march in Atlanta on Aug. 6 — the 40th anniversary of the day the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law.

Tara Todras-Whitehill/Special
(ENLARGE)
Sen. Valencia Seay (from left), the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rep. Jo Ann McClinton were part of a meeting to oppose the recent voter ID bill passed in the Legislature.
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He said House Bill 244 underscores the importance of making sure that Congress renews the provisions of the Voting Rights Act that are set to expire in 2007. One provision allows the U.S. attorney general to send federal observers to monitor elections and requires primarily Southern states to gain the approval of the Department of Justice before implementing new voting procedures or practices.
"Your fight here is part of a bigger move to deny voters rights and voter access," Jackson said. Last month, he criticized President Bush for not clearly indicating support for extending the Voting Rights Act.
Jackson said the August march in Atlanta would spotlight the importance of the Voting Rights Act and other issues such as quality public education, affordable health care and saving Social Security. Jackson had tough words for the right wing of the Republican Party and urged Georgia's black caucus to build a coalition with other like-minded people.
"This march is the beginning of a resistance movement," Jackson said.
State Sen. John Wiles (R-Marietta), who carried HB 244 in the Senate, said the bill "ensures fair and open elections."
"It provides assurance to voters and citizens that there will not be voter fraud at polling places by requiring identification," Wiles said. "The ID will be provided free to those who cannot afford it."
He doesn't agree with critics who say requiring photo identification will keep some people from voting. "People know about the bill, and they can go get an ID with ample time before the next election," Wiles said.
If signed into law, the bill must be reviewed by the U.S. Justice Department.
State Rep. Stan Watson (D-Decatur), chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said the meeting with Jackson had been in the works for several weeks.
"We want to mobilize folks about the policies that are affecting the African-American community, from education to health care to the Voting Rights Act," Watson said. He and other black caucus leaders, including state Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale) and state Rep. Alisha Morgan (D-Austell), plan to have a news conference Monday to announce more details about the march.
Last month, the Georgia General Assembly passed the voter identification bill despite protests from Democrats, especially African-American lawmakers. Black Democrats walked out of the Senate and House when early versions of the bill initially passed. The measure would require voters to show one of six forms of government-issued photo identification at the polls. Previously, voters had been able to show 17 forms of identification, including utility bills, hunting and fishing licenses, and bank statements. The bill also allows voters to cast an absentee ballot for any reason.
Black lawmakers, civil rights groups, AARP, labor unions, the League of Women Voters of Georgia and the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund lobbied furiously against the bill, saying it could turn elderly, minority and poor voters away from the polls.
The bill is pending before Gov. Sonny Perdue, who has until May 10 to sign or veto it. If he does neither, the bill becomes law. Perdue's office has indicated that he supports the measure.

Reauthorization of Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965Background and Summary

Reauthorization of Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965Background and Summary


Question #1: Which provisions of the Voting Rights Act will expire inAugust 2007 unless Congress acts to reauthorize them?Answer: There are three key parts of the VRA that will expire in 2007unless reauthorized:* ? Section 5 of the Act which requires certain jurisdictions toobtain approval (or "preclearance") from the U.S. Department of Justice orthe U.S. District Court in D.C. before they can put into effect any changesto voting practices or procedures. Under the statute, federal approvalrequires proof that the proposed change does "not have the purpose and willnot have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account ofrace or color [or membership in a language minority group]."* ? Section 203 of the Act which requires certain jurisdictions toprovide bilingual language assistance to voters in communities where thereis a concentration of citizens who are limited English proficient. Thisprovision was added to the VRA in 1975.* ? The portions of Sections 6-9 of the Act which authorize thefederal government to send federal election examiners and observers tocertain jurisdictions covered by Section 5 where there is evidence ofattempts to intimidate minority voters at the polls.
Question #2: Where does Section 5 apply?Answer: Section 5 applies to any state or county where a literacy test wasused as of November 1, 1964, and where less than 50% of the voting ageresidents of the jurisdiction were registered to vote, or actually voted, inthe presidential election of 1964, 1968, or 1972. Currently, Section 5affects all or part of 16 states: All of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia,Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Most of Virginia, 4counties in California, 5 counties in Florida, 2 townships in Michigan, 10towns in New Hampshire, 3 counties in New York, 40 counties in NorthCarolina, and two counties in South Dakota.
Question #3: What kinds of laws and practices affecting voting must beprecleared?Answer: Because any change in election law or procedure could potentiallydiscriminate against minority voters, all proposed voting changes in coveredjurisdictions must be submitted for pre-clearance. Examples are plans forredistricting, annexation, at-large elections, re-registration requirements,polling place changes, and new rules for candidate qualifying. The SupremeCourt has recognized that seemingly insignificant changes can really besubtle attempts to discriminate.Question #4: How can a jurisdiction be removed from Section 5 coverage?Answer: The Act includes a "bail-out" mechanism, which allows jurisdictionsto be removed from Section 5 coverage if it can show that (1) it has been infull compliance with the preclearance requirements for the past 10 years;(2) no test or device has been used to discriminate on the basis of race,color, or language minority status; and (3) no lawsuits against thejurisdiction, alleging voting discrimination, are pending.
Question #5: Where do the minority language provisions of the Act apply?Answer: The language assistance provisions of the VRA apply to fourlanguage groups: Americans Indians, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives, andthose of Spanish heritage. A community with one of these language groupswill qualify for bilingual assistance under Section 203 of the Act if (1)more than 5% of the voting-age citizens in a jurisdiction belong to a singlelanguage minority community and have limited English proficiency; OR (2)more than 10,000 voting-age citizens in a jurisdiction belong to a singlelanguage minority community and are LEP; AND (3) the illiteracy rate ofcitizens in the language minority group is higher than the nationalilliteracy rate.Jurisdictions qualify for language assistance under Section 4(f)(4) of theAct if (1) over 5% of the voting-age citizens on November 1, 1972 weremembers of a single language minority group; (2) the U.S. Attorney Generalfinds that election materials were provided in English only on November 1,1972; and (3) the Director of the Census determines that fewer than 50% ofvoting-age citizens were registered to vote on November 1, 1972 or thatfewer than 50% voted in the November 1972 Presidential election.As of 2002, there are 382 local jurisdictions that need to provide languageassistance in Spanish and 119 that must provide assistance to AsianAmericans, Alaska Natives, and/or Native Americans. Because some of thesejurisdictions overlap, a total of 466 local jurisdictions across 31 statesare covered by the language minority provisions of the Act.
Question #6: Have these provisions been previously reauthorized?Answer: Yes. Section 5 was reauthorized with broad bi-partisan support in1970, 1975, and 1982 (for 25 years). Section 203 was enacted in 1975, andreauthorized in 1982 and 1992 (for 15 years).
Question #7: Should Section 5 of the VRA be made permanent?Answer: While making this provision permanent may seem attractive, doing sowould make it vulnerable to a constitutional challenge. Because Section 5is race conscious, it must be able to withstand "strict scrutiny" by thecourts. What this means, in part, is that the provision must be "narrowlytailored" to address the harms it is designed to cure. Many legal expertsquestion whether the Court would find a permanent Section 5 to be "narrowlytailored," such as to survive a constitutional attack.
Question #8: Should Section 5 apply nationwide?Answer: No. A "nationwide" Section 5 would also be vulnerable toconstitutional attack as not "narrowly tailored" or "congruent andproportional" to address the harms it is designed to cure, as required bythe Supreme Court's recent precedents. Section 5 is directed atjurisdictions with a history of discriminating against minority voters. Inaddition, nationwide application of Section 5 would be extremely difficultto administer, given the volume of voting changes that would have to bereviewed. This expansion of coverage would dilute the Department ofJustice's ability to appropriately focus their work on those jurisdictionswhere there is a history of voting discrimination.
Question #9: Why are congressional hearings important for thereauthorization effort?Answer: The Supreme Court has made clear in recent years that it willrequire Congress to establish a detailed record, through hearings andlegislative findings, in order to ensure that provisions such as thesesurvive constitutional scrutiny.

Georgia for Democracy Needs You

Georgia for Democracy needs volunteers to help with the following two projects this week:WABE RADIO PLEDGE DRIVE Tomorrow, Wednesday April 13thWe need 10 volunteers to answer phones for the WABE Radio pledge drive on Wednesday April 13th (tomorrow afternoon/evening). If you are a student, retired person or have a flexible schedule, please volunteer to help. A script will be provided for volunteers, but basically, all we'll be doing is answering calls and filling out pledge forms. If you can only work for part of our shift, or need a ride, please let us know. The Georgia for Democracy shift runs from 3:00-7:00pm on Wednesday April 13th, and WABE will serve our volunteers free dinner! In addition to helping a worthy cause, this will offer good publicity for our group, targeted to a friendly audience during prime drive time. To volunteer, please contact Melanie Goux: Mel@georgiafordemocracy.org or 404-873-3277 ext.702. I'll send you driving directions to the WABE Studios located near Ansley Mall.BUTTON BEE Thursday April 14thOn Thursday, April 14th, volunteers are needed to help make buttons for The March for Women's Lives. We'll make buttons for Georgians for Choice to distribute, and "I value choice" buttons for GfD volunteers to sell at the event. We need about 18 volunteers, or enough to keep two button machines going, plus give everyone a break! Button making is fun and easy. We'll provide all the supplies, and all we need is you. Our ambitious goal is to produce 800 buttons on Thursday evening. There's no need to call or RSVP, just come on out to 410 14th Street, NW at 7:00pm on Thursday April 14th. Iced tea and cookies will be served. If you need more info, please contact Catherine Smith: Catherine@georgiafordemocracy.org or 404-355-9355. Please join us for one or both of these fun and productive work sessions this week. We need you! Thanks,Melanie Goux & Catherine Smith

Social Security Op-Ed

You've probably heard what George Bush and Republicans are saying: By the time you retire, Social Security won't exist. The truth is that the Congressional Budget Office numbers say the program is solvent until 2052, when we will be near 70 years old. Even then, Social Security will meet 80 percent of its obligations. If this is a crisis, the paper cut I just received is a medical emergency.
Bush calls his plan "personal accounts" because privatization doesn't sound quite as safe. His plan would cost nearly $5 trillion over the first 20 years, adding to the $420 billon deficit. That money needs to be paid off eventually, which means higher taxes, slower economic growth, and, higher interest rates on student loans.During Bush's State of the Union address he said that people over 55 are guaranteed not to have any benefit cuts under his privatization plan. Privatization would slash benefits by more than 40 percent by changing the way Social Security benefits are calculated, even for those who do not choose to open a private account. A young worker would lose about $152,000 in benefits under the leading privatization plan. What about a worker who has a spouse and two children who becomes disabled or dies at the age of 27? Right now Social Security provides the equivalent of a $403,000 life insurance policy and a $353,000 disability insurance policy.
Privatization would weaken Social Security by gutting the guaranteed benefit. Private accounts are not 100-percent stable, just ask the employees of Enron. The guaranteed benefit brings in a steady cash flow.
For 70 years, Social Security has been the bottom-line commitment to America's retired generations. Eighty-year-olds should not be forced into backbreaking labor to bring home enough money to eat. This is an enduring social principle.Surely some will protest: but there's still a paper cut, we need to fix the problem. At this point, though, we should remember that even the paper cut is a prophecy foreseeing the future from 50 years away. Even if Social Security does fall short, there are reform solutions that can solve the problem without upending the American social contract. A bipartisan effort can be made to create a solution just like Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neill did to solve the Social Security problem in 1983.We cannot afford to trust just one side of the aisle on such a crucial issue. If we learned one lesson from the Iraq War, it is that this administration will play fast and loose with facts and figures to achieve its goals. This administration played those games with our generation once and ended up with a war and a potential draft.They are playing the same games again. This time the threat affects our grandparents, our parents, and us. Don't let George W. Bush cut Social Security's benefits; instead let's fight to keep the promise of Social Security alive for our generation and the generations to come.


Javier A. Brown
President, College Democrats of Georgia